Rescued From A Temporary Hell

The world is filled with suffering people. Millions are hurting yet most of us are immune to the day to day struggles of the poor, the destitute, the abused and the neglected. We go about our lives comfortable and secure with hardly a thought about our responsibility to serve others. The question arises, what should we do?

Social Justice has become a big deal in the church. Hardly a week goes by when I do not read or hear someone saying how important it is for Christians to be making a difference in local communities. Out of this philosophy a multitude of service ministries have arisen my local area. Medical clinics for the uninsured, food banks, homeless shelters, homework and tutoring centers, marriage counseling services and even free legal services are available to community members free of charge. The church has made a profound commitment to improving the life circumstances of others.

Service ministry has become, for many churches, the primary goal, the standard by which true Christianity is measured. Timothy Keller, in his book Generous Justice, wrote that when we understand what Christ has done for us, “The result is a life poured out in deeds of justice and compassion for the poor.”

The result of this new found emphasis on social justice has been the explosion of ministries like the ones described above. More than that, it has led many churches to get involved in the perceived structural problems in society that have allowed injustice to develop. Keller writes that a biblical perspective could lead Christians to be involved in such things as pressuring police departments to “respond to calls as quickly in the poor part of town as in the prosperous part” and to form organizations that prosecute “loan companies that prey on the poor and the elderly with dishonest and exploitive practices.” He further suggests Christians work to improve struggling schools and to give generously to the poor, going so far to suggest that if you do not “actively and generously share your resources with the poor, you are a robber.”

As I read through the words of social justice advocates I find myself asking, “Is this the message we are called to preach? Is the problem with Christians that we don’t do enough for the poor and needy in our communities? Is it that we need to be more involved politically to change the circumstances in which the weak in our society find themselves?"

As I consider questions such as these I am struck by the realization that the social justice emphasis is a safe road for the church to travel. It is politically correct and inoffensive. No one attacks the church when its focus is on the external condition of suffering people, no one argues when we address temporal suffering. But is this truly the mission of the church?

A few years ago I met with the US director of a social justice ministry in the Philippines. His church had the wonderful idea to build and maintain a safe house for women who were rescued from sexual slavery. Young women who had been stolen from their families and subjected to horrific abuse were given a place of comfort and refuge, a place where they could be comforted and restored as they transitioned to the possibility of a normal life. Such ministries have a special place in my heart and the meeting was an opportunity for me to learn more about their work and determine if it was something Lisa and I could support financially.

The man shared about their work, how the women were rescued, how the house was staffed and how over 95% of the money raised went into the ministry. As the meeting neared its close I asked him, “How does your program ensure that every woman brought to your home clearly hears the gospel message?”

He seemed surprised by my question. “I am sure that they hear the gospel,” was his reply. I pressed on, “Do you have a policy of how they will be intentionally taught what it means to be a Christian?” They did not.

I then told him my greatest concern. “We do these women no favor if we rescue them from a temporary hell and not the eternal one.”

And this is my fear for the church. It is socially acceptable to address temporary hells but that can never be why we do what we do. We need to proclaim the good news that delivers us from eternal suffering and that brings us into lasting relationship with the Living God. We must emphasize the next life more than the present one.

The problem with the eternal message is it is not socially acceptable. The Christian message is not that God wants to fix your outer poverty, it is that God wants to fix the destitution of your soul. If we address only the visible suffering, we are not fulfilling our purpose nor truly serving the world. It is my hope and prayer that the eternal message of the gospel returns to its central place in our preaching and practice. We need to continue to serve the poor and needy in this life but we serve them best when while doing so we lift their eyes toward heaven to the one who delivers us from ultimate suffering.

-          Bart

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One Man's Nightmare, Another Man's dream

He was worried. He had been a well paid executive manager for years and had climbed the corporate ladder to a salary of $300,000 a year. His outlook had been positive and his future secure. Then the market crash came. Now he was out of a job and watching his savings rapidly disappear. He was stressed and worried and his blood pressure was way too high.

We talked about life, financial security and what the future might hold. He was in the midst of a job search but had no solid leads. He expressed concern that he might lose his home if he did not find a suitable job but then talked about his faith and how he was trusting God to help him through the difficult times.

“But what if He doesn’t?” I asked. He was surprised by my question. I explained that while I often hear people talk about trusting God for material blessing and support through difficult times I wasn’t sure that He had promised the level of support people hoped for. Here in America when we think about our "needs" we think of keeping our houses and having a good paying job. In poorer parts of the world people pray for the true necessities of life such as a meal and safety. I shared that what we would consider terrible would be anything but for most people on the planet.

“What is the worst thing that could happen to you?" I asked, "Losing your house and winding up living in a one bedroom apartment in Santa Ana flipping burgers for a living? There are people dodging Border Patrol agents and coyotes for an opportunity like that!” I shared that a one bedroom apartment in Santa Ana would be an answer to prayer for many people in the world.

He paused for a moment, “You’re right,” was his simple reply. As we talked I reminded him that none of the difficulties he currently faced threatened any of the things that mattered most in his life such as his faith or his relationships with his family.

I think about our conversation often, usually when I hear someone's prayer request. It causes me to reflect on what really matters in my life and reminds me not to cling too tightly to my “stuff.” I remember that Lisa and I aren’t really any happier now than we were when we were living in an apartment and barely making ends meet. Back then we found joy in trips to the laundry and cooking meals together. We lived paycheck to paycheck and scrounged up loose change for trips to McDonalds, but we were happy. Even now we realize that our best times are our best times because of who we are with and not because of what we have. True joy comes from our family and not our possessions.

I am also reminded of the danger of putting too much emphasis on what happens in this life. When all is said and done and I am called to give account for my life my financial achievements will not matter at all but the love I gave and the sacrifices I made for others will. Like all men I well be measure by the content of my heart and not the contents of my bank account.

-          Bart

A Good Man Dies. Or Does He?

Allan Meyer died last week. Although he was in his 80’s it was unexpected. He was a friend to my wife and her family for over fifty years as well as a consistent source of encouragement to me. He was a natural encourager. He seemed to seek us out every Sunday, as if had a special radar he used to seek us out so he could greet us with a smile, a kind word and a silly joke. He was a lover of people who frequently visited friends and church members who were hospitalized. He was a good man. Today is his memorial service. I expect it to be a long one. There is a lot to say about Allan and a lot of people who will want to say it. 

It seems that this is how it works, that the true value of a life comes into clearer focus when it ends. Death is the time when our true worth and accomplishments are understood. Death is the great commonality, an event shared by all regardless of culture, ethnicity, social status or religious faith. It can be delayed but it can never be avoided. Everyone dies. When they do, people reflect on who they were and what they did.

Death also brings with it a question. What comes next? The answer to this question defines all human existence and brings the standard by which all lives are measured. Answers vary, yet all of the possible answers have profound ramifications for how people think and live.

The secular answer to the question of what comes next is simple. Nothing comes next. The  final heartbeat and last breath represent the moment when the person completely and totally ceases to be. Nothing remains of their personality, their emotions, feelings or memories. They are just gone. Death is the absolute end.

People of faith answer the death question differently. For them life follows life. The body ceases to function but the essence of the person, the personality and thoughts, the soul and spirit, continue on. 

Believing that something comes next changes everything. If there is a next life, particularly if it is an enduring life, then earthly actions must be measured not solely on their immediate impact but according to their impact on the life to come. Earthly wealth and accomplishments decrease in importance. Faith assumes the preeminent position and character qualities such as love and faithfulness and a person’s relationship with the Divine outweigh those things which can be seen by the eye. 

While worldly achievements are in large measure dependent on when, where and to whom a person is born  the things that matter for eternity are available to all. Faith, hope and love are gifts that can be received and given by the poorest of the poor.

A person’s true answer to the what “what next” question can be determined from a distance. Those who pursue pleasure and happiness with vigor, who work hard build a name or legacy for themselves, and strive for earthly success are living as if this life is all there is, as if they embrace the secular view. Further evidence of a temporal mindset is seen in rejection of moral absolutes. 

People who hold onto earthly goods more loosely, who are more willing to forego wealth and security in this life and more willing to give their lives for a cause are living as if there is an eternity.

What we believe about death defines our entire existence.

• From what I observed, Allan was a man who believed in eternity. It is why he lived as he did and loved as he did. I look forward to seeing him again.

- Bart

Prayers for Allan's family will be appreciated. He is at peace, it is those who remain who are suffering. 

Broken Thinking, Broken Life

Adulterous affairs on business trips. Relapses into addiction after years of sobriety. Violent explosions of temper. I have seen so many seemingly good people inexplicably find themselves in situations they swore they would never be in. In each circumstance the question was the same, “What happened?” The answer was, and is, never a single thing. Tragic outcomes are typically the result of a string of bad decisions.

I think of the married patient who came to be fearful he had contracted an STD from a sexual encounter with a stranger he met in a hotel bar while on a business trip. “I made a bad decision,” was his initial explanation.

“You made a lot of bad decisions,” was my reply, “You had to run through a lot of stop signs on the road before you crashed.” I reviewed with him the bad choices. He chose to go to the bar, to make eye contact with the woman and to buy her a drink and engage in conversation. No one forced him to complement her appearance or to go to her hotel room. He could have, and should have, said “No,” so many times. Just one “No,” may have been the difference between marriage and divorce.

As we talked I thought about how his fall did not begin with wrong action but with wrong thinking. Each bad decision was preceded by a bad thought. Thoughts such as “What is wrong with buying a drink?” or “It is just harmless conversation” were the first signs of danger. I wondered if the first wrong thoughts were negative ones about his wife. Were there unchecked feelings of resentment or dissatisfaction with her appearance that led to his wandering eye? Had he quit thinking of her as a gift from God? Had she become "just another woman" in his mind?

As I look back on my life I can see that every foolish or destructive act I have made was preceded by erroneous thinking. This seems to be the fate of all mankind. We are all plagued with self-deception. The process is described in the New Testament-

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15 NLT

James description of the process points us to the solution. When we allow our wrong desires to take hold, when we allow them to simmer unchecked, wrong action is the natural consequence. It is hard to stop the locomotive once it reaches full speed. We need to challenge our thinking and reject the thoughts that lead us astray the moment they enter our minds, to make sure the train never leaves the station!

I know from experience that challenging negative thoughts is worth the effort. Intentionally rejecting negative thoughts about my wife has allowed a deep love and appreciation to grow and flourish, a love and appreciation that causes all other women to pale in comparison. Progress has been slower when it comes to anger, but I have seen that the more I intentionally reject demeaning or degrading thoughts about others and the more I consider them to be children of God the kinder and more patient I become. It seems that when I fight the battle at the level of thought that bad behavior is far less likely.

Which leads to the question- What is going on in your head?

-          Bart

You can listen to more on this topic on the sermons page. I expound on the topic in Part 1 of the series, “A Disease Called Sin.” If you would like me to come and speak to your church event or function, I can be reached on the Contact page. I can also be followed on twitter @bartbarrettmd, or on Facebook at Bart Barrett, MD.

Talking to Yourself Can be a Good Thing

Mornings can be difficult. Some days begin with the feeling that the problems of the day are too much, the challenges too difficult, the work to hard. It seems that you just can’t do it all again. How do find the strength to do it all one more time?

The late pastor and Bible teacher D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gave an eloquent answer to this problem in his book “Spiritual Depression.” He wrote that we need “to not let our selves speak to us but instead we need to speak to ourselves.”

Out of personal brokenness and fallen nature come negative thoughts and emotions that can drag us down. If we listen to these thoughts, we can find ourselves struggling with depression and discouragement.

The solution? Talk back to ourselves! We need to question and challenge these negative emotions with truth. As I have been "blessed" with anxiety disorder there are many mornings when I need to do this. Here are some of the truths that I speak to my self and that help me get through each day-

- God has gotten you through every other day, He will get you through today.

- It's not about what people think, it's about what God thinks and He knows your  heart.

- You do not need to fear failure, God knows your weaknesses and loves you anyway

- God will give you the strength to do what you need to do when you need to do it.

- This life is not all there is, your hope is eternal

-God judges you based not on your failures or successes but by Christ's sacrifice, so there is no need for fear

I say words like these, take a few deep breaths and then tell myself, “Okay, let’s do this.” And somehow, with help of God, I do, one day at a time.

- Bart

Comments? Please share them! Questions? Please send them! I am on twitter @bartbarrettmd and on Facebook at Bart Barrett, MD.