A Voice That Must Be Heard

Recently my son sent me 2 blog entries from Switchfoot's frontman Jon Foreman about our countries lack of response to genocide in Darfur. What he had to say just gets my blood boiling. There is a voice that must be heard and the truth must be shouted from the rooftops.
President Obama said before coming into office: "We can't ignore the genocide in Darfur... We have to do everything in our power to make it stop. We have to act. Now." what has been done...Nothing!!
Oh he has been busy undoing and reversing any moral principles from previous administrations. Making sure the gay agenda advances with same sex marriages, making sure the unborn baby who had no voice can be aborted because they are unwanted or because it will cramp the style of a young mother who is not ready for the responsibility. Let's not forget the $1.5 Billion emergency fund our President released to protect us from the 'swine flu' that has killed 3 people in the US. I feel much safer now-I could just hug a pig...To keep that in perspective, what would be needed to deal with a problem in Darfur that killed over 300,000 already? Yet we do nothing.
Today's hot news story was Socal Security going bankrupt by 2012, Yankees with the help of A-Roid still playing .500 ball, Dodgers Manny being Manny for failing drug test, and all yeah there is some airport in Denver that may have to close because of prairie dogs digging up their runway. Important stuff huh.
There is a voice that must be heard and the truth must be told. Jesus Saves is the eternal answer. But while we are still here how can we remain silent over the atrocities of human life?
Meanwhile, every couple of seconds another child dies, another child becomes an orphan because of genocide or AIDS, or from hunger. Tick, tock, tick, tock...another child is gone...tick, tock, tick, tock...another child dies...
Hello Mr. President-What time is it on your watch??!!

Whatever

I recently began reading a short book by Mike Breaux called Making Ripples. Breaux brings up the point that either we have a destiny and a purpose or our life is merely accidental.
If we are an accident, born with nothing, and for nothing, than we end up with nothing also. That means that anything in between also results in nothing.
Some have labeled this current generation as the 'whatever generation'. If there is no destiny or purpose, then there is no truth, and no rules, and no right or wrong-its just a big 'whatever'.
67% of students cheat on exams-whatever. 66% drink alcohol-whatever. 56% shoplift-whatever. Sex before marriage?-whatever. Walk doesn't match your talk?-whatever. Responsibility?-whatever. Suicidal thoughts?-whatever. Hunger, poverty, AIDS?-whatever.
But God is not a 'whatever' kind of God. He is a Destiny Maker who wants to pour out his love and leadership into your life. He said through the prophet Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11
That sure doesn't sound like a 'whatever' kind of existence to me. He will keep on changing us, molding us in order to create in us 'whatever' He desires of us or requires of us.
This generation CAN stop saying 'whatever' and begin to become 'whatever' God has created and designed you to become if you just submit and yield to Him.

Opening Day

There is something beautiful about Opening Day. Perhaps it's the end of winter. Maybe it's the invitation to get back outside. The grass is green again, the sun is trying to shine warm again. But Opening Day is a renewal of hope. A hope that one's favorite baseball team can have a great season for this year.

Every team has the same record on Opening Day. Hey even my loyalty to the Orioles allows me to see Baltimore in 1st place on Opening Day. Perhaps this is the year when my sons can finally see the Orioles compete and be a winning team. All the batters are batting 1.000, none of the pitchers have taken a loss, none of the bullpen pitchers have given up a game-winning HR. No one has been charged for taking steroids yet. Regardless of salaries, everyone is at the starting block with hope that this is a great season for them.

Opening Day brings out the youthfulness in us. We all feel young again-like grabbing the leather and the hardwood and running out to the park.

In these tough economic times, I cannot agree with the inflated salaries and ticket prices, etc. but I still love the game and I love Opening Day.

And for this Oriole fan, I got a bonus this year. We defeated the Yankees 10-5! I have to say it.. The Orioles are in 1st place and the Yankees are in last place. What a beautiful thing!

What are your thoughts, memories, expectations of Opening Day?

No Favorites

James instructed and pleaded with the early church to not show favoritism. He shared a story about a wealthy person and a poor person being treated quite differently when they entered the meeting. The rich was given special treatment and given a good seat. On the other hand the poor was asked to stand or to sit on the floor.

Unfortunately the church of our day still needs to improve on this. I pray our church leaders are not swayed by the ones who write the bigger checks, or who dress with the latest, greatest fashions. I pray we do not overlook the needs of the common, hard-working man/woman or snub our noses at the poor.

It took a Barnabas to break down barriers in the church to allow Saul to be part of the early church when he became Paul after conversion. Thank God the church did not close their door to him. But I wonder how many Pauls' are out there that are still not welcome in some churches-what do they look like today?

Are they wearing leather and riding Harleys? Perhaps it is the Gothic teen that no one pays attention to? Maybe it's the lonely widow who fights off depression or suicidal thoughts? Is it the small contractor that has no work right now or the carpenter next door that just lost his job?

Or is it the homeless man you pass every day while going to Starbucks? Or perhaps its the tattooed 'wanna be a rock star' that lives in your neighborhood?

Lev. 19:15, says "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."

God has no favorites-what does that mean to us?

Making a Difference One Life at a Time

Since returning from our recent mission trip to Ethiopia, I was really affirmed that we can all make a difference-for some it may be making one huge impact on society by inventing a new gadget to save us time, or discovering a cure that affects thousands. But for most of us common people, we can make a difference one life at a time.

How have you invested into lives of others? How much do you give or sacrifice for others? Are they things that glorify God and add to the Kingdom?

For years we have sponsored children in Brazil and Ethiopia on a monthly basis. But getting to actually meet those children, sit in their humble homes, meet their families, share their coffee, embrace them, play ball with them, and hold their hands in yours as you walk thru their villages, I was convicted that these orphans are no longer a statistic. They are a life that matters to God and therefore matters to me.

We also saw firsthand progress being made-roads being constructed, others being blacktopped, buildings being constructed, schools getting desks and libraries supplied, churches being multiplied and filled with people hungry for the things of God. We saw hope in the eyes of the children, the social workers, the pastors. We toured a brand new hospital offering 140 beds to treat patients whether they can pay or not.

It's amazing what $32 month can do to make a difference. By saving one life from Aids, starvation, and oppression, we will never know just how many other lives will be impacted . By bringing one child to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we will never know this side of heaven how many more will be reached.

Want to make a difference one life at a time? What American can not afford $32 month to sponsor a child and make a difference "the least of these" that have no means to speak for themselves?

You can begin making a difference at fh.org/willetonline.com.

Speaking for the Children

Since coming back from our trip to Ethiopia, I sense an even greater need to speak for the children who are not heard. While trying to be cautious to not sound judgmental, some things I just cannot remain silent about.

Yesterday while listening to an Orioles preseason game, the broadcasters began to share some personal things about Yankee slugger Alex "Aroid" Rodriguez. They said he got a real sweet deal on a condo in Manhatten because of the economic slump we are in. The sweet deal he got came in the form of $30,000 a month rent for this condo! How sweet indeed. SIKE!!

Don't get me wrong, I am still pro-American. I am still pro-free enterprise and the American dream, etc. My point in this blog is this. $30,000 a month would support 1,000 orphan children fighting for survival in Ethiopia. 1,000! I just hope there is a place in the heart of the "Aroids" of this world to go beyond themselves and their extravagant lifestyles to make a difference in cultures where they have very little hope to succeed or survive.

If you want a real sweet deal and want to make a difference in the life of a child for just $32/month, check out www.fh.org/willet

The First Time

Upon returning from a 10-day mission trip to Zeway, Ethiopia, I find myself reflecting on several first time experiences.
It was my first time:
-flying in an aircraft for 23 hours
-traveling to Ethiopia
-preaching with a translator
-seeing poverty at its maximum level
-having starving, sick children embrace me
-seeing hundreds of poor beggars plead for money and food
-seeing naked children playing in street gutters
-worshipping with brothers/sisters in a different language and finding no barriers
-teaching a pastors school to a fellowship of pastors from 14 other churches
-feeling very out of control of my safety and circumstance
-living without clean water
-living without electric and working toilets
-meeting my sponsored children
-going through a week without ESPN, cell phones, and computers and not missing them at all!

This is only the beginning of a list of first times for this trip. But ultimately I would do them all over again for the experience was life-changing. To quote my son, "Everyone in the US needs to go on a trip like this for at least one time." To that I wholeheartedly say Amen!

Perhaps God is calling you to step out and experience something for the first time. Obediently follow His call-you won't regret it.