Rabbi criticizes religious establishment--film at 11

I find it mystifying, and somewhat frightening, that Jesus’ harshest criticism was reserved for those who apparently had the head knowledge and who appeared to be “living the life”. For all practical purposes, the average Pharisee was deeply religious. He was probably externally righteous in deed, a committed family man and faithful to sacrifice, synagogue and ceremony. And yet, Jesus had more criticism for these than He did for the "tax-collector and sinner".His words in Matthew 23 must have stung a generation that thought that were doing the will of God. But in reality, they had no clue. In their heart of hearts, they really thought they were on the right path. But, despite their knowledge, religious affiliation and religious production, they were on the path to utter destruction.To say that they were passionate is probably an understatement. Their passion was not the issue. Jesus criticized the hypocritical nature of passion. Can you believe that they were even "evangelistic?" On one occasion, Jesus scolded them by saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves" (Matt 23:15). Ouch, that’s gonna leave a mark! According to Jesus’ words, they were trying to make converts and apparently successful (to the demise of the disciple, of course).These Pharisees and religious leaders had zeal. They had knowledge. They had works. But what they were missing was a proper understanding of the heart of God and a proper motivation for service. They were doing it all for the wrong reason. They became self-righteous, programmatic, judgmental and external.I don’t have the authority, knowledge or the wisdom to evaluate our current generation. I can’t even program the DVR properly. But I do have a Bible and a mirror. If Jesus were to “come to dinner,” what would He say? I wonder if Simon learned the lesson when Jesus came to “supper” at his house….

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner ; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied , "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii , and the other fifty. 42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." (Luke 7:36-47)

The song of the redeemed is the song of “Amazing Grace”. May we never forget that sweet sound, that initial joy and where we came from. To paraphrase Delos Miles, evangelism is “one person telling another person where he found bread”. The question for this world is not “do you think you deserve to eat?” The question is, “are you hungry?”

We Can't Put God "Back" in schools

Perhaps you’ve seen the FB group, “Put God back in schools”. To get me wrong, it’s not that I’m opposed to the concept, but I do have a few “issues” with the semantics and purposed methodology.
For one, it makes the assumption that God is not in schools. The reality is, if God is omnipresent. He is everywhere all at the same time. Therefore, we can’t put God back in schools. He is there. There is nowhere that He is not. He was in school long before we ever got there. God doesn’t need an invitation and He doesn’t need to receive instruction. He does what He wants and goes where He pleases. We can’t “put” God anywhere. This would imply that we are God and have manipulative control over Him.

My second issue is the assumption that some people have that we can somehow force America to become a Christian nation “again” or that we can return us to “the good old days” where teachers used to pray or we at least had silent prayer.
The thing to remember is that early education developed from the churches. Even when I was young it was “natural” to mention God or to pray. But remember, we didn’t get that way by force. It was a natural part of who we were as Americans—at that time. No doubt, we have drifted far from our roots, but we can’t get back there by force. Historically, others have tried to force God upon nations. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now (when in Rome don’t do as Constantine did).
That does not mean we should surrender. However, we should evaluate our methodology. There is another way. Jesus reminds the Christian that we are “salt and “light” in a dark world. He said…

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:13-16).

As Christians, we are, by our conversation and our actions, expected to permeate and influence those around us. The movement is grassroots—from the bottom up. That means, in schools, we need Christian administrators, faculty, staff and students. We need believers who are bold, dynamic Christians who live their lives in such a way as to demand a response. Too often, there is not much of a difference between the believer and the unbeliever. Paul wrote about this in Colossians where he said...

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Col 4:5-6).

I’m not suggesting that we do not stand up for our right to formally pray or have the right to carry our Bibles. Those are rights protected by the Constitution. We also have biblical responsibility. On one occasion, the disciples were told that they were not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Their response was, “for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Their response was not, “we have the right to do this and you can’t stop us”. Instead, their response was more like, “we have a fire in our heart and it cannot be quenched”. On another occasion they were beaten for their faith. Historically, all but one of them were martyred.

We can influence our schools not from the top down—but from the bottom up. Imagine a school where… The Christians who worked there loved one another. They did not backbite or gossip, there were no cliques or hierarchies, no angry words or finger pointing. We will never reach the world until we stop fighting each other and instead recognize that we have a much greater enemy who thrives on division. Imagine a school where Christians ministered to the helpless and hurting. Imagine a school where Christ-following students were not concerned about the latest fashion, fitting into the right crowd or playing the latest video game. Instead, these young, dynamic believers were sensitive to needs of others and perhaps reached out to a family in need. This might also be a school where the Christians learned how to hate sin and yet love the sinner by extending grace and love without being judgmental and remembering where they came from. Imagine a place where Christians would also be quick to recognize their imperfections and refuse to turn a blind eye to the destructive power of greed, intolerance, pride, bigotry and prejudice and all the while responding with a heart of love and compassion.

The old bumper sticker has some pretty good theology to offer, “As long as there are tests there will be prayer in schools”. What that means, to me anyways, is that as long as there are Christians who are serious about their faith, God will have a marvelous platform from which to display His mighty power. And, at the same time, even if the school is completely absent of any believers, the Spirit of God will still be in school working His mighty power.
My comments are not in anger or in response to a particular person. And certainly, in no way am I suggesting that I have “arrived” in my faith. I have a long way to go and much to learn. Instead, I just wanted to offer a suggestion that a proper perspective can make all the difference.

Web site!

Our website is up and running--check it out at www.fmsckc.org

Why?

The book of Job is the textbook on suffering. Although Job was a man committed to God, he was not a prophet. He was a layman. He was a husband, father and businessman. He was trying to do the best he could with what he had.
Things were going great for Job. He had the happy family, a successful business, and a few of the perks that life has to offer. Actually, he was pretty well-to-do. Then, he found himself at a cross roads in his life. He lost his children, his business and his own personal health.
The first two chapters explain Job’s situation. Then, the rest of the book of Job deals with his struggle. You and I are able to read his story and to see what is happening “in between the lines.” Job did not have that option of course.
Job lost everything that was dear to him and he suffered greatly. The reaction of his friends--which is sympathy at first--then turns to condemnation. And then finally at the end of the book, God reveals Himself to Job.
Through the entire ordeal, Job has only question. It is the same question that you and I ask when going through difficult times: Why? Why would a loving God allow me to go through suffering and pain?
We’ve all been there. You’ve been working at this same job for 15 years. On this particular day, the boss calls you into his office. You don’t worry, you’ve been here before. In fact, your boss and the folks you work with are more like family than fellow employees.
Something is wrong, though. Your boss looks different today. As you look at his face across the desk, you notice that he is not smiling like usual. He has a very somber and concerned look on his face. Your stomach begins to churn and your forehead begins to break out in a light sweat. You know it’s bad, you just don’t know what.
As he begins to speak, you hear him talking but you almost feel as if you are in a different world. You hear some major words like company merger, profit losses and massive cutbacks. But with great clarity you hear when he says, that this is your last day. You will have to empty your desk, turn in your key and your company truck. He tells you that he is truly sorry and escorts you to the door. In horror and humiliation, you begin the process of gathering your things. You place the last 15 years in a cardboard box and head for home.
You weren’t prepared for this. You’ve been faithful. You were always a hard worker and always on time. You always did what they asked you to do. You think about your family, your kids and the upcoming vacation. Questions like, “How will you tell your family? “How long can you survive without another job?” and “what will you do now?” run through your mind. You go through the rash of emotions, sadness, fear and finally anger. “How could they let you go just like that?”
But there is one main question that continues to haunt you. Why me? Job asked that same question. In fact, he challenged God to a day in court. “If only God knew”, Job thought, “then I would be justified”. In the end, however, Job found that he had been asking the wrong question and seeking the wrong answers.
The Bible reminds us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6)
More than likely you have been, are going, or will one day go through a difficult time. More than likely, our struggle will be nothing in comparison to Job. Remember—you will probably not get the answer to the question, why? However, when all is said and done, it may not be the best question anyway. The best question is not “why” but “who”. The answer to the “who” question is God. God is in control and nothing escapes His notice. Look for His hand and leave the driving to Him.

as one anonymous author wrote:
I asked God for strength, but God gave me difficulties to make me strong
I asked God for wisdom, but God gave me problems to solve
I asked God for prosperity, but God gave me brains and brawn to work.
I asked God for courage, but God gave me danger to overcome
I asked God for love, but God gave me difficult and troubled people to help.
I asked God for favors, but God gave me opportunities
I received nothing I wanted, but later I realized I received everything I needed.

How do you eat your M&M's?

It's an hour any way you look at it. I'm referring to the drive from UCM to Kansas City. To stay away and alert on the way home, I have my iPod and some peanut M&Ms. I Have noticed, however, that I have a peculiar way of eating the M&Ms. I don't just crunch them all.

The first one, I always just crunch. This is just to get ready for my routine. However, after that, in an attempt to maximize my pleasure and prolong the contents, some of them I simply suck off the candy shell and allow the chocolate to melt in my mouth. The colors are irrelevant--although I prefer green. Rarely, although there have been times, I will put two in my mouth at a time. It's too easy to chomp down and it also speeds up the process too much.

Others, I lightly crunch and attempt to gently remove the shell. Finally, others I bite in half and then when I have finished that half, I go for the other. There is no rhyme or reason to the pattern although I would like to do some type of quanitative study--should some want to finance the study.

Anyway, without exeption, the last one of the bag, however, I always just crunch. For some reason, this helps me to provide some closure to the M&M experience.

Confessions of a frustrated father fidgeting with a 5-minute cake in a cup

I was craving something—maybe something chocolate. I researched my options—the fridge, the cabinets, the counter. Nothing. “Hey” I thought, “how about a 5 minute cake in a cup?” The idea sounded great and hey, what’s 5 minutes? Supposedly, you could mix it up in 2 minutes and cook it in the microwave for 3. How cool is that?
I called out to the living room, “hey, do you guys want a cake in a cup?” The only response I heard was a “no thanks” from my son who said he wasn’t interested. He had just had braces put on his teeth and wasn’t really feeling that well. Plus, he had just brushed his teeth using the brand new 3-step process the dentist had just showed him.
I looked up the recipe from the Calvary 88-5 website and after bugging my wife several times to help me find the necessary ingredients, she was kind enough to put everything on the counter. Halfway through my wife came in to make sure that I had not destroyed the kitchen or caused myself bodily harm. “Why are you using a teaspoon” my wife asked? “That’s what the recipe said” I responded defiantly. “I think it’s supposed to be a tablespoon” she said. “Did it actually say teaspoon?” “Actually”, I confessed, looking down with guilt, “it just said T. “Was it a big T or a little t” she questioned. I confessed that I did not know, but really thought that tablespoon would have had a B in it. I’m sure I heard that from Rachael Ray or something. She looked it up and found that it was supposed to be a tablespoon. Rats…she’s always right. My 5 minute cake in a cup response time just doubled.
Now, I had to figure out how to fix my mistake. I made a mess of things, but the mixture in the cup really looked good. I almost thought about eating it without zapping it in the microwave, but I kept thinking about the raw egg I put in there. I put everything away, washed off the tablespoon and put my 5 minute cake in a cup in the microwave for the required 3 minutes. Of course, 20 minutes has gone by but this time. No problem, cake was 2 ½ minutes away.
My daughter came in to the kitchen and asked, “is that mine?” A little frustrated and grumpy, I shot back “I didn’t know you wanted one.” After a little verbal badminton, I decided that I would give her the first one and I began working on cake in a cup number two. I pulled all of the ingredients back out, no help from my wife. However, this time I was ready, tablespoon in hand. I was amazed at the lightning speed at which I worked. I was a professional cake in a cupper now.
Seeing my daughter’s finished product made me want it all the more. I finished all the mixing, washed the tablespoon again and carefully put all of the ingredients back up in the cabinet. I then put cake in a cup number 2 it in the microwave for 3 minutes. I could taste the chocolate, delightfully melting in my mouth. It was just seconds away.
My son came into the kitchen, “hey dad, I think I kind of changed my mind on the cake in a cup”. He had obviously seen the creation I made for his sister. I smiled and said, “I’ve got one just about done”. Now, completely frustrated and famished, I had a bowl of cereal and went to bed.
You may have better luck. Here’s the receipe:

5-Minute Cake in a Cup
(Make sure you use a mug, not a little cup)

T flour

4 T sugar2T cocoa

1 egg

3 T milk

3 T oil

3 T chocolate chips (optional)

small splash of vanilla1 coffee mug

Put dry ingredients in mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla and mix again. Microwave for 3 minutes at 1,000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but won’t spill over. Allow to cool a little, and tip onto a plate if desired or just eat it out of the cup. You could also drizzle some chocolate or caramel syrup over the top and add whipped cream, as well.

Funny Prank?

I used to do morning drive at WBSN (LifeSongs) in New Orleans. I lived on campus at the seminary and could literally walk to the station—and often did. One day, (this was in ‘93), I recorded various elements of the show on a cassette and popped it in the boss’ cassette player. I knew that he always came in at the same time. I had previously recorded news, traffic, weather etc. But, it also included something special. That morning (on the tape anyway), I went on and asked our listeners to participate in the “Wayne Michaels Moped Fund”. I gave a tearful diatribe that indicated that I had to walk to work and the weather was getting bad, so if they could, please consider sending a monetary donation so that I could buy a moped. Not a fancy one, just a modest one.
Immediately, the boss and the engineer ran back to the studio and peered intently through the glass. Naturally, I had the mic on and the red indicator light was on outside. I could see the engineer mouth to the station manager in disbelief, “he’s really doing it”. I was shocked that they did not bust in through the door and tackle me. The Station Manger was in shock and his face was white. His reply was, “I just hope [the owner] is not listening!” He was not immediately enthusiastic with my stunt, but eventually, he did think it was funny.

If you've done a funny prank, please respond and let me know....