Merry Christmas!!

The first to see Jesus here on earth were animals. Those lonely barn animals didn’t know the excitement they would witness that night. The very creator who saw them into the world was now with them in the world. Next came the angels. With them a new star that shown down from above the manger. As they directed the shepherds along that grassy path into town, the lowest of the working-class made their way to see not just a tiny baby, but God Himself. Wise men entered the scene at some point refusing not to see this new King. They brought gifts knowing that they were about to see the Glorious Impossible.

And today, you and I can see this nativity scene through the words God has given in the Bible. We can imagine what the scene must have looked like as the angels were singing “Glory to God in the highest!” We can see the visitors bowing down before a baby boy not quite understanding the impact that this child would have on the world but still in awe of what was taking place.

We can sing “Glory to God in the highest” along with the angels. We can bow before His throne thanking God for this gift of eternity that He granted to us. And unlike our friends who were in the stable, we can see the end. We see that Jesus grew up, performed miracles, died a cruel death, rose from that real death, and now resides in heaven preparing a place for those who believe in Him. Jesus said that those who have not seen but who believe are blessed. Friends, we are blessed! Joy to the world, the Lord has come!

From all of us at Maack Ministries, we wish you the greatest Merry Christmas!

One Year Ago

It was one year ago today that I began writing this thing called a BLOG. It's been a lot of fun writing and I hope you have enjoyed reading the posts.

I looked back at all the posts this last week and noticed there were only 27 of them. I know there's a lot more to living life than 27 topics! So, I'm going to try and cover every single topic this next year...well, maybe not. I'd like to be able to live life a little while writing about it!

Many of the postings this last year were about accountability for Christian leaders in our churches and also for Christians serving in different places such as work, school, church, or an organization. It's very important that we live life biblically in front of people and in secret. I'll have a few more posts about accountability this coming year.

I'll also be writing some fun things. I know you'll enjoy this coming year and I'm looking forward to continue reading the many comments that come in. Keep them coming!

Until next time, keep praying and reading God's Word!

In His Grip!

Near and Nearer

Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law. Yet You are near, O Lord, and all Your commands are true.

Psalm 119:150-151

The psalmist doesn't claim that God makes probelm people disappear. He merely points out that while they are near, so is God. Big problems gain a different perspective when we remember the nearness of a bigger God.

Are You Playing Games?

An interesting question, don’t you think? Not too long ago I received a voicemail from a man who claimed to be a Christian and who thought he was living in a way pleasing to God. He was a leader in his church. The voicemail began with the phrase (paraphrasing), “It appears that you’re playing games with me.” I knew it had to be a lie because the only games I was playing at the time were Solitaire and FreeCell on my computer. The message went on with threats and more nonsense. I have it stored in my media archives right now ready to make available to the public sometime.

A few weeks ago I was playing a game with some friends (don’t panic! Just a board game) and got to thinking about that message. How a person who obviously had no idea what he was talking about would start making accusations and threats with no facts, no evidence, no anything. To me, it showed a lack of spiritual maturity that needed to be worked on in his life. As I began to think more about that, I got to thinking about all of the people who call themselves Christians but in fact, do not live as a Christian should.

Which brings me back to the title question, Are you playing games? A more detailed question would be, Are you playing games with God?

You see, in today’s society, a church-going born-again Christian can get away with a lot. You can use profane language, you can smoke (even on a church campus), you can make threats toward people, you can even say you’re a Christian but go the opposite direction on your morals and values as made popular today. As you do these things (known as sins), you use excuses to yourself that make what you’re doing against God and others just fine.

But God knows everything and He won’t let you get away with anything. Do you remember Psalm 139? It’s one of the best chapters in the Bible revealing how intimate God knows you and me. For a Christian who follows God’s Word, it’s one of the greatest comforts we’re given. To one who is adapting God’s Word to their sinful actions, it’s a nightmare. Part of the chapter reads, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” Guess what, no where! The Bible here even says that God knows what we’re going to say before we even say it! This means that God knows when you’re playing games with Him before you even do it.

The lesson here is simple. Stop playing games in life. Live how the Bible says to live. Love how the Bible says to love. David (Old Testament) several times in His life played games with God, sinned, and regretted it. However, God knew that David was seeking Him and He heard David repent and admit his failings and sins toward God and man. Because of this, God even called David a man after His own heart.

Isn’t that what we should be striving for? A person after God’s own heart? Start today. Forget the talking the talk – it’s cheap. Begin walking the walk, weekly, daily, every minute whether awake or asleep.

When you begin doing this, your guilt will be erased, the excuses you make trying to fit the Bible into your thinking will melt away, and one day when you see Jesus face to face, you’ll hear the words we all long to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In His Grip!

Remembering 9/11

Five years ago today, everything changed. I had set the alarm on my television to wake me up for college and the first images I saw were a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Not being very awake, I thought it was a commercial for some new movie. I quickly realized that it was much more than a movie; it was real life in its worst form. Not much later, I watched as both towers fell on themselves and 3,000 plus people died because of terrorists. Our country was now at war.

I remember getting out of the car at college and making the long walk to the classroom looking up into the sky and not seeing a single plane pass by. Our instructor cancelled class that day and I went into the school library where I saw the news on their televisions. Another student passed by me who had not heard what had happened. I tried to explain to him but it was hard to get the words out.

I watched the news almost constantly for weeks after that. Everything had changed. Television, the airports, people going to churches, the Congress all standing together singing “God Bless America.”

A sign was draped over a nearby building days after the attack in New York that read “We Will Never Forget.” And I haven’t. I’ll never forget the planes crashing into the towers, watching as they crumbled to the ground, seeing people running in blackness to get away from the huge wall of dust, hearing that the Pentagon had been hit, and later finding out that heroes (the first of the War of Terror) had crashed a plane into the ground in Pennsylvania.

I was walking outside after church a few years ago and a lady stopped me to speak. She said that she had purchased one of my CD’s at a concert I had done and she and her husband were driving across the country back to Arizona on September 11, 2001. They had seen the pictures and heard the stories and were deeply hit by the reports as we all were. She said they put in one of my CD’s and listened to the songs for encouragement that day to know we still serve a heavenly Father who is watching over us and taking care of us. She was in tears as she related how the music helped them through the long journey back home.

You see, my ministry is not about me. It’s not even about this blog or the website or the music. It’s about serving a Savior that we can all turn to in our best days and worst. It’s about encouragement for the hurting soul and joy for worshiping the Lord.

I don’t care if you’re a Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, or some other denomination. What matters is that you know that you’ve asked Jesus Christ into your heart and life and that you are living life through Him and His Word, the Bible.

No one knows when we’re going to die. But I have heard the statistics show that one out of every one person now dies! Let 9/11 be a reminder to give your entire life over to Christ; not to a church or a group or pastor, but to the only One who knows when you’ll be leaving this earth for the eternal portion of your life.

If you’re not sure if you’ve called upon Jesus’ name to be saved or you want to know more, I encourage you to go the link below and to get saved. It will the best decision you will ever make. The only ETERNAL decision. And remember that those who are born-again Christians are always

In His Grip!

How To Get Saved - www.maackministries.com/saved.php

An Ugly Church

I was on my way home traveling down the freeway and noticed what had to be the ugliest church I have ever seen. It was mostly brick and looked like it had a brick wall around the parking lot. The color of everything had a bright orange-mustard color to it which could easily make a person sick. There was a steeple on top of a tall part of the church that obviously did not belong there. It was some archaic looking pole that was barely noticeable. Actually, I heard someone else that I know doesn’t go to church actually say about this building that it is “disrespectful” to God.

Whoever chose the color and the steeple obviously had no idea what they were doing. I’m guessing the person who gave the “yes” on the bright orange-mustard was color-blind.

I write this not just to criticize the outside of a building but to show the lack of respect some churches and their leadership have for God and Christianity today. No reasonable person who saw the paint job would stop and check out the church. This look with the awful color and mini steeple represents the lack of interest the church has in its people, services, professionalism, and the worship of the Lord. If they care that little for the outside look, they will care even less for what they do as a church and the amount of love they have for one another.

Remember that as Christians, we are constantly being looked at by the world and they are always looking to point out a fault or mistake. Who we are on the inside is very important. It’s what God says He looks at. What we are on the outside is a representation of how we live and conduct ourselves as Christians. If we show ourselves as ugly with parts of our lives (or buildings) obviously not fitting in with the overall theme, we can easily point people away from Jesus instead of leading souls to Christ and ultimately to heaven. May all the glory go to God!

In His Grip!

For The Glory Of God

As I sat week after week in the middle on the left side of the church and listened to Pastor M.C. speak, I could sense there was something amiss. Many times I would hear the words of a bitter man who gave up his multi-level dream house and a very large income to come be a pastor of a tiny church in Phoenix. He would go on and on about how much money he was making between him and his current wife; how he was known to so many and had power and friends in high places.

In private he would speak of the couple who attended the church, a banker and his wife, and how they had tons of money and wished they would give more to the church. He discussed what other pastors in the community were making for income. He wondered aloud how much better his life would be if certain people at the church would leave and not come back.

One Sunday he began telling of what he had done while preaching the Wednesday before. He became excited telling how he jumped over the front-row pew as he was preaching. Walking back and forth, pounding on the pulpit and shouting were his trademarks.

As I read through the book “It’s Not About Me” by Max Lucado, my mind went back to those days and to this pastor. As the months went on, it became obvious that this man was in it for himself. Everything he did was to reflect on who he was and what he did even taking credit for many things he had no part in.

Lucado points out that the way we live our lives is a reflection on God. Nothing we do here on earth is for you or for me. It’s all for the glory of God. Constantly talking about the large size of a house or how much money someone brings in is pointing people to a person. Wondering aloud how his life would be better is pointing back at the person. Jumping over pews, pounding on a pulpit, or constantly moving distracts people from what the message should be about.

As we live our lives, whether in front of people on a stage or waiting in line to buy groceries, let’s remember that people are watching us and we should be reflecting the glory of God just as if we are a mirror. As John the Baptist said, we are to become less and God is to become greater.

In His Grip!

Happy Independence Day!

As I look out my window, I see a neighborhood of houses, trees, plants, rocks and grass. Towering over all is a mountain with storm clouds just above it in the distant horizon. I can hear people laughing and birds chirping. And all of this is just a small speck of this great land we call the United States of America.

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel around part of the United States and witnessed so many different landscapes. A person could travel from a hot, dry desert into a forest filled with trees reaching hundreds of feet in the air. The next mile could leave you in the middle of the country or riding along side rolling hills. Just the land is spectacular. Then add the animals spotted along the way, old and new buildings, skyscrapers and memorials. I don’t believe there has been a land so blessed by God since the early days of the Israelites.

Earlier today I watch my television as the space shuttle Discovery took off into space, astronauts viewing what few humans will ever see. The world, our country, in full view. A perfect launch from our perspective. The news reported that the shuttle was traveling over five miles every second. Kind of makes the race car drivers seem slow!

In the afternoon, reports starting pouring in that North Korea had launched over five missiles to test them for reasons I don’t even want to think about. It would be a scary story except that our military is fully prepared for any strike against us. We have the best and largest volunteer military in the world. Many have lost their lives defending the lives of others and our nation.

America has fought good fights. We fought for freedom and independence in the late 1700s allowing each person to have the freedom of religion and speech we cherish today. In the 1800s we fought each other family against family to free the slaves and to unite us once again. In the 1900s we fought Germany to overthrow an evil man and his army and to protect the world against his invasion. We fought against Vietnam and Iraq to ensure safety for those in other lands. In the 21st century, we took on the Taliban and terrorist organizations. We fought against Saddam and his troops to free the thousands of persecuted and tortured and to spread the idea of freedom we hold so strongly.

Tonight, many families will gather outside to enjoy the bright sights and loud explosions of fireworks. Not just a great show after dark, but a symbol and reminder of what we have been through. A fun way to gather Americans together as a united front to show the world that we love our freedom, we love our independence, we love the United States.

Americans have a lot to be thankful for. God has blessed us in so many ways. As Christians, let’s remember to thank Him for allowing us the privilege of living in this country and for the price Christ paid to purchase our freedom from the bondage of sin. Our lives are great below and our inheritance awaits us in heaven. Glory, glory, hallelujah…His truth is marching on!


In His Grip!

Comic Humor

Servant/Abusive Leader

Malcolm Webber, writer for the Leadership Letter, recently described the personal characteristics that differentiate between a true servant leader and an abusive leader. Below are some of the thoughts he wrote.

SERVANT LEADERS
Servant leaders are secure in Christ. Consequently, their focus is not themselves but others. These leaders exercise power in constructive ways to serve others. They are more concerned about genuinely contributing to the welfare of their followers than they are about promoting their own dominance, status or prestige. Servant leaders follow biblical principles of truth. Through their example of high moral standards, they develop the moral principles, standards and conduct of their followers. These leaders are realistic in appraising their own abilities and limitations. They learn from criticism rather than being fearful of it, welcoming both positive and negative feedback. They are open to advice, seek accountability, and are willing to have their initial judgments challenged.

Servant leaders are secure in Christ and so do not need the praises of men. Instead, they deliberately avoid the trappings of success, choosing to stay little in their own eyes. Moreover, their followers who have been strengthened in their capacities for responsible thought and initiative, provide critical input to their leader – balancing encouragement with reality (in contrast to the flattery that the abusive leader surrounds himself with) – which may keep him from straying down the wrong path.


ABUSIVE LEADERS
Abusive leaders are insecure. Because of their insecurity, their agendas revolve around themselves. They are characterized by self-absorption, self-protection and self-interest. Abusive leaders exercise power in dominant and authoritarian ways to serve their own interests, to manipulate others for their own purposes and to win at all costs. Although they know how to mouth the right religious slogans related to servanthood, in reality they are preoccupied with "looking out for number one." They use power for personal gain and exercise it in a dominant and controlling manner. The life of the organization revolves around them – not their visions but their persons.

Abusive leaders follow standards if they satisfy their immediate self-interests. They are skilled at managing an impression that what they are doing conforms to what others consider "the right thing to do." They are often excellent communicators and are able to manipulate others to support their personal agendas. Abusive leaders, however, have an inflated sense of their own importance, thrive on attention and admiration from others and shun contrary opinions. They attract and gravitate towards followers who are loyal, affectionate and uncritical. They seek to create loyal supporters and eliminate all dissenters. They are unwilling to have their strategies questioned and expect and even demand that their decisions be accepted without question. Moreover, they will avoid genuine accountability, feeling personally threatened by it.

When an abusive leader succeeds in some organizational endeavor, he is often further confirmed in his central abusive tendencies by the accolades that accompany his accomplishments. If he believes the praises heaped on him, he will be further seduced by delusions of greatness. Each time the admiring crowd shouts its approval of him, the leader’s façade of invincibility is strengthened. There is a mutually-reassuring intoxication as the followers are mesmerized by the leader’s success and the leader is mesmerized by the enraptured adoration of his followers. Image management replaces active, meaningful leadership of the organization.


Below are comparisons of the two types of leaders based on their characteristics.

SERVANT - Secure in Christ.

ABUSIVE - Personally insecure.

SERVANT - Is considerate and concerned for others.
ABUSIVE - Is concerned primarily with himself.

SERVANT - Studies the stress that others are under to help alleviate it if possible.
ABUSIVE - Constantly elicits sympathy for himself over his own stress and hardships.

SERVANT - Willing to discuss his decisions and the reasons for them, unless circumstances do not allow.
ABUSIVE - Interprets questions as personal criticism or disloyalty.

SERVANT - Tries to work with the initially uncooperative, seeing their positive potential.
ABUSIVE - Quickly discards individuals who he perceives will not embrace his vision or conform to his agenda.

SERVANT - Trusting toward people; thinks the best.
ABUSIVE - Suspicious toward people, sometimes to the point of paranoia.

SERVANT - Vulnerability is power.
ABUSIVE - Knowledge is power.

SERVANT - Communicates freely and openly.
ABUSIVE - Withholds or conceals information when it does not suit his purposes.

SERVANT - Responds to problems with prayer and investigation.
ABUSIVE - Responds to problems with anger and accusation.

SERVANT - Responds to failure by taking personal responsibility.
ABUSIVE - Responds to failure by blaming others.

SERVANT - Knows he must earn the support of his followers.
ABUSIVE - Demands unchallenged support.

SERVANT - Welcomes appropriate accountability.
ABUSIVE - Threatened by any attempts at real accountability.

I (Nathan) have read many stories from members of churches and people in leadership positions that have sad stories of leaders being abusive and not servants. It seems to be turning into an epidemic around this country. With abusive leadership, churches may grow but Christians will not. When the example is bad, so too will be the followers.

I was in a church with an abusive pastor which led to wrong decisions, boards going against what the church constitution said and border-line unconstitutional activity. The people became so mesmerized by the pastor that they began doing what was wrong without any thought to it. It was a sad thing. I got out before it got to the point it is now. More and more people thinking and leaving the church.

I as a Christian music leader, always try to lift up others instead of myself. I like to use the talents people have instead of bragging on what I can bring. My leadership is never about money, fame, or power. I want everything and everyone to focus on Jesus Christ and what He has done for us!

If you are a pastor, deacon, trustee, or other leader in a church, school, or any other business, please read through this blog post again and the chart and work on the abusive areas you have used.

We need to have servant leaders, not abusive leaders!

Flag Day 2006

Below is a photo of the United States flag that was seen by Francis Scott Key in 1814 as he wrote our country's national anthem The Star-Spangled Banner. The flag is now located in the Smithsonian American History Museum in Washington, D.C.

Read the words of our Pledge of Allegiance on this Flag Day:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,

And to the Republic for which it stands:

One Nation under God, indivisible,

With Liberty and Justice for all.

Prayer Tip

“We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand” (Isa. 64:8).

This week, practice the prayer of pliability. Instead of focusing on what you want God to do for you, focus on allowing Him to shape your desires until they match His. Accept each situation in your life as His hand shaping your thoughts, character, and longings.

6-6-06

Hey Everyone!

If you hadn't heard yet, today is 6-6-06. The number 666 is the number of the Beast or the Antichrist as seen in the book of Revelation. But, do we need to be concerned about today having those numbers in it? Nope, unless you attend the church I used to attend (inside joke)! The date doesn't mean a thing. So, since the day is just like any other, I've put some trivia below to entertain for the day. Enjoy!


PHOBIA OF THE DAY
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia - fear of the numbers 666.


WORDS TO KNOW
probity \PRO-buh-tee\, noun:
Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness.

perceive \p&r-'sEv\,verb:
To become aware of directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.

pleonasm \PLEE-uh-naz-uhm\, noun:
The use of more words than are necessary to express an idea.


RESTAURANT TO VISIT

Old Chicago - pizza, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, dessert
www.oldchicago.com


BOOK TO READ
Are We Living In The End Times? - book explains the end times prophesy


THE LOST BIBLE
A cowboy lost his Bible while he was mending fences out on the range.Three weeks later, a cow walked up to him carrying the Bible in its mouth.The cowboy couldn't believe his eyes. He took the precious book out of the cow's mouth, raised his eyes heavenward and exclaimed, "It's a miracle!""Not really," said the cow. "Your name is written inside the cover."


STEEPLE
I was watching a television program the other day. One of the main actors was with a group of younger children showing them the old hand game with the church steeple and the people. Unfortunately, she got the hands locked together backwards so when she went through the game, it came out:

Here's the steeple - where's all the people!?

Moral: A steeple doesn't make a church...people who love the Lord and accept Him as their Savior make the church.

Being Blind

Being blind physically is a handicap. Being blind spiritually is a death sentence. Christians today are being spiritually blinded like never before. The source of the blindness can come from school, work, the media, and even church. But one thing is the same in every situation: the blindness occurs because of a false biblical teaching. The Bible says in 1 John 2:18, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.”

Sadly, in the last year I have heard many stories of how people have been blinded by those they thought were God-fearing and people-loving Christians. When we could be close to a world-wide revival, there are those who choose instead to attack. I believe it’s true that the church suffers more from the inside than from the outside world. I’ve seen churches grow in numbers but God is not present because of the blindness that has fallen on the congregation.

Look at what 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says about the days I believe we are now living in:

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…

I know people who have called themselves born-again Christians for decades involved in many of the above activities without a second thought. Worse than that, I know pastors leading churches right now that have fallen into the traps of these sins.

I am not an expert on spiritual blindness but I have personally seen and have even experienced it myself. Only by the power of God was I able to see the truth and walk away from the ungodliness. I received a letter one time after I had stated a case for wrong actions by a pastor. This person was the wife of a deacon in the church. She said she did not care what her pastor did or said as long as he didn’t preach heresy on Sundays. It was an interesting statement because she was hardly in church to hear him preach on Sundays. I have a pretty good feeling that God wouldn’t really like that. He made it clear in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” It sounds like God means business about living completely for Him, not just on Sundays! Another deacon knew that the pastor was doing wrong things but didn’t care because people were coming to the church and there was money in the offering plates.

This is what spiritual blindness can do. It can take a person who may have been living a godly life and turn them completely against the Truth. It takes just one phrase to cause blindness.

There is another person who preached each Sunday in a church. Every Sunday at the end of the service he would tell people how much he loved them. Everyone in the auditorium smiled and knew that their pastor was an honest, true Christian man that they could turn to in a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, the story isn’t that rosy. You see, the man would then complain every possible complaint he had about the people of the church, the building, the low income and more during the week! From what I heard, there was not a day that went by without him complaining about his congregation. So much for the love. 1 Timothy 1:5-11 is paraphrased this way in the Message:

The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. It's true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God.

Spiritual blindness causes people to do things that they would never approve of in the right state-of-mind. Lies are said, gossip is spread, hate mail is sent, threatening voicemails are left. The truth is rejected. This blindness is never meant to lead you to Jesus Christ, it is always meant to lead you away from Him.

Finally, if someone knows the truth, knows things are wrong at a church or Christian organization and continues supporting and endorsing this place, they are living in sin. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.” These people are just as bad as those doing the blinding because they are supporting the unbiblical action.

So, why do I write about this subject? It’s because it is something that is happening today, right now, possibly even to you without you realizing it. Satan is so good at what he does to get us off the straight and narrow path to God that sometimes we don’t even see it until it’s too late. I know this: it’s not something you want to mess around with. If you feel that spiritual blinding is going on, take a look again in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 at what we are to do, “And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” If you know someone who has been blinded and left you hurt, use the words of Jesus Himself while hanging on the cross for your sins in Luke 23:34, "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.'”

Let’s be diligent to stay true to the Christ who set us free by dieing on that cross, living again, and taking away our sins. Make this prayer found in the Psalms become personal to you as you live according to God’s Word:

No one who trusts in You will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. – Psalm 25:3-5

In The Game

Tonight I had the opportunity to go the Arizona Diamondback’s game at Chase Field. The first thing you notice at the ballpark is that there are many distractions. Advertisements everywhere, lit signs that show scores, players photos and stats, announcements, salesmen yelling “cotton candy-lemonade!”, and the list goes on and on and on. It’s almost hard to remember that there’s a baseball game happening down on the field.

And then. . .you look up and just a few rows across from you, a foul ball comes screaming up ready to take revenge on the distracted mind that has been in charge. That foul ball will wake you up!

It’s a great life reminder to get our heads back in the game. There may be many distractions we face but we need to keep our eyes on the prize. Just remember the following two verses:

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)

Bouncing Off

Part of living life for the Lord is telling the truth even when, as a movie line so aptly announces, "You can't handle the truth." I did this in a Christian setting not too long ago. For three months, people were making assumptions based on third or fourth-party gossip. They began telling lies and spreading false rumors. When I got word of what was happening behind my back, I told the truth numerous times. Did anyone care? No. Why? Because the stories that festered for so long that were all completely untrue were the only thing people gave any credit to.

I live in an older neighborhood that has a lot of air traffic. Commercial flights, smaller planes, helicopters, and ground traffic lead to a lot of noise - especially at night. Tonight I stood outside for a little while and noticed that all of these noises were bouncing off of the buildings and walls that were around. A plane passing overhead sounded like it was coming from four different directions. Things bounce off things. There's some scientific formula in there somewhere but I never was that great at science!

That bouncing got me to thinking about the times when I told the truth. Because of the lies and rumors that these people told, when the truth started to come out, they had to take action. So they started making up more things. They came hard at me with words and false accusations that I won't write here. These statements came in letters, e-mails, phone calls, and voice messages all of which I have. Maybe someday I'll post what was written and said. These words were told in anger, rage, and vengeance that I had never seen before. And I thought politics was bad! For the next four months, I was attacked.

These comments get me to the point I'm making here. As I've said, things bounce off of things. However, words sink in. I've never seen anyone who is personally attacked go away with the thoughts that the words just said are nothing. Words hurt.

God knew that people would use their words for wrong reasons so he divinely included these words of warning in the Bible. Take a look at these verses:

Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
-1 Timothy 3:8 (NKJV)

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
-James 3:6 (NKJV)

For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
-1 Peter 3:10 (NKJV)

I hope that these people have learned from their sins and repented. I would hate to see these things continue happening to others.

The simple truth is this: Before you speak or write anything using words, think first and use them to uplift. Then, when the words sink in, they and you will be remembered for good times in life instead of bad times.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
-Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

In His Grip!





www.maackministries.com

We Remember

Today we remember an event that happened in America eleven years ago. It was a terrorist attack that affected 168 people who lost their lives, many who were severely injured, and family and friends who had to cope with the tragedy.

The Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, was a horrific scene of chaos. I remember being home from school that day and seeing the aftermath of it on television through the day.

It is a reminder that our lives can be taken in an instant. This is why we need to know for sure that we’ll be on our way to heaven if a tragic event occurs. If you’re not sure, here is a link on the Maack Ministries website that explains the plan of salvation: Are You Saved?

Today, there is a great memorial site where the building stood. Grassy areas covered with 168 chairs, one for each life taken. There is a shallow area filled with water. A museum is located nearby with the history of the building and those who worked in it. There is still a spray-painted message on the nearby building wall from a rescue team. It’s a very peaceful place and a great place to remember.

I had the opportunity to visit this memorial in Oklahoma City last year for the tenth anniversary of the bombing. Below are some photos I took while at the site.

Oklahoma City National Memorial

What Is Spiritual Abuse? - Part 3

This is the third and final installment of what spiritual abuse is. It is written by Dr. Morris Chapman about a book written on this subject. Following are the four remaining characteristics of spiritual abuse.

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The first three characteristics of a spiritually abusive system were addressed in a previous blog. They are Power-Posturing, Performance Preoccupation, and Unspoken Rules. As in previous posts, I am quoting extensively from the authors of the book, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.

4. Lack of Balance

The fourth characteristic of a spiritually abusive system is an unbalanced approach to living out the truth of the Christian life. This shows itself in two extremes: extreme objectivism and extreme subjectivism.

Extreme Objectivism

The first extreme is an empirical approach to life that elevates objective truth to the exclusion of valid subjective experience. Even though the Holy Spirit’s work might be acknowledged theologically, on a practical level it would be suspect, or denied.

This approach to spirituality creates a spiritual system in which authority is based upon the level of education and intellectual capacity alone, rather than on intimacy with God, obedience and sensitivity to His Spirit. The New Testament says, “Now as [the religious leaders] observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Peter and John’s confidence and authority come from the fact that they had been with Jesus, and they were “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:8).

Extreme Subjectivism

The other manifestation in the lack of balance is seen in an extremely subjective approach to the Christian life. What is true is decided on the basis of feelings and experiences, giving more weight to them than to what the Bible declares.

As with the extreme objective approach, Christians who are highly subjective also have a view of education – most often, that education is bad or unnecessary. There is almost a pride in not being educated, and a disdain for those who are. We must remember that Paul wrote to Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB).

It is important to study the Word of God. And it is good, not bad, to acquire mental tools to handle God’s Word accurately. The guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives will never contradict the Word of God, therefore any “impression” God’s Spirit makes upon our minds and hearts will be in accord with God’s written Word.

Three reasons it is difficult to leave a spiritually abusive system--

The authors state, “People within spiritually abusive systems are wounded and tired. The first four characteristics of spiritual abuse explain why. Now we would like to examine why many find it difficult or impossible to leave, even after the abuse is recognized.”

Because of the focus on performance, things about a spiritual abusive situation may look good to those who have yet to follow a spiritually abusive leader. A system that concentrates upon spiritual abuse acts like a “spiritual magnet” pulling in people who are drawn by several factors, including the potential to join a ‘righteous cause,’ be on the winning side, and/or become the recipients of rewards for being submissive and obedient. However, the system acts like a black hole with spiritual gravity so strong it is very hard for people to get out.

Even information about what is going on within the system can’t get out. If you tell others your growing concerns about the control factors in place, you are then treated as if you are the problem. The following three characteristics of spiritual abuse have been identified by the authors as making spiritual systems difficult to escape.

5. Paranoia

Johnson and Van Vonderen state that “In the spiritual abusive situation, there is a sense, spoken or unspoken, that ‘others will not understand what we’re all about, so let’s not let them know—that way they won’t be able to ridicule or persecute us.’” A silent spirit of paranoia is developed in the situation wherein people are being abused spiritually. Such a mentality builds a strong wall or bunker around the abusive system, isolates the abusers from scrutiny and accountability and makes it more difficult for people to leave. People are misled into thinking the only safety is in the system. Ironically, Jesus and Paul both warned that one of the worst dangers to the flock was from wolves in the house (Matthew 10:16; Acts 20:29-30).

In the utilization of spiritual abuse it is not uncommon for the abuser to focus on, even create, an external enemy in the minds of the abused in order to keep from answering legitimate questions.

6. Misplaced Loyalty

The next characteristic of spiritually abusive systems is that a misplaced sense of loyalty is fostered and even demanded. We’re not talking about loyalty to Christ, but about loyalty to a given organization, church, group, or leader. Because authority is assumed or legislated (and therefore not real) following must be legislated as well. A common way this is accomplished is by setting up a system where disloyalty to or disagreement with the leadership is construed as the same thing as disobeying God.

There are three factors that come into play, leading to a charge of misplaced loyalty, (1) leadership projects a “we alone are right” mentality, (2) leadership uses “scare tactics” to intimidate and/or threaten, and (3) leadership threatens humiliation.

“We Alone are Right”

Those who have given their allegiance to the leaders(s) must remain in the system if they want to be “safe,” and not be viewed as wrong or “backslidden.” The authors counsel that “you need to be in a situation where you can open up your heart and receive what God has to give you.”

Scare Tactics

The authors illustrate what they mean by scare tactics. They state that “not long ago a Christian man made it clear to us that he had separated himself from the world by not fellowshipping with ‘the infidels.’ As we talked, we learned that his definition of ‘infidel’ was not limited to non-Christians. It also included Christians from other denominations, certain Christians from his own denomination, and even Christians from his own church who didn’t think as he did. In fact, we were dismayed to learn that we were also considered ‘infidels’ because we failed to agree with him.” Scare tactics are used in a spiritually abusive setting as spiritual blackmail.

Humiliation

The third method leading to the charge of misplaced loyalty is the threat of humiliation. This is done by publicly shaming, exposing, or threatening to remove people from the group. The authors go on to say, “Unquestionably, there is a place for appropriate church discipline, but in the abusive system, it is the fear of being exposed, humiliated, or removed that insures your proper allegiance and insulate those in authority. You can be “exposed” for asking too many questions, for disobeying the unspoken rules, or for disagreeing with authority.

People are made public examples in order to send a message to those who remain. Others have phone campaigns launched against them to warn their friends and others in the group about how “dangerous” they are.

7. Secretive

Authors Johnson and Van Vonderen state that “when you see people in a religious system being secretive—watch out. People don’t hide what is appropriate; they hide what is inappropriate.” One reason spiritually abusive people are so secret is because they are so image conscious. They can’t live up to their own performance standards, so they have to hide what is real.

The leader’s “condescending, negative view of the laity” is another reason for secrecy. They tell themselves, ‘People are not mature enough to handle truth.’ This is patronizing, at best.

Defensive conspiracies too often develop among the ones being abused. Since it is not alright to talk about problems, people form conspiracies behind closed doors and over the telephone as they try to solve things informally, but nothing gets solved. All the while, building God’s true Kingdom is put on hold.

Conclusion

When these seven characteristics exist in a denomination, church, group, or family, the result will be spiritual abuse. It will be a closed system with rigid boundaries that prevent people from leaving.

The authors conclude the naming of the seven characteristics with the following observation. “We believe one answer lies in the abusive system’s use – or misuse – of Scripture.” They open the following chapter with these words, “Used rightly, the Word of God is a sword, exposing motives of the heart, and a lamp lighting the way for those who follow God.

Misused, it can become nothing more than a club in the hands of those who equate pretending with obedience and silence with peace. If you care to read more, I give you the information needed to order the book from your Christian bookstore. The title of the book is The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen, and published by Bethany House (1991). What I have written draws extensively from the authors themselves and gives you the source for further study. As I have previously stated, I do not agree with every supposition made by the authors. Nevertheless, spiritual abuse is a little known subject, and merits study and better understanding.

http://www.morrischapman.com/article.asp?id=45

What is Spiritual Abuse? - Part 2

Here is a continuation of Part 1 on Spiritual Abuse.

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The authors, Johnson and Van Vonderen, have identified seven (7) of the most common characteristics of the truly abusive system. These characteristics are certain unhealthy dynamics that dictate how people function within spiritual abusive systems.

Spiritual abuse is not so readily recognizable to prevent it from occurring in any denomination, any church, or any para-church organization. In fact, even if individuals in a religious group observed spiritual abuse, most would choose to ignore it for any number of reasons.

1. Power-Posturing

The authors point out that the first characteristic of an abusive religious system is power-posturing. Power-posturing simply means that leaders spend a lot of time focused on their own authority and reminding others of it, as well.

Those who are true leaders demonstrate authority, spiritual power, and credibility by their lives and message. God gives authority, and He does so in the body of Christ to build them, serve them, equip them, and set them free to do God’s agenda – which may or may not coincide with the agenda of the leadership. Matthew 10:1 says, “And having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them authority.”

Leaders to whom God has given authority shepherd the flock and in so doing, set people free. Yet leaders without genuine spiritual authority from God spend a lot of energy posturing about how much authority they have and how much everyone else is supposed to submit to it. The fact that they are eager to place people under them – under their word, under their “authority” – is one easy-to-spot clue that they are operating in their own authority.

2. Performance Preoccupation

In abusive religious systems, leaders are preoccupied with the performance of their members. Obedience and submission are two important words in these systems. Spiritually abusive systems do not foster holiness or obedience to God; they merely accommodate a leader’s distorted interpretation of spirituality and their need for control. In the larger context of spiritual leadership, you will see that it is only appropriate to obey and submit to leadership when their authority is from God and their spirit is consistent with His.

3. Unspoken Rules

Unspoken rules are those that govern unhealthy denominations, churches, other religious organizations, and families, but are not said out loud. Because they are not said out loud, you don’t find out that they are there until you break them. In this setting, if an individual disagrees with the leader, they will never again be trusted and loyalty becomes suspect. Rules like this remain unspoken because examining them in the light of mature dialogue would instantly reveal how illogical, unhealthy, and anti-Christian they are. So silence becomes the fortress wall of protection, shielding the leader’s power position from scrutiny or challenge.

The authors point out that “when you find unspoken rules by breaking them unintentionally, you will then suffer one of two consequences: either neglect (being ignored, overlooked, shunned) or aggressive legalism (questioned, openly censured, asked to leave)…”

In the conservative evangelical church, the spoken word is, “the Bible is the written authority.” In the same denomination, church, or family there may also be an unwritten rule that says, “It is better to be nice than to be honest.” The written rule, the Bible, says in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.”

In this context, now we have a conflict. The written rule says one thing, the unwritten rule another. The question is asked, “If you came from a system where both rules were in operation, which rule won most often? Was honesty suppressed, repressed, or even oppressed? In spiritually abusive groups, even though leaders may insist they stand upon the authority of Scripture, you will not always find Scripture to be considered by those leaders as powerful as the unwritten rules.

The most powerful of all unspoken rules in the abusive system is the “can’t talk” rule. The thinking goes like this, “The real problem cannot be exposed because then it would have to be dealt with and things would have to change; so it must be protected behind walls of silence or by legalistic assault. And if you speak about the problem out loud, you are the problem. Of course, the presupposition for talking about the problem out loud is that the one talking tells the truth and has a genuine concern for the “body” that supersedes personal, ambitious, self-serving goals.

In spiritually abusive systems, there exists a “pretend peace”— the kind mentioned by Jeremiah when he decried, saying, “The prophets say ‘peace, peace’ when there is none.” If what unites us is our pretending to agree, even though we don’t agree, then we have nothing more than pretend peace…, with undercurrents of tension and backbiting.”

The “can’t talk” rule blames the person who talks, and the ensuing punishments pressure questioners into silence. On the other hand, when God’s Spirit draws us together, it is possible to disagree and yet not destroy the sense of God’s presence in our midst, the cooperation of working side by side for the sake of God’s Kingdom, and our very heartbeat for spanning the globe with our witness that “Jesus saves!”

http://www.morrischapman.com/article.asp?id=39

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The next post will contain the final four characteristics of spiritual abuse identified in the book entitled, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse written by Johnson and Van Vonderen and published in 1991 by Bethany House Publishers.

What is Spiritual Abuse? - Part 1

The next three posts will be excerpts taken from Dr. Morris Chapman as he reviews a book entitled The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen. It explains what some of today's pastors and leaders are doing in churches that appear to be biblical leadership but is not and what we need to be looking for if we suspect or feel God telling us that there is something wrong. Here is part 1:

The back cover of the paperback book, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse offers the hope of “breaking free from spiritual enslavement.” The promotional paragraph states that no one should leave church or any other place of shelter and encouragement feeling manipulated or controlled. The authors note that such places can become abusive if spiritual leaders begin to use their authority to meet their needs for importance, power, or spiritual gratification. If successful, they can rob individuals of their joy in Christ.

As with most, if not all books, statements are made with which I disagree, but I do think the topic is a worthy one. Most of the material written herein comes directly from the book. I am simply sharing the primary thesis of the book in the words of the authors. They ask the question, “What is spiritual abuse?” Then they define it.

Spiritual abuse is the mistreatment of a person who is in need of
help, support, or greater spiritual empowerment, with the result
of weakening, undermining, or decreasing that person’s spiritual
empowerment.

The definition is refined with some functional definitions.

* Spiritual abuse can occur when a leader uses his or her spiritual position to control or dominate another person. It often involves overriding the feelings and opinions of another, without regard to what will result in the other person’s state of living, emotions, or spiritual well-being. In this application, power is used to bolster the position or needs of a leader, over and above one who comes to them in need.

* Spiritual abuse can also occur when spirituality is used to make others live up to a “spiritual standard.” This promotes external “spiritual performance,” also without regard to an individual’s actual well-being, or is used as a means of proving a person’s spirituality.

One of the reasons the authors wrote the book is to help both leaders and followers recognize spiritual systems that have become abusive. For those who discover they’ve built a system that’s spiritually abusive – enslaving people to a system, a leader, a standard of performance – Johnson and Van Vonderen offer advice and guidance that can help you change and return to grace.
The apostle Paul wrote:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5.1 NIV).

At the root of the problem of spiritual abuse is having forgotten the incredible price that was paid, in blood, for our freedom in Christ. If you have opportunity to read the book you will discover the biblical examples and scriptural references contained therein.

After showing examples of perpetrators in the Old and New Testaments, the question is asked, “Who are the perpetrators today?” Their answer is, “First, there is the neglect of real needs in favor of the ‘needs’ of authority; then legalism replaces rest in God with demands for spiritual performance. Abuse is perpetrated by people in positions of power.

In Galatians, the teaching of the Judaizers went something like this: “Faith in Jesus is right, and you must have it. But it’s not enough. In order to really find positive standing in God’s eyes, you have to be circumcised.” In other words, false spiritual systems teach that right standing with God depends on what Jesus did, plus those “spiritual” acts that you do.

Legalism is a form of religious perfectionism that focuses on the careful performance and avoidance of certain behaviors. It teaches people to gain a sense of spiritual acceptance based on their performance, instead of accepting it as a gift on the basis of Christ. Living with Jesus as your only true source of life and acceptance is a confrontation to those who seek God’s approval on the basis of their own religious behavior.

If you perform as perpetrators say you must: (1) it will make them look good; (2) their self-righteousness will escape the scrutiny of the cross of Christ as the only means to God’s favor; (3) it will allow them to examine you instead of themselves; (4) they will be able to “boast in” or gain a sense of validation from your religious performance.

In Timothy 6:5 he warns that these erring teachers “suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” They act godly to gain something. “But, Paul says, “godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment (v.6). Have you ever met a contented legalist, a truly restful religious “performer?” There’s no such person.

What are spiritual leaders to do? Protect the flock from legalists who push religious performance as the means to right standing or favor with God. It is not wrong to notice legalism and protect yourself from being abused.

In ending this week’s blog, I quote a conclusion of the authors. “We believe that all of us, as Christians, need to be on guard – not only against specific leaders and systems that throw their spiritual weight (legalism) around, but against the subtle use of “formulas” and doctrines that are so often used to press good people of the faith into conformity with a religious system instead of conformity to Christ.”

http://www.morrischapman.com/article.asp?id=38

Statement for Christ

The following statement was in a note found in the office of a young pastor in Zimbabwe following his martyrdom for his faith in Jesus Christ. It was published in the book The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning. I have worked to live this way and pray that each Christian would strive for the same.


Fellowship of the Unashamed:

I’m part of the following of the unashamed.

I have the Holy Spirit power

The die has been cast.

I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made-I’m a disciple of His.

I will not look back, let up, slow down or be still.

My past is redeemed; my present makes sense; my future is secure.

I’m vanished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity.

I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.

My face is set; my gait is fast, my goal is heaven; my road is narrow; my way rough, my companions are few; my Guide reliable; my mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must go ‘till He comes; give ‘till I drop, speak ‘till all know and work ‘till He stops me.

And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me…my banner will be clear.

Bible Study

Next week I have the opportunity to once again minister for a community of believers. This group meets every Wednesday morning from all over their community. People of different ages and denominations coming from different churches and backgrounds all to study God’s Word, the Bible.

I have played the piano many times for this group and each time I arrive I am welcomed with excitement in their voices that I have returned to play some songs for them again. I don’t play for long but long enough to be a blessing for them and for me.

What I find just as exciting is that after I finish my set and they pray for the time together, people immediately split into groups and start studying the Bible. You can see the joy they have in coming together not to be in a social club or to be entertained but to really dive into God’s Word and to find out more about Jesus and His will for their lives.

I know that there are communities around the United States that participate in this program. They get together once a week to study, meditate, and feed off each other for meanings and instructions from above.

How I wish all Christians would pick up their Bible each day and read through it. A great place to start is the book of John in the New Testament. There are even Bibles online that you can read for free anywhere there is an internet connection.

If you’ve been out of the habit of reading and studying the Bible, try it today. Go to Bible Gateway and give it a try. You’ll soon find that joy in studying God’s Word just like those in the community Bible study.

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:2-5

In His Grip!





www.maackministries.com

Two Churches

Church One:
This church wants more people to attend. To do so, the pastor says to the congregation that he wants to see souls saved. But what he tells insiders is that he wants more money in the offering plate. He works with one person to purchase brand-new equipment for the church that no one even knows how to use. He has blueprints made to build a steeple on a building built decades ago because that is what a church is. No one at the church is to know about it until the plan is already in motion. A video is made showing how much they need to spend money with little attention to actual ministries or changed lives. All brings attention to the church and to the pastor himself.

Church Two:
This church has put something interesting in their constitution. It says that no matter what the income is in the offering plates, the budget for the missionaries that the church supports will never go down and will actually increase. If ever the church gets less income, it is the staff members that will get a pay cut, not the ministries and not the missionaries. They work to not bring attention to themselves but to God and servants around the world.

Both are actual churches I came across while doing an online search and real scenarios that were posted on their sites. Which church is more in tune with God and His will?

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But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

1 Corinthians 5:11

Mouths And Hearts

There are a lot of Christians in this world that say all the right things. They know the right verses to quote, they say "Amen" when appropriate, they praise God with cliches and songs. But what they're saying doesn't reflect what their heart is doing.

Too many times I have seen even church leaders say one thing on Sunday and then do just the opposite on Monday and work on hurting people's lives. People can get up in the morning and read a passage of Scripture that tells them to live a certain way; by the afternoon, they are doing just the opposite.

Isaiah noted this problem among the followers of God in Isaiah 29:13 when the Israelites were doing their best to put on a good front for people. However, their faith was superficial. Centuries later, Jesus quoted this verse from Isaiah in Mark 7:6-7 when He saw people in His time doing the same things.

We have this same problem today. With all of the distractions around us, we can get sidetracked from what's right. A person may have every translation of the Bible in their house and a commentary on each but not look at them and not learn from them. A church can say that God comes first but through decorations or TV's or service broadcasts, they can lose the focus of the ministry, of a true worship of God.

As we continue through this year, let's not just say things that sound good. Let's do things that ARE good. Let's not just honor God with our lips but honor Him with our lives! Let's get the focus off of all the materialism of this world and get back to the faith we hold so strongly in Jesus.

Before any new project that I take on with the ministries whether it be a new CD, website addition, multimedia for the concerts, or anything else, I always pray and ask God if this is what He wants. I look to see if each will be a distraction to the message of Christ or a help to getting His message heard. You can do the same in your life with everything you do. Will this task be glorifying to Christ or am I just telling people it will be?

That's a part of living life for the glory of God! Enjoy life!

In His Grip!

www.maackministries.com

The Old/New Testaments

Have you ever wondered the differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament or how they easily work together? I got this a while ago and thought it was a great and simple explanation of how the Bible works together.

The New Testament is CONTAINED in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is EXPLAINED in the New Testament.

The New Testament is CONCEALED in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is REVEALED in the New Testament.

The New Testament AUTHENTICATES the Old Testament.

The Old Testament ANTICIPATES the New Testament.

The New Testament LIES HIDDEN in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament LIES OPEN in the New Testament.

The Old Testament PREDICTS a Person.

The New Testament PRESENTS that Person.1

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Here’s what was written about the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as paraphrased by The Message:

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another--showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

1 From Food for Thought by Roy Gustafson


In His Grip!





www.maackministries.com

True Respect

There was once a man who went around calling himself a pastor and expecting everyone to do the same even though he never made it clear to anyone they were to address him that way. A person would go up to him and say, “Hello [insert first and last name], how are you today?” Days later, that person would find out that the pastor through gossip had been whining and complaining about him to others because of a lack of respect.

I think back to John 15 when Jesus was sitting with the disciples telling them about the vine and the branches. I’m sure the disciples were trying to figure out why such an important man was spending his time talking about plants. However, it soon became clear that Jesus wasn’t speaking about botany.

Jesus was talking about love and respect for one another. He pointed out that a name does not give you respect, nor does a title. True respect comes from love. That’s why Jesus didn’t say the second greatest commandment is “Love those who have a fancy title because they are deserving of respect.” He said in Matthew 22:39 to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s where respect comes from.

Jesus was in fact not just a man sitting in a field with a few followers, He was God in the flesh. He could have demanded that His followers address Him as “My Lord” or “Son of God” or “Your Greatest Majesty of a Man who ever stepped onto the Planet Earth”. But Jesus knew the names meant nothing if there was no love.

Instead, Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus did just that and He called you and me His friends. Verse 14 goes on to say that we are His friends.

The wrong done in the first paragraph isn’t the person who called the pastor by his first and last name. The wrong was the pastor going to others and demanding respect through a position. We can wonder if he truly had love for those he chose to complain to others about.

Your position and title will never be higher or of more value than that of Jesus. He called us friends and we can call him a friend. Love others like you do yourself, and know that you have respected that person.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
- John 15:9-15 (NIV)

In His Grip,





www.maackministries.com

One Of Those Days

Happy New Year!

In case you hadn’t heard, it’s a new year! If you’re like me, you love new years. It’s a chance once again to work on those resolutions you made 10 years ago. Especially that one about going to the Maack Ministries website everyday – LOL. No, Seriously.

You’ll want to check on the blog this year as I have many things in my head to get out on screen (formerly known as paper). It’s going to be a great year and I want you to be a part of it. I heard recently that much of what makes a good year is attitude. I’ve got a great attitude this year because I have a great God! I hope you do too.

I came across this song recently again that is just perfect to start out each day of this year. I’m so glad that God created music to help us through our struggles and help us get through each moment. Here’s some of the lyrics to the song One Of Those Days below.

Looked out my window to the eastern sky.
Early this morning I saw the sunrise.
It once again reminded me to kneel down and pray,
To thank the Lord for giving me another day.

It’s one of those days, one more day along the way,
Another day to give the Lord all of my praise.
Got another opportunity to testify, I’m saved and sanctified.
What a happy day it’s one of those days.

Phil Cross/Cameronhill Music/Chris White Music/BMI

I pray that you have one of those days today!

In His Grip!





www.maackministries.com