Be careful what you ask for...

What is success? In the business world, success can be so many different things. It can mean you're the best seller, best manager, growing your company or growing your own personal wealth. In family, success can mean having the home and car you've dreamed your entire life about, have the best spouse, the best kids who go off to college and become “successful”. But how do we define success in the Christian life? What do you look at and say, “Hey, that is one successful Christian”?

Francis Chan was pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, California. By all accounts Chan was successful. He and his wife started the church in 1994 with 30 people. Within 2 months it grew to 100 and by the end of 2000, he was leading a 1 million dollar building project to house its 1,600 members. Today, it is a thriving church and is one of the largest churches in Ventura County.

As if that weren't enough, Chan wrote a small, yet powerful book called “Crazy Love”. The book was a huge hit. He followed that up with “Forgotten God.” Chan was in a place that he never thought he would be... wealthy. He had money coming in that he never thought would come his way. For Chan, he just wanted to preach the Gospel and reach people. By all accounts, Chan was successful.

Here is something you may not know about Chan. He took no salary from his church. None. Not only that, he has given away much of the wealth he has amassed from the two books. About the middle part of 2010, Chan made a startling announcement, he was leaving Cornerstone, the church he started, because he knew he was to be elsewhere. After a three-month leave from Cornerstone, Chan said he felt convicted to sacrifice more for God.

Many would look at Chan and come to one of two conclusions. Either he was a guy that couldn't handle success or he just flipped his lid. I never thought either of those, however, I did wonder what would compel a guy, who by all accounts was successful, to make such a drastic change in his life? Then one day, Francis posted a very short video about a verse in Proverbs that put everything in perspective. The verses were Proverbs 30:7-9 and here's what it is says:

7 “Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

When I heard this, I immediately went to my bible to read these words myself. I read it over and over and over again and suddenly it was clear. Chan did not leave because of any fear of success or money, nor did he leave simply because he flipped his lid. Chan was following a basic principle, too much or too little can lead us away from the path. Let's look at these verses more clearly. Oh, and a side note, those who say God's word is not relevant today have never read these verses. They are more relevant now than ever before.

First I want to point out that the writer was not a greedy person. He doesn't give a laundry list of wants. He simply says, God, I just have two requests. Just two! No laundry list, no long drawn out wants, just two little requests and then he says, "do not refuse me". How bold of the writer to say to God, hey, don't let me down, don't ignore me, give me these things. Scripture does say that we should ask of God and we should expect that God answers. This writer showed boldness and confidence that God would grant his requests.

So what is first on the list? “Keep falsehood and lies far from me.” Why would the writer of this text ask for God to keep lies and falsehood out of his life? Because he didn't want to be drawn into it. Hanging with the wrong crowd is a topic of discussion around our house with our children. We have tried to instill into their brains, that hanging with the wrong crowd can lead you astray and put you down the path of falsehood and lies. We all know of someone who was the good boy or girl growing up and then one day, they had new friends and eventually a new attitude.

I have always been taught in personal, business and Christian life, to surround myself with people who are better than myself. Maybe they are smarter, more successful or maybe they have a very strong walk. Why? So that they can be a positive influence on me. When we hang with the “wrong crowd”, the negative influence they have on us can move us away from the people that we love, but more importantly, they can move us away from God. We can find ourselves in situations that God would desire us not to be in. We must stay away from those bad influences, it can cause us to turn our backs on God.

I have spent many summers at our local Baptist Association campgrounds. I have been the director over the past 4 years. Some of my counselors are youth and to be honest I consider them to be my kids. As they have gotten older, graduated high school and moved on in their lives, I have, for lack of better words, "preached" to them the importance of the life that they are about to embark on and the importance of who they are hanging with on a daily basis. Some have listened and some, sadly, have not. The writer here, knows that if we are to live a God-centered life, we have to keep ungodly people away from us.

The second thing the writer asks for is not to be poor, but also, not to be rich. He even takes it a step further by saying “give me only my daily bread.” In other words, God, just give me what I need. We live in a very materialistic world. Success for many is driven by what you have, not what you are. These are people who are never satisfied with what God has provided for them, they want more. Bigger house, nicer car, bigger paycheck, nicer vacation, better job. Too often these people never stop to say thank you for what has been provided. Why? Because they have reached a point in life where God didn't provide, they did it all their own.

That is what the writer is warning against. If we have too much, then we forget where it came from and think we did it all on our own. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying God does not want us to have a nice house or car or vacation or whatever the case may be, but if we have too much, it is easy to point the finger away from the sky and point it directly at ourselves. Thus, forgetting God.

On the flip side of that, as I mentioned God does not desire us to be dirt poor, so poor that we are fending to make ends meet. (Side note: there is a difference in not having a job and not being able to make ends meet, and having a job and too much stuff to pay for that we can't make ends meet.) For this type of people, they see no hope of getting out of the situation where they find themselves. Where there is no hope, there is only desperation.

In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry about these things; “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

What I find interesting, is that the writer didn't say, “God don't cause me to worry about my family or my next meal” , no, he was afraid of his own actions if he had too little and how that would affect God and his image. “Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” He was more concerned about hurting God's image than His very own. How many of us are more consumed about our image among friends and family, instead of His image in the community? When we act out, lie, steal, become drunk with alcohol or even cut someone off while driving our cars with the fish symbol on the back, we are hurting God's image, more so than our own.

What are you praying for today? Do you have a list or is it simple and God focused? I give you these words from Proverbs which spoke to me loud and clear. Today you are facing similar circumstances. Maybe you have hung out with people who have been a bad influence or maybe, you are the bad influence. Maybe you find yourself with too much or not enough. What ever the case may be, ask God today for the wisdom to deal with these challenges, so you too, can be a successful Christian, one who has what they need, provided by God and your life reflects a thankful attitude.

Have Fun, Live Free, Hope Strong

Pastor G

Sticks and stones and words....

85% of all buying decisions are made on pure emotion. That is a stat that is permanently embedded in my brain. It was put there by one of my former bosses, John Zimmer. At one point in time I worked for the greatest broadcast company in the midwest, Zimmer Radio Group. During my time with the company, I learned many things that have helped me in business, on a personal level and it has greatly helped me in my ministry.

What I learned with Zimmer Radio is the importance of words. Words trigger an emotion in people to act. From buying the latest popular gadget to changing the political landscape. Words have an impact on our lives.

Think about some of the famous quotes over the past 10 to 15 years that have stirred emotion. In the early nineties, while people were rioting in the streets of L.A. because police officers were cleared of beating a man by the name of Rodney King, King himself spoke out and asked, "Can't we all get along?" During the O.J. Simpson trial, the prosecutors decided it would be a good idea to have Simpson try on one of the gloves used in the murders, in front of the jury to prove they fit. Of course, as we all know, they did not. Later in closing arguments, one of Simpson's defense attorneys, Johnnie Cochran said, "If the glove does not fit, you must acquit."

One quote that I will always remember is a quote that stirred a Nation and lifted them off their knees and back onto their feet. President Bush was visiting ground zero shortly after the 9/11 attacks. He was standing on a pile of rubble surrounded by firefighters, rescue workers, construction workers and others who were working to clear the rubble, hoping to find survivors. Bush was on a bullhorn, that was not very loud and at one point someone yelled, "we can't here you". Bush's response; "I can hear you. The whole world can hear you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear from all of us soon." At that moment the makeshift audience erupted in great applause and soon the chant of "USA. USA." was heard loud and clear.

Throughout history there are many examples of how words impacted people. Unfortunately, there are times when words are used that impact people in a negative way, rather than the positive. I have always heard the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I have found that to be the most dishonest phrase ever coined. Truth is, words do hurt and sometimes words stir up the wrong kind of emotion.

This past week, it seems words stirred up a man in such a rage, he felt compelled to attempt the murder of a U.S. Congresswoman. In the process, 6 were killed and many others were wounded. One of the dead, a 9 year old girl who was born on 9/11. Another tragic event in our nations long history.

Since then, many have come out to place blame. Most notably, blame has been placed on talk radio and television news programs, saying the speech heard is hate speech that entices people to resort to violence. While I agree to a certain extent, those who are placing alot of this blame, are also guilty of the same act.

We must come to realize that words need to be carefully chosen. Too often, words are spoken based on pure emotion, rather than common sense. The bible talks about the dangers of the tongue. Depending on which translation you use, the tongue is referred to over 150 times in the bible and usually with a negative connotation. In the book of James, the tongue is spoken of as something that is untamable.

James gives two great examples concerning the power of the tongue. He uses the analogy of a bit in a horses mouth which is used to turn a horse and the rudder on a ship, which of course, is used to steer the ship. Both the bit and the rudder are small in comparison to what they control. In the same way, the tongue is small in comparison to our body, but oh how it controls us. Look at the powerful words James uses to talk about the tongue in chapter 3, verses 6-8:
"The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

Make no mistake, the words we use have a great impact on the lives of others. So how do we control it? We can't, but as believers, we have something that can help us. The Holy Spirit is the great helper, guide, and teacher. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to use our tongue in great and mighty ways. To encourage, to uplift and to help those around us. We must not be quick to use our tongue. But slow to speak, choosing our words carefully through the Spirit.

I am like any man, sometimes my emotions get the best of me as well. Let us all make a commitment today, to be slow to speak. To take that deep breath and think about what we are about to say. Let us live to stir up emotions that raise people to their feet and into a positive, loving action. What would you want the whole world to hear today?

Have Fun, Live Free, Hope Strong
PastorG

It's not about guilt, it's about mercy.

Note: Missouri is set to execute Richard Clay January 12th, for the murder of a New Madrid, Missouri man.The purpose of this is not to debate the guilt or innocence of Richard Clay. At the time of the murder, I was news director of a local radio station. We broke the story that morning and followed all of the trials through each verdict. I have my own thoughts about it, but that is not the issue. The issue is whether or not the death penalty should be used.

Up until about 5 years ago, if anyone asked me if I was for or against the death penalty, I would have said hang them high and make it public. To me, the only way to detour someone from killing someone else would be to make the punishment so severe, that they would never think of performing a terrible act of violence.

But then my opinion began to change on the matter a few years ago. As I was reading scripture, I began to question whether or not it was right for anyone to take a life. Many would point to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I would like to point out that is old testament way of thinking and according to what I read, Jesus died to lift the burden of the law.

Someone may also point to scripture that says we are to obey God and we are to obey man’s laws too. True. However, is it possible that man has made laws that are against what God wants? Is it possible for man to make laws that are against God’s will? When our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and penned the phrase “all men are created equal”, yet still owned slaves, do you believe this was against God’s will and wishes?

In the old testament way of thinking, what you did to one, ought to be done unto you. They believed the punishment should fit the crime, and in some cases the punishment was much more severe. There are some middle eastern countries who still carry out this type of old testament judgment. Recently, a woman was stoned to death for committing adultery. Who remembers the young American who was caned for breaking the law? Some of the punishment was so severe back in those times that we would not dare think of doing it today.

For instance, what does the old testament say about disobedient children? If you look at Deuteronomy 21:18-21, you will find that the answer was death.
“18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.”

Now, how many of us would be outraged today if we knew in some town somewhere, two parents took their child to the city council and the council stoned him to death because of his disobedience? We would be furious. There would be marches and protests. The U.S. Senate would hold a hearing. Facebook fan pages for the deceased child would begin to circulate. Hollywood would hold a telethon in an effort to buy the town. Yet we think nothing of someone who is put to death because of a crime they committed.

We are not to be the people of old, we are to be the people of new. A new body, a new mind, a new way of thinking was given to us. Jesus said in Matthew15: “38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” He went on to say that we should also “love our enemies”.

“But they don’t deserve to be loved. They committed a horrible crime and they should be punished.” I hear you, but have you not also committed horrible crimes? Have you not also done things that were and are against God’s will? Think if God thought the same way you do. If He did, there would be no such thing as mercy and grace. We would not celebrate Christmas and Easter, because there would not have been Jesus. God’s love extends to everyone. All sinners. All believers and non-believers. His love extends to all races and all types of people. White, black, short, tall, thin, round, young, old, adulterers, fornicators, liars, thiefs, cheaters, and even murderers. Jesus died for all, not for some.

1 John 4:20 says “If anyone says “I love God”, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” How much do we have to hate someone in order to wish harm or death on them?

Before Christ, the Jews were taught to take in your brother in need. Be good hosts to those who seek your help or shelter. But, when Jesus came to earth, he brought with him a radical new way of thinking. It wasn’t good enough just to be a good host, you are to love that person with all of your being. If they need your home, give it to them. If they need your shirt, hand it over to them. Even if they do wrong to you, turn the other cheek and give them double what they ask.

Also in 1 John 4:17 – 19, it says “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.”

I know there will be many who disagree with me and some will try to pull some scripture out to justify murder for murder. But I feel convicted in my stance, that God does not wish for us to do so. Scripture after scripture tells us to love, and one cannot love another who they wish death.

Again, I am not here to debate innocence, but let’s say for argument sake Clay is guilty of the crime of murder. Does he not deserve the same grace and mercy that God has extended to us who believe? In God’s eyes, a sin is a sin and all are punishable by death. Not the death that man brings, but by the death that God commands on those who refuse him.