For The Hell of It!

How would you go about describing what the color blue looks like to a sightless person? Someone who has been blind from birth and has never seen light or the visible color spectrum would be unable to understand what blue was. If you were incredibly clever you might get a pan from the kitchen fill it with ice and water and then put the blind person's hand into the cold mixture. This might convey certain aspects of things that might be blue in color but it would not be the complete visual package. Bottom line, you still wont know what the color blue looks like.

We actually live in a universe where we can interpret four dimensions. Let's start by saying we exist as one point in infinite space. Now let's add another point to our universe and now we arrive at our first dimension which is "length". One more point added to the mix and suddenly we have our second dimension which is "width". Our last spacial dimension is "height" which gives us our X,Y and Z axis or our three dimensional universe. The last known dimension is "time". What really is time?

To have "time" in our universe we need to have matter and it needs to be set into motion. If objects are not moving then there is nothing to measure because you have to have time in order to travel distance. If we stood perfectly still somewhere in space and  nothing was in motion we would not feel the passage of time. Also without motion we would not have light waves or light particles so wondering what the color blue looked like would be a mute issue. It really would be a mute because we would not have sound waves either.

Now let's think back to being blind or sightless and wanting to discover the truth about the color blue. What story would you attempt to tell someone to describe the color blue? What props could you use to convey the color blue? Just think about this dilemma.How to pass information from one known dimension to another unknown dimension? This is what I  refer to as an extra-dimensional information transmission dilemma.

Do you believe in a literal place the bible calls Hades, Gehenna or Hell?  Jesus did and he spent allot of time warning us about the dangers of ending up there. Sounds like a real place to me. Although where it is and what it really is seems a little bit like describing the color blue to a sightless person. Some of the biblical descriptions of hell  include- A place where the worm never dies. The lake of fire. A lake burning with fire and brimstone. A place of wailing and gnashing of teeth. That last one bugs me a bit because I grind my teeth while sleeping.

Another couple of questions we need to ponder; Why did the new testament writers appear to have borrowed  the concept of Hades and Tartarus, two levels of punishment in Greek mythology, and imported them into their writings? We also have the concepts of Abraham's Bosom and Sheol to grapple with. In addition, in the book of Job, we find some clues to what early civilizations that were located in the fertile crescent might have believed about an after life.

We are given a word picture of an extra dimensional reality that we can not yet comprehend because I believe it literally does not exist in this universe. Before you grab that last sound bite, in an attempt to tie me to the burning  stake of heresy, consider this- Jesus was warning us of a situation so terrible, so wicked that the only reference point He had here on earth was the Jerusalem trash dump located in the valley of Hinnom (Gehenna). This place not only smelled bad, it was always burning with smoke and flame that continually filled  the sky. This horrible stench would probably drift into the city and remind people of the dump and all the discarded trash as the wind blew it into town. In older times child sacrifice to Molech also took place in this area outside the walls of Jerusalem. Just the casual mention of the name Gehenna in Jesus' day would have brought to mind some really wicked, horrible and detestable activities.

Do we have freewill to make choices during the day, week, month, year and through out our lives? Can you imagine for a second how much God respects you and loves you ?  He loves you so much He wont violate your freewill choices. Now suppose God designed "a way" for all humanity to exist with Him after death in another dimension. And what if you were foolish enough not to choose to be in God's presence? What word picture, from here on earth, would come close to describing such an awesome place? Think about the blind person's hand in the ice water in an attempt to describe the color blue. How would you describe a place void of God? A place lacking God's love, His light, His warmth and His fellowship. No wonder Jesus was warning us not to choose that place.

As part of the body or the bride of Christ we are not to divide over this issue. It actually is not a salvation issue. Our eternal destination is in eternity with God. We are to choose Jesus now, be like Jesus now, abide in Jesus now and hell will literally not exist for us in eternity. Show people around you, in your life how much you care for them. As you build relationships, the Holy Spirit, will give you not only an opportunity but the words to draw souls to Him. Let us not beat people over the head with hell but rather show them God's love for us. The gospel is well defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. So we don't have to invent any clever devices or add anything to what God has already given to the whole world. Freedom from the curse of sin, death and all the baggage that we seem so thrilled to drag with us! God's Son Jesus, is "The Way" seek Him and you will find Him!

Sounding Brass and Clanging Cymbols

Sounding brass and clanging cymbals- what a chaotic sound mix that brings to my mind! It reminds me of many voices talking at once, no, actually screaming at once  in different languages at ultra high volume levels. It becomes a  myriad of random noise that  grinds, scrapes, and finally disrupts the natural beauty of my own inner peace and quiet. It's kind of  like extra long human finger nails being pulled or dragged across a blackboard. Do they still use blackboards?

In symphonic music,  there are times when it  is purposeful to write  chaos  into the musical score to achieve a certain  dramatic effect. The noise can create tension or a specific mood before a contrast of softer notes are carefully spilled out into the orchestration. This technique tends to keep me interested in the performance as I eagerly await a crescendo or interlude. Contrast through high notes and low notes coupled through counter point is both stimulating and interesting to the score. It can penetrate my mind, even to the depths of my soul. But how does chaos relate to the concept of love and of loving others? Paul penned those mighty words which are often  hurried over and just plain over used at  wedding ceremonies. Its kinda funny but when we glibly use these verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 we are actually becoming sounding brass and clanging cymbals.

Last week, in an act of desperation, I emailed a complete stranger, who happens to be a successful author, in an attempt to find my way out of the pit I have been living in for some time. Let me insist that my spiritual darkness was very dark indeed. If your interested as to the depth of the pit I found myself sprawled out in and have the time  you will need to start at the beginning of my blog in 2010 and read your way forward to today. I really didn't expect to get an answer from this man at all. I was broken, desperate and wondered if I was even repairable. I was at the end of my spiritual rope. The very next morning there was a reply in my inbox. It was like a faint 2 bulb LED flashlight had just been switched on. I could feel a sparkle of hope rise from my toes upward through my chest coming to rest in my heart. It was refreshing.

As I opened the email  there in black and white was my  reply and what turned out to be a possible way out of  my spiritual isolation . The words read " Dean, today would be a good day to call me..." and then a cell number. The last words of that email I will treasure forever..."Praying for you". I believe my heart leaped or skipped a beat or something. From the area code it looked like an east coast number so I waited till it was lunch time on the east coast and nervously made the call.

The voice on the other end of my connection had a kind and soft, warm and caring quality to it. I did not feel I was about to get the Spanish Inquisition but rather the voice seemed familiar and reassuring to me the way I would imagine Jesus to sound if He used an I Phone. A connection had been made as the voice listened to me and then assured me I was not alone in my predicament. Although on the day before that was the exact feeling that had overwhelmed me, a feeling that I was truly  alone. I thank God that this man had the time, no, that he took the time, trusted God to make a connection with a complete desperate stranger.

This is exactly what love looks like. Its not chaotic but rather it is perfect and will last forever in eternity. Love is a way of life. Its the way we choose to treat others around us. It's the fuel that powers our journey that we take every waking moment of our lives. Relationships take time and effort, they will cost you something in the here and now. Relationships can only happen when one or more people are present and engaged in each other or involved. Its the reason we were created in the first place. God desires a relationship with us. Remember the words of Jesus "When two or more are gathered together in my name, I am in your midst".

Hit the pause button a sec. I cant hardly believe what just happened. My telephone just rang as I was finishing writing those last few lines in the above paragraph. The voice on the other end  was from a woman I know from the last church I was a pastor at. She asked me if I had the time to meet with and council her and her boyfriend who were on the last leg of thier five and a half year relationship. Read the last line of the above paragraph again. How crazy is that? Just  look at the timing, completely unreal to me. God is so much bigger then I can imagine.  I tend to want to drop Him up into a gift wrapped box, and set on my organized, dusty  shelf. Why do I do that? God you are so good!

I said I would meet them tomorrow at a local Starbucks. What a perfect bow to tie on this blog today. God has spoken and made the point for me. It's all about Jesus, showing others Jesus and all the relationships that germanate and grow through  His unbelievable love and timing.

Christmas

It's almost Christmas time once again. What a wonderful season of colored lights, old friends and plenty of Christmas cheer to go around. You can feel the electricity in the air as all the decorations come back out of hibernation and take front seat once again in our homes. Home Depot is busy selling trees and other merchandise for stocking stuffers. Kids get a long awaited vacation from school and regular homework. And the best part of Christmas is we get to focus on the greatest gift of all... the birth of Jesus.

I know I have been hammering the over-organized church for the past couple of years so I promise to back off a bit in the coming new year. Actually I have been thinking of teaching through the New Testament  starting with the book of Matthew.  I'll be taking a chapter or two each week and exploring it with all of you in a down to earth what was really going on kind of way.. I know in my heart we, as the church of God, can do much better then we are doing right now. And with Christmas right around the corner now is the time for all of us to shine like the star that once shone over the new born King in Bethlehem. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all men.

What are some simple ways to bless others while out Christmas shopping? Maybe do something spontaneous like buy a McDonald's meal for someone who looks like they need it. Just smile and gently ask them if they are hungry, if yes,  then just extend your hand with the bag of food attached to it. That's all there is to it. Or maybe buy an extra coat, sweater or blanket and just lay it at the feet of someone in need. Please don't give money to homeless people. Most times people living on the street have drug and alcohol problems, instead shop for them too!

We can spend plenty of money on ourselves but when we hear the Salvation Army's bell ringing and that bright red kettle clanging we all metamorphose into Scrooge himself. Don't be afraid to love people. People on the street don't have access to showers so they are dirty, over look that and instead look deep into their soul. Show them God's love by having a soft heart yourself. Jesus tried over and over again to teach us that relationships and loving others is what this journey we call life is all about. In fact these small treasures are the only thing we will take into our next existence.

Now for the practical stuff. Remember there is a spiritual battle going on out there in the hidden realm. Its a battle that has to be fought in our minds before we go out into the world. So as any good baseball or football coach would do before the big game I'm gonna give you all a pep talk. And as your spiritual adviser before you go out onto the highways and the byways and in and out of  retail stores we need to get in focus.Lets look at  our "Play Book" one last time..

• Pray: Always pray before leaving your house. Better yet take communion, use real wine if available.
• Driving: Remember everyone is on a mission right now and you are not part of their mission. Yield to all other drivers, take deep, long breaths and sing praise songs while driving.
• Parking: Try something different like taking a bus, train or trolley. If you must drive then why not consider car pooling with friends as it makes for a much better shopping experience. Keep in mind to always yield parking spaces to others and park in the far back of the lot at all times. We pay for the roads but we don't own them.
• Spending: Jesus is the true gift to the entire world and the reason we celebrate during Christmas so don't spend too much time and money on gifts. In fact December 25th it isn't even close to His real birth date. Have an amount of money  that you will  not go over. Remember just because things cost more doesn't mean they have a better value to loved ones. Don't get caught in that kind of guilt trap.
• Celebrations: Go to as many Christmas parties, plays and music events as possible. Fellowship with everyone you bump into. Be happy and tell people about yourself and your faith in God if the opportunity arises. Relationships start at "Hello, my name is____________) fill in the blank with your own name. Preach the gospel and use words when necessary.
• Down Time: Take some time for yourself. A bath, a good book, a movie, a long needed phone call to a family member and most of all make time to get alone with your Heavenly Father.
• Fruit Cake: DON'T EAT IT! Its been proven that all toxic waste ends up hidden in it. Its a huge conspiracy.
• Saint Nicholas: You know I get tired of Christians who are wet blankets. While its true most of our sacred holidays have a pagan origin, lets not throw the baby out with the bath water. Learn more about where the Santa Clause tradition came from. Read about Saint Nicholas and how he blessed poor children. People where given Sainthood because they did some incredible things for others. Now having said all that it is important to know what you believe and why. Its also OK to have fun as a Christian. Jesus loved to hang out with regular people off the streets. He loved to eat and drink with them. (Would someone from Horizon please tell Mike Macintosh that it was real wine in the cup that Jesus drank from and passed around on the night of the Last Passover!).

So in closing, May God's Spirit truly bless you and yours this Christmas. May your stockings be full of trinkets, your house full of family and friends and your heart always ready to reach out to someone, whoever, whenever God asks you to do so. May the warmth of our hearth fire, the smell of our Christmas meal and our prayers for you all find their way through this sinner's blog and settle in your hearts. God bless you all and may you have a very joyous and Merry Christmas as we all give thanks to the Father for the Christ child, Jesus our Emmanuel. Remembering God is always with us.

The Broken Church

What must it have been like to walk the streets of Samaria some two thousand plus  years ago about the time when Jesus was in the middle of His mission to  teach His disciples and the entire world how much God loved them. The dry, hot and  dusty roads must have been horrid to walk upon and ultimately  made a mess of their fine imported Italian marble floors that graced the villas  located on the upper end of town. Water must have been scarce too ergo the story of the woman at the well who everyday had to haul water from Jacobs well to her home. We take so much for granted these days as we complain if the hot water takes too long to reach us as we turn the handle to the faucet on.

There is so much information out there and talk today of how to build a successful,  perfect driven church. The basic plan always  starts with a core group of 12 people. Jesus started the very first gathering of believers we call the church universal in much the same way calling ordinary people from all walks of life to follow Him! Tax collectors, fishermen and politicians heard the Master's voice and started to follow Jesus.

But if Jesus were here on earth today I'm almost positive He would have been at the fore front of an emerging church movement like the one we saw emerge in Long Beach,CA. with Calvary Chapel in the latter part of the 1960's. Jesus would have done His best to not only model but also make people take a hard look at the way that they treat others and worshiped God. What many call the church today is really nothing more than groups of semi-spiritually motivated people collecting funds to keep their particular  corporate business style in the black with very little or no outreach what-so-ever.

Lets look back at  the Calvary Chapel movement of the late 1960's where God's Spirit was at  work spilling out new wine on a generation of drug laced children. A totally lost generation of kids. A gigantic spiritual battle was ragging on in the world with satanic forces  hard at work.misleading that entire lost generation.Without God's Divine intervention the world would have come to an end or would be in much worse shape. But God is long suffering and does not want any to perish and His work will be accomplished. As God's new wine was beginning to flow, God used a sweet, humble woman by the name of Kay Smith to not only see a need but do something about it. God put an urgent  burden on this woman's heart. It was a burden for a rejected generation of long haired hippies, who at this time were running around bare footed, tripping out and in desperate need of  a shower. God used this beautifully humble woman to soften the heart of her husband Chuck Smith and slowly a new church movement was beginning to be born.New wine.

Now, some forty years later, we see some negative effects of man's influence on this new wine that God so graciously gave to the world. As Men crave power and authority they begin to bit by bit change the image of God into their own image. Power corrupts I can see it everywhere in this satanic world today. Satan is alive and well in our churches today causing divisions and disputes among God's people. Remember what Jesus told us that we can serve only one Master. It seems many of us are asleep in the light. I believe that one of the single best characteristic of Jesus, one that draws me to Him, is His ultimate humility. Here in His presence we have the Creator of the world who was willing to humble Himself and become flesh and blood. He came to earth and dwelt among us. Then He modeled how we should live by putting other's needs before His own. Just once I would like to witness a pastor who starts his day off by parking  in the back, picking up trash as he walked to the sanctuary and  serve others the entire length of his work week. Taking his vacations in the mission field would be an added bonus.

So now I see we are on another spiritual precipice where God will once again send His Spirit back with new wine. We are starting to see this in what I like to describe as an emerging new church. This could take the shape of believers having a gathering on a beach or in a park. It might be a group meeting at a coffee house or in a movie theater. A home church will do nicely even a night club or school building. Its not the place but the people who make up the gathering. They should be committed to serving others and not in pursuit of fulfilling their own fleshy desires. The red text below is for all you Calvary Chapel folks who read your bibles.
  ( OK, now I don't mean any gathering that does not preach the true gospel  but a new emerging style of worship like we saw in the 1970's at Calvary Chapel. If a group or gathering of people are teaching something other than Jesus is God, second person of a Godhead, that Jesus died, was buried and rose back to life then they are not really part of the true church made up of people who love and worship God. Saved by grace and not clinging to the law or legalistic about how we become cleansed, yes its all about Jesus)

This movement is totally refreshing bringing back some ancient traditions that have been put aside or on the back burner in favor of more contemporary worship. The movement is attempting to  put God back on top while tearing down the shrines we have built to our own pseudo christian worship. With all the cameras, make-up and stage performances going on its sometimes hard to tell who or what we are worshiping. Rather, we need to be new skins ready to be filled with God's love while overflowing everywhere we walk. Intoxicating every human being in our path. Oh how glorious the Spirit of God is. However, it will be only a matter of time until this new movement takes its place with the Calvary Chapel movement that once was the vehicle God used to deliver His love . It always starts with humble people who are surrendered and ready to be used. Set apart is what being holy is all about. Its not our righteousness rather it was imparted to us from Jesus.

So whats the answer? Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Don't support a church financially if they are not pouring love back into their community. Let us start loving others, putting others first!  Jesus told us to be the salt and light of the world then its time for the salt to get out of the salt shaker and its time to  take the lamp shade off of the lamp stand. Remember in the book of Revelation, in the letters to the seven churches that Jesus was standing outside the church building knocking on the door. Let us not keep Jesus waiting outside in the cold. We were created for good works so lets all go out and do them!

Losing Faith

Have you ever lost faith in someone or something? For instance our government, the stock market, Ginsu knives, Fry's rebates, friends, San Diego City pension plan, military intelligence or possibly the so-called Christian church?

Now, I can talk a pretty good talk and be really convincing in conversation but what do my actions show? For illustration purposes suppose I were a car. If I were a car would I leave any oil  on the pavement after leaving my parking space? Do I leave rubber on the road or footprints in the sand where ever  I travel? Do I make any kind of an impact on the world in which I live? Do I leave  any evidence behind? Maybe a skid mark pointing to the fact that I was going too fast or distracted by another driver. Is there enough evidence  to convict me of the fact that I am alive, breathing and part of a community of believers?

I have to admit in my own life I have lost faith in many things during the last couple of years.The list is really getting quite long so its hard to find a starting point. But let us begin by examining  my faith in God.What if my spiritual faith is like a  storage battery? If my faith is like a Sears Die Hard car battery then I can expect after about five years of service I will probably find myself stranded somewhere desperately looking for a good Samaritan to "jump" my car. And usually car batteries pick the perfect time to fail. Late at night, a strange part of town or right before I have a very important appointment that I am already late for. They never choose to give up the ghost while parked in front of O Riley's, Pep Boys or Manny , Moe and Jack's.

So what I do know is faith is believing or putting my trust in something unseen. Like knowing that the chair by my dining room table will support my weight and so I trust to sit down on it without a second thought of it not supporting my big butt. I might have to change  the last sentence after this Thursday which turns out to be Thanksgiving.

So spiritual faith is believing in a higher power other than myself. Trusting that God, the ultimate Designer and Creator of all I see around me, will support my weight. But right now my faith feels more like that drained Sears car battery. My headlights are dimming and the crank just does not want to turn over. So is it time to get out of the car and push? The apostle Paul would be saying in a very loud voice "May it never be!".

No, I need to stay in the car and remember that faith is not like a battery that needs to be recharged! Rather its a force from God that continually flows through the ether of space. And because He always surrounds me, allows the Holy Spirit to live inside me, seals my spirit,  I have nothing to fear as I walk through the low, discharged valleys of life. Even if I am facing my own passing from this world  to the next.I can sit on that chair in faith knowing that it will hold me up.He will hold me up and be there to meet me on the other side.

This is when life starts to get interesting. When I start to live each day trusting, when I lose the fear factor, scales start falling from my eyes and heart, I begin to see the world  in a new light. Our God is an awesome God and He reigns from heaven above. He is the ultimate father figure and crack shot life choreographer.

Although today, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Our enemies can take many forms even human form. The metal weapons of this world don't work against our hideous, blood thirsty enemies that exist in their invisible dimension. Fear and despair are two of their mightiest weapons. These weapons, once released on us, can drain our energies and the life right out of us. Now we can find ourselves doing things we normally would not do.

Friends, read the gospel of John, chapter 14. Its a very comforting chapter about a loving Father and Son who had a plan to redeem all the world from sin and death. It talks of a future home, actually a mansion where we all will thrive. That is all who chose the narrow gate which Jesus said was Himself. "I am the way, the truth and the life no man can come to the Father but by me"

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Stop continually jumping your spiritual car batteries and start a life characterized by walking with the Holy Spirit moment by moment.

Street Angels

As a Christian I tend to do too much talking. I am quick to tell you what the bible teaches but slow to put it into practice in my own life. I also find myself judging everyone but my own hideous actions. I am very prideful and that is why I need the grace that Jesus Christ offers me.

What does it profit, friends, if I say I have faith in God, a model Christian but I don't put any effort into helping people in need? Oh yes, I say I will pray for you but will I feed you, clothe you or shelter you?

Is my faith real? If I really love Jesus Christ, make Him Master, shouldn't my life actions reflect His love towards others?

So if a brother or sister is living on the street in dirty clothes, hungry, cold and I say to them I'll pray for you and yet I do not lend them a helping hand, where is the love of Christ in that? I must admit here and now that I am guilty.

The irony of this situation is that here God has pre-arranged divine meetings with people in need  but I fail to perform. Not wanting to take the time or spend the money all I end up saying  is... "Be warm and be filled, peace be with you!"

Where are all the street angels in this world? We have so much. How can we continue to satisfy ourselves while people around us go without? Look in the mirror the image you see is the person God wants to use to be a street angel. God will use you if you let Him.

So ask yourself these questions...

Do I really love Jesus Christ?  Do my actions confirm this? When was the last time I helped someone who was in need ?  As the season of giving is soon to be upon us lets begin to put others first and love them the way Jesus would!

The Prayer Of Two Generals

I was thinking about prayer today. What are the mechanics and how does the process actually work? What are the secret ingredients of a healthy prayer? How does God hear and process all the prayers throughout  the world that rise continually to His throne room? Are there things I should not pray for? What happens when people pray for each other but for different outcomes? Which prayer does God choose to answer, which side does God lean towards? Does God's decision violate our "free will?

Back in the 1980's there was this movie, made for television,  about two generals from the Civil War, one from the Southern army and one from the Northern army., These two generals while both fighting against each other were praying to the same God for their own victory against the other side. To complicate things and really muck up the water, there were also black slaves who at the same time period were crying out to God for deliverance. This would not be a job that I would want to sort out or try and tackle. Does It seem like  God always choose the under dog?

There have been times in my life where I have  prayed for something and had my prayer answered immediately. Like in the movie "The Matrix"  where Neo's computer screen mysteriously types " Neo, answer the phone" and  the phone in his room  begins to ring. On the other hand I am still waiting for other prayers to be answered. At least there are only three replies for God to choose from. Its sorta like the food menu at the local In and Out Burger where you can choose from a cheeseburger, fries and a shake. These three replies God has available to tag your prayer consist of a tag that says "yes" another "no" and the last tag reads "not now or  wait".

Its really hard to wait for God to answer us. In the movie "The Princess Bride"  Inigo Montoya is left standing at the top of the cliffs of insanity, sword in hand, waiting for the dreaded pirate Roberts to summit so that he can finish him off. But  Inigo like most of us hate waiting. We demand instant gratification. Want an example? Just look at the cell phone in your hand its becoming a one stop do it all in a phone thing. We have given up on talking to one another verbally but demanding instant gratification we send each other  text messages at any time, any where with lighting speed. "I hate waiting" delivered with a thick Spanish accent and I'm betting so do you!

So what are the secret ingredients to prayer? Well, for starters we must pray according to God's will. Knowing what the will of God is requires reading and studying your bible. This is a life long commitment where the Holy Spirit is our personal helper. He comes along side us to lead us, pick us up when we stumble and fall. I like how the late song writer Rich Mullins put it in the lyrics to one of his songs.
"If I stand let me stand on the promise that You will pull me through. If I fall let me fall on the grace that first brought me to You!"

Jesus told us to always put the needs of others before our own. If we apply this principle to our prayer life an amazing transformation and renewing process begins to reshape the way we look at our own wants and desires. Most always when we earnestly pray for others, especially our enemies, we are praying in direct alignment with God's will. These prayers are very effective and usually get answered quickly.. Practicing self-less-ness   is what Jesus is all about. That is why when things are hard its probably because we are striving against God and are trying to operate in the flesh. If our ministry becomes a burden then it is time to step down for a season. Carnal Christians are really an oxymoron resembling flesh eating bacteria. In contrast when we yield to the Spirit it allows God to use us by filling us and directing us. He is quite a Devine choreographer.

Beginning prayer with thanksgiving is paramount. We need to thank God daily for taking care of us. It gets our thoughts off of our own needs and focused onto Him.  He is so very worthy of our praise. He holds all things together every atom and molecule is literally held together by God. Once we give our praise and worship to God we are free to humbly talk to our heavenly Father about anything. He cares for you deeply. And because He cares for you He allows trails in our lives that will ultimately strengthen us, temper us make us better people, actually turning us into the image of His Son Jesus.

The reason that churches have splits, disputes and division is because we are carnal and operating in the flesh. We are selfish wanting our way and not concerned about the needs of others around us. This is not what Jesus taught. If there are personality conflicts in your church your pastor needs to discipline the people involved. Sometimes this means removing them from their ministries that they cling to the way a super magnet sticks to steel. If a leader uses the word "I" allot that is a clue to the intentions of their heart. The sign of a true leader is one who becomes the servant of all. Jesus Christ was God himself, creator who humbled Himself to be clothed in flesh, hang on a tree for the sins of all. God was willing to become your servant and die for you. Jesus was a servant of all. Our Shepard King.
A perfect example for us to follow.

Dogs

So I'm sitting at my computer in my living room this morning as I do most every morning contemplating my future. Work, employment has all but vanished, evaporated into thin air. As a building contractor I am use to  "feast or famine" but this is a very low tide I find myself wading through. I stop to rub my eyes, yawn and in doing so I glance down at my feet . There curled up in a tight, warm ball, snuggled securely, literally at my feet is my year old terrier-mix puppy I named  Jasmine.

I am so glad God created dogs! Amazed and so thrilled with their unique, complete companionship. Pets and specifically dogs are our trustworthy, faithful and loving friends. One unmistakable design aspect is how God designed dogs to be so loyal. They really are just  canine family members and our new adopted sons and daughters. They so patiently wait for any attention that they can get from us. They long for their master's hand to appear and slowly but deliberately approach them to offer some long awaited and deserved attention.

Another design aspect I have observed is how God  provides companionship to all sorts of elderly and even disabled people who without the comfort of their pet would probably not thrive. Sometimes pets are all we have in this world and without their constant and continued friendship we would be utterly lost. I was reminded of late as the so called friends in my life continue to let me down and disappoint me that God has provided my dog as a reminder to me that He still cares for and loves me. Pets are living memorial stones.

Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." This is one incredible promise of God. But while He cant force our friends to be loyal and to love us, He was able to design dogs in a way that after providing them with just a little food and water, they eagerly await the opportunity to jump into our laps. If only our friends could be so loving?

As for me and my future? My work will pick up, new friends and opportunities will appear and  life will continue to go on. So as the sun rises on a new day and as I glance down once again from my chair towards the floor there coiled up at my feet is my faithful, loyal dog Jasmine!  Dogs are so faithful. 

The Mega Church

The day of Pentecost marked the beginning of "The Church Age". It was the beginning of the church of Christ universal. On that very first day in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit, drew over three thousand people to come believe in Jesus Christ; Acts 2:40. Since the very beginning of  "The Church" God has been adding to its number on an daily-hourly basis. All those who receive the truth that Jesus died, he was buried and  He came back to life were added to this growing number of souls.

Listen to the words of Revelation 19:6-8: "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints."

What a glorious day that will be! It will however be a "Mega Church". So all of us who have been bashing the mega churches better get use to the idea!. Do you realize this is going to be an extremely large gathering of saints? All the saints from the very beginning of the church for the past two thousand plus years will be there on that day. What a feast that will be. In fact this is the day that Jesus spoke of on the night of the "Last Supper". When He took the cup, full of  fermented wine, took a drink and said "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."  Luke 22:17-20.

But we are not there yet so as Christians here on earth we can get really prideful filling ourselves with self righteousness. I heard somewhere of a couple  who had objected to a guest speaker  mentioning the name of Joel Osteen during his sermon. This couple who after hearing  the name of Joel Osteen from the church's pulpit figured it was an endorsement of the popular Texas Pastor. The young pair,I was told,  had a full blown Fukushima melt down. The wife practically threw herself to the ground, fists pounding away, demonstrating a child-like tantrum. They insisted that the guest speaker be reprimanded by the senior pastor. Now ask yourself  "What is wrong with this picture?". As Christians we can choose to  fill our cups with the fruit of the Spirit or the deeds of the flesh. Many of us fill our cups with self righteousness instead of humility. We wield our swords of correctness like  candy, toy Harry Potter wands purchased at the corner  drug store. As mature Christians we should be able to agree to disagree on most issues. The gospel being the exception and doctrine we cant budge on.

Another area of concern is in the arena of our own ministries. For many this becomes our hallowed ground.  Don't tread on me. I also heard somewhere of  a worship leader who felt like the stage where they perform is their own sanctified holy ground ordained by God Himself. This leader actually enforced that by asking  people and especially children who wandered carelessly up onto the stage to "Get Off!".  I started off as a worship leader and through the years I have witnessed the abuse of power and have seen many a debacle. I think what gets my goat the most is when people sell their music and books in church from the pulpit. When this happens I look for an exit to see if Jesus will come storming in to over turn the tables.

Remember, being holy means being set apart for God's use. A vessel that God can fill with His Spirit. It means that we choose to live in a way that allows our cups to be filled by God and not with our own poisonous concoctions. The sign of a great leader is one who allows room for others to take his job if the Lord requires it.When God closes one door He opens another somewhere else.

Returning to my point about the Mega Church. As Christians some of us complain about everything. We complain about the size of a church, the worship team and the pastor. If a church is too small it cant be  popular or healthy. If a church is too large then  we say that their is no accountability and we just get lost in the crowd. Do you see a pattern forming here? We complain about everything. So did the Israelites. Read your bible about the exodus and their subsequent desert wanderings. So what ever church God leads you to, whether mega or minuscule, just be content and fill your cups with joy! Fill them to overflowing. One day, really soon,  we will all be together with God drinking cups, filled with new wine, at our wedding celebration in heaven.

So we all have a choice to make. We can be jealous and envious about the Smiths and the Jones or just be content with our situations right where God plants us. Just occupy until Jesus returns for us. Being set apart for good works that He prepared in advance that we should walk in them.

Living In The Will Of God

I am one of the weirdest people on the face of this earth. Everyone take a quick nod in agreement, "yes". Some people that don't really know me very well see all the crazy things I try and think I'm on my quest to complete some sort of "Bucket List". Well, maybe I am.

A few years back I felt the need to sign up for and complete three complete sailing class modules that took about three years to complete. Then I started on my next item on my list, obtaining my  1st degree "Black Belt" in the martial art of Chun Kuk Do, which consumed another four years to complete. I will never have to worry about being shipwrecked on Gilligan's Island. And I'll be able to handle myself against all my demons and devils that might hitch a ride and follow me there.

Have you ever read the children's book "If  You Give A Moose A Muffin"? Its a really cute story of a little girl who after seeing a moose in her back yard decides to give him one of her mother's freshly baked bran muffins. The moose then follows her into the house because the muffin reminds him of the jam his grandmother use to make. He starts looking in their refrigerator for some jam to put on the muffin. The jam in the fridge reminds him of eating and watching TV so into the living room he goes to turn on the TV. On and on the story winds its tale where the moose finally ends up destroying the entire contents of the house. The moose and the little girl strike up a  friendship and so the moose helps her clean up the mess. Remembering why he was in the little girl's yard in the first place  he heads back out into the wilderness.

Striving to be living in the will of God can kinda be like the moose that destroys the contents of the house before finding what it is he was really looking for. In the course of my ministry I end up rushing here and there, doing this program and that,  always believing that I am on this spiritual quest for God.  As I bumble along in my flesh I unfortunately pass by people who need me. Meanwhile as the church is busy deciding what color of carpet to cover  the floor with they ignore the homeless who are sleeping out in the back parking lot. Or the unfortunate person who has been coming to church alone for weeks but never gets a warm hello, handshake or hug from anyone else. The journey I call life is all about relationships! Relationships are the only thing I will take to heaven with me when I am called home.

Living in the will of God can be allot like going through the four seasons. Where the warm, newness of spring  leads me gracefully into the heat of summer. And as I begin to become exhausted from the extreme heat of summer I am blessed with the coolness the fall season brings, coolness  and a renewing of my circumstances. What I like to call my personal "down time".

Today, As I look outside my living room window, I witness the wind beginning to nudge leaves loose from their perch. Once clinging to little branches which held them so securely to the tree they now  flutter down and down to the damp grass below. Something is different, the new fall season begins  to change aspects of life around me. The air temp is beginning to drop with the leaves. The refreshing coolness begins to color the falling leaves with hues of crimson red, burning orange and bright yellow; colors any master impressionist would embellish.

I love the fall season. It’s a time of change where I can slow down, begin a metamorphosis of life. I begin to slow down, clothe myself in soft flannel, curing up in front of a warm fire to begin a long soothing winter's hibernation. But fall can also remind me of death. Death and dying can be a time where God reminds me and  brings to me a clear focus of how precious life really is. But is death a natural part of life or merely a result of the original sin, God's curse on all the sons of Adam?

Now, in this new season of my life  I find myself preparing for my hibernation of being "put on the used pastor's  shelf", taking some time off, a long deserved rest, down time to regroup and do the next line on my "Bucket List" . So as my eyes move down  my  list of things to do I begin to  ask myself "Is this really the will of God for my life"?

So how do I know  what the will of God is for my life? How did David know to rush out and spit into a giant's face? That God would indeed deliver him and that he would have the ultimate victory standing with the giants bloody head in his hands? Or there is the time when Ruth decided to stay and cleave to Naomi and end up gleaning the corners of Boaz's wheat fields. How did Ruth know where that act of faith would lead and that she was in the exact will of God? Then there is Ester, and how God used her to speak with the King of Persia, who then utterly destroys Haman's evil plan to exterminate the Jews.

Our God is so very good! He is still in control and still on His throne. The heavens flee away from His very presence and He forever continues to hold all things together. All things. As a friend of mine says " All things means all things in the Greek". This means that God holds all aspects of our lives together.

Why then do I so blindly, bumble on through life's twists and turns? As I bump into blank maze walls as I so desperately continue trying to find the opening out into my eternal reward. My entire journey is littered with prayers of  asking God "What is the will for my life" and can I please have this or that?

I believe in these times of introspective rebirth God tries to get my focus back where it belongs-on Him! Sometimes I get too wound up with ministry that I get tunnel vision and pass up on people and relationships along the way. Just as the fall season causes me to slow down, get out of the cold and warm up by the fire these valleys in my life force me to change direction. God, thank you for the seasons of change in my life!
Now its time for me to get a freshly baked bran muffin to eat.

Seasons Of Hope

I am convinced that there is a creator to everything I see around me. As I walk by my wife's rose bushes, in the early morning as the dew still clings to the bottom of each leaf, it’s almost impossible to think that this is all part of a random creation event. The way the sunlight looks right before dawn and just after twilight is so revealing. As the angle of the sun's rays illuminate each fold and bump in creation it’s as if I am looking at the fingerprint of God.

Lately, I find myself falling into episodes of depression. I find that striving to find even a small amount of work each week is very hard on people in general and especially on men. My main source of income comes from being a self employed general contractor in the residential home building and remodeling area. Our local economy here in San Diego, California continues to suffer from the real estate bubble of 2008.  People just are not ready to let go of their funds to make improvements on their houses. So the continual ebb and flow of the self employed person's bank balance really grates and wears on them like the sea grinding and turning discarded shells into sand. This new, present and extremely low life tide I find myself wading through has begun dredging up some really ugly trash.  In addition to being a modern day sort of “tent maker” I also volunteer as an associate pastor which is my true calling. With the continued pounding of unemployment ever before me I am being driven out of the water to walk along the shore for awhile. As I step away from ministry I begin to feel a new season of my life and my foundation shift just like water eroding the sand under my feet as it returns to the sea...

The house where I live, during the day, is usually devoid of all life. Our two young sons, Erik and Luke, attend the local college. Emma is on the verge of becoming a teenager and my wife, Pam, keeps herself extremely busy making sure all the household tasks are completed, keeping our home running like a well oiled machine. In the quiet my mind wanders and I find myself doubting all that I have come to believe in. Fasting, praying and crying out to God for direction, support and employment. This desert valley of my thoughts is so very deep that I only allow the Son’s light to reach in for a couple of hours each day. His love flows over me and bathes me in His radiant goodness. He’s’ so warm and friendly I don't want Him to leave but as quick as the light appeared it is gone leaving behind only a shadow that it was ever there in the first place.

Where do I put my trust during these times? For many others the usual group of old friends might include drugs, tobacco, booze and sex. These all seem to help the pain at first but only lead to deeper pain and a debt we can’t begin to pay. Debts that might include but are not limited to all kinds of disease, broken relationships, illegitimate children and ultimately an untimely death.

Another life preserver I have reached for during hard times is my close friends.  Although some of my "so-called friends" seem to only abandon me in mid-stream. Running for higher ground they leave me behind to tread the dangerous water, struggling for the shore alone. Although these fair weather friends usually do manage to leave something behind for us to remember them by; a blade lodged deep into the flesh of our backs. They leave behind scars that often are never allowed to heal. So we find ourselves sitting alone, scraping at these wounds with the broken shards of yesterdays life.

So where should I put my trust during these times? How do I even begin to rebuild from the ashes of burned down relationships? First off, I refuse to let myself slip into the pool of bitter waters and I run from the shore of self pity. I will not allow myself to lose consciousness and drown in misery bay. I start by picking myself off the ground and stand on my own two feet. As I begin to stand I take a long and deliberate deep breath. I allow myself to look up to God and take my focus off my own circumstances. I look intently at the wonderful detail in God’s creation. The night sky declares His handiwork. Taking off the blinders that have shaded my view I discover God’s mercies are new every day.  I draw and take a drink of cool, clean water from new streams and start walking a different direction.

Where do I draw this new, living water from? I draw from a very ancient and deep well. For me it comes from the same person who put the dew on the bottom of my wife's roses. He makes the sun to rise each morning bringing new hope to my life. He created the wind that two hawks can be seen gliding on and all the stars in the night's sky. He's the One who designed seasons, fuels the tides of life and beckons for me to come to Him. I put my hope and trust in Him and I will never stop believing. I remember the memorial stones He has set up in my life for encouragement. I begin by taking a step or two down a new path, lifting up my eyes to new horizons where my future looks so very bright in the hands of my loving God!

Wolves Guarding The Hen House

It would really be  a sad thing to see a wolf guarding a sheep fold or a hen house. What a funny, but sad word picture that brings to mind.Think of it kinda like giving a drug addict the key to the meds locker and turning, leaving them alone while you turn a blind eye.

We raise chickens at our country ranch house. They have to be kept in a wire cage at all times or else coyotes, raccoons, owls and other predators would swoop in and grab them, it has happened many times in the past. As night falls and twilight gives way to darkness, hawks and owls stalk their prey from high above diving down on their unsuspecting victims with pin point accuracy.

Any parent with young small toddlers knows that they must always keep an eye on their children. Kids can wander off inside a large department store in the time it takes to blink or take a quick glance in an opposite direction. I was once holding my baby daughter in Wal Mart when my wife asked me to hold her purse while she went to the ladies room. My hands were full of baby so after a minute of holding both the purse and the baby I set the purse down maybe 18" away from me.

There was this lady shopping close by where I set the purse down who while I was distracted by the Wal Mart clerk went into my wife's purse and took at least one credit card but left the purse where it was. After finishing shopping we went home where later that night we got a call from a Home Depot up in Los Angeles where the women who took our credit card was trying to purchase $1500 dollars of store goods. It's creepy to think that there are people in the world that are that sleazy. Evil exists and our world is full of  real predators. The woman who stole our credit card did mange to purchase about $ 2500 dollars of goods from other stores before going to the Home Depot. I'm thankful for the store employee who was alert to question this woman. The store clerk sensing something was not quite right asked for another form of ID. The woman then ran out of the store, denied service and our credit card confiscated.

With this knowledge in mind what is the situation  in our churches? We are vulnerable and our guards are usually down in church. When we gather together to  worship the Lord in the sanctuary, are our kids safe in the nursery and other Sunday school classrooms? Do you really know the people who are watching over them? Have the basic questions been asked and background checks been made before promoting people into leadership roles? How do you know for sure that the person sitting next to you is not going to rile through your purse while your eyes are closed and hands raised praising the Lord? It can be very scary to begin to look at our basic family security and our entire social world in this kind of light.

As the church of Christ the bible warns us about false teachers creeping into the flock. They seem very helpful at first but once established they begin to chip away at the basic foundations of Christian teaching until the sheep are following them instead of the pastor who God raised up to keep watch. They preach subtle differences in Christ's teaching,  diluting solid doctrine into something that is tepid and lukewarm. Their doctrine has a legalistic foundation and they show very little grace to others. They stir up drama inflicting injury to the fellowship by causing division in the church family. Brick by brick they begin to dismantle the church, one relationship at a time is compromised.These false teachers usually begin by rallying a clique of friends into a "New Super Group" of believers who are told they have all the "Real Answers". This group will try and recruit others who are weak in their faith and pull them into this "New Group". Others who oppose them are seen as enemies and are ostracized, ridiculed and finally cut off from fellowship in the name of church discipline. Beware the devil stalks his prey, those who he would devour.

Friends! Beware of false teachers who walk around in sheep's clothing! Your pastor should be guarding the flock where you fellowship the sheep should not be in control. If he is not protecting you then leave in haste, take your family away from immanent danger and find a place where you are well fed and will be protected! Your pastor needs to be using the "Rod and Staff" God has given him to watch His flock. He needs to always be on guard and ready to use his authority to stop these special interest groups before they grow and become an all consuming cancer to the church body as a whole!

People everywhere within the sound of my voice you must use your armor and the weapon God has given you for protection. God's word is living, active and sharper than a double edged sword. Remember to Pray! Always pray for God to give you the full picture or discernment in your life and area of influence. Keep your eyes and ears open to what is going on around you. Remember what Jesus said, that we are all like sheep who have  gone astray. If your pastor is a true shepherd than he will be keeping guard over you! Be on watch and be alert so that these false teachers will not creep in and steal your joy.

Going Home

It's really strange but at the ripe old age of 52 I find myself going out to the garage, standing just inside the doorway, staring out into the great abyss with a "blank" look on my face trying desperately to remember why I'm there. I  have to wear my reading glasses, sunglasses and soon probably a name tag around my neck. My keys, wallet and phone have a resting spot just inside the front door so they are usually easy to find. As for me personally I'm considering getting chipped.

However, with my short term memory going  I can still remember a couple of things from when I was just a small infant maybe less than a year old. Weird huh?  I also have this  recollection, memory or maybe it is a dream fragment of being stranded on a Pacific atoll with a gentle breeze blowing, small waves breaking on the shore and a small bamboo watchtower standing as a lone monument. There are no palm trees or plants of any kind, no animals and I don't recall other people being there?. Just the water, sun, bamboo hut on stilts and some cookies on a plate inside the hut.

Since we can trace all our genealogy back to the garden east of Edan, maybe there are residual memories that kinda come along with us through generations? What would it have been like to tend the original garden? To walk with God in the coolness of the morning? Before our fall into sin we enjoyed a completely different kind of existence. Its really hard to construct in our minds what that might have looked like. There is however a future place where we were given a brief but stunning look, the new Jerusalem.

"Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."  He showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. She had a great high wall with twelve gates, three on each side of the cube. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations. He measured the city with a reed. Its  length, height and width were all twelve thousand furlongs or fifteen hundred miles long. That adds up to 2.25 million square miles.

The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the walls were adorned with precious stones. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. No sun, no moon because the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will be allowed in the great city. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street on either side of the river was the tree of life.The leaves are for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

At this point John falls down on his face to worship the angel who is showing him this heavenly vision.
"See that you do not do that, For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book."  the angel replies.
And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

In light of this description of heaven I really don't mind losing my short term memory. Memories of this condemned, cursed dying world. For I now know that  death is just the beginning of a great journey where all these incredible things will be a reality.  I am ready to go to be with my Lord Jesus Christ. I know what the apostle Paul was speaking of when he said  "To live is Christ, but to die is gain". Glory to God!

The Church Family

What do I wanna be when I grow up?  I wonder if I will ever grow up. What is God's will for my life? Maybe a Shepherd.I just don't want to wait until I'm 80 years old to be called into ministry like Moses was.

So I'm being trained to be a pastor. A shepherd of people. I mop the floors and clean toilets,  I set up and I take down. I have even picked up unspeakable things out in the parking lot.
"How would that particular item get onto the ground?" I ask myself feeling a bit defiled.

"I'm beginning to smell like my sheep". This is the  "in thing" for a pastor to say these days. Let me translate for you who don't yet know how to speak Christianize.

This little blurb means that the pastor has the earnest desire to know his sheep.A kinda "in the trench"  service man with the whole "out in the field"  sort of sheep smell. Please don't learn any Christianize if you don't already know some.

Lately, I cant wait to get home from church and wash off. We are such hypocrites. Drama filled, self pitying and very proud people. Wanting instant gratification with little or no effort. As the church universal we really do act like a giant herd of sheep. Following the lamb in front of us rather than keeping our eyes on Jesus. 

We all need to grow up!  Stop soaking in only the pure milk of the word. But begin chewing on some tough meat. The meat of the word is really just applying what we are learning. Yes, growing up into spiritual maturity.  But unfortunately, we usually are looking  for the right message or worship team to satisfy us. Have you ever heard "I didn't get anything out of the pastor's message" ?

Its not about us. Not us, not us, not us. Let me put it all into perspective. Its all about Jesus! It is not about you. You are just another spiritual brick in the wall. So lets all shut up our mouths and quit all the crying.

Now let me take a step back, breathe in  and out in an attempt to encourage you. Please find out what your spiritual gifts are. Make peace with others around you. Smile, laugh and cry with other real human beings. Plant your feet firmly in God's word and start growing! Produce fruit.Abide on the vine.

The night before Jesus went to the cross, He broke bread and poured wine into a cup. The disciples on the other hand were all busy arguing about who was the greatest among them. So Jesus stops what He was doing, puts a towel around His waist and washes all of their feet. Maybe there is something to be said about a pastor smelling of his sheep?  Jesus modeled servant hood for us all at a time when He could have been very self centered. But Jesus is not only our shepherd-king but our servant-leader.

So while I feel just fine to hug a homeless man who stinks to high heaven I'm not too happy about all the rest of the sheep in the sanctuary who on the outside look and smell clean but inside stink like Lazarus being four days in the tomb. Whitewashed sepulchers. They are the ones screaming "mine, mine, mine" or just really want to be lifted up before others. Nothing has changed since Jesus washed the disciple's feet 2000 years ago.

So I'm thankful for pastors who  take their time to teach the ins and outs of Christian living to all of us. And I have seen  pastors who do wash feet regularly, just like Jesus did. Maybe not with soap, water and a towel but with their lives. They put so much time  into all of us. So maybe we better all pick up some slack for them, mortar up our  mouths and start by just being content as another spiritual brick in the wall.

The Empty Stairwell

I am acquainted with this  church where there is an enclosed stairwell where the homeless sleep in search of safety and shelter. A couple of weeks ago I discovered a couple pairs of feet sticking out of the stairwell. I didn't want to wake them at first so I went to the copy room which doubles as my office and read my bible.

I did not hear an audible voice but God spoke to my heart as clear as can be. He said "Pastor Dean, make them breakfast" I thought about it awhile, threw the fleece out then went to work in the kitchen fixing up a couple of plates of food consisting of scrambled eggs,  cut up hot dogs and a bun. The plates were then wrapped with tin foil.

When I went back out to the couple sleeping in our stairwell I must have startled them as they were very eager to leave without incident.
"We don't want any trouble, we will leave" said the young man.
"Wait" I said "I made you breakfast"

Their eyes widened and both of their jaws dropped. They were hungry and also needed to use our restrooms. After all their immediate physical needs were met I was able to talk with them to find out how they had arrived here. Then I was able to share Christ and pray with them. Although I'm convinced people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Actions speak louder than words.

Eddie and Joanna were Native American Indians from the Rincon tribe. Eddie is 20 years old and Joanna, I later found out later, is 24 years old. Eddie just was released from jail on a petty theft charge he was caught shoplifting food from a mini mart in La Mesa. He was trying to support his family the only way he knew how in this economy.

The stairwell has been used by many street travelers over the years as a safe haven for the night. These kids were no exception. They had no where to go. I have been homeless myself before so I can totally relate to their situation. My problem was not these kids sleeping there but the rest of the church body and church staff. It seems that our church did not want people sleeping there for various reasons.

"Its against the law" said one church staffer.
"We were told by the police not to let people sleep on our property." said an associate pastor.
"Pastor Dean, please don't encourage them to sleep here" said someone else.
"I had to paint the stairwell 2 times last week because they really messed it up" said the maintenance man.
So the decision was made and signs went up in the stairwell " No sleeping allowed in the stairwell".

This is where my heart broke. These could be my own children. Jesus taught us to help others. Why is it so hard to love people? Why is it so hard just to turn a blind eye, help the best we can and just continue to clean up the stairwell?

The dawn came early today as I arrived to do my cleaning of the church before everyone began to arrive. As I passed the empty stairwell all bright and clean with a brand new coat of paint I remembered Eddie and Joanna and the expression on their faces as they ate their breakfast. I guess the right decision has been made. But I know an opportunity to reach out to 2 souls was missed. So the last few nights passed without the restlessness of Eddie and Joanna constant turning in an attempt to find a comfortable spot.

I wonder if the people quoted above would have made the same decision if it was their own loved ones sleeping outside on the street in a stairwell? Meanwhile sirens wail out on El Cajon Blvd as another victim is transported to Grossmont Hospital. Why is it so hard to bend the rules and  hold up people higher than material things or keeping up appearances?

Well I know where there is an empty, cold stairwell on El Cajon Blvd tonight. A lonely stairwell that once kept two young souls safe from the dangers of a night on the streets of La Mesa. Now it is a very bright and shiny stairwell with a fresh coat of gray colored paint,  one might even go as far as to call its appearance pristine. But as for me I liked it better dirty, urine soaked, cigarette ashes caught in the corners  but safe refuge from a long cold night. I liked it better with two pairs of warm human feet sticking out.

(I wonder which stairwell Jesus Christ would have preferred? I ponder as to whether our church would have let even Him sleep there?) WWJD

When Friends May Come

I love life! Don't you? True friends riding along with us make the entire journey worth it! Life is so very  fragile and temporary though. Many of my friends have cancer. And yesterday I received a text from a friend whose wife was just admitted to the ER suffering from a heart attack. Prayer should be our first reaction and our best defence against the bumps in life's road. Prayer is refreshing water during the long, dry and parched journey through the desert valleys that we all walk through.

As many of you know I have been without steady work for almost two years. I have tried advertising, sale pitches and fasting and prayer. As my son Erik put it while talking to a group of his friends " My dad just cant get a break!".

One day as I was running my errands I stopped at the Old Firehouse Barber Shop located in Alpine CA. Dean Poore, the owner,  listened to me talk about my plight while he snipped and cut at my hair. Have you ever noticed that if the barber is enjoying the conversation that they will cut very slowly and prolong the cut. Dean listened to me and afterward offered me a remodeling job on his own kitchen. He also did not charge me for the hair cut. That simple act of grace really encouraged me that day.

On another occasion in the midst of the same dry spell it seemed like all my electrical appliances were dying one after another. First our heating and air conditioning system failed in July followed by clothes dryer, cooking range, well pump and our refrigerator. The air system and well pump cost over $10,000 alone to replace. So after the refrigerator broke last night Pam and I turned towards one another, smiled and laughed out loud! What else was there to do? Pam is my wife but she is also my very best friend.

When our well pump went out that did tend to complicate life for our family. You see we get our water from the ground and when our tank is empty we have no water to wash, drink or shower with. So I called our well guy, Orin Davis of Butler Drilling, and he said he could be there in a week. "A week" I said to myself  "What am I going to tell my wife?". Pam does at least 10 loads of laundry per week and waters the trees and plants around our home. I knew we were going to have a bad week.

The next day as our booster pump was spinning out of control the telephone rings. It was Mert Thomas who runs a local water truck business "Hey Dean, I heard  you need a load of water?" said Mert with  concern in his voice. "I do how much are you charging these days?" I sheepishly inquired. "Well $200 per load" Mert replied. "OK, I need it badly bring it on over" I gratefully replied.

Mert Thomas had already put in a full day of work but he filled his truck one more time and brought our family a load of water. After the very last drop fell into our tank I asked Mert how much I owed him. He said he knew of my situation and said just to pay $ 100 to cover the water and the truck's fuel. As I went into the house for the money I hear Mert taking off in his truck and with a wave and he says Goodbye and  "God is so very good. This one's on me!"  I will never be able to repay him.

What would we do without friends like these? In fact the only thing we will take to heaven when we leave this earth is our relationships with others. I truly love these men. And now work is starting to come in for me which is an answer to prayer. And I learned a very valuable lesson while walking through this latest valley. I have some very amazing and loyal friends. People I would lay down my life for. I love life! It really is all about the journey.

A Piece Of Humble Pie

God has humbled me yet another time. Calvary Chapel La Mesa recently put on an outreach to our community in La Mesa Ca. We cooked food had worship time and a great sermon. There is a homeless man that comes to the Tue night Men's study at 6:30 pm at the church 7525 El Cajon Blvd. He lives out in a field near the 99 cent store. He signed up to bring the cheese for the outreach. I was worried. On Tue afternoon he comes into the church praising God and says to me "I knew God would do it!" "I knew He would come through" said Bebe as he likes to call himself. "Bebe, what did God do for you?" I asked him. "I have been praying that God would help me get money so that I could buy the cheese for the outreach" Bebe blurted out as he was in constant dancing mode. I'm still worried. I'm thinking to myself "Did he go dumpster diving for it?" or maybe its been sitting out in the sun all day.

Now this is where pastor Dean has to step back a bit open his mouth wide and prepare to receive a huge piece of humble pie. When Bebe handed me the cheese in the store bag it was still cold. You see God answered Bebe's prayer and provided an old car battery for him to recycle earning the $7.00 with which to buy the cheese. He was so excited because he had no money when he signed up for the outreach, remember this guy is homeless.

The next day I was able to sort of redeem myself. As I got to church early I noticed two pairs of feet in the church's stairwell. I unlocked the church, sat down in my office, which incidentally doubles as the copy room, when  God spoke to me. I didn't hear a voice but He spoke to my heart and He told me to make the two pairs of feet breakfast. So I scrambled up some eggs, cooked hot dogs and put a bun on a plate and covered it with with tin foil.

As I approach the couple I woke them from a sound sleep. "Excuse me" I said timidly "Are you guys homeless?" which was probably the stupidest thing to say to someone sleeping outside in a stairwell. They said they were sorry to be there and that they meant no trouble and that they would leave.

I told them I was not kicking them out but I had made breakfast for them. Their eyes widened and they were very surprised. I was able to pray with them and let them use the bathroom at the church. Ed and Joanna were 20 yrs old and 18 yrs old respectively. They were out of luck living out on the street. Ed said he was just looking for a safe place to stay when he remembered going to Calvary Chapel La Mesa as a small child. They ate their food, gathered their belongings and we prayed and said our good byes. As I finished praying with them the church and school staff began to arrive.

"Dean, please don't encourage people to sleep here." said someone from the church staff. My heart broke as I remembered  how Jesus must have felt as He tried to teach people to love others. You know, I do understand we need to be carefull with people and keep the law using our discernment but Jesus said in Matt 25 if you feed someone in His name your feeding Him! If you clothe someone in His name you are clothing Him. What is more important?

People let us indeed start helping others  and begin meeting needs. Let us pick up our own crosses, the crosses of self-less-ness, and love like Jesus commanded us to do. You can fulfill this commission just by giving someone a handshake, hug or opening the door for someone. We need community right more than ever. It might just be you and your wife sleeping in the stairwell. We are all just two pay checks from sleeping on the streets.

I will always remember Bebe,the homeless guy, who had more faith than I and brought the cheese. And the yougn couple who only wanted to be safe from a storm of life. But most of all, I think what burns in my mind is the  reminder of our hard stony hearts. Where we are ultimately more concerned with the color of the carpet and  getting it dirty than a life saved from the fires of hell. Let your material things burn. Remember the only thing you will take to heaven with you are the relationships you make here on earth.