Wow!

Wow!  That's about it.  I don't know what else to say when I look at the images in Oklahoma and Texas in the aftermath of the tornadoes that hit this area.  I mean what do you say?  I was getting my oil changed in the car when I first saw the images.  I sat there in the lobby with nothing to say.  For those who know me, understand how major it is for me to have nothing to say.  Nevertheless, there I sat speechless. I looked around the room and there were a couple of other people completely out of touch with the images on the screen.  They sat there eyes glued to their phones, oblivious to the reality of the plight of our neighbors to the north.  I thought to myself how many of us will react exactly that same way. 

Personally, I couldn't help but think of those who were trapped in the rubble, those dead in the rubble, those who lost everything, those who lost friends and family.  I thought to myself what would I do or what would I say if I were there at that moment.  How do you help someone navigate through the aftermath of something tragic like this?  I don't really have the answer to that.

What I do know though is that I can do something.  Perhaps I can't be right there, right now, but there is something I can do.  There is something we all can do.  Sure, we can sit back and thank God that it was not us and go back to life as normal, or we can engage in helping someone somehow walk through this horror.  I choose the latter!

There are multiple places where you can donate.  Maybe you can even be one of those who can be there right now with a set of hands and feet to help them.  Maybe you can just be a shoulder to cry one.  Whatever the case, everyone of us can do something to help these families walk through the aftermath of these horrible storms.

This morning I discovered that a friend of mine lost his house.  It's gone.  I thought to myself, what would I do if that was my brother, or my sister?  I certainly wouldn't call them up and just let them know I would be praying for them.  Here's what I would do, I would do whatever I could to lend a hand.  I would give of myself, my resources, and whatever else I could to help them get back on their feet.  

I can't build this friend another house.  But I can get off my tail-end and do something.  So, I choose to do something.  As I finish typing my thoughts, I'm on my way to the post office, to mail him some gift cards.  It won't stop there, but its the start.  I can't build him a new home, but I can be a friend.  I can choose to truly love and not pretend I do.  There are thousands affected and I wish I could help them all.  I'll start with just one though and we'll see where we go from there.

I want to challenge you to do something.  If we all did a little, then we would collectively do a lot.  If you don't know were to start, then go to our church's website at www.westlakefellowship.org and make a donation for tornado relief.  You can help me, help one family get back on their feet!  Let's change the world one life at a time!!! 

La-Z-Boy Christianity....That's The Life For Me!

I was exhausted.  I felt like doing absolutely nothing.  I needed to just sit on the couch and rest.  I felt as if I had finished up a week of hard physical labor and needed to refresh and re-energize before I could function at normal level again.  How did I get here?  It was a tough week.  Not, physically but emotionally.  My 10 year old had to be put under via IV sedation in order to have oral surgery done this week.  I was ok, until about 4 days out, but as that day approached, the anxiety increased.  On the outside, I wore a mask that communicated all was good.  On the inside however it was a little different story.

I know, thousands of kids undergo procedures like this everyday, not to mention others who face much more difficult procedures.  I reminded myself of that several times a day, but it had no affect on my anxiety level.  I'll let you in on a little secret.  I've discovered over the years that I struggle sometimes with control.  Ok, perhaps that's an understatement.  Hello, my name is Tim and I'm a control-a-holic.  Man, it feels good to get that off my chest!  I really struggle sometimes to trust others, including God.  I'm good as long as I have the reins.  I trust myself.  I'm a problem solver, and I like to fix things.  The problem arises when I can't fix the problem and I have to turn it over to someone else.

So, here I was, Super Fix-It Man, unable to fix what ailed my 10 year old.  I had to sit in a waiting room and do nothing.  Nothing but worry!  I read a few pages of a book, then I would set it down and stress a little.  I would check my phone for messages, then worry a little more.  I would read a couple more pages of the book, then allow the anxiety to grow a little more.  I had made a decision several days prior that I would shoulder the weight of this whole thing.  I would take all the worry, stress, and anxiety for this and place it squarely on my shoulders.  Is it any wonder why on the day after I found myself unable to lift myself off the couch?  After all, the previous few days I had carried the weight of my world.  Who wouldn't need a day of rest.

All I know is that on this day of rest, I felt a bit justified in resting.  I had been through an emotional battle and just needed to veg out for a bit.  That's what we believers do isn't it?  We face those fiery darts that the enemy throws our way.  We fight the good fight of faith and then we sit down and take a breather.  We lick our wounds and pat ourselves on the back for getting through the battle. We thank God for helping us win the victory. 

Unfortunately, I think we've been duped into thinking that's the model for Christian living.  The day following my "day of rest", God would set me straight.  He let me know that the reason for my exhaustion was not the result of fighting the fight of faith.  On the contrary, I had spent the week overcome with fear and unbelief.  Sure, I prayed, but my prayers were more filled with hope that He would take care of my boy instead of knowing that He would.  My approach was anything but faith.  Faith, real faith, is characterized by resting before the battle, in the battle, and after the battle.  Real faith would have been choosing to kick back and relax on Monday-Friday, not just the day after.  It takes no faith to trust God once He's brought you through the battle. Authentic faith shows up when you see the battle up ahead and it is further revealed smack dab in the middle of the fight.  Real faith requires us to trust the fact He's got this thing covered even before the battle begins.

Paul, tells us in Ephesians that we are seated with Him in heavenly places.  Seated!  Sitting down with Him!  You sit down when the work is done.  This "seated" position is a place of rest.  It's resting in the completed work of Christ.  It's "La-Z-Boy" Christianity and yes, it's the way He wants us to approach this journey.  No, I'm not saying we are to be lazy slugs who do nothing because Scripture clearly lays out our responsibilities as followers of Christ.  But our first step in living this life to its fullest is learning how to truly rest in Him. It is to see ourselves spiritually reclining in a position of rest.  Think about this for a minute.  When you sit down in a chair, then your weight is transferred completely to that chair.  In the same way when we choose to rest in Christ, the weight that we carry is transferred to Him.  He invited us to do just that when He said "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).  Wait a second, did He say His yoke was easy?  YES HE DID!  That's the way he longs for us to do life.  That takes real faith though.  It requires confidence in Him.  It requires us to relinquish control and to completely trust Him.

I'm wondering just how different my Friday would have been last week had I chosen to rest prior to the battle instead of after it?  I think God wants us to understand that His "rest" is not one that is needed at the point of exhaustion but one that is designed for keeping us from reaching that point. So, as to avoid reaching that point of exhaustion, you'll have to excuse me because I need to hop into my "La-Z-Boy."  Seriously, I'm determined to get this "La-Z-Boy" Christian thing right!

Evaluating The Price Of Freedom

It was white with blue interior.  It had blue pinstripes running down the side with the words CAMARO spelled out on the bottom of the door.  Man, I loved that car.  It was a 1981 Camaro Berlinetta.  I drove it until it just wouldn’t drive no more.  For years I dreamed of restoring it, but never had the time or the money to do so.  Regularly, people would stop by and offer money for this machine that sat in the driveway.  Nobody ever offered enough.  I mean, sure they offered more than what its Blue Book value was, but they never could offer what this car was worth to me.  It was the first car I bought myself.  I worked hard for this sports car.  I remember well the jobs I worked and the sweat I spilled in order to pay this car off.  Nobody, and I mean nobody, could truly understand the price I paid for that car and what it was worth to me.  The investment I made in this car went far beyond the monthly payments I mailed in and the total amount of money I paid for it.  Over the course of four years, I invested much of my life working and sweating to pay that car off.   

While someone might drive by and see a rust bucket sitting in the driveway worth a few hundred dollars, they failed to see the real price paid for that rust bucket.  Yes, I know that the resale value of a car goes down with age, but that doesn’t change its original worth or the high price that was once paid for it.  

You may be thinking as you read this I must be in a bit of a melancholy mood this morning as I write.  Actually, that’s not true. Over the course of the last few months, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.  I’ve been thinking of our culture and the world we live in.  I’ve been watching the dialog, the debates, and the rhetoric.  I’ve been watching as I see a polarization between differing ideologies.  I’ve been observing the growing tensions between this group and that group.  I’ve found myself scratching my head trying to figure out what in the world is going on.  

So, what does all this have to do with my Camaro?  Stay with me, and I think I can tie it all in.  In the days of the early church, Paul was trying to explain God’s free gift of grace to Roman believers.  In his letter to them he writes, “What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 NKJV).  Paul is making a point, because, many of them didn’t get it.  Sure, they had been given an incredible gift from God that didn’t cost them anything, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t come without a price.  As believers, when we fail to recognize and value the enormous price that was paid for our salvation, it leads to a very immature approach to Christian living.  When we do that, like those early believers in Rome, we have a cheap view of grace that affords us an excuse to continue living life as usual instead of truly liberated which is what grace has made available for us.  Sure, salvation is free to us, but Jesus paid a hefty price in order to secure it for us.  If the first century church struggled with this concept, rest assured those of us that are 2000 years removed from the crucifixion are going to struggle with it as well.  Is it any wonder why Jesus instructed the disciples to remember Him every time they sat down and broke bread together?  Could it be that Jesus understood, if we fail to realize that the freedom He secured for us came at such a hefty price, that we would not value that freedom appropriately?  I think He understood that very well.  I also think He knew that this incorrect valuation of that freedom would result in living far below the quality of life that freedom was designed to afford us.  He also understood that this would prevent us from being thankful for what we’ve been given and catapult us into an entitlement paradigm where we would become more focused on our rights than our responsibilities.

I love my country.  I love the fact that I live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.  I love freedom.  I didn’t do anything to warrant be born here.  I’ve done nothing to earn my freedom, purchase it, or secure it.  I’m free because somebody else did all that for me.  Somebody spilled their blood for my freedom.  Somebody grew up without a dad or a mom or a husband or a brother or a sister so that I could have freedom.  Today there are those who are serving in the military who are consistently away from their families for long periods of time, so that I can stay at home with mine.  It’s extremely easy for me and everybody else who has been blessed with so much to lose sight of just how pricey our freedom was and is.  

Many years ago, a group of men and women risked everything to come to this land.  They had no guarantees.  They wanted freedom so bad they were willing to pay whatever price was required to get it.  They were willing to leave everything behind and replace it with uncertainty, danger, and enormous risk all for the chance of freedom.  Perhaps they were only thinking of themselves, but somehow I think it was more than that.  I think that just maybe they were thinking of their children and their children’s children.  I know that every day I think of what life is going to be like for my children in 25 or 30 years.  Again, it’s easy for us a couple centuries later to read about what they did without seeing the true value in what they did and the extreme price they paid.

Today we have a generation where many people walk through life with absolutely no idea of what the price tag of freedom is.  They enjoy its benefits but fail to recognize its cost.  They do not care about nor appreciate the sacrifices of former generations that have laid freedom in their lap.  We should not think it strange when their actions are consistent with that truth.  Because that freedom has cost them nothing, then the valuation of that freedom has become tainted.  As a result, they do not value this freedom as something sacred, or worth preserving.  If we’ve made a mistake it has been that we have failed to communicate that what they have been given wasn’t free at all.  We’ve failed to communicate to them that what is free to them cost somebody else something very valuable.  While we kick back in our comfortable living rooms, watching our big screen TVs, in our air conditioned houses, we have failed to follow the model that Jesus gave the disciples to constantly remember the enormous price that was paid for our freedom. Every opportunity we get we need to dialog about that.  We need to communicate that to our children and our children’s children.  We need to raise up a generation of young people who have thankful hearts rather than a sense of entitlement.  

Have I mentioned how much I loved my Camaro?  Well, I no longer have my Camaro.  I parted with it after many years.  And no, I did not get anywhere near what it was worth to me. Sure, it had some rust on it and needed a lot of work, but that didn’t change the price I paid for it.  Like my Camaro, America has some huge negatives.  Rust, if you will.  Greed, division, class warfare, controlling spirits, corruption, selfishness, etc.  Still with all that rust, it doesn’t change the price that was paid for it. 

Making Sense Of It All

I was glued to the television screen when the news started pouring out of Connecticut last week. My emotions were like a roller-coaster swinging back and forth between grief, anger, sorrow, and outrage.  In the middle of it all there were also moments when I just felt completely numb.  Like  many others, I've been left with so many questions.  Why?  Why would anyone do this?  How could anyone be this evil?  How could anyone murder little innocent children? Who's to blame?  What's to blame?  Can we make any sense of it all?

Almost instantly, some individuals felt it necessary to use this tragic event to make a political statement regarding their views on gun control.  I thought to myself, really?  Twenty-seven people are dead, and before their identities are even certain, some felt it necessary to jump on a soap box.  I don't care where you stand in regards to gun control, it is complete and utter disrespect and a grave dishonor, to those who lost their lives and the loved one's left behind, to use this tragedy for political leverage.  Perhaps, before we jump on a political soapbox, we should step back a bit and remember that parents will be burying their children this week.  They'll be burying their elementary aged children!  Siblings will grow up without their brothers and sisters.  Grandparents will have one less grandchild to hug.  Aunts, uncles, and cousins will have to navigate through the heartbreak as well.  Husbands will bury their wives. Students will bury their teachers and principal.  Students and parents alike will be faced with the horror of being separated once school reopens.  Some children will return to school without their best friends.  Some children will never be able to forget the sounds, images, and horror of that tragic day.  I'll save my views on gun control for another time and another place as I refuse to dishonor all of those affected by this tragic event by adding to the political banter that in the end does nothing for those families in Newtown Connecticut.

I will, however, try to bring some perspective to all of this madness. Some struggle with the idea that God would ever allow something like this to happen.  Especially, to little innocent children. I'm sure the same questions arose in the days of Moses when Pharaoh set out to kill all the little Hebrew babies.  Again, when Jesus was born and the King sought to kill all the babies 2 years and under.  I'm sure the Jewish moms and dads struggled with the same question as they watched their children suffer and die in the extermination camps during Hitler's time.  Every attempt at genocide, murder, kidnapping, or terror involving little ones, is faced with this very question.  How could a loving God ever allow something like this to happen to little children?

My journey with God is a never ending journey of discovery, therefore I would never pretend to know and understand everything about Him.  That being said, there are definitely some things I do know about God.  For instance, I know we do not have to wonder where God stands regarding the horror that took place in Newtown.  God hates hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, and feet that are swift in running to evil (Proverbs 6:17-18).  As disgusted as we are, rest assured God is even more so.  In the same way, as precious as little children are to us, they are even more precious to our Heavenly Father.  Also, in that moment of horror, when evil walked into that school, God was there with those innocent little ones.  No legislation or school policy can force God to fall short of fulfilling His promise to never leave us (Hebrews 13:5).

I know what you're thinking.  So, if God was there with those children, then why didn't He stop that man?  I wish I had a definite answer to that, but I don't.  Again, there are some things I do know that I think can help us navigate through this.  God loves humanity.  His perfect love for us grants us a free will.  That freedom is a wonderful thing but it does come with some huge risks.  Man, whom God loves so very much, has complete freedom to not love Him back.  Each and every one of us has the freedom to follow hard after God or to completely reject Him.  That same freedom grants man the freedom to do good or to do evil. We have the freedom to love others or to think of nobody but ourselves.  From what I understand of the tragedy in CT, there were some teachers and staff of Sandy Hook elementary that gave their lives to protect those children.  They chose to think of others.  As a matter of fact, every teacher in that school, who hid children, got them out of the building, and sheltered them from harm, were individuals who used their freedom to do good.  As a result, more children were saved than were lost.  In saying that, I in no way want to diminish the tragic loss of little innocent children.  If one child was lost, that's too many.  I just want to make the point, that although one individual insists on choosing evil, he/she is no match for those who choose good.  Love wins!  Love always wins!!!  That shooter chose to do evil and in doing so, took the lives of 26 other people.  Those teachers and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary School chose to risk their lives to protect the innocent little children and as a result hundreds were saved. 

While many will sit around and debate issues that are irrelevant, the real issue is that evil exists on this planet.  As long as fallen man is on this planet, evil will exist here.  We will never be able to control the decisions that others choose to make with their lives.  There will always be those who choose evil.  That has always been the case and will always be the case.  At the same time, there will always be those who determine to choose good.  Yes, there will always be those who choose to take the lives of others, but at the same time, there will always be those who are willing to lay down their lives for others. Evil is a powerful force, but it is no match for those who choose what is good and right.  Thank God for teachers, principals, policemen, firemen, military, moms, dads, grandparents, and everyone else who chooses good. Let's also be thankful for a God who is the ultimate Good!  A God who comforts those who mourn.  A God who hurts when we hurt.  A God who heals our wounds and puts our broken hearts back together.  A God who embraces each of those little ones in His arms. A God who is perfectly just and is in charge of upholding eternal justice.  A God who set the standard for love by laying down His life for all of humanity.  Love wins! Love always wins!!!    

Guilty As Charged!

Recently, I was on a trip and I was going over the speed limit.  I know, I shouldn't have been, but I was.  I was tired, it was late, one of my boys was not feeling well and I just wanted to get to the hotel.  In the median, there he was, hidden in the dark of night.  I didn't see him until I was just a few feet away.  Immediately, I saw his lights come on and I knew he had me.  There was no getting out of it.  I was guilty.  So, before he even got out of the median, I pulled over to the side of the road.  I wasn't angry or upset with him, as I knew I was speeding and he was only doing his job. When he told me how fast I was going, it was the absolute truth and I knew it was.  No sense in trying to dodge the truth.  The truth is the truth.

The same holds true when God speaks the truth to you. There's no getting around it. He speaks a truth to you regarding an issue in your life and immediately you know He is spot on.  After all, He's God, right?  When He speaks there is no real reason to try and run from it.  You're caught and you know it.  I wish I could say that these "truth encounters" with God are growing fewer as I grow and mature, but to be honest I think they are getting more frequent.

Recently, in my quiet time one morning, I was struggling to stay focused. My mind was racing with all the things on my to-do list.  And, He spoke to me clearly and said, "You're here but you're not really here. You're here in body, but your heart and mind are elsewhere."  Ouch!  I had no defense for that.  I couldn't deny it because I knew He was right.  He's God so, He's always right!  Much like the officer that stopped me that night, I was blindsided by what I knew was truth.  I couldn't run and hide.  I was caught and I knew it.

I felt much like the disciples who fell asleep the night Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  While I didn't fall asleep, it really is not much different.  They were distracted by sleep, I was distracted by all the things I have to do.  What's the point of setting an appointment with the Creator of the Universe if I'm not going to really be engaged?  I'm certainly not going to fool Him.  Sure, on paper it'll look like I'm being faithful with this spiritual discipline as I put a check mark beside prayer and devotion time on my to-do list.  But in the end, how shallow is that?  I wonder if the disciples that night felt good about just being with Him?  Although, they were clueless as to what He was truly dealing with, I wonder did they pat themselves on the back that they were willing to go just a little further with Him that night than all the rest?

How often do we diminish our relationship with God to a set of spiritual disciplines?  How often do we pat ourselves on the back because we managed to get our gluteus maximus out of bed in order to make it to church on a Sunday morning?  Is that all there is to this?  If so, then what's the point?  What an absolutely pathetic attempt at relationship.  It's no different than playing with our kids but not being fully engaged.  We may be throwing the football with them or having a tea party with them but all the while we are watching the clock and thinking about all the things we have to do.  It's like being out on a date with our spouse, but having our hearts and minds on other things.  It's not real! While we try to convince ourselves that we are fulfilling our duty, it's a complete facade.  True relationships are not duties.  They aren't produced as a result of meeting a list of obligations.  When it comes to our approach to God, religion so desperately wants to reduce it to just that.  Read your Bible, pray, fast, and go to church.  All the while, the Creator of the Universe is longing for us to truly know Him. He wants us to be engaged in an ongoing relationship with Him not simply going through the motions.

Maybe you're there.  Perhaps you have this thing down.  As for me, I get off track sometimes.  I find myself on occasion going through the motions.  I'm thankful for a God who so desperately wants relationship with me that He'll pull me over when I'm doing this thing wrong.  And, I am extremely thankful that when God pulls me over it doesn't come with a fine!

Why I'm Voting For A Mormon

Our upcoming election is a big one.  Probably the most important one of my lifetime.  Its either Romney or Obama. That's our two choices. I know there will be others who are on the ballot, but they have no chance to win so they are completely irrelevant.  So, out of the two that are running, I have to make a choice. As a follower of Christ, there are many people who approach me and want to know how I'm going to vote in this election.  My mind is made up and I'll show up on election day to cast my vote for Mitt Romney.   I know there are many believers who struggle with the idea of voting for a Mormon.  So, here's my logic as to why he gets my vote.

First, in November, we are voting for a president not a Savior.  I already have a Savior and I don't need an imperfect politician to replace Him.  If Jesus was running for president, He'd get my vote but He isn't. While I think choosing the person that is to lead this country is extremely important, in the end, He'll only be a speck on the footstool of the One ruling the Universe.  My hope and confidence is not in a political system that is the construct of human intellect or in those men and women who are leading in that system.  So, while I think this election is very important, I rest at night knowing that my King is the Supreme Ruler over all, regardless of who occupies the White House.

So, while I strive to keep a correct perspective on life, I am faced with the awesome challenge of being in this world but not of it.  That ideology compels me to maintain an allegiance to a kingdom not a political party.  That being said, as a representative of that kingdom, as an ambassador who has been sent here with the charge of extending the principles, character, and nature of that kingdom on this temporal world, abstaining from a political process where I can affect a nation would seem to be a dereliction of my responsibility. While my vote is not the most important responsibility I have as a believer, God's principle of stewardship makes it clear that the freedom I've been given demands my engagement in the process.  For too long the church has debated whether or not it should even be involved in politics.  History clearly shows that when the church becomes absent from anything, it turns dark in a hurry.  One only needs to look at the current political climate to prove that point.  Let me go a bit further.  While we sit around and complain about the "liberal" media, our absence from that medium for many years has created that monster.  I could go on concerning this topic, but I'll stop there.

So, its a given as a believer, I'll be engaged in the political process.  But, how can I, as a believer, vote for a Mormon?  After all, spiritually there are major differences in how we believe.  The same holds true with our current sitting President.  As a matter of fact, I have no idea what he believes.  I know he claims to be a believer, but his actions are not consistent with that statement.  Some may say, that I shouldn't judge his heart to which I would say, I'm not, I'm judging his fruit.  Jesus didn't tell us that we would know His followers by what they say.  He said we would know them by their fruit.  So, using that principle that Jesus clearly told us to use, it would seem that out of the two candidates that we have to vote for, we have a Mormon and an unbeliever.

Since, it would appear that neither man holds my religious convictions, then next on my list would have to be character.  Now, I admit that looking for character in the political arena is much like looking for cell phone service in the deep jungles of the Amazon.  It seems that our culture has become very good at churning out politicians rather than statesmen, and that is truly sad.  However, character is still important when it comes to the person who will be leading our nation.  Being a good speaker, having charisma, making promises, and being a good debater are all secondary to being a man of character.  The truth is that I don't personally know either candidate, so I have to rely on what I've seen and heard.  The sitting President always has either an advantage or disadvantage here because he has been in the spotlight for four years.  His character has been on display much more than his challenger.  If his character is strong, then it becomes very difficult for his opponent to challenge in this area.  If his character is weak, however, the cracks in his character are well known which affords his challenger a huge advantage.  Throughout his presidency, President Obama has struggled with one of the major responsibilities of a leader and that is to take responsibility for his actions.  He often defaults to blame shifting which speaks volumes about his character.  His constant "blaming" of the the former administration for all the problems in America today, is a major crack in his character.  Four years ago, he asked America for the job.  He did not have to take on that responsibility, but he did.  With that job came the huge responsibility of taking on some huge challenges.  When someone does that, then from the moment they take on those challenges they take ownership of them.  The blame game is over, and from that moment on a leader becomes responsible for everything he has inherited.  The economy, unemployment, and an out of control national debt are areas that a man of strong character would take ownership of, but he refuses to do so.  Instead, he elects to blame someone else.  He also has proven to be divisive in the past and in his tenure as President. He has made statements over and over again that demonize groups of people, social classes, Congress, and the Supreme Court.  Causing division through divisive rhetoric for the purpose of political gain and control, speaks clearly of cracks in one's character.
     
It's true that we don't know a great deal about Mitt Romney because he has not been under the microscope that the current President has been for the last four years.  However, we do know a few things about him.  It would seem that one of the biggest attacks against his character is that he makes a lot of money and takes advantage of every opportunity to legally increase his wealth. Now, if that road to wealth was riddled with shady deals, dishonest practices, and illegal actions then it would most definitely put his character in question.  I've done a bit of research in this myself, and if there was any of that going on, I can't find evidence of it anywhere.  Demonizing a wealthy man for simply being wise in his business practices speaks more to the character of the one demonizing than the one being demonized.  Being wealthy does not make one evil. I actually think a successful business man would be a major positive for a nation trillions of dollars in debt.  I heard a story recently of a family that was visited by the Romneys one Christmas Eve.  They had learned of a family hit with a tragedy and just wanted to help make their Christmas a little better.  They didn't bring cameras and use it as a photo-op.  They just loved on that family without any agenda.  I heard another story of a man living in California at a time when wild-fires had devastated his community.  One of Romney's sons found out this man needed some help taking down a tree that had burned in his yard.  Mitt was in town doing some campaigning and heard his son was going to help this man.  Since he had a break between events, he volunteered to go along and help.  Again, no cameras or news crews came along.  Just a man and his son helping a neighbor.  I've heard other stories about him that are consistent with these, and it is never him tooting his own horn.

I'm a follower of Christ and as such, the Bible is the foundation of who I am and what I believe.  Among other things, I see good relations with Israel as a must.  I feel that Romney as President makes that more of a possibility than our current President.  While I have to take Romney at his word on this, Obama's previous four years clearly shows where he stands in regards to Israel.  Let's face it I'm also a conservative.  That's not just a title I wear.  It encompasses my whole value system.  That value system is characterized by a sense of personal responsibility, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, limited government, and a priority on national sovereignty.  My value system includes a strong pro-life stance and religious freedom.  I'm also a Constitutionalist.  I believe our constitution is the supreme law of the land and as such governs those who govern us.  It provides for an executive branch that executes the law, a legislative branch that makes the laws, and a judicial branch that interprets the law.  In 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act which was sent to him after being passed by both houses of Congress.  President Obama disagreed with this law that defined marriage as a union between one woman and one man.  I disagree with Obama on this issue but he has a right to his opinion as do I and I am completely ok with that.  However, President Obama went further than simply disagreeing with it.  He made the statement that he and his administration would no longer support the constitutionality of that law.  In doing so, he circumvented the authority given to him by our constitution and in essence violated the law.  His responsibility as President is to execute the law not interpret it.  This action communicates one of two things about our President.  Either he has a complete disregard of the Constitution or a complete lack of understanding it.  Either way, from where I stand each one disqualifies him from holding that office. With Romney I can only base his view of the Constitution on statements he's made concerning it.  Those statements are consistent with one who understands the role of president under the guidelines set forth in the Constitution.

I could go on, but I'll conclude here.  I would rather the man I vote for agree with me on every issue.  I wish he loved what I love and hated what I hate.  I wish he held the same theology, ideology, and philosophy that I do.  I wish he had the same worldview as me and was passionate about the things I'm passionate about.  I wish he rooted for the Cowboys, couldn't stand the Yankees, and loved burnt orange. Unfortunately, that would require me to run for the presidency.  Romney doesn't exactly fit into that box but he's a much closer fit than the other candidate running. That's why he'll get my vote.

More Than A Facebook Friend

If you are like me you have some really close friends on your Facebook friends list.  On the other hand we also have many on that list that we wouldn’t really characterize as close friends.  It’s just the nature of social networking.  These not so close friends comment on our posts from time to time and vice-versa, but we really don’t know them all that well.  In order to truly know someone, there has to be conversation and face time.  No, not Facebook time, face time.  Close intimate relationships require one on one time, where masks come off and hearts are revealed. 

The same holds true with our relationship with God. God is not content with us simply knowing about Him.  He longs for us to know Him.  The sad fact is that many of us are content with treating God as little more than a Facebook friend.  We connect with Him on a superficial level, memorizing a few scriptures, going to church, and praying when we need something, if we do that much.  What an absolute tragedy!  The Creator of the universe paid a hefty price for the purpose of having a relationship with us.  He longs to share His heart with us and reveal Himself to us.  He longs to hear the deepest cries of our heart.  Yet, we often relegate this relationship to a set of mechanical rituals and an impersonal theology.  God wants so much more. 
   

Abraham and God were friends.  God shows up one day on his way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.  When Abraham sees the Lord and his angels, he insists they sit down and relax.  Abraham then races to fix them a meal.  This isn’t a fast food meal.  He has his wife prepare bread and his servants kill a calf.  I’m not sure how long this process took, but from the context it’s a given that this was a lengthy ordeal.  Abraham prepares an atmosphere that is welcoming to the Lord.  He actually wants Him to stay a while and that’s exactly what the Lord does.  He sits down and stays a while.  Immediately following the meal the Lord starts to leave but pauses.  Here, we find a very interesting passage of Scripture where we are given insight into God’s reasoning with Himself. 
 

¹⁷ And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, ¹⁸ since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ¹⁹ For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” (Genesis 18:17-19 NKJV)

God is about to go to Sodom and Gomorrah and deal with the sin there.  As He’s leaving He reasons to Himself that He should not keep this from Abraham because of their relationship.  Wow!  God wants to share with His friend Abraham what’s on His heart.  So, God goes on to do just that.  He tells Abraham that He is headed to Sodom and Gomorrah to deal with that city.  Abraham is a little taken back by this revelation and responds by asking God if He would destroy the righteous along with the wicked.  Abraham is reasoning in His mind that this is not right and asks God this question, “²⁵ Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Abraham is convinced that this is not consistent with what He knows about God. Abraham is convinced that this God he knows would never destroy this city if there were at least 50 righteous there.  The following scriptures are a continuing conversation with God and Abraham in which Abraham presses God and each time He does, God’s character becomes a bit clearer to Him.  By the time this conversation is over, Abraham has come to the realization that not only would God preserve a city if there were 50 righteous in it, He would do it if He found as little as 10 there. 
    

God wants the same when it comes to our relationship with Him.  He wants us to know Him.  He wants our conversation with Him to be more than prayers of petitions and meaningless religious rituals.  He’s a living breathing being that wants relationship with us.  He wants to show us what He sees.  He wants to share His heart with us.  He longs for our undivided, undistracted time.  While He wants us to share all that is on our heart with Him, He also wants us to be quiet and learn to listen to what He is saying.  I believe that just like He did with Abraham, He’ll show up anywhere He is welcome and He’ll stay as long as we have the time for Him.  Think about it.  The Creator of the world wants to share His heart with you.  I don’t know what you’re gonna do with that truth, but as far as I’m concerned I refuse to treat Him like a Facebook friend.