Imagine Being Trapped in Poverty

Image yourself as a woman in her mid-30s. You grew up in a volatile home. Your mother verbally and physically abused you. Your father abandoned you. Your grandfather raped you. When your mother found out, she kicked you out of the house at age 15. You never finished school. You went from one abusive man to another. You went from one low-paying job to another. You went from one drug to another. You lost your children along the way.

Imagine yourself as a 12-year old boy living in a low-income apartment complex. Your mother left you when you were small, because of her emotional problems. Your father has had trouble keeping a job ever since an accident precipitated an addiction to prescription medication and alcohol. You are afraid to leave your apartment for school. You are threatened by bullies and enticed by gang members. On your way to school this morning, you stepped around a man in a wheel chair who had been beaten by thugs who stole the little money he had. You did nothing, because you were afraid that the wrong people may see you stopping to help. You don't do well in school, because you are hungry and you have too much on your mind to worry about grades.

Imagine yourself as an infant with Down's syndrome who was born to a prostitute. You are the youngest of seven siblings. Your brothers and sister run wild, because your mother cannot even gain control of her own life; she has no chance of providing stability to her household. You are not likely to ever know your father. Who knows what kind of difficulties you will face as you grow up?

What can anyone do to help you? Can you be helped? Is your life hopeless?

Life is not hopeless.

Christians and churches can make a difference in the lives of the poor in at least three important ways.

1. Christians and churches can preach the gospel to the poor. In general, the poor are open to the fact that they are sinners living in a sinful world. They understand the depths of sin. They know what it means to be both victims and those who victimize others. They have been sinned against and they have sinned. They tend to recognize their need for forgiveness, a new life, and hope. They tend to be open to the possibility that the Bible's message is true and that Jesus Christ can provide them with forgiveness, new life, and hope. The message of Christ can make a tremendous difference in their lives.

2. Christians and churches can meet immediate physical needs. Those needs may be for food, clothing, employment, or shelter. Churches can hold cookouts at the local public housing apartment complexes. Congregations can provide donuts for breakfast before Sunday school and a meal after worship assemblies. Christians can take meals to those who unable to leave their apartments because of health reasons. They can take others out to lunch or dinner. They can take a load of groceries to a family in need. They can network with others to find jobs for those who are looking for work. The possibilities are nearly endless.

3. Christians and churches can mentor the poor. If you had grown up in circumstances faced by many poor people, you probably would not have a clue as to how to handle life's challenges. Could you be a good father, husband, mother, wife, or employee without a good role model? It would be extremely difficult without a godly mentor to help you along the way. The Great Commission has not been accomplished when a new disciple is baptized. We are instructed to follow up with new believers by "teaching them to observe all that (Jesus Christ has) commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). A variety of methods may be used, such as: men's Bible studies at a weekly breakfast, women's Bible studies over lunch, parenting classes, and (most importantly) sharing our lives together as friends who can come to each other with our problems.

Poverty seems like an overwhelming problem, but God has empowered his people with the resources and ability to make a positive difference in seemingly hopeless situations.

Sometimes Our Children Need Someone to Come Alongside Them

Sometimes our kids need someone to come alongside and help them when they mess up. In this video, NBA coach Mo Cheeks helps 13-year old Natalie Gilbert sing the National Anthem after she forgets the lyrics at the opening of a 2003 Portland Trailblazers game.

Please Don't Pray for the President's Death

If you are on Facebook, you probably have seen this prayer:

"Dear Lord, this year you took my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze. You took my favorite actress, Farah Fawcett. You took my favorite singer, Michael Jackson. I just wanted to let you know, my favorite President is Barack Obama. Amen."

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, please consider these words:

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Please do not pray for President Obama's death (even as a joke). God wants us to pray for him "to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." He is a real person with real needs. If you are a Christian, please treat him with respect and concern. That's what God wants from us.

Forgiveness is Hard

This is my planned communion meditation for this Sunday.

God is a forgiving God. Early in the Hebrew Scriptures we learn, "The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (Numbers 14:18). It's a part of his nature to forgive. It's a part of who he is.

However, forgiveness is not easy for God. He has gone through a great deal of pain in order to forgive our sins.

This is the way Luke described Jesus' emotional state as he prepared to go to the cross in order to secure our forgiveness: "(Jesus) withdrew from (the disciples) about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.' And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:41-44).

Christ was in agony even before he was tortured, beaten, mocked, and crucified. He loved us and was extending grace to us when he died in our place, but he did not find it easy to provide us with forgiveness and grace. It cost his life.

As we remember Christ's death and resurrection during the communion today, let's remember that God forgave us at a high price.

God in the Neighborhood

This is an excerpt from Ron Babbit's letter to supporters of his ministry. Ron is the senior minister of the Contact Church.

"Phil-a-mino was hanging out at the playground area in her apartment complex as she watched her son, Curly John, play. Another couple was there, Donnie and Amanda, with their two children. Phil-a-mino, or as Big O calls her, Philly, struggles. But she has found a church family because Big O paid attention and started reading the WORD with her. Read on to see how GOD has been working in hearts.

"When Philly met Donnie and Amanda on the playground, she immediately told them about a church that she was attending. She told them that they would be welcome and could come and go with her. They showed up during our mid-week, Tuesday Nite Live service, where we pray, read and sing. This is a powerful time of growth in our walk with HIM. Donnie and Amanda immediately started asking questions and said that they needed some furniture. Donnie asked, 'Do you know anything about the mattress and box springs that are standing in the hallway?' I asked him if he needed them. He said, 'We have a mattress, but it is covered with mold.' I said, 'Do you guys think you can handle a very nice bed, with head-board and rails?' He said with a big smile, 'I think we are up to the challenge!' Stan the Man was standing there so I asked him what his plans were for the rest of the evening. Stan the Man said, 'Let's go.' I love that spirit. I pulled my truck around to the east side of the building to load the bed. While holding the door (that's my new job) Tree walked up and handed me $50. He said, 'Ron, if you have the time to help them get the rest of their furniture out of storage, this will take care of the storage cost.' I told Tree thanks and thanked him for paying attention to the needs of others and doing something about it. We got the bed loaded and made the haul upstairs. When we got into the bedroom, you could smell the mold and mildew! We picked up the nasty mattress and hauled it to the dumpster. The next day it was gone, because another family needed it.

"We began looking for a couch because Donnie and Amanda had pulled one from a dumpster to have something to sit on. A couple days later Stan the Man picked up Donnie and told him that if he was willing to help haul three couches that he could have one of them. Donnie said, 'Sure!' Donnie and Amanda now have a beautiful couch in their pad, thanks to another brother being willing to help with this need.

"The great joys and blessings of the 'furniture moving ministry' are being able to share the WORD OF GOD and ask the life and death questions: 'Amanda, if you were to die tonight, where would you spend eternity?' 'Donnie, if you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?' They both said hell. We shared what the LORD has done for all mankind. They now have an opportunity to make a commitment to our SAVIOR. The GOOD NEWS!

"Donnie and Amanda were baptized into CHRIST.

"Following one of our fellowship meals, Blondie noticed that when Donnie and Amanda finished eating, they immediately began cleaning the tables, looking for the vacuum cleaner and picking up...

"Recently Tree called to say his buddy, Dilly, needed to hire a hoss to work with him in his tree trimming business. I got his number and shared it with Donnie who had mentioned his willingness to work. Dilly put him to work and the next day called me to say that Donnie is a keeper. He is now on the payroll.

"What a blessing; now Donnie and Amanda can provide for themselves. What a joy it is to watch the family of GOD serve together, and help others learn about the blood of the LAMB and HIS forgiveness.

"Amanda and Donnie have already been inviting their neighbors to Contact. Donnie is gathering several young men who would like to have a bike and are willing to work for it. Many have given us bikes; now we have someone who is willing to develop a plan for some clowns and darlins to work for a bike...

"Souls are being added to the Kingdom because of the CROSS, and because someone on the playground was willing to tell someone else about a church called Contact. As TJ says, 'Everyone needs a contact with the LORD.' Amen church!"

The Courage of the Christ

This is my planned communion meditation for this Sunday:

A few years ago, a friend came to me with a problem.

She had recently become a Christian. She wanted to live in a manner that honored her Savior, but her live-in boyfriend was not interested in her new found faith. Every time she would ask him if he ever thought about marrying her, he would get angry.

She asked me, "Why do you think he won't marry me?"

Assuming that we were brainstorming, I answered, "Maybe he doesn't love you."

Unfortunately, as I later learned, my answer didn't go over too well. My friend did not care much for my blunt response.

However, she went home and told her boyfriend about our conversation. Over the next weekend, they were married. (Today, I always tease her by taking credit for their marriage.)

I thought about my blunt answer to my friend this week as I read Luke 11.

In that chapter, Jesus was eating dinner with a few Pharisees and lawyers. When the host became astonished that Jesus did not go through the traditional ceremonial washing before eating, Jesus started going through a list of sins committed by the Pharisees.

In verse 45, Jesus is interrupted. "One of the lawyers answered him, 'Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.'"

Then comes my favorite part of the story, the part that shows the courage of the Christ: "And he said, 'Woe to you lawyers also!'" (11:46) Rather than weakly apologize for telling the truth, Jesus turns his attention to listing the sins of the experts in the law. He would never be intimidated into silence simply because his message was unpopular at the moment.

Now I'm not saying that I was acting like Jesus when I was blunt with my friend. In fact, I did not know that I was offending her. I thought we were simply brainstorming...coming up with possible reasons for her boyfriend's lack of action. If I had known what I was doing, I probably would have apologized for offending her.

But Jesus was different. He knew that he was offending the Pharisees and lawyers, but he also knew that they needed to be offended. No one ever told them about their sins, because they were too intimidating. Who would be able to accuse the most upright and educated men in their community? Christ knew that they were blind to their sins and were incapable of repenting because of their spiritual blindness. He cared too much to be silent.

It was that kind of courage that we see in Jesus as he faced the cross. He knew our condition, even though we were blind to it. He knew that we stood condemned and hopeless. And he cared too much to let us face eternity without the hope of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. In going to the cross, he showed the courage to do the right thing despite the discomfort and pain. In doing so, he saved us.

A Great Temptation for Christians

"I have a non-Christian friend who says he can spot Christians in Hollywood parties: 'They worship at the altar of other people's approval'" (Paul Coughlin, No More Christian Nice Guy, page 45).