Early in the process...

So last night I decide to read Psalm 119. I do that fairly often since it is so focused on the Word of God (though using a number of, in my mind, synonyms).

As I read I spotted three verses that methinks will develop into a sermon...I share them for your own edification and/or comments:

(all are from the ESV which I am using of late)

Psa 119.133 Keep steady my steps according to Your promise,

and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Psa 119.165 Great peace have those who love Your law, nothing can make them stumble.

Psa 119.173  Let Your had be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.

Rather cool, huh?

I'm sure some will think it is sacrilege, but makes me think of an old Beatles tune:

Verse 133...help me to walk steady...don't let any sin creep up and get power over me

Verse 165...prerequisite...love God's law; guarantee, nothing can make you stumble (cue D.C. Talk..."what if I stumble, what if I fall; will the Lord still love me when the walk becomes a crawl")...Doesn't say we won't stumble; does say nothing can make us stumble...we stumble on our own...

Verse 173...because I've chosen His precepts, God's got my back!

Here's another great verse: Isaiah 41.13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who says to you, "Fear not, I am the One who helps you."

Drill Sergeant: "What do you want me to do, private? Hold your hand?" "Ah, no sarge, I'm good."

GOD: "What do you want Me to do, Jack? Hold your hand?"

"Ah, as a matter of fact, yes!"

Wiersbe's Warning...Take Heed...

"Beware of cut-and-dried theologies that reduce the ways of God to a manageable formula that keeps life safe. God often does the unexplainable just to keep us on our toes - and on our knees." Warren Wiersbe

It's Okay to Doubt...

"If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt...There is no believing without some doubting, and believing is all the stronger for understanding and resolving doubt." 
Os Guiness

What's Prison Ministry Like? Well...

I have no answer to the question in the title.

One person may minister one way, another another, etc.

But I can tell you what the ministry the Lord has opened for me looked like today.

This morning I traveled to Cameron, Mo to speak at "Christian General" in Crossroads Correctional Center. Crossroads houses 1,400 inmates...excuse me, we are not supposed to call them "inmates," they are "offenders." I'm sure there is a carefully thought out reason for this...It is a maximum security prison.

I speak to this particular group only once a month (on the second Wednesday). Crossroads has no programming on weekends, so all "religious" activities take place during week days. I also visit Crossroads on the 3rd and 4th Monday of each month.

Anyway, today there were about 80 inmate/offenders in attendance. About ten of them were white (no agenda here, just pointing out).

We have a ninety minute slot, so the first half hour or so was singing, with a "choir" of six or so inmates. It is like most any gathering on the streets...some in the audience sing, some don't, some talk...and, yes, a couple sleep.

Then I spoke on God's forgiveness. The men, as always by His grace, were very attentive. With my style, even the sleepers awoke.

As I finished the inmate coordinator opened it up to testimonies...one guy shared, another man was about to when a CO (Corrections Officer) popped in and shouted, "Code Six, line up outside."

I think it was a drill, but a code six implies someone is missing, everyone cells in and the CO's count noses to find out if, in fact, someone has vanished.

After the inmates had been dismissed to their cells, the CO said I could leave. I walked down to the Control Room and was told to go back (I'm glad I spent four years in the Army as well as a few years in prison; prepared me for stuff like this).

An hour or so later the place was still locked down but a white-shirt (officer) told me I could leave; went through the control room, down the stairs, and opened the exit door. Outside were several Cameron police officers, a couple SWAT type looking guys. They asked for my ID, and then let me through to my vehicle.

I drove to where the prison driveway met the main road to see a few more cars and automatic weapon carrying officers. They checked my id. had me pop the trunk (I drive a small Ford Focus...), and let me proceed.

So it was a normal day punctuated by an un-normal code six.

I never ask inmates why they are locked up, and if they begin to tell me I ask them not to tell me. Why? I don't want to run the risk of losing my objectivity.

But I did, during the code six, look at the sign in sheet and, on a whim, wrote down seven numbers.

When I (finally) got back to my office, I fired up the prison locator to see what the chosen seven were doing time for...

And this is what I discovered:

1) Armed robbery, 85 years
2) 1st Degree Murder, Life without parole
3) Rape, 101 years
4) Trafficking drugs, 41 years
5) Robbery/Assault, double life
6) 1st Degree Murder, Statutory Rape, Life without parole
7) Distributing/Manufacturing Controlled Substance, 24 years.


But you know what? I'm convinced that we've made two huge mistakes regarding ministry in North America:

1) We've perverted the ministry into a profession rather than a calling

2) We've carved out niches and specialties and thus confuse the issue

What do I mean? The first is patently obvious to anyone with eyes to see.

The second is perhaps a bit more dim...but we have "youth ministry," "senior ministry," "military ministry," "prison ministry," etc etc etc.

But...at its core..ministry is ministry...whether "vocational" (full time) or all-of-us: Love God, love people.

That's it.

Sure, augment it with awareness of your audience etc, but there isn't one gospel for teens and another for convicts and still another for military personnel.

People are people.

Love them, love God.

The very best definition of ministry I've ever read comes from Warren Wiersbe: 

"Ministry takes place

 when divine resources

 meet human needs

 through loving channels 

 to the glory of God."

Simple Test...Simple (important) Lesson/Reminder

Take this quiz mentally:


1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier? The lesson?

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.

I remember a teacher once saying that there were two kinds of people in the world, those who were interesting and those who were interested.

Interesting people spend most of their time telling you about themselves and are easily forgettable. Interested people on the other hand, tend to listen and act like they care. My best guess is the reason they act like they care is because they genuinely do.

If it's been a while since you've connected with and thanked a person of genuine influence in your life, maybe it's time?

And...as we proceed through life...may we all remember that people are more important than projects, those ministered to are more important those ministering ("as you've done to the least of these...") and that Jesus is vitally interested in individuals...and therefore so we should be...

This One Hurts!

Always....as in "always"....do I need this reminder. What an amazing way with words had Spurgeon!

"Remember that your brethren and sisters in Christ, with whom you find so much fault, are God's elect. And if He chose them, why do you reject them?

They are bought with Christ's blood, and if He thought them worth so much, why do you think so little of them?

Recollect, too, that with all their badness there are some good points in them in which they excel you. They do not know so much, but perhaps they act better than you. It may be that they are more faulty in pride, but perhaps they excel you in generosity. Or if perhaps one man is a little quick in temper, yet he is more zealous than you. Look at the bright side of your brother, and the black side of yourself, instead of reversing the order as many do.

The drift of this lesson is this; as your heavenly Father has pity on you, have pity on one another. Jesus, the Compassionate One, covers our sins with the mantle of His love! Be as tender towards those who sin as the Master was. He remembers that we are dust; remember this of others. 

I will not find fault with you, my friend, if I can help it, because you will be one day without fault before the throne of God! If God will so soon remove your faults, why should I take note of them?"   Charles Haddon Spurgeon

One of My Favorites

One of my favorite quotations of all time is from Peter Kuzmic. He was born in Yugoslavia (which became Croatia) and started a seminary there...

Anyway...the quote:

"Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future.

Faith is having the courage to dance to it today."

May we all have the courage to keep our feet moving in light of the hope that the Lord has stored up for us in heaven (see Col 1.5)

And, should you have a problem with the concept of dancing, read Psalm 150.

I Despise Numbers

I hate numbers.

Allow me to explain.

While in Vietnam I saw "numbers" become synonymous with "lies." After action reports, in the main, threw numbers of "Killed In Action" enemies inflated...often hugely inflated.

So I was pretty much in hate with numbers...

Then I got saved...

Then I went into ministry...

Then I started seeing a different version of "body counts."

"12 saved, 23 assurance, 14 dedications" seemed and seems a constant refrain from most meetings where preaching took place.

Be advised I am not totally against "invitations." There is a time. I am against any type of invitation that has any hint of manipulation. But that's another discussion.

I certainly am against judging the "success" of an event, or a program, by numbers.

Hopefully those who are into numbers in the Christian realm are not going to lie (inflate) the numbers to look "good."

But none of us are the Holy Spirit (thank God!) And only He does the counting that counts...

And the Spirit, while inspiring the Scripture, most of the time is very vague about "numbers."

"About 5000"...."about 120"....Acts 19.7 records "There were about twelve men in all." Obviously God knew exactly how many men were there; but still Spirit inspired “about twelve...”

Even I can count to twelve!

Perhaps the Spirit of God is telling us something??? Last time I checked any proclamation of God’s Word is a victory, whether there is any outward “response” or not...

Maybe the Spirit’s point is that individual people are more important than numbers?

Then again, there are the 153 fish that Simon Peter caught...

What'sThe REAL Problem? (hint - it ain't 'them')

“The central problem of our age is not liberalism or

modernism, nor the old Roman Catholicism or the new

Roman Catholicism, nor the threat of communism, nor

even the threat of rationalism and the monolithic 

consensus which surrounds us [nor, I would add today,

postmodernism or materialistic consumerism or

visceral sensualism or whatever].  

All these are dangerous but not the primary threat.

The real problem is this: the church of the Lord Jesus

Christ, individually or corporately, tending to do the 

Lord’s work in the power of the flesh rather than of the

Spirit.  The central problem is always in the midst of

the people of God, not in the circumstances 

surrounding them.”

Francis A. Schaeffer, No Little People (Wheaton, 2003), page 66.

Depression Discussion and More

NOTE: What follows was originally posted on my facebook. It generated several comments, so I have transferred it here both for my sake (to retain) and perhaps for those who read this but do not follow me on facebook.

 

DANGER! WARNING! (please read)

This is long, but necessary.

 

It is also a sort-of "warning."

 

I love to walk. On said walks I carry my phone. First to read scripture as I walk, second to be able to take photos. Many of those photos find there way to facebook.

 

And as warmer weather comes, as the sun stays out more often; the walks and length thereof increase....thus the photos increase.

 

All this to say I have been and will be posting more and more. I also share things I find in my reading/research/sermon prep.

 

I know many of you are facebook friends simply because we met at a camp at which I spoke, or whatever. If my "feed" bothers you it will not offend me to have you unfriend. It's cool.

 

I also want to explain, sort of, why I didn't post much from say October to late March.

 

Not sure if there is a direct correlation, but since my eye injury several years ago I have dealt with what I diagnose as "seasonal depression."

 

After the craziness of camp season my life slows down at a certain level. I fall into a slump, a shut-down, a funk; not even sure what to call it.

 

It makes it really tough on my family first. 

 

Finally, in December, I got a physical (I try to get one at least every other decade). The physical didn’t turn up anything goofy, but in conversing with the doc we discussed the “depression” issue and I agreed to see a psychiatrist at the VA. Frankly I had reservations about this, but both Jane and I thought it a good idea

.

Meeting with the doc we discussed various aspects, and I agreed to take medication...again with hesitancy. I am NOT against meds (as long as they are not a first-resort ). But after doing some research I was a bit nervous-in-the-service. 

 

But after prayer I decided to try the med and, if there were no whacky side effects, to continue.

 

I am grateful the meds have helped. So says Jane, and I concur. It will be interesting to see what happens now that I am at my “come-out-of-the-funk point,

 

So if you are the praying type, pray that we keep this thing under control. Compared to what so many deal with, this is rather mickey mouse; but my Bible says “cast ALL your cares upon Him” so thus I do.

 

So, be aware there will be more postings coming. If that bothers you, might be a good idea to unfriend.

 

If you can live with it, or - as many of you have written - you enjoy (most) of the pics and other things I share, enjoy!

 

And, as always, if I post something that bothers you, confuses you, or whatever - PLEASE don’t hesitate to call me out via message or whatever.

 

Blessings!

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15.13