Don’t Fear the Reaper – Dealing With Date-Setting Doom and Gloomers

Worried about the latest “Doomsday” prophecy or preoccupied by confusing messages and strange codes attributed to everyone from The Mayans to Nostrodamus? Don’t be. Consider this exchange recorded in Acts Chapter 1 verses 6 through 8 between Jesus and His disciples before He left them to be with the Heavenly Father. “[T]hey gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The message is clear. We shouldn’t waste our time looking towards the sky, trying to guess when the end of all things is at hand. Instead, we should be devoted to proving the faith within us as followers of Jesus Christ who confirm the truth of what we believe by the consistent loving power of what we do!

The end of all things will come to all of us – either by way of our individual appointments with our own natural deaths, or by the true, God-appointed end of the age – a date none of us is privileged to know. Until then, keep this in mind: Anyone who claims to be a Christian and more to the point a Christian leader who claims to know the date or time is in error and contradicts the very Scriptures they claim to hold as sacred. By Biblical definition they would qualify as a false prophet and should be ignored (Check out Matthew 24. Thank goodness for a New Covenant – under the Old One, the punishment for predicting something that didn’t come true was death {Deuteronomy 13 & Deuteronomy 18}.

May 21, 2011 will indeed be a momentous day – it will be a day that the Lord has made. It will be a day for serving and loving others. It will be a day to spend time letting our lights shine that others might see our good works and glorify our Heavenly Father as a result! Don’t fear the reaper! Trust the Lord! Embrace every day He gives you, rejoice in them and serve the Lord with gladness!

Every Bullet Has Your Name On It! Updated for Arnold's Fall

AHHHNOLD! How could he do this? How could he be so stupid? How could he do this? How could he throw away a magnificent relationship with a woman who is without peer and the blessing of a lifetime? The airwaves are abuzz with fresh fodder for our consumption and the satisfaction of the angels of our lesser nature in trying to answer these questions. I contend, however, that they are the wrong questions or at least, they are directed to the wrong person! A few years back when a major political figure was found to have fallen in a similar situation, I felt pulled not to derision of that man, but an inspection of my own heart. I’m reposting a portion of what I shared, edited for this latest revelation, with the same introspection and consideration.



it is difficult to discern what could cause an otherwise fine and upstanding man to commit such an act of disloyalty and stupidity. One psychologist attributes moral slides of this nature to a mid-life crisis. Another blames narcissism. Ben Stein, political analyst, commentator and pitch man was stumped at a situation similar to Arnold’s. Commenting on that infidelity, Stein just couldn't make sense of it. He said, "His wife is a knockout [and brilliant]. I can't imagine what this other woman …[is] like!" A part of me understands the psychologists conclusions and Ben Stein's logic, but what I know of Scripture points to something more profound and disturbing. Jeremiah 17:9 puts it this way,

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

That sounds harsh. But after almost 30 years of ministry and interacting with numerous people from a variety of backgrounds, not to mention knowing myself and my motives and inner struggles, the words ring absolutely true! People who seem to have it all together, sometimes commit the most heinous acts imaginable, and I can even find myself in an unguarded moment entertaining a thought that is simply outrageous. The danger in committing the stupid acts comes from convincing yourself that you are impervious to them.



We see this kind of bravado in all aspects of life, all the time. Mike Tyson's self- proclaimed "Baddest Man on the Planet" title sounds silly now, but prior to Buster Douglas seemed plausible. As a man after God's own heart, King David's character seemed incorruptible, but after his catastrophic affair with Bathsheba, his weaknesses seem all too obvious. For that reason, when it comes to sin and committing acts of disobedience, a very wise mentor of mine put my own vulnerabilities - and his - into these terms: "EVERY bullet has your name on it! Every opponent can knock you out! The second you think you're above falling into temptation is the second you've already lost the battle. You'll never be above falling for some stupid trap. Don't you dare think that there isn't a situation or person you might encounter that couldn't lead you to dishonor yourself, devastate your family and render your ministry impotent. If you remember that and remember that God can provide the escape from your own sinful desires, you have a chance to make it."



The Bible offers several lines of defense to help us when we are highly pressured to give in to temptation. The first is to keep a reign on your affections. Proverbs 4:23 admonishes us to this course of action:

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

I can remember back in High School cultivating crushes I knew were not particularly beneficial because there was just something so sweet about being in love, regardless of whether or not it made any sense - especially if the person you were flirting with liked you back. When we play with those kinds of emotions later in life, the results can be disastrous. What begins as "innocent but deep sharing" can subtly evolve into a dependent relationship that given the right circumstances can evolve into an affair that neither party had anticipated, but that neither party wishes to give up because it just feels so good. A monster 70's hit explained, "It can't be wrong, when it feels so right!" Unfortunately it can be wrong and our hearts are more than able to trick us into thinking otherwise.



The second line of defense is to run. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says,

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

When you see the onset of the possibility of temptation, leave! Take the long way home. Shop at another store. Choose a different time to go to the gym or better yet, go to a different gym. Whatever it takes to avoid the tempting situation, do it! The costs will be much less than the cost of trying to repair a broken marriage, torn up family or stained reputation.



Thirdly, remember the battle is not just physical but a spiritual one. Ephesians 6:10-13 gives this command in preparing us to fight against all sorts or evil:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.



Will power will not equip you to stand against the barrage of bullets and arrows the enemy is prepared to rain on you. Humble dependence upon the Lord and a relentless determination to draw close and cling to Him will protect you when all else seems to have failed. God is able to preserve you when the temptations and tests come raging in like a mighty sea. Isaiah 59:19 comforts us with this reminder:

When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

God can protect us when all hope seems lost.



As you hear more news on the unfortunate developments in Arnold’s life and the inevitable other moral failures that will be exposed as the world turns, don't gloat and don't pontificate, but rather consider the situation with sober judgement, pray for all those involved, help guide and direct for healing and restoration when you're close enough to be directly involved and truly remember that but for God's mercy and grace you too might stumble in a similar way. As for me, I will not forget, "Every bullet has my name on it!" Thank God for His complete and effective armor! Until next time...

Is it appropriate to celebrate my enemy's demise?

The death of terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden has brought the emotions of US citizens to the surface in a way not seen in a generation. Spontaneous celebrations have erupted around the nation, and the surviving families of victims of Bin Laden led terrorist actions have expressed a wide variety of emotions ranging from relief, to satisfaction. I personally admit to feeling a great sense of admiration and pride in those who carried out the mission to attack Bin Laden and great relief that none of the assault force was injured or killed in the attack. Nevertheless, while the celebratory expressions have dominated the news, there are a significant number of Americans who are wrestling with that reaction and asking if it is appropriate to rejoice at the demise of an enemy, especially for those who are people of faith?


Proverbs 24:17 supports the caution of not rejoicing over a fallen enemy. It says:


“Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice…”


But one might ask, what about the imprecatory Psalms (The ones where enemies are cursed)? What about Moses’ reaction to Pharaoh’s destruction at the Red Sea? In Exodus 15, Moses, Miriam and the entirety of Israel break out into song in a stirring chant of praise in response to the destruction of Pharaoh and his army:

“I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and rider thrown into the sea!”


If one reads further, the song goes on to detail the graphic images of pharaoh’s officers drowning with their chariots “sinking like stones”. If that weren’t enough, by the end of the chapter, Miriam, Moses sister, and the women of Israel take up tambourines and begin dancing with great fervor to celebrate this victory over the Egyptian Army! So what’s the appropriate response? Restraint or unencumbered jubilee?



I’m not sure that the Scriptures give us a clear black and white solution to this question, though I do believe there are some guidelines present to take into consideration.



The object of the praise in the Song of Moses and Miriam is the Lord. Moses and the nation of Israel realized that without God’s intervention, they would have been the ones at the bottom of the sea. They were quick to recognize that though the Lord would lead them into other battles in which they would have to engage the enemy more directly than they did in this instance; the Lord was the Source of their victories. Celebration was appropriate, but it was always imperative t realize that their victory was a demonstration of God’s care for them and His mercy, not their superiority or self-sufficiency. God warns His people that it is not because they are any better than other nations that He protects them, but it is because He has promised to care for them. God showed Himself continually to be merciful and made it known that the other nation’s behavior was so repugnant that he chose to chasten them with military defeat. He also warned that those who seek to follow Him can also find themselves in jeopardy of being defeated if repentance, humility and righteousness are not the guiding truths of that nation’s way of life.



It should be understood that the Scriptures make it clear that governments bear arms for the putting down of evil and destructive people. Romans 13:4,5 says:




“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.”




Though we are instructed not to engage in vengeful actions as individuals and not to indulge in “vigilante justice” on our own individual initiative, those persons who bear arms as representatives of the government exist for the very purpose of keeping or restoring order even by the use of deadly force, if it is necessary. Nevertheless, the question remains, is celebration appropriate? My personal opinion on the matter based on my understanding of the Bible is this:



It is understandable that the feeling of jubilation exists at the apprehension and subjugation of a man responsible for the death and destruction of thousands of innocent people for whom he held no regard or mercy. I especially appreciate his being subdued, because I understand that it was his full intention to continue executing his diabolical plan had he not been stopped by force. I also have deep admiration and respect for the people who have sworn to defend this nation and who have been on the job pursuing this man and his cohorts for more than a decade. Everyone who has contributed to the years of military engagement which led to this especially sweet victory, deserves praise, gratitude and respect for the sacrifices they have endured to bring about this result. Their dedication to see this victory through serves as a warning to anyone who believes they can attack innocent people without facing severe consequences and their dedication deserves recognition and celebration.



Nevertheless, I am fully aware that there are many others dedicated to the same diabolical cause to which Bin Laden devoted himself, and I understand that we must remain ever ready to confront those people whenever and wherever they surface. I also understand that while we seek to stand for justice, we ourselves must live justly if we are to righteously project ourselves as a global force for good. Therefore, as we celebrate this victory and honor those who have served with such excellence , let us be mindful of the way we live, walking in sobriety of mind and spirit, not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought and taking great care to live our lives with righteousness and humility. These verses from America the Beautiful say it best:




O beautiful for heroes prov'd


In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved,

And mercy more than life.





America! America!



God mend thine ev'ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law.



A heartfelt “Thank You” to all who serve in the present and have served in the past to protect and secure liberty for all those who seek it. A heartfelt call to righteousness to all who will heed it, that as we stand for what is right, we might stand on a platform of goodness and light, and truly distinguish ourselves from those who propogate evil. May the Lord have mercy on us all and lead us in the everlasting ways of righteousness.



Until next time…







Sam.

A Dream to Realize - A Promise to Keep

Almost 22 years ago, Maria-Luz Roda Bautista became my wife and immigrated to the United States of America. Though many who casually observed our union assumed she was eager to come to the U.S. and live the good life, all those who truly knew her understood that accepting my proposal and following me to minister in various ministries, missions and outreaches in the inner cities of the US and around the world meant stepping away from deep involvement with a tremendous ministry in the Philippines. In many ways, it was for her a heart-rending decision. When she left, Luz always dreamt of reestablishing a deeper presence of ministry in the Philippines for us. We nurtured that vision through financial support, by sending others to the Philippines as both short-term and career missionaries and always dreaming we ourselves might be able to do more than just participate in a once in a while ministry visit that had to piggy back on urgent family business as a condition of our return.

As I write, My Luz is now on her way to the realization of this 22 year-old dream and the promise I made to her that we would one day re immerse ourselves in mission involvement in the Philippines beyond giving and sending others. For the last 4-5 years, we have been laying the ground work for what we sensed was the Lord’s moving us towards the opportunity to bring our dreams into the realm of reality. Through the pioneering ministry efforts of her Brother Ramon and his wife Nene, we have all worked together to establish a beachhead in the Bohol community with a broad spectrum of ministry that includes very needy families in extremely poor conditions, street children and college boarding students away from home.

Thanks to the involvement of our home church, Grace Church in Racine, we have made significant steps towards building upon the foundational elements of ministry we’ve been establishing in Bohol. For starters, our church collected supplies for over 200 children which we shipped a week ago for the children we have supported in Manila and Bohol. Luz has 4 duffel bags of supplies she is hauling by herself to distribute immediately upon her arrival that not only have those supplies, but contain hundreds of Ziploc bags that will assist us in distributing rice Luz will purchase with donated funds for hundreds of families! It is our desire to assist the growth of the mercy ministries we've help to start there and to partner with local churches to minister on a broad scale including church development, poverty relief and educational support with deep and lasting impact. Luz will recon the areas we have targeted, plot a course for our next steps and prepare the way for a team we hope to send from Grace Church Racine in 2012. Luz is ecstatic and we’re thrilled as a family to be directly engaged in ministries we have prayed for and supported for so long.

The time Luz will spend in the Philippines will be both challenging and fulfilling. I will try to keep everyone abreast of her progress and prayer concerns. Thanks to all of you, our friends, for your encouragement and support over the years and for this mission in particular. This is only the beginning of a great opportunity to serve others and bring greater glory to God. Stay tuned and stay prayerful! Until Next time…


Sam.

What Happens In India...Must Be shouted From the Rooftops!

Greetings Everyone! Thank you so much for support our team and families in your prayers, assistance and through your on-going encouragement as we served on special assignment in NE India. There is more to share than can possibly be shared and an abundance of blessings for which to give thanks. Though the volume of information is great, I must share a few highlights to give you at least a taste of what the Lord did in us and through us on our visit.

Our Team experienced some trials – Our veteran member Nancy - was injured on our first day in country and soldiered on for several more days before having to return a bit early to ensure her injuries could be repaired before any major damage was done. Nevertheless, she made sure that several projects close to her heart including a special project to distribute new shoes via the ministry Samaritan’s Feet, were in place before her departure.

Chris Simanek, a great friend and brother in the Lord gets highest accolades in his selfless willingness to assist Nancy in returning to the US. While in India, actually his second trip there, Chris managed to locate and encourage some friends who are conducting some wonderful ministry there, met with a child he is sponsoring, encouraged the child’s family and many of their neighbors, and gave a testimony that warmed many hearts among the men in the community and opened some significant doors for ministry that might have otherwise remained much more difficult to open.

Katie and Karen were the Dynamic Duo of the team, and took the ministry project community by storm. No Bug, Bomb or nasty Bathroom in their path could stop their momentum or quench their enthusiasm as they ministered to moms, children and everyone else they encountered. Their joy and enthusiasm was viral and blessed the children of the project and the ministry staff who serve them day after day during our entire time in NE India. It was not possible for them to fail in sharing the love of the Lord in all of their dealings during our stay!

Though we were blessed to see the Lord work in many ways while there, I was especially blessed by the opportunity we had to minister to the fathers. I had inquired about teaching opportunities that might be available once we arrived. I felt an unshakeable and unrelenting conviction that the Lord had something in store using a time of teaching as the platform. I was struck by the need to connect to fathers once we arrived at the project and began asking more pointed questions regarding how we might reach out. The Compassion Team and Hope Church leaders were very eager to assist and put the word out that we would have a teaching time for dads concerning alcohol use and gambling – two major problems among men who work in the Tea Plantations. We started with a handful in attendance. Nevertheless, as we shared, the word spread and we ended up with over 60 and a request for another session later that week. We were able to have another session two days later where we made even further headway and we’re looking into ways we can incorporate some more targeted assistance and encouragement in the areas of substance abuse recovery and parenting skills into our next team.

I would be very remiss in not mentioning the amazing Compassion Team, their US and Indian logistic staffs and Team leaders, the translators, the Compassion Ground Ministry Experts, the Hope Church Leaders and the Ministry volunteers in place at the project sites. These brothers and sisters set the bar in terms of excellence, dedication and devotion to duty. They were literally tireless in their efforts to serve us and the people to whom they are called to minister. They suffered and sacrificed to allow us to not only serve but enjoy our time in Inida in comfort, style and relative ease. These folks are truly the “Crème de la crème’! Bless them and those like them! Way too few of them around!!

As our time wound down, we discovered that we had made many new friends and identified some promising prospects for ministry in the future. Thank you all for standing with us in prayer. I was truly blessed in my first Grace Church International mission and look forward to other International trips in the future. I, my teammates and others who cheered us on are also extremely excited to inject the same level of enthusiasm and focus into our missions efforts here at home. In fact, I was struck by how similar some of the challenges are between cultures – problems of relationships, family and work. The heartbreak of loss, betrayals and disappointments. The hurdles of cyclic poverty and generational discouragement. The grinding battle of disease and health concerns. I believe that our efforts in other nations help provide clarity to serve in our own backyard, and that service here compels us to share all that we know in other places for God's glory. The Lord has given us much to do. I pray you, our friends, will continue to lift us up in prayer as we press on in His service “Here, there and everywhere”! Blessings on you all!



Your Friend and Servant,



Sam Jackson

“Say It Loud! I’m…?” Some thoughts on Cultural Identity and Labels

After returning home from a mission trip to India, familiar sights and sounds flooded my senses and the US Customs official’s greeting soothed my soul: “Welcome Home”. Indeed, there’s no place like home, and it’s especially satisfying after returning from a long journey abroad. This was definitely the case when my daughters greeted me today! The welcome I received from them today must be a lot like the experience one receives when arriving at Heaven’s Gates! How sweet it is! Nevertheless, I often find that my times abroad have an interesting spin as an African-American. In other countries, observers sometimes look at my face and pigment in a more refined way, and can often identify characteristics not limited to one continent. On this last visit to India, one friend pulled me aside and after wrestling with his curiosity directly asked me “Where are you from? I know you’re from America, but I see many people in your face and actions. Where are your people from?” It was actually a very insightful question. Where are my people from? It’s a very important question in a world where many people know who their ancestors are back to many generations and where one’s birth language and name connote a history, a culture and a heritage that definitively informs you of who you are, where you come from and how you view the world and the people in it.

You might be thinking, “Sam, this is a curious topic considering you just came back from a mission trip to India and certainly have many things to report about what you observed.” True enough. Nevertheless, a friend’s question in a Facebook discussion regarding an article addressing racial labels and questioning the appropriate identity for the descendants of slaves in the US triggered my memory of the conversation with my friend in India and just wouldn’t go away. I understood his curiosity and his question caused me to think considerably about the way I describe who I am and where I come from. I also knew that any of the labels we typically use to describe the descendants of African Slaves in the US would be woefully deficient in answering his question satisfactorily. So, I set out to give an abridged history of “the Black Experience” in the US, focusing on what I know of my family history on my father’s side, which can be traced on paper back to a Mississippi slave owner born in the 1780’s. I concluded with the explanation that the people who share a similar heritage have been known by a number of labels over time, the latest of which is “African American”.

In my own lifetime, as the descendant of African slaves, I have been described by a number of labels which have resulted from attempts to create a meaningful identity for me and others who share my heritage. I heard the “N-word”. I’ve been called, “that colored boy”. I have checked the box marked “Negro” and said it loud, “I’m Black and I’m Proud!” I’ve also willingly used the term “African-American” with all of the intellectual processing that helped to establish it. Which one is best? I have no idea. Personally, I feel the term “Black” rolls easily off of the tongue, works great in song lyrics and just has more linguistic strength. Nevertheless, it still isn’t perfect, and doesn’t necessarily make logical sense in describing very light-skinned people of African descent like my mom, who in the eyes of many from outside our family’s context, would not have been easily identifiable as “Black” by a mere visual observation of her physical features alone.

In my evaluation, the persistent wrestling with terminology reflects the complex and painful history that is Black America. We tend to forget that once upon a time in our nation’s history slaves were intentionally and systematically stripped of their names, languages, cultural origins and any directly identifiable ties to the African continent. We also forget that steps were implemented to ensure those origins could never again be regained. The only lasting obvious connection is found in the physical features that remain present in the faces of Black Americans. In his book “Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America” Eugene Robinson postulates that what was once a monolithic Black American culture has now morphed into at least 4 distinct cultures which share a common origin traceable at one point or another to Africa, but having divergent views of the world today and the way each these groups process their places in it.

For those reasons, I’m not tied to any of these labels too tightly. I now check the box that says “African-American” and as late as last month, I’ve even responded positively to a dear older friend of an earlier generation who with no malice or intent to injure, referred to me as “colored”. Inside in my heart of hearts, I’m usually saying it loud, “I’m Black and I’m Proud!” Ultimately, I see myself as a human being and a child of God - a Christian committed to the service of Jesus Christ, seeking to be a peace with all people as much as it has to do with me. It is my greatest hope that others will be able to see Christ in me, and that in the words of the apostle Paul people will know that I desire to champion: “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Those are all attributes and labels I pray will be applied and that I pray will stick. Until next time…


Sam.

Over Yonder!

I will never forget the times during my growing up years when my parents informed my grandparents of our permanent changes of station or one of my father’s combat deployments. The response we’d invariably hear was, “Lord they sending that boy over yonder again!” As a vocational Christian worker, I have had several opportunities to minister in a variety of places in the United States and internationally as well. Those of you who check-in on my Blog and other postings may have noticed a significant slow down in production over the last several weeks. One of the major reasons for my less than prolific prose is that I have been preparing to go “Over Yonder” once more for the purpose of ministry.

If the Lord wills, as of this writing, later today, 9 February, 4 other members of Grace Church Racine and I will have the wonderful opportunity to experience the beauty, wonder and majesty of the vast country of India for an almost two-week period of ministry. We will visit some well-renowned sites and enjoy India’s splendor as well as having the privilege of being of service in some of the places where the needs are great and the opportunity for ministry is abundant. Perhaps the greatest blessing is that we will have the opportunity to work side by side with Indian brothers and sisters as we minister and continue building a partnership whose foundation has been laid by a major Christian relief organization. Our team will get to learn first-hand how our partners in ministry deal with very difficult ministry circumstances while maintaining hope, courage and an unwavering commitment to represent Jesus in all that they do.

Working together with people who are united in purpose and passionate about meeting the deepest need of others though the cultures and home locations may be miles apart, provides a powerful example of the unity the Lord desires to see in His people. The Bible tells us that, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:4-6).

I am eager to experience a bit of that oneness over the next week and a half. Pray that our team and our ministry friends will be filled with the joy and peace that comes from walking with and knowing Jesus. Pray that our smiles will not diminish even as our energy may dwindle. Pray that when we reach out over these next days, even in our travel, the love of Jesus will shine through.

You may not hear from me for a little while as our internet capabilities will be spotty at best. Nevertheless, do keep me in your prayers and thoughts. I know I’ll have much to share upon returning and the “presses” will be glowing hot as I attempt to covey what the Lord has done! Keep the light on for us. I look forward to connecting again when we’re back from “Over Yonder”! Until next time…