Religious liberty is under attack in New York City.

The city of New York is a melting pot, one of the most diverse places on earth. Scores of languages are spoken within its five boroughs and with every major religion well represented. Although the city has welcomed hundreds of millions of people with open arms down through the years, a recent city crackdown on Christian churches and orthodox Jewish congregations meeting in public schools has some people upset.

Pending Expulsion

Last December, city officials set a February 12 deadline for the approximately 60 religious organizations that have been holding services in city schools. As of that date the effected churches will be barred from holding worship services in public schools and will be forced to congregate elsewhere reports the New York Times.

Churches only began to meet in New York schools following a 2002 decision by a judge who allowed this practice. Since then, the city has issued more than 60 permits to congregations to meet for religious services. The New York City Department of Education, however, has been battling to overturn that judge’s earlier decision and in June 2011 a full panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit upheld a 3-judge panel’s decision to toss an injunction that allowed churches to meet in NYC public schools for the previous nine years.

ADF Defense

Fighting on behalf of The Bronx Household of Faith, which meets at Public School 15 in the Bronx, is the Alliance Defense Fund. In Bronx Household of Faith v. Board of Education of the City of New York , the ADF sought to have the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case, but in December the court declined. That set up the Feb. 12 deadline by the city.

As the deadline approaches, concerned citizens are contacting city hall and asking Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Board of Education to delay its eviction order. Pastors and other religious leaders have called for people to march with them across the Brooklyn Bridge at 3:30 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 29, first meeting in Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn to rally and pray before marching. Marchers plan to cross the bridge and meet at City Hall.

Setting a Precedent

Churches and other religious groups that currently meet in public schools around the nation will need to follow what is unfolding in New York. With the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to hear the Bronx case and city officials bent on evicting the churches, this may set a precedent for any city across the United States of America to do likewise.

On Feb. 2, the New York City Council Education Committee will hold a hearing to urge the New York Legislature to require the Board of Education to change its policy. That bill has bipartisan support and is moving to the state Senate floor.

Photo: Wikipedia

Do you have too much on your plate?

Americans tend to eat too much, Christians included. We are a nation that has been blessed with abundance, but so many of us find it difficult to eat balanced meals and in portions that are suitable to sustain us. We’re encouraged to “supersize” our meals and the thought of passing up on seconds when available seems wasteful to many.

I’m not going to talk about food here, but there is a parallel to food that can easily be made. And that would be your Christian service or the work you do and ascribe to the Lord’s service.

With Your Heart

Don’t get me wrong: when it comes to whatever we do (work, ministry, home life and more) we’re instructed in Colossians 3:23 to “…work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…” The next verse goes on to indicate that our heavenly inheritance is the reward for our work for “it is is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

So, what about Christian service? Do some of us have too much on our plate?

Too Many Responsibilities

I’m speaking from experience here. There have been times in my life when I piled responsibilities on my plate, thinking that the more I did, the more God was pleased with my efforts. I carried that heavy load for weeks and months, even years, before finally burning out.

It turns out that I was attempting to do too much and did these tasks will only partial energy and halfheartedness. Once I cut back, I realized that I was burned out and was not a little bitter for it. Yes, it was time for me to regroup and that meant gaining a fresh perspective by deepening my relationship with God through prayer and Bible reading. Sure, I was in a relationship with God, but the joy was gone and with it my assurance of His love.

Gradually, I returned to service, but that only followed after recommitting myself to spending time with the Lord and by realizing and accepting my personal limitations. Nothing changed over night, but in time I began to understand that God didn’t need my works. He certainly delights in our service provided we do all things to His glory and not for man’s approval.

4 Points to Consider

How about you? Do you have too much on your plate? The following are some points that have helped me to maintain a proper balance while serving the Lord:

1. Do what you’re called to do — I heard a call from the pulpit once where the pastor noted that every person who attended his church with young children should teach Sunday School. On the surface that call sounds good and sensible, but dig a little deeper and you know that not every parent is equipped to teach. Needless to say, I’m not teaching. What I am doing is something I know I can handle and do quite well: ushering. I like greeting people and enjoy helping them find a seat. It may not be something you want to do, but it suits me just fine.

2. Do everything as unto the Lord – We’ve taken this thing we call “ministry” and seem to equate it with those things we do at church only. But as those verses in Colossians reveal, everything we do is ministry, beginning with our service to our families and extending to our neighbors, work and community involvement. Too often, Christians retreat into their comfort zones and then complain that the arts, the political sphere and other segments of society have been co-opted by the godless. Maybe you’re the sprinkle of salt God wants to use in the midst of an “evil and perverse generation.”

3. Do it with all of your might — Anything done with half-heartedness brings sorrow to our Lord. Think about it: God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He did so that you and I could spend eternity with Him. That fact alone should compel us to do what we’re called to do with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Your power comes from abiding in Him (John 15:5) and does not come from your personal strength or capabilities, which come from God anyway.

4. Be watchful for pride — Funny, the moment we realize that we’re doing a good job at what God has called us to do, pride begins to settle in. At first, it may not be noticeable — that congratulatory recognition from the pulpit or that “attaboy” or “attagirl” you get from people who recognize your good works. There isn’t anything wrong with recognition, but are you giving God credit for His work in and through you? I don’t mean just a verbal assent, but a deep down appreciation that your worthiness is tied solely to what God has done on the cross for you. Recognize the pride immediately and lose it — the evil one has stumbled countless Christians who have failed to give credit to where credit is due: to Jesus alone. You’re a vessel and Jesus is the living water that fills you.

Your Kingdom Walk

So, where does this leave you? Is your plate full and in need of some trimming back or are your portions really small and could use some extra trimming?

May God speak to your heart and help you find your place in the kingdom, by seeking that kingdom and His righteousness first and allowing Him to add “these things” as He sees fit (Matthew 6:33).

Photo: Michal Zacharzewski, SXC

Long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have meant that thousands of our military men and women complete multiple deployments before finally returning home for good. The extended time abroad leads to marital strain, making it difficult for couples to get back together again. Indeed, a FamilyLife initiative to help military couples save their marriages points to an Oklahoma State University study showing that “plans to pursue divorce or separation increase with each subsequent month.”

Coming Home

With the Iraq War over, thousands of men and women have returned home and have begun a critical 90-day post-deployment adjustment. It is during this make or break time that some marriages will unravel while others will begin a lengthy and critical healing process.

Said FamilyLife Founder and President Dennis Rainey, “That window is the proven time frame during which people develop habits and set the tone for the future of their marriage. It’s critical for military couples to establish healthy habits quickly as they struggle to reconnect and restructure their families.”

Frequent Deployments

There are a number of post-deployment stress points that must be factored in for military couples including: unrealistic expectations, rushing the transition, renegotiating roles, realizing that both spouses have changed during deployment and post-traumatic stress disorder. One couple, Air Force Master Sergeant Todd Gaff and his wife, Valerie, began the first of what turned out to be 13 tours of duty when Todd was intially sent to Afghanistan in 2001.

Said Valerie, “We had to renegotiate our roles, routines and relationship,” with each of Todd’s returns home. “While he was away, I was totally in charge and fully responsible for our children and household. When he returned, it was hard to let go of some of those roles. It was also scary getting reacquainted. By necessity, we both changed each time we were apart.”

Marriage Enrichment

FamilyLife has been rallying around military couples by providing much needed assistance to help save marriages. Practical advice, including free resources, is available to couples via a dedicated website. Moreover, FamilyLife is seeking to offer scholarships for military couples to attend a FamilyLife marriage enrichment event.

“We would like to help spark a nationwide movement to ‘give back’ to those who have given so much to our country,” Rainey said. Anyone can give $10 to this scholarship fund by texting the word HOME to 28950. Gifts can also be made at FinallyHomeToFamily.org or by calling 1-800-358-6329.

MercyMe Tour

FamilyLife is working with the contemporary Christian band MercyMe to reach out to military families. The band’s 2012 concert tour has been dedicated to helping FamilyLife reach these couples. Said lead singer Bart Millard, “FamilyLife has stepped up and said this needs to happen for our troops. Trying to keep military families together is something I take very seriously. [This] gives us all an opportunity to offer these couples a fighting chance.”

The Gaffs 18-year military marriage has survived much hardship. Today, Valerie works with FamilyLife to help other military couples overcome the challenges she and Todd have faced noting, “Civilians often don’t understand that, though the battle overseas may be over, our troops must now come home and fight for their marriage.”

Photo via BigStock: Miroslav Ferkuniak

Consistent Bible reading makes for a stronger Christian.

I’m taking all of these suggestions I’ve been hearing over the past week to read the Bible regularly to heart. Regular Bible reading isn’t new to me, but disciplined reading on a daily basis is something that I only put back into practice this past fall after several years of inconsistency.

No, I wasn’t staying away from the written Word of God, rather my studying was haphazard — I found myself emphasizing select books and avoiding others, providing an unbalanced diet at times. Admittedly, Leviticus is not my favorite book and I do absolutely enjoy Proverbs, Psalms and Ecclesiastes as well as the entire New Testament. My new Bible reading regimen has me going back and forth between the Old and New Testaments and at some point I should complete my reading. And then I plan to start again.

Reading Plans

No, I wasn’t staying away from the written Word of God, rather my studying was haphazard — I found myself emphasizing select books and avoiding others, providing an unbalanced diet at times. Admittedly, Leviticus is not my favorite book and I do absolutely enjoy Proverbs, Psalms and Ecclesiastes as well as the entire New Testament. My new Bible reading regimen has me going back and forth between the Old and New Testaments and at some point I should complete my reading. And then I plan to start again.

It is the Christmas season and once again we’re hearing people complain about the crass commercialism, the pervasive securalization and the rudeness of shoppers as they fight over sale items. These accounts are true, but thankfully they are not taking away from the “good cheer” that many of us prefer to show now and throughout the year.

Layaway Accounts

In recent weeks this writer has been hearing reports of people who are “paying it forward” by paying down or paying off someone’s Christmas layaway account at a department store. Kmart seems to be the place where this is happening the most, given that this store has recently resurrected its layaway department and has been providing a way for families to pay for their Christmas purchases bit by bit.

Like a rapidly spreading fire, shoppers are going to the store to make an installment on or pay off a layaway account and are finding that their bills have been paid in full. For those shoppers with the means to pay off their accounts, they’ve chosen to pay it forward by covering the expense for another shopper’s layaway account.

Impoverished Families

Of course, not everyone can pay it forward. Those especially being targeted for help by big-hearted people across the nation are those layaway accounts where children’s clothes and toys have been set aside by their parents.

Kmart has been readily cooperating with what they say are mostly anonymous donors, by helping to identify which account holders are behind on their payments. This allows do-gooders the opportunity to contribute to someone who most likely would have a difficult time providing for their families at Christmas let alone pay it forward.

In some cases donors have made partial payments in a bid to reduce a customer’s bill. In other situations the entire layaway cost was covered. Some stores have reported that donors have paid off multiple late accounts for goods that were on the verge of being returned to inventory.

Godly Genorosity

I can’t say for certain what the motivations are of people who are giving, but I see at least one biblical application being put into practice as outlined in Matthew 6:3-4 :

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

In any case, the seasonal good cheer being shown by some is one movement that I certainly hope will spread in the coming days and lead us all to reflect on the generosity God shows us. And that is what Christmas is all about!

]]> http://www.wordjourney.com/reflections/paying-it-forward-this-christmas-season/feed/ 0 http://www.wordjourney.com/reflections/how-to-experience-true-joy-this-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-experience-true-joy-this-christmas http://www.wordjourney.com/reflections/how-to-experience-true-joy-this-christmas/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 10:50:36 +0000 Matthew C. Keegan http://www.wordjourney.com/?p=2007 It is Christmas time – the annual season of joy where we celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. However, you may be one of any number of Christians who just isn’t feeling it this year. Maybe you have had a terribly difficult year, having experienced the loss of a loved on. Or, you may be facing a problem at work, in the home or elsewhere. Perhaps none of the above.

Christmases Past

I can relate – although this Christmas isn’t one where my joy is absent, I’ve experienced several Christmases where a cloud of gloom, even despair has hung over me. Losing my younger brother when I was 11 made that first Christmas without him seem especially difficult. Getting burned out of our home one week before Christmas the following year added to the misery. It wasn’t until I was an adult and in a right relationship with God did my Christmases take on a new meaning.

I won’t insult you by giving you “7 easy steps to make your Christmas real” or “How to overcome depression at Christmas time.” If you’ve lost someone this year your grief is very deep and your Christmas will be different. Memories of Christmases past may flood in with the person you love very present in your mind. This year, that person is gone – absent from the body, present with the Lord.

God’s Care

So, how do you manage this year? Apart from the Lord, you’ll find this season difficult, even unbearable. In 1 Peter 5:7, the verse says “casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you…” That chapter starts off instructing shepherds how to care for their flock, but then transitions in verse 5 to how young men or believers should behave, “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” In verse 6, we are instructed to “humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

What we have here is a two-step process: first, we humble ourselves before the Lord. Second, we wait for God to lift us up. That lifting up comes in “due time” and not when we think it will occur. Or even in the way that we expect.

I can confidently state this: if you confess to God what is on your heart including any known sin and share your deepest and most bitter feelings with Him, that “due time” will most certainly arrive.

Our Confession

In James 5:16 we find a pattern of confession that we all need to follow, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” The key here is to find someone who is mature: a believer who has a reputation for interceding, and is trustworthy. Choose the wrong person to “confess your sins” and you may find yourself worse off. Sadly, some people are much more skilled at tearing down then they are at building up. That person should pray for you as well.

Will your circumstances change immediately? No. The person whom you lost will still be gone. The problem you have may linger and might even worsen for a season. What will change is your perspective including your expectations. Much of the disappointment in our lives comes from how we expect others to behave and react or we’re looking for a certain experience or outcome. Those expectations are seldom met – at least in the way that we imagine. Even if someone does fulfill our expectations, that feeling or experience can be fleeting and the pain may soon return.

Full of Joy

This Christmas will be different, but when is any Christmas ever precisely the same? This year may seem like an ending or a transition and in some ways it will be. It can also be viewed as a new beginning, one where your joy can be full (John 15:11). At this very moment, such joy may seem impossible, but with God all things are possible – if you allow Him to touch your heart and your hurt.

Photo: Alvimann

]]> http://www.wordjourney.com/reflections/how-to-experience-true-joy-this-christmas/feed/ 0 http://www.wordjourney.com/ministries/about-those-red-kettles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=about-those-red-kettles http://www.wordjourney.com/ministries/about-those-red-kettles/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:45:32 +0000 Matthew C. Keegan http://www.wordjourney.com/?p=1998 Red Kettle campaign is in full swing.

The Salvation Army is one of the most well-recognized charities in America. The Salvation Army is also a church, founded in 1852 by William Booth in England to win the lost to Jesus Christ. With his wife, Catherine, the Booths labored for decades to reach the unsaved. Gradually, the organization grew with the first number of this “volunteer army” of evangelists ministering in the U.S. in 1879, beginning in Philadelphia. Today, the organization is still comprised of “Salvationists” or people who seek to fulfill the Great Commission.

Much remains the same with the Salvation Army, including its administration of national commanders, officers and soldiers. The Army also relies on many volunteers, what this non-profit organization recognizes as its “army within an army.” What has changed is the way this group raises funds — adding electronic and online giving to its traditional methods.

Red Kettle Campaign

If you’re not fully familiar with the work of the Salvation Army, you’ve most likely seen this organization’s red kettles on display outside of stores with bell ringers and perhaps musicians nearby. The Army’s Red Kettle Christmas Campaign helps to net hundreds of millions of dollars annually with those funds used to minister in a variety of ways including emergency relief, shelter, clothing, food and more. The kettles were first used in 1891 when Salvation Army Caption Joseph McFee pondered how best to help San Francisco’s destitute. He wanted to demonstrate God’s love to them and thought that providing a free Christmas dinner was one way to do that. However, with not much funds available he knew that it would take a novel way to raise money.

Thinking back to his day’s as a sailor in Liverpool, England, McFee remembered the large, iron kettles at Stage Landing which were used to collect money for the poor. That led to McFee paling a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street with a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” The funds collected fed hundreds of people that Christmas and a tradition was born. Today, the red kettles can be found across Europe, in South America and in Asia, enabling the Salvation Army to provide seasonal relief as well as fund its year ’round operation.

Electronic Giving

The Red Kettle Campaign continues today despite the difficulty in finding bell ringers and the sometimes public opposition from businesses that do not want to give Salvationists and volunteers the opportunity to collect funds. In my area, both WalMart and Harris-Teeter supermarkets welcome the organization, providing a very public place for people to make a donation.

Recognizing that not every person who passes by has change available to make a contribution, the Salvation Army is giving so-called “cashless kettles” a try whereby people can swipe a credit or debit card to designate the amount they would like to give. Any donation greater than one cent can be made and the Salvation Army says that neither the giver nor the organization is charged a fee.

Temporary Employment

The Red Kettle Campaign is an annual 6-week effort and is run by Salvation Army members and volunteers, but also includes people who are paid to operate kettles. These people are paid $8 per hour and are given training, a uniform, food and shelter. Businesses and individuals can sponsor the kettles, providing an important way to help the Army defray costs.

Actor and recording artist Robert Davi has found a way to help out too by singing Frank Sinatra’s hit, “Mistletoe and Ivy,” and making it available via iTunes and Amazon.com beginning on December 13. All of the funds raised by the sale of the single will be donated to The Salvation Army’s 120th annual Red Kettle Campaign. In a collective contribution of talent and services, the new arrangement was composed by Nic. tenBroek, mixed and recorded by Al Schmitt and produced by the legendary Phil Ramone at world-famous Capitol Studios in Hollywood, CA.

Photo: The Salvation Army

]]> http://www.wordjourney.com/ministries/about-those-red-kettles/feed/ 0 http://www.wordjourney.com/reviews/book-reviews/worship-not-the-creature/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=worship-not-the-creature http://www.wordjourney.com/reviews/book-reviews/worship-not-the-creature/#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:05:18 +0000 Matthew C. Keegan http://www.wordjourney.com/?p=1985 Animal rights and the Bible.

Dr. J.Y. Jones is an ophthalmologist, a practicing physician who is also committed follower of Jesus Christ. The Georgia resident is an awarded Vietnam veteran, a recipient of a Bronze star medal, having served one year in Vietnam and six years in the U.S. Army. He came to faith in Christ as an adult, attributing much of his spiritual transformation to what God showed him through the wonder of the human eye. That led him to dismiss evolutionary theory and embrace his walk with Jesus Christ.

Big Game

Jones is also a hunter, a man who travels the world in search of big game. He has written more than 300 articles and books to date, including one book about taking “…43 North American big game species and subspecies with the same .30-06 (Remington) rifle.” [1]

In July 2009, Nordskog Publishing released, “Worship Not the Creature,” Jones’ take on the contemporary animal rights movement and its opposition to truth as found in the Word of God. That book recently was sent to me courtesy of the publisher, an enlightening look at how big government continues to erode our rights through the environmental movement, something Jones believes will soon lead to a worldwide cataclysm of biblical proportions.

Biblical Interpretation

Before we move forward, I must share with you some differences in biblical interpretation between the publisher and the author. The publishing company ascribes to a Preterist view of the end times, believing “…all the end-times prophecies of the New Testament were fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and Israel.” [2] Jones is a premillenialist, ascribing to the view that Jesus Himself will return and set up a future 1,000-year reign on earth. Preterists believe that the end-time scenario took place in 70 A.D., with the destruction of the temple. They also believe the world will be converted in its entirety.

Like Jones, I am a premillenialist, but I have no dispute with the publisher as the company upholds the essentials of the Christian faith in that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life,” (John 14:6) and that salvation comes through Him alone. Indeed, the manuscript review editor – Ronald W. Kirk – noted these differences in his forward as did the publisher, Gerald Christian Nordskog, but agreed to publish Jones’ book for the many excellent points they could agree upon. Personally, I was blessed that these differences were not enough to keep this book from being published by Nordskog. Furthermore, I’ll leave these theological differences to the side, preferring to keep “…the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” throughout my review. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Animal Stewardship

Worship Not the Creature J.Y. Jones, M.D. 13 Chapters Hardcover 176 Pages Includes Wild Game Recipes 2009 | Nordskog Publishing

Let’s turn back to Jones’ book, which essentially exposes the impact that the radical animal rights movement has had and continues to have on our way of life. Indeed, animal rights and environmental advocacy seem to go hand in hand – both groups seek to limit man’s freedom – opposing man’s use of animals as a food source or for clothing.

Jones takes the reader through the early parts of the Bible where animals were not likely consumed by people or in the greater manner that they are today. He offers a fascinating look at what Earth may have looked like after the fall of mankind and before the flood – a planet shrouded in water vapor with temperatures fairly constant everywhere including in polar regions which once supported lush vegetation. When the fountain of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the sky opened (Genesis 7:11-12), thus began a transformation in human eating habits that would lead to mankind needing to eat meat to survive.

Godly Authority

From the onset, God intended man to have authority over the animal kingdom (Genesis 1:27), something Adam had until sin entered in. Both man and animals originally subsisted on vegetables although humans and some animals always had the capacity to eat meat. In Genesis 9:3, God said, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.” These verses serve to do two things, both of which counter animal rights activists who maintain that killing animals is wrong: God gave man dominion over animals and He allowed man to change his diet to an earth that was now far different after the flood. Seasons and storms were new to the planet; God adjusted life to be managed accordingly.

Jones makes a case for the biblical stewardship of animals, citing scripture that makes a case for caring for animals. The author draws on Exodus 21-22 to note God’s instructions to man about animal husbandry, and also stresses that we’re to use animals for care and not to abuse them. Jones goes into detail about the proper way to kill an animal for food which usually involves a shot to the head or the slitting of the throat. Each option is considered the most humane although for hard-core vegans no manner of killing is correct or should be allowed. That rigidity, however, comes at a price as B12 vitamin deficiency can only be addressed by eating animals or taking supplements.

Radical Environmentalism

The author also dedicates a chapter to tying in radical environmentalism with the rise of the final Antichrist, someone he believes may forbid meat-eating, making an exception for the state of Israel, which will have rebuilt its temple and re-instituted animal sacrifices there. Jones suggests that this Antichrist will be busy for 3 1/2 years consolidating his authority across the world, but then turn on Israel, using its animal sacrifices as a pretext to subjugate the Jewish nation. The author also suggests how the animal kingdom will run amok during the tribulation, offering another indication that Christ’s future reign on earth is near.

Biblical references aside, Jones does reveal the insidious nature of the animal rights movement, taking issue with two well-known groups and exposing its practices including suspect fund-raising and even weak support for true animal welfare. As Christians, we must walk in the authority God has given us and eat whatever foods we want, including game, with a clear conscience.

References

[1] J.Y. Jones: Biography

[2] Gotquestions.org: What is the Preterist View of the End Times?

]]> http://www.wordjourney.com/reviews/book-reviews/worship-not-the-creature/feed/ 0