No More Intimidation!

I heard an interesting word Wednesday night in Church. I attend Oasis World Outreach in Zephyrhills, Florida, a church of some 300 members of different ages, backgrounds and personality types. A church where our motto is, A place that is Real, Relevant and Refreshing. Our Pastor, Michael Sloan taught on Boldness through the Blood. He especially focused on the truth that the Blood of Jesus removes all intimidation. A few key points made was that Hebrews 10:19-23 breaks all intimidation. Using the analogy of the Old Testament tabernacle, this scripture states that anyone now can approach God without the fear of death. Just a quick history note, in the Old Testament, the Jewish people had set up a place of habitation for God, called the tabernacle. It was comprised of three main areas, the outer court, inner court or holy place, and the most inner court, or Holy of Holies, of which only the high priest was allowed to enter once a year, with a blood sacrifice. He entered this most holy place with much fear and intimidation, knowing that if anything was not done exactly according to the rules, he would die immediately. That's intimidation! Yet as our Pastor pointed out, if we can now enter that same place without fear and intimidation, then we can accomplish anything for God! He also said that the Blood will overcome any spirit of intimidation. There seems to be something sweeping our nation. It seems that more and more people are intimidated by people or things about them. For the Christian, the intimidation freezes them in their tracks, keeping them from sharing their testimony. Whether this is due to the distractions of the world about them, or some self conscience issue of their imperfectness keeping them from sharing their faith, they give in to intimidation. It amazes me that no other religion in the world is made fun of and slandered more than Christianity. When a person gets mad, they don't say Oh Buddha, or Hari Krishna! They don't take Mohummad's name in vain, they use the name of Jesus Christ. I usually remind people that God don't have a last name, and if He did, it wouldn't be damn! Yet for most Christians, we'd rather hang our heads and not say anything, choosing rather to let those being offensive towards us or others, intimidate. I've often told people it's time to stand up for injustice. That doesn't mean we picket abortion clinics, or be rude towards those who are outside the church, rather we in genuine love, confront injustice, and refuse to be intimidated by those around us, in and out of the church! And that my friends, is the reality of it!

New Things

Sitting here in my living room, watching the floor guys lay the new wood flooring, got me to thinking, there's something nice about new things. It changes the whole complexity of everything about it and around it. I'm reminded of a verse from the Bible, 2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Like the wood floors in my house, a person who comes to the knowledge of Christ just looks different. They not only look different, but they act different, they think differently, everything is brand new for them. A saved person has a look of peace about them, that is until they get into church and start hanging around church folks! Though I say that in jest, unfortunately its undeniably true for too many. I heard a minister say one time, the yoke of America is that Christians walk around with scowls on their faces, lacking joy, and the sinner who looks happy in his sin! I work a secular job, and I can attest to that latter part of that statement, the people I work with, of which 99% are non Christian, are happy being that way. Most are successful and just enjoy life. And the sad thing is, they don't give a thought to eternity or to God at all. Now, I've met my share of Christians who aren't happy, a good number in fact, I understand there may be a number of factors that contribute to that. What does all this have to do with new things though? It has everything to do with it, when something is new, there is a freshness about it that effects its surroundings. Ever hear anyone in a discussion group come up with a fresh idea? It may be something that hasn't been done in a really long time, but its fresh, its new, and that newness, that freshness is incredibly overwhelming! So if things new are tied into things fresh, and those two components affect our joy and overall happiness, then its a necessity to keep things fresh in our lives. The psalmist wrote Ps 92:10 "But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil." Keeping things fresh will keep it relevant. That is what I love about my church, Oasis World Outreach, we have a gifted and anointed staff led by a pastor, who is truly an apostle, though he does not refer to himself as such. (Paul was the same way, not caring for titles). A number of Pastors have come under his leadership and mentoring. But what is really unique is the general spirit within our church, the happiness on the faces of the people, the closeness of our fellowship. Don't get me wrong, we're not without our issues, as every church deals with something, but there is a genuine love and appreciation for one another and especially towards our leaders. I believe this is due to our pastors desire to keep things fresh. A fresh word, recognizing and moving in God's season, which is always fresh, full of life. So to get back to my original thought, theres something about new things, its exciting, and it changes the surroundings of a place. I want to keep it real, keep it fresh, keep it new. And that my friends, is the reality of it!

The root of our happiness

Know what I love about my job? My Thursdays are actually like my Friday, because I have every Friday off. I don't quite understand it, but most people dread going into work on Monday, usually dragging all day long, but then comes Friday and BAM!, energy and happiness that is over flowing. There's something about Friday and the expectations of the weekend that causes a natural happiness to rise within a persons heart. We've worked all week, but now the weekend is here and we can't wait for the day to end. But if we really think about it, how much of that excitement and happiness is the result of not being able to wait for church on Sunday? There was a time in our nation that the weekend was planned around Sunday meeting. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we need to focus all our happiness and excitement for the weekend just on the fact that church is coming. I just find it ironic that what used to excite us really doesn't anymore. There was a time, even for non Christians that family time was centered around Church. It was something you did on Sundays, it was set aside for that reason, and that reason alone. There are people now who think that giving an hour to God on Sundays fulfills some unwritten code of spiritual conduct, as if God is even moved by such flippant spiritual actions, if they are spiritual at all! If it weren't for the money we print, would other nations really think we were a Christian nation? Or just a nation with Christians, some who are dedicated, but the majority who have become lethargic in their devotions and accustomed to paying God lip service. Yet real happiness, real joy comes first from knowing that God exists and all is well with Him. I stand on the scripture, Psalms 46:10, Be still and know that I am God. That alone has removed depression and brought happiness back to my soul many times. How can a person not be happy when they realize that He is God? Even when it seems that all Hell has broken loose in a persons life, and everything is falling apart, God is still God, which means we always have a place of refuge, which then means, happiness is always attainable! That my friends is the reality of it.

Simply simple

Today was my first day in training a new employee for a business that I've built from the ground up. I must confess, its not only exciting, knowing that I'll be free to build another route again, but also fearful. You see, unless you have an investment in something, there is no risk involved in turning it over to others. But because I have something invested, my time, my talents, my hard work, the relationships I've built over the past two years, I'll be honest, I don't want to see it ruined! I think now I'm starting to understand a little what the Father must of felt. After creating the most beautiful place on earth, He willingly turned it over to man for us to maintain it. And to think He did this with the knowledge that we would ruin it! I don't have that knowledge with my new employee. I can only hope that over the next four weeks he will see something of my love for my customers, not just the sale, and my way of solidifying the relationship through genuine concern and interaction. Really its a lot like the Father's way with us, we spend a lifetime observing His ways, searching for His heartbeat, trying to catch a glimpse of His way of doing things. And if we're a good student, diligent in taking notes, we'll come away with something of Him alive within us. Oh, and though we ruined it in the beginning, like a great company founder and leader, the Father had a backup plan in place, one that didn't require we be fired, but rather taken by the hand, and shown the correct way. I know I've been a little generic perhaps in my explanation of spiritual issues, but those who live lives outside the four walls of the church don't understand our many religious cliches' that we so easily throw about. So lets keep it simple and real, and that my friends is the reality of it!

Oh the beauty of it all!

What a beautiful day it was today, sunny, warm, and best of all? It was Sunday, which meant going to church with family and friends and getting a word from God. Our Pastor was out of town preaching elsewhere today, so our Associate Pastor, Pastor Neil brought the Word. Taken from Genesis 32, and the story of Jacob being touched with God, having a limp the rest of his life. But what Pastor Neil focused on was the key to crossing over into the things of God. Unfortunately I didn't get to hear the whole message because I stepped out for bus ministry, but what I did catch, and the end part that I heard when I came back was really a blessing. I'll have to get the tape for sure! Afterwards we went to our Pastors moms house for dinner, and talk about a feast! I must confess, I think I committed the sin of gluttony with all the food I ate, thankfully God still forgives us today! Then home to read, take a nap, go to the gym, and walmart, and now blogging! Oh the beauty of it all! Life is good! on Sundays, And what about Monday coming up? The day that millions dread? I don't really look at that way, its just another day, the first day of our work week, and an opportunity to get it right for the rest of the week. Mondays can be either dreaded, or looked upon as such, an opportunity to get it right this week, to not repeat the same mistakes that were made last week. You know that's what I love about our God, He always gives us the opportunity to get it right, past mistakes are forgiven and forgotten and we are free to continue to pursue Him with pure hearts. That don't mean we tolerate sin in our lives, or refuse His hand of correction. But it does ring with freedom when we know that He is for us, and not against us. As Paul so eloquently put it, If God be for us, who can be against us? And that my friends, is the reality of it!

The controversy with the code

The Da Vinci Code opened this weekend to a slew of bad press and reviews. Most critics state that the overall story and acting is bad at least. The good news though about the movie is that it has spawned conversations about who Christ was and who He is. Since I work a lot out of my van, I listen to talk radio in the afternoons and sometimes in the mornings as a way to catch up on the current events facing our nation. Listening to one such talk show last week discussing the movie, something not only caught my attention but also got me upset. A lady called in saying she was a believer, and had a question for the radio host about the movie. Her issue was this, since Christians are so pro family, why would they be so upset over the possibility of Jesus being married, as the Da Vinci Code suggests? The radio host, who I suspect from listening to him has some religious belief, agreed with her! He replied to her that since Christ stood for everything pure, what a powerful statement it would of been had he been married, it would of shown the world the importance of a union between a man and a woman and confirmed His humanness. And what harm would it of been after all? There was only ten minutes left on his show and I didn't have his number otherwise I would of called in. There would of been much harm done! First of all, In the Bible, the book of First Peter, 1:19 says that we've been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. The word used for 'precious' means esteemed and held in honor. When you research it, you come to the conclusion that what makes His blood precious is that it was pure blood, holy blood. The sin nature of man from the beginning of time is passed through the blood. But not so with Christ, since He was created by the Holy Ghost in His mothers womb, no sin nature was passed to Him. Now back to my original question, what harm would there of been had Christ been married and fathered children? Since His blood was pure, without sin, then His children would also of been born with that same supernatural blood that Christ had, therefore they also would be born sinless, and thus also God. Yes Christ was both man and God, man in that He had a human body and dealt with the same issues that we as humans deal with, God in that He was pure, sinless, and the Son of God. The fact He walked this earth in a human body is all the humanness He needs, His purpose was to redeem us, so we could once again fulfill the divine purpose of God's reason for creating us, and that was and is for fellowship. I don't fear anything Hollywood puts out concerning Christianity and our Faith, it actually helps to garner interest among the lost, and opens a door of dialog that we must walk through. So I say to Hollywood, BRING IT ON! That my friends is the reality of things!

A tribute to mom

Today is the one day set aside that we take time to honor, appreciate and show our gratitude towards a very special person in our lives, our mothers. I especially want to show my appreciation to my mother, Virginia Stephenson, of Oden, Michigan. Growing up in our home, which wasn't a Christian home, had its challenges. My parents played in a band, and due to my step-fathers drinking, things could be pretty crazy around our home. But despite those things, when my mother started going to church, she made sure that us kids were with her. When I became a teenager and would stay out late, sometimes till early in the morning, I'd come home only to find my mother, waiting up for me, or sleeping on the couch, having fallen asleep listening to the police scanner for signs of me coming home. (there were usually reports of my car speeding out of town). Like a lot of teenagers, I didn't always want to go to church after staying up late on Saturday nights, but my mother always made sure to get me out of bed, despite my anger and yelling. I've often been told that since my step father drank, and my real dad spent the first few years of my life in prison, I should have been messed up, or at the very least an alcoholic, but because of the prayers of my mom, I have a beautiful family, a thriving business, a nice home, and yes, we all go to church, love God and minister for Him. I owe so much of it to my mother. It is said that if you truly want to understand the love of God, just read I Corinthians 13, the love chapter. I believe it also best describes a mothers love to her children. A mother will always love her child, when others abandon you, mom is still there, when your world falls apart, mom is still there. Their love is unconditional. I remember the night I was arrested and put in jail. I called mom at 2am in the morning, and she didn't yell or get upset with me, though I knew inside she was upset, my mom stood with me, and comforted me. One thing I notice whenever I'm watching a trial on television, its the mother who will get up, and plead for her child's life, you see a mothers love is unconditional. The greatest gift that God ever gave mankind, outside of Jesus Christ, was the love of a mother. I know, because He gave me mine. Mom, if I could live life over again and be given the choice of any mom in the world, I'd choose you again, your the best, and I love you. Thank you for giving me life.

Your son, Jesse Wilson

The Other Side of Pornography

Not long ago I was working out at the gym and a gentleman came over and asked me a surprising question. He asked if it was ok for him and his wife to watch pornography. Having spent many years involved in that lifestyle before finding freedom, you can guess my answer to him. NO, its not ok nor is it healthy. Since he was not a Christian, I had to taper my response to him since he most likely would not share my beliefs. I explained to this dear person that by viewing pornography he was setting himself and his wife up for some major disappointment and heartache. I explained to him that pornography does nothing but causes unreal expectations to be formed when it comes to intimacy between a husband and wife. I also quoted some statistics to him that show practicing such things will only lead to additional problems, mainly the disappointment that comes along when one or both spouses cannot perform up to the level of what is being viewed, or worse, that one of the spouses doesn't compare to the nice looking people being paid on the screen. My conversation with this young man wasn't what broke my heart though. It was what I found in my research of pornography and its effect on our nation and within our churches. 1 out of 3 men in our churches have viewed online pornography. 1 in 5 people in our churches have viewed online pornography. 40% of pastors in America have viewed online pornography. Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, did a survey in 2002 of 1300 pastors, and found 54% had viewed internet pornography within the last year, and 30% had vistited witin the last 30 days. Playboy said one time that 15% of its readers where Christian, personally I believe it is much higher, those were the ones brave enough to confess to it. Whenever there is a Promise Keepers crusade, or other event within a city, pornography rentals in hotels spike during that week. This isn't just a little issue within the fringe of the church, its a major issue that Pastors need to deal with. In 2004 it was reported that over 40 million people in the United States was sexually involved with the internet. It is most definitely the devils newest and most potent toy. I challenge Pastors everywhere to quit ignoring the problem and start dealing with it from the pulpit. I can walk into any church in America, pull out three men randomly, and guarantee that one of them has viewed porn on the internet, and most likely continues to do so. Whether you believe in God or not, or whether you are a Christian or not, pornography has another side, one that seeks to destroy the very fabric of an individual, their moral compass, and the only direction that you will go, is down! Those in the pornography business, and I speak from experience, those in the business will tell you, that what stimulated you in the past, won't always stimulate you. Like a drug, pornogaphy continues to pull a person deeper into its diabolical web, requiring more and more to give you the same high that just a little viewing was able to do before. Its time to recognize that pornography is evil in all its perverseness and must be resisted and exposed!

The Bible's Relevancy

I'm amazed by the relevancy of the Gospel! No matter what 'season' a person may find themselves in, or how drastic the change is in our ever changing world, the Gospel still speaks in a relevant manner to us today. That alone should speak to us of its divine nature. What other book written now or years ago can make that claim? No other book despite the credentials of its author, or the popularity of its message can compare to the Bible's ability to remain relevant in a world taken over by irrelevant thinking. Yet, despite that truth, many in our world today brush off the notion that a book written thousands of years ago, can speak so clearly to their situation and circumstances. Therein lies the task of those who proclaim the Bible's truths. Taking a message that is already relevant, and presenting it in a manner that speaks to the heart of a persons situation. A person that i'm priviledgd to know, Pastor Neil, associate Pastor at our church said it best recently in an email to me, he wrote that being relevant is "touching people where they are and taking them where they need to be". That is not only the purpose of the Bible, but the underlying theme of every message spoken by those who proclaim it's truths. I hope that you, like me, will find the time to open your Bible, (get one if you don't have one) and allow the relevancy of its message, speak to you!