Christians and the Rwandan Massacre

Click on photo to view more. Why were people so enraged???

I was just reading through Psalms 23-37. The Psalmist states so often how the righteous will be protected. God is on the side of those who fear him. God is faithful to bring about good things to those who delight in the Lord. I kept getting hints of Rwanda, the Hutus slashing Tutsi’s mercilessly, knowing that both “tribes” were strongly Christian, mostly evangelical. Where was the power of the gospel in this ethnic strife, and where was it for the previous slaughters and since then? Where is God? So, I found stuff on the web, of course.

Does a conversion to following Christ change the murderous flesh we carry? This is the question posed by J. J. (Dons) Kritzinger, who writes in the Journal Missionalia. How could mobs of Hutus murder people they knew, loved, worshipped with, lived next to and ate with? Rwanda was the most Christian nation of Africa with estimates as high as 85% professing to be Christians. Where were the Christians during the massacre? 800,000 or more Tutsi’s were massacred in just a few days. Why? Why? Why? Are we really sold out to the faithfulness of God and the demands of the gospel to “Rejoice always!”? What would I have done? Would I have fought back, escaped, been hacked to death, preached in the middle? Many Christians stood against the killing, hid victims, stopped bullets for neighbors and preached publicly in those few days against the murderous evil.

Read a thorough, introspective and historical account of the atrocity if you dare, or if you care!

Read about Christian reconciliation stories here!!!! God can bring amazing healing!

After Preaching

I found myself resonating with this poem of George MacDonald’s because of how I feel after most Sunday preaching/teaching. Do any of you preachers/teachers feel the same thing?

O Lord, I have been
talking to the people;

Thought’s wheels have
round me whirled a
fiery zone,

And the recoil of my
words’ airy ripple

My heart unheedful
has puffed up and
blown.

Therefore I cast myself
before Thee prone;

Lay cool hands on my
burning brain, and
press

From my weak heart
the swelling emptiness.

George MacDonald was a nineteenth-century poet, novelist, and preacher.

Love These Stats (and the Bailout)

I love statistics, maps, encyclopedias. I cried one Christmas when Rhonda gave me an unabridged dictionary! So, finding these stats that compare China to the USA was a gold mine. You can get the full wad and compare, compare, compare to your heart’s delight by clicking on this link to mint.com. Now, isn’t this so much more informative and useful than watching old reruns of “Britains Greatest Talent”?

If you want another mint.com fantastic visual of what happened to GM click here.

For a visual of the financial bailout to simplify what all has happened click here.

I’m wondering why Obama doesn’t give the next $35 billion to build some oil production facilities out west where 1.5 Trillion barrels of oil are locked in shale.

or set up three new nuclear power plants.

or give the money to ten steel production companies.

or help the hard working guy who came to our house today because his wife is in pain and they have no money for meds.

or pay for the 25% increase in property taxes those of us in Washington County will experience next year!

Same as When She was Two

Since Lydia was born she has slept in unusual places. She’s fallen asleep behind sofas, on my back, in a backpack, in the back of a van, in her spaghetti, on the toilet (when we were potty training). She came home for Easter weekend and after an early rise at 6:00 a.m. to go to Starbucks by 7:15 and to set up the equipment for worship at Daniel Boone High School, I found her sleeping on the deck in our back yard. Some things never change!

Newsless in JC

Look on the left: A little warped but another way to "stay in touch."

Since February 3rd, 2009, I have not watched the news, tracked my favorite news websites or listened to the radio. I don’t own a TV. I have a My Yahoo top news story tracker, but that’s it. I’m free to listen to books on CD’s in my car, having finished fascintating novels and non-fiction. I’m wondering when Steven James’ novels will be put on CD?? The thought process is less cluttered. My imagination is more free. I’m not so worried or depressed.

But watching the weather? That’s another story. My family thinks I’m the weatherman. Every morning Ellen or Nathan asks: “What’s the weather going to be dad?” And I always know…

Inaugural Heat: Remember Mogadishu!

(This Blog was written on January 20, 2009)

The inauguration was very cold. People were hot on Obama. Wonderful and disturbing. Four years ago, most people were wondering how this young upstart from Illinois became Senator. Obama who? A blip on the political radar. About eight people thought he was Presidential material. And now? Gloating and messianic fervor.

Just like in Jesus’ day people want a human savior. The herd is looking for a quick fix, money to buy the American dream and a continuation of power and comfort. The herd is running hard from the Bush years. I’m not quite sure what the crowd knows about their destination. The speech today was pure platitude, more like Clinton**, promising happy thoughts and brave hearts, and of course, change! Unlike Bush, who put his cards on the table, and tried to outline some definite agenda items, and bored me in the process, Obama sounds like he’s giving us hope, sounds so confident in the future, so sure of a positive outcome. He’s building my faith and at least a million shivering people in DC today. And he might be able to deliver, but first…

• I am praying that Obama unlike Bush gets a lot right in the first few months and no “9-11″ crisis disturbs the progress!
• I will pray that three massive hurricane seasons in a row will not derail his agenda.
• I will pray that the greed and avarice of trillions of trickle-down-economic dollars will not suck him into the power machine of Wall Street.
• I will pray that he understands leadership as the listening ear with a nerve to stand up to the whimpering and pandering of the power hungry, those who use money to oppress others and those who do not understand evil.
• I pray that his agenda includes the protection of the unborn and the dignity and honor of parenting and marriage.
• I pray that his inaugural plea for God’s grace means that he really plans to help ordinary, undeserving people with more than a token amount of the several trillion dollars needed over the next two years of government stimulus.

If Obama can lead this nation, he will have done it with nerve and a non-anxious presence, not with a Messiah’s zeal. Change comes with a price, lots of it, and time, lots of it.  All the answers are yet unkown. His bag of tricks, whatever they are, will be good for about six months, then a reckoning. Be careful what you undo. It may be your undoing, Mr. Obama! I believe you will lead well, you seem sincere and one whose aloofness comes across as a leader with a non-anxious presence. It just might work, but I still believe there is only one true Messiah!

**

Bill Clinton was a young, brilliant politician in ‘92. He had amazing energy and ideas. Do you remember them? NAFTA, welfare reform, health care reform, and a balanced budget?  Yet, what do you remember about the Clinton era? An English lesson on the word “is” and a young female intern. Within a few years, Clinton and many former anti-Reaganites reversed their appraisal of Ronald Reagan to the point where he was seen as a new hero of the 20th century. I was one of them. Within months, Clinton’s ideas lost steam. Having won only  43% and 49% of the popular vote, and never having a friendly congress or senate, Clinton’s claim to fame is going to be his reputation as a womanizer and possibly his $500,000,000.00 (yes, 1/2 Billion!) presidential library containing happy thoughts and platitudes borrowed from a previous President.

Clinton built many bridges to Reagan and laissez faire economics and world politics. Yet, unlike Reagan, he entirely missed the threat of an evil world power, Al Quaeda, and the stubborn refusal of and evil Iraqi dictator to comply with EIGHTEEN U.N. resolutions against it. He defended himself by saying he boldly sent cruise missiles from the South China Sea into Afghanistan, but forgets that he  gave the Army Rangers a new rallying cry, “Remember Mogadishu!” (See another article here on Clinton’s ties to Reagan)

Obama and Clinton continue to praise Reagan even in 2008. Ronald Reagan is seen as a hero on many fronts. I don’t think Bush will deserve that glamorous position, but he will certainly receive much more praise as time wears on.

Funeral

Honored to perform a funeral service for a friend’s ex-wife today. What do I say when I barely knew her?

The family gathered with me at the funeral home. I typed in our conversation about her. Took this morning to put it together. Honored her. Gave the gospel. and Voila… here it is.

Gena, Eugenia Bashor  (49) Funeral: April 8, 2009
Prayer
Father, you are the giver of Life, Creator, You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to be the Savior of the world to all who believe. You have given your Holy Spirit to remind us of your love and grace. Today, as we gather to honor Gena and to hear the good news again of your love to us, send your peace that passes understanding to all who request it. Send a renewed love for life and the freedom that you give. Shower your grace on Shirley, Nelson, Tory, Chase, Dirk, Donna and other dear friends and family. Be their strong fortress in sadness and a light of salvation to guide them safely to you, In Jesus Name, AMEN>
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Gena had a Short life…relatively speaking…30 years shy of the national average. Yet, Gena Embraced life. She was tenderhearted, a freebird, loved her family and a non materialistic person who looked great in second hand clothes! Shirley tells about an event when Gena was little. A little dog ran away, got hit by a car and then lying in a field of grass by the road. She would look at it when they drove by and after quite a few days she told her mother sadly, “Mom, it’s OK. that dog’s going to heaven one bit at a time.”
Gena had a tender streak. She would look at disadvantaged people and would often cry. She Would look under the bridges and try to see where the homeless people. Near the medical center, where a bunch live under the bridges. She and Dirk would eat at Zaxby’s and then see some of the guys under the bridges. Gena wished she could do something. Very aware. Had a big heart.
To most people she Gave them the benefit of the doubt. If someone needed it, she’d give them her last dollar. Helper, servant attitude. When I would go in the store with a problem, she always made it clear we were not a bother and did all she could to make sure we understood we would be taken care of.
A good bargain shopper. Didn’t care about all the fancy, top dollar. Happy with what she had and could stretch five dollars. Wasn’t materialist. Kept herself looking really good and dressed well.
Let’s back up a bit. You’ve seen how beautiful she was in her sweet sixteen photos. Graduated from Hendersonville, TN. A woman named Sarah said she had a flair for doing that interior design, so did it for a summer. Then, Went to Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY for a year, close to Nashville  and Hendersonville, and began her degree in interior design.
Gena Lived in Florida for a while on her own for a year or two after College, adventurous spirit. Free spirit… Maybe this is why her two favorite songs are:
Free Bird, by Lynard Skynard
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on, now,
‘Cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
‘Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can’t change.

Bye, bye, its been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can’t change.
But please don’t take it badly,
‘Cause Lord knows I’m to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you’ll never change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can’t change.
Lord help me, I can’t change.

She started settling down in the 80’s. She got married. she gave birth to Tory, then, eight years later gave birth to Chase. And married again.
Gena had many best friends. Many, many friends. Once she made a friend she meant it and they took it like she meant it, and real friends from then on. Very loyal wherever she met them. Made friends easily cause she was outgoing. Liked to argue just to argue, not to be mean, but to give a hard time.
Tory, chase and she would do this kind of bickering without being mean, and laugh, (and sounded like they would kill each other: Dirk), and then come back after five minutes and it was over. Didn’t hold a grudge, but she was blunt.
You all know that Gena wasn’t a church going person. She went to a Pentecostal Church. And liked it. Probably a little of the free spirit in her resonated with the free spirit in the Pentacostals.
She had some pain in her life. She wondered, as we all do, if this life was all there is. Sometimes, we deal with pain in healthy ways and other times in not so healthy ways.
Wish You Were Here, by Pink Floyd
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war,
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Life threw some curves at Gena. Satan himself was out to get her. “Two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year, running over the same old ground. Same old fears. Wish you were here.”
There were times when Gena wouldn’t know what to say. You’d ask a question, or say something about current events. She would automatically, sometimes painfully say, “You think?” To those close to her they knew she wasn’t ready to answer or couldn’t. Though, at times irritating, it’s one of things they’re going to miss about Gena.
What will you miss the most?
Miss her smile…Mom
Her eyes…Chase
Protective
Fun
She could be sneaky too, Tori. She snuck off all the time to the Thrift store or out the back ‘til the next day.
God’s given us a way to deal with pain. More than anything else, we all get to a point in our lives when we can’t figure it all out or when we can’t handle the circumstances or stress. So, God’s plan is to let someone else deal with it. It’s called “GRACE” and it’s really good news.
The good news is that the pain doesn’t have to cause more pain. There’s been only one perfect person who ever walked this earth. His name is Jesus. He went to the cross to take our pain, our sin and shame. Too often people feel shame and don’t know what to do with it. He felt pain. His whole life people tried to kill or hurt him, but his eyes were only on one thing: to die on the cross to pay the price for our sin and shame because we can’t do it ourselves.
Col. 2:13   When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,  14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Jesus knew that we’d try to self-medicate, sow too many wild oats and get ourselves into jams that can break our momma’s hearts. So, he set it all straight, if we want it. Jesus knew that we’d face economic disaster, relationships that go sour and health problems that break us into tiny pieces.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
This is good news. Too often in churches people are beat up for being imperfect. That’s not good news. That’s bad news. The good news is that God knows there is only one perfect person who ever walked on earth, and his own people crucified him in a horrible, violent, blood bath.
So what’s the point?
Most of you know it’s Easter week. The good news doesn’t stop with us being forgiven. The physical and spiritual life of Jesus was raised from the dead. God proved Jesus was His Son. God did all the work and all we have to do is believe. This is love and grace.
1John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We can’t do anything but believe, and by believing we are saved. He doesn’t promise the perfect life, but he does promise that those who believe will have other forces at work in their lives.
Titus 2:11   For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  13 while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
For many people, belief comes too late. This grace is offered freely today. It’s not a message of shame or telling us how bad we are, or how we’ve screwed up over and over again. God loves us so much that he has taken care of all that. His grace means we are free to be with him forever, and because of belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we can be sure that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. How many people are needlessly and painfully taught the bad news that because they didn’t act like a Christian or go to church or do all the right things God doesn’t love them? Once we put our faith in what God has done in Christ, he instantly seals us to himself forever. Now, that’s good news at a time like this!
Eccl. 3:1   There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,  3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,  4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,  5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,  6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,  7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,  8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
I think it’s a good time to honor the good memories God has given to us in Gena, and to put our faith in what he has done in Christ. I would hope that today you would do both.