Immunizations are suddenly newsworthy again. Should we immunize our kids or not? Regardless of your answer, immunizations have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
Here's how it works. You inject a physically healthy person with a weakened or dead virus. The person's body "thinks" it's a carrier of the real infection and produces antibodies. The antibodies then multiply and usually stick around long enough to fight the real virus, if it ever shows up. Instead of being a carrier, the person has become inoculated from the actual virus.
Spiritually, it usually works backward; We become inoculated from the real life God wants us to live. One common spiritual immunization is called "Giving Back".
Giving back sounds like a wonderfully biblical idea. But it's not. It inoculates us from Godly giving.
The phrase, "giving back", is fairly new and reveals a foreign idea that has invaded our thinking. Giving back almost always means giving to our community, because "the community has provided so much." Some even suggest that the community made us who we are. They think that everything we have, every opportunity we have been given, is because someone in the community gave it to us.
In a subtle way, we're worshiping our community by giving an offering to the source of our blessings. But what does scripture say?
James writes, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Every gift!
Every good and perfect gift that we receive has its origin in God. It is God that has provided the ability to generate wealth, and it's God who has provided finances through our employer. Our children are gifts from God. Your spouse is a gift from God. Every good and perfect gift.
That also means that every good and perfect gift that we give someone else, doesn't come from us…it comes from God and flows through us. We are not the source of the gift. We might have given the gift, but God is the original source.
"Giving back" assumes that someone or something other than God is the source of all of the good things in our life. And it also assumes that there is a limit on the amount of "good stuff." There's only so much "good stuff"; someone gave some to us and we are obligated to give it back, spread it around.
Giving back is also bad theology because we start thinking that giving back is enough. But even giving to God, as a way to pay Him back, is off target.
Giving is an essential element of God's character. The Bible has over a thousand references to giving or tithing. It's such a central theme that many believe the church is only concerned about money. But here's the truth: God doesn't need our money.
Paul told the church in Colossae that, through Christ "all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
God doesn't need our money, but He desperately wants us to be people who give generously, extravagantly! When we truly understand that there is so much more than a fixed amount of "good stuff", that there is no limit, when we understand that "in him we live and move and have our being," then giving will come naturally.
Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me…streams of living water will flow from within him." One of the passages in Ezekiel He was quoting from reads, "…so where the river flows everything will live … Fruit trees of all kinds will grow…Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."
Instead of simply giving back, God wants us to be "streams of living water" that transport all of the blessings to our neighbors; blessings that constantly flow from Him. They're new every morning!
Don't just "give back"; be a carrier of unlimited blessings from the source of every good and perfect gift! Maybe it will start an epidemic!
Questions or comments? CurtisFerrell1962@gmail.com
You can find me on FACEBOOK at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Here's a link to my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Budget - What Would Jesus Do?
The poverty rate has remained statistically unchanged for the last 45 years. In view of the billions of dollars the government has spent "helping" those in poverty, it is surprising that the percentage of those below the poverty level has not decreased at all, let alone substantially. What would Jesus do?
A group of ministers called The Circle of Protection, led by Rev. Jim Wallis, would have you believe that the bible commands us to continue these government programs no matter what the cost. I believe that they are misguided, thought well meaning, because they have focused on portions of scripture that have been taken out of context.
This religious lobbying group based in Washington, D.C. faithfully quotes the "least of these" phrase found in Matthew 25. Then they suggest that the government is responsible to obey their interpretation of this phrase.
Setting aside the fact that the full context of Matthew 25 describes a scene of each individual on the day of judgment, as opposed to entire nations standing in judgment, - there are other places where the "The Circle of Protection" becomes skewed.
Luke 4:18-19 is Christ's own description, first revealed in Isaiah, of His mission. 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
When you include Jesus' command to His disciples found in Matthew 28:18-20 you have the mission of the church. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
In condensed form, the mission of the church contains eight objectives: Preach good news to the poor, Proclaim freedom for the prisoners, Proclaim recovery of sight to the blind, Release the oppressed, Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, Make disciples, Baptizing them, and Teaching them.
The Circle of Protection focuses on just one of these objectives - Preach good news to the poor. If that was the only objective of the church (even though they extend this obligation to the government) then their stance regarding the current budget crisis could be justifiable.
But can anyone look at the history of government assistance programs since the mid 1960's and say that they also accomplish the objective of proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, or that they release the oppressed? In fact the record suggests that, for most individuals who are in poverty, government programs actually keep them enslaved and continue to oppress them.
Another fact that fails to come to light is that the federal government can only provide these services by use of compulsory giving (i.e., taxes). This flies in the face of Paul's direction to the believers in Corinth, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
I acknowledge that the bible says that the government can tax its citizens and that the citizens do have an obligation to pay taxes. But this presupposes that the government is only fulfilling its God-given role and is not usurping the role of God's people.
It would be un-Christian to advocate for a program that for nearly half a century has claimed to be good news to the poor, but in reality has oppressed them and held them captive.
The Circle of Protection has asked "What Would Jesus Do?" in relation to the budget crisis. I think He might point to the church and ask, "Why are you demanding that the government take money from your neighbor to do something that I commanded you to do and gave you the resources to accomplish it?"
You can find me on FACEBOOK at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719). Here's a link to my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/) Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Love Wins by Rob Bell - A Review
Much of the controversy surrounding "Love Wins" by Rob Bell has been created by individuals who issued judgment on a book they had never read. The publisher Harper One and Bell, very skillfully crafted a marketing plan that would generate premature responses from the established church. After reading "Love Wins" it appears that Rob Bell has done what he always does; he walks up to the line between heresy and orthodoxy and, like a toddler, touches the line and looks back at the "adults" to see what kind of response he can generate.
In my opinion, he hasn't crossed the line, but he has asked several probing and uncomfortable questions that many Christians are afraid to ask and few are able to answer.
This is Rob Bell's standard operating procedure - he asks open-ended questions and just lets them hang there for us to wrestle with. I believe that wrestling with these questions can make us better Christians, but some will be left unanswered in this life.
Here are a few passages of "Love Wins" that I question or challenge.
On pages 50-51 Bell suggests that "heaven has the potential to be a kind of starting over." As proof he observes that spiritual transformation doesn't happen overnight. "Our heart, our character, our desires, our longings - those things take time." These suggestions mirror re-incarnation where, if you don't get it right the first time, you get a second chance in a new life. But he never says that heaven IS "a kind of starting over", it just has the potential; Bell suggests that it's possible.
On page 56 he says that people who die are "in heaven, but without a body". As proof he states that "those currently 'in heaven' are not, obviously, here. And so they're with God, but without a body." But his proof assumes that God and eternity are constrained by time. What happens if, when we leave our earthly body, we also leave time as we know it? We could receive our resurrected body "instantly" being outside of time, while time on earth continues for years or centuries to come until the resurrection.
On several occasions, including page 58, Bell asserts that there is a "future coming together of heaven and earth in what [Jesus] and his contemporaries called life in the age to come." As I read scripture there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but I don't read where they come together and become one.
Bell's "social justice" leanings come out on page 75, where he asserts that the rich man in Hades wants the beggar Lazarus to serve him. The suggestion is that social injustice is one reason the rich man is confined to Hades. I don't find this class-warfare in the original story. The story Jesus told does include individuals from two classes, but nowhere does it suggest that the differences in class determined their destination. Is it possible this interpretation has crept up because of a false guilt that many Americans feel, because we've been so blessed?
On page 81 he asserts that Jesus' warnings on the "coming wrath" were for his contemporaries only and not for us. He believes that these warnings dealt with the political uprising that the Romans crushed in 66 CE. I'm not sure you can defend that position adequately. And haven't we seen that biblical prophecy can speak to several, even all, generations?
In my opinion, the most glaring scriptural omission to the book would have clearly challenged a section on page 108. In this paragraph Bell says that "many have refused to accept the scenario in which somebody is pounding on the door, apologizing, repenting, and asking God to be let in, only to hear God say through the keyhole: 'Door's locked. Sorry.'" However, this is the exact picture that Jesus himself paints in Matthew 24:36-39, and Luke 17:26-27, and again this image is used in 2 Peter 2:4-10.
On page 115 he assumes that because the gates of heaven are never shut, "people are free to come and go" from heaven. This assumption takes us where scripture does not go. Just because the gates are never shut, does not mean that people can come and go. It might mean that gates are defensive and after the judgment heaven's enemies will be defeated, so there will be no need for defensive measures. Or it could mean something entirely different; or it could mean nothing at all expect that the gates are not shut.
Pages 128-129 deal with the politically incorrect topic of talking about the "blood of Christ" in today's cultural setting. Bell states that, "what the first Christians did was look around them and put the Jesus story in language their listeners would understand" - namely blood sacrifice. However the first Christians did not have that option; God ordained the time and place for Christ's sacrifice. God established the sacrificial system, and the tabernacle/temple design. God used all of Hebrew history to foreshadow the crucifixion of Christ. It was God's story. If He wanted another analogy used, He would have picked another time and another method.
On page 145 I have a minor quibble with Bell. He states that the "energy that gives life to everything is called the Word of God." While it is a minor point, in the second chapter of Genesis and other places in scripture, the Word of God created all things, the Breath of God made man a living being.
Page 173 contains the assertion that if we die outside of a belief in, or relationship with, God, that God essentially becomes "a fundamentally different being." Is it possible that God does not change, and that we simply did not understand the full nature and character of God?
Finally, this statement from page 182 troubles me: " . . . we shape our God, and then our God shapes us." Maybe it is simply semantics but if we shape our God then He is no god at all. We may not ever fully understand God (how can a finite mind understand the infinite creator of the universe?), but the more we discover the true nature and character of God, the more we can be conformed to His likeness. If we shape our God, we will have little to change in our own lives.
Bottom line: Rob Bell does what he always does. He stretches the envelope; he asks tough questions that make us uncomfortable. Most of his questions he leaves unanswered. However, this kind of questioning can be beneficial to the Christian. If there is anything in my faith-life that can be shaken, it should be firmed up or removed altogether. With brothers like Rob Bell we will more frequently find those shakable areas. Once identified, we have the choice to become more like Christ or to walk away from Christ altogether. Do we want to be safe but shakable, or more firm in our faith because we have struggled with tough questions? The choice is ours . . . choose well.
You can find me on FACEBOOK at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719). Here's a link to my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/) Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
On Divisions In The Church
Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article for 11/14/09
Three weeks ago a brother in Christ took issue with these words that I wrote the week previous: "The Bible speaks very clearly about the sanctity of life; about our responsibility to the poor, the orphaned and the widow; about God's view of homosexual behavior."
I try to follow the guidance of C.S. Lewis, who stated in Mere Christianity, "Our divisions should never be discussed except in the presence of those who have already come to believe that there is one God and that Jesus Christ is His only Son." But I would like to take this opportunity to discuss WHY there are divisions in the church, and divisions with peoples of other faith systems.
A friend of mine, and national speaker for women and youth events, Lori Salierno, says that there are three general areas of belief in the church: standards, convictions, and preferences. For example, divisions in the church about the style of worship are preference differences. Scripture does not speak directly to these issues.
Divisions among believers about the day for worship, the appropriate age for baptism, the manner of baptism (i.e. sprinkling or dunking), and women in ministry are based on conviction. In other words, we believe the Spirit of God has convicted us that "this" way is the way God wants "us" to behave. We don't deny that other Christians have a different understanding. We don't call them non-Christian, or believe that they are sinning. However, if we act in a way, different than the way that God has convicted us to follow, we would be committing an act of sin.
Finally, standards are truths that scripture declares are true for all people, for all times. If someone opposes a standard, the bible calls those actions "sin". The church doesn't label it a sin; individuals don't label it a sin; it is the bible that labels those actions as sins.
While there are some Christ-followers that will identify as standards, the things that I identify as preferences and convictions, most believers will acknowledge these three general areas of belief in the church.
In the late 1960's, intellectuals began toying with an idea called "deconstruction". This idea states that you cannot know what a writer "actually" meant, so you, the reader, must deconstruct what is written and decide for yourself what you think the author meant. In other words, you re-construct what is written in the way that you think it should be read. Actually, the first deconstrucionalist was the serpent in the garden, "That's not what God really meant; you won't surely die."
Armed with this new tool, people have been deconstructing documents for over 40 years and re-constructing them according to their own preference.
They deconstructed the First Amendment to the Constitution which reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. "Surely freedom of speech doesn't mean ALL forms for speech." As a result we have a new type of crime: Hate speech. Additionally, religious expression is being restrained by public law on several fronts.
They deconstructed the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. "Surely they didn't understand that we would need National Health Care." As a result, we are well on our way to a government-run health care system; a power that was not enumerated in the Constitution.
There are also those who deconstruct scripture. Where scripture is clear but uncomfortable, some say, "That's not what God REALLY meant." Sadly, this is where some divisions among believers occur in the area of standards. In past generations this re-construction of scripture was called heresy. Now we timidly say, "That's your understanding of truth; not mine."
As to areas of agreement, my brother is correct in saying that what brings us together is far more important than the things that separate us. But that is also true of my Jewish and Muslim friends. These faith systems, as well as Christianity, all count the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament as holy scripture. There are many areas in which we can all agree. But the areas that divide us are significant.
For example, the Jewish faith does not accept every scripture we accept (i.e. The New Testament). In the other instance, the Muslim faith accepts, as scripture, documents we cannot accept (i.e. The Koran). Interestingly, they are both battling attacks by those who wish to deconstruct their holy scriptures.
This week we celebrated the veterans that have served this country by fighting for and defending freedom in all of its forms. Many of them died for the truths that we find in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They didn't worry about what the Founders of this nation "really" thought. They clearly understood what was at stake and what the cost could be. They fought for freedom. All gave some; some gave all.
Deconstruction has done damage to the fabric of America and has resulted in the loss of some of the freedoms they fought and died for. Deconstruction has resulted in the creation of an expanded hate crimes law. Someday, we will be reading the report of an individual being charged under this new law for simply speaking his or her mind and defending biblical truth. It could be your pastor. It could be me. It could be you. We were warned and failed to do enough to defend the right to freedom of speech. Someday, someone will have to fight to win it back.
Deconstruction is doing damage to the unity of the church; the unity of all believers who claim to follow Christ. If we begin throwing out the passages of scripture that make us uncomfortable, soon we will have little left that we can call scripture; little left that unites us. Fortunately, scripture defends itself very well, if we have faith to believe what it says.
There is another truth that is clearly spelled out in Scripture. Faith in Christ means more that simply acknowledging that He exists; it means being obedient to His Word. Those who wish to debate this truth will have their opportunity one day, face-to-face with the Author of Truth. Personally, my debate with scripture is done; the Word won.
Questions or comments? Write curt@smdcog.org
You can find more at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Three weeks ago a brother in Christ took issue with these words that I wrote the week previous: "The Bible speaks very clearly about the sanctity of life; about our responsibility to the poor, the orphaned and the widow; about God's view of homosexual behavior."
I try to follow the guidance of C.S. Lewis, who stated in Mere Christianity, "Our divisions should never be discussed except in the presence of those who have already come to believe that there is one God and that Jesus Christ is His only Son." But I would like to take this opportunity to discuss WHY there are divisions in the church, and divisions with peoples of other faith systems.
A friend of mine, and national speaker for women and youth events, Lori Salierno, says that there are three general areas of belief in the church: standards, convictions, and preferences. For example, divisions in the church about the style of worship are preference differences. Scripture does not speak directly to these issues.
Divisions among believers about the day for worship, the appropriate age for baptism, the manner of baptism (i.e. sprinkling or dunking), and women in ministry are based on conviction. In other words, we believe the Spirit of God has convicted us that "this" way is the way God wants "us" to behave. We don't deny that other Christians have a different understanding. We don't call them non-Christian, or believe that they are sinning. However, if we act in a way, different than the way that God has convicted us to follow, we would be committing an act of sin.
Finally, standards are truths that scripture declares are true for all people, for all times. If someone opposes a standard, the bible calls those actions "sin". The church doesn't label it a sin; individuals don't label it a sin; it is the bible that labels those actions as sins.
While there are some Christ-followers that will identify as standards, the things that I identify as preferences and convictions, most believers will acknowledge these three general areas of belief in the church.
In the late 1960's, intellectuals began toying with an idea called "deconstruction". This idea states that you cannot know what a writer "actually" meant, so you, the reader, must deconstruct what is written and decide for yourself what you think the author meant. In other words, you re-construct what is written in the way that you think it should be read. Actually, the first deconstrucionalist was the serpent in the garden, "That's not what God really meant; you won't surely die."
Armed with this new tool, people have been deconstructing documents for over 40 years and re-constructing them according to their own preference.
They deconstructed the First Amendment to the Constitution which reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. "Surely freedom of speech doesn't mean ALL forms for speech." As a result we have a new type of crime: Hate speech. Additionally, religious expression is being restrained by public law on several fronts.
They deconstructed the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. "Surely they didn't understand that we would need National Health Care." As a result, we are well on our way to a government-run health care system; a power that was not enumerated in the Constitution.
There are also those who deconstruct scripture. Where scripture is clear but uncomfortable, some say, "That's not what God REALLY meant." Sadly, this is where some divisions among believers occur in the area of standards. In past generations this re-construction of scripture was called heresy. Now we timidly say, "That's your understanding of truth; not mine."
As to areas of agreement, my brother is correct in saying that what brings us together is far more important than the things that separate us. But that is also true of my Jewish and Muslim friends. These faith systems, as well as Christianity, all count the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament as holy scripture. There are many areas in which we can all agree. But the areas that divide us are significant.
For example, the Jewish faith does not accept every scripture we accept (i.e. The New Testament). In the other instance, the Muslim faith accepts, as scripture, documents we cannot accept (i.e. The Koran). Interestingly, they are both battling attacks by those who wish to deconstruct their holy scriptures.
This week we celebrated the veterans that have served this country by fighting for and defending freedom in all of its forms. Many of them died for the truths that we find in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They didn't worry about what the Founders of this nation "really" thought. They clearly understood what was at stake and what the cost could be. They fought for freedom. All gave some; some gave all.
Deconstruction has done damage to the fabric of America and has resulted in the loss of some of the freedoms they fought and died for. Deconstruction has resulted in the creation of an expanded hate crimes law. Someday, we will be reading the report of an individual being charged under this new law for simply speaking his or her mind and defending biblical truth. It could be your pastor. It could be me. It could be you. We were warned and failed to do enough to defend the right to freedom of speech. Someday, someone will have to fight to win it back.
Deconstruction is doing damage to the unity of the church; the unity of all believers who claim to follow Christ. If we begin throwing out the passages of scripture that make us uncomfortable, soon we will have little left that we can call scripture; little left that unites us. Fortunately, scripture defends itself very well, if we have faith to believe what it says.
There is another truth that is clearly spelled out in Scripture. Faith in Christ means more that simply acknowledging that He exists; it means being obedient to His Word. Those who wish to debate this truth will have their opportunity one day, face-to-face with the Author of Truth. Personally, my debate with scripture is done; the Word won.
Questions or comments? Write curt@smdcog.org
You can find more at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
A Story Of Self-Sacrifice
Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article for April 11, 2009
As I write this, the story gripping the headlines is the Maersk Alabama hijacking saga; the first pirate capture of a United States boat in about 200 years. Details about the hijacking are fluid, but it appears that the storyline unfolding off the coast of Somalia mirrors a storyline almost 2000 years old.
The Maersk Alabama is a cargo ship laden with food supplies to relieve some of the suffering and starvation in several African nations. A few days ago it was hijacked by Somalian pirates wanting to trade it for ransom money. The economy in Somalia is very depressed and the most efficient way to earn money there is to hijack cargo ships; 66 have been taken since the first of January.
Like I said, the details are still sketchy but the crew members were able to regain control of the ship. Apparently the ship’s captain, Capt. Richard Phillips, has traded himself for the lives of his crew. The outcome of the story is still being determined by the actions of the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy, which is now on the scene. The story of self sacrifice has been played out before in many ways but most notably in the Easter story.
But to fully understand the Easter story, we really need to go back several hundred years earlier to the story of the Exodus. You remember, the story where Charlton Heston raised his staff in the movie, “The Ten Commandments”, and parted the waters for the Israelites to escape the oncoming armies of Egypt. Whether it happened the way Cecil B. DeMille scripted it in the movie we’ll never know, but the bible tells us that what happened before the sea parting was the key to the Israelites release from captivity.
There were several plagues that came upon Egypt in an effort to prompt the Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Each succeeding plague increased in intensity until the final plague, the death of the first born. The plagues affected Egyptians and Israelites alike but, when the death angel was sent to take the life of every first born, God provided a way of protection – the Passover lamb. The night of the final plague, the Israelites were instructed by God to kill a spotless lamb, consume all of it by morning, and to place some of its blood on the doorframe of their houses. The death angel would see the blood on the doorframe of the house and “pass over” the house, and all those inside, protected by the blood of the lamb. One life exchanged for many.
For generations the Israelites have celebrated the Passover as the way God chose to deliver his people. It was during the Passover meal that Jesus revealed to His disciples that He would be sacrificed, like the Passover lamb, and that His blood would deliver His followers from spiritual death. One life exchanged for many.
On that dark day that we call Good Friday, just as the lamb was being sacrificed for the Passover celebration, Jesus was crucified and became the true Passover Lamb for all people. The sinless Christ traded his life for the lives of His disciples. And the headlines on that following morning read that Jesus Christ was dead.
But, like many stories in this modern, 24-hour news cycle world, the story was still being written. On the first day of the week, Sunday morning, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave! Death had been conquered; Christ was alive! And the story continues . . .
Who did He save? Who were His “crew members”; His disciples? That part of the story is still being written. You and I have an opportunity to write ourselves into the story, the greatest story ever told.
The self sacrifice of Capt. Richard Phillips may save the lives of as many as 20 crew members. The self sacrifice of Christ is still delivering people from captivity. The bible says all we need to do to be part of this great story line is to become a “Christ follower”; a disciple of Christ. All we need to do is to claim the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb for ourselves.
The final chapter of the Maersk Alabama piracy case will soon be written. Hopefully it will end with no loss of life, but that part of the story is still being written by the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy.
The final chapter of the Passover Lamb saga may soon be written, only God knows. The question today is, have you written yourself into the story line? Will you be one of His disciples who are saved by the self sacrifice of Christ? Or will you be a tragic reminder of what could have been? On this day before Easter, you have a choice. Choose well.
Any questions or comments? Write Curt Ferrell at curt@smdcog.org
You can find info at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
As I write this, the story gripping the headlines is the Maersk Alabama hijacking saga; the first pirate capture of a United States boat in about 200 years. Details about the hijacking are fluid, but it appears that the storyline unfolding off the coast of Somalia mirrors a storyline almost 2000 years old.
The Maersk Alabama is a cargo ship laden with food supplies to relieve some of the suffering and starvation in several African nations. A few days ago it was hijacked by Somalian pirates wanting to trade it for ransom money. The economy in Somalia is very depressed and the most efficient way to earn money there is to hijack cargo ships; 66 have been taken since the first of January.
Like I said, the details are still sketchy but the crew members were able to regain control of the ship. Apparently the ship’s captain, Capt. Richard Phillips, has traded himself for the lives of his crew. The outcome of the story is still being determined by the actions of the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy, which is now on the scene. The story of self sacrifice has been played out before in many ways but most notably in the Easter story.
But to fully understand the Easter story, we really need to go back several hundred years earlier to the story of the Exodus. You remember, the story where Charlton Heston raised his staff in the movie, “The Ten Commandments”, and parted the waters for the Israelites to escape the oncoming armies of Egypt. Whether it happened the way Cecil B. DeMille scripted it in the movie we’ll never know, but the bible tells us that what happened before the sea parting was the key to the Israelites release from captivity.
There were several plagues that came upon Egypt in an effort to prompt the Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Each succeeding plague increased in intensity until the final plague, the death of the first born. The plagues affected Egyptians and Israelites alike but, when the death angel was sent to take the life of every first born, God provided a way of protection – the Passover lamb. The night of the final plague, the Israelites were instructed by God to kill a spotless lamb, consume all of it by morning, and to place some of its blood on the doorframe of their houses. The death angel would see the blood on the doorframe of the house and “pass over” the house, and all those inside, protected by the blood of the lamb. One life exchanged for many.
For generations the Israelites have celebrated the Passover as the way God chose to deliver his people. It was during the Passover meal that Jesus revealed to His disciples that He would be sacrificed, like the Passover lamb, and that His blood would deliver His followers from spiritual death. One life exchanged for many.
On that dark day that we call Good Friday, just as the lamb was being sacrificed for the Passover celebration, Jesus was crucified and became the true Passover Lamb for all people. The sinless Christ traded his life for the lives of His disciples. And the headlines on that following morning read that Jesus Christ was dead.
But, like many stories in this modern, 24-hour news cycle world, the story was still being written. On the first day of the week, Sunday morning, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave! Death had been conquered; Christ was alive! And the story continues . . .
Who did He save? Who were His “crew members”; His disciples? That part of the story is still being written. You and I have an opportunity to write ourselves into the story, the greatest story ever told.
The self sacrifice of Capt. Richard Phillips may save the lives of as many as 20 crew members. The self sacrifice of Christ is still delivering people from captivity. The bible says all we need to do to be part of this great story line is to become a “Christ follower”; a disciple of Christ. All we need to do is to claim the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb for ourselves.
The final chapter of the Maersk Alabama piracy case will soon be written. Hopefully it will end with no loss of life, but that part of the story is still being written by the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy.
The final chapter of the Passover Lamb saga may soon be written, only God knows. The question today is, have you written yourself into the story line? Will you be one of His disciples who are saved by the self sacrifice of Christ? Or will you be a tragic reminder of what could have been? On this day before Easter, you have a choice. Choose well.
Any questions or comments? Write Curt Ferrell at curt@smdcog.org
You can find info at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Who Will Save Us?
Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article – April 4th, 2009
It was springtime in Israel and there was more excitement than normal. Passover was just around the corner. Each male Jew was making his springtime trek to Jerusalem, sometimes bringing his whole family. They would make another trip to Jerusalem in about seven weeks for Pentecost, and then once more in the fall for the Festival of Tabernacles. But this trip held more promise.
There was a charismatic figure, someone who was both a healer and an excellent teacher, who had been traveling the countryside for three years talking about a new form of government, the Kingdom of God, and how it was coming soon. This was welcome news to a people who were experiencing an economic burden, due mainly to their forced financial support of an occupying force from a far off country. The people were also oppressed by the terrorist tactics of Herod, a ruthless, heartless King who would do anything for power. News of this new Kingdom of God generated hope and excitement!
Now incredible reports circulated that this Teacher had brought someone back from the dead. Unbelievable, I know, but so many people witnessed it that it had to be true. The Teacher, the one who had been talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God, clearly had divine power. Perhaps he was the Messiah; the leader that would deliver his people.
A rumor spread through the group of travelers that, like them, the Teacher was also making his way to Jerusalem from the village of Bethany. A crowd gathered on the road that this teacher-healer would be taking in hopes of seeing him “up close”.
During these tri-annual trips to Jerusalem the people would sing Jewish traveling songs and wave branches from palm trees, myrtle trees, and willow trees. They would start by singing “Praise the Lord”. Then they would retell the story of their deliverance from Egypt with the song, “The Sea Looked And Fled”. These songs would be followed by “Not To Us, O Lord”, “I Love the Lord”, and “Praise the Lord, All You Nations.”
The last traveling song was “Give Thanks to the Lord”. Toward the end of this tune they spotted the Teacher, riding on a donkey, but they kept singing . . . “Hosanna! Blessed Is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
They knew in an instant that this was the Messiah. They threw their palm branches on the road for the donkey to walk on. Truly this man would be the one who would save them. That’s what hosanna means – Lord Save Us!
Suddenly minds were racing ahead to a picture-perfect future. This new government, the Kingdom of God, would save them. That’s what they had been waiting for! They could finally get rid of those wealth guzzling Romans! They could hunt down that terrorist leader, Herod, and bring justice to all who followed him!
Unfortunately they forgot the truths found in the songs they had been singing. “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. . . I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!”
Instead of taking refuge in God, they trusted in the apparent political power that came with the popularity of the Teacher. And in just five days their hopes would be dashed. They would reject the Teacher as their new King. They would return to their desperate lives, full of fear and despair.
Who would save them now?
Who will save us now? Over the centuries the people of God have, at times, forgotten what scripture says. From the beginning of recorded history the people of God have periodically forgotten the truths found in their songs.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness . . . Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. . . He is able, more than able to accomplish what concerns me today. . . He knows my name, He knows my every thought; He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call. . . Where could I go, but to the Lord?
During that last week before Jesus went to the cross, the God followers of the day began to place their faith in things other than God. They saw Jesus only as a man, and not as the Son of God. They began to think that man-made tools and man-made solutions could solve problems that were spiritual at their core.
Is it possible that we do the same thing today? Do we really believe that only government can save us? Or, only education can save us? Or, only cutting edge medicine can save us? Or, only money can save us?
Or is it possible that spiritual solutions are the only real solutions, because our problems are spiritual at their core?
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; the day when we remember the Teacher as He made his way to Jerusalem for the last time. Will we see Him as the Son of God or simply as a popular teacher? Will we remember the truths found in scripture and in our songs, or will we search for salvation in man-made solutions? The choice is yours; choose well.
You can find more information at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Or at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
It was springtime in Israel and there was more excitement than normal. Passover was just around the corner. Each male Jew was making his springtime trek to Jerusalem, sometimes bringing his whole family. They would make another trip to Jerusalem in about seven weeks for Pentecost, and then once more in the fall for the Festival of Tabernacles. But this trip held more promise.
There was a charismatic figure, someone who was both a healer and an excellent teacher, who had been traveling the countryside for three years talking about a new form of government, the Kingdom of God, and how it was coming soon. This was welcome news to a people who were experiencing an economic burden, due mainly to their forced financial support of an occupying force from a far off country. The people were also oppressed by the terrorist tactics of Herod, a ruthless, heartless King who would do anything for power. News of this new Kingdom of God generated hope and excitement!
Now incredible reports circulated that this Teacher had brought someone back from the dead. Unbelievable, I know, but so many people witnessed it that it had to be true. The Teacher, the one who had been talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God, clearly had divine power. Perhaps he was the Messiah; the leader that would deliver his people.
A rumor spread through the group of travelers that, like them, the Teacher was also making his way to Jerusalem from the village of Bethany. A crowd gathered on the road that this teacher-healer would be taking in hopes of seeing him “up close”.
During these tri-annual trips to Jerusalem the people would sing Jewish traveling songs and wave branches from palm trees, myrtle trees, and willow trees. They would start by singing “Praise the Lord”. Then they would retell the story of their deliverance from Egypt with the song, “The Sea Looked And Fled”. These songs would be followed by “Not To Us, O Lord”, “I Love the Lord”, and “Praise the Lord, All You Nations.”
The last traveling song was “Give Thanks to the Lord”. Toward the end of this tune they spotted the Teacher, riding on a donkey, but they kept singing . . . “Hosanna! Blessed Is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
They knew in an instant that this was the Messiah. They threw their palm branches on the road for the donkey to walk on. Truly this man would be the one who would save them. That’s what hosanna means – Lord Save Us!
Suddenly minds were racing ahead to a picture-perfect future. This new government, the Kingdom of God, would save them. That’s what they had been waiting for! They could finally get rid of those wealth guzzling Romans! They could hunt down that terrorist leader, Herod, and bring justice to all who followed him!
Unfortunately they forgot the truths found in the songs they had been singing. “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. . . I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!”
Instead of taking refuge in God, they trusted in the apparent political power that came with the popularity of the Teacher. And in just five days their hopes would be dashed. They would reject the Teacher as their new King. They would return to their desperate lives, full of fear and despair.
Who would save them now?
Who will save us now? Over the centuries the people of God have, at times, forgotten what scripture says. From the beginning of recorded history the people of God have periodically forgotten the truths found in their songs.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness . . . Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. . . He is able, more than able to accomplish what concerns me today. . . He knows my name, He knows my every thought; He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call. . . Where could I go, but to the Lord?
During that last week before Jesus went to the cross, the God followers of the day began to place their faith in things other than God. They saw Jesus only as a man, and not as the Son of God. They began to think that man-made tools and man-made solutions could solve problems that were spiritual at their core.
Is it possible that we do the same thing today? Do we really believe that only government can save us? Or, only education can save us? Or, only cutting edge medicine can save us? Or, only money can save us?
Or is it possible that spiritual solutions are the only real solutions, because our problems are spiritual at their core?
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; the day when we remember the Teacher as He made his way to Jerusalem for the last time. Will we see Him as the Son of God or simply as a popular teacher? Will we remember the truths found in scripture and in our songs, or will we search for salvation in man-made solutions? The choice is yours; choose well.
You can find more information at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Or at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Taxes, Truth, and Theology
Courier-Times Article for Saturday, September 1, 2007
Last weekend the Courier-Times published an article suggesting that State Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) was soon to present a bill that would require churches to pay a portion of property taxes to cover the expense of police, ambulance, and fire. When asked to comment about the alleged church tax proposal, I said I was surprised because Rep. Saunders helped our church, as well as many others in Henry County and across the state, when reporting requirements by the government changed from once in a lifetime, to once a year.
Apparently Rep. Saunders was just as surprised. Since I was quoted in the article, he called the house on Saturday morning to assure me that he had no intention of asking churches to pay taxes on church ministry property. Crisis averted . . . or maybe it wasn’t even there in the first place.
So I began to think about taxes, and truth, and what the bible teaches.
When Jesus was asked if we should pay taxes, He responded with a question of His own. “Show me a coin. Whose image is on the coin?” Caesar’s image was on the coin, so Jesus commanded, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” The remarkable thing about this answer was that it challenged both the secular and religious communities while avoiding an obvious trap.
We are commanded both by the government and by Jesus to pay our fair share of taxes to the government. At the same time, Jesus challenged everyone who is created in the image of God, believers and non-believers, to give to God what belongs to God.
The church, if it is true to scripture, will never preach against paying taxes. That would contradict Jesus’ own words. However, the church will also challenge everyone to give to God those things that belong to God; the things that hold the very image of God. Each individual is precious to God because we each bear His image.
Then I imagined a culture that would want to tax churches. This would be a culture that had forgotten the overwhelming positive benefits that churches provide to a community.
People of faith were the first to build schools, and hospitals. People of faith provide a safe place for alcoholics, and drug addicts to recover with grace and truth. People of faith help restore broken homes, feed those who are hungry, and provide a father for the fatherless. People of faith have proven that they can dramatically reduce the chance that prisoners will become repeat offenders. To advocate taking money from these communities of faith, money that could be used for ministry, to pay for infrastructure in a neighborhood is very short sighted and contrary to common sense.
A culture that would want to tax churches would be in the final stages of moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Or maybe they just haven’t seen the church . . .
Is it possible that churches have entered an era where they are more concerned with elections than souls? Is it possible that people of faith are more concerned about keeping up with the Joneses than keeping the commandment to take care of the orphan and the widow? Is it possible that the body of Christ can no longer make a positive impact on the world because we are too much like the world? Has the church become invisible?
Tax exemptions for the church is not a ‘right.’ Tax exemptions have been a way for God to bless the church as the church ministers to and blesses its neighbors. Is it possible that God’s blessings on the church are now uncertain because of the actions, or inactions, of the people of God? Just a question.
I trust Tom Saunders when he says that he does not want to tax church ministry property. In Central Indiana, that would be a major political miscalculation. The question that remains is the one Christ asks the church, “I was hungry, did you give me food? I was thirsty, did you give me drink? I was naked, did you clothe me? I was sick and in prison, did you visit me?” The truth could prove very taxing.
Last weekend the Courier-Times published an article suggesting that State Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) was soon to present a bill that would require churches to pay a portion of property taxes to cover the expense of police, ambulance, and fire. When asked to comment about the alleged church tax proposal, I said I was surprised because Rep. Saunders helped our church, as well as many others in Henry County and across the state, when reporting requirements by the government changed from once in a lifetime, to once a year.
Apparently Rep. Saunders was just as surprised. Since I was quoted in the article, he called the house on Saturday morning to assure me that he had no intention of asking churches to pay taxes on church ministry property. Crisis averted . . . or maybe it wasn’t even there in the first place.
So I began to think about taxes, and truth, and what the bible teaches.
When Jesus was asked if we should pay taxes, He responded with a question of His own. “Show me a coin. Whose image is on the coin?” Caesar’s image was on the coin, so Jesus commanded, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” The remarkable thing about this answer was that it challenged both the secular and religious communities while avoiding an obvious trap.
We are commanded both by the government and by Jesus to pay our fair share of taxes to the government. At the same time, Jesus challenged everyone who is created in the image of God, believers and non-believers, to give to God what belongs to God.
The church, if it is true to scripture, will never preach against paying taxes. That would contradict Jesus’ own words. However, the church will also challenge everyone to give to God those things that belong to God; the things that hold the very image of God. Each individual is precious to God because we each bear His image.
Then I imagined a culture that would want to tax churches. This would be a culture that had forgotten the overwhelming positive benefits that churches provide to a community.
People of faith were the first to build schools, and hospitals. People of faith provide a safe place for alcoholics, and drug addicts to recover with grace and truth. People of faith help restore broken homes, feed those who are hungry, and provide a father for the fatherless. People of faith have proven that they can dramatically reduce the chance that prisoners will become repeat offenders. To advocate taking money from these communities of faith, money that could be used for ministry, to pay for infrastructure in a neighborhood is very short sighted and contrary to common sense.
A culture that would want to tax churches would be in the final stages of moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Or maybe they just haven’t seen the church . . .
Is it possible that churches have entered an era where they are more concerned with elections than souls? Is it possible that people of faith are more concerned about keeping up with the Joneses than keeping the commandment to take care of the orphan and the widow? Is it possible that the body of Christ can no longer make a positive impact on the world because we are too much like the world? Has the church become invisible?
Tax exemptions for the church is not a ‘right.’ Tax exemptions have been a way for God to bless the church as the church ministers to and blesses its neighbors. Is it possible that God’s blessings on the church are now uncertain because of the actions, or inactions, of the people of God? Just a question.
I trust Tom Saunders when he says that he does not want to tax church ministry property. In Central Indiana, that would be a major political miscalculation. The question that remains is the one Christ asks the church, “I was hungry, did you give me food? I was thirsty, did you give me drink? I was naked, did you clothe me? I was sick and in prison, did you visit me?” The truth could prove very taxing.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Do I Really Love My Neighbor?
Christian Perspectives Article – Saturday, March 17th, 2007
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
One month ago the body of four-year-old Ariana Payne was discovered in a storage locker in Arizona. She had been dead for at least six months and no one knew. Her five-year-old brother, Tyler, has been missing at least that long and is feared dead, but no one has missed him either. It is possible that these kids have been missing for almost a year but it didn’t bother anyone until they found little Ariana.
On the same day Ariana was found, police entered a Long Island apartment and found the body of 70-year-old blind, diabetic Vincenzo Riccardi, sitting in front of a TV that was still on. No one had seen Vincenzo for more than a year. No one had missed him. His neighbors thought he had been hospitalized or moved to a nursing home so they didn’t check on him.
Two cases, a country apart. Two souls, a generation apart.
What breaks down in a society, or in a nation, that allows the most vulnerable to disappear without notice? Why is that two individuals, who should be receiving the most watch-care, can be missing for a year and no one knows? No one cares.
It is the second great commandment that is broken; Love your neighbor as yourself. It is community that has disintegrated. How can we love our neighbors when we don’t even recognize that they are missing?
I am convinced that most Americans are so busy with the busy-ness of life, so focused on our own needs, so consumed with consumer-ism, that we have left the “community” and not even recognized it. Do you know your neighbors? Could your neighbor be missing for more than a year and you not know about it, or care about it?
There are neighbors within one-hundred-yards of my house that I am ashamed to say could have been missing for a year and I wouldn’t know.
Sometimes we get tied up in do’s and don’ts, trying to live up to the standard we think God has set for our lives. Or we reach for the “brass ring” of success by climbing the next rung on the corporate ladder. We strive for athletic, academic, or artistic success and sacrifice time and relationships to attain it. Even in the church sometimes there is more busy-ness than effectiveness.
But Jesus said only two things are required; Love God and love your neighbor. If you do these things, the rest of the law of God will take care of itself. But how can you love God if you don’t invest any energy in getting to know Him? And how can you love your neighbor, if you don’t even know that they are missing?
John, Jesus’ closest friend during His earthly ministry, goes even farther. “Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” John ties the two together. If we don’t love our neighbor, how can we claim to love God? If we truly love God, we must also love our neighbor.
Who do you know that needs extra watch-care? Who are the ones in your neighborhood that need “checking in on?” Who’s watching out for you? Who should have been watching our for Ariana and Vincenzo?
I was stunned by the recent re-publication of pictures of the destruction in the wake of the 1917 New Castle Tornado. Whole neighborhoods were destroyed. 22 people lost their lives, and hundreds were injured. If we were hit by another tornado in 2007, would you know who to look for in the piles of rubble? Would you know if your neighbor was missing? Would you care?
During this season as we prepare for an Easter celebration, let’s build community on all levels. Get to know your neighbors and what their needs are. Only then will you be able to love them. And get to know God and what He desires. Only then will you be able to love Him.
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
One month ago the body of four-year-old Ariana Payne was discovered in a storage locker in Arizona. She had been dead for at least six months and no one knew. Her five-year-old brother, Tyler, has been missing at least that long and is feared dead, but no one has missed him either. It is possible that these kids have been missing for almost a year but it didn’t bother anyone until they found little Ariana.
On the same day Ariana was found, police entered a Long Island apartment and found the body of 70-year-old blind, diabetic Vincenzo Riccardi, sitting in front of a TV that was still on. No one had seen Vincenzo for more than a year. No one had missed him. His neighbors thought he had been hospitalized or moved to a nursing home so they didn’t check on him.
Two cases, a country apart. Two souls, a generation apart.
What breaks down in a society, or in a nation, that allows the most vulnerable to disappear without notice? Why is that two individuals, who should be receiving the most watch-care, can be missing for a year and no one knows? No one cares.
It is the second great commandment that is broken; Love your neighbor as yourself. It is community that has disintegrated. How can we love our neighbors when we don’t even recognize that they are missing?
I am convinced that most Americans are so busy with the busy-ness of life, so focused on our own needs, so consumed with consumer-ism, that we have left the “community” and not even recognized it. Do you know your neighbors? Could your neighbor be missing for more than a year and you not know about it, or care about it?
There are neighbors within one-hundred-yards of my house that I am ashamed to say could have been missing for a year and I wouldn’t know.
Sometimes we get tied up in do’s and don’ts, trying to live up to the standard we think God has set for our lives. Or we reach for the “brass ring” of success by climbing the next rung on the corporate ladder. We strive for athletic, academic, or artistic success and sacrifice time and relationships to attain it. Even in the church sometimes there is more busy-ness than effectiveness.
But Jesus said only two things are required; Love God and love your neighbor. If you do these things, the rest of the law of God will take care of itself. But how can you love God if you don’t invest any energy in getting to know Him? And how can you love your neighbor, if you don’t even know that they are missing?
John, Jesus’ closest friend during His earthly ministry, goes even farther. “Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” John ties the two together. If we don’t love our neighbor, how can we claim to love God? If we truly love God, we must also love our neighbor.
Who do you know that needs extra watch-care? Who are the ones in your neighborhood that need “checking in on?” Who’s watching out for you? Who should have been watching our for Ariana and Vincenzo?
I was stunned by the recent re-publication of pictures of the destruction in the wake of the 1917 New Castle Tornado. Whole neighborhoods were destroyed. 22 people lost their lives, and hundreds were injured. If we were hit by another tornado in 2007, would you know who to look for in the piles of rubble? Would you know if your neighbor was missing? Would you care?
During this season as we prepare for an Easter celebration, let’s build community on all levels. Get to know your neighbors and what their needs are. Only then will you be able to love them. And get to know God and what He desires. Only then will you be able to love Him.
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