Happy Ground Hog’s Day

April Fool!

Many of you have seen the movie “Ground Hog Day”.  For those who have not and for those who have; but have forgotten, because of “senioritis”, I include a brief summary, courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day

Self-centered and sour TV meteorologist Phil Connors (Bill Murray), news producer Rita (Andy MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott) from fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities with Punxsutawney Phil. Having grown tired of this assignment, Phil grudgingly gives his report and attempts to return to Pittsburgh when a blizzard shuts down the roads. Phil and his team are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay in town overnight.

Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of past events. At first he is confused, but, when the phenomenon continues on subsequent days, he decides to take advantage of the situation with no fear of long-term consequences: he learns secrets from the town's residents, seduces women, steals money, drives recklessly, and gets thrown in jail. However, his attempts to get closer to Rita repeatedly fail.

Eventually, Phil becomes despondent and tries more and more drastically to end the time loop; he gives ridiculous and offensive reports on the festival, abuses residents, eventually kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and, after a police chase, drives into a quarry, evidently killing both himself and the groundhog. However, Phil wakes up and finds that nothing has changed; further attempts at suicide are just as fruitless as he continues to find himself awaking at six o'clock on the morning of February 2 with the clock radio on his nightstand playing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher, as on each previous day. Phil then goes through each of the seven deadly sins as the days repeat.

When Phil explains the situation to Rita, she suggests that he should take advantage of it to improve himself. Inspired, Phil endeavors to try to learn more about Rita, building upon his knowledge of her and the town each day. He begins to use his by-now vast experience of the day to help as many people around town as possible. He uses the time to learn, among other things, to play piano, ice sculpt and speak French.

Eventually, Phil is able to befriend almost everyone he meets during the day, using his experiences to save lives, help townspeople, and to get closer to Rita. He fixes car tires and people's backs, saves several townspeople from certain death, and crafts a report on the Groundhog Day celebration so eloquent that all the other stations turn their microphones to him. That evening, Phil and Rita attend the town's Groundhog Day party, where the two of them dance while all the townspeople whom Phil did tasks for that day line up to thank him. The party holds a bachelor auction, and bids for Phil grow higher until Rita, amazed by his selflessness, declares her winning bid. Outside, Phil presents Rita with a lifelike bust made of snow and they kiss. It is true love, and it conquers all: Phil is surprised as snow begins to fall, which is a departure from his recollection of the day's events. They retire together to Phil's room, and he wakes the next morning to find the time loop is broken; it is now February 3 and Rita is still with him. Phil is jubilant. He looks out the window and sees that everything's empty. After they go outside into the freshly-fallen snow, Phil lifts Rita over the gate as if over the threshold into a whole new life, and floats the idea of the two of them living on in Punxsutawney.

Sadly this is the tale of the spiritual journey of most people alive today and those who have ever lived.  In fact it is a Biblical fact that as time goes on, it will become more the norm.

Paul tells Timothy:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ⁷Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

The world’s knowledge base grows daily and with the internet, it is widely available. The quest for knowledge is the lifeblood of today’s secular humanist.  It has invaded our “christian” churches.  I put quotation marks around the word “Christian” and intentionally did not capitalize it because I do not think that many are “Christian” or have anything in common with Christ.  It is even sadder that it has also invaded the “Christian” churches.  It is sad but expected and prophesied.  That does not mean that it should be accepted.  The apostasy of Israel was predicted and prophesied; but God always wanted them to repent.  God still wants men to turn to him.  One of the reasons that God removes His blessings from societies and individuals, is to bring them to repentance.

Many people know about God.  Fewer know God.  Boston, Harvard, Duke and Yale are considered top universities in the field of theology.  You will learn a lot about God there but I fear that you have a better chance getting to know God sitting on your back porch than sitting in one of their classrooms.  I fear that the same can be said for many of today’s churches. 

Even the demons know about God and they fear Him; but they will never be saved because they will never accept Him as Lord.

The last blog dealt with God spitting out the Laodicean church  because they were lukewarm.  The church Paul describes in 2 Timothy is the lukewarm church.  It is the church that has lost it’s saltiness described by Jesus in Matthew 5:

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”

How useful am I?  How useful are you?  Are we worth more to God, dead or alive? (see previous blog)

Hot Tea or Ice Tea

Do you remember a time when you did not drink ice tea?  Do you remember when McDonald’s did not serve ice tea?  Do you remember when you drank your first coffee?  When did you drink your first latte? Where did people get lattes before Starbucks? 

I can not remember ever, not drinking coffee?  I drank coffee as long as I can remember.  We used to drink coffee out of a saucer.  Coffee used to be hotter before automatic coffee makers.  On the farm we would pour our coffee into a saucer to cool it off.  My dad used to make a cup of coffee with milk in it before he went to bed at night, set it on the kitchen counter and drink it cold sometime in the middle of the night.  In fact, the night he died, there was still a cup of cold coffee sitting on the kitchen counter in the morning.

 Just some of the strange things I have been thinking about after my last blog when I mentioned the verse in Revelations about God spitting out the lukewarm church because they were neither hot or cold.  Why would God rather have a cold church than a lukewarm church? A lukewarm Christian seems to be better than a cold one.  Were  the people in the lukewarm Laodicean church Christians?  I think so.  Why because Jesus refers to them as the church.  The church is made up of believers.  If Jesus was vomiting them out, was he taking away their salvation?  I don’t think so. 

Why did Jesus use the word “spue” or “vomit”, depending on the version you read?  The words are used very sparingly in the Bible.  There are only two occasions where we read the word “spit”.  One is in a positive context and one negative.  Jesus used spit and mud to anoint the eyes of the blind man when He restored the man’s sight.  The people and soldiers “spit” on Jesus when they mocked and beat Him.

When we think of something coming out of God’s mouth, we usually think of His Word:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”

His Word is life, health, spirit, truth.  Now in the last book of the Bible, Jesus that he is going to spit out the Laodiceans.  That’s pretty harsh especially considering the fact that most of us would give ourselves an average grade if we were to grade ourselves on a scale of 1 to 10.  Does that mean that we will be spit out?

I have no recall of ever hearing any sermon on these verses; however I have read commentaries on the book of Revelations.  Some say that these are real, actual churches, others think that they represent the church over time with the Laodicean church being the apostate church of the last days. 

Last night our pastor taught from Romans 11 about how the Jewish people were given “the spirit of slumber” and were the branch that was “broken off” from the tree, as God’s chosen people; in order that we, the Gentiles being branches of  “a wild olive tree” might be grafted into the tree.  The Jewish people were broken off, “because of their unbelief”.  The writer then warns us, the Gentiles, “If God spared not the natural branches (Jewish people), take heed lest he also spare not thee”.

It was perfect timing how God used last night's message to help make clear Revelation 3:15.  In the last days, the church will become arrogant saying,

“I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”.

They will no longer be the mouthpiece that God will use.  He will spit them out. 

Are we there yet?

Discouraged-Convicted-Encouraged-Frustrated-Motivated

These are the range or sequence of emotions that I have experienced the last 48 hours regarding writing this blog.  If you read this blog regularly, you probably noticed that it is not as regular or frequent as when I started.  Some of this may be due to the fact that I had a lot of “stuff” stored inside of me, waiting for an avenue to get out but some was due to some discouragement and frustration.  Since starting this blog, I have had about a half dozen individuals request to be removed from my e-mail list.  All but one have been faithful church attending Christians.  Most have either said that they did not have time to read it, their mail box was getting too full or gave no explanation.  Sunday morning in our Sunday school class, “life group", two individuals made a point of saying that they enjoyed the blogs.  I immediately felt convicted that I had neglected writing them as often as I did originally.  So I wrote Monday’s blog.  I promptly received a very supportive email from a female reader voicing agreement with the blog.  This was a little surprising since I thought the blog may have been difficult for some female readers. So, I was encouraged and felt that I had been rightly convicted for not doing more.  A couple hours later, I received another email, asking me to delete them from my list.  Frustrated again.  I went to bed feeling that way.  About 5:30 this morning I awoke, thinking about all this.  I realized that all the requests were from men.  Since the last blog was challenging “men”, I no longer felt frustrated.  I felt motivated!  When the boat starts rocking, people get nervous. 

I have never written these blogs to make people feel comfortable.  It has been, and is my intent to stimulate and challenge.  Challenge people to get off the fence!  Challenge people to get into the Word!  Don’t believe something because some one, once told you something!  Find it for your self! 

God does not like fence sitters.  How do I know this?  He tells us:

¹⁵“I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! ¹⁶You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. ¹⁷You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

¹⁸“Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.

¹⁹“The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!”  The Message, Rev. 3:15-19

I am no longer just convicted, I am MOTIVATED!

A Few Good Men

Many of you recognize the title of today’s blog as that being the title of the 1992 movie, with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, others associate the phrase with the United States Marines recruiting effort.   The thought is the same, the marines are looking for a few good men or the marines are a few good men. 

Jesus had a few good men, 12 to be exact.  They were the disciples.  However, He is still looking for “good men”.  Now I realize that today’s blog may alienate some feminists; but bear with me until I finish.  There were no women among the 12 disciples or even the seventy.  There were, however many women followers of Jesus and many are mentioned by name in the New Testament church.  In today’s church, many of the responsibilities, assigned to men in the New Testament church are done by women.  If Jesus were choosing His 12 disciples today, would it include some women?  I don’t think so!  Why then has the church today changed.  I want to suggest or propose a theory.  It is partly due to the lack of “men” in the church today.  I think that in the post- World War II era, women have assumed many responsibilities that God assigned to men.  Motherhood and childrearing is no longer seen as virtuous.  How many little girls aspire to be mothers?  Yes, most women still want to have children; but not be mothers.  By the same token how many little boys want to be fathers?  Most teenagers want sex, but no children. 

If you look around your churches today, the women outnumber men.  Why?  In today’s  society, it is OK to make fun of men.  They are pigs!  They are stupid!  They just want to sit around drinking beer, watching football games and checking out the women.  When they do work, they are workaholics.  Men are no longer needed other than to be sperm donors.  Fathers are not needed.  Even in the church today, men have become passive.  Much of the discussion at church business meetings is done by the women.  They often are the most vocal and emotional.  Is this how God intended?  I don’t think so!

I think that today, many men don’t feel “good” about themselves.  Their self image and self worth has been beat down by today’s culture.  The 12 disciples were just ordinary men.  Nothing super!  Fishermen.  Tax collector.  Not particularly learned.  They were not chosen for their “goodness”.  They were chosen for their “willingness”.  Paul, although not one of the 12, was nevertheless, an apostle.  He was a murderer.  It don’t get much worse that that.

 God is still looking for willing men, men willing to empty them selves and follow him.  Willing to do the work of being “fathers” in the home and in the church.

John, writing to the churches, says:

“I write to you, little children, because the sins have been forgiven you through his name;

¹³I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him who is from the beginning; I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil.

I write to you, little youths, because ye have known the Father:

¹⁴I did write to you, fathers, because ye have known him who is from the beginning; I did write to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God in you doth remain, and ye have overcome the evil.”

I challenge everyone reading this blog, male or female, to look within yourselves.  Men, are you the man God wants you to be?  Are you the leader of your family the way God wants you to be.  Are you the Father and husband God wants you to be?  Are you giving yourself to your family and wife as Christ gave Himself to the Church? Are you honoring your wife? Are you being the spiritual leader of your family in the home?  Are you a spiritual leader in the church? 

Women, are you the woman God wants you to be?  Are you the mother and wife God wants you to be?  Are you lifting up your husband in prayer?  Are you allowing him to be the leader God intended him to be?  Are you creating an environment in the home and church, where he can be the leader God wants him to be?

Men, are you strong in the Lord?  Do you know the Father?  Are you strong in the Word?  Have you overcome evil?  If you have and are, then you are a “good man”.  If not,  repent, accept Christ, recommit and become a “good man”, not your goodness; but His goodness.

A Satisfied Mind

 A few of you may recognize this title as that of a song originally sung by Porter Wagoner.  In 1955, it was number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs.  It has since been on the albums of 30 other various artists, including Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Willie Nelson, just to name a few.  The lyrics are:

How many times have you heard someone say,
If I had his money I would do things my way,
But little they know, that it's so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.

Once I was waiting in fortune and fame,
Everything that I dreamed for to get a start in life's game
But suddenly it happened, I lost every dime
But I'm richer by far with a satisfied mind.

Money can't buy back your youth when you're old
Or a friend when you're lonely, or a love that's grown cold
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.

When life has ended, and my time has run out
My friends and my loved ones, I leave there's no doubt
But there's one thing for certain when it comes my time
I'll leave this old world with a satisfied mind.

The song was written by Joe “Red” Hayes and Jack Rhodes.  Hayes explained that the lyrics came from his mother.  I don’t know if she was a Christian but the lyrics are theologically sound.  The apostle Paul had a “satisfied mind” when he wrote to the Philipians:

”Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. ¹²I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. ¹³Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”  The Message Bible

Paul further expands on this thought in writing Timothy:

”A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.

⁷Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, ⁸if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough.

⁹But if it’s only money these leaders are after, they’ll self-destruct in no time.

¹⁰Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.” The Message Bible

The writer to the Hebrews, which is thought by some to also be Paul, exhorts them likewise:

”Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,”⁶we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what.  Who or what can get to me?” The Message Bible

In today’s world, I think Paul would tell each of us the same thing.  I know that his Father is telling us the same and we, myself included, need to be reminded of this daily.

WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED! For the sake the “little ones”, am I better dead than alive?

Today’s blog is inspired by this morning’s sermon by our Ann Arbor pastor.  What I am going to discuss was not the point of his sermon, but it was in the text that was the basis for his sermon.  I know that he reads these blogs and I don’t want to blame him for my thoughts; but as he was teaching, the thoughts for this blog came to me.  I often have a second sermon going on in my head stimulated by something said.  This was the case this morning.  I also don’t want to make conclusions that are not supported by scripture.  Nor will I say that these thoughts were the “Lord speaking to me”.  These are my thoughts and my response to Pastor David’s sermon.

The text was Mark 9:38-50.  To set the context, Jesus had just descended from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John.  As they came down, they were met with a large crowd who was questioning the other disciples.  In the crowd, was a father who had brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples to be healed.  If you recall the events, you remember that they were not able to cast out the demon.  Jesus, not worrying about being politically correct or offending them, rebuked them publically.  How rude?  How inconsiderate of the self - image?

“O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?”

Jesus went even farther.  Jesus challenged the father, telling him:

“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Now, the pressure was on him.  The disciples obviously did not have the right amount or type of faith.  He had just rebuked them for their lack of faith.  How would the father respond.

“straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief”

What was Jesus response:

“he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.”

Within this context, Jesus took a child and said:

”Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me”.

After some more discussion with His disciples regarding one His followers, not one of the twelve, casting out demons; in which Jesus rebuked them:

“Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. ⁴⁰For he that is not against us is on our part.”

What follows is what I am going to focus on.  Jesus said:

“whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”

Have you or I ever offended a “little one”.  This weekend visiting our family friends here in Michigan, three instances of situations came up in our discussions where “little ones”, were offended by fellow Christians.  Two of these involved clergy in area churches and one involved a lay person intimately tied to a neighboring church.  Two were situations involving adultery and one was someone losing their temper publically in front of children.  It is so sad to hear or see these things happen.  We have come to expect adultery outside of the church; but, sadly, it is just as common within the church.  What are we teaching our children?  What are teaching the “little ones”? 

I am reminded of Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians:

“For he that eateth and drinketh (the Lord’s supper or Eucharist) unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. ³⁰For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (are dead).”

Couple this admonition with:

“whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea”

Maybe God takes this stuff seriously!  Maybe He would rather have some people dead, than offending “little ones”.  This is not to say that these people are in hell; but, maybe he is trying to protect the “little ones”?

Wow!!!  Am I better dead than alive?  What is better for the “little ones”?

“I’m a Believer”

Until two days ago, the only people thinking about being a “believer” were people sitting in church pews; but when Davy Jones, one of “The Monkeys”, died, the words and tune started resonating in the mind of all senior citizens who were alive in the mid-sixties.  It was later revealed that they often were not really playing the instruments on the TV show.  They may have been believers, but were they real musicians, or created manipulated caricatures?

That brings me to my point today. Last Sunday, three days before anyone was thinking about the song, "I’m a Believer", our pastor asked the congregation if we were just believers.  At first thought, that was a little startling.  I thought that’s what we are supposed to be! Believers.  Then he reminded us of what the apostle, James, said:

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

That is not the company that I want to be in.  Being “just a believer”, does not seem quite so impressive or satisfying after hearing that.

What separates the Christian believer from the demon believer?  James answers that question in the next verse:

“faith without works is dead”

Demons have “dead faith”, a faith that leads to death.

The Message paraphrase of those verses helps to understand the point and drive it home.

^“19Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them?

²⁰Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?”

  In America today, to be a believer is easy; in fact, it is popular.  The majority of the people believe in “god”; but’ do they believe in “GOD”?  If you are not an atheist, then you are a “believer”.  The majority of voters in the last presidential election, using mental gymnastics, voted against “GOD”, willing to sacrifice the thousands of innocent unborn babies, while at the same time, willing to tolerate homosexuality, no encourage homosexuality to be taught in our schools.  All for the HOPE of a more prosperous tomorrow where trust in government has replaced “faith in GOD”.

After all, there is separation of church and state!  NOT!  That is what the paraphrase in The Message is saying:

“Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?”

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:

 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” KJV

”I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ ²³And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.” The Message

Are you a believer or a BELIEVER?  Are you “just a believer”?