Thankful Giving

Today is one of those holidays best known by the foods we eat. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato pie. Pumpkin pie. Pecan pie. Pies in general. Cranberry jelly in the shape of a can. So food oriented this day has become, most weathermen call it "Turkey Day." Even the President is expected to pardon a turkey from his eminent execution meant for his lunch. (I do wonder what he eats if not turkey? Maybe he only pardons one turkey from a whole bunch of death-row turkeys, so that way he can still eat some.)

I hope that this day has more meaning to you than just food and football. I just watched the Pixar movie "Wall-E" where all these people on a spaceship don't have to lift a finger to do anything, and they're all just grossly fat. They were born on the spaceship and so were their parents and grand-parents going all the way back 800 years. They just laid around on these floating mats and let robots do all the work. Maybe if I hadn't just celebrated Thanksgiving I would never have thought about connecting today's feast with how those folks lived on board the BNL spaceship (Buy in Large - yeah, pretty gross, huh?).

I have never known hunger, and that is a fact for which I am thankful. There really are children who die every day from starvation in harder parts of the world. It's hard to even imagine. Today while we were feasting, cries went up to heaven for precious lives lost because they had no food or water.

I encourage you to free up your mind from the commercialized aspect of the approaching holidays. It's something hard to shake free when we've grown up with the "holiday spirit", but lights, music and food can hypnotize us straight through the next month if we let it. We'll be going through the motions and getting into the mood of the season. For businesses it is big bucks. Advertisements entice and tempt. We'll start to want things that we otherwise wouldn't have wanted because we saw it on TV or the web, just because it's being promoted. We'll start buying things for the people we know and love, just because we would feel guilty for not getting them anything. We don't want to hurt their feelings. Are you planning on charging a lot of your Christmas this year? Don't do it! Give what God has enabled you to give! Even if it is only your time! Build friendships and help others. Buck against the purchasing for the sale's sake. I'm not saying don't buy anything. Just ask God what he wants from you. Could He want you to pay someones water bill? Could He want you to help them in a tangible way? Are you a handy man? Are you a good cook? Build and bake and fix with your own two hands, and build friendships.

There is a story that Jesus told that I have always found fascinating. Here it is:

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’ “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

When Jesus says that we should use unrighteous mammon (wealth) to make friends, He is telling us to plan for the future. The steward brought favor on the master from the debtors for reducing their debts. In the same way we can bring favor towards our God by spending our wealth (and time) in ways that bring them to Christ. A good rule of thumb is to look at all your wealth as God's spending account He has hired you to manage in order to bring more people into His family - His kingdom. It's all about motives. I hope that as the red and green pre-wrapped presents stare you down in the aisles of Walmart and Target, you don't get caught up in the "it's Christmas season so I've got to buy something" mindset. Before you go the store, take the time to shrewdly plan out how your investments will yield the most for your Master. And think outside the retail box. Don't just count your blessings - share them!

--Johnie

Is There Truth?

In Ben Stein's documentary "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed", Mr. Stein addresses the fact that many professors have been fired from universities or high ranking positions in science, just for mentioning intelligent design as a plausible possibility. Then he interviews many high profile evolutionists and asks them many questions about the controversy. Most of them, if not all, said that there could never be anything else besides evolution, and they believed it whole-heartedly, too, but with reservations. They did not want evolution questioned. They saw it as a step backwards, and commented repeatedly that they saw intelligent design as nothing more than a mere attempt to reconnect church and state.

In the documentary, Ben Stein asks Richard Dawkins, a self proclaimed atheist converted by evolution, about the origins of life, and Dawkins admitted that there could have been an intelligent force behind it all - maybe aliens from space! My, how Richard Dawkins has a strange way of being open minded. I guess since he has already closed his mind to God, he can't go there anymore. He just cannot bring himself to face the possibility that he might be wrong. Open to aliens and closed to God, and all to defend his precious faith in evolution.

So, that is the background for today's blog. And now I offer a challenge: Ask yourself why you believe what you believe, and how can you know that you believe the truth?

Now you might be thinking, "How can anyone really know what is true? Truth is relative." Well, I will ask another question for you to ponder: Have you ever been angry at anyone? Why? Did they hurt you? Were they mean to you? What did they say or do that got your blood to boiling? I hope you're not boiling now that I asked you to remember it, but I asked for a reason. What made what they did "wrong"? Couldn't it have been right for them? You remember the old song, "...feels so right, can't be wrong...." We have been told that some things are absolutely wrong, but what makes what any of us believes "the truth"? What makes something right or wrong?

I will illustrate the difficulty in determining right from wrong with two scenarios.

Is it wrong to steal?
Scenario 1-A: Is it wrong for a poor street child who grabs a piece of fruit from a marketplace stand? If you were the child, you would justify your stealing because you were hungry. You would be inclined to excuse yourself for stealing. If you owned the fruit stand however, you would want to be justified and would seek the offender because if you let one go, he would spread the news and soon you would be the most robbed fruit stand in the city.
Scenario 1-B: Is it wrong for two teenagers to shoplift Christmas presents at the mall? If you were the teens, you would feel justified because you deserved to give good gifts to those you loved. You would also feel justified because the prices the stores charge are like highway robbery anyway. You're just doing to them first. If you were the store being robbed, you would feel the injustice, and would have those children, once caught, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to set a harsh precedence to discourage others from stealing. If you did absolutely nothing, you would eventually be known to all who had it in their hearts to steal.
Question: Are you inclined to justify either of these thieves? If so, why not justify those being robbed? You would be hard-pressed to convince those robbed that they were not wronged.

Is it wrong to murder?
Scenario 2-A: Is it wrong for a brother to a kill a sibling out of jealousy? If you were the murderer, you would justify your murder because it made you feel powerful to put your sibling lower than you. If you were the sibling, you would feel the pain of the hatred as well as the injustice of having someone end your life. You only wanted to be liked.
Scenario 2-B: Is it wrong for a man to kill a foreign soldier after seeing his young daughter killed by a ground assault on "an insurgent stronghold"? If you were the man, you would feel justified because of the immense anger at the undeserved death of your little girl. If you were the soldier, you would have felt justified for throwing the grenade in the direction of the gunfire.
Question: Are you inclined to justify either of these murderers? If so, why not justify those being murdered? You would be hard-pressed to convince those murdered that they were not wronged.

Either there is a God or there isn't. But whether you believe in God or not, you will no doubt continue to cherish the God-given knowledge of injustice. There are some universal things that, no matter who they happen to, the recipient feels the injustice, where the heart cries out for justice. Rape, murder, abuse, being spit upon, torture - these are all things that bring out the worst in the perpetrator. They are known by their hatred and disregard for life. They flaunt their self-fulfilled sense of superiority over another. They defame and tear down. But more than anything else they are known by their justification of their..., what should we call it? How about sin?

The Creator of you and me established Himself as God and Judge of all mankind. It is amazing how it always comes back to God. If you do not accept God's authority as your Judge and Creator, then you will no doubt be one of those people who justifies their sin; maybe not to the extent of Richard Dawkins, but on the same path. It is for those who try to disprove and dismantle God, that He Himself gives the gift of the knowledge of injustice. Although they wish truth were relative, and regardless of how they have convinced themselves how right they are, their clock is still ticking down, and they have to work ever harder to justify their beliefs, actions, and choices. What they have is not true relativism. Instead what they have is only "relativism on demand": Quick to justify their own actions, but feeling superior to those they disagree with.

Take to heart where you stand in all this. Do you justify your sin? Are you avoiding church? If so, why? Have you been adopted by the living God? Are you angry with him for something from the past? Don't just trust your feelings. Question your beliefs. God wants to free you from the chains that bind you. Jesus chose to take your place on the cross. He really does care about you.

Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?"

Psalm 44:20-22: "If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart."

Proverbs 16:4: "The LORD has made all for Himself. Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom."

Psalm51:6: "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom."


--Johnie

Politics: From Rare to Well Done

Since the election this last Tuesday, I think some people have walked away with a few battle scars. Scars that were inflicted by friends, relatives, and co-workers of the opposite political party. I'm sure both sides have been pretty nasty and often over-zealous, so let's just go ahead and clear the air now. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Do that for a while until your blood pressure is down and then read further.

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Putting partisan politics aside is hard to do, especially when there is always a loser, and let's face it, America is pretty much split down the middle now-a-days. So how can we live with each other now after all the arrows have been flung and lots of judgments have been cast? Whether you personally like it or not, Barak Obama is about to be the next President and our national congress is a little more Democrat heavy than it was before. So what are we to do?

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Well, I'm glad I put the question in your head, and I also have an idea. In order to bring about a little more peace to your election weary mind, treat politics like steak. Some people like their steak so well done that its like a thick piece of beef jerky when it's taken off the grill. Others like their steak just barely seared on each side, nice and bloody and very pink. And either way we like it, we still manage to put up with seeing it eaten the other way - by our friends, relatives, and co-workers. The sight of it, either way, may make you cringe, but you just grin and bear it. For your own peace of mind, just chew your steak and not theirs!

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I liken a well done steak to conservativism, and a medium rare steak to liberalism, and then there are lots of medium-well independents in between. If you're a eat it while it's mooing kind of person, and happy that your steak just got voted favorite in 2008, please don't gloat. Be humble at the dinner table. And if you've been wounded during the steak flinging battle of the year, practice forgiveness, and if you really want to see change, or not so much change, then pray for those you differ with. And remember that God isn't into getting political converts. He's into changing hearts. So as you go back to the grill, no matter who you voted for, work on charity, humility, and caring for others, especially those you disagree with.

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Matthew 22:34-40 says, "...a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, '‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.'”

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--Johnie

My Own Personal Mr. Miyagi

I always wished I had my own personal Mr. Miyagi, from The Karate Kid movie. He's the kind of person who takes the underdog under his wings and teaches him everything he knows. You know, the true wisdom of life. Wax on-wax off! Paint the fence up! Paint the fence down! Catch fly with chopsticks! I watched the movie. I learned from Miyagi. At least I thought I learned.

After that movie came out, I'm sure every boy in America thought they had found the best thing since apple pie. Me and my friends had to try out the things we learned from Mr. Miyagi. We waxed on, and waxed off. Painted the fence up and painted down. When we wanted to show our power and our knowledge, it was customary to raise our hands in the air and assume the stork kick position. If you could do the famous stork kick while balancing on something sticking out of the ground then you were the man!

But what every boy really wanted was their own Mr. Miyagi. A man that took the time to teach them how to be a man. Someone who would teach by example. A leader who would challenge to go well beyond mediocre, to the point where there was satisfaction that you were doing your best and upholding a great tradition. I just knew in my heart Mr. Miyagi would have done the same for me and for anyone else. And I was right. He went on to make many more less famous Karate Kid spinoffs where he took others under his wing and taught them the art of Karate.

Now I'm 33, married with four kids, and I still sometimes find myself wanting my own personal Mr. Miyagi. Someone that makes the time to include me in developing my character. I think most guys hit adulthood feeling pumped about getting out in the world, but find that after a while it's a lot harder than they thought. Also not a lot of guys really ever experience friendship like Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi had. Mr. Miyagi had maturity, and I wanted it too.

Well, I'm sure I have a point in all this. It's not good to try navigating life all by yourself. You'll sink your ship for sure. Also understand that while you may long for a mentor like Mr. Miyagi to help you deal with whatever stage of life you're in now, it might just be that you can be the Mr. Miyagi in someone else's life where they are. Look around everywhere you go, and these are the people that God has placed in your world where you have something to offer. Don't just spend all your time and all your energy on yourself, which is the norm. Invest yourself in others and you will have a full life. If you feel really alone and wish you had your own Miyagi, then talk to God about it. Hebrews 4:15 says, "We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses." Jesus, our High Priest, knows what you're feeling, and beckons us to ask God to supply us with what we need. The Bible says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" and again it says, "whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." In the book of James we are warned, "you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

Do you need a friend or a mentor? Ask God specifically for one. Also ask Him to teach you how to be a true friend and mentor to someone else. No one can trick God into doing what they want, so we must examine our motives for what we ask. God never promised us a Mr. Miyagi, but He does promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you, " and He is looking out for our best interests, so trust Him.


--Johnie

Pray for Your Leaders

Well there was a lot of cheering and a lot of worry going on this week across the country. Some people are just ecstatic that the first black president got elected. Others are worried that he is a democrat. I didn't vote for Obama because he is pro-abortion. I voted for the most pro-life candidate I could. I feel like Obama will do lots to undermine the rights of the unborn, just like Clinton did. Should we hate him though? No way!

God told us to submit to those in authority over us. Romans 13:1-7 says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."

Even if John McCain got elected he would still be a fallible man capable of immense amounts of evil. The same holds true for all leaders, even Barak Obama. He needs our prayers more than anything, especially since he is for some pretty immoral things. Just like with Saul, the people got what they wanted, and now we will all live under his rule. It is comforting to read the passage above though, and know that God is over Barak Obama. I'm not saying that God approves of everything that he does or says or wants to do. But Obama is subject to the kind of disciple that God gives to all the leaders of the world.

In 2 Samuel 24, David is given three choices of punishment for wanting to take a census of the people. He chooses God's judgment, but He says, "Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.” The ultimate judge will always be more compassionate and merciful than any man. God then relented in His anger, when man would not have stopped.

Pray for not only the president, but all the leaders in your life, from spouse to boss to pastor, and on up the leadership chain. They are all prone to fall, and fall they often do. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There is an old hymn that fits us all, but I wish our leaders would sing it as a prayer in public everyday: "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it - seal it for Thy courts above." Lots of republicans were glad when Bush got elected, but he disappointed many of those who elected him, especially with the torture issue and people losing civil rights. It will be the same thing for Obama and his supporters once he starts his job. He is not "The One" or "Messiah." He is a man who now has a tremendous responsibility and a huge opportunity to mess up. Even if you didn't vote for him, pray for him. That's really trusting God.


--Johnie

Beyond Mediocrity

When my days on earth are done, I wonder what my first experience in heaven will be like. Will I see "the tunnel of light" that many near-deathers have reported? Will it be like the cartoon where you just appear at the outskirts of heaven waiting in line at the pearly gates? Or will I have to endure the heavenly movie "This was Your Life"? That would be depressing.

I do periodically reflect on if I am wasting any of my time. Is this blog really making a difference? Am I actually connecting to the people God has placed around me. Am I stuff focused or spirit focused? Temporal or eternal?

I think that the searching out of the heart is like a wake up call to shake off all those things that don't matter. Once I spent more than ten hours over five days trying to deal with a bank over the phone. What great memories! I'm sure my wife thinks back to that week and says to herself, "Oh, what a great week that was, cooking supper, chasing children, and watching Johnie shuffle bank statements while pressing a phone to his ear." Shirley Dobson wrote a book called Let's Make a Memory. When I remember that week I want to say, "Let's make up a memory! That one's pitiful!"

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know from experience that just getting up, going through the motions, and then kissing that day goodbye just isn't good enough! Lately I've been trying to connect with the people around me, whoever they are. And I'm finding myself caring about them! Some of these same people were the reason I wanted to quit my job a couple of years ago. Now I want them to find the hope that I have found!

I try to make the most of the time with my kids, too. When they ask me to look at their drawings, it's not an annoyance - it's a blessing! I mean, when I weigh "paying the bills" against "making my daughters day", it's not really a hard decision. Which one will have more of an impact? The bills will always be there, but my kids won't. My oldest is 7 years away from the age Joyce was when we got engaged. I'm not saying it will happen the same way, but I can't take that risk. I sure don't want to be whispering "rosebud" on my deathbed. I want NO regrets.

The main reason I write this blog is that I want to see others discover their Creator, and to see that He's is working all around us! Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21) That is where God wants to sit as king. I just see it as beneficial to share what God has been teaching me. I sure don't write it because I'm all that.

This life is about God. God wants us to look for Him, find Him, and become His friend. And if we spend our time doing anything else, we miss out and we wonder when we'll find OUR calling and OUR purpose. I don't care if you clean the floors at a nursing home, which by the way is a really grungy job, even there God wants us to look for Him. Do you see Him in the eyes of others?

"Give and it will come back to you, pressed down shaken together and running over."


--Johnie