An Open Letter To Our U.S. Elected Officials: End Abortion

Dear Elected Official,

Since 1776 this continent has been a beacon to the rest of humanity for the individual rights of every human being. Though it has struggled to produce freedom for every people, in the end liberty for all has prevailed no matter race or creed. Our country was founded on certain truths that though at times have been wanting in application, have ultimately remained the cornerstones that uphold the spirit of this nation. Specifically the Jeffersonian proclamation:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

It is that credo that has driven this nation to the heights of glory and power it currently resides in.  The Constitution that governs this nation was founded on the belief that no man’s freedom can come at the cost of another, for all men deserve to live in liberty from tyranny, the fear of death and oppression.

In the History of this nation we have faced many challenges to this belief. At the risk of losing resources and stifling a growing economy, this nation took the necessary action and gave emancipation to those being enslaved on plantations throughout the South. The cost was hundreds of thousands of American lives but their blood was not in vain. The ultimate result was not a loss in economy but growth for a young nation torn apart. In the early 1900’s liberty was again challenged when children and orphans were being used for cheap labor to kick start a growing industrial revolution. Liberty for these children meant a drop in production and a loss in the Industrial age. The Children were freed, and instead of loss the industrial revolution grew, and 15 years later the nation would boast the largest profits the world had ever seen. Tyranny in Europe by Hitler, voting rights for women, Stalin in Russia, Vietnam, North Korea, Israel, Kuwait, and Iraq, our Nation has been dedicated to the democratic value that all men deserve the rights presented in the Jeffersonian mantra.

Today our nation has come to yet another paramount were the liberties of some have been cut off to supply liberty for another. The sexual revolution of the 60’s and 70’s has come at the loss of many. 50 million human beings have been murdered in the name of freedom. The right to live has been taken by the hands of doctors and parents around this country. Abortion has been granted as a right for a woman to choose, and lowered the value of life to a punishment on those wish to be free in their sexual lifestyles.

The liberties of countless human beings in our nation are in jeopardy. The leaders and decision makers in this nation, who serve at the leisure of the people, have failed those they serve. For 35 years they have stood idly by as a holocaust proportionate to that of Nazi Germany to have wiped out the lives of many. I petition those who hold office in congress to consider not the definition of life, but the definition of freedom. Many in government are in danger of the same type of hypocrisy that faced our nation during slavery, segregation, and manifest destiny. To take the life of a person, so as to allow another sexual freedom, is same type of injustice that inspired the actions of the continental congress 236 years ago.

To cease abortion would indeed be a risk. Federal dollars for foster care, and adoption are waning. Unwanted pregnancies or statistically higher in poorer urban areas, and the quality of life the baby would face is unknown. Yet no man should have the power to determine who lives and who dies. Such power is supposed to be protected and kept from governmental leaders by democracy. I ask amidst the consequences that come with the abolishment of abortion that you would consider the lives being lost. Would you consider the blood being spilt? Would you consider the advancement in social ethics our nation would take if life were valued higher than sexual freedom? Would you consider the cessation of government funds to organizations like Planned Parenthood, and instead redirect those funds to establish a better foster care and adoption system? You hold great power that has been rented to you by one who will one day return to reclaim it. On that day you will answer before Him, the author of life, for how you yielded that power. What will your legacy be before that throne? I pray that it’s one that will please the heart of God.

Our nation has lost its way in the fight for freedom. We have forgotten the “Eternal vigilance” that is required to maintain liberty. Our personal freedoms have come at a high price. For it’s not the blood of the unborn, but patriots that should be the refreshing streams of liberty. Knowing the high price of taking on this issue, I ask would you bleed and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. As long as it is still recited: “Liberty and Justice for ALL”.

Respectfully,

Zack Hensley

5 More Things Going Into 30

2 DAYS until I turn 30 (February 18th). The last month I’ve been reflecting on the last 30 years and gearing up for the next 30. Reflecting on the past 3 decades I have learned a couple of lessons that I pray to not re-learn going forward. Over the next couple of days I will have a sereis of lessons that I have learned and or am learning that I hope to share for the soul purpose of having them published so I never forget. So this is Things going into 30 part 3… in 5 parts.

1. Jesus is the bar.

Specifically as it relates to pursuing my faith, trying to define whether or not I’m radically pursuing Jesus based on how those around me has always led to narcism. Jesus is not an idea, or belief system, He’s a human man who is also God. Therefore loving Him requires solidarity in focus. When I’m comparing my walk with God to someone else’s my end becomes to be like them, and not like Jesus. In trying to be like other people you become obsessed with everything you do. You passionately try to make sure it appears as though you are meeting the standard that their life seems to have produced. Your walk with Christ becomes less about His glory and more about your glory. It becomes about gaining praise from those you are striving to emulate. If there is one lesson I’ve learned over the last 30 years, it’s that Jesus sees me. He sees everything I do. When I believe that He sees me, I don’t care who else see me. When I believe He sees me, He becomes the one I fight to be like. My pursuit is Him, not anyone or anything else.

2. Seek faithfulness not opportunity

It’s especially easy and in many scenarios wise to be looking ahead to see where you are going. In life the opportunity to step into your dreams, or the opportunity to do something great will come. When it comes there is nothing that stings more than letting it pass you by. However I’ve found that there is much wisdom in bearing that sting and watching opportunity slowly drift off over the horizon.

Over the last decade I’ve been offered jobs 8 times my current annual salary. (which isn’t that big consider my current anual salary ) Positions with influence, events with famous people, and jobs with ability to give me everything I could want. I’ve been blessed over the years, and I’ve been blessed to politely decline over the years as well. Why? Because of that man named Jesus on that throne in Heaven. When I close my eyes I see that throne, and I think about the account I will have to give to Him about my life one day. When I weigh how certain opportunities would distract from my pursuit of His heart, the maintaining of my wife and kids, the stability of a tender heart when I’m older, if it’s a threat, it’s out.

When I was a teenager I learned this concept from my ever wise mother. I was having the typical just turned 18 and have no idea what I’m going to do with my life existential crisis. One night I broke down in tears stressed out by the expectations I felt others had on my life, the expectations I had on my life and the perceived pressure to have it all figured out that very moment. I’ll never forget she sat me down on the couch and made me look into her eyes. She said, “Son I don’t care if you are a missionary or a business man. If you end up doing nothing else with your life and the sum of your accomplishments is working at McDonald’s. If you are in love with Jesus with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength- I will be the proudest mother a son could ever have.”

I’m sure many things will be said of my life, but may the theme and story of Zack Hensley be a man passionately pursuing the heart of Jesus and nothing else. It’s all that matters.

3. Be the little blue truck.

My daughter has this book about a little blue truck. It works hard everyday and always gets its work done.  He is intentional about stopping along the way to visit with all the animals around the farm and to help them out while getting his work done. Then a big “important” yellow truck comes plowing through the farm. He doesn’t have time to visit with the animals or help them with anything. Then one day the yellow truck plows through a mud puddle and gets his “big important wheels stuck”. He calls out to the animals and anyone who would hear to help him out of the puddle but “no one heard (or really cared)”. Then the little blue truck came along and tried to help him free, but he also got stuck. He called out for help and everyone came running to help him out of the mud. They pushed him and he pushed the big “important yellow truck”. The animals got him free and in turn the little blue truck gave them all a ride.

The moral? Often times I have been the “big important yellow truck” plowing through life, with no time to stop and visit or help anyone. My goal as I turn 30 is to be more like the little blue truck. To care just as much about building strong and lasting relationships with people as much as I care about the jobs that I have to do.

4. Cry often

There is nothing worse in this life then having a heart that is dull. A dull heart can’t love. It can’t empathize, serve well, or understand. A dull heart is the quickest way to a lifeless and loveless marriage. A dull heart turns well intentioned ambition into self serving promotion. A dull heart swings open the door to anxiety, depression, and bitterness. Worse of all a dull heart can’t love God.

Catching myself tearing up during worship, or when I tell my wife I love her is a suitable metric for the tenderness of my heart. If life seems hard, and my heart begins to feel dull there is a good chance that it’s been weeks since my eyes got a little misty. I don’t mean I need to find my self, head in hands, weeping on a regular basis. I just mean if my daughter sneaking across the room climbing onto my lap and saying “Dad,  I love you very much. you’re beautiful too!” doesn’t get my eye lids wet, something is wrong. If singing the old hymn “It is Well With My Soul” doesn’t get me teary by the time I get to the part “And Lord haste the day when my faith becomes sight” something is wrong. I pray that when I’m 60 have have a reputation for being a “cryer”.

5. Do things smaller

If I’ve learned anything it’s that you are never too busy. I mean it. Every time I think I’m too busy to do things like read a book, write a book, serve at a downtown soup kitchen, I look at my schedule realize in order to read a book I’m looking for 3 to 4 hours to sit and read. So instead of blocking out 4 hours to read I block out 30 minutes. If you focus, 30 minutes can be very productive.

I used to say I didn’t have the time to write a book, so I started watching entertainment less. Lo and behold I gained an hour each night. Instead of trying to find 2-3 hours at a time with friends I focus and have more meaningful conversations in an hour lunch then I ever did spending 3 hours at the movies. Instead of spending 2 hours a day e-mailing. I schedule 30 minute meetings, and spend 10-15 minutes before hand outlining the topic of conversation. That 30 minutes solves hours of e-mail back and forth for the next 2 weeks. This means being able to do the things important to you while increasing time in the two areas I care about most: Prayer and Family.

Doing things smaller and more focused means I get to be the man I hope I am when I’m 60: A lover of Jesus, A husband my wife thanks God for, and Father to my kids that makes the Lord smile.

The Fight For Hope: Reflecting On Loss One Year Later

An excerpt from chapter one of my book on the year anniversary of this story. God is good, therefore we never stop.

Tired but content I sat down at the dinner table with my ministry assistant, as “Ms Vicky” cooked us up some authentic New Orleans food. Ms. Vicky, as she liked to be called, was a wonderful southern belle. She and her husband were hosting us as I preached at a two day youth conference at her church Butte Louisiana just outside of New Orleans. Having traveled on quite a few ministry trips, I had yet to come in contact with someone as generous and accommodating as Ms. Vicky. We spent that night sharing stories about parenthood. Her kids were all grown up and moved out. I told her about my 2 kids; Natalie Sage who was the cutest 1 and a half-year-old you’d ever meet and my precious second who was still in the womb at that time. I told her about our hopes and dreams for that little one. How my wife Carrie and I had a vision of him or her being a confident, wise, yet gentle person. As we talked she unveiled the fruit of her culinary genius. She brought out a number of dishes, Shrimp Pasta Alfredo, southern cooked chili, and a “king cake” of Mardis Gras infamy. My assistant Dan and I slowly but effectively cleaned our plates, savoring every bite.

     With satisfied sighs and endless praise for our chef and host we headed up to our rooms. Generally I rarely sleep well on the road. However the combination Ms. Vicky’s home cooking, and an entire day of being in front of people preaching put me into an instant state of exhaustion. I texted Carrie the menu from dinner, that I loved her Natalie and that precious little one in her tummy. I told her that I couldn’t wait to see them tomorrow. I put my phone under my pillow just in case she needed to get a hold of me while I slept. My head hit the pillow and I was gone into the deepest sleep I’d have for the rest of that week.

     Maybe it’s different for you but when I’m in a deep sleep, sounds, smells, and feelings happening in the conscience world show up in my unconscious dream world. For instance I remember one very frustrating time years ago when I worked as a Concierge at a Phoenix hotel. I hadn’t slept in 2 days and had fallen into a deep sleep. I dreamn’t that I was a spy chasing an evil 7 fingered man in black gloves all around this old empty warehouse. I was about to catch him when he pulled the security alarm and vanished. The beeping of the security alarm was so loud a had to cover my ears as I chased after him. 10 to 15 minutes went by as I chased him around the known dream world trying to find a way to shut off the alarm he had pulled. Finally I woke up to find that I was late for work. The villain in my dream hadn’t pulled an alarm, but my alarm clock had been going off. Instead of it waking me from the unconscious world, my brain added its elements to the unconscious world. I rushed to work that day, and tried to get a laugh out of my boss concerning my tardiness. This same type of thing happened to me that night, only I didn’t chuckle at the result.

                I was dreaming that I was leading a group of sick people out of a ravine filled with bio toxins that was making them sick. As I led them out we kept encountering Earth quakes that sent many back into the canyon. Over and over I would run to the bottom, get the tumblers, and bring them back up to rejoin the group. At some point during this unconscious Sisyphean challenge I woke up to find my phone vibrating under my pillow.

                Looking at the clock without my glasses on I could barely see it was about 2am and I had a number of texts and missed calls from my wife. I read the texts first. “call me, I’m bleeding and think something bad might be happening with the baby, calling the doctor” next one “It won’t stop, called your mom she is taking me to the ER, your Dad is watching Natalie, I wish you were here or at least answered your phone!” last one “Please answer! I need you, this is so bad”. My body jumped out of bed as my stomach sank. “No!” I yelled, “Please don’t let this be what I think it is.”

Dialing so fast I dropped the phone two or three times before I could finish. My wife answered in tears. The bleeding from her uterus had increased. The doctor had just informed her that we, at that moment, were losing that precious little one in her tummy. Sobbing was all I could hear from my wife on the phone. She gave the phone over to my mom who was there with her and sobs were all she could hear as I hit the floor. I felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped out my insides. The pain of losing this child, the pain of not being there to support the woman I vowed to always be there for during times like this, the pain of knowing I’d never get to see the face of the little one we just lost. My mom finished telling me that they would hold Carrie in the hospital until all the biological matter had passed out of her; our precious little one. They told me they’d call me back after the doctor fished talking to them. All I could do was put my head into my pillow sobbing, yelling and pleading with God for mercy not to take this one from us.

Once I had gathered myself a bit, the next call I made was to the airlines. I had to get back to Kansas City. I had to hold my wife and support her. I had to do something besides cry.

After 4 hours of negotiating, there was no way to change my flight. So I got up and got ready for the day. I still had to preach that morning at the local church. Ironically the subject I had already prepared was I Peter 1:3 on Hope. Rising to the occasion was out the window for me as I tearfully preached probably one of the most scattered sermons of my life. I felt like I was dreaming, and was waiting for Dan to shake me awake and tell me I was late for service. Since I seemed very awake, all I could focus on was getting back to my wife. After a long journey through layovers and delays that moment finally came. Instantly we fell into each other’s arms and wept together.

We talked about the dreams we had for that little one. Carrie shared how she felt God take our baby back to be with Him, and how she could feel His presence even in the middle of the pain of it all. We stayed up most of the night praying, talking and crying until we passed out from exhaustion.

Later the next day I was visiting with a friend who was checking in on how we were doing. I told him this was one of the most painful-sorrowful things I had ever experienced, but that both Carrie and I had this surprising peace or impossible joy on the inside despite the pain. There was a fight on the inside to resist the temptation of depression, or despair. Surprisingly, there was this solace in knowing who we were in the eyes of God and knowing where we are going ultimately that gave us the courage to fight for hope.

“Why so downcast O my soul? Why are you in turmoil within me? Put your Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him. Ps 42:5 (ESV)

            Hope. Often a sentiment to help us feel better during times of uncertainty is quite more than sentiment. The reality of Jesus, what He accomplished on the cross, in the resurrection, and in light of His soon coming, hope is a power greater than sentiment. Hope starts in the truth of knowing who we are in the eyes of our creator.

This knowledge is like a pilot light in our heart. Even when all fuel to keep going is gone, the understanding of who we are and where we are going is a flame that never dies. Once that flame is lit, no storm in life can blow it out and the slightest glimmer of hope is ignited into a roaring fire. Yet knowing who we are and where we are going because of Him who ordained it in creation and sealed it at the cross is not a subjective journey. We must reach outside of our short-sighted vision of ourselves to touch the vision of the one who created us. We are not the subjects of creation, but the objects of our creator and subjected to Him. This is good news because He is good.

                 Knowing is one thing, fighting through discouragement is another. We need an intentional act of our will to grasp the future we know God has ordained for us. Like the psalmist says when in turmoil, when we are downcast, we look to our soul and command it to action: “Hope in God!”

Today, exactly one year later, I remember our loss. But it’s not the pain and reliving the loss that I remember. It’s that in the pain of mourning and injustice the hand of God never left. My hope was not shaken because of pain, it was given courage to persevere because of the truth that pain has an appointed and eternal end.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Things Going into 30: Leave The Volume on Ten, Bob Your Head and Don’t Stop.

10 days until I turn 30 (February 18th).The last month I’ve been reflecting on the last 30 years and gearing up for the next 30. Reflecting on the past 3 decades I have learned a couple of lessons that I pray to not re-learn going forward. Over the next couple of days I will have a sereis of lessons that I have learned and or am learning that I hope to share for the soul purpose of having them published so I never forget. So this is Things going into 30 part 2.

Lesson 2: Leave The Volume on Ten, Bob Your Head and Don’t Stop.

My whole life I’ve loved rap music. In 7th grade I won breakdancing contests. When
walking the 2 and a half miles home from school I’d often practice freestyling. “Walking home from school these suckas with cars think I’m a fool, but it’s ok because I’m no tool, if they really wanna hate, they’d better step up and duel.” Stuff like that over and over, I’d practice a wide variety of subjects from “I wish I had a car to take me real far” to “Jesus blood never fails me, its crimson flood cleans me, frees me, and forever feeds and satisfies my soul so if you want to find me on my knees I’ll be”. I listened to but could never really get into Tupac, Bones Thugs, Nas, DMX etc. Every time I did I felt my heart dry up. So I stuck with Christian rap, T-Bone, Cross Movements, Grits, The Ambassador etc. Most people gave me a hard time for listening to cheesy Christian rap. So I would never admit to it, or let anyone catch me listening to them. I would force myself to know just enough about Tupac, Jay-Z and the rest of the motley collection of up and coming rappers of the nineties. I wanted to be able to act like they were my favorite at school, when at home I was head bobb’n to T-Bone’s “Street Preacha”.

If I’ve learned anything over the years it’s that being a chameleon to what people think you should be or want you to be is the worst kind of bondage. Too often my heart wanted to radically pursue God. I wanted to turn off movies and TV, tune out anything not of God and seek after Him with my whole heart. Yet too often I would give up that dream because the people around me felt like that was religious or that it in some way alienated them. So I would cave. I would dial down. I would pursue my faith to the measure of intensity those around me did. In essence I would sell out, and I hated it.

Looking around me now, many of my peers are dialing down. Prayer goes from hours a day, to a few hours a week, to a few minutes a day, to worship on Sunday and try to blend in with the culture the rest of the week. I don’t judge them for this. I love them and hope to stay in their lives. But as for me, I want something more. As I approach the next 30 years I want to be going harder after God when I’m 60. I want to be sold out and unashamed about my desire to live a life of prayer and fasting. I want to be water to a thirsty world ignorant of the gospel. I want to cultivate a flame on the inside that keeps me next to the relevant flame of God’s heart that I may be useful to my friend Jesus in minstring the gospel the next 30 years. I want to live my life in such a way that He receives the greatest amount of glory from my days and nights. For no other reason except that Jesus is worthy. I want their to be oil in my lamp when He comes.

Since high school Christian rap has come a long way. Cross Movements are still going strong, and in 2005 the greatest thing to happen to Christian music happened. Reach Records presented a fiery group of gospel preaching rappers called the 116 clique. Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka, D.A. T.R.U.T.H., and others were not only some of the sickest rappers I’d ever heard, their content caused my heart to worship and eyes to cry with love for Jesus. Today I’m no longer a teenager. I’m a Father of two, married, and a home owner. I wear collar shirts, sport coats, and some would call me ethnically challenged to love rap music the way I do, but I’ve learned from the years past. Who cares what people think. Turn that junk up to ten and let your head bob long into your 80′s.

Your money your singleness marriage talent and time 
They were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine 
That’s why it’s Christ in my rhymes 
That’s why it’s Christ all the time
See my whole world is built around him He’s the life in my lines 
I refused to waste my life 
He’s too true to chase that ice 
Here’s my gifts and time cause I’m constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ 
If he’s truly raised to life
Then this news should change your life 
And by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights.

-Lecrae Song: “I Don’t Wanna Waste My Life”

Things Going Into 30

11 days until I turn 30 (February 18th).The last month I’ve been reflecting on the last 30 years and gearing up for the next 30. Reflecting on the past 3 decades I have learned a couple of lessons that I pray to not re-learn going forward. Over the next couple of days I will have a sereis of lessons that I have learned and or am learning that I hope to share for the soul purpose of having them published so I never forget. So this is Things going into 30 part 1.

Lesson 1: Just Jump

One of my best friends growing up, Chris, is a smart, darring, humble, shrewd human being. Yet I had never seen such a confident terrestrial male reduced to such a hesitant, afraid mush-ball of worry as when we went cliff diving in high school. Most of us hiked up the cliffs, dove off, hiked up, dove off etc. I’ll never forget how the face of the most confident guy I had ever met filled with such daunting bafflement as he stood at the top of the cliff and starred at the water. Four hours later after having had his fill of our taunts and friendly jabs at is lack courage he conceded and jumped. He emerged from the water having regained his confidence, “That wasn’t that bad.”

I could honestly sum up much of the last 30 years using the picture of Chris waiting to jump of the cliff. That’s not to say I didn’t jump often in life, but the emotional drama and anxiety that ensued in my heart and mind through out most of my teens and twenties was wasted energy. It was me thinking I knew how my story should be told, and when things didn’t look like the version in my head I freaked. The thing is, 100% of the time each journey, each story ended how I wanted it to. However just not in the way I thought it would. God’s promises to us are absolute. I learned that saying that was one thing, believing it was another. Take marriage for example. I spent the better part of my twenties (18-24) emoting about how I was probably never going to get married. I got so terrified that I was unloveable that in the end I got terrified of love it self. Yes, at times I have been known to have the emotional stability of a 16 year old teenage girl hoping a senior notices her and takes her to prom, but I digress.

When the women of my dreams came along, I spent the majority of our relationship staving off panic attacks because everything was going TOO well. In the end I starred at that water down below the cliff, watched it shimmer in the sunshine, took a deep breath and made the wisest decision of my life to date: I forced myself over the edge.

I emerged with a smile.

The first lesson I have learned is to jump every time I feel that terrifying irrational fear. I’m not talking about the pit in your stomach when you know something might be wrong, that’s called discernment and different from fear. I’m talking about the place where logic and God say one thing but the torrent of fear and emotion say another. When fear clouds your vision and keeps you from walking in your destiny. You have to stare that cloud in the face, and no matter how tight the grip of fear chokes, you have to use any and every last bit of energy possible and force yourself to take that leap. You can’t run from that fear, or let it overtake you. You have to take authority Jesus gave us at the cross, renounce it’s hold on you and press forward whether or not it has subsided. It’s feels like trudging through quicksand, but in the end you will conquer that fear, and emerge with a smile.

You just have to jump.

 

It’s Time To DO

About 7 years ago I lived in an urban part of Kansas City near Downtown. I moved with the dream of planting a church for the homeless and urban core dwellers. I spent half of my time each day talking with and helping homeless people find food, jobs, and rehabilitation. I spent the other half of each day studying theology and philosophy at a hyper liberal coffee shop where communism was “beautiful” and George W Bush was “Hitler reincarnate”. My time there was like a supplement for college in a sense. I would read and outline say Rene Descartes or Hegel, then spend a few hours debating their philosophies with the coffee shop aggregation. Business men, college professors, college students, vagrants, retired men with nothing to do, it was quite a collection of people, and quite the range of opinions. 

Most often brought up was the subject of “social justice”. They would rant and rant about how nobody cared for the poor. Daily someone would bring up the poor as an accusation toward conservatives, the church or the wealthy. If someone pulled in front of the coffee shop in a nice car, especially an SUV, they were sure to be heckled. They would talk about the ethics of wealth and how it was unethical for someone to have an outstanding amount of money. Guys in suits would occasionally walk by and get cursed at. Ironically also, would be when homeless guys came around for money. They would get made fun of and told to find a job. I would sit stunned day after day. These guys would daily sit at the coffee shop and complain about the wealthy and the plight of the poor while shunning the very people I loved and spent most of my time serving. I would watch it happen day after day in awe. It was sad.

Looking back on this time what pains me is not how they acted toward the poor in reality versus what they intended on doing. What pains me is I see myself doing the same. I may have served the homeless back then. But there were plenty of other areas where I thought people should do something and I never did. The truth is most of us are hypocrites in that regard.

It’s easy to get riled up for a cause. Easy to have an opinion about how life should be. It’s something else entirely to act. So often we define ourselves by our intentions, not wanting to look at our actions. As Americans living in relatively easy circumstances in comparison to the rest of the world it’s easy to have opinions about government, social justice, racial tention, human rights, etc. It’s another thing to put our hand to the plow and do something about them. Think the poor are being treated unjustly and that the rich should distribute their wealth? What have you done with what you have?  Mad about the foster care system, and how horrible orphans are treated? Well you have a spare bedroom right? Think our nations economy is collapsing and you are worried about your job security? You have real government through prayer and you still have knees to pray on right?

As much as it depends on me I’m done talking. I’m done having ideas. I’m done with chintzy giving. I’m done with lazy serving. I’m done with defining myself based on my intentions. It’s time to do. There is only one way to be successful in our doing: Christ.

It’s time to finally and completely surrender our hearts to the one we say we love. It’s time to get on our knees, get in His word, and get His heart for the people around us. The only way you or I are going to actually care about the poor is if we begin to be transformed into the likeness of the one who created those who are plighted with poverty. It’s sounds like an oxy moron: We need to do, therefore pray. But not doing so would be like a fifteen year old watching a war on TV and saying “i want to fight” then running out to a battlefield with no training, weapons or armor. It’s been said that “you can’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.” I would challenge that saying and say the Bible says, “You Have to be heavenly minded to be ANY earthly good.” (Col.3) We pray so that our doing is sustained. We pray so that our hearts are energized with the thoughts and affections of our creator for us. We pray because humans are the objects of his affections and genius. If we think for a second we care about them more than He does we are delusional. It’s time we believed that when we pray God responds. It’s time we had faith to pray so that we can act.

My continued service to the poor has only ever been sustained and energized because of prayer. When I’m helping someone come off of alcohol and sit with them through the shakes for the 4th time, and a week later they fall off the wagon again it’s hard not to want to give up. It’s hard when you are loving homeless people who beat each other up, commit crimes and get sent to prison, or killed despite your best efforts. If we want to help them we must start on our knees. Only there will we gain the heart to love them properly, and the courage not to quit.

It’s time to act, pray therefore.

Standing is A Verb

Standing. The verb. In our present time, standing is no longer a verb. In fact it’s not a posture generally observed or aspired to any longer. Because of social networking, tired

 politics, empty churches, and growing relativism, standing for anything apart from the ethos of the general society is

 not only looked down on, but is chastised. We live in a time where truth and justice have become fluid concepts, floating from one subjective idea to another. Where practical and historically proven truths are not only being redefined, but in many places forgotten. Much of the culture in our time tries to pull at those who would stand for anything outside of the collectively agreed on ideas and morality. Many have lost the courage to stand when no one else will.

Standing takes more than courage and good intentions, it takes a foundation that is unshakable. We were created by God to stand. To love Him, then reflect and sow that love to others. We are called by God to serve and love the poor in action and in secret not in sentiment and intention. We are called to forgive and love our enemies. To turn the other cheek when someone strikes us, and admit that we can’t do any of this apart from His ability in us. We were called to walk that narrow and hard road to eternal life while everyone else rides together down broad streets leading to destruction. We were called to stand.

Jesus said it this way:

“Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.“ 

Standing is a verb. When the waves and winds of opinion and persecution come and beat on us and our faith will we stand? When the hatred and rage fuming in the hearts of those who have rejected Christ is being directed at us who love Jesus, will we stand? When the ideas of our time tell us that Jesus is one of many ways to enjoy eternity will we stand? Only if we are found as lovers of the absolution jesus and the Word that He embodies.

Before we stand, before those waves and winds come and beat at us, are we surrendered to the grace of God and through that surrender loving and obeying His commands? Is it real in our hearts? Do we take our faith seriously. If we surrender to the ability of God and His word they, not our own ability, will guarantee that we stand are are not moved.

“To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling.” Jude 24

He is able, willing and faithful to give us all we need to stand in this age. All that remains is our action. Our daily decision to pick ourselves up from the apathy and lethargy of sin and its ways. We just have to stand. He’ll hold us up.

How To Cure The Paralysis Of Fear

There are times when I’m afraid to talk to the Lord. The times I have struggled most with God, and sin over the 29 years of my journey can be traced back to a paralysing fear of talking to God. In those moments my fear is not what God would say to me, but that he wouldn’t respond at all. Occasionally I would be in times of great need, but I would be slow to go to God out of fear that he wouldn’t help me. Fear is a powerful evil that can shake us to the core.Fear does more in most of us then just keep us from praying. Fear often becomes the driving force behind most decisions. Fear of failure, fear of missing out on something, fear of a person’s opinion, fear of meeting a person’s expectation’s and so on. Fear keeps us from action. Keeps us from running to a God who loves us. It has often kept men from loving women. Its kept Parents from enjoying their children, dreamers from living their dreams, visionaries from casting vision, and humanity from returning the love of their creator. But fear is not a force within it self. Fear is the product of a greater problem: an absence of love.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us.” - IJn 4:18-19

We are created beings who were designed to live and be fueled by the love of our creator. Sin separated us from being able to receive that love, as sin itself is a rejecting of that love. Sin carved a chasm in our hearts that had to be filled to function at all. The absence of love has caused us to create our own faux version. Our greatest desire became to exalt, fulfill, and please ourselves and the love of self became the highest level of fulfillment. This results in us being the makers and controllers of our own destiny, our lives became about our own glory.

However we were created for the glory of another. The love of self and living to glorify ourselves and other humans means the whole of our life’s energy is wasted trying to swim up a stream that will inevitably overtake us. The very nature of our life and existence is at the leisure of our creator and we were fashioned perfectly to be trophies for His glory. When we seek to glorify ourselves over God we go against the very nature of our existence.

Fear is the fruit of trying to glorify ourselves. It is the paralyzing force that desires to maintain control of a destiny we were never meant to control. The fear that keeps people from pursuing the talents and gifts that have been to us given by God to glorify God, is the same fear that kept me from running to God when I ought to of in the past. However when we receive the love of God, offered in clearest form at the cross and cease the rejecting of it through sin, we cure ourselves of the paralysis of fear.

The love of God is a force that pushes us to the edge of the unknown and reaches out it’s hand and says “Jump! You can trust me.” It gives us courage as it plots out an eternal destiny for us. It gives us an absolute hope that we will never be alone, and ultimately never feel the struggles of this life one day. It gives us a reason to live and a reason to love other people.To the measure that we struggle with fear is the measure that we have not been perfected in love.

First Commandment: “Love the Lord God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.”

What We Are Waiting For

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last decade it would be impossible not to notice that the inhabitants of Earth are suffering from severe unrest. If you have been living under a rock, my condolences. I have an empty room should you need a place to get back on your feet; literally. Change is the buzz word of the hour. Change politically, socially, economically, there seems to be a general consensus that things are generally not right, and are in need of something entirely different. Every country from China, Greece, Rwanda, Mexico, Chile to the United States of America are grasping for some type of change. In many ways the same way a man who is trapped living under a rock would. Again, If that’s you- my sympathies.

We live in the night our epoch, waiting for the dawn. In this night we long for change. We long for someone or some movement to lead us to a world free from war, famine, poverty, and personal torment. We long for something to give purpose to the strivings of our life besides the standard cycle: learning, working, resting then dying. We yearn for something to answer the questions of our heart when we lay awake in bed at night. The questions humanity tries to hide by making money, doing drugs, alcohol, and endless entertainment. Questions like “Why am I alive?”; “Why must life be filled with such pain?”; “What is the meaning of life?”; “Why must I live under rocks?”

The questions are the fruit of poor human leadership. Leadership tainted by sin and evil. Men and woman who have held governmental positions over the last 6,000 years who have misused their God rented authority for their own gain. Who have failed to lead their subjects in giving glory to God by obeying His law. Because of this oversight, humanity has been in a spiral of unrest. Wars have ensued as power hungry leaders struggle for ownership of the Earth and its glory. Poverty has spread like a disease crippling many, as rulers use their talents to enslave others to their lust and greed. Yet in all of this, there is a place in the universe where a man was always intended to rule our planet in righteousness and justice. That place, that man, and His throne are what we are waiting for, longing for, yearning for. They are the dawning of a new era for humanity. Their arrival gives us exodus from the night, and entrance into the day.

The place better known as Heaven, and the man as the Christ, Jesus. Soon and very soon there will be a ceremony in heaven, just before it makes it’s decent to join the Earth forever. At that event there will be a scroll, the title deed for the Earth. Whoever possesses and opens that scroll, owns the Earth forever. Whoever opens it must be wise enough, humble enough, and kind enough to break open the scroll’s seals to cleanse the Earth and pronounce judgment on all wickedness. Jesus having been fully God made Himself completely man, while never suspending His deity. He joined His own creation forever, so that He could interact directly with us forever. Only He can own that scroll. Only He can rule our Universe in justice because ONLY He proved Himself worthy by proving His humility, meekness, and kindness by shedding His blood for all of Humanity. Only His government of peace will grow endlessly because He’s committed to not only restoring the Earth, but allowing Humanity to have part in ruling it with Him forever.

We wait not only for a righteous ruler to restore our lives, but also give to us the eternal purpose of giving Him glory. Our world gets restored and we get to function as the rulers of (not minions of) creation that we were always intended to be. For those who love Christ the future only holds for us Hope and opportunity. For those who can’t see past the human angst and reject Christ, the future remains terrorizing. If we as humanity are waiting for a human movement of unity to overcome the evil plight we’ve been battling for 6,000 years, we will be found wanting. If we are waiting for the human spirit to triumph and cause our homeosapian race to overcome the wiles of lust, greed, ego, and arrogance that have beat it down in the past, we will be found wanting. If we are waiting for a revolution in politics to change and better the way we govern the planet, we will be found wanting. Only one man can own the scroll. Only one man has proved himself worthy. Only one man can restore all that we are. We wait for Him.

There will be no peace until He returns. Nothing will be fully restored until He comes. However if you are still stuck under a rock, there is hope that you’ll get out. Apart from that, we can only watch, and wait.

A Statement That Changed My Life

On February 18th 2002 I was going about my morning routine. Had a cup of coffee, some sort of reading material, my chair by the pool on the back deck with the Today show quietly chattering in the background. I was reading a book about the lifestyle of Christianity. In the book’s intro the author quoted the below paragraph.

I could barely finish reading it as a fell to the ground weeping. It was like reading the mission statement of my heart. It was that moment that I decided that no matter the cost or sacrifice I was going to spend my life on behalf of the gospel for better or worse. My only ambition was to love Jesus and preach his gospel until I was dead from preaching. Though I’m still on the journey of living that out, it’s my goal none the less.

To this day, I think back to this statement. It changed my life:

” I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop,
preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear! for “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” -author unknown