Walking In Wisdom

Two pop culture icons died yesterday - Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.  I never met either of these people yet I grew up in the generation that their celebrity impacted in unusual ways.  I was a teenager and secretly purchased the infamous Farrah poster and had it hanging in my closet.  I hung it for three days until my mom was putting away some clothes and saw it.  I rolled it up and hid it away.  TV made her a young man's fantasy prom date. Her all-american looks and sex appeal rocketed her to fame. Yet fame and beauty faded. Sadly her first marriage with Lee Major ended in divorce. She had a 30 year relationship, rocky at times with known druggy Ryan O'Neil. She and O'Neil split after a number of years and her next boyfriend was arrested for beating her up. Her son sits in prison on possession and selling of drug charges. All very sad and not the kind of ending any of us want to have broadcasted when doing a "life summary" piece on the TODAY show.

Jackson was a child phenom who, with his brothers, put R&B music and Motown on the map. There was something "cute" about Michael, but that cuteness morphed into weird, strange, depraved and outright degradation as years went on.  It always seemed to me that Jackson "never grew up" -- where his other brothers found other professions outside of being on stage. Mike was the family's golden goose who kept pumping out music and getting more bizarre. So much talent was marred when his appetite for young children, his fake marriage to Elvis' daughter and then his marriage of convenience so that he could have kids of his own (including thru a surrogate) sent the "king of pop" downward into a spin that landed in front of a judge for alleged child molestation.  His fortune evaporated and he became meaningless to the recent generation of young people. They would say - "Michael who?"

This past week I spoke to our church's youth group at Camp STRIVE and I spoke on the issue of GREATNESS.  Much will be said in the coming days as they cover the life, death, funeral and impact of these two lives. The reporters and fans will throw the word "greatness" around like peanuts at a baseball game. Yet what they had was not true greatness. 

“Greatness is living your life with godly virtue in a way that others will witness the superiority of a life lived for God.”

Greatness is found in virtues like charity; integrity; purity; humility; tenacity; responsibility; generosity; dependability; morality and the list of godly virtues continues on. Fame; beauty; talent; wealth; cheers; crowds; posters; gloves; monkeys; flowing blonde locks; or string hair and a whitened face is not what makes for greatness.

I LOVE the Truth!!!!!!! I Looooveeee!!!!!!!! It :)

James MacDonald on June 24, 2009

I LOVE the truth!!!!! I looooveeee!!!!!! it

My life verse is Jeremiah 15:16: Your words were found unto me and I did eat them, and they became in me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. Outside my home and church office this verse is prominently displayed and summarizes what my life is all about. Here’s how it all began:

A large burgundy, Scofield reference Bible. I purchased it at a bookstore I can’t remember the name of, at a mall I can’t remember the name of, about a mile from the house I lived in for my first 19 years. I walked to the store, took out my very own hard-earned, and somewhat scarce cash and plunked it down so the cashier would release me to leave with my very own Bible. I took it home and sat at a table in a quiet corner of an upstairs bedroom and began to pour over the pages. I had NEVER done it before–not like that, not for myself, to feed my soul and satisfy my longing. I love God’s Word. I love the truth I find there. Truth ( I am fond of saying) that has satisfied the greatest minds in human history. Truth that has stood the test of time.

The older I get the more laid back I get about more things, but not about the truth, not about the Scriptures, not about the Bible. I am more and more casual about people and politics. I really have no idea who should win any election or how to fix the economy. I am increasingly laid back about sports teams and other meaningless allegiances. I’m so much more easy going when my kids see smaller things differently, or I can’t make it work, or I don’t get my way, etc.

But MORE AND MORE AND MORE, I have no patience for people who distort and deny God’s Word. I just can’t take it. I can sit back and smile about a lot of things, but I can’t take preachers, or practitioners, who think they are somehow helping the kingdom of God by distancing themselves from or diluting the explicit statements of Scripture. I hate it when I hear it because I love the truth. Here’s a quote from an article I wrote some time ago for Christianity Today:

We are expected to obey our Master and to accept His Word without equivocation. Cavalier questioning of the explicit statements of Scripture regarding the necessity of the new birth, the priority of biblical proclamation or eternal destination of the lost, or any other thing the Bible proclaims with clarity cannot build a stronger, more Christ-honoring church no matter how sincere the messengers. Critiquing the church is good; disregarding or diminishing the revealed truth of our Founder is not good, no matter how ‘nice’ the people are who do it.

I love the truth of God’s Word, and so should you! Even when I don’t fully understand it, even when I fail to live it, even when I foolishly seek another source of soul satisfaction . . . Not for long, God’s Spirit always brings me back. He loves God’s Word too!

John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak.”

It’s God’s Word – more and more, I LOOOOOOVEEEEE IT!!!!!!

I cannot believe the push back that is coming from my prayer on June 10 at the PA House of Representatives.  Again let me say this right up front, my prayer was a hybrid of a number of prayers with my personality added to it. I say that to make the point that it was not novel or unique, but it was filled with truth and sprinkled with conviction and in a prophetic tone.  Whatever the case, it caused a stir among the State Reps that a NEW policy was instituted by the speaker of house. All prayers have to be submitted prior to being said and no one can say the NAME OF JESUS!  Can you believe that -- I think that is called censorship!!  What is really ironic is that a guest pastor has recently withdrawn from coming to pray because he was not going to NOT say Jesus name!  Three cheers for that pastor.  When I learned the who the pastor is -- I was surprised to see it was our Pastor of Next Generataion Ministries, Ed Bley's brother in law.  AWESOME!!  here is the article on his withdrawal...

State House edits 'Jesus' from pastor's prayer

By ERIN JAMES
For the Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated: 06/25/2009 02:09:16 PM EDT

Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos of Freedom Valley Worship Center is speaking out against a policy of the state House that requires guest chaplains invited to offer prayers at the Legislature's sessions to keep their words 'nondenominational.' (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS -- JAMES ROBINSON)

Gerry Stoltzfoos is a man of faith -- but not the type who preaches constantly with in-your-face theology. Even the Gettysburg-area church where he serves as lead pastor is designed more as a gathering hall than as a shrine full of religious imagery.

But when it comes to prayer, Stoltzfoos is steadfast in his approach of speaking directly to and addressing by name the Christian God he worships.

"I think prayer is talking to God, so when I pray, I try to talk to him," said Stoltzfoos, the pastor of Freedom Valley Worship Center in Straban Township, Adams County.

However, that principle clashed recently with a new policy of Pennsylvania's Speaker of the House, Keith McCall, D-Carbon County.

Stoltzfoos had been invited by state Rep. Will Tallman, R-Reading Township, Adams County, to open Tuesday's session of the House with a prayer as guest chaplain.

The pastor declined the invitation after someone on McCall's staff told him he could not use Jesus' name in the prayer.

"First of all, I don't see how Jesus is denominational. The whole Christian world is called after him," Stoltzfoos said. "I just feel like, if you want me to pray, then I have to pray to the one thing I know. I only know one God personally. I only serve one God. How do I do something that dishonors him?"

The policy -- not yet three months old -- requires guest chaplains to first submit their prayers in writing and then, if deemed necessary, agree to change their words to meet "nondenominational" guidelines established by McCall's staff.

It is not an attempt to silence religious leaders, McCall spokesman Bob Caton said, but rather an effort to prevent taxpayers from having to foot the bill of a lawsuit if someone objects to a prayer's contents and chooses to sue the state.

"Unfortunately, it's because states like Indiana and Ohio have been sued," Caton said. "We've followed the example that unfortunately was set in other places. We're bringing Pennsylvania's practices in line with what other states have done."

Tallman, whose district includes Hanover and Penn Township, said he invited Stoltzfoos to lead the prayer because he respects him both as a man of God and for his service as president of the New Oxford Borough Council.

As for what transpired, the representative said he believes "some of the leadership is probably not respecting diversity."

"Why is somebody from the speaker's office going to pre-approve a prayer by a man of God?" Tallman asked. "They're putting themselves in a pretty interesting position there."

He also said he does not believe concerns over potential lawsuits are legitimate, though he declined to comment further as to why.

Tallman said he plans to organize a bipartisan group of legislators displeased with the new policy and propose an alternative that could satisfy both sides of the issue.

"We think we need to have a more balanced look at this issue," Tallman said.

REP. MOUL ALSO OBJECTS

State Rep. Dan Moul, R-Conewago Township, Adams County -- whose district includes Straban Township, where Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos' church is located -- said he also objects to the prayer policy.

"I personally don't think it's reasonable because our country was founded on Christian-Judeo beliefs. That's who started our government," Moul said. "We should never be ashamed to speak about our Christian beliefs. That's what our prayers are for."

Moul said he supports the right of legislators of all religious backgrounds to invite clergy in as guest chaplains. Legislators have the ability to leave the floor if they find the content of prayers offensive, he said.

"I am extraordinarily tired of the vast majority changing our way of life to accommodate a few," Moul said.

As for the argument that the state could face lawsuits, Moul said simply: "Let 'em sue us."

As the news has shared to nauseum, Jon and Kate Gosselin of "Jon and Kate plus 8" are getting a divorce.  What a shame. It is a shame for many reasons - the children will suffer; another marriage goes into the tank; proof that celebrity and money usually ruin a person  (I am reminded of Ben Franklin's quote - "Contentment make poor men rich; and make rich men poor!") sad but true!  But the greatest shame is that the Gosselins claim to be Christians.  ANOTHER BLACK EYE FOR OUR TEAM!!

About a month ago, when all the scandal surrounding them broke in the news i was moved to email their church's pastor.  They claim to attend Glad Tiding Assembly of God in Reading.  You know how these thing go -- it might be attendance in name only, nevertheless I felt compelled to write their pastor.  Here is the letter:

As of today -- no response. That's OK - he might be overwhelmed. Maybe he is helping the situation. Maybe he is embarassed to say anything.  As a pastor I know I would be in knots on what to say and how to approach the situation.  you want to guard their privacy, however their lives and their issues are not a matter of privacy; they have chosen to have their problems on display for the world to see and consider at $75,000 an hour episode. So I say again to Pastor Koch and the members of their church -- BE THE CHURCH -- and use your eccleisatical authority to discipline these who call themselves Christian or have them recant that profession.  For the sake of the rest of us -- discipline the Body so that the world has no accusation against us especially that of hypocrite.  "Judgement begins in the household of God" -- whether you are a celebrity or not. 

Well I have done it again -- jump into the middle of a controversy.  Recently the school distrinct that my son attends, Lampeter-Strasburg, has decided to do random drug testing of student who are involved with sports, music, extracirriculum and those who have a parking permit for their car. There was a task force established by the Board and the recommendation passed the board's approval. 

To my shock, some parents rose in opposition. I shake my head, not understanding why they would be opposed. My conclusion -- naive or the think their kids are involved.  For at least one, being naive is not an option. She is an educator, her mother use to be school super and she has advance degrees in education.  So the second could be an option -- I do not know -- but it only makes sense!  So I could not allow a few resistors speak up and make it sound like the ones who want to protect the school from a epidemic of drug use be the bad guys, so I wrote an editorial:

For the fourth year our church has had In and Out Sunday. We started this in 2006 when we were led to cancel church for the day and hit the streets and serve the community. This year we decided to make it "up close and personal" -- in that we served those residents around our church building. Some 500 people rolled up their sleeves and raked, pulled weeds, washed, vacuumed, painted and mowed for three hours this Sunday. It was thrilling again to see the church "leave the building" and do good works in the name of Jesus. It was especially important this year as we ministered to many families that were in close proximity to our church. Many of them came back to the church and had lunch with us. It was a great day. I am so thankful for a church that is willing to push the envelope and cancel their service and show the Love of Christ to others! Kudos NewSong!

I was honored to be asked to pray at the PA House of Representatives to open the session on Wednesday June 10, 2009. I was reminded by my friend Carl Dingus that my prayer is part of history, in that word for word is recorded in the House minutes. Years from now, who knows, historians my read this and be able to conclude that our nation was in a moral slide. here is the prayer, at the end i will tell you the reaction.....

Prayer for the House of Rep – June 10, 2009

Our gracious Heavenly Father, we come before You today because we have nowhere else to go. For You are the true and living God. You are the Maker of Heaven and Earth. You are the sustainer of man and all that we are or ever will be. You are the only real HOPE for our nation and our commonwealth. We come before You in this grand hall, before the important and the powerful, in complete humility and brokenness because Your holiness consumes our failings, reveals our iniquities and lays bare all of our unrighteousness.

We come to ask Your forgiveness and seek Your help and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we've done. We have ignored Your spiritual compass and have tried to guide our paths with our own values, desires and indulgences.

§  We confess that we have mocked the absolute truth of Your Word and called it relativism.

§  We have worshipped other gods, failing to acknowledge You alone and called it multi-culturalism.

§  We have exploited the poor and naïve; and called it the lottery.

§  We have made excuses for the law breaker and called it tolerance.

§  We have demeaned the law keepers and called it politically correct.

§  We have neglected our neighbor and called it self-preservation.

§  We have rewarded laziness, irresponsibility and called it welfare.

§  We have killed our unborn and called it a choice.

§  We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

§  We have neglected to discipline our children and called it releasing their creativity.

§  We have abused power, been party to back room dealing and even hoped for our colleagues down fall and called it political savvy.

§  We have squandered our resources and paid back favors with taxpayer’s funds and called it a stimulus.

§  We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

Search us O God and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women, who have been sent here by the people of Pennsylvania, and who Your Holy Word calls, ordained ministers of peace, to govern this great commonwealth.

Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will. May they choose today to be servants of You, Almighty God, and then prosper their steps for their obedience.  May we live in reverent fear of your greatness in comparison to our insignificance.

I ask it, in the name of your son, our living savior and Master, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

 Directly after I was finished, a State rep came to the Speaker of House and protested my prayer, saying it was offensive. They called my State Rep to the desk and admonished him for my prayer....all I could hear was "He had no right to say that...."  I have not had a chance to discuss with him the back lash.  Interesting is it not that in a day and age when more vulgarity and profane things are spewed out.  And controversial things are said about all kinds of people.  That when a pastor prays and beseeches God's forgiveness for our very known and obvious sins, I am told that "I had no right" to say such things.

Just so there is full disclosure:  When asked to pray, I was unsure what kind of prayers are said in a political setting. I googled - "House of Representative Prayers" -- I was astonished on how many came up.  As I perused the plethora of samples I was stuck and moved by Pastor Joe Wright of Kansas, who prayed in 1996 a power convicting prayer.  I modeled my prayer after his and used portions of it.