A Little Bit of House Cleaning ~ An I-61 Project Ministry Update

A couple nights ago my wife looked at me with a bit of hesitation and whispered, "Honey, can I ask you a favor? Would you please put your clothes away when you take them off?" I looked over the small pile of dirty clothes spread about the chair and floor and then like a spoiled five year old I muttered, "Fine!" I somewhat angrily put the dirty clothes down the laundry chute, folded a pair of pants and stomped into the walk-in closet. What a brat I was! Like the Apostle Paul said, "What a wretched man I am!".

OK, this is not really a post about my brattiness, although I could certainly go down that road. I just wanted to start by sharing my disdain for house cleaning!!! With that said and as much as I don't like to clean house, I want to take this week and let you know all that is going on in and around the I-61 Project ministry. Even if you hate cleaning as much as I do, I hope you'll stick around to see how God is using this ministry to reach people for Jesus Christ.

I want to first share how God is extending the reach of the I-61 Project Blog. To-date, the blog has been visited by people from 23 countries including Great Britain, Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia, India, South Africa, and Fiji. It's amazing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is as powerful to a young woman in Hyderabad, India as it is for me here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have had visitors from every state in the nation and have had very fruitful dialogue with people from every corner of the country. How amazing that when Jesus commanded his disciples to go preach the Gospel to all nations we would see a day when we could do just that through the power of the Internet! Please feel free to interact with us through the comments section of each post. There is a small number in the upper right hand corner of each post that is clickable and will open the "comments" section for that post. You can also email us at info@i61project.org.

God has opened doors for us to share the Gospel in church environments, in the workplace, in small groups, in youth groups, and has made many divine appointments with other brothers and sisters in Christ. God has joined this ministry together with other powerful ministries including "Speaking 4 Him" which is the outreach ministry of our good friend Andrew Gommesen who is a wonderful preacher of the Word. He preaches Christ from the confinement of his wheelchair. Andrew was born three months prematurely and as a result has cerebral palsy. His ministry is growing and he has blessed us and many others.

Ivor Thomas, the co-founder of the I-61 Project, released his CD "Nowhere Else to Go" early this year and is reaching people through doors opened by the power of music. He has returned to serving the needs of God's people in his position as the Executive Director of the Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity. His CD is available at CD Baby and also on itunes. We have posted a powerful music video of his song "I'll Bother You" on YouTube.

We have recently been blessed to be able to start a worship service at our home church that we hope will reach people who have been hesitant to attend church or are looking to a more interactive way to encounter God in Christ. Appropriately, our good friend Mike Walden gave this gathering the name "Encounter". We hope that if you are in the Grand Rapids area you'll come visit us in this experience. We want you to know that you'll come to know the real Jesus even the parts that make us a little or a lot uncomfortable. We will be real with you and will provide a place where you can be real with us. Come as you are but God won't let you stay that way!

Our main website, "The I-61 Project. ORG" is expanding its content with news updates, music, and audio podcasts (recorded by our good friends at River City Studios). We hope you'll visit the site and listen to the podcasts which are also available for download on iTunes.

The I-61 Project has been incorporated and we will be looking to apply for tax exempt status in the near future. We have place a "Donate" button on the Blog home page and would appreciate your help as God leads you in furthering the reach of the Gospel.

I want to thank all who have visited us and have shared their hearts, their fears, their struggles, and their blessings. We have been blessed by you! Thanks also for cleaning house with me this morning because misery loves company.

Look forward to walking with you in the journey home.

Peace,

David and Ivor and The I-61 Project

The Prodigal Son ~ Hey What About the Parents?

I was talking to a friend not long ago, sharing with her how crazy my love was for my children. I couldn't really explain the bond that existed and how God had built into parents this amazingly powerful desire to make make sure their kids were safe. My friend, who didn't have children, said, "I know exactly what you mean. I have a dog and I'm right there with ya!" Now, I have had dogs in the past and I have two dogs now but having a child is radically different. Having a dog run away is traumatic but having a child run away physically or emotionally can be crippling. So, for those of you who have children that are wayward or have grown children, what I'm about to say may hit close to home but for those who don't I hope it still has relevance in some other way. For all who have been kind enough to take the time to join me today, let's dive in and see what God has in store.

In Luke chapter fifteen, Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy man who had two sons. The story is often referred to as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son". You probably know how it goes so I'll give you the Reader's Digest version: The younger of the two sons asks his father for his share of the inheritance, the father gives him his half, the boy runs off and spends his cash on "prostitutes" and "wild living", the money runs dry, he finds a job feeding the pigs, he eats the pig's food because he is dirt poor, then he "comes to his senses" and decides to go home and ask his dad for work as a hired hand. Wow, that was a run-on sentence but you get the gist.

Now we usually hear this story from the aspect of God's grace. We usually hear it from the perspective of God's willingness to forgive us and restore us but today I want to provide a bit of wisdom from God's word to those who are the fathers or mothers of wayward children. Now I want to state right from the beginning that this is not meant to be trite or to fail to recognize the incredible pain, fear, sorrow, frustration, hurt, or disappointment that parents of prodigals must endure when their children wander away. I imagine that this father felt all of that but we weren't given a glimpse into his room when he and his wife cried themselves to sleep or maybe didn't sleep at all because they had no idea if their boy was dead or alive. But today I want to focus on the father's actions and his reactions and then make a few final points.

1) When the son asked for his part of the inheritance his father gave it to him. In essence the boy was saying, "I wish you were dead already because I really can't wait any longer for your money." But the dad knew that forcing his son into staying or into doing what was right was no longer possible. That was fine when his boy was a child but now he was a man and he had to give him into the hands of God. If your child is grown then likely it's time to release him back to God. That doesn't mean we stop loving, praying, and caring but it might mean letting go.

2) The father likely never gave up hope and had his eyes focused on the distant horizon in anticipation of his son's return. The bible says it this way, "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Don't lose hope because with God all things are possible.

3) Remember that God desires your child even more than you do (hard to fathom but true) so pray for God's hand in directing your child because God has a way of humbling even the hardest of hearts (Just ask me!) Even though I don't want my children to feel pain or to suffer, this may be part of their growing nearer to God and to you. In other words, if they need to spend a little time in the sty with the pigs then so be it.

4) We weren't told how long the young man was gone. Likely it wasn't just a few days or weeks so I imagine the father had many long nights. It might be a long road but hang tough. It's likely that the boy who was finally humbled and then shown grace was a son who loved his father better in the long run. Think of it like this: would it have been better for the boy who obviously had a hardened heart to stay around and go through the motions or did he have to come to understand the gift of his father's love in his own journey with God? I think that latter. Much easier in retrospect to see this but only time will make this healing possible.

I know this is far from answering all the questions that the parent of a prodigal son or daughter might have but I hope it helps a bit. I do know this one thing: The all-knowing, all-powerful, God of the universe knows where your child's heart is so I pray for your faith, your patience, your peace, and your continued grace so that when the prodigal returns you can say, as the young man's father said, "Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

Please feel free to drop me a comment or an email if you have any questions or need prayer, whether you are the prodigal or the parent.

Peace in Christ,

David and the I-61 Project

Born Again? Once is Not Enough

When I say the words "Born Again Christian", what comes to mind? There was a time I would have pictured a long haired dude with a couple of long haired girls in bell bottom jeans, tie-dyed t-shirts, wearing big wooden crosses on braided hemp necklaces. Am I dating myself? Those were the radical, Jesus freak Christians. I was one of the "normal" Christians. I went to church on Sunday and had enough "normal" in me to keep me from talking about Jesus in public. The "Born Again" crowd was on the edge. They were one step from flying over the cuckoo's nest.

So what in the world was Jesus talking about when he told Nicodemus, "You must be born again"? Let's listen in on the conversation:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' (John 3:1-7)

Maybe you've had a baby before or have experienced the birth of a baby. You know it starts with the contractions. They start kind of mild and far apart and then become more intense and closer together. Sometime in there the "water breaks". It's that amniotic sac that surrounds the baby and contains the amniotic fluid (the water). Then, walla! The baby pops out. Maybe not quite that easily but eventually this little human being is born of water. It is a living, breathing, creature. It is a creation of God. A child of God? Well, most would say so but not the Bible. OK, that sounds horrible! Let me explain. The Bible says this about the little bambino. God knit him (or her) together in his mother's womb. It tells us that he loves him and that the kingdom of God for such as these. But it also says that our first birth brings us into creation but not into the family.

John 1:11-13

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

Can you see what John is saying? Can you see what Jesus was saying? Our first birth is the product of the physical union of man and woman. It is flesh bringing birth to flesh. We become part of creation, certainly loved by God and desired by him but still separated spiritually from Him. Really? Well........ yes.

I asked a group of teens last week this question, Why did Jesus have to die?" I got some blank stares and eventually someone mentioned dying for our sins. "Cool", I said. "What in the world does that mean?" Someone said, "He was showing us how much he loved us." "Yes, indeed he did, but people die for each other all the time. We have young men dying in the Middle East every day proving their love for us and our country." "What was so special about Jesus?" More blank stares. So we turned back the clocks to ancient Israel and the practice of animal sacrifice for sin. That little, unblemished lamb sacrificed for the sins of the people really made the term "Lamb of God" mean a little more to them. The little lamb wasn't a fluffy little pet but a substitute that paid the penalty for the sins of the people. Little lamb, innocent and pure, dying for the people sinful and lost.

Long story short: Jesus died to make right that which was SO wrong. The righteous (holy and good) dying for the unrighteous (sinful and broken). After Jesus explained to Nicodemus the need to be born again he said these well known words, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Key word: Believes. Faith or a heart's belief (not just a head knowledge) in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection allows us to grab hold of the promise and brings us through the birth process the second time. This birth is one of your spirit by the Spirit of God. We then become children of God. We may be ten or we may be eighty three but either way we become children and the Bible says we are now "heirs to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). The word "heirs" is a legal term. It means that those who are in the family are entitled to the privileges of sons and daughters.

I know this was a bit deep but take heart!! Nicodemus was a very highly educated Jewish leader who said to Jesus in a way, "Uh.... I don't get it. How do I get back into my mamma's uterus?" But I think he got it when he laid Jesus in the tomb and then saw him rise to life on the third day. I think he got it when he trusted Christ. I know he got it when he opened his eyes after his own death and looked into the eyes of his Saviour sitting at the right hand of the Father and heard, "Welcome home my son!" Born again Christians are the only kind of Christians. If you aren't born again you might just be religious or churched. The invitation is open to all who would call on His name to be Born Again.

Peace friends!

Seeing vs. Perceiving and Hearing vs. Understanding ~ Turn and be Healed

So there was this kid who was playing videos games when his mother asks him if his homework is done. No response. She asks him again, this time a bit louder. No response. Finally, she claps her hands and asks him a third time, "Johnny! (name changed to protect the guilty) is your homework finished?" His eyes never leaving the screen and as his fingers continuing to control Luke Sky-walker's light saber, his head nods up and down. Mom, then opens the folder to see the blanks of the homework page just that . . . blank! Ah, hearing but not listening.

There is a big difference between hearing and listening and between listening and understanding. There is also a big difference between seeing and perceiving. I think that the difference lies in the wanting. Kids hear what they want to hear and see what they want to see. They will hear "yes" before "no" and will see the ice cream behind two packages of frozen peas but not the dirty underwear in the middle of the bedroom floor. We want what we want but not always what we need.

I have had so many discussions with people lately who are struggling with life and with faith. They seek wisdom from people they look up to and from books on the shelf. Some do church and some do not but often the result is the same, struggle, struggle, struggle. Some spend their time trying to disprove God while others complain that they just can't hear him in their lives. If any of these sound like you, I think this post is for you. I want to start by sharing a personal testimony and a little truth from the Word.

There was a time when I was religious on the outside. I went to church, prayed, put my money in the offering plate, served on a committee or two, and called myself a Christian. Although I lived a sinful life, it was easily rationalized and compartmentalized. I could argue that the Bible was just a book written by men so it didn't really pertain to me. God was nice and he certainly understood my needs and my desires. He knew I was basically good and certainly better than most of the heathens around me. I had some head knowledge about this God and this Jesus but it really meant little to me. When I struggled I'd complained to God that it was his fault because he could have told me what to do or just prevented the problem in the first place. When my life got bad enough I would just deny God's existence all together. I looked to others who lived like I did so that I could justify my actions and my thoughts. I read books that did the same. I did some inward seeking because surly I could heal myself. Me, Me, Me, Pride, Pride, Pride. I saw what I wanted to see, heard what I wanted to hear, and did what I wanted to do. And God let me wander in the desert until my feet burned and my thirst was unbearable. I lived the promise of Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Do you really want to know God? I mean do you really want to know regardless of where it brings you? I think for me the answer at one time was really, no. I wanted to know God as long as it didn't cramp my style or make me set aside some firmly held beliefs about the world and about man. I wanted a God that would take care of my needs, tolerate my sin, and protect me from all harm. I acted like I wanted to know but didn't really. How about you? Are you doing some religion, some church, some youth group stuff, some rituals, and some repetitious and heartless prayer? If you are hungry for the truth of God and humbled before him, desiring his will in you life then you can sign off and catch us back here next week. If that doesn't really describe you right now then lets go a bit further.

Two men hung on crosses, their lives ebbing away. In between them a third man hung, a man named Jesus. One man mocked and jeered Jesus and, in his pride, ignored his own guilt and refused to believe in God's one and only Son. The truth was before him but he wanted it not. The second man became humble and admitted his guilt and understood the justice of his own death. He wanted to know the truth and to be accepted by Jesus who claimed to be the way and the truth and the life; this Jesus who said that the truth would set men free. "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Jesus stood before the Roman Governor of Judea, a man named Pontious Pilate, and Pilate asked him if he was a king. Jesus told him he was right in saying that he was a king. He said, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate then asked, "What is truth?" But he didn't stick around for the answer. He was standing inches away from the truth, from God with us, and he walked away.

Paul spoke to the Jews who had questioned him about this Jesus and who refused to believe. He quoted Isaiah saying, "For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."

Do you need healing? I did. I pray that God would help your eyes to be open and your ears to hear so that your heart can understand and be healed. If you want to know the truth you have to seek it with humility. God's Word tells us that God accepts a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. I have to admit the process was sort of painful but his love and grace made it worth it. What a ride it's been! God is good all the time!~

I want to thank everyone who has sent emails and comments to the posts. We have had people from 23 different countries join us here and hope that you all have found food for your souls.

Peace in Christ,

David and The I-61 Project

Jesus ~ Who Do You Say He Is?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:13-16)

If you are here today (and you are) then I assume that you, at least, have some desire to seek spiritual things. You have some interest in seeing if what I have to say holds water and has some ability to affect your life for the good. That being said, I want to tell you that I have had many very deep discussions with people lately regarding "religion", tolerance, truth, God, and the person Jesus Christ. I have spoken to people who call themselves "Christians", to three very pleasant Jehovah's Witnesses, to a kind and gentle follower of the Bahai faith, and pastors of a mainline Christian denomination and I am confident in this fact: We do not all follow the same Jesus.

Regardless of who you are or where you are in your faith walk, you will have to answer the same question. "Who do you say that he is?" Even if you're an atheist, you have to answer the question. Your answer may be "I don't really care." but everyone will answer. Does it really matter? Well, hmmmm, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes. Why? You might ask. Can't we all just believe what we want and leave it at that? Well, sure, we can. This is America and we have the right to believe what we want, worship who and what we want, or not worship at all. But, I for one don't want to follow, put my faith in, or trust my life to a lie or a fable. Let me give you an analogy that I hope will make this tangible and clear.

There was once a small group of hikers enjoying a beautiful walk through a pristine mountain forest when they became lost. After a few days and nights they were becoming very hungry. But they had noticed, as they wandered, many mushrooms of different shapes, colors, and sizes.

Hiker number one (Christian) pointed out that according to his book of edible forest foods, only one type of mushroom in these woods was fit to eat. All the others would cause death. "It says right here that the Wala Wala mushroom is the only one that will sustain us in our hunger and that, even thought the others look good and some look like the Wala Wala, they ultimately will not satisfy our hunger but will lead to death."

"Bah humbug!" Shouted Hiker number two (Pluralist). "All mushrooms are the same and are good for the body. Stop being so intolerant of mushrooms. Who are you to say one mushroom is better than another? That book of yours is not factual. I read it myself and decided to just see the good in all mushrooms. The other parts of the book, those that were unpleasant, I just blacked 'em out with a Sharpie. Get a grip! I love all mushrooms and if you weren't so narrow minded you would see that they're all beautiful in their own way."

"You're both crazy! All mushrooms are dangerous and should be avoided at all cost. Everyone that I know who got caught up in the whole "mushroom eating" thing went nuts and some even became obsessed with mushrooms. That book is hogwash! I'm not touching any mushrooms or reading that silly book!" Exclaimed Hiker number three (Atheist).

So Pluralist, assuming that all mushrooms were the same, picked five of the most pleasant looking mushrooms, mixed them together into a fine mushroom salad and began to eat.

Christian picked a handful of Wala Walas and roasted them over a small fire then began to eat.

Atheist sat there refusing to eat and time went by.

When the mountain rangers found the group, only one man was alive, Christian.

OK, before you shoot me for being another intolerant religious guy, let's look at this practically. In real life there are mushrooms that are good to eat and others that will kill you. It's truth. Does it matter what you believe about mushrooms? No! Even if you sincerely believe that you can eat a handful of Amanita phalloides mushrooms (also called Death Caps), you will likely die a painful death. What matters is not our ideas or our emotions but the truth. I have been really amazed that intelligent people can believe that all beliefs can be true even if they claim different things. It is nonsensical. We have to at least meet at the place where we agree that all things can't be true. We can be tolerant of each other's beliefs and love each other (by the way, I do you all) but let's be reasonable. God can't both exist and not exist at the same time. God can't be a piece of carved wood and an all powerful spiritual being at the same time. Jesus can't have risen from the dead and not risen. Black can't be white and a square can't be a circle. Truth just is.

Jesus Christ ~ Who do people say that he is?

Some would say he was a fictitious character who never really lived. To them I would say that there is more historical evidence for the life of Jesus Christ than any other person in ancient history. There are more than 24,000 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament which have been discovered and many extra-biblical writers spoke of Jesus of Nazareth including Josephus (c. AD 37-101) and Tacitus (c. AD 115).

Some would say that he was just a fine religious leader who taught us how to live a good life. But Jesus didn't leave us that option. He claimed to be coequal with God the Father. He claimed to be the only way to the Father. He stated that he came to die for the sins of man. He rose from the dead. He claimed to be the Only Son of God.

As I have pointed out in my last two posts, the answer to the question, "Who do you say I am?" matters. The Bible (which I believe is reliable and will answer any questions you have about that) tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh. He is God made man who ultimately came to save us not from war, poverty, and division but from our own sin. The Old Testament testified about him but many, including many "Christian" leaders see the Old Testament as a history book written by men with political agendas. But Jesus said these words in John Chapter 5, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

Jesus came to bring life, to bring restoration in our relationship with God the Father, to make us new creations, to give us everlasting life, to take away our guilt and shame, to reveal to us the amazing love of the God who created us. Jesus is not just one of many fine men who told us to hold hands and make world peace. He is the creator and sustainer of all things.

Please, if you have any doubts or questions about who he is and what he means to you, drop us an email or a comment on the Blog. Don't for a minute let anyone convince you that Jesus is any less than this. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Not just for me but for all.

Lastly, if anyone feels compelled to help us in the spreading of the Gospel, there is a "Donate" button on the Blog Home Page. It is tax deductible.

Peace and Joy,

David and the I-61 Project