Author: Jon Gauger

 

Psalm 122:6 says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you." That verse pops up in 3-D as we travel throughout Israel. 

But how can there be peace in the Middle East when Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen do not recognize Israel as a state? Nor does Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. 

Indeed, the Palestinian Authority, Hezbollah, Hamas, and most of the Muslim world make no secret of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. This is not to say that Israel is perfect. No country is. 

Though ultimate peace in the Middle East (or the world, for that matter) will not last until the Prince of Peace returns, it is hardly a pointless exercise to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. A story proves the point. 

As our tour bus approached the outskirts of Jerusalem, our guide, Dr. Charlie Dyer, played The Holy City, a classic song that soars with the refrain:

Jerusalem, Jerusalem—
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna, in the highest,
Hosanna to your King!

With the music reverberating throughout the bus, I heard our Israeli guide, a Messianic believer, singing with gusto. No surprise there. But she was nearly drowned out by the voice of our bus driver, a born-again Arab! 

On paper, they are supposed to be at war. 
But in Christ, they are at peace. 

The world cannot make sense of this. And no wonder. Jesus promised a peace entirely different than the cheaper brand the world is selling. Odd—the simple act of just getting along might well be the best commercial for Christianity. 

But why not raise a few eyebrows yourself? I dare you—baffle the unbelieving world around you today by showing kindness, respect, and love to someone you're "not supposed" to like.  

Maybe—just maybe—your selflessness will make someone wonder about Jesus—our Prince of Peace!

 

 

Is VBS still viable?

 

In a digital world, the idea of vacation Bible school feels—let's admit it—analog.

 

Now that it’s June, vacation Bible school can’t be far behind. But when churches today strategize outreach, they typically tout sleek digital products, YouTube content, and Zoom services. Yet the grand old tradition of kids inviting other kids to a church-based VBS program is still alive and well.

 

Joslynn is living proof. At the age of six, she attended a neighborhood VBS program. Though a lot of her memories of that week have grown fuzzy, Joslynn distinctly recalls watching an engaging puppet sketch. 

 

"One puppet was trying to buy something at McDonald's with fake money. They made the obvious point that using counterfeit money gets you in trouble with police officers." And the spiritual parallel? Joslynn remembers it: "When you sin, you're in trouble with God. But through Jesus, you can be forgiven."

 

Joslynn doesn't recall her teacher's name, only that "she had curly hair." But she does remember feeling convicted that she needed to be saved. So she and her teacher prayed together in the church's boiler room. That's where Joslynn received Christ. 

 

Now fourteen, I asked Joslynn bluntly if she thinks VBS is still a good idea. Without hesitation, she affirmed, "It's still a good idea because it can speak to children who might not get to church otherwise. It can lead them to Christ."

 

Summer is here. VBS is coming to a church near you—maybe yours. 

I urge you—to show up and volunteer. 

I urge you—to take your kids, your grandkids. 

 

God is at work. 

Souls are at stake. 

And maybe—just maybe—VBS will be the tool God uses to save your loved one!

 

What excites you about heaven?

 

I long to hear Jesus’ voice—His actual voice.

Is it possible we might kiss the feet of Jesus?

Might I also touch the hem of His robe?

 

What excites you about heaven?

• I want to TASTE the water of the river of life.

• I want to HEAR the voices of Cherubim and Seraphim.

• I want to TOUCH the gems of the gates of heaven and feel the press of gold pavers under my feet.

• I want to SEE what angels really look like—plus those six-winged creatures we read about.

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more making apologies—we’ll never offend.

• No more guilt feelings—we’ll never be tempted.

• No more broken relationships—we’ll never be at odds.

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more impure thoughts.

• No more selfish impulses.

• No more foolish choices.

 

What excites you about heaven?

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more stress or distress.

• No more upset stomachs, sleepless nights, fevers, or chills.

• No more hospital visits—or doctor’s appointments.

• No more disappointments or delays, or disasters.

• No more funerals (aren’t you weary of standing around caskets?).

 

I want to listen to Nehemiah’s secret for standing up to all the opposition he faced rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.

 

I’m looking forward to hearing David sing his Psalms in their original language—preferably accompanied by his harp. Imagine “Psalms by Request!”

 

I want to meet the thief on the cross and ask him what the turning point was when he realized that Christ could and would save his pathetic soul.

 

I long to embrace people I never thought stood a shot at getting inside the gates. People we prayed for and agonized over. Souls we felt were surely lost.

 

Imagine meeting someone who responded to a gospel tract you shared or bumping into a saint who—back on earth—appeared to reject your witness.

 

Will any of that that ever get old? Never!

 

Several years ago, I asked Tim Keller about heaven, and he shared this: "Think about the moments in your life—the two or three moments where you felt the most loved, the most delighted, the most blissful, and the most over-the-top. Then multiply that by three billion. This must be what heaven is like."

 

Now that Tim Keller is with Jesus, he knows!

 

What excites you about heaven?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynnette and Josh had been looking forward to this dinner with their friends for months. Picture an evening with two couples at a swanky restaurant. Swanky enough, it required a reservation three months in advance. 

With babysitters watching the kids, this had all the markings of a splendid evening for both couples. Then the guy sitting at a table across the room quietly keeled over.

No one seemed alarmed. Which—to Josh and Lynnette—was very alarming.

Eventually, a lady walked from table to table, asking if someone was a doctor. But she spoke softly, hardly above a whisper. It was as if she did not want to cause a scene or interrupt, even though a man seemed to be in trouble.

Servers attempted the Heimlich maneuver. But the guy was large enough that there were not enough men to hold him in place. 

As Josh pulled out his phone to call 9-1-1, someone mentioned an ambulance was on the way. Eventually, someone started doing chest compressions until the medics arrived.  

For the entire duration of this drama, no one spoke above a whisper. Not the family. Not the diners. Not the staff.

Lynnette recalls, "You could see panic in people's eyes, but nobody yelled. Nobody demanded help. Nobody spoke out. A man was choking—and maybe dying! It was the most horrific scene ever."

 

Does that sound familiar? It should. 

 

The truth is, you and I are reliving that drama every time we pass by lost people—people who need Jesus—but say nothing about Christ. Their lives are in peril, but we are either too distracted or too embarrassed to say or do anything more than whisper.

How is it we can verbally spar over politics, shout at football games, but remain silent when others are literally walking toward hell? Our silence is deafening! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COVID is gone—but its scars are not. 

 

As I talk with believers across the country, I’m hearing two universal observations. Call them “False Lessons.” I say false, because though they aren’t true, our conduct suggests we believe they are. 

 

Lesson 1:Church attendance is (apparently) optional. 

Judging by the number of folks who used to attend services but no longer do, one would think that the Bible has little or nothing to say about church attendance. But that’s hardly the case. 

 

We don’t go to church to merely “get” a sermon. Biblically, we go to church to GIVE. We give our voices in worship. We give our listening ear to people who are hurting. We share in prayer with those sitting next to us who need comforting. You can’t do that at home in your pajamas while watching a sermon. 

 

In retrospect, COVID appears to have been just the excuse some people needed to drop church attendance from their “To do” list. While some transitioned to other assemblies, almost every congregation I know is still down a little—or a lot—in attendance. Apparently, church attendance is optional. That’s (false) lesson number one.

 

Lesson 2: We don’t need to abide by the weaker brother principle.

During COVID, most churches wrestled with two polarized positions regarding masks. Group A was appalled that some in the church would “cave in” to mask mandates. Group B was appalled that some in the church would “endanger others” by not wearing a mask.

 

What was shockingly absent was any conversation about the weaker brother principle. Namely, “If my wearing a mask makes you more comfortable, I will happily do that for the sake of our unity in Christ.” And vice versa. 

 

That biblical mandate somehow didn’t apply. Instead, many churches split. But how did we jettison the clear teaching of Romans 14:3?  We’re commanded, “The strong believer should not look down on the weaker believer.” Or what about Romans 12:18? We’re told, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” On what biblical authority did we go around that?

 

How I wish we could go back and do the COVID thing with a more godly humility. If we are this easily divided over a relatively small issue, what will we do when something truly consequential comes along?

 

Heaven help the Church!

I bumped into an awkward Bible scene this week.

In Luke 8, Jesus' mother and brothers decide to visit Him. Problem is, He is inside a very crowded house. When word is given to Jesus that his mother and brother are outside wishing to see Him, He answers, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Was this moment awkward for Christ's family? Likely. But let's allow the full weight of His words to fall on us—which is what the Savior intended.

Do I want to be known as Jesus' brother or sister? Of course! And do you want the same? Certainly! Then—what are His criteria?

Those who hear the Word of God.

Those who do the Word of God.

Many of us come to church week after week—and that's good! We hear sermon after sermon—and that's good! But so often (at least for me), it fails to result in life change—and that's bad! On that basis, how can we say that we are truly hearing the Word, let alone doing the Word of God? Isn’t that more like self-medicating using the Bible as a mere self-help book?

I ask you. Do you just fill in the blanks of the sermon note page—or does Bible truth fill in the blanks of your soul? Are you a collector of sermons—or a doer of the Word?

Jesus knows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s urgent in your life?

• A spring yard project?
• A new diet?
• Setting up your will?

There's nothing wrong with any of these. But there's everything wrong with people who call themselves Christ followers—yet don't follow Christ's urgency in reaching the lost.

Jonathan Edwards declared, "Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering." So—why aren't we more urgent about reaching out to our lost neighbors and friends? Why don't we sense that "rotten covering?"

Six-year-old Sadie does. For some time, her family has prayed for an unsaved neighbor (call him "Sam"). Having built a friendship with Sam, they're thinking about getting him a Bible—and Sadie is entirely on board with this. Here's a conversation she had last week with her mom:

SADIE: Mom, is there a place besides heaven when you die?

MOM: (Explains hell in age-appropriate language, describing how non-believers are separated from God forever).

SADIE: (Visibly upset and fidgety) That’s IT?! One choice for forever?! Hurry up and get me that Bible for Mr. Sam. This is serious!

Sadie is right—this is serious! So, hurry up and __________________  (you fill in the blank).

• Who is it that God has placed on your path?
• What neighbor, relative, or coworker is God calling you to share Jesus with?
• What could you do to take your relationship to the next level spiritually?

This is urgent!

Just ask Jesus.

 

“[the Devil]… stands waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it.”  —Jonathan Edwards

 

 

 

Unforgiveness.

It might not be a real word, but it's a real attitude. And sometimes, we're all guilty of such twisted thinking. But unforgiveness is like drinking poison—and hoping someone else will die.

Speaking of unforgiveness, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth has a favorite question she often asks of her audience when speaking. The question: “Are there one or more people in your life—past or present—that you’ve never forgiven?”

Nancy recalls, "I have asked for a response from tens of thousands of people, including long-time believers, Bible study leaders, and vocational Christian workers….In virtually every case, somewhere between 80 and 95 percent of the people in the room raise their hands….The vast majority of people sitting in church Sunday after Sunday (and many of who are sitting at home, having left the church, disillusioned) have a least a seed—if not a forest—of unforgiveness in their heart."

Why the stinginess? Why the rock-hard reluctance to forgive?

Glynn Evans comments, “One of the reasons we forgive so superficially is because we ourselves feel we have been forgiven only slightly by God. Cheap forgiveness is always a sign that we have not dealt adequately with our sin. One thing is sure—we’ll never rise above the level of our own experience. If we feel God forgave us casually, that’s how we’ll treat those who offend us.”

What would He find if Jesus Himself showed up for a one-on-one conversation about this issue with you and me? How much unforgiveness is lodged in your heart? In my heart?

Having been forgiven the whole slate of our offenses (surely numbering in the tens of thousands), how could we be so miserly in forgiving others? What could be LESS like Jesus than a heart of unforgiveness?

Forgiven much, let us forgive others much.

"Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

-Colossians 3:13

In the proud community where I live, there stands a not-so-proud diner. The greasiest of greasy spoons, its notoriety stems less from what’s served inside on its faded Formica countertops than what’s outside.

The pot-holed parking lot has a sizable collection of vehicles going nowhere. Four Fed Ex trucks doze in the back corner. One has its hood tipped back, the boxy engine compartment exposed, as if imminent repairs are coming. They're not. Been that way for months.

As you amble across the lot, you can't miss the ice cream truck adorned with images of tempting frozen treats. It hasn't moved for months. Waiting for summer?

And who can forget the 1970s dark red Cadillac—its massive bench seats cracked with age and sun? You’ll find it parked next to the faded orange “Fire and Restoration” truck.

The parking lot hosts such a wide array of cars and trucks going nowhere, it makes me wonder. Is this graveled place:

• A hospital for wounded vehicles?
• A holding pattern for the undecided?
• A car cemetery for the dead and dying?

Sadly, the scene reminds me a bit of evangelicalism in America. Like that lot, we are surrounded by churches going nowhere fast.

Of course, many dynamic congregations are alive and well, serving Christ and their community with significant impact. But so many historically solid churches are in decline. Churches that were once spiritually vibrant are now attended by seemingly "undecided folks" with one foot in the world and one in a confused Christianity. Then there are the dead and dying churches where nothing is new, nothing will change—and that's the way they like it.

God, spare us from becoming religious museums for a flat-tired faith. Breathe new life into us—and our dead and dying churches.

Amen!

Horror films are on the rise.

A decade ago, horror movies represented just under six percent of American movies. Today, they make up 13 percent of our big-screen offerings.

M3GAN, a movie about a murderous doll controlled by artificial intelligence, has now brought in more than 175 million dollars since its January 6 release.

I was intrigued by a recent Wall Street Journal article announcing that movie studios plan to release—get this—29 more horror films by the end of 2023.

Tension and shock are potent tools in storytelling of any kind. But celebrating gore and all things gruesome is different. When you look at the emerging statistics on mental health in America, you have to scratch your head at society’s inability (unwillingness?) to connect today’s generation of emotionless killers with the surge in horror movies.

Why would we not create a society with mental health issues when young children—toddlers—are exposed to scenes where knives puncture bodies, chainsaws remove limbs, and heads are severed? How could we not have a warped attitude toward slashing, bashing, and burning?

The question, of course, is why? Why the fascination with horror movies? I have no research—only a hunch. As our culture grows evil, so grows our fascination with evil. That’s what decaying souls do. I would argue that the rise of horror movies contributes to the decline of our culture—and nation.

In John 3:19, Jesus observed, “Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” And that is the real horror of horror movies.