Out the Door

Trusting God box frees people from their worries

I borrowed an idea of a "Trusting God" box from Craig Groeschel the pastor of LifeChurch.tv for my sermon yesterday.  Here's how he explains the concept in his book, Confessions of a Pastor. 

Find a box (or any other container) and write the words "Trusting God" on it.  You might even get wild and call it your "Trusting God" box.  Whenever you're worried about something you can't change, write your worry on a piece of paper and put it in the box.  Once it's inside the box, it becomes God's property.  His responsibility, not yours (it never was).  From the moment you give your problem to Him, you're not allowed to worry about it.  If you want to worry, then you have to go to the box and physically take the concern away from God.  And when you do, you'll visually and physically act out what's really happening inside--you're choosing to stop trusting God.

I made a "Trusting God" box and took it to worship with me.  I preached on Matthew 6:25-34 and how we can overcome worry and fear.  At the end of the message, the congregation were invited to write down a situation which was causing them to worry or be afraid and to bring it forward and place that situation into the "Trusting God" box which was on the altar before the cross. 

The response was amazing.  At first people seemed hesitant to come forward, then one or two brave souls brought their worries before the Lord.  That's all it took, it was like the floodgates opened and people were pouring out of their seats to put their fears in God's hands.  God will Make a Way by Don Moen played in the background as people came forward.  Tears filled many eyes as people let go of their burdens and trusted God with them. 

Afterward, one individual said to me, "We should do that every month."  I think she has a point.  We need to devise a way to give people the opportunity to unload their problems and to trust God to take care of them.  I'm not sure exactly what that should look like, but it's an idea well worth exploring.

In defense of free speech

This month's Wired magazine included an article titled "The Great Firewall: China's Misguided -- and Futile -- Attempt to Control What Happens On-line."  In it reporter Oliver August tells of his experiences with China's censorship police and how ordinary Chinese citizens are getting around the government's attempt at controlling what passes over the Internet.  It's an interesting read and a good reminder that we need to stand firm in defense of our right as Americans to free speech.

This right recently came under attack by 41 Democratic Senators, who signed a letter publicly criticizing comments made by Rush Limbaugh and asking Mark Mays the CEO of the radio network which syndicates Limbaugh to rebuke him.

Now I'm not trying to defend anything that Rush Limbaugh may or may not have said.  What I'm am seeking to defend is his right to say it regardless whether they were words of wisdom or completely idiotic.  When the U.S. government as represented by the Senate Democrats begin to publicly criticize an individual's opinion and beliefs and bring to bear pressure to have that individual repudiate those beliefs we as Americans are headed in a dangerous direction. 

I'm not a Libertarian  or a member of the ACLU who thinks that all expressions of speech are allowable under the First Amendment.  I don't think the Constitution allows for the creation and distribution of child pornography, for instance.  However, when it comes to political or religious issues the government has no business trying to squelch those expressions. 

If Rush Limbaugh can't express politically incorrect opinions without governmental interference regardless how are out in right field they may be, how long will it be before my politically incorrect religious beliefs come under attack?   

I'm right brain

The way the human brain works intrigues me.  When Gavin pointed toward this site the purportedly reveals whether a person is right or left brain, I had to visit it.  What amazed me is when I first looked at the dancer, she was spinning clockwise.  With some effort I could see her spinning anti-clockwise.  Once she started spinning anti-clockwise it took very little effort to refocus and see her back spinning clockwise again.  I don't understanding how that works.  The reasoning part of me says that what I see is reality, but this test proves once again that what we see may not be what others see and my reality which is changeable is not the only one.

Bad reputation

A friend of mine gave me a packet of materials that he is using to help people learn how to deal with conflict.  The first page was a long list of adjectives.  The assignment was to check the "People (behaviors) that sap my effectiveness."  Here's the list in part:

manipulative               know-it-alls
boring                         indecisive
always serious             "holier than thou" types
incompetent                stubborn
missionary-types          undisciplined
rigid                           wishy-washy
fanatics                      arrogant
That's about a third of the list.

What struck me was the use of adjectives that are often apply to religious people; "holier than thou" types, missionary-types, fanatics.  Now I have to admit I really don't like these kinds of people.  But it bothers me that there are enough of these kinds of people around so as to include them in this list.

Somewhere we Christians haven't gotten off the track.  If enough of us were living Christ-filled lives then these kinds of people would be an apparition and not what many in the world believe is the norm.

My wife's Sunday school class is working through Bill Hybels' book Becoming a Contagious Christian.  (She thinks it's absolutely terrific material.)  One of the first things that got her attention was the statement that in order to be contagious you first must have the disease.  There are a lot of people who have a touch of Christianity.  It is these people who often leave a bad taste in other's mouths.  What we need are more people who have a full-blown case.

Iowa has a football team

Corey Lewis wears the right number for the University of Northern Iowa Panthers.  UNI climbed to the top of the polls in this week's NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (what used to be NCAA Division 1AA).  With Iowa's big two universities having dismal seasons at best, UNI 6-0 record is giving football fans in the Hawkeye state (better change that to the Panther state) something to clear about.  Since a considerable amount of my money goes to UNI, (our son is a junior there) I'm especially pleased.  Go Panthers!!!

I just couldn't let this news pass without making sure my blogging buddies knew about it.

SWIM for HIM

Julie & I were introduced to a fantastic ministry last evening.  Greg & Vicky Stout joined us for supper, then shared with us about their work for the Lord; Safe Water International Ministries.

Here are some facts gleaned from their website:

20% of the world lacks access to safe water, that’s 1 Billion people!

25,000 people die every day from diseases related to water.

At any time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-borne diseases.

Contaminated water accounts for 80% of all diseases and claims the lives of 5 million children a year.

Contaminated water is responsible for diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, schistosomiasis, hepatitis, diarrhea, and intestinal worms.

1.5 billion people suffer from parasitic worm infections.

In China, India, and Indonesia twice as many people die from diarrhea than from HIV/AIDS.

One flush on your toilet uses more water than the average person in a developing world uses in a whole day’s washing, cooking, and drinking.

Water-borne diseases are preventable.

Greg and Vicky, who are members of my congregation have developed an amazing devise which using a 12 volt battery, ordinary table salt, and a little water creates chlorine which then can be added to a pail of water and kills the disease causing bacterias and parasites.  They demonstrated the machine for us.  In a matter of a couple of minutes they were able to make enough chlorine to treat 250 gallons of water.

Most of Stout's ministry has taken place in Nicaragua, but they are branching out to other parts of the developing world.  They recently traveled to Swaziland and some of their chlorine producing units are right now on the way to Kenya.

I encourage you to check out their website and learn more about how they are bringing safe water to people in the name of Jesus Christ.   

Called to Testify

I received a phone call a short while ago from the Bremer County District Attorney's office.  I have been called to give a deposition in a murder case.  Some of you may recall that our back door neighbor was killed in January 2006.  The individual who has been charged with the crime lived across the street from us.  It seems I witnessed the get-away car as the suspect fled the scene.  The authorities believe that the murder was drug related.

What makes this especially hard is that I know the suspect.  In fact, I visited with him in my office on several occasions and my wife taught his brother at school.  Now I am being asked to testify against him.  It goes against my pastoral spirit.  I'm suppose to visit those who are in prison, not help send them there.  Still my neighbor's family deserves justice.  I guess that's what I have to keep in mind.