tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66365627023671276262024-03-13T16:46:34.496-07:00StandA Christian blog. Hoping all come to know the saving Grace of Christ.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-43600274191841856302014-07-14T21:07:00.001-07:002014-07-14T21:07:48.088-07:00A discussion on Grace and Sin and Our Response to it.We, as Christians live under Grace. What does this mean for us? That term is thrown around a lot today. As a Wesleyan, I often talk about Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, and Sanctifying Grace. It's a way to try to understand Grace. The truth is there is only one Grace, but we do this to help grow our understanding of it.<br />
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It is unfortunate that so many people today do not understand Grace, and they don't feel that they can go to a "normal" church as they feel out of place, unaccepted, judged, or simply feel they cannot measure up or be "good enough." <br />
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That's a shame. As Christians we are called to grow the Kingdom, to Love God and Love Others. When a visitor feels this way it is a failure of the humans involved, not a failure of God. These folks are good people, generally with good hearts and good intentions, but it is so easy to fall into the "norm" of worship; to worry more about the place, the time, the music, the sermon, being seen, doing the stuff of church, and not coming to the true heart of worship. Are we loving God? Magnifying Him and His glory? Are we loving others by showing that we really care about them? Do we listen to them? Do we seek them out? Welcome them despite their differences? Do we offer the hand of friendship to those who are different, look different, dress different, even those who vote differently?<br />
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When I think on this, I point the finger directly at myself. Am I doing what Jesus wants me to be doing? Am I showing love through my Christian action? Am I growing the kingdom through my actions. It's so important to remember that Jesus rarely taught in the synagogues, instead he was with the people. He went where they were. This was so revolutionary, that the leaders of the Jewish Church felt threatened. Jesus wasn't doing it their way. <br />
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In Luke 5:29-32, Jesus went to eat with Levi, a Jewish Tax-Collector for the hated Romans. According to the Law, no one was worse than that. The worst kind of sinner because he profited at the cost of all other Jews. But Jesus went to eat in Levi's home. "Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' Jesus answered, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance."<br />
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We are to seek out others, spread the Good News. We can do this because we live under Grace. <br />
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To understand Grace, you have to understand Sin. Sin is anything we do that takes us out of our relationship with God. Sin can be all the big ones; murder, rape, other criminal activities, but it can also be watching football rather than attending worship, or partying rather than being with our families. We often sin against God and against others. Why is this important? <br />
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Jesus was asked what was the Greatest Commandment. In Mark 12:30, Jesus answered "The first is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." In a nutshell, Jesus is saying Love God and Love Others. We should seek to do this in all our interactions, and most often in Worship.<br />
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So we are all guilty of sinning against God and against others. We fail all the time, daily. It is our human nature to fail and fall short of the glory of God. The Bible tells us, "No one is righteous, no not one." That was true 2000 years ago, and that is true today. So if we all fail God and each other, what can we do?<br />
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Only one thing. Accept Christ as your savior. See he died on a cross as the final sacrifice for all our sins. Our debt is paid in full. But wait, Ed, I didn't earn it. That's right, you didn't, and you can't. For nothing you can do can measure up to Christ's sacrifice on that cross. That is what we mean by Grace. It's a free gift for all humanity. All you have to do is accept it. Christ is the savior, he died so all humanity might be saved.<br />
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God is perfect and cannot look upon sin. But now, when you have accepted Christ's gift of Grace, God looks upon you and sees a sinless Christ. That is Grace! <br />
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I remember my grandparents, loving good people, but they were terrified that they were not going to be "good enough" or "prayed up enough" to be allowed into heaven. I'm sad today, because I'm sure they are in heaven, but their years of living were filled with doubt and fear of God, when what He really wanted from them was love and awe; a perfect relationship of a good and loving Father and an obedient son/daughter. They didn't understand Grace. <br />
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But they would argue, if they were here today, "I have sins. Many may be unrepented. If I'm not prayed up, I'll be doomed to a fire-filled hell." My answer to that is found in Romans 8:38: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."<br />
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That's Grace. If you accept Him, you are forgiven, You become a child of the King of Everything. His sacrifice paid the price for our sins. How do we respond to Grace. We seek to worship God, to have a relationship with Him, and to Love Him with all our heart, all our strength. Then we are to love others, to care for them as we care for ourselves. That is the proper response to our Christianity. It doesn't matter where we meet to worship, or who we are with, or how we are dressed, or anything else. Are we worshipping God with our Love? Are we seeking Him in our lives? Are we loving others as Jesus loved them? Remember Grace, be thankful for it, and share it with others. <br />
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Love to all,<br />
<br />
Ed<br />
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"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-9246225410448998342014-03-22T13:30:00.003-07:002014-03-22T14:03:15.461-07:00Love, Not Hate: Last Scene<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last one. This one is based on a true story that happened in Egypt. You can find pictures of it online. People ARE basically good. We share the same loves, desires, and hope for the future.</span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Love, Not Hate<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Hello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m Peter
Commons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was raised in the 90s, but I
grew up on September 11, 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lived
in Brooklyn and worked in New York at the World Trade Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily I was on the 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> floor
when the first plane hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first we
didn’t even evacuate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought it was
just some sort of freak accident, but it was still a work day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still things had to get done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when the second plane hit, well, we knew
we had to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boss, John, he stayed
behind, working in the stairwell, moving up and down the floors, helping people
evacuate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really did, but I was scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to stay and help.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>I mean, I was a young man, and life was good, and I just
wasn’t ready to take a chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did
help John for about 2o minutes, but I could feel the building shaking, and I
saw those brave firemen and policemen running up the stairs towards the
inferno.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just wasn’t in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt that vibration in the stairwell, and I
ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>I survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got out
of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last we ever heard of him was that he
helped a lady with a broken leg down fifteen flights of stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He ran back inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know
how many people he saved that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
gave his life for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Left a wife,
Mary, and two teenaged boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They never
identified his body.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>The next few years, I kept reliving it in my mind, in my
nightmares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew to hate all
Muslims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw them as the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, my cousin, Karen, who married an
Egyptian Christian wrote me this note.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>I want to share it with you: [takes out letter]<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>“Dear Peter, I know you have been worried about us as Egypt
has really erupted in violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
you have heard of the 21 Christians who were killed in that terrorist attack by
the radical Islamists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, Christmas
Eve was the scariest night of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had been warned not to attend Mass, to stay away from the church, but
we couldn't.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t deny our
savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left our homes, afraid that
we would never return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That the promised
attacks on us on this holy night would be the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That the Muslims would never let us worship
or follow our beliefs.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>As we approached the church, we parked several blocks away,
and walked, they were there, waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hundreds of Muslims, in front of our church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first we thought they were a mob waiting
to prevent us from celebrating Christmas Eve Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they weren’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They met us, hugged us, and told us that “if
the terrorists want to kill you, they’ll have to kill us to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stayed there, the entire mass, waiting
outside the church, acting as human shields, willing to give their lives for
us.”<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>I read this, and it broke me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John’s sacrifice, then these Muslims, the
ones I thought were all evil, did this and possibly saved my cousin Karen and
her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I realized, life should
never be about hate and fear, but about Love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Love of God, and Love of Others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m Peter, and my message is love.<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-32833735996722672302014-03-22T13:28:00.002-07:002014-03-22T13:28:33.387-07:00Jimmy: Scene Six
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This one is made up, but loosely based on some folks I know. If you have ever been blessed to know someone as good as Jimmy, then you know people like this really do exist.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><em>Jimmy<o:p></o:p></em></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I know, male nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go on, get the giggles outa your system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m used to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like being a nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like helping people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I was missing something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wasn’t satisfied with my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed…something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I work at the local hospital and I usually work
60 or more hours a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve cleaned
bed pans, changed out IVs, given sponge baths, witnessed birth, and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen people whose bodies were torn
beyond recognition in horrible accidents, and I’ve seen people die peaceably in
their sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve witnessed the horrors
of cancer, alzheimers, you name it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About a year ago, I was getting really jaded, you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The job I had loved, had become just another
job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hardened my heart against the
pain and suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to be nice,
you know, to joke around, smile, but I just couldn’t afford to let myself care
too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then I met Jimmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jimmy was an older fella, mid to late 70s, with pure cotton
top gray hair and a cherubic body with a big smile, though he was missing most
of his teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met him several times in
the past few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was coming to
the hospital for cancer treatment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was late stage stuff, and he gasped for every breath, but he was always smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always humming songs of worship, and he would
always find people to pray with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I found really amazing is that he wouldn’t ever mention
his own prayers, for himself, he always prayed for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the nurses and doctors on the
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second time he came in, it was to the emergency room,
his heart was beating irregularly, but even then, he never lost his composure,
smiling in the pain, saying “God Bless You” to everyone who came in, and
offering to pray for anyone there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
couldn’t get that image of him praying for others, while he was being eaten up
with cancer, while he was dying, he was praying for life for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was blown away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I met his granddaughter, Tyler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a lovely girl, and I fell for her
quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After work one night, I took
her to Dairy Queen for ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
asked her about her grandfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he
always been that way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She shook her head, “No, but he is now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With tears in her eyes she told me that he
had been a successful businessman and real estate tycoon and had been a real
sock it to them kinda guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after
retirement, he began to mellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joined a
church, etcetera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that she
thought he was just going through the motions, you know, to be seen being a
good guy, or to pay whatever price he needed to , to have peace of mind that
when he does die, that he will go to heaven and not to hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I nodded, and told her I got it, but she shook her head,
“No, you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really did give his
life to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He changed, utterly and
totally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The past few years he worked
even harder to help others, than he did when he was a businessman and real
estate mogul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day he found out about
the cancer, he went home and pulled out his old book of contacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent the next three days contacting
everyone who he thought he had wronged all those years in business, anyone that
he thought might have anything against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t tell them about the cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He simply said, “I want to let you know that I’m sorry for whatever
happened between us, and I’m asking for your forgiveness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some hung up on him, some laughed, some
accepted his apology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jimmy died a month ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His funeral was the largest I’ve ever attended In my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many people wanting to pay respects to
this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most said, they hadn’t even
known he had cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I was struck by
what the preacher said that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The
love we show for others, the life we lead here, reflects the love of God for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we as the body of Christ, have a duty to
love God, and to love others.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I grew up a lot the day we buried Jimmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I pray everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray for all those in my care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray for the doctors and staff of the hospital,
and I try to live a life that reflects the love of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m blessed for it, as Tyler has agreed to
marry me and become my wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So whenever
things look bad for you, or you find yourself in a dark place, think of Jimmy,
think of his love and know that it was a mere reflection, a ripple on a pond,
of the love of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-43506585452721737052014-03-22T13:26:00.004-07:002014-03-22T13:26:53.046-07:00School Buddy: Scene Five<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Snopes says this never happened, as it is an internet story that has been going around for a long time. This is a reworking of the idea.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">School Buddy<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll never forget the day Mark and I became friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seen him around school, and I knew he
was different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He always seemed sad and
he was kind of a nerd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wore big old
black plastic framed glasses, the lens like coke bottles, a shock of rarely
combed hair, and he was shorter than most of the boys in our class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hate to admit it, but I never
even tried to get to know him or even talk to him until one day in early
September of our Freshman year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stanley,
the local bully and a Senior loved giving freshmen a hard time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially those who would never fight
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Freshmen like Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, I had just walked into the bathroom
and I saw Stanley and two other seniors had Mark backed into one of the toilet
stalls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were picking him up and
trying to put his head in the toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mark cried and begged and fought best he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something broke in me, I wanted to turn and
walk away, not get involved, but this wasn’t right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never could do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No body deserved to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be treated like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Stop it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I yelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Another one!” they shouted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the seniors left the pack and started
towards me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, he was a whole lot
bigger than me, and I ain’t stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I busted outta that bathroom and
screamed for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Laughs), yeah, I
admit it, my voice hadn’t really changed yet and I was a pretty soprano!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, Mr. Lamb our Principal, just happened
to be near by and within minutes the Seniors were expelled and Mark and I were
safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least till they returned to
school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mark couldn’t believe that I had
stood up for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He invited me to his
house that night to play video games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m glad he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We became the
very best of friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we survived
our Freshman year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark was in band, I
played football, he was on the chess club, I…wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People figured out real quick that when you
messed with one of us, you messed with both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually we graduated high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course, Mark was Valedictorian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was…well, I wasn’t, but I graduated to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll never forget his speech that
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “When I was a freshman,
my parents were getting a divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t have a single friend, and I believed no one cared about me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day I stole my father’s .45 pistol,
brought it to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I planned on
getting through the day, then going to the band hall and killing myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think I had anything to live
for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That day, some Seniors came around
and started bullying me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even thought
about pulling the gun and shooting them, but I was saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A boy I didn’t even know, stood up to them,
and got help for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He became my best
friend, and I am here today, because he chose to care.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thanked me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Called me out in front of everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember much of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too many tears in my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t deserve it, I hadn’t really done
anything too special, but for Mark, it was enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-57264221861733787802014-03-22T13:24:00.003-07:002014-03-22T13:25:08.259-07:00A Mother's Worries: Scene Four<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This one is close to me as a parent of a special needs child. You may remember a very similar story on national news recently.</span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">A Mother’s Worries<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">So I was flying on a six hour trip from Houston to
Washington D.C. with my daughter, Nellie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nellie is only seven years old and has down syndrome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can be very precocious, outspoken, and
has a high pitched laugh that can drive you crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Anyway, we were not able to sit next to each other and my
seat was in the row behind her’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
on the aisle, there was a middle seat, and Nellie was sitting next to the
window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was worried that whoever might
sit next her might not be very understanding, because whoever did would have
Nellie talking to them the entire flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">As late passengers arrived and boarded, a tall young man
came on and proceeded to sit next to Nellie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think he was probably in his early 20s, maybe a recent college
graduate or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing
blue jeans, a New England Patriots sweater, and had white ear buds from his
IPod hanging from his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Well good, I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’ll just tune her out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
plane began to taxi to prepare to take off, Nellie got nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked over her shoulder at me and I
could see fear in her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s okay
baby,” I smiled and tried to comfort her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">The man next to her pulled his right ear bud out and looked
at Nellie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You okay?” he asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shook her head, “No, I’m scared.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smiled, offered his hand to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took it and held on to him as we thundered
down the runway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">The man laughed as the plane took off, and said,
“Wheee!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>causing Nellie to laugh and
several of us around to join in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Once in the sky he could have let go of her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t, he continued to hold her hand in
his and listened to her talk about her Barbie collection and Sponge Bob Square
Pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young man apparently watched
that show as well as they started singing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I’m a goofy goober!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again the
whole plane to laugh and enjoy their antics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I listened as he told her he had been in Houston visiting
his old college roommate, and that he was returning home to Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a school teacher there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">They continued like this until the flight was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it came time to disembark, Nellie stood
up and hugged him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had made the trip
worthwhile, just by showing that he cared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He cared enough to talk to and laugh with a special needs child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of us would ignore her, or
worse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That young man is my hero, and he
will forever have my love for what he did for my daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-38478538806954505312014-03-22T13:22:00.001-07:002014-03-22T13:23:15.037-07:00Forgiveness of the Amish: Scene Three<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This one is based on a true event, that brings tears to my eyes. Am I this good of a Christian? Probably not. I'd like to be.</span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Forgiveness of the
Amish<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone
says we must forgive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that’s hard
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can say I forgive someone, but
in my heart I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hold grudges, I
know I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does this mean I’m a bad
person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">And even if I forgive, there’s no way I’ll ever forget when
someone hurts me or my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear
these Christians saying we are to love others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are to forgive them, but are they just speaking the words?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean is it really in anyone’s heart to
forgive?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I’d say no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like
to think everyone else is just as bad as I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That true forgiveness is not possible, unless your Jesus Christ, I
mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of us, it just is not
reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not the world we live in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">But then I hear stories of amazing forgiveness and it blows
me away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever heard of those
Amish people up north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know they live
plainly, wear clothes from the 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century, live without
electricity, tv, radio, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They drive
wagons with horses to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man they
would drive me crazy if they lived down here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can you imagine driving down 21 and nearly stopping because an Amish Buggy
was in the road cruising at fifteen miles per hour?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d be laying on the horn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy right?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Well, a few years back I saw this news story on tv.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A crazy guy with a gun entered a small Amish
school house and shot and killed several children, a teacher, and then turned
the gun on himself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">These Amish folks, devote people, a fundamental people, and
they had every right to be angry at our world that had intruded on theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of our people had murdered their
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even imagine what that
would be like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A parent’s worst
nightmare.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">But it’s what they did next that brings me back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parents of the murdered children, these
Amish parents, they gathered food and took it to the home of the parents of the
murderer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said, “We are not the only
ones who have lost loved one’s today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is not their fault that their son did this, and we must forgive and move
forward.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They took food
to the killer’s family!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted to
show forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To show charity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To show love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Now, I know it is not in me to be that good of a
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But isn’t that what true
Christians are called to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To love and
to forgive others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">It really gets to me, you know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-73079705458425324712014-03-22T13:20:00.003-07:002014-03-22T13:20:23.830-07:00Who is Hurting? Scene Two
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Okay, this next one is made up. One character on stage, one in the tech booth as the "voice."</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Who is Hurting?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted
to get involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To help people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a good person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m willing to help folks when they need
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I mean really, what difference
can one person really make?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice from Above:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Save all mankind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, but
that was Jesus, you know God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t
human, I mean, only half.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WRONG!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was fully Human, and fully Divine!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay,
okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I remember that, but I
mean no one can measure up to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
that what you are telling me to do?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, it’s not,
and you are right, no one can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
why he was the Savior and you are the saved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I am
right then?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About what?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really
can’t make a difference, not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
person can’t solve homelessness, fix alcoholism or other drug addictions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You think so?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I mean<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do care, but I don’t
really have time to get<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>involved and
anything I do won’t make a difference anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever
heard the story of the little girl and the 1000s of beached starfish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t say
that I have.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little girl
was on the beach one morning surrounded by thousands<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of beached starfish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the sun was coming up the starfish were
slowly dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl would bend over,
carefully pick one up, and throw it as far as she could into the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she would do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A man came by and asked her what she was
doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She replied, “I’m saving the
starfish.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man shook his head and
said, “You can’t save them all, you should just leave them alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t really make a difference you
know.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little girl looked at the
man, picked up another starfish, threw it into the sea, then answered, “It made
a big difference to that one.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man
thought about it, and joined the little girl,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>saving as many of the starfish as they could.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">SILENCE<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I
get ya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It matters to those that are
helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I still don’t have time to
really do anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want a
reward?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dunno
about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess if I’m giving my
money or my time I should at least be recognized for what I did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hello?....Hello?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you there?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why did
you bug out like that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
maybe your big head on stage was enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Might get crowded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character laughs:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do we do
good things for others?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dunno.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do good
deeds not to be Christian, but because we are Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well,
that’s pretty high falootin’ of ya.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice: Not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus said “Be a servant to all.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But how?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Visit those
who are sick in the hospital, those in prison, widowers, work with orphans,
give food to hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the needy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds
like socialism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds like love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I
get the sick, widows and orphans, but those guys in prison are scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God does not
judge a man until he is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why
should you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are called to be a
witness, not a lawyer or a judge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Laughs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m gonna do better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m gonna
stand on the promises of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maker sure
your standing and not just sitting on them!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Character turns to leave, then : “Hey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll do my best, but what if it isn’t good
enough?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Voice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God doesn’t grade on a curve, he
grades on a Cross.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-22003437832501121442014-03-22T13:17:00.002-07:002014-03-22T13:18:04.482-07:00Sharing StuffI was asked to pick a play for the Burleson Theater Arts Guild, but it turned out they had picked Easter Weekend for it, and it was given to me about 1.5 months out. We agreed to make it an Easter Themed play without being too "preachy" or "testimonial." Everything I found was written for Junior high actors and I just wasn't pleased by it. So I decided to write some dramatic/comedic scenes based on real life goodness, was planning on having a normal dinner theater, and having a live band playing ten or so songs (a mix of contemporary Christian and good old Rock and Roll). At our last meeting we all agreed we just didn't have enough time to pull it off, but I thought I'd share my writings here.<br />
<br />
Most of these are based on real life events with a focus on Love God, Love Others. The opening was just me having fun.<br />
<br />
Anyways, here goes, enjoy....<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Opening<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="color: black;">(Actor comes into the audience, band on stage, lights up, spot on actor)</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Welcome to our Easter Saturday Night of fellowship, music,
and theater.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">We welcome everyone, and any denomination (we accept 1s, 5s,
10s, 20s, heck even a 100 if you are so inclined).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I been studying the Bible and I’m amazed at all the
characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean there are some real
characters in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I mean start with Adam, before Eve showed up, I think his
theme song went (One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.) *Band picks
up and sings)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">And poor Eve…she didn’t have much choice, she was really
stuck with Adam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were the only
man on earth….heh…well, here I am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think her theme song would be “Stuck in the Middle with You.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">But together Adam and Eve, They were really a pair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean together they invented the greatest of
foods and have their own song “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">And then there was Noah…I think I know the perfect theme
song for him, “Raindrops keep falling on my head.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Esau, man he was a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think he was (Born to be wild).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Samson, you remember he had the hair that made him super
strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got his song too, “(Hair!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Daniel’s would be (The Lion sleeps tonight).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Methusalah…oldest man ever right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was just (Staying alive, Staying Alive).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">And finally there was Joshua singing (Good Vibrations)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Thank you for coming and enjoy the show!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-91898670397778010132014-02-03T13:06:00.002-08:002014-02-03T13:06:36.876-08:00Love is the Greatest CommandmentIt's been sometime since I last posted. Being a football coach really ate up my entire Fall, then the Holidays, and then getting back to work. I was blessed in November, December and January to be called to preach at several churches including my home church of First United Methodist of Caldwell. It was wonderful and endearing for me to be able to bring God's word and His Love to others. <br />
<br />
I belong to a Facebook Group called Fans for Christ. It's a bunch of Scify, Fantasy, Gaming geeks like me, who also believe Jesus is the Savior. Some of the posts are questions about various denominational beliefs and doctrines. I stay out of those. My best comment for that is "go ask your preacher/priest." But there are some occasional great questions. Here is one: "Do any of you pray for atheist leaders?" There were several answers. One stated "No" and went on to state that "Christians need to catch up" with them on the internet. <br />
<br />
First, we should be praying for EVERYONE, regardless of religion, beliefs, values, or even political party. Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, to love our enemies. <br />
<br />
What is the best response? Living an authentic witness. Be Christlike. Love God, Love Others in everything you do. Don't judge, don't debate, don't berate, don't belittle, don't attack, don't protest, don't do anything that does not show love. And please, don't attack with vehemence and then try to hide it with "The Bible Says...." Cause if you do, you ain't reading it all, and you may have missed the important Jesus parts. You know, the parts about loving others, being a servant to all, or following His example. You Cannot, Will Not Save anyone! Only Jesus Saves. Your job is to live an authentic witness, be prepared to share your testimony when asked, to be a servant to all, and to Love everyone, even those that you may find it difficult to love.<br />
<br />
You plant the seeds, the Holy Spirit will grow them.<br />
<br />
In Christ,<br />
<br />
EdUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-19320281475471188022013-07-10T05:50:00.000-07:002013-07-10T05:50:13.830-07:00An Awesome BlogPlease check out this blog by a friend of mine. I'm so impressed with his arguments and agree 100 percent. I believe in free will, not an elect. I believe that Christ died for ALL mankind, not just a chosen few. Check it out:<br />
<br />
www:calvinex.blogspot.com/<br />
<br />
Another thought for today. Jesus was truly revolutionary 2000 years ago, and His ideas are revolutionary today. Love God, Love Others (even those who are difficult to love), forgive, be a servant to all. Gandhi once said he would be a Christian if he had ever met someone actually living according to the teachings of Christ. Why? Because it is revolutionary and we all fall short. But that is the standard we should be attempting to achieve. Be a Revolutionary.<br />
<br />
Viva la Revolution!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-38161862652156697372013-05-20T14:30:00.000-07:002013-05-20T14:31:35.787-07:00What do Methodists believe?<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Methodists DO have beliefs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in openness regarding doctrinal issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wesley encouraged a “catholic” or
universal spirit for all Christians, a willingness to be open to other ideas,
and to work closely with, those we differ with in matters of worship and teachings
that do not detract from the essence of basic Christian beliefs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Methodists do not believe we are the one true church, but
that we are a movement with a particular mission among the broader body of
Christian believers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible is the primary source and testimony for our faith.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We do not teach the “infallibility” of the Bible as we
realize it has been translated many times from the original scripts and that
while it was originally written by Jews using Hebraic thought and language and
then was translated into other languages using western thought processes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do believe that the Bible is the
revelation of God’s teachings for us, and that the truth of life according to
God’s revelation is found within.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the established traditions of Christianity as
well as our own personal experiences with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible is the primary source of learning, but it is not
solitary, and we are to use reason, tradition, Biblical teachings, and our own
personal experiences to understand God and have a personal relationship with
Him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the unity of the Bible, as we believe that the
Bible tells us a single, unified story that focuses on man’s inability to reach
God, but God’s great love for us, and His Grace in the solution that Christ
offers every human being.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that God is still active in our lives and in the
Church today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We affirm the ancient Christian Creeds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that God’s gifts of Grace and our own reason is
available to all persons to assist in our discernment of God in our lives and
the need for moral responsibility and illumination from study of the Bible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in personal experiences regarding God’s active
love in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allows
divine illumination of our personal gifts, and when combined with our reason
allows us to clarify the truth of the scriptures.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the Weslayan Quadralateral for Christian
growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible is primary, but
not solitary for study, and that we also have reason, tradition, and experience
to help us understand God’s will.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the Trinity of God; the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One in three
parts, such as ice, steam, and water are all part of the same whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is without body or form and that
Christ is of one being with the Father and is both fully human and divine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We place an emphasis on the intensely personal nature of
worshipping God, and believe that all Christians should constantly seek a deep,
personal relationship with Him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We cannot save ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are sinful and that we are only saved through God’s gift
of grace.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that Grace is available to all human beings, so
that all may be saved through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We do not believe in the Chosen or the Elect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in free will as a result of God’s Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are free to choose Him or reject
Him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe God is universally available to all, not just to
an elect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We reject predestination as we believe salvation is
available to all people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that good works are signs of God’s Grace at work
within us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, we do
good works because we are Christians, not to be a Christian.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that God’s initiative in salvation allows for,
empowers, and requires a free human response to God’s amazing Grace.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that we can understand God’s Grace in Prevenient,
Justifying, and Sanctifying manners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Prevenient Grace is God’s everlasting love for us, the idea that he
loved us so much as to die for us even before we were born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is constantly wooing us, loving us,
and supporting us even before we have accepted Him as our savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Justifying Grace is the moment we
accept Him as our savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
then justified in the sight of God, as all our sins are forgiven (past,
present, and future).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sanctifying
Grace is our ongoing development in our Christian walk growing closer to Him,
developing a personal relationship with Him, and allowing Him to work through
us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe you can lose God’s Grace and justification only
by choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you reject Him after
knowing His Grace, than you have fallen from Grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We reject the totality of the “once saved, always saved” idea.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe Christians should seek personal piety by serving
the two greatest commandments of Christ:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Love God, Love Others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the universality of Grace, salvation, and the
Church as a body of believers (not denominations).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that all baptized Christians are called to
ministry or the Priesthood of all believers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the means of Grace that develop our personal
relationship and worship of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These include attending worship services, preaching, the Lord’s Supper,
prayer, study of scripture, and fasting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in two sacraments:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baptism and Communion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that the Communion table is God’s table, not a
Methodist one, and that all Christians are invited to accept Communion and
worship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in frequent Communion to remember Christ’s
sacrifice for us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in a final judgment of all mankind, and that
those who are saved shall attain heaven with God, while those that reject him
will suffer eternal condemnation and separation for the love and truth of God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We reject the idea of Purgatory.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in living a methodical way of life regarding
study of scriptures, prayer, and worship to grow in our sanctification, and
that our lives should reflect these Christian ethics of life in the community,
personal morality, and seeking social morality as well, by avoiding evil, doing
good, and keeping to the ordinances of God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in the openness of Christianity and reject the
idea of secret societies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We should guard our speech and always seek to heal and
reconcile, not hurt or inflame.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe in sexual intimacy in marriage only.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We believe that every individual should earn all the money
they can, save all they can, and give away all they can.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We seek social morality by charitable giving, seeking
justice for the oppressed, and mercy for all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why I am a Methodist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-89453124546600665212013-01-10T07:22:00.002-08:002013-01-10T07:22:46.288-08:00Kairos Letters
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">The following are abstracts taken
from letters written by the men of Kairos 54. This is what we are called to
do.<span> </span>“Love others as
yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“It has
truly been a life changing experience….and although this feeling I am
experiencing now might not last forever I know in my heart that the memory
will!<span> </span>Though I am behind these
walls today I am truly free.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I’ve
learned that no matter how fare one goes off into the ocean of despair, God is
always faithful to save you when we call out to Him to rescue us!<span> </span>Such amazing grace!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I got to
know God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“…just to
remind you of the very words Christ spoke—“very well done thou good and
faithful servant.<span> </span>You made a
difference and I want to say God bless you…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Your
Christian actions have inspired me to take on a personal relationship with the
Lord.<span> </span>To better myself so I can be
able to motivate and inspire others by what God has done for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Kairos
has given me the light of forgiveness and a taste of real love, Unconditional
love, His Love!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I am a
340lb 6’4” Black man.<span> </span>I have 40
years to do.<span> </span>I thought I was too
manly to come to Kairos.<span> </span>Now I
feel like more of a man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I came
here a non-Christian to become a true Christian and now I’m ready to give it my
life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“…I know I
am free….I believe in the faith of Jesus Christ, the Real Jesus Christ now, and
that these four days have opened the door to everlasting joy!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“It has
taught me how to grow in Christ and how I can promote God’s works to everyone I
come into contact with.<span> </span>I have
witnessed God’s incredible power at work, turning hardened criminals into soft
mounds of warm loving clay wanting to be reformed into what God wants them to
be.<span> </span>The transformation of lives
and the love I have witnessed has been overwhelming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I know
that it will help me become a better person by the time that I get out of this
place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Because
of you and others like you and others like you, I’ve enjoyed a sense of peace
and tranquility in a place where bad things and bad situations produce bad
attitudes and bad people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“This has
created an excellent opportunity and environment to reach the unreachable, to
touch the untouchable, and to love the unloveable.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Dear
Brethren—here is a poem to show my appreciation:<span> </span>I Wake<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">I wake to
breath<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">The hope
fraught air<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Of dream
reborn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Of gone
despair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">In every
facet radiantly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">The dawn
is breaking there…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">I wake to
find<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Deep
meaning sown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Within a
heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Of
crumbling stone<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">A bright
and Shining vision of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">True love
that bids me home…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I have
been a Christian for most of my life.<span>
</span>Kairos has showed me that Christianity is not a personal, passive
thing.<span> </span>It has showed me the need
to be God’s ambassador and servant to the men around me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“As a
candidate of #54 Kairos I thank you for helping to change the weeping of my
night, to joy of the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“When a
man comes from a past that is as filthy and ragged as mine, it is hard to
understand the love that has been shown to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I learned
that even a reject like me is loved by someone.<span> </span>I learned forgiveness.<span>
</span>I can honestly say, that I have never forgiven anyone before.<span> </span>But last night I forgave every hurt I
was holding in my heart.<span> </span>All the
hate, pain, heartache, stress.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Seeing
the love of God work through all of you is living evidence that our Lord Jesus
Christ was expressing to us during His short time here.<span> </span>It is very much a reality to me, even
more so now than ever before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I exist
in a very dark place, prison, and I have great faith that enables me to face
each day.<span> </span>I know what loneliness
is, I know what despair is.<span> </span>God
shows me what love is, what hope is….When light walks into a dark place the
darkness must leave. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“It is
rare that people like us (inmates) get to step away from the everyday life of
prison.<span> </span>The constant tension,
repetition, and stress.<span> </span>These last
four days have made me feel human again.<span>
</span>Thank you for letting me feel this agape love.<span> </span>I’ve watched men torn down and built back up to be what God
wanted us to be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Over the
last four days, we felt so much love.<span>
</span>I’m talking about a love that I didn’t think still existed….I thank God
for giving me the opportunity to experience this love so I can be able to share
it with others.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“The
experience of me being here in “Kairos” has touched my heart and made me see
the big picture on life.<span> </span>I found
out that if we accept Jesus into our life, he will never leave us or forsake
us!<span> </span>I truly believe that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Sometimes
a person feels alone and it’s tough to open up to someone you don’t know or
haven’t seen before.<span> </span>But you did
that without any judgment in your soul.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Many
lives and hearts are now changed and that we can move in the right direction.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“My heart
cried out when I was given blessing, prayers, letters, and as the fellowship
was shared and stomach filled, so was I filled with the Spirit you guys and
women and children have given me. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“This
experience has given me a fully illustrated vision of the bigger picture of
life and has given me the motivation to get back on the right track…this
movement creates vision and hope for those in need of spiritual guidance”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I was
finally able to forgive a man that I had no intention to forgive, “ever” who I
had hated for almost 17 years but against my will God has taken that from
me!<span> </span>Imagine that?<span> </span>What a wonderful feeling, to be able to
forgive, and even better feeling that God give us a glimpse every now and again
to see the love that our human forms cannot contain but that is waiting for us
after we leave this place to join Him….I have been crying and weeping over
everything (Love) and it is so nice to be able to experience emotions again.<span> </span>God is Good!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“The love
that [is] generated through this program is unbelievable.<span> </span>And as an incarcerated individual the
love that was provided this weekend we don’t see often.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“I was
able to remove a big load of unforgiveness towards myself and others.<span> </span>I was able to open the door to my heart
and let the Lord in.<span> </span>I will be
able to be a changed man, and be better to my wife and my kids.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“A lot of
us growing up are taught that familial (family love) is the greatest and never
ending love, only to come to prison and find out, that if you mess up bad
enough family will abandon you too.<span>
</span>Then sets in bitterness, regret, hostility, etc.<span> </span>Due to the rejection…Only to one day
find out people that never knew you in life, cares about your life, and this is
done by the example of WWJD.<span> </span>So we
begin to see, to wonder, to ponder.<span>
</span>What is life like as a sincere Christian as a new creature at the hand
of God and His Guidance”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">“Your
efforts speak love to the soul of the lonely, oppressed, and stricken person.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-76884528641277607572012-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:002012-12-31T12:20:21.374-08:00Kairos 54: Returning to the World
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sunday was bittersweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of us knew this was the end of a
fantastic time of love and celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each of the men were to return to their prison lives and all of the
inside team would return to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We continued with a few more talks and discussions as well as more
meditations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote each of the men a
second letter telling them what I had learned from each of them and what my
prayers for each of them were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harold
told me again how much he appreciated our prayers and how he had never known
love in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That he had been a
child of the streets, been gang banging to survive since he was 12, but that he
had given his life to Christ and that all we wanted now was to do his time and
go be a father to his daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two inmates came to me at two
different times and said they wanted to apologize to a teacher for all the
problems they had caused their teachers through the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At lunch I spoke at length to Jose about how
he needed to get out of the gang if he really wanted to change his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That afternoon they signed my notebook and I
found two letters that Jose and Gavin had slipped in when I wasn’t looking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is Gavin’s message to me:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“God is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is Great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Continue to work for God and watch those who break free of sin because
of your Christian Action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never let the
Devil steal your passion, for Christ is our Lord and Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your brother in Christ, Gavin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I Love you Ed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is what Terry wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“They called him Master, Father,
Lord, Savior, Friend, God, but the best name of all was <u>Teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
love you Brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God Bless you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sonny wrote, “Thank you for being
my brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you. God Bless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reyes wrote, “Que Dios te Bendiga
mucho para siempre!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 433.65pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jose’s letter was the longest,
and I know it was something he had to work on to complete:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
“Mr. Ed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to thank God for
blessing us with the chance to even have met you…along with the rest of the
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You” for some weird reason ,
for some way, some how feel good and have given me a real friend and positive
vibe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You remind me of my teachers and
family who tried to help me and cared to see me succeed in life, but then I was
too childish and lost-minded to all the negative things that I believed would
be cool and real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they weren’t and
still to this day I still get lost and caught in wrong things even though I
know<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they are wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m no longer blind; I know real and
believe that one day soon I will be man enough to make a full change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only I can have friend’s like you to not
JUDGE me, to keep it real and keep me comfortable and MOTIVATED.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see parole for the second time, and if I come
home I want to help other kids just like I was with the same surroundings,
friends, and crazy life style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe
I can get into the young people’s minds and hearts because I been there and
done that, and I’m still trying to get it together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I come to make a change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I ever cross your mind and heart, know
that I will be here as a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now and
with God’s love, when I get out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank
you for your love, time, and true care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jose AKA J-Smurf.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eventually we went to the closing
ceremony where the free worlders were now separated from the inmates and were
joined by previous Kairos inmates as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was an open mic session and any man that wanted to could speak about
the Kairos experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terry spoke
twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First about how he had finally been
able to forgive others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second time
he took the mic and said, “You know, when I was in school at Hastings, I was a
trouble maker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of my teachers hated
to see me coming and usually they would just point at the door and say “Get
Out!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would go down to Mr. Wetterman’s
class, knock on the door and he would let me in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He welcomed me, put up with me, and taught me
my love of history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you for
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for being my teacher.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole place stood and applauded, I just
cried.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the final talk, a prisoner
who helped lead the inside Kairos weekend stood up and spoke about giving his
life to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was 25 years old and he
was in Ferguson for Life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would never
get out, but his faith was in Christ and that one day he would be free in
Heaven worshipping God and feeling love surround him forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spoke about the gangs in prison and warned
them that they could not serve two masters, it was either Christ or the Gang,
and that if they wanted heaven they had to make a choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched as these words hit Jose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was crying, and nodding, and staring at
me. I know he was remembering the conversation I had had with him about that
very subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was time to leave,
the brothers in white all stood and applauded us as we left. I hurt for my boys
and pray that they can stay strong and that their hearts are truly changed and
that they can continue on the Christian path in that dark place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I can’t wait to go back again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-89807699867175577382012-12-31T11:42:00.001-08:002012-12-31T11:42:30.537-08:00Kairos 54: Saturday, What a Blessing
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Saturday was a big day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It began with a morning meditation, discussion and a few new
talks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men who had come a day and a
half before as standoffish and unsure, were up and dancing to I’ll Fly Away and
Riding the Train, and the Kairos song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Several began giving their lives to Christ and even Reyes began opening
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really began forming friendships
with the men and Jose began really opening up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been in gangs his whole life and was
in a prison gang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said he was
troubled, because he wanted to be a Christian, but stated he didn’t think he
could give up the gang as they had been his life in prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has two sons, and he misses them
terribly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact all the men at my
table except Terry and Sonny had children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wayne has an 18 year old son, Reyes has five children, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gavin has a 16 year old son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wayne stated that his son was much wiser than
he was, had stayed out of trouble and out of gangs and was very focused on his
education and was planning on going to college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His son had visited him last weekend and that he felt blessed that God
had taken care of his family, when his choices had not allowed him to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gavin showed us a picture of his son playing
football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reyes began opening up about
his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me he found it hard
to trust anyone, but that he had accepted Christ last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His oldest son, at 17, had written him a
letter that broke his heart and led to him seeking God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave me the letter and asked that I read
it to the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The letter his son
wrote was angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked “Why did you
choose drugs and gangs over your family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>need a father and you are not
here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reyes then told us his
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He worked for one of the big
Mexican gangs running drugs from Mexico to Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been a leader and had made so much
money that he owned ranches, trucks, and lived in a mansion. He had been arrested
at 22 years old and had spent most of the last two decades in prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His heart was broken by his failure to be a
father to his son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stated he was up
for parole soon and he was afraid he might go back to the gang for easy money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stated that when he gets out, they will
meet him, give him ten to twenty thousand dollars of seed money, and get him
back into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stated he was going to
tell them no, that he had accepted Christ and that they would leave him alone,
but they would be watching him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said
if I do anything, drugs, etc., that they would be angry with him and possibly
kill him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to get out, get his
kids and move to Fort Worth or somewhere far from the valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At lunch Sonny
opened up to me and stated that he had spent the past ten years in prison, and
had 15 more to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stated he had been
in the Air Force, suffered severe burns on his hands, and had been mustered
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a hard time finding a job,
got into drugs and soon was involved in an aggravated assault where a man had
been killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cried remembering what
had happened. “ All I want is a life out of here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get married, have children, be a dad.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know he was doing the punishment for his
crime and deserved it, but that God had forgiven him and that there is a life
for him when he gets out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We discussed
this and he prayed with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Terry had a way of deflecting whenever things got
heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used jokes and a tough
exterior to deflect, but there were many times I saw the wall being broken down
stone by stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that no one
in the world cared about him, unconditionally, except for his Grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He challenged me, stating “Are you going to come
back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you really care?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found it difficult to believe that all
these men would give up their time and money to come into the prison just to
show agape love <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jose began to open up to me as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been so distrusting of me at first,
but by Saturday he was very open with me and had shed a few tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that tattoo picture on his neck
was his father, who still loved him and still visits with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was hurting about his kids, as he stated “their
mother won’t let them communicate with me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He stated he would be up for parole soon, but he didn’t know what he
would do out in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been
in prison for half his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
honest and said he was still in a gang and wasn’t sure he could get out of
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked and I witnessed to him
that if he truly wanted to change his life through Christ, he would have to
leave the gangs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That if he stayed in
them, it wouldn’t be long before he was back in prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cried and hugged my neck, the pain of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a father missing his family, a lost person in
a deep hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later he drew a poster of a
ladder of Christ descending into a deep hole to allow you to crawl out to
glory, freedom, and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God was truly
working on Jose throughout the weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wayne was a Christian, who quoted the Bible, and loved the
Agape he felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He might have been one of
the inside team with his sharing of wisdom and Christ’s love for all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gavin was quiet, just as he had been in school, but he took
it all in and wowed us with the following poem:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Christian Action….What it is, or should I say what it was,
it really don’t matter because we are all from up above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heaven is the Home of peace and happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at this world today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you tell me what is happening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Destruction we bring to this world of ours,
when will we stop?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Next year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pain we bring amongst ourselves make me shed a
tear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Selling drugs, shooting slugs, walking
around the world with mean mugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not
walk around showing love and giving hugs, too much pride got us messed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Open your eyes and make a change, accept
Jesus in your life to erase the pain because God is at your door, if you really
want to change.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Harold Z______, Tracey’s prayer partner sought me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hear your wife is praying for me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said with tears in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need it brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to know people care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My grandmother is raising my daughters, and
she is sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please prayer for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell your wife how much her doing this means
to me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hugged him and stated I would
tell her, and that others were praying for him as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was George’s birthday, and at lunch we all sang Happy
Birthday to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He came to me in the
evening and hugged me stating that this was the best birthday he had ever
experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That day I, as one of four newbies, were taken out to do the
Prison cookie run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two Kairos servants
assisted us (they did all the real work of handing out the cookies).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our job was to smile and speak to each man in
the institution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was easy on the
regular cell blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men were all
happy to get the cookies, and most wanted to shake my hand and say thank
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I greeted them with a smile, God
bless you, and when I saw someone who seemed to need it, I promised them that
we were praying for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small
cells were really tiny, and there were two metal bunk beds in each, with a
small toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movies don’t do such a
place justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smell, the feel, and
the sight of it will remain with me forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I then went to the Ad-Seg, or Administrative Segregation
cell block, where men were separated from everyone else for 23 hours a day in
their small cells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we first
entered, they were yelling, cussing, and talking about Kairos Cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to wear a flak vest to be allowed into
the cell blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing to me
how when I approached<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>each of the cells,
the men would stop whatever they had been doing or saying and give me a hard
stare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would smile and say, “God Bless
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy the cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are praying for you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every one of the men, nodded, smiled, said
thank you, or returned a God Bless you too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was an eye-opening experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Saturday evening we took part in a forgiveness ceremony,
where we forgave those we had not forgiven before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terry was really taken by this, and crying he
revealed to me that he had never forgiven anyone for anything before, but that
the ceremony meant a lot to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again
he asked me, “Are you really coming back to visit me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promised that I would, as it is a vital
part of the Kairos ministry that we come out every month for groupings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we all parted ways, there wasn’t
a dry eye in the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine hardened
criminals, gang bangers, tattooed all over, with scars, one man with Adolf
Hitler tattooed on the back of his neck, all hugging each other and sharing,
and singing, praying, and laughing together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a sight to see!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here are a few other observations I made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I witnessed one inmate witnessing to a guard
about Christ’s love and forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of them said, “When we leave here and go back to the blocks, what
had been a dungeon for us, isn’t any longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve been set free.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jose cried
remembering his mother telling him, “Tell me who you are running with, and I’ll
tell you who you are.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wayne said, “I’ve
been in prison a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate
the blessings God has given me since I’ve been locked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looks out for my family and keeps them
safe.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another man said, “Behind bars, I
have lots of time to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I
shoulda, coulda, woulda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s time to
make better choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t do none of
this without God!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It had been a very good day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had what I had come for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
seen Christ reflected in these men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-76354503597296557552012-12-31T10:54:00.001-08:002012-12-31T10:54:19.299-08:00Kairos 54: Friday a Revelation
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We ate breakfast, had a quick team meeting where we turned
in one more letter for an alternate that had joined the group, then reentered
the prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the guards looked at
us like we were crazy to come into the prison, some seemed indifferent to us,
but there was one guard who would check us in everyday, who was friendly, but
distant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sure how he felt about
us at the time, but I would learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the brothers in white came in that morning, they were
again greeted with cheers and I met Tony and George and took them to their
assigned tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then went to my table
(Table of Matthew) with the Table Leader, Robert, and the other Assistant Table
Leader, Arlo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robert is a quiet,
well-spoken man who is a picture of quiet dignity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arlo is an African-American with a quick
smile, and the love of God exuding from everything he did and said. Before the
Brothers in White arrived, we each prayed for the men that would be joining us
on the table of Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prayed that
God would reveal himself to them, and that they would find what they
needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prayed that their walls would
be torn down and that they would allow Jesus to enter their hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were then introduced to our Brothers in White who would
also be part of the Family of Matthew. Wayne, was in his late thirties, a
short, good looking African-American with piercing golden eyes that I found
somehow familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was quiet and
reserved, though he seemed to be enjoying the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next was Reyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in his mid to late 30s, a Hispanic man
with a regal bearing and slight build. He seemed very distrustful and wary of
all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next came a tall, good
looking white fellow who I expected to be in his mid-20s though he was actually
32.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reminded me of my cousin Sonny
Wayne, so I’ll call him Sonny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had “sleeves”
which were tattoos going from his elbows down to his wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was very polite and seemed receptive to
what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Terry the Gamer
joined us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grinned at seeing me at
his table. His grin seemed so familiar to me. Next came Jose, a small statured
Hispanic male, with a tough demeanor and tattoos everywhere with full sleeves,
and more on his neck and back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
left side of his neck was a tattoo of an older gentleman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was quiet and seemed distrustful at our
first meeting. He sat directly on my right, while Wayne was on my left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across the table we were joined by Gavin, the
last pilgrim, a light-skinned African American in his late 20s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a quick smile and wore large glasses
and he also seemed very familiar to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we began the
first talk and meditation, I couldn’t shake the sense of knowing Wayne, Terry
and Gavin from somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the first
break I asked Terry if he had played football, and he stated he had been
starting left tackle at his high school and he gave me a funny look of
expectation, that I didn’t quite understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Robert asked him where he had played football, and he grinned, looking
at me, “Hastings High School.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mouth
dropped open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was how I knew
Terry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been a student in my World
History Resource class at Hastings High School in the mid 90s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed, “You remember me now don’t you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nodded and grinned in shock, not quite
believing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wayne and Gavin also
looked perplexed and both admitted they had also attended Hastings High
School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wayne had attended from 91 to
93, and though I hadn’t taught him, I realized I had seen him before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gavin laughed and said he had also gone to
Hastings, and he too had been my student.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now I ask you, what are the odds that in all the great state
of Texas, in all the institutions, that I would be sitting at a table with 3
kids who went to the school I taught at, and two of which were actually my
students?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Christian I believe God
set who would be at these tables, and this was proof I was doing what I was
supposed to be doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This knowledge
unlocked so much between all of us, and soon we were sharing Hastings
memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Gavin I didn’t remember
his name, but I remember him and that he had been a quiet, good student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stated he had changed his name, but that
his Christian name had been Tommy G________.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remembered that name well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also remember Terry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been a true
ADHD kid in my class. Always up and bouncing around the classroom, a class
clown, who always got in trouble in most other classes but who had really loved
history. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I looked around the room I realized that all these men could have been my students. Every year we have a few kids who are difficult, who run with gangs, get involved with drugs, and who believe no one cares about them. As I thought about this, I began to cry. We must do all we can to save these kids, before they too have to come to this horrible place.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was to go out of the prison and bring in the lunches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The big officer helped me bring it all in and
get it into the prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized he
really was happy we were here, though he still spoke only a little to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We spent Friday discussing God’s love, Agape love, and
choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed, meditated on
individual truths, and shared much. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After noon they brought in a prayer chain with each paper
circlet containing a name of a person who was praying for them this
weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It went all the way around the
room, probably 300 feet long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made an
impression on them, and us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never
seen a prayer chain that long, it took about twenty men to bring it in, and
hang it up around the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made sure to check in with George and Tony,
and by the end of the day they were both smiling and enjoying themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard one of the brothers in white
commenting, “I don’t even feel like this is prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I’ve come home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That night Tracey joined us and she would work Friday night
and all day Saturday on the outside team. She was also praying for an
individual brother in white named Harold Z________.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-77488640217827840392012-12-31T10:50:00.001-08:002012-12-31T11:03:57.151-08:00Kairos 54: Wednesday to Thrusday<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This testimony is long, but so much happened. I'm breaking it into three parts. May the story bless you and keep you. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had heard of Kairos for years as I had been very active in
the Emmaus Community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had promised
Crazy Ray Coward that once my time with Emmaus was over I’d come over to
Kairos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So after the Fall of 2011 I had
been a Lay Director for Emmaus Walk 86, Ray called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked me to work in the July Kairos Walk,
but due to boy’s summer camp I couldn’t do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told him I’d do it during the Holiday season .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I knew about Kairos is that it was a
prison ministry designed to show Agape love to those who know little of love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started attending meetings in October of this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had four full day meetings to prepare as
an inside team for the Kairos 54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Lay Director, Paul Draper, did a great job teaching us about our roles in the
Walk, what we could legally do and not do, and previewing Christian talks (much
like Emmaus).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve never been inside a prison, and certainly not a maximum
security prison like Ferguson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
prison is huge and holds up to about 2500 prisoners, most with multiple year
sentences to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also takes almost 500 guards<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to carryout the Kairos Weekend it
takes about 25 team members who will go into the prison including several
clergy, and another 25 or so Kairos graduates <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from previous walks who work as Table Servants
and make sure everything is in place to support the walk on the inside
(remember these are current inmates who have given their lives to Christ and
want to show love for others through service).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is also an outside team of 5 to 20 individuals who prepare and
transport all the agape, cookies, and meals during the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kairos Cookies are a big part of the
ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes about 3000 dozen
cookies for each weekend event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Basically most wardens would not allow us to bring in a dozen cookies
for just the 42 inmates as this would be considered “special treatment,” but if
we agreed to provide every inmate in the prison and every guard<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a bag of a dozen cookies it would be allowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I went to my church (First United Methodist Church of
Caldwell), Area 3:16, and Friendship Baptist and explained to them the purpose
of Kairos and asked for their support for the walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They pulled through in a big way by baking
and packaging over 160 dozen cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
wife Tracey made another 40 dozen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
Christmas our refrigerator, and freezer were totally packed with cookies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much so that there was no room for
Christmas leftovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The churches also
signed up for the prayer chain (promises to pray during the weekend), and I
ended up with over 8 sponsors for inmates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To sponsor an inmate for the Walk costs $125.00 (this pays for food,
supplies, and other extras).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
Methodist Men brothers also sponsored me for the weekend to pay for the food
and the hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a true
outpouring of Christian love and I am very grateful to all who helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention
Marge Witz, and several other folks in Bryan (including Preston Dubose) who
also volunteered dozens of cookies to support this endeavor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So Wednesday afternoon I packed up and set out for
Madisonville the the large First Baptist Church there who had graciously agreed
to allow us to use their gym and kitchens as a base of operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also had the services of four men from the
local House of Hope who came in to cook all the meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The team assembled and held a final training
and finished writing 42 individual letters and placing the letters in each of
the inmates bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes that’s 25 people
writing 42 individualized letters each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After the meeting I went to the local motel and it is a total rat
trap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holes in the walls, little
lighting, forty or more years old, with a major cold draft coming through the
front door, little water pressure (crossed your fingers every time you flushed
the toilet), and it was kinda scary parking and walking up to the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course mine was in the very back of the
motel on the second floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Got up Thursday morning and attended a Prison training by a
Captain and the Chaplain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They explained
all the dos and don’ts while we were in Prison and the Chaplain said he didn’t
believe in “Rehabilitation” but “Regeneration,” and that he had seen many
changes in the men who had attended previous Kairos Walks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also warned not to wear anything
white in the prison, “Wear white and spend the night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also reminded by Paul that we were
not to ask about their conviction, what they had done, or how much time they
had left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was not the purpose we
were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were going to share God’s
love with these men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thursday evening we drove to the prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first impression was just how big the
entire complex was, surrounded by fences and razor wire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were met and checked in by the Chaplain,
then went through the metal detectors and a full pat-down/search before being
led into the prison proper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went
through one big gated door to a waiting area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A sign hung on the wall that said, “No hostages will ever be permitted
beyond this sign.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but
wonder what laid beyond the next gate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We entered the main corridor of the prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisoners always walk single file against the
wall, while “Free Worlders” are to walk in the middle of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw about 70 men lined up to be taken
somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They eyed us suspiciously,
but no words were said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forced myself
to meet them eye to eye, and said, “God bless you.” A few seemed shocked to be
spoken to, a few others nodded, and one or two said “God bless you” right
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What really struck me about them
is how young they all seemed, and how quiet they were in line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We made it to a door that would lead up to the education
center two flights of stairs up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we
waited for the guard to open the door, I heard clapping and laughter up
ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we moved up to the Education
center we were greated by the Prison Team of Kairos convict-volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were joyful, with genuine grins/smiles, applauding
us for coming and greeting each one of us with a hug and a God Bless you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of them knew the members of the inside
team of Free Worlders from previous Kairos Walks, and the joy of reunion with
friends was palpable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was given two name tags for the two men I was to “host”
for the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was given (changing
names for confidentiality)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony and
George.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men in white chosen to take
part in this Kairos Walk were sponsored by other prisoners, placed on a list,
and had to be approved by the Warden and Chaplain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the men had waited up to seven years
to be allowed to attend a Kairos Weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The big draw for many of them was the “good, outside food” and the break
from the monotony of Prison life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the pilgrims in white were escorted into the education
wing, they were also greeted with applause, and each was announced as they
entered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some grinned shyly at the
attention, some laughed, some looked around like they had just landed on Mars,
and a few were stone faced and unsure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As the men’s names were called the host would move to them, say hello
and place the name tag around their necks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tony was an older gentleman, probably in his late 40s, or early
50s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grinned from ear to ear feeling
the joy of the occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George was also
a bit older, maybe in his mid 50s, and was an African American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the eyes of someone who had seen and
done a lot in his life, and as I would learn he had become a very wise fellow
in Prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took them to a table and
introduced Kairos, explained what would happen during the weekend and got to
know them a little bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course
there were cookies which were consumed with much joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony stated he had tried for years to get
onto a Kairos Walk but had always been denied, but that he was curious about
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George said he had no idea what to
expect, but he wanted to take it all in and see. My two guys were the oldest on
the Walk with most of the other men being in their 20s or 30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then gathered and made introductions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A tall, strongly built African American named Terry, stood
up and stated that he enjoyed playing Dungeons and Dragons and other
role-playing games and that he wanted to be a writer/game designer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His smile was contagious, but his eyes were
hard, even when he smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it was
my turn to speak I stated that I was a History Teacher, which drew some
derisive, yet fun boos from the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also stated that I was a game designer and writer, and Terry pointed at me and
mouthed, “I’m gonna talk to you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
answered the question Why are you in Kairos, I stated that Jesus was very
precise when he said, “visit those in prison, for when you have done this for
the least of these, my family, you have done it to me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told them that I had come expecting to see
Christ reflected in my brothers in white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the break Terry did seek me out, and I told him about Savage Worlds,
and asked how they play in Prison without dice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He told me they made spinners for each die type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony told me about the various<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prison recipes they had and how he could make
a key-lime pie in his cell using varied ingredients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ingenuity of the these men really blew me
away, and I thought about what they could have accomplished with such ingenuity
in the free world had it not been for the drugs and gangs that got most of them
locked up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We then participated in a meditation that invited them to
listen, join in, and learn from the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We parted for the evening and returned to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to go to sleep quickly as it was about
9 pm and we had to be back at the Church for breakfast by 6 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-27519180407037638002012-12-21T12:45:00.001-08:002012-12-21T12:46:48.047-08:00Reflection: God's Grace<link href="file://localhost/Users/ewetterman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">Our salvation begins and ends
with God. It is through God’s
action, not ours that we are saved, redeemed and forgiven. This is what makes Christianity
different from all other religions.
It is that God is always seeking and loving us, Not what man does to
reach God. All other religions are
man-centered—what man must do to reach God. Christianity is about what God has done for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">Divine Love is the key.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-1138523503525369762012-12-19T10:24:00.000-08:002012-12-19T10:24:00.277-08:00Reflection: It's Not about You
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">It’s Not about You<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">People are always trying to
make a name for themselves.<span> </span>We are
always so concerned with our reputations and how other people see and react to
us.<span> </span>This is an example of the sin
of pride and a form of idolatry—as we are seeking to attain something other
than God.<span> </span>If we place ourselves in
the center of our lives, as if everything, and everyone revolves around us,
then God is not in the place of honor in our lives.<span> </span>Living in such a way is destructive to our relationship with
God and with each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-72443431707812130192012-12-06T12:21:00.000-08:002012-12-06T12:21:00.620-08:00Christian Reflections #2<b>You are created in the image of God. Not in our fleshly bodies, but in our spiritual connection with Him. This allows us to be capable of knowing, loving, and obeying Him.</b><br />
<br />
<b>This includes our capacity to love, but also our every feeling, thought, word, and deed. Our human character should reflect what God is--Love.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Genesis 1:27 states "So god created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."</b><br />
<br />
<b>You are a divine being. Now go reflect Christ's love to others in everything you do. </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-1717441671229363362012-12-05T11:19:00.000-08:002012-12-05T11:19:15.915-08:00Christian Reflections #1<br />
Everyone in our society is so concerned with being repected, we often forget what it means to be respectful. What do we mean when we say we want respect? To be appreciated for our efforts? To be adored by others? To be above others in some way? Is it to be loved? <br />
Do we desire respect out of our own pride or even arrogance?<br />
Jesus said in Mark 9:35-37 "Whoever wants to be first must be last and servant of all." He then took a little child and put it in his arms, and he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."<br />
We should treat everyone we meet as if they are Jesus. Is this difficult to do? Yes it is.<br />
Remember, Christ give us the victory. So be willing to be a servant, to step out of your comfort zone, to show love for your fellow man. Be a reflection of Christ to someone today.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-74038762523854725332012-11-26T08:14:00.004-08:002012-11-26T08:14:53.574-08:00Almost a Christian
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">I was invited to preach at Chriesman United Methodist Church yesterday. I had been reading Wesley's 2nd sermon about being almost a Christian and knew what I wanted to say. I met with Dr. Jordan, my minister, and he gave me a lesson on how to preach with illustrations. I made a point of adding them herein. I got off script, and spoke about each. Holy Spirit helped me with this one and I think it went well. Good lesson and it definitely speaks to me!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Almost a Christian<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Acts 26: 28-29 “Agrippa says
to Paul, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” Paul replies
“Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are
listening to me today might become such as I am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">So what does it mean to
become a Christian?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all
familiar with John 3:16 that says God gave his only begotten son, that
whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So of course, a Christian is someone
who has given his life to Christ, believes that Jesus was the son of God, who
died for our sins, so that we may have eternal life with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">My question for you today is
this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that all there is to it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">We believe that when someone
truly accepts Christ as his/her personal savior, than we become spiritually
reborn, forgiven of our sins, and able to have a personal relationship with
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what does that mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is this expressed in our everyday
lives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does it mean to become
such as Paul became?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Illustration:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember time when my wife Tracey and
I were at our lowest point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
in the spring of 2002.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baby, Autism,
depression, I wondered, “Is this all there is?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said, we are going to church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did, and I learned that I was not what I thought I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christian in beliefs, but not in
service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christian by word, not by
deed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saved, but stuck in my ways,
no personal relationship with God, I guess you could say I was a baby
Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been born again,
but I hadn’t progressed beyond that point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">How many people are stuck
where I was?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christians, but not
fully experiencing the great love of Christ, of having a real and personal
relationship with God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Of course there is another
type of person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good person, who
has never accepted Christ as their savior.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Most people in the world
today are not evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They go about
their busy lives, helping others when they can, seeking justice when it’s not
too difficult, most don’t steal, commit crimes, or are out to hurt others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good people, but being good doesn’t
make them a Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
even some really good people who work daily to feed the hungry and help those
in need as part of their everyday lives, but they don’t know Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed this is what Christians are
called to do, so they are not far off the mark, but they are still only almost
Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Who could not study the life
of the Buddha or Ghandi and not be impressed with their righteous ideas of
treating others with respect and dignity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Great human beings, but not Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">You know these two types of
people, the baby or almost Christians and the good, non-believers, both may
work hard to do good works for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They may seem to be Godly people in their actions and their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Christian may even attend church,
partake of Communion, and even try to lead others to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may have a prayer life and practice
the forms of religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they
are missing out on the greatest aspect of being a Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A personal relationship with Jesus
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Wesley, the founder
of Methodism said, “They need sincerity and the faith to truly accept Christ in
their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sincerity is the
inward principle of belief in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is from this faith, this true belief, that our Christian actions
flow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For indeed, if we don’t have
this crucial faith in Christ, we are just good people, maybe we are only almost
Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Illustration:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Wesley’s life:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raised in the Anglican Church, became a
minister, came to America, failed, ran out of town, escaped back to England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doubted his Faith, his calling, He
did not have a personal relationship with God, and he referred to himself as an
almost Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he went to Aldersgate,
heard the word, felt God’s touch, and came to understand that God wants more
for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants a personal
relationship with each one of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That when Jesus suffered and died on that cross, he died for each one of
us, individually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words,
if you had been the only one who would have accepted him as your savior, he
loved you enough to die for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
realization of God’s overwhelming, divine, and personal love for us is the key
to growing in the faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">We all need to first accept
Christ as our personal savior, then we need to accept the personal relationship
God offers us in our lives. To become an authentic, fully developed
Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all in the
process of being sanctified by the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is growing in the faith to gain in understanding of God in our
lives both inwardly in our souls, and outwardly in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">We, as Christians should
truly know the love of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
taught the greatest commandment by Jesus when he said, “Love God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a love fills our
hearts with affection for all mankind, and fills our souls to capacity in our
love for Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a Christian
has a spirit that continually rejoices in God the Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He delights in the Lord, in the Lord’s
creation, and his/her desire is to serve god in all aspects of their
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This person is a servant to
all, not seeking personal glory, but seeking to extend the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wesley said this kind of Christian
dwells “in love, dwells in God, and God in him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">The second greatest
commandment according to Christ is to love thy neighbor as yourself. So who are
our neighbors?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every person in the
world for every child is God’s child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This includes our enemies, the enemies of God, and any who stand against
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to love even
those who are hard to love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
to love them as Christ loved us. Paul explained this type of love for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He described it as a love that is “long
suffering and kind.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not
envy others, it is not rash or hasty, and does not judge others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not puffed up with pride, but
makes us the least of mankind, a servant to all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This person seeks to do good to all others that they might
be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to reflect
Christ to all we meet wherever we may go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Love is not wrathful, thinks of no evil, and rejoices in the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kind of love covers all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things in the name of
the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">That my friends is the new
law of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love God, love each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally the authentic
Christian is to have faith that Jesus is the savior of mankind, to trust in a
personal relationship with God, and to witness through our actions, not just
our words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Authentic Christians,
according to Wesley, not only believe that the Holy Scripture and the Articles
of our Faith are true, but also have a sure trust and confidence to be saved by
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we are reconciled
through the blood of the lamb at Calvary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">So the big question today is,
are you a non believing good person who needs to accept Christ today, or are
you a baby Christian who needs to grow in the sanctifying grace of the Holy
Spirit, or are you an authentic Christian who reflects Christ throughout
his/her life? Ask yourself:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I
practice justice, mercy, and truth as God would have me do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I act like a Chrsitian but do not
have true faith?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I look for
ways to do good and help others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do I keep the word of God and do as Jesus instructed not to judge, but
to love others and to represent Christ on earth to them, so that they might
come to know the power and saving grace of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I do all these things with the sincere desire to please
God in every aspect of my life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Have you gone that far in
your walk with Christ? Have you been good at being almost a Christian?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has God seen true sincerity and faith
in you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where do you devote your
time and your money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you
reflect Christ to a hurting world where ever you go and whatever you do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">If you need to accept Christ
as your savior, want to rededicate your life to Him, or simply want to speak to
me about a personal relationship with him, I invite you to come down during the
last hymn, or you can simply pray and worship where you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray that we may all experience what
it means to be a true and authentic Christian, justified by his Free grace,
forgiven our sins, and knowing eternal peace and joy rejoicing in the Glory of
our God, so that he may fill our hearts with the Holy Spirit and lead us where
he would have us go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-65472681269843826982012-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:002012-11-26T08:10:02.298-08:00Grace Revival
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<span style="color: windowtext;">I was invited to preach at an old time Saturday all day revival. It was on my heart to talk about grace, love, and acceptance of all people. Here it is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Hello all my brothers and
sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s wonderful to be here
with ya’ll today to worship our Lord, to break bread together, and to love each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing to think how
awesome all this is, considering we are all base sinners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does that shock you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these wonderful preachers and
muscians that have come before you today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are sinners too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See we have all sinned and fallen short
of the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t care that we
all try to be good, do good works, and go to church or come out here in
fellowship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can never measure
up to earn our way to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
always think of those signs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at
rides at theme parks that say, “you must be this tall to ride this ride.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember when I was a kid at Six
Flags in Dallas being mad that I was just an inch shy and couldn’t ride the
ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone else ever have that
experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever wanted
to be included in a group, a club, or an organization, but never quite fit in,
measured up, or was good enough, popular enough to be included?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’m talking to you today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are one of the popular,
successful people who never experienced any of what I’m talking about, then I’m
really talking to you today!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">My friends, we live in a
fallen world, we live in a sinful state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>None of us deserve eternal life with our Holy God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ancient Hebrews understanding of
the word Holy is “set apart” .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
is Holy, He is set apart, he is perfect Goodness and perfect Love and perfect
Justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No human being can
measure up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are always divided
and set apart from God’s Holiness as we cannot be purely good, show perfect
love, or live according to the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We cannot live without sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We can try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can devote
our lives to living as good as we can, but we always fall short of perfection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us may live better than others,
and some of us don’t even try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
prayer is for those of us that know we need to change and need help, and for
those of us who think they don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We all sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">So what is sin? Dictionaries
often define it as a transgression against a religious or moral law; deliberate
disobedience to the will of God; or a condition of estrangement from God
resulting in disobedience that is often shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">My understanding is that sin
is when mankind makes a choice to be disobedient to God’s will, to separate
from Him, to live without Him, to break the relationship with God. We do
this by choosing to do things that hurt our relationship with God. When
we put other things before doing His will, we hurt that relationship. For
instance, we may choose sex, work, drinking, drugs, or anything that is purely
ego-centric that does nothing to further the kingdom of God. These things
may be crimes, but they do not have to be. Sins may be small sins like
lying, lusting, addictions but it could also be murder and rape. Big or small,
they are all sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all
violate the holiness of God and hurt our relationship with Him.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Adam and Eve willingly sinned
against God. They made a choice to taste the Tree of Knowledge, and in so
doing broke the relationship man had with God. If a wife or husband lies
to their spouse, does this hurt the marriage relationship? Of course it
does. The same is true here. To make sin even worse, it is in
direct opposite of God’s Love. In effect God cannot look upon sin, as it
is an anathema to His divine character. </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">So man chooses to break the
relationship with God, to deny God’s will for our lives, to live in a selfish,
egotistical lifestyle that is man centered, not God centered. So now God
cannot look upon us, as man has basically divorced himself from God. Sin
has caused the death of man, the end our spiritual relationship with God, and
the death of our bodies. And don’t think that Christians are immune to
sin! Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of
God.” Sin is universal. Romans 5:12 states “Therefore, just as
through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread to all men, because all have sinned.” Those who live
self-righteous, outwardly pious lives are not better than anyone else in God’s
eyes, as “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). So we
chose to live apart, to not follow God’s will, and selfishly seek our own earthly
things such as power, money, sex, and influence. This all leads to death,
destruction, and nothing we make or do on this earth will last forever.
So what can we do about it? What can Man do? Nothing! It is
not in our power to fix this problem. This is what we mean by man living
in a fallen state. You can’t be good enough, do enough, love enough, sacrifice
enough, tithe enough, to earn your way to heaven, or to heal the broken
relationship with God.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">But like a good parent, God
allowed us to try. He created the Law and allowed man to try to live
righteous lives under it, to sacrifice, to tithe, to keep His
commandments. But it was impossible. Man couldn’t do it, and the
Old Testament proves mans failure at this time and time again. The problem
is that now that we have knowledge of Good and Evil, sin is beguiling,
enticing, sexy, and deceitful. It makes us believe that we don’t need a
relationship with God.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">So, the relationship is
broken, we can’t fix it, all mankind is doomed for our own love of the earthly
things. Do are we eternally doomed to death? Is the God of Love
done with us? Is there no hope?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">My friends I bring you Good
News!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Greatest News ever
shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All your sins are
forgiven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All your brokenness may
be healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God became human, lived
amongst us, experienced our emotions and feelings, taught us wisdom, and then
died brutally on a cross meant for you and me as punishment for our sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an innocent lamb, sinless, but
sacrificed so that you and I may be reestablished in a personal relationship
with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are redeemed in the
blood of the lamb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forgiven, the sins
which once stained us, are clean, our chains are broken, we are set free.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"> See, the greatest love
ever shown was given to humanity by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because
through it all, everything truly goes back to God seeking us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not what man has done to reach
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what God has done to
reach us.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"> God wanted a
relationship with us. He wanted us and loved us so much, that he sent a part of
Himself to become human to repair our relationship with him. Think about this.
It’s all about God seeking Man. It is not about what man can do to achieve or
be worthy of God. In Christianity there is nothing we human beings can do to be
worthy of Heaven, of a relationship with the Creator of everything. He sought
us and is still seeking us. That’s amazing and one of a kind in the religions
of the world. That’s Grace. God seeking us. God seeking you.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"> Hear me once more, as I
want to make this perfectly clear: Jesus, though fully human, was sinless. He
was obedient to God’s will and as such became the sacrifice necessary to pay
the costs of our sins (death), so that we might have eternal, glorious life with
God. He died on a cross for the redemption of our sins. He paid the cost of our
sins. My sins. Your sins.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">He suffered and died on that
cross for me, for you, for all humanity for all times and places. But you want
to hear something that will blow your mind? He would have done it just for you.
If you were the only one willing to follow him, accept him, he would have
suffered all that, for you.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">As he was dying, he asked God
to “forgive them, for they know not what they do.”</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">And he died. </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Three days later he was
resurrected and defeated sin and death, thereby establishing a permanent
relationship between people who accept Him into their heart and the God of
everything. Remember that God couldn’t look upon sin? Once you
accept Christ as your savior, accept Him to live within you, you become a
changed person. Christians say you have been reborn. Now when God
looks upon you, he sees Christ. Your sins have been forgiven, you have
been redeemed, the eternal relationship between God and man has been restored.</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">With
Christ you do measure up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can
be part of the Body of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
is calling each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sin is
too great for God to heal, to restore us into that relationship our hearts
yearn for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">God Seeking Us. God Seeking
you. That’s grace. Do you have grace? Do you know him? Do you want to? Simply
ask Him into your life. Tell Him you want a relationship with Him. Perhaps
you have never truly known the love of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps you have gone through the motions of Christianity,
but have never truly understood or accepted his gift of grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That tug you feel upon your heart is
God talking to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember none
of us are good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No not
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But through Jesus all are
made perfect, all are redeemed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone one of us is offered the gift of
grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a society of
saints that Jesus seeks. Matthew 11:19<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>speaks of Christ being The Son of Man, feasting and drinking, and you
say, 'He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other
sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by its results."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mathew 9:13 says, “Go and learn what
this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the
righteous, but sinners.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
came to seek and save what was lost, Let me finish with this from 1<sup>st</sup>
timothy: “This is a faithful statement and worthy of our full acceptance, To
this world the Messiah came, sinful people to reclaim.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">No one is worthy of God’s
love, but he loves us anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
of us. You don’t have to look right, dress right, vote right, have the right job,
live the best life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can be the
absolute worst amongst us, and God will forgive you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will show you grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will accept you and love you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">You will be amazed at the
transformation, the peace, and the hope and the joy that He offers you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Please consider this Good
News and wherever you go, share the love of Christ with everyone you meet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Amen</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-15824410669096730932012-10-21T11:02:00.002-07:002012-10-21T11:06:10.648-07:00When Men Fear a Child: Truth Always Wins!This is partly taken from today's sermon by Dr. Todd Jordan of the First United Methodist Church of Caldwell:<br />
<br />
<b><i>"I have the right to education."</i></b><br />
<b><i>"I have the right to play."</i></b><br />
<b><i>"I have the right to sing."</i></b><br />
<b><i>"I have the right to talk."</i></b><br />
<b><i>"I have the right to go to market."</i></b><br />
<b><i>"I have the right to speak up."</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
These are the words 14-year-old Pakistani Malala Yousufzai wrote that put her on the hit list for the Taliban.<br />
<br />
To which the Oh-So-Brave sounding spokesperson for the Taliban responded, "We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us."<br />
<br />
About a week and a half ago in the Taliban-heavy region of Swat Valley in Pakistan, armed gumen pulled over a van on its way to a girl's school. When Malala was identified, they shot her.<br />
<br />
Amazingly, she lived. She fights for her life in a hospital in Birmingham, England.<br />
<br />
The Taliban have stated that if she survives, they will attempt to finish her off.<br />
<br />
Their (the Taliban's) plan to suppress girls is backfiring. Whatever they thought they were doing is not, and will not work. People all over the world are rising up and becoming all the more determined to fight for freedom and rights for girls and boys all over the world.<br />
<br />
Even other children are more determined than ever to make sure they go to school and get an educations. <br />
<br />
The best response I read yet comes from a Pakistani professor who teaches at the University in Maryland said, "Just as the Taliban scare us with terror, we must scare them by making them unable to operate...We must terrorize them by investing more than ever before in educating girls."<br />
<br />
We as Christians must affirm and support such cries for justice and freedom wherever and however it shows up. This is what Christ calls us to do. We must not back down in fear, nor allow others to be bullied. We must use weapons greater than guns, we must, like Malala, speak the truth, even in the face of death.<br />
<br />
In one of her interviews, Malala said, "God will ask you on the day of judgement where were you when people were asking you when your school fellows were asking you, when your school was asking you, 'Why am I being blown up?"<br />
<br />
Someone asked are they really that afraid of a little girl? Are all those grown men, trained fighters armed with more weapons than you can count, really that afraid of the words of a little 14 year old girl?<br />
<br />
Yes. Yes, they are. And do you know what? They should be!<br />
<br />
They should be shaking in their combat boots. Because when anyone speaks with the kind of truth and conviction Malala does in the face of almost certain death, she becomes more powerful than the mightiest army, and can accomplish more than any leader, any president, any general, any dictator.<br />
<br />
Malala can change the world...because she is right.<br />
<br />
She speaks the truth.<br />
<br />
Now my (Ed's) commentary extending on these thoughts. One person can make a difference. One person, speaking the truth, living his/her convictions can change the world. Proof? Ghandi. Led peaceful protests, was jailed, beaten, threatened, and eventually brought India to freedom from British rule. Proof? Rosa Parks. She refused to give up her seat on a bus, was arrested for being an African-American in a white's only section of a bus, and was threatened with eviction from her home, and death threats. She started the Modern Civil Rights Movement that would lead to the Equal Rights Act of 1965 forever ending segregation in our nation and guaranteeing equal rights for all people regardless of skin color. Proof? Little Malala. A 14 year old girl who simply wants basic rights. What John Locke called the Natural Rights of Man. What Thomas Jefferson called the Unalienable Rights all people are born with.<br />
<br />
All people who want to make the world a better place, all Christians who believe we are called to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God, must seek justice for all people. This is a call to action. It is not action to attack, to judge, or to threaten, it is a call to love! A call to live the word, in the Word. To represent Christ to a hurting world. The true disciple may face threats, violence, and even death, but if you are willing to go where God wills, to do His bidding, to show love to all, to pray for your enemies, and to have faith that God will provide all you need in the journey, than you can change the world. That's conviction. <br />
<br />
Now, back to Dr. Jordan's sermon. The biggest obstacle to such discipleship is our own nature. The status quo is safe, it is hard to move forward and seek change. Ecclesiastes 11:4 states, "Whoever observes the wind will not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap." In other words, when you wait around for everything to be perfect in order to start, you will never start. If you are waiting for clear instructions and a plan of action to begin following or serving Jesus, it's never going to happen.<br />
<br />
When Jesus asks, "Are you able?" he doesn't mean, do you have the power and strength to live out the Gospel even unto death. He already knows the answer to that: No. We don't. What does Jesus mean when he asks James and John in Mark, "Are you able?" He is asking are you willing to go where I say go? Are you willing to speak what and when I need you to speak? Are you willing to serve how I need you to serve? Are you willing to give what I need you to give? Are you willing to sacrifice what I need you to sacrifice?<br />
<br />
Even if it is costly, uncomfortable, or threatening to do so.<br />
<br />
Jesus does not need our good intentions. <br />
Jesus does not need our good will.<br />
Jesus does not need our warm fuzzy Christian experiences we get when the band or choir sings our favorite songs.<br />
<br />
All of these things are well and good, but not sufficient.<br />
<br />
Jesus needs the commitment of those who are willing, those who are faithful, those who are able to follow, then to follow through; for you to stand up and be counted.<br />
<br />
A Korean theologian in a Disciples Bible's study video told his story. He grew up in an orphanage in South Korea during the Korean War. He remembers a story of how the Communist North Koreans made a sweep of the South and rounded up some Christians. After given them a hard time with interrogations and intimidation the N. Korean General finally asked, "Are you Christians?" He knew they were, but they all remained silent and simply stared. Finally one hand was raised. "Only one? " He turned to his soldiers, "Take the others and get rid of them. This is the only one with conviction, the only one worth saving."<br />
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We don't know what will be demanded of us--whether it will help us or hurt us. What's more, we don't know what we will need, and most likely, if it is truly God's call, outside of his grace we won't have what is needed. <br />
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All we can do, finally, is go forth in faith.<br />
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And so Jesus asks us, "Are you able?"<br />
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Pray for those hurting, in the hospital, facing death, mourning, in broken relationships. Pray for those that believe, and those that do not. Pray for those, like Malala that are seeking justice. Pray for the Taliban, that their hearts may change. Pray for our soldiers in harms way. Pray for the innocent boys and girls who simply want to be able to speak, get an education, or go to a market. <br />
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Remember: You cannot defeat the truth. The Truth shall set you free. Seek Justice, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with the Lord.<br />
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Amen.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-13661941015632918822012-09-29T19:24:00.002-07:002012-09-29T19:24:56.543-07:00Grace: Sermon for 9-30 2012<br />
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<b>This is my sermon for Sunday to be delivered at the First United Methodist Church of Caldwell at 8:30 and 10:30.</b></div>
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<b>Ephesians 2:1-10<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This letter to the church in Ephesians is very important in
our understanding of Christianity, Sin and Grace. Sin.
Such a small word, such a big thing.
If you asked a thousand random people, Christians, non-Christians,
Muslims, Jews, whomever, you would get a thousand different definitions, a
thousand different examples. It's as if
we all have an innate knowledge of it, but until we have really studied it, it
is difficult to grasp and even harder to define.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So before we can begin our discourse here, I would like to
submit my own understanding of Sin. Sin
is anything that keeps us out of the Holy and personal relationship that Christ
offers each of us. It really is not
putting God first, but relegating him to some back seat in your life, telling
Him that I'll get back to ya just as soon as I'm done with the game, or with
one more drink, or with whatever it is that is keeping us away from Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The great and eternal truth is that we are all sinners. See as humans we have free will and we don't
always make the best decisions. When
that guy cut me off on 21 the other day, I wasn't thinking about God in my
response to him. When I read about our
government and the morass they have made of our Education system, I have a
difficult time staying focused on God.
When the Texans are not playing as good as they should and I am yelling
at the television set, God is not the center of my universe. Do these things sound familiar? Please hear me when I say this next part, I'm
no saint. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner who
deserves hell and eternal torment, but thanks to our great redeemer, our
savior, Jesus Christ, who's sacrifice on a cross, whose precious blood was
shed, died so I can be forgiven. I have
been redeemed! Glory to God. And my
prayer for all of you today is that you also know the redeeming grace of Jesus
Christ. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As humans we have a way of categorizing sins. We say this one is just a little one, while
those big ones, we'd never do! It makes
sense to us that on some logical level that some sins are worse than
others. But the truth is all Sin is an
anathema to God. That means he can't
look upon it, he can't let it in to heaven to become a part of himself as he is
the ultimate goodness, the ultimate truth.
God is the exact opposite of Sin.
Remember he tells us in the Old Testament that he is a jealous God. In Exodus 20:3 he tells us “You shall have
no other gods before me.” He calls us
into an eternal relationship with him, in perfection, in truth, in love. But we can't get there, or at least we can't
stay there very long. See our sins gets
in the way. They interrupt our
relationship with the God of all creation and drive a wedge between us and Him.
And when we have chosen sin instead of Him, he cannot even look upon us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You know, we men especially, like to think that we are in
charge of our lives, that we make all the big decisions, and we like it when
our families think of us that way. I
remember how proud I was when I heard my son David when he was about six say,
“I'll take it to Daddy, he can fix it.”
It was just a broken little toy, but there was no way I was going to let
him know I couldn't fix it. What great
faith my son showed me that day.
Undeserved, I assure you, as my wife Tracey will let you know, I'm not
much of the fixer-upper kinda male, I'm more the if it ain't broke to badly,
leave it alone kinda guy. But men, me
included, like to be thought of that way, even if it's not true. I did my best to fix that toy. But it was beyond repair. At least beyond my capacity to fix. So I did the next best thing....I bought him
a new one. He was satisfied, and I kept
that “Daddy can fix it” label just a little bit longer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You know that belief that we are the ones in charge of our
own lives and everything that happens, that egotism, is a sin as well. To live in a relationship means to live with
another, sharing equally, showing devotion, caring, communication, and love for
one another. God wants to be a part our
our lives. Genesis tells us that He created man to be caretakers of the
creation that He loved. That's right,
the earth, the universe, God looked at it and said it was good! So good, he made it a gift to us. Man, we sure no how to mess up a good thing
don't we. He wanted us to choose to be
in relationship with him. He didn't want
preprogrammed robots, that's not a relationship. See he wants me. He wants you.
He wants all of us to have a personal relationship with Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So how can a sinner, someone who is easily caught up in the
world and the distractions of this world, to be redeemed? How can we overcome sin? Can we ever be good enough, give enough money
to charity, give enough time to others, do enough works to pay down our
sin? I hate to break this to you, but
the answer is no. I can never be good
enough. You can never be good enough. We can never be good enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But, some of you may say, “Ed, I'm not a bad person. I sin, sure, but not like Johnny over there. He's the real sinner, not me.” Really?
You think so? Remember that all
sin is evil in the eyes of our Holy God.
All sin. Not just the little
ones, and not just the big ones. All
sin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So we are back to the big question. What can a poor sinner do? The answer is so easy that many people today can't honestly wrap their
minds around it. Or they feel compelled to argue it, or add human things,
rituals, or traditions to it. That's
really unfortunate, because God made it really simple for us. John 3:16...I know ya'll that one, especially
if you go to or watch many sporting events, says, “For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in him may
not perish, but have eternal life.”
Grace is that forgiveness we gain from Christ's sacrifice on our
cross. Our sins require us to die, not
only physically, but spiritually for eternity.
But Christ's grace is a free gift offered to all of us, everyone, all of
us sinners, all of us who think we are saints, everyone of us. See the price for our sins is death, but that
price has been paid in full. When Christ
allowed himself to be nailed to that cross, when he basically said to you and
me, “step aside. I'll do this for you,”
he paid the eternal cost for our sins.
So each of us is forgiven. We are
made whole. We can have that eternal
relationship with God. What a gift.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In John 15:13, Jesus told his disciples, “No one shows
greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends.” Romans 5:8 states that “God shows his love for us in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans goes on in 4:25 to state that
“he was delivered to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification.” Later it states, “You see, at just the right time, when we were
still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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What did his death on a cross and subsequent resurrection
do? It served to pay the cost for all
our sins, and allowed us to accept Jesus as our savior so that “neither hight
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians
that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I
live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” John 4:10 brings this home, “This is
love. Not that we loved God, but that He
loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” What a gift?
What love? Now think on this a
moment. He didn't just die for
Paul. He didn't just die for Todd
Jordan. He didn't just die for the
band. He didn't just die for me. He died for each one of us. If you had been the only one, who would believe
in him, he would still have suffered and died on that cross, for the personal
love he holds for you. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Do we deserve such love?
Such forgiveness? Such
sacrifice? No we don't. That is why it is Grace. It is not what man can do to reach God, but
what God has done to reach man. In my
humble opinion, I offer this thought.
That of all the religions of the earth, only one is about God seeking
man, not man seeking God. There is truth
in that. Praise God!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why did he do this? He
came to show love. He came to serve others. He didn't come for the rich and powerful,
though he loves them too, he came for those that were hurting, sick, poor in
wealth, and the poor in spirit. Jesus came to show us how to love, how to give
of ourselves to others, freeing us from our sin to express the love of God to
others. As your sins are forgiven, we
must share the good news so that all humanity can come to know the saving Grace
of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Every converted sinner is a saved sinner; delivered from sin
and judgment. The grace that saves is the
free, undeserved goodness and favor of God; and he saves, not by the works of
the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus.
I've heard it said, and I believe it, that church is not a sanctuary for
saints, but a hospital for sinners. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So what is my message to you today? It is the eternal message of hope. It is that we are all forgiven of our sins
(even the big ones) through Christ's death on a cross and sanctified by his resurrection
so that we may have an eternal relationship with Him. That he did this because of his divine love
for us, not for anything that we did, but simply because he loves us, just as a
parent should love their child. So lay
your burdens at the foot of the cross.
Develop that relationship with God through worship, through prayer,
through witnessing to others, by being the one that is willing to step out on
faith, to help the needy, feed the hungry, visit those in hospitals and in
jail, and to show Christian love to everyone, even those who consider
themselves our enemies. Reflect Christ's
love for others. That was his great
commandment. He said Love God above all,
but the second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you don't know God, or would like to know what it means to
have a relationship with him, please consider coming to visit with me at the
altar as the band sings our next song.
Remember that once you have accepted His grace, Jesus dwells within you,
and we must let that light shine. Let
your light shine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Amen.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6636562702367127626.post-85959051502218047462012-08-02T15:03:00.001-07:002012-08-02T15:08:31.546-07:00Status Quo is Not GoodJesus was a revolutionary. Not in the go fight a war sense, but with his teachings on peace, love, acceptance, forgiveness, the evils of judgmentalism, and he often spoke against the established "Religion" of the day in the Pharisees and their live holier than everyone else. Jesus stood against the status quo and said, there is a better way; "I am the way, the truth, and the light. No one goes to the Father except through me." He ate with sinners, accepted the tax collectors, gave to the poor, worried for those in prison, sick, ill, or grieving. He asked his followers to look after the widows and the orphans.<br />
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I bring this up to introduce my topic today. One that will probably make many of my fellow Christians angry, and many of my more liberal friends angry. But I have to speak the truth in love as I see it and understand it.<br />
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Is Gay marriage truly the "end of the world as we know it?" So many good, Christian people seem to lose all sense of proportion on this issue. You can see this in the millions flocking to Chik a Fila to protest or support an anti-gay marriage stand has been reported everywhere...facebook, emails, national tv news shows, etc. It really makes me sad, for the effect it has on those gay people amongst us. They see Christians as bigots who would take away any secular human rights they have. This "movement" has harmed the growth of Christianity.<br />
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I submit that you cannot change anyone through such protests, flamewars, personal attacks, or threats of Hell. Actually, YOU can't change anyone. Period. Only the Holy Spirit can do that, but I digress.<br />
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I propose a different way. Allow secular gay-marriage in our society. I promise it will happen in the next twenty years anyway, and all the status quo is doing is further dividing Americans, urban vs rural, liberals vs conservative, Christians vs homosexuals. Instead of protests, offer friendship. Instead of hatred or bigotry, offer Christian love. Break fast with them, pray with them, and offer them the grace that God gave us. Grace is God's gift to ALL humanity, not just the frozen chosen, and not just the WASPs of our society.<br />
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But, you say, "Ed, homosexuality is a sin, and Paul said not to allow them into the Church." Maybe Paul did, but you need to understand that in the original 2000 year old texts, he was referring to men who sleep with boys....Pedophilia. But when the King James edition came along that word had not yet been invented and the word they chose instead was Homosexuals. So is it a sin? I'll be honest. I don't know. I do know that I have enough of my own sins to worry about with "fear and trembling" that I am not willing to judge another's.<br />
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My next point is the most important one. Everyone sins. All of us. All the time. Anything you do that takes you out of the relationship with God is a sin. If homosexuality is a sin, it is no worse than looking at porn and lusting, skipping church to watch the football game, harming your family with your words or your deeds, alcoholism, gossiping, drug addiction, gambling, partying, watching television or movies rather than studying the Word, (hope I'm stepping on someone's toes here) etc. We are all sinners. We have all sinned. God's Grace is Adequate to cover All of Our sins, to cover for All of US.<br />
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So even if you disagree with my premise here, I hope you consider that your words hurt, your actions can cause others to forever deny Christ, and as a Christian I think you are held accountable on that day when we stand for judgement. Are you willing to look into the face of Christ and answer this question, "Why did you not lead others to me, instead you led them to anger and rejection of the Truth. Rejection of me. Why? Why did you not show them love as I taught you to."<br />
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For me, I'm going to follow my Revolutionary leader and savior. When I don't know the answer, I'm simply going to answer with Love...<br />
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for all,<br />
<br />
Ed <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1