I was in my office two years ago when I walked into the ladies and found a colleague of mine with a long face leaning against one of the wash hand basins. I rushed to her and asked what was wrong.
“I can’t believe this.” She moaned as she shook her head slowly
“What happened? What can’t you believe?” I asked. I waited and watched with concern as she tried to pull herself together.
“It’s Ted Haggard, one of my favourite preachers, I just heard that he has been involved in some sexual sins and drug use.” At the time I had never heard of Ted Haggard even though I got to know later that he had been labelled as one of the 25 most influential preachers in the world.
“How could something like this ever happen?” She moaned again. And then she launched into a review of the many ways that his ministry had touched her life positively. I tried to console her as much as I could and as I pondered on the events in my heart.
I didn’t hear much about him again until yesterday, when I saw him being interviewed on Larry King Live. After his first sentence, I dropped what I had at hand and paid attention.
He spoke about how he had struggled with the inner pressure and thoughts of homosexuality since he was in high school. The struggle was real but he didn’t know how to deal with it, so he kept it tucked away and continued with his life… until one day after many years of marriage and four grown up children, he gave in and began to live a lie.
He confessed that when the news broke, he lied initially because he wanted to keep his home and his wife. But then after a lot of pressure, he spoke the truth.
There is the story of one man who foolishly bungled his last chance. He was an armed robber and it was clear to everyone that he deserved to die. No one cared that his destiny was to spend his eternal lifetime burning in hell fire. No one cared that he now felt bad about the things he had done and wished for an opportunity to repent and live his life differently. He was being executed slowly and the pain was unbearable. He wished the pain to end, but it was clear that this end would only bring greater pain and unimaginable torment. He was doomed and it seemed there was no way out.
His cohort and friend was going through the same torture but he saw things differently. They were both hanging on their crosses beside the man called Jesus. His friend decided to take a chance.
He would never be baptized, take Holy Communion, attend a church service or witness to a lost soul. He would never be able to give tithes or offerings, read his bible or dress like a Christian. He would not have a chance to obey the Ten Commandments to prove that he loved the Lord.
But then a thought crossed his mind. How many people, at that moment, had the Saviour of the universe so close to them? He saw a divine opportunity, a last chance and he decided to take it. He turned to Jesus and with the knowledge of the fact that this man could actually save his soul, he said…
“Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom….”
He expected to be ignored, rebuked, rejected; but rather the same Jesus who had at one time confided in His disciples “If anyone comes to me, I will in no wise cast him out.”
Also now replied him by saying
“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” Luke 23: 42
A couple of hours later, this man marched boldly with Jesus into heaven for all eternity.
Sadly, His friend was escorted into hell also, for all eternity. He had been at the border of His miracle but he didn’t see it.
Talk about seizing the moment…
2008 is another opportunity, another chance for us to live our purpose, to expand our vision and enlarge the place of our tent. To deepen our relationship with God and become all we are meant to be. Let’s prepare to seize the moment
I wish you all a Happy New Year in Advance….
To say I was stunned when I heard the news of Paula White and Randy White’s pending divorce is a gross understatement. 
I know Paula’s story. I have seen her as a role model to many and I have adopted her as one of mine. I respect the way she rose above a limiting background to make something out of her life. I appreciate the way she preaches with power and as I watch her, I look out for tips on how to touch people’s lives with passion. Her words touch me and cause me to pause, reflect and desire a change from the old.
She overcame a rough childhood and today dedicates her life to helping others be all that they can become in God. She call herself a life coach(Who would have dreamed that this self-proclaimed "messed-up Mississippi girl" would become one of the world's "mid-wife to dreams"?)
She seemed to have such a happy settled marriage. Once she preached about the husband being the head of the wife. She led him to the stage that day and ducked beside him making it clear that being the head is not to intimidate or Lord it over the wife but to act as a cover.
I have searched my heart again and it would help to know what could have gone wrong; what could not be resolved. Why a divorce???
Paula is not God, but many have seen God through her. And that is scriptural because God has called us to be a light. One of the things that light does is to make us see clearly. God wants us to live our lives so that people around us can have a better view of Him.
As I ponder I realize it cannot be easy to be a leader in the church, as Paula is; a head and shoulder above the rest, an easier target for the enemy.
We are still human and yet spiritual. How do we overcome the wars that face us daily?
I remember the times I enter into the church with a heavy burden on my heart. I feel I need help but the moment people walk up to me and ask for help or counsel, I put my burdens aside, don a smile, listen and try to guide them to a solution. There is a temptation not to let people see when you are hurting.
I wonder how many people do this. Could that be Paula and Randy’s problem? Scandals in Christianity don’t develop in a day. It takes moments of pretending that everything is okay when it is not; pretending that you know all the answers when you don’t; pretending that you are not tempted when you are.
My husband often says, “A person who refuses to expose a wound so it can be treated but rather covers it up, is looking for infection.”
I have learnt from all this that we need to deal with the issues we face as Christians or else one day it will explode in our face and the effect may just be like rubbish hitting a turning fan. When we need help let's cry to God and not pretend.
Mark 10:47-52; And when Blind Bartimeus heard that it was Jesus passing by, he cried out "Jesus, son of David have mercy on me... and he recieved his sight.
May God help us!!
Peter was in a state of shock. The one he embraced as Messiah, was being treated like a common criminal. His all powerful Saviour and Friend was being humbled by mere mortals and He was not even lifting a finger to save himself.
Peter was confused and sat before the fire trying to sieve through the avalanche of thoughts and doubts coursing through his mind. Was Jesus really who He said He was? Was this the end of a 3 year journey of discovering great new possibilities? What next? What if…?
Suddenly the threat of being joined with Jesus as a co-accused became very real. A young maid accused him of being an accomplice to Jesus. Without thinking Peter blurted out, “Me? I don’t know that man. Never seen him before! May I be d…..d if I have as much as spoken to him even once. …”
Peter denied Jesus not once, but 3 times within the space of an evening.
And then the cock crowed and he remembered…. how earlier in the evening, he had pledged his unwavering eternal allegiance to Jesus. He had promised to die rather than deny his dear buddy.
As the feelings of shame spread through his body, Jesus turned and looked at him. He knew!! Now Peter would gladly have died. He had denied his friend at His greatest hour of need. His gut wrenching pain increased and he wept bitterly.
Within the next 24hours Jesus was dead without an opportunity for Peter to apologise and seek forgiveness. It is easy to imagine Peter going home that day and spending the night asking God for Mercy.
Such a great sin but God saw a truly repentant heart and God forgave him.
How do I know?
Hear the words spoken to Mary in Mark 16: 6-7, after Jesus rose from the dead,
“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen! ….But go tell His disciples - AND PETER – that He is going before you into Galilee…
Why single out Peter? Probably because Peter needed to know that in spite of what he had done. He was still loved. And so God sent him a word to let him know he was forgiven.
God will always honour true repentance!! It makes sense to take advantage of God's grace and mercy
There are a few things God cannot resist. One of them is True Repentance. Ps 51:17 says, " The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken spirit and a contrite heart - these oh God you will not despise.
God hates sin. But He softens and forgives where He sees true repentance. Let's look at some examples
King Ahab
In 1 Kings chapter 21, King Ahab stumbled on the vineyard of Citizen Naboth. Just one look and he wanted it … badly. Naboth said no; the vineyard had been in the family for generations and he was going to pass it on to his son after him. Thoughts of the vineyard he couldn’t have, made Ahab sick; very sick.
His wife Jezebel would have none of that insubordination to the king’s wishes. So she hired some assasins and got Citizen Naboth killed pronto! The news got to King Ahab who immediately recovered from his illness and wasted no time in taking over the vineyard – the fulfillment of his dreams.
God was angry! He sent Elijah to Ahab with a message – he would face calamity and would die!
When Ahab heard the judgment, he tore his clothes, fasted and mourned. Hear what God said in response…
I Kings 21: 29, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the calamity in his days….
Next …
King David
In 2 Samuel 11- David looked where he shouldn’t look;… at a beautiful married woman taking a bath. The obvious followed – Adultery and then the woman got pregnant. David’s response was to get her husband positioned in the war front. The poor man was killed before he got wise about their unholy secret. The woman mourned her husband for a few months before she moved in with King David.
To me the whole set up looks unforgivable!! Or what do you think? But then…
When confronted with his sin David said, I Sam 12: 13 – “I have sinned against the Lord…”
God looked into his heart and sent a message to him, “The Lord also has put away your sin.. you shall not die…However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child who is borne to you shall surely die.”
It’s clear from the scriptures that God will forgive the unforgivable when there is true repentance.
What then is TRUE REPENTANCE?
It is not feeling bad because you’ve been caught.
It is not a guilty conscience that lingers but for a moment.
It is not saying sorry just to save face
It is not regret today… and going back to the same old issue tomorrow
Rather…
It is making a u-turn and deciding in your heart that it will never happen again…
It is knowing that God hates what you have done and because you love God and don’t want to annoy Him, you will not allow it happen again…
It is knowing that only God can help you live holy and trusting Him to do just that.
Once God sees true repentance He will forgive and you can know peace again.
Do you need forgiveness and peace. It makes sense to accept what God has offered... on His terms
Don’t want this entry to be too long. So I will leave the story of Peter’s repentance to the next blog entry.
