Why Do Romans 8:28 Things Happen to Romans 1-6 People Like Me?

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

If I were to title this savory slice from the petite kumquat of my wisdom, I would call it “Why do Romans 8:28 things happen to Romans 1-6 people?”. At times I feel fortunate that my posts providentially decorate the floor of gerbil cages throughout Cedar County as I express in written form where I am spiritually without many judgmental eyes gracing its words. I hope in the process this somewhat self-indulgent venting God is glorified and His name lifted up for all to see.

Have you ever sat back and thought through the road you have traveled to arrive where you are today (Tom Tom GPS aside...)? How, spiritually, have you arrived there? What building blocks have undergirded /encompassed the tower, house, shack, or cardboard box making up the dwelling of your faith? This is a question I have delved into within myself for the last few weeks. First some background. (Note: some of this will be a review, but it will be on the test!)

The winding road of my faith began in eternity past with God. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross nearly 2000 years ago as a substitute sin-debt payer for all who would repent and believe the Gospel. Amazingly, and for a reason I could NEVER understand, I was/am included here. The majority of the first 25+ years of my life I had spent racking up Romans chapters’ 1-6 experiences. (If you haven’t read those chapters, pause and do so now. It will only take an hour at most.) In summary, I lived for myself as a slave to sin and a friend of the world. Then God saved me. God saved ME. The path from point A to B was orchestrated by God. Allow me to show you.

I first made a profession of faith (loosely “asked Jesus into my heart”) in 5^th grade at a church booth at the fair. My view of sin changed, but only in a sense. I hated looking like a hypocrite, but still liked sin. There was no evident fruit in my life in keeping with repentance (Luke 3), as I hadn’t actually repented of my sin. Time kept on ticking. I was married in 1990 (to the most wonderful person on Earth, I must add). Previously, we both sinfully fell away from the church of our youth. We were engaged during those years of attendance in high school. I spent a summer after I graduated high school doing archaeology in Israel, while my then-fiancé was graduating. Unfortunately we broke up during that summer. When I returned, through God’s grace and her good choice (or a gap in her good taste), we resumed our relationship and got re-engaged. Church gossip ensued as surely Susan must be pregnant since we were eager to get married?!? This was not the case, but the rumors gave us an excuse to not go to church for years. During this time some building blocks of faith even in my direct disobedience were secretly being laid in an unusual way. Self-righteousness in the “I can do church without going to a church building” took over. God would later bring this to light for me.

While the spiritual battle for my soul was being waged unbeknownst to me during these years, we lived like gypsies. We lived in a dozen different places during those years. I have never been without a job and went to college most of those years, but we moved a lot. We finally decided to settle down, if you will, and buy a house. We put earnest money on a nice, older home in Ozark, Mo. and began the process of moving there. Ten days before we were scheduled to close on the loan, interest rates, not locked in to a specified rate, dramatically went up. Our payment, increased by the higher rate, required more income to validate our ability to pay (yes, kids, we used to have to prove we could pay for our mortgage). Our possessions in storage and plans to move dashed, I decided to get a better job. God providentially placed me in Branson. I didn’t quickly find a higher paying job, but I was invited to church in Branson. God used that church to draw me to “rededicating my life” there the next year. As I look at the fruit of my life and recall the events leading up to that day, I see that I first repented and believed Christ in this process. I was baptized there and gave my testimony from the water with my family in the audience.

My salvation story is one of the many reasons I will cling to Romans 8:28. Bad things happen, people sin against us, and things sometimes seem dark, but God uses every bit of it. I am currently living through a very hard time right now financially like many of you are. During times like these, believers have 2 options: 1. We can turn to TBN and find our favorite rich prosperity pastor and send a seed. This will make him richer and only change your circumstance by reducing your checking balance. 2. We can cling to Romans 8:28. We can look at our lives and see where He has brought us from. He owed us nothing. We deserved judgment (Romans 6), yet He saved us! We can thank Him for the growth in faith through hard times, and come to appreciate and love Him more in the process. Remember, believer, that He is in charge and will work things out how He sees fit, and it will be good for you in the process. What else can we possibly ask for than that? Thank Him and trust Him today. He is worthy!

The Evolution of Mark

^“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-5)

Today I would like to discuss the evolution of Mark Applegate from age 13 to present. Along with this week’s Walnut Festival most certainly comes at least a few of my classmates from Republic, Missouri to town. The prospect of seeing former classmates makes me both excited and melancholy. With this in mind, for my 3 active readers and 4 Dog and Pony Show listeners (hi Mom...will you buy me a free-ride bracelet for the BWF?), I offer this column as a bit of a salvation/spiritual autobiography.

I first “asked Jesus into my heart” at age 13 at a water booth at the Ozark Empire Fair. Fairs, since then, have held a special place in my heart. (In fact, the Republic Fall Festival, a carnival in which I ripped a chunk of skin the size of a chicken nugget off my leg on a tent stake, was not unlike our Walnut Festival.) My experience at the water booth was a building block in my spiritual journey. For years I considered this event as the day I officially “became a Christian”. I had no real change in my life minus, perhaps, fear of getting caught when I sinned. So I tripped along sinning without fear for over a decade. Since 2003, when I moved to Stockton, God has convicted to reevaluate my testimony through the admonition to “examine myself to see if I am (or, in my case, was) in the truth” found in 2 Corinthians 13:5. After looking at the fruit of my life, the actions/affections flowing from my heart, and the trajectory of my Christianity, it is, in hindsight, easy for me to see I was Born Again (John 3) when I “rededicated my life” in Branson in 1996. It was in this season that I first repented and believed the Gospel, as compelled/required by the Bible. Shortly after, I was baptized by a deacon (which was fortunate since I outweighed my pastor there by a good 150 lbs). God, through this process, replaced my stony heart with a heart of flesh (ala Ezekiel 36:26). Far from Jesus occupying my dead heart, the promised Holy Spirit regenerated me and replaced that old, dead thing with a new heart that beats for Him.

Now let the apology train begin... To all my friends growing up in the beautiful town of Republic, I am so sorry. Taking the name of Christ, and living the way I did during those years, was hurtful to you and blasphemous to His name. This being said, as sick as it makes me to think of those years, the more I look back at my Salvation the more I give thanks for His forgiveness. Much like the sinful woman in Luke 7, being forgiven by an incredibly merciful God has made me deeply love Him. If someone would have spoke the “truth in love” to me during those years, and pointed out my sin, I would have (God willing) repented and trusted Him and spared many people of pain and disillusionment. When we see people claiming Christianity, as the beginning verse says, we “owe them” a rebuke with truth in love. God’s Glory is at stake, and nothing is more important. I was “tossed around by teachings” during this lost decade of my life. I was allowed to believe myself saved when I, in reality, was not. It is this reality, undergirded powerfully by urgency for God’s Glory that drives me today. When I spoke before the book ban committee, I was trying to speak to Christians with hopes of God using this mumbling goober to prevent others from losing a decade in their life too. The same applies to Wednesdays on the Dog and Pony Radio Show. Likely, if someone would have spoke to me during my lost decade as I spoke to the committee/audience or to the radio show audience, I would have been mad. “Who is he to judge me?” I would have asked. I would have thumbed my nose and went on doing my thing. I understand both your ambivalence and your anger, and apologize for any sin involved in the process.

In conclusion, God is doing the same to some of you today. Check the fruit of your life. Is Christ precious to you? Do you get rebuked by God when you sin? I can’t judge you. Lately I certainly have sinned in some of the tactics I have used in trying to share the truth in love. Despite a good motive, I am sorry when I fail in this important matter. That being said, don’t let this critical message get lost by a poor messenger. Look at your life today, and repent and believe the Gospel if you haven’t already. Don’t let a decade of lost time pass you by.

A last, special note for my Republic friends: Welcome to my “new” hometown! We are not perfect, but we have a pretty good life here in Stockton! We have the best hamburger place (Squeeze Inn), the prettiest lake, and the best school you will ever find. We are what Republic was in the 1970’s minus the bell-bottoms. I hope you enjoy your visit to town!

Methodology

I am taking a respite of discussing the Book Ban and related topics as I evaluate my methodology. Me pragmatically smiting (smoting?) with the pen a perceived sin is sinful as well if not done without addressing the issue personally with the person. My goal= God's Glory. If my methods hinder God getting Glory, I must reconsider them. The words of the day: Progressive Sanctification. Stay tuned for more in a week and God Bless. (1 Cor 15:58)

Vacation

Sorry for the 3 month vacation from writing. The Radio show has used up some of my time, but I have redone my schedule such that I will be writing more again! Thanks for viewing my blog. Hear the radio show on dogandponyradio.com or listen live on 107.7FM The Lake FM in Stockton, Mo. serving the heartland of Missouri. Rawhide!!!!!

Book review of Banned Book

It is not Tim Challies, but it will have to do... :(

http://www.mail-focusonthefamily.com/parenting/protecting_your_family/book-reviews/a/absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian.aspx

Why I Finished Last at the Maryville Marathon

As a reminder from last week’s column, I experienced an interesting journey a few weeks ago. I trained for and completed a full marathon. In “How I Finished Number One at the Maryville Marathon”, I outlined some of the pitfalls I ran into as I strove to complete this “race” (a term I use loosely to describe accepting defeat from the first step), and some general thoughts on the subject. Not to be outdone in the realm of odd “wisdom” on the subject, I have more to say. Keep the good (and glorify God), delete the bad (and blame me)…and here we go.
I finished last at the Maryville Marathon for a good reason. First I would be remiss if I didn’t lay out two counterfeit causes for my 7th place out of seven finish in my age/gender category. I didn’t finish last due to poor self-esteem. Our culture has raised to cult status the concept of self-esteem. Missionary Paul Washer refers to self-esteem thusly: “And to give you a thing about us being more feeble and not having the self esteem, our country and this world is overrun with this disgusting malady of self esteem. Our greatest problem is that we esteem self more than we esteem God.” Self-esteem, in our Post-Christian American culture, is in some ways a potential false backbone to an otherwise invertebrate existence. We carefully craft everything we say so as to not offend (unless you are a Christian or are Christ Himself). We stave off the wickedness of prayer in schools, we dumb down winning in sporting events, and we politically correctly filter everything we say or do to foster maximum self-esteem in ourselves and our kids. I certainly understand this mindset. I have been made fun of for being overweight off and on for years. In my early teen years I was asked by well meaning (?) girls “since I was so nice why couldn’t I have been cute like my brother?”. No one likes to feel bad. My point is that we have hyper-stressed the shielding of every poor soul to the pain of defeat/rejection to the point that we have created beings so utterly shocked at their failure that they walk away in bewilderment when Simon Cowell rightfully compares their singing to a mad cow disease-ridden bovine. We need to find the balance between self-esteem worship and preparation for reality. We spend so much time dwelling on ourselves and our felt needs that we value self over God and make decisions in life accordingly. Sure I am not thrilled about weight problems and the physical/cosmetic toll it has placed on my body. Nevertheless, my self-esteem didn’t cause me to finish 7th out of 7. (Read Romans 12:3; Phil. 2:3.)
Secondly, I didn’t finish last because I lacked faith. My believing me to be a runner does not make it so. Many a televangelist (I won’t mention specific names, but one whose name rhymes with Ole Josteen comes to mind), will tell you that if you have faith, you can bind God into a contractual whipping boy to do your sovereign will. Name it and claim it/ health and wealth “theology” makes us a “god” and, if we have enough faith we can do absolutely anything, including win marathons. If we fail, it is our fault as we don’t have “the favor” (i.e. enough faith). Justin Peters’ wonderful ministry is dedicated to a Biblical examination of this ilk (email me with questions). I do have absolute faith in Jesus Christ and the merit of His death, burial, and resurrection to take the punishment for my massive sin debt. I have repented of said sins and believe in Him solely thanks to His grace. I have faith, therefore, that amazingly I will have eternal life in Heaven when I die. I did not, however, have faith that I would win the marathon. I look at my stretch-marked carcass and compare it to the chiseled physiques of my adversaries, and I knew it would take a miracle for me to win. I also knew if God had granted me a miraculous win (one on par with the parting of the Red Sea), I would have became even more prideful and would have sinned. God spared me, and vicariously you, the stumble. (Read Eph 2:8-10.)
To conclude, the reason I lost the race is simple: I run like a drooling tiger-marked, geriatric challenged wildebeest. I am not gifted in running. Hurting my foot didn’t cause me to lose. I knew these realities from the start. I wanted to teach my kids perseverance in the race as well as the value of hard work, but I had no delusions of grandeur. My only hope (nearly realized) was a massive monsoon/whirlwind to sweep away my competition to a safe location at, say, Taco Bell. In the end, without a meteorological event, I finished last…but was blessed in the process. Thank you both Filthy Rags readers/dogandponyradio.com listeners for praying for me! I may run in the Bass Pro race in November, but, if so, it will be a much shorter 10k for a nice souvenir t-shirt and another opportunity to share Christ with people. God Bless and Keep them Doggies Rollin’!

How I Finished Number One at the Maryville Marathon

June 12th was the placeholder for one of the most interesting events of my life. I had spent the previous four months training rigorously with the end goal in mind to do one pivotal thing: run a marathon. On a historical note, the marathon race commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield near Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C (Note: I am relatively certain he was running from bullies making fun of his name contrary to historical references to the contrary). The trek involves running 26 miles and 385 yards to parallel Mr. P’s Paul Reverian pattern. I would like to briefly state the Christian significance of this run to me. I may stretch Scripture in a way only paralleled by late night televangelists and Christian Bookstore junk counters here, but I pray God can somehow get Glory from these thoughts. In machine-gun format, here it goes:
The weather: I had spent months dwelling on the prospects of a 95 degree day with humidity. Much of my training had taken place in the comfort of either my cool basement on the “treadmill of doom” or on the roads in the springtime. Changing the climate (back off Al, that’s not what I mean) to a more seasonally appropriate one was certainly a matter that tested my faith. Come race day, God put a beautiful spin on this concern. Rather than a scalding day like I deserved or a 60 degree paradise that I prayed for, God brought a severe thunderstorm. The first half hour took place in a toad-strangling, lightning sizzling downpour. The rest of the day, minus a brief shower late in the marathon, was in the high 70s and cloudy. God is Good.
The consequences: The weather’s consequences, other than a more comfortable run heat-wise, were two-fold for me. First, it fried my MP3 player. I had trained for months with sermons from my favorite preachers playing to keep my mind off the pain. God clearly had other ideas. I ended up essentially praying for the entire marathon. Not a pharisaical showy, uber-religious minus substance type of prayer, but prayer nonetheless. Second, it led to me trusting in God on every step. Funny how you hear yourself run when you listen. You hear every breath as well. Your mind doesn’t tune out or focus on an external thing like a sermon…it just listens. I am not one to say that I (or most others for that matter) hear audible voices from God, but in my soul I sensed God with me every step of the run.
Pain: I ran the first half of the race (there was two 13+ mile laps over the hills and through the woods to reach the Grandmother’s place/finish line) at a slightly more brisk pace than I usually ran. I was running with the big dogs or little ones in this case. Then it happened…I stepped on a providentially placed rock in the bull’s eye of my arch of my foot. I felt like I had had my foot dissected by a clumsy seventh grader who hadn’t finished scalpel-safety training. My foot, being protected by my size 13 Reeboks, wasn’t cut, but the damage was done. From that step to the end of the race I slowed down drastically as every other step sent a sharp pain through my body. Foot pain is no stranger for someone who used to be 400+ lbs, mind you, but this was different. It threw my stride off which hurt my hips which left me waddling like the Emperor Penguins we saw the next day at the Omaha Zoo. This reminded me of a danger that we all face in our spiritual race, if you will… that of pride. Any hope of avoiding embarrassment time-wise was quickly dashed as I lumbered along like a wounded hippo waiting to be lion food. Pride, for runners, is something to be extremely conscious of. The runners there spent hundreds on clothes, equipment, and external things only to finish with stains ruining their garments from blood (apparently it’s a “runner’s thing” to bleed out of every rubbed/worn spot….sorry for the image.) Regardless, it was easy the previous few months to spout off the fact that I was running this race to all who would hear it. Pride lurks and is sinful. Proverbs 11:2(KJV) says “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” And Proverbs 29:23 reiterates “A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.” I needed the attitude adjustment to my pride that this well placed rock afforded. (Note: I would title this piece “How I Finished Number One at the Maryville Marathon” because I was given runner number one either because I signed up first of because I am alphabetically favorable as an A.). Tack to Pride the idolatry one can easily fall into from spending too much time training (sorry family), and the sport, like many perfectly good pursuits, can cause one to stumble.
Conclusion: I would say that the run was a good experience for me. I was surrounded by a loving family and friends whom I deeply appreciated for coming. I grew in my love for the Lord through trusting Him in His faithfulness in the quiet of the race despite my unfaithfulness in pride and otherwise. My racing days are likely now over as I move to another, more edifying pursuit, that of teaching myself Biblical Greek. Thanks for your prayers and support to all and I hope to see you again here or on the radio program Wednesday nights at 8:30 on 107.7 or at dogandponyradio.com. God Bless!

Temporary Marathon/Radio Program Break Notice

I find it necessary to offer a rationale for my brief sabbatical from the Filthy Rags column. I have two excuses for my lack of print columns listed as follows:
1. I am training for a Marathon June 12th in Maryville, Missouri. Yes…your former 400+lb writer is running 26.2 miles, potentially to his doom, in less than 3 weeks. I have been training hard the last 3 months running between 30 and 40 miles most weeks. My two goals: survival and the Glorification of the Savior, in reverse order. I encourage all my readers to try this death march/marathon training…it is quite cool and rewarding. I listen to between 3-6 hours of sermons a day and have refreshing times of prayer in the process.
2. My friend John Wilson and I have launched a new radio program airing at 8:30pm on Wednesdays. It is called “The Dog and Pony Show” and you can catch it on 107.7 LakeFM radio. (Note to my Atheist readers…We will be airing live with the ability to prove our utter lack of tact/intellect as best you can so I hope we hear from you!). I point you to dogandpony.weebly.com (soon to be reduced to dogandpony.com) for more information in regards to that show.
I certainly intend to be back the week after the marathon offering you more of the finely-tuned drivel you have come to expect in the last 3 years of our little chats. I appreciate all of the prayer about my weight loss (and it is still hard to keep it off! I swell up like a puffer fish at the sniff of the wrong food!) Please pray for the Dog and Pony Show as well.
Join me in a sane version of the sandwich-boarded man whose sign says “Repent for the end is near”. The end may indeed be near, but, one thing is for certain…all of us are on borrowed time. I love Cedar County/Stockton and certainly hope that all its residents will repent of their sin and believe before it too late. As the Prince of Preachers Charles Spurgeon rightly said “Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we — who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not — can be saved!” Many in our community don’t know Jesus. They know what they have heard from Oprah or CNN, but don’t have a saving relationship with the King of Kings. Every day the storm sirens ring twice to remind us that tornadoes happen. Every week three to six people on average grace this paper with their passing listed in the deaths section. How many pass from life to eternal death we cannot know, but we must not fail in ringing the sirens to warn them that of the judgment that is to come. God is infinitely kind to send His Son to die for those who would repent and believe. As the Moravian missionaries eloquently stated, shouldn’t the Lamb that was slain receive the full reward for His suffering?
May God richly bless and keep you this week as always!

Haiti in Light of the Problem of Pain 4 of 5

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." –Luke 13:1-5
While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. –Job 1:18-22
Week four of our tiptoe though the cause of pain (especially but not exclusively in how it relates to horrendous disasters such as the recent one in Haiti) points us in a new direction: God’s direct involvement. For the next two weeks I want to discuss God’s Sovereignty in His Creation. Allow me to preface this by saying you will likely not like my post these two weeks (unlike the usual euphoria you feel from reading my column?). I deliver this news as a fallen sinner with only the Grace of Christ to offer as my endorsement. I am in a way the Bizarro-world Joel Osteen (an inverse character image of Superman or, in this case, Joel Osteen). If you are looking for feelgood, oddball humor you, my three regular readers, have come to expect (Hi Mom), you might want to read the archives on my blog instead…this may not have that feel. This being said, our topic is vital.
As a reminder, on the opposite ends of the religious spectrum, Pat Robertson said that Haiti was being judged and harmed directly by God for a “pact with the devil” of which prompted Rick Warren of Saddleback church to Tweet (it is a computer dealy-bob, Mom) the following: “Labeling any natural disaster as God's judgment is nonsense. True “judgment begins with God's family” 1Peter4:17, not others”. (1 Peter 4:17 says “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”). He then Tweeted his desire to mud wrestle a TV comedian on Pay Per View with the proceeds going to Haiti relief (a topic to be discussed in a future post called either “10 things that make me want to use brain floss” or “12 things a pastor who reveres God shouldn’t say even with a nice motive”. With two equally plausible if convoluted answers, I ask what Pilate asked… “What is truth?” amongst these conflicting thoughts.
Also as a reminder, the last three weeks I have made a clear statement that the Haiti earthquake wasn’t caused by random chance or an unknowing God. Today I confidently state that one of the final two choices, or a combo of the two, is the answer. God either caused the event or He let it happen. First we need to clarify that God CAN make earthquakes. This is supported by Isaiah 29:6, Matthew 28:2, Acts 16:26, 1 Kings 19, and others. As we look through the Bible, there are dozens and dozens of instances of God using natural events and a host of other bad circumstances to achieve His Will. Interestingly, sometimes He spares Christians/believers from pain (i.e. Ex. 9 & 10…read A.W. Pink’s The Sovereignty of God chapter Three for a beautiful treatment of this thought), and sometimes He does not (Luke 13 passage above, assuming that those being killed were Christians, the stoning of Timothy, and Job ). God DOES judge cities and nations (if you don’t believe me, send a letter to the Sodom or Gomorrah Chamber of Commerce for an information package). These things made apparent, God can judge a city/country, He does sometimes do it, and sometimes there are “good people” there. Given this chain of logic, what can we say with certainty? All evidence points to God having an involvement or at least knowledge of the events we deem bad. If God didn’t know it was happening, He is not omniscient and we should all hide under our beds. If it is out of His control, how can He promise us that all things will work for GOOD (Romans 8:28)? The bottom line is that He knew and either caused it or let it happen. What is not apparent, and is the question why them and not me?
Robertson and Warren are extremely presumptuous (asinine comes to mind) in their stating that God must have judged Haiti or that this Haitian judgment concept is nonsense. Allow me to clearly wrap up today’s post by saying God can rightfully Judge anyone He wants (Rev 4:11, Isa 29:16, 1Cor 6:20, others). Romans 1-6 clearly say that we all have sinned and deserving of punishment. He judged all the fallen angels immediately without sending them a Savior. What is intriguing and amazing is that we don’t ALL get judged the first time we sin against a Holy God as we deserve (Romans 6:23). Read carefully the first passage from Luke 13. Our response to pain and tragedy should not be blame or finger-pointing in any way. It should be, like Job, introspection. Ask God, “Is there unconfessed sin in my life?” or “What do I need to learn from this event?”. While we can’t totally understand why Haiti with its cardboard houses gets thumped and Las Vegas with its rampant sin (including, according to Fox News, legal male prostitution for the ladies) skates along like they are doing right, we can certainly look deep within ourselves and investigate our own sin life. Do we lie? Do we lust? Do we steal? Why are we getting by? By thoroughly understanding our position (sin) compared to God’s (Perfect Holiness), we can get a better perspective on future tragedies and position ourselves to do what we were called to do…repent (turn from sin) and call on God to save us according to His unmerited favor/ beautiful grace. This week your assignment is to thoroughly analyze yourself and then think of God’s Goodness in not giving us what we deserve. When we wrap up next week and tie up the loose ends, this issue, while challenging, will begin to make perfect sense. In the meantime, feel free to email me at markapplegate@windstream.net with questions or concerns. Until then may God Bless and keep you…

New Year's Post

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!" Matthew 10:29-30
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:25-7
As we enter a new decade I find it appropriate to offer my Cedar County friends some encouragement and a little admonition for the coming days. While the temptation is to dazzle you with the wisdom drawn from my seemingly endless fount (only rivaling my humility), I will instead enter reality and offer you something much better... God’s Sovereignty. God knows all and is intimately involved in all. While I realize this is Christianity101, not some sort of new revelation, it is clearly a matter we have lost sight of as a church culture. Need proof? Allow me to refresh your memory:
-Millions of dollars are spent annually by experienced laborers to take ladder training classes so as to qualify to bid for federal contracts.
-Cars are being built with four or more airbags, roll cages, steel beams, and genuine “force fields” (OK...I added that, but the day is coming!).
-We are forced to practically disrobe in the airport screening line, a fact sure to increase in scope given the recent attempted bombing. I pity the fool that accidentally brings fingernail clippers onto the plane...the HORROR of it all!
-Hundreds of millions were screened/vaccinated from the latest plague guaranteed to kill us all. (If you are curious, there will be another new crisis next year).
-Because of our SUVs, air conditioners and light bulbs the earth is heating so rapidly that our former VP promised the end of the polar ice caps within a few years. (Editor’s note: It warmed this week so much that the writer of this article, with his wife on the couch under her leopard print Snuggie, actually turned off his space heater...I am nothing if not green).
-Our government debt is projected to be approximately twenty quintillion dollars by July...or was it quadrillion? Sure I have an MBA, but even I can’t count that high.
-Nearly everything will cure or cause cancer depending on what group performed the test.
What is the bottom line of today’s rambling? The world is spinning out of control! We need to run for cover! Repack your Y2K kits; we’re in for the long haul this time! Sigh...
If I could speak for God (and I surely don’t presume to be worthy of such using my own words), I must remind you “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!”. God is a God of organization and detail. Can you imagine a God so large to speak the world into existence (Gen 1) having your eyebrows catalogued? The same God that owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50) knows when you plunk a pigeon with your Prius. Just look at Creation! Look closely at a simple leaf, if you can find one under the global warming-induced snow. They are made of amazing cells with “veins” that carry the stuff around the skin to the other spots (Another editor note: We will certainly talk with the writer about his use of complex botanical jargon). God has created everything and nothing surprises Him. Bad things happen, but all the effort, stress, and heavy-handed management we can muster will not change this fact. In fact we will all die one of these days. The odds are 100%. We should live responsibly and prudently. We should look both ways before we cross the street...especially RB highway...crazy drivers! We should NOT worry about life. Join me in focusing in 2010 on things that matter: God, family, church and friends. Worrying is futile and, frankly, pointless. Rest on the fact that, if you are a believer, you have the promise of Romans 8:28 to stand on. Our God is good and knows and does what’s best for us. If you are not a believer, we really need to talk. Email me at markapplegate@windstream.net. 2010 will be a great year! Will it be easy? Doubtful. Will it be better that we deserve? Certainly so. Please remember this fact if nothing else: Nothing surprises our amazing and loving God. Happy New Year!

Problem of Pain in Haiti Part 2

“I do not think that we ever pray with such fervor of supplication in our prosperity as we do in our adversity. And then how precious the promises become! As we only see the stars when the shadows gather at night, so the promises shine out like newly kindled stars when we get into the night of affliction. I am sure that there are passages of scripture, which are full of consolation, the depths of which we do not even imagine yet, and we never shall know all that is in them till we get into the depths of soul trouble, which correspond with them.” – Charles H. Spurgeon from Spurgeon Gold by Ray Comfort.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” (Psalm 46:1-5)
Last week I began what I referred to as a two week evaluation of causation of the horrific tragedy in Haiti. As I have looked into the depths of passages and writings about Theodicy (why bad things happen to good people), I felt overwhelmed with the daunting task of binding myself to concluding this topic this week. (I realize the three regular readers of my column may be disappointed, but all I can do is ask for forgiveness for adding some time.) Additionally I encourage you to reread that post often as we spend some time looking over these potential causes.
As an uplifting update, since last Wednesday God’s Name has been glorified in the rescue of some 133 people from certain death under rubble even as recently as hours before the submission of this post. God’s Faithfulness has been clearly evident to many as they struggle to recover. God’s Grace has been displayed in the countless stories of those trapped in rubble with an air pocket and food within reach. God’s Power has offered many reminders as aftershocks have reverberated throughout the cities several times since the knockout punch of last week. God’s Patience/Longsuffering has also been apparent as pundits and talking heads have offered their wisdom as to the cause of the earthquake (Pat Robertson blames it on Haiti’s sin while Hugo Chavez blames it on Obama’s ACME earthquake machine that, perhaps, he purchased from Wil E. Coyote). In short, the tragedy has highlighted some good things despite the horror and immense sadness.
In my last post I posited four potential causes of the earthquake. I have asked many more learned than I to no avail and see these four as exhaustive. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.
In a manner made famous by NASA, I am going to drag this difficult topic kicking and screaming into a four week countdown. It is important for all of us to delve into these and other challenging topics if we are to ever be intellectually honest in our faith in God or lack thereof.
So, could random chance have played a part in this earthquake? Three thoughts:
1. Random chance requires a lack of God’s Omnipotence and Omniscience. A truly unacceptable presupposition, but, in the interest of debate, one that I will exclude since it reveals my personal presuppositions.
2. A naturalistic person might point to fault lines (apparently not normally an issue in Haiti since the last earthquake was in 1770) and say that an evolved, Big Bang created Earth with its geological “issues” can and does produce such events in a somewhat predictable way. This somewhat hollow answer is tied to the fact that many scientists think that some day we will know with absolute accuracy every natural disaster’s time and date. The problems here are many. First are the presuppositions involved in predicting events such as this. The primary presupposition problem points plainly to origins. Where did the material to “bang” come from and what caused it to bang in the first place? And once it banged, why did everything fall into order into the amazing reality that we live in now. My 2nd grader knows when you blow something up violently, it doesn’t form something bigger and more ordered...it ends up worse. Random chance arguments for this type of event require an unordered random creation that simply doesn’t make rational sense. This requires too much faith for me to accept.
3. Lastly, even in an area such as Southern California with relative frequency in quantity of earthquakes, scientists have yet to scratch the surface of being able to predict an earthquake within a few minutes it happening. Trends and probabilities have been employed to guess likely time frames, but to no useful success. To say that there is a “good chance” of an earthquake is not particularly helpful unless you can point as to when. It seems the events are random and often flow against our best guesses. If we presuppose that disasters are predictable and, once we achieve some higher learning or have invented a specific technology we will understand them, we need a clearly defined path. For scientific method to theoretically save the day, creating a working set of hypotheses to begin with is essential. Basing hypotheses on immensely flawed assumptions does not provide the foundation needed for the scientific method to “work”. We have immense trouble predicting tomorrow’s weather with any real accuracy. Based on your experience, does it appear we are moving toward a naturalistic understanding or just spinning our scientific wheels? Global Warming...uhh ...err. .. Climate Change anyone? (Or is it Global cooling now? I lose track!). This process reminds me of medicine. Every time we come up with a wonder cure, another disastrous ailment appears. It is as though some supernatural force is hindering our ability to achieve a healthy, wealthy, and wise society.
In conclusion, due to the challenged/biased presuppositions being used and the lack of reasonable expectation to ever have the ability to accurately predict natural causes and random chance, this option leaves me cold. By definition, random chance could be the cause, but, due to lack of evidence, it seems extremely unlikely. Since I am not a keeper of all knowledge (surprise), call me an agnostic in the random chance realm in the same way I am with the tooth fairy. There simply must be better options! I will be continuing to offer you these options as we begin to circle the truth next week. Direct any questions (and verbal gunfire) to my email at markapplegate@windstream.net. Until then, may God Bless and Keep you.

Problem of Pain in Haiti Part 1

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?”I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:1-5 NASB)
For those of you with no TV, radio, internet, daily newspaper, neighbors, or contact with the free world, on January 12th a multitude 7.0 earthquake struck the nation of Haiti killing thousands of men, women, and children from all walks of life. Horrendous carnage, complete property loss, and weeping mark an already destitute population. Hospitals full of the sick, a palace for the ruler, and shanty towns full of desperately poor all suffered similar fates. Flash back to the day after Christmas 2004 and an underwater earthquake projects a tsunami that kills thousands in 13 countries (we have no real idea how many were washed to sea).
Today, with fear and trepidation, I would like to begin a two week series of my thoughts as to why these things happened. Theories abound as to causation for seemingly senseless events. Allow me to start by eliminating a few. Global warming/cooling, acid rain, H1N1, Barack Obama, The New York Yankees, grassy knoll shooters, aliens, terrorists, Republicans/Democrats, illegal immigrants, Big Oil, AIG, Dick Cheney, and ACORN played no part in this tragedy.
Pat Robertson, as is often the case and in typical Shock Jock fashion, offered that God smote Haiti for making a “pact with the Devil”. He pointed at the Hurricane Katrina tragedy as New Orleans’ fault for rampant sin. While I am sorry to fans of Robertson, I must apologize for Pat’s thoughts on behalf of Christendom. Cold, publicity-generating comments such as these do nothing in advancing the Kingdom of God and, if the thousands of venomous comments posted to the news articles outlining Robertson’s comments are any indication, seem to bring tremendous dishonor to the name of Christ.
I, like most throughout time, have considered this question of Theodicy (why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?) often. I confess it is a hard question. Atheists have hammered me “If God is so big, why do children die of cancer?” or “I thought your God was all-loving! I could never love a God that would let these things happen!”. So why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
Before addressing the answer, I need to fix the question. Psalm 14:3 plainly states “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:23 adds “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Worse yet, regardless of the appearance of the target of sin, all sin is directed at God Himself (See Psalm 51:4, many others). The bad things we will address don’t happen to good people. Bad things happen to ungood people...all of us. Summary: We all sin and through our sin, in effect, we are shaking our fist at God. I guess we all kind of “make a pact with the devil” when we sin! This point matters and is the basis for my answer to Theodicy because God is Good.
The Holiness of God demands that all sin be punished. The millions that “get away” with crimes in this world will ultimately, at death, be judged. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death”. Proverbs 17:15 points us to what Paul Washer says should be called “The Great Dilemma” when it says “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”. How can a Loving, Holy, and Just God NOT punish sin? He can’t let lawbreakers just get away with it or He wouldn’t be just. Please understand, I am not making character judgments about any victim of any event in any way. We are all equally in the same boat here...we are stained with a sin that is, intentionally or not, pointed at God. We all deserve death and judgment. Angels, when they rebelled against God, didn’t get a Savior. They were summarily judged and condemned. Amazingly, God, through His amazing Love, gives us opportunity after opportunity to repent (turn from sin) and believe in order to be saved.
These important things being said, there are only 4 possible reasons for these bad things happening. I will address them each in detail next week. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.

Before I conclude, please don’t think I am being flippant about the tragic loss of life. My heart aches with those who lost loved ones. I am left with so many conflicting emotions ranging from wanting to take away pain from people to wanting to fly to Haiti to dig. Please see that, like John 9 or the Luke 13 passage from earlier said, being more sinful than others isn’t the “cause” of these events. Marilyn Manson sings freely. Las Vegas still glows like the sun. The answer isn’t in the magnitude of the sin; it is in the One who the sin is committed against. Pray this week fervently (James 5:16) for Haiti and meet me back here next week to unpack some causes. God is a Loving and Merciful God who answers prayer. He sent His Son to die on a cross as a substitute for all who would repent and believe. Seek Him today while there is time.

Missouri Mark's Jungle Adventure

The world famous cryptozoologist Missouri Mark Applegate, bearing his trademark machete and with sidekick Spider Monkey Cheeto grasping with little white knuckles to his shoulder, fights meter by meter through the rainforest. Faint sounds of gibbon monkeys seem to laugh in a more and more pronounced way at the struggle of the overmatched scientist. Lemurs jaunt effortlessly throughout the vicinity, mocking Missouri Mark’s miniscule movement. After what seems like months, the hero finally emerges at the end of the forest...uhh...er...the end of his stinking overgrown yard. No monkeys, no lemurs. Displaced animals, a lawnmower preparing to file a protest with his union steward, and what appear to be hay rows ready to be bailed are the true attributes of my yard today. Three weeks between mowing has taken its toll.

There are a multitude of lessons to be learned from letting your yard get overgrown. Thomas Manton, a somewhat Puritan preacher who lived from 1620-1677, inspired C.H. Spurgeon to later edit some interesting thoughts in a discourse called Illustrations and Meditations. On page 21 subtitled “Choking the Weeds”, Manton through Spurgeon’s lens writes “The way to destroy ill weeds is to plant good herbs that are contrary. We have all heard about weeds choking out the wheat; if we were wise we should learn from our enemy, and endeavor to choke the weeds by the wheat. Pre-occupation of mind is a great safeguard from temptation. Fill a bushel with corn, and you will keep out the chaff: have the heart stored with holy things, and the vanities of the world will not so readily obtain a lodging-place.”
Lesson one through the infinitely less astute columnist: Plant good grass and take care of it. After a mere 3 weeks of neglect, my yard had rainforest-like foliage. I had tall, vine looking flowers, what appeared to be cactuses, and a plethora of other flora canvassing my yard. Standing water from last night, shrouded by tall grass, filled my mowing shoes as I trod through its murky reaches. Time turned small green “shoots” into robust green “cannon blasts”, if you will. These must be pulled quickly lest they take over. In a spiritual sense, similar problems arise. The busier your life becomes, the more the weeds crowd out your grass in a spiritual sense. Sin creeps in like a small weed. It grows steadily until it kills all around it. Some busyness can look attractive, with some nice flowers so to speak. However, these tall “flowers” are not grass, and will become overgrown and kill everything around them before you know it. As painful as it is, they must be pulled before they kill around it. We call this repenting in Christianity. Turning from sin, plucking it if you will, and committing to stopping it from coming back is a hallmark of a Christian (see Romans 7 and Psalm 51). As Theologian Barney Fife would say, “You gotta nip it in the bud!”

Lesson number two: In addition to pulling weeds, plant more grass. As our writer states so eloquently, “if we were wise we should learn from our enemy, and endeavor to choke the weeds by the wheat”. The longer you distance yourself from the spiritual “disciplines” of our faith, the more the weeds grow. If you feel as though your spiritual yard is looking rough, examine your walk with Christ. How is your prayer life? How is your Bible reading? Are you meeting with fellow Christians to sharpen your mower blades, so to speak? The problem isn’t with God.

Last lesson among the countless available is a plea: Do you prefer the weeds? Are you indifferent? Possibly the most horrific verse in the Bible is 1 John 3:8a (ESV) says “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil”. See, everyone has eternal life. Those who repent and trust Jesus Christ alone to save them from the sin debt their life has accrued will spend eternity in Heaven. Those who do not will be granted their desire of eternal separation from God in a real place of punishment called Hell. God is equally a God of Love and a God of Justice. He must punish sin. Look at Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments. Have you lied? Have you stolen? Have you committed adultery (with Jesus clarification including lustful thoughts being counted as adultery included)? Yeah...me too. We need a substitute to take our punishment, and Jesus Christ is just that if we repent and trust Him to save us. I have done that. Have you?

Three hours and four gas tanks later Missouri Mark conquered most of the yard. In the process he (and hopefully you too) has gained a new appreciation for the importance of proper yard maintenance. God Bless!
Bible Verse(s) of the week: The book of 1 John. Short but vital.