The sky is falling?

You would think so if you have been reading the news recently.  Escalating racial tensions in Ferguson, Missouri concerning the tragic killing of teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson police portends to develop into one of the most divisive racial issues of 2014.  In northern Iraq hundreds Christians and a small group of Yazidis have been systematically exterminated by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group because they will not convert to Islam.  It is one of the worst humanitarian crises in 20 years.  In Western Africa, specifically Liberia, over 1200 people have contracted the deadly Ebola virus causing fear the world over that it might spread into a pandemic.  I’ve heard fearful people callously say to close the borders and deny the infected medical care to keep it in Africa.  In my home town one of the most effective ministries serving the homeless community has had their rent increase by $1200 per month threatening to shutter their doors.  The rent increase ironically is by the county housing authority.  In each of the above it seems needy humans are being marginalized.  So what can we do? The first is to pray for each of the situations and ones like them because all involved are image bearers of God.  As the foremost part of God’s creation, every human being is of inestimable worth in God’s eyes and is thus sacred and valuable to Him.  Next we need to tell others how much God loves them and can be trusted during difficult times.  Use a personal experience to add credibility to what you claim.  Third we can ask God to change our hearts and make us more compassionate toward those who are in difficulty.  When we spend time with the less fortunate, it is amazing how real they become and we no longer look on them impersonally or dispassionately as someone else’s problem.  The three suggestions will reorient our focus upward helping us to see that God is in control and nothing takes him by surprise.  Then the sky will not be falling but God’s grace will shower us with perspective and blessing in every tragedy we experience or see.  So today exercise faith in a mighty God who understands and will graciously carry out his will in each of these tragic situations. 

Uganda the Pearl of Africa

I recently had the privilege of traveling to Uganda for the third time.  The country is absolutely stunning with teeming rivers, diverse forests and unique wildlife.  Yet Uganda’s greatest resource is its humble and gentle people.  Their smiles brighten even the darkest of days and their hearts are warm and inviting.  I took a team of 15 to help with Hines Ugandan Ministries that serve over 200 orphaned children and house them in homes of extended family.  Personally it was a highlight for me to meet Mary, the young lady my wife and I have supported for over 10 years.   The picture shows me with Mary after we had lunch together.  The most fulfilling experience for me was to see our group of 15 gently and boldly share their faith as they visited homes in the village of Kamonkoli.  God used the fifteen to lead over 40 to a personal relationship with him through faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death for them on the cross.  It was encouraging to see so many accept his death and penalty for their sin. Like us they could never pay the penalty.  God created us to love and serve him forever, but because of sin, that goal has been frustrated ever since humanity’s fall in the Garden of Eden.  That is why we need Jesus.  I’m so pleased that once again God took me to a delightful place to draw me closer to himself as I witnessed others being drawn by the good news Jesus dying on the cross to save them from the penalty of sin.  To God be the glory! 

Marmot Madness

Several years ago my son Nate and I hiked 7 miles into Chicago Basin and spent the next two days climbing the three fourteeners there. In Colorado peaks over 14,000 feet are commonly referred to as fourteeners.  There are 54 of them.  The first day we climbed Sunlight and Windom. The next day we climbed Eulos Peak.  On the south side of Eulos we glissaded down the valley and made it down in record time.  Glissading is where you ride on your bottom using your ice axe to control or arrest your descent.  It is thrilling but oh so cold on the bottom.  Mine was numb when we finished.  It was the middle of the afternoon when we arrived back at camp, so we took a nap.  Since it was warm we left our tent flap open and laid on top of our sleeping bags.  After about 30 minutes Nate felt a tickle on his ring finger toe. He looked up and saw a marmot staring him in the face and looking at his toe.  Then the marmot clamped down on his toe and Nate exclaimed, “Dad that marmot just bit me!”  So I looked at the toe and we dressed the wound and put Neosporin on it.  Fortunately the toe did not give Nate any problems the next day as we hiked out seven miles.  In all of life there are marmots that could destroy meaningful experiences relegating them into the marmot madness category.  I think God plans it that way so we will continue to walk with him by faith and not by sight.  Allow marmot madness to cause your eyes to look up in faith.

Summer is here

Summer is finally here. Yesterday my wife and I hiked the Twin Peaks trail and came out at the Silversheild trail-head in Ouray, Colorado.  The wildflowers were just coming out of a long winter's nap.  We saw lupine, strawberry, holly, pasque flower, Indian paintbrush and many others in splendid natural arrangements.  And this is just the beginning!  I'm always amazed at creation waking up after winter.  Spring in the high country is much later but no less vivid.  In late July the southern Colorado mountains put on an explosion of color that tickle the senses and encourage the soul.  God wrote about that in his Bible.  His creation is designed by him to reveal his eternal power and divine nature (Rom. 1:20).  Once we acknowledge that in creation we know God is there.  So I encourage you to make the most of this summer and spend time relishing God's creation from splendid wildflowers to majestic mountains to meandering streams to unique wildlife.  You will be refreshed and your spirit will be renewed

Spring Is Here!

Spring is here so what about your faith? Is it springing into action?  Are its buds swelling and opening with new blossoms of blessing?  Are those flowers leading to a fruitful year?

I ask myself these questions each spring around Easter. With the promise of the resurrection fresh in our minds, what is God going to accomplish in our lives?  He offers new life and challenges to us daily.  Why not look to Him for the answers.

God’s pleasure is for us to share our faith with others. Jesus' parting words to us in Matthew were to go and make disciples.  I’m convinced this is the missing component for Christians today. We complain about our secular culture, but are we doing anything to transform it?

A few months ago in our town, a group of well-meaning but misguided believers visited the public school superintendent’s office making a demand with a letter from a Christian attorney. That is not the best way to make friends. In fact it created a hostile atmosphere.  Two months ago, myself and two other pastors visited with the High School principals and apologized for the previous encounter. This put them at ease; and we then discussed the idea of moving the traditional high school graduations held on Sunday to later in the day.  The graduations cut into one of the pastor’s worship services as her worship leader is a music teacher with the schools.   One high school principal mentioned that he would prefer graduation be on Friday.  That is something I have desired as well.  Then we mentioned that for the past seven years we have enjoyed a Sharefest project to assist the schools.  During Sharefest the Christians of our community go out and do service projects in the community for anyone who asks.  That led to one of the principals telling us how badly the High School baseball fence needed painting.  So on Saturday, May 3^rd, we will be painting that fence.  That meeting began to repair damaged fences and warm an icy relationship between the faith community and the schools. And it will continue to show the love of Jesus in practical ways and thus provide future opportunities for us to share our values as people of faith.