Should be the most wonderful time of the year

This may sound ridiculous but the holiday season is sometimes the hardest time of the year to be a Christian. Stores and mega sellers have been advertising Christmas specials and Black Friday deals since October. The commercialization of Christmas is heartbreaking, especially when those profiting have tried to take Christ out of everything. Everything has a price and we are sold dreams and desires. We are made to believe that consumerism and stuff will make us “happy”. People have been trained by television to respond like Pavlov’s dog to the sound of the bell. People hear a jingle and whip out a credit card while Pavlov’s dog ran for the Alpo. I really want to know, how much is enough? How can we want more when we don’t appreciate what we have?

Personally my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I am so blessed to have the freedom I have, to have the family I have, my health and so much more. I love the idea of gathering with family and friends to enjoy our blessings. To thank God for all the good things we have, to remember that all good things come from God, and to pray. It’s a simple holiday with God at its center. I love the service we have a church the night before Thanksgiving Day. We have a simple worship service based on thanking God for all he has done and giving him the praise he deserves with music, prayer and reflection. It is amazing what God can do in your life when you have a thankful heart. I love the story of the first Thanksgiving. In September of the year 1620 people suffered a two month journey to reach a new land so they could enjoy religious freedom. Their first winter in New England nearly wiped out half their colony. These people cried out to God in their suffering and he answered them by sending them two friendly native men to teach them how to live in this new and strange place. The next year they had a bountiful harvest and celebrated with their new found friends and their people. Ninety Wampanoag Indians and Fifty Pilgrims feasted, played and prayed giving thanks to God for all he has blessed them with. They endured many hardships but they didn’t forget to pray and thank God through their trials. Three American President signed Thanksgiving proclamations including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Grover Cleveland. I believe Thanksgiving should be a bigger deal than it is but it lands right in between two of the biggest money makers in the retail world, Halloween and Christmas.

Don’t get me wrong I enjoy Christmas once I’m with my friends and family, but it’s the time leading up to Christmas that gets on my nerves. Commercials, ads, spam e-mails, the Church and Sate separators and the Happy Holiday Sayers are out in force right now and it is enough to drive you nuts.  A friend of mine posted this poem on Facebook and it pretty much sums up how I feel right now.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! T'was the month before Christmas__When all through our land,__Not a Christian was praying__Nor taking a stand.__See the PC Police had taken away__The reason for Christmas - no one could say.__The children were told by their schools not to sing__About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.__It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say__December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.__Yet the....................................... ...shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit__Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!__CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod__Something was changing, something quite odd!__Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa__In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.__As Targets' were hanging their trees upside down__At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.__At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears__You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.__Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty__Are words that were used to intimidate me.__Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen__On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !__At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter__To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.__And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith__Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace__The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded__The reason for the season, stopped before it started.__So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'__Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.__Choose your words carefully, choose what you say__Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,__not Happy Holiday !__Please, all Christians join together and__wish everyone you meet__MERRY CHRISTMAS__Christ is The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!__......pass it on if you like. :) MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!-Author Unknown.

The only gift I want for Christmas I have already received and that is Salvation. The only gift I want everyone I meet to have is to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This was and is the greatest gift you will ever receive for Christmas or anytime. This is the reason of Christmas, the holiday season, and your existence in this life. Jesus is the reason.

The Colors of the Season

It seemed like it just happened overnight. One day the trees were full of green leaves and now golden leaves all over the ground. It seems like I didn’t have time to enjoy the changing of the colors. Now it’s time to rake up all the colors of fall before I ever had time to prepare for the changing of the seasons.  You would think that I would not get caught by surprise anymore but I still am. I will feel the same way when I see the first snowflake of winter. I know no matter how late in the season it will be too soon. The same things happen in our seasons. Looking back things seemed to start off so slow and everything took forever to unfold and before you know it I was learning how to read and write and suddenly I'm teaching my children how to read and write. All the seasons in between happened so fast I hardly realize the transitions.

Now I’m more aware. I have changed focus on my life and I seeing life in the context of eternity. With this perspective I notice the changing of the seasons in my life. I don’t know exactly what is to come but I know change is coming. I will be turning forty this year but that is just a number it has some but little to do with the season. So what’s changing? Well as a father and a husband I am teaching my children now just as my parents had their season to teach me. I am teaching them about Jesus and if I teach them nothing more in this life I know I obeyed the Lord in my most important assignment as a parent. I have embraced God’s instruction to be the spiritual leader in my home and to show the love of Christ by example to my family. Although I fall short, I try and love my wife as Christ loves the church and by the grace of God I am training up my children in the way they should go. I am teaching my family to have a social conscience. I’m helping to equip them to share the gospel and resources. I’m showing them a life outside of ourselves. I make sure they thank God for what they have and making sure they understand that most of the world lives on a small percentage compared to our blessings. I’ve taught them about the persecuted church and as we worship Jesus in our lives in the open we must pray and support our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted, tortured, and killed for the name of Jesus.

My season is changing as a follower of Christ as well. I have gone from unsaved to saved over a dozen years now when I accepted Jesus and let him take my sins with him on the cross. Now I am going from the one being ministered to the one God is using to minister to others. Now I am being asked to lead a ministry at church. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. By his grace I will be ready for this season as well. I don’t know exactly what Jesus has planned for the rest of my life. I have small children and my primary mission is to raise them up to fear the Lord, to trust Jesus as their savior and to live a life pleasing to God. God has placed a desire in my heart to minister to the homeless in and around Chicago. I have only acted on this in small ways so far but I have a vision of a ministry to come and I pray for God to make a way, but I know right now is not the season. When my children grow older more and more seasons will come and go. There will be ministries and missions God will call me to and I will serve, in their season. I don’t know how long or how short the rest of this life will be. What I do know is Christ will make sure I am ready for all seasons of this life and my final season in eternity.  Can you feel the changing seasons in your life?

Ten Years Gone: Remembering September 11, 2001

I spent a good portion of this morning reliving our countries worst nightmare. In a few days is the tenth anniversary of the most horrific recent event on American soil; an event that changed American history forever. The average American lost their innocents and belief in their own security on September eleventh two thousand one. The fact that WE are hated by others went from being an idea to reality in seconds. Americans were burst straight out of our bubble into the same reality Israel has endured since its reestablishment in 1948. That is WE have enemies and they want us dead. I am sure at this point you are expecting me to start a rant against fundamental Islam; I am not. The war we are in is much bigger than that the “War on Terror” former President George Bush declared ten years ago. This scope is much bigger, the scope is biblical.

Paul tells is in Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”. Before you can fight a war you need to know your enemy. We are not fighting Islam. We are not fighting terrorism. We are not fighting against people at all. Right now the armies of the United States and its allies are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting Al Qaida.  In Israel it is Hamas. In Somalia there are warlords and pirates killing innocent people who have been starving after years of civil war. In the Balkans July 1995 Slobodan Milosevic ordered the mass murder of over 7000 Muslim men. Adolf Hitler attempted to exterminate the Jews in the Holocaust during WWII. Prior to that there was the colonial slave trade of African Nationals perpetrated by the British and the Dutch and finally ended in the United States by the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. In 1520 after some of Cortes’ men massacred Aztecs in their temple and after fleeing for his life Cortes left behind the bodies of dead crewmen whom died of small pox. Millions of Native Americans died due to this action. Evil and evil plans can be followed all the way back to the beginning of man. Man was tempted by evil in the garden by our true enemy, Satan. He is the enemy of our souls and the same enemy who will rise up one evil puppet after another until the last days when “the Anti-Christ” comes to power.

Now that we know who we fight let’s talk about how we fight. We fight in the spirit in prayer. We fight by being light in the dark. We tell the world about Jesus. We follow Jesus’ “Great Commission Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matt 28 19, 20. Our battle field is our neighborhood reaching neighbors, friends and family for Christ. Our purpose is to spread the gospel for the glory of God. Our weapons are truth, the word of God and prayer. Our tactics are evangelism, discipleship, giving to foreign missions or participating in missions, fellowship in our local church, caring for the needy and prayer. Jesus ordered us to watch and pray. Jesus ordered us to “fear not”. Jesus promised to be with us. Jesus has already giving us the victory when he died on the cross taking all our sins and then defeated death and sin when he proved that he is God rising from the dead three days later. We can be confident even as the world becomes darker and darker that Jesus will return in victory:

Revelations 19:11-21. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

Take heart my friends because this is how the war ends. Peace and Love. Amen

Remember in your prayers:

The families of the World Trade Center victims

The families of the fallen heroes from NYPD and FDNY

The family of the victims in the pentagon

The family of the passengers and crew of American Airline flight 11

The family of the passengers and crew of American Airline flight 77

The family of the passengers and crew United Airline flight 93

The family of the passengers and crew United Airline flight 175

Great is Your Faithfulness

Ok the family is back into its routine. Mom and Dad are back to work, Makayla is living the kindergarten life and Daniel is back on his nap schedule. Tomorrow we will all go to our church for worship and see our friends there. Makayla will be in her regular children’s ministry and Daniel will be in a familiar nursery. Last week we were out of town at my brother’s house on Castle Rock Lake for our annual family reunion. This year my sister Jean could not make the trip and she was greatly missed. Despite the absentees we had a great time. My family arrived late Friday night. It was just my eldest brother and his wife there. On Saturday my other brother, his wife and in-laws, my eldest sister, then later her eldest daughter, boyfriend and his kids showed up.  On Sunday my third sister came with her family. We had a great time Saturday. My wife and I took the kids paddling on the lake in kayaks. Makayla caught her first fish that evening right off the peer. Her secret is a “Barbie” fishing pole, night crawlers and it doesn’t hurt fishing on my brother’s home turf with him knowing exactly where to put the line. We put Daniel to bed and when it got good and dark the rest of us went outside by the fire. We were reminiscing about being a kid in our family. That conversation turned real dark real quick. So the subject changed and we all talked about being juvenile delinquents. In the mist of all this I started looking at the stars. The sky was clear and I was thinking about God who created all things great and small. It was midnight and Makayla had eaten too many s’mores and we had to carry her to bed.

Sunday morning the alarm on my phone is rang at 6am. I shut off the alarm and for the first Sunday in a long time I was debating if we were going to church or not. I knew the voice in my head telling me it’s ok, your on vacation go back to bed, was not God. Then the Holy Spirit started bringing things to my recollection. First he reminded me that it was God’s Faithfulness that brought me out from my backsliding. My wife and I were looking for a church. Then one day my daughter had woken up from a dream. She told my wife, “Mommy I saw Jesus coming in the clouds.” This caught me by surprise because although we prayed with her and read to her from the children’s bible she had no way of knowing this piece of scripture. This dream had to come from God. A few weeks later God really started to work on my heart. He was letting me know he has a purpose for my life and I needed to live the life he has set before me and to stop running away from his will. Later he showed me a vision of what he had done for me. I was there at Mount Calvary and it was me hammer in one hand and a spike in the other driving the nail through where his palm met his wrist. For me, he showed me that he did it for me. I felt my hard heart ripped from my chest and replaced with a heart of flesh filled with love. That day I cried out to God and I promised if he made a way for me to go to church, with his help, I will be faithful to go with my family. A week later I had Sunday mornings off from work and that day my family made plans to go to Des Plaines Bible Church. To our surprise it was now “The Bridge” and we felt the love of God as soon as we walked through the doors.

By 7am everyone was showered or bathed and we were heading to Mauston for Church. God is good. We had time to pick up some breakfast, feed the kids, and get to the church. Along the way we thought we made a wrong turn and were going to turn around. What do you know? The driveway we were going to turn around in was the Church. We had ten minutes to spare. I liked this church, it wasn’t “The Bridge” but the worship was genuine, the message was convicting and the church was alive with the spirit of Christ. I did take with me one pearl of wisdom from the service. The Pastor had a great illustration I’m going to hold onto for a while. He said,

“When a vessel is full and it is upset whatever the vessel is full of will pour out. You have a jug full of liquid and when you tip it you see water pour out you know that it was full of water. You have a wet sponge and when you squeeze it water comes out you know it was wet with water. Now ask yourself the last time you were upset, tipped, or squeezed what came out? Was it blessings or curses? Was it good or evil? When you were tipped what poured out? Did you forgive the person who tipped you? Did you bless them? Did you pray for them? Or did you get angry, curse them out or push them back? When you are tipped and the things of God pour out you show you are filled with the Holy Spirit but if things that are not of God pour out…?”

After hearing this I thought of the words of Jesus in Matthew 15:18 “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

We went back to my brother’s after service and everyone was up and moving around and by this time my sister had arrived with her husband and two boys. I was in a great mood; I was ready to hear all the jokes and all the teasing about going to church today. It didn’t happen and I was surprised. I think now, compared to all my saved life, I wasn’t hiding my light under a basket in front of my family. I wasn’t just going along to get along. Jesus is the first love of my life and for the first time I don’t think my family is questioning it anymore. I remember seeing what my sister Jean has gone through when she professed her faith and I guess she may have paved the way for me. Instead of reticule I received questions. I was asked genuine questions about the church I went to, the service I was at, and other things. The door closed quickly when I went from answering question to witnessing but I’m happy with baby steps. They still see me as the little brother. I’ll keep praying for the salvation of my family and friends.

I know God is faithful.

We need to return to simplicity

Sometimes we seem to let things get too hectic and too complicated. It was about to happen again. I had taken on more than I can chew again. I had volunteered to help out another ministry and at the same time my personal life started getting way too busy again. So I did what all Christians should do in this situation and I prayed on it. I the mean time I lined up a babysitter and taken a day off from work. All I have to say is God is good. The ministry I had volunteered to help informed me they would not need me to drive for them. The leader seemed like he was concerned he would hurt my feelings but I assured him I needed this new found free time and it was not a problem. I told the wife about my change in plans. First she wanted me to work and then we realized we hadn’t had a date in six months. With everything lined up in advance with the jobs and babysitting all we had to do was decide what to do.

Want to go see a movie? No. Want to go out for dinner? No. We decide to go to a place called Top Golf. It is a golf driving range with a twist. The balls are micro chipped and register distance and accuracy to a specific target and give a numerical value based on that. It was a lot of fun and believe it or not it was my wife’s idea. We had a great time. We really enjoyed each other’s company. We played three rounds had some drinks and some snacks. It is hard to believe when you are caught up in the middle of raising a family and responsibility after responsibility how refreshing it is to just have a simple date with your best friend. We were able to get away from the complications and for a short well needed time go back to things being simple. Just the two of us laughing, talking and just being together. You know simplicity.

Everything we do usually starts out simple and life and outside distractions makes things complicated. When we started hitting balls we were all over the place. Neither of us could not hit the ball straight. Before we got married I played a lot of golf but just hadn’t had the time to keep up with the game. Marissa asked me, “What is wrong with my swing?” I spotted it right away. But as I was showing her I was forced to correct my own swing and I drove the ball to the 250 yard marker straight as an arrow. Once I corrected my swing and then showed her how to correct hers she then started hitting the ball much better. All I had to do to fix my swing was to remember the basics. When things get complicated in my walk with Christ as well, once I go back to the basics, Jesus helps me correct my path. Jesus is our foundation. When we bring everything back to Jesus he can direct us back to his path and away from our path.

Why Must Tragedy be the Precursor to Change?

Yesterday I waited outside for twenty minutes for my daughter’s bus to drop her off from school. While we were waiting my son and I refilled our water and drank it all down by the time my daughter came home. The bus pulled up and my daughter slowly got off the bus and slowly came to me. Her hair was sticky with sweat, her shirt where her backpack was sweaty, but her face was red and her skin was hot and dry. She was in the first stages of heat stroke. She was dismissed from school at 2:45 pm and was dropped off at my home at 3:40 pm. She spent approximately 40-50 minutes in a hot bus that the windows did not open, no a/c, and she had no water. The real temperature at the time was 97 degrees with a heat index of 110 -115. I rushed her in the house gave her water to drink, had her run her wrists under cold water, fed her watermelon . She cooled down quickly and she is fine. I need to praise the Lord for that!

Yester day I decided to write her principal an e-mail:

            Dear Principal (his name),

My daughter (her name) was dropped off earlier today by bus (X). She was red in the face, her hair and shirt were wet with sweat and she was showing signs of fatigue. She had been in this oven for over 45 minutes and these are early signs of heat stroke. The temp outside was 97 degrees with a heat index over 110 degrees. The bus that dropped her off has no A/C and does NOT have proper ventilation (windows do not open) for these kinds of temperatures. I need to ask one common sense questions that should have been asked by the school board before hiring Durham Bus Services. Iroquois is a year round school, are you prepared to transport children safely in extreme heat?

My wife spoke to you or one of your staff this afternoon expressing her concern and she was dismissed when you or your staff said, "We told the driver to open the windows." She was unaware at the time that the windows DON'T OPEN on the bus my daughter was on. My wife will be dropping Makayla off for school tomorrow and plans to speak with you. I expect you to have a resolution at that time. Over the next month and a half their are sure to be more extreme temperatures to come. With all the headlines being made by bus companies and children dying in them because of heat related injuries I would expect a higher level of care.

Best regards,

Dennis Chance

My wife took my daughter to school today and spoke with the principal. The big solution is: 1. Kids can have water on the bus. My question is will the school supply water to kids that don’t have water?  2. Teachers will make sure all busses have windows that open. My question is if that was always their policy how did the bus my daughter was on slip through on the hottest day of the year? This is School district 62 answer to the problem. I am not satisfied. I was reminded that bus service is an optional, so my daughter will never ride the bus in this kind of heat again but I am still not satisfied.

The Principal is on our side but only with words and not with action. He forwarded my e-mail to the school superintendant and Durham Bus co. He is pushing to have the routes shortened but that’s as far as he would go and he doesn’t have that kind of pull anyway.  When he was approached with possible solutions he towed the district line and said it’s not in the budget. One of the points I was trying to make is this; A year round school needs an emergency plan in place for days for extreme heat. They plan for snow, they plan for fire, and they plan for tornadoes. Did you know according to the CDC there are more weather related deaths due to extreme heat exposure than any other weather related cause of death? This is serious and I believe School District 62 needs to count the cost with that in mind. For an example Huntley Schools do not allow Children to be on a non ventilated bus in extreme heat for duration over twenty minutes. Can district 62 make a requirement for expanded bus service on dangerously hot days? I’m sure they could have if they counted the cost. Here is another possible solution; Iroquois school operates in July and August when most schools do not. Can Durham bus Company whose claim to fame is they are the second largest bus company in the United States be compensated for busses with a/c for July and August and they have those busses returned to barns in the southern states for the regular school year. Yes there would be an increased cost of transportation and use of fuel but there would be no need to purchase new equipment when current equipment sits dormant waiting for new school year.

I am no longer continuing this fight on my daughter’s behalf. I stated before she will not be taking the bus on hot days any longer. I am keeping this up because I learned through my wife’s conversation with the principal is the 40 min my daughter spent on the bus is not the current school record. There are children riding these ovens for up to an hour and a half (1.5 hours). Does a child have to die before School district 62 counts the cost? Is that what it’s going to take for a school employee, a teacher, or principal, or parent volunteer to say this is not safe and refuse to place children on hot busses? Is this what it is going to take to get a dispatcher or driver to refuse to load kids onto oven? I hope not. I pray district 62 counts the cost.

Help me make this letter go viral to all in district 62.

District 62 Telephone: 847-824-1136

Was Caught Speeding

The other day I was driving on a two lane highway the speed limit was fifty-five miles per hour. The next thing I knew a police officer flashed his lights at me. I stepped on the breaks and slowed down my vehicle. The officer never pursued me; he had given me a break. I was speeding. I did not realize where I was until he flashed his lights at me. I had entered a small town and the speed limit had dropped from fifty-five to forty miles per hour. I flashed my lights back at the officer and thanked him for the break. I was thinking about this for some time later. This small incident can be an illustration of God’s Grace.

Let’s start with this; I did not realize where I was. How many of us in life do not realize where we are? All of us are or were hopelessly caught up in sin and don’t even realize it. Many of us are on a wide fast moving road. We’re going wherever it leads us and we’re just following the crowd in front of us. We have whatever we want sex, money, alcohol, pornography and whatever other distractions this life can hand you. For a while we’re going down this path and we’re having a great time lots of friends, good times and laughs. All of a sudden, bam, you see the warning lights. This could be in the form of broken relationships, an unwanted pregnancy, you find yourself addicted to alcohol or drugs or you finally feel that the life your living is leaving you empty inside. It really doesn’t matter what’s your warning sign. What matters is what do you do now that you realize where you are? Do you hit the brakes? Or do you keep going even after your warning. I received a break (grace) from the police officer after he warned me because I realized I was speeding (sinning) and slowed down and obeyed the law (repentance).

What would have happened if I ignored the warning? The police officer would have come after me and given me a ticket. What if I would have ignored the police officer coming after me? He would have chased me and even called more police to get me. Now when they catch me I will be arrested. What if I continue to flee even after more police are called to pursuit? There could be road blocks, the police could try and disable my vehicle and if I keep fighting it could end with injury or death. OK I know it sounds far fetched to take a speeding violation this far but I don’t think you realize at any given moment we are only a few stupid decisions away from dying and it doesn’t even have to be our decisions. There is no guarantee of a long life. You do not have plenty of time to get right with God. The next breath at any time could be your last. Now what are you going to do with the warning signs God has given you?

OK this is the moment. You have received your warnings and you realize you need God’s grace but how? You must admit that you are a sinner and cannot be reconciled with God by anything you can do or earn. Jesus who is fully man and fully God lived a perfect sinless life. He freely gave his life and was crucified. He suffered anguish and pain and took the full measure of God’s wrath against us upon himself while on the cross. He died and was buried and three days later he rose again defeating sin and death forever. Everyone who believes receives God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer sinners in the eyes of God but have been made new through the Blood of Jesus and are clothed in HIS righteousness.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  (Romans 3:23)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 5:12)

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10)

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:5)

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  (Acts 17:30)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  (Romans 10:9,10)

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  (John 1:12)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU AND RECEIVE JESUS AS YOU SAVIOR: Send me a message if you need to talk or pray about it.

Be honest: “Not in the name of Jesus”

The gospel has been transforming lives for over two thousand years. Lost sinners have been sought out by believers, received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repented and gave their life to Christ and have become a new creation by the power of the Holy Spirit. What is the Gospel? In order to appreciate the good news I think we should start with the bad news. The first man “Adam” disobeyed God and caused sin to enter into creation. The wages of sin is death. Everyone will face judgment. “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).”  This is God’s Judgment eternal suffering. Now you might be thinking God is so cruel. Why would God send people to hell? Most people are “good” right? First “’No one is good—except God alone…’” (Luke 18:19). Second God is NOT cruel. God is Holy and sin needed to be atoned for.

Here is the good news. God atoned for your sin. Yes, Jesus left the splendor of heaven and came to earth (his creation) in the form of a servant; He was born of a virgin, He lived the perfect sinless life we could not live, He was rejected by man, He suffered until death on a Roman cross, He was buried, and three days later He rose again from the dead. While on the cross He received the full measure of God’s wrath against the sin of man. By His resurrection He defeated death and sin forever. Jesus (HE) did it all for you!

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:16-21

You have read the Good news and the Bad news. Why did I name this blog “Be Honest: Not in the Name of Jesus?” Jesus called us to REPENT! We are to become a new creature in Christ Jesus.  There is an evil that has come into the body of Christ and has declared open war on the Word of God. It used political correctness to assault God’s own Word.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has become the fourth Protestant denomination in the U.S. to allow the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy along with The United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church. Not only are they allowing gay ordination but in states that allow homosexual civil unions these churches can perform same sex marriages. What does the word of God have to say about this? First God’s plan for marriage is one man and one woman, “²⁴ that is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24) Understand God wrote this to future generations and not Adam and Eve. Adam had no mother to leave. God made this statement as an example to their descendants.  Second God calls us to him as we are. Jesus beckons us while we are still in our sin but you cannot mistake he calls us to repentance. We are to put off our old selves and put on his righteousness. We are to turn away from our sins. The Gospel is supposed to transform our lives but, when the lives of men try and transform the Gospel I have to declare “Satan you are a liar and the father of lies”. Please my brothers and sisters Repent cleave to the word of God. Turn to Jesus. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) Please realize when the still small voice in your head does NOT conform to the written Word of God it is NOT the Holy Spirit it is Satan.

People have told me that all sin is wrong and no sin is worse or better than any other. I agree with this statement but sin cannot be allowed to change the church.

"One Nation Under God"

I want to start by wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day. Two hundred and thirty five years ago a new nation was blessed by God. A great experiment in the form of a democratic republic was born. A nation based on the reality that all men were created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The guarantees of these rights are in forced by our constitution which is based on the rule of law and the rule of law was based in part by God’s law (the Ten Commandments). The founders of our country knew that religion and morality were necessary cornerstones in the success of a democracy.

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest prop of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge in the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle... Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it?” George Washington’s Farewell Address, Sept 17, 1796

Our nation has truly been blessed. For all these years this nation has been a beacon of religious freedom throughout the world. The land which came to be known as the United States was established by people fleeing religious persecution. The Puritans believed Church of England doctrine needed to be purged of all non-biblical practices. This premise was severely rejected by Charles I, who ruled England, believing in “Devine Right.” He severely punished dissenters for speaking out against the established high church party. Religious freedom is what brought the Puritans and then the Quakers from England. This opened the door for many other groups from other countries seeking freedom to worship like Anglicans, Calvinists, Catholics, Huguenots, Lutherans, Mennonites, Amish, and Jews. Churches, communities and governments were established by these emigrants from Europe. These are the people that persevered and then prospered and formed this country with belief in God’s Law, self government, equality and basic human freedom that lead to the Declaration of Independence, The American Revolution and then the Constitution of the United States of America. People who followed Jesus laid the foundation of this nation.

Now here we are in 2011 and in this era of political correctness God is slowly being purged from this nation based on the premise of separation of Church and State. This was a phrase taken out of context from letter written by Thomas Jefferson. This idea was not in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution or any other founding document. It was an idea not that religion shouldn’t influence government but that government should not influence religion.

 “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’thus building a wall of separation between church and state.” Thomas Jefferson 1802 in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association.

As a result any reference to the Ten Commandments has been removed from court houses; prayer has been removed from public schools and openings to public meetings. At one time school and church were held in the same building. Now in New York State Schools can no longer rent space on the weekends to church groups even though they can freely rent to any other group. God and morality are under assault by law makers, liberal biased judges and by special interest groups through lobbying and law suits.

Proposition 8 was passed in California by a majority of voters. This was to insure marriage was to remain exclusively a union between one man and one woman. This was just as God had designed marriage. A law suit was filed the day proposition eight passed and it was repealed by a liberal activist judge who was engaging in a homosexual relationship. This decision was appealed and held up in appeals. On June 24, 2011 New York State joined five other states in passing same sex civil union laws. Homosexual marriage is a reality in the United States. There will be law suits but I believe the tide has turned. June 30, 2011 Kansas an injunction was filed to halt a new Kansas law to end abortion. Things are just so slanted. Even when law makers are on the side of morality the activist judges intervene and moral laws are declared unconstitutional or endangering. Where in the constitution were judges given the right to make laws? Everything seems to be turning upside down. God created marriage and man has changed the definition. Where does it end? Now it’s one man one woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman. What’s next multiple men and/or woman? Then what is after that? I don’t want to think about it. God created life and man has decided that life does not begin when God says it does and millions of innocent lives were legally murdered. Now with government funding and new health care laws we the people are paying for these murders. The blood is on our hands like it or not.

Make prayer part of celebrating Independence Day. How long will God bless this country? Pray that our leaders, judges and our nation as a whole repent. Pray for this just as if it was your own sin Just as Daniel prayed for Israel as if it was his sin.

So I gave my attention to the LordGod to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances.Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land. Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deedswhich they have committed against You. Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets.Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him (Daniel 9:3-11).

Pray for this and fight for this country but remember Ephesians 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". 

God Bless You and God Bless America

Sudden Stop

Last week was crazy busy. But it was a good crazy. Thursday morning I picked up my sister from the air port and she hung out at my house all morning. Makayla loved spending time with her auntie ni-ni. Friday morning I borrowed a bus from a friend so I can get my bus license. Friday night I chauffeured around the middle school kids from the Bridge. The middle school ministry held an all nighter.  The kids had a great time. We had fifty-two people in the bus counting the leaders. They saw a movie, went to extreme trampoline and played broom ball at a local ice arena. My part was done at four in the morning. I went home and passed out but the kids and the leaders were still going strong until eight in the morning with a worship service and some more games and food. The best part about it was a least half the kids that attended were new. I pray that they found Jesus and will return to the Bridge.

It’s Saturday and I’m up by nine. Yep less than five hours of sleep. Marissa and Makayla went to get their hair done for my nephew’s wedding. Makayla was one of the flower girls I have never seen her so excited about anything in her life. We arrived at the church it was old and beautiful with the gothic architecture like a European Cathedral. I haven’t been in Catholic Church in a long time. I have to be honest all the statues all around bothered me. Some people see saints and the holy mother that they prey to. I see statues, idols made by human hands and people praying to them. Jesus told us we are to pray to our Father in secret; in heaven. Not to saints, not to Mary and we are not to pray to our relatives who have passed on. We are to pray to God and Jesus is our only intercessor. This is biblical. Despite my issues the wedding was beautiful.  The reception was at one of my favorite banquette halls. No expense was spared.  There were almost four hundred guests. We ate, we danced, we had great conversations and my little girl even caught the bouquet. 

Many conversations were had. The Holy Spirit revealed many things to me through these talks and I have many people to pray for. There is so much suffering in so many lives. People are seeking to fulfill emptiness in their hearts that can only be healed by Jesus if only they would receive him. Believe me he is knocking just open your heart to him. He is the healer. Just cast your burdens upon him.

Sunday I am so excited, my sister Jean is going with my family to church. My sister introduced me to Christ so she is my sister on two levels. We have not worshiped together for at least the seven years she has lived in North Carolina. I didn’t realize how much I missed my sister until Sunday. We talk all the time and we pray together over the phone. Pastor Scott’s message was great. I may order this one and play it over and over as my daughter gets older. It was on the Song of Songs and he geared it in light of a loving marriage and purity. It was an awesome message. Check it out at thebridgedp.org under recourses. Sunday was also father’s day. My kids and wife gave me some great presents and cards. We also went to dinner with my in-laws and my sister. Everything was great. Afterwards I dropped my sister off at the airport and went home. We were Exhausted.

Tuesday night a violent storm and a tornado tore through our neighborhood and Mount Prospect trees were torn up at the root, tree limbs smashed rooftops and fences, cars and power lines were damaged. The brunt of the storm lasted fifteen minutes but the damage all around. Thank God no one was injured or killed. Somehow my kids slept through the whole thing. The power went out so I went by my next door neighbor to see how everything was. A bunch of neighbors were gathering around surveying the damage. An enormous tree fell in my neighbor’s front yard.  Completely blocking the walk way and hit their house. Mercifully no one was hurt. We all talked for a while and I went back and forth checking on the kids. I met some neighbors I haven’t met before and they seem nice. They have kids my children’s age so we spoke of having a play date someday soon. Our power was off for the next three days and I have to honest I enjoyed every minute of it. I thank God for the rest he gave me. No computer, no television no video games to distract us from the importance of spending time with our children and spending time reading God’s word. Over those three days I grilled everything in our refrigerator and freezer on the bar-b-que.  I mean we cooked everything even items not normally prepared on the grill.

Yes I had a busy week filled with friends, family, church and neighbors. All good things but when we needed rest everything was brought to a standstill and we had rest. God invented rest and Jesus thought us the importance of rest but sometimes we still don’t rest and we don’t slow down. I know I enjoyed the silence.

Memorial Day: More than a bar-b-que

I am as guilty as the next guy. I’ve looked at Memorial Day as a three day weekend for way too long. It was a reason for hanging out with my buddies, having a few beers and enjoying a bar-b-que. I just didn’t get it. A lot of folks don’t get it and I know most politicians don’t get it. People died and their sacrifice was paid foreword so that You and I can enjoy the freedom and liberty in this country today. Sacrifice is what made this country great! I’ve seen images of sacrifice. Names carved in cold marble. I’ve spoken to a Pearl Harbor vet saw the tear form in his eye as he thought about buddies they lost. I’ve seen a Vietnam vet brought to tears on Veterans Day at church as he looked at an artists’ rendering of the Vietnam War memorial where one vet sees the reflection of a comrade in the black marble of the wall and his hand touches the reflection on the wall. I know my friend was thinking of his buddy and his sacrifice.

Now its different Memorial Day has faces. Not the faces of the fallen but the faces of friends who still carry around pieces of the fallen with them. John, Tom, Jimmy, Susan, Rafael, Jack, Chuck, Phil and Bill (just to name a few) some have opened up and told me their story and others I have prayed with. I have learned from each them. Some have found peace, some have found deamons, but the ones I learned the most from are the ones who found grace, mercy and forgiveness in a savior.

Here are some staggering numbers from the 235 years of United States History.

KIA:1,343,812                                    WIA:1,529,230                                  MIA: 38,159

This Memorial Day remember the brave men and woman who have fought and continue to fight for the People of the United States. Remember they did NOT set the policy that was their duty to enforce. Politics aside freedom is NOT free. It has been paid for with the blood of patriots. I know nothing about war. I was a Sea Bea in the Naval Reserve. I have never left US soil with orders in my hand. I know nothing of valor or sacrifice. In my mind I would like to believe I would do my duty if called upon. I have never been tested. Millions of men and now woman of valor and courage had been tested by war and some gave all but all gave some. Every one of the numbers on this page represents a life, a family, a gold star or a purple heart.

“The real Heroes never came Home.” –Unknown

Fly your flags, have your bar-b-que enjoy your freedom BUT celebrate the men and woman who paid for it with all they had. Think about them, let that tear form in your eye. I want you to get it. Take your hat off your head, place your hand on your heart, and sing the “Star Spangled Banner” with a lump in your throat and pain in your gut.

Honor your fallen heroes.

John 15:13 (NIV)

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Sincere but sincerely wrong

This will be my last blog on this subject

Non For Profit Family Stations INC

Misdirected: Yes

Biblically Wrong: Yes  

False Profit: I believe so

Conspiracy: No

Greedy: No

Non For Profit Family Stations INC info from IRS form 990 year 2008

290 Hegenberger Rd
Oakland, CA 94621

Assets: $104 Million Plus

Income: $19 Million Plus

Expenses: $34 Million plus

Admin: $6 Million Plus

Wow I was shocked to find this out. Yes Harold Camping is wrong, dead wrong, but it is not a conspiracy and it is not greed as many have said. I reviewed Family Stations INC IRS 990 forms for years 2007, 2008, and 2009 (these were all that was available to me for free) Harold Camping the president of Family Stations INC has received zero compensation for the 40 hour a week he reported all three years. The other two directors received less than average compensation. In these years the stations have been running on a deficit and using invested assets to keep broadcasting. If it is true that this ministry has spent nearly 100 million dollars to advertise doomsday event May 21, 2011 this would bring the organization close to insolvency.

In light of all this I was ready to really be angry. Now I just feel pity. I feel pity for his follower that truly believed his teaching. I feel pity for him because he has been deceived. Now he has changed his date to October 21, 2011. I pray for Mr. Harold Camping, for his followers, and for all other deceived into believing cult teachings. Remember Jonestown, Remember Heaven’s Gate, and remember the Branch Devidians all were sincere but all were sincerely wrong. Protect yourself read and study the word of God.  Jesus warned us In Matthew 24:22-25 (NIV) Matthew 24:36

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

 

As a believer in Christ we should always be ready. We should watch and pray because just as Christ said “NO ONE KNOWS.” This is from the sovereign Word of God. Why would anyone want to calculate what cannot be calculated? I don’t know. I am just a man walking in this world the same as everyone else. I believe God gave us the gift of his Word, the gift of his Holy Spirit, and most of all his saving grace through Jesus. You trust in him for your salvation trust his Word also for your guidance.

Be careful at whose table you allow yourself to be fed.

I am not going to blog today. I am not going to blog today. I AM NOT GOING TO BLOG TODAY! Who am I kidding with a subject this big I have to blog today. Ok everyone who has been taken up in the rapture please raise your hands. Everyone else look around. I want you to note there is no one with their hand up. I am not going to give bible verses explaining why the rapture is not as one man says because the morning news already did that. Let me repeat; the morning news quoted the bible today. Under normal circumstances this would be a good thing. Right!? Alas all this rapture talk on mainstream TV has not been good for the gospel. All it takes is one heretic to wreck the witness of many orthodox Christians. I spent more time today hearing jokes, defending my witness against the proclamations of one Mr. Camping and explaining this is NOT what the Gospel is all about. I am not shy about my faith. People KNOW I am a Christian and today I felt like a target. Thankfully most people understand that Mr. Camping is not speaking for mainstream Christianity.

     There is a real danger with this kind of teaching. People believe it. People have been dooped. Folks have stopped paying mortgages given all their savings to this man’s campaign to spread his doomsday message. This man has spread his teaching through a medium called “Family Radio.” Near Chicago the closest “Family Radio” outlet is in Joliet 91.9 fm. This is in an area where “Moody Radio” is fading out. For some unchurched people this is the only Gospel they are hearing.  “Some devotees reportedly sold all their possessions and took to the streets to warn of the second coming of Jesus”-The Telegraph. Do you still think he’s a harmless old man?

     I had an old preacher say to me once, “be careful at whose table you allow yourself to be fed.” I never really understood what he was saying until I heard this story. I wasn’t saved when Mr. Camping proclaimed doomsday in ’94. I may have believed it then, who knows, but I do remember hearing him this year. It had to be the end of January or the beginning of February. I was on my way to Springfield, IL and “Family Radio” was the only Christian station on. Mr. Camping was teaching a bible study. He was calling everyone listening “beloved.”  He sounded like he could have been my Grandpa. Then he claimed to have had an exclusive revelation from God to interpret the bible. WHAT!? Not even 5 minutes later he’s saying May 21^st 2011 is Judgment day. I turned off his program and prayed his message would go away. Last week it went viral. Tell me Satin isn’t alive and well disguised as beings of light. I’m angry and I’m just say'n.

I say I can't play with out a guitar string....

My wife came home from work last night she walks into the bedroom strumming a guitar.  I woke up smiling. “Cool” I said. Her friend came through. She is letting me borrow her guitar so I can learn to play and to my surprise it came with two learn to play videos.  Now I guess I need to learn how to tune it and buy some picks. Then I’ll be able to torture my family with my unskilled strumming. I’m sure I will learn finger placement, the scale, notes and cords long before I learn anything even resembling music. Anyways this should be fun.

I’ve always wanted to play an instrument. I remember the first one I asked my mom to let me play. I wanted to play the drums. I was in fourth grade when my grammar school tried to put together a band. It was an afterschool thing with multiple grades participating. We had a new music teacher in the school this year and it was her idea. In the school basement we used as a gym and an auditorium there were all different instruments on display. My mom headed straight for the woodwind section and I was trying to steer her toward the percussion. That is all I wanted to play was the drums. She wouldn’t even walk over there at first. After perusing the clarinet, and oboes I got her by the drums.” Mom but they have practice pads and everything and it’s only a snare, how bad could it be”. “NO, don’t ask again!” So we headed over to the brass section while I was looking at the silver sided drum and watching while my friend Billy’s mom tell him he could get it. “Ok mom since I can’t get a drum how about a tuba?” “NO!” She said. I still don’t know how it happened I ended coming home with a trumpet. I never had a desire to play a trumpet.  I went to band after school and tried to learn the notes, but never really got it. I tried to practice at home, but I had a hard time learning music and no one I asked could explain it where I understood it. So how are you going to practice? So for the next few weeks I used it to torture my mom.  I wasn’t allowed to practice when dad was home so I would wait till mom was on the phone or watching something she liked on TV and then I would “practice.” Well I wasn’t the first kid to quit the band but I was close. Mom was angry because she had to pay the rental fee for the whole semester on the twisted piece of brass. At least she didn’t have to buy it like in the movie“Music Man.”  A couple years later I asked, “Mom can I get a guitar?” “No remember the trumpet that you wanted to play.” She replied. My mom was Irish, this is a tactic passed down from mother to daughter for generations. I call it the twist and switch maneuver. First they twist what was originally said and then they switch who said it. You can argue for days and weeks but once the twist and switch has been made they will take it to their grave. Kids, make your parents put it in writing. Bottom line there was no guitar.

So here I am thirty-nine years old getting ready to pick up an instrument for the first time. I can’t read music but my wife can and she said she’ll teach me so why not. I have been inspired by the great music at the Bridge Community Church here in Des Plaines. These guys are top notch players. It’s cool I got to sing with them a couple times now and I’ve had a blast. The music is so moving. At home I play the same music with Pandora and you tube. My daughter likes to sing along and raise her hands in the air to praise God. Even my little one hums along and he raises his hands like his sister. It just makes you heart feel good to witness it. Now I want to be able to play and sing this music with my kids. I want to be able to pull out my guitar while sitting around the campfire under the stars and just sing praises to the Lord with my family or with a ministry group. What a blessing that could be. Now to dig out the VCR the lessons are on tape.