Who Cares?

Yesterday at the Ministry Center I met a woman who was kind enough to share with me some of her ideas of how to generate more community interest in what we’re doing. She told me that despite all of my efforts to publicize what we’re doing here that word of mouth is still by far the best method, and that the key was to get people in the door with free food/stuff in order to have the opportunity to talk to them for a few moments. I understand that what she’s saying is correct, but at the same time it made me wonder if given the scope of the problem in the community, wouldn’t  a certain percentage of them be motivated to seek out any help available to them in ending their addiction?

I thought about my own circumstances for a moment, I am overweight but I don’t feel as though it’s primarily because what I eat is so wrong,instead I chalk it up mostly to my sedentary lifestyle.  I believe that what I need is someone who’s passion is health and fitness to assist me in engaging in an effective program to slowly guide me back towards a more healthful body weight, perhaps improve my joint flexibility,and improve my overall physical wellbeing. If someone were to open up a “center” where people made themselves available to others  free of charge I would love it! I think that I’d be there at least a couple of times a week and that I’d also have no problem financially supporting such an enterprise by my freely given donations.

The more I thought about it the more similarities I began to see between this scenario and what I’m trying to do. In order to be succesful with physical re-conditioning one of the most important things to be mindful of is that especially at first you’ve got to make it a pleasurable experience for people. If you try to push people or expect to much from them too quickly, or come on too strong you’ll probably end up hurting them, and that’s what makes people want to quit! By enabling them to experience as many of the benifits of working their physique and as little of the pain as possible you stand a lot better chance of being sucessful in the long term with them. Of course there’s going to have to be discomfort involved at some point, but to really be a help to people who are in the process of change we need to do what we can to help manage ”the pain” with them. Slow them down when they want to move too fast or when they set their expectations too high, be patient with them during times of slow or no progress,our unconditional support is critical to them when they’re facing obstacles we may not fully understand. And yes, even give them the tough love treatment when it’s called for.

No doubt about it, someday I want to have a ministry like this at the Outreach Center, I’d be the first in line!

Which brings me to my next “revelation”…What is a ministry? I think that  “ministry” is a word we use to describe our response to Gods love for us “back to” God and to others. It’s something we do because it brings us a sense of  fulfillment which only comes from being a part of that flow that happens when we correctly use the gifts God has given us. It’s something we share with others because it’s our passion, it’s the axis or hub that our spinning world is centered on. It provides us with a perspective or a point of reference by which all other things can be prioritized under or compared to.

It’s our answer!

In the end, it’s really not a matter of “who cares”, everybody cares when it’s their own fat that’s in the fire or their pretty baby that’s in trouble; perhaps instead it’s more a question of  “who dares” to have the audacity to believe that love truly is the answer…

I recently discovered this quote which is credited to the renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow,

“When all you have is a hammer,everything begins to look like a nail”

Maybe that’s true, after all Jesus fixed everything with three nails, and a whole lotta love!

Don’t Look Down!

Have you ever, in the middle of a project or whatever, looked around and suddenly realized that what you were doing was something that others might not understand or that they may see as being a little bit “out there” ? In the following picture and verse’s  Peter is literally “out there”!

Matthew 14:28-31

²⁸And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Jesus responded to Peter’s request, He told him to “Come!” and that was enough for Peter to get out of the boat and begin walking on water towards Him. But because of Peter’s inability to remain focused on Jesus, he allowed his doubt’s to bring him down. Anytime we step out of our own “personal boat” or out of our comfort zone, we can expect to be bombarded by our fear’s.  I can only imagine how Peter might of felt, maybe he stepped out of the boat and was blown sideways by the wind.  Perhaps he had been looking for a way to distinguish himself from the other disciples in Jesus’ eye’s but was unprepared for the “adversity” he encountered. Peter had no way of anticipating or fully understanding what would be required of him or how difficult it would be to overcome his fears and die to his doubts.

From the moment anyone is born again or “born to the Spirit” a process is begun. A work referred to as sanctification; which is to be set apart, to be changed from what it is we start out as into what we are to become in Christ. To mature and grow spiritually, It’s forward progress moves in lockstep with our willingness and our ability to disregard the stifling worldly doubts and fears we all have and instead walk in faith.

In the past week as I’ve been going about the work of the Outreach Center; I was compelled to study what Gods word tells us about the life of Peter. Many of the stories of Peter in the gospels have to do with his spiritual immaturity or with his humanity; it was Peter who had the audacity to rebuke Jesus and who was in return rebuked by Him so sternly,

“Get behind Me Satan!” (OUCH!)

Of all the awkward moments that Peter experienced, the one that was most life changing occurred immediately after he had denied Christ for the third time, when that rooster crowed and his eye’s met Jesus’ It was then that he understood the extent of his own pretenses.  There that he found the courage to contrast the superficiality or “half measures” of his own efforts to the full measure of devotion he had witnessed in Christ. In that instant he was struck full on by what it means to love.  In his moment of clarity he comes to a full understanding of his own brokenness, of his own wretchedness, and of his own hopeless state.

Matthew 22:61-62

⁶¹And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

⁶²And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Peter truly came to understand what it means to be humbled before the Lord in a way that few if any today can claim to share. And while that surely was a profoundly painful experience for him it  served a great purpose. Peter wouldn’t see Jesus again until three days later when He appeared to the disciples in the upper room and although it had only been three days I believe Peter had matured considerably as a result of what he had been through. Then, on the shore of the sea of Tiberius, Peter, ever the zealous disciple jumped out of the boat and swam to Christ who was waiting on the shore where they shared a meal and afterward Jesus gives Peter the “third degree”.

Matthew 21:17

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

In my estimation, this conversation between Jesus and Peter is a final exam of sorts. Peter hasn’t merely learned to love, it’s become as essential and natural to him as it is for him to breath! Jesus’ final instruction for Peter to “Feed My Sheep” is a critical further illustration of the cause and effect relationship which should result from that love.

This was our first week of being open at the Outreach Center, at times I’ve had to deal with my own doubts about the rationality of what I’m doing, or with my own sensitivities as to what I’m trying to do being perceived by some as being “out there”. Like Peter, I’m in the process of growth, of dealing with various things. There’s my pride issues and my fear of asking people for help because of their possible rejection, and my tendency to take that too personally. That’s a lot of stuff to deal with and there’s no quick fix here, but I’ve found that it’s much easier to consume it if you break it down into smaller pieces; day by day I put one foot in front of the other and just move in the direction God has given me grace to go. Like other things in my life that I’ve had to overcome, my success has been a product of  my ability to look my fears in the eyes, and so based on that I must remember,

“Don’t look Down!”

Who’s To Say?

I’m big on remembering quips, quotes, “sayings”, or expressions. Recently I was reminded of this one:

“Who’s to say that the rantings of a madman aren’t actually the clear vision of the only sane man left.”

That got me to thinking about how I see the issues of depression and anxiety. Among the various therapies and methods of helping people who complain of these symptoms, one strategy is to help them to “move on.” Another is to help them sort out why what they’re feeling is perhaps irrational.  Depression is primarily a reaction to loss, one of it’s most common symptoms is hopelessness. Can I honestly try to sell people on the idea that there are sufficient reasons to be hopeful in this world? Anxiety is a high energy emotion that’s based in fear. There are indeed a lot of scary things in this world that can happen to people that we’re powerless to stop. What advice can I possibly offer anyone that can truly nullify this prospect?

Please understand that I’m not attempting to make any definitive statements about helping people with emotional problems, I’m only examining the “reality of perception” people seem to operate in.

What I’m talking about here are average people who’ve suffered belief system crashes that left them traumatized and erroneously conditioned to react with anxiety and depression out of a perceived necessity for self preservation.

What if anything can I say? Explaining to people that their perceived need to hold onto the “self” and that their own realization of their powerlessness in controlling circumstances are at the root of their depression and anxiety?

Sure, but what will I do with the other 45 minutes?

In the absence of having God in our lives we tend to stand in for Him and do the job ourselves, and it is rough territory!

Have you got all of the bases covered? What if,what if, what if?

“I’m such a failure, I couldn’t control the circumstances of my life completely, I should just give up!”

Can you see what I mean about “who’s to say” yet?

If I told you everything bad that was going to happen to you for the rest of your life how do you think you’d handle it?

I think most people might resemble the “mad man” I referred to previously.

What if instead, I showed you in Gods word that while you may go through all of the things in your life I previously mentioned, that not only would everything work out great in the end but that you would have peace available to you in the midst of all of it. Would that calm you down? Would it allow you to see the events and circumstances of your life from the perspective of what you gained from them instead of what you’ve lost?

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad. (NKJV)

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

“Anxiety disorders, like many other conditions, are an example of normal responses that appear at inappropriate times”.

Faced with everything that’s going on in this world we live in and all of the personal challenges that each of us are going through everyday, I guess what I’m wondering is what would constitute justifiable grounds for depression and anxiety?

Although I’ve perhaps got grounds to, I don’t feel depressed or anxious about my personal situation, nor do I feel that way about the future of our world. But I can absolutely understand how someone who doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or someone who doesn’t know Him as their Savior might! Some people may think I’m wrong not to be “overly concerned” but then, who’s to say right?

Stitches In Time…

Hello! My name is Jeff Brown and I’m with the Vineyard Ministry fellowship and Outreach Center in Doniphan,Mo. We’ve rented the old Ben Franklin building on Washington St. and we’re in the process of establishing an ongoing ministry there centered around supporting people with drug and alcohol addictions in their efforts to find deliverance by establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ. As God allows we’d also like to expand into other areas including couples counseling and helping people dealing with depression. I’d like to tell you why I feel as though this is a vitally important undertaking, and why I feel as though it’s something that all of us should be concerned with.

Most of us are familiar with the expression “A stitch in time saves nine” It simply means that to deal with things now can prevent a small problem from becoming a big problem later. A stitch in time can save nine, it may even save 900,or even 9000, depending on it’s location the impact of that one stitch can be huge!   My parents were divorced when I was nine, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that my mother confided in me that the problems they had in their marriage were in fact actually very minor. I’m left to wonder what kind of a difference “a stitch in time” might of made to everyone in my family.

Some people have misconceptions about counseling or psychology and when they hear either term concerns arise as to their real value or even if they’re something the church should be involved with at all. This is a valid concern because some of what secular psychology has to offer is in contradiction to basic Christian beliefs.  It’s important that we  understand where the two part ways and stick to what Gods word teaches.

As an example, a few years later when I was twelve I was caught selling drugs at my Jr. High school. One of the results of that was my being referred to a psychologist for counseling, I met a wonderful man who I know cared a great deal about me and who I’m sure would’ve done anything to help me. I’m not saying he didn’t help me at all, perhaps he may of kept me from careening off of some precipice but despite seeing him continuously for several years I continued to us drugs. He simply didn’t know how to reach me, and despite all of his endeavors to rebuild my shattered self esteem I believe they failed because I simply wasn’t buying the idea of my being worth loving. His therapy fell short because it’s success hinged on my acceptance of something my worldly perceptions showed me to be false. Would it have made a difference if he had shown me in Gods word that it was because of His great love for me that God had sent His son to die for all of the things I hated so much about myself ? I can only speculate as to the different effect it might of had if he would’ve told me that God had a wonderful plan for my life and that He  wanted to have a personal relationship with me.  If, instead of trying to convince me to love myself despite the mess I was, he would’ve helped me to see how much I was already loved, and encouraged me to allow Jesus into my heart what a difference it might’ve made!

When I’m counseling a young couple with marital problems I think about my own parents and what I wish someone might have told them about the far reaching ramifications of what they’re contemplating.

When I talk to a young man struggling with his identity who has chosen to hide who he really is behind drugs I can tell him about where that took me and help him to understand that there’s a much better choice available to him.

All of my years of people watching have taught me something important and that is, “Where people are concerned, things are seldom what they seem”. Peoples outward behaviors seldom reflect their true feeling’s or tell the real story of what’s happening on the inside. And while that may sound complicated it’s really as simple as understanding that every one of us is just trying to be loved! And because we may never have experienced what that truly means I think that I can say without any qualification that it is without a doubt the most confusing aspect of life and that it’s the primary cause of all of mans problems. Following a trail of lies left by our enemy we’re drawn into a myriad of dead end streets strewn with broken glass and other garbage that we’re willing to ignore if we believe that in doing so it might bring us this elusive prize. We seek it out in substances like drugs and alcohol, dysfunctional human relationships, of course material possessions, all of which have the habit of leaving us empty and unfulfilled, some of which leave us dead.

I want people to know that God loves them!

As I see it, there are only two kinds of people. Those who have been greatly blessed by the presence of mentoring relationships in their lives and those who have greatly suffered as a result of not having them. If you’re in the first category, It honors the memory of that person who helped you to “pay it forward”and be that person in another s life.  If you’re the latter, it’s a sacred thing to reach out to people in an effort to keep someone else from making the same bad choices you did and perhaps from suffering the same consequences.

What has God done for you? What barriers did He have to patiently wait for your consent to remove from your life even while it caused Him so much pain to watch as you needlessly suffered?

The story of God and man is a story of love and of redemption; it’s a story of a creator and His rebellious creation and the extraordinary lengths that He’s willing to go to reach them.  In Gods word He goes into detail as to the lengths He’s willing to go to in showing us His love.

John 3:16-17

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

I purposely included the 17^th verse, because it breaks down any excuses I could possibly have to not be doing something to reach out to a world in bondage to ignorance, pain, and evil, with the love, redemption, and deliverance of Christ! When we choose to see ourselves and others as God see’s us, with compassion, it’s then that we can begin to understand the life changing power of Gods love and it’s there that we can be “convinced” as the reality of what Paul stated in his epistle to the Romans.

Romans 8:38-39

³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I’ve said all of this in an attempt to explain to you why I’m doing what I’m doing but most importantly, I’m saying it out of my own personal gratitude for what’s been done for me! Many people considered me a lost cause; they saw me as a no good drug addict and told me I’d never amount to much. But praise God it was a loving savior who spoke truth into my life and made me see the lies of the enemy and all of the weapons which were formed against me, It was Jesus who reached out a hand to me and showed me my own self as He saw me, Who lifted me up out of the broken glass and garbage I was in and gave me hope and faith that because of His love for me those weapons would not continue to prosper against me, that I was somebody very special in Christ, because of His love for me!

What, if anything, could I ever do in return to show my gratitude or to show how much I love the Lord?

Matthew 25:35-40

³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

If we as the church are to have the impact on this world that God has called us to we’re going to have to make some stitches where people are injured and bind up some wounds to heal the brokenhearted. We must do it now while we still have the opportunity,  in time for it to make a difference. I’m asking you to join us in this undertaking, that it might become an overtaking victory for the sake of Gods kingdom and in the name of Jesus The Christ!

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised

Matthew 16:19

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Ezekiel 34:16

I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

Something About Faith

If asked, many Christians can to some extent explain the basis for their faith. What they say may seem intangible,because it is by nature “unprovable”, but in their hearts, it is fact. They’ve never seen the Red Sea part, or manna fall from heaven. Never seen a blind man given sight or watched an altar be consumed by fire. What they’ve seen are very personal revelations of God in their lives, an answered prayer or an unexplainable peace in a time of trouble. A timely blessing or provision of some kind but nothing that couldn’t be perhaps explained otherwise by someone with a mind to.

John 20:29

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Faith is an interesting thing in that the more of it you have, the less of it you need. Faith brings such abundance into our lives that we see the substance of it manifested, and furthermore, we know that based on the faithfulness of our God that His provision having been seen in both the past and the present is tantamount to proof of it in the future.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The story of the prodigal son is the story of man. Who left his first estate to wander in rebellion and ultimately found himself in squalor.  Upon his return, he sought only to be a servant considering himself unworthy, but instead his father welcomed him back as a son with great joy!  It’s our knowing who we are in Christ and that the Father isn’t mad at us, and mostly that we are still loved that form the crucial basis for practically everything about us! Our faith is simply the acting out of these beliefs!

I’m saddened that so many Christians have instead chosen to continue on as the servant. Don’t misunderstand me, I am a servant as well, but the relationship I’m lamenting is one which denies our real identity and birthright.  Paul described himself as being a “bond servant” which is someone who serves out of love, not obligation!  Christian people who serve under a feeling of unworthiness or  condemnation will seldom ask of the Father the things that a son would because they don’t believe they’re entitled to ask let alone to receive them. Faith rests on the knowledge that we ARE entitled not only to ask but to receive all good gifts and blessings from the Father through our adoption as sons which was the purpose of Christs work on the cross!

At this time of the year, and in this economy, most of us are thankful to have a few presents under the tree. Why is it that we have sold so short Gods gifts and his intentions toward us? Perhaps we’re not expecting anything great from Him this year.  I believe He wants us to pray for peoples healing’s, and for all blessings, not as “beggars” but as representatives of the reality of His love in this world!

I was inspired to write this message by the reality of it’s truth in my own life and circumstances. As we’ve continued on in our ministerial endeavor Gods purpose and provision continues to unfold before us in some very amazing ways.  It’s encouraged me to experience more and more of what God has for me, and wants to do through me! There truly is “something about faith” that lifts us up out of this fallen world and into an unimaginable world of possibility which is made possible merely because we believe that it is so!