Now that I have been a parent for over 18 years, I can’t tell you how much respect I have gained for my mom who had to buy presents for six kids for over 50 some years. She had and still has a knack for getting her kids what they really needed, wanted and then the wow. When I was younger, she had a really good system: She first of all had us believing the Santa myth for quite some time (I still hear him on Christmas eve up on the roof), because his existence gave her the foolproof excuse to carry out the rest of her scheming. Next, she then give us the Sears catalog and told us to look through it and pick out what we really wanted -- but it had to be something that would fit into Santa’s bag and sleigh. So don’t pick motorized go-carts, mopeds or large boa constrictor snakes. We then wrote a letter to Santa detailing the page of the item, color and cost, and then we would give our letter to our mom to mail. I can remember one year as I was looking through the Sears catalog, I found a cool Bobby Brady t-shirt, you know the groovy striped kind, and I found one I liked that was maroon and gold striped. I followed my mom’s instructions to the “t”, wrote down the page, color and number and gave the letter to her to mail. Sure enough, come Christmas morning there was a rectangular box that I knew was my shirt directly sent from Santa. I think I wore that shirt almost every day for a whole year - - but what I still can’t figure out is how Santa’s handwriting on the label looked almost identical to my mom’s?
Did you know God in eternity past, just like my mom for Christmas, plotted, schemed and figured out how to find the perfect gift just for you and me? God is smart, and he knew exactly what we needed, wanted and what would wow us. Galatians 4:4 gives us insight on his shopping list: "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." He knew exactly what we needed, to be set free from sin; to no longer be under the curse of the law. So God sent us his Son. God gave us the perfect gift in the form of human baby. That baby who became a man was perfect: He fulfilled the whole will and counsel of God perfectly. That baby who became a man was spotless and sinless. That baby who became a man died for you! He gave us what we needed: payment for sin. He gave us what we wanted: to be set free from the heavy weight of the law. He also gave us the wow: Jesus is King and he promised us eternal life through faith in him. This gift has been sent, the question is, "What will you do with him?" So as you are shopping today, making your list and checking it twice, remember...God already went shopping for you!
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Honyaks are not desperadoes, anarchists, malcontents, activists, agitators, or for that matter subversive revolutionaries. Sure many are natural contrarians, people who do not go with the flow, but they are not motivated by cynicism when it comes to the need for having authorities in their life. They know that having contempt and malice for those who are put in charge, like a toxic acid, will corrode the fabric of family and society.
This is so important to understand, especially when it comes to the Honyak's love for their fathers. They do not see them as repressive tyrants, but as experienced soldiers and experts in this thing called life. So when they give you advice, when they critique your work, or when they say "no", you know it is probably for your good! I can remember three specific times when my dad told me to "grow up"; and each time he did, it hurt! Sure, I was a little upset, but I knew his razor-sharp counsel made me a better person. As I look back on those times, I am so grateful my dad did not allow me to wallow in my childish adolescence; he had the kind of love that wasn't afraid to wound you. It seems like any verbal wound that is given these days by parents, teachers, coaches and pastors is no longer viewed as "loving constructive criticism" but as "emotionally scarring cruelty." How dare we offend our precious children, how dare we have standards in society and punish those who ignore or rebel against them? How dare we get mad at looters for breakin' windows and stealing Doritos? How dare we ask people to follow the rules of the land, or respect the constitution: whether it be of our country or our church? Who do parents, police and pastors think they are? How dare they think they can tell anyone what to do? As Miley Cyrus says, "It's our party we can do what we want It's our party we can say what we want It's our party we can love who we want We can kiss who we want We can sing what we want" You go girl! Yeah...right??? I can remember a time when my dad made me serve a weekend in jail for doing something idiotic. I won't give you the specifics because I am a pastor, and people will talk (wink-wink). At the time, I wanted my dad to bail me out and come quickly to my rescue; but no-o-o-o, he made me suffer. Or did he? Was this societal infraction his fault or mine? Were the police purposely looking to arrest and punish a cocky white college kid; or were they just doing their job? Honyaks know that any system of government, whether it be in a home, a town or a nation, will only work if proper chains of authority are respected and honored. The minute we demand the right to "do what we want, and say what we want, and even love who we want," everything collapses. Somehow, a large swath of Americans have forgotten that. They see evil lurking under every form of authority. They see "systemic institutional bias" under every law and decision - - even if the majority of the populace votes on the laws to be put in place. They believe history is a bunch of hogwash written by the overlords who want to rule, dominate and keep the power (hegemony) firmly in their grasp. Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Churchill, Luther, Calvin, Margaret Thatcher and most dads, high school principles and mayors are nothing but power hungry sharks. They are (as Jack Black says on 'School of Rock') the "man" who needs to be ripped off their throne. Here is the problem with having malice toward authority: The poison always rises to the top. And do you know who is on the top? God himself! If you can't trust dad, you can't trust God. So when you read in the bible that God says something is sin, our natural contempt for authority causes us to ignore his word. We laugh at his "Thou Shalt Nots" and mock his opinion concerning abominations. In fact, because God is invisible we think we can craft him into a "god" that will let us "do what we want, and say what we want, and love who we want." For those of you who have crafted your own idol, beware! As Psalm 11 says: The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For me, this verse is rather scary. You may be saying that this paints God as mean, cruel and sadistic. But you forget: HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR YOU! Sounds more like a giving Father than power hungry tyrant! He is good...and from his goodness he sends us on earth magistrates and mayors, police and parents, and even dads. Some of you may have been dealt a bad hand when it comes to the authorities in your life; and if that is the case you need to appeal to God as your Father, he will deal with them! Read Psalm 10, it is before 11, and it is intended to get you to trust his heart. But he loves you, he really does. I'm gonna live forever I'm gonna learn how to fly (High) I feel it coming together People will see me and cry (Fame) I'm gonna make it to heaven Light up the sky like a flame (Fame) I'm gonna live forever Baby, remember my name All I have is stinkin' channel 13. So I turn it on last night and the only thing on was the "American Music Awards." I decided to watch it for a couple of minutes. I have been out of the pop music loop since 1988 and so I wanted to see what artist and genre of music is hitting it big.
The first person I saw sing was a lady named Lorde. Her song was so-so, her outfit was relatively fine, but she was having major convulsions and seizures as she sang. They panned to the crowd and the crowd loved it. Some were crying. Next up, a guy named Pit-Bull with a shaved head and wearing sunglasses. He was singing one word the whole time,"Fireball", while scantily clad women danced around him. Not that impressive, but they panned to the crowd and the crowd loved it. And then another new boy band came on stage, all wearing skinny jeans and messy hair; "New Direction" the reincarnation of the Back-Street Boys. They panned to the crowd and the crowd loved it. I had enough, but just watching that little bit of American pop-culture sent my mind a whirling: Why are we so obsessed with Fame? Why do we cheer boys wearing skinny jeans on stage when we would mock them in the school room for wearing the same thing? Why does a girl having convulsions pass for genius? I would send her for some counseling if she sang like that in church? (Or we would probably call it the moving of the Holy Spirit). Think about how obsessed we are by fame, we put up with a punk kid named Justin Beiber because he can sing a mindless song while 10 year old girls swoon. I would of loved to have Justin on my football team, just for one practice. Send him up the middle with the football and tell the line not to block...too much fun! But why do we become brainless, uncritical and easily impressed when the stage lights go on? Think about who we have exalted over the years: Boy George, David Bowie, Sid Vicious, Micheal Jackson, Pink, Prince, Little Wayne and even Dolly Parton. Just because someone is famous we forget standards and exalt the absurd. Oh well, maybe I am jealous. But either way, you will have to shoot me first before you ever get me to put on a pair of skinny jeans. Americans love pizza! But not all pizza is equal. In fact some pizzas are like eating cardboard while others are the next thing to heaven. Let me ask you: If you had to pick just one kind of pizza to eat the rest of your life what would it be? The decision for me is easy: Giordono's deep-dish pizza in downtown Chicago. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, better!
I first tasted this ambrosia while attending graduate school in Chicago. My girlfriend Michelle, who is my lovely wife today, brought me there on a cold February evening for dinner. When you first enter the cozy restaurant, the warm smells of melting mozzarella cheese almost knock you over. After we were seated, the waitress handed us the menu and I studied it in delightful anticipation. Soon we came to common agreement and decided to order a large deep-dish pepperoni and sausage pizza. Michelle assured me, "It will take some time to cook, but it is well worth the wait." She was right; it sure was! "Mmm, mmm, delicious!" Oh, such rich spicy sauce and thick flaky crust! My taste buds were exploding with jubilation. However, after a few bites I realized there was only one problem with being a first-time Giordono's customer - -my stomach was not ready for it's fullness and it quickly reached the saturation level in no time. I could only eat two pieces at one sitting; and Michelle could only scarf down one. That left us with 5 pieces left. I asked the waitress to box up the rest so I could take it home. So the waitress came back with our pizza, we put on our coats, and headed back to campus. On the way home we decided to take a short-cut through a dark side street, and it was there we met a sad, hungry looking homeless man. He held out his hand to us and said, "Hey, do either of you have any spare change? I am really hungry and I need to buy some dinner. I haven't eaten for a couple days." I looked down at the box I was carrying, smiled, and said, "Friend, you are in luck! I happen to have 5 pieces of the best pizza in town and it is still warm. Sweet Giordono's, take it, it is all yours!" He stood up, rubbed his fore-head and with a quizzical look asked me, "Before I take it, I need to know - - what's on it?" "What? It's Giordono's! And I thought you were hungry?"He was rather disgruntled at my question and replied, "Yeah, but I hate sausage. And if it has sausage, no thanks!" "No thanks? You have got to be kidding me?" No thanks, for something so good? Why is ingratitude so common? I know it is with me; and if you were honest, it is with you too. Thanksgiving is here, and this is a time to step back and "forget not" all of the benefits you have been given by God (Psalm 103:1-2). Jesus died to set you free...is that not enough? God is your Father...is that not enough? The Holy Spirit lives in you, guides you, comforts you...is that not enough? I was hungry, and God fed me. In fact he gave and still gives me everything I need - - and because of this I have decided to be uncommon, instead of living in ingratitude I choose to give thanks! Do you? I am taking a one week hiatus on "Honyak Living" because I just have to say something. I can't hold it in anymore; I am sorry, I seem to have this uncontrollable venting problem as of late. As I have been driving to and from work, I have been turning on sports talk and I am not doing this to catch up on the latest sports scores or fantasy update. In fact, I stink at fantasy, nothing will help my pathetic team. Not even a Hail-Mary pass from Doug Flutie. You see, I am a pastor. As a pastor I am interested in the human interest stories that have been analyzed and talked to death in the last year; the plot lines mostly focus on the overwhelming train-wrecks our sports heroes have become. I especially enjoy getting the take on these stories from the opinions of the "regular guys" on sports talk. It is quite an educational experience as they try to make sense out of the social issues of the day. On sports talk you don't get psychologists or the trained experts that spout their ivy-league analytical drivel; but rather you hear from real everyday red blooded Americans that speak the same language as the average person in the pew. The benefit of this is that real people rarely filter their thoughts before letting them spill out of their mouth. I find this both refreshing and incredibly frustrating all at the same time. And for the last year, the main topics of conversation have swirled around two main items: domestic violence and child abuse. I am not going to cite specific cases, but only comment on how the normal talk show host seems utterly bound and gagged as they try offering any viable solution to stop this shocking behavior from being perpetrated by our nation's popular athletes. One commentator after another are simply bewildered on how to account for these horrific offenses; and each time one person offers their opinion it is immediately shot down by the other commentators differing viewpoint. Consensus and finding workable solutions are like pulling teeth because no one honestly knows what to do to stem this immoral tide. It reminds me of a verse in the book of Acts when the philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens were trying to make sense out of the world: "All the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas." This is exactly where we are at morally as a culture; squawking and talking, but completely helpless when it comes to stopping the filth our athletes, celebrities ("How about Bill Cosby? Sad.") and greasy politicians keep getting themselves into. Why do we seem so hamstrung and tongue-tied? I offer three reasons: (1) We have lost the "Fear of God": God and his opinion have been thrown out of popular debate - - and as a result people simply don't care if they offend his holiness. Society actually thinks they can get away with participating in immoral behavior without having to pay the piper. We think he doesn't see. We think he won't come down to defend his reputation; but he will. In the meantime, he is watching from a distance and letting us reap what we have sown: Chaos - - with no God to come to our rescue (See Proverbs 1:20-33). Like a child who doesn't want his dad to help him untie his shoe, America has silenced the only true voice of reason and solution. (2) We no longer "Honor his Design": God has set this world up to be run a certain way, like a Swiss Watch; and when we abide by his moral codes and principles concerning sexual purity, marital fidelity and personal holiness, life works. But we don't listen; we trespass his design with no remorse, and as a result, we pay the price. One question: How many children does Adrian Peterson have out of wedlock? Hmm, I wonder if this plays a part in how he relates to and disciplines his children? Oh yeah, that is none of my business. (3) We have not run to Jesus for Grace: Grace is God's power to overcome - - it repairs what has been broken. Instead of finding our solution in the person of Christ, the dispenser of grace, we run to human programs and the over-used catch all solution of the day, "education!" As J. Vernon McGee once said, "If you take a thief who use to steal rail-road ties and give him an education without changing his heart, not only will he keep stealing the rail-road ties, but he will also steal the track and train as well." Only Jesus changes the heart! That's my rant; but who cares? I am only a pastor. I am not a guy who can do really important things that matter, like kick a ball or grab a rebound. Those are the things that really transform lives! Parents, you really do matter after all! Let me explain...When it comes to Christianity and following Jesus, the fire of devotion & love for him seems to burn the hottest among "First Generation" believers. By "First Gen." I am referring to those who are the first to encounter the saving work of Christ in their family. They are the ones who were usually raised in a non-Christian home or were caught in an addictive life of sin and they saw their need for Jesus clearly and urgently. As Jesus says, "Those who are forgiven much, love much." Often a First Gen. man will marry a First Gen. woman, and together they will to run their home completely different than the way they were raised. It is exciting. To get to set new patterns of behavior and teach new habits as they try to raise a family of Second Generation children with Christ as the center is a great honor. However, this isn't as easy as you may think. First Gen. parents need to realize that how they visibly live out their faith on a daily basis in front of their children will have long lasting repercussions. If you are a First Gen. parent, you need to consider carefully what kind of Christianity you are modeling for your kids on a daily basis. The reason is simple: If Second Gen. children don't see the real thing, they won't really ever want the real thing. If you are telling your children you have the truth, but live in lies, your children will be inoculated from accepting the truth. This is an extremely dangerous situation for your children because your hypocrisy can immunize them away from a relationship with Jesus because the Jesus you have been presenting is a fraud. Let me show you practically how this happens. Here is a diagram that helps to illustrate what can happen to a newly married First Gen. couple. If you notice, they can choose two ways to live: The life of hypocrisy or authenticity. Hypocrisy as I am defining it means "to be a person split. What people see on your outside is not what is actually going on in your heart." Authenticity means "to be a person whole; what you see, is what is." The point of this diagram is to show you how your choices can result in major character differences in your children. (Note: this is a simplified generalization, but it will help explain some of the reasons why people turn out the way they do.) PANCAKE CHILDREN "Flipped like a pancake." This is what happens to the Second Gen. Child who sees the life their parents are living and want nothing to do with their obvious hypocrisy -- so they "flip". They purposely live diametrically opposed to their parents, thinking they are living a more honest and evolved life; but in reality they end up being just as hypocritical as their parents. How does this happen? I will give you a basic scenario... Mom and Dad leave their life of sin, but to make sure they don't fall back into their old habits they set up outward standards of righteousness that they militantly obey. Yes, they probably have genuinely encountered Jesus by faith, but they think they need to run to the law and it's rigid standards to stay pure; and they apply the law especially harsh on their children believing these outwards standards are keeping them away from a life of sin. I'm sure you have heard the fundamentalist drum-beat, "don't drink, don't do drugs, don't watch movies, don't dance, don't listen to rock n roll, and above all don't run with girls that 'do'!" This drum-beat mingles a righteous motive of staying pure with the poison of law. These same people often are politically rigid as well, on both sides: either they are pick-up truck driving republicans or union loyal democrats. They believe Christianity's goal is to bring your life under clearly defined limits; because they believe when you know the boundaries, you find security. The problem is, outward standards and boundaries are not Christ, nor do they penetrate your heart. As a result, your children will start to feel suffocated, and as they grow, they will flip. Ironically, since they are used to understanding the world by outward standards, they then set up their own standards, and leave the old ones behind. When you get rid of fundamentalist rules, all you have left are progressive liberal license. The godly call for purity is ignored because it has been polluted by legalism; so Second Generation children now only see righteousness as a person who is open to anything. In the Second Gen. mind, Jesus needs to be changed from a "hard-core tyrant of the legalist" to the "free-love accept everything hippie of the progressive." LIMP NOODLES KIDS Not all First Gen. parents turn to law; but many, out of fear and hatred of their old life, will do their best to control things. While this is not really a hypocritical move, it definitely is not a sign the First Gen. believers really trust the Spirit of Christ "to be faithful to complete the good work he has begun." So instead of being honest about the world and the darkness of every human heart, they hide from the world in the effort of keeping their kids safe. They accomplish this by shielding their kids from seeing any evil, or allowing them to have friends that may be regular everyday sinners - -so in their anxiety they do their best to keep them away from both. Life becomes all about home and church. Because as long as they can control what their children see and hear, they believe they are pleasing Jesus because they are keeping them pure. One problem: Jesus says the problem is deep in the heart itself! Many Second Gen. children who have been protected most of their life have two responses when it is time to grow up and move out of the house: (1) Extreme fear of failure and evil (2) Overwhelming interest in the offerings of the world. Usually the compliant kids, the ones who by nature are more timid, become ruled by fear as they get older because they realize their parents can't protect them any more -- and it is scary out there. So many shrink back and don't become the courageous people God really wants them to become. Or on the other hand, the strong willed kids can't wait to see and taste the forbidden fruit of the world. Just because you protect your child, doesn't mean you have confronted them with their need for a radical heart change. STEEL ROD SERVANTS Living authentic lives is tough because it means you need to be willing to do two things (1) To daily admit your need for Jesus to save you (especially in front of your kids) (2) Allow your kids to enter into situations where they must rely on Jesus for themselves. If your kids don't ever struggle and you protect them from everything, how are they ever going to fall in love with Him? The goal for Second Gen. children is to give them the experience of a First Gen. believer. I know, I know...you think that means you must let them go out and sin? NO...but, let them rub shoulders with real people, and let them figure out life on their own sometimes. I once heard it put: "A parent's job is to protect their kids from making choices that will destroy their lives; while they allow them to make choices that have the possibility of failure." Let them make honest choices and don't let them hide who they really are behind rules, rules and more rules. If a parent honestly needs Jesus daily, they will love the scripture and pray. Believe me, your kids will notice this! As a result, when their children ask them questions, the parents will direct them to Christ, and not rules. Remember, if Jesus is God, you as a parent don't have to be; that frees you up from always having to be right. And when your children sin or rebel, as a parent you will discipline because you know Jesus is watching. If you notice it is always about Jesus, not rules. If Second Generation children do not meet Jesus for themselves, they will be sitting ducks for the tempting array of goodies Satan has to offer. I am not saying I have this all figured out, but let me tell you what I do know for sure: "Hypocrisy and the Law embitters children every single time!" And the only thing I have seen that really is compelling to your children is "Authentic Humility." So to all parents...Good Luck, and may Christ be with You! Sometimes...you have to stop.
Sometimes...it's hard to pray. Sometimes...all you can say... "Is God, really, I do love you!" Sometimes... That's enough! Honyaks can be explosive.
This is the down-side to living in unvarnished authenticity. When you have nothing to hide, sometimes you "let it all hang out" ... and that is not always a good thing. Opinions are voiced frequently and loudly in a Honyak household, and at times unchecked comments can hurt. To those unfamiliar to Honyak passion it can be taken for uncouth ignorance. Disagreement to unfamiliar ears can come across as vitriolic anger, and common excitement can be seen as overzealous lunacy. So growing up Honyak, you must learn to have both thick skin and the ability to forgive and apologize. In other words, you have to be willing to honestly love the people who God has placed around you. You must care more for maintaining relationships than you do being right on an issue. You have to say "Yes" to brotherly (phileo) love! To help explain what I am trying to say, let me describe the perfect Honyak sport: Rugby! It is messy, dirty, sometimes violent and can be dangerous. It is head-smashing fun! And for most rugby players, fashion is the last thing on their mind. As one observer asked, "Why are Rugby players sill wearing shorts circa 1980?" The answer: they don't care - - they are too busy tackling, spitting and rolling in the mud. The beauty of this sport is that after the match is over and the blood has been spilt, both teams head over to the local pub to share in some fine rugby camaraderie: Songs, Suds and Slaps on the Back. You must learn to leave all grievances behind if you are ever going to enjoy this sport. I am afraid our society doesn't know how to do this anymore. If you disagree with anyone on any issue it becomes civil war! Instead of working hard to maintain relationships, we fight for being right. We want to be right so bad these days that we will destroy the dignity of people who disagree with us with no qualms whatsoever. One of the scariest bible verses is found in Matthew 24:10-12; it describes what the world will become like as the end draws near: "People will turn away from the faith, they will betray and hate each other, and because of the increase in wickedness the LOVE OF MOST WILL GROW COLD." This is where we are, people can't disagree anymore without hatred. People can't argue without saying "I'm sorry." We fight to be right! I have another example of what I am trying to get across: The more I read about him, the more I think Martin Luther the Reformer was a true Honyak. Even though he argued fiercely, he loved those whom he argued with just as fiercely. Yes, ideas and doctrines really mattered to him, but so did the souls of the people he disagreed with. Case in point: his main enemy in the earlier years of his reformation days was the Priest Johann Tetzel. He was the man who sold indulgences for a steep price and through his blatant manipulation he would rob peasants blind: "Have mercy on your dead parents. They bore you, nourished you, brought you up, left your their fortunes. Will you let them lie in purgatorial flames? Or will you give a few coins to secure their eternal bliss." This provoked Martin Luther to unrestrained fury: "I want to be calm, but I cannot master myself. I am driven in the midst of an uproar." This fury led him to write his famous 95 Theses which openly condemned the selling of indulgences. So you would think Luther would be the arch enemy of Tetzel, right? What could cause you to hate someone more than lying about someone's dead relatives to earn a profit? Well in his later years when Tetzel was breathing his last, and as he lie in a state of depression abandoned by most his friends and family, he received a note from Martin Luther that "absolved him of blame for hawking indulgences - - and expressed interest in the eternal well being of his soul." Wow, what a lesson for all people living in a media age that is riddled with divisive political vitriol and reprehensible twitter backlash on any opponents. We must never forget we are all humans, we are all flawed, we must forgive? Honyak Living allows for opinions to be openly shared, but for those who are wrong to be willing to admit fault and take blame when necessary. Honestly, who do we think we are? Jesus Christ? I try to be a compassionate man, and when I see cute fuzzy little things, I am often moved to pity. So last week, while I was casting my ballot in the voting booth, I came upon the "Wolf Hunting Referendum, Proposal 1: allowing for the establishment of wolf hunting seasons and allowing wolves to be designated as a game animal." Now I am not a hunter, so I don't have a lot of emotional interest in this initiative; but as I was reading through the referendum all I could think of was those cute fuzzy wolf cubs. Why would anyone want to hunt those lovable creatures, they remind me of my dog when he was a puppy? "Awwwwww..." Now I know I am going to be labeled as naive and uninformed for saying that, but hey, at least I CARE! I think that speaks better than it does for the mean men with guns - - I will bet they all have hearts of stone! Well, the next day, I noticed the initiative did not pass, and I saw on Facebook a boatload of posts from people who were upset when it wasn't passed. I won't pretend to say I understand everything that goes into the referendum, but here are some of the complaints from the hunting faction - - people who are personally involved: "Wolves are destroying the UPs ecosystem and already ruining traditions of bear hunting and deer hunting." "I have directly seen the effects of the wolves in the UP....when they have to restrict or shut down bear and deer hunts in the UP in the next 3 years, pat yourself on the back." "What you fail to realize is that the voters in the our state are so blind to what is actually going on up there that they don't understand the urgency of the situation." Are these comments from people who are "mean spirited" and "bigoted" toward wolves? Or do they have good reasons for feeling passionate about this issue? The truth is, the wolf issue in Michigan is very complicated, and instead of voting from how you feel about looking at cute cuddly pictures, we need to start listening to the people who are actually involved. I am afraid our culture is full of kind, compassionate people who want to do good, but they often forget they are dealing with wolves. In fact, that last phrase I quoted is the point of this blog post: people are "so blind on what is actually going on in the world they don't understand the urgency of the situation." Our world is riddled by dangerous wolves all over the place, not just up in the UP, but wolves are attacking the innocent on matters of morality, politics and spiritually that is destroying the very fabric of our country. THE FOUR WOLVES OF THE APOCALYPSE I want to mention four wolves in sheep's clothing that I am trying to wake people up to. What I find interesting, every time I do, I sound to many people like I am a person with a "heart of stone" that doesn't have any compassion for the cute fuzzy wolf. It is because I don't! When you really understand what is happening in our world, and learn from people who have actually been bit by the wolf - - you will finally see the wolves for the predators that they are. (1) THE COLLECTIVIST WOLF: Collectivism is the same thing as communism, hyper-socialism and state-ism. They all come from the same root of the same tree that believes this lie: "We as a people are rich enough as a nation to allow everyone to have an equal piece of the economic pie." I am not arguing against helping the poor and finding ways to alleviate the pain of the unfortunate, but I am not going to buy into the Utopian lie that we all can live equally in material standing. The group that perpetuates this lie is often the one controlling the purse strings. Did you know people like controlling the purse strings? They want this position of control so they can dip their hand in when no one is looking! They are the true wolves!! (2) THE FEMINIST/RACIAL BAITING WOLF: Divide, destroy and conquer. Yes, I think women should be able to vote, compete and be able to argue for fair wages. But they should not be allowed to destroy the dignity of men in the process. They should not be able to snuff out one of the most important roles given to society: fatherhood. Race baiters shouldn't be allowed to deconstruct every action, argument and political platform as an attack on the color of someone's skin. This is not bringing us together, this is insidious and the people doing it are the real wolves. (3) THE H.C.I.T. (High Church Inclusive Tolerance) WOLF: Progressive Churches and more and more Mainline High Church doctrine has become so watered down for the sake of sounding loving, compassionate and intelligent that "their" gospel no longer saves. If everyone is in, why even care? Join the Peace Corps, don't represent Christ! Never forget, Jesus was slain on a bloody cross for one main reason - - to die for the sin of the world, everyone's sin. And to not stand strong on that message by saying "Everyone is In, Love Wins, and I Accept All" is to deny and disregard the enormous price Jesus paid. (4) THE PORNEIA WOLF: As a people we think we can trade liberty for license. We can't, especially in the realm of sexual liberation (porneia: sexual license and perversion) on every front; it is corroding our very own souls. Just because the media paints two men holding hands, eating cotton candy at a carnival as the new healthy American culture - -they never show you all the other sad men frequenting the diseased ridden bath houses of New York, Chicago, New Orleans and San Francisco. Now that we have changed the definition of marriage to accommodate homosexual couples, it has also opened the door for numerous mistresses, swingers and other perverted forms of coupling. We think this new freedom is allowing us to finally get to choose the gender we always wanted to be and to live the life we always wanted to live; but the exact opposite is true. Domestic violence, disease, depressed children, high suicide rate and offending a Holy God is the ultimate result. You see, wolves don't really care about you. They sneak in, find the weakest prey, and devour. Tell me, who do you think is the weakest prey in our society? They are the ones who think they are adults but they reason like children - -the adolescents of our culture are being torn apart by wolves. Parents, speak up! Pastors, teachers and coaches, quit trying to be cool and compassionate and open your eyes. The wolves are circling, ready to devour! Has this ever happened to you? You are strolling through a bookstore or shopping mall and you are approached by a random stranger. This person is very bubbly, smiling, sharp dressed and sorta creepy. They begin to introduce themselves to you and then without skipping a beat, they get uncomfortably personal: "Hey, I have been watching you awhile and I think you would make a great member for my team. Would you like to join a select group of entrepreneurs that are looking for sharp people like you to join us in an up-and-coming enterprise? The earning potential of this opportunity is limitless. And I can tell, you are the type of guy that has enormous talent and skill that is just waiting to be tapped." You ask them about their team, and they hem and haw all the while trying to get you to allow them to come over to your house for a meeting. So you ask them, "Are you selling Amway?" They don't answer this question directly, but their nervous eye twitch and jingling of pocket change instantly gives away their true motives. "Yep, just what I thought - - no thanks, I would like to hang on to my friends... and my money." This scenario has happened to me more times than I can count: Sitting next to a slick guy at a bible college class, while perusing a book about George Washington at Barnes & Nobles Bookstore, and it actually occurred once as I was selling suits at J. Riggins. To top it all off, I was even approached after I preached a sermon at church; a guy came up to me and said he would like to take me out to lunch and talk. I naively thought he wanted to talk about a spiritual topic like "Justification by Faith" or the "Eschatological Destiny of the Unbeliever"; when to my surprise he only wanted to try convincing me to join his money making pyramid scheme. He had the gumption to say to me, "Don't you realize, God gave you these communication skills for more than just preaching on Sunday and telling people about Jesus?" RECRUITMENT TACTICS: I was reading an article about some of the standard Amway tactics (and other pyramid schemes). They are strikingly similar to the average evangelical church's approach to evangelism: (1) The first thing is to get people to dream big dreams. Motivate people by their innate desire for personal gain and enrichment. "Wouldn't you like a 40 foot sail boat, new cars in the garage, and seeing all your mom's debt paid off?" The Christian approach is similar: "Did you know God has a wonderful plan for your life?" (2) Secondly, they sell you on having things "your way", breaking free from the iron grip of authority. They promise you the freedom of being your own boss; determining your own hours; working from your home. "And just think, it will only require a few hours a week?" Evangelical Christianity has it's own libertine sales line as well: "Through a relationship with Jesus, you can pray in his name and he will get you whatever you want. Name it, claim it. Just believe." (3) Thirdly, they manipulate the sale through urgency; they convince you of a perceived benefit if you join the group immediately. "Sign up today, and you will receive a one-time only sizable discount on the sales kit, and just think you will get a huge percentage of the sales for signing anyone else up. But this offer will not be available tomorrow -- so you must join now! Don't let this pass you by." Christianity and soul winning churches have mastered this technique as well: "If you come forward, accept Jesus in your heart, eternal life is yours! But be careful, if you leave without believing, you could get hit by a car? And what then?" (4) And finally, to keep the ones who signed-up committed, they are inundated with mind-numbing propaganda and layers of guilt if they don't continue on in the path. Members are required to participate in constant 'recruitment rallys', they tell you that you NEED to buy the necessary 'motivational & training tapes' and they encourage you to regularly listen to the 'success stories and inspiring mega- rich speakers.' Many evangelical churches have mastered this as well through Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and soul winning Saturdays. Keep working, keep committing, stay pumped up! Charismatics are great at this too through Holy Spirit Sunday revivals to keep the troops emotionally connected. After these techniques are properly followed, you have yourself an army of committed (and often broke) Amway evangelists. In the same way, evangelicalism has mastered this lock step approach to following Jesus. But is this biblical? Is that the goal? Are we trying to get people committed to a movement where everyone is thinking alike and shouting slogans in Sunday gospel rallys? Is success the goal, where the more people you get signed up the more significant your particular movement is? JOHN 21: the work of Christ continued In the last chapter of John, Jesus appears one last time to his group of disciples. He is preparing them for his departure. His focus is on one man in particular, Peter. Only days before Peter denied his Lord three times and Jesus has come first and foremost to reinstate him, and then commission him to continue the work of "spreading the gospel." But how does Jesus motivate Peter and the other disciples to continue on? Does he promise them that all their dreams will come true? Not really - - in fact, he promises Peter a future of suffering where he will be "stretched out (referring to his future death of crucifixion) and he will be led around by others (indicating imprisonment)." Does he promises them success by making money off other people? No, in fact he wants Peter to "feed his sheep" which means to give his life for other people. Peter isn't sent out to use people for his gain, he is to die for theirs. So why would they do this? What would motivate any man to continue on when a life of service and suffering is promised? Why would you follow the pattern of a man who lost everything, even his clothes, and was killed on a cross? What kind of success story is that? It all stems from Jesus' question in this chapter; a question he asks Peter three times. It is a question that you must answer as well, because how you answer this will determine if you will continue on and follow Jesus without a promise of getting rich. Here it is, are you ready for it? Jesus asks, "Do you truly love me?" - - "Do you truly love me?" - - "Do you LOVE me?" What say you? This is not a sales technique, this is not a promise of getting in on the ground floor of a great business opportunity, this is not a wonderful plan for your life and this is not really an offer of joining in a powerful movement of people. This an invitation to become a brother or sister to Jesus. The greatest man who ever lived. This is eternal life, "That you might know him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ who he has sent (John 17:3)" So...do you? Do you....love him? |
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August 2018
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