Yesterday was the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion. In 1973, the Supreme Court legalized murder under the premise of it being a woman's "choice". Since then over 50 million Americans have been violently robbed of their right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, as the Declaration of Independence says.
Yesterday was also the day that Joe Paterno died. He was the most winningest college football coach ever, and he was the long-time coach at Penn State University. I read an article by Bill Reiter on the Fox Sports website that said "Joe Paterno was a sick man. And Joe Paterno failed at the most important thing ever entrusted to him - the knowledge that should have made it possible to stop Sandusky before someone else finally did." That reference is to the child abuse scandal that cause Mr. Paterno to lose his job.
Considering that, I can't help but wonder if we have things backwards in our great nation. We celebrate the legalized murder of defenseless children, but we mourn the death of a man who didn't do anything to stop the horrible abuse of innocent children when it was in his power to do so.
Something's not right with that.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Does Jesus hate religion?
Right now the big thing with a lot of people on Facebook and YouTube is this spoken word video called "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus". You can see it for yourself here: http://youtu.be/1IAhDGYlpqY
I've seen many of my friends post it on Facebook, talking about how great this video is. Tonight, I finally watched it to see what the hubbub was all about. After watching it, I have very mixed feelings about it. First, there are several things I really like about this video. It's a really well produced, visually captivating film, with very good cinematography. The building in the background is simply magnificent.
The young man speaking, Jefferson Bethke, seems to me to have a genuine heart in communicating the message that a relationship with Jesus matters more than religion. It's definitely true that "Jesus>Religion", as the screen shows for about 10 seconds in the beginning of the video. I really respect that Mr. Bethke was so transparent in talking about his faith story (his "testimony", to use a religious term), and I think it's what he's trying to communicate with this video. I almost totally agree with him ...almost.
This is a phenomenally powerful video but there are some things about it that in my opinion, are just not completely true. Anytime we watch or hear something about Jesus, God, Christianity, etc. - a very, very important question to ask is "is is true?", because anyone can produce a captivating video that can go viral online.
So is what Mr. Bethke says true? Not all of it. I think that some very important points of this video are misunderstandings or misinterpretations of what the Bible says. So let's start with the the first thing he says - which is the main point of the video. He says that "Jesus came to abolish religion". Is that true? From what Jesus said and from how we see in the Bible that Jesus lived His life, the answer is no.
Jesus did not come to abolish religion. In Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus clearly states that He is not against religion and the rules of the Old Testament Law. In verse 17 (NLT), Jesus said "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose."
To my understanding, and please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that Jesus says anywhere in the Bible that He hated religion or that He came to abolish it. What Jesus spoke against so much was not religion by itself, but abused and perverted religion. That's a VERY important distinction. While Jesus was on earth, He faithfully observed the religious holy days of Judaism. He insisted that people believe in Him and in the teachings of the Old Testament. He commanded that you do certain things to show that you are His follower. If anything, Jesus instituted pure religion by commissioning the Apostles to begin building His Church, and by beginning the religious traditions of Believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called Communion).
I have read the Gospel records of Jesus many, many times. I've read the Epistles (like Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, etc.) many times. Never once in the Bible have I seen religion condemned; I've only seen abused and perverted religion condemned. If anything, the Bible speaks highly of pure religion in James 1:27 (NIV): "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Another example of why Jesus is not against religion in and of itself: what He did and did not do when He cleansed the Temple. You can read about that in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 2. What Jesus did was make a whip, drive out the merchants, turn over tables, and condemned the merchants for selling their stuff in the Temple. What Jesus did not do was condemn the merchants for selling their stuff. Did you get that? Jesus never said it was wrong to sell animals for sacrifices and the things people needed for religious practices. He condemned them for doing it at that location, in the Temple, in the Gentile's court, because that essentially kept non-Jewish people from worshiping God.
So you see, it's not religion in and of itself that God is against - it's empty religion, abused and perverted religion, that God is against.
Now there are several other things that rub me wrong in this video - like the cheap shot he takes twice against Republicans. That was unnecessary and somewhat judgmental. I'm not a Republican (I consider myself an Independent), but anyone can see that he could have made his point without taking jabs at the GOP.
But much more importantly than that, Mr. Bethke is very critical and judgmental of Christianity. He says that religion started many wars. Well, that's sort of true. First, just because someone does something in the name of a certain religion doesn't mean that's what that religion teaches them to do. A great example of that is the Westboro group who protests military funerals and says that God hates America. I don't call them Westboro Baptist Church because they do not practice what Baptists practice, they don't believe what Baptists believe, and most importantly, they do not fulfill the Biblical description of a church. They do and say a lot of horrible, un-Godly things in the name of Christianity - but they do not represent what God says in the Bible.
Westboro's and Hitler's beliefs is not God and is not Christianity - their motivation is purely satanic. So just because some terrible things were done in the name of religion (like the Spanish Inquisition) doesn't mean religion is to blame. And religion is not the only reason wars have been started, so to single it out seems to be pretty unfair.
In this video, he also accuses churches of failing to feed the poor and telling single moms that God doesn't love them if they've ever had a divorce. My question would be "what churches are you talking about?" I know there are some churches that are focused just on themselves and don't live out compassion and justice like God says Christians should - but it really bothers me that he generalizes much of Christianity as being all about big buildings and not about showing God's love in practical ways. When it comes to feeding the poor - I can tell you about many churches in my El Paso who have big buildings but do a great job of feeding many, many hungry people in our community - churches like Del Sol Church, Abundant Living Faith Center, First Baptist Church of El Paso, CrossPoint Church, and Skyline Baptist Church. About divorce - I also know many churches who don't judge but minister to divorced people through programs like Celebrate Recovery and DivorceCare.
So his generalization about churches not caring for the poor and divorced is very, very unfair and untrue.
Now I could go on about the other things I disagree with about this video, but I won't because this post is already long enough. Kevin DeYoung does a great, fair, thorough analysis of every word of the video here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/
Here's my point with this post about that video: I'm very grateful to Mr. Bethke for making this video because I'm sure God is using it to minister to people's hearts and to raise conversation about why Jesus is better than empty religion.
But Christians - let's be very, very careful about what we post and promote online. 2 Timothy 2:15 says that we should be careful to handle and explain the Bible truthfully - so let's think carefully about things first and make sure that what we promote will correctly represent God and His Word, the Bible. I'm not saying this video is blasphemy and I'm not judging anyone for posting it on their Facebook - but I am saying it does not correctly and fully represent Jesus or the Bible or reality. It's a good try, but there are some serious problems with this video, in my opinion.
You may not agree with me, but I'm not asking for agreement. I'm just asking you to really think about what the video says and run it through the filter of Scripture. Please don't just believe anything that someone with a slick video and a cool poem says. For us Christians, the Bible is our source of truth - not videos on YouTube.
So ...is Jesus against religion? From what the Bible says and from what Jesus said, the only conclusion I can arrive at is a big, resounding NO. It's very clear that the abuse and perversion of empty religion is what Jesus is against. Religion is a beautiful, beautiful thing that honors God and greatly benefits people - but only if it's pure, Godly, Biblical religion.
We should all want to be religious - but the right kind of religious.
I've seen many of my friends post it on Facebook, talking about how great this video is. Tonight, I finally watched it to see what the hubbub was all about. After watching it, I have very mixed feelings about it. First, there are several things I really like about this video. It's a really well produced, visually captivating film, with very good cinematography. The building in the background is simply magnificent.
The young man speaking, Jefferson Bethke, seems to me to have a genuine heart in communicating the message that a relationship with Jesus matters more than religion. It's definitely true that "Jesus>Religion", as the screen shows for about 10 seconds in the beginning of the video. I really respect that Mr. Bethke was so transparent in talking about his faith story (his "testimony", to use a religious term), and I think it's what he's trying to communicate with this video. I almost totally agree with him ...almost.
This is a phenomenally powerful video but there are some things about it that in my opinion, are just not completely true. Anytime we watch or hear something about Jesus, God, Christianity, etc. - a very, very important question to ask is "is is true?", because anyone can produce a captivating video that can go viral online.
So is what Mr. Bethke says true? Not all of it. I think that some very important points of this video are misunderstandings or misinterpretations of what the Bible says. So let's start with the the first thing he says - which is the main point of the video. He says that "Jesus came to abolish religion". Is that true? From what Jesus said and from how we see in the Bible that Jesus lived His life, the answer is no.
Jesus did not come to abolish religion. In Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus clearly states that He is not against religion and the rules of the Old Testament Law. In verse 17 (NLT), Jesus said "Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose."
To my understanding, and please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that Jesus says anywhere in the Bible that He hated religion or that He came to abolish it. What Jesus spoke against so much was not religion by itself, but abused and perverted religion. That's a VERY important distinction. While Jesus was on earth, He faithfully observed the religious holy days of Judaism. He insisted that people believe in Him and in the teachings of the Old Testament. He commanded that you do certain things to show that you are His follower. If anything, Jesus instituted pure religion by commissioning the Apostles to begin building His Church, and by beginning the religious traditions of Believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper (also called Communion).
I have read the Gospel records of Jesus many, many times. I've read the Epistles (like Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, etc.) many times. Never once in the Bible have I seen religion condemned; I've only seen abused and perverted religion condemned. If anything, the Bible speaks highly of pure religion in James 1:27 (NIV): "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Another example of why Jesus is not against religion in and of itself: what He did and did not do when He cleansed the Temple. You can read about that in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 2. What Jesus did was make a whip, drive out the merchants, turn over tables, and condemned the merchants for selling their stuff in the Temple. What Jesus did not do was condemn the merchants for selling their stuff. Did you get that? Jesus never said it was wrong to sell animals for sacrifices and the things people needed for religious practices. He condemned them for doing it at that location, in the Temple, in the Gentile's court, because that essentially kept non-Jewish people from worshiping God.
So you see, it's not religion in and of itself that God is against - it's empty religion, abused and perverted religion, that God is against.
Now there are several other things that rub me wrong in this video - like the cheap shot he takes twice against Republicans. That was unnecessary and somewhat judgmental. I'm not a Republican (I consider myself an Independent), but anyone can see that he could have made his point without taking jabs at the GOP.
But much more importantly than that, Mr. Bethke is very critical and judgmental of Christianity. He says that religion started many wars. Well, that's sort of true. First, just because someone does something in the name of a certain religion doesn't mean that's what that religion teaches them to do. A great example of that is the Westboro group who protests military funerals and says that God hates America. I don't call them Westboro Baptist Church because they do not practice what Baptists practice, they don't believe what Baptists believe, and most importantly, they do not fulfill the Biblical description of a church. They do and say a lot of horrible, un-Godly things in the name of Christianity - but they do not represent what God says in the Bible.
Westboro's and Hitler's beliefs is not God and is not Christianity - their motivation is purely satanic. So just because some terrible things were done in the name of religion (like the Spanish Inquisition) doesn't mean religion is to blame. And religion is not the only reason wars have been started, so to single it out seems to be pretty unfair.
In this video, he also accuses churches of failing to feed the poor and telling single moms that God doesn't love them if they've ever had a divorce. My question would be "what churches are you talking about?" I know there are some churches that are focused just on themselves and don't live out compassion and justice like God says Christians should - but it really bothers me that he generalizes much of Christianity as being all about big buildings and not about showing God's love in practical ways. When it comes to feeding the poor - I can tell you about many churches in my El Paso who have big buildings but do a great job of feeding many, many hungry people in our community - churches like Del Sol Church, Abundant Living Faith Center, First Baptist Church of El Paso, CrossPoint Church, and Skyline Baptist Church. About divorce - I also know many churches who don't judge but minister to divorced people through programs like Celebrate Recovery and DivorceCare.
So his generalization about churches not caring for the poor and divorced is very, very unfair and untrue.
Now I could go on about the other things I disagree with about this video, but I won't because this post is already long enough. Kevin DeYoung does a great, fair, thorough analysis of every word of the video here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/
Here's my point with this post about that video: I'm very grateful to Mr. Bethke for making this video because I'm sure God is using it to minister to people's hearts and to raise conversation about why Jesus is better than empty religion.
But Christians - let's be very, very careful about what we post and promote online. 2 Timothy 2:15 says that we should be careful to handle and explain the Bible truthfully - so let's think carefully about things first and make sure that what we promote will correctly represent God and His Word, the Bible. I'm not saying this video is blasphemy and I'm not judging anyone for posting it on their Facebook - but I am saying it does not correctly and fully represent Jesus or the Bible or reality. It's a good try, but there are some serious problems with this video, in my opinion.
You may not agree with me, but I'm not asking for agreement. I'm just asking you to really think about what the video says and run it through the filter of Scripture. Please don't just believe anything that someone with a slick video and a cool poem says. For us Christians, the Bible is our source of truth - not videos on YouTube.
So ...is Jesus against religion? From what the Bible says and from what Jesus said, the only conclusion I can arrive at is a big, resounding NO. It's very clear that the abuse and perversion of empty religion is what Jesus is against. Religion is a beautiful, beautiful thing that honors God and greatly benefits people - but only if it's pure, Godly, Biblical religion.
We should all want to be religious - but the right kind of religious.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
My 2011.
It's New Year's Eve, and suffice it to say this has been one of the most interesting years of my life. It's been a really LONG time since I've been this happy to see a year end.
Professionally, this has been one of the best years I've ever had. I have been amazed countless times at the great things God is doing through Del Sol Church, Youth for Christ El Paso, and The Encounter Movement. I have seen God transform people in amazing ways, I've seen Him lead people to great generosity with their time and money, and I've seen grace in action more than ever before. I've seen the absolute pain, horror, and devastation that sin causes, but I've also seen how God's grace and forgiveness is stronger.
I've also seen how God can heal and restore, and that's been indescribably beautiful to see. I know that what God has done is just the tip of the iceberg, and I am so excited to see the greater things that He will do next year. When it comes to ministry in El Paso, I truly believe 2012 will be a year of blessing, prosperity, and breakthroughs like we have never seen before. I feel tremendously humbled and privileged to be a part of that.
Personally, 2011 was one of the worst years I've ever had. I started out the year struggling with a depression that was affecting my life in a bad way. I wrote about that here. I went through months of counseling and finally experienced God's deliverance from that. Then I enjoyed a short time of good circumstances during the spring - and then came summer.
At the beginning of summer I got hit with a bad case of bronchitis. That was terrible, and I hope it never happens again. I also met a very lovely young lady and we began to kindle a relationship. It was very nice, very innocent and pure, and a lot of fun. She's a very wise, Godly young woman and I was excited at the potential for a long-term relationship. By the end of summer, she had to leave to go back and finish her last year of college.
We talked about what would happen next, and agreed that it would be best to wait until after she graduated to look into the possibility of a serious relationship. Shortly after that, she met another guy at school and they began a relationship. So as difficult as it was, I prayed for them, blessed them, and left that all in God's hand. I don't understand what happened, I don't know why things turned out the way they did, and I don't know if I'll ever have closure about that. I probably will after awhile, but it sure doesn't feel like it right now.
Around the same time, I also found out about a sinful situation some people I love were involved in and because of the circumstances, had to immediately intervene. That turned out to be pretty messy and I'm still helping them through the restoration process with that.
By this time, it was fall and I was getting pretty worn down by life. I hoped things would be a little calmer in life, but boy was I wrong! On Thanksgiving morning, I was heading to the parade Downtown and got rear ended by a lady in a big truck driving full-speed on the freeway. After waiting on the side of the freeway for nearly an hour, help arrived. The ambulance took one of the girls to the hospital and the rest of us went on our own and spent most of the day in the hospital. Since then we've been dealing with a long, painful, slow recovery from our injuries.
A little while after that I was asked to intervene in another messy, sinful situation. That was really painful to get involved in, and I'm also still involved in helping in that restoration process.
Then came Christmastime. One of my brothers wasn't able to make it home, making this the second year in a row my family was incomplete at Christmas. We made it through Christmas and ended up having a blessed time, and then a couple days after that I began to get sick. Turns out I have strep throat. I went to the clinic, got a couple shots, and passed out from the pain. After awhile, I was able to go home and since then I've been trying to heal up. As of today, I'm still feeling pretty lousy.
So ...you can see it's been a very difficult year for me. I have experienced physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain like I never thought I would. And you can see why I'm glad this year is over.
But - I'm optimistic and hopeful about 2012. Hardly anything has changed. Seems like things have gotten worse, actually - yet I believe next year will be a good year. Today, Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church, posted this on twitter: "The difficulty of the trial you survived indicates the depth of blessing that's ahead. God tests you to promote you."
I fully agree with that. I believe that everything I've been through will be a launch pad for greater things. Why? Because God is good. Not everything that happens is good - but God is good.
Psalm 107:1 NIV says: "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever". Even through all the pain I've had, I can still confidently tell you that's true! God is good.
In John 10:10 CEV, Jesus said "The thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest". I LOVE that Scripture. I know that stupid satan tried to destroy me in 2011, but he failed like he always will. More importantly, I know that Jesus wants me to have life in its fullest, in Him.
So my goal for 2012: live life to the fullest by living it in Him. 2012 will be a great year because in good and bad - I will be living it with my Lord Jesus. And He is enough for me.
Professionally, this has been one of the best years I've ever had. I have been amazed countless times at the great things God is doing through Del Sol Church, Youth for Christ El Paso, and The Encounter Movement. I have seen God transform people in amazing ways, I've seen Him lead people to great generosity with their time and money, and I've seen grace in action more than ever before. I've seen the absolute pain, horror, and devastation that sin causes, but I've also seen how God's grace and forgiveness is stronger.
I've also seen how God can heal and restore, and that's been indescribably beautiful to see. I know that what God has done is just the tip of the iceberg, and I am so excited to see the greater things that He will do next year. When it comes to ministry in El Paso, I truly believe 2012 will be a year of blessing, prosperity, and breakthroughs like we have never seen before. I feel tremendously humbled and privileged to be a part of that.
Personally, 2011 was one of the worst years I've ever had. I started out the year struggling with a depression that was affecting my life in a bad way. I wrote about that here. I went through months of counseling and finally experienced God's deliverance from that. Then I enjoyed a short time of good circumstances during the spring - and then came summer.
At the beginning of summer I got hit with a bad case of bronchitis. That was terrible, and I hope it never happens again. I also met a very lovely young lady and we began to kindle a relationship. It was very nice, very innocent and pure, and a lot of fun. She's a very wise, Godly young woman and I was excited at the potential for a long-term relationship. By the end of summer, she had to leave to go back and finish her last year of college.
We talked about what would happen next, and agreed that it would be best to wait until after she graduated to look into the possibility of a serious relationship. Shortly after that, she met another guy at school and they began a relationship. So as difficult as it was, I prayed for them, blessed them, and left that all in God's hand. I don't understand what happened, I don't know why things turned out the way they did, and I don't know if I'll ever have closure about that. I probably will after awhile, but it sure doesn't feel like it right now.
Around the same time, I also found out about a sinful situation some people I love were involved in and because of the circumstances, had to immediately intervene. That turned out to be pretty messy and I'm still helping them through the restoration process with that.
By this time, it was fall and I was getting pretty worn down by life. I hoped things would be a little calmer in life, but boy was I wrong! On Thanksgiving morning, I was heading to the parade Downtown and got rear ended by a lady in a big truck driving full-speed on the freeway. After waiting on the side of the freeway for nearly an hour, help arrived. The ambulance took one of the girls to the hospital and the rest of us went on our own and spent most of the day in the hospital. Since then we've been dealing with a long, painful, slow recovery from our injuries.
A little while after that I was asked to intervene in another messy, sinful situation. That was really painful to get involved in, and I'm also still involved in helping in that restoration process.
Then came Christmastime. One of my brothers wasn't able to make it home, making this the second year in a row my family was incomplete at Christmas. We made it through Christmas and ended up having a blessed time, and then a couple days after that I began to get sick. Turns out I have strep throat. I went to the clinic, got a couple shots, and passed out from the pain. After awhile, I was able to go home and since then I've been trying to heal up. As of today, I'm still feeling pretty lousy.
So ...you can see it's been a very difficult year for me. I have experienced physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain like I never thought I would. And you can see why I'm glad this year is over.
But - I'm optimistic and hopeful about 2012. Hardly anything has changed. Seems like things have gotten worse, actually - yet I believe next year will be a good year. Today, Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church, posted this on twitter: "The difficulty of the trial you survived indicates the depth of blessing that's ahead. God tests you to promote you."
I fully agree with that. I believe that everything I've been through will be a launch pad for greater things. Why? Because God is good. Not everything that happens is good - but God is good.
Psalm 107:1 NIV says: "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever". Even through all the pain I've had, I can still confidently tell you that's true! God is good.
In John 10:10 CEV, Jesus said "The thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest". I LOVE that Scripture. I know that stupid satan tried to destroy me in 2011, but he failed like he always will. More importantly, I know that Jesus wants me to have life in its fullest, in Him.
So my goal for 2012: live life to the fullest by living it in Him. 2012 will be a great year because in good and bad - I will be living it with my Lord Jesus. And He is enough for me.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Christmas Gifts That Make A Difference
Still looking for some Christmas gifts? Don't know what to get for someone? Why not give a gift that will last longer than a gift card, a fruitcake, or clothes? Here are some GREAT organizations to buy a gift from:
- International Justice Mission. This is my FAVORITE organization of all. If you're reading this, you will never be owned by someone else. You will never be property. Sad to say, not everyone in the world has the same freedom. You can buy the gift of freedom for someone in our world. Check out IJM by clicking here.
- charity: water. My next favorite organization. Did you know almost 1 billion people in our world don't have access to clean water? That to turn on a kitchen faucet and have clean water come out would be a miracle to nearly 1 BILLION people on earth? And did you know that just $20 provides clean water for one person for 20 years? Give the gift of water. You can buy gifts here or donate in someone else's name here.
- Compassion International. This is a phenomenal organization that is hugely respected across the world. You can help Compassion release children from poverty in Jesus' Name. There are so many ways to do that, you'll just have to go here to see all the gift options.
- World Vision. A few years ago I gave my three brothers a goat for Christmas. Yes, really - a goat. Somewhere in a developing nation, a family received a goat, which provides milk and cheese for food, manure for crops, and wool for clothes. There are lot of other giving options here.
- The A21 campaign. Last but certainly not least is A21 - an organization working to abolish justice in the 21st century. You can write a Christmas card to a survivor of human trafficking, or give a financial donation that will be used to fight human trafficking through legal fees, as well as costs related to healthcare and housing for victims. Check out A21 here.
I hope this Christmas you'll consider giving a gift that will make a difference.
- International Justice Mission. This is my FAVORITE organization of all. If you're reading this, you will never be owned by someone else. You will never be property. Sad to say, not everyone in the world has the same freedom. You can buy the gift of freedom for someone in our world. Check out IJM by clicking here.
- charity: water. My next favorite organization. Did you know almost 1 billion people in our world don't have access to clean water? That to turn on a kitchen faucet and have clean water come out would be a miracle to nearly 1 BILLION people on earth? And did you know that just $20 provides clean water for one person for 20 years? Give the gift of water. You can buy gifts here or donate in someone else's name here.
- Compassion International. This is a phenomenal organization that is hugely respected across the world. You can help Compassion release children from poverty in Jesus' Name. There are so many ways to do that, you'll just have to go here to see all the gift options.
- World Vision. A few years ago I gave my three brothers a goat for Christmas. Yes, really - a goat. Somewhere in a developing nation, a family received a goat, which provides milk and cheese for food, manure for crops, and wool for clothes. There are lot of other giving options here.
- The A21 campaign. Last but certainly not least is A21 - an organization working to abolish justice in the 21st century. You can write a Christmas card to a survivor of human trafficking, or give a financial donation that will be used to fight human trafficking through legal fees, as well as costs related to healthcare and housing for victims. Check out A21 here.
I hope this Christmas you'll consider giving a gift that will make a difference.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
My thoughts on current politics.
Disclaimer: these are my personal thoughts and opinions on current politics. My personal opinions are not at all related to or connected any non-profit organization with which I am affiliated.
Ok now that we’re clear about that, here are some miscellaneous thoughts about current politics in El Paso and beyond:
- I get very excited about politics and elections. I think the voting process is a huge privilege, and it’s the best way to make your voice known. Voting is much more effective than protesting like the ridiculously selfish & socialist “Occupy” groups are doing. But that’s another post for another day …
- Today in Texas we voted on 10 important constitutional amendments. I voted against the one that directly affected El Paso because I don’t think El Paso needs another taxing entity. We already pay enough taxes to enough entities.
- I’m glad that the city of Socorro, Texas elected Trini Lopez to be mayor again. He seems to really care about the community, unlike most other Socorro politicians. I like him.
- I think my city representative, Dr. Michiel Noe, is doing a fantastic job on city council. For once in a long time, I feel like I am actually being represented in city government.
- The only El Paso politicians I trust are Dr. Noe, city reps Acosta, Robinson, and Niland, county commissioner Dan Haggerty, county judge Veronica Escobar, and state representatives Dee Margo and Joe Pickett.
- Though we don’t totally align philosophically, I highly value the opinion of former YISD board member Liza Montelongo. I hope she runs for elected office again soon.
- I used to think anyone but Congressman Silvestre Reyes would be better for El Paso – until Beto O’Rourke joined the race. He is definitely not better than Reyes.
- I think Governor Perry is exactly right for Texas, but I don’t think he would be a good President of the United States.
- I really like Herman Cain, and I don’t believe the accusations about sexual harassment. I like that he is a businessman and outsider to politics, yet he knows about government since he worked with the Federal Reserve.
- Although I like Mr. Cain, I don’t think he’s ready to President this time around. He just doesn’t have the experience needed and I don’t think that the Presidency is a good place for on-the-job learning. I think he should be a Vice President in 2012, and then run for President in 2016 or 2020.
- I would love to see New Mexico’s governor Susanna Martinez become President in 2016 or 2020. I like her – a LOT!
- I believe President Obama really thinks his policies are best for America, but in my opinion – they are not. We are far worse off than we were before he was elected, and almost everything he has done has been very harmful to our great nation. It’s time for a real change.
You probably don’t agree with me on some of these things, but those are my opinions. Take ‘em or leave ‘em.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Adoption.
Around the beginning of this summer a friend of mine mentioned something that I had always been favorable towards but never really thought about: adoption. They told me that they really want to adopt a child when they get married. They also asked me what I thought about adoption, and since then I've been thinking about it a lot.
Honestly, I had never really thought of it that much - but I have never felt negative or turned off to it at all. As a matter of fact when I was growing up, my parents frequently talked about their desire to adopt a little girl - so adoption has always been seen as a realistic, desirable thing in my family. So when my friend asked what I thought about adoption, I told them I wouldn't mind adoption at all. As a matter of fact, I might even want to adopt someday if I get married.
So ever since my friend rekindled that thought in my mind, I've been thinking about it ...a lot. And then a couple of Sundays ago I saw a story on the front page of the El Paso Times about the difficulties of adoption in Mexico. I believe it was on September 4th, now that I think of it. So the article was chronicling the story of an American family who has been trying for years to adopt a Mexican girl. They've spent thousands of dollars on administrative costs and court costs, and in making trips to Juarez to go see her over the years. They've basically watched her grow up and even though the Mexican government is making it nearly impossible for them, they still have hope that she will soon be part of their family.
The article also talked about many other kids who are in that orphanage waiting for a forever family and it showed several photos of the kids - some of them teenagers - playing at the orphanage. I looked at those photos of the little kids and thought maybe someday I'll adopt a child like them. I looked at the photos of the teenagers and wanted to be an older brother to them.
Honestly, it's really bothered me since then that SO many of these kids have been waiting for SO long, and that the Mexican government is making it so difficult for the adoptions to be finalized. It just doesn't make sense to me.
So ...adoption. It's a beautiful thing and it's an amazing, visible picture of God's love for us. Someday if I ever get married, I think I'd like to look into adoption. I pray and hope my wife will be open to that, because I think adoption is a really great thing.
What about you - have you ever thought about adoption? Would you be open to adopting a child?
Honestly, I had never really thought of it that much - but I have never felt negative or turned off to it at all. As a matter of fact when I was growing up, my parents frequently talked about their desire to adopt a little girl - so adoption has always been seen as a realistic, desirable thing in my family. So when my friend asked what I thought about adoption, I told them I wouldn't mind adoption at all. As a matter of fact, I might even want to adopt someday if I get married.
So ever since my friend rekindled that thought in my mind, I've been thinking about it ...a lot. And then a couple of Sundays ago I saw a story on the front page of the El Paso Times about the difficulties of adoption in Mexico. I believe it was on September 4th, now that I think of it. So the article was chronicling the story of an American family who has been trying for years to adopt a Mexican girl. They've spent thousands of dollars on administrative costs and court costs, and in making trips to Juarez to go see her over the years. They've basically watched her grow up and even though the Mexican government is making it nearly impossible for them, they still have hope that she will soon be part of their family.
The article also talked about many other kids who are in that orphanage waiting for a forever family and it showed several photos of the kids - some of them teenagers - playing at the orphanage. I looked at those photos of the little kids and thought maybe someday I'll adopt a child like them. I looked at the photos of the teenagers and wanted to be an older brother to them.
Honestly, it's really bothered me since then that SO many of these kids have been waiting for SO long, and that the Mexican government is making it so difficult for the adoptions to be finalized. It just doesn't make sense to me.
So ...adoption. It's a beautiful thing and it's an amazing, visible picture of God's love for us. Someday if I ever get married, I think I'd like to look into adoption. I pray and hope my wife will be open to that, because I think adoption is a really great thing.
What about you - have you ever thought about adoption? Would you be open to adopting a child?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Pray for Youth for Christ El Paso.
Tomorrow morning, we as the board of Youth for Christ El Paso will gather together at 8:00 am to pray for the new school year of ministry with YFC. I want to invite you to join with us in prayer wherever you're at. Below are the things we'll pray about and even if it's after 8:00 am tomorrow, please pray for these things anyway. I believe this will be one of the greatest ministry years ever of YFC, so thanks for your prayers.
Prayer Requests:
1. That God would open any unopened doors in every and all areas of YFC: financial areas, churches, and campuses.
2. That this year we would be able to reach even more young people for Christ. That there would be a 10-fold multiplication of what God is already doing on YFC campuses in El Paso. That many more campuses and churches be added.
3. That through the planning of upcoming banquet, God would open even more doors in financial areas that perhaps we have never tapped into.
4. That as a Board we would begin to intercede frequently, and not only pray during our board meetings.
5. That the banquet would be 100% sponsored through business donors in this city.
6. For all our families.
7. For Rick (YFC's executive director), as he has to deal with various pressures from different people in different areas. That God would pour more and more of Him as he continues to walk in faith with the vision that God has given him in this city for YFC and Ft. Bliss.
8. That as a Board, we would be so united and stand together in times of battle and discouragement.
9. For Tara (our campus director) and her family: provision and strength to manage tasks that God has placed in their lap.
10. For Rosemary and Zach (YFC staffers): for greater leadership and greater abilities to manage responsibilities. That God would open contracting positions at Ft. Bliss so that they can continue to help with YFC.
12. For our jobs and ministries that each of us is doing. That God would prosper the work of our hands and give us greater favor.
13. For continued passion of each YFC chapter.
14. That this year, God has marked it as a year of great increase for YFC, and that we would hold on to that promise with all we got!
We pray based on God’s Word:
Psalm 91:15
They will call to me, and I will answer them.
I will be with them in trouble;
I will rescue them and honor them.
1 Corinthians 15:58
So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
They will call to me, and I will answer them.
I will be with them in trouble;
I will rescue them and honor them.
1 Corinthians 15:58
So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.
Colossians 1:10
... so that you will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God.
... so that you will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God.
Hebrews 6:10-11
God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them. We want each of you to go on with the same hard work all your lives so you will surely get what you hope for.
God is fair; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed for him by helping his people. And he will remember that you are still helping them. We want each of you to go on with the same hard work all your lives so you will surely get what you hope for.
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