Guns to our heads

What would you do if you were held at gun point?  No, I’m not talking about martyrdom for your faith.  The gunman doesn’t know your faith and isn’t interested.  If he told you to sing a Justin Timberlake song and pronounce your love for him, would you?  If he told you to strip down to your underwear, would you?  If he told you to hit your child repeatedly to the point of death, would you?

I think we would all sing the Timberlake song (if we knew one) and say we love him to save our life.  That’s easy.  I think many of us would strip down to save our lives, because it’s not very difficult.  I don’t think many of us would strike our own children, but I could be wrong.  To me that’s just too hard, it’s asking too much even if I will die.

To me it seems pretty apparent that we would all do something easy in order to save our life.  If you said you loved Timberlake at gun point is that sincere or survival?

Enter the elementary aged Sunday school lesson.  The teacher is taking to the kids about God and she then tells the little children about hell.  (I don’t think they are probably this crude, but this is what gets absorbed by the listeners)  Hey kids, in Hell God’s not there, it’s a place of fire and darkness, and there is no company, no love, no peace, and no hope.  Forever.  And you are going there when you die.

Gun is to their head.

“What do I have to do to be saved?”  Pray this prayer to Jesus.

“That’s it?  That’s easy.” 

Is that sincere or is that survival?  How many church or Christian education lifers out there haven’t had this done to them?  Raise your hand.  A gun has been put to your head.

Sincere faith is when a person recognizes they are sinner and the only way to be cleaned and made new is the blood of Jesus who died for them and they make a personal claim on that blood and they trust that it will work.  Does that happen at gunpoint?

How many generations have ignored the gospel call on their life because they already believe they have it? They did that easy survival thing at gunpoint.  Is it the same?

Imagine this conversation between your average Christian believer and a witty unbeliever…

If you are right and I’m wrong about God’s existence then there are no negative consequences for me. But if I’m right and you’re wrong about God’s existence then there are huge consequences for you.

What do you mean?

I mean to say Hell. (Gun to the head)

You think you lose nothing if God is not real?  (Grabs gun from the Christian and takes aim back)  What about all the time you spend at church, time and money raised for missions trips, money given to Christian educations, and church donations?  What about all the Sunday mornings you could have been watching football?

What about all the guilt people have made you feel about not measuring up to God’s standards?

What if Hell and original sin were invented by your preacher so you would fear your soul was doomed and would buy the cure from them week after week? 

Did you believe in God out of fear like you are asking me too?  (Shots fired)

Um.

Now I’m asking.  Did you?  Jesus poured His blood for you to save you from your sins.  He took the bullet for us, let’s put away our guns and trust that His blood will do what He says it will do. 

Hey kids, Jesus is the best and He took care of your biggest need.  He did all the work Himself.  He loves you that much.  All we have to do is trust Him.  Do you want to claim His victory or do you want to try take care of your biggest need on your own?  

I believe the goodness of Jesus wins people’s hearts; especially if their hearts haven’t been spiritually bullied yet.

Caves of David

For years I have had it on my mind to write about David son of Jesse. He has always been my favorite Bible character but over the years the reason why has changed. At the present I love David's example of trusting the Lords timing and being dependent on His daily grace.  It’s inspirational and challenging.

I've thrown around a bunch of ideas to write about David over the years. Some are terrible ideas and some are better. 

   -When I was young I thought it would be fun to write an outer space 
       science fiction based on the story of David. 

   -I had an idea to write a movie script about making David king from the 
       point of view of his mighty men. 

   -I had the idea to take the above idea and put it into a historical fiction 
       book.

   -I have a book idea called David's Trust that is much like Opportunity Jesus 
       in that it would be chronological while highlighting David’s acts of faith.

The best idea might still be out here but I can't think of a better place to get inspired than in Ein Gedi. These are the caves that David hid from King Saul in.  Caves that David penned some of my favorite Psalms. I've imagined these caves, I've dreamed about them, but to experience them? Wow.

I have an opportunity to go poke around these caves this winter! Not only that; but tour dozens of major Bible locations. I could stand where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, ride on a boat across the Sea of Galilee, climb the Mount of Olives where Zechariah predicts Jesus will return one day, and many more. I've wanted to do this for so long but its never worked out. This winter I have been invited to go for 7 days, I have about half the money I need to go. Could you help me raise the rest?  Support my trip without giving money, or donate today?(http://fundly.com/send-mr-e-to-israel)

As a Bible teacher and preacher I cannot even begin to fathom how much this trip will challenge me, stretch my imagination, and give the Biblical text a whole new layer of depth. I'm so thankful the opportunity to witness the scenes of His story.  

don't judge a book by it's cover

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

It’s sound advice from an old English idiom.  We teach it to our kids so they learn that people aren’t always what you see.  Don’t give up on Albert Einstein because he looks homeless he has something to teach us.  Don’t think Natalie Portman is trouble because she is cute.  Don’t think Jon Stewart is smart because he is on tv.  And don’t think something racist because all my examples happen to be Jewish. 

 

 I struggle to start conversations, especially difficult ones so I will most often start them using text or email.  If this was the 1800’s I would write letters.  It turns out that in my emails I often come across as angry and hurtful.  This is when I intended to be direct and honest or even confused.  I’m disturbed when I hear how people take my words.  I have unintentionally hurt many people with the written word.

Am I angry and hurtful?  Is that my cover or is that my story? 

I also write this blog, a book called Opportunity Jesus, 6 other books not published, and an occasional inspirational email for co-workers.  Those words are uplifting and life filled.  They are full of grace and hope that aren’t in my “tough” conversation emails.

Am I full of grace and hope?  Is that my cover or is that my story?

If we run into each other at the mall, in the hallway at my work, or anywhere unplanned it might be awkward.  Unless you are in my inner circle (consists of about 5 people) I’m most comfortable in the back of a room, and probably not participating.  I’m not super comfortable starting conversations or knowing what should be said at the beginnings or endings of conversations.  In my general life I do not get excited about things nor do I get depressed. Not even about Jesus. I’m even keel and it rubs people the wrong way.  I don’t get excited for people appropriately, nor do I share grief.  I don’t make Jesus very public in my private life.  It appears that I don’t care or most often that I’m negative.  Pair that with some actually negativity once and a while and I probably come across as crazy…sociopathic…untrustworthy…sketch…or at least a downer. 

Am I a downer?  Is that my cover or is that my story?

If you see me teach my class or speak at a church or chapel or camp you will see an energetic inspired guy who loves Jesus with his whole heart and encourages others.  I sound like the life of the party, everybody’s best friend.  Just a darn good guy.

Am I an inspirational guy?  Is that my cover or is that my story?

Don’t judge a book by its cover can be complicated can’t it?  The truth is I’m none of these things I’m ALL of those things.  None of them are the real me and the others fake.  It’s all real!  I am angry and hurtful; full of grace and hope.  I am a downer yet inspirational guy.  I’m a contradiction.  Broken and totally depraved yet holy and perfect and new because of Jesus.  That’s hilarious.  That’s true.  Just know this Jesus is working in me everyday.  He has judicially pardoned my sin.  And I love Him and He loves me even when I’m angry.  And I love Him and He loves me even when I’m crazy.  He is working to make me new.  To match His pardon.  It’s my brokenness that proclaims His might.  He saved me. 

I will do my part to remember that you share a similar story too, but with very different parts.  And we can live together in love…and crazy; because of Jesus.