When I was in the fifth grade, our class assignment was to write a report on one of the states in the US and build a small float to represent that state. After finishing my report on Vermont, my mother and I built a shoebox sized float. It featured a little man standing proudly in a field, holding a syrup bucket by a maple tree.
I don’t know who judged the floats, which represented Texas oil rigs, Hawaiian beaches, Florida space launches, etc. The judges awarded ribbons and prizes for First through Sixth Places, a First, Second and Third Best in Show, a Grand Prize, and many honorable mentions. Most of the class received awards, but my float got no recognition. My mother wasn’t too bothered, but I was very disappointed.
I don’t want to disappoint anyone, but I’m about to hand out an honorable mention in this Reflections. I’ll hold off on the Grand Prize and other awards in light of what Jesus said: “To sit at my right and left hand in my Kingdom is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:23)
The Father prepares Kingdom blessings for us when we faithfully fulfill the assignments he gives us. Two such faithful people are Pastors Walt and Louene Ratray, who have led Church on the Street (COTS) in Phoenix for over forty years. They carry out more outreach evangelism than anyone I know. Five days a week, Walt and his team bus homeless people to an inner city church where they sing, preach and feed 150-200 hundred people breakfast and lunch.
Several times a week, they lead outreaches at local parks to share the gospel and provide meals. Every Friday night, Walt and his disciples go to downtown Scottsdale or Tempe until midnight, where they talk about Jesus with folks heading to the bars. On Saturday mornings, Walt preaches at a downtown mission where COTS houses men who respond to their message about Jesus.
Every week, Walt and Louene hold services in local jails and prisons. They also hold a Sunday night service and a Tuesday night Bible Study for COTS every week. Walt regularly jogs and lifts weights with men he is discipling and he beats me at golf.
Did I mention that Walt and Louene are in their eighties?
At an age when most people are winding down, they are both going strong for the Lord. They were not able to have children of their own, but they have been spiritual parents to thousands of men and women who they have served, taught and discipled over the years.
Walt and Louene love the ministry they are doing. The disciples on their team are their spiritual family. I can’t talk Walt into taking vacations because there is nothing he would rather be doing than going out with his team to share the love of Jesus with people.
I’ve preached at Church on the Street services for years. It has been liberating for me to open my heart and share with a congregation that understands what it means to be poor, incarcerated, addicted and homeless. The love and acceptance in their ministry brings the best out of me. They don’t give honorariums, but they have given me something very valuable. They have continually prayed and interceded for Kristina and me through the challenges we have faced these last years. When those who are close to Jesus pray for you, wonderful things happen.
It’s a great experience to preach on the street or to witness about Jesus in public places. It can help you get over self-consciousness and become bold about sharing your faith with strangers. I try to share my faith whenever I get a chance, whether I’m at the grocery store, on an airplane, or on a hiking trail. In the natural course of our lives we are constantly surrounded by people who need the Lord. We are not responsible to save the whole world, but we are responsible to bear witness to the reality of the resurrection to those we get to know.
Many believers are praying for revival to sweep our nation. A spiritual awakening can be ignited when many believers in the same area share their faith. When non-believers hear the message of the gospel from several sources, it makes them curious and helps the seeds of truth penetrate their hearts. The cumulative impact of our collective testimony is vital to bring people to Christ.
We each have specific assignments from the Lord. Together we are building up the body of Christ and preparing the Church for his return. We are heading to heaven soon enough, but now is the time the Lord has given us to serve him and lay up a reward in heaven.
When the final trumpet blows, the angels will gather us up and the Father will give out more than honorable mentions. We will share his glory forever.
My Best Friends
Growing up in Terra Linda, CA in the 1950’s and 60’s, I had several best friends. I have had dreams about returning to visit these friends in the neighborhood where we grew up.
Tom McCart lived down the street from me on Holly Drive. At five years old, I learned to ride borrowed bikes with Tom. Once we got up on two wheels, we roamed our neighborhood like bold explorers.
Tom and his sister, Martha, had been adopted by a precious couple. Twice every week Mrs. McCart baked delicious homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies, which she served us with milk after school. Tom and I camped out one night in their backyard. We made s’mores, and Tom’s dad set up a tent for us with sleeping bags, mats and pillows. Beaver Cleaver never had it so good.
In kindergarten I met Phil Zito. One day we had a fight and were sent to the principal’s office. As we sat in the office, waiting for the principal to arrive and bring judgment upon us, we bowed our heads, folded our hands and prayed for an earthquake to destroy the school buildings. We felt dying in an earthquake would be a better fate than what the principal would dispense.
I don’t remember what the principal said to us when he finally arrived, but the school survived an earthquake that struck a year later, and that was my last school fight until junior high. Phil and I became friends as we got older and we spent summers swimming in his pool and hunting in the hills surrounding Terra Linda.
Phil moved to Oklahoma for a few years and Peter de Jung became my best friend. Peter and I played football in the street on Holly Drive with his dad and brother, Steve. Peter’s dad took us on weekend trips to their cabin in the mountains near Boonville. We learned to catch trout on spinners in their stream which Mr. de Jung cooked with bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast feasts.
A few years later, the Zito family moved back from Oklahoma and bought a house near us on Holly Drive. Phil’s parents taught me to play hearts. His dad took me bowling and hunting for pheasant and ducks. I ate many meals at their house, which became like a second home for me.
We all attended Vallecito Junior High, a half mile walk from Holly Drive. Our principal was over six feet tall. He walked the corridors with a scowl, looking for trouble-makers while slapping a paddle against his thigh. The guys who were sent to him for discipline had to bend over when he applied it to their backsides. California public schools have changed a lot over the years.
One summer day, Phil and I went fishing in San Pablo Bay. We had been dropped off at China Camp where we rented a little row boat. We rowed out into the bay where we caught striped bass and flounder. As the day wore on, the gentle waves lulled us both to sleep. I felt a strong tug on my pole and woke up suddenly, thinking I had a big fish. It wasn’t a fish, but a huge wave that had hit the boat and bent my rod. The boat was rocking in white capped waves. I yelled to wake up Phil. We tried to row, but the wind and waves pushed us further into the bay. A large yacht was heading to shore and turned around when the captain saw us flailing our arms in distress. He threw us a line and towed us to shore.
Phil was an excellent hunter. He could call in flying ducks by making loud quacking sounds. One day when we were at Indian Valley Golf Club he spotted two mallards flying in the distance. He began making loud quacks and the ducks started flying towards us. As they circled lower he said, “Get down Buck, I’ll hit um with my golf club.”
In high school, Bill Saleme and I often played pool after football and baseball practices. Afterwards, his mom made us big Italian dinners while his dad played chess and talked philosophy with me. When we went out on double dates, Bill’s grandmother, who was 4’ll” and in her 80’s, would say, “Now Billy, whatever you do, remember, do not let those girls get you to say ‘I do!’”
As we got older, some of our experiences turned darker. My friends introduced me to drinking, the Mustang Ranch, and concerts at the Filmore. I introduced them to marijuana. My life descended into a demonic trap as I indulged in the psychedelics and seductions which fueled the Hippie movement.
After I gave my life to Jesus in 1970, I shared the gospel with my friends. Peter de Jung listened politely. His dad, who had been such a blessing to me had committed suicide by then. Peter had miraculously survived when a great white shark bit his surfboard and tore open his leg in a horrific Pacific Ocean attack.
Phil Zito and Bill Saleme prayed with me to accept Jesus. The seed of the gospel laid dormant in their hearts for a time. Years later, Phil told me he fought depression until he then returned to the Catholic Church and started delivering food to people in need. He always encouraged our prayer times at meals when we got together with our friends for yearly golf and poker outings.
The seed of faith sprouted in Bill Saleme’s life years ago. Today Bill and his wife Lucie travel the country reaching out to people in need and sharing their faith in Christ wherever they go.
Last month Phil died from a sudden heart attack. It shocked his family and all of us who loved him. I will always remember his kindness and cherish his friendship.
After Phil’s death, I had a vivid dream in which I saw Tom McCart in the presence of the Lord. I called out to him in my dream because I was excited to see him alive with Christ, and I could sense Phil was with him. Tom had died in 2013.
I woke up encouraged. None of us are saved because we have lived such a good life. We are saved by receiving the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
What is the point of picking up our cross and doing good to others in this fallen world? Following Jesus allows us to have a fruitful life. We are not only saved by grace, but grace can empower us to be a blessing to others. Abiding in Christ is a challenge, but the reward is revelation of who God is and the privilege of a partnership with Jesus. He gives eternal life to everyone who believes in Him.
I’m thankful for my friends, and also their families. They welcomed me into their homes with meals and love. My dad worked hard seven days a week to provide for our family. My friends’ parents enriched my life with adventures and gave me a bigger vision of what a family can become.
I have many friends who are in heaven now, as are their parents. The village that raised me has passed away. However, there is an eternal city which God has prepared for those who love Him. There is also a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is the one I want to serve until I enter the eternal city.
We All Need Mercy
A couple of months ago I received a text from a friend in Texas who was in a financial crisis. He had previously told me that he had personally guaranteed a real estate loan on a commercial project that ran into major trouble. Now he was in danger of losing everything he owned, including his family home. He closed the text by saying, “I need mercy.”
My friend could have blamed his crisis on a partner who mismanaged the project. He could have fallen into self-pity or tried to hide from the lender. Instead, he was facing the truth and asking for mercy.
When I read his text, I thought about the blind man calling out to Jesus, “Lord, have mercy on me.” I didn’t know how the details would work out, but I told him I believed he would receive mercy from the Lord.
Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy rather than sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13). Jesus is saying that God’s priority for us is not how much we sacrifice for him, but the mercy we show to others. We all need mercy at times, but none of us deserve it. When we show mercy, we are not giving people what they deserve, but grace and help they never earned.
Years ago, Kristina and I were treated to a theatrical production of Les Misérables. In an opening scene, Jean Valjean, a hungry ex-convict, steals silver from a bishop’s house. He gets caught and brought to the bishop by a cruel policeman. The bishop recognizes Jean Valjean would face life in prison, so instead of pressing charges, he tells the policeman Jean had permission to take the silver. He then gives him his silver candlesticks as well.
The power of this merciful act helps transform Jean Valjean into a man full of grace and mercy who dedicates his life to helping others. It is a fulfillment of James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
I was in a golf match in January with Dan, who played for twelve years in the NFL. Dan is bigger, stronger and younger than I am, and he plays a lot of golf. However, on this day, I was playing well and leading by one as we arrived at the 18thhole.
Dan teed off with a big swing and hit a screaming line drive into a pond 100 yards in front of the tee box. I didn’t want to cheer, but as my friend John Leggat says, “Every shot makes somebody happy.”
Dan teed up another ball and hit it onto the fairway. When we arrived at his second ball, I said, “Dan would you like some mercy?”
“What do you mean, ‘mercy?’” he asked.
“Mercy means we can say your first shot never happened.”
“No way. I can still win this hole. I have seen stranger things happen.”
“Ok, but I wanted to give you an opportunity for mercy. If you say you don’t need mercy, I may use this as a sermon illustration….”
Dan declined my offer. He lost the hole and the match.
The next time I played was with Kyle. He had asked to play golf with me for my birthday. Kyle has developmental challenges. He used to get picked on by other students when I saw him in the stands at high school football games. I agreed to our game because I was impressed by Kyle’s boldness.
Kyle doesn’t look like an athlete. He plays golf cross-handed, but he has gotten pretty good over the years. We were having a tight match when he hit a ball into deep rough sixty yards from the green. After we looked for awhile and couldn’t find his ball I asked him, “Kyle, would you like mercy? We can say we found your ball right here.”
“Yes!” he replied without hesitation. He dropped another ball in a good spot, took a swing and hit his shot onto the green two feet from the flag. He made the putt for a par and went on to win our match by two strokes.
Those who compete with me would probably say mercy is not one of my primary characteristics. However, I’m learning that long after the fleeting joy of winning, or the sting of defeat fades, the glow of mercy can still warm my heart…and I do value a good illustration.
I like to compete because sports motivate me to stay in shape and provide a break from the intensity of ministry. We can learn the value of good coaching, perseverance, team work and humility from sports, but many things in life are far more important than competition.
For years I have prayed for our government leaders to receive wisdom and guidance from God. Now as I pray about our current national challenges and the upcoming election, my prayers often include “Lord, have mercy on our nation.”
My friend in Texas who was on the precipice of losing everything didn’t run and hide. He called out to God and faced his creditors with honesty and humility. At the last minute, through amazing circumstances, he was given a new loan which made his upside down project work. The Lord showed him mercy.
Our own sin deceives us, so it’s hard to grasp how much mercy we have received from the Lord. When we get a glimpse of God’s glory and see how short we fall, the experience is not meant to condemn us, but to soften our hearts. It is spiritually healthy to show mercy to others, but if we judge them, we are negating the power that can transform people.
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:8). The Lord Jesus is ready to give each of us the mercy and grace we need to overcome challenges and prosper in life. The wise and humble receive it thankfully and share it generously.
Growing in Light
I recently read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk. Musk has a vision to start a colony on Mars. He started Space X in order to make reusable rockets and a profitable company that will one day fund human travel to Mars. He started Tesla in order to develop alternative transportation that will be less harmful to our planet. He started Nuralink, which recently planted a chip into a patient’s brain that may one day help paralyzed people move through thought process. He started xAI because he is concerned about the lack of values driving AI companies. He also owns the Boring Company, and he bought Twitter, now X, where he engages with his 164,000,000 followers.
Elon’s brilliance in innovating manufacturing processes and developing profitable companies has made him the richest man in the world; yet, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? His first son died in infancy, he now has ten children with his ex-wives and girlfriends, many born through surrogacy. He is way overextended, and according to Isaacson, he occasionally goes into “demon mode.”
Elon needs the Lord and he could use a good pastor; however, I’m not writing this to judge him. Even running one of those companies while having ten children is enough to drive most people crazy. He is motivated by big visions, works hard to develop his gifts, and is not afraid to take risks to accomplish his goals. Elon demonstrates the potential people have because we are made in the image of God, whether we acknowledge Him or not.
Are people born great innovators, athletes, scientists or musicians, or do they become great through hard work and access to resources? Are people born with great minds, or do our minds develop as we apply ourselves through study and learning? I believe it takes both a God-given aptitude and a lot of hard work to become great in anything. We all have gifts from God that give us great potential, but we must develop those gifts.
Those who follow Jesus have a great advantage because we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we study the Word of God and put it into practice. “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Though our physical stature eventually diminishes, it is possible to grow in wisdom, favor, and understanding all our lives.
“In Jesus is life, and his life is the light of men” (John 1:4). All people are given life by the Lord. The more we grow in Christ, the more light he gives us. The biggest need people have is not better technology, energy sources or rocket ships. Our biggest need is more light from God.
You don’t have to start multiple companies or have millions of social media followers to have a big impact with your life. It’s better to be fruitful than famous. As we follow Jesus we are helping establish God’s Kingdom on earth where people can experience transforming grace and eternal life.
As we age, we decline in physical strength and often in cognitive abilities. However, more than aging, what robs people of their potential is when they stop using their gifts, chose comfort over obedience to God and engage in unconfessed sin. All sin causes our relationship with the Lord to diminish and our light to dim. (Luke 11:34-35). If the light within us is dark, we no longer see clearly and we stumble through life, making mistakes that destroy the fruitfulness of our lives.
It takes discipline to resist temptation and pursue a relationship with God. As we seek and serve the Lord, His life flourishes in us and the light we have becomes brighter. So, seek the Lord my friend and let your light shine. His glory will be your reward.
Greater Than Good Character
My friend Bill Saleme sent me a baseball cap emblazoned with a message:
PASTOR WARNING
Anything you say or do could be used in a sermon
The following story illustrates the truth on the cap.
I unloaded the golf bag and push cart from my trunk and walked towards the Biltmore Estates golf course on a recent afternoon. As I approached the first tee I saw a guy pushing his golf bag onto the tee box. I recognized him because he usually plays with two friends who attend Living Streams. I introduced myself and asked if he wanted to play with me. That is how I got to know Jack.
We agreed to have a competitive match, which I hoped to win. On the first tee, I hit a nice drive a couple of hundred yards down the middle of the fairway. Jack’s drive was thirty yards past mine. He outdrove me on the next two holes and hit high arching approach shots onto the greens. Jack swings a golf club with a fluid rotation of his shoulders and hips, coordinated to produce maximum swing speed which generates power.
As we walked the course, we talked about our churches, golf and his family. I learned he had started playing at the age of ten and often plays in tournaments. Our match was close because he missed some putts, so we were tied after the front nine.
Jack stopped twice to give me tips on getting out of sand bunkers. He also rooted for my fairway shots to go towards the hole. Only very secure competitors and those who love one another cheer for their opponents to do well.
On the back nine, Jack parred six holes in a row to take the lead before it got too dark to play anymore. I shook his hand and offered to give him a ride home. He declined, stating that his mother might not approve since she didn’t know me. Jack is 12 years old.
So, with all the problems in the world why would I write about getting beat in golf by a twelve year-old? I’m not trying to promote the next golf superstar. I was impressed by Jack’s abilities and by his character.
He was mature and respectful. He was helpful in his instruction and encouraging when I hit a good shot. He is dedicated to his development. He likes to listen to the Bible teacher at his Christian school. He didn’t brag about his good shots or swear when he hit a bad shot. Only once did he upset me when he said, “You really need to make this putt”, just before I choked and three-putted a green at a critical point in our match. I reminded myself, He is 12 years old and speaking the truth. I needed to make that putt!
People like to say that the coming generation doesn’t like to work, spends all their time on their phones, doesn’t respect their elders, yada yada yada. Not all of them are like that. Generation Alpha has some kids with good character and I wanted to introduce you to one of them.
I believe character really matters, whether you are a policeman, pastor or politician. Honesty, competence and faithfulness build relationships which bless others. Faithfulness to your family is critical, but even evil people can love their own family. If we are the richest, most powerful nation on earth, yet we don’t have compassion, kindness and generosity, we lose our souls and there is nothing great about us.
Jesus spent three years preparing his disciples so they would prioritize the love of God and their neighbors over money, positions and possessions. Jesus also made an incredible statement about the potential of believers. “Truly I tell you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11)
Jesus said John was the greatest man ever born. John was greater than Abraham, Moses, Daniel or Isaiah. He was greater than Alexander, Caesar, or Aristotle. John lived to fulfill God’s purpose and resisted the temptations of the world. People walked miles into the desert to listen to him preach. After hearing him, they confessed their sins and got baptized in the Jordon river. John was the prophet who prepared them to receive Christ.
Nobody had better character than John, yet Jesus said, “He who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus is talking about those who would follow him, keep his commands and become filled with the Holy Spirit. He is talking about the incredible potential we have as his disciples.
Good character is critical, but character has limits. Nobody enters the Kingdom of God because of good character. People need God’s grace and power. They need to realize Jesus Christ died for their sins, he rose from the dead and will be coming again to judge the living and the dead.
We who are the least in the Kingdom of heaven have more potential to transform people’s lives than John the Baptist. When we knit our lives together in the body of Christ, we form a holy temple that God inhabits on earth. It is a mystery, but flaws and all, the glory of God shines through us when we are filled with the Spirit and part of the church Jesus is building.
As it says in Colossians 1:27-28, The mystery that has been hidden from past generations has now been made known to his saints, to whom God willed to reveal the wealth of this mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Let’s let others know that they too can have eternal life in Christ.
Why I am Thankful
On a sunny Spring morning during the first COVID outbreak, I sat in our backyard marveling at the abundance of life in front of me. I watched hummingbirds flit around the feeders Kristina had hung from our porch rafters. A pair of mallards were drifting through our swimming pool. Dove and quail pecked at tiny seeds embedded around our plants. Butterflies pranced atop green bushes and bees hummed as they bounced atop yellow and purple flowers in our garden.
These beautiful little beings were living without concerns about COVID, wars, economic conditions or politics. They were giving me a fresh perspective. Sometimes we get robbed of the blessing right in front of us because we are too concerned about issues beyond our control.
It’s challenging to keep abreast of world affairs and enjoy life at the same time. I try to stay aware of current events so I can pray effectively and use my influence wisely. The solution is not avoiding the news or claiming that God is sovereign, therefore he is going to do whatever he wants without our participation. The prayers of Elijah stopped the rain for three years to bring Israel to repentance. “The prayers of a righteous person have great power.” James 5:16.
I pray with intensity about my concerns, but there is a truth from Hebrews 1 that helps me relax. Jesus “loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God anointed him with joy above his companions.” Jesus knew better than anyone the evils that were corrupting mankind, yet he wasn’t depressed or anxious. He proclaimed the kingdom of God with power, drove out demons and healed the sick. At the same time, God blessed him with joy as he lived on earth.
After I finish my morning Bible study, I usually read the Arizona Republic and the Wall Street Journal while I eat breakfast. One recent morning, the papers had stories about Ukraine, Israel, AI dangers and iPhone thieves. I stopped reading and began to pray. I felt the Holy Spirit lift my heart with grace. I was immediately strengthened and encouraged. I felt like shouting to the world, “You don’t have to fight with each other! Jesus is alive and God can hear your prayers!”
Ever since the Lord began to reveal himself to me, I have tried to tell people that Jesus is alive. I’ve proclaimed the resurrection to hitchhikers, on airplanes, on radio and TV programs and through thousands of sermons and Bible studies. I’ve invited strangers into my home and shared the gospel in parks, on street corners and door to door. Some of these approaches have been more successful than others.
Our encounters with the Holy Spirit are confirmation of the message of Jesus. He promised the disciples would receive the Spirit when he went to the Father (John 14). He also said we would be better off when the Holy Spirit came to us (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit comes to refresh and empower us to share the gospel and to confirm our hearts have been cleansed of sin by the blood of Christ.
I can get obsessed with political battles, wars and economics because I want people to live in peace and stability. I also can get disturbed when people I love are getting divorced, using drugs or making bad decisions. I remind myself their trials will continue as long as they refuse to love God and obey his word. If I care more about the outcome of their trials than they do, it can make me crazy.
As our next political season ramps up in intensity, I’m going to try my best to walk in the Spirit of Christ. I want to discuss the issues with wisdom and grace, especially when I disagree with people. I know many people whose lives have been transformed by the love of Jesus, but I know few people whose minds have been changed by my arguments. Looking back, I also realize many things I once worried about never came to pass.
As I write this year-end Reflections, I have a thankful heart and want to praise God for these blessings:
I’m thankful for the many people who generously support our ministry.
I’m thankful for the leaders who keep Living Streams Church healthy.
I’m thankful for the unity of pastors throughout Arizona.
I’m thankful Kristina and I can share this season of life together.
I’m thankful I have many opportunities to preach and teach God’s word.
I’m thankful for my friends who bring joy to my heart.
I’m thankful for my health so I can work out, hike, fish and play golf.
I’m thankful for the freedom and abundance we have in America.
I’m thankful for our three children and four grandchildren.
I’m thankful to be able to send my Reflections and for you who enjoy them.
Merry Christmas, and God bless you with peace and joy.
Divine Dilemmas
Dilemma: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones.
A dilemma is what it means to be between a rock and a hard place. There are dilemmas being played out in the international arena right now that have captured the attention of the world.
Pope Francis is facing dilemmas as he seeks to lead the Catholic Church into relevant righteousness. He knows Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. He wants the church to be welcoming and loving to whosoever comes; yet, he cannot be true to Christ if he blesses people in their sin.
People who follow Jesus must change their behavior from self-serving, to God-honoring. This happens when they receive grace from Christ and experience transformation from the inside out. If the church blesses people in their sin, it is no longer preaching the gospel of salvation through the blood Christ. How to love the sinner and hate the sin is often a dilemma for believers.
Israel has been trying to remove Hamas from Gaza since October 7, when Hamas attacked and killed over 1,000 Israelis. Hamas continues to hold hostages and fire rockets into Israel. Israel wants to destroy Hamas and rescue the hostages without killing civilians or the hostages. Since Hamas hides among the civilian population, Israel has a dilemma.
The longer it takes Israel to finish their operation in Gaza, the more pressure they get from nations around the world to stop the war. If they move too quickly, their soldiers are left vulnerable to Hamas’ traps and it is harder to rescue the hostages alive. This seems like a no-win situation for Israel.
Occasionally, we all are in situations in which we are in over our heads. We don’t have the resources to fix some problems which concern us the most. The more we care about the trials we face, the more agonizing they can be. The solution to our dilemmas is not to withdraw and care less about people. God allows our dilemmas so we will call on Him for wisdom and be transformed in the process.
The births of our children were each traumatic. Kristina was in labor with Matthew for over fifty hours after her water broke. Philip was born blue in a home birth and needed his lungs immediately suctioned out. Kelly was born at a friend’s house after we had to pull the car over on our way to the hospital. Kathryn’s umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck three times and her heart was decelerating.
We had to make decisions with life and death implications in each of these situations. The Holy Spirit guided us through these trials. The long term benefit for me was an increased confidence that I can depend on the guidance of the Spirit in times of crisis and good times as well.
I came to a simple conclusion: If God guides us when we call on him in times of crisis, then how much more can he give us wisdom and understanding if we seek him when we are not distracted by crisis. This insight continues to motivate me to seek the Lord.
I often counsel pastors and leaders who are facing dilemmas. They are squeezed by their love for their family member or church member on one hand, and their frustration over an intractable situation on the other hand. They desire to stay faithful to the Lord, so they resist anger and seek wisdom from God.
Many of our major trials are spiritual wars which we cannot control. To those in midst of these circumstances, I stress three fundamental truths. First, when you are in a spiritual war, everything you say and do, can and will be used against you. Therefore, do not say or do anything unless you are prepared for everyone involved in the conflict to know about it.
Second, though we don’t know the ultimate outcome of our trials, we do know God will ultimately work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Therefore, trust the Lord and stay close to him. Don’t compromise your faith by trying to comfort yourself in the midst of your pain in a way that will be harmful to your soul, or you will miss the blessing the Lord wants to give to you through your trials.
Finally, since you will be making decisions in this situation that have implications you can’t reverse, you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit in your decision making. The Lord promises the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). As you learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow his lead in your trial, the redemptive aspect will be an increased ability for you to recognize and receive guidance from the Spirit for the rest of your life.
Your destiny will be shaped by how you respond to the dilemmas of life. The hotter the fire of your trials, the more blessing you will receive as God reveals himself and his purposes to you. The revealer of mysteries is your Father in Heaven. He loves you and is for you, now and forever.
Health and Happiness
Malcolm Gladwell has written several excellent books. One of my favorites is Outliers, in which Gladwell describes a close knit community of Italian-Americans who lived in Roseto, Pennsylvania. This community was studied by Dr Stewart Wolf and sociologist John Bruhn in the 1960’s because they had much lower incidences of heart disease, cancer, suicide, and other maladies than the general public.
The study wanted to determine whether the health benefits in the community were caused by diet, exercise or environment. After extensive research, they concluded that it was not red wine, olive oil, or the mountain air of Roseto that gave the community great health outcomes. The fact that they lived close together and cared for each other deeply were the reasons they were living healthier and happier lives.
In January the Wall Street Journal published an article called, “The Lifelong Power of Close Relationships.” The article reported on the findings of a Harvard study which has been tracking an original group of 724 men and women and 1300 of their descendants for the last 85 years.
Three generations of those in the study have been asked thousands of questions and been measured in hundreds of ways to determine what really makes people healthy and happy. They have discovered one crucial factor that links physical health, mental health and longevity. Surprisingly, it is not their careers, exercise or healthy diets that bring the biggest benefits to people, though those disciplines matter. The study clearly shows what matters more than anything else is close relationships.
Here is a quote from the article. In fact, close personal connections are significant enough that if we had to take all 85 years of the Harvard Study and boil it down to a single principle for living, one life investment that is supported by similar findings across a variety of other studies, it would be this: Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period.
We all want to live happy and healthy lives so we try many different things. Most people prioritize making money so they can be free to pursue the pleasures of life. We assume that wealth will give us the freedom to live where we want to live and do what we want to do every day. A strong desire for wealth assumes fulfillment comes from financial freedom. If that were the case, then the wealthiest people would be the happiest people on earth. Neither studies, nor personal experience bears that out. Wealthy people are as prone to addiction, depression, divorce and suicide as anyone else.
Jesus emphasized the Kingdom of God rather than wealth. Our relationship with God is what makes us secure and gives us peace. Peace and security are vital to the foundation of a fulfilled life. He said, “Blessed are the poor, because theirs is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). Often times the poor can see God’s faithfulness in providing for them. This gives them the blessing of feeling loved and cared for by the Creator himself. If you were broke in the past, you probably felt more loved when God provided for you than you feel today when you look at your bank balance.
In our affluent society, many people are preoccupied with health foods. Jesus cared a lot about health and healed people wherever he went. Yet, he deemphasized the Old Testament focus on diet when he said in Mathew 15:11, “It is not what goes into someone’s mouth that defiles them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Proverbs 17:1 says Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
Long before the Harvard Study began, Jesus Christ came to bring God’s kingdom to earth. He knew what people needed to experience health and happiness. He commanded us to love one another, serve one another, give to one another and forgive each other. These are the foundation stones for close relationships.
I have the privilege to travel and speak at many churches each year. It is not the biggest churches where the Holy Spirit always moves most powerfully. The Spirit brings God’s blessed presence when believers love one another, live holy lives and worship with sincere hearts.
I don’t spend time or money to try to promote my ministry. This is not because I don’t want to have a big impact for Jesus. I want to reach as many people as possible with the good news of God’s grace in Christ. I simply believe that the best way to impact people for the Lord is to deeply love the people who are already in my life.
I’m happy when I make new friends and my sphere of influence widens. However, the example and teachings of Jesus show us that crowds are not our goal, expanding God’s kingdom is our goal. We do this most effectively by sharing our faith in Jesus and loving one another.
Jesus did not wait for people to come to him. He reached out and initiated relationships. He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) We too need to constantly reach out to others. If you wait for people to call you and invite you into their lives, you will probably be disappointed by the results.
If Christ is in you, you have the power and ability to bless people. You either reach out with your love, or you waste your gifts. I email, text, send letters, write newsletters, make phone calls, and pray for the people I love. If the Lord gives me a word of encouragement or scripture for someone, I try to share it with them.
There are times when my calls and messages are not returned. One friend told me recently, “I saw that you were calling, but I didn’t want to talk to you.” I don’t like rejection, but my network of relationships is my field of ministry. I want to water and cultivate this field so that the people I love are blessed. If they don’t want my input that is their choice, however, I try to encourage my friends any way I can.
Our Father in Heaven loves us and from time to time he shows us that love in special ways. If we are doing our Father’s work, we too are loving his people. Jesus brought us a New Covenant. The New Covenant is a deep commitment from him to love us. In response we make a covenant to love him and to love one another for life.
Entering into covenant love with our Father in Heaven and one another brings more health and happiness than anything else.
Every Day is a Gift
Kristina and I celebrated Mother’s Day this year at Talon Lodge, Kristina’s favorite place on earth. Talon is an eight-acre island two miles off the shore of Sitka, Alaska. The lodge and guest houses overlook a rugged beach and nearby islands. They sit among tall spruce trees, where bald eagles perch as they watch for careless fish to rise in the surrounding waters.
Our friends Phil and Gwen Younger own Talon. Each May they bring a team of men and women to Sitka to prepare for their paying guests who will be arriving for the summer fishing season. We joined twenty people who landscaped, stained and cleaned for two days before we fished for two days.
We bonded with men from across the country as we worked to restore the grounds from the ravages of winter. We cleared trails, pulled weeds, pruned bushes, and planted strawberries, so the natural beauty of Talon sparkled.
As I was praying the morning of our first day of fishing, I had the distinct sense that it was going to be a special day. After breakfast, we got bundled up in rain gear and headed out to the fishing boats. There were six of us on each boat, along with a captain and deck hand.
We took a twenty minute ride in a boat powered by two huge outboard engines, passing humpback whales which were spouting and diving to feed on the abundant bait in the cool waters. When we reached the designated spot, our captain dropped anchor and told us to start fishing.
I cast my weighed anchovy bait, which dropped steadily to the gravel bed 120 feet below. When the bait touched the bottom, I began to reel it back up at a steady pace. Within seconds, I felt a tug on my line and the rod tip dipped towards the ocean. I pulled the rod up and it bent and shook as the strength of a big fish fought against my line.
My heart beat faster as I battled the fish. I didn’t want it to break off and escape. The fish came towards the surface for a while and then plunged deeper into the sea, taking out my line with its power. I reeled until my arm ached. Eventually, as it tired, the king salmon broke the surface of the sea.
As I pulled it towards the boat, the deck hand reached over the rail with a long handled net and scooped it into the nylon. He hoisted the flopping salmon up and onto the deck as my boatmates congratulated me.
I have caught a lot of king and coho salmon over the years, but it’s rare to catch one on the first cast of the day. I assumed the others would want to know my casting and reeling technique, but they showed no interest. I thought I would be catching many more that day, but I didn’t. I caught halibut and sea bass, but no more salmon.
As I thought about the sense God had given me of a special day, my perspective changed from the number of my fish to the experience itself. I was given a great fish, but it was a gift that had nothing to do with my skill or expertise. I had to put my line in the water, but the results after that were beyond my control. The same is true of ministry success. We have to speak the word and love people, but good results come by God’s grace.
On our second day of fishing, our captain took us beyond the shelter of the local islands into the open ocean. We were after the abundant halibut who thrive on the ocean floor. I was scared as we rode straight into giant waves that towered over our boat, spraying us with cold saltwater. I had been told there was nothing to fear, yet my heart was unsettled.
Once we dropped anchor and let down our lines, the fish started biting. I celebrated with my friend Brien as he shouted with joy after landing a 49-inch halibut.
After two hours, we had 12 halibut aboard and we headed back to calm waters.
I was mesmerized when a pod of orcas passed by our boat. These killer whales glided boldly through our fishing grounds, like bandits riding horses through the middle of town, daring the sheriff to stop them.
I thank God that Kristina had the strength to work and fish vigorously. As she approaches her 70th birthday, her new heart is going strong and her spirit is as healthy and feisty as ever.
“You are in the fourth quarter of life,” a friend said to me recently.
His statement did not make me happy, even though it’s true. Most of the time I don’t feel very old. Along with preaching, leading groups and mentoring leaders, I still hike, work out, and play golf, though I’m not as strong as I was years ago.
The meaning of life is not found in how much we own, the power we possess or the length of our lives. It is a gift from God when we are fruitful and can enjoy the simple pleasures of life. If we are thankful each day and connect with the Lord, then Psalm 16:11 can be fulfilled: “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Jesus did all his public ministry in three years. It’s amazing what he accomplished in such a short time. He was focused on revealing our Heavenly Father. He taught his disciples about God’s kingdom and became a sacrifice for our sins.
Tragically, two weeks after we returned to Phoenix, a similar boat from a different lodge in Sitka flipped in the waters where we had been fishing. Everyone on board drowned.
None of us knows how much time we have left to live. If we obey Jesus’ commands and love others deeply, we will have eternal life and be ready when our time on earth is up. We probably won’t attract big crowds or become famous; but we can lived fruitful lives, filled with grace and joy. This too is a gift from God.
Where are You Lord?
I was in California recently to meet with pastors, get together with my brothers and sisters, attend a memorial service on Saturday and preach on Sunday. A month earlier, I had a similar schedule, including a family meeting, a pastor’s meeting, a memorial service and preaching at another church.
Normally I look forward to this kind of trip, because I get to connect with many people I love. This trip was different. We had had nine people at our house for several days for Easter and a “Festivus”. Our Festivus was a time for “airing of grievances”. We had several issues that needed to be cleared up, so we scheduled our Festivus when our family came to visit for Easter.
Those days were both wonderful and emotional, but by the time I got to California, I was depleted. We had a good pastor’s meeting on Friday, but on Saturday morning, I was dressed and ready for a three hour drive to the memorial service, but I felt sick. I prayed and asked the Lord, “Should I go to this memorial service or not?”
The service was for Levi Fenn, the twenty-three year old son of Marty and Nanette Fenn. Marty had moved to Phoenix in 1985 to help us establish Living Streams. He worked with us for nine months at his own expense. Marty, Mark Dugan and Keith Kostlan established a discipleship house that was a fruitful ministry for many people for years.
I knew Marty’s heart was broken. I wanted to be there for him. Yet, when I prayed, I got no answer from the Lord.
This concerned me because I had just been studying I Samuel 14. In this Old Testament chapter, the priest asks the Lord if the Israelites should pursue the Philistines who were fleeing a battle in defeat. When the Lord didn’t answer their prayer, King Saul realized the problem was someone’s sin. King Saul had lots cast and the sin was revealed.
I prayed again, wondering, “Lord, why aren’t you answering me?”
I received an unexpected response, “I already answered you.”
I thought back to a conversation the day before. When I had started to feel sick, I called Kristina in Phoenix. I knew she would understand my dilemma. I told her how I felt and how much I wanted to go to the memorial service. Her reply was clear, “Don’t go to the memorial service. You need to rest.”
Kristina is filled with the Holy Spirit and she loves me. Yet it is still hard to have the Lord speak through her when her counsel challenges what I want to do.
Sometimes when I don’t get the answer I’m hoping for, I keep pushing and probing to get what I want. On this occasion, I wasn’t happy about the decision, but I surrendered.
I then remembered the memorial service was going to be livestreamed from the church. I started scrolling through my Facebook Messenger account to find the livestream information which had been sent to me. As I looked through my old messages, I came across one from Courtney, which had been sent to me six weeks earlier. I rarely use my Messenger account and had missed it when it arrived.
I’ll summarize Courtney’s message. “This is awkward, but I’ve been looking for my dad’s family. I recently found out that he was born a Buckley in Marin County in 1963 and then put up for adoption. I was looking through Facebook for Buckleys in Marin and came across your picture. You look a lot like my dad, so I thought I would reach out to you.”
I immediately responded to Courtney and sent her my phone number. We talked on the phone when she responded. She told me that her dad had been trying to find his natural family for years, but he had been thwarted by deception. He had been told his adoptive family had no information about his birth family.
I knew I had a brother born in 1963 who I had never met. As we talked, pieces of our family jigsaw puzzle started to fall into place for both of us.
I don’t know if I would have ever connected with Courtney if I had not been looking for the livestream connection. When I had not responded to her message for over a month, she assumed I didn’t want anything to do with her or her dad. I hope to tell you the next chapter of this story in a coming Reflections.
That afternoon, I watched the memorial service for Levi livestreamed from Grace Community Church in Auburn. It was powerful to listen as Marty and Nanette and their children talked about the son and brother they loved with all their hearts. They had prayed for him and played with him all his life.
They told the truth about Levi’s love for God and his struggle to stay free from a highly addictive drug. Levi had not wanted to die, he only wanted to get high. One extra drop of fentanyl is all it takes to snuff out a life, whether someone loves God or not.
I John 5:6 says, “The Spirit is the truth.” If we want the Spirit to move in our lives, in our churches, and in our nation, we must tell the truth, regardless of the cost. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. The Word of God is truth. Jesus is the truth and we too must be people of truth.
Deception comes to us from foreign adversaries because they want to divide us. Deception comes from Hollywood because it makes sin seem exciting. Deception enters politics because people crave power. Deception negatively effects medical care, business and relationships. Satan is the father of lies. When we lie, we allow Satan to work through us. The penalty for deceiving others is that we reap what we sow and get deceived ourselves.
Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan. Even though this is a painful journey for all of us at times, if you follow Jesus with all your heart, you too will overcome the evil one and reign with Christ.
May the Spirit of truth set you free from all deception and empower you to love others effectively.