Transitory Psychosis

Now might be a good time to get into the rehab business, helping people put their lives back together and deal with their addictions–real and perceived. I noticed a teaser on a magazine cover at the drug store checkout: “Jesse James Goes to Rehab.” Apparently after being caught cheating on his wife, Sandra Bullock, James has decided he needs rehabilitation. He joins a long list of celebs that have done stints in rehab.

Most notably in recent months, Tiger Woods has spent some time in rehab trying to put his life back together after his sexcapades were exposed. Last week, Tiger was back on the links at the Masters making some amazingly good (and bad) shots and scowling his way around the course. At a tee on Saturday, Tiger was so frustrated by his drive that he blew up, spouting profanities. The announcer said, “Well, at least one thing hasn’t changed.”

Now I’m not trying to say rehab is all a scam. I know some people who have been helped through rehab programs. Neither am I saying that once a person goes through rehab we should expect him to behave perfectly from then on. Habits of all kinds are hard to break, I know. So I’m not criticizing Jesse or Tiger or anyone else.

I do find it interesting though that in so-called “post-Christian America,” rehab has become a means of rebuilding a public image. There was a time when people would “get religion” in order to accomplish that end. Years ago, people might be photographed going to church after their misdeeds had been exposed. Sometimes it smelled phony and probably was. The same thing is true of rehab today.

The sad thing to me is that both approaches miss the one ingredient that can truly change a life forever–a genuine personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Rehab can certainly help you cope with a life out of control. It may even been a successful means of breaking free from a self-destructive habit. But it cannot bring about the inner change that comes from a personal relationship with God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. That is a change that will last for eternity.

The evidence of Christ’s ability to transform a life is plentiful and exhibits abound. From the apostle Paul who went from a Christ-hater to a Christ-follower to my friend Gene who went from a drunken patron of the rescue mission to a pillar of his church and community. Tiger can change. So can Jesse. So can you. But I’m convinced that change requires a fundamental “rewiring” of the soul found only in Jesus Christ.

I’ll be attending a funeral this weekend. The deceased is a cousin of mine and a long-time pastor. He was, in fact, my pastor for a time when I was in college. You will not find his name among the pastoral “superstars.” He was never invited to speak at a big “church growth” conference or quoted as an authority on preaching. He was, however, a faithful man of God who loved God, loved people, and was true to his calling.

I’m actually looking forward to the service in a way. It will be a celebration of a live well lived and a glorious entrance into heaven. There will be a number of people present whose lives were impacted by the deceased. I expect more than a few admirers and perhaps even some who were not his fans. No doubt, his faithful, compassionate, and often Christlike ministry will be remembered fondly. So, too, will his godly character.

He’s not the only one of his kind. In hundreds of churches, in rural communities and sprawling cities, there are men just like him who serve God and their flocks with dignity and grace. They live exemplary (not perfect) lives, often serving in hard places for low wages. You won’t hear about them on the news. Their congregations are too small for the media to notice and their conduct is too righteous to create a scandal. Their only recognition comes from their small flock and the God who sees all.

One day, these faithful men of God will step into glory and another man, nameless and faceless to this world, will step up to take their place. Friends and family will mourn the passing of these men. Few others will pay any attention.
(more…)

In recent days a series of celebrities have died. Three such deaths have prompted my thinking. One was an actor: Farrah Fawcett. One was a musician/entertainer: Michael Jackson. One was a former NFL quarterback: Steve McNair.

Farrah, and MJ were part of my world as a teen. McNair captured my attention after I moved to Tennessee, where he played for the Titans. All three individuals were talented in their own way and rose to public notoriety as a result. Their deaths have left literally millions of people mourning the loss.

Unfortunately, each died with a certain shadow over them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not depreciating their talents and contributions. Judging by the testimonials I’ve seen on TV, all three had a profound positive effect on some people. Still, even their friends have to look past certain indiscretions or unanswered questions to find the good.

I’m not suggesting we adopt a holier-than-thou attitude about these deaths. We’ve all got too many skeletons in the closet to adopt an attitude of moral superiority. What I am reminded of, however, is that in spite of all their accomplishments, all their money, and all their popularity, their lives came to an end.

Some years ago, I did a graveside funeral service for a homeless man. I rode in the hearse (the front seat), alongside the funeral director. Upon arriving at the cemetery, the director recruited four cemetery employees to help carry the casket to the grave. When it was in place, we gathered around –the director, the workers in their dirty jumpsuits, and me. No family. No friends. No acquaintances. None of us even knew the man. I read Scripture. Talked for a moment about the brevity of life and the love of a just God. I prayed. We left.

Today I am reminded that these celebs and that homeless man, though occupying quite different places in life, stood on level ground in the end. Death is the great equalizer. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “. . . it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The reality is that every person on this planet will die and all will face their Creator. A sobering thought for all. And for some, a heartbreaking thought.

Jesus, however, offered the counterpoint: “I am the resurrection, and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Then Jesus asked, “Do you believe this?” (verse 27). I do. Do you?

One reason some people deny the existence of God has to do with the presence of evil and suffering. The argument goes like this: How could there be a good and loving God when there is so much evil and suffering in our world?

That statement is usually followed by a rehearsing of all the heinous activities occurring in our world: war, cancer, child molestation, slavery, etc. If God really exists, they say, why doesn’t He do something about all of this?
(more…)

If you’ve seen the news, you’ve seen Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton stumping for her new bill proposing tighter gun control in the wake of a series of mass shootings in the U.S. According to the congresswoman’s press release, in the past 25 days (3/10 to 4/5) 53 people have been killed in mass murders on American soil.

There’s no doubt that those numbers are disturbing. These events have left many people asking why these killers feel compelled to take others with them to their grave, especially those who are entirely innocent of wrongdoing.

While I’m no expert when it comes to gun control (and for the record, I’m not a member of the NRA), I’m not convinced tighter gun control would eliminate such senseless shootings. The nuts would still get their hands on a gun, even if no one else could.
(more…)

Most of the time, life is fun. I enjoy what I do. I have a great wife, excellent kids who married well, the world’s best grandchildren, and much, much more. Today, though, I am reminded that an enemy lurks in the shadows, not far from any of us.

Two of my friends are mourning today. This weekend, one’s father died in his sleep. The other friend’s wife lost her battle with cancer. Reality came for a visit.

In the face of death, the promise of heaven is more real than ever. The good news for those who know Him is that Christ has made death a doorway into an eternity of joy. For the believer, death is not the end. It is only the beginning.

One day we will never again say goodbye to those we love. Until then, we place our hope in God and lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ for support. Pray for my friends, Don and Mike today. Remember their hurting families and churches as well. Thanks.

I read an interesting article a couple of weeks ago by New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof. Kristof, a self-identified liberal, pointed out a well known fact: conservatives give more to charity than liberals. He cited statistics from Arthur Brooks’ book, “Who Really Cares,” saying that households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than those headed by liberals. In addition, he notes that a study by Google found an even greater difference: “annual contributions by conservative were almost double that of liberals.” (Read the article here.)

He notes that while liberals show “tremendous compassion” in seeking government spending to help the needy in the US and abroad, “when it comes to charitable causes, liberals are cheapskates.” Don’t be confused, Kristof doesn’t hide his bias. In a typical New York Times dig, he says, “The upshot is that Democrats, who speak passionately about the hungry and homeless, personally fork over less money to charity than Republicans–the ones who try to cut health care for children.”
(more…)

Monday morning. Sort through the weekend’s email. Looking for two particular ones. Instead, I find a few important ones and a bunch of spam. If I needed to make something larger, take something off, inherit a faux fortune, or buy prescription drugs at an amazing discount from someone I don’t know and will never see, this would be my day. If I’m waiting for the two emails I’m really anxious to find, I struck out again.
(more…)

On March 2, I had the distinct privilege of speaking at The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, TN where my wife and I are members. Pastor Robert Morgan had asked me to speak for the Sunday night service in his absence . It was planned back in December, as I recall, so I had plenty of time to think, pray, and prepare.

Rob had asked me to do something I’ve not done at TDF–talk about my struggles with multiple sclerosis in a testimony/message. I’ve been speaking publicly for about 30 years, over 20 of those years as a pastor. I’ve even spoken at TDF before. So the idea of speaking didn’t bother me. The idea of talking about my battle with MS did.
(more…)

I’ve been a “bachelor” for few days now. My wife is away visiting her sister. That means I’m doing stuff I don’t normally do–like caring for Lola, our dog. (I’ve blogged about her before.) Lola loves routine.

Each morning when the alarm goes off, my wife turns it off and sits on the side of the bed. Lola comes, lays at her feet, and rolls on her back so Dianna can scratch her belly. After that, Lola jumps up and heads for the back door to go out. For the last few days, a key player in that routine has been out of town.

This morning, I awakened to the alarm and turned it off, but Lola didn’t budge. I tried the “key” words (“potty” and “peepee,”), but Lola just stared at me. I tried them again in a high pitched voice. (I’ve always contended that dogs respond to vocal pitch rather than words. And, yes, I felt stupid.) She didn’t move a muscle. I shrugged.

A few minutes later I started to make the bed. Lola was on it by then and wouldn’t budge. I was about to order her off the bed when she rolled over in that “pet my tummy” mode. I obliged for a minute, but as soon as I stopped she jumped up and ran toward the backdoor. She was ready to go out. I laughed. The dog is so committed to her routine that she wasn’t about to go out until I fulfilled my part.

Dogs aren’t the only ones who love routine. We human beings can be pretty committed to our own.
(more…)