Death of a Legacy: The End of Hate

I saw this picture the other day, and it struck me.  It was taken at a KKK rally in 1992, and here we see this small child, too young to really know what the outfit he is wearing even means, staring at his reflection...  I wonder to myself where this child is now.  What does he think when he sees this photograph?  Is he hateful?  Does the KKK represent his values?  Does he see himself for who he really is?

Hate is such a powerful force in this world.  But as with all things, hate must come to an end.  And in time, it will.  Take, for example, the case of one hateful Fred Phelps.  Phelps was the pastor of a pseudo-church that made a habit of spreading hate. The Westboro band spread their brand by hauling signs to funerals proclaiming "God Hates Fags", and though their message was very "loud and proud", they clearly demonstrated by their lack of church size that hate is a losing message.

I say, "was the pastor", because Mr. Phelps is now dead.  One can only hope that his message will die with him; but that is not why I am writing this piece.  The thoughts that run through my mind at the moment are a mixed bag of nuts, but I will try and sort them out in brief fashion...

First off, I find it important to express to the reader, that Mr. Phelps does not represent the teachings of Christ, or the Bible.  Now I know you may be thinking, "But I thought the Bible taught that homosexuality was a sin?" You are exactly right.  It does.  But it also teaches that adultery is a sin. And it teaches that pornography and lust of the heterosexual nature are sins. Ironically, it also teaches that gossip, greed, jealousy, and gluttony are also all sins- with the same end result.  And most importantly, it teaches that hate is not only a sin- but a sin equal to murder in the eyes of God.

So, there we have it. Mr. Phelps may have been right that homosexuality is a sin; but he was in no better place, as biblically speaking, he would be compared to a murderer.  His actions were equally offensive to God.  The darkness in his heart tainted and distorted any truth his message may have had...

As Christians, it is imperative that we understand one thing: Love.  Yes, we are to stand for what is right. Yes, we are to be speakers of truth. Yes, we are called by God to preach repentance of sins. But we are also called by God to love. There MUST be a balance.  Paul wrote so very eloquently in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 that our words may be the best words- but if they are spoken without love, they are just noise; that our wisdom and knowledge may be top notch, but if it is void of love, then it is nothing; and that our actions may astound the world, but if they are done without love as the motive, it will gain us nothing in the end.

And that is just what Mr. Phelps gained for all his life's work- nothing. Let us not ridicule him, or wish him safe journeys to hell- for in so doing we lower ourselves to his level. But rather let us look to him as a warning beacon for what happens when we allow bitterness, unforgiveness, and hate to rule our hearts. Let us examine ourselves in honesty and truth, and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us if love is not our motive.  And let us find ourselves always acting with all love, for if Christ so loved the world- so should we.

Political Reflections From the Corners of My Mind

Life has a funny way of changing course on you.  One moment you think you are heading towards the east, then you encounter a cerebral shift and are headed west.  They call them the winds of change, and they ever blow as you travel this life's journey.  So has been the case with me.

A year ago, I was seriously thinking about an eventual career in politics.  I had recently been elected Precinct Committeeman and Vice Chairman for my district, in the Canyon County Republican Party.  I was given tasks such as creating a facebook page for the Central Committee, and notifying the newspapers of upcoming events.  I think at one time I was given the title "Chairman of Public Relations"...  It was kind of an odd duck fit, since really I knew very little of what I was doing, and didn't ask for the positions.  They just all sort of... happened.  I was liked by people both of the establishment and non-establishment persuasion.  Things were progressing well, for someone who was an absolute novice with future political aspirations. 

Then as I was staring in at the pitcher one evening, he threw me a curveball.  The freaky thing is, I was expecting a fastball.  In laymen's terms, life took one of it's unusual twists.

I had done some minor P.R. work for a man who was running for office; I didn't know him, but after talking a bit with him, felt confident he would stand for my values.  He had a specific promise- that he would vote against the State Insurance Exchange.  It was his big selling point, especially since his opponent was campaigning for it.  I bought his schpeel; I wrote letters to the editor for him, I got others to do the same.  I monitored public forums, making sure he got a positive spin.  I put my name with his... and then, when he was elected, he went back on his promise and voted for said State Exchange.  Umm, yeah, I still have your election literature that says... oh, never mind...

I was... quite frustrated.  But, I am a forgiving person...  So when another legislator drafted an amendment that would offer protections to religious employers, I approached him, asking him to at least support it.  He promised that he would support life and religious liberty, and that I needn't worry- all would be well.  I believed him.  The very next day he went out and voted against it.

I should note that this man was a conservative republican.  As were many other elected officials here in this state who, despite public outcry, voted for what they thought best as opposed to the will of the people.  This was a huge awakening moment for me...  As I realized that all men in politics, regardless of ideology or party affiliation, are the same.  With few exception, they clock in to the state house, they vote for what will best build their kingdom, and the people are left wondering what happened to their knight in shining armor that was supposed to be "The One".

It was in this moment in life that I came to the astonishing conclusion that very little done on the battlefield of politics is relevant to the end game.  The system is rigged for failure; it is only a matter of time until this train crashes head on into the wall it is racing toward. And we, the general public, are left with the all important question: Do we carry on with this quest? Or do we divert to something that will have lasting impact?

Everyone must answer that question for themselves; for me, the answer is to refocus and to redeem the time.  I have set aside my political aspirations. I have stepped out of any future election races.  Lasting change can only be won on one battleground: the heart.  As I pointed out to a dear friend of mine, even if all you want were to come to fruition, even if you got the leaders and the laws the way you want- if the heart of the people remains as is, in four years your efforts will vanish like a vapor. 

At the end of the day, I do not believe in stressing over the possibilities of what may or may not happen anyway.  This country may be in a bad place, but I also know how things are going to end.  Instead of stressing, perhaps we as Christians should be living in joy over the knowledge that light WILL overcome the darkness.  Time is short, and perhaps we Christians have spent too much time going crazy over a pagan society being run by a pagan president and the choices they make.  Remember, we are not of this world.  Our primary concern is not restoring the kingdom of America- but building the kingdom of God. 

Changing a law lasts only a moment; changing a heart lasts for eternity.

Thow out the Baby With the Bathwater!

It has been too long since my last entry...  I think it is time to start this back up again... So, here we go:

I have been noticing a disturbing trend in society.  What is it, you ask? Is it that there seems to be an increase in violence? Well, that may be true, and that certainly does play in to what is on my mind, but no.  Nor is it any relation to drugs or politics, or comedies that just aren't comedy-ic.  I have observed, that it seems we are too much anymore a throw away society. 

What I mean is, we throw away important things way too quickly, for reasons that are just heartbreaking when you examine them.  Do you know what I am talking about?  Let me start with this example:  Marriage.  Because we are a fast-food society (I want it now, so I am going to get it now), people often rush into marriage long before they should.  They get that goose-bumpy feeling whenever their crush walks by and they think they are in love... ah, sweet love!  So they look past reality and plunge straight into a serious relationship.  And then marriage.  And then the slightest bump comes along, and all of a sudden that goose-bumpy feeling is gone.  The thought floods into our head that obviously, we are no longer in love.  The end result? A quick run down to divorce court.  "My husband just can't stand the fact that I buy creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy." "My wife gets so upset because I watch too many sports, and I am not giving that up." Or whatever the case may be.

The end result is, broken hearts, broken families.  Usually over something stupid. Or over a refusal to forgive.

But it doesn't only involve marriages.  It goes to friendships as well.  We find the people who we believe think like us . We spend time with them.  We invest in them. We pour our hearts into them.  Bonds and memories are built; while we tell ourselves that it will last a lifetime.  But what happens in our society when one friend offends another?  People who were once unseperable, who were the proverbial "two peas in a pod", walk away angry, hurt, and bitter. 

I think the saddest part of this is, that from my personal observations, in almost all cases it was something not worth fighting over.  Either there was a miscommunication- which most offenses are, by the way- or it is once again, the lack of forgiveness over things that are not that serious of an offense when we really examine it.

Once again, there is those words- a lack of forgiveness. I know that too often in my life, I have demonstrated this.  I think if we are honest, we all have.  And what are we left with?  Regret. Hurt feelings. Wishing things could have been different, but refusing to be the first to budge. Refusing to admit that maybe- just maybe- we were wrong, and we just contributed to this new trend of a throw-away society.

Jesus demonstrated perfectly what must be done when we are offended.  You see, we offended Him- and we still do! Yet He was willing to look past that and stand in our place in judgement.  When He was on the cross, he did not curse those who nailed Him there. He didn't even demonstrate anger. Instead, He said "Father, forgive them." 

I think it is time we buck the trend.  There are already too many broken hearts and broken relationships.  If someone or something is important to you, then hold on to it. Hold on to it with all your might.  If someone offends you, don't be so quick to walk away.  Work through it!  So much time has already been invested- why waste that? 

Too often, important things are thrown to the trash heap...  And we will only be left with regret.  We will find, at the end of the day, that if we conform to this throw away mentality- the person we end up hurting the most, is ourselves.

Of Hope and Fairness in Connecticut

I will be honest...  There are many times in life that I wish things were fair.  Many times that I sit down, examine personal events, or events in the world around me, and wish that life was fair.  There are even times I pray to God that He would make it fair.  It just doesn't seem right, the way things play out.  It doesn't seem... fair.  And yet, despite my pleas, life moves on along the same track, the idea of fair foreign to it's native language, a word not uttered by it's mocking tongue.  No matter how much I would like for it to be different, that track it rolls down is a hard and abusive one, with dips and cracks and breaks and falls and sometimes- derailments.  It doesn't seem fair because shouldn't that track be smooth?  In a perfect world, yes... but in this world...

I will be honest...  Today was a day that I cried out to God, wanting desperately for Him to make life fair.  Not for me, no- but for twenty little children.  Not for me, no- but for the parents of those 20 children.  Not for me, no- but for the grandparents, the brothers, the sisters, the aunts, the uncles, the cousins, the friends, for all of those who quite literally had their hearts torn from their chest and could do nothing but watch life stomp frantically on that heart, stomp it into the ground until it stopped beating, broken beyond any repair that mankind can offer... 

Oh, God- please make life fair for them.

People across this Country saw the news, the tragedy.  26 people dead.  20 of them children.  Kindergartners.  Children between the ages of 5-8.  The calls have gone out for people to pray.  Pray!  We were told.  Pray for the families!  Voices pleaded.  I am no stranger to prayer, but I must again be honest and say that prayer was a stranger to me today.  Not because I was unwilling- but because I didn't have words.  All I could do was weep for so many broken hearts.  All I could think about was those parents who had bought and wrapped Christmas presents, placed neatly under the tree, that will never be opened.  All I could think about was parents who, a week ago, were stressed about putting cookies out for Santa- are now at a loss because their children are no longer there to share cookies with.  All I could think about was parents who have gone from planning Christmas dinners- to planning funerals. 

Some of you reading this may think me crazy.  After all, I did not know one single victim in today's tragedy.  So how, pray tell, could I get so upset, so worked up, over the deaths of children I did not even know!  But I dare say, that if you do not get upset, if this does not bother you, if this does not weigh heavy on your heart- then you are the one who is crazy.  While it is true this happened several states away, in Connecticut- somewhere I have never even visited for a moment- it is equally true that it could have happened here.  It is equally true that it very easily could have been a child I knew, a family I knew that was broken.  It could have been- my child.

Evil exists here as much as anywhere else in the world.  Life is not more fair here in my neck of the woods.  They say justice is blind, and that may be true- but it is not as blind as tragedy.  And while we gather around our t.v.'s trying to catch glimpses of a madman's motive, there is a  deeper question that must be answered.  It is  question that, if we dare look in the mirror of our soul, we will see staring us in the face.  We must ask ourselves- what if it was  my child?  What if it was my loved one?  What if it was my mom or dad, my grandparent, my brother, my sister, my friend?  Would we bury our loved ones in grief?  Or would we bury them in shame?  Would we treasure our moments we had with them?  Or would we regret the moments we didn't have?  Even worse- would we regret the moments we did have?  Those moments of anger, those moments, of irritation, those moments of frustration, those moments that once tragedy strikes we wish we could have every single one back if just to hold  for one more minute...

With today officially coming to a close, I finally have some words to form into a prayer.  I pray that today you will remember, that there are some things in life more important than getting the newest i-phone or gaming system.  I pray you remember that anger is not worth holding on to.  I pray that you remember that always being right isn't always what is best.  I pray that you make amends, that you allow healing in broken relationships, that this year for Christmas you give forgiveness...  I pray that, as a parent, never let your last words to them be harsh or angry, make sure they know you love them, make sure you hold them close to your heart.  I pray you treasure every stupid joke, every out of tune song that is sung, every question they ask that you don't understand why they are asking you again for the hundredth time...

Because once a treasure is gone, there is no getting it back.

Finally, I pray that you look to this time of year.  I pray that we would all be reminded, when faced with tragedy, the whole point of the first Christmas- to show us that even in our darkest hour there is hope.  Jesus Christ the Son of God was not born into a world that didn't need healing- He was born into a world that is unfair, tragic, and beyond any repair offered by man.  The first Christmas- His birthday- was to remind us that there is light, there is hope, there is healing from God if we seek it- even on the darkest day in Connecticut...

"The Lord heals the broken hearted, and binds up their wounds..."  Psalm 147:3

Hamster Wheel Theology

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."  Psalm 119:11...  Have you ever sat down and just absorbed that verse?  Put all of your own thoughts aside, sitting somewhere, maybe laying in bed at night, just absorbing what David meant... 

I have met so many Christians- including myself- that have said something along the lines of, oh if only I could overcome this sin, I promise Lord to do better next time, etc. etc. etc.  It seems that too often we get caught like a hamster in his stupid wheel, spinning and spinning it, running with all our might to escape it, yet never going anywhere.  The next step, we say, will free us from our bondage.  When it doesn't and we get worn out, we stop for a breather and say to ourselves "I will no longer be in this place, I will be free", only to pick the pace right back up in our little hamster wheel.

Running, running, running.  Spinning, spinning, spinning.  Going nowhere fast.  Our never ending quest to outrun what we cannot.

The truth is that we cannot escape our little hamster wheel on our own.  They say that if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it...  And sadly, we will keep repeating it.  The same spokes of the wheel repeatedly passing under our feet.  Because too often we do not learn. 

This brings me back to Psalm 119:11.  David, ironically, gives us the key to escape our spinning world.  "I have hidden Your Word in my heart"... 

How do you hide the Word in your heart?  By reading it.  No, not just merely scanning over a few verses a day.  Rather, we must READ it.  Absorb it.  Meditate on it.  Study it.  David hid the Word in His heart because it was God's Word, and God's Word is life changing.  When we absorb His Word it penetrates the very darkest depths of our soul, and changes us from the inside out, in ways we could never comprehend or accomplish ourselves. 

I am not meaning picking and choosing either.  I have seen too many people take a verse here or a verse there and build theology from it.  But we must guard against that temptation.  What David was referring to was not a verse by verse theological argument- he didn't write "I have hidden chapter 10 vs. 2 in my heart" but rather, Thy Word. 

Are you stuck in a hamster wheel of repetitious stupidity and sin?  My friend, now is the time to step out of it, step away from the norm of the world, step away from the self help advice and replace it all with His Word, in your heart.  It's that simple.  When you fill up on the Word, when you absorb it, when you hide it in your heart- He will change you. 

Step out of the wheel.  You are not a hamster, after all...

The Salt of the Earth

I hate it.  I absolutely despise it.  Blech.  It tastes nasty, it is grainy, it dries out my mouth...  Nope, salt is not for me.  I don't add salt to anything I eat; I avoid it at all cost.  But there is something about it that, despite my feelings, is necessary.  The very nature of our body was created to be in need of a certain amount of the nasty stuff.  On top of that it has for thousands of years been a flavor enhancer, but more importantly, a preservative.  Not one that I would have personally picked, but- I digress.

Preservative...  salt...  It reminds me of something Jesus once said: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."  Matthew 5:13

 Have you ever wondered what that means?  What was Jesus referring to when He said that we are the salt of the earth?  And why would He choose salt? Blech...  But then, realize that when He spoke every Word had meaning, and a much deeper one than what we see on the surface.  We are the salt of the earth...  But if the salt has lost his savour...

Going back to my original thought, the idea that salt not only gives flavor but is a preservative...  What is a preservative? It is something that we add to a food item in order to make the said food last longer.  Food without it will spoil faster.  So we add the stuff in an effort to make it last as long as humanly possible.  Add that concept into the idea that we are the salt- or preservative- of the world.  What do you think that means?  How does salt get used?  It has to actually be applied, right?  And when it is applied it is done liberally, and with hope- hope that it will have some lasting effect, that it will make a difference. 

As Christians, we must ask ourselves this question- are we fulfilling our role?  Are we allowing ourselves to be used in hope to preserve the earth as best we can until He returns?  Now before you think I have gone on some enviro-friendly trip, let me assure you that is not what I am talking about.  Let me explain:  We all know this earth is a rotten place to live.  Everything seems to be falling apart right before our eyes; and each generation things get worse and worse.  We also know from Scripture that it won't be too long before the final prophecies are fulfilled- the end times are, indeed, just around the corner...  But what are we to do in the meantime?  Are we to just sit on our couches at home?  Are we to go on with our lives, steadily plodding towards the finish line without a care in the world?  Is that what a preservative does?  God forbid it!  We are the salt of the earth!  We are to go out in hope that God will use our talents, that He will use us to preserve the earth as best we can until His return!  That means preaching the Word, the good news of the Gospel which is our flavor; it means standing for what is right; it means hoping for a move of God that will shake foundations and bring people to their knees in repentance!!! To do anything less is to be fulfilling the exact opposite of our role! 

But we must also understand something else.  A single grain of salt will not do much to preserve or flavor.  When we separate ourselves apart, when we build walls that divide us, we are not very effective.  Listen carefully to this: YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY GRAIN OF SALT!!!  We have bought into this idea that we must have these walls built up around us, around our churches, around our denominations.  We have bought into a philosophy that says that we cannot work with someone who goes to the church down the road.  We have walled around our ground, staked our claim, raised our flag and sounded the alarm- against each other!    And while we sit in our bunkers, hiding our face from other believers who don't look, talk, walk or sound like us, the world rots around us, a lack of preservative whithering it away...

Now understand, the salt must remain pure- false teachers and false prophets will arise in attempt to deceive.  But I am not talking about that here.  I am talking about brothers and sisters in the faith, members of the same Body of Christ who would rather cut each other from the Body than work in effort to make a true difference in this land.  But what would happen if we took down these walls?  What if instead of refusing to work together, we instead stood side by side, building each other up, praying for each other, supporting each other?  What would happen?  If differences became a matter of simple discussion instead of angry debate?  If our attacks focused on the enemy instead of each other?

Here is the reality of the situation- we are in a desperate hour.  The lost, the broken, the hopeless surround us.  The harvest, my friends, is ready- but the workers are few, and too busy building walls of division to make a difference.  Will we see in time?  Will we decide in time that some things are not worth fighting over?  Will we wake up, tear down the walls we have built, move forward together with the Gospel, and be the salt of the earth? Or have we all together lost our savor?

Jesus Skips America On His Way To Africa...

 I have a simple question: why it is that when missionaries go overseas they see a huge response to the Gospel while here at home the response to the Gospel is limited?  I have had this question on my mind a lot lately, as I hear missionaries report things such as the fact that there are more chinese people being born again than being born in China(despite the fact that Christianity is virtually banned by the government there); or that missionaries who find their feet on African soil are greeted with people almost begging to hear the Good News; or that in Islamic-controlled arabian nations not only is mission work winning people to Christ but even the dreams of the citizens of these countries have them seeking Jesus.  The only way I can comprehend it is like saying going to some of these foreign nations is like going to a bulk food store when it comes to people putting their faith in Jesus; yet here at home, if a church has 10 converts in a month it is said that "The Holy Spirit is at work in that church"...

And I am left to wonder, why the difference?  Why do people run to hear the Gospel in one place, and shy away from it in another?  Is it possible that it is all about the Holy Spirit moving?  What I mean is, is it that God is just choosing NOT to move here in America?  Or is there something more, some deeper reason for it?

I must admit, I am no theologian.  I have no degree in Bible scholarly-scholarship thinking.  But I have a theory.  I wonder if part of it is in how we evangelize.  Let me explain by first asking a question:  When we send missionaries to Africa, what is their strategy for reaching the lost?  Answer: They hand out personal testimonies of how Jesus radicaly changed their life.  When we send missionaries to Thailand, or South America- how do they treat each encounter with the people around them? Like potential divine appointments, a non-coincidental crossing of paths in which to share the Good News of Jesus.  When we send missionaries to China, how do they treat the Bible?  Like it is a treasure that is worth risking their life for!  I think I can sum it up this way: when missionaries trod on foreign soil, their lives are radicly changed into a resemblance more along the lines of what we would envision the apostles to have been like.

But...  what about here, in America?  How do we as Christians evangelize in our own country, the land that is supposed to be a shining city on a hill, a Christian nation?  Well?  How DO we evangelize here?

...

I know- we do good works.  we mow our neighbor's lawn.  We help that single mother to her car with her groceries.  We walk granny across the street.  We do many wonderful things of the like.  And on occasion, if we are feeling bold, we invite them in a hurried- almost hushed- breath, "Would you like to go to church with me?"  Of course, we are careful to whom we issue the invite, as they might be offended and then not want any more of our "good works", which in turn would deny them of the priveledge of seeing us live out the Gospel...

NOW BEFORE YOU GET MAD...  I am in no way saying that there is not a time or place for that type of evangelism.  I do believe that with some people, they will only be reached through relational evangelism.  I get that.  Jesus was the one, after all, who said that when we as believers do good works, they will glorify God in heaven.  But here is where I differ from much common thinking:  This has been the strategy for reaching America for a long time, and it isn't working.  As I said, I am not condemning the practice, but rather I am saying that all too often we allow that to replace ALL forms of evangelism here on the homefront.  I say this in all realization that way too often I am very guilty of this too.  But if this is the only evangelism that the Body of Christ, as a whole, practices- then it is no wonder there are so few people turning to Jesus.

But what is the importance of being so bold about the Gospel?  Let me pose to you a thought...  I saw a poll recently that suggested that 80% of Americans consider themselves Christians.  Why do you think this nation is as messed up as it is if so many Americans believe they are Christians?  The obvious answer is, because most Americans are not TRUE Christians.  If they were, then obviously they would be living radicly different than they are and it would reflect in our culture.  But you see, that poses a whole new question that must be answered:  WHY then do so many people claim to be something they are not?  Once again, I pose a theory:  I believe it is because most Americans don't have a clue what it means to be a Christian, because I believe that most Americans have never actually heard the Gospel in it's full, unadulterated content!  Oh sure, we have Christian bumper stickers and billboards and t-shirts and televangelists they might catch a bit of as they channel surf...  BUT have they actually HEARD the Gospel?  Have people actually sat down and explained to them WHY they need a Saviour?  Or has Christianity been reduced to just a tagline in our culture?

  Now perhaps you can see where I am going with this...  If we only rely on the "do good works" philosophy of evangelism, then who sits down to tell them WHY we do good works?  There is no one to explain WHY we are mowing their lawn or carrying their groceries!  (I say this in general; yes, I do know some people are doing this, but I mean the Body of Christ as a whole- and sadly must include myself in this!)  Look, the reality is that if we don't ever share the Gospel then we can't very much expect them to hear it.  If we never explain to them that they are a sinner in need of a Savior, then we can't very much expect them to repent of their sins.

Now I know what some of you may be thinking:  BUT we live in America, and everyone's heart is hardened here.  There is no hope.  The culture is getting worse and God is only working in other Countries.  O.K.  To that I will counter your point with this:  Has God said there is no hope for America?  have you had some divine revelation that you would like to share with the class about how God told you to just give up and go home?

I didn't think so...

There is an interesting account in Scripture found in Luke 5:1-9 in which Jesus happens across some fishermen.  They had just pulled in from an all-night fishing trip in which they caught nothing.  Jesus asked them to take Him out on their boat, and after some teaching he asked them to cast out their fishing nets. The men, who were professionals in their trade, offered to Jesus that they had already fished there all night with no results, so obviously nothing was there.  But they did it anyway, I would dare say possibly with some reluctance.  I know that I would be thinking- listen up, buddy, you are a good teacher and all but this is crazy!  But what happened?   Luke tells us that they caught 2 boatfuls of fish, so much so that the boats were sinking!

I share this Scripture for a reason.  I think too often we say, in a matter of terms, that there are no fish left in America.  We have been out all night casting our good works nets.  we have labored with our conservatism and social justice nets.  We have drug the depths with our Christian clothing lines.  All good things- but we keep coming up empty.  So when we feel that prodding of the Spirit our first response is, "I am the professional here, and I am telling you this is a waste of time".  But is it really a waste of time?  Is it true that we are left with only a few "fishes" here and there?

Or is it only a waste of time if we are not doing it with the power of the Holy Spirit, as He leads us to do it?

Well, my thoughts went on longer than I intended, so I am going to sum this up now with these closing thoughts...

We will never see the Holy Spirit move in America if we don't look for the Holy Spirit to guide us.  Paul writes that we are to walk in the Spirit- Galatians 5:16.  If we walk in the Spirit that does not mean take a few steps and then leave Him behind.  But rather walk in His guidance.  We will never see the Holy Spirit move in America if we don't actually take the gifts God has given and use them to reach the lost; to share with them our testimony, to sit with them and explain the Gospel instead of leaving them with crumbs of it and expect them to change.

My challenge to you- and me- is simply to ponder on this for a bit:  What would happen if we actually evangelized America the way we evangelize other nations, and in the SAME breath that we share the Gospel we proclaim in faith and actually believe that God will move in our land?