"Saving Worms"

We watch a lot of PBS cartoons in our house. One of my kid's favorite shows is the Kratz brothers--Two guys that now have an animation to help kids learn all about animals. In a recent episode, the brothers talked about worms and the important role they play on earth. They then showed them talking to real kids as they showed worms coming to the surface after a big rain. They showed 100's of worms stranded on the sidewalk in the sun. The brothers said,"Somebody has got to save these worms. Hurry...rescue the worms by picking them up and setting them on the grass so they can dig back into the ground before they dry out and die." I thought to myself, "My kids are afraid of worms. They would just let the poor things die." However, a few weeks later, we were outside after a rain. Sure enough the worms worked their way to the surface and many were stranded on the sidewalk. I remembered the show and jokingly shouted, "Somebody save the worms!" To my surprise, my kids overcome their fears through compassion and started rescuing the worms. "Come on, Daddy," they shouted. The next thing I knew I was saving worms too.

I suppose there is a lot of fear and prejudice when it comes to human trafficking. I have heard some say they just don't believe that it is a problem in Ohio even though government and independent studies all agree that 1800 American-born and immigrant children are enslaved in Ohio each year. I have heard some say that prostitutes make a choice for this lifestyle so they have to live what they choose. Of course, I doubt that most people know that the average entry age to prostitution in the US is age 13. In light of that, how many prostitutes really had a choice in the matter? I have heard Christians say, "Why are we talking about this? It is not like we can change it?" This is most bothersome, considering Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Others say I do not want to get involved so I can protect my kids. Even though we know that it is our suburban kids who are in as much danger for this modern day slavery as anyone and to do nothing puts our kids in more danger, not less.

I have had thoughts such as those run through my mind in the years leading up to this series. But Jesus has come to exchange my/your/our fears and prejudices for compassion.

Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners (might we say, worms?), Christ died for us." He was not afraid of being dirtied or offended by our sin. He took it on. He let it pierce him because he knew "by his wounds we would be healed". He did not hold our choice to sin over us. He came to forgive us and to set us free. He came down from heaven, picked me up, even a worm like me and Jesus saved me. Jesus is saving me!

The writer of the hymn, Amazing Grace, was a former Slave Ship Captain before he was found by God. He then became a preacher. At the end of his life, he began to loose his memory, but he would say, "One thing I always remember: I am a great sinner, but Christ is a greater Savior."

Living Hope Church...let fear and prejudice be turned to compassion not for worms on a sidewalk, but for boys and girls, men and women---27 million of them-- who are dying in modern day slavery today. Register today for the Human Trafficking Awareness Event on August 27 at www.elivinghope.com. Tell some body else about the event. And the next thing you know, you will look around and see people every where saving something of much greater value than worms.

"No Fear"

My kids are often confused about what to and not to fear. For instance, both of my kids use to be terrified of flies. I would tell them, "A fly will not hurt you. It may bug the heck out of you, but it cannot devour you." But still they were afraid. On the other hand, they are not afraid of cars in a parking lot. In the past, both of them have taken their turn darting off with no fear of being hit by a car. They now stay close by, but I am convinced they do not really think there is anything to fear in the parking lot.

The truth is we adults also struggle with fearing the wrong things and not fearing the right things. For example, evil is very good at deceiving us into fearing the truth. Why are we so afraid of the truth? Its true...people are terrified of the truth.

This week I was told that "there are people in our church" who are uncomfortable with having me, their pastor, openly talk about my past sin of pornography. Of course, I do not know who "these people in our church" are or I would be happy to address this with them. But I do not get address this directly because these folks (for all I know it may only be one person) are afraid of the truth. Being afraid to speak the truth is being afraid of the truth.

Guess what? Hell wants us to be afraid of the truth. Because if we are afraid to hear and speak the truth to one another then we will not be real before God and others. And if Hell can keep us afraid of being real before God and each other then Hell knows it will keep us enslaved. The number one way Hell keeps us imprisoned in past hurts, present addictions, pet sins, destructive habits, lies about ourselves, God and the world is by convincing us to fear the truth.

However, God tells us the truth about truth and that is you never have to be afraid of the truth. The truth may not always be fun or easy, but it never need be feared. Here are just a few truths about truth from God's Word:

"Confess your sins one to another and you will be healed" James 5:16. I openly share my past sin of pornography and present issues God reveals to me about myself because confession leads to healing and it invites others to have permission to confess their sins so they can be free.

"Jesus said,'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32. This is why we need not fear truth...the truth always sets us free...where we receive and speak truth we discover freedom!

"Your truth always protects me." Psalm 40:11. We think we are protecting ourselves and others when we lie. Jesus says Satan is the Father of Lies. So when we lie we are working with Satan. And Jesus said Satan's self-imposed purpose in this world is to "Steal, kill and destroy." Therefore, when we use a lie to protect ourselves or others we are actually joining with Satan to kill, steal and destroy. The truth is what protects us, not lies.

I encourage you Living Hope Church family never be afraid of the truth because the Bible says where there is truth there is healing, freedom and protection! After all, it was Jesus who said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

"The Race"

My wife Kimberly is one among many here who are are training for races in the fall. I will admit that I do not understand the appeal of running. I take a brisk walk every evening and greatly enjoy it, but I tell our kids the only way I run is if something is chasing me that could kill me. As Whether you value running or not, the Bible uses the race as a metaphor for our faith in Christ.

At the end of his life, as he sit imprisoned awaiting his martyrdom, the Apostle Paul wrote, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day--and not only me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Whenever I am feeling weary in my faith, when I am tempted to run off to my own ways and whims, when I feel like I would rather just indulge in what the world says isimportant rather than what God says is important, this passage of Scripture comes to mind. I actually think of the words of one of my seminary professors, Dr. Weigelt. He was genius of a man who some time in mid-life had a major mental breakdown. He openly shared his past mental collapse and his ongoing recovery. The man I knew was far from unstable. In fact, he was an example of one who had come to find complete peace with himself and his God. Perhaps it was his example in this way that made his words stand out all the more. One day in class he said, "The reward of our faith is not for those who start the race. Many start running this race, but somewhere along the way become weary or distracted. They sit down. They give up. They walk off in a different direction. The reward of faith is not for those who start the race, but for those who finish the race. The reward is not for those who run the fastest or for those who run and never stumble. The reward of our faith is for those how finish the race--be it fast or slow. The reward of our faith is for those who finish the race no matter how many the obstacle nor how many times they stumble and must get back up to their feet again. The reward of our faith is what makes the race worth it. But that reward is only for those who finish the race."

Probably the hardest things for me as Follower of Christ is to watch brothers and sisters in Christ who had once started the race, to quit running. Its funny...as much as we all like to say going to church does not make us a Christian (which is very true), but we forget that staying in our faith has very much to do with being the church and you can't be the church alone on the couch at home. I've yet to see a follower of Christ start missing coming together with the Body for worship and transformation to ever finish the race alone. Most likely, the folks to whom I am referring will never read this post. If by chance you are reading, please know that your church family is not here to kick you while you are down, but to help you on your feet again so you can finish the race.

There is a much greater chance that someone is reading today and you feel like giving up...temptation is pounding on your door or the mountains seem too big for you to overcome...I know...I've been there...it feels like it would be easier to give up than to finish the race. The truth is, it would be easier. It is always easier to give up. But before you give up, I urge you to remember that it is better to run while it is hard now and get the reward forever, than to give up because it is easier now and miss the reward forever. I urge you, I beg you, brothers and sisters...finish the race!

Attractive or Effective?

Imagine...Your neighbor is in his driveway washing his newly purchased vintage 1967, mint condition, stingray Corvette. O, it is a beauty. It shines...it glistens...it looks too good not to be noticed. You go over to congratulate your neighbor on his new ride.

"That is one good looking car," you say as your neighbor finishes drying it.

"Thanks," says your neighbor. "Since you are here can you help me push it back into the garage?"

"Sure," you say, "Still has some work, huh?"

"Well, it doesn't run, if that is what you mean by work, but I do not plan to do any work to make it run again."

"What? Why not?" you ask.

"I bought this corvette for how it looks not to drive it."

"So, you are going to just look at this beautiful '67 Corvette...you aren't going to ever drive it?" you ask in astonishment.

"That's the plan," says the neighbor as he shuts the garage door.

And you walk away thinking its not just the car that is not running on all of its cylinders.

As ridiculous as that story sounds, the reality is we are encouraged every day to buy into what is attractive but not effective.

You have heard John Colegrove share the statistics on youth ministry in the U.S.--75% of church kids walk away from their faith after they graduate from high school never to return to Christ again. So, then why is the church at large still doing what does not work? Because, while the youth ministry that is producing these negative results is not effective, it is very attractive. It is attractive because it makes parents feel like someone else is taking care of their kids spirituality and because kids say it is fun.

Living Hope's leadership has decided we will not be satisfied with attractive. We want our ministry to teens to be effective. But, frankly, it does not matter what the leadership decides...what will truly decide if we will have an effective teen ministry is if every parent, teen and person God calls steps up by attending one of the three informational meetings, the first of which is tomorrow night at 7 PM at LH. The decision of having an attractive or effective teen ministry is now in your hands. And from where I sit, knowing the heart you have for the next generation, I know our teen ministry is in good hands.

Furthermore, every day, we are told as parents of young children to settle for what is attractive. We are told that as long as our kids are happy and entertained, then all is well. As we buy into this lie we find we have lots of children who are spoiled brats who throw fits every time they do not get their way, show disrespect toward anyone and everyone in authority and are so used to being served hand and foot that they have no sense of personal responsibility let alone any sense of God's call to serve rather than be served.

Can I be honest? (If your answer is no, please stop reading at once :-). If I hear one more parent say they will ask their child if he or she wants to participate in, for example, Vacation Bible School this weekend I think I may very well blow a gasket. Since when do we ask our kids if they want what is good for them now and for eternity? We give them what they need even if they do not want it (Interesting side note--we do not let our kids not go to school or not eat or not bathe, just because they do not want to, so why do we feel like what is good for their soul should be entirely their decision?). This is why we are doing Vacation Bible School in a new format. The old way was attractive for getting a big crowd here, but that crowd was mainly kids from other churches and it was primarily used as a babysitting service so parents could have a break. This new format allows our LH kids to be discipled and to invite unchurched friends (our neighbor and child are coming this weekend) and it requires parents to engage with their child in faith building activities.

As a parent, I know why we have settled for the attractive over effective parenting: it is easier. I did it last night. My daughter began to whine and I just gave in ...I even said to her, "Does it feel good to know you got what you wanted because you cried about it?" (By the way, that is why I am attending the Parenting on Purpose class tonight at LH, 7 PM, child care provided-- I need to learn to be more effective as a parent). You see it is easier to just keep your kid happy and entertained than to intentionally prepare your child for life.

Attractive or effective? It is a question that applies to all of life--work, education, church, health, relationships...everything...Jesus sums up the attractive vs. effective debate in one question. It is a question that cuts through all of our excuses, objections and so-called reasons. Jesus asked, "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his/her soul?"

This is my prayer for me today..."Jesus, I need to hear this today as much as anyone. As the urgent of this day demands my attention, give me the wisdom to make what is important most important. Give me permission to let the less than best take a distant second place. Give me the courage to go after what is effective even if it would be easier, with the rest of the world, to just be happy with what is attractive. Thank you, Jesus, that you lived, died and rose again to show me how to live for what matters now and forever. As it is written in your word, "These three remain: Faith, hope and love." Help me to make those three my priority today because that is where life becomes more than a pretty car to look at in the garage. Faith, hope and love are the engine that drives a life to effectiveness. Amen."

"Made for Danger"

What stands out to me about a circus is that most every act has a sense of danger. In a circus people don't just ride on horses, they stand on horses, a man is shot from a cannon across the stadium, the lion tamer puts his head in the mouth of a lion, Walking the tight rope without a safety net, getting elephants that could crush you to learn to step over you, the clowns choreographed falls, hits and spills...it all requires an element of danger. Isn't it that element of danger that keeps crowds coming back every generation?

As we approach, Father's day, I wonder if the reason that the church universal has more women than men is because we have robbed our faith of danger. We have worked so hard to make God out to be safe and secure that we forget that the Bible offers one true story after another in which men and women were required to follow God not away from, but through great, death-defying and some time, death-bringing danger.

Joseph was asked to trust God when his brothers sold him as a slave and told their father he was dead.

Moses was commanded by God to return to Egypt where he was wanted for murder and to tell the most powerful nation of the ancient world to let God's people go.

Joshua was asked to set aside what he had learned at the military academy and to march around the seemingly insurmountable walls of Jericho 7 times.

Esther was required to set aside self-preservation in an attempt to preserve her people by barging into the King's court without being invited as the Persian law required.

Nehemiah, a mere cup-bearer, was burdened to risk his job and life by requesting a foreign King to allow him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Peter, James and John were invited to leave behind their livelihood and trust that their needs would be provided for as they followed Jesus.

Jesus modeled the danger of following God as he was nailed to the cross.

The Apostle Paul was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, ship wrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake, falsely accused, imprisoned and martyred for his faith.

To follow Jesus, is not safe. To follow Jesus is to accept that I will be called to move outside my comfort zone and onto the battlefield. We are not guaranteed safety or survival. However, we are promised that in all things and at all times, if Christ is our Lord and Savior, then nothing shall separate us from him.

To all who accept that we are made for danger, Romans 8:31-39 gives us this promise, "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"The End is the Beginning"

As you know, in January, I enrolled in Weight Watchers. Last month, I reached my goal, loosing 42 pounds (By the way, I want to give God praise. During this time of weight loss he has shown me in one more way how he can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves as we let him strengthen us through his Spirit and use others to hold us accountable--Thank you Kimberly, my Life Group and my accountability partner, Damon Price). Now that I am at the end, I have spent the last few weeks realizing, this is just the beginning of continuing to live and eat in a whole new way.

The Kingdom of God is like that--the end is always the beginning!

Baptism is not where our faith in Christ ends, but where it begins.

Dedicating ones child to the Lord was not an act that was done once and for all on Sunday, but a commitment that now begins to be lived out every day.

A Graduation is not an end, but a beginning of a new stage of life.

A wedding does not end a romance, but where a romance is truly to begin.

A funeral does not recognize the end of a life, but the beginning of eternal life for those who die in Christ.

The end of the world as we know it is not the end, but the beginning of the new heaven and the new earth that Jesus will make as one.

In the Kingdom of God the end is the beginning because the cross of Christ was followed by the empty tomb!

In Christ Jesus, we have this forever hope: The end is always the beginning! May God help us to live what we believe!

"What did you like best?"

When we began our trip home from our small smoky mountain get-away last weekend, I asked the kids, "What did you like best about our trip?"

Seth shouted, "Swimming!"

Seth has become a dare devil in the pool. He cannot yet swim, but he has no fear...actually his lack of fear is somewhat scary for his mom and I. He likes to stay under water as long as he can...I guess, we should have warned his Grandma Kalbaugh about this. I fear she lost a few years off of her life when Seth jumped in the pool and did not come up quickly. (Sorry, Marianne, I admit I saw the panic in your face and I could have put your mind at ease, but some sick part of my sense of humor made me stay quiet and just watch).

"What did you like best, Anna?" I asked.

"Just being together in the mountains...just me, Seth, Mommy and Daddy," she replied.

What about the Hatfield/McCoy dinner theater? What about the momma bear and three cubs we saw in the wild? What about the Ski Lift and Alpine slide? What about the small fortune I wasted on that Pigeon Forge fun house? What about all the fun things we did?

For her the what was only as good as the who. I pray she never looses sight of that. I pray that she lives and dies knowing that the only thing that makes what we do matter is with whom we did what we did.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 encourages us to impress this upon our children: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

That's what this Sunday is about...its about parents dedicating their children to God as a way of saying, the best thing we can give you is not what money can buy, but in who a heart can believe. Its about people making a public skeptical of their faith as a way of saying nothing I do matters if following Christ does not matter most. It about we as a church family being reminded that loving God and loving others is more important than anything else.

Because one day, our end will come and as Jesus takes our hand and walks us through the new heaven-earth he might just ask about our lives, "What did you like best?" And the only answer that will matter in eternity will be all about "who".