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

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

Jesus ~ The Way

Hey Friends, I know it's not Saturday and I just posted to the Blog a few days ago but I wanted to share with you a dialogue that took place on Larry King Live on March 11, 2003. It was around the question, "What would Jesus do about the war in Iraq?" This conversation highlights the issue I brought up in last week's post. I want to state for record, that I agree whole heartily with John MacArthur. There is only one God and one Savior through whom we have access to the Father and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of what the Ecumenical Officer of the United Methodist Church (Bishop Melvin Talbert) claims, Jesus is the only way to the Father. That is not my claim but the claim of Jesus himself. Here is the conversation that took place between Larry King, John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Melvin Talbert.

King: Saddam says he prays.

MacArthur: Saddam Hussein? I'm sure he does.

King: He prays five times a day. He believes he's right. He must be praying to something.

MacArthur: Well, it's the wrong God unfortunately. There is only one true and living God, and that's the God of the scripture. The God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And if you aren't praying to that God, you are praying to no one.

King: He doesn't believe that. How do you deal with that? His belief may be as strong as your belief.

MacArthur: You could believe that you could fly and jump off a five-story building. It doesn't make it real. Unfortunately, false religion is the ultimate deception...

King: is the Muslim world all false?

MacArthur: Well, the theology of Islam is false. It's the wrong God. It's the wrong view of Christ.

King: When they hear that, don't they get anti-American thoughts...

MacArthur: It has nothing to do with America. I would say it if I were French.

King: They think yours is the wrong God.

MacArthur: Well, they do. But there has to be truth and untruth. Once you've established the truth, and I think the word of God has been established as true -- I think it can hold up under the most intense scrutiny -- and other books do not.

King: Don't you believe, Bishop Talbert, that Christianity is the right path?

Talbert: I do believe for Christians, but we're not here to settle which religion is right. That dispute belongs to God. We are here to practice what we preach.

King: Do you believe your religion is right?

Talbert: Yes I do.

King: Or else why believe it?

Talbert: That is right.

King: So therefore, the other religions have to be wrong.

Talbert: No, I don't say that at all.

King: If you believe your religion is right, the other religions are wrong.

Talbert: I believe my God is large enough to be inclusive of all human beings who were created in God's image, and that includes those religions that are not Christians.

MacArthur: I want to ask a question. Why did Jesus say -- why did Paul say -- if any man preaches any other Christ than the true Jesus Christ, let him be cured? Why does the Bible say neither is there salvation in any other name than Jesus Christ? Why doe the scripture condemn anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ? Why is the message so exclusive?

Talbert: For me, salvation in Jesus Christ is the way, and what I try to do as a Christian is to live that example. My responsibility is not to convert all other religions, but to live the Christian faith in the face of those religions. Are you going to say that my -- our friend on the show tonight who is Jewish is on the wrong path? That's God's choice. That's God's judgment, not mine.

King: Max, what is your view of Islam?

Lucado: Well, I guess it depends on if you're asking it from a political or religious point of view.

King: I guess from religious.

Lucado: Religious point of view -- it is a different approach to God than the Christian approach to God. My understanding as a Christian is that we're saved by what Christ did for us, whereas the Islamic faith says we're saved by what we do for God.

King: But do you think, Bishop Talbert, that these differing opinions are leading to lots of conflict in the world?

Talbert: I believe they're leading for a lot of conflicts because we do not open ourselves o each other and learn and grow. I have talked with Muslim leaders. They are -- the ones that I have met -- very fine people. They're on their way as certain as I am on my way. And what we need to do is to be tolerant with each other and not assume that our way is the only way.

Well, Mr. Talbert, what we really need is to be truthful with each other and with people of all nations and religions, sharing with them the love of God in Jesus Christ. We need to share the Gospel that Paul preached and no other. Jesus is not "Our Way". He is "The Way". It is not an assumption at all, but the very truth spoken by the Lord of all creation. John 3:18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." This is from the lips of Christ. You can't take Jesus and throw away his words..

Peace, David

The Biblical Jesus ~ It Depends on which Bible You Mean.

The Bible . . . Is it a book given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, written by men, infallible and inerrant or is it a book sort of inspired by God but written by men whose political and social agendas tainted its content?

Is it a book that God has allowed to become corrupted over time to include errors in translation, errors in the historical record, and filled with fictional stories made up by men? Is it a book that has no absolute truth but is completely pliable in the hands of anyone who reads it, able to be interpreted any way we choose? Can we pick out the parts we want to believe and set aside those we don't? Can we pick out the parts that make us happy and comfortable, using them as if they are accurate or relevant but scrap the parts the make us uncomfortable, claiming them to be inaccurate or irrelevant?

Does it matter really? I mean, so what if we come at this book from totally different positions. We all love Jesus, right? But what Jesus do we love? And was he really here? And did he really perform miracles? And did he really die on the cross? And did he really rise from the dead? If we claim in any form or fashion that the Biblical record is unreliable then we have absolutely no right or ability to make any statements about its truth or quote from it. If we can't believe it we certainly shouldn't base our lives on it. Unless of course, we see it as a book that has some good things to grab a hold of like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" then we can, I guess, just pick out the parts that make sense to our lives and leave the rest for the right wing Jesus freaks (Like me)

Here is the issue, at hand, and one that I believe is monumental to the Christian faith: The Gospel of Jesus Christ stands or falls on what we see the Bible to be. Many today claim that the Bible is not a document that has solid, unchangeable truth but is moldable and shapable to the reader. It can be interpreted as we see fit. I want to give a couple examples to make this more clear:
The Old Testament reveals a God who is the creator of all things including man. When man sinned God revealed not just his love for man but also his holy justice with regard to sin. It revealed a God who demonstrated some serious wrath against sin and sinful man. Now, those who claim that the Bible isn't to be taken literally, claim that this is just the story of an ancient people who fought other nations with their own political and religious motives. So then they can forgo any aspect of God that might seem intolerant, harsh, violent, or contrary to their religious beliefs. It was man's evil not God's wrath. One quick note regarding the description of Bible believers as "Literalists" (ie. they take the Bible literally). We can be smart enough to understand that when Jesus said, "I am the vine . . " or when Jesus was called, "the Lamb of God" that Jesus wasn't a vine or a lamb. But we can also see that when Jesus said, "The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations." He said, "In his name." What name? Jesus.

The New Testament reveals the story of a man named Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on a cross, and rose from the grave three days later. It claims Jesus to be God in the flesh who died for the sins of man. But Jesus was not always the gentle soft spoken peacemaker but made many claims about himself and about the judgment to come. But many today leave out all of the statements Jesus made about judgment, hell, and repentance. They leave out any statement that precludes salvation via any other person other than Jesus Christ. They do so by claiming that those who read the whole of scripture do so in a literal fashion while they themselves leave room for a much bigger God who can make the Bible all things to all men. Jesus can be their Lord and their Savior and their truth, way, and life but he is not for those of other faiths. Kind of like flag day. It is for us but not for Japan.

Can this be true? Can we both be right and does it matter? Can we ever preach from the Word and teach a church full of hearers from scriptures if we claim the Bible is not reliable and is only relevant or true to those who want them? Can we preach "I am the way and the truth and the life." as some sort of biblical feel good but claim that the next verse, "No one comes to the Father but through me." not to be true?

This is way more than can be addressed in a 10 minute blog post so we will be hanging here for a couple weeks. But, I want to share a couple things to start. First, if we believe Jesus lived and was divine (ie. God) then we should look at what he thought about the Old Testament and its reliability. Jesus quoted from twenty four of the Old Testament books and stated that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it." Jesus spoke of Jonah's time in the belly of the fish, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife who was turned to a pillar of salt, and he quoted many of the prophets. Did Jesus believe that the Old Testament was corrupted in its translation or the product of the minds of man? No! Paul believed that all scripture was "God breathed" and even if you claim he was talking about only the Old Testament then we can start there. Lastly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found they contained a near complete copy of the book of Isaiah dated to around one hundred years before the birth of Christ. These texts from Qumran proved to be word-for-word identical to our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted primarily of obvious slips of the pen and spelling alterations (Archer, 1974, p. 25).

The dilemma is this: If we claim the Biblical documents to be less than what Jesus and the Apostles believed them to be then we preach a Gospel that strips Jesus of his Lordship and of his Divinity. We make faith in Christ unnecessary for salvation and relegate Jesus to one of many religious leaders who taught us a better way to live. We can cut and paste the verses of the bible and use them as personal and social improvement tools and deny the truths we don't like.

Maybe God wasn't powerful enough to maintain the accuracy or truth of his Word and allowed it to be made virtually meaningless. Maybe the writings of Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Joseph Smith, Stephen King, and Mark Twain are all equally valid. Maybe Jesus didn't really exist and was just a fictitious character made up by these men, who for some crazy reason gave their lives to tell people about him. Maybe Paul didn't really meet Jesus on the road to Damascus and was later told what to preach. Maybe he just didn't like living high on the hog as a wealthy Jewish leader but instead wanted to see what it was like to be flogged, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten with fists, imprisoned, and beheaded for sharing the whole, uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Maybe.

Although we can believe that how we see the Bible makes little difference as long as we all "love Jesus" it is not so. Either Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, God in the flesh, the name above all names, God with us, the name to which every knee will bow, the Judge of the living and the dead, the King of Kings, the one through whom all things were made, or he is not. If he is then we better get back to proclaiming him to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit and not trusting that those without Christ can climb in another way. Jesus said he was THE way and not a way.

Stay tuned friends. Much more to come.

Peace, David

Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

I have a good friend that I'd like you to meet. His name is Andrew. Andrew is 30 years old and was born three months prematurely, lost oxygen to his brain, and as a result has cerebral palsy. Andrew is confined to a wheelchair. He has no use of his legs, minimal use of his right arm, and limited use of his left arm. When he wakes up in the morning he lies in bed until his brothers come and help him get ready for the day. He can't drive, bathe, or go to the bathroom without help and so far has no wife or girlfriend with whom to share his love. Pity party? Nope, just the facts. I didn't meet Andrew because he was looking for a handout or for help. I met him as he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to 150 homeless folks at a local shelter, a shelter where Andrew works most days. Despite the fact that his body has many limits, Andrew has two things that work really well: his brain and his heart. Oh yeah, and his mouth. Man, can Andrew preach!

So, if God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed this man to suffer as he has? If God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed you to suffer like you have? Why would he allow wars, murders, accidents, and natural tragedies to go apparently unchecked? Maybe you don't even believe in God because of this conflict in your mind or if you do believe in God you either don't trust him or you're angry with him. I want to share some thoughts that may help you to to see the magnitude of who God is and how he works in your life.

I'd like to give you a Reader's Digest (or Cliff Notes) version of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Joseph was the youngest of Jacob's twelve son's but the Bible says his father loved him more than the rest. So how did the the other eleven handle not being the favored sons? Well they threw Joseph into an empty well then sold him to traveling merchants who, in turn sold him into slavery in Egypt. The brothers took his robe, covered it in goat's blood, and brought it back to their father, telling him that Joseph was killed by a ferocious animal. In Egypt, Joseph was a slave to the captain of Pharaoh's guard, a man named Potiphar. Potiphar has a wife who thought Joseph was quite handsome so she tried to get him into bed but Joseph on more than one occasion told her to hit the road. The last time she was so mad that she ran out and accused him of trying to molest her so poor Joseph spends the next two years in jail. While Joseph is in jail, Pharaoh had a dream and he heard that this kid named Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph interprets his dream and as a reward gets to be Pharaoh's second hand man. Things are looking up! OK, David get to the point! Here is the point. There is a wicked famine in all of the land but Egypt has stored up plenty of grain to last through the drought. Joseph ends up saving his family and all of Israel because he was in this position of power. He is reunited with his nasty brothers and his broken hearted father and forgives his brothers saying,

"Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children."

God is sovereign (he is in control and can do what he pleases), he is omniscient (he knows all things), and he is omnipotent (he can do all things within his nature ~ I mean he can't lie or sin or make a square circle). I shared with a friend a couple days ago that this poses a problem for some. If God is all loving and all knowing but is powerless to stop evil then he is impotent and weak and not a God at all. If he is able to stop it but doesn't then is he loving? That is where I want to wrap this up. God is able to see the beginning from the end. He can see how every single circumstance and every single life fit together. His view of the tapestry of life is beyond our imagination. He knew that there was going to be a famine and that Joseph's crazy journey to Egypt would save the nation Israel. The other issue with evil is this. Every single attribute of man (and woman) that we consider "good" can't happen in the vacuum of a perfect world. We can reveal courage only when there is the possibility of danger or death. We reveal compassion only when there are circumstances of suffering or pain. We reveal grace and forgiveness only when we have been hurt or wronged. We reveal faith when we are in the midst of trials and we can't see a way out. What Satan purposes for evil God can use for good.

You are probably in one of these three groups: 1. You don't believe in God at all 2. You believe but are struggling with the whys of your circumstances 3. You believe and even though you are struggling, you are walking in faith.

I know both from my own life and from the clear teaching of Scripture that God uses our circumstances to draw us nearer to him, to prune us (make us more mature in our walk with him), and to accomplish his will. I can't fully understand how we can have free will yet God can still work in our lives but maybe the "free" isn't complete. Like, Andrew isn't free to walk and Joseph wasn't free to leave Egypt. But here is the lesson: If your circumstances are difficult. If you are lost, scared, hungry, sick, financially broken, lonely, guilty then understand this: If you are not walking with God then he is calling you home. Maybe you have denied him for your whole life. Maybe for some his call may be really loud right now. Is he mean? No, he knows our pride and our stubborn hearts and he knows what we need. He knows our best lives are lived with him and not outside of a relationship with him. If you are walking with him but are discouraged or feeling hopeless, understand that there is ALWAYS hope in him. You may be in the dark but it's not dark to God so stay close and he'll lead you out. Lastly, the Word says that God chastens (disciplines) those he loves, so if you are a believer and are living in sin then maybe he is pruning off some dead stuff from your life. It might not feel good but it will make you better.

Only God completely knows the reason for your circumstances but there is a reason. Spend some time today asking God to help you believe, to help you have faith, to help you persevere, to help you grow. If you have a prayer need or just want to share your struggle please drop us a note and we will do what we can. Confidentially if you prefer. If you want to hear Andrew's testimony go to the media/podcast section of The I-61 Project and you can catch up with Andrew on his blog "Speaking for Him".

Peace and Love,

David

The God of the Universe Can Live in You! How Cool is That?!!

I've had some pretty deeply moving conversations lately with people who are broken, tired, afraid, confused, guilty, hopeless, lonely, and addicted, and just don't know where to go or how to break free. I've heard some of them say that they believe in God but can't feel him, can't find him, or simply can't surrender to him. Some of them have even looked in church but can't seem to find him there. They have a sense that what the pastor is teaching and what I am sharing holds a key to that freedom so they stay near but not too near. They hold onto their lives and at the same time reach out grasping for hope. It's like a person in a burning building who is leaning out of the window, stretching out their hand to the fireman on the ladder truck but can't let go of the window frame with their other hand. If you're reaching out or even if you are lost but haven't yet reached out I want to invite you to begin to see the dwelling place of God. How amazing would it be to find Him?! Where is he? God, where are you? Help! We're dying down here!

A good friend of mine recently told me that her daughter wanted to be married in an outdoor ceremony. She wanted to say her "I do's" under the canopy of God's creation. However, after speaking with church authorities she learned that this wouldn't be possible because the ceremony had to take place in the church since the building was "sanctified". Really? I want to show you a bit of the character and truth of who God has revealed himself to be and even more so to help you to draw closer to Him to understand where he truly resides. Not from my thoughts but from his Word.

OK, I know this sounds ridiculous because even little kids know that God is "Everywhere". The theological term for this attribute of God is his "omnipresence". And, that is true in the sense that God is outside of the confines of time and can be "over here" and "over there" at the same moment as we experience it. I know that bends your mind a bit but that is how big God is! But God has also shown us in his Word that he has give man more tangible expressions of his presence over the course of history. For instance, in the Garden of Eden, he actually fellow-shipped with Adam and Eve walking with them in the cool of the day but after the Fall he no longer was approachable. As the Jews wondered in the desert the manifest presence of God (called his Shekinah Glory) resided in the tabernacle, specifically in the holy place where the Ark of the Covenant ( a gold box that contained the two stone tablets of the ten commandments, the staff of Aaron, and a pot of manna) was housed. This same presence of God was present later in the inner chamber (the Holy of Holies) of the temple built by King Solomon. Bottom line: God had a manifest presence on earth but he was not approachable because of man's sin. The Holy of Holies was "sanctified" or set apart for the presence of the living God. Did that mean the God wasn't everywhere? No, just that he chose to reveal himself to man in this way.

Fast forward to a small stable in Bethlehem where a cry is heard coming from a woman giving birth to a child. Not any ordinary child but God made man (Emmanuel - God with us). The fullness of God was now among men and would soon walk with them and talk with them and touch them and heal their blind eyes. Was God now not everywhere? No. But he chose to manifest himself in the flesh to mankind.

Now here is where I want you to draw near and listen closely. Jesus sits with a Samaritan woman at a well as she draws water. He talks to her (quite against the rules for a Jew to speak to a Samaritan, especially a woman!). After Jesus gives her reason to believe he is something quite special the following dialogue takes place:

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus was telling her that God was doing a new thing. God was no longer unapproachable behind the curtain of the temple's inner room. It would no longer be necessary to travel to Jerusalem to worship him. She was, at that very moment, sitting with, talking with, and being freed from their sin and death by God in the flesh.

Now hold on because here is where it gets even more crazy!! After Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, his disciples didn't want to let him go again. But Jesus told them that unless he ascended to the Father's right side, the Comforter couldn't come. Who was this "Comforter"? It was the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). So where exactly did the Holy Spirit come to abide when Jesus ascended to heaven? A tabernacle? No! A church building? No! The Holy Spirit came to dwell WITHIN those who believed.

Stephen ( a disciple) said these words before he was stoned to death:

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:

" 'Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool.

What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord.

Or where will my resting place be?

Has not my hand made all these things?"

And right before he died, the Word says:

"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God . . ."

When we come to the cross, repent of our sin, and look to Jesus and believe that he died in our place, took the shame and guilt we carried, that he paid the penalty for sin for us, that he rose from the dead and forever conquered death for those who trust in his name, then the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us. How amazing is that?! We are now the tabernacle of God.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

In Galatians 2:2 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Last one! In Romans 8:11 Paul says, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

Look closely friends. "Sanctified" means to be set apart for God's use and you can be set apart and can become the dwelling place of the Spirit of God by faith in Jesus Christ. He can dwell in you if you are in prison, in rehab, in a college dorm, in your bedroom, or are getting married in the woods. He is not confined to a church building. (remember that the Apostles and the early followers of Jesus did not have fancy and ornate church buildings). I love to gather at the "church" with fellow believers and worship God but in reality the "Church" is body of fellow believers! If you are broken, lost, scared, lonely, guilty, hopeless, addicted then ask God to open your eyes to see the truth of his Son Jesus and the freedom and life he has come to share with you by faith!

We love you guys!

In Him, David

The Gospel - Don't be Afraid to Use Words~

Kayla and Ben spent hours pouring over topographical maps and GPS coordinates for their upcoming trip down the mighty, white waters of the Mongodongo River. One thing was for sure, when they came to the fork in the river marked by the massive boulder (called the Rock) they would take the branch that went off to the right. They had seen pictures of the terrible rapids and the eventual two hundred foot waterfall that would swallow them up if they took the left branch. Someone who who knew the river well and who had seen many people meet their demise at the hand of the deadly Left Branch of the Mongodongo told them to go right at the Rock. He sat down with them and explained in detail how to navigate the tricky waters near the fork in the river and even gave them a special journal he had been given that gave both instruction and encouragement from those who had already successfully made it to the great city at the river's end.

Kayla and Ben enjoyed the first part of the trip even though there were a few scary rapids and dangerous downed trees along the way. They pulled their raft onto a small island that was about a quarter mile upstream from the fork in the river and noticed a large group of rafters laughing and having a great time. There were about twenty rafts in the group and nearly eighty people of all ages. Kayla noticed that some of the people didn't have water bottles and seemed thirsty while others had blisters on their hands from rowing. Some seemed cold because they had come down the river without proper clothes. Kayla asked Ben to gather the extra water bottles they had brought and pass them out while she would use their first aide kit to bandage up the blisters. She had packed a few extra jackets for the trip and knew it would be the Christian thing to give them away even though they were expensive Patagonia Jackets from Cabelas. Bummer!

They were showing the people the love of Christ and it was clear to them that it would show by their actions. As Ben handed out water bottles he noticed a big sign that was in the lead raft. It read: "Left Branch River Outfitters". Ben began to chat with the river guide who told him that he was leading the group down the Left Branch today and that it was supposed to be a great time. Ben knew that his maps told a different story but who was he to impose his ideas on them? Besides they were having such a good time and he didn't want to scare them. After talking it over with Kayla, it was decided that their actions of love and service would probably be enough to convince the group to follow them down the Right Branch. As they all made their way back into the river, Kayla noticed that the other group turned down the Left Branch and as they did , Ben could hear one of the men yell out, "Thanks for the water and the jackets!" At the end of the trip, just before the great city, Kayla and Ben saw floating in the river four water bottles, three torn and deflated rafts, and two Patagonia jackets but not a person was seen again from the doomed Left Branch group.

I've heard it said before that it is often better to share Christ with our deeds than our words. As a matter of fact, St. Francis of Assisi said it this way, "Preach the gospel at all times - if necessary, use words." Now I don't want to contradict a Saint but I do want to share the words of the Apostle Paul and also make a couple points.

In Romans Chapter 10, after Paul shares the words, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." he goes on to make a rather obvious point. "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" He goes onto say, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

Look, the Gospel is amazingly good news but ultimately it comes through the sharing of the message. It is impossible to share the Gospel without words. At some point in time, the name of Jesus has to be shared because the Bible tells us that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." I know many people who manifest love and good deeds but do not lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact some of the kindest people I know have been followers of New Age, Wiccans, and practitioners of Transcendental Meditation but none of them by their actions led a single soul to call on the name of God's one and only Son. Our lack of using words usually comes out of fear. Fear of losing friends. Fear of not knowing enough? Fear of being labeled a bigot or a radical. It also comes from a true lack of urgency for the fate of those going down the Left Branch.

Here is my last point: It ALL comes down to love! Our sharing of the truth of the Gospel has to come from a heart of love for others. It has to come from caring more about another's eternal life and their restored relationship with God than whether or not someone likes us or likes what we say. If we share out of a heart of self righteousness then we become hypocrites. If we give them the words but fail to touch them in their need (ie. feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the widow, and heal the sick) then the words will never be heard and we will not have loved!

The sharing of the Gospel requires us to pass out the water bottles, the bandages, and the new Patagonia jackets but it also requires us to tell the people about the dangerous Left Branch and the passage of safety at the Rock! We need to use words! Jesus didn't walk around silently healing and feeding. He spoke right up to the point before he ascended to the right hand of the Father, speaking these words, "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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Peace,

David

Don't Stop Half Way - God Wants You to Keep Walking

I woke up this morning with no idea what to write today then a picture came to my mind. First, a little background. Today is Saturday August 22, 2009 and in about six and a half hours a good friend of ours is going to be married in our back yard. We've spent many hours preparing the yard for the wedding and the bride-to-be has spent many hours preparing for her big day. She has sent out invitations, picked out rings, picked out her wedding dress, and chosen her maid of honor and her wedding party. We've mulched, mowed, weeded, washed, painted, and spread stones. Last night they had the rehearsal. You know the pretend wedding. Walk the path, say the things, and do the kiss but no rings, no blessing, no marriage. They leave the rehearsal dinner the same way they came to the rehearsal - unmarried.

So here is the image I had this morning. The pastor and the groom are standing there in the front as the music plays then comes the beautiful bride down the steps and slowly up the aisle. People have tears in their eyes because they know the magnitude of what is about to happen The groom's heart races and his hands begin to sweat just a bit. About half way down the aisle the bride stops dead in her tracks, frozen like a mannequin. There is a weird hush and the music stops. What will she do? All eyes are on the motionless bride. (Just for the record my vision isn't about this particular wedding because I know Susie will walk all the way to her man and leave with a new last name. This is a parable per se. So it's OK Susie, I hope you don't mind me using this analogy on your big day.)

Here is where my vision takes three turns:

1) She turns around and runs for her life. Flowers fall, the groom flashes a look of horror, a low but powerful corporate sigh comes from the people, and the last thing you see is the train of her dress as she rounds the corner and heads out of dodge. She made it half way then went back to her old life.

2) She stays there frozen stiff, not moving forward and not running away. Just going nowhere. She made it halfway and is stuck there like bubble gum in your hair. (sorry, that was the first thing that came to my mind and I had to use it.)

3) She continues her slow and steady procession to the front where she gives her life to the one she loves and her whole life is forever changed. She becomes part of a family and is no longer her own. She is united with her husband and has become one with him. She didn't stop half way!

There aren't many things that are good half way. A putt that gets only half way to the hole. Two years of a four year college degree. A drag racer who's car makes it half way down the track. A skateboard with only two wheels. Half way almost always leaves you feeling disappointed, sad, and unsatisfied.

Peter went half way (Matthew 14:25-31)

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

The rich young man went half way after asking Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:16-22):

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

I've witnessed to many people and one thing I see over and over is an initial excitement or curiosity, some sense that their life is on the wrong track and is somehow void of real, eternal meaning. They get out of the boat but then sink part way out. They get part way down the wedding aisle and either freeze or bolt. Then they say to me, "Why, can't I hear from God?" or "Why is my life so empty or confusing?". They go back to their lives unchanged and maybe even a bit worse because they had a small taste of the goodness of God and now their lives taste even a little bit more bitter in contrast. Jesus compared them to seed that "fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root."

One thing I've come to understand about my relationship with God is that it doesn't work well when I stop half way. Sure I stop at times and have fear, stop at times and have sin, stop at times and see stuff in the world that I know is wrong but my flesh wants it, but when push comes to shove I know that nothing really matters if I walk away from the God of the universe who made me and knows the plans he has for me. Do I know better than him? I think not.

Here is my prayer for you today. I pray that you have a sense of God's call on your life and that he grant you the courage and the strength to go the distance. That you walk forward no matter how scary it gets, how many friends walk away, how much the tug of sin wants to drown you under its waves, or how alone you might feel. I think Chris Berman, the NFL commentator, would sound cool saying it like this: "I think he's (she's) going to go ALL ... THE ... WAY!" Let it be so for you.

Please drop us a note if you are stuck in the aisle, running away, or maybe thinking it's time to go all the way. We're here for you but more importantly God is there for you!

Peace, David