Is Anybody Out There?

Last Monday, I was in the office and heard this chirping every five to seven seconds. I looked out my window and there on the window seal was  a baby bird. The little bird looked like he was ready to fly. But all afternoon, this little bird chirped hoping mama bird would come to his rescue.

Now, I don’t know how that bird got out of the nest. Maybe he had fallen. Maybe he had gotten so big that mama bird kicked him out. Maybe he just decided it was time to fly the coup. Regardless of the reasons, this little bird wasn’t happy with his circumstances. He was chirping for help and getting no immediate assistance.

Usually, I run to the rescue of animals. But for some reason, I sensed that my help would actually hurt my little window friend. I have a feeling that mama bird was close by with a watchful eye, but left her little one alone so that he would learn to do what birds do–fly!

Have you ever been in similar circumstances? You’re needing help and crying out to God and wondering if He was out there listening? All you seem to be getting is silence. You begin to wonder if God has suddenly become deaf and dumb.  You ask the question, “Does God even care any more?”

Psalm 139:1-6 gives us some encouragement when God is silent. “Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit  and when I rise; You percieve my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completlely, O Lord. You hem me in –behind and before; You have laid your hand upon me . Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”

Just remember that God’s silence is not God’s absence. He sees us with a watchful eye. His silence forces us to become what He intends–fully mature in our faith. Just as the mama bird was silent to force baby bird to fly, so God is sometimes silent to force us to soar in our faith.

God is watching and hearing the cries of His children. Trust Him even when there is no response. 

Is this where you are today? Let me know what’s going on, how you’re doing, and how I can help!

Ed Jansson, Pastor

Osama bin Laden is Dead!

Everywhere we look we see these headlines, “Osama bin Laden is Dead!” There are pictures of rejoicing and celebration all over the world. Many family members of the “9/11″ victims are feeling some sense of closure. Bin Laden was the founder and mastermind of the Islamic terrorist organization called Al-Queada. He was also responsible for thousands of deaths in the U.S. and abroad. His actions brought about the global war on terror. There is no doubt about it, Osama bin Laden was a bad dude!

So, what should our response be to bin Laden’s death? Should we rejoice and be happy? Or, should we feel sad about the death of another human being? There is certainly nothing wrong with bringing someone to justice for their crimes. I am glad that Osama bin Laden can no longer hurt anyone else. But on the other hand,  as a Christian, I cannot be happy about a person’s death. Even God says in Ezekiel 33:11 “Tell them: As I live–the declaration of the Lord God–I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live.” God’s interest, which should also be mine, is that the wicked turn to Him.

As long as a person lives, there is a chance to experience the grace and forgivenenss of Jesus Christ. It should always be our prayer that “…none  perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Osama bin Laden is dead! His fate is now in the hands of a just and holy God. Someday, each of us will stand before God and our eternal destination will depend upon where we have placed our faith. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) 

Let me know what you think !

Tragedy All Around Us

Rain, rain and more rain! When will it ever stop? I keep thinking about all the tragedy and loss that has occurred over the last several weeks. My prayers go out to the thousands of people who have suffered in the tornadoes of the South, and the floods around the Bootheel area.

It’s  times like these that we begin to ask questions like, “ Why does God allow these natural disasters?  What good could possibly come from the suffering and loss?” The only answers come from God’s Word. Remember that the Bible says “…He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt.5:45).  So God’s blessings are poured out on all. The same principle occurs when the blessing turns into tragedy. In others words, life just happens! It doesn’t matter if you are a follower of Jesus Christ or not, difficult things will always occur. The Apostle James said, “Consider it a great joy, my  brothers, whenever you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

So, tragedies will occur in life and God will use them to strengthen and deepen our faith. These same circumstances can also cause us to reach out and help those in need. We are to feel the pain that others feel. We are to put our selves in their circumstances. We are to practice the Golden Rule which Jesus  says, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” (Matt.7:12). 

Let’s grow in our faith as we encounter the difficult times, and let’s allow the light of Jesus to shine through us as we offer a helping hand.

What In The World Is Going On?

“What In The World Is Going On?” is the title of a wonderful book by David Jerimiah. I would recommend this insightful and informative discourse of current events in light of Biblical prophecy. But this title is the heart felt question that many of us are asking as we look around at what is happening in our world today. What are we seeing? Turmoil in the Middle East and a  deadly tsunami in the Far East.

Well, I think the Bible is quite clear about what is going on in the world. Matthew 24:3 says, “And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world.”’ Jesus mentions a host of signs that will occur before His second coming. A few that are applicable to recent events are found in Matthew 24:7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.” What is interesting is that  Jesus uses the phrase “kingdom against kingdom” which refers to civil unrest, much like what we are seeing in Lybia, Egypt, Syria, Jordon and Yemen.

The signs of civil unrest and natural disasters  are like the labor pains of a woman whose going to deliver a baby. Labor pains start far apart and then shorten over a period of time. What we are experiencing are the labor pains surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus continued by saying in verse 42, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

So, what should be our response when we observe current events that are signs of Christ’s coming? First, be spiritually alert and awake by understanding these signs . Second, make sure your spiritual house is in order. If you haven’t turned from your sin and trusted Jesus as your Savior, do that now! If you  have placed your faith in Christ, then get back to church, start spending time with God through prayer and His Word and start sharing your faith with those you care about. Last, decide to make a positive difference in the lives of others for God’s sake.

What’s really going on is that God is fulfilling Biblical prophecies in our lifetime. I think that’s exciting, don’t you?  Let me know what you think.

What About Noah’s Ark?

There has recently been a report that Noah’s Ark has been discovered. Although there have been similar claims over the years, how significant would this be if it were true, and would the discovery of Noah’s Ark cause people to turn to God in faith?

The discovery of a boat -like structure in the mountains of the Middle East, carbon dated to approxamately the time of the biblical account of Noah’s Ark (2500 B.C.), with evidence of animal life once having been aboard,would surely be a powerful discovery. For those who believe in God and trust in His Word as being true, it would be a powerful confirmation that the Bible is inspired and that early human history occured precisely as the Bible describes it. A verified discovery of Noah’s Ark would likely cause many seekers and open-minded skeptics to at least re-evaluate their beliefs. For the closed minded critic and hardened atheist, the discovery of Noah’s Ark would not make one bit of difference.

Romans 1:19,20 says, “…since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse” (HCSB). If a person is rejecting the clear evidence of God in the universe, no biblically-related discovery would change his mind.

Would it really matter if Noah’s Ark is never discovered? No, it would not matter because the Christian faith is not built on every biblical account being proven. The Christian faith is built on faith. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

While the discovery of Noah’s Ark would be a tremendous and powerful archaelogical find, it will never be something that Christians should put their faith in. No biblical artifact will ever prove the Christian faith or change the mind of anyone who doesn’t want to be convinced. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

I’d love to hear from you and what you think. How important is the discovery of Noah’s Ark to Christians and/or non-believers?

Saving Private Ryan

The movie “Saving Private Ryan” ends with Captain Miller (Tom Hank’s character) sitting near a bridge after an attack by German forces. His life is ebbing away as he pulls Ryan (Matt Damon) down toward him. Struggling for breath, he whispers, “Earn this, earn this.” As Ryan stands, his face morphs back into the present as a senior adult searching for Miller’s cross in the cemetery. Crying, he turns to his wife and says, “Tell me I’m a good man.”

Many people may believe that Christ died for them, but they have an attitude that Christ told them, “Earn this!” They spend their lives through religion and good deeds trying to receive validation so that people will tell them, “You are a good man or a good woman.”

Grace is realizing that we can never earn Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross. Our lives should reflect thanksgiving for what he has done instead of validation for being a good person. We can never earn salvation. We can only receive it!

Christ’s purpose was to die for everyone on the planet. He gave His life so we could have life eternal. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, we can only receive salvation and then live our lives accordingly. Let’s agree to live our lives in light of what has been done for us. In so doing, our lives will honor God and bless others.

I’d love to hear from you about how God’s grace has impacted your life in positive ways.

The American Indian version of “The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Several years ago, someone handed me a copy of the Indians version of Psalm 23. This version  was taken from the universal Indian sign language. A white missionary, Isabel Crawford, had the sign language translated into English, and the following is the result:

“The Great Father above a Shepherd Chief is. I am His and with Him I want not.

He throws out to me a rope and the name of that rope is love and He draws me to where the grass is green and the water not dangerous, and I eat and lie down and am satisfied. Sometimes my heart is very weak and falls down but He lifts me up again and draws me into a good road. His name is WONDERFUL.

Sometime, it may be very soon, it may be a long, long time, He will draw me into a valley. It is dark there, but I’ll be afraid not, for it is in between those mountains that the Shepherd Chief will meet me and the hunger that I have in my heart all through this life will be satisfied.

Sometimes He makes the love rope into a whip, but afterwards he gives me a staff to lean upon.

He spreads a table before me with all kinds of foods.

He puts His hand upon my head and all the ‘tired’ is gone.

My cup He fills till it runs over. What I tell is true, I lie not.

These roads that are “away ahead” will stay with me through this life and after; and afterwards I will go to live in the Big Tepee and sit down with the Shepherd Chief forever.”

Hopefully, this Indian version will give you new perspective on this beloved Psalm. I’d love to hear your personal stories where “the Lord has been your Shepherd.”

Did Tiger Woods Do Enough?

There has been much said about Tiger Woods’s apology on television. Many have said it was too little, too late. Some have said the apology was staged and orchestrated. Others believe that his demeanor and confession was sincere and it will help him in his marriage and golfing career.

It is interesting to me, that in a promiscuous culture where anything goes, we still expect higher standards from our heroes and celebrities. 

My only hope is that Tiger Wood, through confession and professional help, will be able to experience forgiveness and rebuild his family. The Bible is clear that forgiveness comes through a contrite and repentant heart. Although it is important to ask those whom we offend to forgive us, the most important person we need forgiveness from is God! His Word says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Hopefully Tiger Woods will find God’s forgiveness and experience Jesus Christ in a personal way.

What do you think? Was Tiger’s confession sincere or phony? Will his public confession be enough to restore his marriage and his career? Let me know!

American Idol Final 24

Last Wednesday, the American Idol judges chose their final 24 contestants for Season 9. Out of this group, one will be chosen as the American Idol for 2010. I am sure that you have done what I have done. You have already tagged the next winner! I wonder how accurate we will be?

One of the saddest observations for me was that most contestants were rejected and only a few were chosen. Over the next weeks, many more will leave American Idol with their dreams dashed and egos crushed. We have all been there, haven’t we? Maybe you tried out for a sports team or applied for a job and you weren’t chosen. Rejection is hard to handle!

I want to encourage you with this one fact: Although you may have encountered some rejection in your lifetime, you have not been rejected by God. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I choose you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…” (John 15:16). Did you get that? You have been chosen by Christ to be apart of His team, His company, His forever family. That’s Good News!

Let me know who you think will be the next American Idol.