You Dont Practice What You Preach...do you

I had just finished preaching and there were several people waiting up front to speak w/me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my father making his way towards me. He tends to sit in the back and towards the exit. I guess he wants to be prepared to make an early exit – just in case. He was wading through a sea of about 350 or so people heading for the exit. Although I was having conversations with people I was simultaneously nervously watching as he was having a hard time making his way to the front…going against the flow of the whole church. He was determined and then he even cut line in front of a few people who were waiting to speak w/me.

He shook my hand (no hug-he was a career Navy man of 20 yrs), but shook my hand with a very firm grip, looked me in the eyes, and with mist, not quite tears, in his eyes, said, “I love you son.” Everything froze. There was all this commotion of people coming and going, conversations, volunteers getting ready for the next service, but For Dad and I time stood still. It choked me up some and I could barely get the words out, “I love you too dad”. He just stood there, looking me in the eyes, looking into each other's soul and then he turned and left. Simple. Mostly non-verbal communication. But it was a non-verbal that was shouting, singing. A few people were still there waiting to talk to me and we did. But as we talked I watched him all the way as he left the building, now fighting his way out as people were coming in for the next service.

I know that Christmas is still several months out but it sort of reminded me of Jesus coming to earth…for me personally. You see Deep Down inside I have always had some difficulty (not theologically but personally-know what I mean?) understanding that Jesus would die just for me, that he had me, Bobby Brewer on his mind at the cross. I’ve preached that before and ive even said it probably 500 times or so while giving gospel invitations…(you know the drill-“and even if you had been the only one person on the planet, Jesus would’ve come for you!) but it was something I had always believed in my head (theologically) and not in my heart…that He, Jesus, would make His way through a sea of people Just To Get to Me. Cut in line even. Would Jesus really die just for me? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with Jn 3:16. That’s easy, but would He really do it just for me? And now, only now, after close to 15 yrs of ministry did it genuinely go from my head to my heart that He went through the brutality of crucifixion to...get to me.
Know what I mean? Don’t get me wrong. I was born again when I was 20 realizing I was a sinner and in need of God’s forgiveness which only Jesus could offer. and indeed I was totally transformed but … but just for me?

I hope that the Holy Spirit, if He hasn’t already, will give you a head to heart experience like this too that Yes, just for you and there’s the Non-Verbal of the Cross to communicate it. Nate Hughes has a cool tradition. Once a year he watches the Passion. I’m going to start doing that too. And remember that, maybe it sounds a bit selfish, but yes, just for You.

I’m going to be Argentina again, then I have some stuff with Baldwin to do and then one other trip and so I will have to blog at you later…

Long Live the Queen?!

I happened to be in England w/ native Mike Breen during the Queen’s 80th birthday and I noticed that the evangelicals there absolutely loved and revered her. As an American, I don’t really know much about her except that, like Pope Paul II, she seemed old back when I was a little kid and that she’s the only person who comes to mind when I hear the term…”Queen of England”. What intrigued me was that the evangelical Christians in England were hopeful that she’d live another ten years because this would mean less time on the throne for Charles. “So, what’s wrong with Charles?” I inquired. I was expecting to hear something like, “he was mean to Lady Di” or “he wasn’t a faithful husband”, etc. But that wasn’t the concern.

The concern was the fact that the King and/or Queen of England is tasked w/ being a “defender of the faith”. “THE faith” would be Christianity. There’s a reason why there’s a cross, actually two, in the Union Jack. Like many nations in Europe, crosses in their flags represent the allegiance of their people to Christ. As it turns out, Queen Elizabeth II is a born again Christian and a godly woman! I’m embarrassed to say that I never knew that. Charles, however, like so many other Europeans, has renounced Christianity and has expressed his desire to be a defender of faith, but not “THE faith.” See the difference?

Historically, what happens in the UK, Western Europe ends up happening here. Today, only about 7% of the population attends church in the UK. Again, this is a place where many countries have crosses in their flags. Do you believe that we’ll look like the UK in about 20yrs or less. Is it inevitable? Does anyone even care? BTW, you can hear an interview w/Nigel Mallon, a Brit now living here and his perspectives Sat 11am-noon AM 1360. I think…you know how these things can go. Love ya, thx for reading, pls respond and Long Live the Queen!