What is it about Hollywood and politics? Do actors and actresses and musicians and comedians really think they have that big of voice because they are famous?
I won't disagree that they have a lot of influence. They influence how we shop, how we date, how we wear our hair, and now, they influence how we vote.
The problem though, is that shopping, dating and hairstyles only effect us indivually. Our vote, our one, single vote, can effect our entire nation.
How dare they play with that power!
I don't care if they are screaming against Obama or McCain, if you're on a Tabloid cover or star in movies, I don't and will not ever go to you for my political news or points of view.
Since when are our "role models" ever doing anything positive with their lives? They take our money off of album sales, box office prices and marketing endorsements and they think that that gives them the right to influence our vote?
It's almost like they are running for office themselves. The candidates debate and campaign, desperately trying to win our votes. These celebrities do the same thing. They show up at these conventions and campaign trails, play a few songs, and stand arm around arm with the candidate.
We don't care!
Wanna know why? Because as soon as the next President of the United States of America is elected, we won't hear from them politically for another 4 years. What kind of message is that?
They only care about being heard when it matters most. Please go back to making your movies, singing your songs and making jokes. Just because you're famous doesn't mean you have any idea what you're talking about.
But the real issue here is our culture. We are a lazy nation, relying on tv ads to decide who we will vote for. These celebs have a voice because we let them have one. The media lets them have one. The candidates let them have one.
Get off your butt and do your research, take your time to dig to find out who the candidates really are. Our nation is smarter than tv ads and immoral movie stars. Your vote is your vote and it's an important one.
It was given to you by the blood of soldiers and is trying to be taken from you by rich, ignorant, snobby, selfish celebs.
Your vote. Your voice. Speak on November 4th.
-NW
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
7.31.08 uno
I love history; especially war history. I grew up near Gettysburg, PA so I made frequent trips to the battlefield of the bloodiest battle on American soil. It was amazing to think about how they fought back then. It's not like today where you're in the streets hiding behind a wall or a car or riding in a hummer or a tank. Back then, an army was most effective when they all stood in a row, sometimes 2 or 3 deep, and fired all at one time. It was a concentration of 25-30 muskets all aiming in one general area to make the most damage. If each of those 25-30 muskets all shot individually from all over the battlefield, they wouldn't hit a thing for two reasons: it was inaccurate and it was only one shot. For the best soldier, they could fire off 3 shots in 60 seconds. Therefore, it's safe to say every shot counted.
That's how it is with our worship.
God gives us just one life. One beating heart. One mind. One soul. We should view that one life like a single bullet inside a musket during the Civil War: make it count.
In today's culture, we have so many things we shoot at so quickly and waste our shot.
We'll jump at the first opportunity to make money fast and unethically rather than wait and make it slowly and honestly.
We'll be the first in line, sometimes sleep overnight, to be the first to buy the latest gadget.
We'll give our virginity away to the first person that says, "I love you," rather than wait until marriage.
Everyday there is a battle for our worship. So treasure it. Guard it. Hold onto it and when you give it away, make sure you're giving it away where it will have the biggest impact: God.
God deserves your worship. Check out Psalm 96: 4-5: "For great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens."
He's the most worthy of praise and every other god in your life is an idol.
So what are you doing with your one bullet, your one life. Who or what are you giving it to?
Are you out in the battlefield all by yourself trying to be an army of one? Or are you standing in line with other believers shooting all of your worship in unison to the God who made you?
-NW
That's how it is with our worship.
God gives us just one life. One beating heart. One mind. One soul. We should view that one life like a single bullet inside a musket during the Civil War: make it count.
In today's culture, we have so many things we shoot at so quickly and waste our shot.
We'll jump at the first opportunity to make money fast and unethically rather than wait and make it slowly and honestly.
We'll be the first in line, sometimes sleep overnight, to be the first to buy the latest gadget.
We'll give our virginity away to the first person that says, "I love you," rather than wait until marriage.
Everyday there is a battle for our worship. So treasure it. Guard it. Hold onto it and when you give it away, make sure you're giving it away where it will have the biggest impact: God.
God deserves your worship. Check out Psalm 96: 4-5: "For great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens."
He's the most worthy of praise and every other god in your life is an idol.
So what are you doing with your one bullet, your one life. Who or what are you giving it to?
Are you out in the battlefield all by yourself trying to be an army of one? Or are you standing in line with other believers shooting all of your worship in unison to the God who made you?
-NW
Sunday, March 16, 2008
3.16.08 Hide And Seek
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and the helpings just weren't enough and you wanted more?
Or how about watching an epsiode of 24 or Lost and it ends with a bang leaving you wanting more?
Perhaps you had a pimple on your cheek that hadn't surfaced yet and despite every technique, you just couldn't pop it, leaving you with the question, "There must be a way to get this thing popped!"
Deep down inside each and every one of us lies a question, "What is truth?" If you talked to any young child and discuss facts with them, you're going to get one question in return, "Why?" Why is the sky blue? Why do frogs jump? Why does it rain? As we get older and develop spiritually and intellectually, we seek truth about God, eternity, creation, sin, and purpose.
The Greeks were seekers of truth (I never found truth when studying the Greeks in school as I repeatedly earned C's D's and the occasional F+). But they loved truth. They loved knowing and learning and philosophying (hey Webster, a new word!). They made idols of all sorts. But they knew they could never know complete truth. In fact, they created an idol that had the saying, "To an unknown God," just to acknowledge the unknown truth that haunted them.
The point is this: They did that to cover their bases just in case everything they did know was false and there was some God or truth out there that was superior!!!!
We do that all the time!!! We live our lives and experience technology and enjoy everything around us and pursuing our own dreams and goals and wills and then we show up to church on Sunday morning as if to say, "Hey God! I'm here giving you some of my time just in case you are real!"
Athens is now in ruins. And everything that is built on earth fades away. So we remain searching as we wonder, "Is there really a God we can know?"
God is always seeking you. You may stray away from Him but He never leaves you. He didn't leave Moses in the wilderness or Jonah in the big fish or Jesus on the cross. And He didn't leave me when I was rebelling in high school. Check out Deuteronomy 31:6 puts it this way: "He [God] is right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you."
God wants to know you and He wants you to know that everything you are, everything you do was created by and for Him. He loves you and can use you for His glory and His kingdom.
Read Acts 17:28! “…that men [all people] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him, we live and move and have our being.”
Call off the search. Stop wanting something more. There is your truth.
-NW
Or how about watching an epsiode of 24 or Lost and it ends with a bang leaving you wanting more?
Perhaps you had a pimple on your cheek that hadn't surfaced yet and despite every technique, you just couldn't pop it, leaving you with the question, "There must be a way to get this thing popped!"
Deep down inside each and every one of us lies a question, "What is truth?" If you talked to any young child and discuss facts with them, you're going to get one question in return, "Why?" Why is the sky blue? Why do frogs jump? Why does it rain? As we get older and develop spiritually and intellectually, we seek truth about God, eternity, creation, sin, and purpose.
The Greeks were seekers of truth (I never found truth when studying the Greeks in school as I repeatedly earned C's D's and the occasional F+). But they loved truth. They loved knowing and learning and philosophying (hey Webster, a new word!). They made idols of all sorts. But they knew they could never know complete truth. In fact, they created an idol that had the saying, "To an unknown God," just to acknowledge the unknown truth that haunted them.
The point is this: They did that to cover their bases just in case everything they did know was false and there was some God or truth out there that was superior!!!!
We do that all the time!!! We live our lives and experience technology and enjoy everything around us and pursuing our own dreams and goals and wills and then we show up to church on Sunday morning as if to say, "Hey God! I'm here giving you some of my time just in case you are real!"
Athens is now in ruins. And everything that is built on earth fades away. So we remain searching as we wonder, "Is there really a God we can know?"
God is always seeking you. You may stray away from Him but He never leaves you. He didn't leave Moses in the wilderness or Jonah in the big fish or Jesus on the cross. And He didn't leave me when I was rebelling in high school. Check out Deuteronomy 31:6 puts it this way: "He [God] is right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you."
God wants to know you and He wants you to know that everything you are, everything you do was created by and for Him. He loves you and can use you for His glory and His kingdom.
Read Acts 17:28! “…that men [all people] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him, we live and move and have our being.”
Call off the search. Stop wanting something more. There is your truth.
-NW
Sunday, March 9, 2008
3.9.08 Survive
Last weekend was Dare 2 Share, a youth conference designed to help teenagers know and share their faith. The theme was "Survive," focusing on the return of Christ and what we need to do as Christians to be ready for that return.
As I sat there on Friday night during the drama, watching Christians get imprisoned and murdered for their faith, I couldn't help but know that this is what is going to happen. Being a Christian will not only be unpopular, but it will be it illegal.
In 9th grade, I saw a frame sitting on my language arts teacher's desk. It said, "If being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
Do you attend church? Do you read the Bible? Do you pray? Do you tithe? Do you serve? How do you spend your time? Do you have joy? compassion? self-control? peace? love?
But ultimately, the world will want to know if you are a follower of Christ. And they will just put a paper in front of you with the word, "Jesus" on it. And below will be two check boxes: yes or no. And you will choose.
In 1999, Rachel Scott was put on her knees and was asked this question with a gun to her head at Columbine High School in Colorado. She answered yes. And she lost her life.
Or did she?
Matthew 16:25 says this, "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." (NLT)
The world can mock you, arrest you, imprison you, judge you, hurt you, even kill you. We saw that happen with Jesus Christ. But like we saw 3 days later with Jesus, God can bring you back to life.
That is what it means to survive.
-NW
As I sat there on Friday night during the drama, watching Christians get imprisoned and murdered for their faith, I couldn't help but know that this is what is going to happen. Being a Christian will not only be unpopular, but it will be it illegal.
In 9th grade, I saw a frame sitting on my language arts teacher's desk. It said, "If being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
Do you attend church? Do you read the Bible? Do you pray? Do you tithe? Do you serve? How do you spend your time? Do you have joy? compassion? self-control? peace? love?
But ultimately, the world will want to know if you are a follower of Christ. And they will just put a paper in front of you with the word, "Jesus" on it. And below will be two check boxes: yes or no. And you will choose.
In 1999, Rachel Scott was put on her knees and was asked this question with a gun to her head at Columbine High School in Colorado. She answered yes. And she lost her life.
Or did she?
Matthew 16:25 says this, "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." (NLT)
The world can mock you, arrest you, imprison you, judge you, hurt you, even kill you. We saw that happen with Jesus Christ. But like we saw 3 days later with Jesus, God can bring you back to life.
That is what it means to survive.
-NW
Friday, January 4, 2008
1.4.08 Co-Worker
I came across a co-worker this week. It was a co-worker I had never met before. In fact, I didn't even know he was a co-worker of mine until he said just six words.
"Because God made them that way."
I didn't run into him at work because he wasn't that kind of a co-worker. I ran into him on the side of a mountain.
I was hiking this week up South Mountain in Phoenix with Ashley, my fiance, and as we were making our way back down the trail, we approached 2 children and what seemed to be maybe an older brother or maybe even a babysitter; I really have no clue. Neither one of our parties broke stride as we passed but what happened next was incredible. One of the children asked the older stranger, "How did mountains become mountains?" The older stranger simply replied, "Because God made them that way."
It was youth ministry at it's finest. A child, whom God loves and cares for so much, had a question. It wasn't a deep question, but it was an honest question--much like a lot of the questions that all children and teenagers have about truth and God. And in 6 words, this older stranger ministered to that child. He ministered to that child because he took the child's simple, honest, most genuine question, and pointed the child to the only answer that ever works: God.
He pointed the child to God.
In that brief 10 seconds of my day, I was able to observe a co-worker of mine, a fellow youth pastor, who for all I know, doesn't even work in or for a church, point a young heart towards the One who created it. And I was reminded that I'm not alone in my calling. There are thousands of us out there. Millions of youth pastors that may not carry the title, but they share the same calling: to point our youth towards the Mountains of mountains, the Creator of the universe--God.
Thank you God for my co-workers.
-NW
"Because God made them that way."
I didn't run into him at work because he wasn't that kind of a co-worker. I ran into him on the side of a mountain.
I was hiking this week up South Mountain in Phoenix with Ashley, my fiance, and as we were making our way back down the trail, we approached 2 children and what seemed to be maybe an older brother or maybe even a babysitter; I really have no clue. Neither one of our parties broke stride as we passed but what happened next was incredible. One of the children asked the older stranger, "How did mountains become mountains?" The older stranger simply replied, "Because God made them that way."
It was youth ministry at it's finest. A child, whom God loves and cares for so much, had a question. It wasn't a deep question, but it was an honest question--much like a lot of the questions that all children and teenagers have about truth and God. And in 6 words, this older stranger ministered to that child. He ministered to that child because he took the child's simple, honest, most genuine question, and pointed the child to the only answer that ever works: God.
He pointed the child to God.
In that brief 10 seconds of my day, I was able to observe a co-worker of mine, a fellow youth pastor, who for all I know, doesn't even work in or for a church, point a young heart towards the One who created it. And I was reminded that I'm not alone in my calling. There are thousands of us out there. Millions of youth pastors that may not carry the title, but they share the same calling: to point our youth towards the Mountains of mountains, the Creator of the universe--God.
Thank you God for my co-workers.
-NW
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