Overcoming the Curse

I was riding my mountain bike up a bike path as I returned from a recent leader’s meeting at our church. Changing gears on the long uphill stretch, I drifted from the side to the center of the path. Suddenly, a rider coming swiftly up the hill behind me swerved to avoid colliding with me. He cursed in the name of Jesus as he passed me.

“Jesus Christ is the Lord!” I responded as he continued up the hill.

The guy was bigger and stronger than me. I wasn’t looking for a fight. I had been careless. If we had crashed, I would have apologized for drifting into his path.  However, when someone near me curses, I often feel compelled to respond.

The third commandment says, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”

The Lord will not hold those who curse in His name guiltless, because it is not an accident, it as an act of defiance. They may say they doubt God’s existence, but they also assume He owes them a better life. They don’t want to acknowledge their sin which has separated them from God. They act as if the Lord is obligated to bless them no matter how they behave.

People don’t curse in the name of Buddha or other dead spiritual leaders. They curse because they are angry at the living God, unaware of His presence, and ignorant of His power. They are trying to challenge Him in their spite rather than humbling themselves and asking for His mercy and help.

Salvation comes to us in the name of Jesus Christ. Healing can come through the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of the Lord and rich blessings for those who call on him.  “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.” (Romans 10:12)

Solomon built a magnificent temple to honor the name of the Lord. The temple was built with huge stones and inlaid with gold. It contained the ark of the covenant, the ten commandments, and Aaron’s budded rod. Solomon wanted the world to know the goodness of God and the value of His name. God’s name can reveal his nature and bring life, health, and wisdom to everyone who calls on Him.

When Israel honored God’s name and kept His commandments, the nation prospered. When they compromised and followed false gods, drought, plagues and war decimated the nation. We are experiencing the effects of drought, a plague and cyber war. Let’s not wait for our trials to escalate. We need to respond by humbling ourselves before God, confessing our sin and seeking His mercy.

Kristina and I occasionally watch movies when we share an evening at home. One night we watched a movie I had enjoyed years before on a plane flight. However, when we watched it on our cable channel, it was filled with cursing which the airline version had edited out. The cursing added nothing but filth to the film. Cursing is now more widespread on TV and in the movies than ever. Cursing is also becoming more common throughout our society.

I was walking toward my golf ball near the end of an early morning round recently. I watched as a guy stepped out of his golf cart on an adjacent fairway to hit his ball. He shanked the shot ten yards to his right. He and his partner drove over to his ball. He picked it up, turned the cart around and replaced it in the original spot. I stopped because I didn’t want to be too near when he hit the ball again.

He swung and immediately cursed, asking God to damn it as his ball rolled under the nearby trees.

I wanted to say, “Hey, we need God’s blessing out here!” However, I stayed silent. There were two of them and I didn’t want their anger directed at me. As I continued walking down the fairway towards my ball, I felt convicted. The fear of man had gotten the best of me.

I approached my ball, pulled an iron out of my golf bag, and hit my shot. I then continued pushing my hand cart towards the green. Suddenly, pain shot through my lower back as my muscle spasmed. I got to the green and gingerly bent down to pick up my ball. I decided to end my round before I damaged my back further.

I have studied back pain because I have had a lot of it over the years. There are correlations between how we manage anger and how our backs feel. Suppressing anger and stress can cause us to break down at our weakest point. For many of us, our weakest point is in our back.

My back is still tender as I write this Reflections. I haven’t figured out how to always process my emotions in a healthy way. The pain tells me to stay humble and forgiving in all my relationships. When my body breaks down I realize that everyone who can function well in this fallen world is experiencing grace from God, whether they realize it or not.

 I hope my heart will be discerning, courageous and thankful continually. I have a responsibility as a believer to let people know that the curse of sin has been broken by Jesus Christ. He died on the cross to bring us forgiveness, remove the curse and bring God’s blessings to our lives.

God requires us to pick up our cross as we follow Jesus. The cross is not a symbol to just hang around our necks or put on walls. Our cross is the sacrifices we must make as we obey Jesus Christ. If we want God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we have a mission to fulfill as the salt and light in this world.

If we fear speaking up when others are boldly sinning, we have lost our salt. There is no perfect way to speak up or intervene when someone is rebelling against the Lord, but the Holy Spirit will provide words to say and wisdom if we are willing to let the Lord use us.

Let’s walk with the Lord humbly and pick up our crosses faithfully. Let’s pray for abundant rain to fall on our land, for the plague of the coronavirus to end, and the Kingdom of God to expand in our land.

What Would Jesus Do?

I received the news that Sherman Moyer died last week. I was a twenty-six year old pastor when we planted the Open Door Church in Novato in 1976. Sherman was the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Novato. Sherman had been a senior pastor for many years. He loved Jesus, and he loved others regardless of their church affiliation. He was a mentor and role model to me at a critical time in my life.

As our church grew, I was faced with many challenging situations. How should I respond when a man puts a satanic curse on me after we removed him from one of our discipleship houses? What is the best way to bring loving discipline when a leader falls into immorality? How do you respond to a woman who has a great heart for those in need, but also gets into continual strife with other ladies in the church?

Pastors face many unexpected challenges in their churches. Some leaders have no qualms about kicking people out of the churches when they cause trouble. I was often conflicted about how to handle church discipline. I didn’t own the church. Jesus was the head of the church and it belonged to him. The disciples were his children. I was a shepherd who was responsible to care for the Lord’s people. I wanted to lead them and care for them the way Jesus did.

When I was faced with a dilemma about what to do, I wanted to know how Jesus wanted me to respond. Sometimes Jesus’ or the apostle’s words in the New Testament give me clear guidance about what to do. Other times the Holy Spirit will guide me to a solution. However, there are times when it is very helpful to process decisions with someone who has wisdom and loves the Lord. Since Sherman loved Jesus as much as anyone I knew, I talked with him about decisions that perplexed me. He was my go to counselor when I wondered what Jesus would do.

In 1983 Sherman and several former members of First Baptist Church joined our Open Door Church in Novato. We worked together on the same staff for a short while before we asked him and his wife Kathy to move and lead our Open Door Church in San Francisco. A few years after we moved to Phoenix, Sherman moved back to Novato to lead the Open Door Church there.

After all these years, I don’t remember the sermons Sherman preached. I don’t remember most of the decisions we made in our countless leadership meetings. I don’t remember many details of the times we disagreed about ministry decisions, or the times I disappointed him. I do remember Sherman’s kindness, gentleness, love, and grace. I remember how valuable it was for me to know a man who knew the word of God, loved the church, and would speak the truth to me in love.

I have been reading the Arizona Republic almost every morning since we moved to Phoenix in 1984. We have been able to plant a great church and start wonderful ministries in our city. I also did radio programs here for over thirty years and TV ministry for years. However, if I died today, my family would have to pay to put an obituary in the Arizona Republic. The overwhelming majority of people in Arizona have no idea I exist.

Does my obscurity mean I have failed? I don’t think so, but it helps me to put my priorities in focus. When I play golf, I often walk past the mansion where Glen Campbell lived for many years. When I point it out to guys younger than forty, they all ask the same question, “Who was Glen Campbell?”

“He was a famous county singer who did TV programs and had many hit songs like Rhinestone Cowboy and By the Time I get to Phoenix.”

They give me blank stares. They haven’t heard his songs either.

Fame can be very fleeting.

Yet, those who know what Jesus would do, and do it, have eternal life.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for my friend Sherman. May his family be comforted and his reward be great in your kingdom. As I think of my friend, I remember I still need the wisdom to know what you would do, the faith to follow through and the courage to do it.

Out of the Desert

At the beginning of March, I flew to Monterey, CA. It was my first trip outside of the Phoenix area since October 2019. I have been taking ministry trips every few weeks for the last 36 years, but Kristina’s health has recently kept me close to home.

I was the guest of my friend Mike Davis on a trip to Carmel for Young Life supporters. For three days, I got to know fourteen guys I had never met as we played golf and enjoyed fellowship. I was refreshed by the crashing surf in Carmel, seeing deer grazing on green grass and being caressed by mellow sunshine. It was a breakthrough for me to walk the lush fairways with thanksgiving in my heart, despite the fact that my golf scores put me in last place in our competition.

If I didn’t have the grace to give thanks to God for the beauty of the courses and the generosity of my friend, I would have missed out on another blessing; because, on the last holes of our three-day tournament, a Jewish man got out of his golf cart and walked up the fairway alongside me. He wanted to know more about my relationship with Christ.

I’m not the kind of guy people approach and ask, “What makes you so happy all the time?” I’m the guy who gets bitten by a dog just as the owner is saying, “Don’t worry about him, he is really friendly.” I’ve learned over the years, if a stranger is acting warmly towards me, they are either trying to sell me something, or they are ready to give their lives to Christ.

Six weeks earlier, I had bumped into a doctor who is a casual friend. I mentioned to him that I had been invited to play at Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay and Spyglass, but I wouldn’t be able to go unless I could get a Covid vaccination first. Covid could kill Kristina since her immune system is suppressed by anti-rejection medication for her heart transplant. She has been getting stronger, but I didn’t want to take any chances with her health.

The day after our chance meeting, the doctor made a call to a friend and arranged for me to get vaccinated. The fact that my wife’s life was in danger had not motivated anyone to help us get a vaccine. However, the fact that I might miss out on the trip of a lifetime was enough to get me to the front of the line.

I explained Kristina’s situation to the nurse who scheduled my vaccination. She would not give me permission to bring her with me. However, I took Kristina to the appointment with me anyway, and she was vaccinated as well. That is the irony of life. Who you know and how they feel about you can be more important than what you need, what you know or what you deserve.

Jesus himself grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). Wisdom shows us how to apply what we know in the best way. Favor opens doors for us that we don’t deserve. We all need more wisdom and favor at times. God delights to give it to us if we humble ourselves and ask for it.

I’m able to attend live worship services again without concern about Covid. The difference between a live worship service and an online service is night and day. In a recent worship service, I was refreshed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was nurtured by hugs from several friends. I renewed connections with people I love. There is a treasure in the body of Christ that is only experienced when we get together in person.

The kingdom of God is not just words, it is power (I Corinthians 4:20). We don’t grow in our relationship with Jesus by just gaining knowledge from the Bible, we grow when we hear the word of God and put it into practice (Luke 8:21). We cannot put love into practice on our own. We must gather together to build relationships in order to encourage and love each other well. There is no such thing as a perfect church, but Christ established the church. He knew his disciples would need it to help them grow in the grace and love of God.

I felt set free when I was able to leave the desert for several days. I was inspired when I was able to return to our worship services. This new season in my life makes me feel like I’ve just graduated from high school all over again.

I hope you use your spiritual gifts and put the love God has given you into relationships which will enrich you and unlock the treasures of Christ in your life.

A Cause Worth Fighting For

After the November election, I got a surprise text from Jason, our granddaughter Ava’s father. Sixteen years ago, our family was in a custody battle with Jason. He brought police officers to our house. We took each other to court. We both feared violence would break out between us. After years of struggle, God gave us breakthroughs. We had to work to obey the Lord’s command to love our enemies. We had to resist bitterness and forgive each other. We had to overcome anger and learn to love each other. We suspended judgment and prayed for each other.

Today, Jason is following the Lord. We share meals when he comes by our house. We give each other gifts and occasionally hike, golf and pray together.

The text Jason sent me in November was a picture of his ballot. He had written my name in for US Senator. It is the only vote I have ever received, and it blessed me. It makes the pain of trials redemptive when our enemies are transformed into our friends and brothers in Christ. Jason’s vote was a symbol to me. I came in last place for Senator, yet it is possible to lose an election, and still win in life. That is a cause worth fighting for and a win worth celebrating.

I have strong opinions about faith, politics and our nation. My temperament has led to many arguments. However, I have never had someone say after an argument, “You have just changed my mind.” Second Timothy 2:24 says, The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome. Those who quarrel lose their influence in God’s kingdom. If our fellowship has been broken, we must seek to restore it. We are commanded to; Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2)

Judges and juries examine evidence and make decisions in lawsuits between people. I doubt those who lose lawsuits say, “The verdict convinced me that I was wrong all along.” The courts in our nation made determinations about the legitimacy of our election. If they have accurate evidence, they can decide who is right and who is wrong, but they cannot heal the hurts in the hearts of men.

Healing is a gift from the Spirit of God. Jesus came to bring healing to the brokenhearted. He can heal hurting hearts and he can heal our hurting nation. Our job is to walk in the Spirit, love one another and share the gospel of Christ. Our nation and churches were torn apart during the Revolutionary War and torn again during the Civil War. Believers had to fight in the Spirit to bring the peace of Christ and reunite our nation. Through prayer, forgiveness, love and perseverance, they made progress.

Now is our time to live out the gospel. Since my political opinions often lead to futile arguments, I’m going to keep the prayer Jesus prayed in John 17:21 my priority; I pray also that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe you have sent me.  Since our unity shows the world that Jesus is the Son of God, it is a cause worth fighting for and a win worth celebrating.

Winning at Life

I hike in the desert to keep my body in shape and play chess online to keep my mind sharp. Chess is also a way I process frustration without causing harm. However, I recently had a game that upset me. I went to bed with a good lead in the game and woke up to find that my opponent had won. He had rigged the game to cause me to resign. I’m not kidding or trying to make a political statement, but it made me think. I have assumed our recent election was not rigged; however, it was eye-opening when my opponent somehow manipulated our chess game to give himself the win.

I don’t like to lose, and I don’t like my teams to lose. I don’t like to lose in chess, golf, or cards. I don’t like the Arizona Cardinals, Diamondbacks, or Suns to lose. I don’t like it when Arizona State loses. I root for Arizona teams. I like our teams to win even if I don’t watch their games. If the Cardinals are playing the Seahawks and their quarterback is a saint and our quarterback is a sinner, I still root for the Cardinals. I like to win, and I like everyone associated with me and our state to win.

I realize there are many things more important than the scoreboard. It is important how we play the game. The big win I want is to win at life. To win at life we must receive the grace God puts in each day. Walking in the Spirit enables us to be guided by the Spirit and experience the fullness of life. I know many people who are winning at life.

I met Reno and Pauline when they were out walking their dogs. When they walk their dogs, they ask the Lord to give them assignments so they will meet people who are open to hearing about Jesus. They are friendly and stop to talk whenever someone seems interested in conversation. When they sit by strangers in restaurants or in parks, they look for opportunities to share their faith. Each walk and each day is an adventure for them. They are winning at life.

My friend Chris Schoenleb is eighty six years old. He and his wife Joanne have been married for sixty five years. Chris is an elder at Living Streams and board member of the Phoenix Rescue Mission. Chris and Joanne show up for live services at church, attend their life group and have traveled this year to visit children and grandchildren. When I asked Chris why he was staying so active in a COVID-19 year, he told me that he doesn’t have enough years left to stay home and miss out on what the Lord has called him to do. Chris and Joanne have had a fruitful year because they are living by faith and winning at life.

While in the hospital, Kristina crocheted ear protectors for doctors and nurses who have to wear masks all day. Her doctors asked her to lead a Zoom support group for heart transplant patients who are struggling to adjust to the new realities of their lives. She knits hats for the homeless and caps with a thin blue line for police officers to wear in the winter. She has had to adjust to medical issues, a strict quarantine, and handfuls of pills each day, but she is not depressed. She is winning at life.

Our daughter Kelly is a single mom. She works full time in HR, struggles with MS and has raised an amazing daughter Ava. Recently Kelly joined her brother Phil, his wife Moriah and two others for a nonstop 48 mile rim to rim to rim hike/run at the Grand Canyon. For Kelly and Phil, it took 17 straight hours in temperatures from 30-70 degrees. Moriah ran it in 12 hours. They were sore, but they had no complaints. They are excited to do it again next year because they are winning at life.

Our circumstances are unique, but we all have to resist sin and its impact on our lives. We all have to forgive others and receive the grace of God. Each of us has unique challenges to overcome. Some people suffer abuse, others experience betrayal. Some have disabilities, others are victims of crime. Some people have no children, others have major family disfunction. We all have pain and heartache, and we don’t get to choose how it comes into our lives.

Jesus said we would have tribulation in this world, and he reminded us that he overcame the world. In Christ, we too overcome the world. Abiding in Christ is the fight of faith that enables us all to win in life.

Kristina and I want to thank all of you who have prayed for us and supported us during this past year. Kristina’s new heart is doing great. She is able to take walks around the block and in the desert with the vitality her heart gives her. She has struggled to overcome lung issues because her immune system is suppressed. Fortunately, her attitude is great, and we are enjoying this season of life together. I’m busy preaching, leading men’s groups, and consulting with pastors and leaders. We pray you will have a Merry Christmas season and a blessed New Year.

Judgement

The Lord recently challenged me to stop passing so many judgments on people. I thought he meant I should stop judging political leaders who lie and deceive. I discovered it went beyond politics.

I was playing Chess with Friends against opponents on Facebook when “Christopher” asked me in the chat box if I wanted to make easy money selling Bitcoin. I told him I wasn’t interested because I have something more valuable than money. He wondered what that was, so I told him about Jesus.

We went back and forth between his sales pitch and my testimony about the Lord. Since my approach was kindness rather than judgment, he ended up opening his heart and telling me that he was a scammer from Nigeria. He supports his family by swindling people who hope to make easy money. He is a white collar criminal who builds trust through deception and then swindles his victims.

Christopher said corruption and poverty in Nigeria make it difficult to make money legitimately. He was struggling about whether he could support himself if he didn’t swindle. I thanked him for his honesty and assured him I wasn’t going to judge him. I don’t know how God will work in his situation, but I assured him the Lord would provide for him if he trusted God with his life.
               
Several years ago, I went with my friend Hylan to visit his parents in Los Angeles. They lived on the third floor of an apartment building. Their apartment had bars on the windows and a metal security door. They told me there were a lot of burglaries in their neighborhood. They were afraid to go outside at night because the streets were not safe. It was sad for me to see this precious couple living behind security bars like they were in jail.
                 
Some say we need to pray for God’s mercy so judgment will not come on America. I think judgment is already here when righteous people live in fear.

For those who smoke, judgment is the poison in their lungs and diminished smell and taste. The drug users’ judgment is a diminished brain capacity, addiction and depravity.

Some think judgment will come upon us all because of the rampant immorality in our nation. I think judgment has already come to people who live in immorality. They have a difficult time enjoying healthy marriages because immorality destroys respect and love in relationships.
               
The Lord tells us to wait until marriage for sexual relationships. People ignore this to their own hurt. The pressures that accompany sexual purity can help couples learn to talk, pray, and play together before their marriage. These practices help develop a foundation for a healthy marriage.

Many people fear God is going to judge America because we have millions of abortions each year. I think that judgment has already come. Many people live with guilt when they take the life of their unborn child. Some will never know the joy of raising a child because the only child they will conceive was aborted. They will never hear those children sing, see their photos, or watch them perform at school or in sports. The world is deprived of their inventions and their inspiration.

The gospel says Jesus took the judgment we deserve on the cross. Instead of judgment, through Christ’s sacrifice we can have the blessing of God. We don’t deserve the joy God gives us, the love he has for us, or the rewards of heaven. Yet everyone who calls on the name of the Lord can escape judgment and be blessed with grace and forgiveness.
Jesus said, “As for the person who hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world but to save it” (John 12:47). It is easy to get worked up about the sins of others. However, if Jesus didn’t judge those who rejected his life-giving words, why should we? Jesus’ mission was to save the world, not judge it. Declaring salvation should be our mission as well.

Those who judge get locked up in hatred and contempt. This puts bars on their souls that are stronger than bars on windows and doors. Passing judgment may make you feel superior, but it does to your soul what junk food does to your body. In time, a deadly flab of deception darkens the souls of those who pass judgment.

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). His words command us to love and forgive. This frees us to enjoy the fullness of life.

Judgement

Judgement

The Lord recently challenged me to stop passing so many judgments on people. I thought he meant I should stop judging political leaders who lie and deceive. I discovered it went beyond politics.

I was playing Chess with Friends against opponents on Facebook when “Christopher” asked me in the chat box if I wanted to make easy money selling Bitcoin. I told him I wasn’t interested because I have something more valuable than money. He wondered what that was, so I told him about Jesus.

We went back and forth between his sales pitch and my testimony about the Lord. Since my approach was kindness rather than judgment, he ended up opening his heart and telling me that he was a scammer from Nigeria. He supports his family by swindling people who hope to make easy money. He is a white collar criminal who builds trust through deception and then swindles his victims.

Christopher said corruption and poverty in Nigeria make it difficult to make money legitimately. He was struggling about whether he could support himself if he didn’t swindle. I thanked him for his honesty and assured him I wasn’t going to judge him. I don’t know how God will work in his situation, but I assured him the Lord would provide for him if he trusted God with his life.
               
Several years ago, I went with my friend Hylan to visit his parents in Los Angeles. They lived on the third floor of an apartment building. Their apartment had bars on the windows and a metal security door. They told me there were a lot of burglaries in their neighborhood. They were afraid to go outside at night because the streets were not safe. It was sad for me to see this precious couple living behind security bars like they were in jail.
                 
Some say we need to pray for God’s mercy so judgment will not come on America. I think judgment is already here when righteous people live in fear.

For those who smoke, judgment is the poison in their lungs and diminished smell and taste. The drug users’ judgment is a diminished brain capacity, addiction and depravity.

Some think judgment will come upon us all because of the rampant immorality in our nation. I think judgment has already come to people who live in immorality. They have a difficult time enjoying healthy marriages because immorality destroys respect and love in relationships.
               
The Lord tells us to wait until marriage for sexual relationships. People ignore this to their own hurt. The pressures that accompany sexual purity can help couples learn to talk, pray, and play together before their marriage. These practices help develop a foundation for a healthy marriage.

Many people fear God is going to judge America because we have millions of abortions each year. I think that judgment has already come. Many people live with guilt when they take the life of their unborn child. Some will never know the joy of raising a child because the only child they will conceive was aborted. They will never hear those children sing, see their photos, or watch them perform at school or in sports. The world is deprived of their inventions and their inspiration.

The gospel says Jesus took the judgment we deserve on the cross. Instead of judgment, through Christ’s sacrifice we can have the blessing of God. We don’t deserve the joy God gives us, the love he has for us, or the rewards of heaven. Yet everyone who calls on the name of the Lord can escape judgment and be blessed with grace and forgiveness.
Jesus said, “As for the person who hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world but to save it” (John 12:47). It is easy to get worked up about the sins of others. However, if Jesus didn’t judge those who rejected his life-giving words, why should we? Jesus’ mission was to save the world, not judge it. Declaring salvation should be our mission as well.

Those who judge get locked up in hatred and contempt. This puts bars on their souls that are stronger than bars on windows and doors. Passing judgment may make you feel superior, but it does to your soul what junk food does to your body. In time, a deadly flab of deception darkens the souls of those who pass judgment.

Jesus said, “If you continue in my word… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). His words command us to love and forgive. This frees us to enjoy the fullness of life.