Yes, Argue. But, Yes, Pray

The more I ponder the plight of our country the more I'm reminded that public square conversations are needed and defense of the Christian worldview from those who want to attack is necessary. There needs to be healthy arguments given in defense of the Christian position. However, I'm also reminded the only thing that will bring real and lasting change to our country is a revival of the gospel. For that we must pray.

In Colossians 1:3-6 Paul writes to the church there:

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

 A few points of observation for us to consider here:

1 . Paul calls the gospel "the word of truth." The gospel is the truth about God, us, the world, and reality. 

2. Paul states to the Colossian believers that the gospel is bearing fruit and increasing in the whole world. The gospel was going forth and bearing fruit. The influence of the gospel was spreading and growing. 

Friends, the God who brought the growth and increase from gospel seed planting is the same God we serve today. He can revive us again. He is the Sovereign Lord of the universe and of the harvest. We must pray for revival to burst forth on our land. Until then, may we be faithful seed planting and soil watering believers, who live with a fervency of prayer for God to cause the word of truth to increase throughout the world.

share with others if you believe they can benefit from this article

Conscience, Religious Liberty, and Discrimination

**Warning: Some graphic language and terms are used in order to communicate a point, the language and tone of these examples do not reflect my personal feelings or views or that of The Journey Church or other organizations I represent

A huge issue being discussed right now in the national media and within Christendom is religious liberty versus discrimination. The gay marriage debate is front and center, once again, and the subject now is over religious freedom to decline services to same-sex partners or whether it is discrimination. 

I do not pretend that this is an easy issue. But it is an important one. 

The debate centers around Christian conscience of assisting or performing services for a same-sex marriage. This is not about whether a burger joint owned by Christians should serve homosexuals at their counters. This is not about whether a gym owned by Christians should allow homosexuals to be members. This is about asking business owners or service providers to provide a service that directly violates their conscience. 

For example: there have already been cases around the country of florists, bakers, and photographers being fined by the government for refusing to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies due to their Christian convictions. The government is currently making decisions and legislation that would force these businesses to provide services and violate their conscience. 

There has been much written about this as of late. Trevin Wax writes particularly about the violation of conscience here. Al Mohler writes here about the coercion of the government to force people to do things against their religious liberties. Doug Wilson writes here in response to two journalists who write and compare not serving homosexuals as Jim Crow laws. Joe Carter writes here about why the issue of homosexuality and gay marriage is not the same as race and civil rights. You can go and read these articles to gain more understanding of the issues at hand here.

The way I would like to end this post is to share why I'm personally concerned about our trajectory. Our government is rapidly falling in line with the narrative that to decline services to someone for religious convictions is insufficient and only a cover up for discrimination. This bothers me because I can see a day when someone contacts me about renting our church to have a same-sex marriage and/or asking me to perform the ceremony. We would decline both requests for such services. What happens when this is reported to civil authorities as discrimination and/or a hate crime or violation of civil rights, and the church, including myself, are fined, penalized, and even prosecuted? 

I am not homophobic. I have friends who are professing homosexuals. I do not agree with this lifestyle based on my religious convictions and worldview. However, I will eat in the same restaruant with them. I will workout on the same machines and equipment. I will use the same pool. I will root for them when they make a tackle, hit a jumper, or throw a no-hitter. They are welcome to attend our church's worship gatherings. However, to ask me to endorse, support, or contribute to their being married, violates my conscience and convictions. But it appears we are on track for the government to say, "Too bad." 

Consider some parallel situations and ask whether it is appropiate for services to be performed:

-- a lesbian couple who owns a sign shop are asked to create a banner for an anti-gay rally that says, "Fags go to hell!" Should they be forced to create this sign?

-- a black family who owns a bakery are given an order for a cake that reads, "Happy 150th Anniversary Ku Klux Klan: Death to all Nigers." Should this family be reasonably expected to make this cake without pause or hesitation or are they discriminating?

-- a Jewish family who owns a kosher restaurant is asked to supply an order of smoked ham. Are they forced to violate conscience because they are a public restaurant or are they discriminating against us pork lovers?

-- a feminist bookstore owner is asked to carry a book by a guy who constantly slams women, refers to them as "bitches," and writes insistently on how the only uses for a woman are sex and carrying babies. Should she be made to sell and promote such a book in her store or is she discriminating?

-- a pacifist movie theatre owner is asked to show a documentary supporting and propagating war called "The Beauty of War." Is he to violate his conscience or is he discriminating?

-- a Muslim family who owns a tee shirt print company is asked to produce shirts which read, "Jesus is Lord, Muhammad's a Liar." Is the family expected to go along with this or would it be discrimination to decline?

The purpose of some of these graphic scenarios is position us to see what is at stake here. In each one of these examples, I believe the business owners are within their rights to decline services. I do not believe any of them should be forced to violate their conscience and convictions, regardless of whether the pressure is from the public or the government. 

We are not dealing with bigotry and discrimination. I do not know any thoughtful and devout Christians who are homophobic or consumed with making homosexuals miserable. The charge often leveled against Christians is we are consumed with this issue. I'm not consumed with this. I do not desire to spend significant time writing or speaking about it. However, when it is constantly pushed in your face by the media, the gay activists, and the government, then Christians have to speak up. We do not want to violate our conscience. It is not discrimination. It is not a race issue. It is not bigotry. It is about our convictions and the religious liberty to live those. If we do not have that, then our country is but a faint shadow of what we once were, and my own military service to uphold our freedoms seems in vain.

if you believe others can benefit from reading, share with it with them 

Chuck Liddell and Hope for Your Day

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

These words are powerful. They are God's words. They are penned by men, but inspired and directed by the Spirit of God. These words are meant to fuel hope, encouragement, and joy.

Our citizenship, as followers of Jesus Christ, is heaven. And from heaven we await our Savior. He's coming back. He is coming to restore all things. He is coming to redeem creation and establish his kingdom forever. 

Then he will do something amazing. He will transform our lowly, sickly, dying bodies, into glorious, perfected bodies, like his own. We will be raised to new life and never sin again. Never die again. Never get sick again. This is the hope of the Christian life. We long for and await this day. 

But what causes us to believe in this hope? 

What makes us think this can actually happen?

The answer: because the power that enables Jesus to subject all things to himself is the power that cause these dead bones to live. 

This verse packs a Chuck Liddell to the temple type ending. Jesus, who was raised from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God, now rules and reigns over the unviverse, and every molecule in it. He upholds the universe by the Word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). The same power that enables him to subject all things to himself is the very power that will one day cause these lowly bodies to be glorious. 

Oh friends, the Christian hope is an incredible hope. Set your eyes on your citizenship in heaven today and the Savior we await to come from there. For in a blink of an eye he is coming. He leaves us in the closing words of our Bible's with the promise, "Surely I am coming soon."

share with others using the buttons below

Does Daddy Really Love Me?

This is the essential question behind our struggles with sin. 

But I'll return to that issue in just a moment. 

As a father of three children, two who are old enough to be into everything, I am often giving commands. "Don't jump off that. "Don't put that in your mouth." "Read some pages in your book before playing on the iPad." "Eat more of your dinner." "Take your medicine." And the list could go on.

All of these commands have one thing at their core: I love and care for my kids. 

I love my kids. And my love for them is why I give them commands. I don't want them to get injured or sick. I want them to be able to read competently, not just play video games. I want them to grow strong and be healthy. All of the commands I give them are fueled by my love and affection for them. I want the best for them. 

But you have kids. And you know that while my reasoning for the commands is the love I have for them, they only see it from a perspective of rules. Their young minds only perceive daddy as a rule-giver. However, these potential perspectives from my kids doesn't stop me from giving and upholding those rules. Why? Because I love them enough not to give them over to irresponsible, destructive behaviors. I'm not going to let them jump from things that will injure them or let them only eat Hershey Kisses or neglect homework for games. This is not me being the Big Ole Meany Butt, it is demonstrating Fatherly love and care for my beloved children.

Now back to my opening statement about "Does Daddy Really Love Me?" as the essential question behind our struggles with sin.

When we ask the question, we are not speaking of earthly fathers, but our Heavenly Father. Whether it is having sex outside the confines of God's decree of a marriage covenant between a man and a woman or our unhealthy clinging to material possessions, we have commands from God that we are expected to obey. Be it stealing, lying, drunkenness, gossip, or any number of sins, we have boundaries God has given for us to live in. 

However, like young children with their parents, we do not like rules. We do not always understand the wisdom of why we cannot do something. We do not always grasp the benefits we will experience if we will submit to our Father's will. I believe the question we must remind ourselves to ask, which empowers obedience is, "Does daddy really love me?" 

The answer to that question is an emphatic and unquestionable: yes! He loves you more than anyone else ever has. The Bible makes clear God's love for us, namely in sending His Son to atone for our sins (Romans 5:8; John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). God has affections for you and delights in you, which is why He does not want you to engage in actions, behaviors, and attitudes that are destructive to you. He wants you to thrive and live a life of joy. 

The issue is many of us reason like children and believe the Hershey Kisses for dinner (or sex outside of heterosexual marriage) or neglecting homework for video games (or clinging to material possessions) are the most desirable things, but meany-butt daddy won't let us. The list could go on, but the issue remains the same. If we trust daddy is wise, then we can submit to his ways, because we believe he has our best interest at heart, and he loves us.

Daddy does love us. Rather than rallying together the siblings to reason with ourselves about how "out-of-touch" dad is or to overthrow him so our wisdom will prevail, we should submit to the loving commands of our Father. Even when we do not understand "why" He commands what He does, perhaps our advice to our children, heard from the lips of God, would be apropos, "Because I said so, and I love you."

if you think others could benefit from this article, share it by using the buttons below

An open letter to my social media friends

There are many things I am still learning about life and maturity. So my open letter is not coming from the guy who has figured it all out. However, I want to issue a plea to all my fellow social media users. I believe we have allowed social media to distort how we deal with issues in our lives. Let me explain.

One of the drawbacks of social media is that it has dulled our sense of what should be shared publicly and what should not. We have become so accustomed to telling everyone about our lives that wisdom has walked out the door. We over share details of our lives that should be kept to ourselves or our family. There are such things as inappropriate status updates - and it has nothing to do with the amount of clothing you are wearing. 

You know this to be true. How many times have you been on social media and read a status and thought to yourself, "TMI" or "over share"? How many times has your spouse or friend said to you, "did you see what _______ posted on Facebook today?" So we are all aware that this happens. But what we like to think is that it doesn't happen with us.

Instead of keeping certain things to ourselves or taking time to process issues with people in real life, we blast our thoughts for all the world to see. In doing this we think we are being authentic and real, you know, really sharing our lives with others. But instead what happens is we live under the illusion we are actually dealing with issues when in fact we are not. We actually start using social media to be passive aggressive and "make a statement" when what we should do is pick up a phone or go sit down with someone.

Airing out your marriage problems on Facebook is inappropriate. Talking about how bad someone hurt you or how disappointed you are in someone is not Facebook material. Why? Because these are things you should address with a much smaller group of people in real life, not the social media world. You may garner sympathy and a slew of encouragers, but what happens if you are the problem or reason for the dispute? What happens if you are in the wrong? People on Facebook don't know that...because they are not really in your life. They are in the life you portray. There's a big difference. 

People I went to high-school with 15 years ago, that I do not see or interact with in daily life, do not need to know I'm angry at my wife or grieving some internal hurt. Why? Because they cannot do anything. Social media was not created for dealing with life issues. You can stay in touch with people through social media, but it is not supposed to be the place where our relationships take place. And because of that, it is not the place where we air our problems and hurts, at least not the real ones. Those are reserved for the people who are truly in our lives. These are the people who can love us enough to tell us when we are wrong. They are not just people who will "like" our latest rant because they are ignorant of the actual details.

May we learn to exhibit self-control and recognize that not everything needs to be posted for everyone to see. Instead of rushing to update our status when something happens in life, perhaps we need to take time to process and think and consult people who are really in our lives.

Sincerely, 
The guy who has to delete many status' composed in frustration and hurt

if this article was helpful to you and you think it would be to others, share away

Half-Butt Apologies

"Kaleigh, did you hit Wyatt?"

"He is being mean to me!"

"Did you hit him? Yes or No?"

"Yes," she poutingly admits. 

"Then you need to apologize to him."

Silence.

"Kaleigh, tell him you are sorry, now."

"Sorry."

This is not atypical to what is bound to happen whenever my four year old daughter and her four year old cousin get together. And you have seen this unfold before too. You get on to your kid and have them apologize to their friend, cousin, or sibling, and they do. But do you ever notice they do not appear very sorry at all? In fact, their apology is begrudging. If words could smack the taste out of someone's mouth, that is what many of these apologies amount to.

We somewhat expect kids to do this. They don't want to apologize. They only do it because we make them. We just assume (or hope) they will one day learn to be genuine when they make mistakes. We tell ourselves they will mature and learn to take responsibility for their actions. They will learn to apologize when they wrong someone. 

Fast forward the clocks.

We are those kids. 

We suck at apologizing. In fact, some people have gone years without apologizng to those whom they have hurt. Many just wait for things to blow over or go away and then pretend like everything is normal. Others attempt to apologize, but when you investigate the apology, it isn't actually an apology. 

Let me explain. 

If you say something offensive to someone and it hurts their feelings, you should say to them, "I'm sorry I said that, it was wrong and hurtful. I apologize." That is an apology. 

What you should not say is, "I'm sorry that you got your feelings hurt." This is not an apology. It is an effort to put responsibility on the person whose feelings were hurt, instead of your actions. You said something hurtful, but instead of owning it, you are shifting the blame on the other person. "I'm sorry that you got your feelings hurt," is making them to blame for the relational conflict or impasse. Interestingly, when the person who has been offended doesn't feel the apology was adequate or genuine (because it wasn't), the offender will say something like, "Well, I apologized, I don't know what it else you want me to do."

Beware. This can happen in your marriage, with your friends, with co-workers, with family members, and the list goes on. If we do not learn to truly apologize when we hurt others, it will damage these relationships and produce bitterness, resentment, and anger.

This is how many people approach "apologizing" these days. Not many are willing to take responsibility for their mistakes and missteps. I want to challenge us to learn to take responsibility for our actions. It is not an expectation that anyone will be perfect. So instead of refusing to take ownership of our faults and apologizing to those we hurt with them, let's be reminded we no longer have to maintain a front of perfection. 

If there are people in your life today that you need to say "sorry" to or give an extensive apology, then do it. Just be sure your apology doesn't like the 4 year old doing what daddy told her to do.

if you benefited from this or think others would, share it by using the buttons below

Defining Christianity Like An Atheist Than A Christian

As odd as it may sound, I actually enjoyed listening to the ranting and fodder of the late Christopher Hitchens. I disagreed with nearly everything he taught, but he was likeable and witty, which made him easy to listen to. Hitchens spoke out regularly against religious beliefs, Christianity in particular. He would often debate Christians in university settings, on radio programs, and he appeared on television programs representing atheism, and his particular brand - anti-theism.

On one occasion Hitchens was interviewed on a radio program where a minister from the Unitarian Church, Marilyn Sewell, was talking with him about a book he wrote called God is Not Great. In the book Hitchens paints God as a monster. So Sewell - who seemed to think her and Hitchens were on the same side - implies that Hitchens only seems to be talking about the “fundamentalist” Christians, you know those who believe the Bible, that Jesus lived, died on the cross, and rose again. But she and her denomination don’t believe in all that, they celebrate the example of Jesus and the way of love. Listen to what she asks Hitchens, and his response:

Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make and distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian…

From the mouth of an atheist we see very clearly there are certain beliefs, facts, and particular knowledge claims that Christians hold, that to not hold them, excludes you from defining yourself as a Christian. I would go beyond Hitchens description and add to the list.

Christians believe from the Scriptures that: 

-- God is Triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
-- We believe that God is Creator of all and is holy and righteous in all His ways
-- We believe that man was created by God for relationship and to bring God glory, but all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
-- We believe this sin condemns us before God and puts us at odds with Him, separating us from relationship
-- But we believe God, in His love, sent forth His Son to reconcile sinful man to Himself by lifting the curse off of us and punishing it on the head of His own Son as a substitute in our place
-- We believe that Christ, who was crucified was also raised on the third day, and that his resurrection is the justification of who he was, what he taught, and evidence His Father had accepted his sacrifice for sinners
-- We believe that all who place their faith in the sacrifice makes for sinners will be saved and made children of God, reconciled to relationship

Christianity is not what you want to make it. Because Christianity is a knowledge tradition, it is not simply a set of religious beliefs. Christianity makes claims about reality (metaphysics), not just religious claims.

The two most common groups to misrepresent and/or redefine Christian beliefs are atheists, who love to create straw man versions of Christianity, and liberal Christians, who retract doctrines that have grown out of favor with the culture. Both of these groups define Christianity wrongly, assuming it is a define-it-for-yourself endeavor. The problem is, one of these groups openly acknowledges they are not Christians, while the other group is deceived in thinking they are. So while I would add much more to my definition than Hitchens did to his, I would rather define Christianity like he did than like Sewell. In this case, I would rather define Christianity like an atheist than a "Christian."

share this article with others by using the buttons below

Evil Queen Hermeneutics

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" The Evil Queen loves to ask this question, because she is told in reply, "My Queen, you are the fairest in the land." Oh how she loves to ask this question. She is wonderful. She is beautiful. She is the most impressive in the land. Why wouldn't she want to go to the mirror daily, hourly to ask this question? 

Something looks oddly familiar about this scene. People who run to something to see their own reflection and be told how good they are...hmm...where have I seen this before? Oh, yes, that's it, this is how many people are using their Bibles. 

I can see the confused look on your face, so I'll explain. Many open their Bible's and read it, hoping and longing to hear exactly what they want to hear. They like the Bible so long as the Bible affirms their already preconceived ideas. They enjoy going to Scripture so long as it keeps aligning with their existing opinions. The problems begin when the Bible tells them something they don't like. 

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" When the mirror responds, "My Queen, you are the fairest here so true. But Snow White is a thousand times more beautiful than you," something changes. This infuriates the Evil Queen, because the mirror is supposed to only tell her what she wants to hear - that she is the fairest. The moment the mirror tells her something different, she is enraged. 

The same thing happens with how many approach Bible interpretation. They  have an Evil Queen hermeneutic. They read and affirm everything the Bible says, so long as it aligns with what they already believe. They love the Scripture, particularly the parts which affirms their existing presuppositions. But when they encounter something they don't like, they discard it. They throw away passages, doctrines, and truths because they don't match what they expected to hear when they came to the Bible. I read an article recently in which the author essentially promotes this very ideology.

There is a lot of talk about contextualization today. We should contextualize the message of the gospel and the Scriptures to people. I agree with this. We should definitely communicate the truths of the Bible to people in such a way that they understand them and grasp how to live them in our culture and era of history. However, we do not contextualize the interpretation of Scripture. Our job is to contextualize the application of Scripture. We do not change the meaning of Scripture to fit our culture's current sensibilities. That is not contextualization. Instead, we seek to understand what the Scriptures are saying to us, what the author of a particular passage meant by what they wrote. Then, and only then, can we take truths and contextualize them in our current culture and situations. 

Contextualization is about application, not interpretation.  First, we interpret Scripture rightly. Then we can contextualize application properly. Contextualizing the interpretation is Evil Queen hermeneutics. It is an exercise is making the Scripture say what you want them to, instead of letting them speak for themselves. Be weary of people who interpret the Bible like the Evil Queen. They love to quote Scriptures that tell them what they want to hear. But they are dangerously quick to discount, remove, and deny Scriptures that do not.

If this article was helpful for you, share with others using the buttons below

Using Satan's Glasses To Interpret Scripture

Everyone is a bible interpreter. If you have ever quoted a verse or referenced something Jesus said, you are doing interpretation. The question is not whether we are bible interpreters, it is whether we are good interpreters.

Bible interpretation is the discipline known as hermeneutics. There is a right way of doing interpretation and a wrong way of doing interpretation. There are hermeneutic rules such as 1. always interpret Scripture with Scripture and 2. interpret Scripture in its proper context, and the often forgotten task 3. look for authorial intent. These and other principles are guidelines and guardrails to prevent the Wild Wild West of bible interpretation (see more on that here).  

The Devil's Interpretation

The danger I want to warn us of, is reading the Bible like Satan. Satan knows the Bible. He likely has more verses memorized than you do, and me for that matter. Yet this does not mean that Satan rightly or correctly interprets Scripture. We saw Satan distort God's words in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. God said one thing, Satan said something completely different.  Man becomes the victim.

But perhaps the most clear example is found in Matthew 4. In Matthew 4 Jesus has just been baptized and is led into the wilderness by the Spirit. There he will be tempted and tried. Satan appears to Jesus after he has gone 40 days and nights without food. He comes and challenges Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus doesn't go for it. But then Satan moves to his next temptation, but this time he uses Scripture. In Matthew 4:6 Satan says to Jesus as they stand at the pinnacle of the temple, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"

Well there you have it, I guess Jesus has to jump. After all, Satan has shown from Scripture (Ps. 91:11-12) that Jesus should jump because angels will be there and will keep him from striking his foot. But Jesus doesn't jump. Instead, Jesus counters Satan's use of Scripture with another passage (Deut. 6:16), "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" In other words, Jesus interprets Scripture with Scripture when he tells Satan he's not jumping off the temple. He shows that Satan's conclusions are invalid, because the passage is not quoted in context. Jesus exhibits here how Bible interpretation should be done. 

Don't Use the Bible Like Satan

Unfortunately, many people today don't take heed to this example. Instead, countless thousands pluck Bible verses kicking and screaming out of their contexts to make or prove any point. However, this is not permissible. We don't have the option of using Scripture any ole' way we want. 

One of the ways I have seen this developing in our culture is the use of passages like 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 4:8. In this former passage, we see Paul outline the way of love in the Christian life. He speaks to how love must accompany all of our actions. In the latter passage, we see John declare that anyone who does not love is not from God, because God is love. So these two passages, and a few others, are often tossed out in public square conversations, even in Christian-to-Christian conversation, to negate speaking out against sinful actions. These passages are used as an attempt to muzzle into silence a Christian who is speaking out against sin. The often heard retort is, "Well, I know you are saying that X is wrong, but the Bible also says that God is love, so I just think we should focus on loving people." Now don't get me wrong, loving people is important, but what that statement attempted to do is produce an action - in this case, silencing the believer who is vocalizing the sinfulness of an action - by using other passages of Scripture. Does this look familiar?

The Bible exhorts believers to stand for the truth. Interestingly, Jesus, the most loving of all humans to ever live, had no problem calling out sin. Yes, he loved people and was merciful, but he did not tap-dance around the issues of the day in order to win the crowds affections. Another fascinating part of this is the reality that the verses used from Paul (1 Corinthians 13) and John (1 John 4:8) come from guys who do the very thing (call out sin) that those who cite their verses are trying to urge against. For example, John, the same John who wrote that God is love, is also the same guy who wrote in the same book(!) the words of 1 John 1:6 "If we say we have fellowship with him (God) while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." Or consider this doozy in 1 John 3:6 "No one who abides in him (God) keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him." As you can see, to use verses from these guys to promote this idea that we should not speak out against sin, is to be deceptively selective in choosing verses, because they do the very thing you are using them to silence others from doing.

It is not loving to remain silent when people are sinning their way straight to hell. It is neither loving or noble to silence believers who are daring to show courage in the face of a culture and church that are not. Yes, believers should be tactful and wise as serpents and gentle as doves in the way they approach speaking out against sin. But when believers are quoting Scripture to other believers to produce an action that the particular passage doesn't warrant, it's wrong. By the way, this is how the Devil does Bible interpretation. It is time Christians stop using Satan's glasses to read Scripture.


if you believe this article is helpful and would be beneficial for others, share by using the buttons below

The Joke Is On Us

Ah danggit, we've been duped!! 

Go ahead and admit it, we fell for it. The joke is on us, and you know what, we deserve it. 

What am I talking about, you wonder? I'm talking about the lie we bought when we fell for the idea that moral absolutes were a thing of the past that everyone had outgrown. You remember, don't you? Christians were lectured by everyone about how morals were not absolute, but varied from culture to culture. Remember the rhetoric? We can't impose our views on others, it is wrong. We were made to feel like the scum of the earth for projecting our "superior" moral standards on those who have the right to do what they think is right for them. It is their life, as long as they are not bothering us. 

Do we all remember this narrative which circulated over recent years?

Now open your eyes and look where we are. The tables have turned. Those whose moral standards used to pace the culture, are now the one's having the absolute morality of the others pushed down their throats to point of asphyxiation. Like the revolutionary leader who stirs up the masses against the wicked king, only to become a harsher dictator once he's assumed power, so have the once "liberators" of tyrannical moralists become the tyrants themselves.

Proof In The Pudding

Take for example the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The games will be held in February and many Americans will compete against the best in other countries in all sorts of sports and events.

But in case you forgot, there was talk about the United States not participating in the Olympic Games. Do you remember why? Because in the summer of last year (2013), Russia passed a law against any public displays or expressions of homosexuality or distribution of information about homosexuality to children. Americans, especially news outlets, politicians, and activists (examples here, here, and here), were outraged at such bigoted, intolerant actions. They called for boycotts of the Olympics, even Russian vodka. Many took to the streets pouring out Russian vodka (that'll show'em!) to protest such laws. They could not believe anyone had the nerve to violate the moral ethic of approving and even celebrating homosexuality and the homosexual lifestyle. How draconian!

Interestingly, this Russian bill passed with a vote of 436-0. The reasons they stated for creating the legislation was to promote traditional Russian values as opposed to Western liberalism, which they see as corrupting Russian youth. According to the American narrative, we should respect that, right? It is their culture. That's what's right for them. Who are we to say what is right for them? Who are we to impose our moral judgments over their country?

Do you sniff the hypocrisy dripping from the American outcry? I thought we believed that morality was not legislated by any group of people, but rather it was relative to each culture? I thought what was good for them is good for them and what is good for us is good for us? Surely we are not inserting ourselves as Russia's moral police, right? After all, the same people upset over Russia's anti-gay laws would be the same people unwillingly to go to war over injustices like tyrannical governments killing its citizens. We don't want to be the world's policemen when it comes to saving lives, but if it comes down to who you can have sex with, then sure, we are there with our blue lights flashing and our sirens ringing.

Unbelievable, But Not Really

So let us say it together, "We. Were. Duped." They pulled one over on us pretty good. We were made to feel like the outdated grandpa who had longed lost his pulse on reality and "the way things are today," only to see those who tore down our belief in absolute morals, build their own version to stand from and cry the absoluteness of it. 

The joke is on us, but I don't see any of us laughing.


share with others by using the buttons below

8 Social Media Resolutions for 2014

Consider this a friendly post as the year closes for how to make 2014 a year of winning friends and influencing people. We all see stuff in the social media world that makes our eyes roll, our blood-pressure rise, and our mouth's drop (oh no she didn't). Often we wonder to ourselves (or aloud), " are they clueless?" So as the New Year approaches, I wanted to offer a friendly PSA to perhaps head off frustration from your friends, make you more enjoyable on social media, and keep you from being "that guy/gal."

Some playful, yet kind of serious, social media resolutions that should be made for 2014 (or at least many of us wish you would make):

1. Aim for one less selfie per week. 

I'm 87.4% sure that the world would be a better place if the number of selfies were reduced. Real statistics tell us the number of selfies taken now outnumber the number of photos of others things. Pretty crazy, huh? We all know you love some you. We also know you love to show your duck face, kitten-purr face (aka the Glamor Shot), and the pretty-smile, girl-next-door face. However, when we go through your pics or see your timeline and there is nothing but selfies on there, we begin to conclude you think more highly of yourself than you ought. Trust me, one less selfie - but don't use one as a rule, by all means reduce the number by more if you are feeling led of the Spirit - will be good for you.

2. Remind yourself that you don't have to post everything you think. 

You do not have to tell us every single thing you are thinking the second you think it. Some things are actually better left unsaid. Facebook is THE place where the TMI was invented. I know you are behind a screen and do not have to look at anybody, nor do you have to see their staring glares back at you, but when you post how stupid your spouse is, or give us the play-by-play of why you are fighting with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or share your details from your doctors appointment, or tell us some of the 12,000-60,000 thoughts per day that travel through our brains, of which some would be better left unsaid, it is time to learn some self-control. Adopt a Facebook buddy, and give them permission to send you a message, at any time, to say "TMI," when you cross the line, so you know to delete your status. You would find yourself looking a lot less crazy if you did this.

3. Reduce in half your number of food pics for the year.

Everybody has been guilty of the food pic. Let's just all confess together and repent. I think we forget sometimes that everyone has seen food. We are usually not showing anyone something they've never seen before. I say the new rule of thumb is: if you're eating something exotic, something that you won't find at just any restaurant, then post away. But if you are posting a pic of your steak or pizza or hamburger, just remind yourself: I bet they've seen one of these before.

4. Ask a friend to spell-check your angry rant.

Nothing makes you look crazier or less educated than an angry Facebook rant riddled with misspelled words. Your status loses its potency when we read, "I jus wish sumbody wood say sumthang!" We are no longer threatened by your angry rant because we highly doubt you could ever find your way from your house to ours. I know you don't think it matters, but when half of your status is spelled wrong our eyes are glued in on that reality and we forget what you're even talking about.

5. Give up the passive-aggressive pot shots at people.

This one annoys me the most. On social media this form of back-biting is common. When you don't have to see the person face-to-face, or you are sitting behind your screen, it is easy to be snarky to people. But passive-aggressive snarkiness is the worst type. Passive-aggressive pot shots come at you without directly coming at you. These are the kind where you know it is aimed at you, but it doesn't say your name. If you confront the person or send them a message, they can say they weren't talking about you, after all, they left wiggle room in how they worded their status to deny. Hence, the passive-aggressive pot shot. I say we make a rule: if something you are doing is annoying me, I'm either going to A. tell you via private message or B. block you so I don't have to see it anymore. At least that way we can avoid the passive-aggressive mess.

6. Cover up and keep your pics modest. 

We know you love your body. You're proud of those abs, arms, boobs, legs, __________, but the rest of us don't need to see them/it. While your attempt to get the "Wow, your beautiful" certainly aides the self-esteem, the question you should ask is, "At what price I'm I willing to pay to garner that compliment?" I'm not saying posting a nice pic of you dressed up and looking good is wrong (however, see resolution #1), I'm saying you do not have to flash a bunch of skin for us to notice you or see your beauty. One day you may have someone in your life (or perhaps you already do) who would prefer they be the only one to see your half-covered body. Not to mention, I do not believe you will find your soul mate and best friend via your swimsuit pic luring them in. You'll lure someone in, just not the person you probably want. 

7. Don't be a troll.

This one is almost self-explanatory. Don't get on someone's status and start complaining or arguing with them. This is a troll move. Nobody likes a troll. If you are a troll, people will eventually just block you.

8. Avoid massive religious and political debates.

Okay, so this is the one I want to work on the most. I think Facebook can be a good place to have some discussion, but it is not the place to hash out major disagreements. The best place for religious and political discussion and debate is face-to-face. One reason for this is people talk with less bravado when they are in front of people instead of a screen. Not to mention, it is easier to listen to someone as they talk, as opposed to reading tiny print on social media. I believe Facebook is where we talk about life and culture, and part of that is talking about things like religion and politics, which are a part of our lives and culture. However, I believe at a certain point in discussion, you reach the it-is-only-going-to-be-an-argument-and-nothing-good-it-is-going-to-emerge limit. At that point, I believe it should either go to private message or face-to-face. If you are unwilling to meet face-to-face about what you are so passionate about on Facebook, you probably are not as passionate as you would like to think.

Well, that's my list. What things would you add to the list that are missing from mine? What things do you need to be better at that are mentioned on my list? I'd love to hear from you in the comment. 

We all know somebody who needs to read these (that guy/gal), so increase their chance of seeing it by sharing with the buttons below

The Calamity of Conceding Our Voice

It is safe to say that I will probably not be giving any Presidential Inauguration prayers in my lifetime. Is it possible I could be invited? Sure, I guess it is. But it is probably just as possible that I'll lead a space mission to explore Jupiter or be the next skipper of the Chicago Cubs to lead them to a World Series title (side note: we will probably be inhabiting condos on Jupiter before any skipper leads the Cubs to a World Series title). Bottom line: I don't have to worry about being asked for this honorable task.

But let's pretend for a moment that I was asked. Let's imagine for a moment that for some reason, some newly elected president had heard of me or knew me - it would probably have to be a hometown friend, but growing up in Lebanon, TN probably rules this theory out too - and wanted me to give the Inauguration Day prayer. Wow! What a privilege! What an honor! What an opportunity! It's ashamed I wouldn't be allowed to do it. 

"Why wouldn't you be allowed to do it?," you wonder. Legally speaking (at least right now), nothing would be able to keep me from doing it. However, the censorship police and mafia-like bullies represented by organizations like GLADD and others like them, would quickly pounce on the president-elect's choice of having me give the prestigious prayer. Why? Because I have written, spoken, and support the Bible's teachings on homosexuality being a sin. This would disqualify me for such a role in our ever-changing culture. The track-record is proving this.

The Silencing of Christians

Consider what happened to Pastor Louie Giglio in January of 2012. Giglio was asked by President Barak Obama to give the Inauguration Day prayer. Incredible! One of my guys (conservative evangelical) is given an incredible platform and opportunity. Yet, quickly after the announcement was made, Giglio rescinded the offer and issued a statement. He cited not wanting to be a distraction from the Inauguration. Giglio had been asked to participate because of his amazing work with Passion and leading a movement to end sex-trafficking and slavery around the world. What in the world could possibly make Louie Giglio offering a prayer a "distraction" on Inauguration Day? 

Are you ready for this? He preached a sermon speaking against homosexuality 15-20 years prior. There you have it. The censonship police and mafia-like bullies went rummaging through Giglio's past, searching tirelessly to find their silver bullet. They found it. A message where Giglio affirms Scripture's teachings on the sinfulness of same-sex practices. Hence, I will probably never be doing an Inauguration Day prayer.

While we are eliminating things I will never do, we can add being on a reality tv show now, especially on A&E. With the Phil Robertson/Duck Dynasty dust-up last week, we were reminded again that Christians are not allowed speak out or against homosexuality.  

The Bully Tactics

How did these things happen? How did Giglio get pressured into rescinding his invitation? How did A&E succumb to pressure to suspend Robertson? The answer: from the pressure of groups like GLADD and others. Their mission is to target and eliminate all views that oppose homosexuality. They intentionally target news media and entertainment media to push their agenda and to rid any conservative or biblical values on the subject from the discussion. 

How are they able to do this? Simple: they bully. They, along with the media, and others with liberal ideology, revert to bully tactics. They are not interested in rational conversation where ideas are exchanged and debated. They have one agenda: exalt their idea and demolish opposing ones. They have succeeded in winning some public opinion, not because they have debated ideas well, but because they have castigated their opponents. They name call: bigot, homophobe, racist, intolerant, judgmental, hate-monger. That's the strategy. Yet interestingly, amidst all the name-calling, they never provide evidence to back their accusations. This is classic bullying.

And before you are duped into thinking that the pro-choice, pro-homosexual movements are about tolerance, multiculturalism, and diversity, consider the truth. They are not tolerant of any view but theirs. GLADD exists to rid the media and entertainment of different views. Multiculturalism is a sham too. They do not want a culture with multiple streams of beliefs and values. Again, they want one - theirs. And if it is not self-evident already, diversity is not a value either. The conservative, Bible-believing Christian's ideas are not welcome or wanted by those on the left. There is no desire for a diversity of ideas; it's all lip service. It is a smoke-screen. It sounds good. But it is empty of any substance. 

Draw a Line in the Sand

At a time when Christians need to be speaking out, we find ourselves with a serious case of laryngitis. We have lost our voices. Many are silenced out of ignorance, they simply do not know what to say or how to say it. Others are silenced out of choice. The former issue is corrected through being taught about the issues and shown how to engage in them. The latter is only fixed when we get courage. Many do not want to speak out because they fear being rejected and/or persecuted by men. Many thought leaders in the evangelical world are making it a mark of spiritual maturity or gospel-nobleness to not fight this fight. I think they are wrong. (Doug Wilson makes a stinging case about this)
 
We need Christians and churches who stand strong and intelligently proclaim truth. We need not make homosexuality are only focus; however, we refuse to be bullied into silence. We need Christians who demand their pastors and leaders not be cowards. One of the saddest parts of the Giglio story often not discussed is the fact that detractors of Giglio had to search back 15-20 years to even find a sermon where he dealt with this issue. This issue has been raging in the culture for sometime now, and that type of extended silence is why we are in this current cultural landscape. It is a calamity to concede our voice. The church, which is made up of believers, needs to learn to speak again. 

The Voices of Saints From Old

Listen to Martin Luther's famous words when pushed to recant his beliefs that went against the power-structure of the Catholic Church: 

"Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer. Here it is, plain and unvarnished. Unless I am convicted [convinced] of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put no trust in the unsupported authority of Pope or councils, since it is plain that they have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest reasoning, I stand convicted [convinced] by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God's word, I cannot and will not recant anything, for to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen."

Consider Calvin's words: 

“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent."

In a sermon Charles Spurgeon preached about the jeer of critics he said:

"Whenever the world reproaches you, say, "Well, I thank you for that word, I will strive to deserve it and you shall be more displeased, if you will. If it be a vile thing to serve Christ, I will serve him more than I have ever done, and be viler still; if it be disgraceful to be numbered with the poor, tried, and afflicted people, I will be disgraced. Nay, the more disgraced I am, the more happy shall I be; I shall feel that disgrace is honor, that ignominy is glory, that shame and spitting from the lips of enemies, is but the same thing as praise and glory from the mouth of Christ." Instead of yielding, go forward, show your enemies that you do not know how to go back, that you are not made of the soft metal of these modern times."

And later in the sermon,

"I pray God to send a few men with what the Americans call "grit" in them; men who when they know a thing to be right, will not turn away, or turn aside, or stop; men who will persevere all the more true to their Master because they are opposed; who, the more they are thrust into the fire, the hotter they become; who, just like the bow, the further the string is drawn, the more powerfully will it send forth its arrows, and so, the more they are trodden upon, the more mighty will they become in the cause of truth against error."

I'm afraid Mr. Spurgeon's desire for his London congregation to reflect American "grit" would be unfounded today. We have lost our "grit," at least in the church. Yes, we are to preach the gospel. But we are also to speak truth to the culture we live in. Preaching the gospel should not be our excuse to sitting on the sidelines while our culture is imploding. The church needs a recovery of her voice. It begins with her leaders. It will then spill into the rest of the seats. If the leaders will not speak and lead the way, then the church needs to find new leaders. May God give us the courage to clear our throats for such a time as this.


Want to exercise your voice? Share these thoughts with others via Facebook & Twitter using the buttons below

You're a Christian, huh? Hmm...

 I know what some of you were already thinking as you read the title of this post, "Who are you judge who is or who is not a Christian?" This is a natural question to ask, I suppose, but I do not believe it is really what you are asking. "Who are you to judge," is really seeking to find out by what authority I can make a definitive claim about somebody being a Christian or not. The answer to that question is easy: nobody. I'm nobody. I do not carry any inherent authority which makes what I say the rule of the day. However, before you type another domain into your browser and move on, that does not dismiss the issue.

Just because I am nobody, and lack inherent authority in myself, does not mean the right to identify as Christian is a free-for-all. Fundamentally, "Who are you to judge," is the wrong question. The more appropriate questions begging to be asked: is there any way to judge who is or who is not a Christian? Is there an objective standard by which Christians can be identified or is it simply a subjective endeavor? I believe the Bible and historic, orthodox Christianity answers without hesitation: yes, there is an objective standard!

So what?

Why do I raise this issue? We currently live in a cultural climate of debate and division over many hot-topic issues. Things including homosexuality and abortion are a couple of mainstream examples. In the midst of many of these debates the line drawn is between Christian beliefs vs secular beliefs. As a Christian, I find myself distinctively on one side of the dividing line in these arguments. Yet surprisingly, I often will have someone who is taking a stance distinctively rooted in secular philosophy claim to be a Christian. This makes no sense to me. 

**WARNING: This is the point in the article where your modern sensibilities may get aggravated, a seat belt or bit in your mouth may assist you in finishing** 

For someone to claim they are Christian, though they hold distinctly non-Christian views and have non-Christian behavior patterns, is absurd. Again, this raises the vitriol of folks to say, "Who are you to say?" My previous answer remains, "nobody," but that doesn't void my claim. There is a standard, an objective standard, by which a Christian can be deciphered. We do not make or move that standard. It is given through Scripture's revelation and teaching. "Yeah, but interpreting the Bible is so subjective; one group believes this way and another group that way," you quip. However, again, there is an objective standard on interpreting the Bible. You do not approach the Bible and impose your view on to it (though many do), there are rules and guidelines which inform interpretation (this is the discipline and field of hermeneutics).

But back to my point. To claim to be a Christian, while holding very clearly stated (from Scripture) non-Christian beliefs and behaviors, is a contradiction. The Bible would call this person a hypocrite. The word 'hypocrite' is from a Greek word meaning 'actor.' In other words, people who claim to be Christian while holding non-Christian beliefs and behaviors are actors. They are posers. Pretenders. I'm not afraid to say this. It may ruffle your feathers and send your politically correct alarms off, but it is only because you have been conditioned to respond this way. In actuality, it's nonsense, and there needs to be a recovery of the ability to call out nonsense. 

An Analogy

Suppose you met a guy at a crowded dinner party and proceeded to strike up a conversation. The two of you have a lot in common and are mutually enjoying the conversation. But at some point in the discussion he informs you he is a football player for the Tennessee Titans. He claims he is a tight end for the Titans, your favorite NFL team. You think to yourself, "this is amazing." Eventually the conversation is halted by his need to go to the bathroom and he lets you know he'll be right back. In your excitement, you pull your phone out and begin looking up the Titans roster to find your new pal (and to send out texts and tweets bragging to your friends). However when you pull it up, he's not there. You keep digging and looking, you search Google, nothing, he's nowhere to be found. You scan NFL.com, which lists every NFL player, nothing.

You think to yourself, "I bet none of his information has been loaded to the internet yet." No you don't. You think to yourself, "I've been duped." Most of you, if this happened to you, would conclude very quickly, this guy was a fraud. He was a pretender. He claimed to be a NFL player with the Tennessee Titans; however, all the things that objectively determine that (a contract, access to team facilities, on the team roster) are missing.

Your fake NFL player friend returns and begins to strike up conversation again. At this point you are attempting to probe deeper into his identity and whether he is telling the truth. Eventually you point blank ask him, "Did you actually have a contract with the Titans, because I tried to find you and couldn't?" 

To your surprise and dismay, he answers back to you, "No, I haven't signed any contracts." 

You fire back with frustration, "Then you're not really an NFL player or on the Titans." 

Thinking you could not be shocked by anything else he could possibly say, he hits you with, "Well who are you to judge whether or not I'm on the Tennessee Titans?" 

Unable to continue acting like this is a reasonable conversation, you passionately explain, "I'm nobody to judge, but the issue is very clear. If you have not signed a contract with the team or are not on the roster, then you're not a part of the team. Period. That is not debatable. That is a fact. It is an objective standard."

As you walk away you hear him mutter, "Well, that's your opinion and interpretation."

Not An Unfamiliar Scene

What I have described is a made up story, but the scenes and logic in this story resemble every day life. In the same way this guy claimed to be a NFL football player, but did not meet the objective standards for validating such a claim, many today profess to be Christians while believing and behaving in definitiely non-Christian ways. Many fail to meet the objective standards.

Some will say, "Well, those people claim to believe in Jesus, doesn't the Bible say that is sufficient for salvation? Doesn't that make them a Christian?" True, we are called to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus for our salvation, but that belief, true belief, transforms us, not leaves us the same as before our belief. Believing a set of facts or premises is not what makes you a Christian. Even the Devil believes the right facts about Jesus. Doing this thing or that thing, or believing this fact or that fact, makes you no more a Christian than being in a garage makes you a car. 

Jesus says in Matthew 7 that a tree is known by its fruit. In other words, your life will tell the story of who/what you are. If you are a Christian, your life should reflect the beliefs and behaviors that are distinctively Christian. You are not free to make up your own rules or forge your own way and call it Christian. You are not free to slap your own operators manual to this thing we call the Christian life, it has already been written.

The Objective Standards

What is a Christian? Am I a Christian? These are not subjective questions. There is a distinction between being a Christian and not being one. This distinction is not determined by an individual's feelings or personal interpretation. It is objective. So what is it?

To determine whether someone is truly a Christian there should be evidences of two events in their life. First, there is the event of being born-again. Jesus himself teaches that unless a person is born-again he or she will not enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). This event is also described as regeneration (Titus 3:5) or being saved (Romans 10:1-13). When we are born-again, saved, and experience regeneration, we are justified before God, pardoned of our sin, adopted into His family, and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, who testifies to our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). This is not a subjective feeling, this is an actual event. This is not believing a few facts about the Bible or Jesus, this is a profound changing of our heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27). It has either happened or it hasn't, no in-between.

This leads to the second event, transformation. Not only are we saved, born-again, and experience regeneration, this first event leads to the second event, we begin to change. Believers do not remain the same upon conversion. We do not go back to our old ways of living. We begin the process of transformation (Romans 12:1-2). We take off the old self and put on the new (Colossians 3:1-9). We pursue and strive for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We do not go back to our former ways when we walked in ignorance, but instead, we seek to be holy in all our conduct, just as the One who saved us and called us is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). This event of transformation is not one time, but ongoing. We continue transforming in godliness for the rest of our lives. This is not subjective, it is measurable. (See Galatians 5:16-24)

Two events. We are born-again and we are transformed. These things are non-negotiable, objective standards of determining a Christian. If you have not been born-again, you are not a Christian, Jesus says so. And his opinion on the matter trumps your feelings about it. If your life is not being transformed to reflect more and more of God's will, as revealed through Scripture, then you are probably not a believer. True believers do not seek to justify their sinfulness by misinterpreting or reinterpreting the Bible. They humbly submit to God's Word and are transformed by it.

Who's Arrogant?

Finally, in the midst of all these debates in our culture, true believers will side with the Bible, not against it. True believers will reflect a biblical worldview, not the latest whims of the culture. True believers will see their lives transformed to reflect God's will, not remain in rebellion. True believers submit underneath God's Word, not stand above it.

John Piper has pointed out, and I believe him to be spot on, that believers are often charged with being arrogant because we try to teach everyone what the Scriptures teach concerning God and His will for mankind. But they are wrong. The opposite is true. Real arrogance is found in those who refuse to submit to an authority outside themselves, and instead, do whatever they please. Real arrogance is believing you make the rules. Refusing to submit to Scripture's teaching, and thinking you have the right to decide what a Christian is; that my friends, is the height of arrogance.

Amidst all the debates happening in our culture, it is time we call phooey on claims to be Christian that do not meet the criteria. As much as this raises the blood-pressure of some, it is time to give the Family Feud [X] (cue annoying buzzard sound) when folks self-identifying as Christians are living in habitual sin, without remorse, and holding distinctively non-Christian beliefs, without regard. Just ask them, "So you're a Christian, huh? Hmm..."

If you believe this article could be helpful for others to read, then love your neighbor as yourself and share it via Facebook, Twitter, or email with the buttons below.

I welcome your reactions and thoughts in the comment section below. Keep your responses mature, reasonable, and constructive.

Rays of Sunshine Through Clouds of Gray: Remembering the Legacy of Sadie Davis

One year ago this day, I received a text from one of our elders at The Journey Church that caused my heart to sink in my chest. "Sadie went to be with the Lord" were the words that met my eyes. The text had been sent by her father, Tim Davis. I was devastated. She had been fighting a rare form of leukemia for nearly two months. She had undergone surgeries and chemotherapy and was battling against this sudden and unexpected diagnosis. The church had rallied behind Sadie. The community had rallied around Sadie. Folks from around the country and world were hearing about this girl. And just like that, she was gone.

I told my wife and children and we all cried together. We sat down and prayed for Tim and Amber and the entire Davis family. Through sobs of sorrow we petitioned the Lord to be gracious to the family and comfort them with supernatural comfort. I then prepared to go to the hospital to be with the family.

The ride there was a blur. I was crying, praying, collecting my thoughts, and driving down I-40 in a daze, zoned out as I looked forward. When I arrived at the hospital, I went to the floor where Sadie had been and upon coming out of the elevators I ran into Amber, her father, and her step-mother. We all embraced and began to cry. They had all their belongings that had collected over time during the stay loaded up on a cart and were taking it out to the car. It was time to go home.

We reached the floor that leads you out of the hospital and we stayed there to wait for Tim. Tim had personally carried his daughter's body to the hospital morgue. My heart ached and mourned. We finally saw Tim coming up the hallway, a man to be most pitied, yet walking with a strange sort of faith and strength, though he probably did not recognize it. When he reached us, he and I embraced and sobbed together. As a father of two daughters, one daughter at the time, I could not imagine what this man was going through and feeling. The arms of this man around my shoulders were just moments ago carrying his diseased daughter. I had no words. Only tears. My heart was in a million pieces. 

We all grabbed hands in the middle of the crowded and busy hospital lobby and prayed. I don't remember any of the words spoken, just some mumblings and groans and sobs, it was the closest thing I had ever experienced to Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

The Aftermath

The coming days would be difficult for everyone, but most especially for the Davis family. They quickly made the funeral arrangements and began to share those details out. The flood of support and love being shown to them was amazing. People were not just mourning for the Davis', but with them. Sadie's life and battle had left an effect on many people. The Davis' faith and courage throughout the entire process had resonated with countless thousands who were observing it through personal interaction, social media avenues, and blogs. 

When the funeral visitation arrived, me and a few other Journey pastors and leaders arrived before the public would be able to visit. We joined the Davis family in the viewing room after giving them some time together as a family. We then gathered and prayed together. We asked the Lord to give the Davis' strength and courage to endure the embraces, memories, and sadness. That night was amazing. I do not know the final count of visitors, but the line was out of the door the entire evening as hour after hour passed, and the line was unrelenting. A flood of love and support had come rushing in to remember Sadie and embrace the Davis'. 

The funeral was held at The Journey Church in Lebanon. We all knew it would be a difficult day. The visitation prior to the service was, once again, lined out the door with people. Pastors from other churches, people who had never met the Davis', and many friends and acquaintances showed up to pay their respects. When time for the service arrived, the place was absolutely packed. There was not an empty seat in the building. The parking lot and field across the street were filled with cars. The livestream broadcast we were providing had over 300 people who were watching from around the country. It was a sight to see.

The service was absolutely amazing. There were video slideshows, special songs, friends who shared words of encouragements, worship, and perhaps the most amazing part, Tim Davis' eulogy for his daughter. Oh friends, if I heard a million more sermons, eulogies, and speeches in my lifetime, none would surpass what was spoken that day. To witness a man stand with such courage, grace, wisdom, sorrow, and faith was a sight to behold. I felt as though I were seeing an act of God up close and personal.

He spoke about a night, the last where Sadie would still be able to walk and have energy to play. That night they played trains, did the hotdog dance, had a tea party, she rode in the play car, and they strolled the halls. Tim said he will always remember that night. That night, he took a lifetime of rides with his daughter, a lifetime of tea parties, a lifetime of walks together, he even danced at his daughter's wedding. The place melted. I still melt, even as I write it.

Lessons to be Remembered

All of these things I have described happened a year ago today. Ms. Sadie Caroline Davis went to be with the Lord. Her life of sixteen months has made more of a difference than many who will live to be seventy. But as we remember Little Sadiebug, I believe there are still important lessons for us to keep in focus. Her life and the Davis family have provided us with some incredible truths to ponder on, so I want to share them for us to consider.

1. Life can change forever in an instant

We all know this in our minds, but we do not actually live like this. We know that it can happen, but we do not live like it will happen. Sadie's life and death is a reminder that things in this life can and will happen. The Bible says our life is like a mist, here in the morning and then gone (James 4:14). We should cherish both the life we have and the life of our loved ones. We are not promised a certain number of years. We do not have the security of always having our loved ones around. Things can change from the normal in the blink of an eye. It did for the Davis family, and things have never been the same. Let this reminder cause you to mend broken or damaged relationships. Let this stir you to express your feelings to loved ones that perhaps you have a hard time sharing them with. Let this cause you to hug your children a little tighter or kiss your spouse a little longer. Say "I love you" often and cherish those God has given you. 

2. God is sovereign over our lives and He is good

I spoke about this point at Sadie's funeral. We must not see Sadie's life as being tragically cut short. Her life was not cut short. She lived the number of days the Lord so decreed from the beginning (Psalm 139:16). She did not live one less day than she should have, and she did not live one day more. Sadie's life has always been a part of the sovereign plan of God. This was not a wasted life, nor a senseless loss. Yes, we mourn her loss. And we do so rightfully. But we do not mourn as those who are without hope, for we know it is our God who reigns. He reigns over the life of Sadie and everyone else. 

Our God is sovereign and rules over all things, and He is good. God not only rules, but He does so out of His goodness. Yes, there will be things that hurt in this life. Yes, there will be trials and tribulations, but God is sovereign over those trials, and according to Scripture, uses them for our good (Romans 8:28). Would the Davis' love to have Sadie back? Yes, absolutely. But they also rest peacefully knowing that Sadie's life has always belonged to God. God was Sadie's Creator. He had rights over her life, to accomplish His purposes. We do not always see what those purposes are, nor do we have to, but we know from Scripture that neither her life nor death were senseless, they were a part of the sovereign plan of a good God from the foundation of the world.

3. These present sufferings should point our eyes to future glory

I also spoke about this at the funeral. Nothing in this life has ever caused me to long for heaven and the return of Christ like Sadie's death. It was through her death that God sealed in my heart the reality that believers are not to cling to this life, but to long for Christ's coming and for the City of God to be established for eternity. The City of God is our eternal dwelling place with God. In glory there will be no more tears, no more death, no more cancer; God will wipe away every tear and we will reign with Him forever. We must remember that as we live presently on this earth. We were made for heaven. We were made to be with God forever. Earth is not our home. We are merely sojourners, passing through. Yes, we have work to accomplish here, but we are citizens of heaven, through Christ. 

In this life we will experience troubles. Jesus told us to expect this. Be also told us to take heart for he had overcome the world (John 16:33). Paul reminds us in Romans 8:18 that these present sufferings are not worth comparing to the eternal weight of glory awaiting us in heaven. Paul reminds believers that the sufferings on this earth are real, but the troubles and hurts, do not measure against the glory of heaven. One day we will see with perfect vision just how small our trials were, compared to all-surpassing glory to be our inheritance in heaven. Believers in this life must live with our eyes on the city of God. It is how we fight through the trials we face today. 

4. Our God is the God of all comfort and He is faithful

One thing that I have witnessed first-hand in the life of the Davis family is that God is faithful. God, by His grace, has kept this family in tact. He has supplied them with the graces needed to carry on each day. He has provided for them the strength to keep standing in days of sorrow. God has been faithful. He has comforted this family with a comfort that only He can provide. We should expect this, for the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1 that our God is the God of all comfort who comforts His people in their afflictions. Yes He does! Sometimes His hand is undetected, but it is there. He caresses, embraces, pats, and grips with His comforting hands. He upholds His children in their afflictions. 

Whatever you may be facing today in your life, stand firm on this: our God is a comforting God and He's faithful. He will not leave you nor forsake you through your trial. He is there. He provides rays of sunshine through clouds of gray. He is faithful to do this, not once or twice, but continuously for His children. Lean on Him today, friends. Those who mourn Sadie's loss today, rest in the God of all comfort. Seek the One who promises to give sufficient grace in the hour of need (2 Corinthians 12:9). He will meet you in your suffering and He will carry you through it. 

Closing Words

One year later, I still cannot believe that little blue-eyed beauty is gone. My heart aches today for Tim and Amber and family. Nobody can ever understand what their daily life must be like, the ebbs and flows of emotions that come. The nights of waking up, only to be unable to return to sleep. This family has been through so much. Let's pray for them today. Let's ask God to continue providing comfort to this family. Let's thank God for the gift of Sadie. She was a gift to our own lives. For God has providentially used her life to teach us more powerful lessons than a 30 minute sermon can provide. Her life is still speaking. The lessons are still being taught. God has and is still being glorified in this precious child's life. One year after her passing, we still have much to say when it comes to the legacy of Sadie Davis.

share with others the memory and lessons from Sadie's life by using the buttons below