When our boys were small, they loved the original “Ghostbusters” movies! They had all the toys, and even nicknamed our huge, ancient Oldsmobile “Ecto 1”. The movie theme song asked “Who You Gonna’ Call?” when you had ghosts, and the answer of course was “Ghostbusters”!

I think a more relevant question today, when it comes to the really significant issues in life, is “Who You Gonna’ Trust”? (please excuse the grammar, teachers!) What about questions like “Who am I, and what am I here for?” Does anybody really love me? How can I know real forgiveness, peace, and purpose in my life? Does it matter what I do? Is there another life after death, and if not, what difference does it make what we do now? Is my life making any significant difference in this world? And of course, will the Tigers ever win another World Series?

As children, if we are fortunate enough, we can trust our parents for security and guidance on the big issues of our young lives. And as Christian parents, we have the opportunity to point our children toward God at an early age, letting them know that God is our ultimate source of strength, hope, and wisdom! But when we turn adults and realize our parents are fallible and sometimes as confused as we are, where do we turn then? Sadly, in our culture today, most people turn to social media sites and the endless drivel of confusion, or they actually look to politicians as though they are responsible for making our lives happy and fulfilled! Christians, of all people, should know that a good government will protect us from harmful enemies, establish basic laws of right & wrong , have a system of basic, if imperfect, justice, and if they are really effective, provide us with freedom & opportunities to work and succeed at life. Historically, most governments don’t even accomplish that! Our present government, as much as people dislike it, is still better than most in history. So, pray for our political leaders that they will get back to the basic stuff they are called to do, and maybe get away from trying to micro-manage our lives in ways they were never intended to do.

As Christians, I encourage you to remember how God works in history! He sometimes used governing authorities, even evil ones, but mostly he worked through his people IN SPITE OF THE RULING AUTHORITIES! God has always called his people to trust in Him above all else! … not social media, nor partisan politicians or pundits, nor even well-meaning teachers or professors! God ALWAYS works through humble people, willing to obey and trust him!

I recently read an amazing article about the Methodist church in Cuba! In spite of many decades of ruthless Communist dictatorship under Castro, murdering his own people, and the resulting poverty and hopelessness of many, the Methodist church has seen amazing, Holy Spirit led revival and power to overcome the worst in life! They now have 410 churches and 927 churches in formation. One church leader said they are unified in “seeking God, the movement of the Holy Spirit, the falling of the fire and anticipating the glory of God to descend”! This revival began in the 1970’s, and has been transforming lives ever since! Another pastor says, “We rejoice every time we think of what God has done for us! In central Havana, many people were drug addicts, idol worshippers, prostitutes, and God took them out of that way and saved them. The Bible says that one who is forgiven much, loves much. And when somebody pays a huge deb for you, then expressions of joy and happiness come out of your heart and that’s what’s happening in Cuba!”

WOW! How can people with little in life, living on less than $20/month, be so filled with joy, power over their life circumstances, and know freedom from the sins that used to entangle them and pull them down? It’s simple! They trust and believe what God says! There is a major revival happening around the world, mostly in poor nations, and it’s based on the belief that the Bible is truly the Word of God, and that the Holy Spirit is real, powerful, and can miraculously transform our lives from the inside out!

So, in our extremely wealthy nation, why are so many Christians being duped into looking for entitlements and trusting the government, rather than actually seeking and trusting in God first?

1) We have forgotten our first love, Jesus, and have drifted from our foundation of trust and faith alone in Him!
In his wonderful book entitled “Stay the Course”, Pastor Choco De Jesus quotes theologian D.A. Carson, who said:
“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking that we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

2) We need to pray for revival, beginning with you and me!
King David prayed “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. –Psalm 139:23-24
And once we confess our own sins, allow God to transform us from the inside out!
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

As a retired pastor, I regret not preaching and teaching more effectively on the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us and free us from the sin that limits us. To those who were in my churches, I apologize for not doing that better. But as a baby boomer, I also realize that in the years I have left, God is still calling you and me to pray for revival, not only for us personally, but for our nation and world as well! God is powerfully changing lives around the world right now, in spite of bumbling governments. He has done it in America before, and wants to do it again! Won’t you join me in returning to our first love, Jesus , and really trusting in His Holy Spirit to transform us, and then use us to humbly join him in transforming the world around us?

(This is a “guest” blog from my wonderful wife, Claudia!)

As I celebrate vacation by the ocean each day, interesting groups of people come by; different faces, languages, hairdos, —it is great people watching stuff. But this morning I received a wonderful message from just four of them. And, of course, their wonderful dogs:
The first couple I saw coming from quite a ways off. Their dog was a German short hair pointer (what I would call a Spencer Dog, as this breed was our neighbor for many years at the cabin!) This dog was so beautiful! Not so much his fur, or his face, (let’s face it –who can turn away a happy dog!) but mostly for his gate, his energy and his amazing devotion and enjoyment of his ‘family’. Pure joy! This dog was fetching a simple tennis ball, but you would think it was the most important trophy or treasure imaginable. His master would pitch this ball many yards and this dog would take off at full tilt into the ocean surf or up into the sandy beach—no matter!-wherever he threw it, this dog would take off and bring it back. Every once in a while the woman would throw it, and although she never threw it as far, still, the dog’s reaction was total love and obedience. And? This dog NEVER gave up. I watched for a good long while and the same scene played out all the way down the beach. What a great thing to watch!
The next couple came down the beach and their dog was a black lab. He was a little chubbier and perhaps older, but still lots of ‘spark’ for fetching. He was equally dedicated to his family, but instead of a tennis ball, or other dog toy, his master picked up any old rock or shell and threw it into the water. The dog immediately ran to try and pick it up, but, time after time—he could not—the stone or shell had disappeared into the soft sand, or the surf came and took it away. One time his master took a large rock and threw it into the water—fully aware that this dog could never pick it up—and, of course the poor pooch went to the place where it had dropped and looked back—confused and dismayed because the task was too great and the expectations were still high. He could not complete the command of this thoughtless master.
I think I will serve the first master, thank-you very much! I wake each day and He lays out the course for Today. My tasks are never senseless, no matter how hard or easy. The course He gives me fills me with purpose and grace. And each day I return with joy, purpose, blessing, and thankfulness. There are days, however, that I follow the daily grind of this Earth. I find myself running after many ‘rocks’ that drop into the surf and, even though I go after them, I find they have disappeared. I am left bewildered, frustrated and purposeless. Not with the First Master! Don’t get me wrong, the days are sometimes long. After all, I am not a pet. God gives me a fully human experience. I am so thankful for this. Because of the humanity of Christ, I KNOW that my Redeemer lived a fully human life, and continues to live as my perfect, joyful purpose filled Savior! Living out my life and using all He has developed in me makes so much more sense than trusting this daily chunk of time to anything but the First Master.

Please don’t misunderstand and take offense at this title! I don’t mean it negatively, such as “keep your nose out of my business”! No, I mean this in a positive sense, as in mind (focus on, be intentional, plan & implement) your OWN business in 2017 (what YOU are led by God to do, with your specific gifts and passions, in your sphere of influence in the world)! Remember when Jesus was just 12 years old, and his parents had to go back to Jerusalem and found him in the Temple courts, asking questions? He told them: “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. -Luke 2:49-50 (NIV) Jesus, even at a young age, was laser-focused on who he was and why he was sent here. In his later years of ministry, he made clear that everything he said and did was in direct correlation with his Father in Heaven!
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:9-14 (NIV)

WOW! Jesus says that we as believers may do even greater works than he did! How exciting might that be in 2017? Paul reminds us of this promise in Ephesians 2:10 (NIV): 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. But the problem is, we get distracted by focusing on things we are NOT called to do! For example, you may be shocked to learn that I was NOT invited by President-elect Trump to visit the Trump Tower and offer my advice on how to run the country and change the world for the better! And I’ll bet you weren’t either! After all, we have such important opinions and ideas on this, don’t we? While politics is entertaining to many ( and a blood-sport to some), the reality is, it is NOT our business! Now maybe you are gifted and passionate about a political career, and God is leading you on that path. Wonderful! We need more Christians of integrity in leadership at every level of society! But for the rest of us, we are called to pray for leaders at every level, vote, and encourage fair and just decisions for the benefit of all the people. But our primary concern should be to use our time, energy and gifts to do what God is calling US to do in our sphere of influence!

So, as we look forward to 2017, remember two important Biblical truths:
1) God has given you a specific area of passion and giftedness for a reason, and he expects you to use it!
We can be interested in a lot of things, but only committed to a few. When you are “interested” in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something, you accept no excuses. Football coach Lou Holtz pointed out “The Kamikaze pilot who was able to fly 50 missions was involved— but never committed”! What are you really passionate about that can influence others and draw them closer to God and his grace?

2) The Kingdom of God grows one heart and soul at time!
It is true that governments and laws can have either positive or negative impacts on how people live. But Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God always begins small, in the heart of an individual, and then grows as that individual is transformed and meshes with other transformed Christians to slowly and powerfully change the world around them. Jesus came to save us from sin and all it’s destructive power in our lives, knowing that when we receive forgiveness and grace from God, we will think and act like him. Who in your life circle needs to know God’s forgiveness and mercy, and begin a new life under the power of God? What can you do to reach out in unconditional service and love?

There are many things in life that we find interesting, but only a few things that are vital and life-changing. You are a unique creation of God, and he wants to use you and your God-given passion and gifts to draw others to him and his Kingdom. Paul describes it this way:
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV)

What is the “business” that God has uniquely given to you in 2017? Are you willing to “mind your own business in God”, by being intentional and committed to doing the good works that God has for you in 2017? Will you pray with me and other believers that God will show us, day by day, how he wants to use us? May the aroma that we diffuse throughout 2017 be one of mercy, compassion, and the life-changing grace of God!

For the super-organized person, putting labels on files and shelves can be very helpful and satisfying. But attempting to label people is too often an excuse to not have to talk with them and actually listen to another point of view. Worse than that, it is often a pre-judging of the other person, and as Christians we should know better! While Jesus and his leaders never mentioned “labeling”, they had a lot to say about our words and judging.

Labeling & pre-judging may be more of a reflection on your heart than that of the person or group you are criticizing!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV) 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’will be liable to the hell of fire.
Jesus is saying that even to get angry enough to think of murdering your brother is the same spiritually as actually murdering your brother! “Anger,” here, refers to a seething, brooding bitterness that always threatens to leap out of control, leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, spiritual damage, and, yes, even murder. Anger keeps us from developing a spirit pleasing to God. Then Jesus adds that if we continue to insult others and even call each other “stupid” or “you fool”, we are actually in danger of eternal condemnation and the fires of hell!
If that’s true, then a lot of Americans are in serious danger of Hell right now because of the angry words and accusations we are throwing at each other! To point out the worst of what’s being said, those on the “right” often feel they are being told “You need to confess that you are ignorant, deplorable,red-neck, sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic, homophobic, bigoted racists, and when you admit that, then we can talk about how you can change and see the light and become tolerable human beings again!” Now, those on the “right” are not quite as adept as those on the “left” at using “ism” and “ist” words, but they do tend to use other descriptive phrases! Sadly, their message to those on the “left” is just as judgemental, and may sound something like this: “If you would just confess that you are arrogant, condescending, elitist, entitled, smug, know-it-all, whining and cry-baby progressive-propoganda dupes, then we can talk about how you can change and see the light and become tolerable human beings again!” Do we all feel good about those descriptions? Maybe I’m just a little naive, but I don’t think those are the best conversation starters to bring people together!

As Christians, we don’t have the the luxury of succumbing to the Satanic-inspired world of political gutter politics and division. We are commanded to be like Jesus in our words and conduct, and treat others the way God treated us! That means remembering at least two basic things Jesus taught us:

1) Every person is created in the image of God, and is therefore of inherent worth to God, and should be to us as well!
John 3:16-17 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
ALL of us are sinners, having fallen well short of God’s standard of goodness and righteousness. That’s true for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and you and me. We all have sinful tendencies toward fear, vile thoughts, and mistrust of others. Jesus knows this, and yet he came to earth not to condemn us, but to forgive, save, transform, and renew us into his own image! So why are so many of us so “Hell bent” on labeling & destroying each other? The Bible clearly tells us that Satan is our Accuser, who desires to destroy our soul!
Revelation 12:10 (ESV) 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
if this is true, by looking at your words and actions lately, are you acting more like a follower of Jesus, or a follower of Satan?

2) Jesus tells us to love and pray for our enemies, and treat each other with respect, even though we are all lost sinners undeserving of God’s mercy and grace!
Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV) 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
As Christians, we are called to forgive and love others, especially those who disagree with us and may be openly hostile to us! Christian love is tough! It involves much more than marching in protest with a cutesy sign that says “Love trumps hate”. It involves putting others’ interests before your own, and giving of your time, money, and heart to the lost and hurting around you. It also means patiently giving others the benefit of the doubt, even when they say or do foolish things at times (haven’t we all?)

In II Timothy, the apostle Paul gives us a dire warning of what it will be like in the last days:
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV) 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
Now, I can’t tell you how close we are to those “last days” right now, but that sure describes a lot of what we see happening around us! As Christians, let’s work to avoid using the slanderous, denigrating labels we hear from both sides today! Friends, we are being played, duped and manipulated by factions on both sides of political beliefs today who want to divide us, denigrate us, and turn us against each other! As someone whose been around for almost 65 years now, I can honestly say that I can count on one hand the number of people that I actually, personally know that would fit any of those labels that are being tossed around today. And if you are inclined to play the “label game”, I challenge you to do this: rather than just toss around labels at whole groups of people, actually make a list of individuals that you actually, personally know that you think fit these labels! List their actual words and actions, over the course of years, that make them fit that label. And if you can’t, then take a good look at your heart and your motives. Are you really a servant of Jesus, trying to bring forgiveness, hope, and reconciliation, or are you an unwitting tool of Satan, sowing fear, distrust, and slanderous, destructive accusations at fellow human beings for whom Jesus died?

In Matthew, Jesus reminds us that we will all stand before him in judgement some day, accountable for our words and actions:
Matthew 12:33-37 (ESV) 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will account for every careless word they speak,37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
My friends, I encourage you to be careful in your speech and conduct. Guard your heart; guard your words; and guard your conduct and motives. This is not a game we are playing; this is a struggle for people’s souls! We, as Christians, have a higher calling to be reconcilers, forgivers, peace makers, and sacrificial lovers of those who want to to harm us. That’s the way of Jesus, and that’s the only way we can overcome this creeping evil in our land. I sincerely pray for all of you, as well as myself, that God’s Holy Spirit will empower us to be salt and light, and the aroma of Jesus, in a fallen, fearful and dark world. And I pray that as you and I both stand before Jesus at the judgement, that he will be able to say of us “Well done, good and faithful servant!”