Category Archives: Christian Living

by Anthony Baker | July 17, 2011 · 9:01 pm

Upside to a Downside

The Downside

For a while, now, my wife has been having some health problems. As a matter of fact, every time we make a trip to the pharmacy at Target I am reminded of my vow – “in sickness and in health.” I just wish there was a little more of the “health” part.

Because of my wife’s health, she has finally had to go on short-term disability. She is just not able to work regular office hours anymore. Her pain becomes too unbearable. And because of her lost income, our family is having to seriously cut back in all areas (not that there was much room to cut).

In short, my wife is out of work and shall be receiving a little each month from her disability policy, but our already limited lifestyle is going to be more limited. I will continue to pastor and work a second job, but we’ll be OK. God has everything in control. If nothing else, I am finally going to have my wife at home where she wanted to be all along – just flat broke.

The Upside

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

So…..today we had family over for dinner after church. My wife prepared a wonderful meal, including one of my favorite deserts, banana pudding. Now, my wife makes good banana pudding, but she has never made it like my grandmother (God rest her soul) in Alabama did. It’s not just her, either. Few people have ever made banana pudding like my dearly departed country granny.

But today my wife nailed it!

One spoonful into my mouth was all it took to make me cry out, “THAT’S IT!” Something was radically different from what I expected, for my wife made banana pudding just like my granny did (bless her, Lord).

“What happened? What’s different?” I asked.

“We’re poor,” said my wife. “I had to make it from scratch.”

There evidently is an upside to every downside.

In all things praise the Lord!

4 Comments

Filed under Food, Relationships and Family

Tagged as Banana, Banana pudding, Food, Health, Pudding

by Anthony Baker | July 5, 2011 · 2:07 pm

I Ain’t Sinnin’; It’s Made of Veggies

Veggies and Fireworks

On Sunday night, July 3rd, after a wonderful evening service in which I preached on the love of God (for everyone), my family and I went to Collegedale, TN, to watch fireworks. We had a wonderful, patriotic evening, complete with fresh cotton candy, hamburgers, and hot dogs. Oh, my bad…cotton candy and veggies on bread.

There are few things more “American” than a Fourth of July celebration with hamburgers and hot dogs. On the other hand, if you plan to attend an event like this in a Seventh-Day Adventist utopia (such as Collegedale), don’t plan on eating the real thing (at least not at an outdoor event where most of the vendors are church-related). Many Adventists do not eat meat (at least the ones I’ve known), nor do they typically consume any beverages containing caffeine. So, while watching fireworks this year, I ate veggies on a bun, while drinking a Dr. Pepper with no ability to keep me awake while driving home. I could have died, you know.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I thought the burgers were very tasty, and the hot dog I had wasn’t bad. As a matter of fact, the burger was excellent, especially when I added a generous sprinkling of some spices they had sitting on the table. However, the whole idea of “veggie burgers” and “veggie dogs” got me to thinking. Unfortunately, that’s what gets me into trouble.

Why Not the Real Thing?

Why don’t vegetarians eat meat? Well, according to who you ask, the reason could be anything from wanting to be healthier, to not wanting to make a cow cry. Some feel that it is their religious obligation to not eat meat, while others are just animal lovers that would rather pet a critter than chew on its leg.

Are there any health benefits from not eating beef or pork? Sure, there are some. Are there any Biblical commands regarding meat that apply to us today? I don’t think so, but others have the right to their misinterpretation (said with a wink). Regardless, many choose not to eat meat because they think it is just plain wrong. A sin. An abomination. Well….

Then Why Fake It?

Surely I am not the only one who thinks that it is a little hypocritical to condemn eating meat, only to eat things that look and taste exactly like it. It seems like an attempt to have your righteousness, while eating your sin, too. Now, I’m not talking about the strictly health-conscious folk, but the ones that think eating ol’ Bessie is akin to eating Aunt Bessie.

I don’t understand. I don’t see the point. Isn’t eating something that looks and tastes as close to the real thing sorta like saying, “I know what sin tastes like, and this tastes like sin, but it’s OK, cause it’s fake.” Is it all about flavor? Or, is it that you want your sin, but can only stomach the appearance of it? If you were only concerned with the nutritional value of a veggie burger, then why make the taste, texture, and appearance identical to the real thing? Probably because a veggie burger that looked like an ear of corn or a turnip would not have the same appeal.

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22

It only makes sense to me that if you are going call something evil, then you should not promote its pleasures. For instance, why would a Jew, someone who is fanatically opposed to eating pork, order several slices of imitation bacon for his bagel? Why would a Vegan, who was opposed to eating beef, order something that looks, smells, tastes, and feel exactly like a hamburger? It implies that their love for the look and taste of these foods is greater than their concern for what others may think.

“Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” – 1 Corinthians 8:13

It seems to me that at the heart of the matter is a desire to try to satisfy the demands of the Law, while at the same time the desires of the flesh. The problem is that when we lust after what we can’t have, then we are guilty of the sin itself (Matt. 5:28).

This is an example of legalism at work. The legalist justifies his actions by boasting he is keeping the Law, but in his heart continues to desire the pleasures of unrighteousness; all the while, seeing himself as more right with God than his neighbor.

Deeper Application

As a believer, do you oppose adultery, fornication, idolatry, perversion, etc.? Do you oppose demonism and witchcraft? Do you oppose abuse, rape, murder, and lawlessness of all kinds? Or do you secretly desire these things, fulfilling your fantasies through illicit music, books, and movies? No, you wouldn’t do those things, would you? But do you get as close to the experience as you can without actually consuming the meat?

Just something to think about.

Note: The above article is meant to illustrate truth through honest questions and humor. In no way do I mean to presume that every Adventist is a legalist, or that every vegetarian is off his rocker. Please forgive me if you are offended by any over-simplification of one’s food preferences. However, if you are a legalist, well, what can I say?

15 Comments

Filed under America, Christian Living, Food, General Observations, legalism

Tagged as Food, Hot dog, independence day, Lifestyle Choices, Meat, Vegetarianism, Veggie burger

by Anthony Baker | June 30, 2011 · 6:01 pm

Shown Up, and What For?

A fellow blogger wrote about the time she realized she was not “all that and a bag of chips.” I started to tell the following story in a comment, but then decided to write it out here.

The “Comma Club” Day$

Back in 1998 I was at the top of my game. My career was doing very well, and money was not hard to come by. As a matter of fact, I was the 8th highest producer in a nation-wide company.

In ’97 I started something called the “Comma Club.” This “club” consisted of all the salespeople that had a comma in their paycheck each week. In other words, after taxes, to be in the club one’s take home had to be over $1,000. I was in it every week.

Then Things Changed

Thinking I was making a good move, I took a position out-of-state. The move was supposed to make life even better, but in a few months some changes within our company and the entire industry made closing a contract much more difficult. Weeks would pass without a paycheck, much less a comma (praise God for a faithful and supportive wife!).

At one time I was a top salesman and manager, but then we needed money to even keep a roof over our heads, so I had to find extra work. I even started delivering pizza. At one point, I was working four part-time jobs just to pay the bills, which was a far cry from where I had been.

The Lowest Moment

One day, after I had been out trying to sell my wares, I drove home to our little duplex (we used to have a 2,000 sq. ft. Cape Cod in the historic district). What I did not know was that my little girls, 4 and 8, had resorted to help in their own way. As I pulled up into the driveway, they came running to meet me.

“Daddy, did you sell anything?“

“No, I didn’t.”

“Well WE DID!! Look, here’s some money!“

“Where did you get that,” I asked.

“We sold weeds.” That’s right, they sold weeds.

Katie and Haley had gone out and picked wildflowers and weeds, then went knocking on doors in our neighborhood. They made a few dollars from people who were kind enough to buy their treasures. My girls were completely thrilled. I hit rock bottom….hard.

Shown Up

I had been shown up by amateurs! The former top salesman had now been out-sold by Wiggles fans. What good were all the awards that I had won? What good were all the pats on the back and the 4 digit paychecks now? I had been shown that my own kids could out-provide me by selling worthless weeds!

Of course, it was sort funny, in a sad kinda way, when the teenagers at the pizza place found out. I got made fun of, for sure. The “preacher” was delivering pizza, while his kids were at home selling “weed.”

Yeah, it was funny, but my ego was completely crushed.

What For?

For God’s glory.

The one thing that I needed to learn, if nothing else, was that my pride and self-sufficiency was incompatible with a life of faith. More than that, a self-righteous life is incompatible with a life of grace. God had to humble me so I could experience the wonder and the glory of His amazing grace. He deserved the awards, not me.

2 Corinthians 4:15 KJV – “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.”

There’s so much more to this story, but I’ll keep the other skeletons in my closet, for now. However, thank you, Heather Joy, for giving me a reason to shine the light on this dark time.

If not for the grace and mercy of my Savior, I would be nothing.

3 Comments

Filed under God, Life Lessons, Relationships and Family, self-worth, worship

Tagged as Cape Cod, Glory (religion), Sales, Second Epistle to the Corinthians

by Anthony Baker | June 21, 2011 · 11:14 pm

Please Explain Yourself, Bro. Paul, Cause I’m Hurt’n

“Bodily Exercise Profiteth Little”

I hope that is only a play on words, Bro. Paul! I hope that was a relative statement, Mr. Apostle; because if not, this “bodily exercise” I am doing is making me question my investment. What do you mean by “little?”

Brother Paul, did you not say in your first letter to Timothy, “…bodily exercise profiteth little…?” I believe you did. You went on to say that godliness was better because it “[was] profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:8 But what I really want to know is what exactly do you mean by “little?” Are you saying it is not worth doing?

What I’m Doing Hurts

It is the first day of summer, and I am in pain all over my body. My feet hurt. My back hurts. My legs hurt. The follicles in my scalp where hair should be even hurt. Because I have taken upon myself the responsibility to beat my body into shape, the exercise that it has endured has resulted in blaring protests from my muscles.

Just the other day, in order to prove I am serious about losing weight and getting into better shape, I reluctantly agreed to play with my kids on the Wii. Not that this was anything new, but the game they chose was something I had never done before in real life, much less on a game console. They MADE me twirl hula hoops!

After a few minutes of embarrassing hip gyrations which were unscrupulously caught on a camera phone, I feel like I have a hernia. There is no glamor in explaining that the reason for you pain is a hula hoop injury. I’ve heard of tennis elbow, but never hula gut. Is it worth it? Surely there’s some profit.

What I’m Doing Costs Money

When one decides to invest his time and money into something, he usually expects some kind of return. When this person invests in a Total Gym, a new bicycle, nasty food, and hours that could have been spent sitting comfortably in front of a TV watching NCIS, he hopes the profit is more than just a “little.”

I’m Hoping to Live Longer, Too

Isn’t life valuable, Paul? Without all of this heart-strengthening, calorie-burning “little” stuff, I would probably end up looking like Jabba the Hut and die before the Braves win another World Series. Are you saying that a few more years with my family and the ministry are insignificant? Just like Bill Murray said in the movie Scrooged, “I wanna live! I wanna live!”

I Know, I Know…

I get it, Brother Paul. What you are saying is that compared to godliness, compared to keeping our spirit in shape, keeping the body in shape with exercise is not as important. But what you are NOT saying is that exercise is unimportant. Right?

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? – 1 Corinthians 6:19

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. – Romans 12:1

Because my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, it is therefore a tool dedicated for God’s use. It is not my own. It belongs to the Lord. It is my responsibility to take care of it, or risk it being out of commission when it is needed to carry His Word to those who are lost.

Exercise has its place, even a spiritual place, when we consider that staying in shape can contribute to the work of the Lord. But the real point is that this body will one day fall apart, break down, and die. The life-span of this body is very finite; but eternity is forever. There is not much profit to be had in investments that eventually return to dust; however, there is great rewards to be had when we are obedient.

The next time I’m tempted to complain about how hard it is to work out, or how embarrasing it is to get hurt while doing the twist with a virtual hoop, somebody remind me that compared to a mountain, an elephant is little. Why? Because bodily exercise may profit me little compared to some things, but a little can still be a lot.

I need some Ibuprofen. Anybody got an ice pack?

A Husband and a Father

Just this past week a couple of special days were celebrated: my anniversary and Father’s Day.

On June 18, 1994, I was married to Valerie Riddle. Valerie and I have now been married 17 years, and boy has there been a lot of water under that bridge! So, this June 18th was a celbration of that first day we became legally bound to put up with each other (said with a wink).

June 19, 2011 was Father’s Day. Since I am the proud father of 3 girls and a four-legged son, Nugget, it was only right that I be celebrated. I’ve been a pretty good dad, I must say, even if they lie and say they think differently. They love me.

My wife and I exchanged, sorta, some gifts for our anniversary. She received, from me, a pearl ring, set with diamonds in silver. I received, from me (with her permission), a new Schwinn bicycle with chrome fenders, seven speeds, a rear rack, a speedometer/odometer, and a mirror. We were both pleased.

But what really makes a good husband and father? I believe that a good husband and father is many things, but most of all he should mirror Jesus Christ. How can this be done?

A Man Should Love His Wife.

A Christlike dad should be a Christlike husband. How is that possible? Well, take a look at Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it...” Men, we should love our wives with a sacrificial love that transcends bad hair days, PMS, or maxed-out credit cards. Consider those things nothing more than nails with which to hold us to the cross of marriage.

Boys and girls that grow up seeing a loving, sacrificial relationship between a man and a woman – a relationship bound by a commitment before God and man – seek themselves to be the kinds of men and women that hold a society together. On the other hand, children that grow up in “families” where the man is abusive, self-centered, arrogant, manipulative, or spiteful, tend to act the same way when they find a mate. The men tend to be abusive users, while the women tend to be facilitators.

A Man Should Be a Light

The way we act as husbands and fathers can be crucial to the spreading of the Gospel. When others watch our actions, they walk away with an impression that reflects back on our Heavenly Father. Did He teach us to act that way? Is this the way HE treats His Bride?

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

A Man Should Bear His Cross

Marriage may sometimes feel like a cross we bear. It can get tough, for sure. The sacrifices are many, especially when it comes to our egos, our dreams, our garages, our sports cars, etc. But it WAS Jesus who said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).

Marriage is no place for the wimpy, the selfish, or self-centered. Neither is marriage the place for the one who seeks the pleasure of the here-and-now. Marriage is about the long-term benefits that come with commitment. Thankfully, for our sakes, Jesus remained committed to His calling and “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).

A REAL husband is committed for the long-haul. A REAL father is one who sets an example of sacrifice. Men, may we be the best that we can be as we become like Christ. And even if we can’t be perfect, at least we can try. We do have big shoes to fill.

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48

On Fatherhood (loosehim.wordpress.com)
The Fundamentals of Faithful Fathering (chaplainjcraigcombs.wordpress.com)

3 Comments

Filed under Defending Traditional Marriage, Defining Marriage, fitness, Relationships and Family

Tagged as Father, Fathers Day, husband, Schwinn

by Anthony Baker | June 13, 2011 · 9:12 pm

“One Man’s Sunset; Another Man’s Dawn”

Over a two-week period, just over 20 years ago, things started to get a little weird.

I can’t recall all of the moments that led up to me concluding something bad was going to happen, but a couple stand out above the rest.

The Revival Service

It was in June of 1991. The church that I attended was having a week-long series of meetings. My mother and father did not attend the same church as I did, but on the last night of the revival, which was a Friday, my dad came. The evangelist preached on heaven that night, and said something that hit me like a brick. He said, “Heaven will never be real to you, until there is someone there you want to go see.”

The Movie

In that very same week, my family went to see a movie. It was a new animated film called An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. In one particular scene, an old hound dog, the retiring sheriff, sat watching a sunset with the little mouse, Fievel. The legendary actor, Jimmy Stewart, speaking as Wylie Burp, said to Fievel,

“Just remember, Fievel – one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn. I don’t know what’s out there beyond those hills. But if you ride yonder… head up, eyes steady, heart open… I think one day you’ll find that you’re the hero you’ve been looking for.” – Wylie Burp

The moment he said, “one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn,” I felt a chill and a heaviness that took breath. I knew my dawn was coming.

Sunset

Early on Monday morning, June 11, 1991, while working 3rd shift as a security guard in a high-security nuclear facility, my dad felt sick. He asked a cleaning person which bathroom was clean, then went in, took off his gun belt, bent over a sink, and died.

It had only been since Friday the 8th that I had heard that message about heaven. That Monday was when heaven became more real than I could have ever imagined. My dad, Terry L. Baker, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He surrendered his badge, took off his gun belt, and laid down – literally.

Dawn

As the sun rose over the horizon, I sped my 280z toward the hospital. When I got there, I asked for my dad, but was led to a room where my mother was sitting. In a sobbing cry she looked up to me and held out a little plastic bag containing my father’s personal items. She said, “This is all I have left…” That was the exact moment when I found out. That was the exact moment it became dawn.

It may have been my dawn, but it was one of the darkest moments in my life. My dad and I were terribly close. We worked together, played together, worshiped together, and preached together. In the week before my daddy died, I went up to him and told him that I really felt like something was going to happen. He told me that he would outlive my grandchildren. But in case he didn’t, I had to make sure of one thing – would I preach his funeral?

The Funeral

Some people could not understand how I did it, but I did preach my dad’s funeral. You see, I was 24, but I had accepted the call to preach when I was 16. My dad had been a pastor, a lay preacher for years. It may have been just guy talk at the time, but in a moment of male-bonding my dad and I agreed that whoever died first, for whatever reason, the other would preach the funeral. That is why I asked my dad that question. I needed to be sure he was serious. His response was, “Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” So I did.

My dad presided over a lot of funerals, and he even carried in his Bible a sermon that he used more often than not. The title of the sermon was “The Times I Need Him Most.” So, from his own Bible, from his own outline, I preached his funeral. And unlike I usually do today, I even gave an altar call. Believe it or not, right there to my left, beside the casket, a friend of the family came down to the altar and asked Jesus to come into his life. Never once had my dad led a person to the Lord when he preached a funeral sermon, but this time was different.

The Family Car

There will always be those who think the following is crazy; only coincidence: but God showed up in the limousine as we went to the grave yard. As soon as I got into the car, I asked the driver, who was a Christian friend, to turn the radio on. I wanted to hear some encouraging music. When he did, the DJ on WAY FM out of Nashville played a song by Wayne Watson, The Ultimate Healing. Right after that, the DJ came on the air and said, “I know we usually have songs pre-planned according to a particular format, but I just really feel led by God to play this next song – I don’t know why.” The song was Where There is Faith, by 4Him. The second verse goes like this:

There’s a man across the sea
Never heard the sound of freedom ring
Only in his dreams
There’s a lady dressed in black
In a motorcade of cadillacs
Daddy’s not coming back
Our hearts begin to fall
And our stability grows weak
But Jesus meets our needs if only we believe

CHORUS
Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

Today

Today I went to the grave where my father’s body is waiting for a trumpet to sound. I am comforted in the fact one day we will see each other again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). But in the meantime, I must carry on in the task that I have been called to do.

I went to the grave, and even though I know my dad is not there, I read Proverbs 4 aloud. What better words could have been said in remembrance of a committed, consistant, caring, God-fearing, humble father? They were words that I wanted to say out loud because they were being fulfilled.

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.” – Prov. 4:4-5

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. … Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. … My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. … Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” – Proverbs 4:10-11, 14, 20-21, 25-27

Dad, I just want you to know that I am still in the fight. I haven’t given up. I wasn’t a fly-by-night wannabe, but a real man of God. My Sword is still sharp. My aim is still true. I even have some “arrows” in my quiver that you will meet one day.

Don’t worry, even though I know you won’t – I will keep pressing on and fighting the good fight, until the time of my own sunset. Then, when this life is over, I hope I can stand there beside you when Jesus says to you, “Well done.” You did good, Daddy. I’ll make you proud.

Your loving son,

Rev. Anthony C. Baker

6 Comments

Filed under Future, Preaching, Relationships and Family, salvation, Uncategorized

Tagged as Christianity, Father, Funeral, Jesus, Religion & Spirituality, Wayne Watson

by Anthony Baker | June 8, 2011 · 3:23 pm

Waiting, Waiting, and Waiting

I was going to write about having something to write about, but then I found something to write about…

Waiting in a hospital room.

Honestly, there are a few things on my writing agenda, including a paper discussing the audience of the letter to the Galatians; however, I just feel tapped out. There has been, and still is, so much on my plate that I am running out of RAM in my brain.

But sitting here in a hospital room waiting for my mother to come out of surgery gave me pause to think…and write…about waiting.

My mother is having a procedure done on her heart. It is called an ablation. It is not supposed to be that big of a deal, relatively speaking, but any surgery is big deal. Any time people take away your ability to breath on your own and put it into the hands of another, that’s a big deal. You just hope that person made more than just “average” grades on his/her “waking up the dead” exam.

Being a large, university hospital, there is good Wi-Fi signal, so here I have my computer to work from. If that fails, I do have my trusty back-up, my iPhone 4. As long as I can sit here and do something besides watch a television mounted too high on the wall next to the ceiling, I’ll be OK.

More bored than worried…

There are a lot of people who find themselves in situations similar to this, but are far more stressed and worried than I am. As a matter of fact, I am not worried at all. Maybe I should be, but why? Honestly, I am not only bored, but wishing that I was at home sitting in my own office, with all my books, getting done all the things that are pressing upon me. You could say that I am more worried about my schedule than I am about my mother’s surgery.

I can’t do anything about my mother’s surgery at this point. She is not only in the care of doctors who make far more than I do, but she is also in the hand of God. Why worry? All I have to do is wait.

Wait for what?

When we are told to wait upon the Lord, what is it that we are supposed to be waiting on? Are we supposed to be waiting for Him to do things just the way we want them to be done? Are we supposed to be waiting for Him to walk through the door with the news we want to hear?

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. – Isa 40:31 KJV

The promise is that those who wait upon the Lord may not have all the answers, or see things turn out just the way they planned; but that they shall “renew their strength.” Better yet, they shall “mount up with wings as eagles” and soar above whatever may come. They shall stay in the race and “run, and not be weary.” And if it just so hard that there is no getting over it, no getting around it, and no denying the path ahead, then they will it least “walk, and not faint.”

Waiting for what is unknown can be wearisome. Many times the waiting is made harder because of the worry and the inability to plan for the outcome. Thankfully, when all is in God’s hands, there is no need to worry, just wait. In waiting on Him, there will be strength to make it through the unknown that lies ahead, and the boredom of the hospital room.

“Many things about tomorrow,

I don’t seem to understand;

But I know Who holds tomorrow,

And I know Who holds my hand.”

6 Comments

Filed under God, Life Lessons, Relationships and Family, the future, worship

Tagged as Health, iPhone 4, Scared of the future, Surgery, waiting, With Wings as Eagles

by Anthony Baker | June 2, 2011 · 2:07 pm

Review of “Riven”

Cover of Riven

Without giving too much away, let me share my thoughts about Riven, a novel by Jerry B. Jenkins.

Earlier this year I attended a pastor’s conference at Tennessee Temple University. As a special gift, all pastors in attendance were given a free, hard-cover copy of Riven. Evidently, someone at the seminary pulled a few strings.

I don’t read too many fiction novels. Most of my time is tied up in other types of reading material, for the time being. But every once in a while one has to take a vacation from non-fiction and feed the imagination. In an essay entitled “Christian Apologetics” C. S. Lewis wrote, “Reality even seen through the eyes of many is not enough. I will see what others have invented…” Fiction feeds the imagination as does buying new colors for your Crayon box. Sometimes it helps to draw with something other than “black and white.”

The Characters

The main characters in this book are a pastor and his wife, Thomas and Grace Carey; their spiritually estranged daughter, Ravinia; and last but not least, a trailer park hooligan with potential, Brady Wayne Darby.

There were other characters that came and went in this novel, but the ones mentioned above figure most into the plot of the story. Each are fleshed out in the first 3-400 pages, leaving the last hundred-plus pages to bring all the background together in a fitting conclusion.

Jenkins does a good job in making the reader feel sorry for everyone in the story, including the bad guys. This is not unjustified, however. The effects of sin, whether committed by self or by others, is a sad thing to witness. Brady Darby is the type of guy that takes a good opportunity and destroys it, while Rev. Carey is just a guy that continually suffers for the “calling.” Ravinia is someone who suffers from her own choices, but also lives in bitterness because of what “church people” have done to her mom and dad. You just can’t help wanting everything to turn out right.

Character Development

Now, I am not a professional writer, by any stretch of the….wait, what am I saying?!! OK, so I do write a little, but I am not on the same level as Jerry Jenkins – you’re free to disagree, however. That being said, I feel the story could have been a little more condensed, at least concerning the Brady Darby character. Because of the time span covered in the book (20+ years), and even though we get the sense of his heart and true intentions, the character development seems lacking. Maybe it’s because of the so many other characters in story that draw one’s attention. Essentially, the story’s breadth, covered in such a few pages (relative to the time line), had a watering-down affect.

The other main character, Rev. Thomas Carey, was more often than not portrayed as a melancholy soul. He was a preacher/teacher/pastor that was never able, until the end, to see any real fruit from his labor. He was frustrated and bitter at times, yet he never gave up on God; even though his faith was strained. However, what I felt missing from his character was intensity. Maybe real life is a slow, down-hill coast to the pharmacy for refills of Prozac; but, this character had so much more to offer. The depth of his struggles and the heights of his victories were never really felt, at least not until the end – and even that was limited.

I think that one of the things that limited the ability to contrast the characters of Darby and Carey was the choice by Jenkins to not use profanity in the text. Granted, Riven is not supposed to be a titillating romp through the bowels of hell; but, in a world where vulgarity is commonplace, especially for those of us who have ministered in prison settings, this fictional work seemed too fictitious. Honestly, it felt like Jenkins used too much Clorox, thereby leaving the story with only a cognizant sense of contrast between good and evil; nothing guttural.

The Story

The story of Riven is that of two opposite characters who live their lives seperately, only to be bound together in the end by a common love for Christ. This love for Jesus leads one of the characters to do something completely unthinkable and unprecedented. Any more than that, which I know is not a lot, could ruin the ending for you. And that’s the key to this whole book – the ending. You have to read the whole story to appreciate the end, and end which should bring emotions to the surface of any true Christian.

Conclusion

Buy the book, even though I didn’t have to, and read it. If you don’t get anything else out of Riven, you should gain a new appreciation for the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – His side was “riven” for us.

Being “Real”

Have you ever been completely spent? Worn out? Empty? I have. As a matter of fact, I woke up this morning feeling like a squeezed out tube of toothpaste.

Yesterday was a great day. I was blessed to be able to preach in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. The only problem is that when you go all day, preaching your heart out, by the end of the day you’re exhausted. When I got up to drive the school bus, I looked at that tube of toothpaste and said, “That’s me.”

Over the next couple of hours a thought came to me: how can you tell when a tube of toothpaste is empty? Usually, it is flat and rolled up. The compacted tube shows evidence that all of its contents have been used – there’s nothing left. Then what about the hard, stand-up kind?

These new containers for toothpaste are deceiving. Unlike the old-fashioned tubes, they do not compact and show any visible signs of being empty. They always look full. Then it hit me – what hypocrites! Those new-fangled containers are just putting on a show and never give any hint of being used up. In other words, they’re not “real.”

I want to be “real.”

This is not a lesson on hypocrisy. This is not a lesson on being a whitewashed tomb full of dead men’s bones. This is about being “real.”

Too often, especially in ministry, we are forced to put on a façade, thereby making ourselves appear to be something we’re not. It’s not meant to be hypocritical. It is meant to spare others from the truth of our own inadequacies – our own emptiness. Sadly, because we don’t want to be a burden or a disappointment, we endure the emptiness…the loneliness…the fatigue. Being “real” is risky.

There are limits to how much dirty laundry a pastor can air in public without losing his ministry. There are limits to how vulnerable he can be around others. But may it never be said that we have to pretend to be something we are not. We are human. We have weaknesses. We have limitations. We can feel “used up.”

Fortunately, unlike a tube of toothpaste, we can be refilled. And for that matter, even a seemingly squeezed out tube always has just a little more to give. God gives us what we need, when we need it. The important thing to remember is that we shouldn’t try to act full, when we are empty. When we do that, that is when we act in our own strength. Let us then admit our weakness and emptiness, and in turn our heavenly Father will refill us with what will bring Him glory. Who knows, maybe it is our emptiness He wants to use most.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 KJV

Just keep it REAL.

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Filed under Christian Living, General Observations, legalism, Preaching

Tagged as Legalism, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Toothbrush, Toothpaste

by Anthony Baker | May 14, 2011 · 3:17 pm

Saturday the 14th – Scary?

I Survived

If you didn’t notice, yesterday was Friday the 13th. Are you still alive, or did a maniacal, undead mask-wearer visit your un-chaperoned slumber party?

Well, even though we are being overrun by 13 year locusts, I survived the day and night and never encountered a single monster – except our little dog who came in from running around in the wet grass and jumped in the bed.

Movies

Back in the 1980’s a movie came out to spoof the Friday the 13th horror films. It was called Saturday the 14th. The promo line was, “It gets bad on Friday the 13th, but it gets worse on Saturday the 14th.” …..Whatever.

Real life, however, is far more terrifying than movies. As a matter of fact, the scariest day for any pastor comes every week. Someone should make a movie about it – a documentary. It could be called…..“Sunday Morning (before Church)”

Here’s what the announcer could say during the promo commercial…

“Forget abandoned campgrounds, haunted lakes, and dark rooms. Forget about blade-wielding criminals that won’t die. Forget about whatever goes bump in the night, requiring someone in a bathrobe and slippers to say, “Is anybody there?” All the real demons come out on Sunday morning before church….like clockwork. This is REAL!”

Reality

There is a real Devil, believe me. Even if the Bible did not teach of his existence, I could take you to him, or at least one of his workers, at about 9am on any given Sunday. All I would need to do to summon his presence would be to say, “Honey, where are my shoes?” I could also say something like, “How long are you going to be in the bathroom?” Any one of theses phrases are guaranteed to conjure something, or someone.

The evidence of his presence can be seen in the items that come up missing. For instance, he is regularly hiding stuff that was in total view only 8 hours before. He or his demons love to hide shoes, hairbrushes, shirts, dresses, pantyhose, lipstick, and Bibles. Occasionally, he even likes to hide the church mail that comes to the parsonage, leaving the pastor to look irresponsible.

Predictable

But thankfully, one thing’s a constant: even though Satan is real, just like in a poorly-written movie, his ways are predictable. Unlike our God, whose “judgments are unsearchable, and His ways past finding out” (Romans 11:33), the “wiles” of the devil never deviate from his modus operandi.

The Greek word translated “wiles” in the KJV is methodia (μεθοδεία). Essentially, it is a word made from combining meta and hodos (“after,” and “a way”), and is used to describe what could be called “a decided plan of deception and trickery.”

Satan is a “method” actor, in other words. He plays a part – a predictable part – in trying to deceive, trick, thwart, anger, harm, and sidetrack God’s people. He follows a pattern which can be anticipated and for which preparations can be made. It’s all in the Script.

Preparing for Sunday

So, why do unseen forces literally attack on Sunday morning? They do it because it is the Lord’s Day. They do it because they want us to be ineffective and powerless. They know that hurting, lost, and desperate souls need to be ministered unto, many of which might be on the verge of giving up. The forces we battle against would love to use a missing hair brush, a wrinkled shirt, a nicked face, burnt toast, or an upset stomach to literally raise the dead – the “flesh.” The enemy knows that “they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8).

Fortunately for us, all we have to do is be watchful (1 Peter 5:8), armored (Ephesians 6:11), and filled with His Spirit, the “power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). The “wiles” of the devil, his schemes and evil plans, are no match for the God “who performeth all things for me” (Psalm 57:2).

On top of that:

Do all you can do to get ready for church the night before. If necessary, get ready at different times, so as not to get ticked off at children or risk being asked, “What do you think of this dress?“
Take different cars, even if your 10 year old has to drive the lawn mower
Reduce dress standards/expectations so you can go to church looking like you just woke up
Put duct tape over everybody’s mouths until they get to the door of the church
Get up in the middle of the night to eat all you can so you can avoid breakfast, thereby avoiding arguing over what to eat
Become Adventist and go to church on Saturday (last resort)

If I Could Make a Movie

I do wish that I could make a movie that featured some of those evil characters in horror films. One in particular is the guy that comes and kills people in their dreams, Freddie Kruger. Another would be the ultimate movie villain, Count Dracula. Add to the list all the other demonic entities that send women running through the woods in high heels, only to trip on a spider web.

Just for fun, I would have all the demonic bad guys come up against a couple of praying saints, or a old preacher who’s broken hearted and fed up with sin. The bad guys would come against them in full force, swearing and threatening and promising all kinds of pain and suffering. Then when all hope seemed lost, right at the moment of despair, as the demoniacs were making their charge,

they’d run into a solid, unconquerable wall of Light…

the ringing sound of a massive sword being unsheathed would be heard…

terror would fill the eyes of the attackers at the sound of a Voice, saying…