Wayfarer’s Trek

“I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Amos 5:21-24 ESV

I don’t know where or how I first heard the phrase Justice or Just Us. It has been used to promote racial equality—and that is a righteous use of the phrase. Racism is an ongoing sin that causes pain and suffering for those whom it is directed to. Those who hold such ideas often pollute and distort those who are closest to them. Hatred, contempt, and apathy are extremely contagious.

If we are to be the body of Christ, then individually and collectively, we must stand against a sin that would rob people of equality and opportunity. I believe that to be at least a part of what Amos is telling us.

The picture painted by the scripture above is terrifying to me. It is not about a people who were somehow faulty in their different modes and opportunities for worship. They were not in some kind of ritual, doctrinal, or procedural error. It wasn’t like they ate when they shouldn’t or didn’t eat when they should. It wasn’t like they played when they should have sung or sang when they should have played. It wasn’t like they gathered when they shouldn’t or didn’t gather when they should.

No, these people worshipped God in everything but how they treated others. These people worshipped God but left out justice and righteousness for those who were less fortunate for whatever reason.

And God rejected their worship.

Rejected? Can you imagine such a thing?

Maybe instead of worrying about format and tradition and finer points of detail, we ought to look a little closer at the state of our heart. Maybe we ought to consider whether we work, live, and worship from a position of righteousness and justice.

Justice and righteousness doesn’t demand that we see proof of whether a person was in a bad situation because of something done to them or a bad mistake on their part. When one person needs justice and righteousness from the hands of someone who can make a difference in their life, does it really matter how or why they got there?

Yes and no.

If you want to be their judge, then the answer is yes. And how we like to play judge…

But if you want to be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing justice and righteousness into the lives of those who need it most, then the answer is no.

Come to worship this Sunday. Instead of being critical or judgmental, why not use it as an opportunity to reconnect with the need for being a force or place of justice and righteousness for those who are needy—in every sense of the word?

Justice and righteousness or just us?

Les, Jr.

John 10:10, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1 Corinthians 1:9, God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Do you remember the movie Independence Day starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum? The storyline is aliens invading with far superior technology leaving humanity on the verge of utter annihilation, but in a last ditch effort to assert our independence, all out attack is tried.

And then there’s the American Independence Day. The reality of what we celebrate every year on July 4^th makes any Hollywood movie pale in comparison. Independence Day is the day we remember our nation’s birth. It is the day we celebrate our freedoms and the sacrifices that made those freedoms possible.

While we look forward to the coming celebration, the whole idea and experiment of American independence is in reality just an afterthought compared to the original Independence Day. The things that took place on that eventful day sent shock waves racing across our globe. Those shock waves have not yet been stilled–Independence Day is still reverberating through the lives of every man, woman, and child. Our desire for independence has set humanity on a huge collision course with the Creator of the universe. And in our struggle we have completely lost what it means to be in relationship with God.

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be in relationship with God? Have you ever wondered what the relationship is like that God has with Himself–how Father, Son, and Spirit interact and relate?

We tend to think in a certain paradigm that comes straight out of our misguided bid for independence. We think in terms of power and control and hierarchy. And from that perspective, we often see God-Father, Son, and Spirit-in hierarchy as well. After all, somebody has to be in charge, somebody has to be the boss, and somebody has to hold the reins of power.

But is that really how God interacts? When you see Father, Son, and Spirit, you should see relationship where one submits his will to the other for the benefit of all. That is not hierarchy and control, but it is relationship! Father, Son, and Spirit were the first and ultimate community, and in the act of creation we were made to be in community with God.

Genesis 1:26…

You get another glimpse of this community after the fall in Genesis 3:8-10…

Please get this picture of Adam and Eve in relationship with God. Real relationship meant interaction, conversation, and fellowship. In the Garden of Eden, God-Father, Son, and Spirit-literally strolled along with Adam and Eve. Walking in the garden serves as a metaphor describing the in-depth and intimate community/ relationship that originally existed between God and man.

But then came our bid for independence–our bid for control and power over our own lives and the lives of others. When Adam and Eve sinned they were declaring independence from God-and that declaration has been the source of pain and heartache, power and control ever since. 

That Independence Day has been a disaster from the start. 

That Independence Day brought blood, sweat, and tears into the lives of all people for all time. 

That Independence Day quickly saw brother murdering brother-and we are still shedding blood and destroying lives.

And even now, most of us are still carrying some burden of guilt, shame, pain, and confusion over our bid for control! That’s the price we pay for our own independence.

This sermon is not about guilt or about applying pressure or pushing you in a direction you have some resistance to. To the contrary, this sermon is about hope.

Jesus did not die to create a new kind of hierarchy or power with a new system of rules and regulations to protect it. Jesus died to restore relationship!

What is the full life Jesus promised? For those who accept, it’s a life lived fully in tune with God. It’s a life of relationship between Father and child, between friend and Savior, and between believer and Spirit who dwells within.

Isn’t it time to declare independence from sin and total dependence on God?

Isn’t it time?

Today I cancelled an account. It wasn’t much. And most likely it will not make any significant difference in my debt ratio. But, on June 28th, I will not be paying money to continue a virus protection service. It felt good to cancel that account.

Cheapo man that I am is opting for a service that is free. The free service I have been using on another computer is doing just as good if not better than the high priced premium service.

So call me cheap. It is working ok for me.

The fact is, I am planning and striving to cancel a number of accounts–paying bills off however slowly is gratifying. But the most gratifying account cancelation of all has absolutely nothing to do with me.

No sir, not me. I didn’t do it. The fact is I am incapable of doing it.  

My account is one of sin. Every approach I could possibly take doesn’t alleviate the high debt and the constantly accruing interest. As Isaiah says, my righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags. Pardon the colloquialism, but my righteousness is a dog that just won’t hunt!

John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

Thank you Jesus for paying the debt I can’t. Thank you Father for making me valuable enough to send your Son to pay my debt. And thank you Spirit for indwelling my life and giving me the comfort and peace that can only come through you. May my life, may my preaching be ever cognizant of the relationship You have so graciously given.

Les, Jr.

Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees
And the flowers and the trees
And the moon up above
And a thing called "Love"     

Jewel Akens sang that song in 1965. When I was three years old, I sang it too.

One of my earliest memories is performing this song for guests at our house. That was way back before child exploitation laws went into effect.

If you looked at the rest of the lyrics you would know that this song was about love and courtship and even sex. But it it was sung in a time that was much purer and innocent than the one we live in–today’s music and movies make the Birds & the Bees pale in comparison.

Back when Kyle was 7 or 8 (he’s 22 now for perspective), a couple of his baseball team friends came over to spend the night. They brought with them their favorite cassette tape–on it was a song called called "Donkey Butt."

It was horrific and over the top. I couldn’t believe that a kids parents would ever let them listen to such trash. Did I say trash? That’s much too mild of a description.

But that song is a good measure of our culture. Instead of love, we preach sexuality. Instead of real relationships, we settle for those that are purely physical in nature. And then we wonder why so much of our world is all messed up.

Have we got it all wrong or what?

And God forbid, most of us have settled. We have allowed the perversion of God’s ways to infiltrate our lives little by little. We have lost our blush ability–we have forgotten what real love and real purity is all about.

But if we are going to rise above the mediocre–if we are going to be better than the filth we accept as entertainment and normality, then we have to take a stand in our own lives and in the lives of our children.

Some things are just not right.

Some things are simply wrong.

May God bless us with the wisdom and the fortitude to make the right choices for ourselves and our families.

Les, Jr.

Allow me to share some good stuff and maybe a little bit of a rant at the end…

We had a great week of camp at Gulf Coast Bible Camp. Eighteen baptisms and some fifteen or so responses to the sermons, lessons, and devotionals throughout the week. It was a great group of kids–but some of them are hurting in ways that boggle the mind of this forty-six year old preacher. Christian camping is a vast mission field–and lest there be somebody who might think we are just baptizing our own kids, think again. Some of these kids come from homes and situations that are far removed from anything even remotely resembling Christianity. It is a mission field–and a blessing from God for my whole family to participate in it.

We came home and celebrated even more. Regular readers of this blog (all two of you) know of my son Cole. Having cerebral palsy has given him physical as well as mental challenges that can at times consume him. His struggles of late are highly emotional and difficult to behold. But things are getting better.

Yesterday (Sunday), he was baptized into Christ by his best friend, Bill Collins and his oldest brother, Kyle. My job in all this was to sit on the front row and be quiet and watch–just as Cole told me to do.

I have no doubts whatsoever that he already belonged to God. And yet, his heart is obediently tender. We are so very proud of him! 

Dunk’em & Forget ‘Em…

No, not Cole. But, that is an accusation or a description someone I love has used of me. I should talk to them, but at this point, nothing good will come of it. The fact is I have talked and pleaded and prayed and for whatever reason, I am the target for the moment. And it is Okay. I can handle it. Truth be told, I don’t know how I could have invested anymore time and effort.

Does it hurt? To some degree, it makes me want to go on the defensive–and maybe that’s what this little blog is all about. But on the other hand, it does hurt because I desperately want to be evangelistic and I desperately want to see new Christians grow and mature in their walk of faith. Anytime that doesn’t happen, I tend to feel some measure of guilt whether necessary or not.

However, the fact remains that we don’t always do the best of jobs in helping new babes in Christ grow. One of the problems is a lack of help from older more experienced Christians. We need these people to help mentor and explore Christianity with new Christians–outside the confines of a church building.

I believe that all Christians are capable of telling somebody about Jesus even though some are obviously more gifted than others. I also believe that all Christians can read the Bible and pray and talk with new Christians.

Reaching the lost and keeping them close takes all hands working together.

What can you do for Kingdom growth and expansion today?

Les, Jr.

First up is Kyle who graduated with the highest honors from Faulkner University…

Next was Cole who received a certificate of completion and walked with his class.

He was so proud and managed to shake all the dignitaries hands on stage…

I cannot imagine or quite grasp how deep the pain and hurt of John & Maggy Dobbs. Today, their 18 year old son, John Robert Dobbs, was killed in a horrible and tragic accident. And the world is a dimmer place.

John and I became college roommates when he was 17 and I was 18. We have been the best of friends for over half of our lives. Maggy is a distance cousin and she never held that against me.

Over the years our lives and families have been intertwined. Living only thirty minutes a part during the last ten years allowed our different ministries to be combined at times as we served the same goal of seeing God’s Kingdom grow and thrive here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

John Robert was a fantastic young man with a bright future. He will be missed by all who knew him.

May God grant John and Maggy and the rest of the family the relief, comfort and peace they so desperately need.

I love you!

Les, Jr.

Although they each had their own particular story, these men still had something to prove, still had things yet to be accomplished musically. And so in 1969, Blind Faith was born.

If you don’t know the story, Blind Faith was an English rock band, a super group whose members were Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. You may not know the names of Baker or Grech, but Clapton and Winwood are living legends.

Unfortunately, Blind Faith was only together for one year—they only produced one album of the same name. In many ways, the band’s demise was a product of the superstardom attained by its members even before the forming of this particular band.

I was reminded recently of Blind Faith because of a song played on some TV show or movie we watched. I couldn’t tell you for all the gold in Ft. Knox what we were watching, but I was instantly grabbed anew by the song.

It’s an ironic twist that a group called Blind Faith would sing about not being able to find their way home… 

Come down off your throne
and leave your body alone.
Somebody must change.

You are the reason
I’ve been waiting so long.
Somebody holds the key.

 But I’m near the end and
I just ain’t got the time
And I’m wasted and
I can’t find my way home.

 Come down on your own
and leave your body alone.
Somebody must change.

You are the reason
I’ve been waiting all these years.
Somebody holds the key.

 Chorus

But I can’t find my way home.
But I can’t find my way home.
But I can’t find my way home.
But I can’t find my way home.
Still I can’t find my way home,
And I ain’t done nothing wrong,
But I can’t find my way home.

by Steve Winwood

I wonder how many Christians are in the same spot. I wonder how many non-Christians are right there with them.

The most common definition of faith is straight out of the biblical witness. Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Nothing in that verse says anything at all about being blind. There is evidence for God all around us. Romans 1 is a strong hint that we were created with knowledge of God.

I may not be able to see everything there is to see and know about God, but I have enough. Yes, I have enough faith to not go at this life blind.

And yet, so many—even Christians—can’t seem to find their way home.

It‘s not for a lack of trying.

Some of us see the way home through tradition.

Or through a certain mindset.

Or maybe even through a particular frame of reference.

Each of those may have their own value, but they ultimately fail whenever they become the focus instead of the focus being on Jesus Christ.

I have worshiped with churches that were the pinnacle of modern technology. I have worshipped with churches that could do no more than stand on the side of a mountain and pass a grape soda can and a cold tortilla around for communion. In both places, the focus had to be on Jesus.

And that is never blind faith.

We need to be reminded again and again of what is truly important. While we struggle with having Jesus as our focus–while we whine and moan and bicker about methodology, we are surrounded by folks who can’t find their way home.

These worshippers are bowing at the altars of materialism, sexual pleasure, alcohol, drugs, etc, and they are striving with all their might to find their way home on a road that will only lead them to destruction.

So, can we do something in a different manner—that doesn’t violate any clearly taught scripture–at the Orange Grove Church of Christ?

If it helps people focus on Jesus and see…if it helps them see what is real and which way leads home, then yes.

Gladly.

Will I personally always be comfortable with the different? Not a chance, but I am willing to compromise– not doctrine, not faith, not Jesus–but my comfort zone.

May God help us help all those who are struggling because they can’t find their way home!

Les, Jr. 

I am reading from a couple of interesting books: Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church and Releasing the Power of the Smaller Church. Both are compilations of articles and ideas frompeople whom have worked most of their ministry lives in churches under 200 in attendance-all of the featured writers come from Restoration churches of which we are a part. In the first book, I found the following quotes:

What do you think would happen if leaders and volunteers in smaller churches all across North America agreed on a simple plan–to transform their communities for Jesus Christ? What if the folks in your church agreed to stick together, to love each other like family, and to do whatever it takes to carry out that simple plan?

Wow!

And then there was this:

95 percent of the people in America who become Christians do so before the age of twenty-five. Think about that. If we don’t reach people with the gospel before they reach the age of twenty-five, we are going to miss 95 percent of them.

Why aren’t we very evangelistic anymore? That is what so many people are asking. Why aren’t churches growing more? Maybe the answer is simple-we aren’t reaching young people…

When I look at outreach methods, events, and programs in the smaller church, most seem to be designed for people older than twenty-five. If that is true, we are only going after 5 percent of the open people when it comes to evangelism. I certainly want older people to be saved (I like people my age), but the truth is that most people my age and older have already made decisions one way or another. Should we still try and reach them? Absolutely. But what are we doing about the young?

…To be evangelistic today, we have to communicate the gospel in ways that young people actually hear. Young people need a voice in how we minister and worship if we are going to be serious about reaching their peers. And those of us who are older will have to decide whether we will allow change for the sake of the mission.

Wow again.

Change for the sake of the mission? you better believe it. That’s what paul meant when he said in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (NIV)

Finally, one last brief quote: "it’s hard to be the ’salt of the earth’ if you are confined to the saltshaker."

How about bringing some Wow! into your walk of faith?

Les, Jr.

I like to read. From the time I could first put words together on the printed page, reading has been a great joy.

Unless of course you are reading 1,064 pages of Donald Guthries New Testament Theology for graduate school and then it is hair-pulling, mind-numbingly boring—spelled with a capital B.

Still, give me a good Dean Koontz novel or Tom Clancy adventure and I can lose myself for hours on end.

Did I mention that I love to read?

Back before this past Christmas, Dad gave me a bunch of paperback books he had finished with. They were all written by Lee Childs—and each book featured an ex- military policeman by the name of Jack Reacher. Reacher is a loner who travels around rescuing whatever damsel (or gentleman) might be in distress.

In the book Trip Wire, Reacher has a quote that has stuck with me: “People live and then they die, and as long as they do both things properly, there’s nothing much to regret.”

It sounds a little fatalistic, but the reality is true. If I live as I should as a child of the King, I have nothing to fear and nothing to regret. And if I live as a child of the King, then my death will simply be a going-home celebration.

How are you living?

Seriously.

How are you living? Is your life filled with regret and fear? If so, maybe your priorities are a bit out of whack. And the reality is this, if you live with regret, you can’t help but die that way too!

I like Jack Reacher’s words. I like the Apostle Paul’s even better.

Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV

How are you living?

I saw a bumper sticker this week that said “If all else fails, read the instructions.” 

It should have said instead, “before all else fails, read the instructions.”

No regrets!

Les, Jr.