The Headwaters

While living in Minnesota, we lived close to the exact location where the mighty Mississippi River starts it's windy path through the United States from top to bottom. It all begins in a lake at Itasca State Park. It was incredible to me how such a large River that stretches so many miles, gets its start from a modest size body of water. Then it winds through nine different states and eventually ends in the Gulf of Mexico. The headwaters of the Mississippi is Lake Itasca.

The headwaters of true prayer is relationship. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, as recorded in Luke 11:2, He began by saying when we pray, use the words, "Our Father". This is the launching pad for all prayer. At take off, we are immediately introduced to our loving Father. He wants us to encounter His radical love, demonstrated in His Son, Jesus Christ. We do not have to live or pray as orphans; He wants to adopt us into His family. Apart from Christ, we have no right to call God, "Our Father". However, when we are in Christ, we can receive our adoption, the right to call Him our Daddy, our Abba.

If our prayer does not start at the headwaters, and we jump into the middle of the river, our prayers will be prone to becoming religious, stale or even intimidating. All too often, we come to God out of desperation and jump directly into our needs and wants. When we receive His love and take our time building our relationship, then we are able to pray His heart for our situation. The brevity and strength of our prayer lives hinge on our ability to encounter and receive the Father's love.

One issue that could clog the river of our ability to receive the Father's love is the orphan spirit. This is an evil spirit that makes you feel as if you do not have a Heavenly Father and specifically that we are not loved. We have all had imperfect earthly fathers. Because of this, it is easy to develop a view of God, as our Father, based on what we experienced with our earthly father. This results in living under this orphan spirit, and we allow the orphan spirit to take the place of God's blessing and His love for us. Father God wants to re-parent you.

If your prayer life does not start at the headwaters, in the Father's love, it's time to break off the orphan spirit and allow Christ to heal your love receptors. Friends, we need God's love! We need the Father to re-parent us. The health of our soul and strength of our prayer life hinges on our ability to receive the Father’s love. Come to Him today and open your heart and allow His love to enter.

The ability to receive His love will absolutely revolutionize your prayer life. It changes the way we pray. Every time you pray, jump into the headwaters. It's refreshing!

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* I credit Lesson 3 from Year 1 of the College of Prayer International. For more information, go to www.collegeofprayer.org

Racial Reconciliation

 

Every human being was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). It does not matter if you are of Asian decent, Australian, African, European or Hispanic; we were all created in God's image. It doesn't matter our skin color, our ethnicity our economic status, if we grew up in the city or the farm country; we were all created in the image of our Creator. For anyone to think otherwise would go against the truth of God's Word.

Over the years, we have seen barriers put up that have caused division among different groups within society. People have allowed their minds to create ideas that belittle people who are different than them. God's word tells us in Philippians 2, "But in humility, consider others better than yourselves." This is a call to love. To put it another way, 1 John 3:16 says, "Jesus laid down his life for us, we ought to lay our lives down for our brothers." It does not get much clearer than that. These verse do not leave any room for excuses. God calls us to consider others better than ourselves and to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters - no matter who they are, where they come from or what they look like.

In the past, I have been a part of several gatherings that were designed to bring together people of different color. Reflecting back, these were significant occasions. One of my favorite memories was back in 1996. My Dad was invited to speak along with his friend, Pastor Richard, at a Promise Keepers gathering of men at Atlanta's largest arena. The theme that year was Racial Reconciliation. My Dad and Pastor Richard had rolled up their sleeves in bringing their congregations together in prayer and worship of Christ, and to tear down the walls of racism in our area of North East Atlanta. I can remember them standing before the crowd of 67,000 men, that day at the Georgia Dome, linking arms together, swaying back and forth and singing the song "We Shall Overcome". That was a powerful moment!

Even with all that has been done over the years, to tear down the walls of segregation, we have seen this problem come to the forefront again this year. We must continue to fight for one another. We must love first. This is certainly a kingdom need. Racial reconciliation is close to the heart of God, and the value of every human is found throughout the pages of His Word. 

As we come to this election, we are faced with the question in November, who is the best candidate to bring our country together? Who will pour gas on the flames of division, or who will do his best to invite the healing of Jesus to our land? We need a leader who will bring unity. We must vote the Kingdom.

Psalm 133:1 says, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." As we vote this November, we must vote for unity." Let us be those who champion unity. 

The Freedom of the Church

 

I was blessed to have parents who cared whether or not I made it to church on Sunday. I grew up enjoying Sunday School. I learned that Jonah disobeyed God and ended up being swallowed by a whale, thanks to my teacher who would show us all the Bible stories play out on an old school flannel graph. In addition, I saw a life devoted to Jesus lived out by my parents. When I was old enough to understand the weight of my sin, I realized my need for Jesus. Following Jesus leads to a life of loving the church.

Fast forward to today, I have served as a Youth Pastor for 15 years, and am now a part of a prayer movement impacting 92 nations around the world. Many churches have benefited from our training. In addition, I enjoy being involved in our local church along with my family. We love our church! We drive by several churches on the way to ours because it has become our family. 

Church is a place to grow. Church is a place to worship. Church is a place to serve. Church is a place to join with other people who are on the same journey of following Jesus.

Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it". In recent years, here in the United States, we have seen an onslaught come against the church. The government is continually reaching beyond their responsibility in trying to govern the church. This pandemic, we have experienced this year, has certainly affected the church.

In many places in America, the government has made rulings on churches that are not consistent with the rest of society gatherings. The government should not tell religious organizations what healthcare they must provide when that healthcare goes against the church's convictions. The government should not control what the church is able to say and what it is not able to say. We are slowly seeing our religious rights being taken away.

The government cannot take away the church's freedom when the church simply speaks to the truth of God’s Word. The church is divinely ordained by God. The government goes beyond its responsibility when they try to keep the church from doing what God has called the church to do.

This is one of the freedoms that sets the United States a part from much of the world. I have been to several countries that do not share the same freedom of religion that we enjoy. I have heard stories of pastors being beaten. I have heard stories of churches being burnt down. This stems from the law of the land that keep people from religious freedom. Friends, we are close to seeing this happen in our country.

As followers of Christ, we must take a stand for the church. We need to vote for the church and religious rights. If we don't, we will see our freedom taken from us. We will see our churches locked. We must vote to preserve our freedom to worship.

Hebrews 10:25 says, " Do not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near".

The Sanctity of Marriage

I can remember my wedding day as if it happened yesterday. It was a beautiful December night, our church was decorated for Christmas. We had all of our family and friends in attendance. Everything from the pre-wedding photos to the bubbles as we left the reception could not have been more perfect. I love to look back at our photo album to remember that special night as my wife and I became one.

The family was created by God and serves the purposes of God. Marriage is a divine institution. Genesis 2:24 says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife". It was God’s idea and was created for His purposes. Because of this, the government goes beyond its God given responsibility when they try to prohibit or tamper with what God ordained the family to be.

God created marriage to be a picture of Christ and the church. (See Ephesians 5) Marriage is about the Gospel. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice as He laid down His life for the church. A husband must do the same for his wife. Sacrifice is lived out on a daily basis within a healthy marriage. This is Biblical marriage.

Because of this, as Kingdom people, we must cast our vote for the Biblical definition of the family. We cannot vote for gay marriage. It is directly opposed to the instruction of God. It doesn’t mean that God does not love homosexuals and wants to see them restored. This is not hate speech. This is defending the family which is God’s creation.

I have been happily married now for almost twenty years. We are in the process of raising four children together. Marriage certainly has it's highs and lows, but we have learned over the years to deal with struggles. There is no perfect marriage because there are no perfect people. The best way to keep a marriage healthy is by having Jesus at the center and spend consistent time together in prayer.

Right to Life For the Unborn

It has been my honor to be in the room for the birth of each of my four children. There was no way to prepare myself for the moment when my first child arrived into this world. It was a high and holy moment. It was impossible to hold back the tears. We highly anticipated this day. My wife and I read every book, we attended classes, and we prayed over the course of nine months to prepare ourselves for this arrival. Even with all these preparations, there was no way to fully get ourselves ready. In one moment, a part of my wife and I, our very own child, had been born. This was special! At the birth of each of my children, I experienced euphoria. It was an awe-filled time of worship, of our Creator God, who had formed each child.

As Christians, we must believe in the sanctity of human life. The Bible teaches that life begins at conception. Psalm 139 says, "You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Every child inside their mother's womb is a creation of God, is a life that matters to God, and therefore should matter to us.

Life is ordained by God and it is a sin to take the life of anyone, including an unborn child. The sixth commandment delivered by God through Moses states, "Thou shall not kill". There is no difference in taking the life of a 2 year old toddler as there is a 2 week old baby in their mother's womb. Murder is murder no matter a person's age.

As kingdom people, we cannot vote for anything that is directly contrary to the agenda of the King. We cannot be on God's side if we are on the side of murder. It is impossible. The King is in favor of life. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life (John 14:6)." He also said, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I came to bring life (John 10:10)." Jesus is the author of life. We must vote for life. 

Some want to believe that abortion is an issue of woman's rights. No man or woman has the right to take the life of another human being. There are arguments that come based on a woman's circumstances at conception. I understand there are horrible scenarios for a child's conception. It does not change the child's right to life. God calls us to choose life. For those who have had an abortion, God is a redeeming God. Jesus will meet you there. In choosing life, adoption is a wonderful option. Imagine if the government funded adoption instead of abortion.

Every child deserves a chance to live. The outstanding college football player, from the University of Florida, Tim Tebow, could have had his life cut short through an abortion. Before he was born, his Mom was counseled by her doctor to take her baby's life because of some abnormalities that showed up through testing. Tim has made a difference in this world. I for one am thankful Tim was born. Imagine the countless Tim Tebow's who never had the chance to live. It is sobering to think about. Every child deserves a chance to live.

Each of us have Moms who chose life. I'm glad my Mom did! Every life matters. Every baby matters. Every child matters. We must vote for life.

Decision 2020

Well, we all survived the two weeks of political party conventions. As we read the history books, never has there been such a more contested election as we have this year. It is typical for there to be conflict and drama leading up to an election, but this year has certainly been over the top. It is obvious that the enemy of this world is causing division and pulling people away from biblical values.

As a follower of Christ, God calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. This means that whatever we would rather do, it is imperative that we are willing to sacrifice our personal desires for the sake of what God wants. In many areas of life, what God wants does not make sense, in many cases it is difficult to do. Peer pressure creates challenges. Ultimately, the enemy of our souls comes against us.

As we consider our God-given right to vote, we must do so with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and vote according to Biblical principles and moral values. In Joshua 5, we read that Joshua was preparing to go to war, and a representative of God's army, an angel, approached Joshua. With some concern, Joshua asked a very practical and strategic question. He basically asked the angel, "Who's side are you on?" As we face this election, we might ask, "Who's side are you on, democrat, republican or independent?" The angel gave one of the most politically insightful principles in all of Scripture when he replied, "Neither, I'm not on your side and I'm not on their side, I'm on God's side." He made it clear that the Lord had not come to take sides. He came to take over.

As we approach the 2020 election, the question is not, "Is God on my side?" The right question is, "Am I on God's side?" Because God does not side with anyone but His own. He promotes His own agenda, the kingdom agenda. God does not look at who is going to win and then join the winning side. The winning side is always the side that chooses to align themselves with God. God does not come to take sides, He comes to take over. So, are you on God's side?

Let's consider what it means to be on God's side this election. Knowing that God's agenda is most important. It is not a specific political party, it is kingdom. Jesus is our ultimate authority. He is our only hope to solve all of our countries problems. There are three practical ways to prepare ourselves for this election.

First of all, as followers of Christ, we must pray. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, "I urge you, that prayers be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority". We must get past our dislike of those in authority and humble ourselves and pray for them. We should not just pray for those who we agree with, God calls us to pray for all. In the context this Scripture was written, the leader in authority was Nero, who hated Christians and persecuted them severely. God calls us to pray.

Second of all, we must vote. Our vote has the potential to be aligned with Jesus' agenda for our world as we consider biblical principles. We are kingdom voters. We vote on kingdom issues. There are a lot of other issues, but they are secondary. But when it comes to voting, we must vote like followers of Christ. The Bible makes it very clear in regards to several key political platforms:
    1) The right to life of unborn children.
    2) The sanctity of marriage.
    3) The freedom of the church.
    4) Racial reconciliation.

I will unpack each of these platforms in subsequent blog posts over the next four weeks. There are obviously other platforms, but these four are clear in Scripture and leave no area for compromise.

Thirdly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we must ultimately put our hope in the King of Kings, Jesus. We cannot put our hope in the current administration or other party's ticket. We put our hope in the administration of our sovereign King Jesus and His Kingdom. Ultimately, no government will stop the kingdom's agenda. The kingdom agenda does not hang in the balance of the democrats, republicans or a third party. The ultimate seat of authority is not in the Oval Office of the White House. The seat of ultimate authority is found at the right hand of the Father and that seat is not up for an election. Jesus has no term limits and He doesn't need to run for re-election. He is seated in the seat of authority now and will be there for all eternity.

God calls us to vote His agenda. We must stand for biblical values or we will suffer the consequences with the unraveling of our country as we know it. As you face this decision, what will you do? When we walk into the polling station on November 3, let us cast our vote for Jesus. When Joshua recognized that God did not show up to take sides, he responded with the only appropriate response, submission. Joshua got on his face before God and submitted to Him. We must do the same. We must humble ourselves, lay aside our personal preferences, our presuppositions, our traditions and ask one question, what side lines up best with God's side?

Your ballot is Jesus' ballot and you are casting it on His behalf. Psalm 33:12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord". Are you ready? I'm going to tell you right now who to vote for. (Insert drum roll) Vote for Jesus and His Kingdom!

I'm Sorry

Last Friday night, our family went to Sonic for ice cream, to celebrate the completion of the first week of school. If you have ever been to Sonic, you know that they do not have an indoor dining area. This is your typical drive-in restaurant. You place your order at a screen and then their employees bring the order out to your car. 

We were there with my brother, and his family, and did not want to sit in our cars. We decided to park and stand talking in the parking lot. My boys don't often sit still, so they decided to throw a Frisbee in an open area of the parking lot. Well, we thought it was an open area. My youngest son, Isaac, is still learning how to throw and launched a toss that struck another vehicle. Fortunately, it did not do any damage. However, we did not want to have any hard feelings with the people inside the car. We encouraged Isaac to go and apologize to the driver. Without hesitation, my 6 year old walked over and politely said he was sorry to someone he had never met. This was big!

In the moment, this situation could have gone a few different directions for Isaac. He could have easily refused to do it. He could have put me in an awkward situation of covering for his mistake. Fortunately, in our home, we have cultivated the importance of an apology. Isaac did the right thing. He said he was sorry. He admitted he was wrong.

Every time our children say they are sorry, it's a win. The older they get, the more important apologies become. Our children need to learn the importance of admitting faults, even at an early age. The more apologetic they become, the more aware they become of the wrong they are doing.

In the same way, when we sin against God, it is up to us to make things right. God doesn't pursue our apology. No, it's the opposite, when we sin, He is pushed away and we no longer enjoy His manifest presence. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgiven our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness". 

That night, what seemed like a minor incident, turned out to be a major victory in the maturity of a young boy. Learning to say I'm sorry as a child will lead to a life of living in proper relationship with others.

The Peace of God

In a day when it seems all of our surroundings are unraveling, we all long for stability and assurance that everything will be okay. This year will go down as the most unusual with circumstances that have been beyond our control. This was the year of 2020 vision for many. We were all excited to see what this year would hold and to lean into all that was before us. Then March introduced us to Covid.

Three months into this year, we found ourselves quarantined and dealing with an international pandemic caused by a virus that had the capability to leave a person asymptomatic and eventually in the hospital on a ventilator. Then, we as a nation, dealt with protesting and rioting. People were in uproar because of social injustice and racial tension. Now, there are far left wing radicals who are trying to establish a city and government independent of what is already established to rule our country. All of this has caused much panic and fear.

Jesus said as recorded in John 16:36, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

These are powerful words of peace! Jesus says that in Him we have perfect peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He brings the peace that passes all understanding.

The peace of God, which is the word shalom in Hebrew, and eirenen in the Greek, refers to the peace that only comes from Jesus Christ. This peace provides inner satisfaction, contentment and fulfillment. It is a state of being as well as an attitude or mindset. When we receive the peace of Christ, there is no circumstance that will shake us. We realize that no matter how stiff the winds of life may be, Jesus is able to calm the storm.

The house that I live in is located next to a forest of trees. During a windstorm, I often look out my windows to watch the trees. There are trees, that because of the wind, will look like they are about to collapse. The wind will blow them back and forth as if they are pool noodles, on the verge of falling down. Then, I see others, who even despite a powerful wind, are not affected at all. The difference in trees is the root system. The trees with strong roots are able to withstand the onslaught of harsh winds that come against them.

This is a picture of what Jesus does, imparting His peace to His children, in the midst of difficult circumstances. His peace is an anchor for our souls. It solidifies us even when our world seems to be crashing down. He calms the storm.

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

Receive His peace today.

Breaking the Silence

Wow, it's been too long since my last blog entry. 28 months to be exact. It was time for me to revisit my blog and share some thoughts on this page. Before my silence, this was a great place for me to come and share my heart in writing.

Our world is changing before our eyes. The world we had at the time of my last blog post in February of 2018 is far different than the one we are living in today. Global pandemic. Rioting. There is a shaking going on. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken. Our churches. Our economy. Our government. Our media. Our healthcare. Our entertainment. Our education. Our military. Our police. Everything is being shaken.

For those of us who are Christians, we know that this shaking must take place for the end to arrive, for the return of Jesus. As I read of this shaking in Scripture, it is clear that this is part of the process of separating the true followers of Christ from the fakers. The spirit of the anti-christ is at work in bringing chaos and fear to all humanity. All of this shaking will either solidify the faith of the people of God or they will fall away.

God is allowing this in order that the Church of Jesus Christ will rise up as one in solidarity, for one final push in the Great Commission. The harvest is ripe. The world is looking for answers. Now is the time for the kingdom of God to advance. It is time for disciples to set aside our petty disagreements and conspiracy theories. It is the time to put our hand to the plow and get to the work of loving our neighbors. The world is waiting. The world is watching. The world is listening. Now is the time to break the silence.