Hitch - My Tribute.

Today I pay tribute to a man who passed over into eternity last night in Texas. Christopher Hitchens, an aggressively outspoken atheist who was critical of Christianity and all forms of organized religion, was a man I loved deeply.

Years ago, Hitch debated William Lane Craig on the campus of Biola University. The subject was "God's existence," and I must say - it was one of the most entertaining debates I've seen. Hitch, a popular author and influential intellectual, was pitted against one of the most famous and able Christian philosophers of our day. The debate itself was a bit of a mismatch simply because the two participants came from different fields and associated communication styles. However, it was entertaining simply because there did seem to be a mutual respect on the parts of both participants for the other. Hitch knew Craig was the man where philosophy was concerned, and Craig knew Hitch was one of the most witty and influential writers on the planet. As a result, there was no mudslinging, no grandstanding, and there were many moments of laughter.

A few weeks after the debate, I began a one-on-one dialogue with Christopher that was delightful to say the least. I knew Hitch had been critical of my faith and he knew that people like me had been critical of him. Even so, I felt like he respected me as a pastor even though I know he disagreed with my philosophy and theology. Anyway, he and I discussed the possibility of his coming to Salt Lake City to participate in a public dialogue with myself and others on the subject of "How Christians and Atheists Can Work together To Build a Better World." I know, I know - many of you are probably thinking, "How in the world could Christians and atheists EVER work together?" Well, you might be surprised at how the image of God sometimes rears its head even in men who refuse to acknowledge it. I've always believed that peace is achievable when men choose to focus on what unites them rather than on what divides them, and like it or not, Christians and atheists do have a few common goals. Of course, that's the subject of another discussion, but suffice it to say I found in Christopher a person who, regardless of his aggression in the past, was very open to dialogue and respectful collegiality.

Unfortunately, Christopher was diagnosed with a very bad type of cancer, so he and I were never able to proceed with our plans to meet publicly in Utah. However, I prayed for him often and thought of him with a holy affection. When I say that I loved Hitch deeply, I mean it. And even more so, I know God loved him. I'm not sure what lay at the root of Chris' refusal to believe in and follow Christ, and I would never speculate concerning his status before God (I don't believe it's in man's purview to make such pronouncements), but I know that behind the wall of every human heart is a child longing to know, spend time with, and be loved by his heavenly Father. In a sense, we're all orphans who are looking for the Dad we somehow know exists somewhere.

When I think of Christopher Hitchens, I see a man who, even though he had come to different conclusions in his thinking, was a man not very much unlike myself. We're all on a journey, trying to live and love, and trying to find out who we are and where we're going. It breaks my heart that we've lost, prematurely I think, a friend like Hitch. Even though I disagreed with him, the simple fact is that Christianity is better because of him. He forced many of us out of our complacency. He forced us to to stand up and act. He challenged the faith that many of us have, without serious reflection, professed for many years. He challenged our apathy and demanded that we rise up and face him. In the end, I know of at least one Christian pastor who has a stronger faith because of Christopher Hitchens. And for that, I'm grateful.

So to Christopher Hitchens I raise my glass at this, the hour of his departure, and pay my respects. Love ya Hitch :) I shan't soon forget you, my friend.

Suicide.

Suicide is one of the most difficult issues I deal with. Being in the military, I see it quite a bit more than most other people probably do. And usually, I'm the one who is called to sit with (if not inform) the family, sort things out with the friends, speak to the unit, and try with all my heart get others who are considering a similar course of action to reconsider. I have to admit - these tasks are not easy. Why? Because when someone makes the decision to take their own life, it's not just their life they are taking. In a very real sense, they're taking the lives of those around them that love them so much. A mom. A sister. A friend. A fellow soldier. No one wins when suicide happens.

Here's the thing that I've never been able to understand - and please know that these are just my own reflections on the subject - I'm certainly not trying to be judgmental, but I've never been able to understand how a person could feel like life was so bad that they had to end it. I know life gets bad for a lot of people, even most people, at some point in life. A relationship fails, a career tanks, a loved one is lost, personhood is violated, self-esteem and dignity are shattered -- and sometimes all these things happen all at once, and they don't ever show any signs of stopping. In the end, I guess some people just get enough of it and see no reason to think that tomorrow will be any better than today. And I guess that's a legitimate feeling - depending on what you believe about the world and your place in it. But here's where God comes in.

I honestly believe (and the bible actually teaches) that when His kids hurt, God hurts. Our tears are important to Him. When our dreams are lost, He grieves with us, even if we fail to recognize His presence. When we make poor decisions that hurt and embarrass us, He defends us when everyone else wants to stone us. When life becomes lifeless, He's the one who invites us to trade in the crappy, failed, flawed life we used to have for true and abundant life - the life that can only come through the mystical union He invites us to have with Himself through the infinite but personal power of the Holy Spirit. And when we want to die, He reminds us that we don't have to because Jesus already did. We may feel that life sucks, and we make think that our life is in no danger of ever getting any better. "Same crap, different toilet" may be how we view our world, but God invites us to come out of the bathroom altogether. He invites us outside of the homes we have built for ourselves and into a new world He has built just for us - one of fresh hope, life, purpose, and knowledge of Him.

If only people could see Jesus and the intense and intentional love He has for them. If only people could know that He has the power to change their world, along with their heart. If only people could know that their future doesn't have to be anything like their past, and that they have a Father who is ready, willing, and able to rescue them from the despair and depression into which life has thrown them - maybe then they would reconsider ending it all. Maybe then they would take a step toward experiencing the glory of God by becoming, themselves, fully alive.

This is a strange post, I admit - and to be honest, I'm still praying through a lot of it. But I guess my point is this. If you ever find yourself in such despair that you don't think life is worth living any longer - please hear me. Life IS worth living. And God is ready to show you the life HE has for you if you're willing to stop trying to control your own.

Maybe you're alone and need to vent. Maybe you just need to be around some people who will love on you. Whatever you need, I assure you that if you are willing, God has someone already stationed in your life who is ready to help - wherever you are. For example, God has given me the privilege of serving as the pastor of one of the most caring, loving, and friendly churches you'll ever find on planet earth. If you visit The Rising, you won't leave there unloved. And if you just need to talk with someone, you are always welcome to call us. Myself or one of our other staff members are always ready to make a new friend, share stories, and walk together to discover how God wants to revolutionize our lives by teaching us to stop focusing on our lives.

Please don't feel as if you're alone. You're not. God is there. So are His people. He always has been there - and He wants you. He wants you SO bad. Just give Him a shot. If you do, your world will change. Guaranteed.

Before you give your life away to nothing - try giving it to Him first.

Never give up. Never give up. Never give up!!!

May you Know the Abundance of His Presence, His Spirit, and His Love,
J

The Greatest Privilege

This may not be an overwhelmingly profound thought, but I just wanted to say today how privileged I feel to have the job I do. There are fewer things that bring me greater peace than the prospect of walking outside on a cold day - books, Bible, and computer in hand - to head out to the coffee shop to study for Sunday's message. I love walking in and smelling the coffee, ordering some hot tea (I gave up coffee back in March and haven't had a drop since - we'll see how long that lasts - ha, ha), listening to the background music, and opening my Bible to begin/continue praying about how God wants to encourage the people who will be at church on Sunday.

God's Word has such life - and it communicates such a good prospect on the future - and I get to share it with people every week. And in a world where most of the people who will be at church on Sunday will have been - for the last 7 days - criticized, hurt, ignored, forgotten, taken advantage of, given a bad report, kicked out of a relationship, experienced another failure, told their future was going to suck, it's a great privilege to be the guy who gets to tell people, every Sunday, that all that crap is not the final word in life. God's Word is the final word. He, who created the world and passionately looks upon each individual - with all that individual's hopes & hurts, fears & failures, dreams & disappointments, regrets & rage - with grace and love, has a blueprint for getting each person's life back on track. For encouraging and empowering them. For providing for and protecting them. And for helping and healing them.

Anyway, like I said, just my own reflections - nothing overtly profound. I'm just glad to have the role I do and want to express my gratitude to God.

Re-Tool Your Relationships!

Hi guys,

Just a quick note to let you know that I finished the 7-part series called "Re-Tool Your Relationships" at The Rising this morning. If you're interested, you can click here and listen to the sermons and even download the fill-in-the-blank outlines that were handed out at The Rising when the sermons were delivered. I hope these messages will be a blessing to you!

Also on the link above, you'll find another (4-part) series I did recently called "The Ark," as well as a special 9/11 10-Year Anniversary message. Outlines are available for these as well :)

All messages and outlines are free of charge.

Hope you guys are all well!

Blessings,
Jason

Joy.

I came out of the gym this morning and BAM! It's snowing! Wow - I had almost forgotten how much I love it when it snows. I'm not sure why, but I just do. I went home and immediately turned on my Christmas music and proceeded to cook a huge breakfast with sausage, hashbrowns, eggs, and chocolate milk :) I sat down at the table, looking out at the huge flakes that were still falling an hour later, and just enjoyed the peace. I know that Christmas is coming, and I'm SO excited. I'm looking forward to the food, the presents, the church services, and I'm looking forward to playing football with Micah (my 3 year old) and to watching Mandy (my one year old) open presents for the first time.

There are a lot of things in my life that I wanted that I don't have - and I think every man's temptation is to focus on those. But today, God was able to show me (even though I'm probably doing a rotten job of communicating it on this blog) that what I DO have brings me more joy than any of the crap I thought I wanted in life. Watching the snow, cooking breakfast, and getting excited about the coming of Christmas may not seem like significant, earth-shattering events in life - but I'm learning that these are the things - the everyday things - wherein God gives us great joy. I don't have to make millions, have political power, or enjoy all the sensual pleasures life has to offer in order to experience the fullness of God's joy. Why? Because His joy - His presence - is right in front of me every second of every minute of every hour of every day. The trick is learning how to recognize that it's right there - not somewhere else - and that every bit of peace and contentment we're all after in life is totally available always - no matter what the circumstance. I was able to see that today - even if just for a moment. God, teach me to live in that kind of vision. Don't let me fall into the trap of believing that joy - real joy - exists anywhere else but in Your presence. Show me your life in every snowflake, every breakfast, every wonderful memory in the making, and in every experience where I suffer. I know You're always there. Help me to remember, even when I'm weak and my memory fails me.

What Really Stinks about Marriage

So this past Sunday, I preached on marriage (if you wanna check out the message, click here). And after thinking, pondering, praying, reflecting, and consulting with my wife - here's what I've concluded about marriage that's really awful. But to be honest, I guess it's not something that's wrong with marriage - it's more with the way most people seem to view marriage. Most people I talk to speak about their marriage like it's some kind of "necessary evil." It's like, "I need someone so I won't be alone, and I need someone so I can have kids and have sex, and I need someone to help pitch in with paying bills," but that's it. Marriage is reduced to a mere utility! Now, some people really have the fire when they first start dating, or even in the first couple of years, but sooner or later people begin to accept this lie that marriage has to mediocre at best, or bad at worst, and that stinks! Marriage is NOT a mere utility and it is NOT supposed to be mediocre! If you're in a marriage right now that's not super-fulfilling, I really believe you are missing out on God's best blessing for you this side of heaven. God designed marriage to get better as it ages - but somehow - many people's marriages just get worse as they age. This is nothing short of a complete and utter tragedy. Imagine how horrible it would be if someone gave you $10,000,000,000 for you to enjoy, but it wrecked your life because you got so tied up in the very complicated accounting that would quite likely go along with having that amount of money. If you did, you'd miss the point - and we'd all probably slap you (in a Christlike way, of course) and call you an idiot for it, and we'd be right :) But here's the thing - marriage is a gift from God that's worth more than any amount of money. Bud sadly, we get so caught up in some of the technicalities that we miss the real point. Love. Fulfillment. An illustration of Christ's love for His people (see Ephesians 5:22-33).

The point of this post is not to teach anyone about marriage - you can check out the sermon above if you're interested in that. My point is just to proclaim to the world (or, more accurately, the 2-5 people that probably read this blog!) that marriage is supposed to be a GOOD THING -no, an AWESOME THING. And if it's not that way in your life, you need to change your priorities and start investing in your spouse!

And by the way, if you're thinking, "I'd be happier with someone else," remember - the grass is not greener on the other side. AND it's not greener on this side either! It's greener WHERE YOU WATER IT! Have you watered your marriage? If not, don't get mad when it turns brown :)

Life? Or Not?

I hate it when I see people who aren't alive. You know - breathing, but not really living? People who are enduring life but not enjoying life? When I see this (and on occasion experience it myself) I can't help but think - "Something's WAY wrong here. There's NO WAY life was supposed to be like this - there has to be a different way." Have you ever thought that?

Anyway, I love reading the part of the Bible when Jesus says "I showed up so you could have life, and have it in abundance!" When you look around the world, there's violence, death, disease, jacked up relationships, etc., but it's into THIS world (not some fantasy religious world) that Jesus came - and it's into THIS world that He offers the one thing I need, and we all so desperately need: life.

When I lose my job. When my partner leaves. When the test results come back. When I can't perform. When I'm overdrawn again and have no plan. When I feel dirty, ashamed and guilty. Washed up and meaningless. When I have no idea what my purpose is or who I am, Jesus, I need Your life. And I know that You'll give it.

My prayer for today - Lord God, give those of us who are suffering in the mediocrity of mere human existence - those who can't see past the negativity that attacks them every day - those who for the darkness of today's cloud can't see past tomorrow - and for those of us who believe the lie that life is supposed to be like this -- God give us LIFE. TRUE life! Energy! Passion! Zeal! Drive! Purpose! Life that begins here, now, and suffers from no lack of abundance! We weren't made to get this kind of life from anywhere but You - and as long as we look elsewhere we'll find nothing but death. Today we look to You and You alone. As Augustine succinctly stated 1500 years ago, we SCREAM OUT to You today, "OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS, TIL THEY FIND THEIR REST IN YOU!"

Bring the noise, God. Let us swim in the sounds of all the goodness You offer. You are Way and the Truth, but today we ask for Your LIFE.