How Much and How Well?

If you have read some of my recent posts, you may remember one called "Finding Your Place" and another entitled "The Work of the Ministry." These both stemmed out of something that has been on my heart for a while, and I want to continue with that same theme in this post. No matter who we are and what our background happens to be, all of us are born with the desire to find where we fit and to be involved with something that matters. Most of us feel like there is something bigger than ourselves that is worth pursuing, and we want what we do to matter. Nobody, if they are really honest, wants to live their lives in mediocrity and just pass the time. I believe these desires were put inside us by the Lord. He created every one of us and fashioned us very uniquely and specifically. He has given us all special talents and abilities, and it is important that we utilize those in our lives.

However, many of us never really know where to start, or maybe we don't know what we are supposed to do, so we never really engaging in anything. I attended a ministry school for three years right out of high school, and I have seen this challenge arise in my own life and in the lives of many people I know and have been able to observe. Many of us, particularly when we graduated from the school, were kind of left reeling not knowing what was next. Where do we go from here? I think many of us felt that we had been prepared for something, but we weren't sure what it was. I think some of us might have even come face to face with it, but when we did, it didn't look like we thought it would look. This kept us from really applying ourselves, so nothing ever happened. I think there were others of us who felt pressure to be involved with or start something big and we couldn't commit ourselves to something that seemed small, particularly if it didn't seem as important as what someone else may have been involved doing. Whatever the reason for us individually, many of us have never really gotten engaged in moving toward our purpose, although we have really wanted to do so.  

I don't want to sound like I have this all figured out, because I surely don't. Additionally, the specific steps each individual must take will vary, and no two people's journeys with the Lord will look exactly the same. I am just trying to shed some light on a general principle that applies to all of us and that can hopefully help us get moving in the right direction. As I mentioned before, we all want to be involved in something significant and feel like what we're doing really matters. As we pursue these things, it is important to bear in mind that the way the Lord measures significance and the way we measure it are not always the same.

That being the case, sometimes our desire to be a part of something we feel is significant can cause us to miss opportunities that truly are significant. In natural terms, we tend to think of something as significant if it is big. If it reaches a lot of people, or at least if a lot of people take notice, we feel like it may be of more importance than something that does not seem to be as far reaching. We might feel like a church of 500 people is more significant than one with 25 members, or that an organization that feeds the homeless everyday is more important than the family who pulls together to buy some groceries for the under-privileged widow down the street. However, the fact is that we can never truly measure significance in natural terms. Something that we might feel to be super important in the natural may carry an entirely different weight with the Lord. This is not to say that He deems a large church as insignificant, but neither does He view a small church as insignificant. He obviously wants all the hungry to be fed, but it is no less significant that you and I feed the hungry individual who may cross our path today.

Wade Taylor once made an astute observation that explains this principle really well. He said: "The important thing is that the will of God is being done in our lives. When we stand before the Lord, He doesn't want to say "much done," but "well done." I think many of us tend to judge how well we are doing by how much we are doing. However, let's look at it this way: which is more likely to be significant: a person who attempts to start 12 different projects, but never really completes any of them, or the person who truly applies himself in a couple of areas and really builds them into an established, lasting work? Sometimes the old adage "quality and not quantity" is a good guidepost.

This reminds me of a story that I have heard many times, but it is worth repeating now. During the first half of the 20th century, there was a Christian evangelist named Mordecai Ham. Mr. Ham was fairly well known and held evangelistic crusades in many different states. A few hundred thousand people are said to have met the Lord in his meetings, and at times thousands would be converted in one crusade. During the early 1930's, he held a crusade in Charlotte, NC. When Mr. Ham gave the invitation to accept the Lord, comparatively speaking, a smaller number of people came forward. By natural terms this crusade could have been deemed less significant than many of his others. However, one of the converts was a young man named Billy Graham. Since that time, it has been documented that over 2 billion people have been presented with the Gospel because of the ministry of Billy Graham. This particular crusade could have been thought to have had less of an impact, but it actually helped to birth one of the most significant evangelistic ministries in human history!

I don't know how Mr. Ham viewed his crusade in Charlotte, but if I had been in his shoes, I might have thought to myself: "What am I doing preaching to just a few converts? My message needs to be heard by thousands!" Well, as will be the case with many of us, Mr. Ham's crusade turned out to be a clear example of the importance of doing well rather than doing much! Let's go do the same!

Welcome to the World, South Sudan

Something happened in the world last week that I think is truly remarkable. As economic pressures continue to increase in the west, and politicians play politics, something of great historic significance is taking place in Africa. As many people (though, not nearly enough) are aware, one of the worst humanitarian tragedies in modern history is taking place in Darfur, which is the western region of the Sudan. Influenced largely by the Muammar al-Gadaffi of Libya, the Sudanese government adopted a policy of "Arab supremacy." For several years, they have worked in cooperation with Arab armies called "Janjaweed" to kill and displace the non-Arab citizens of Darfur.

The only reason for these attacks is that these particular citizens are not Arabs. Since the violence began, nearly 3 million citizens of Darfur have been driven from their homes and have either become nomads or are else living in refugee camps in the neighboring country of Chad. Additionally, nearly half a million people have been murdered and countless women and girls have been abused and mistreated by the pillaging Janjaweed armies. Thousands of families have been left homeless and children have watched their parents butchered before their young eyes. Thankfully, some developed nations are working to attempt to end this crisis, and much international attention has been brought to it by some celebrities, most notably, George Clooney.

Although a lasting resolution has not been reached between Darfur and the government of the Sudan, there was a major development with this nation in general just a few days ago. Because of the genocide and overall tyranny exerted by the Sudanese government, the southern portion of the nation has withdrawn and formed an independent country. It took numerous civil wars and much travail, but as of last week, the Republic of South Sudan is now a nation free of Sudanese rule. This momentous event did not directly liberate the people of Darfur, but it has dealt a major blow to the corrupt system that as prolonged the intolerance and senseless brutality of a horrible government. This new nation's motto is "Justice, Liberty and Prosperity." By God's grace, they will have those as their reality, and our prayer should be that they spread like wildfire to the rest of the Sudan and surround the victims of the Darfur Conflict.

There is no way to separate the Lord from justice. According to Micah 6:8, there are three things God requires of us: justice, mercy and a walk with Him that is based in humility. We should seek to manifest these three things in all that we do, and as Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." I hope this new nation of South Sudan is a worldwide inspiration for people to capture a renewed passion for justice and freedom. Many thousands died in our great nation some 200 years ago to make justice and freedom possible here in America. May their same zeal possess our hearts today anytime we see justice and freedom threatened.

I watched a documentary recently about the Darfur Conflict, and it was heart breaking, but inspiring, all at once. It contained numerous interviews from some of the victims of this tragedy, and one particular gentleman especially stood out to me. He had finished what would be the equivalent of our high school, but because of the ongoing conflict, he was unable to go on to the University. His home village had been displaced by the Janjaweed and many of the men were either killed or were actively fighting against the Arab attack. He joined his village in the middle of the desert in a makeshift settlement and took it upon himself to start a school to teach the children of that village. He taught the children for years in a one room hut without ever making a penny, all for the sake of those children and their future. Even though there has been no end in sight to the conflict, he is sacrificing for the hope that the next generation might know something different and better.

That man's remarkable story should inspire us all. Although he was not on the front lines of the battle, he faithfully filled his role right where he was. He saw in those children something worth fighting for, and fight he did. We are living in a time unlike no other, and here in America, we are at a point where our nation's future is being determined. What happens from here on might have less to do with the decisions made by our government and more to do with what you and I do in our individual spheres of influence. What do you and I have that is worth fighting for? Let us never let it slip away. All are called to pray; some are called to fight; others are called to speak or write and teach our children. No matter what our office, let us carry it out faithfully in the service of the true King. In all that we do, let us act justly, show mercy and walk with our King humbly.

America's Biggest Battle

Comparatively speaking, the United States is still a fairly young country. We declared our independence from England in 1776, which makes us 235 years old this year. Many other nations have been in existence for many hundreds and even thousands of years. However, despite our young age, we have had our share of battles and wars. As I mentioned before, The Declaration of Independence was ratified by Congress on July 4, 1776, but this declaration didn't come easy. We fought with England for 8 years in what has become known as The Revolutionary War.

We successfully gained our independence from England, but less than a century later, our young nation found itself in a 4 year long Civil War that pitted North against South in a much divided land. In the twentieth century, we fought in two world wars and were involved in numerous wars and battles from Korea to Vietnam and from Lebanon to Iraq. As the twenty-first century has dawned, the United States has led the way in a global war on terror. Since our inception, we have fought or been involved at some level in numerous major battles, but I believe the biggest and most important battle in our nation's history is being waged right now. This battle is not being fought in quite the same manner as the others, but it is one in which we are all involved and one that we must win. This crucial battle is being fought for the morality and purity of America.

In II Timothy 3:1-5, Paul wrote to Timothy about the end of this age and listed several reasons the end will be so intense. One of the reasons Paul listed is that people will consider nothing sacred (see verse 2, NLT). One brief glance at our society will reveal that this describes our nation with increasing accuracy. Everything from the sanctity of human life to the family is being threatened. There was a time when the most popular and most enjoyed television shows would scarcely, if ever, even elude to sex. Now it is not uncommon to see homosexual relationships being openly portrayed on popular shows during prime time on regular network television. Reality shows and many so called "talk shows" have introduced our children to many warped perversions that should shock us, but many have become desensitized to this dangerous evil.

We are truly living in a time when nothing is considered sacred, and it is also becoming increasingly difficult for an individual in our society to define what is sacred to them. Just this week there was an outcry from veterans in Houston, TX who are upset (and rightfully so) that their funeral services are being so closely monitored by the Department of Veterans Affairs that they have to submit their prayers for approval before they can pray them at the memorials for their fellow veterans. They are being told that they cannot use the words "God" or "Jesus" during these services. I read that news article and could not believe that what I was reading was happening in America! Something that should be sacred is being stifled by the government, and all this is being done in the name of not offending someone who doesn't believe that anything is sacred.

The family should be considered the most sacred institution in our society, but the family is being undermined on nearly every front. Many public school systems are attacking the relationship parents have with their children, and much of this is unknown to the parents. Without going into too much detail, many schools are teaching graphically detailed sex education curriculum to relatively young children, and in some cases they are doing so without the parents' consent. There was even a case recently where children less than twelve years old were being asked to take part in very explicit surveys on a variety of sexual topics, and the parents found out after the fact.

As the war against the family wages, the enemy has tried hard to smear the very identity and definition of the family. According to the Bible, when the Lord created the human race, He designed the family very specifically. He intended for a marriage to involve one man and one woman. It may not be the popular position, but this is God's position. He intends marriage to be between one man and one woman. However, there is a growing movement to redefine marriage, and the lines that the Lord clearly established are being blurred. Five states, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, along with Washington D.C., have legalized gay marriage, and it will become legal in New York in just a few weeks. It might sound insensitive, but homosexuality is a perversion, and allowing these marriages is decaying our society. I believe we should love everyone, pray for everyone and provide the same physical protection to every citizen, but I do not believe these marriages should be recognized. I believe a crucial step toward victory in America's biggest battle is to officially recognize and define marriage to be in accordance to the pattern the Lord set.

There is much more to be said about the war for America's morality and purity, but let me close with this. One of the greatest evils presently in the world is being welcomed into many American households. Millions of people, young and old, are participating in what has become a billion dollar a year industry, and it is quickly decaying our society. It has found its way into our homes and into the hands of our children through magazines, books and now is easily accessible on the internet. I am talking, of course, about pornography. This abominable practice used to be fairly taboo, but it has now become so common and widely accepted that most people fail to recognize the addictive power it has. It has gone from being considered dirty and extremely inappropriate to being widely accepted and winked at by many. However, let me be clear: pornography is anything but harmless. It is very dangerous, and nothing good has ever come from it. It destroys marriages, corrupts minds and hearts and this is what it will continue to do as long as it is tolerated. We need to have a zero tolerance policy for pornography in our homes and in our personal lives.

I believe America in many ways is standing at a crossroads. In the 1700's, our crossroads was whether we would remain under English control or if we would form our own nation. In the 1800's, our crossroads was whether or not we would allow our nation to be torn in two. In the 1900's, we faced a crossroads of civil rights, among others. Today, one of the major crossroads we are facing as a nation is whether we will continue down the path of perversion and decay, resulting from the undermining of the family, the termination of unborn lives and the willful acceptance of immorality. This post is intended to sound an alarm. Thankfully, there are many sounding this alarm, and there are many who have heeded its call. We need to pray that many more will hear the calling of the Lord to repent and return to Him. We cannot give up and lay down our armor. We have been brought here for this very hour, and we are the ones who can turn the tide. America's best days can be ahead, but this will only come if we turn back to our Creator and once again raise the standard of righteousness and purity. As we celebrate our freedom and independence this year, let us return to the One Who gave us these gifts.

The Pledge of Allegiance

I read a news article this week that I found really shocking. Right now the city of Eugene, OR is divided over our national Pledge of Allegiance. Now, there has been no shortage of controversy surrounding the Pledge in recent years, and most of it has stemmed from the fact that the words one nation under God are included. However, that is not the source of the controversy right now in Eugene. Residents and city council members there are currently divided over whether or not to even recite the Pledge and how often.

The city council recently voted down a proposal to recite the Pledge before every council meeting, and now they cannot agree on how often it should be recited period. They did approve a measure that would allow the pledge to be recited four times a year - that's right - only four times a year! I was surprised to read that, but my surprises didn't stop there. The article went on to quote some of the local citizens and city council members. Councilman George Brown, in particular, had some very surprising comments to make: "People can say it in their front yard or back yard. It really doesn't help move the city business forward. It doesn't unite us." Reading his comments made me wonder why anyone would desire a position in our government when they do not want to recite our national Pledge of Allegiance. His indifference, which seems to be bordering on disdain, makes me wonder what his true motives are.

Another surprising comment came from a private citizen. Anita Sullivan said "So you say 'I pledge allegiance' and right there I don't care for that language. It sort of means loyalty to your country; well, I feel loyalty to the entire world." Let me be clear, I also view myself as a citizen of the world, and and I have close friends in many other countries. As I write this I have friends in South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Poland, Germany, Russia, England, New Zealand, the Czech Republic and other places. However, I am an American, and I am loyal to America and the law abiding citizens of America. I am loyal first and foremost to Jesus, but he chose for me to be born in America. I don't see why being loyal to America means you have to be disloyal to the other parts of the world.

Furthermore, I'd like to pose a question to Ms. Sullivan. Have you considered what it would be like to live in some other parts of the world? Being born in America is a tremendous blessing, and there are many leading nations that would not even allow Ms. Sullivan to speak publicly, let alone make a comment like the one she made. Perhaps she'd rather be loyal to Afghanistan where she could be killed for showing her hair. Maybe she'd rather be loyal to China where she might have been killed before birth because she wasn't a boy. Maybe she would feel more loyal to India where she could have been married off at five years old in exchange for the forgiveness of a family debt. I love these nations and the citizens of these nations, but we need to keep things in perspective.

I don't mean to be critical of anyone I have mentioned, but if you don't feel loyal to America, at least to the degree that you will recite our national pledge of allegiance, then feel free to resign from your post, Mr. Brown. Take a tour of developing nations and see how much you have as as American, Ms. Sullivan. America is far from perfect, but there is no place I'd rather live. Inasmuch as America is not violating the laws of God, I am loyal and am proud to live in this one nation under God!

Freedom of Speech, Unless You're a Christian

I guess these should probably come as no surprise, but a couple of news stories caught my attention in the past couple of weeks. The first took place in California, and the second in Vermont. Although these stories happened a few thousand miles apart, situations like them are becoming increasingly common.

In Palm Desert, California, a public high school canceled a fund-raiser and returned $45,000.00 because school officials refused to allow a couple of students to share their Christian faith. The school was raising funds by selling memorial brick pavers to students that would be laid in a walkway at the school to be used and seen by students in future classes.

The students were allowed to have their pavers inscribed with a favorite saying or some words of wisdom to inspire future students. A couple of students had their pavers inscribed with a verse from the Bible, and school officials refused to allow these particular pavers to be laid. The two students, Lou Ann Hart and Sheryl Caronna, filed a court complaint against the school for not allowing their pavers to be included in the walkway. As a result, the school district officials chose to cancel the fundraiser and forego the $45,000.00 they had raised up to that point. You can read the news story at the following link:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/14/california-school-district-cancels-fundraiser-after-submission-scripture/

In Vermont, a young man named Kyle Gearwar graduated at the top of his class at Fair Haven Union High School. As Valedictorian, he was allowed to make an acceptance speech, but his speech had to be approved by the school's principal before he could deliver it. Kyle's speech was not approved, however, because he mentioned Jesus Christ and talked about how Jesus had changed his life. He was allowed to say everything else he had planned to say, but that portion of his speech had to be excluded. Here is the link to this news story:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/17/school-censors-religious-words-in-graduation-speech/?test=latestnews

You can also read the text of Kyle's origianl speech here:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/17/kyles-speech/

Both of these stories are examples of school systems infringing upon our constitutional right to freedom of speech. Again, these types of stories are becoming increasingly common, and because they are happening more and more, it is easy for us to become desensitized to them. However, we need to understand and keep in mind that these are serious violations of our civil rights, and if this trend goes unchanged, there is no telling where it will stop. The school systems claim that they made these decisions so they would not be promoting any particular religion. However, I would be willing to bet that if any of these students had chosen to leave a verse from the Koran or a gay rights slogan, they would probably not have been censored. In many of these situations, the authorities involved seem to be singling out Christians.

In California, which is a state that is nearly bankrupt, a school, in need of funds, chose to give back $45,000.00 rather than allow two Christian girls to share a Bible verse on a brick. In Vermont, a student graduating at the top of his class was forced to change his speech because he wanted to encourage others by sharing his personal story. This should outrage us! Some believe that Christians should just sit back and quietly accept such treatment, but I believe we have been quiet long enough!

The Constitution is clear about our right to freedoms of speech and religion. Here is the text of the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

This Amendment can be studied further at the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

The US Constitution is clear about the government's role regarding religion and free speech. These school systems, which are government run institutions, are in violation of some of our most basic freedoms. The freedom of speech was interwoven in the original fabric of America. Francis-Marie Arouet Voltaire, a French author and philosopher who was influential in the mentalities of many of our founding fathers, once said: "I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it." We need to recapture this kind of respect for our freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If we allow the rights to continue to be violated, the inevitable result will be devastating.

Now, as I have stated, examples like these are becoming increasingly common. It is easy to be overwhelmed and wonder if there is really anything we can do about it, but there is much we can do. First we have to determine to never surrender and just accept that this is going to be the reality going forward. The United States was founded upon Godly principles, and it is not difficult to look around and see how our society is suffering as a result of the steps we have already taken to exclude God from our nation. We have to lead the way in welcoming God back to our schools, our neighborhoods and the hearts of our elected officials.

We need to pray for the Lord to intervene and ask for His mercy for our nation. We need to vote candidates into office who share our views and are committed to fight for them. Finally, we need to refuse to compromise and bend to the mounting pressures that seem to be all around us. Beyond this, I believe if we ask Him, the Lord will guide us all on a personal level as to our individual course of action. Even though it may seem that we are the minority, we cannot afford to give up hope and throw in the towel. Andrew Jackson once said "One man with courage makes a majority." If we are standing with the Lord and are determined to see His will done in this land, we are the majority. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose, and may it never be said about us that we laid down our armor when we were needed the most.