Huiothesis at 2michaels.com

The world's newest religion - Environmental Idolatry

2009-11-24T23:14:00.003-05:00

"Global warming is a major industry today. Between 1992 and 2008 the US Government spent $30 billion on climate change research and now contributes $6 billion a year. This finances jobs, grants, conferences, international travel and academic journals. It not only keeps a huge army of people in comfortable employment, but also fills them with self-righteousness and moral superiority regardless of the fact that real science does not support it." Jay Lehr, Ph.D Science Director at the Heartland Institute, USA.

I will digress a bit from my usual fare today. I have been enthralled by the worldwide panic swirling around the who concept of so called "global warming." Now, I know that Al Gore has declared the debate to be "over", but it certainly is not. There is a large number of highly qualified scientist who declare that it is not only good science, it is a purposeful, financially driven hoax; that prays on the fears of a culture thal already lives in fear. I believe that it is a function of the world's newest religion "Environmental Idolatry".

Actually, its not a "new religion" because it was identified as far back as Paul's letter to the church at Rome when he said in Romans 1:25, "they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature (creation) more than the creator."

I highly recommend that if you are not yet living in complete panic about the levels of C02 in the atmosphere you read a document by Jay Lehr at http://nzclimatescience.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=471&Itemid=1. (You can copy it here and paste it in your browser). In this compelling document, Jay Lehr "blows up" much of the myth about global warming and I think, exposes it for exactly what it is - a myth and worse, a hoax.

A couple of quotes for to pique your interest:

"Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. On the contrary, it makes crops and forests grow faster. Mapping by satellite shows that the Earth has become about 6% greener overall in the past two decades, with forests expanding into arid regions. The Amazon rain forest was the biggest gainer, with two tons of additional biomass per acre per year. Certainly, climate change does not help every region equally, but careful studies predict overall benefit, fewer storms, more rain, better crop yields, longer growing seasons, milder winters and decreasing heating costs in colder climates. The news is certainly not bad and on balance may be rather good."

NASA satellites measuring Earth atmosphere temperature found 2008 to be the coldest year since 2000 and the 14th coldest of the past 30 years. US climate Monitoring Stations on the surface show greater warmth, but pictures of most of the 1,221 US temperature stations show 90% to be located near human sources of heat (exhaust fans, air conditioning units, hot roof tops, asphalt parking lots and so forth). The conclusion is inescapable: The US land based temperature record is unreliable. (Note: this means that the instruments they're using to record the temperatures of the earth's surface are primarily placed in hot asphalt parking logs and next to air conditioner exhausts, etc. where you would always see rises in temps).

Man in his blind retreat from serving the living God has begun to worship the things that God created. The truth that is being hidden is that MAN (whom the enemy of God hates) is the real target here and the one who will suffer most as we "save" the environment is man. Just ask the farmers who are loosing their farms and living in California because the irrigation supply to their farms has been cut off to save a 2 inch fish called the "Delta Smelt".

The science behind the "environmental" movement is weak and the integrity of its proponents is suspect, especially given the revelations of the past few days in which a major scandal in the environmental movement has been revealed: Computer hackers have obtained 160 megabytes of e-mails from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England. These e-mails, which have now been confirmed as real, involved many researchers across the globe with ideologically similar advocates around the world. They were brazenly discussing the destruction and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims. The academics here also worked closely with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

I am not proposing waste and pollution. I am suggesting that the danger to the planet has been overblown and supported by unfaithful science. I believe the human motivation is money - but the "spiritual" motivation (we wrestle not against flesh and blood) is to do harm to men.

Be warned - your enemy is not co2, nor is it greehhouse gases. Your enemy is as he always been - the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

That which was from the beginning

2009-11-22T00:40:00.012-05:00

It may seem like a strange thing, but I was hiding one day this week at Burger King - trying to find a few minutes to study without the phone ringing or some emergency arising to tear me away from the Word. You can buy a soda there and refill it as many times as you like. I had my notepad, a pen, my IPOD with the Bible on it.....and a bottomless diet coke. Now Burger King may not seem like a place to get a new revelation of Jesus; nevertheless as I sat there reading and re-reading the first chapter of I John these words: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have handled, of the Word of Life. For the Life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us." I was moved with some powerful images which I think I should share with my friends about these words from that exiled old apostle; not a new revelation, but a refreshed one:

The eternal was manifested (revealed, shown, took form, became known) in time and space.
The unknowable has become knowable
The untouchable has become touchable
The unapparoachable has come near - Listen to what he says; "we have seen it with our eyes, looked upon (observed), we have handled Him with our hands."

The universe is immense in size to a degree that it is a mathematical impossibility to measure it - hundreds; NO! Thousands of light years accross; the planets, stars without number - a vast expanse with no measureable borders.

Colossians 1:15-17, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and the earth, the things we can see and the things we cannot see, all the thrones or dominions or principalities or powers - all things were created by him and for him, and he He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (and are held together).

He existed before all of this
He caused it all to come into being
His presence permeates the universe down to each and every atom.
If you could fly to the farthest expanse of the galaxy you would find Him there.
He orders the rotation of the planets around the sun.
He pulls in the ocean tides and releases them again.
He is eternally self-existent and self-sufficient.
He is the creator and sustainer of the universe; the supreme Potentate of all thrones and dominions.
He is the King over all kings.
He is the President over all presidents.
His decrees are irresistable.
His veto is final and cannot be overturned by any congress or parliment.
At His word the universe fills with light; the seas teem with life, the fields are over run with vegetation and the course of history bends at His sway.

And John makes this incredible claim - "We have seen Him! We have observed Him! WE have touched Him with our hands."

This was no burning bush like Moses.
This was no vision like Isaiah or dream like Jacob.
This was not a disembodied voice booming from Sinai. He came striding down out of the Judean Hills to the shores of the lake, looked me straight in the eye and said, "Follow me."

By means of some incredible miracle, the one in whom the entire universe is contained was contained in a human body. Somehow, the uncontainable clothed himself in skin so He could live in fellowship with His creation.

If you want to know what separates Christianity from every other faith -- here it is! You can fear Allah, you can serve him, you can die for him, but you cannot sit down in the midst of your brokenness and talk to him. If you are a Mormon, you have to take Joe Smith's word for it about what he saw in those golden spectacles. The religions of this world have gods who speak through prophets to communicate their laws and requirements - but the One True God of Heaven has good news for mankind and He delivered it personally. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "God who at sundry times and in various ways spoke to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds."

Institute for Christian Discipleship

2009-09-14T14:14:00.001-04:00

This month we will kick off our Institute for Christian Discipleship at Agape Christian Fellowship. This is a two year program designed to transform converts into disciples and turn disciples into disciple makers. The fact that someone has converted in belief to Christ does not automatically make them a disciple.

Most of us have no issue with recognizing that to tell a lie is disobedience to God’s Word and is sin. Similarly we understand that to commit audultery or murder is a sin and in direct disobedience to God’s commandments. We also undrstand that we are commanded to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and as well, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and that to fail to do either is disobedience to the will of God. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus gives a clear commandment when He says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everthing I have commanded you.” Since this is given as a command - to disobey is to commit sin.

If current statistics (i.e. Barna, etc) are correct which tell us that of the professing Christians today, over 90% have NEVER led a person to Christ. If we have never led a person to Christ, it is highly probable that we are likewise not involved in their discipleship. This means that 9 out of every 10 believers are living in open rebellion to God’s Word.

There are a number of “manifestations” that men long for and believe will mark the advent of true revival in the church. I am confident that true revival in the church of Jesus Christ will be clearly marked by one manifestation: We will see converts become disciples and disciples become disciple makers. We may see many powerful manifestations in unprecedented measure; healing, prophecy, tongues, miracles and all of the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit and I long for them as do many of my brethren - but that will not mean revival has come. You may feel free to announce revival when the nation is transformed and a generation turns to God. Movements are time limited and geographically contained; visitations are highly impactful and personally transformational, but REVIVAL turns the tide of a nation or nations and spans generations. Are we praying for REVIVAL or will we be satisfied with a visitation.

“By definition, there is no such thing as a self-made disciple. Every disciple is made by someone else. The very command to ‘go and make disciples’ signifies that disciples are not self-made. The pattern the Bible describes is one of making and being made. The pattern of disciple-making according to Matthew 28 and 2 Timothy 2 is everyone should be being made a disciple and be in the process of making others. If you are not in the process of being made a disciple or making other disciples, then you really are NOT a disciple. ‘Being made’ has to do with the willingness to be taught, molded, rebuked, and trained. Making disciples involves the same. You can’t possibly be a disciple if you are not willing to be called up and challened. The same is true in regard to making disciples.” (Norm Willis, from his pamphlet “Discipleship.”)

The Grace to Walk in Holiness

2009-07-21T20:37:00.003-04:00

A number of my friends in the Lord have expressed a concern of late that I may be in danger of abandoning the wonderful doctrine of Grace in favor of some type of legalism or merit based salvation. I have not.

I was taught as a child, and I still believe that we are saved by grace through faith. I still cling to the timeless truths that were laid in my foundations as a young believer - that we are saved through faith in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ on the cross where He, once and for all, paid the price of my sin.

What some have noticed is a burden for a return to the preaching of that cross. That awful, horrible place where the Son of Glory was freely sacrificed in payment for our sinfulness and a place where I am to lay down and abandon my sinful lifestyle in favor of a lifestyle that emulates that of Christ. I am sickened by the message, "God loves you just like you are." The great truth that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" has been twisted and perverted into a gospel that convinces men they can come to know Christ without being changed by Christ. The real truth is that God is sickened by what we are in our sin, and so He provided a way that we could be transformed into something that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. The message of the cross is that we are twisted and deformed and wasted by sin - but we don't have to stay that way - we can be transformed into something new, something pleasing to God; to the "image of His Son." A message that does not demand transformation, a radical change in life style and in thought life - is not the message of the cross. It is a lie from the pit of hell.

What some have noticed is a renewed burden for men to understand that grace sets us free from the chains of our sin, not just the penalty. Grace does not give us permission to walk in worldliness, but it does give us the power to walk in holiness; and, we are called --no, commanded -- to be holy. 'Be holy, even as I am holy." To be holy is to be different, to be other than the world. It is not "legalism" to say that holiness demands a change in our necklines, hemlines, the way we wear our hair, mark and mutilate our bodies, and what goes in our ears and out of our mouths. Our clothes and hairstyles, our language, and choice in activities to not make us holy - but it does reveal our holiness.

God's grace is mighty, able to triumph over every weakness of the flesh; and God's mercy is deep, deeper than any failure of the flesh. It is not a matter of my being saved that is at issue; what is at issue is the shame I will experience when I stand before our merciful savior and give account of my low regard for His great sacrifice for my sin and my pitiful stewardship of that grace and mercy.

Heart Cry

2009-07-16T23:35:00.003-04:00

Twenty four years ago on this date Barbara and I were anxiously anticipating the birth of our third child, Matthew Keith. We hadn't really planned to have this child, nonetheless we were looking forward to having a new addition to our family. In just three days - July 19, 1985 we held our infant son in our arms. He was dead. I won't go into details because they don't really matter. The fact is that our hearts ached with a hurt that can only be understood by those who have experienced it. God blessed us with three wonderful children after Matthew died; Andrew, Timothy, and Abigail and now, eight terrific grandkids. We love them all with depth that cannot be described with written words. Yet, from time to time there is this ache in my heart when I think about Matthew, the little boy I never got to know. As I stood by his graveside, tears burning my eyes I told the Lord, "I can deal with this, if only you could help me understand why." And then, I realized - almost as soon as the words passed through my thoughts, "No, Lord - I don't need to understand - I just need to trust you. I know you love me and I know you love Barb - and I know you love Matthew. Lord just help me to trust you."

That "revelation" has stood me in good stead these twenty-four years. I have come to believe at my very core that "the steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord." We do not require understanding, nor is God required to offer it. We cannot, nor should we judge His decisions in our lives. He is a holy, righteous God who does not, who cannot act apart from His love, mercy, compassion, and divine wisdom. His "ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts"......His wisdom is too wonderful for us to comprehend. That is part of my core being.

Tonight, I hear the heart's cry of a good friend who has a tiny little girl in her arms, fighting for life with every breath. I hear in her voice the desperation that comes from utter helplessness and I remember. I can say with surety that I know how she feels and I hurt for her; and I weep with her. . . . .and I pray for her and little Jaeli, and if I could I would direct God to the proper course of action and then I remember - I am not alone, nor are Jaeli's mom and dad - they are cared for by a Father who watched His own Son struggle for life with every breath - and He understands and cares.

Right now, I just really miss Matthew.

Elijah

2009-06-28T08:11:00.003-04:00

Hiding in a cave, sucking his thumb in a fit of self pity and exhaustion, Elijah declared that he, and he alone had been faithful in service to God. He was the only one who had kept God's covenant with Israel; the only one who had overthrown the altars to Baal; the only one who had challenged the false prophets - and now he is the only one left.

This is the answer Elijah gave when asked by God, "What are you doing here?" Now, I don't claim to be an Elijah. Like many of the great men of God whose lives are recorded in the Scriptures, I admire him and aspire to his courage. Sadly, I find that I am less like him in his moments of courage and more like him in his fits of self pity. I understand why Elijah is hiding in this cave. He is exhausted physically and emotionally. He has just won a great spiritual victory over the prophets of Baal but now, he is just tired.

There is an interesting exchange between Elijah and God in the 19th chapter of I Kings. Elijah, having received death threats from Jezebel has fled to the wilderness. As he is there the Lord ministers to him, feeds him, and eventually confronts him. "What are you doing here?"

Elijah answers, "I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." (v. 10)

In reply, the Lord took Elijah to a mountain where he manifested Himself in four ways: a great wind, an earthquake, and a massive fire, and finally, a still small voice. Most readers will remember that God was not found in the wind, the earthquake or the fire - but only in the still small voice. But then, God asks Elijah again, "What are you doing here?" Elijah replies with a remarkably fresh answer, ""I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." (v. 14). Same song, same tired old verse.

Elijah didn't really know why he was there. He just knew he was tired and scared and alone. He had spent most of his life alone - a single voice speaking out against the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel. It gets old, and it gets to you sometime. What Elijah needed was a fresh word from God. Even his spiritual victory at Mt. Carmel could not replenish his spirit the way a fresh word from the Lord could. He needed to hear God and when he did - he didn't feel alone anymore. I am so there. I need a fresh word from God. Not from a friend and not from a prophet and not from a preacher - but from the mouth of God. Not in great and terrible manifestations, wind and earthquake and fire; but a still small voice.

In some ways, and for this reason, I have exiled myself to the wilderness for a season. I have taken a leave from the church for six weeks not only because I am tired (emotionally and spiritually), but I need a fresh word from the mouth of God. We live in terrible and frightening times and men's hearts are failing in fear - I know God is doing something costly in the Body. I choose my word carefully here - I say "costly" because great things are always costly. I hear men prophesying that God is getting ready to do something wonderful and magnificent - a "new thing;" and I agree. What the preachers often fail to mention is that great things are usually costly things. I am confident that there are men and women who are like the "7000" ( a perfect number) who had not bowed the knee to Baal - in the church, and I am so grateful for them - but right now, I find myself sitting under a Juniper tree, waiting to hear what He will say - to me.

God does His best work in the worst of times!

2009-06-12T23:00:00.004-04:00

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." So begins "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. I was thinking about those classic words today as I made my way along the 65 mile stretch of highway between Brattleboro and White River Jct., VT. The greatest victories are won in the most daunting challenge; the greatest joys leap from the deepest despair, and the brightest light emerges out of the deepest darkness.

We all want to see miracles, but most of us don't want to be in the circumstances where such miracles are birthed. We want to see expressions of God's awesome power but we shy away from the precipice for fear that God's power will fail us in the time of danger. The disciples rode the terrifying waves in the storm on the Sea of Galilee but it was in this very place they saw Jesus' awesome authority over the seas and the wind. Had they been in a canoe on a shallow pond they would have been safe but God's power would have been hidden from them. We want to observe God's might from a safe distance lest something go terribly wrong.

However, one will not be exposed to the miracle without first being exposed to the danger. You cannot see the awesome demonstration of His might from a bleacher; you have to be on the playing field; and no one is ever rescued from a safe place. Jesus got into the boat one day with his disciples as they fished close in to the shore and said to them, "Launch out into the deep." When they did - they took in a great catch. You see, you can catch fish in close to the shore, but the really great catch; the miraculous one is out in deep water away from the safety of the shore. To truly enjoy the exhilaration of knowing His great power you have to cast off the shore lines and launch into deep water. The shore lines keep us moored in safety, but we can never truly make the big catch from that place.

As I have gotten older, I have developed a deep hunger to experience more and more of the awesomeness of God. No, I am not interested in the cheap, side show existentialism that so many are willing to settle for but I do want to stand on the deck in the midst of the storm and hope that Jesus will invite me to come to Him on the waves. I planning a trip to Brazil in September, but instead of flying all the way to my destination, I have elected to travel the final 600 miles on a native line boat up the Amazon simply because it seems I have rediscovered a sense of adventure that I think I misplaced for a while.

Our little family camp in White River is facing deep and troubling waters as our historic old facilities have come face to face with the 21st century. We are going to be required to meet codes and standards that quite honestly I don't think we can do. I was thinking about this as the mile posts clipped by on my 6th trip to the camp in 8 days, "We can't do it." However, as the words of Charles Dickens began to sing a little tune in my head I realized we are in precisely the kind of situation where you are supposed to expect the unexpected; hope in the midst of hopelessness, and sing the victory song before the battle is over. This is precisely the place where God can demonstrate His awesome power and absolute authority and take all the glory for Himself. This is "best of times, it is the worst of times," because our Lord always does His best work in the worst of times. It really doesn't matter that we can't do it, because He can.

The miles began to fly by as I made my way back to camp to calculate sheetrock and wiring needs and for a while the burden began to lay just a bit lighter on my heart as I realized that I may be living right square in the eye of a storm - but that's a perfect vantage point from which to see the hand of God with my own eyes.

Change

2009-05-18T14:08:00.002-04:00

It hit me the other day like a bolt of lightening. I have been writing and preaching for more than a couple of years now that there is great change required in the church in America; that somehow, sometime we need to get the message that the church as it exists today is NOT the church that Jesus promised to build in Matthew 16: ("I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.") I was walking away from a men's fellowship breakfast where I had just been the speaker and it fell on me like a flood. "I don't have to preach the need for change anymore!"

Oh its not that the church doesn't any longer need to change; that we have somehow gotten our holy act together and everything is fine. We are still, in too many instances, a carnal minded, consumerist entertainment center more focused on competing with the church across town than the crack house across the street. We still scream with bulging arteries at the abortionist and homosexual couple while our own house is filled with divorce, fornication and adultery, extortion, pride, bitterness and condemnation; and, we wonder that no one seems to be listening. We say we want to change the world, but we aren't even able to change ourselves.

However, change is coming. Whatever way you want to say it: the planets are aligned, the ducks are in a row, the machinery is in motion, the dominoes have been tipped, the plug has been pulled - whatever floats your boat; the flames of testing have been lit and when they are done then will come to pass the saying of Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:11 - "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw -- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

Here are just a few things about us I think are about to be exposed:

1. We have won converts, but we have not made disciples. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples, teaching them to obey." (Matthew 28:19). We make sure someone "prays the prayer" or "comes to church", but our converts are little different than the world after their prayer. Our "converts" are not transformed. They believe like a christian but seem to be unable to ACT like one. We think discipleship takes place in a class on Sunday mornings. However, true discipleship is forged in the crucible of life and until each mature believer is willing to take on the mentoring responsibilities of discipleship, we will continue to make converts - and when the "fire" comes our neglect will be exposed.

2. We have not changed the world. We live in the age of the mega church with tens of thousands in attendance, superstars in the pulpit and the best entertainment in worship music around. Superficially, it looks like success. However, fewer people attend church now than 25 years ago. We have more publishers, books stores, christian radio and television and Bible colleges and universities than at any time in history and as a good friend of mine once said, "when the epitaph of the 20th century church is written we will be known as the most biblically illiterate generation in history." In most communities today the church is not hated - it is irrelevant. We claim to be changing the world, but the truth is that we've allowed the world to change us.

3. Church growth is based on fuzzy math. There are those who will proclaim the church is growing faster than at any time in history. Not true. We have seen the emergence of the mega churches and it looks like we have made gigantic strides. Actual statistics show that we have not been growing, we've been "rotating stock". There are not more people in church - they have just migrated from the small church to the mega church. The megas are booming but the expansion of the kingdom is flat. As some clever person has said, we are no longer fishers of men but keepers of aquariums and pastors spend most of their time moving fish from one aquarium to the another.

4. We value results more than holiness. We have forgotten that in all of the Bible, God never asked us to produce results. He did on several occasions, demand holiness. We emulate the values of business more than the values of the kingdom. A big crowd is more important than a faithful crowd. Our model has been big crowds, giant budget, sprawling complexes, large staff, prestige and fame. When we have had to choose between being successful and holy, we almost always choose success.

5. Our congregations are filled with consumers. They are takers and not givers; they are spectators and not participants. We have catered to every whim and need, realizing that just like choosing between department stores they will choose between churches based on how well their perceived needs are met. Most don't how to lead another person to Christ, because we have staff for that. We don't know how to teach our children the Word of God because we have teachers for that. We don't know how to study the Scriptures and draw eternal truth from it; we have a great preacher for that. We don't know how to lead our families in righteousness because that's the church's job.

This may seem an extreme statement..........BUT, most of what we esteem as success in the modern western church is about to go 'poof'. I don't even think it will drop off slowly over a period of years; I mean 'poooooof'; just like somebody dropped a match in a hay mow. It will be at that exact moment we will find out what is really important and we will start making disciples, measuring success by faithfulness, valuing holiness over numbers, and teaching men to teach others, to lead their own families in the paths of righteousness, and to walk on their own two feet before the Lord.

You choose...........

2009-05-12T10:55:00.007-04:00

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18

Let me just state, as I begin these paragraphs, that I fully and wholly accept the doctrine of salvation "by grace through faith." This is a foundational principle of the Christian faith that cannot and should not be disputed - it was by grace and grace alone that we were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. It is by grace and grace alone that we can stand before the throne with confidence, knowing that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the Day of Redemption. What a wonderful, glorious, liberating truth. It is because of grace that Paul could write in Romans 8:38, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Yet, it is a weak understanding of this very concept that causes many in the Body of Christ today to suffer under difficult burdens and endure heartache that can scarcely be measured. Many, including myself at times, have viewed the gift of grace as some kind of magical "get out of jail free" card, erroneously believing that because grace has been given, I am now free to walk in carnality rather than righteousness with impunity. We wrongly think that if I sin, or if I make a unrighteous choice I have simply to cry "grace" and the consequences of my sin will be nullified. We offer an insincere "I'm sorry" to our Holy Father and skip out of His presence feeling secure that all is well. We have invoked the divine talisman - grace.

I have been a pastor for 40 years now. I have a sense of how Moses must have felt at times wandering through the Wilderness of Sinai with the Hebrew children. I have an idea of the level of frustration he felt when he unleashed white knuckled fury on the rock that God had told him to speak to. Men and women that I love passionately who have been miraculously delivered from the bondage of their sin continue to stumble around in the wildernesses of addiction, broken marriages, poverty, bitterness, and spiritual failure; oblivious to the possibility that it is our own carnality that keeps us here.

Listen to what God told Israel in Deuteronomy 28:1-6 "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your god, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out."

Now here is a prosperity message that is Biblical, unlike many that are preached today. But listen to the antithesis in Deuteronomy 28:15-19: "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out."

Now obviously, there is a great deal more in Deuteronomy 28 than these brief verses. However, in just reading this short passage we get a clear sense of God's heart. The two key phrases upon which "blessings" and "curses" swing are: "If you faithfully obey" and "But if you will not obey." I am not advocating legalism here which requires that we do certain things or refrain from doing certain things in order to be saved. What I am doing is pleading with my brothers and sisters in Christ to recognize that it is possible to be saved and continue to live a miserable, broken, and frustrated life because we are unwilling to walk in the path of holiness and separation from the world. What we often attribute as the success of the devil in our lives is really many times more than not, the failure of the believer to walk in the path that brings blessings.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Deuteronomy 11:26-28

And what is worse, we fail to understand that we communicate the curses we bring upon ourselves to our children. (Exodus 34:7......."the sins of the fathers are visited upon their children to the third and fourth generation." We are upset with our government because they are establishing a financial debt that will be passed to our children and our grandchildren, and yet saved, but disobedient and carnal believers often pass along a debt of sin to their children and grandchildren. I know there are many who are praying and believing for a national revival in America, believing it will come with laughter, and joy and prosperity. I, on the other hand, believe there will be no national revival until there is a national repentance which will ride on the back of brokenness, heartache, and sorrow for sin. In my house, that begins with me. How about yours?

Diagnosis

2009-05-08T11:27:00.003-04:00

For 50 years I cram my face full of red meat, bacon, potatoes, buttered bread; laced with salt and drowned in an endless cup of caffine. I have a remote for everything so that once I sit down in my recliner for the evening of "no thought" (a (no) muse (think) ment), and I never walk when I can drive. Then, with chest pains and a host of gastric issues I say to my physician, "Doc, can't you DO something?" Of course, what I'm really asking is, "Can't you UNdo something?"

For months I drive my automobile without checking the oil, or the pressure on the tires - I never check the fluid levels or the condition of all those belt "thingies" under the hood. I won't get a tune up until the car will barely start or clatter down the road. Then I show up at the garage and plead with the mechanic, "Can you DO something, without it costing me a lot?" Again, what I am asking is, "Can't you undo the months of neglect and abuse I have subjected this automobile to and make it like new again?"

Now to my point. We spend our spiritual lives essentially ignoring God's Word and thumbing our nose at His commandments. "Why don't you know, I live under grace and not LAW!" We look like the world, we talk like the world, we think like the world......we LIVE like the world. We turn to God only on Sunday mornings or in times of great stress - but otherwise can't be bothered with such things as 'holiness' or 'righteous living '. We know what God's Word says, but...............ah yes, there is always a "but" involved. Our households are a wreck, our marriages are coming apart at the seams, and our children are in rebellion and we come to God in a panic and say, "Father, don't you love me, DO something!"

"If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer." Exodus 15:26

"But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28:15

If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well. I Samuel 12:14

My heart grieves for those I encounter every day who are desperate for God to DO something about their situation - not realizing that what they are really asking is for God to UNDO years of disobedience and careless spirituality. We do not remember that sin has immutable consequences and in order to avoid the consequences we must shun the sin.

God will forgive us of our sin, and we must carefully give Him praise for that wonderful fact - however the JOY He intends for our lives is often stolen by a thief who delights in stripping God's people of the joy and abundance of life that Jesus promised. We must not only repent of our sins, but we must repent of the careless and insulting life style we have lived before the Lord and before the world. When we do, we will discover that God has already DONE something, and we can walk with joy in the work that He has already accomplished. You may not need for God to do anything at all, it may be that YOU need to DO something. Its called repentance.

Brugger's Evangelism

2009-05-05T13:12:00.002-04:00

I just walked out of my office........laptop over my shoulder and a need to be in touch with people who DON'T know that Jesus loves them. Its not that I don't like Christians, although we can get a little tedious from time to time, endless meetings to share our burdens and problems (many of which could have been prevented by a little simple obedience or aren't really that big anyway in the scheme of eternity). It just that I was just reading in the gospels and noticed that Jesus didn't spend a lot of time in the "office." Instead He was out in the "highways an byways", interacting with folks - all kinds of folks.

My problem is that when my parishioners call the church office they expect me to be there doing "stuff," until they need me. I guess all pastors feel that way from time to time, but I'm really feeling it strongly lately. I figured out recently that this is why they made "call forwarding" - to free me from my desk and the waiting for somebody who needs me, to call. Its kind of cool you know, this being needed - kinda makes one feel pretty important. Except that when you think about it - christians don't really need me. They have Jesus, they have the unchangeable Word of God, they have the indwelling Holy Spirit, our supernatural guide --what in the world do they need ME for.

As a people (I mean by this christians) we have turned sadly inward, becoming a frantically "needy" people seemingly unable to close ourselves in a prayer closet with the Lord and work through our "issues" so we can reengage with a truly needy world. Needy because men in the world do not have Jesus, do not have the Word of God to turn to, and no abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. For instance, I'm a big "facebooker" and I'm growing increasingly impatient with the number of us believers who waste the potential of this incredible social network as a "whine tank", not to mention the terrible testimony that some of us put forward on Facebook for the whole world to see. When I realize that my rather large circle of facebook friends are for the most part "christians" and that I have not utilized this powerful tool to engage with people outside of my circle in meaningful dialogue, it frustrates me.

So if you call me today on the church phone I may answer but I won't be there, I'll be at Brugger's or the Deli, or Mocca Joe's - hopefully engaged in building a new friendship. And if you happen to be a "facebooker" like me and a believer, please clean up your language, adjust your attitude, and update your circle of friends to include people with whom you can engage in a meaningful and profitable way.

Network......

2009-01-17T23:38:00.004-05:00

I had an interesting experience this week that was a graphic illustration of how the Body of Christ is supposed to work. I contacted a friend of mine who lives in Florida, but is involved in a mission in India. I was doing some research which I hoped would increase our effectiveness among the poor in Kenya. I was directed to a group who have designed a very efficient and every inexpensive adobe oven for use among indigenous people in South America, and who have published a very helpful document complete with design and fabrication instructions which was distributed in Uganda. Having obtained the proper documentation which came as the result of a virtual global journey, I forwarded the information on to my good friend and co-worker in Kenya who promptly told me that this would be very helpful information for some indigenous people he knows - in Sudan.

Over the years as my involvement in various projects around the world has expanded, I have noted a pattern. The church works best when instead of each doing his own thing we learn that we're all doing God's thing and that what one learns is not for him to guard as a private possession - but it is a gift for the Kingdom.

Next, I hope to take a design for a water filter in Brazil and pass it along to a friend in Massachusetts who will put it to good use in Sudan. Wow! This is fun!

Heritage

2009-01-08T13:58:00.003-05:00

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:3-5

The good looking guy in the photo is my middle son Andrew, and that lovely young thing he is holding in his arms is Eliana Jordyn, his first born child. She was born this morning at about 1:10 a.m. (Elvis' birthday, but we're hoping that one thing has nothing to do with the other). It was about as perfect a birthing experience as a young couple could have and Eliana is bright and alert and healthy as far as we can tell right now. We have also discovered that she loves being in her Dad's arms - Andy's a big guy (6' 5" 300 lbs. +/-) and so it must have been a pretty daunting sensation for the little tyke when he wrapped her up in his arms.

We're pretty much all about family, believing in recent years what we did not know in our younger years - that the family is the center of what God is doing in the earth and that it is through families that the Kingdom of God is best expressed through those watching. We have begun to teach our families that building a strong church does not necessarily build a strong family, but establishing strong, spiritual families will in fact build a strong church. We have five children and 7 grandchildren - with another due in July and every Sunday we can look around and locate them all - most of them somehow actively involved in the ministry. (Eliana doesn't have a job just yet - but soon..........). I don't say that to brag, rather as an awe struck statement of praise to the grace and mercy of God who has blessed us with more than we could possible deserve or even hope for.

I ache so badly for parents whose children have turned their backs on God. I cannot imagine that pain and I grieve for them. At the same time, I rejoice for little Eliana because I know she will not be hidden from the deep mysteries of God, but that her mom and dad will speak them to her in her rising up and in her lying down. Our godly heritage will live, long after Barbara and I have gone from this life - our heritage will live and our reward will flourish. For that today, I am profoundly grateful to the Living God, the God of all Flesh, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and the God of Michael, of Andrew, and Eliana!

Reshuffling the Deck

2009-01-06T21:19:00.005-05:00

You know when you play cards - I have fond memories as of kid living in pre-Disney Orlando of our Friday "Rummy Parties" - you play a hand and then, the deck moves to the person to your left to shuffle and deal the next hand. You get different cards each hand, but they're really the same cards, reshuffled and redistributed.

This past couple of weeks we've had a particularly great time in our ministry as we have seen several persons come to faith in Christ. One fellow in particular has been coming in to our weekly soup kitchen for months now. He has no faith background at all. Over the months he has shown a real interest in the gospel, the Christian life and the faith community. He came to his first church "service" ever on Christmas Eve for our annual Candlelight Communion Service. He was very impacted and as a result was introduced to Christ the following Sunday morning by the director of our Mercy Ministries. He will be baptized on February 1st - a brand new member of the family of faith.

In fact, we will baptize at least 12; perhaps more on February 1st and that is exciting. Its exciting because that is the way the church is supposed to grow - by birthing new family members. In discussing this, and a variety of issues among ourselves as a local Pastor's fellowship we are painfully aware that most church "growth" in America is not generally the result of new births - but rather a continual reshuffling of the same cards over and over again as people - "believers," move from congregation to congregation for a variety of reasons - most of them poor reasons.

They've either been offended, corrected, or disciplined; or have become bored and need a change - and so they leave that terrible church and poorly qualified pastor to attend a "better" church. Sad thing is, it doesn't take too long before they get offended, corrected, or disciplined and the deck is reshuffled again. Sometimes when I'm playing cards, I see the same card come through my hands several times. You know when there are a limited number of players, the cards don't have that many places to show up. I know, I've had some of the same "Jokers" come through my hands for the second and even third time. In our group we affectionately call this the "Bi-annual Pew Shuffle."

Now I realize there are some real and legitimate reasons for moving from one congregation to another; and not everyone who transfers to another church is doing so for a carnal reason. I appreciate it when someone new comes to my church from another with serious considered reasoning. I also rejoice when someone leaves my church for another with the same serious, considerations. I struggle in my flesh with it - but I have decided to rejoice. However, these are usually the exception rather than the rule. If we are not birthing new lives into the Kingdom, but spending year after year reshuffling the deck - the church is not growing and the Kingdom is not expanding - we're simply redistributing the same old cards over and over again.

Why do I need a savior?

2009-01-03T22:46:00.004-05:00

At our church we conduct our monthly Communion services "thematically." By that, I mean that we plan and entire year of Communion services around a single set of themes. For instance, one year recently we focused each communion meal around a different aspect of the character of the Father. I think it helps people to actually "think" about things rather than to veg out in a pew until the preacher gets done with whatever axe he might be grinding.

In 2009 we are focusing the entire year of Communion services around the theme, "Why?" Tomorrow morning we will be asking (and I hope, answering) the question: "Why do I need a savior?" When you think about it- its actually a pretty interesting question and I am intrigued by the distinct possibility that not too many people are ever truly confronted with such a question. I know that at some time and in some place, I asked Jesus into my heart and received Him as my Savior. But I have the nagging doubt that many, if not most evangelical American Christians don't really comprehend why they need a savior in the first place.

A MAN FELL INTO A HOLE.....
My son (who is also my associate Pastor) and I met the other day to discuss the Communion service for tomorrow. During the course of our discussion we ran across some interesting ideas, quotes and illustrations. The first one was a nice little video piece from Bluefishtv called "A Man Fell into a Hole." Its a modern parable which shows a man who has fallen into a hole from which he cannot escape. A number of persons come by and offer a variety of solutions for his situation from improving his karma to deeply committed religious activity - after which, he remained in the hole. One person came to the hole, dropped a rope down, climbed down the rope and carried him to safety.......a savior. Ah, Everyman was his name- we have fallen into a hole and we can't get out.

WE ARE NOT JUST IN THE DOGHOUSE....
The second fresh idea came from John Piper who is by almost everyone's estimation one of the better theological thinkers of our day. He said in a recent sermon - "We were not in the doghouse, we were in the morgue." When we are in the "doghouse" with our wife - all we have to do to get out is to behave better; correct our mistake, apologize for our thoughtlessness - buy flowers and candy - and remember to put the lid down. But you and I were not in the doghouse with God - we were in the morgue! To get out of the morgue requires more than an apology - it requires a Savior; One who can and will restore us to life. When you and I were "dead in trespasses and sin - we did not need reformation, we needed resurrection.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THEOLOGY.....
Some time back I was listening to Haddon Robinson on the radio. Someone asked him to relate what was the most important theology to him. I was surprised at his answer, but stunned at the simplicity of it. To the question he replied simply, "The total DEPRAVITY of man." He went on to say that when you understand at the most basic level that man- all men - is totally depraved; that there is absolutely no capacity for good in him - it really affects what you believe about everything. It is only when you fully accept your own depravity that you fully appreciate the generosity of the Savior. Prior to this revelation there is a subtle temptation to belive that if I just live a little bit better, if I try just a little bit harder - I will be better. Somewhere, deep down inside there must be a little smidgen of "good" that I can draw on.

Even as I type these words onto my computer my flesh is rising up against them. TOTALLY Depraved! I'm a Pastor for heaven's sake; a spiritual leader, an elder in the church. How can this be? I may be all of the above and more. However, what I truly am at the basest part of me is a man who fell in a hole and could not get out. I didn't just apologize my way out of the doghouse; I was dead in my sin and by the grace of God (not the goodness of Gantt), was made alive again. I am a depraved individual in a race of depraved men who now wears the robes of righteousness placed upon me by another - a Savior.

Moments...............

2008-12-31T16:40:00.003-05:00

Had one of "those" moments this week.
You see, we're currently anticipating the arrival of two new members to our little "gantt clan"....one is not due until July 4th, but the other is due like..............NOW! Andrew (our middle son) and his wife Hannah are expecting their first - a little girl or so they tell us. We're very excited for them and for ourselves because we love our grandkids!

A couple of weeks ago our oldest daughter Robyn (who is due on July 4) started bleeding. It was very frightening for her because she and Wayne have been trying for quite some time now to conceive their third. No worries - she went to the doctor's office where they did a sonogram and to the delight of everyone discovered a strong little heart beat just thumping away. Maybe an irritation or something. Whew!

Then last night, Robyn was out with some friends who were in for the holidays and called us all the way from Keene, NH in tears - its seems that she is bleeding again; a lot. Her husband went to Keene to pick her up and they were off this morning to Greenfield, MA (in a blinding snowstorm) to visit the doctor again. Again with the sonogram and . . . . . there it was again: That brave little heart announcing to everyone that it was there with a steady, strong beat.

Now, this is important to us because way back in 1985 when we were expecting our third child we went in for a check up just prior to delivery - and there was no heartbeat. Our little boy was dead. He was born later that day and we got to hold him for a few minutes - but then, he was gone. My heart was like lead this morning as Robyn left for the Doctor's office - the very same office where we found out that little Matthew would not be coming home to live with us. I remembered that numb feeling I felt then as Barb and I listened for his heartbeat - and it wasn't there. As I held Robyn in my arms before they left for Greenfield and she cried into my chest, I prayed for her and I prayed for her baby as only someone who has been there can pray.

I cried again later, when she called me to tell me that that precious little heartbeat had announced, "I'm here, Mommy!" I cried for her baby - but most of all - I cried for my baby; so thankful that she was able to hear that reassuring sound from inside her womb.

Robyn has to take it easy for a while. It seems like the placenta is very low and the baby is putting pressure on the cervix and that's what is causing the bleeding. It's not a critical condition, but it could become one - so we're still praying - praying for the reassuring sound of a beating heart.

The Best...........really!

2008-11-11T22:36:00.004-05:00

A number of years ago I stood in front of our church and declared for all to hear, "Lord, I don't want to be a checkbook for missions......I want you to come and choose our best to serve you in the cause of the great commission!" Some time later a couple came into my office to tell me that they had just returned from a short term mission trip to the Amazon Basin in Brazil and were planning, with our blessing to return as full time missionaries with Project Amazon (PAZ). Their names: Don and Betty Best. Well, the Lord heard me and he came and got our Bests. Don is an elder at Agape Christian Fellowship. Their youngest son, Jonathan is currently training to become a missionary pilot. He most likely will return to Brazil to work with his mom and dad as a pilot for Project Amazon.

Don and Betty were recently home on furlough where they spent some of their time in the apartment we keep for visitors and missionaries when they're home. They left yesterday to return to Brazil, but what a blessing it was to have them home.

What a much greater blessing to know that they represent not only the "best" that we have to offer, but are what I believe just one segment in a long string of investments in the ministry of worldwide evangelism that God has graced our little church with the opportunity to make. For many years Elder David "Doc" Baldwin and his wife Phyllis served as missionaries to the British Virgin Islands. Their daughter and son-in-law Jon and Diane Post worked with Pastors in Kaliningrad, Russia. Steve and Pat Copple have served in Indonesia and other parts of southeast Asia for many years. Another Agape elder, George Meyers and his wonderful wife Janet serve with Calvary International out of Jacksonville, FL and send missionaries around the world. Carl and Verlaine Brown (Carl is also an elder at Agape) served for a number of years in Guatemala and Oaxaca, Mexico. Jon Edwards, who we consider to be a blessed part of our church family is currently working with children in Peru and the list goes on. Joyce Thompson in Turkey, Sara Bickel in Tanzania, D'Andrea Weeks in Uganda, William and Hannah (Kirkman) Levi in Sudan.

It just keeps getting better. I'm meeting regularly in a mentoring relationship with a 23 year old man from our church who is preparing to go to the mission field as a missionary pilot.

Over those years God has allowed me to train leaders and initiate church planting and economic development projects in Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya giving me access to literally thousands of bright and energetic young men and women who are committed to taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. As a church we have regular short term teams that go to Brazil, Cameroon, Kenya, Mexico, and Peru.

Someone has said, "Be careful what you pray for you might get it." I would, in fact, like to ammend that little proverb to say, "Be bold in what you pray for, you might just get it!" Many years ago I asked the Lord to send committed believers from our little fellowship to the ends of the earth. I didn't just want to "mail it in;" I want us to be a vibrant, effective part of the program of reaching the world for Christ. I asked for a bigger tent, for larger borders, for a greater trust from the throne in the affairs of the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, our Statement of Purpose reads: "The purpose of Agape Christian Fellowship is to win, equip, and send committed followers of Jesus Christ who will be able to share His gospel from Brattleboro to the uttermost parts of the earth."

As I embraced Don and Betty yesterday and watched them drive down the street toward Boston and the airport from which they would return to Brazil it is difficult to explain the sense of awe and thanksgiving that swept over me. That God would from the heart of spiritually dark New England, allow a little spark of light that would shine to the uttermost part of the earth - is just the best!

Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim it!

2008-11-08T21:19:00.006-05:00

I kept thinking about the words to that old hymn as we were winding our way down into and across the Great Rift Valley in October. We had just spent a week at the Immanuel Christian School for the Deaf in Ringa, KENYA. Those of you who know me, or who have followed this blog know that just over a year ago I visited the school where I have invested so much time (mine) and money (mine and others) to find that our trust had been betrayed, the children were not being properly cared for, and a great deal of money missing or unaccounted for.

The school has been relocated and under a new administration. I was so blessed to find 53 happy and very well cared for children in their brand new location. There is much work to be done, but we have a good foundation on which to build. Thanks to the generous donations of many people here in America and others in Australia (we met up with a team of Aussies) the children and staff received new shoes and socks, new clothes and underwear, new mattresses and blankets for their beds. Thanks to the generosity of the Austine School for the Deaf and Staples Office Supplies in Brattleboro, Vermont they also received an abundance of school supplies, teaching aids, and curriculum to assist them in their teaching tasks. We were also able to purchase additional notebooks, sports equipment, and toys for the small children, some medical and first aid supplies. While we were fitting the children for shoes we were able to examine for sores, etc. and Mark Hardy oversaw the installation of new window panes to replace many broken ones. Sheri Parker and Alexa Morrell sewed buttons and fixed hems and zippers on most of the school uniforms and I was able to make significant progress on re-establishing our economic development program in the school we began over a year ago. Over all, it was a very fruitful and productive trip.

Currently, they are cooking for 60 people over an open fire in a tin out building, but new stoves are on the way. A local donor was contacted to fund the fabrication the new stoves and I will be sending the funds to finish the job, transport the stoves from Nairobi (about a 6 hour trip) and install them in their kitchen which will be upgraded as well.

The children are safe, fed, clothed, and bedded securely. They are being taught by competent teachers and they are being cared for with compassion and mercy. It is not a perfect situation, but it is a situation in which the children have a chance - an opportunity to be happy and safe; and in a place where they are not being exploited for the selfish gain of others. A situation which was bad; very bad - has been redeemed. It has been redeemed by the great mercy of God who led us to get involved so that their exploitation could be exposed. It has been redeemed by the compassion of God to bring merciful and generous people into their lives. It has been redeemed because of hearts and pocketbooks which have overflowed with generosity to reach out to meet the desperate needs. I assure everyone that I am "proclaiming" this redemption to anyone who will listen. To those of you who have opened your hearts and your pocket books - I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

We will begin now to develop a new sponsorship program in which we hope to "double" sponsor each child. Each student is currently sponsored families in Australia. I have accepted the challenge of finding matching sponsors in the US. When each child is "double sponsored" (a monthly sponsorship is $37 USD) the school will be completely funded for its monthly operating budget. I haven't worked out the details of the sponsorship program and set up the sponsorship accounts yet, but hope to by the first of the year. If you have any interest in sponsoring one of these wonderful children, please contact me (twomichaels@verizon.net) and I'll notify you as soon as our sponsorship program is in place. Blessings to all.

Roots

2008-08-02T01:43:00.003-04:00

Its 2:00 a.m. and later today we start our week of Family Camp in White River Junction, Vermont. The first week in August for almost thirty years, our family has gathered with other families from around New England for a week; a week set aside to tabernacle with our God. My children have grown up on these hallowed grounds as have the children of a number of generations. On the first weekend of August, they cannot conceive of being anywhere else in the world than White River. My oldest has celebrated almost 30 birthdays here - he will celebrate his thirty-sixth on Tuesday.

For some reason today, I realized a dramatic shift. My children are no longer riding their bikes around the circular drive, doing "mud flops" on a rainy day, or rushing over to the embankment to watch the trains chug by. They are preparing Bible Studies, planning the worship music, getting ready to preach, preparing dorms for an onslaught of teens. They are washing down shower houses, cleaning the kitchen, sweeping out cabins - - without missing a beat they have stepped out of childhood into their respective responsibilities. They, and many others who grew up on these grounds with them have celebrated huiothesis: "the placing of an adult child."

The book of Ephesians says that God has predestined us to the adoption of children. The operative word here is huiothesis and it doesn't refer to adoption in the same way the western mind understands adoption. It is a coming of age, a passing; from child to adult and embracing the privileges and responsibilities that come with it.

This is significant because so much of the world has lost, or is in the process of loosing their children. Heritage is almost a dirty word in a post modern, politically correct world. To acknowledge, much less embrace, the values and principles of one's parents is mocked and ridiculed. Rebellion against and abandonment of that which has gone on before is lauded as sociological progress. However, one's heritage is his root, and roots anchor and secure against the storms that rage. One needs only to look to a generation that has no anchor, no root; twisting in the winds of global deconstruction - because it neither knows nor values its heritage.

My father, whom I do not know, gave me no heritage. Beyond siring me he has given me nothing of himself. My mother has spent her entire life trying to atone for her sins and to provide for me what he would not. It was only by the grace of God that I found Christ as a boy and found my root in Him, else I would be twisting in the same wind that has ruined so many. I have given my life to the pursuit of Christ and His kingdom, and my children have a heritage. We may never be able to leave them a great inheritance of landed estates, but Barbara and I have, by God's grace been able to give them something of far greater value than money or land - a root.

We have six precious grandchildren with a seventh on the way later this year. We can already see that root establishing them as well. Who knows? God may, and I pray He does, grant me the joy of seeing another day of toga virilis - when yet another generation puts on "the garments of a man," fulfilling their destiny in the adoption of children.

Friendship is forged on anvils

2008-06-06T23:19:00.007-04:00

In the early seventies a genuine spiritual revival broke out among the youth of a little village just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. Banana Hill is a bustling little community situated between Nairobi and Limuru. The Christian population of the day was made up primarily of Anglican and Roman Catholic. As the heat of spiritual awakening swept through the youth of the community--as so often happens--it was rejected by the established church. Many of the young people involved were excommunicated from the Anglican church. A core group of leaders, just children really, emerged and at the forefront was a young man by the name of Michael Chege. At the age of 17 he became their "pastor". As the years have passed, Michael has remained faithful to the people of Banana Hill and is now one of the most respected leaders of the community and is known and welcomed all over the country as a "man of God."

I first met Michael in October of 1992 when I made my first visit to Kenya. We became friends instantaneously; a friendship that has endured to this day--and a partnership was formed that is very, very special. Michael has a heart for the remote tribal groups of Kenya and his influence has continued to spread the church throughout the nation as he has established or helped to establish churches with an 'apostolic' fervor. I love to train leaders so our partnership was made in heaven as I have had the opportunity to influence and train literally hundreds of young men and women as they have spread out across the country. I consider my partnership with Restoration Victory Ministries as nothing less than a divine appointment and heavenly orchestration.

Michael Chege is in the foreground, pictured with another good friend Baba Kamau

Over the past 16 years I have been in Kenya almost every year (sometimes as many as three times in a single year). I have preached in most of the provincial areas of the country and have forged deep, sacred friendships with men and women of such profound commitment and personal sacrifice that I am humbled to even speak their names. I have baptized hundreds, preached to multiplied thousands, and lived in the bush with men that most people would consider "primitives", but whom I consider spiritual giants.

I write about this today because I am preparing to visit Kenya again (October of 2008). This may be the most significant trip of the many I have made. The occasion is the Ordination of Bishop Michael Chege. Now here in the states - I don't get real worked up over titles and most of the Bishops I have met, I wouldn't give you a wooden nickle for the lot of them. But I understand the personal cost that Michael Chege has paid, the enormous sacrifices he has yeilded up to extend the church into the most remote areas of the country. I have seen the sparkle in his eyes as he has driven me for hours into the bush to preach for some little church gathered in a rented building, and sometimes under a tree. And in October, all of those Pastors and many of the people will come together, as many as 2000 of them, to recognize that sacrifice. I am both honored and humbled to be invited to speak at Michael's ordination.

One of our last Banana Hill Crusades as the people turn to face the town and break the powers of darkness over the community. Many thousands heard the gospel that day.

Some years ago, I was presented a chief's staff by the church at Banana Hill, signifying my position as an elder in the church. I am considered "uncle" by Michael and Catherine's children. I am seen as an apostle by the pastors of the Restoration association. However, the title I hold most dear is the one Michael himself has assigned me -- friend.

I know a lot of people who call me friend, but there is a friendship that comes only through suffering together, facing danger together, being broken together, and being knit together through the adversity that comes from confronting the powers of darkness with the light of the truth and seeing the victory -- together. I don't have a lot of friends who qualify under those criteria--Michael Chege is one of them

Teen Challenge Stands the Test of Time

2008-05-13T11:23:00.006-04:00

When I was a kid I sang with a very popular youth group out of western North Carolina under the direction of my pastor and friend, Bob Parmley. The Southernaires Gospel Choir traveled extensively up and down the eastern seaboard presenting its own unique brand of gospel music. The Southernaries was my introduction to the ministry - and a significant part of my preparation for the ministry.

Many, many years ago we went to 444 Clinton Ave. in Brooklyn, New York to perform a concert at David Wilkerson's TEEN CHALLENGE. There we heard testimony after testimony from drug addicts and alcoholics, gang members and prostitutes of how God had delivered them from their desperate lives. I was so impacted by that visit that later on when in my own ministry I developed a musical group - one of the first places I contacted when we started to plan a tour was 444 Clinton Ave. in Brooklyn. I wanted my young people to see and hear testimonies of the power of the Holy Spirit to break the bondage of sin and set men free.

Last night, I traveled along with my son Bryan, Nathan and Zachariah Frink, and their dad David on a three hour drive to Johnson, Vermont to minister at TEEN CHALLENGE VERMONT. Fifty years after David Wilkerson started that center at 444 Clinton Ave. in Brooklyn the work of TEEN CHALLENGE is going strong and I had to opportunity of introducing another generation to a living demonstration of the manifest power of God in a real life flesh and bone. After we enjoyed dinner with them, the boys led the group in a time of worship, shared some of their original music with the men, and then I had the opportunity to minister the Word of God to a very appreciative congregation of men who have been or who are in the process of being set free by the power of the Word of God and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

We don't get to see a lot of ministry in this day that has spanned the generations. We're more into the new and different. Men and women run back and forth accross the country trying to track down the latest 'revival', in the hopes of seeing signs and wonders, hearing the latest prophetic word, and witnessing gold dust fall out of someone's hair or new gold teeth grow in their mouth. Last night, I saw something better...............the ruined lives of men and boys transformed by the power of the Word and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I saw men who at one time would beg, borrow, steal, or even kill in order to get their next fix; spend the kid's milk money on a bag of crack - running and leaping and praising God, laughing, clapping, and weeping because of His great love. The small chapel where we were gathered literally trembled with the power of God's presence and love.

TEEN CHALLENGE has stood the test of time. It began through a series of miracles and the miracles are still occurring. If there is a center near you, I recommend you visit. Better than a visit - get involved. You may not see gold dust fall out of an evangelists' hair, but you just might get to see a man rejoin the human race. For me, well, that's just way cooler!

Arrows

2008-05-02T16:55:00.002-04:00

The word of God declares: "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

God has blessed me with five wonderful children - Bryan, Robyn, Andrew, Timothy, and Abigail. Barbara and I lost a little boy, Matthew at birth almost 23 years ago. Additionally, I have 6 wonderful grandchildren - Gabriel Michael, Hannah Lynn, Emalee Mariah, Maddisen Daneel, Grace Elizabeth, and Noah Keith. Certainly a quiver full if I ever saw one.

However, I am blessed to tell you that the quiver is not yet full as Andrew (my middle son) and his wife Hannah have announced that they are expecting their first later this year. Our prayer is as always - Lord, boy or girl, we pray for a child strong in body and spirit - an arrow that can be trimmed straight and true and loosed at the heart of the enemy.

Confronting One's Self

2008-05-01T20:42:00.007-04:00

Five years or so ago I carved off a big chunk of my heart and left it in western Kenya. Now, truth is I have pieces of my heart all over Africa in places with hard to pronounce names like N'gua, Kiryandango, Adjumani, Ol'kalou, Narok, Kagamega, Mumias, Kisi, Kisumu, and Banana Hill. I have fallen in love in Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, and most recently, Cameroon.

But the piece of my heart to which I refer is sizable. I stumbled onto a little school for the deaf in western Kenya in a little town called Oyugis. When I arrived I found around 35 of the most beautiful and tender hearted boys and girls I had ever met. Ranging in age from 5 to 18, these children faced no future - at least no future with a happy ending. They were from the poorest of the poor families and they were deaf in a cultural setting where there is virtually no infrastructure to provide a future for them. Most Deaf persons in that part of the world have one vocation on their horizon - beggar.

The school was operated by a woman, a Filipino missionary and her Kenyan husband. They were, I thought, two generous hearted people who longed to make life better for the deaf. I threw myself into that school with all my heart. I raised thousands of dollars to assist the school. I talked other people into donating thousands of dollars to provide for better food, clothing, and shelter. I contracted a friend of mine to go to the school and help them set up a bakery project that would provide some stable income for the school while at the same time provide effective vocational training for the children as they finished school. I raised over $5000 to finance the project. It would insure that at least some of them would have marketable skills when they finished school.

To make a very involved story much shorter - I was betrayed. More to the point, the children were betrayed. I made a surprise visit to the school last year to find that the children were not any better off despite thousands of additional dollars poured into the school They were being poorly fed, dangerously housed, misused and sometimes abused. The teachers were not being paid and the funds being generated by the bakery were being siphoned off into personal bank accounts. When I confronted the principals about this, I was escorted off the property.

We lost everything we had invested in this project. The bakery ovens and cook stoves, the delivery bicycles, money for land and development. It was all gone. What was worse, I had to return to the United States and contact all of our donors and inform them that their trust in me had been ill placed - one of the hardest letters I've ever written. It was one of the most despondent seasons of my life.

We have, however, continued to work behind the scenes to rectify the situation. I have been in constant contact with the sponsoring agency who in all fairness took decisive and effective action. The offending parties were dismissed, the school was closed, and all funding was cut off. In all the agency has acted with transparency and propriety in every way one would hope.

In the ensuing year, a lot has happened. I just finished reading a series of reports which are summed up in the following: The school has reopened in a new location which provides safe and clean housing. The teachers have all been retained and are actually being paid - double what they were being paid before. The children look healthy, clean and well groomed. Most of all they are happy. The new school is in the final stages of its official registration and they have more students than they did before. Pictured here are are the students of the Immanuel School for the Deaf in Ringa, Kenya. I will post some others in the sidebar.

I am grateful beyond words for these developments. This project is of the greatest personal importance to me. I am really invested in it. Beyond all of this is what I have learned about myself. When I discovered this situation I was angry. I had to be physically restrained by friends to prevent me from doing harm to another human being. In all of my years in the ministry no one has ever been able to push THAT button. I did a lot of yelling and accusing directed toward persons who were in charge but not at fault. Most importantly, in my anger I forgot that God was still on the throne. He was aware of this situation and more than capable of dealing with it. I was devastated because these children were in danger and I could do nothing to help them - again, forgetting that their heavenly Father loves them much more than I do.

Probably more to the point is the fact that I was embarrassed. I had been taken in and it cost me and those who trust me thousands of dollars and more important to me, my reputation. I fancy myself a savvy, street wise guy who is pretty hard to dupe. I was wrong and what is worse, I had to admit it in public. I was convinced that I would never be able to raise funds for such a project again because my integrity, or at best my discernment would now be in question.

You know, humility is a wonderful thing. One of the most wonderful things about it is that it prevents humiliation. You can never humiliate a humble man because he has nowhere to fall to. However, a prideful man - he is ripe.

I am anxious for the opportunity to visit Kenya soon and visit the school and these precious children. God has supervised a restoration and things are better than they ever were before. Amazingly, He was able to do it without my help. And what's more, through all of this I have been able to face down some things I thought I had conquered a long time ago. God used me to expose some critical flaws in the care of these children and he used that situation to expose some critical flaws in me as well. Funny how that happens isn't it.

Here I Go Again!

2008-04-28T23:04:00.004-04:00

We have been working around a very critical and exciting concept recently. Both Bryan and I are committed in 2008 to solidly rooting our congregation in the principles of the Kingdom. For better than three generations the church has been almost totally focused on getting people to Heaven, rather than teaching the nations.(Please refer to the Great Commission) Trouble is, there is no real commitment required in getting to Heaven. Once you've comprehended the marvelous grace work accomplished on the cross and confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior - Heaven is pretty much of a "done" deal. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also - and if I go, I will come again." In that great promise Jesus affirms that Heaven is pretty much His responsibility. We, on the other hand, may have other responsibilities. I posit for your consideration that if we were saved solely that we could go to Heaven, then we're doing baptism all wrong. We should drown every candidate, thereby fulfilling the purpose of salvation and alleviating the suffering, struggle, and backsliding.

We are redeemed so that in us the Kingdom of God can not only be established in our sphere of influence, but expanded - into every arena of life. Jesus prayed (and taught us to pray), "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We could and well should infer from these words that it is God's purpose that His rule and order would be established in the nations of the earth; that government would be established upon Kingdom principles, that the arts would reflect His glory, that universities would extol the majesty of his creation, jurisprudence would reflect the justice and mercy of His statutes, families would model the Kingdom of God and our economy would still be on the gold standard instead of the debt standard.

After the Civil War the church began to establish seminaries where we send our best and brightest to train for the ministry so that we could get more and more people to heaven. We have essentially abandoned government, science, arts, law, philosophy, and medicine to the world. The result is that now government bans faith, science mocks faith, art blasphemes faith, philosophy denies faith, and medicine plays God. We are shocked and appalled and relegated to protesting in the streets like a bunch of malcontents.

Darkness does not exist. It is nothing more than the absence of light. If there is darkness in government it is because the light has been withdrawn. If there is darkness on the movie screen it is because those who could bring light to it are otherwise occupied. Science operates in a black hole because there is pitiful little truth offered to expose it. We are encouraging our people, especially our young people that if you don't like godless government run for office. If you don't like what's in the movie house, go to Hollywood and make edifying films. If you are offended by bad science refute the lie with truth. You can either stand on the outside and throw rocks at what you don't like or you can enter in, armed with the truth, and influence your particular sphere of influence with that truth.

Kingdom principles rightly applied would all but eradicate divorce in the Body of Christ. Divorce is ravaging the church because most of us don't see our lives, our relationships or our families in the light of the Kingdom of God. Instead, we enter into a holy union armed with worldly thinking. Kingdom principles, rightly applied, would heal marriages, restore families, unite churches, and transform communities. And, it is my humble opinion, in the process a lot more people would be set on their way to heaven.

I Went To Church On Sunday

2008-04-21T22:29:00.014-04:00

I started preaching when I was 14 or 15. It is safe to say that it is a rare Sunday that I have not been in a pulpit somewhere for the better part of 37 years. This past Sunday I went to church. By that I mean I attended a church service. I didn't have any responsibilities other than to worship and to be spiritually fed. Actually, that's not really correct - I greeted people at the front door as they arrived for church. I didn't even go into the worship center until fully 10 minutes after the service had been underway. As I stood in the back of the church I looked around at the most beautiful sight a senior Pastor could ever hope to see in a church to which he has committed 27 years of his life.

In this post, I would like to describe what I saw, and offer a small interpretation of its significance: On the platform was a very, very talented group of musicians - worshippers really - who were leading the congregation in a time of most beautiful worship. Part of that group was made up of my three sons and one grandson. To my left a beautiful and very serious 9 year old girl was manning a video camera taping the service. Her work was being supervised by an 18 year son of one of our elders. Up to my right the 14 year old son of one of my best friends was expertly operating our projection system that displays the lyrics to our songs and photos of our missionaries when we pray for them.

As I stood there looking toward the front two wonderful ladies were partnering in interpreting the service in ASL for our sizable Deaf congregation. One of them was my wife who has been the champion of our Deaf ministry from the beginning - over ten years. The other is Hannah, our daughter-in-law, the vivacious girl who first won our son's heart and then ours. From the downstairs kitchen the aromas of a delicious meal wafted up the steps as it has every Sunday for over twenty years as our Mercy Ministries folks prepared their weekly meal for the homeless and needy of our community. Every Sunday they prepare for and serve anywhere from 75 to 125 persons a much needed hot meal and the touch of the Master's gentle hand. At the same time one our young ladies was setting a very pleasing looking table with silver trays of cookies and decanters of coffee for our fellowship hour to come later.

One of our young men came to the pulpit and welcomed our visitors and apprised our congregation of the important events they needed to be aware of and another man came offer our weekly prayers for one of our mission families. I hasten to mention that the family for which he prayed is an Agape family; Don and Betty Best. Don is one of our prized elders on permanent assignment in Santarem, Brazil. We have another former elder and his wife serving in Vietnam, and yet another overseeing mission projects all over the world from Central America to Southeast Asia.

Then of course, time for the sermon came and as the people prepared to hear the Word of God I walked to the front of the church, sat down and opened my Bible while my oldest son, Bryan, preached the second of a two part series - "Seeking the Kingdom of God." It was good teaching; well researched, covered in prayer, delivered in a thoughtful and imaginative manner - and we were all challenged. When he was finished, he challenged us to seek the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God in every area of life where we have influence. Then he walked to the back of the church and pronounced the benediction and released the congregation to a time of fellowship before going home.

Bryan, elder brother to Robyn, Andrew, Timothy, and Abigail and Associate Pastor at Agape Christian Fellowship

The people of God were ministered to effectively and efficiently. With commitment to the tasks and compassion for and sensitivity to the needs of the body, this team worked together to serve the Lord and His people. What blessed me as I watched all of this was that the week before when I was ministering in another state, the ministry proceeded with the same passion and efficiency.

It occurred to me as a matter of fact, that I just might be the most "dispensable" member of the team and it further reminded me that what I do is successful only because of the under girding efficiency of those with whom I labor. I have always believed, and believe now, that the goal of every pastor should be to equip the saints for the work of the ministry to such a degree that he becomes a "luxury" to the church, but not a necessity. If circumstances should change, and change they might given the dark clouds that loom on the horizon of our nation, and the church is unable to continue with the same unrestricted freedom we have enjoyed for many years- are our people prepared to continue without us? If they are not so prepared; if they NEED us, then we have failed in the most important task of all.