Blog Archives

HAVE A HEART

5/29/2021

We’re still on this Wizard of Oz trip. This is probably the sixth or seventh part to this series that I’ve been writing about. You can go back through some older copies of the enews to see how it all started. You see, although we know the movie as a fantasy/fairy tale, there is much truth to be told from this movie. Though the writer, a Methodist, sought to write about good versus evil, I’m giving it a little extra twist.

As mentioned before, Dorothy was taken up in a whirlwind and found herself transported to the land of Oz. The older you are, the more you see this reality taking place in your own life. Somehow things aren’t like they used to be, 40, 30 or even 20 years ago. It’s as if we too had been transported to this “land of Oz” we now live in. The more we see all that is transpiring in the news of our nation, we realize the world is changing; “we’re not in Kansas anymore.” And we too, find ourselves like Dorothy murmuring the words, “there’s no place like home”, “there’s no place like home…”

So on our way down this yellow-brick road we came across three characters. Last week we talked about the cowardly lion who wanted courage. Today I want to talk about the Tin man who wanted a heart. Hey Oz-man! Give the guy some PASSION!

PASSION
As Rod Stewart sang out in his 1980 hit single: “There's no passion, I need passion, you need passion, we need passion, can't live without passion, won't live without passion, even the president needs passion, everybody I know needs passion, some people die and kill for passion…” The problem with this “passion” that he sings about, it’s a sensual lust for all things sexual.

So the Tin man was off to see the wizard, or more like, off to see “The LOVE Doctor.” He wanted to experience love. Well as we’ve mentioned in the past few weeks, the wizards of OZ are ourselves. Remember, who tells us what to do? Who gives us what we want? We do. We pick and choose who to listen to, what to listen to and we choose how we will respond to any given advice. That’s what freewill does. We weigh out the pros and cons of the different choices and we choose to do what feels best at the time. If we sin, it’s because we wanted to sin. No one forced us but ourselves. If we resist the temptation and the sin, it’s because we weighed out the consequences and chose accordingly. We are the wizards of Oz.

So the question that has baffled philosophers and theologians alike, is, why are we so passionate for the things of the world? Why are we so drawn away from God to do the very things we know we shouldn’t be doing? Even the Apostle Paul cried out in wonder and frustration in Romans 7. Why do we substitute worldly pleasures for the pleasures of God? Sunday mornings reveal our passions; are we at church or doing our own thing? Our fellowship pattern; do we hang out with “the body” or do we find companionship with those of whom are a little more laxed in moral behavior? Our daily devotions; do we rather stay up late watching our favorite shows, sleeping in and skimping or even skipping our quiet time with God?

The Bible has a lot to say about the heart. The NIV has 533 verses with the word heart in it. Philosophers and theologians agree that the heart is where all decisions come from. There are many warnings in the Bible to watch your heart lest you be led astray. Passion is not bad. True passion is from God. He has created us to be passionate about things. We all have passions for different things. In a room of 12 people the personal passions will vary. God wants to use our passions (the things we love to do) for His glory. When we learn to go to God and His word and line up our passions with His, then we can be passionate for the things of God. Left to ourselves, our worldly, sinful and self-seeking desires will kick in and we’ll find ourselves lost in a sea of sensual pursuit and passionate for all the wrong things.

The Tin man wanted a heart. When he gets it, what will he fill it with?

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. –Proverbs 4:23

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COURAGE

5/22/2021

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This is a continuation of our previous weeks…

On this journey along the Yellow Brick Road we came across three types of individuals: The Lion, the Tin man and the Scarecrow. The Lion was looking for courage. The Tin man, a heart. And the Scarecrow, a brain. Courage, wisdom and passion. In the next few weeks we’ll touch on the topics of courage, wisdom and passion and see how the world and self has conformed us into being cowards for godly things, passionate for worldly things and wise in our own eyes.

A Lion without courage? We all know we lack courage in some way or another. I remember reading that humans are not risk takers. Statistically, less than 5% of people live at that tipping point right between the safe and danger zones. And less than 1% are adrenaline junkies, these are the ones that are doing crazy things that make us wonder “why can’t I do that?” The truth of the matter is, when push comes to shove and we find ourselves or our loved ones in a life or death situation courage springs to action.

What makes courage come alive? I believe courage is relative. It springs to life when faced with a particular circumstance. It’s much like saying I would never eat a certain food item. Yet, we say that because we have all the food we want around us. But if we’ve gone a week without food, we may find ourselves eating the very things we were adamant about not eating. Courage works in a similar way. We don’t always act courageously because we don’t see the need to.

The dictionary describes Courage as:

the ability to do something that frightens one.
mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
― Nelson Mandela
In the case of the Lion from the Wizard of Oz, he went to the wizard to find courage. As I mentioned in one of the earlier posts, who are the wizards of Oz? We are. Our self. That’s why in the previous weeks we discussed the three main things that influence our decisions. Left to ourselves we will have no courage. We will always weigh out the circumstances; the pros and cons, profit and loss. We will allow experience and rational thought to predict whether to be courageous or not. And chances are we will take the safe path... the one that leads you through the comfort zones of life.

God knows we are fearful. He understands our weaknesses. That’s why He has given us His Spirit. It is the power of God that works in us to be courageous for godly things. That’s part of the transformation that takes place when we place our faith in Christ. Fearful followers of Jesus became warriors for His kingdom. If left to self, we could do NOTHING. But through Christ we can do all things! Friends, when we allow the three sources of information (empirical, rational and a priori data) previously talked about, to dictate a kingdom lifestyle, we will always fall short. That results in never experiencing anything extraordinary through God. The fourth source (revelation) that we talked about last week, which comes through faith is the way we will experience the full power unleashed from God into our lives. Courage comes from God. The ability to do anything great for the kingdom will require faith and trust that He is who He says He is and that He has you no matter what we think of the outcome.

The bottom line… we are usually courageous and will stand up for our damaged egos, how much more should we stand up for our Master, Lord and Savior, Jesus?

Next week we’ll talk about the Tin Man. Stay tuned!

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Following the Yellow Brick Road

5/15/2021

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A few weeks ago, we started on a journey down this “yellow-brick road.” Like Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz, we have been transported from our “sepia-toned” world of black and white to the technicolored land of Oz where things aren’t as they seem. What was once right is now wrong and what was wrong is now right. And like the rest of our older generational diehards, we are trying to find our way back home.

In an effort to fulfill the great commission to evangelize and make disciples of all nations, it would help to understand the people of today and how they think. Every generation has had its share of struggles. With each generation our worldviews continue to evolve. For many of our older generations, we have a hard time understanding the modern-day culture and the way they make decisions. That said, the younger generation can’t seem to understand the older as well. That’s why a study like this is vitally important.

Last week I mentioned three different forms of information that people base their understandings of truth on. Do you remember them? If you haven’t read the previous posts in the enews, it would be good to go back and see what we’ve already discussed.

Psychology and philosophy both agree that people base their understanding of truth on these three sources of information: empirical data (our five senses tell us what is real), rational data (two plus two always equals four and never five), a priori data (self-consciousness). But there are other influences that also play a part in each of these categories, such as, past experiences, passions, talents, addictions and so forth. Then add sin into the mix and what we have now is a jumbled mess of anything goes and no absolute truths. All the above has been shaping the beliefs of the billions of people that have lived since the beginning of time. When God created man in His image, this is what He gave us so we could make decisions. But you and I know, and I think even the world knows, there must be something more. There is… “Revelation.”

Revelation is the fourth source of information that philosophy nor psychology will admit to. Revelation is supernatural. It is an external, unattached source of information that not everyone has. Revelation is from God and will not come from the world, self or even a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. Revelation is God revealing Himself and the things that are “hidden.” The understanding of God and His word comes through revelation. That’s why a non-believer can read the Bible from cover to cover and conclude it as merely fables and folklore. While others might read it and begin to see their lives transformed. What’s the difference? One reads the words and does not believe it because it does not fit into the three categories of reason, experience or thought. Jesus walking on water, the virgin birth, the stopping of the sun, or a donkey speaking are all irrational. We’ve never seen these things happen before or experienced it and it goes against all rational thought and laws of physics, therefore it cannot be true. However, another person reads it and God “opens their eyes”, then everything begins to make sense. That’s why faith is so important. Hebrews 11:1-3 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Faith takes us beyond human experience and rational understanding. That’s why so many are lost and don’t follow God.

Now that we know these things, we need to be praying for God to open their eyes like He did for us. Face it, if it wasn’t for God opening our eyes, we’d be doing the same things. Which, in reality, we are doing the same things. We’re all enticed by sensual experiences and led away by rational thinking. We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Thanks be to God for the reconciliation that comes through faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit who empowers and guides us to live for His glory. With that, we will continue the great commission, moving forward in love, mercy, grace, patience and understanding.

For more information on reaching this generation, check out this book. Click on the book to see what's inside...

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Happy Mother's Day!!

5/8/2021

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A Mother is a very special person. Just think about this, you would not be here reading this or even known at all if it wasn’t for your mother, the one who birthed you. You’d be nothing; maybe just a thought or a vapor without your mother. You would not exist. Not everyone reading this is a mother but everyone reading this has a mother. Mother’s Day is something for everyone to remember and celebrate. As President Woodrow Wilson said on May 9, 1914 when congress declared the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, “this day has been set aside as a time for public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.''

God created women with the essential responsibility to bear children. Without women there would be no humanity (I guess the same could be said about men, but we’re celebrating Mother’s Day, so just go with this for now, lol). God also created women with the innate ability to nurture, comfort and care deeply for their children. That’s why a mother is so protective. You see it everywhere in the animal kingdom, mother’s having to ward off predators and keep their children from danger. Mothers are usually the teachers and quite often provide for their children. The list of jobs and responsibilities of a mother in the household is quite exhaustive but here are a few: A mother is a cook, counselor, nurse, teacher, maid, chauffer, spiritual advisor, nutritionist, accountant, peacemaker, entertainer, etc. There are so many other roles that our mothers fulfill each and every day.

Motherhood comes in many forms. Not all women bear their own children, but many will adopt or take on the responsibilities to look after and care for other children. We have spiritual mom’s, adoptive moms, friend moms, boss moms, teacher moms and "in-law" moms. The role of motherhood is so great in our society and culture we even have what we call in Hawaii, “hannai” moms. This is when a family “unofficially” adopts a niece or nephew, grand child or child who just needs guidance and they take them in and help raise them. Again, this is all part of the motherly nature that God has designed women to have. You see this in young girls as they grow up playing with dolls. Well, that motherly nature never ends. Motherhood is truly unique and God-given.

So I just wanted to say Happy Mother’s Day to all our respective moms within the KHCN family. We are all truly blessed because of you.

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Reconstructing the modern-day worldview

5/1/2021

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Last week we talked about freewill and how freewill will always do what is best at the time. We make thousands of decisions instantly throughout the day. Such as: What road to take to work. What to eat for breakfast? What to watch on TV? What snack to eat, etc. But what about the bigger decisions, like buying a house, getting married, what job to take, what governmental leaders to vote for, even what clothes to wear for the day or a special occasion. These decisions require more thought and attention. Usually these decisions require weighing out the pros and cons. Unlike the first set of described decisions that we do spontaneously, the second set or type of decisions have a greater impact on our life. The way we make these decisions is much like the way we choose to believe what is right and wrong. Ultimately, everyone uses this type of reasoning to develop their own personal worldviews.

Remember two weeks ago, I mentioned the word “epistemology.” You’ve heard that word before relating to the epistles of Paul (Paul’s letters of “instructions to the church” found in the New Testament). Epistemology is the “theory of knowledge.” Every person alive operates with some sort of epistemology. Every person will resort to some basis of authority for his/her truth claims. In the world of philosophy and psychology, they have concluded that people make decisions based on three different sources of information:

Empirical Data – Also known as Empiricism (sense perception). What a person sees, touches, smells, tastes and hears enables him/her to become aware of the facts of the world. We rely much on these empirical mechanisms to make what is considered to be truth claims about the real world. For instance, we know that fire is hot, and you can get burned from it; why? Because we’ve been burnt before. We often use phrases like, “I was there; I saw it; I know its true.” Much of human awareness of the world comes through empirical data. That’s why it’s hard for people to believe the Bible because they have not experienced it’s truth claims for themselves.

Rational Concepts – Also known as Rationalism. We use this principle throughout the day without realizing it. If someone said two plus two equals five, we instantly know that to be wrong. We have rationally come to the conclusion that two plus two is always four and can never be anything else. Numbers never lie and “numbers make the world go round.” Our bodies function using rhythmic patterns (breathing, heartbeats, electrical impulses in our brain, etc.). Your exact physical location at this moment can be determined by set coordinates. All the information in your computer that you are using to read this enews is being transferred through a series of millions (if not billions) of ones and zeros. All mathematical reasoning is an extension of rational logic. Another example would be: I know we can’t wave our arms fast enough to fly, therefore be careful around high places, you could fall and plunge to your death. That is rational thinking. Jesus walking on water is irrational. That’s why it’s hard to believe the miracles in the Bible and therefore many have a hard time believing the Bible to be true.

A Priori Truth – This source of information can’t be explained, it’s just there. It’s not based on rational or experiential thought but more of intuition and desire. Self-consciousness and moral-consciousness play a big role in how we live our lives. A person may choose not to drink alcohol because of an alcoholic parent. A person can have the idea that guns are bad because of losing a loved one in a shooting. You may be on a diet but eat that chocolate morsel anyway. Why? Because you want it! You know stealing is wrong but if your child is starving to death you will do anything to get your child food even if it requires going against your moral standards. A priori truth can change with the times; it is relative to the surrounding circumstances, driven by self and its never ending desires.

So how do we bring Biblical truth to a world that makes decisions based on these sources? Next week I’ll explain one more source of truth… Revelational truth.

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HAVE A HEART

COURAGE

Following the Yellow Brick Road

Happy Mother's Day!!

Reconstructing the modern-day worldview

KHCN

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