Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey

If you thought the so-called "Toronto Revival" and Rodney Brown's"Laughing in the Holy Spirit" were bad, wait until you see what the members of mega-church "MorningStar Ministries" are doing in Fort Mills, South Carolina. It is pathetic. Lord, please have mercy on us! (Click on the link below).

Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey

On Contentment

I woke up last night about 2:30 a.m. There was a verse of Scripture that kept repeating in my mind, like the steady drip of a leaky faucet: ". . . The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). It should not have come as any surprise to me to wake up in that frame of mind. After all, I went to bed earlier than usual last night, and fell asleep grieving over several personal "losses" I have experienced during the past year. Some were material [and financial]; some "professional;" and some - perhaps the ones that hurt the most - were "relational" in nature.

To be sure, there were many times during the past year when God clearly demonstrated His faithfulness, mercy and love to me. But, honestly, there may have been just as many occasions when I questioned all three. [And, dear reader, if you would be as half as honest as I am trying to be, you just might have to admit the same discontent]. Oh, how we love it when God is in a "giving" mode. And how quickly we sink into discouragement, depression and despair when God begins to "take away." It hurts to admit it, but sometimes I see myself like the Israelites in the wilderness following their miraculous deliverance from Egypt. Ten times in the narrative told by Moses in the Hebrew Bible Book of Numbers, Moses records that the people of God murmured and complained against God, and even rejected Him.

I do not believe I have crossed that line - though I confess, much to my shame, that I may have come close to it. I do know that I am learning important things about His sufficiency and about my need to be content. Interestingly, that contentment was something that even the Apostle Paul had to learn. "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13). And so can I . . . and so can YOU!

For some reason, several times during the past few weeks the words of that beautiful gospel song, "He Leadeth Me," have come to mind:

Lord, I would clasp my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis Thy hand that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict'ry's won,
E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

When I finally got out of bed at 5:30 a.m., I had determined in my heart that one day, when all is "said and done," on that day what will be said of me is the same thing that was said of Job in Job 1:22, "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."

Oh, dear Heavenly Father, may those who come behind me [especially my precious sons], find me faithful - and . . .

Complete and content in Christ.

Loyalty - Or, On Rubbing a Dog's Belly

I love labs. Win and I have owned four of them during the past two decades of our marriage. There were two periods when we owned three at a time (one black, one yellow, one chocolate). Win used to say (and still does say), "I’m glad they don’t come in any other colors.” For sure, because I would definitely need to have one if they did!

My first lab was a black lab that was a stray I found in the desert. He didn’t want to climb into my truck that day we met, but when I took off in my old Ford-F250, he began running after me - hence the name, “Shadow.” We had no idea how old he was when we found him. (The vet guessed he was about two). After we had him for about five years, the hair on his chin began turning white - just like his master’s! (See the picture on the left sidebar of my blog).

Win and the boys knew that Shadow really was dad’s dog. He was my constant companion. He was mischievous, fun loving – and loyal. That was the quality I loved the most. When I came home from work each day Shadow would meet me at the front door with his tail wagging, as though he was trying to say, “Welcome home, master! I am so glad to see you again!” Then he would turn and run into our bedroom, jump up onto our king-size bed, and lay down on the corner, with a look in his eyes that said, “Okay, tell me about your day. And, get those hands going NOW! Stroke me, please.” Sometimes he would roll over onto his back and give me a look that said, “Okay, now rub my belly, please.” But was he ever loyal. I started referring to him as “Old Faithful.”

Unfortunately, some people are anything but loyal. I think one of the hardest things for anyone to have to cope with is the bitter sting of betrayal. By God’s grace I had been sheltered from betrayal for most of my adult life, until I reached my early-fifties. That was when I was first broad-sided by betrayal. (It was not spousal betrayal – I don’t think that in spite of my experience[s] the past few years I still can even imagine what that would feel like). I was devastated. The heartache and accompanying stress it caused resulted in a massive and extensive heart attack that nearly turned Win into a widow. (My cardiologist said that I probably only had about five minutes to live when Win rushed me to the emergency room – a victim of a clogged left coronary artery sometimes dubbed “the widow-maker”).

Anyone who has been betrayed needs to know that they stand in good company. For example, just try to imagine the grief that King David felt as he wrote these words, “My most trusted friend has turned against me, though he ate at my table” (Psalm 41:9 CEV). The Old Testament patriarch, Joseph, was betrayed by his own brothers, and then by the wife of his boss (Genesis 37, 39). But the epitome of betrayal was when Judas turned against Jesus, and when the Jews screamed for the brutal execution by crucifixion of One of their very own, Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God (Mark 9:31). Finally, in the latter days of his ministry, the great Apostle Paul lamented, “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:16 ESV).

So, what have I learned during the past five-plus years about betrayal – besides the fact that I am standing in good company? Here is a brief list of some important lessons:

1. I have learned what the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

2. I appreciate more than ever my Lord’s unfailing love. Again, here is how the Apostle Paul explains it: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). I have summarized and personalized the truth of those two verses like this: God loves me with a love that will never let me down and never let me go! The gospel songwriter Arthur Luther said it like this in a poem he wrote and published in 1927:

Earthly friends may prove untrue,
Doubts and fears assail;
One still loves and cares for you,
One Who will not fail.
Jesus never fails,
Jesus never fails.
Heav'n and earth may pass away,
But Jesus never fails.

3. I understand that ultimately the best way for me to cope with the hurt of betrayal is to become a loving and forgiving person, and to extend both mercy and grace to anyone who has wounded me (read Romans 12 today). To be angry, bitter, and desirous of revenge does not really hurt my “enemy,” but it certainly can have a defiling, devastating and destructive effect on me.

4. I am confident that everything will be rectified at the “Bema” (the “Judgment Seat of Christ”), and that God will “recompense” to each one according to what they have done during their life here on earth. Not only that, but a “super-sized” reward is promised and guaranteed to those who have been mistreated for Jesus’ sake (Matthew 5:11-12).

5. I am determined to be loyal to my Lord, my wife and family, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and any other friendships God has blessed me with during my brief sojourn here on earth.

I believe it was Mark Twain who said, “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog." Having experienced the sting of betrayal several times the past few years, I think I understand exactly what he means.

Perhaps that is also one reason why I probably will always be a sucker for lab puppies. I helped someone out a few years ago, and he decided to show me his appreciation for the work I did by presenting me with a six-week-old black lab puppy that Win and I named “Sadie Dakota.” (She is pictured at the top of this post). Like my first black lab, Shadow, Sadie is also fun-loving, mischievous – and loyal. I can’t help but think that the Lord knew that she would be exactly what I would need during the past three and a half years she has been with us. Talk about loyalty. . . Oh, my Sadie is so very attentive to me – and, at times, she, in turn, demands a lot of attention from me (especially when she wants something from me). In fact, I am going to have to bring this blog post to a close, because she has been bugging me, and it looks like I need to go rub my loyal dog’s belly!

Letters to My Sons (#1)

The letter below is not the first letter I have ever written to one (or both) of my sons, and, Lord willing, it will not be the last. But, it is one of the most recent. I sent it to my older son, James, just days after the new year (2010) began. At the time he was planning to come to Oregon for a visit in early February, so we could celebrate his 26th birthday together. (For an introduction to this series of posts titled "Letters to My Sons", please see my blog entry on January 28, 2010). Now, for the letter . . .

Good Morning, Pal!

Mom and I (and Sadie & Lucy) are so looking forward to your visit. When I tell Sadie, "Jimmy is coming home," she looks up at me and then looks at the front door - sometimes she runs over to it - and starts whining and barking as if she expects you to walk through the door at any time.

I think you mentioned something to mom when you talked to her on the phone about some reading you are doing - including in your Bible as well. Jim, what I want to say to you right now is from my heart - not just as your father, or as a pastor (and your former pastor for nearly twenty years) - but more as a fellow pilgrim. As a man who has had his own share of struggles of all kinds throughout his sixty years of life. (Okay, I know I am ONLY 59, but technically, I am IN my 60th year!).

Largely due to thirty-eight years of full-time ministry, I probably own about a couple thousand books right now. (I'm tired of moving them). Somebody may want them when I go home to be with Jesus. I don't know. But what I do know is that I would prefer to be remembered as a man of one Book . . . my Bible. (Although I have worn out about a couple of dozen of them in my lifetime, and still have all of them on my bookshelves . . . well, in a box right now).

I think I have always treasured God's Word, from the time I was a young kid and got my first "leather-covered" Bible. (Yes, I still have that one, too - but it is really falling apart). But more recently, the Word has become more precious to me than ever before. Mom and I love to read it together in the mornings - still reading one chapter from Proverbs every day, some selections from the Psalms, and right now we are roaming through Romans. Jim, there is hardly ever a time when I read God's Word that my eyes don't well up with tears so much that I can barely see the page anymore. Admittedly, often times it is because I think of you (and TJ) so much when I am reading. I wish you both could be reading those very same words with us at the very same time. Today it was Proverbs 4. I could barely make it through the chapter. It made me think of a lot of the monthly lunch times we used to enjoy (at least, I did), and some of the conversations we would have.

Anyway, as a fellow pilgrim, I just want to encourage you to immerse yourself in the only Book that is living and active - and will endure forever. And, of course, I do so not only as a fellow pilgrim, but also as your dad. I always knew my parenting role would "morph" a bit as my little boys would become fine young men. But I never realized how much more I would think of you and pray for you now that both of you are adults - and just how much you would always be on my heart.

Jim, I want you to know how much I love you.

Have a wonderful day, son.

DAD
Proverbs 4