Living As Loved - Pastor Marty Walker

cross-pollination...

There was once a farmer who grew award-winning corn. His harvests were known in the farming community as not only the most abundant crops but also the largest cobs grown “ear after ear”. (dedicated to my friend Dirk Mullenger - I apologize to the rest of you; I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity).

As the annual state fair came around he would enter his corn in the various contests where it consistently won a blue ribbon. After winning first prize several years in a row, a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with all his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering in the same competition with your corn each year?” the reporter asked.

“Well now sir, I’ll tell ya’,” said the farmer, “the wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

This farmer is not just aware of, but more importantly he understands how vital the inter-connectedness of life is. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

So it is in many areas of our lives. Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors be at peace, for the value of life is measured be the lives it touches.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow in maturity and unity, we must help our neighbors grow in maturity and unity.

It’s all about CROSS-pollination!!

How can you help those around you reach their God-given potential?

Live your life before others and serve them as they serve you and so many others.

Love each other with a genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (ROMANS 12:10)

where're you sitting...

I ran into someone from the church last Sunday afternoon. Realizing they weren't at our morning service, I commented. "I missed you this morning."

"Well, pastor," the man replied, "I had some gardening to do. I figured it was better to sit in my garden thinking about God than to sit in church thinking about my garden."

Nice!

morality and the economy...

You can't separate the two!

During the seemingly endless build-up to the Iowa caucuses, there was one consistent refrain repeated over and over. It’s like the big lie — the more you keep repeating it, the more people are going to believe it, but it remains a lie.

The lie was simply this: that the political parties have to choose between social issues and economic issues. This year, the media and the party machines are telling us ad nauseam that the only issue that matters is the economy.

So any candidate who wants to win the White House should just shut up about things like marriage, the sanctity of life, religious liberty and those other annoying issues that distract us from focusing on jobs and the economy.

But that’s crazy! Doesn’t anybody get the connection between the social issues and economic issues?

One candidate who does, Rick Santorum had the courage to link the two in a recent Iowa town hall meeting. (And before I go on, please, folks, I’m not endorsing him or anyone. I never do.)

Here’s what Senator Santorum said:

“Yes, [the election is] about growth and the economy, [but] it’s also about what is at the core of our country...faith and family. You can’t have a strong economy, you can’t have limited government if the family is breaking down and we don’t live good, moral, and decent lives.”

Precisely right. And what does he get for his remarks? Backhanded compliments for his showing in Iowa and a stern warning from, among others, the conservative National Review:

Here’s what the National Review wrote online: “In a general election...where the focus is almost certainly going to be on economic issues, it is questionable whether Santorum’s relentless focus on social issues will play well with independent voters, especially in the crucial suburbs.”

Hogwash. If the nation’s current economic crisis has taught us anything, it’s that a healthy economy cannot thrive in the midst of moral breakdown. Ethical failures on Wall Street, Main Street, and Capitol Hill put us into this mess we’re in today, as I’ve said many times before.

But how about some facts? I’ll have the citations for you at BreakPoint.org: Take incarceration rates: something Santorum has alluded to and I’ve seen with my own eyes: “Young men who grow up in homes without fathers are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families.” And “70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes.”

How about education? 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. And children from low-income, two-parent families outperform students from high-income, single-parent families.

I could go on and on.

Do you think that crime rates, incarceration, low educational achievement, out of wedlock births, affect the economy and government spending? Of course they do and the statistics prove this!

If you want a healthy, thriving economy you’ve got to have a strong moral foundation. And any so-called “conservatives” who think otherwise are simply deluding themselves; the two issues simply can’t be separated.

As Christians, we can’t buy into the lie that we can separate economic prosperity from moral behavior. And we can’t be afraid to hold the candidates’ feet to the fire on this issue, either.

Chuck Colson
(he remains a favorite!)

what's your nature...

"If society as a whole seems to be getting darker and darker, it is not the problem of the darkness; the darkness is just acting like its nature.

But it is that the light no longer dispels the darkness, and the salt no longer preserves. It is time for the light to say, 'if things are darker, the problem is with us"

(Foundation of Revival p. 72). Henry Blackaby

gallup-ing along...

As 2011 comes to a close, reviews are being made.

Gallup recently polled (telephone interviews conducted December 15-18, 2011) a random sample of –1,019—adults, (aged 18+, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia) looking for the "MOST Admired Leader."

The question was: What man that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most?

The top five were:

#5 Warren Buffet       2%
#4 Billy Graham           2%
#3 Bill Clinton              2%
#2 George W. Bush       3%
#1 Barack Obama        17%

Couple of things to note: first, the top three are politicians, followed by a businessman and then a servant.

Second, the most admired leader was chosen by ONLY 17%.

The man with the most votes: a guy named, "NONE" he raked-in 32% of those polled. That's right, almost twice as many people couldn't think of someone they admire! WHAT HAPPENED?!

The list is mostly made up of athletes, entertainers, actors, and politicians. Sadly, the only accomplishment of many politicians is getting elected.

I was left wondering, where are the servants? Servant-hearted leaders are in short supply!

The same is true for female leadership, (Hillary Clinton topped the female list (17%) followed by Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama (with 7% and 5%).

http://www.gallup.com/poll/151790/Barack-Obama-Hillary-Clinton-Again-Top-Admired-List.aspx

I had to ask myself, "What have you done to make this list?"

today, i'm sorry...

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

adorable...

We don’t need to sinfully desire love and adoration. We have been so adored by God, whose love would satisfy us more than the admiration of those impressed with us.

This is love: though we rebelliously sought to be like God, God humbled himself and became like us.

merry christmas...

The number of red lights you continue to encounter will always be in direct correlation with how late you are already running.

treat people right...

Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.

not so frustrated...

A new business was opening and one of the owner's friends wanted to send him flowers for the occasion.

They arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card, "Rest in peace." The owner was frustrated and called the florist to complain.

After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how frustrated he was, the florist replied, "Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting frustrated, you should imagine this - somewhere there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying, 'Congratulations on your new location.'"

prepared for thanksgiving...

Shot my first turkey yesterday... scared everyone in the frozen food section.

It was awesome!

Gettin' old is so much fun...

ministry of presence...

Where are you? What are you doing? Are you listening? Paying attention? Stay focused. Stop looking at your phone. Turn it off. Put it away. Be here. Now. In the Present. Be with who you’re with. Talk with them. Live with them. Take some time. Think. Do you understand who you are? What you were called to do? Pause. Take it in. What is your community? Who is your community? What does local mean to you? Do you have a presence? If you church left the community what would happen? Would you have left a mark? Lead in the place you’re called to. Don’t worry about the past. The future will come later. It’s all about now. Here. Go all in. Be rooted. When you’re home, be home. Focus. Look at the big picture. Look at the small pictures. We need your undivided attention.

Ministry of Presence!

don't do it...

Have you ever asked the question, "Why do dogs bite people?"

I'm kinda thinking it has something to do with the way the owners treat man's best friend.

Not sure what it is about people dressing up their dogs, but I have one simple suggestion... DON'T DO IT!

presidential religion...

Everybody's been talking about the comments made by a prominent evangelical pastor who said that presidential candidate Mitt Romney belongs to a cult.

Should Christians vote for a Mormon? Is Mormonism a cult? Let me say right off: These questions are an enormous distraction in an important presidential campaign. The secular media is using the pastor’s comments to paint evangelicals as bigots. The Chicago Tribune is calling this “hate speech.”

I want to say this to every Christian listening to my voice: Let’s stop criticizing candidates for their religious convictions.

And let me make a few things, as my former boss used to say, perfectly clear.

First, there is no religious test for public office. If you don’t believe me, check out the Constitution of the United States, Article VI, Paragraph 3. The public statements of some evangelicals that they wouldn’t vote for Romney because of his Mormonism would cause the Founding Fathers to spin in their graves.

Second, as voters we are to choose the most competent people to be God’s magistrates to do justice, restrain evil, and preserve order. That’s what the Bible calls for. And in our country, where we have the precious liberty of choosing our leaders, we are responsible for picking competent men and women. See Jethro’s advice to Moses in Exodus 18. While choosing men to help him judge the people, Moses was to select first of all competent men. Those men were also to be godly — that is, men of good moral standing and character.

Third, let me answer the question that is causing so much angst. Is the Mormon faith Christian? No. It is not. There are significant and un-reconciled doctrinal differences between Mormonism and Christianity, like the sole sufficiency of Christ and the exclusivity of the Bible.

For me to say there are such differences in not “hate speech.” To deny that there are differences would be disrespectful of the truth claims made by Mormons and degrades my own truth claims. No one in good conscience can do that.

Having said that, there may be no other group of people I appreciate more as co-belligerents than the Mormons. They are stalwarts on life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty issues.

To sum up, I’m with Luther, who reportedly said that he would rather be governed by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian.

Now I’ve never publicly endorsed a candidate, and I’m not doing it now. But I would personally vote for a competent nonbeliever who would protect life, liberty, and marriage, before I would vote for an incompetent Christian--or even a competent one--who would not stand for those overriding moral issues.

Our ultimate decision has to be based on what Augustine taught. We must live obediently in the City of Man as the best of citizens, doing our civic duty, which includes voting responsibly, as a reflection of our primary citizenship in the City of God.

Where does this leave us? Come on: Stop talking about the candidates’ religion. It’s distracting and it marginalizes Christianity in the public debate. Let’s continue instead to work to advance the Kingdom of God and pick, to the best of our ability, a candidate of competence and sound character who will preserve order and promote justice in our land.

(Chuck Colson saying what I've been thinking!)

the 0.2% solution...

Have you ever really crunched the same-sex marriage numbers?

The pressure to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples keeps increasing. The impression is given that thousands upon thousands of gays and lesbians are unable to do the one thing they want to do more than anything else: That is... have a wedding.

As if to prove the point, the US Census Bureau announced that it would be counting same-sex households in the 2010 Census. In August the Bureau announced that there are nearly a million. I was surprised by the small number.

But this past week, they reduced their estimate of same sex couple households by nearly thirty percent. In fact, it turns out that there are fewer than 650,000... that’s about six tenths of one percent of total US households. (yeah, you probably want to read that again.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/us/census-bureau-reduces-estimate-of-same-sex-couple-households.html?_r=2&scp=3&sq=census&st=cse

But an even greater shocker for me was the number of same-sex married households. Gay marriage is legal in six jurisdictions. In Massachusetts, it’s been the law since 2004. Same-sex couples can get married, for example, in Massachusetts and Washington, DC, and live anywhere because nobody’s enforcing DOMA anymore in view of litigation. And yet there are only 131,729 households headed by married same-sex couples. That’s two-tenths of one percent of married households. ...talk about the tail wagging the dog!

This census data exposes the two biggest myths created about gay marriage.

The first is that there’s a huge demand for it. No way! In fact, there’s hardly any demand at all. Gay couples are not lined up at city halls hoping for a marriage license.

The second myth is the so-called “marriage equity” argument: That this is just another the civil rights movement. Are you going to tell me that it was possible to fuel the civil rights movement with 646,000 couples, when only 131,000 had a real stake in it? It’s laughable.

I have never believed that gays wanted to marry. Their behavior by its very nature is promiscuous. Gay relationships are for the most part sexually open rather than exclusive.

For us to redefine marriage thereby altering thousands of years of human history, ignoring all of the benefits marriage offers to individuals, cultures, civilizations and — above all — children, for the sake of 646,000 same-sex households only 131,000 of which are married, it’s madness.

Gays and lesbians don’t want marriage; they want their sexual choices affirmed as normal and moral. And that’s what’s behind the blacklisting, boycotting, and suing anybody who even questions homosexuality. They don’t want anyone telling them that how they live is morally problematic. Gays are actively trying to destroy marriage and will take away our freedom of speech and religion in order to do it.

Does this take the church off the hook? No. For years we have helped deconstruct marriage, winking at cohabitation and allowing easy divorce. We’ve allowed politicians to pass bad divorce laws and to loosen the moral standards surrounding marriage. Now it’s all coming back to haunt us. But our job is to rebuild marriage as a sacred institution and to stand our ground and defend it, come what may, from what appears to be a small, tiny, minority.

Chuck Colson / Breakpoint

a bad situation...

Who we are directly affects how people will respond to us and our thoughts and ideas. People have to trust our character before they trust what we have to say.

Last week Abercrombie & Fitch offered to pay Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino, (of Jersey Shore “fame”) and a few of the other young reality “stars,” to stop wearing their brand of clothes on camera…why? Well, they say it tarnishes their image.

A&F released this press statement:

“We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino’s association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image. … We have also extended this offer to other members of the cast.”

I really love it when somebody I trust gives me a recommendation! Maybe it’s a good new restaurant, possibly a heads up on a good mechanic or plumber, or a classic movie I’ve never seen.

Advertising companies are clearly aware of people’s recommendations. That must be why so many of them pay big bucks for celebrities to endorse their products or services.

It makes sense when you think about it – your company makes a connection with a celebrity (someone the general public likes and trusts). The modern-day “star power” of actors, singers and athletes connected to products and services is everywhere. Advertisers know that if it translates to you having a connection with and trusting their product or service, it’s literally money in the bank!

Can this formula work in reverse as well? What if someone the people don’t like or don’t trust endorses something? Does that make “joe puplic” not want to have anything to do with the product or service? Apparently A&F seem to think so, and they’re willing to put their money behind their beliefs!

When it comes to sharing your faith, you are similar to those celebrity endorsers. If people don’t trust you, they won’t trust what you have to tell them either.

In scripture, God calls this being an ambassador.

Take a look at 2Corinthians 5:11-21

Check out verse 20: “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

The dictionary defines the word ambassador as: “An authorized representative or messenger.”

This might be a good time to ask yourself, as a messenger for God… is there anything I'm doing that would make God want to pay me to stop telling people I am a Christian?

try prayer...

When was the last time you prayed? Really prayed? I know, after I asked “really prayed” you’re probably wondering, what does he mean by prayer anyway?

Prayer is friendship with God.

Imagine prayer as a Facebook post on God’s wall. Or sitting on chat with Him. We need to talk to God often, and in solitude when possible. We will never have pure enough motives, or be good enough, or know enough, or be able to pray “right,” according to “them.” (Whatever “correct” is and whoever “they” are!!)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

What does it really mean to pray all the time? (Without ceasing?!) Is it even possible? I’d like to encourage you with what I have come to call “simple prayer.” Simple prayer is bringing ourselves and all of our needs and circumstances to God in prayer, even if our concerns feel petty and selfish or ordinary. It means telling God how frustrated we are when we’re sitting in traffic, can’t find a parking place or when our co-worker interrupts us, yet again, in a meeting. It means sharing our joys and small pleasures with God in thanks. The burger a-la-carte is three dollars …but the meal deal is just .50¢ more, and you get the large drink, fries, and dessert. Thank God you found that document you thought was lost! Thank you fr this parking space! We just share it all, the good and the bad. When we look at the pages of the Bible, we see this is the way most of the people pray. They complain and celebrate, gloat and weep. You just gotta love David when it comes to exampling a life of prayer.

Try to engage in simple prayer, sharing with God all the events in your life and your feelings about them—your hopes, desires, frustrations, and anger. Share what happened throughout the day, the ups and downs. Try it today for five minutes. (trust me it’s a lot longer than you would think!) It’s totally cathartic. (wow, look up the synonyms for that word and you’ll see what prayer can do for you!) (really, just right click cathartic, so cool!)

Be authentic before him be the real deal! HE KNOWS YOU. Don’t try to present yourself as better or more holy than you feel/know you are; don’t worry that you are self-centered or that you are sharing with God what you already know to be sin. Just share. It’s okay, I have “wants” and I think they are “neeeeds,” God can sort it out!

Even if we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. The Holy Spirit does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. (ROM 8:26)

Here is a sample simple prayer:

God, here I am with you, a jumbled mass of motives.

One moment I adore you, the next I am shaking my fist at you.

I vacillate between hope and despair; all in the same minute.

I am full of faith and full of doubt.

I want the best for others and I am jealous when they get it.

So, God, I will not run from your presence. I will not pretend to be what I am not. Thank you for accepting me with all my contradictions.

Walk with me. Send Your Spirit to remind me, You are with me.

the goldberg brothers...

You've probably never heard of the "inventors" of the automobile air conditioner! It was actually a family affair!

The Goldberg brothers - Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and the youngest of the four Maxmillion - invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner.

On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter.

Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car.

They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately.

The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent.

The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label - The Goldberg Air-Conditioner - on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed.

Now old man Ford was proud of the Ford name, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg's name on two million Ford cars.

They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names would be shown.

And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max on the controls.

argue much...

Deb and I were driving recently several miles down a country road, not saying a word.

An earlier discussion had led to an argument, and neither of us wanted to concede our position.

As we passed a barnyard of mules, I said sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?"

"Yep..." she replied, "In-laws!"

(ladies and gentlemen: the preceding story you just read is not true. the names have been changed to preserve the humor)

Actually I just had a couple of pictures I thought I could use...

My love, I'll miss you while I'm away in Africa!! : )

truckers...

Hey truck'r guy,

I was thinking how a lot of women probably find your mud flaps offensive…

Which is ironic since I presume you placed them on your truck to identify yourself as an eligible “ladies man” with hopes of attracting women…

But then I think perhaps the flaps are meant to weed out the type of women who find them offensive, leaving a pool of potential mates who accept this form of objectification…

Finally a third option occurred to me: perhaps I’m wrong to assume bachelor status… perhaps you’re unhappily married and using the flaps as a passive/aggressive provocation aimed at your spouse.

…then again maybe you just don’t like Yosemite Sam!