Picking a Church?

Recently, I read a disturbing article in the latest edition of Christianity Today.  It had some statistics that were recently take of a survey that was 10 years in the making about mainline Protestant and Evangelical preachers.  While I can definitely see that some of the questions elicited the responses they got, I was puzzled by one of them.  The question was "Do you believe the the virgin birth?"  Seems simple, right?  Not so fast there, padre.  25% of mainline Protestant (Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc.) ministers did not, I repeat, did not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.  I know you are going back to read that last sentence again, but it won't change the stat.  One of the main tenants of Christianity is the sinless birth of a virgin foretold in Isaiah  and Micah 400 years before it actually happened.   If we don't believe in the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - we must turn off the lights of the local churches and send everyone home because we are all lost. 

Now you may be wondering how do all these men and women who call themselves preachers get on the pulpit every Sunday and pontificate supposedly on the Word of God?  To many of them, preaching g is just a job - no more no less.  There was another article I read that interviewed two mainline ministers who were "leading" their flock and they were self avowed atheists.  The article went on to ask them why they were still in the pulpit and the answer was not a shock to me.  They stated that they lost their faith but the job was so good, they just couldn't give it up.  Ladies and gentleman - God will hold us accountable for our actions and we ministers are held to a higher standard.  This is called ministerial malpractice.  Here is a helpful hint when looking for a church - interview the pastor to see what his/her beliefs are.

It is no wonder that some seminaries today are nothing but a waste of time if you are looking at studying the Bible and its meaning - literally.  I know lots of mainline seminaries that teach nothing but the social gospel, work righteousness, or only parts of the Bible are true. That is why it isn't that big of a deal if a minister goes to a mainline seminary or not.  In fact, of those ministers that call themselves evangelical don't attend mainline seminaries (I didn't).  I believe the Bible as it is written, not as I think it should be. 

Jesus was born of a virgin, He was a sinless man, He died as an atonement for our sins, He rose from the dead and sits on the right hand of God the Father.  I have placed my trust in Him, I have repented of my sins, and I can't wait to live in Heaven with him.  That's what the Bible said, that's what God said, and that's what Jesus said.  If your preacher doesn't believe that - move on.  Amen.

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Does Pornography Have a Hold On You?

Pornography, just the sound of the word makes us cringe.  But its more than the sound of it that has Christian leaders very concerned.  Why, because almost 50% of men who call themselves Christians admit surfing porn on a regular basis.  Lets take a look at this growing problem that affects all members of the families involved.

The root of this sin is the same as all other sins: the sinful nature. Man's depravity because of the fall of Adam causes innumerable sins, including sexual immorality.  So, how do we deal with sexual immorality? The same way we deal with all other sins:  Die to self, live in Christ. Die to lust and sexual immorality, mortify it, and then live in Christ and have self-control.

We heard Paul say, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel (body) in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the heathen, who do not know God. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7).

By the Spirit, put this sin to death (mortify), as you do all other sins. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. And whatever the temptation, sin, attack, or challenge you must overcome, hold on to God's Word regarding this issue. Know what God says about it; seek answers in the Bible and hold on to it by faith.  It also helps to pray like nobody's business as well.  If you have any doubt in your mind that you may be sinning, just ask yourself if Jesus was standing behind you, would He be pleased? Remember, "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21).

Faith in Christ is your victory. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. Abide in Him. Pray until you have victory. If you feel weak, call someone to pray with you. Let us carry each other's burdens, helping one another. This is not about being "accountable" to someone else; this is about helping one another in the fight.

"Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way" (Psalm 119:37).

pray4U@chaplaincare.us

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is seemingly one of the easiest things to do, but it is rarely done with any regularity.  Is it because we don’t know what to say or how to say it, or is it just that we don’t believe that it works?  Before we get started on this question, let’s take a look at prayer itself.  First to have your prayers heard and acted upon we must be a believer.  Jesus said, “if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. The keyword – Believe (Matthew 21:22) and the Psalmist said, “the Lord is near to all who call him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).  And finally and most importantly, “the Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayers of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). 

Once you are a believer, just close your eyes and bow your head and talk to God.  I find it particularly helpful to remain focused to say the prayer out loud.  That way your mind will not wander to other things Satan wants you to think about.  Don’t worry about the words that come out, God knows what is on your heart already – but he still wants you to talk to Him.  “Before they call I will answer; while they are speaking, I will hear”, (Isaiah 65:24).   What can you talk with God about?  Talk to him about anything, thank him for everything, ask Him for help.  When was the last time when you opened your eyes first thing in the morning thanked him for letting you live another day?  I know this has been a trying time for me during my extended unemployment, but I have thanked God for it and he has blessed us and has taken care of our needs. 

Remember Jesus said this, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24) and also "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Matt 7:7-8).  The Lord wants you to talk to him, keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.  Amen.

Pray4U@chaplaincare.us

Atheist prime minister wants chaplains in schools

There is a headline that reaches out and grabs you.  Yes it is true, Australia has been using chaplains in theor public and private school systems since 2007 and they use state funds to do it as well.  New Proime Minister Gillard has promised to extend the program through 2014 and will add another 1000 schools to the already 2700 schools that have the program.  Even though Prime Minister Gillard is an atheist, he sees the value of having chaplains in each school working with students. 

The chaplain program is voluntary but both principals and teachers agree that students are more comfortable approaching their chaplain than other adults in the school or community.  The chaplains offer comfort and support to students and staff as well as general and personal advice and never speak about religion unless specifically asked.  Chaplains will not replace school counselors or psychologists, but will work with them referring students whenever appropriate.

It sounds like Australia is right on the money with "Chaplain Care".   Christianity Today - December 2010

What do we know?

I would like to comment on the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey that was recently released.  The headline read “Non Believers Score Best on Faith Survey”.  What does this actually mean, and why?  The poll said that half of those who call themselves Christians don’t know what the first four Gospels are.  It’s a sad commentary on Christian life when atheists know more about Christianity than most regular churchgoers.  What causes this?  In my opinion, the blame can squarely be placed on what is coming out of the pulpit, or more importantly, what is not coming out of the pulpit.  It is a shame that in a great number of churches, reading and bringing the Bible is not even suggested or encouraged.  Most churchgoers just sit and listen to some vague story about work righteousness or some aspect of the social gospel or just go to be “religutained”, so they can walk out feeling good when they leave.  It’s no wonder, as the survey suggests, that people who call themselves Christians don’t know about the Bible, compared to atheists who sometimes study the Bible in order to refute it.  Some churches now focus on the small stuff – parking cars, PowerPoint presentations that are visually appealing, praise band musical numbers, serving coffee, and making sure the cookies are fresh instead of focusing in with a laser beam on Salvation.  We know of some churches that don’t even allow the words sin and repentance to be used in a sermon because they don’t want to offend anyone.  We certainly wouldn’t want anyone to leave church, contemplating what they must do to seek eternal life.  Some ministers are holding the hands of their parishioners as they walk towards the beach of the Lake of Fire where no one will be offended as they jump right on in; I call that “ministerial malpractice”.

I am thankful for a handful of preachers and churches that still find it their calling to preach from the Bible and actually believe in the Bible as it is written.  As I’ve been heard to say, “Good preaching works every time it’s tried”.  It is incumbent upon us ministers to educate our parishioners in what the Bible says, encourage them to read it, and get involved in Bible studies with a big dose of prayer mixed in, so that we can know what Christianity actually means.  We are to go forward and preach the gospel to all nations, that’s our great commission, but we can’t do that if we don’t even know what Christianity is all about.  That way, when the next survey comes out, Christians will actually know something about what they say they believe in. 

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Making Decisions

Decisions...we all need to make them everyday.  Some are more daunting than others and some require a lot more thought and collaboration when making them.  I've am an advocate of making decisions rather quickly and decisively even though I know that sometimes its good to sleep on it.  One thing that usually enter into peoples minds is to pray on it.  Prayer for the wisdom in making decisions should always be first and foremost - even with the smallest decisions.  God wants you to come to him with everything.  He will be there for you and He will walk you through the decision making process so you will not have to fear.


Here are some things to consider when making decisions:
1 - Pray over it.  Commit your decision to God and go into it with an attitude of trust and obedience.  In Jeremiah 29:11 it says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
2 - Go to the scripture.  Seek biblical direction there.  Psalm 119:105 tells us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."
3 - Be ready to accept and obey God's answer.  God will not reveal his plan for you or the answers to your questions if He knows you will not obey Him.  When you submit to the Master, you know that He will light your path.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take".
4- If you need counsel, seek godly counsel.  Weigh your decisions to see if you you will be violating the will of God.  He will never tell you to do something that is against his will - ever.
5-Act on your decision.  If you have arrived at your decision and it is pleasing to the will of God, you can proceed with confidence that God will work out his purposes through your decision.  Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose".  Amen.


pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Forgiveness

Have you ever gone on a "forgiveness tour"?  I have and it was a tough thing for me to do.  After a season of my life that I did things that I wasn't proud of God told me that if I wanted to straighten my life out I should go ask forgiveness to those who I wronged and hurt.  Some forgave me and others remained stoic and will never forgive me no matter what.  I have spent some serious knee time begging God to forgive me for my sins, past, present, and future.  Sins of omission and sins of ommission, and even those that I have forgotten about.  Sometimes we must fall prostrate before the Lord, confess our sins and repent like nobody's business.

John tells us, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.". (1 John 1:9).  And even though when people wrong us - no matter how large or small the issue is, we are reminded to, "Forgive whatever grievances you may have against on another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (col 3:13).  Not only are we to forgive each other, but ask God through his son Jesus Christ to forgive us also.  "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more, says the Lord".  Amen.

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Fear of Failure

Have you ever been afraid, I mean really afraid?  I have.  I've been paralyzed by the fear of failure, the fear that I won't amount to anything, the fear that I won't live up to my family's expectations, the fear that I won't be a good father and husband, and most of all the fear that I will fail my God with my sinful behavior.  The Bible says "Do Not Fear" or some derivative of the phrase 365 times so it must be an important lesson that we must learn.  God said to Isaiah, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". (Isaiah 41:10)  That sounds very clear to me that the God who created the universe will strengthen us so that we will not be afraid anymore.  We must remember that we will eventually  "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23), we won't stay there.  David also said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and  do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you". (1 Chron 28:20). 

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Being Thankful

In my last blog I talked about being unemployed since April of this year.  While this, on the surface, seems like a horrible prospect for my future, several things have to to light that I am most thankful for.  Mind you I didn't always have this perspective, but my good wife and my Good Shepherd have intervened in my life to give me a different thought process.  I always had the notion that you are less of a man and a provider if you don't work.  "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (II Thessalonians 3:10).  But after study and prayer, God has given me the opportunity to do something with my time - be thankful.  No matter what happens, good or bad I need to be thankful and praise God.  I know that sometimes this is not easy to do, but like the movie Facing the Giants says "we will praise him when we win and will praise him when we lose".  I praise God and am thankful that He has seen that every financial need we have has been taken care of during this period of economic struggles.  I am thankful that God has given me this time to be refreshed in his word, "He makes me lie down in green pastures" (Psalm 23).  I am thankful that I have had much more time to spend with my family and preach the word throughout the valley.  And the Lord has given me time to go for a run and take the dog for a walk on a consistent basis.

But most of all, I am thankful that God has put us in this exact situation at this exact time.  There is something to be learned here, I'm not sure what that is yet, but in time it will be revealed.  As the Psalmist said, "Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; and His love endures forever." (Psalm 106:1).

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Are you anxious?

In today's uncertainty about the future: will we have a job that I can pay my bills on, can I continue my health insurance, and can I even afford to retire right now, understandably makes us anxious and a bit uneasy.  I must admit that when I lost my job earlier this year (and am still unemployed) the prospect of losing everything that I worked so hard for was paralyzing to me.  But for the love and calming of a Christian wife, I would have been a full blown basket case, sick with worry.  It has been a struggle for me, my family and countless other Americans that have seen hope running out, day by day. 

I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself".  Worry in of itself is not very productive and not very healthy either and we must learn to place our trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ to provide for us and our needs.  God told Joshua to "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you whereever you go".  Place your trucst and faith in God like Moses did and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Always Faithful

Recently, while walking through our local cemetery to visit my father's grave, I took notice of something that I'm sure most people don't even notice, the overwhelming amount of American flags that adorn the military veteran's graves.  These men and women from the Spanish American war to present day who died in the fight for freedom, and to those, like my Dad died well after his service to his country, remind me of what they fought for - Freedom.  During the Bush years, many from my town would protest the war(s) from in front of the post office and that was made possible by those who served and those who gave their lives.  (I wonder where those protesters are now?)

I'm sure that many of those young men and women went into battle with military chaplains telling them, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever your go." (Joshua 1:9).  How many of us are afraid of what we face today.  The Bible says "Do Not Fear", 365 times, so we know that if we place our trust in the Lord we will walk through the darkest valley.

pray4u@chaplaincare.us

Greetings!

This is my first attempt at blogging.  I will tackle tough religious issues, workplace chaplain strategies as well as bringing the Word.