Do Blessings Deafen?

In prayer time this morning with our small cadre of faithful men a thought arose for me more cogently than ever before. Hence the revelatory feel I have had since our prayer time ended. Perhaps God has already spoken to you about this, but for me it has been an ‘aha’ moment. One that has compelled me to share it with you.

It is simply this. Today, in ‘Christian America’s Church’, we don’t witness a lot of James’ putting action to our faith. In fact we often seem to be more like the church at Sardis – in need of a wake up call to roust us from our slumber…our happy, warm, safe ‘Christian’ repose that makes us proud to be counted His and then to turn over in search of that particularly safe warm spot on the mattress. It’s almost like one large Christian slumber party that does not hear or see or act on behalf of the Master beyond anticipation of “well done, good and faithful servant” after one accomplishment on His behalf - a slumber party that seems not to have enough gumption even for a pillow fight on matters close to His heart.

Back up with me here. As His sons and daughters, I believe God blesses us (list not inclusive) for honoring Him through our faithfulness, our work, the stewardship we give to matters of His heart, our obedience and our love for Him and one another. Unfortunately though, after a very short while, we, but not all, seem to tire and become distracted. We are often lured into ‘vain imaginations’ that rise above His will because of the praise we receive for being exemplary Christian men and women. We don’t seem to rest well in His blessing, patient to hear from Him so that we can move out in greater and more profound ways. Rather, we become ‘euthanized’ with the honors given to us by men rather than the praise and victory we can have from Him. We close our ears to His whispers and shut our eyes to what more He calls us to do.

I’m not angry here – just trying to figure out why it is that we seem to be losing the war for babies in the womb, our youth, and our communities…living out our Christian worldview. It seems blessings do deafen and often take us out of the battle.

God does not purpose us to ‘bury’ the blessings He has given us but to multiply them, to build them into bigger blessings for those around us; to magnify those blessings, stewarding them in ways that increases His glory and accomplishes His will. Man’s honors pale in the presence of His rewards but how easily we succumb to their sweetness and the calling our pillows, sheets and blankets siren. Sleep, so soundly we sleep.

Do we do good works, because of our gratitude for what Christ did for us on the cross? If so why then do we then stop afterward to revel in what good people we are; revel in what we have just done? A stupor of revelry seems to come over us and mask what else God has for us to do. I believe that is how it is, myself included. It is so tempting. It is just too easy to rest in our past work without the passion or initiative to step up our work in His name. We seem not only to be deaf to things the Lord puts before us but blind as well – overlooking the obvious, overlooking the needed – sometimes even overlooking His direct call on our lives.

This is a plea to not let His blessings be blanketed almost smothered by man’s…to instead accept His blessings to raise our game as His voice and hands and feet in ways unfathomed by us before…to redirect glory from ourselves to Him…to build and protect our families and communities in His name as a sweet aroma for all to experience, investigate and accept. This is a plea to finish strong.

Blessings all.

I welcome any thoughts you may have on this. Thanks to Mike Alameda for his wisdom on ‘vain imaginations.’ jt

So Much For...

I have so much to tell about my recent trip to Southeast Asia and had planned on doing that with this edition of my blog, but those plans have been waylaid as a result of the statement of one of the current candidates for high office in this land. I’m sure you must have heard the statement by now, “look, I’ve got two daughters…9 years old and 6 years old. I’m going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

*So much for the oft cited ‘preeminence of decision making’ between a doctor and patient.
*So much for health concerns of the mother.
*So much for [real] choice - knowing all the options.
*So much for teaching and living out values and morality…assuming the morals being taught are truly Christ's morality.
*So much for the ‘punishment’ they will likely feel for the rest of their lives for taking the life of their innocent child(ren).
*So much for all the women who have made the courageous decision for life for their child
*So much for protecting daughters.
*So much for grandchildren.
*So much for God Who opens and closes the womb.
*So much for Life.

It is unbelievable to me that someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ, who proclaims in interviews that for the past 20 years praises are sung to His name in church, could so cavalierly condemn a grandchild to death without even thinking about the blessing their children could receive by placing their children with adoptive parents who desperately are praying for children of their own.

The callousness of the statement frankly sends chills down my spine – particularly since according to recent reports, 56% of all abortions in the United States are within the Black community of American women. Apparently this person has bought into the lie perpetrated on African Americans for more than 90 years since Margaret Sanger began Planned Parenthood. This is the legacy of the woman who promoted and popularized eugenics in America.

It is also interesting to note that the national organization in England for psychiatrists, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, recently reported that women should be told abortions can cause mental health problems and that abortions shouldn’t be done unless women are counseled on the possible (emotional, social, physical and spiritual)** risks.

I have to admit, with my experiences over the last 18 years, I just plain don’t get this candidate’s statement. My prayer is that you don’t either.


**my addition

1st Century Church Impact

First, please accept my apologies for a brief intermission in my blogging. I have just returned from a fascinating and miraculous trip to S.E. Asia. My heart is on fire and just this morning in prayer with a few men, I prayed that the fire within me will spread to everything I do and to each of you as well.

You see, we, this little pregnancy care center, tucked away in Tucson, AZ for Pete’s sake, is having an impact in a part of the world that is hungry for God’s Word and for everything and anything that is of Him. Our opportunity to teach about the sanctity of human life, post-abortion healing and intimacy with God before attempting to impact lives and communities has been such a privilege. A friend of mine told me when she learned of our activities that she saw in her heart and mind’s eye the plowing of fields and the planting of seeds from which new life can take root.

That’s just the case in Cambodia where the Church is just 15 years old. There are not many places where we as a CPC and community can play a foundational part in shaping the course of a ‘1st Century Church.’ But that is the case there. It’s an unbelievable opportunity to help plant the doctrine of the sanctity of human life in the fertile field of the Church, making the preciousness of life central in all of the Church’s teachings and living. And yet, because of many of you, we are there doing just that. Thank you.

Our work there is also planting hope that their young girls have a God planned purpose and future beyond sex slavery and prostitution or worse. Our work there is also planting the knowledge that God is a forgiving God, full of mercy and grace -such much so that He gave His own Son as a sacrifice even while we were still offending Him so that we could have eternity together with Him. Amazing!

Within a few days, many of you will be receiving through the mail and within my “Message In A Minute” E-Letter a tremendous story involving a pastor in Cambodia and how God has touched his life. If you do not receive either of those pieces, please respond and let me know so that I can see that you do.

Meanwhile, bless you for your prayers, support and encouragement. When the people of God decide to do something in His name and for His glory, great things happen and lives are saved. God be praised.

Of Cathedrals and Churches

Sanctity of Human Life weekend (January 20th and 21st) was absolutely, unbelievably great for me this year! I was able to witness the Catholic and Evangelical communities coming together as one body in a March for Life that was bigger than us all…bigger than life. Six to seven hundred strong, 3 to 4 to 5 deep extending nearly three quarters of a mile long – our March for Life made a serious statement to the community.

People waved and honked their car horns in support of life; no one griped when we blocked traffic on our way from St. Augustine Cathedral to Holy Hope Cemetery; and those in attendance were touched deeply by the memorial service that was held in memory of all the lives that have been lost to abortion since 1973 when Roe vs Wade was upheld by the Supreme Court as the law of the land.

It all started that morning with the Catholic community celebrating Mass in the Cathedral and the Evangelicals gathering for prayer in St. Augustine Cathedral’s great hall. After prayer, I had the great pleasure of speaking to approximately 1500 of the faithful in the Cathedral right before we began our 4.5 mile trek. I don’t believe I have ever felt so welcome. My job was to rally those ready to march. Instead they blessed and encouraged me and those with me beyond measure.

Say what you will about our theological differences, we all owe a great deal to the fervor, dedication, passion and energy of the Catholic community which has carried the torch for life over these past 35 years and continues to educate and mobilize men, women and children about the horrors of abortion. Thank you.

The following morning at Catalina Foothill Church (PCA) I had the privilege to preach at both services about forgiveness and God’s plan for our lives. My sermon was entitled “Love is More Powerful Than Death,” taken from Song of Songs 8:6 (Contemporary English Version).

Between services though is where I was able to witness God’s transformative power in the life of a very nice woman who approached me quietly with great news. She related that because of how the Holy Spirit spoke to her that morning, she would no longer hold a position other than pro-life. You know what? I’ll never forget her because there in front of me was a woman who had just had a real encounter with our God. I could stand next to her forever – know what I mean?

Since then I have wondered what was said that God used to prompt this glorious outcome. I believe that God’s love for those who turn to Him won the day. You see the pro-life community is about love and the softening of hearts. Our message is about love and nothing can stop it. It is truly “more powerful than death.”

I believe she was also affirmed in her belief, that God sets the sin of abortion right through forgiveness by the death of his Son in our place, so that the entire wrath that we deserve for the sin of abortion – and every other sin – was put squarely and entirely on Jesus. Can love be any greater that that? Can we be any freer than that to honor Him with our minds, souls and spirits in all that we do? What great days!

Blessings.

“Can you lose someone if you know where she or he is?”

I have kept going back to this statement I read in Don Piper’s book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. It has prompted me to reflect on those we (you and me) have loved or didn’t have the chance to love who now are with our Lord. Those we’ll be with for eternity in just moments actually.

Of course, only God knows the names, but it has caused me to reflect on who might be waiting for my arrival aside from our Lord and who I’d like to be waiting for me. I know that God has blessed me with unbelievable grace and mercy even accepting me as His son to occupy one of His many mansions He has prepared. That’s not bragging mind you, just an affirmation of the truth our Lord said to those of us who believe and give testimony to the truth.

They cannot be lost to us since they are waiting for us.

I wonder who will be first in line. Will it be my sister? Will it be the young mother I wrote about in my Walmart Encounter? Will it be my older brother who died at the age of 10 days or one of my parents? Could it be someone, in my pride, I would have never thought would ‘darken the door’? Could it be additional children I didn’t know about because of miscarriages? Could it be someone thankful for the work God has graciously given me to do?

I don’t know, but I can’t wait.

Blessings.

March for Life – January 19th

I have to tell you that I am so excited about the opportunity to join with at least 1500 other pro-life men, women and children who have something to say to the community about the sanctity of human life.

Our belief in the preciousness of human life will be on display and implicit will be our ‘marching shout’ that God is the giver of life and that we should [all] experience it to the full as life givers and not takers. John 10:10 has it right. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” In this march we stand for something – life! We refuse and refute the alternative.

So, this is just a short encouragement to you to join us at 9:30 in St. Augustine’s Cathedral Hall for prayer before we march to Holy Hope Cemetery at 10:30. There will be a very special memorial service beginning at 12:30 PM at Holy Hope remembering all those who lost their lives to abortion and praying for those grieving the loss of a child or children to abortion.

Parking will be available at both sites and transportation will be available if necessary from the cemetery back to the Cathedral after the service. Water and ‘facilities’ will be available at the cemetery.

Hope to see you there. Please join with me.

Blessings.

Walmart Encounter

Perhaps my best Christmas gift was given to me in the vacuum isle of Walmart several days ago. A very nice looking young woman with two children smiled at me. That in itself is a gift since women these days rarely smile at men they don't know - even older men like myself! However, I remember thinking, it must really be the Christmas season...that was nice.



Well, as my wife and I continued speaking together, low and behold, she came back around the corner of the isle and introduced one of the young girls, now 7 years old, to me. Leaning over low and drawing close to her she introduced me as the man responsible for her life. We 'high-fived' it and I said something really profound, like 'superduper' or something. This former CPC volunteer from years ago explained that the young girl's birth mother had been diagnosed with cancer and had received counsel from her physicians that she should abort this very little girl.



God had another plan though. Because she ended up at the CPC and made the decision to give life to her child. This courageous mom, just passed away, but she left a tremendous legacy for her daughter I was so privileged to meet.



There were only two things wrong with this encounter: the real heroes were not there to meet this wonderfully energetic, braided and, my goodness, cute, young lady - the staff and volunteers at the CPC who counseled with her mom and her mom herself who made the ultimate sacrifice so that her baby could live. What a Christmas present! I am so thankful to this former volunteer who cared enough to tell the story, again probably, to this little girl in my presence and for the chance to see the result of God's work in our ministry. Oh, and also for that very neat smile.