Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 79

Does It Matter How We Spend Our Free Time?

We have to look at our lives as a window of opportunity, because none of us has unlimited time. Everyone, no matter who they are, has 168 hours a week, and we’re supposed to spend about a third of it sleeping, and then another large amount of that likely goes to work. But in terms of what we call discretionary time, how much do we actually have? And how are we spending it?

Scripture tells us to redeem the time and make the most of the time we’ve been given by living in light of eternity. We’d be wise to take these verses into account as we choose how to spend our time:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17).

Be self-controlled and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8, PHILLIPS).

This doesn’t mean that there’s no time for exercise, fun, hanging out with friends and family, barbecues, or watching a good movie. Our leisure time can be used in ways that please God—by studying and meditating on His Word (see 2 Timothy 2:15), by resting in Christ (see Matthew 11:28-30), and by recuperating from life’s busyness, as Christ commanded His disciples (see Mark 6:31).

Scripture also says that God provides us with material things “for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17, NLT). I’m so grateful for that phrase from Scripture, because it allows me to spend reasonable time and money enjoying God’s creation without guilt and doing things like playing tennis and riding my bike. Nanci and I sometimes go out to dinner or watch a movie together, enriching our relationship. These things contribute to my physical health and my mental and emotional refreshment.

So the answer isn’t believing that spending time doing the things we enjoy is automatically wrong. Hobbies and God-honoring entertainment can be an enriching part of an abundant, satisfying, and happy life. But leisure time can also deteriorate into hours and days wasted watching mind-numbing television, endlessly browsing the Internet and social media, or indulging in fantasies, whether through pornography, explicit romance novels, or video games.

If our approach to free time is just the television is always on because we’re watching this or binging on that, then we’re likely neglecting other important things God calls us to do. Are we building relationships with our neighbors and the people God has brought in our lives? Who are we serving or reaching out to? What great books are we reading? How deep are we going in reading and studying God’s Word? All of these things can bring us great refreshment and joy.

I know people who say I don’t have time to do a weekly Bible study, but they’re actually spending the evening at home watching television or scrolling through their phone or playing video games. So we have to ask ourselves, What kind of a person will all these things make me? as opposed to What kind of person will reading God’s Word and great books, meeting with Christ’s body, and serving other people, make me?

One thing I encourage people to do is to keep track of how they spend their time for one week. (You can use a time management sheet like this one). You can keep track of everything, but most specifically your discretionary time.

When we understand how we spend our time, it makes us better stewards because we become aware of what we otherwise don’t really know. Becoming aware is the first step of stewardship, which puts us in a position to decide, “I want to spend more time reading some great books and God’s Word, and talking with my wife and reading to my kids, and to steward this time I can reduce my time on electronics by five or ten hours each week.” Again, we won't do this without a clear picture of how we’re currently spending our time.

When I was talking to my wife Nanci about this, she reminded me that when she had food allergy issues, she was supposed to write down each and every thing she ate for several weeks. She found this very helpful. As with eating, when it comes to how you spend your time, simply knowing what you're actually doing makes a huge difference in your ability to evaluate and make positive, God-glorifying changes.

I admit sometimes I really do struggle with how quickly time runs out each day. I try to focus on the Lord and His Word and figure out the few things in life He really wants me to do. Every day—including this one—offers me a hundred distractions, not just bad things, but good things. I tell myself that I must say no to the vast majority of good things that I might be able to say yes to those very few things God really has for me, including during my free time.

Jesus says to Martha in Luke 10: “Few things are necessary, really only one. Mary has chosen the better portion and it will not be taken from her.” May that be true of us too, and may we redeem the time God has given us, for His glory!

Photo by Jessica Delp on Unsplash

Make God’s Unshakeable Eternal Kingdom Your Source of Security, Focus, and Peace

Whatever our feelings and opinions about the upcoming election, certainly we can all affirm that as Christ followers, our hope should not be in politics, nor should it be our ultimate focus. (I recently shared some helpful reflections from Paul David Tripp on my blog about being careful where we put our hope. Don’t miss what he has to say.)

When I was emailing with a friend recently about the issues surrounding the election, she shared the encouragement she has found in Hebrews 12:25-29:

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from Heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

She wrote, “That’s something I’m not seeing a lot of these days: gratitude, and worship with reverence and awe. People are afraid of what’s going to happen if so-and-so gets elected instead of fearing God who is a consuming fire! The storm is coming on us all, but it will reveal what we stand upon and where our hope is built.”

I too love that passage since America is being shaken and the world is being shaken, but we should “be grateful for receiving a kingdom that will cannot be shaken.” Note that it “cannot” be shaken—not just “will not.” The kingdom’s very nature is rooted in our sovereign God of providence and grace, so it is utterly impossible for anything to ever shake it! For those who follow Jesus, that is a win/win situation and truly an eternal extension of the GOOD NEWS of the gospel of Jesus. Such a perspective takes our eyes up above (which is where they should be in the first place!).

Ray Ortlund writes:        

Here’s a great thing about the morning of November 4th: Nothing essential to my existence will be diminished, or enhanced, or changed at all. So I plan to wake up that morning and rejoice in the Lord. His eternal kingdom is my eternal home. Reason enough to rejoice!

I wholeheartedly agree. If the reasons for our rejoicing are rooted in Christ, not politics or our circumstances, then no matter what happens, we can find peace, hope, and happiness in Him and in focusing on His eternal kingdom.

E. Stanley Jones said about Hebrews 12:

We have an unshakeable kingdom, the kingdom of God. We have an unchanging Person, Jesus Christ. Then we’ve got the gospel. And it’s a total gospel, for man’s total need.

Modern man is empty, and crying to high heaven for something to fill that emptiness. Nothing can fill that emptiness except the unshakeable kingdom, the unchanging Person, and the total gospel.

Heaven is our country of citizenship (Hebrews 11:16; Philippians 3:20). Christ is our King. We are His ambassadors, representing His agenda and His eternal Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20). While on our brief stay here, we are aliens, strangers, and pilgrims (Hebrews 11:3). Ambassadors, aliens, and pilgrims identify themselves and plan their lives with a focus on their home country. Should they become too engrossed in the alien country where they temporarily reside, they can easily compromise their allegiances to their true King and true country.

Imagine an ambassador who leaves his country to live in another nation, one hostile to his own. Naturally, he will want to learn the language, see the sights, eat the food, become familiar with the people and culture. But suppose he fails to draw the line. Suppose he becomes so engrossed in this country’s customs and philosophies that he gradually assimilates into it. He becomes sympathetic to its policies, buys into its values, begins to regard it as his true home.

His allegiance wavers. He compromises his position as an ambassador. He becomes increasingly ineffective in representing the best interests of his true country. His loyalties drift. Eventually, he may even defect. At best, he becomes incapable of serving his true country. At worst, he may actually betray it.

His fatal mistake is this—just because he lives somewhere, he comes to think of it as his home. As Christians, we live on earth—but this earth, as it is now, is not our home. Heaven is. We forget that to our peril.

How are you doing as an ambassador for Christ? How are you doing representing your true country, Heaven, as you live in a world that’s not your home? Have you adopted values and customs of this culture that are contrary to those of the culture of Heaven? Have you compromised your allegiance to your true country and your true King?

“Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear” (1 Peter 1:17). “I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

No matter what direction our earthly country may be going, it is our never-ending heavenly country we should faithfully represent. The people of the world don’t need our reassurance that America is unshakable, that democracy will prevail, that any one human leader will save us, that our economy will recover, that death and suffering will not touch them. What they need, while living in the wreckage of this sin-stained Earth, is to realize that the world’s main problem is that it’s inhabited by people like us, sinners in need of redemption. These thirsty people need us to reach out our hands and extend to them, as cold water, Christ’s offer of citizenship in another world, a coming eternal home described this way at the Book’s end:

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life’” (Revelation 21:3-6).

For more on God's coming eternal Kingdom, seen Randy's book Heaven.

Photo by Haley Truong on Unsplash

Our Need for Sound Teaching About Jesus

It was a labor of love finding and arranging some of the most powerful and inspiring words ever said about the Son of God for my book It’s All About Jesus: A Treasury of Insights on Our Savior, Lord, and Friend. God has profoundly used these words in my life over the past two years as I faced very difficult times. I pray God will use these insights just as mightily with you, to encourage you to love and trust and follow Jesus more.

Here’s a sample entry from part four of the book, “Jesus, in and with His Disciples.”

Our Need for Sound Teaching About Jesus

A time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.  2 Timothy 4:3 NLT

The Jesus that men want to see is not the Jesus they really need to see.   G. Campbell Morgan

It is all too easy to believe in a Jesus who is largely a construction of our own imagination—an inoffensive person whom no one would really trouble to crucify.  F.F. Bruce

Much of the history of Christianity has been devoted to domesticating Jesus—to reducing that elusive, enigmatic, paradoxical person to dimensions we can comprehend, understand, and convert to our own purposes. So far it hasn’t worked.  Andrew Greeley

We refuse to present a picture of “gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” a portrait that tugs at your sentiments or pulls at your heartstrings. That’s because we deal with so many people who suffer, and when you’re hurting hard, you’re neither helped nor inspired by a syrupy picture of the Lord, like those sugary, sentimental images many of us grew up with. You know what I mean? Jesus with His hair parted down the middle, surrounded by cherubic children and bluebirds.  Joni Eareckson Tada

The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused him of being a bore—on the contrary, they thought him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified him “meek and mild,” and recommended him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.  Dorothy Sayers

We make Jesus Christ a convenience. We make Him a Lifeboat to get us to shore, a Guide to find us when we are lost. We reduce Him simply to Big Friend to help us when we are in trouble.  A.W. Tozer

Our prayers and expectations for Jesus usually involve making our lives easy. But Jesus isn’t our genie who grants our wishes. While he sometimes doesn’t give us what we want, he always gives us what we need.  Randy Alcorn

Why do we try so hard to make Jesus cool?! He doesn’t need a makeover.  Matt Chandler

One of the greatest distinguishing marks of a false prophet is that he will always tell you what you want to hear, he will never rain on your parade… he will keep you entertained, and he will present a Christianity to you that will make your church look like a six flags over Jesus.  Paul Washer

A cheap Christianity, without a cross, will prove in the end a useless Christianity, without a crown.  J.C. Ryle

God hates the lukewarm gospel of half-truths that is now spreading over the globe. This gospel says, “Just believe in Jesus and you’ll be saved. There’s nothing more to it.” It ignores the whole counsel of God, which speaks of repenting from former sins, of taking up your cross, of being conformed to the image of Christ by the refining work of the Holy Spirit. It is totally silent about the reality of hell and an after-death judgment.  David Wilkerson

Whenever you find a preacher who takes the Bible allegorically and figuratively… that preacher is preaching an allegorical gospel which is no gospel. I thank God for a literal Christ, for a literal salvation. There is literal sorrow, literal death, literal Hell, and, thank God, there is a literal Heaven.  J. Frank Norris

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ.  Martin Luther

Just so take Christ away, and the whole arch of truth becomes a heap of rubbish.  Robert Murray M’Cheyne

The soul is in danger when knowledge of doctrine outsteps intimate touch with Jesus.  Oswald Chambers

It’s All About Jesus is available in print from retailers, including EPM’s online store. It’s also available on Kindle.

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

God Redeems the Former Things: A True Story from Author Francine Rivers

Many Christian fiction readers are familiar with Francine Rivers. Her books are exceptionally powerful, well-written, and always Christ-honoring. Redeeming Love is probably her best known, but my own favorite is The Atonement Child. In my opinion, she is one of the finest writers of Christian fiction in the world.

Francine (who her friends know as Frani) and her husband Rick are committed followers of Jesus, and a delight. (Nanci and I stayed in their home some years ago.) When I was working on my book Giving Is the Good Life, I asked Frani to share about Redeeming Love, which she wrote more than twenty-five years ago. She is a humble person and not one to seek attention or make public statements. But with her permission, I’m sharing this encouraging and beautiful story:

Redeeming Love was the first book I wrote as a Christian. I’d been reared in the church, and had head-knowledge, but I didn’t make the decision to turn my will and my life over to Jesus until 1986 when I was in my late 30s.

A wilderness experience quickly followed. Up until then, I had a successful career in the general market writing steamy historical romances, but after becoming a Christian, I couldn’t write anything. It was a monumental struggle for me because writing was the one area of my life where I thought I had “control.” It took three years for me to receive the lesson God was teaching me: writing had become an idol. My relationship with Jesus became the most important thing in my life. Writing didn’t matter anymore.

Rick and I were hosting a home study when God started nudging me about writing again. We were studying the minor prophets, specifically the book of Hosea. I felt all the inner walls coming down and sensed God telling me, “This is the love story I want you to write. MY story.”  Redeeming Love was the result.

…The Lord has blessed this book over the years. It is used in numerous ministries that work with women in crisis, survivors of sex trafficking, outreaches to prostitutes, and even in marriage counseling ministries.

At the same time we were hosting the home group, I was doing other studies on the Christian life. Larry Burkett’s Debt-Free Living changed my way of thinking about money. Every gift is from above. Those gifts don’t belong to me. I’m to be a proper steward. Rick and I discussed it and realized early on that Redeeming Love was my first fruits as a Christian writer. Hence, whatever royalties came from the book belonged to the Lord, not to us.

We set aside the share Uncle Sam required, but the rest went to the Lord's work. It was an act of obedience in the beginning, but very quickly became a joyful offering. We tithe from everything we receive, but Redeeming Love was set aside entirely for God. Rick and I both believe that God gives so that we may give. He gives us the heart to do so and the joy in the giving as well. (We’ve kept this quiet for many years, only telling a few and under specific circumstances—when we felt it would service a purpose or encourage someone.)

…The main point: We try to steer the money to ministries that reach women (and men) like Angel (the primary character of Redeeming Love)—wounded, lost, in desperate need of a Savior and Lord.

…The book has been a bestseller in several foreign countries and continues to sell overseas as well as in the U.S. What I delight in most: it has been translated into Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. The latter makes me smile. A missionary friend said he saw it in a home in Siberia! God can use anything, even a fictional story, to reach into the hearts of His children—no matter where they are. It is amazing that He allows us to be a part of His great work.

…What's the old saying? You can’t out give God! Oh, how true that is.

Randy again: More than one million copies of Redeeming Love have been sold (in fact, just this month it was number two on the Christian fiction bestsellers list!). Not only have many people benefited from reading Francine’s book, but untold numbers have also been helped through its royalties.

This story of Redeeming Love’s impact is one that only God could write! It reminds me that shortly after we committed 100% of the royalties of my books to be given to Christian ministries, several of them started appearing on the bestsellers’ list. That’s not a formula, and it’s not that God always does it that way. But as Francine and I have experienced first-hand, countless others in a wide variety of vocations have discovered that when they dedicate their profits to God, He often blesses them materially. The more they give back to the Lord the more He blesses them. If that’s been your own story, please share it with me and others on my Facebook page.

Being Black Sometimes Means I’m Treated Differently: A Discussion on Race Between Two Friends

In this excerpt from my novel Dominion, the main character Clarence Abernathy, a black journalist, shares about his experiences as a black man with his friend and coworker Jake Woods (the main character of the previous novel Deadline). What Clarence shares echoes what every black man, from poor guys to rich ones, told me when I interviewed many black Americans while researching Dominion. (See also this article I shared from Shai Linne, a firsthand account that encourages understanding and empathy.)

Jake and Clarence headed to their favorite nearby hangout, the Main Street Deli, two blocks down and across the street. They staked out a table and hung their coats over the chairs. Jake was about to get in line at the counter when he caught the expression on Clarence’s face and decided to sit down.

“How are you doing?”

Clarence paused for a moment, looking uncertain whether he should say something. Finally it came out. “Do you ever get tired, Jake? Just tired of life?”

“Sometimes. But...what exactly do you mean?”

“It’s like I told you before. Sometimes I just get tired of being black.”

“But it’s fine to be black. That’s the way God made you.”

“Yeah, I know. And it’s easy to say that...when you’re white. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not ashamed to be black. It’s just that it’s so draining.”

“What do you mean? Tell me—I really want to understand.”

Clarence sighed, weighing how much he should say. Finally, he jumped in. “Growing up, I thought about my skin color every time I saw a white person. Every time I watched Sky King and The Lone Ranger, looked at all the billboards, paged through Life and Look and Saturday Evening Post and Boy’s Life. Everybody was white. Everybody. The politicians, the astronauts, everybody but the janitor, the street sweeper, and some of the athletes. If I was away from home and forgot about my skin color for a few minutes, when it was time to find a restroom I remembered.”

“But it’s different now. Isn’t it?”

“What? Mississippi?” Clarence laughed half-heartedly, running his index finger beneath his right ear. “No more colored restrooms, if that’s what you mean. Racism wears different clothes now. It’s less overt, more subtle, more disguised. But laws change more quickly than hearts do. Thing is, you know how I’ve said I want people to be colorblind? Well, it’s not realistic. They’re not. I’m not. Things constantly remind me of my color. I can’t get away from it. It haunts me, dogs me, forces me to spend so much time and energy.” He sighed. “Anyway, no use talkin’ about it. Doesn’t change anything. Let’s order. There’s already a line.”

They walked up to the line, six people ahead of them. After a minute of silence, Jake said, “Okay, Clarence. I’m not dropping the subject this time. What reminds you of your skin color right now?”

Clarence moaned, pretending he didn’t want to talk about it. He looked around the room. “How many people in this place?”

“I don’t know, three dozen? Maybe forty?”

“How many blacks?”

“Counting you? Three.”

“There’s the first reason. When you’re in the majority, you don’t have to think of your skin color. When you’re in the minority, you do.”

“Okay, but I see what, two or three Latinos? And that guy looks American Indian. And there’s maybe four Asians—Japanese or Korean or Chinese. Are they thinking about their race?”

“Probably. I don’t know. Now the Hispanics, maybe their great-grandfather’s land was stolen by the U.S. Or maybe they just came to America in the last twenty years, and hey, it’s a lot better than Mexico, even if you can’t buy a decent tortilla here. But you don’t have a lot of Latinos who were forced to live in this country at gunpoint. They could cross the border if they wanted to. The Asians, they came to suc­ceed in business. They can get a loan from the bank; they’re considered good credit risks. And above all, they’re here because they want to be.”

“You’re not?”

“I want to be here, Jake. But is that why I’m here? No. I’m here because some of your ancestors decided to put chains on some of my ancestors, kidnap them, throw them on a slave ship, and bring them over here for cheap labor.”

Jake looked startled, wondering if this was the payback for wanting to listen.

Clarence held up his hands. “I’m not as bitter as I sound. And I don’t hold it against you personally, bro. You didn’t put chains on my ancestors, march them to those ships, starve and humiliate and rape them, steal their families and their culture from them, beat them down until they’d submit to white dominion. You didn’t put my ancestors on that ship. And you didn’t preach from a Christian pulpit that black men had no souls. I know that. But it still hurts; it hurts more than I can ever tell you.

“So I’m just saying, the Asians here may be a little self-conscious, but it’s different. The Hispanics are feeling out of place, but it’s different too. The American Indian, well, he may feel the most like I do right now. This whole land used to be his, although as bad as it is to have your land stolen, I think it’s even worse to have your body stolen. But one thing’s for sure. Of the thirty white people in this room, none of them are thinking about being white. They don’t have to.”

“Okay,” Jake said. “That makes sense. And you’re saying always having to think about race wears you out.”

“Well, sure, but that’s not all. You get the looks. People treat you different. Like a couple months ago when we went to the car dealers and those two salesmen came up to you and I got boxed out of the conversation like I didn’t exist. As if black men don’t buy cars, they just steal them.”

“I didn’t realize what was happening until you pointed it out. I’m sorry for that.”

“I know. And I didn’t blame you. I wouldn’t expect you to notice. I mean, it isn’t happening to you. I probably wouldn’t notice either if it was happening to someone else.”

Jake looked at the five people standing in front of them. “Man, this line’s taking forever.”

“The girl who’s taking orders. Recognize her?” Clarence asked.

“She’s been here almost every day since Marcia quit two weeks ago. Don’t really know her yet.”

“How would you describe her? Friendly?”

“Super friendly. Why?”

“Okay, Mr. Veteran Journalist, let’s do a little research here. Watch how she relates to the two guys in front of us.”

“Okay.” Jake watched and listened.

“Will that be all, sir?” she asked. “Thank you. Hope you enjoy it.” The customer said something to her, and she laughed delightfully. The man in front of Clarence and Jake stepped forward.

“Yes, sir? Managing to keep dry today? What can I do for you?” Same enthusiasm. She rang up the order, took his money, and said, “Thank you, sir. Have a great day.”

“Watch closely,” Clarence whispered to Jake as he stepped forward.

The girl looked down as if she were reading something off the register. “Can I help you?” she asked Clarence. Jake noticed the warmth and enthusiasm were gone. So was the “sir.”

Clarence ordered. They didn’t engage in small talk. She handed him his change, saying nothing. Clarence stepped away, and she looked at Jake.

“Afternoon! How can I help you, sir? Can I talk you into our special? Turkey on rye with cream cheese.”

Jake looked stunned.

“Are you all right, sir?”

“No. I don’t think I am. My friend who was in front of me. Why did you talk to him like that?”

“Like what?”

“You were...different with him.”

“Different? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything.” She looked around as if fearing a supervisor would overhear this.

“Drop it, Jake,” Clarence said.

“No, I won’t.” He looked at her. “My friend here—”

“I said drop it.”

Jake set his jaw and ordered the special, even though he hated cream cheese. They got to the table and put down their plastic number.

“Clarence, why did you tell me to drop it?”

“I was just making a point, not trying to solve the world’s problems. She probably doesn’t even know she’s doing it. Just the way she was raised, I guess.”

“But she did treat you different.”

“Of course she did. This is the third time I’ve been here since she started working. It was just like this the other two times.”

“Well, I don’t appreciate how she acted. It isn’t right.”

“Yeah, and most of the world is right, is that what you’re saying? Hey, you’re not going to change this woman,” Clarence said. “No telling what she’s been through. Maybe some blacks beat her up once. Who knows?”

“Well, that doesn’t justify how she treated you.”

“But if I hadn’t told you to pay attention, you wouldn’t have even noticed it. That’s why when you ask whites—my fellow conservatives, anyway—if there’s still racism, they’ll say maybe a little, but not much, and they’ll go on and on about reverse racism. I don’t really blame them. They can only see what happens to them. They can’t see what I see, because they don’t live inside black skin.”

“It bothers me, Clarence. I want to do something about it.” Clarence thought he saw a tear in the corner of Jake’s eye. It surprised him.

“You did the best you could. You saw it. You didn’t tell me I was just oversensitive, that I imagined the whole thing.”

“It was so obvious,” Jake said.

“Only if your eyes are open to it. Same thing happened when we were in here last week. You didn’t notice then. It’s no different than what I get a dozen times a day.”

“Really?”

“Really. Well, maybe not a dozen anymore. But a couple anyway. Remember a few weeks ago when Geneva and I were out to dinner with you and Janet?”

“At Red Robin’s?”

“Right. When the waiter brought the check, do you remember me being a little irritable? Later Geneva told me it showed.”

“Yeah, I do remember. You seemed upset. Janet and I couldn’t figure it out.”

“How many times have we been out to dinner together, the four of us?” “I don’t know,” Jake said. “Over a dozen.”

“Pop quiz. Every single place we’ve been, every single time when the servers come up with the check, what have they done with it?”

“Put it on the table.”

“Well, yes, but who do they put it in front of?”

Jake looked bewildered, then the light turned on. “Me?”

“Every time. No exceptions. Do you know how that makes me feel?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Like the white man has to pick up the tab for the black man. Like black men don’t make money, or if they do they spend it on drugs or fancy cars. I know the dance, Jake.”

“You always want to pick up the tab,” Jake said. “I have to arm wrestle you so I can pay my share.”

“Usually I don’t let it bother me like that. But I’ve just been fed up lately. Geneva says I’m under stress. Anyway, that’s what happened that night. Then we went over to the mall, to Meier & Frank, remember? Well, we hadn’t been there five minutes before the security guard was on me like white on rice. Finally, Geneva and I went and sat on a bench. It just takes the fun out of shopping.”

“I knew something was wrong,” Jake said. “But I had no idea what. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Clarence shrugged. “Sounds like whining, doesn’t it? Like I’m another over-sensitive black man. Besides, it’s a little embarrassing.”

“Still, I wish you’d told me. It makes sense now, but I was in the dark. Clarence... I didn’t realize stuff like this still happens.”

Clarence shrugged. “Did you hear what happened when I dropped by Hugh’s house a few weeks ago?”

“What?” Jake didn’t know Hugh well, only that he was the ex-all-American sports editor.

“We go into his house and his phone rings. I’m standing right there when he answers, and I can tell he’s uncomfortable. He says, ‘No, everything’s okay. Thanks for calling. No, I understand.’ So I’m standing there trying to get Hugh to tell me who it was.”

“So who was it?”

“The neighbor lady. One of those neighborhood watch communities, you know. She was calling to tell Hugh there was a black man on his porch. When Hugh told me, I busted out laughing.”

“But it really wasn’t funny, was it?”

“No.” He looked deadly serious now. “Sometimes you laugh because you’re tired of getting mad. Sometimes it doesn’t bother me, I’m so used to it. But when I’m at a low ebb, it gets to me. The thing is, at my last two churches in Gresham, I was the only black man. People think they know me, but they don’t. They don’t describe me as the smart guy or the friendly guy or the guy that loves his family. I’m ‘that big black guy.’ I don’t blame them for that. But my skin color doesn’t say anything about what’s inside, good or bad.”

“To be honest,” Jake said, “a few times I’ve thought maybe you were reading in racism when it wasn’t there. But I’m starting to see it differently.”

“I’m sure sometimes I do read it in. But when you know it’s real with some people, it’s hard not to assume it’s there with others. Like when I was working part-time as a chauffeur when I was in college. All the guys would tell what they made in tips every day. And I always made the least, even though I swear I worked harder than any of them. There’s no way I can prove white people wouldn’t give me decent tips because I was black. But I’ll always believe that. Maybe it’s my own fault. I put my expectations too high. Now my dad, he learned not to expect too much, so he’s usually not so disappointed.”

After several seconds of silence, Jake reached across the table and put his hand on Clarence’s shoulder. “Thanks for telling me this, friend.”

“Hey…thanks for listening.”

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Divided Hearts of America: A Powerful and Engaging New Film Hosted by Benjamin Watson

In the last five years Nanci and I have come to know and love Benjamin Watson and his wonderful wife Kirsten. For the last fifteen years Ben was one of the most highly respected players in the National Football League, and now he continues to have a ministry to many inside and outside the NFL.

Ben was the first round pick of the New England Patriots in 2004. He was part of the Superbowl Champion Patriots of 2005. Ben also played for the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens, returning to the Saints, and finishing again with the Patriots last season.

If you want a glimpse of his athleticism, check out this 2.5 minute video of one of the most unforgettable hustle plays in NFL history.

Ben’s career and the respect he earned from teammates and coaches and fans is a platform God has given him and that he’s already used well, and I pray his voice will be heard for decades to come. After a conference Ben and I attended a year ago February, he was considering retirement from football and we met to talk about possibilities for his next career. I told him that whatever else he might do, it was obvious God had raised him up to be a spokesman for two causes very close to the heart of God that are also two of the most controversial and important issues in American life: pro-life justice and racial justice. 

I know many excellent spokespersons for each of those causes, but often the two issues are separated instead of seen as inseparable strands in the same seamless garment of God’s justice. Too many proponents of pro-life justice ignore racial justice, and too many proponents of racial justice ignore the right to life of unborn children. Ben pulls these great causes together better than anyone I know.

I’ve said before that I’ve read well over fifty books related to racial justice and Ben’s book Under Our Skin is the one I recommend most. And now, his strong and heartfelt pro-life commitment has driven him and Kirsten to make a powerful new film called “Divided Hearts of America.” Ben sent me a link to watch it two days before its release on Thursday, September 17. I found it extremely unique, engaging, and moving, and I believe you will too. There are a wide variety of voices and some different points of view, and it includes a few short clips from a discussion Ben and I had earlier this year. I am convinced God will use this film far and wide!

Here’s a description from the film’s website:

A million-dollar budget isn’t much for Hollywood, but Benjamin Watson is hoping that it’s enough to tell a story and bring empathy to a hot-button topic. Venturing onto a new field, the New England Patriot’s tight end has executive-produced and partially self-financed Divided Hearts of America, a look at the debate around abortion in America.

The film is structured around a series of more than 30 interviews with Americans holding opinions from all over the political and social spectrum. Most notably, the film includes interviews with Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the presidential candidate and neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

When questioned about his motivation for the film, Watson describes his goal as “… to unveil the truth about abortion, the laws, the history and where our country is headed. I believe in the sanctity of life, be it in the womb or on your deathbed. That’s my conviction. But with the film, I’ll engage those who disagree and hear their reasoning. The No. 1 thing I’m looking for is empathy on both sides.”

Here's the trailer:

You can purchase and stream the film at SalemNow.com. I encourage you to consider gathering a group of friends, family, and neighbors and inviting them to watch it with you. Please do all you can to compel others to watch this strategic film!

A good follow up resource for discussion of this issue could be my brand new book Pro-Choice or Pro-Life: Examining 15 Pro-Choice Claims—What Do Facts & Common Sense Tell Us?, which tackles the predominant pro-choice claims head-on but does so in a thoughtful and non-aggressive way in order to reach pro-life and at least some pro-choice readers. Pro-Choice or Pro-Life? is very discussable for one on one, or a small group where a leader could assign one or more chapter per week, and within a few months a group could receive a decent pro-life education. (Consider watching the film to raise the issues in a compelling way, and then using the book to follow up on them.)

The PDF is free, read it online if you wish, and we also offer a free discussion guide. The print version of the book will be available by mid-October from our ministry for an extremely low cost ($1.00 per single copy; 90 cents per copy on orders of 100 or more; 80 cents per copy on orders of 1,000 or more, plus shipping). A single person could purchase enough copies for their entire church, and certainly enough for family and friends and selected neighbors.

Finally, if you want to hear more from Ben Watson, and enjoy his rare combination of pro-life and racial justice passions, here he is:

1) With Focus on the Family, addressing racial justice: 

2) At the National March for Life in Washington DC, in 2017, addressing pro-life justice: 

I can’t say enough about Ben and Kirsten’s character, integrity, and passion for Jesus. Their family is itself a pro-life statement.  Here they are with their seven wonderful children:

Jesus: Name Above All Names

My new book It’s All About Jesus: A Treasury of Insights on Our Savior, Lord, and Friend really is unique, and as I have been daily reading through the printed book, I’ve been struck again by many of the quotations. I’ve been underlining, but I guess since I ended up selecting the quotations, with the help of others, it’s obvious I think they’re great! But the fact that they are literally ALL about Jesus is especially great. I give away a lot of books, and it’s hard to think of a book I’d rather give someone to share about our Savior and King! :)

Here’s a sample collection from part three of the book, “The Names and Titles of Jesus.”

Jesus: Name Above All Names

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  Luke 1:31 NLT

My favorite line of all: “you are to give him the name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). Do you realize this was the first proclamation of our Savior’s personal name since the beginning of time? Jesus… A name by which I’ve made every single prayerful petition of my life. A name that has meant my absolute salvation, not only from eternal destruction, but from myself. A name with power like no other name. Jesus.  Beth Moore

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 

In a believer’s ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 

And drives away his fears.  John Newton

It is in Jesus’ name that desperate people pray, grateful people worship, and angry people swear. From christenings to weddings to sick-rooms to funerals, it is in Jesus’ name that people are hatched, matched, patched, and dispatched. From the Dark Ages to postmodernity, he is the man who won’t go away.  John Ortberg 

Out of all our Savior’s names, there is not one which rings with such sweet music as this blessed name, “Jesus.” I suppose the reason of this is that it answers to our own name, the name of sinner.  Charles Spurgeon

Jesus! the name that charms our fears, 

that bids our sorrows cease; 

’tis music in the sinner’s ears, 

’tis life, and health, and peace.  Charles Wesley

I have heard of ministers who can preach a sermon without mentioning the name of Jesus from beginning to end. If you ever hear such a sermon as that, mind that you never hear another from that man.  Charles Spurgeon

What a beautiful name. I love to watch how it falls off the lips of those who love Him. I shudder as it falls off the lips of those who don’t. Jesus.  Beth Moore

For many the name of Jesus brings extraordinary comfort and hope. But others use his name to express anger, amazement or disgust; to them it is no more than a convenient expletive. The Name that is like no other stirs conflicting emotions in those who hear it, because Jesus is more than just a religious leader and teacher. He is more than simply a figure in world history. He is more than merely a moral influence. Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  The Knowing Jesus Study Bible

Jesus, whose name is not so much written as ploughed into the history of this world.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

How sweet the Name of Jesus… 
Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace! 
John Newton

It is not merely in the name of a great teacher, not even the greatest teacher who ever lived, that Justinian built Hagia Sophia in Constantinople or Johann Sebastian Bach composed the Mass in B-Minor. There are no cathedrals in honor of Socrates.  Jaroslav Pelikan

We write Jesus’ name upon our banner, for it is hell’s terror, heaven’s delight and earth’s hope.  Charles Spurgeon

Tomorrow’s history has already been written—at the name of Jesus every knee must bow.  Paul E. Kauffman

It’s All About Jesus is available in print from retailers, including EPM’s online store. It’s also available on Kindle.

Photo by Matt Botsford on Unsplash

My Conversation with Nick Foles and Chris Maragos

I loved spending time recently with NFL players Nick Foles and Chris Maragos on their great podcast, Mission of Truth, which they just started this year.

I first met Chris in a players’ chapel service before a Seahawks game, when he was a star on special teams. That year they won the Super Bowl. Later I met Nick, when he and Chris were both with the Eagles. I led a Bible study with fifteen guys, including all three quarterbacks, the head coach and offensive coordinator. That same year they too went on to win the Super Bowl, and Nick Foles was named MVP. Both men are Super Bowl champions, but far more importantly they are true followers of Jesus. Nanci and my grandsons have been with me a few times when I’ve been with these guys, and I loved how they treated Nanci with respect and spoke into my grandsons’ lives.

I deeply appreciate both these brothers, and I highly recommend their interviews, including with Tony Dungy, Frank Reich, Matt Forte and Matt Hasselbeck. They have great energy, warmth, insights, and passion for Jesus and His kingdom.

The three of us talked about dogs, writing, Heaven, and more. Listen to our conversation here.

Here's Nick with my grandsons Jake and Ty in 2016:

Nick with our Golden Retriever Maggie:

Chris Maragos with Jake and Ty in 2014:

Meet Henry Parsons Crowell, Founder of Quaker Oats and a Generous Christ-Follower

One of the things I most look forward to about Heaven is learning the stories of countless faithful brothers and sisters in Christ from all places and times who used their lives to further God’s kingdom. But I love hearing some of them on this side of eternity, such as the story of Henry Parsons Crowell, founder of the Quaker Oats Company, shared in this video from Pastor Tom Joyce with Immanuel Bible Church (in Springfield, Virginia). This faithful and successful man invested his life and wealth in the spread of the gospel and gave away nearly 70% of his income for the more than 40 years that he ran his business:

(Here’s a short biography of Crowell that gives more details, including how he and his wife Susan shared the gospel with those in their circles, and many corporate giants came to know Christ as a result. As Tom mentioned, Henry went to be with Jesus at the age 82 while riding the commuter train, a Bible in his hand.)

So why did God give business success and wealth to Henry Parsons Crowell? As I share in my book Giving Is the Good Life, it’s for exactly the reason He gave skills in preaching and translation to William Tyndale, George Whitefield, and John Newton—to further the cause of Christ and expand His Kingdom all over the world.

Why has God entrusted you with more money than you need, whether that’s a little more, a lot more, or a whole lot more? I would venture to say it’s for that very same reason. (Doesn’t that excite you?)

If God has wired you to be good at what you do—whether business or art, manufacturing or farming, music or medicine, or anything that allows you to freely help the needy and further the cause of Christ—rejoice! This is a great use of your life.

Leaving your job for “full-time ministry” may not be a step up for the Kingdom of God but a step down. God may have given you the ability, right where you are, to help churches and missionaries reach those God has called them to, as well as the ability to reach others in your own unique sphere of ministry.

So whether you are a grocery clerk, an assembly line worker, a salesperson, a business owner, a flight attendant, a stay-at-home mom, or a professional athlete, or whether you have a primary ministry of prayer or encouraging people, God has given you a unique platform. In all likelihood, no pastor or missionary will reach your neighbors, teachers, coworkers, coaches, or teammates. We each have our own God-given mission fields to serve every day. So use your platform for the glory of God, and then give generously to the causes of evangelism, justice, and mercy that are close to His heart.

God doesn’t just call His people to the far reaches of the Earth for his Kingdom. He also equips many servants to support and supply workers and to meanwhile represent Him in their own territory right where they live and work. Whatever He has called you to do, do it with your whole heart, giving generously out of the overflow He’s entrusted to you.

May each of us live daily in such a way as to look forward to hearing the Lord say to us, when we meet Him face to face, “Well done, you good and faithful servant! . . . You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!” (Matthew 25:21, GNT).

Earlier this year, Randy’s book Giving Is the Good Life was chosen as a finalist in the 2020 Christian Book Award under the Christian Living category! We’re grateful that God is using it to encourage believers to experience the joy-filled, eternity-impacting benefits of generosity.

One reader wrote, “This book is not going to tell you to give away everything you own and forgo all gifts we’ve been offered here on earth. But this book is one that takes an in-depth look at real life examples of the ways in which being God’s delivery people not only allows us to be on the front-lines of answers to prayer in other’s lives, but blesses our socks off in return. It will challenge you to take an honest look at your heart and it will bring the generosity of the Gospel to light in a whole new way.”

Christ’s Example

I’ve always loved to read and think and talk about Jesus. As a very young Christian I bought a book of quotations about every aspect of the Christian life, and I pored over it again and again. My favorite quotes were those about Jesus Himself, and also about His work in the lives of His followers. Several years ago I decided I wanted to compile the best of the best quotations about Jesus I could locate—both in great books and online (triple-checking for accuracy, which is imperative when using the Internet). The result is It’s All About Jesus: A Treasury of Insights on Our Savior, Lord, and Friend. 

Hope you enjoy this small sample from part two of the book, “The Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection, Return, and Reign of Jesus.”

Christ’s Example

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: ‘Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.’”  Luke 11:1-4 NLT

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God… knelt down and washed the apostles’ feet.  John 13:3 ESV

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.  1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Ephesians 5:1 NLT

Our Lord lived his life… to give the normal standard for our lives. Oswald Chambers

Even those who have renounced Christianity and attack it, in their inmost being still follow the Christian ideal, for hitherto neither their subtlety nor the ardour of their hearts has been able to create a higher ideal of man and of virtue than the ideal given by Christ of old.  Fyodor Dostoevsky

Jesus was not a whisperer. No one ever saw Him close to His neighbor’s ear, looking stealthily around lest some one should overhear what He was going to say. He stood upright, looked men squarely and kindly in the eye, and spoke what He had to say right out, boldly, frankly, that the whole world might hear; and when He did speak privately to His disciples, He told them to shout it from the housetops.  Samuel Logan Brengle

Sometimes I wonder how Jesus would have fared in this day of mass media and high-tech ministry. I can’t picture him worrying about the details of running a large organization. I can’t see him letting some make-up artist improve his looks before a TV appearance. And I have a hard time imagining the fund-raising letters Jesus might write.  Philip Yancey

Jesus… did not attain a state of perfection by carrying around in his pocket a list of rules and regulations, or by seeking to conform to the cultural mores of his time. He was perfect because he never made a move without his Father.  Thomas Skinner

Hang that question up in your houses, “What would Jesus do?” and then think of another, “How would Jesus do it?” for what he would do, and how he would do it, may always stand as the best guide to us.  Charles Spurgeon

To become Christlike is the only thing in the whole world worth caring for.  Henry Drummond

Have a great aim—have a high standard—make Jesus your ideal… Make him an ideal not merely to be admired but also to be followed.  Eric Liddell

Stop tinkering with your soul and look away to the perfect One.  A.W. Tozer

Whatever you fix your eyes on is what you will encourage; fix your eyes on Jesus.  Mark Parker

In the Christian life our primary teacher in the way of happiness is Christ. He is our mentor; we are his disciples. And it is by observing him, listening to him, learning from him, following his teachings, and imitating his example that we grow in happiness.  Paul J. Wadell

We must imitate Christ’s life and his ways if we are to be truly enlightened and set free from the darkness of our own hearts. Let it be the most important thing we do, then, to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ.  Thomas à Kempis

The character of Jesus is immensely attractive. It embodies all that we ourselves would, in our best moments, like to be.  Michael Green

As God’s only Son, Jesus came to Earth and gave His life so that we may live. His actions and His words remind us that service to others is central to our lives and that sacrifice and unconditional love must guide us and inspire us to lead lives of compassion, mercy, and justice.  George W. Bush

It would be well if there were as great a similarity between the life of Christ and the life of Christians, as there is between a just copy and the original. What He was by nature, we should be by grace.  William Secker

If Jesus Christ the Lord of glory was willing to be obedient unto death, how much more should sinners saved by grace who owe everything to God give back to the God who saved them the life which He has redeemed.  John F. Walvoord

It’s All About Jesus is available in print from retailers, including EPM’s online store. It’s also available on Kindle.

Image from Pixabay