A Place of Healing - Joni Eareckson Tada

Someone in my church that has been dealing with significant medical issues for years gave me this book to read. I am often given books and some are good, and others not so much. Joni is well known and loved around the globe and I am one of those folks that marvel at what God has done to and through her. Yes, you read that right, and I am pretty sure Joni would agree with that comment. 

In this thoughtful book, Joni outlines her current struggles. As if being paralyzed in a wheel chair for forty years was not hard enough, now she is in almost constant pain and has breast cancer. Anytime I being to feel sorry for myself, or complain, or whine, all I need to do is look at the cover of this book and I will place my hand over my mouth and repent! My life is a cake walk compared to what Joni has been blessed with. Again, you read that correctly, I said blessed, for that is her take as well. 

Throughout the book, Joni shares her fears, concerns, struggles and insights learned from her life. Her perspective from her chair is both challenging and heartwarming. No wonder this book is up for an award from the national Christian broadcasters or some other group that I cannot remember right now. It is really good and I highly recommend it. 

If you are suffering, hurting, or wanting to grow in your understanding of those that are, read the book. Only someone that has lived Joni’s life could state the things she says and not appear to be ignorant of real suffering and pain. When I offer statements like, “It will all work out for the best,” or “God is in control,” to someone suffering greatly, these statements are of course true, but seem shallow given my good health, stable marriage, and relative prosperity. When someone confined to a life in a wheelchair, totally dependent on others for the most basic daily routines, and in almost constant pain, these same statements carry great weight. 

Joni’s life has been a testimony to challenge those who are hurting to look beyond the pain and see God’s hand. This woman has reached millions for the Lord through her suffering in a way that most of us never could dream of. Joni has not only accepted her life, she has embraced it and clearly believes that this is God’s will for her. Testimony after testimony grace the pages of this book with real people that struggle with the question of accepting God’s sovereignty in the face of personal suffering. Joni, and through her ministry, countless others have come to this place; God is sovereign and He often allows great suffering to take place to further His work. 

Joni would not want to have lived a different life knowing what she knows now. God has used her injuries and suffering in many ways to reach millions that I certainly could not reach. Like Paul, she glories in her affliction because when she is weak, then she truly is strong.

 A friend of mine likes to tell the story of a particular group of folks that think they are the only ones making it to heaven. One young man asks an older one, “Do you think we will see so and so in heaven?” and the older man replies, “No, we won’t see them, they will be too close to the throne for us to see.” While I don’t know how all of that works out in heaven, I hope to get a glimpse of the back of Joni’s head when I get there. 

That’s my HBDAO – Pastor Jeff

Fences and Cows

While driving to a meeting yesterday, I passed a cow trapped in the middle of a metal gate. I know this cow and she likes to get out of her pasture, even ending up in my yard once. She had pushed the gate over and was now standing there with her legs stuck in the holes in the gate. What struck me was her behavior. She just stood there eating apparently oblivious to her dilemma. 

I’m not sure how her owner got her out of that mess, but she was gone when I drove back later so I know she did. Cows don’t really have much of a vertical jump, just slightly less than mine, and they don’t push all that well either. Anyway, I am sure her master figured out how to help her back into the pen, and I seriously doubt that the cow learned her lesson. May we not be cows. 

Many analogies come to mind with that picture. Sometimes I push against the gates the Lord has placed in my life and end up in a mess. God had placed reasonable restrictions all around me and I believed that I knew better so I pushed and pushed. Those boundaries gave way and then I was free, for a moment. This freedom often leads to entanglement and even pain as my Master leads me back into confined safety. Maybe He really does better than I.

Other times I am trapped in a gate of my own choosing and I just keep on eating oblivious to any danger. I fail to realize that my pushing was causing trouble for many others. Gates have to be repaired, fences rebuilt, schedules stopped to release me and lead me back into a safe place that I often desire to escape from. 

From a more positive angle, sometimes it is good to keep on doing what we do best even in the midst of a trial, like being stuck in a situation that we need help to overcome. Cows eat. What should I do? Some things are clear; rejoice always, in everything give thanks, pray without ceasing, seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and view this life from an eternal perspective. We should do all these even when we are trapped in a gate. Our Master will come sooner or later to rescue and His timing will be perfect. 

God loves me and I am not a cow. I am a sheep. My Shepherd leads me, protects me, loves me, and even uses His rod and staff to correct me and provide comfort for me. I pray I would not be like that cow that is always trying to get out of her master’s chosen place, but that I would rest in the pasture my Shepherd has given me. My Shepherd really does know what is best for this sheep, and if you are in His flock, then He knows what is best for you as well. 

That’s my HBDAO – Pastor Jeff

If I Were the Devil

As a pastor I spend a great deal of time dealing with marriage. From pre, mid, and post marriage counseling I have come to some conclusions. More so then my view of the end times I might add.

If I were the devil, and for the sake of those that might be wondering, and for clarity, I am not. My mission would be simple; destroy the family at all cost. By attacking the family my plan would have multi-faceted goals. In the effort to destroy marriages, the mysterious picture of Christ and the Church could be tarnished. If the house could be divided then those under the leadership of the parents would be more vulnerable, for everyone knows that a house divided will not stand. By proving that the power of Christ and His teachings has limited impact in the home, the generational witness would be severely hindered. Why would children growing up in a divided home that proclaimed Christ as its head want anything to do with Christianity? If that relationship with God did nothing to spare the home of the pain of separation and divorce, why would they desire to duplicate it? The principles of forgiveness, death-to-self cross embracing, and esteeming others as better than myself did not work in the home, so why would the next generation have any interest in duplication? The damaged caused within the home is not even taking into consideration the shaming of the Christian testimony to those outside of the home.

The message presented both within and without the home is clear; Christ is powerless to make a significant difference in the relationships that really matter. The enemy must love that statement.

Children are leaving the faith in alarming rates when they reach college age with some studies revealing estimates ranging between 70-90%. That is scary. Why is this happening and what should be done about it? At least part of the answer is that the devil has been very successful in dividing the home. I use an expression often, If your Christianity is not working in the home, please don't export it until it does. If those that are the closest to you don't see the reality of Christ in your life, then what do we really have? In multiple studies, the number one reason children reject Christ is hypocrisy in the home. Interesting. Our children see firsthand the reality (or not) of the Christian message. What are they seeing?

I am not promoting perfectionism for only Jesus was perfect. What I am saying is that our walk with God has to be more than Sunday morning only. The reality of the power of the Gospel needs to be evident first and foremost to those that know us the best.

For those that have already suffered through a divorce God is a compassionate, merciful Lord and Savior. His grace is sufficient and His loving kindness knows no bounds. Our God is a redeeming God! For those considering a divorce I pray that we would consider the cause of Christ, our children and what we are really saying to those around us about the reality and power of the Gospel. Our lives impact so many and generations are at stake. I pray we consider the ramifications of our decisions and not simply succumb to the lie that states it is all about me and my personal happiness. It is not.

That's my HBDAO - Pastor Jeff

A Review of Awakening by Stovall Weems

I received this book from Multnomah in an exchange program. If I would review, they would send the book. What a deal! I had not heard of the author or this title previously primarily due to not getting out much I guess and not really staying up on the latest movements in the broader church world. While I have been a pastor for about 30 years, I rarely follow trends or movements having plenty to do in my own little world.

First the positives: Awakening is well written and geared to a general audience. If believers will follow the instructions given I firmly believe they will deepen their walk with God. Making space in our lives for God’s presence cannot help but be beneficial. Cutting out or limiting the distractions that steal our limited time will also encourage growth in our walk with God. Fasting, limiting worldly interactions, and setting aside twenty-one days a year to grow in our walk with God will produce good fruit. The book is clear, quick moving, and populated with testimonies revealing success stories of people that followed the plan.

The negatives I have are more geared to what was not shared. While personal testimonies from victorious folks is encouraging, what about people that follow the plan and remain in the mess? I cannot believe that everyone that follows this plan is delivered from pain and suffering and walks away a new person. There are hints that some folks still have to endure problems, but the book reads more like a recently popular book quoting an Old Testament passage dealing with a guy named Jabez, which to me was just a little better than Christian magic. Recite the same prayer every day and your life will change…God must bless you, etc.

The nagging feeling I had was this is a new results guaranteed program from another Charismatic corner of the Church. If you simply follow these easy steps, your life will be glorious! You will speak in new tongues, your love for God will remain in high mode all the time. My anecdotal stories do not quite line up with these. Many folks fast, cry out to God, dedicate their lives to service and still suffer tremendously. Many still divorce and remain un- healed. Still can’t find enough employment. Still suffer abuse, neglect, and persecution. Most do not speak in new tongues or experience supernatural events. Life is often a grind-it-out event.
I would encourage folks to read the book and commit to a twenty-one day dedication to God.

As stated, your spiritual life will change if you make space for God. I would also encourage people to have a longer term perspective on this life. This life is hard, difficult, often discouraging and downright depressing some days, because we were not made for this life, but the next! Dedicating our lives to follow Christ should be a time of awakening but it also always ends with a cross. A cross had one purpose, okay two, pain and death. Not all of our Christian life is full of happiness and sunshine, but often encompasses endurance and walking through shadows. Rededicating our lives to God will encourage spiritual growth, but there are not magic formulas or fu-fu dust in our walk with God, and expecting one will lead to disappointment.

That's my HBDAO - Pastor Jeff