Will You Go To Hell for Me?

So far, I have discussed how the Church is failing and how we can reach out to others. [Cool-voice-over voice] And now for the conclusion:

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
Romans 9:1-5

There is a movie called “The Second Chance” and stars Michael W. Smith. One of the boys in the movie joins a gang, and there is the traditional “If you want to leave the gang, we will beat you to within an inch of your life” talk. The pastor of The Second Chance Church reaches out to this young man, and it eventually leads to his wanting to leave the gang. When he went to tell the gang he wanted out (keep in mind that this boy has yet to become a believer in Jesus Christ), he arrived to find out that another young man from the church had taken the beating for him putting him in the hospital.

Why?

The other young man had such a love for others that he willingly and gladly paid the price for someone who had yet to believe.

Actually, it reminds me of another story about God becoming a man and dying for the sins of the world.

It also reminds me of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand’s story. (Seriously, check out the story.)

But for now, and to keep this short, can you relate with the Apostle Paul?

Do you love others so much that you wish you could lose your salvation for their sakes?

Do you love other believers enough to suffer for their sakes?

Do you love God enough to live out the love shown through the cross of Christ?

Would you take the punishment for someone you do not even know if would it bring them to the knowledge of Christ?

Would even if there was no guarantee? Even if they mistreated you?

2012
03/20
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 03/18/2012

Winning others for any cause takes good leadership. Usually, the best way is servant-leadership. Here is one idea of what leadership can look like:

What is leadership?

What is leadership?
First, let go and let God

Give up and let God in control

Second, grab hold and let God

Let God guide your life
Take control through Christ

Third, step up and let God

Find friends in Christ
Help each other move
Grow in God together

Fourth, step out and let God

Move out of your comfort zone
Take a friend with you
Reach out to those without
Talk with them about Christ

What is leadership?

Trusting God
Sharing His Word
Loving on others
Diving headfirst
Running towards God
Bringing others

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 47.

2012
03/18
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Will You Go Through Hell with Me?

Last week I started this mini-series with “Will You Go To Hell with Me?” It is not enough to know what the Bible says, we have to live it out. It is not enough to say “Jesus is Lord,” we have to show it. It is not enough to talk about love, we have to share it.

Part 2:

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude 17-23

Some of the people I mentioned last week fit the first couple verses’ warning. Some of these people are in conservative churches. Some are in liberal churches. Some in “mainline” churches (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, etcetera) and Catholic churches have been around since before the vast majority of denominations and churches ever existed up through today. This is not a new thing, but the evidence seems to be pointing ever more toward us being close to the end. Either people are not showing love, or they are showing the wrong kind of love.

(On an interesting sidenote, Harold Camping, who predicted the world would end last year with Christ’s return, last week publicly repented of his sin of claiming to know the hour and day of said Return. Bravo, Mr. Camping, for owning up to your sins; and praise You, Father, for working in all things!)

People may be stupid, but, individually, people are also really smart. They frequently know when someone is not being real with them.

Here is a rebuke:

Stop offering to pray for people;
Stop telling people you feel for them;
Stop feeling sorry for them;
Stop giving money to them …

Unless you are willing to love them and walk with them in their pain.

At the Rock & Worship Roadshow, Jason Dunn of Hawk Nelson said (of the children from Compassion) “If you look at these pictures and feel guilty, then we ask you not to sponsor one of these children. The Apostle Paul told us that if we are not acting out of love, then everything we do is worthless. You should sponsor a child only because a love inside of you is compelling you to help them.”

This can be true for every other area in which we must show love for others.

The only way we Christians, we followers of Christ, can “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear” is if we climb into the fire with them. We show them we care by walking through their pain and sadness with them. We show them we care by experiencing their hurt, doubt, hatred, and fear with them.

They know when we are just saying “I want to help you,” because they see us not helping.

I am just as guilty of this as the next guy.

And those who are living it out probably will never read this, because they are picking up the slack for the rest of us. This means that our brothers and sisters living out their faith are just as much in need of our love and support! Jesus’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself” includes Christians and non-Christians, family and strangers, friends and enemies.

Spread the Gospel by being Jesus’ hands and feet … and mouth and shoulder and shirt for runny noses and blanket and socks for cold feet and shoes for hurting feet and legs for the weary.

And do not think you are doing it by yourself and in your own power. There is no way we can climb into the flames to reach others and get back out with help. (Perhaps someday I will share a dream I had about this)

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Jude 24-25

2012
03/13
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 03/11/2012

a) My clock did not change today, because I live in Arizona. Take that! (This is also a reminder that you are now an hour late if you did not change your clocks last night/this morning)

2) Communion is great. Read the poem:

Sacrament of Love

I’m given bread and take and eat
I’m given wine and take and drink
I’m told to do this in remembrance
I’m told to do this with reverence
I do not understand Your Love
I do not know quite enough
I read Your Word and study
I read Your followers daily
I admit I do not get it
I admit I need Your Spirit
I’m searching more for Your face
I’m searching for You in this place
I study more to know You more
I study more down from the floor
I’m getting more of what I need
I’m getting You while on my knees
You help me know You above
You show me this Sacrament of Love
You’re helping me know the Holy One
You’re showing me Your Only Son

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 46.

2012
03/11
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Kony 2012: Further commentary from me later

2012
03/06
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Will You Go To Hell With Me?

Time for a mini-series (that always has the potential of growing, I suppose, but it currently seems definite in my mind!).

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
Galatians 2:11-13

Do you like your church? Do you like the place you gather with others to worship? Do you feel you fit in with everyone (or at least most of them)?

Have you drawn away from other churches or denominations? Have you drawn away from society as a whole?

Peter had a calling to reach out to the Israelites, and Paul to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Peter could be seen eating with non-Jews, because all believers are seen as Israelites. It was only when those who have believed in God their whole lives showed up that he felt a need to draw away from the Gentile believers. Paul called him on that.

Pulling yourself out of society or away from those who “do not believe as you do” is selfish. (The exception would be for a brand new believer who needs to make the move to be able to grow in his/her faith without being pulled back to his/her old habits and sins)

The other way this can be seen is by inviting people to your church.

This is not usually a bad thing. In fact, we are supposed to bring others into fellowship with believers and God.

The bad thing is when a) you have cut yourself/selves off from society completely and/or b) your walk is less than righteous … to be overly polite and politically correct.

a) Look at Westboro Baptist as an example: It is almost exclusively made up of family members. They have essentially been cut off from the world, and they routinely condemn the world as being hated by God (which is arguably true to a point). They have become so focused on what they believe to be true that nothing else is allowed in, and their beliefs cannot be questioned ever. God hates people!

b) We will stick with Westboro Baptist here, too: They lack the one thing God has commanded us to have. That is love. They do way more harm than good. They spread hate and dissension instead of love and peace.

In other words, it is like we are saying to people, instead of “Will you go to church with me?”, “Will you go to Hell with me?”

Living and “worshiping” this way leads more people to Hell than to Christ.

Kind of a downer, eh?

This is not necessarily a rebuke (though it could certainly be seen as an indictment against many churches in the West), but it is a call to examine yourself. What are your motives? What are you doing? How much are you loving on people whom you do not know (that well) or whom you do not like?

2012
03/06
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 03/04/2012

Please do not think this poem is a commentary on autistic children. However, it can be seen as a cry of a repentant sinner, and that all people, including autistic children, have potential for growth and change. We must remember, however, that there is only so much we can do as humans. The rest is entirely dependent on God.

change me

A change is being made
deep inside my heart
A change that is ripping
my soul and body apart
It reaches down inside
to the depths of me
It reaches way deep down
to meet all of my needs
This change fills me with
a nagging hunger
This change brings to me
knowledge of the Word
So, Living Word come
show what you are about
Holy Living Word come
help me love it out
I need You in my life
to help remove my doubt
I need You in my life
to change me inside out

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 45.

2012
03/04
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Autistic poems

My last post was not the only thing to come to mind while at the Rock & Worship Roadshow. Two acrostic poems also came to mind. This week, you get more poems! You are so fortunate!

AUTISTIC CHILD

Amazing life
Unexpected blessing
Totally capable, yet
In need of assistance
Simple in understanding, with
Tremendous potential
Inate curiosity
Curiouser approach to life

Childhood made difficult
Hindered, but not stopped
Inhibited, but empowered
Lovable and
Deserving of our love

AUTISTIC FAITH

Ability in Christ for good, but
Underperforming faith
Trying in our own power
Insufferably fighting,
Struggling against God, yet
Trusting His hands
In need of His grace
Comforted by His voice

Forgiven completely, but
At times we forget
In need of His help with
Taking up our cross
Healing only if we trust Him

2012
03/01
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Autistic Faith

“Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness . . . . Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”

God told Hosea to marry, to put it bluntly, a prostitute. The point of this: God’s people had prostituted themselves spiritually. I have a new take on this … a gentler approach, and one that may help us understand better the Apostle Peter!

Friday night here in Phoenix we had the Rock & Worship Roadshow, and what an amazing show it was! Tenth Avenue North sang their song “By Your Side” during this show. Something struck me when they sang this verse:

And please don’t fight
These hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

I work with low-functioning autistic children who are in the first through fifth grades. It is not an easy job, to say the least. These children struggle with understanding basic necessities of life and learning. It can be such a joy watching them suddenly grasp how to say a word, count out loud, use the toilet by themselves, or even just point at a picture. When they achieve these, I and the other teachers cannot help but hold them close in a big hug and say “Good job! I am so proud of you!” To get to this point, however, there are many struggles for both of us.

Just to get these students to learn something takes great patience and repetition. Occasionally, these little ones can pick up a new task in an instant. It also can take several minutes or several months to get them to learn something as simple as pointing to a picture to saying “I want …” to walking without holding our hand. Even after they learn something, they can easily forget until we remind them. They can get distracted by toys and food quicker than we can blink!

Much of the time they do not want to learn something new, even if it is for their benefit. These young ones can scream and cry, kick and hit, scratch and pinch, flail around, and bite … us, other students, and even themselves. When this happens, we have to step in and try to calm them down through speaking softly, occasionally speaking very firmly, holding on to them (through holding hands or holding their arms), and, when it is really bad, putting them in a hold. A hold means restraining their arms, and sometimes their legs, until they can relax and listen once again. Many times they fight this hold with every bit of strength they have.

This past Friday was one of those days that I had to help with every one of these with various students. I just wanted to say to these kiddos, “Just relax! I love you and want to help you! Please, listen and sit still! It will be okay!”

The thing that struck me at the concert when listening to Tenth Avenue North was this:

We Christians sure can act like autistic children.

God comes to us when we have no understanding of His ways and His love. He gently moves us toward being like His Son, and sometimes we get it right away. The vast majority of the time, we kick and scream; we flail around like we are being forced to eat dung; and we lash out at our Teacher and each other. We easily get distracted by toys and food … and each other. It takes us a lifetime to grasp the simple teachings of loving God and loving others.

Yet, God patiently works with us, every moment of every day. Sometimes He coaxes us, other times He holds us until we listen, again.

Am I saying God sent autism into the world to teach us to love Him more? Not at all. Like all things, He has redeemed this aspect of our fallen world to display His glory and love.

Just as with Hosea and Gomer, God takes a situation that looks miserable and makes it something glorious. I never imagined I would work with autistic children. Now that I am, I would never want to give up the chance. It does not mean I will not change careers in the future, but as hard as it is working with these very special children I have rarely been so fulfilled and blessed.

The message for the rest of us: Let the Healer and Teacher mold us. It is not comfortable being put in a hold (being disciplined), but it is so glorious when we finally “get it” and He simply holds us as He says “Good job! I am so proud of you!“

2012
02/28
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 02/26/2012

We are all different. I am discussing that in my latest college course. It is … fun? It can be, actually, but I am busy. This means I do not have a lot of time to enjoy the work! Anyway:

your fault

Why do people look for faults?
Why do people mock others?
All you do is laugh at “them.”
You look at only colors.
Remember that you have faults, too.
You do not have to keep them as scars.
When you see the faults of “them,”
Use those to see what yours are.
Do not look and discriminate.
Rather, use these to discern
What faults you have yourself.
Now use this to try and learn.
Learn how to work on your faults
And to learn from “them,” also,
So that your faults are not so bad,
And others look better, as well.

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 39.

2012
02/26
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