A Risk Worth Taking

We’re a culture of risk takers. In fact, this country was built by men and women who took risks.

They sailed across an ocean some thought would lead to falling off the face of the earth. They fled England to start a country built on freedom. And they ventured west to expand the nation.

Today’s risk takers, however, are far less to be celebrated. Men and women are taking risks with multiple sex partners. They’re taking risks with prescription medication. They’re taking risks by watching pornography or having adulterous affairs.

There are some risk takers in our world who have it right. They are preaching the name of Jesus Christ and risking quite a lot. In some countries, Christians are being killed for spreading the gospel. It’s that important to them.

What about us? What are we risking to share the gospel? In this country, you’re not really risking your life. Perhaps your job, maybe some friends you shouldn’t be hanging out with anyways. But the big risk in our day? Our pride. We don’t want to look or feel stupid.

I’ll be the first one to stand up and say, ‘That’s me." I’m afraid of being rejected, being seen as not credible, and being laughed off.

Of all the sins I have committed, it’s failing to share the gospel that bothers me most. Why am I so afraid? I can open the Bible to almost any point and see men and women risking their lives to tell others about God and Jesus and the redemptive blood that was shed on the cross so we could have eternal life.

The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” I think he’s saying, if you have trusted the gospel and you know the gospel, and it’s changed your life, why wouldn’t you want to share it?

There are real risk takers all throughout scripture. There was Ester, who said, “If I perish, then I perish.”

Then you had Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who would not bow down to a graven image as commanded by Nebuchadnezzar. The king threatened them and said that if they did not worship the image, they would be thrown into the fiery furnace.

Their answer: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up,” (Daniel 3:16-18).

Author and pastor John Piper writes in “Don’t Waste Your Life” that this was sheer risk. They believed God would deliver them, but even if God chose not to, they weren’t bowing down to an idol.

In 2 Samuel 10: 12, it says, “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.”

Take note of the second part, “May the Lord do what seems good to him.”

Remember, it’s all about his glory not ours.

Paul recognized that truth and wrote about it the book of Acts. In Acts 20:23, he writes that the Holy Spirit “testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me."

He recounts in 2 Corinthians what he endured to share the good news of Jesus: “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

And you and I are afraid of being embarrassed? Are you kidding me?

Piper said Paul had two choices: waste his life or live with risk. And he answered this choice clearly: "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God," (Acts 20:24).

I want to remind you that Jesus warned us of being persecuted in his name. In Luke 21:16, Jesus says, “You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.” And, in John 15:20, Jesus says, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

To become a Christian some 2,000 years ago, by believing that Jesus was the messiah, died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead by God was to put your life at risk.

We can, in the United States, make this life-saving decision without such threat. So let’s not waste our lives.

God, help us not be ashamed of the gospel, so much so that we want to share it with our friends and family and co-workers and the woman taking our order at the drive-thru.

Take away our fear and anxiety and mostly our pride. Help us see that our time here is short and that today could be our only chance to share how Jesus has changed our lives.

I pray we do this for your glory and in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Is Jesus Enough?

Our pastor at Crew Church in Huntington often says that we preach the saving message of the gospel of Jesus every week because people need to know that He is the one thing that is never ending, never changing and ever fulfilling.

“When children die, when you lose your job, or when you get cancer,” Pastor Josh Perry says while lifting up his Bible, “you’ve got something to hold on to.”

This takes me to the Old Testament where we find Job – a man of God who has been blessed many times over with a large family, servants, livestock and land.

Satan challenges God, saying that Job is so faithful because he has been so blessed. He tells the Lord that if it is all taken away, Job will curse God.

So, in a series of what we might call unfortunate events, his livestock was stolen, his servants were killed and his children were crushed when a mighty wind blew in the house.

After all this, Job’s response is one of awe and example. He proclaims that the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. But blessed be the name of the Lord.

A favorite Christian song of mine boasts that message with “Every blessing you pour out, I’ll turn back to praise. And when the darkness closes in, still I will say, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

It wasn’t until this summer when I read Job that I found the song’s inspiration. I had previously thought it was from Psalms, by an author who was going through a tough time. But then I read that the song’s origins come from Job 1:20, from a man who has just lost everything.

For Job, the Lord was enough.

Fast forward to Philippians 4:10-13. The Apostle Paul is thanking those who have prayed for him and making a bold statement that despite his need, he has learned “to be content whatever the circumstances.”

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty,” Paul writes. “I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want.”

Then, in the famous verse 13, Paul reveals the secret is that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.

Paul boldly states that Jesus is enough.

Fast forward 2,000 years to you and me, here and now. Life is hard. Life is unfair. Jobs are tough to find. We’ve got students loans bearing down on us. We’ve got marriages collapsing under adultery and pornography. We’ve got children stricken with cancer. We’ve got investment accounts losing value. We've got crime fueled by drug addictions.

With all that happening around you, what are you holding on to? What is the source of your strength? I will boldly say that any source other than Jesus is a finite resource.

We think oil will last forever, but someday, our grandchildren or great-grandchildren will have to deal with the serious prospect of a world without a major oil supply. That’s why we’re pushing renewable energy.

Energy that won’t deplete, that’s as constant as the sun.

For me, that’s Jesus. He is the SON.

I’m not going to sit here and say that I’ve faced all those hardships and screamed “Jesus is enough!”

There have been some rough patches for us. A pregnancy that involved many complications, hospital stays and a premature birth; witnessing my son have a febrile seizure caused by a spiking fever and holding his limp body in my arms until an ambulance arrived and then an evening in the hospital; personal attacks and job loss; and the everyday headaches of life – flat tires, hot water tank bursting and even the diagnosis of a major food allergy that makes it difficult to eat out and expensive to purchase the right foods.

Thankfully, my family has chosen to say Jesus is enough.

The truth is, Jesus has to be enough. God made each and every one of us with a missing piece in our hearts that only Christ can fill. And it’s a piece that bridges the gap for us to commune with our Father in heaven. It’s a savior that makes it possible for all our sins to be forgiven. And it’s a relationship that brings eternal life in heaven with all those who have trusted Jesus and his death on the cross.

I invite you to pray on that today. Feel free to email me at wpr7573@yahoo.com if you have any questions or want someone to pray for you.

I may or may not know you, but I love you. I love you because Jesus, with nails in his hands and feet and a crown of thorns on his head, looked at me with all my junk and said, “I love you this much.”

That has to be enough.
If you don’t know Him, I’d love to invite you to Crew Church on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m., at the old high school on 8th Street and 9th Avenue.

Hide and Seek

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, God seeks out Adam after he and Eve ate the apple from the forbidden tree and try to hide their nakedness.

God calls out, “Where are you?” But he knew exactly where Adam and Eve were. I think God is making a statement here more than He’s asking a question.

God is sovereign, meaning He knows all and directs the whole plan. What Adam and Eve did is the same thing people have been doing – you and I have done – for a long time. We try to hide our sin from God.

It reminds me of playing hide and seek with my children. They try to hide, but in their innocence, they don’t realize I can see their feet sticking out of the blanket or see them under the table.

I think God’s ‘question’ is like me as a dad saying, “Are you hiding under the table?” knowing full well I can see them there.

But it’s in that simple metaphor that we realize that we’re the little kids hiding under the table. We think that because God can’t see our face and we can’t see His, He doesn’t know where we are.

Some of us will try and hide our sin for a long time. We sweep it under the rug a little at a time. No one will notice – at first. Slowly a bump forms under the rug that we try to nonchalantly stomp down. But in no time, there’s a pretty noticeable growth. People may pretend not to see it and we may act like it’s not there. But it’s visible to everyone.

The thing about God is He sees into our hearts. The little rug in our chest has a huge lump of sin and guilt that we have accumulated over the years of our lives. Not only is God not impressed by our feeble attempts to hide it, but many of your closest friends and family members know it’s there too because it has changed our attitude and personality.

But here’s the great news. We don’t have to hide from anyone. Not our spouses, our parents or our friends. And most of all, we don’t have to -- or make some silly attempt to – hide from God.

This God in heaven knows everything about you and me and says I still love you and still wants a personal relationship with you – despite it all. But we have to respond. It’s not just a simple yes. It’s an acknowledgment of who the entire Bible is about: Jesus.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as a man; lived a perfect life and was tortured and nailed on a cross because people hated him for the message he brought – a message that saves lives.

Jesus said then and continues to say now that HE is the only way to receive passage to heaven to fellowship with the Father. You have to receive Him and acknowledge the sacrifice of His life as payment for your sins. You repent, meaning you ask the Holy Spirit to take hold of you to turn your life in a His direction.

It’s a new direction that doesn’t bring promises of health or wealth or a comfortable life. But it is a direction that gives you something to hold on to when your health fails, your wealth dries up and life becomes painful and uncomfortable.

When you have Jesus, you can rest on His promise to carry your burdens and to be with you until the end of time.

With a God who loves us that much, you’ll never want to hide again.

Jesus, take away our fear

When we sit back and reflect on the things we pray about, it can seem kind of silly.

It’s not that our Father in heaven doesn’t want us to pray, but consider the things we pray about: a vehicle or home purchase, good weather for vacation and job prospects.

I don’t think that we’re wrong in praying for those things. But often times, I think we lose sight of the truly important things we should be praying for and also reflecting on what God has already blessed us with.

If you are buying a new home or vehicle, have you thanked Jesus for the financial means to even be considering such a purchase? If you are going on vacation, have you thanked Jesus for having a job that provides paid vacation? If you are looking for a job, have you thanked Jesus for providing you the skills and ability to even work?

Our family went through a personal attack this year, which led to job loss and financial struggles. One option was to pursue work else where, meaning the possibility of moving away was put on the table. But God spoke clearly to me in April that we were staying in Huntington and He even spoke to my heart that my wife was going to work for the county school system.

In the midst of that good news, the Lord also said we were going to have to trust Him through a time of uncertainty. You see, getting into the school system requires being a substitute first. That means you don’t know when you are going to work.

Fast forward to early August, and I could feel the pressure of what we were about to encounter weighing on me. I asked myself if a meager but steady paycheck from her working at a local day care center was better than taking a chance with the school system.

I realized what I was really asking was if that small and steady paycheck was better than trusting God.

I started praying about the situation, but I stopped mid-prayer. The Holy Spirit was moving me to pray about something completely different. I asked God to take away my fear.

Last week, on a drive to Cincinnati, I was driving through a rural area and could only get a few stations. One station I picked up was a sermon. I didn’t hear it all, but what I did hear was very powerful.

In Matthew 6, Jesus says not to worry about what you will eat or what you will wear. And the pastor delivering the message said we have to consider who Jesus was saying this to. These were folks whose primary concern each day was what they would eat and what they would wear.

Would the harvest be enough to last through the winter? Would they have enough wool to make clothing? Would they sell enough crops to be able to afford linen to make clothing?

They didn’t have the dollar menu, and there was no outlet store to get cheap clothing. But Jesus tells them not to worry.

It’s not bad to pray about cars and houses; we should be asking for the Lord’s discernment in all matters. But be sure to thank God for the blessings He has given you. Keep in mind the basic necessities He provides us each and every day.

And when you pray, consider if you'd be better served asking Him to take away your fear?

Start of NFL season prompts self assessment

I remember very vividly, and painfully, as the Pittsburgh Steelers lost AFC Championship games to the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos and those blasted New England Patriots.

Growing up just outside the Steel City, black and gold easily becomes your two favorite colors. And, as teenager and college student, those losses hurt.

When the Steelers won Super Bowl XL in February 2006, it was exciting. And it was great to see them win a second a couple years later.

But I’ll tell ya, something is different. Will I watch the games? Sure. Will I root the team from my couch, dressed in a Steelers t-shirt? Yep. Will it matter if they win or lose? Nope.

As my faith in Christ grows, many things I used to be passionate about have dropped way down on my priority list.

On Sunday, Crew pastor Josh Perry went to Psalm 63, which shows Christians what it truly means to live for the Lord.

David writes, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.”

This psalm convicted me to look in the mirror and ask myself if I am earnestly seeking God; if I am thirsting for Him to quench my dry throat; if I consider His love better than life; if I will be satisfied in Him; if I am clinging to Him alone.

Ten years ago, especially this time of year, I can honestly say I was earnestly seeking Sunday afternoon kickoff. I was thirsting for touchdowns. A Super Bowl victory was better than life. And I was clinging to my Terrible Towel.

Five years ago, I was seeking kickoff, but attending church first. I thirsted for God’s message, with a side of football. The Steelers won a Super Bowl, but it wasn’t better than life. And the Terrible Towel was pinned up on the wall instead of waving in my hand (or chewed on during those tense football moments).

In 2011, I watched with excitement as the Steelers faced the Packers in the Super Bowl. But when they lost, I didn’t pout. I didn’t cry (as I did when they lost to Dallas in 1995). I was satisfied with the team’s accomplishments.

As I reflect on my attitude that day, I realize that I’m not who I was 10 years ago.

Today, I listen to a sermon at Crew without looking at my watch. I thirst for post-church gospel community. Jesus is better than life. And I know that I must cling to Him.

Whether you root for the division champion Steelers (again in 2011), the first pick in the 2012 draft Bengals or Marshall’s Thundering Herd, if you would say that you have indeed put your trust in Jesus as your savior, there needs to be some self evaluation this time of year.

It’s easy to put God first from 9 a.m. to noon; however, sadly, it seems to be just as easy to come home and swap your Bible for the favorite team’s jersey.

As much we enjoy sports – football, baseball, hockey and even soccer – they don’t and will never fill the hole in our hearts that was specifically designed to only fit Jesus.

As John Piper is reminding me in his book “Don’t Waste Your Life,” the apostle Paul counted every thing as a loss compared to knowing Christ and Him crucified. Paul even said death was a gain because he knew he would be and is spending eternity with Jesus.

As much as we like football, if we don’t give Christ our full attention, we’ll miss out on opportunities to tell of His glory.

I don’t think we should swear off watching football to sit and read scripture from noon to 11 p.m. each Sunday and pray unceasing every Monday night and some Thursdays late in the season.

We should use football as a means to share the Gospel. God says everything works for His glory.

Besides, can you think of a better way to spend those long TV timeouts?

Losing a game we shouldn’t be playing

A billboard stood for the longest time along Interstate 64 near Charleston, W. Va., that read “Heaven or Hell? You Choose?”

Every time I saw it, it made me angry because that’s not what the church Jesus came to earth to establish is supposed to be about.

The Christian church is losing an advertising battle with McDonald’s, Apple and Walmart – the list goes on and on.

But it’s a battle we’re not even supposed to be engaged in.

Jesus didn’t say go to the ends of the earth and put up billboards. He commanded us to take the good news to the ends of the earth ourselves – by telling people.

An owner of a small family auto dealer told me last week that they don’t rely on advertising. He said word of mouth still works.

I think most business owners would agree that word of mouth has and always will be the best way to grow its customer base.

Well, the Christian base is only going to grow if we go and tell.

If we don’t go and spread the life-saving, transforming news of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection to defeat death; if we don’t tell people that putting your faith in Him and recognizing He lived a life we could never live and died a gruesome, unjust death that we rightly deserve; that God will look on Him and pardon us when we accept Jesus as our savior; then we’re allowing billboards like the one I described to lead the way.

And guess what, if you aren’t a Christian and don’t understand that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” and that “no one comes to the Father except through (Him),” and you see a sign that says “Heaven or Hell? You Choose,” you’re going to choose heaven because it is better than the alternative.

But you can’t just choose heaven. It doesn’t work that way. That sign and the cutesy message boards outside churches don’t and can’t tell why each of us so desperately needs Jesus.

If we rely on billboards and signs and, to an extent, 30-second commercials on Christian radio, to present the Christian faith, we’re going to loose out to the iPhone, DirecTV’s NFL package, Ford, Cheerio’s and any number of other companies that convince millions of people each day that they NEED their product.

I want to make it very clear that not every billboard, not every church message board and not every Christian radio public service announcement is bad. The problem is allowing that to replace our job as Christians to go and tell.

Pastor and author John Piper said the U.S. is the hardest country to be a Christian in. Why? Because there are so many things that can become our idols. A good friend of mine told me this week it’s also because Americans are so spoiled that it’s difficult to convince them they need anything – let alone a Jesus they can’t see, touch or add as a Facebook friend.

Last week at Crew Church, Greg Lucas -- a respected man in our community not only for being a police officer but also for the way he lives out his faith – talked about missions. He said if we don’t go, they won’t know.

So, are we going to rely on the message boards outside church to lure in the unsaved with some catchy phrase like, “Board broken. Come inside for the message.” Or are we going to go and tell them about Jesus and what He’s done in our lives.

Seeing and hearing about how our lives are changed is what will draw them to Him. That’s how they’ll know and that’s how we reflect His glory to the world.