A Matter of Trust

There’s a well-known story involving Dutch holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom (pictured here) about the power of forgiveness. Shortly after being freed from a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie spoke about that experience at a church in Munich, Germany. A former camp guard that Corrie recognized approached her, extended his hand and asked for her forgiveness. Corrie struggled at first while she stood face-to-face with one of her former captors. Finally, Corrie shook the man’s hand and in her own words: “I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then.”

A few years ago, I experienced a forgiveness test at a revival meeting in the Minneapolis area. Around the time the preacher talked about forgiving others, I noticed a familiar-looking man leaning up against the wall. It turned out to be my former best friend whom I hadn’t seen in over a decade. “Stephen” betrayed me by getting into an adulterous relationship with my then-wife who separated from me and subsequently filed for divorce. Immediately, I reminded the Lord of my forgiving Stephen but had a feeling we would end up talking that night.

After responding to an altar call and doing some “carpet time”, I went to use the bathroom. Sure enough, Stephen was also in there. He asked to speak with me, and we moved out to the lobby. After a few minutes passed without him mentioning my ex-wife, I went ahead and told Stephen I had forgiven him for betraying me. He thanked me but didn’t apologize or say anything that sounded like genuine remorse. Stephen said something about contacting my ex-wife’s father again. He also wanted to stay in touch with me through the Internet. Although I later showed him my website on my laptop, I didn’t have peace about giving him my email address.  

Sometimes boundaries need to be set when a professing Christian breach their trust. Even Jesus didn’t have blind faith in people. John 2:24 (NLT) says, “But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature.” While we are to believe the best of every person (1 Corinthians 13:7), it’s unfortunate when a lifetime of trust gets broken in seconds.

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” - Psalm 118:8

Mind Your Own Business

The Lord once gave me a vision of a minister I know who was covered in black clothing like a ninja. I shared this with a friend who also knows this minister. We agreed the meaning of this vision was this man being covered in deception because of not being accountable to others. 

However, being accountable doesn’t mean we must allow everyone to speak into our lives anytime they please. Yesterday I went out for breakfast with a group of men following a Bible study. One of them started offering suggestions I didn’t ask for. First, he urged me to find a helpmate and wanted to take me to his church because of the many single women there. He also kept asking how I support myself and talked about other ministries fundraising. Yet one of my rules as a minister is to avoid asking people for money.

Years ago a former co-worker of mine had a habit of sending me messages laced with unsolicited advice. In one email, he quoted 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (“If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat”) suggesting I’m in sin for not holding down a regular 40 hour/week job instead of traveling doing the Lord’s work. I replied by suggesting he read the very next verse. The Apostle Paul also comes against busybodies or as the New Living Translation says, “meddling in other people’s business.” One definition of meddle is “touch or handle something without permission.”

There is a difference between rebuking someone living in sin and simply giving someone our opinion. We should always be open to godly correction. Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.” But some people need to learn not to continuously overstep another person’s boundaries (especially on Facebook). It’s just plain rude!

When I’m out evangelizing, some sinners don’t want to hear the gospel. Even though God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), I have to back off when someone doesn’t want to get saved. God will not override another person’s will. One type of advice I particularly find annoying is when religious folk tell me how I should evangelize (such as never going out alone) but they won’t obey the Great Commission themselves!

Getting back to my former co-worker, I explained to him that what may not be the right way for him may be the right way for me. Finally, I had to stop communicating with this man because he repeatedly tried to get in the last word. Even Jesus sometimes walked away from the Pharisees when they continually harassed Him. 

It’s often been said opinions are like armpits…everyone has them and some of them stink. Christians would be wise to stop and pray first before telling anybody what he or she should do. Even a minister can unwittingly be used as a tool of Satan by misleading another believer down a destructive path. In 1 Kings 13, there’s an account of a prophet who gave direction supposedly from an angel that led another prophet to disobey the Lord and later got killed by a lion.

We are ultimately responsible for carrying out God’s plan for our lives, not someone else’s.

“If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.” - 1 Peter 4:15 (NLT)

I’m 55

Today I turn 55 years old. It’s almost hard to believe some places now consider me a senior citizen. At least this entitles me to certain discounts. For the past nine years, a few McDonald’s restaurants charged me for a “senior coffee” despite most people telling me I look younger than my actual age. Thank God He has preserved my youth! (Psalm 103:5)

I still have very few gray hairs even though my dad’s hair turned gray at an earlier age. That also happened with my brother-in-law Greg. One day we all went out for a family dinner and I had fun filming the occasion with my laptop’s webcam. When Greg saw himself on camera, he made reference to his gray hair. I reminded him that’s a sign of wisdom. Job 12:12 says, “Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.” Greg jokingly declared, “I got the ‘dom’ part down…now I’m looking for the ‘wis.’”

God expects us to respect the elderly. Leviticus 19:32 says, “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.” Nowadays, senior citizens have added perks like special seating on buses but are still sometimes mistreated and called names like “old fart.” I admit there’ve been times I got annoyed when an elderly person ahead of me moved too slow in traffic or a supermarket line.

Generations ago, the elderly often spend the latter years of their lives with relatives who looked after them. More senior citizens are now being put into a nursing home. This happened with my mother after she had a stroke at 66. For financial reasons, Dad had to continue working full-time but regularly visited her. I’m sure he would’ve preferred taking care of Mom at home but couldn’t be with her 24/7.

A few friends have expressed concern about me not having some kind of retirement account as I continue living by faith on the mission field. I read that Corrie ten Boom lived out of suitcase while ministering into her eighties until a stroke rendered her unable to speak. By that time, Corrie had a house provided for her where she resided until dying on her 91st birthday. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

It’s sad that elderly folk can be among the hardest to reach with the gospel. A few older individuals I witnessed to claimed they knew more about the Bible than me. After one such incident, it occurred to me the devil probably knows more Scripture that both of us put together. Certainly, he won’t spend eternity in heaven. It’s not what you know but Who you know that determines if you will pass through the Pearly Gates.

“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” - Proverbs 16:31

Standing vs. Kneeling

As a kid in school, we began the day by standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Back then, none of my classmates made an issue about it. It would have been considered abnormal for refusing to do so. Patriotism wasn’t forced upon us. We were simply taught to honor our country and its leaders.

Currently, there’s a controversy over football players and the national anthem. This was initiated two years ago by Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, Kaepernick took a knee not to honor God or fallen soldiers but as a protest against alleged mistreatment of blacks by police. He told reporters, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” I admired Kaepernick’s playing abilities but disagreed with him dissing a symbol that represents freedom for all Americans.

Since becoming a free agent following the 2016 season, Kaepernick hasn’t been able to sign with another team. Perhaps he’d still be playing had he protested on his own time instead of his employer’s (the National Football League). Nevertheless, other players have knelt, sat on the bench, or stayed in the locker room during the national anthem. This has turned off many football fans including myself. As a result, TV ratings for the NFL have decreased. 

So this past Wednesday, NFL owners adopted a new policy. Players are now required to stand if they are on the field for the national anthem but can choose to stay in the locker room until the song is over. Just because you are free to do the wrong thing doesn’t mean you should. 

Perhaps all teams would benefit by emulating the example set by Bud Grant. Years ago as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Grant directed all his players to stand still at attention while the national anthem played (they even practiced that along with the actual plays). This discipline helped them become one of the least penalized teams in the NFL. Grant actually started doing that during his previous coaching job with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day in the United States. Every NFL player should remind themselves that many soldiers gave their lives so they have the freedom to earn millions of dollars playing a game. If a particular player still feel “oppressed”, I suggest he move to a communist or Muslim-controlled country. See what happens when one refuses to honor the leaders and symbols of North Korea or Iran.

Regardless, everyone including NFL players and owners will someday kneel to the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s better they do so now on their own volition instead of waiting until Judgment Day.

“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” - Philippians 2:10

Online Boundaries

For about a month now, I’ve experienced an unexpected surge of friend requests on Facebook. Until recently I might get one or two per day. Now they’re pouring in at an unprecedented rate. One morning I woke up and had sixty new friend requests waiting for me! 

A fellow evangelist I often work with has also seen this happen but only accepts friend requests from people he already knows. As for myself, I will accept most of them as long as my potential friend appears to be a committed Christian. They must also have a legitimate profile photo.

At the time of this writing, I now have over 3,600 Facebook friends from different parts of the world. Most of whom I’ve never met personally. Yet many of them want to chat immediately after I accept their friend request. That prompted me to draft a letter that I now display on my Facebook page. This letter clearly outlines things I will and won’t do online. I’ve had to email this letter to new friends who apparently didn’t notice it the first time.

I’ve used the “block messages” function on Messenger but still remain friends with individuals who persist in initiating conversations with me. This is not meant to be rude but to limit unnecessary distractions. Often new friends ask questions (like “Where are you from?”) that can be answered by simply looking at my Facebook page or examining my website.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus set boundaries regarding the people He spent time with. Jesus commissioned twelve apostles but only allowed three of them (Peter, James, and John) to come with Him on certain occasions such as the Mount of Transfiguration. He later appointed seventy others to do His work but they weren’t as close as the twelve who gathered with Him at the Last Supper. Jesus still needed time to get away to fellowship with the Father. 

A lack of boundaries invites a lack of respect from certain people. Often I implement a “three strikes you’re out” rule on Facebook. If someone persists in violating my wishes by tagging me or posting things I don’t want on my wall, I will unfriend them.

I encourage you to set boundaries for yourself, especially when using social media. We need to be cautious in not allowing the Internet to rob time that should be devoted to prayer, reading God’s word, and fulfilling the Great Commission.

“redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” - Ephesians 5:16

Agree to Disagree

One tactic Satan uses to divide believers is doctrinal differences. I saw an example of that at a recent house meeting. After a time of singing worship songs and individuals stepping out to give prophetic words, a traveling preacher began talking about how people often walk out of his meetings. A short time later, this minister gave reasons why he believes Jesus will come back in 2018 (but didn’t mention a specific day). I also overheard his wife say we are already in the tribulation period. As a “pre-trib” believer myself, red flags went up in my mind. It wouldn’t have bothered me much if the preacher simply stated he believes in a post-tribulation rapture and then talked about something else. Instead, he continued pushing that doctrine.

Other people in attendance countered things this preacher said by quoting Scripture. I mostly kept quiet but corrected him on one erroneous statement. The preacher claimed Billy Graham’s ministry produced the 1972 film “A Thief in the Night.” Since I'm a former employee of World Wide Pictures, I pointed out that end times movie was produced by Mark IV Pictures. The preacher wasn’t apologetic about his mistake and resumed defending his post-tribulation beliefs. Soon I became grieved in my spirit and decided to leave. Just before I walked out the door, the owner of the house approached me and admitted he also perceived a spirit of confusion operating in that meeting.

Foundational doctrines are not open for debate such as Jesus being the only way to heaven (John 14:6). But with others that have no bearing on a person’s eternal destiny, sometimes it’s best for a preacher to keep his mouth shut about a topic if he knows it will stir up strife among the people he is ministering to. 2 Timothy 2:24 says, “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.”

The morning after that house meeting, I kept thinking of an old hit by Dave Mason called “We Just Disagree.” Although it’s not a Christian song, the chorus offers some good advice…

So let's leave it alone 'cause we can't see eye to eye

There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy

There's only you and me and we just disagree

Until the Lord returns, the Body of Christ will continue having differences on how certain Scriptures are to be interpreted. But instead of having a contentious attitude to prove our point (even if we know we’re right), let’s learn to reason together. When necessary, take the initiative to step back and agree to disagree. Our passion should be more for winning the lost than promoting doctrines that won’t mean a thing on the other side of eternity.

 “It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel.” 
- Proverbs 20:3