A Child-Like America

We were watching home videos last week and “getting a kick” out of the humorous antics of our children when they were quite young.  On one particular “episode”, the video captured a family tradition we held for a number of years…cutting down our own Christmas tree.  In the recording, Karen was filming our family members as we strolled through a Christmas tree farm looking for that “right one.”  Sarah was just a toddler and was content to be walking around with toys in her arms.  Nicole was being helpful, scouring the lines of trees with daddy, seeking the symmetrical, well-balanced cedar.  Joshua was being the typical “wildman” that he was in his younger years.

At one point in the video, Joshua is enjoying a candy sucker.  While the film is rolling, he takes a bite of the sucker, then decides he no longer wants the responsibility of finishing it.  He moves toward Karen, holding the sucker out to her and says, “I don’t want this anymore”, hands it off and takes off running to play.  He gave no thought to the fact that more sucker was left on the stick or that he might want it later.  Five or ten minutes down the road was never a consideration, but simply what he wanted to do right now.  Why did he act this way?  Because he was a child and children don’t think ahead.  Children give little thought to tomorrow or next week or next year, much less ten or twenty years in the future.  They only give consideration to what they want in the here and now.  This is the nature of a child.  Children do not understand the adage “play now, pay later.”  They only understand…play now!...coming from the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts.

The recent presidential election revealed a growing cultural shift in American thinking.  Whereas my great-grandparents, grandparents and even parents understood that life in a free, democratic society requires much hard work, the supporting of my own family and conscientious planning for future responsibilities and opportunities, current generations have adopted a “child-like” mentality.  The modern American sees the government like “mommy and daddy” who provides what I want and need…WHEN I WANT IT!  No thought for tomorrow.  No thought for the coming years.  It’s all about satisfying my wants and needs NOW.  We see this shift in thinking displayed when Americans are saddled with a 16 trillion dollars debt that is climbing by the second and don’t seem to care.  When President Obama entered the presidency, the debt was around 10 trillion.  In less than 4 years, his administration has added 5.4 trillion more, yet he was reelected.  This debt will be passed on to our children and grandchildren and beyond, but the majority of Americans seem unmoved by this fact.  Many college and university students voted for the current administration for one reason…they have been promised free or nearly free education.  No thought to the fact that funds needed to operate an institution of higher education must come from somewhere, if not tuition…and that “somewhere” is taxes leveled on the middle class income earners.  What happened to working your way through college, as I did, or taking out loans and actually paying them back?!  Many reelected the president and his associates due to “Obamacare”, which promises healthcare to all.  No thought given as to how this is going to be paid for when thousands will be added into the system who have no ability to contribute.  No thought to the rationing that WILL come.  No research into countries that have already tried this system and watched it miserably fail (ever wondered why many Canadians come to America for their healthcare?).  No thought to the financial burden it will lay on the backs of the already “over taxed.”  Abortion was another massive issue in this election that was carefully reported by the liberal media, so as not to overly arouse the pro-life conservatives, but to energize the pro-choice (pro-death) crowd.  Sadly, many in America want the “right” to extinguish the life within them so as not to be burdened with an “unwanted pregnancy.”  No thought to the life of the child.  No thought to the many who desperately want to adopt…just give me what I want and give it NOW!  America has become a nation of child-thinking people who want the federal government to be their nanny… “provide for me, give to me, do for me.”  Reminds me of Proverbs 30:15, “The leech has two daughters— Give and Give!”  Friend, unless Americans move away from this childish mentality and grow up, we are headed to destruction as a nation.  We will become like another European country…broke with no way to climb out!       

A Meeting with the President

Suppose I was awakened this morning by an official call from a government representative of our United States of America.  This official told me that I had been granted a one-on-one audience with the President tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m. for breakfast.  How would I reply?  “Thank you for the offer, but 5:00 a.m. is really early.  I need my sleep, so I’ll pass this time.”  I think not!  Though I certainly don’t agree with most of our current President’s decisions and values, I would not pass the opportunity to meet with him and express my views and opinions as an American citizen.  Some opportunities are just too valuable to dismiss.

Well, I did not receive that call this morning, nor do I expect such an offer to come my way.  While I may never have the opportunity to meet the President face to face, I have an opportunity that is much greater than a breakfast date.  As a citizen of this great country, I have been given the wonderful privilege of voting into office the “Commander-in-Chief” of the United States of America.  In Romans 13:1, Christians are instructed by the Holy Spirit, through the pen of the Apostle Paul to “be subject to the governing authorities.”  This simply means that in whatever form of government a Christian finds himself, he is to obey that government, as long as he is not asked to violate the clear teachings of the Word of God.  A Russian is to obey his governing authorities, a Japanese is to obey his governing authorities, a South African is to obey his governing authorities, and on it goes around the world.  As citizens of the United States, our form of government is a democracy, allowing us the freedom and privilege of electing our leaders.  It is part of our responsibility as Americans.  Some might argue that, as Christians, we are no longer citizens of this earth, but of heaven.  In a spiritual sense, that is correct.  In an earthly sense, we are still here, living out our lives for God’s glory.  As a reminder, in Acts 25, Paul used the privilege of his Roman citizenship to gain an audience with Caesar upon being falsely accused and facing a death sentence.  He used the privilege afforded him as a citizen of an earthly government.  If I am to be subject to my governing authorities and these authorities give me the privilege of voting in and voting out leaders, based upon my values and beliefs, then I am to avail myself of this opportunity.  To refuse, in my opinion, is gross dereliction of duty.  It is reported that only about 50 percent of Christians in America are registered to vote.  Of those, only 50 percent show up at the polls, meaning 75 percent of all Christians are not taking advantage of one of their greatest privileges.  I find this statistic hard to swallow.  Edmund Burke was correct when he said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

Tomorrow morning, you will not likely be awakened with a phone call offering a meeting with the President, but something even greater.  You will have the privilege of voting.  Don’t decide to pass, but do your duty as a Christian American.  The future direction of America depends on it!  

Appreciating My Pastors

The church I have been privileged to serve for 9 ½ years, Fellowship Chapel, graciously honored her pastors tonight during our evening worship service.  Any minister of the gospel who has been favored to partner with believers who love the Word of God and soak in its preaching, who care for one another in word and deed and support the work of Christ at home and abroad…that minister is truly a blessed man.  I am such a one.  The precious people of Fellowship Chapel are a pastor’s breath of fresh air.

While pondering the encouragement I experienced, my thoughts turned to pastors who indelibly influenced my life through the years.  Some were instrumental in leading me to Christ, while others were disciplers, eventually resulting in my call to ministry.  While contact with most of these men was lost years ago, I hope to honor their lives by mentioning my memories of them.

Andrew Rushing was the first pastor I can remember.  He was a motorcycle riding minister that preached hard, but enjoyed life.  He liked to laugh, cut up and be with his flock.  Andrew was influential in my parent’s early life in Christ and was a great friend to our family.  As a joke, we even named a family pet dog after his wife…Dixie.  They were not offended, but thought it funny and laughed along side us.

Dan Allen was a singing preacher.  With guitar in tow, Bro. Allen sang in our small church with a tone comparable to Elvis.  He traveled with a gospel singing group before surrendering to the pastorate.  Dan was fairly “no nonsense” and preached straight.  If my memory serves me correctly, he volunteered with the fire department and was called out of services on occasions.  While Dad was at school for his work, Mom was forced to wrestle with rowdy boys.  My brother back-talked Mom after church one Sunday and Bro. Allen happened to overhear.  He got my brother’s attention and proceeded to inform him that if he back-talked my mother again, he would personally whip his backside in my father’s stead.  He made believers out of us and we didn’t misbehave in his presence again!

I vaguely remember Bro. Gill.  He was a big man whose suit coats were always too short for his muscular, long arms.  Gill played a little pro-football for the Browns, was a brown belt in Karate and taught self-defense in the military.  His testimony is what I remember the most.  Upon being called to ministry, he ran from the Lord and His calling.  On a family outing, Pastor Gill dove from a boat and hit his head on a submerged rock…paralyzing his body.  As he was sinking in the water, unable to move, two blonde haired boys swam to him, took his arms and brought him to the surface.  He awoke on the bank to the frantic calls of his family members.  He informed them of the two boys who saved his life only to find that no blonde haired boys were seen anywhere in the vicinity.  He was convinced that God sent angels to rescue him…and he submitted to God’s call to pastor.

My recollection of Bro. Jenkins is quite limited except that his pastorate taught me something very important.  This lesson lay dormant in my mental banks until God called me to ministry and I began serving in churches.  It was then that the principle modeled took on meaning.  While Bro. Jenkins pastored our church, he was forced to deal with a difficult situation that threatened to split the church.  He made a hard decision as biblically correct as he could.  A number of families, most of them kinfolk, were offended and eventually left the church to start a split off congregation.  Before leaving, these disgruntled members were determined to come against the pastor with all their might in hopes that he might pack his bags and leave.  My dad had a decision to make and his decision was to stand beside the pastor.  Dad concluded that as long as a pastor preached the Word accurately and kept himself morally clean, he should not be “run out of town.”  I physically observed my father being unfairly chastised by these petulant “brothers and sisters” in Christ.  He was addressed in such spiteful and unchristlike ways that these confrontations are still etched in my memory.  Bro. Jenkins’ pastorate taught me that a pastor must make hard decisions as biblically correct as possible, even when they have potential to cause him great criticism.  I also learned that believers should stand with their pastors unless they have good reason not to do so.  If a pastor preaches the Word rightly and maintains integrity of character, members should support him, no matter what may come.

Dr. Don Dunavant, better known to me “back in the day” as “Brother Don” had an enormous impact on my life and call to ministry.  My family moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas while I was in junior high school and we quickly found ourselves uniting with Fisher Street Baptist Church.  Several things drew us to the church, but one of the chief factors was Dr. Don’s preaching of the Word.  Church has been my life all of my life, affording the privilege to sit under the ministry of numerous pastors.  In most of our previous churches, we enjoyed the preaching of men who loved the Lord and did their best, but Don added a new element we had never experienced.  While he preached with great passion and conviction, his sermons reflected deep study of biblical doctrine, along with practical application.  His sermons were well prepared, easy to outline and anointed.  I grew more under his ministry than ever before.  I can truly say that we feasted on the Word in each service.  Don’s ministry was also marked by a passion for making disciples.  Numerous people came into our church during those years, not to mention a huge influx of college students.  Many of these were new converts who were won and discipled by Dr. Dunavant.  A significant number of these followers were called to full time ministry.  My calling to ministry actually took place under Don’s leadership after coming back to our church some years later as interim pastor.  I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Dr. Don Dunavant for modeling a true preacher of the gospel and pastor before my eyes, preparing me for what was to come.  An educated guess would lead me to believe that Don had no idea what a tremendous influence he was having on my life…a good lesson for all of us to remember.  And, he’s still very much “at it” today.  Kudos, “Bro. Don!” 

Last, but certainly not least, how could I mention pastors who helped shape my spiritual life without mentioning one of my dearest friends in all the world, Scott Price.  As a “fresh out of seminary” greenhorn young minister, Scott and Leighton Baptist Church in Alabama called me to be their second, full-time staff member.  With a head full of seminary learned knowledge and an empty bucket of experience, Scott took me under his wing and showed me the ropes.  I grew under his preaching, learned from watching his interaction with the congregation and was deeply impacted through the awareness of his prayer life.  It was under Scott that I learned how to study for a sermon, how to outline a passage, how to seek useful illustrations and how to preach with passionate urgency.  This young “Timothy” needed a “Paul” and God gave me one in Scott.  While ministry is a very serious calling that requires its shepherds to be sober minded, Scott also taught me that ministry can be very joyful.  We have cried many tears together, but we have also cleansed our lungs with much laughter.  With incredible gratefulness, our Lord is allowing our “Timothy/Paul” relationship to continue to this very day.

As you can readily see, many pastors invested in my life.  I am who I am, in part, because of the influence of these men of God.  While my involvement with most has been nonexistent for a number of years, I still want to give a “shout out” to them all and say “thank you” for giving of themselves to the work of the Master.  My life is a constant reminder that their labor was not in vain.

One Issue Voters

In recent months leading up to the presidential election, great criticism has been leveled at conservative Christians for being “one issue” or “two issue” voters…referring to the issues of abortion and homosexuality (including same-sex marriage).  The gripe is that there are numerous other matters that carry equal weight and must be considered.  While there are multitudinous concerns, I contend that conservative Christian voters have every right to allow one or two issues to dictate their voting decision.  My basis for this stand can best be revealed through an illustration.  Please indulge for a moment and bear with the sensitive nature of this analogy.

Suppose that in the midst of a crime of passion, your child or grandchild was murdered.  As the perpetrator of this crime is being prepared to face the judge, his lawyer approaches you in hopes of softening your rage.  His aim is to obtain a lighter sentence for his client by presenting you as forgiving and merciful.  The plan for making this happen?  Sell the good qualities of the unfortunate criminal who made a “poor judgment.”  The attorney begins his well prepared, sympathetic defense of his litigant: “My client was not raised with the advantages of most.  His parents didn’t invest in his life; he didn’t live in a decent home, nor did he have the life most young people enjoy.”  And your response… “he killed my child!”  The counselor continues… “my client is really not a bad person, he is well-liked in his neighborhood and his co-workers claim he is a great employee.  Everyone I interviewed agreed that my client has a good heart.”  You reply… “he took the life of my kid!”  Regrouping himself, the lawyer wets his lips and makes another run at his defense… “you’ve got to understand, my client made a mistake.  He found himself in a bad situation and just reacted.  What he did was wrong, but haven’t all of us reacted badly at times and done things we wish we could undo?”  More adamantly, you proclaim… “he murdered my child!”  While the attorney has raised many issues related to his defendant, one issue supersedes all others…he committed murder.  While he might be a nice guy, a hard worker, a disadvantaged individual and someone who made an unfortunate mistake…he is still a murderer.  Anyone who chooses murder as an acceptable option in a time of trouble has undeniable character flaws and cannot be easily trusted.  Many important issues exist, but one trumps all others with such significance that they fade into the background.  So it is with one issue in the political realm, such as abortion.

No conservative Christian voter would deny that America is in “dire straits” when it comes to our economy.  Our financial stability must be addressed aggressively by the next president.  The influence of America in relation to the rest of the world has been severely tarnished in recent years, requiring our next “commander in chief” to lead our country back to a place of prominence and respect.  Poor decisions by those in power and faulty intelligence have cost American diplomats and soldiers their lives, not to mention creating an environment of controversy and cover-ups.  Our White House and administration must regain integrity and transparency.  Again, this will be the job of our next president.  While these issues are certainly of the gravest importance and will require our next leader to be a good businessman, skilled diplomat and trustworthy individual…one other issue supersedes these all.  An elected leader can be good in business, skilled in diplomacy and consistently truthful, but if his personal values allow for the murder of unborn children in the womb…he has an undeniable character flaw and cannot be trusted in any other decision he makes.  A man can be good in business, but if he endorses murder, he is flawed.  A man can be skilled in diplomacy beyond measure, but if he excuses murder, he is flawed.  A man can come across as completely transparent, but if he is agreeable to murder in the womb, he is flawed.  And, flawed character will eventually AFFECT EVERY DECISION HE MAKES!  While our next president will be forced to deal with many monumental issues, he must have the character required to make moral, reliable and beneficial decisions for the good of the American population.  If he agrees with murder of unborn children, he lacks needed character to govern well.  So, I contend that conservative Christians have the right to be “one issue” voters!

To Vote or Not To Vote

     I heard it once said…when life hands you difficult situations or people treat you unfairly, the way you respond does not DETERMINE your character, it REVEALS it!  If someone offends me and I haul off and punch him on the forehead, my offender did not create my violent character, his actions simply caused me to reveal what was already inside.

     Friends, there’s a lot riding on the coming election in November.  Now, before anyone has the chance to argue with me about how this election is really immaterial because Jesus is sovereign and His will is going to be done…I completely agree!  I am not looking for a president or government to be my Savior, I already have one who is presently sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven above.  My concern for the upcoming election is for one reason…I believe it will reveal what is in the heart of the American people.  Romney was certainly not my first choice for who would be running on the conservative side, but he is the choice we now have.  Neither platform is perfect, that is for sure.  But, one platform boldly promotes abortion and tax-payer funding of this abominable wickedness.  This same platform smugly supports same-sex marriage and wants it recognized in every state.  This platform arrogantly excommunicated God from its pages and vowed not to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  These were only reversed to prevent PR damage to the party, yet was booed by its adherents when added back.  This platform believes in spending money we don’t have to create jobs that never materialize.   I could go on.  The other platform is against abortion.  I wish it was more strongly against abortion in all instances, but it is definitely sympathetic to the “pro-life” movement.  This platform still stands for marriage between one man and one woman.  This platform never threw God out and still recognizes Israel as our strongest ally.  This platform believes in good stewardship of the country’s money, cutting the budget and spending within our means.  The platform voted in through the presidential election will reveal the true heart of the American public.  Does this matter?  Well, I seem to remember a conversation between God and a man named Abraham concerning a wicked city named Sodom.  Abraham interceded for the city, asking God to spare it for the sake of 50 potentially righteous people.  God agreed.  Abraham moved the argument down the line from 50 to 45, then 40, then 30, then 20 and finally 10.  If 10 righteous men were found, Abraham asked God to spare the city…and God agreed!  The coming election will tell me if there are enough righteous people left in America that God might spare us.

     So, when I go to the voting booth in about 4 weeks, I am not going to vote in a Savior or a “religion”, I’m voting on a form of government that values moral principles, protection of its citizens and provision of opportunity for its citizens to make a decent living.  If the majority votes in this manner, maybe the heart of America is not all lost.  If the majority votes in the other direction, I’m afraid America will be on her way out as the country we have known.  God Bless America…after America Blesses God!

30 Year Reunion

Though it’s hard to believe, my 30 year High School reunion is being planned for 2013.  I’ve joined a Facebook group page especially created to advertise this coming event and reconnect schoolmates from our graduating class.  Viewing old pictures of friends from my senior year versus recent photos of the same people has led me to 3 conclusions.  First, some of my classmates have remained remarkably unchanged.  Bygone years have been their friend and subjected them to very minimal aging.  They are easily recognizable from their current images.  Second, other schoolmates have surprisingly transformed for the good.  Despite the fact that these individuals are not readily identified by their current photographs, time and maturity have also been kind to them.  The third group of school friends is one in which time has not been so favorable.  Miles of life lived have left their marks of unstoppable change.  Regardless of what time has brought upon us, most hope to preserve their youth.  To remain unchanged by time and life is the goal.

But, what about a 30 year spiritual reunion?  Could you imagine getting together with a host of people who professed their faith in Jesus Christ the same day as you?  Again, 3 groups of people would be discovered.  The first group would be easily recognizable because those in this group have changed so little from the day of their conversion.  Their way of living, attitudes and behaviors have remained akin to their existence before Christ.  The second group would be a little more challenging to distinguish.  Upon close examination, you might find various traits or mannerisms from the “before Christ” days, but time and maturity have brought about significant change.  The final group would be those no one recognizes.  Identities would have to be revealed, lest no one discern who they are.  Their transformed lives due to walking with Christ, growing in the faith and learning from the Word have made them nearly indiscernible from their past.  In a high school reunion, change is what most hope to avoid…we grasp for our youth.  In a spiritual reunion, change is what we hope to have attained…we release our past for a new life.

If you were to be invited to your 10 or 20 or 30 year spiritual reunion, in which group would you find yourself?  The least changed, moderately reformed or dramatically transformed?  Remember 2 Peter 3:18 – “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…”  Change is good when anticipating a spiritual reunion!