As I sit typing this very slowly I might add, Matt and Al
from the Today show are a couple of miles away broadcasting their show from
Colonial Williamsburg what the locals refer to as just CW. Another historic
event in an already historic area. I am reminded everyday of the battles that
were fought here in Virginia
and can’t help but wonder how our ancestors navigated through the woods and
swamps of the area. We pass Yorktown where
battles were fought in the Revolutionary War and the Cheatam Annex bearing
battle memories of the Civil War but now they are just another exit passed
everyday on the interstate as I speed toward my personal agendas. Other exits include 2 forts and an arsenal
reminding me of Jesus words in Mathew 24 about wars and rumor of wars. Virginia is indeed a
battleground state.
Not exactly what Matt
and company were talking about .Of course, they were referring to the election
but I don’t want to get political except to say that I am voting for stability
because I am so sick and tired of change. God doesn’t change and that’s
comforting. He is also not surprised by the calamity of Wall Street and that is
reassuring. He speaks to little ole me and that is surprising. He challenges me
with his word and it is often distressing.
He challenged me in
thinking of Virginia
as a different battleground state this week. We took a handful of our youth to
a “See You at the Pole Rally” at FBC Newport News. I don’t think anyone at our
church had ever heard of "See you at the Pole". It is estimated that 3 million
people will gather around flag poles world wide to pray for their schools today. I
can’t say I’m surprised that it was not brought up on the Today show. Unfortunately
the battle for this part of the state of Virginia
is not going so well. Out of the estimated 90,000 students attending schools on
the Peninsula, 70,000 are unchurched. What our
churches are doing to reach these students is not working. The battleground is
spiritual and the enemy is much stronger than us. It is like someone has us on
the ground pounding us. But God! I like that phrase! But God is our father and
he has promised if we call on his name that he will come and help us. I think
its time to ask Dad for a little help. It could go something like this. “Dad I
know you are busy but if you could we are in kind of a situation here and could
you help us out please.” People sing about how awesome our Dad is. He's just waiting for us to ask. Question is
whether you will stop and engage on the battlefield with your prayers or will
you consider it another exit on the interstate as you speed toward your
personal agenda. For those who engage Jesus makes some promising comments later
in Mathew 24:
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”It is the only big season for our stores”
Me and T were having a conversation about a business trip
that I am taking. Tonite I will be at a Christmas banquet in Nashville. It is part of the companie’s
National Sales Meeting held once a year, All the managers which number about
150 and all the support people from Nashville
get together and talk about plans for next year which starts in October. It is
a fairly small company so it more like a large family of folks. We will have a
praise and worship time in the mornings and then meetings about various aspects
of the business. It is mostly considered more of a reenergizing time. Of course
focus on the Christmas selling season is one of the biggest focuses as it is
the biggest selling season by far. That’s the reason for the Christmas banquet
which will be followed by “An Evening with Mark Lowery”.
So when T was asking about the meeting and I told her about
the banquet she said “Oh, it is a big season for your stores”; then I had to
tell her it is the only big season for the stores. Coming from a secular retail
background there were a lot of big seasons of which Christmas was the biggest.
All of the seasons had special focus Mother’s Day , Easter and Halloween always
slugged it out to see which would be 2nd. Unfortunately the dreaded
Halloween was usually close to Easter for 2nd. The most important
day of the year Father’s Day (of course) was always down at the bottom.
What really surprised
me which it probably shouldn’t have if I had thought about it was the fact that
the celebration for Christ’s resurrection is really no big deal for Christian
retailers. There is some interest for Christian related gifts given during that
time but most of the big sales is in the larger retailers for candy, bunny décor
and plastic grass. No true meaning of a holiday has been covered over by
materialism more complete than Easter. Paul’ words “We preach Christ and him
crucified” get lost among the eggs of Easter. It still doesn’t stop the
faithful from preaching it daily from whatever street corner God has placed us
on. Merry Christmas to you!
"If I ascend to heaven, you are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold you are there."
In Psalm 139 verse 8 David declares that even though we choose to be in Hell that God's presence is there. Knowing that God is holy and there is only goodness in him then how can his presence be in a place that has no goodness whatsoever. I always thought that those who went to Hell were banished from God's presence forever. I am sure there is a long theological explanation for this but a casual reader can get confused on this point. We know that God's wrath is placed on those who choose to die in their sins without forgiveness so could it be the presence of his wrath. A puzzle that needs some research for sure.
“The city of Norfolk has declared a
state of emergency and they have closed the floodgates. “
This is the news broadcast
that I was awakened by this morning from our local news channel. Although I had
heard people talking about opening the floodgates mostly figuratively; I had
never actually seen a floodgate. I saw one on TV this morning though. Very
unimpressive! Solid structures but not very tall. I think if I lived in Norfolk and was counting
on these I might be moving to higher ground. I think when the hymn writer wrote
“a mighty bulwark is our God” he wasn’t looking at these things.
Such excitement caused by one of God’s
smaller puddle pushers a tropical storm given the name of Hanna. To make
matters even less dramatic it came on shore 2 states away to lessen the blow
even more. But I think there would have been less excitement if Jesus had pierced
the eastern sky. Truth be told they have not been affected by a tropical storm
in about 4 or 5 years and the people in this area were totally unprepared when
tropical storm Isabelle came through then. The local stores were totally wiped out of
hurricane supplies and lots of stuff got cancelled. I was disappointed to learn
that the local pig pick’in was cancelled but if you think I was disappointed
you can imagine the pig felt. After all he gave his life.
Many were calling the store today asking if we
were going to be open. A bit shocked at the question I figured people would be
coming in for the hurricane supplies we offered. We may not have bottled water
but we can offer the living water so that they will never thirst again. We may
not have flash lights but we can tell them about the light of the world so they
will never walk in darkness. And batteries or even generators for power we may
not have but we can tell them about accessing the power of the Holy Spirit so
powerful God used it to raise Jesus from the dead. We can’t stop the storm but
we know the storm stopper who will give them peace despite the hurricanes of
life.
I wish one day I would wake to hear the news
man say that our city has declared a state of emergency because so many are
dying and going to hell. Preparation to meet our creator needs to be made. The
reporter will ask if anyone would like to make preparation by praying to make
Jesus the Lord of their life. Oh that we could close the floodgate on the broad
road that unbelievers are streaming down.
"To the rule of the
perpetually aggrieved, a tyranny of the easily offended."*
This is a quote I found on
the internet as I was researching info on the historic Wren Chapel on the
campus of William and Mary. (The chapel was built in 1727 and is part of the
Wren building which is the oldest academic building in use today.) T and I attended services there last Sunday. It
was our 2 or 3 minutes standing in the foot prints of history. I am sure that
Thomas Jefferson and George Washington attended services there as daily
services were held in the chapel back in the day. James Madison I think was a
pastor there although his plaque was so high I could not read it. We were asked
to talk about why we loved our church in the hopes of getting the incoming
freshman to get connected to a local church.
A
daunting task indeed since recent stats shows that 85% of Christian high school
students will move away from their faith in college. Even in Christian colleges
the numbers are not so good although better. But William and Mary is far from
being a Christian college. The chancellor of the school is Sandra Day O’Connor
who one writer calls a mass murderer because of her rulings on abortion that
have indirectly caused the death of 60 million plus. The last president, who
served the shortest term in the history of the school, was closely affiliated with
the ACLU. He not only took it upon himself to remove the cross from the Wren
Chapel (which had been there since 1911) but also allowed a student sponsored Sex
Workers Exposition (which I am told featured a 300 pound stripper called “Dirty
Martini”) on campus. This caused a graduates group to write: “Four hundred
years ago, the Jamestown colonists waded ashore
at Cape Henry and erected a cross in
thanksgiving. Today, Gene Nichol, along with his ACLU allies, is working to
push them back into the sea," *
As T and I spoke to the students, I am not
sure Madison
and our fore fathers would be proud of the words spoken but may have been proud
of the faithfulness to try and reach out to the kids (I mean youth, sorry Luke)
that will shape the future in the coming years. Although our church has not
much to offer in programs for these students, we can keep them involved in
service to the community and the Savior. My few words on Pastry, People and
Passion (What I love about our church unfortunately T didn’t get much chance to
say anything) may not get them connected to our church but at least everyone of
them I talked to promised to visit. I know it was the pastry part which
included Bible and a bagel, redemption and roast beef or forgiveness with fried
chicken. Kids gotta eat right.
T reminded me this morning that although the
president of the university is gone the cross also is still gone. Gradually we
are becoming a nation like the quote I started with from former U.S. House
Speaker Newt Gingrich when speaking of the crosses removal. To reverse this trend where our country is heading is also daunting and although even if we can’t do much we can do something. Make it a priority not to back up or shut up today. The enemy already has!
