Is Salvation Really Free?

       I have heard it said, so many times, that “salvation is free”. I started to contemplate this phrase and wondered about its accuracy.

       While it is true that salvation is freely given, it is not true to say “You don’t have to do anything to receive salvation.” I have heard many preachers tell congregants “Salvation is a free. It is a gift. You don’t have to do anything to receive it. You just have to believe that Jesus died for your sins.” I've learned that for every misconception, there is usually a hint of truth. While it is true that there is nothing a person can do to earn their salvation, salvation is far from an open vending machine. Belief alone is not adequate, for Satan, himself, believes that Christ is the son of God and died on the cross for the salvation of mankind.

       Suppose you are sitting on the couch when I enter the room and tell you that I have a gift for you. I tell you that you did nothing to earn the gift and I explain that you don’t have to do anything to receive this gift. Convinced, you just sit there and wait for me to give you the gift. We both wait for something to happen. Finally, you realize that you actually have to do something. You decide to ask for the gift. “Can I have the gift?” you ask. “Yes” I tell you, “I want you to have it.” Again we wait. You realize that you must do something else, so you stretch your hands out, to me, in the universal sign that you are willing and ready to receive something. I could continue, but I think the point is made.

       Scripture tells of specific things that have to be accomplished in order to receive this free gift. Yes! The Bible does say that that salvation is not by works. This refers to deeds done or work accomplished, as one would work a job to receive a paycheck or do deeds that prove one’s worthiness. Mankind’s deeds are compared to used menstrual products. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. That said…there are very specific steps that we are to accomplish in order to be the recipients of this wonderful gift of salvation. Several scriptures could be referenced to show this list. What follows are only a couple of them. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. So let’s investigate this first verse (note: always understand that a verse that is pulled out can be viewed out of context. Be sure to understand that surrounding scripture can, and often will, enhance understanding of a specific single scripture.)

        The first statement of this scripture states a conditional IF. We understand that where there is an “if” there is also, whether stated or not, a “then.”  Here it is stated. “If my people…” those people to whom the gift is offered, making it obvious that the gift might not be offered to all people, at all times. Although scripture states that everyone has at least one opportunity to follow Christ, we understand by reading other scripture (John 6:44, Romans 1:28), that there are times when salvation is not offered and can’t be received.

2.             “will humble themselves”…We, the gift-receivers, must realize our smallness compared to God, the gift-giver. We must relinquish any claim to any rights, as we gain understanding that we deserve nothing. In this day and time when we hear people arguing about their rights and claiming their entitlements, we are shown that salvation requires just the opposite, as we cry out “I am nothing, I have nothing to offer, I deserve nothing, yet I cry out, Heavenly Father, that you have mercy on me and grant me the opportunity to receive even the smallest of crumbs from your table.” He, in turn, offers us an adoption into his family, as his children.

3.             “pray, and seek my face”…We must begin a relationship; a conversation. We cannot walk into the presence of God, ask for a gift, and then announce “Thanks for the gift. See you later.” That’s not how it works at all. To “seek the face” of God is not to say a simple prayer. An excerpt from a January 31, 2014 article, by Marcio Sierra Jr, of Lighthouse Church,  titled “What does it mean to seek the face of God?”, stated it this way: “…When we look at a person’s face, we are looking at a lot more than just a face.  Just by looking at a person’s face you can tell if the person is angry, happy, sad, tired, worried, hurt, excited, in love, sick, and the list continues.  The face of a person reveals a lot about that person.  The face of a person is like an open window that allows us to see inside of that person; their thoughts, their pain, their joy, their heart.  This is what God showed me; to seek His face is to enter into God’s heart.  When God asks us to seek His face, He is making a call for us to enter into His thoughts and see what He is thinking, to see what He is doing, how he feels about something, to see the love that he has for us, to look at the pain that our sin causes him, etc.”

4.             “…and turn from their wicked ways…” Repentance isn't confession. It isn't when you stop committing a sin. Repentance comes from the word that means to turn 180 degrees, in the opposite direction, and head that way. In other words, if I am going east and I repent, then I will turn and head west. Spiritually, If I am committing a sin and I repent, then I will not only stop committing that sin, but I will do the opposite. If, for example, I am abusing my wife and children, then I will not only cease the abuse but will begin to shower them with loving attention.  We cannot continue to live the same way we did prior to salvation, if we have accepted the gift. Time after time, scripture states (John 13:35, John 8:31, Matt 7:21-23, 1 John 4:20) that to claim to be a follower without actually following makes us a liar. Is it that hard to grasp this concept? If my wife and I go for a hike, in the woods, and I tell her “Follow me. I've been through here many times and I know the way. I’ll keep you safe.” And she states “I am going to follow you which will protect me from harm and keep me from getting lost.” (she doesn't actually talk like that, BTW.) Then we have established the hiking relationship and the bare-bones agreement that we share. Periodically, I will glance back and ask “You still back there? How’s it going?” If she’s not behind me, I can call out “Where are you? I thought that you said you were going to follow me?” “I am following you. Just not at your pace or on your path. I found an easier path.” “We agreed that for your own good,  you would follow closely behind me. Catch up. I am here for you.” Later, she meets some other hikers. They ask her if she is hiking alone, for they see no evidence that she is with anyone else. She assures them that she has chosen to follow me, and is in fact doing so at the very moment. “If you are really following him, then where are you headed?” they ask. “To such-and-such place” she tells them. “Well,” they admit, “We met your guide earlier and he was headed in a totally different direction. You two are not going the same way. Had you truly been “following” (air quotes given) him, you would end up at the same destination, together. As I wrote this, my mind was confused as to how this is so hard for people to understand. My realization was that they choose to not accept it. When we want to live on our own chosen path and figure we have the right to make our own choices, then we justify our actions. Or maybe we assume that others have told us correct information so we fail to study or research or verify the information. Wouldn't it be simpler for us to read scripture and see that it says that if we are his followers, then it will be obvious? Let me pause to insert this…there is a false theology that has pervaded Christianity to such an extent that those who try to deliver the message of scriptural salvation are often condemned and persecuted for their exegesis. The false theological principle to which I refer is that which states “Christ died for my past, present, and future sins, and whatever I do, it is forgiven.” In a sense…yes. In a sense…no. We are called to sanctification and holiness; cleansing and setting apart. We are not to settle for the idea that because we are flawed creatures we have to settle. We are mandated to strive for God, to seek his face, to cleanse ourselves while asking him to show us our flaws.

5.             “…then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”Then means after the requirements are fulfilled, as in “If you clean up your room, then you can go outside and play with your friends.” Do you think a perfect, fair father would say “I told you to clean up your room and I would let you go play, but you didn’t do what I instructed you to do, so go out and play with your friends anyway”? We would all say that this guy has no clue about or business being responsible for a child. Why would God tell us about all the things we should do if he is only going to give into our sin nature anyway?

Forgiveness. I find very few people, inside or outside of the church, who understand the concept of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not merely stating that you forgive someone. It is an agreement to never, ever bring up the offense again. Biblestudytools.com online Bible dictionary had this to say about forgiveness: “John the Baptist offered eschatological forgiveness to the nation on the condition of repentance (Mark 1:4 ; Luke 3:3 ). His offer exemplified the tension between God as merciful and God as righteous, as shown by the fact John rejected some who had not first produced the fruit of repentance before seeking the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.” and “Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God, and offered his hearers the possibility of entrance into this kingdom on the condition of repentance. He was the mediator of eschatological salvation, which included the extension of forgiveness ( Matt 9:3-6 ; Mark 2:7-12 ; Luke 5:21-25 ; 7:36-50 ). Like John the Baptist, Jesus required that the offer of eschatological salvation be appropriated by individuals; the process of entering the kingdom was that of becoming a child, by passively receiving God's eschatological forgiveness. It is for this reason that Jesus said to his opponents that "the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you" ( Matt 21:31b ).” Forgiveness is conditional. Even when his disciples ask him to teach them to pray,  Jesus prays “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The word “as” here does not mean “while”, but rather “like, or in the same manner.” In other words, please forgive our sins in the same way we forgive those who do us wrong. Again, if we don’t forgive others then he is not obligated to forgive us, and if we are not forgiven then we are not his followers, disciples, or Talmid.

To be continued…

Present yourselves as a living sacrifice…

Denying ourselves…

True Thankfulness

       A young lady, one of the youth in my youth group, came to Wednesday night service sick. She suspected that she might be suffering strep throat. We prayed for her, as scripture instructs, and I made the statement that we should pray for God's will instead of just healing. I stated that if it was God's will, then he could heal her on the spot, but that he may have other plans.

       The next morning, on the way to work, I again prayed for her. I began to think about the implications of praying "your will be done". Don't we usually pray "my will be done" while saying "your will be done"?

       What if we were to follow what scripture instructs in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, and give thanks in all situations. This would sound like "Lord, you know I'm sick. I don't like being sick, but knowing that you are Lord of my life, I have to believe that you are doing what is ultimately best for me. Therefore, your will be done, in my life. If this is a lesson, then help me to learn quickly. If it's so that someone may see your glory, then use me. If you are preparing me for something bigger, then thanks for preparing me. Regardless, thanks for trusting me to be able handle this without griping and complaining.

       Scripture instructs us to give thanks for all things. Maybe our perspective is so small or skewed, or maybe we just think that scripture is figurative instead of literal. I have found that believing "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT) makes all the difference when it comes to thankfulness and trust.

Project 111

Originally posted on May 6, 2013
       Today, I had several ideas merge into one. For quite some time, I have pondered the idea of a long distance walk; not 4 miles, but 100+ miles. I have seen the guys walking, carrying a cross, and was moved by the message that it demonstrates in taking up our cross and following Jesus. I have started a book titled Follow Me by David Platt. I really want to get the message out that being a true follower of Christ is about more than just repeating some words in a prayer. I have wondered how my youth group could raise funds for what we do each year: our budget consists of whatever we can raise.
       All of these ideas came together as I decided to see if I could walk from the steps of our church, in Anderson, to the steps of our state capital in Columbia. I found that if you map the trip, on the internet, as a walking trip, you will travel 111 miles, one way. It also indicates that it would take 36 hours. I believe that by leaving at 12 noon, on a Sunday, it would be possible to return by 11AM the following Sunday. It would be exhausting and, as a disabled veteran (leg and back), I would need a whole lot of prayer (my own as well as that of others) to complete this mission.
       If people, along the way, were to ask my name, I could reply with “Who I am is unimportant. Who Jesus is is of utmost importance.” When asked why I am doing it, I could respond with “I am demonstrating physically so that people will be reminded to respond spiritually.”
       I will need to work out the details of sleeping arrangements, but I am sure that I can prearrange accommodations prior to the trip. I would love to have the support of churches, along the way, that may be able to supply meals that can be eaten, on the go, and not prevent me from walking.
       I could walk from 7AM to 7PM and cover 37 miles each day. I could walk each day’s journey while listening to the Bible, music and preaching. If others wished to join me, then we could have prayer together or bible discussions, as we walked along. Rain or shine, I would not be deterred.
       As a fund-raiser, I would ask people to sponsor me per mile. If someone were to sponsor me @ $1 per mile (a pittance compared to the cost of most mission endeavors), then that person would, at the conclusion of the journey, owe $111 to the youth group fund. With only 20 sponsors, we could raise over $2220. Of course we would accept smaller sponsorships or even one-time gifts. If I did this at the first of the summer (June 9th-16th), then I could use the money to take all of my youth group to church camp.
       I am getting excited to think that this might actually happen.
May 13th update: I presented the idea to my congregation yesterday. Overwhelming support! Looks like the start date might be June 16th. Campmeeting is the week of the 9th.
May 15th update: Last week, I walked to days; 4 miles the first and 6 miles the second. I averaged 4 mph each time (I have mapped out my 111 miles @ 3 mph). Yesterday, I walked 10 miles in 2.5 hours, maintaining my 4 mph. I can hardly walk today. I must have some athritis where my big toe joins my left foot and where my right leg meets the hip. Pray, people, pray!

Chaos Theory: A Christian's Perspective

       Have you ever heard of the "butterfly effect"? Imagine that you could drop a single marble into a lake and then follow the path of a single ripple. What do you think that you would find? That single ripple would travel across the lake and bounce off of any object that it encountered. It would then continue on and bounce from surface to surface until the energy of the ripple is disipated. If you were to chart the interaction of that single ripple, you might be surprised at all the things that it contacted. What list of things felt its impact?
       How much more does our life impact the lives and circumstances of those around us, and, post-impact, the lives that those lives impact?
       Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
       So...if I make a single disciple (let's name him Joe) and Joebecomes a missionary to a group of people in a foriegn land and they become Christ-followers, then I have helped many people find eternal life. Adversly, if I passed up the opportunity to share my faith with Joe, then how do those people hear the Good news of Jesus Christ? I know that God can choose to send someone else, but what about the effect my choices make in the lives of others?
       Each of us makes choices. Right? Do we realize the impact that our choices have on and in the lives of others. "No man is an Island." -John Donne

Plummet, Splat, Heaven

       So…I had what many people might think is a really weird thought. If you were standing on top of a really high building, bridge or mountain cliff and you slipped and fell over the edge and didn’t hit anything on the way down (of course you are going to hit the bottom, but you haven’t gotten there yet) what would you think on the way down? If you are more attached to the world and your life than you are to heaven and your eternity, then I think you would think “Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggg!!!!!!!!” and……………………..No, that’s about it.
       So, the weird thinking continued and I wondered, “If we, Christians, are really looking forward to heaven, as we say, shouldn’t we say, on the way down, ‘I didn’t mean for this to happen, but now that it has, I am glad.’” We teach and preach that to “be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” so wouldn’t we hit the ground and pop into heaven?
       Check this out...I posted this thought on Facebook. Very few people seemed to get it. They did not see my real point. I got some interesting comments, including a claim that my brain was frozen. Why are we afraid to die if we know that we go to heaven? If I were on a train trip and knew that the destination was going to be awesome, I would be excited with anticipation. I would be looking forward to getting there instead of only satisfied with the journey. I want to enjoy the journey, but I am starting to wonder when this ride will be over and God will say that it is time to go home.
       Being from Georgia, I loved to go to Six Flags, when I was young. However, there would always come a time when I had been there too long and was exausted and ready to go home. I would drag myself to the parking lot and long for a bath and my bed. I wanted to get home.
       Are you enjoying the amusment park of life so much that you have no thought of going home?

May 19th, Pentecost, 180 Student Ministries

       So I got to thinking, the other day. Quite an experience, really. I seem to never be satisfied with where I am spiritually. I can compare it to physical hunger: I tend to get hungry several times daily, regardless of the fact that I eat routinely. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I believe that no true Christ-follower should find themselves in a place of contentment. We should find that we are ever-longing for a deaper, more powerful relationship with our heavenly father. That said...I spoke to my students (youth group) this past wednesday night and shared with them my heart. "I want you guys to experience God like you never have. I want to see a fire within each of you like you have never before known." I taught them what Pentecost really means: that when Moses and the Israelite were led, by God, out of Egypt, he led them to Mt. Sinai and there he gave them the law. This was 50 days into their journey. The Jews still celebrate the "Feast of Weeks" or Pentecost. It takes place 50 days after Passover. Jesus was crucified at Passover and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) came to the deciples on the day of Pentecost.
       Do I believe that what the deciples experienced in Acts is available to us today? Yes I do. Too often I hear people say that those things we read about happening in the early days of the church were for those times only. Hogwash! Your lack of experience with something does not constitute evidence against its existance. (Read the book of Malachi and see that God tells Israel that they don't experience him because of their weak excuse for worship.)
       So, to continue, I said to my students, "I am going to start fasting and praying for each one of you, by name, that God would use Pentecost Sunday to do something miraculous in your lives. I want any of you, who will, to partner with me in prayer, fasting and Bible reading, in anticipation of what God is about to do." Our church will begin revial services, with a missionary/evangelist, May 19th. Wouldn't it be wonderful if God moved in such a way that my students were ignited with motivation and desire that would, in turn, ignite our churchs, families, schools, etc?
       Our Pastor, Kevin Jones, preached last Sunday about when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He emphasized Jesus command to "Loose him and let him go" but I was even more moved by the fact that Lazarus experienced true revival. It wasn't the words that people heard or the gathering as a congregation. It was the fact that a man was dead, and had been for many days, and through Jesus, new life came into his body and he was revived and restored. People mis-speak when they say "We are going to have a revival." A more honest statement might be, "We are going to have an evangelist come to our church and preach in hopes that some of our people might experience revival."
       Sadly, this rarely occurs. Sure, people get pumped up, emotional, excited, and motivated. Rarely do they get new life in their old existance. I mean, a new life that keeps them from remaining dead. Church camp is merely a week-long children's revival service with games and a sleep-over. A month after camp finds most young people falling back into old routines and habits. Where is the change? I am sure that, for Lazarus and his family, "post-tomb" life differed greatly form "pre-tomb" life. How could it not?
       I need new life. I am a Christ-follower, but I need more. I need the Holy Spirit working in my life more and more. I desire a closer, more intimate relationship with the father.

Standards for Christian Education - part 1

       Where did we take a wrong turn? When did the church set its standard of Christian education as “We want to teach our people about Jesus”? I know there are those who automatically say “What’s wrong with that?” What’s wrong is the vagueness of that statement. What exactly does that mean? How do you know when you’ve accomplished the goal? How do you measure success? Even in public/government-run schools there are standards of education for each grade level. These standards dictate what a student should master for each grade level. Although there are many loop holes that allow students to bypass the standard requirements and progress through the system without mastering the required standards, they are there, none the less, with the goal of guiding students through a systematic regimen of instruction that should lead to mastery of subject matter with ever-increasing depth of knowledge and understanding.
       Why don’t we now look at where we desire for our people to go, where they are, and what it would take to make the two merge? Why can we not design a system of standards for age level instruction that would take children from point A to point B, in such a way that is measurable and goal oriented? Then design a system of instruction that takes adults through Biblical studies that are goal-oriented and systematic, while remaining enjoyable.
       As I see the dilemma that faces us now, the majority of Christians have little real knowledge of what’s in the Bible. Many, but not all, know most of the popular Bible stories, but their knowledge usually ends there. We then take these “Biblically-illiterate” people and ask them to teach a Sunday school class and expect that they can lead their students to a greater and deeper knowledge of all things Biblical. This is not to say that all teachers are unknowledgeable but, historically, we beg for teachers and grab any warm body that volunteers and seldom take the time to provide them with the tools to succeed. The first tool that they need is subject knowledge. We expect school teachers to complete 4 years of college with a specific program in education before we allow them to teach our children subjects that should lead to success in life, so why do we require less of teachers who have been entrusted with building a foundation of learning that will help lead them to success beyond life.
       Can we stop everything in order to revamp the entire system? Probably would not be a good idea. That would be tantamount to emptying out all the cupboards in order to buy groceries. I would suggest continuing to use what’s in the cabinets until the new groceries are purchased and then use both until the overall quality improves.
       Why does it seem that we expect that when kids grow too old for the youth group and enter the adult population, they will suddenly receive enlightenment and know how to lead in the church? We have no organized children’s music program and no teen instruction in choir, but expect that when they reach the age of 18 they will join the choir and know what they are doing. Is this one of the reasons why we lose so many at that age?
       Maybe I should have started with the question “How is the way that we’ve been doing things working for us? Not too good, huh?” It seems as if people may be of the mindset that says “God will bring people into the church. We don’t have to try to be so business-like. We just need anointing.” There is usually a bit of truth in any misdirection. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit will draw people to God. The Holy Spirit anoints those who submit themselves to be used as God’s voice, hands, and feet. It also sets an example by allowing us to see that the disciples of the Christ followed Jesus, earning their 3-year ministerial degree. Does this mean that everyone who works in Christian education need have a college degree? No, that isn’t necessary, but they do need enough training to ensure they are able to fulfill their calling. What precedence can we find for not preparing someone for the job we have asked them to excel in?

The Forgiveness Mandate

       So, it dawned on me, right in the middle of a phone conversation with my older son, forgiveness is not a choice. People make statements like "If he comes to me and apologizes, then I am willing to forgive him" and then follow that with "I can forgive him but I can't forget what he did to me" when the Bible tells us that this is not the right attitude to have. I would submit that if you can't forget, then you can't forgive. And, by forget I mean not to bring it up or hold it against the person.
       1 Corinthians 13:1 "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
       Love forgives and keeps no tally of wrongs, therefore if I forgive someone and they wrong me again, then I cannot say to them "this is the same thing you did last time", because there is no record of last time.
       David Platt, in his sermon "God hates and loves sinners", tells a story about a man who purchased a Rolls Royce automobile. The car was billed as "The car that never breaks down", but while driving in France, the cars broke down. The man called Rolls Royce and told them that the car broke down. They flew a mechanic to France, he fixed the car and flew back, the man went on his way. The man waited for the repair bill that never arrived. Being a welthy man and wishing to settle account, he called Rolls Royce and requested that they send him his bill in order that he might put it behind him. They informed the man that they had no record of any repair to his car.
       Let's look at some facts. The Bible states in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This shows that God's forgiveness is conditional. He tells us that if we do certain things, then he will do certain things. Too many preachers are standing in pulpits claiming that god has already forgiven the sins you have not commited yet. Therefore, there is no need to worry about it. You are forgiven before you are guilty. Not according to John. You may want to check out 2 Chronicles 6:24 while you are at it. You will find another "IF/THEN" statement.
       So, what obligation do I have to forgive someone who has done me wrong? Many people will tell you that forgiving people makes us feel better. I have not found that to be completely true. While holding on to a past hurt certainly causes us to retain the hurt, forgiving does not always reduce the pain. So, what heals the pain associated with the hurt that comes from the actions of others? I am learning the power of healing through the power of praying for that person. I am finding that if I begin to pray for the person who wronged me, and I don't mean praying that God would drop kick them, but if I begin to pray for God to use them in a mighty way, and pray that God would bless them, and pray that God would teach them , and guide them, and annoint them...in short, if I pray for them as though they were precious to me, then I begin to heal a little bit at a time.
       You have to understand, I don't have to forgive them so that I can live without hating them, I have to forgive them in order to release God's forgiveness towards me. I can not afford to withhold forgiveness for fear that God might do the same with me.

My Latest Epiphany

       Aug 13...I have heard people talk about longing for heaven. OK, it was always old people. I have even heard and sung the songs that speak of that longing. As a Christian, I have always viewed that longing as a distant longing. As I pray last night, I had the same emotions that I felt when I left home for basic military training. There was a time, during those days, that I ached for home. I was so homesick that I even cried with the despair of knowing that I was in a place far removed from home. Everything within me cried out to go home. Last night, for the first time in over 27 years, I felt the same feelings; the same emotions. They were so strong that, as I stood in my kitchen, I cried to God, "I want to come home!" It surprised me, somewhat to even feel this way, much less voice it. The thought of seeing my family drift further and further from God is heart-breaking. To know that out of all of the family that I grew up with I am the only one that even attends church, is difficult to accept (to those that would hear this with the wrong voice, I am not saying that I am better than them, just that they have left the path that they once traveled, for alternate paths). To know that my own sons may have less of a relationship with Christ than their parents and that statistically their children will have less and theirs even less is hard to watch. Now, I guess I should say, at this point that this doesn't mean that I would ever take my own life. Never! I still maintain that suicide is self-murder and sends us to Hell. What I think that I am saying is this: I am not afraid to die. I can enjoy life without fear. With anticipation and hope, even. Looking forward to the day that I am called home. I don't have to say "I can't do that because it's too dangerous." or "I can't get a motorcycle because I might get killed." When God calls me home, I am ready. Whether I want to go or not is irrelevant. Nothing I could do can change a thing, when he says that it is my time to board that train to glory. So why fear? If I find out that I have cancer, I will ask to be prayed for by the prayer warriors of my church, but I will request that they not pray for healing. Instead, I will ask that they pray for God's will in my life. Think about it...if that is my ticket home, then why pray to miss that chance? If God wants me to live on and work for him some more, then he will heal me in order for that to happen. I have relinquished my rights to him when I "gave my life to him." (wow! That cliche makes sense now). I am actually looking forward to him saying "Alright Michael, time's up. Let's go." I just remembered a scripture near the end of the book of Revelation. John says that Jesus states that he will return quickly and John responds with an invitation, "Come, Lord, quickly." I finally get it!
       I will live my life in an attempt to please God, my father, more and more. I will serve him while I am waiting. I will not be slack concerning the mission he has given me. But all the while, I will be longing for my home-going. I will not be completely satisfied with where I am until I am home. As a servant (slave), I cannot decide the date or the time. I have to be faithful with the job the master has given me until he returns and rewards is servants, whom he loves.

Sept 13 update
       My teaching has changed. I see a bigger picture. I am uninhibited by fear of offending and I have found a more fervant passion. It is not enough to be a follower of Christ, and to ensure my path is right, I must include others.
       I have stated this before, but it bears repeating...I am convienced that many "christians" either don't believe that hell is a real possibility or they simply don't care. How many of us fail to rescue the perishing? How many are reactive christians instead of proactive followers of Christ? How many follow the creed of "easybelievism" that says that grace covers all our unrepented sins and we don't have to change? Oh how Satan must get a good ol' belly laugh when he sees his plans working. When people repeat, even from the pulpit, the heretical teaching that says we need not repent (turn from our sins) as long as we are sorry for our sins, we set up a system that has failed us even before we get started.