By Ed Jordan


Each day I am more astounded by the diminishing commitment in modern society. One day a person is flying high and declaring how great a marvelous something is, or a workplace is, or a particular cause or product is. Then within a week that same person can be turning their back to walk away. Each of our lives have been blessed by people who spent time with us just because they liked us or wanted to help us. Likewise, each of our lives have been hurt by people who made commitments they didn�t mean, didn�t keep, or by people who only spent time with us because of what they could get out of the relationship. There are many people whose commitment changes as frequently as the weather in Idaho.

This occurs so frequently today that we have a name for such people. They are referred to as fair-weather people. There are fair-weather friends, fair-weather mates, fair-weather club members, and more recently even fair-weather workers (who only work on projects that are to their liking).

This is not a new phenomenon that only accompanies modern society. We see these same characteristics in some people of Jesus� day, 2000 years ago. It can be seen in people from the early days of Jesus� ministry, during that ministry, and then is depicted in the events leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection.

In the gospels we see Jesus breaking onto the scene in Galilee, and being an instant crowd getter. He did miracles no one else could do. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and He used a little boy�s lunch to feed the thousands of people following Jesus. He taught truths about the Kingdom of God that motivated people to spend their days following Him. He explained to people that they needed to be born again in order to perceive and enter the Kingdom of God.

When Jesus began to explain that He would sacrificially give His life in order for people to be able to have eternal life, then the religious leaders and some of His followers began to waver. They wanted a king who would rule politically and throw out their oppressors. They did not want a king who would die at the hands of men.

In John 6:66, we read that from this point on many of His disciples decided that this was too difficult a concept, and they dropped out and quit following Him. It was such a watershed event that Jesus turned to the other disciples and asked if they also would quit. They basically said, �No way! To whom else could we go? You alone have the words of eternal life!�

One week before Jesus was going to be crucified and become the sacrificial Lamb who would once and forever pay the penalty for our sins, Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The crowds met Him outside of town. Their fervor and shouting could be heard in the city. They cut palm branches and laid them on the road so that the donkey�s feet would not touch the soil. This was a tribute to Jesus� kingship and honor. They all shouted: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (cf. Matthew 21:9, NLT). �Hosanna� was a word meaning: �God, Save!�

Later that week, Jesus paused to mourn over the people of Jerusalem. He said, �Oh, Jerusalem. How many times did I try to gather you to myself so that you might live under My protection. But you were not willing.� Then He entered town, had a last meal with His disciples, was betrayed by Judas, was arrested, beaten, and then was led away to be crucified.

In one week, the people�s commitment had changed. They went from welcoming Him to rejecting Him, from worshiping Him to crucifying Him. He went from being praised to being mocked, from being sinless to having all the sins of the world transferred onto Him. It was our sins, and His love for us, that nailed Him to that cross. And He did all of that for people who were unwilling to commit themselves to Him. That is what we commemorate during this next week.

Even today Jesus looks over our town, and our lives, and says that He would like to gather all of us into His care and protection. However, the results hinge on you and me. Are you willing to commit yourself to Jesus so that He can?

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan


Have you watched any young people competing in spelling bees, speech contests, or athletics? It is a very stressful time for them as they compete to win the prize over their peers. But there seems to be a more highly sought prize than the trophy or scholarship they may receive. If you watch closely, and observe their faces when it is announced that they are the winners, the first place their eyes turn is towards their parents or loved ones in the stands. The greatest prize that provides joy and satisfaction to the soul is the love and approval of our loved ones, as demonstrated by their smiles and shining faces.

We all have a need for love and acceptance. We desire to make those who love us proud of us and pleased with our demeanor, character, or accomplishments. We want to see the smile of our loved ones and the glow on their faces because of our joy.

When was the last time you got the smile of approval from the one you love? Can you remember times in your life when you felt frustrated, disappointed, or defeated? Can you remember how the camaraderie and smiling affirmation of your loved ones began to instantly transform those feelings of disappointment?

One of my favorite movies is Mr. Holland�s Opus. Mr. Holland, a musician who has great visions of being a successful songwriter, becomes a schoolteacher in order to provide for his family. In the film he has some successes, but has many frustrations and circumstances that just seem to continually push his dream further and further away from fulfillment. The joy of having a child is tempered by the discovery that the child is hearing impaired. Compounding matters are the complications and frustrations of the father and son trying to overcome difficulties in communicating with each other. Many stresses that can occur in most families are portrayed in Mr. Holland�s life.

There are several times in the movie when a glowing smile changes the whole mood of the film, and of the people in the film. One of these smiling moments occurs during a public concert, when Mr. Holland signs and sings a song of love to his son. As the father sings and signs the song �Beautiful Boy,� his son smiles, beams, and glows. It is at that point that the relationships between the father and son, and the husband and wife, change for the better. A demonstration of sincere love and appreciation has this effect.

There is another point in the film where smiles and acts of affirmation change the entire mood and demeanor of the sad, discouraged, retiring music teacher. As he is cleaning out his office, he hears music coming from a large room in the school. His son, who had come to help him clean out his office, leads him into the room where the music is playing. The room is packed with former students, teachers, his family, and school officials. As Mr. Holland enters the room it erupts with applause, smiles, tears and acts of affirmation. At the event�s finale, he is invited to conduct a symphonic piece of music (Mr. Holland�s Opus) that he had composed, as played by an orchestra comprised of people that he had taught and invested his life into over the years.

We all need that smile, that shining face, that affirmation from others that communicates that our lives and investment is noticed and appreciated. In Psalm 31:16 (NIV), the despairing writer of the Psalm asked God: �Let your face shine on your servant�� The smile of God upon the life of His servant will give the servant a tangible affirmation of God�s love, approval, and appreciation for the servant�s service. The servant will be able to face the difficulties of life as long as he can experience God smiling upon him.
Experiencing the smile of God (i.e., His face shining) as He looks upon you and me with delight, satisfaction, and appreciation, can change the gloomiest day into a day of celebration. His smile can change the toughest times into treasured times, and transform the heaviest burden into an honor to bear for Him.

When was the last time you experienced the smile of God shining upon your life? When have you lately changed someone else�s day or life, by smiling approvingly or affirming them verbally? Everyone needs to see the smile of God beaming approval as they live to bring honor to God. Why not look to God for His smile today? Who needs your affirmation and smile today?

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

People are restless, and beginning to worry. After six years of amazing economic growth, some people have gotten into debt beyond their ability to pay, and some loaning institutions were glad to assist them in acquiring debt. Wages are not keeping pace with the $3 a gallon fuel imported from other countries. Higher fuel costs fuel higher costs of goods and services, because most of our economy is tied to transportation, which relies upon fuel.

Some people propose the use of ethanol as a solution, because ethanol is renewable. However, using grain to make ethanol raises the price of meat and dairy, because grains are now being diverted to become auto fuel instead of animal fuel. The higher demand for corn raises its price as well. In the end, everything goes up: grain, milk, eggs, bread, meat, and fuel.

Then there are the political problems that we face. Some think that having a new President will change everything. Think again! Campaign promises are oh, so easy to make, but oh, so difficult to fulfill. A new President will only bring a new unknown to these long-term anxiety-causing issues, because no one can predict how that President will proceed, or whether the hundreds of elected officials in Congress, each implementing their own personal agendas, will cooperate with that President. Added to this is the unpredictability of other countries (both allies and enemies) that each have their own agendas on each issue.

Why am I writing about these things? I write to remind us that our country is facing difficult, long-standing problems. Our country has an enemy that wants to destroy us. We have some citizens who think that our enemies are merely myths or misunderstood; and we have an economy that is built upon fossil fuels with no quick way to convert to another fuel. Remember that about 30 years ago Jimmy Carter tried to address both the fuel issue and America being held hostage by Islamic Fundamentalist terrorists. These two Middle Eastern-connected problems have been continuing unsolved issues for each successive President. Such long-term problems won�t magically go away with the election of a new President.

We are not the first people to face difficulties. Israel also faced many difficulties in their history. Many of their problems occurred because their people didn�t want to listen to God and do what would lead them to being blessed.

With every passing month, the people of our country are becoming less connected to God, and some are actually trying to expunge God from our culture. Somehow they believe that if God is removed from our morality and culture, then they can do whatever they want. But in so doing, they are turning a blind eye to the fact that every destructive behavior done brings destructive results upon others, often those who were not the perpetrators. It is an old story that in history repeats itself whenever people perceive themselves as so wonderful and �enlightened� that they can exist and prosper without God.

In Isaiah 43:1-3, God sent an encouraging word to Israel through the prophet Isaiah. God reminded Israel that their existence and survival depended upon God. It was God who had created them, formed them into a cultural group, and rescued them when they had rebelled and gotten into trouble. His message was that they should not be afraid, because God loved them, created them, called them, shaped them, and had rescued them in the past; therefore God would also help them in the upcoming difficult times.

In verse 2 (NLT), God said: �When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.�

The One who will ultimately help each of us to get through life�s difficulties is God, not a politician. It is to God that we need to turn for rescue and security during difficult times. The reason Israel survived her problems was not because of her own ingenuity. When the people (even �God�s� people) relied upon themselves, they failed. When they turned to God, and walked with God, they successfully went through the most horrendous obstacles and difficulties.

Who are you trusting to get you through the difficulties of life? Who can we trust to bring our country through difficulties? When it comes to huge problems, humans are impotent; only God is omnipotent. Vote for whom you will, but put your trust in God!

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

I was recently reading a book by a famous author in which he said that one of a human being�s most prevalent needs is the need to feel important, i.e. to have a sense of significance. I think this is an accurate statement. We all desire to be appreciated and recognized as people of worth by others, and therefore to be affirmed as important. For very many people the drive to succeed, to climb the corporate ladder, to become wealthy, or to become a celebrity, is a consuming passion that is often an expression of a deeper need to be �someone,� i.e., to be deemed as important to others.
Many people succumb to excessive behaviors through peer pressure, or the desire to be �liked,� or to become important to a particular person or a group of people. Some people live empty lives because they can�t seem to get adequate affirmation of their value or worth. This is not just a phenomenon with so-called �unaccomplished� people. Seemingly successful people can also be searching for significance or a sense of worth.

It was interesting to observe the response of Bill Belachick to the Patriot�s loss in this weekend�s Super Bowl. He has led his team to win three Super Bowls in the last several years, but those apparently weren�t adequate affirmations of significance. Winning 18 games this season also seemed meaningless when compared to this one loss. Why? Was it the loss of �perfection,� or loss of the championship?

For whatever reason, some people�s sense of importance rests upon winning the Super Bowl, not just once, but again and again and again. Like a drug addiction, the dose of glory needed in order to maintain one�s sense of increasing importance apparently must continue to increase. Winning the Super Bowl was formerly the ultimate evidence of success and the affirmation of �significance,� but it somehow loses its ability to make you feel as significant the next time. It apparently takes more glory each year in order to get the same feeling of uniqueness or significance. This is possibly why no matter how much money a wealthy person acquires, it never seems to be enough. The drive is to get more in order to get a greater sense of importance. Significance based upon such things continually morphs, and thereby is perpetually elusive.

This drive for importance and significance can also be seen in the lives of many celebrities today, who due to the perpetual need to be important, eventually begin to self-destruct under the pressure of trying to maintain adequate levels of fan affirmation to corroborate that the celebrities are important and significant. When their popularity and sense of importance begin to fade, then desperation sets in with more and more bazaar behaviors being manifested.

So what does all of this have to do with you and me, or with our personal relationships? Everything! All of us need to be affirmed by others as people who have value, significance, and worth. Husbands need love and affirmation from their wives. Wives need affirmation and honor from their husbands. Children need affirmation and honor from their parents. Parents need to be valued and appreciated by their children. In Romans 12:10 (NLT), Paul tells Christ-followers: �Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.� Expressing love to one another through genuine affection, affirmation, and honor is a winning combination in every relationship.

Next Thursday is Valentine�s Day. It is a time when we consciously make an effort to express our love and appreciation to the ones we love. Why wait? Why not take action today to affirm your love to those you love and thereby affirm to them how significant they are to you?

We all need to have others communicate to us that we are important to them, and that we therefore have significance. Real significance is being loved and appreciated. Significance based upon love has little to do with production quotas. Significance has to do with maintaining healthy relationships, and being appreciated for the innate value God has placed in each one of us.

During this Valentine emphasis, I wish for each of you the significance that God has placed in you, and sees in you. You are a person of worth and importance! Don�t let others or life�s circumstances tell you otherwise.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

The Best Don�t Always Win
By Ed Jordan

Do you ever wrestle with why the best team doesn�t always win the game? How about with why the most skillful potential employee is rarely the one selected for a work position? I was speaking with an unemployed friend a while ago, and he said, �Well, Ed, as you know it is not �what you know� but �who you know� that makes the difference in who is hired for a position.� I must be honest that while I know that is true, I wish it were not. In a perfect world, which ours is not, the best-qualified person would get the job, the best team would win the game, and the best political candidate would be obvious and the one elected.

As you know, we are in the run-up to this year�s Presidential Election. In one primary or caucus one candidate wins, in a different state another wins, and one wonders why this one or that one wins on any particular day in any particular place. It doesn�t seem that the best candidates necessarily always win, progress, or continue.

As most of you are aware, we have also just experienced the playoff games of the National Football League, and unfortunately that is another place in life where it is not always the best team, or at least our favorite team, that always wins the game. All too often the winner seems to only be the better team with the best breaks on that particular day. On a different day, or with the breaks going to the other team, the team that lost would have won.

So there is a serendipity factor in the outcome of many events in life. This serendipity factor goes by various names, depending upon the perspective of the labeler. For some this serendipity factor is called �coincidence,� to others �luck,� to others �fate,� and to others �providence.� The point is that life in an imperfect world is not as predicable as some of us would like it to be.

That is what Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NLT) says. �I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn�t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn�t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don�t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.�
Is this serendipity factor a contradiction of applied justice, or is it merely a representation of the random things in life that make life interesting due to their unpredictability? I suppose that the answer to that depends upon your viewpoint, how the event personally impacts you, and upon your theology.

I remember that when I was unemployed after graduating from college, I did not think that my friends getting the jobs for which I was also qualified, was a delightful way to make life �more interesting� for everyone involved. I am sure that Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was not jumping up and down with joy when his team lost last week to the New York Giants. My wife, on the other hand, was jumping up and down with joy at the same event because her favorite team won. So, what makes the difference in whether an unexpected event leads to joy or depression? What determines whether the outcome of something makes the larger mix of life �more interesting,� or whether it reveals a fundamental injustice operating in the world?

Does God play a role in who wins a football game? If so, what kind of dilemma would it put God into to be a father with children on both teams, which are both praying to ask for His assistance in their team winning? When Archie Manning had to watch his two sons Peyton and Eli play a football game in which they were opposing quarterbacks, the press asked Archie which team or son he would be rooting for. He wisely replied, �I will be rooting for whichever offense has the ball.� This allowed him to root for both of his sons.

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl. Will the �perfect� team win, or will the team that is better on that particular day win? Which team will be in the right place at the right time to get the right breaks to win? While I don�t think it matters a whole lot to God in the grand scheme of the universe, I am hoping that this is one day when the strongest warrior doesn�t win the battle.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

Thanksgiving Day is approaching, so I thought it would be appropriate to explore the theme of �giving thanks� in the next few articles. Hopefully this will help all of us become a little more thankful. As I was thinking about this subject today, the thought came to me that the expression �Thank you,� or even the abbreviated form �Thanks,� requires a recipient of our gratitude. Have you ever considered that?

We can�t just say �Thank.� It is always, �Thank God,� or �Thank you.� Even the secularist who doesn�t believe in God can�t just say �Thank.� Instead it becomes �Thank my lucky stars.�
The word �thank� is a relational word, which requires a recipient. It is a word that helps express appreciation to someone for something done that blessed or assisted us. �Thanks� needs a recipient in order for it to have any meaning at all. It is a word of courtesy and respect. It communicates appreciation and value for another person. This is one reason why giving thanks is so important.

Giving thanks reminds us that we need others. It reminds us that our lives are in many ways dependent upon relationships with others. It is a reminder that expressing appreciation for the help, encouragement, or assistance of others is important.

Have you ever taken the effort to hold the door open for someone, and they walk through as though you owed it to them, giving no expression of gratitude in the least? I have. How did you feel towards that ungrateful person who, by saying nothing, communicated they deserved what you did? Did you feel a twinge of anger? Were you irritated that they were so self-absorbed that they didn�t even notice, or felt entitled to that treatment? Did you feel like you didn�t want to bother next time?

How do you feel when you hold the door open for someone and he or she smiles, and enthusiastically replies, �Thank you!� to you? You are delighted and respond, �You are very welcome!� After that, you are ready to open the door again for someone else. Expressing gratitude to others is not only the courteous thing to do; it is the human thing to do. In this age of fast-paced lifestyles, and self-absorbed thoughts, expressing gratitude reinserts a human element into our lives.

In relation to expressing thanks for someone�s assistance or interaction in our lives, how do you think God feels when He does so many wonderful things for us day after day, hour after hour, and we never bother to notice, let alone take the time to say �Thank You� for all His assistance? If you were God, would you keep helping people who only use you and never really appreciate what you do?
Thankfully God is not a human, and is not fickle like you or me. Yet we still expect God to hold the door open for us when our lives are overburdened, our hands are loaded down, or when we can�t open the door for ourselves. When He does, we walk through the door God is holding open, as though God owed it to us, and often never utter a word of �Thanks� to Him.

The starting place for giving �thanks� is to notice some of the things God and others do for us, often without our having to ask. Notice the fact that your eyes work. Notice that your lungs work. Notice the sunshine. Notice food on the table and food in the stores, which is not always the case in all countries. We lived for many years in an Eastern European country where there were no edible vegetables in the stores to buy during the winter months. Since then, our family is grateful for access to vegetables in the winter.

As Psalm 92:1 teaches, �It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.� (NLT). It is good for us to recognize the good things God does for us everyday, and then not just to take them for granted, but to say �thank you.� Gratitude strengthens our relationships.
Why not spend time this week noticing the myriad of things done on your behalf, and taking the time to say �Thank you� for each one of them? God, and others, will appreciate your gratitude. It will be good for you, too. Have a good, and grateful week.

By Ed Jordan


Some years ago I was asked to write a curriculum book that could help Christians of many cultures of Europe learn to accurately interpret the Bible, and to be able to discern between the things that are traditionally associated with Christianity (but are in actuality a product of a country or denomination�s culture) and those which are indeed part of the culture of the Kingdom of God. This is always a valuable, and a very difficult, exercise.

What is culture? It is the body of beliefs and values that a society of people embrace, embody, and deem worthy of passing on to succeeding generations. It is those things that define who they are as a people. Each culture has its own characteristic values and/or traditions that are woven into the fabric of its people and society, that contribute to a common corporate identity for its people, and that shape their people�s values and behaviors.

For example, Hungarians value hospitality, wonderful food, education, their families, and deep friendships. Germans value order, quality workmanship, a good beer, and then long vacations. Russian culture desires to be the best, keep their motherland safe, and �bigness.� Thus under communism they claimed the world�s biggest trucks, biggest submarines, biggest bureaucracy, etc. Romanians generally value shrewdness, working smarter instead of harder, and networking. Generally, we Americans value time, money, speed in accomplishing tasks (productivity), freedom, and personal independence. We don�t like to have to wait for anything.

In thinking of the cultural values of the Kingdom of God, and the people who comprise it, what are the identifying cultural traits of a citizen in the Kingdom of God? What values consistently characterize the people who are identified as members of God�s Kingdom? How would we recognize a member of the Kingdom of God?

Probably the most crucial and important identifier of a person who is a member of the Kingdom of God is that the person has a personal, ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ. The most indispensable identifier as to whether a person is indeed a Christian (i.e., a member of God�s Kingdom) is whether or not Jesus is King of his or her life. This is the most crucial characteristic because people can only become members of the Kingdom of God when they yield their lives to Jesus� sovereignty. The profession that �Jesus is Lord� (King) was one of the earliest identifiers of a true believer in Jesus. Thus, the presence of Jesus living in a life as Lord and King is the foremost cultural indicator that someone has become a member of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus mentioned another defining characteristic of His people in John 13:34-35 (NLT). Jesus said: �So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.�

People who are indeed citizens of the Kingdom of God (i.e., true Christians) love others in the same way that Jesus loves us. This love is the way to prove to those who do not yet know Jesus, that there really is a Kingdom of God in which Jesus transforms our lives from self-centered people into people who love God and love others. People who have entered the Kingdom of God, and are daily living under the direction of King Jesus, become people who have love flowing from their lives in all of their relationships. They love others in the same way Jesus loves them. They are kind, patient, selfless, helpful, true, honest, and real in their dealings with others. When they fail to meet God�s standards, and we all do at some point, they seek to rectify their mistakes because they desire others to also experience a relationship with Jesus and this new kind of life in God�s Kingdom.

Are our churches colonies of Heaven that accurately represent the culture of Jesus and His Kingdom to others? Are our lives overflowing with love towards one another, and towards those who have not yet entered the Kingdom of God? Does the love that we show towards others prove that we are disciples (followers and learners) of Jesus? Do our lives demonstrate more the culture of American religious traditions, or the culture of Jesus? Do we pass on to others the culture of Jesus, or the cultures of man-made church traditions?

Have you ever become a member of God�s Kingdom by inviting Jesus to be King of your life? If not, why not invite Jesus to be your King today?

by Pastor Phil Meyer

Since I began writing this column almost a year ago, my two boys have
turned 8 and 9. I know I�ve mentioned them before, and this week, I
wanted to mention them again, because they both now have their own email
addresses. For some reason, they got it in their minds to have their own
email addresses - mainly so that they could communicate with their
grandparents who live in Minnesota. As this seemed to be a worthwhile
reason, my wife and I agreed to let them do this. However, we have been
closely monitoring the time that they are spending with the internet, as
we realize the dangers that lay beneath the surface.
While this has been unfolding in our family, though, I�ve been seeing more
and more advertisements for this new show entitled �Kid Nation.� While I
have not watched the show myself, it would be unfair of me to make any
statements about the show itself. From what I understand though, this
show is centered around a group of children who are unchaperoned - to see
how children can survive under different situations. My only statement
about the show itself is that it seems to me to be another reality show
that is anything but real. That�s beside the point though - at least my
point this week.
There used to be a phrase �kids will be kids.� Is that still a true
statement? There used to be a show entitled, �Kids Say the Darndest
Things.� I wonder if a show like that would be received with what many
kids are exposed to and able to say now. I have come to believe that as a
society we are encouraging our kids to grow up earlier then we used to -
and earlier than we probably ought to. Just do an internet search on the
topic and you will find countless articles and books on the subject.
Jesus made a claim which has interesting insight on this subject. He
said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for
the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone
who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never
enter it." What could Jesus possibly mean by that? He�s certainly not
talking about smallness of stature or smallness of mind. What he IS
talking about it an innocence and complete faith that a child is capable
of having, without the difficulties and questions that adult life brings.
A child is able to say, �I love you,� and �I trust you,� without any of
the strings that seem to come along later in life.
I am personally challenged of a father of young boys. I admit that. I�m
not sure that my wife and I have made the right decision in letting our
boys enter the electronic world with the own email addresses at such an
early age. Time will certainly tell. What I do know, however, is that I
want my kids to be kids. I don�t want to overburden them with trying to
get them to grow up too fast. I don�t want them to be so busy with all
the sports that I tried to play (but never made it big in) that they don�t
have the time to play and to dream and to imagine.
Are you pushing your kids? Are you pushing them too hard? Let them be
the children that God has created them to be - innocent, trusting, and
with a life of busy-ness ahead of them, not in their midst now.
Have a great week!

by Pastor Phil Meyer

Do you ever have one of those weeks when you feel stuck? Maybe its a
project you can't seem to get accomplished, maybe its a quarrel that just
can't seem to get resolved. For me this past week it's been an ill child.
My youngest is going through yet another bout of strep throat, and it
appears as though tonsil surgery is in his future. I've been stranded in
my home for the last three days, as my wife works out at the site, and has
not been able to be here. I've been stuck.
It's always interesting when life deals you this unique opportunities;
although I imagine for some, feeling stuck is a normal or constant
occurence. What do you do? How do you cope with the tension or the
trauma that comes from such a wonderful experience (sarcasm, there, in
case you didn't catch it.)? There are only so many tv shows to watch, and
I can only scrub the kitchen floor so many times. Oops, more sarcasm.
There are always at least two different ways to view the things that come
our way, I guess. One is to focus on how unlucky life us, or how unfair
things seem to be. For many, this is the path that gets chosen because
self pity comes with its own fuel. The more negative things that happen
only serve to fuel that fire.
I have come to the conclusion though, that there is a better road to take.
Praising God for the opportunity that I have to experience something that
tests me is the thought behind it. It may sounnd strange, or even
difficult, and at times it is. Yet, I have found that God gives the
strength to get through difficult times, and his strength is a whole lot
more helpful than the pity party that I could be in.
The apostle Paul wrote to one of his churches, a three step process that
seems to work: "be joyful always; pray continually; and give thanks to
God for every circumstance, for this is God's will for you in Christ
Jesus." It's a difficult little progression at times, but it has not
failed yet to bring about, I believe, the purpose that God has for
bringing the trial into my life in the first place.
Be joyful always; pray continually; and give thanks to God for everything.
I'm trying it out again. I am attempting to be joyful as my sick child
needs a whole lot more attention than normal and is cramping my work
schedule. I am lifting up my son in prayer, of course, as well as my own
sanity. And, I am giving thanks to God for allowing me this time, to
catch up on some things that I wanted to get done around the house. We'll
see how it works - God hasn't let me down yet.
Give it a try! Have a great week!

by Pastor Phil Meyer

My brother and I have a specific memory of being told a story of how
John Dillenger, the infamous outlaw, worked on our family farm as a
hired hand whenever he was not out doing his robbing. While our father
doesn't remember telling us this story, I did a little research, and in
an biography written on John Dillenger, sure enough, it is stated that
he would take a job on a farm as a hired hand in order to hide from the
law.
Family histories can be an interesting thing - it is fun to see what
skeletons or celebrities may have crossed your family bloodline, and I
it is amazing to hear about all of the money and time and energy that is
spent by same tracing one's bloodline back in history.
Bloodline can be an important thing, I guess. Racehorse are bred and
researched over bloodlines; purebred dogs are more expensive than mutts;
there has even been research done about the predispositions that human
beings have towards certain actions - all because of the bloodline.
I enjoy learning about my heritage. My great grandparents came to the
United States from Germany, and one day, it would be fun to travel to
Germany to see where they came from. My wife's mother was from Japan,
and I know she has a similar dream - that one day, she would be able to
go there and try to locate long lost relatives.
I had been born already when my last surviving great-grandmoter passed
away. It would be a stretch to say that I knew her well. I was very
young when she was called to heaven. And I am certain that she is now
rejoicing with God - not because of her bloodline or our family tree,
but because she had another bloodline running through her. She had a
relationship with Christ Jesus and his blood, shed on the the cross of
Calvary, was shed for her - just as it was shed for all.
My grandparents were all faithful, God-fearing Christian people, too,
and now, they too, are rejoicing in heaven with God - because of the
blood of Jesus, shed for them.
The apostle Paul wrote that it is the 'blood of Jesus that cleanes us
from all our sin.' To be sure, my parents raised me to rely on what
Christ has done for me, just as their parents raised them that way;
but's it not what they did that has eternal ramifications for me - it is
what my brother, Jesus, did that makes all the difference.
I'm not sure what prompted this subject for me this week, but I wanted
to take the time to remind you that it is the blood of Jesus that saves
you! Thank God for your family and for those who came before you!
Listen to their stories and listen to their experiences - but trust in
the Lord with all your might.
Have a great week!

By Ed Jordan

In reading the Gospel of Matthew, one becomes aware that the emphasis there is the theme of �the kingdom of God.� Matthew is writing to present the life and purpose of Jesus Christ to an audience that was predominately steeped in Judaism. Thus, in line with the Jewish aversion to using the name of �God� when an alternative word might work as well, the kingdom of �God� is called the kingdom of �heaven� in Matthew�s gospel. In reality, the two terms refer to the same concept, which is the pragmatic rule of God as King in the lives of His subjects.

In the Bible�s Old Testament, God predicted a time when the Messiah would come. The Messiah would be a person of the lineage of King David, who would rule on behalf of God, and inaugurate a new relationship between God and those who wish to devote their lives to Him. Matthew writes to convince his readers that Jesus is the Messiah, the One who fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies regarding the coming One, and the One who would begin a new world order where God�s followers would experience a new kind of life.

In simplistic terms, a kingdom is the realm in which a king rules. Those who belong to the kingdom are those who willfully subject their lives and the management of their lives to the king. Therefore the �Kingdom of God� is that realm where God rules as King in the lives of people who are committed to carry out God�s will. All people are invited to become members of the Kingdom of God by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus that paid the penalty of their previous rebellion against the King, and by inviting Jesus to come and live within their lives. When Jesus enters our lives, He gives us the will and ability to be faithful participants in God�s kingdom. Thus the kingdom of God comes, and becomes manifested, wherever Jesus is ruling as King in people�s lives.

This presents all of us with a dilemma, and a decision. Perhaps some people reading this article are already agitated about the thought of God expecting us to bow our knee to Him and willfully submit our lives to Jesus and to His management of our lives. That is precisely the problem facing all of us. Human nature defiantly cries out: �Who does God think He is to expect this or that from us?�

We humans want to be king of our own lives. We do not want anyone ruling over us, especially not God. We want to live apart from God so that we can do whatever we want, unhindered by God, others, or conscience. But such living leads to destructive values, that lead to destructive behaviors, which lead to self-bondage and bring about destructive effects upon self and others.

Under our own rule, we do not have the desire or ability to forgive people who have deeply hurt us, or to love our enemies by doing sincere acts of kindness towards them, or to sacrifice self �rights� to allow obnoxious people to excel in lieu of us. When �self� rules any of our lives, the inevitable result is selfishness, imbalance, abuse, conflict, and destructiveness in some aspect of our lives.

Jesus came to offer us a different model, a different type of life, with a different king directing the plans, efforts, activities and resources of our lives. When a person turns away from crowning self as king, and invites Jesus to come live as King inside him or her, a whole new kind of life becomes available. We can�t forgive those who purposely hurt us, but Jesus can. We can�t love those who crucify us, but Jesus can. When Jesus is our king, we realize that God�s agenda is so much bigger than what our self-absorbed agenda could ever become.

Thus in Matthew 4:17 (NAS) we read that Jesus came proclaiming: �Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.� Repent means �change your mind and turn around.� In this verse it means: �turn away from your �self-way� of living and turn towards God.� It is a call to change the reigning king of your life. It is a call to dethrone self, and ask Jesus to take the throne (i.e., the helm or control center) of your life. When you do this, the kingdom of God will enter your life, and you will enter the kingdom of God. Why not enter God�s kingdom today?


Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

This has been a bad summer in Idaho in regard to range fires. Unfortunately, I have seen several such fires as they became visible with a plume of smoke rising from a mountain area. Then as time passed, the size of the fire grew, as it burned up the beauty of the mountain. As I watch a fire like that spread, my mind goes to a passage of scripture from James chapter three, where James warns people about the destructive power of a person�s tongue.

In that passage, James said that the tongue is a little part of the body, and yet it has the power to inflict horrific damage through the words it speaks. James 3:6 in the New International Version states: �The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.�

I would like you to think with me for a few moments about how much destruction is set in motion by our tongues. The deepest wounds in our interpersonal relationships come from mean things that are said purposely to inflict hurt in the other person. How many families are decimated as a result of escalating fights that hurl more and more fuel onto the fire?

How often is the productivity of the workplace sidetracked by employee squabbles that spread strife and divisiveness throughout the office? One mean-spirited distortion of truth spreads like a wildfire and the person who is the subject of the malice becomes a seared shish-kabob. Bosses who make tough decisions on behalf of the company are vilified by subordinates and suddenly become �the enemy.� Often the things being said are malicious lies. I think this is one reason that James says that the tongue is set on fire by hell, because the devil is the father of lies, and the accuser of the brethren. These destructive words spread about others are often lies, and false accusations about the person who is the subject of the attacks.

James says that the tongue is a fire. He says in verse 5 (NIV), �Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.� The nature of fire is to spread and grow. The nature of destructive spoken words is to spread like wildfire, burning everything and everyone in its way.

The forest fire starts with a spark, a small match. Within a couple of hours it covers acres, or hundreds of acres. In the process, thousands of trees or bushes are destroyed. Sometimes hundreds of houses are burned, and therefore hundreds of families are disrupted and decimated. Malicious words often are few, just planting a seed of doubt or suspicion, then once spoken they spread like a wildfire, and within a few hours it is burning the ears and minds of hundreds of people.

Another thing to consider about the destructiveness of fires and words, is that the destruction occurs rather quickly; but the destructive results often last for decades. I remember some years ago, when Yellowstone was on fire. We were mesmerized as the flames approached the lodge. This year we took some guests from Texas up to look at Yellowstone. They were astounded to hear that the young trees growing to replace the ones burned were already more than twenty years old. It took a minute to start the fire, it took days for it to destroy a large portion of the majestic trees in Yellowstone, but the devastating results have lasted for decades. So it is with a person�s malicious words.

Some people who were decimated by the mean words of others, carry the scars for their entire lives. Some forever live with a sense of rejection, mistrust, and insecurity. The words were spoken quickly, perhaps frequently. But like a fire they consumed beauty, and they smoldered inside that person for years and years. Once a person�s character or reputation has been assassinated, the results of the burn can last for decades. Meanwhile, the person who spoke those words is often off to inflict hurt on other victims.

Be careful what you say. The results can be incredibly destructive and long-lasting. Let God control your tongue so it won�t be used in destructiveness.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan


I love the way that God so often does things in the opposite way that humans think they should be done. Humans think that we increase by taking, buying, or hoarding possessions; God says that the person who gives is the person who will receive and be enriched. This is the theme for today, as expressed in Proverbs 11:25 (HCSB): �A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.�

We often see people who are obsessed with hoarding their possessions and become as rich as Croesus. Yet in reality they often live like paupers. I once knew of a millionaire who spent his evenings collecting abandoned shopping carts and returning them to their proper place in order to get the $.25 per cart return-fee. He was incredibly wealthy, yet had no real friends. He had lots of things, but no enjoyment in life. His goal was to always get more wealth and hoard what he had, rather than blessing other people with some of it. Now this was his prerogative; it was after all his money that he had earned through hard work. I only mention it, because on paper he was one of the richest people around, yet when it came to enjoying life and relationships he was totally bankrupt.

In Proverbs 11:24, the writer says that there are some people who scatter, and yet increase all the more. The more they give to others, the more resources keep coming back into their hands. In contrast, the verse says, there is another type of person who holds back what he should pay out (i.e., he cheats his employees or contractors), and ends up never having enough.

Then in verse 25 we find that a generous person will prosper and gain more. The one who gives water to others will find himself becoming the recipient of water. God�s economy often runs differently than mans�. This is because God is in the character-formation business, not the money- distribution business. God�s goal for those who are in relationship with Him, is for us to become people who reveal different values than people who do not know God. God is generous, so He wants those who claim to be His followers to be givers, not just takers. Generosity is not a prescription for enabling panhandlers, but a prescription for encouraging responsible living.

When we give to others, then we are in a position to receive from God. Someone has said that God can only fill empty hands; hands that are already full have no room to receive more. If our lives are already full of ourselves, then there is no room in our lives for anyone but ourselves.

Perhaps the �one who gives water, receives water� part of the verse can be illustrated with the concept of a well. Generally the level of water in a well remains at a certain level (based on reservoir levels, pressure, etc.). As water is taken out, the well is replenished from its larger underground water supply up to the normal level of water for that well.

In a similar way, as we give love, God flows love back into our lives. As we give forgiveness, forgiveness flows back into our lives. As we give out kindness, kindness flows back into our lives. He who waters will find himself being a recipient of more water.

Furthermore, it is generous people who are appreciated by others. When the generous find themselves in need, the people they helped usually come to their aid. This was the point of the movie It�s a Wonderful Life. In the film, George the banker was not financially wealthy, but he had a huge heart and always found ways to help people, even though it required self-sacrifice. When he was in dire straits, he considered taking his own life because of the desperation he felt. But when the word got out that George needed money, people began praying for George and asking God to provide for him. Then miraculously, people began coming to his house and giving money in order to meet his financial needs and help him when he needed help. It seems everyone in town came to his aid. One of the closing lines is something to the effect, that it is people with friends who are the wealthiest people in the world.

How is your heart? Do you generally give, or hoard? Do you enlarge your heart or shrink it? Do you help others, or only want them to help you?

Idaho State Journal Editorial

Pope Benedict XVI says—repeats, actually—that the Roman Catholic Church provides the only true path to salvation, and that other Christian denominations are not true churches.
So much for ecumenism, and the Second Vatican Council which modernized the church during meetings from 1962 to 1965.

[ more.. ]

By Ed Jordan

“For the second time in a week, Pope Benedict XVI has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, reasserting the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church and saying other Christian communities were either defective or not true churches,” reported the Associated Press.

First I must say that I have no animosity toward Catholics, nor towards the Pope. I do think he is mistaken in his latest edict. The Pope’s statement makes Christ’s Church exclusively Roman Catholic, and therefore the Pope the sole leader of Christ’s Church. I don’t find that position in the Bible.


[ more.. ]

By Ed Jordan

We live in a world that is on information overload. According to estimates made by David Shenk, the average American in 1997 was exposed to more than 3,000 advertisements a day, most lasting less than 10 seconds. This figure factored in billboards, emails, spam, internet browsing, radio, newspapers, television, telephones, text-messaging, meetings, conversations, sales receipts, etc. In 1971 daily exposures were 560 a day. An article written in 2002, stated that information production was growing exponentially at more than 30 percent a year.


[ more.. ]

By Phil Meyer

It's freedom celebration time again, isn't it? How did you celebrate the Fourth?
Fireworks? BBQ? Time with family and friends?

All of these things are strong possibilities for most people. For nearly everyone, its
a work-free day, and like many other holidays, the reason for the holiday
gets lost in the celebration of not having to go to work.

[ more.. ]

By Ed Jordan

How do you meet new people? The answer to the question often depends upon if we are introverted or extroverted people, and how motivated we are to meet new people. However, when you do meet other people, there are generally three ways this happens. Sometimes the other person initiates the introduction and relationship. Another way this occurs is when a friend introduces you to one of his/her friends. This go-between makes the introduction, and then a new relationship is potentially born. The third major way is that we take the initiative and go introduce ourselves to others.

Relationships begin with an introduction, regardless of how that introduction occurs. You can’t really have a personal relationship with someone you have not personally met. Now I realize that a lot of groupies think they know their celebrity, but in reality if they have never been introduced, they do not know the celebrity. They just know of them.

This is precisely where many people stand today in “knowing” Christ. They have heard about Him since they were children, read about Him historically, realized that Christmas and Easter have something to do with His life, but beyond that Jesus is unknown to them. Knowing information about Christ is not the same as personally knowing Christ, any more than knowing information about Bill Gates is the same as being a regular dinner guest in his home.

Knowing Christ is all about having a personal relationship with Jesus because you have met Him. He may have initiated the introduction by coming to you and revealing His reality to you. You may have sought Him out and had the opportunity to meet Him. A mutual friend might have arranged for you to have a quiet time of introduction and conversation with Him. But like any relationship, a relationship with Jesus begins with a personal introduction, the establishing of rapport, and mutual dialog.

The members of our church want to help people meet Jesus Christ. We are willing to arrange the introduction opportunity. Having information about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him and meeting regularly with Him. I am sure this sounds rather strange to someone totally unfamiliar with Christianity. When I speak of being introduced to Jesus, and getting to know Jesus, I am not talking about Jesus taking on a body and popping into your room. Jesus now manifests His presence to us through His words in the New Testament, and can be present with us anywhere through His Holy Spirit. Since God’s Spirit is omnipresent (present everywhere), and since Jesus is present wherever the Spirit of God is, we can meet Jesus anywhere and at any time.

So knowing Jesus begins with an introduction. But if a relationship is going to develop, the two parties in the relationship need to spend time together, talk together, listen to one another, and need to be honest with one another. These same factors are important in developing our relationship with Jesus.

We need to spend time reading the New Testament to discover what Jesus is like based upon what He did and said in the historical records. We need to dialog with Him through prayer (prayer is talking with God). We need to listen to His thoughts regarding us.

We need to focus our personal Bible study on the person of Jesus, in order to discover what He is like, what He values, what He desires to have manifested in the lives of His followers. As we focus on Jesus, His relationships with others, and His teachings, we will get to know Him better, and evaluate how our relationships, values and priorities compare with His.

While knowing Christ begins with an introduction in a point of time, it must also be an ongoing process. You knew your husband or wife on the day you committed yourselves in marriage, but because knowing someone is an ongoing process, you know him/her better with each passing day. So it is in our relationship with Jesus. Knowing Him begins with a specific commitment at a point in time, but the introduction is just the beginning of a life spent getting to know God better.

“And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.” (John 17:3, The Message). Do you know Him? If you do, are you continuing to get to know Him better day by day? Do you want us to help you get to know Him better? We’d love to help! Join us for worship, drop by the office, or give us a call.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

Organizations, like people, fall prey to what I call the “packrat syndrome.” We are all good at collecting things, but few of us are good at ejecting excess baggage. Like packrats, we see something that glitters, or attracts our eye, and bring it home with us. We see things that might someday be useful, and bring them home to collect dust in our garages. We have garage sales to free up space by getting rid of excess things. Then we go to garage sales to buy things in order to fill up the excess storage space we just freed up!

Sound familiar? We do this in other areas of life as well. We add recreation program after recreation program to invest in our kids, but then are so exhausted from getting the kids to all the events, that we are irritable and damage the very relationships we are trying to invest in. In the end, we actually spend less time with our kids, because we transferred that time we could have spent with them to somebody else, like their peers, or a coach. Our intentions are good, and we think we were making our kids the priority. But we somehow undermine the very thing we are trying to accomplish, i.e. investing our lives in our kids.

Well, as I said, this adding of more and more things to our lives, instead of simplifying our lives, happens to organizations and churches as well as to individuals. In our desire to offer all kinds of wonderful things to make our churches attractive to potential church attendees, our schedules, ministries, priorities, and focus become cluttered.

As a pastor I often feel like the guy in the circus who is trying to keep a multitude of spinning pie pans going. I have one in both hands, sometimes two or three sticks in each hand, each with a spinning pie pan on it. Then I have a plastic ring around my leg at the knee, and one around the ankle, trying to keep those going. I am also holding a stick in my mouth with a spinning pan on it, have a twirling ring around my neck, as well as rings on both arms.

You get the picture. Every parent with multiple kids feels this to some degree. So do managers in the business environment. In the midst of all the things we try to juggle and keep going, we become ineffective in other things we should be doing, because all our energy is going to keeping the pans twirling. I try to hand off a twirling pie pan here and there to another person, so I can relieve my frantic pace. But the moment I do, that free space attracts another project or ministry to spin, and the clutter goes on. The point is that we all get caught up trying to keep far too many things spinning, and rarely purposely take steps to cut out the clutter.

Gate City Baptist Church is in the process of implementing a new ministry process that involves four major focuses. We want to focus on these four major areas and do them well. To do this we are cutting out the clutter. We are trying to use our energy, time and resources wisely. In the process, we hope to influence attendees to learn how to do the same thing in their own lives, families, and businesses.

Our first focus is on relationships as the heart of Christianity. Relationships will purposely permeate everything else we do. Then we will focus upon helping people know Christ personally, grow in character and capabilities to become like Christ, and then to show the amazing Jesus Christ to others through our relationships with them. If you would like to cut out the clutter, and refocus your life, we would love to have you come join us in this new emphasis.

Hebrews 12:1 talks about getting rid of the peripheral clutter that clings to us. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (NLT).

We are striving to simplify church, and simplify our lives. Our church is about: Knowing Christ, Growing in Christ, and Showing Christ: all done in the context of relationships. Love to meet you some Sunday!

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Ed Jordan

How often have we heard someone say, “Well, it’s like the Bible says: ‘Money is the root of all evil’.” What if we were to take a poll in America asking if “Money is the root of all evil” is a quote from the Bible, a very large majority who would say, “Yes.”

Isn’t it interesting how many things we quote as though they are quotes from the Bible, but they are not? It happens the same way most disinformation becomes accepted… if it is repeated falsely often enough, people will begin to believe it is true. Christians get blamed for enough stuff today without making up things that we supposedly teach, and don’t.

So, why is that saying attributed to the Bible? It is because there is a saying very similar to that in the Bible. In 1 Timothy 6:10 (NAS) we read: “For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” What is the difference between the two sentences? The misquote says that money is the source of all evil. The Bible says that the craving for money becomes a source of all sorts of evil.

Money is neutral. It has no morality of its own. Some people use money to do good, others use it for evil. Some gain money honestly; some gain it dishonestly. It is people and their cravings, not the money, that produce evil. It is the insatiable craving to have money that leads people to disregard right and wrong, and thereby to decide that the end justifies the methods. Money may be the bait, but it is the cravings in the heart of man that lead someone to evil choices.

This is a subject that our modern culture does not want to address. We are encouraging a society of irresponsibility. We encourage people to never take responsibility for the outcomes of their decisions, but instead just blame something else for the results. It is the decisions of people, driven by insatiable desires that lead to evil choices that then lead to destructive consequences. We always choose to blame something or someone else, instead of admitting our error.

We blame the government, the parents, the schools, the peers, their religious upbringing, their un-religious upbringing, society, or some secret non-existent conspiracy for the evil choices and decisions we made. Thus it becomes McDonald’s fault that a lady burned herself with hot coffee. They should have put a warning on the cup! It is money’s fault that people use it to do evil things, or do evil things in order to obtain it. It is fast-food restaurants that are to blame that I am 120 pounds overweight. My cravings are not the cause, the restaurant made me do it!

It is interesting that this Bible verse, when talking about the evil that results from craving money, talks about people being led away from their priority of their relationship with God. You see, that is the greatest evil. Someone has said, correctly, that e-v-i-l is l-i-v-e backwards. Evil is to do the opposite of what God says we should do in order to live and enjoy life.

Evil takes us away from life, away from beauty, away from goodness, away from kindness, away from trust. It takes us away from God, and when we get away from God, we experience all sorts of evil and the grief that comes from evil decisions. It is not money that is the source of all kinds of evil, it is that desire in us to replace God with things, be it money, power, prestige, elite knowledge, or lies. Whenever we choose to desire something or someone more than our relationship to God, we are heading for painful consequences.

While we are talking about the insatiable craving for money, the Bible just uses the word “craving.” To give emphasis, I added the word ‘insatiable.’ When we choose to try to fill that craving, it becomes insatiable because it can’t be satisfactorily filled by anyone but God. There are very few people who ever feel they have enough money. No matter how rich a person gets, they are on a continual quest and craving to gain more.

Money is not the source of all evil; our insatiable desire to have more and more and to replace God with money or something else, is the source of most of our painful choices and consequences.

The Pocatello NAACP will Celebrate Juneteenth at Ross Park on Saturday 6/16


Where: Ross Park, Lower Level

When: Saturday 6/16/07.

Time: From noon until sunset.

Cost: $10 for adults and $8 for children 14 and under.

Fun: Games, Events, a Book Display and Door Prizes.

Food: A barbeque from noon to 2:00 (games afterward until the evening).

Awards: High school graduates will be given certificates.

Why: Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

*****

According to http://www.juneteenth.com/

"From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society."


**********

Posted by Michael
author@michaelrstrickland.com

By Ed Jordan

It seems that everything in our American culture today is measured by ease and speed. Some years ago, someone wrote a song that depicted a prevalent trend in our cultural perspective. The words went something like: “Instant coffee, instant tea, anything instant, that’s what we need.” Isn’t it interesting how much our products have shaped our lives?

We get impatient with everything in life, because we are accustomed to instant results. Wars must be fought and won in days, not years. Luggage is carried on planes rather than having to wait twenty minutes for checked luggage to arrive at a baggage carousel. We want our children to learn without studying.

How much of our lives are driven by the need for instant results? Instant gratification is high on our list of values. We want everything, and we want it now!

As I think of this mindset, I think of the biblical account of Esau. One day Esau came home from hunting and his brother Jacob had a pot of lentil stew cooked. Esau was famished, so he asked his brother for the stew. Jacob told him that he would give him the stew if Esau would sign-over his birthrights to Jacob. Esau basically thought, “I am famished and about to die from hunger, what good is my birthright if I die from hunger?” So he gave Jacob his birthright in exchange for a ready-cooked meal.

Later, Esau realized what he had done, and wished to negate the deal. In Hebrews 12:16-17 (MSG) we read: “Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.”

The Esau syndrome is trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. Do we do this? Yep! We trade contentment for stuff that shows others that we are successful. We trade a 40-hr week for a promotion that demands 70-hour weeks. In doing this, we trade spending time with our loved ones for spending time with spreadsheets, emails, and office colleagues.

We seek instant sexual gratification, rather than long-term relationships. We trade deep relationships for shallow ones. We trade a good reputation for a big reputation. We trade quality for quantity. We trade good self-esteem for sick self-esteem. We trade a good conscience for a guilty conscience. We trade the difficult for the easy. We trade the worthwhile for the worthless. We trade long-term gains for short-term thrills.

We trade the opportunity to know God, and by knowing Him to have eternal life, for a few extra hours in bed on Sunday morning. We turn our backs on Jesus’ gift of a meaningful life, and choose rather a meaningless life. We trade involvement in spiritual things for involvement in religious things.

We are all more subject to the Esau Syndrome than we realize. The sad thing is that one day those who sold out the enduring, in order to satisfy short-term appetites, wake up and realize it was a mistake. They want to reverse their decision. But in many areas of life, such a reversal is not possible.

How do you convince your family you really did love them, when you chose to spend more time with others instead of them? Once someone sacrifices their family in order to get selfish gains, those years of absence from the family cannot be recouped, no matter how strongly it is desired. The kids grow up, and won’t go back through childhood again. The years that we ignore God or thumb our noses at Him, are lost years.

By the grace and kindness of God, God has made it possible for us to return to God at any time in our lives. We can ask Jesus for forgiveness, and begin to live the life God originally intended us to live. At any age, we can still turn to God and begin a new life, but the years we missed because we were absorbed in our instant gratification binges, are lost and gone.

Our text encourages us to be careful, and to be alert. Be careful not to trade your long-term blessings with God for short-term thrills. Why throw away God’s long-term gifts for short-term goodies? Short-term things don’t last. A life lived with God lasts forever.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello. He can be reached at jordan@gatecitybaptistchurch.org or 232-8693.

By Phil Meyer

This past Thursday, ABC news had an article on their Web site about a high
school valedictorian, named Shannon Spaulding, who took the opportunity
to use the time she was allotted for her valedictorian speech, and shared
her faith in great detail. I’m not sure if you saw this on the news,
read about it or heard about it, but it has created quite a stink for the
Duval County Public School District in Florida. I guess a number of
parents were quite upset, and even the ACLU has weighed in on how
inappropriate they thought her speech was.


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By Ed Jordan

Today it seems that many Americans are obsessed with doing things merely because they have the “right” to do them. Recently I heard of a “Baptist” group from another state traveling around to protest at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. As a Baptist, I am offended by such actions. Do these people have a right to assemble and voice their opinions? Yes, within legal parameters. Is protesting at a funeral of a fallen soldier culturally appropriate? Is such a protest beneficial? Is such a protest honorable? You decide.

So, why do people do it? Why do people purposely do things that are destructive, rude, or disruptive, just because they have the “right” to do so? Why do people verbally bash their country’s leaders, who work tirelessly and thanklessly to keep them safe?

Does having a “legal right” to do something, make it right to do it? Is having the “right” a mandate to fulfill it?

Freedom always requires responsibility. People have the right to have cell-phones. Is leaving them active to disrupt public events helpful? Does a person have the right to yell “fire” in a crowed public place, when there is no fire? The courts have ruled that they do not have that right, thus there are limitations to freedom of speech.

The Apostle Paul addressed this issue in writing to first century Christians who lived at Corinth, a very wild town in Greece. It was the Las Vegas of its day.

Paul wrote to believers who were discovering that becoming a Christian meant taking personal responsibility for one’s own decisions. While many religions place mindless rules and legalisms upon converts, Christianity stresses that a believer’s life is dynamic and requires a person to choose to live responsibly under God, and among people.

Paul wrote: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12, NAS). He then went on to discuss foods, and immorality. He said that foods are made for the body, and the body was made to glorify God. So, he did not encourage people to argue about what they could eat or drink. However, he said that immorality attacks one’s own body, and dishonors the Lord, therefore immorality should be avoided.

The principle laid down is that there are a lot of things that Christians may have the “right” to do, but that not all those things are beneficial to do. So when thinking about how we utilize our rights today, this principle recommends that we evaluate to see if something helps us become more like Christ, or helps people live responsibly. If something doesn’t, then even if we have the “right” to do it, doing it may not be the best decision.

Paul further said that as a Christian, there are things that are not unlawful for me to do, but that if doing them brings me into slavery to them, I shouldn’t do them. He basically says, “I won’t become an addict to anything; only God will be the Master of my life.” This speaks of moderation. You may have the right to freedom of speech, but if your prattle all the time, it controls you and you lose your effectiveness. You can do this or that in moderation, but if you do something so much that it enslaves you, then that thing is not a good choice.
We have the “right” to stay up late every night, but doing so controls our daytime activities (or lack thereof), so it is not beneficial. We have many rights in this country, but that does not mean that it is beneficial to use them irresponsibly.

We have the “right” to say nasty things about others, but that does not make it right to do so. Just having a legal right to do something does not automatically authenticate that thing as being right, beneficial, or expedient. God’s call to each of us is to not abuse our “rights,” but rather to live responsibly in doing what is right, honorable, and beneficial in accomplishing God’s good purposes.

It is Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a day to remember with gratitude those who shed their blood on battlefields that we might have rights and freedom. Let us use our freedom to honorably remember those great men and women who died so that we could remain free, instead of misusing our rights and defiling their sacrifices.

Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gate City Baptist Church, 500 W. Maple Street in Pocatello.

By Ed Jordan

God expects some results from the resources and talents He gives to us. This is true of nations, of Christianity, of Christians, and of people in general. In Isaiah 5:2 (HCSB), using horticultural images God states what He had done for Israel: “He broke up the soil, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the finest vines. He built a tower in the middle of it and even hewed out a winepress there. He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded worthless grapes.”

Later in that chapter God said that He would remove His protection and allow others to trample His vineyard (i.e., Israel). Why? Because He had given the people of Israel everything they needed to produce good fruit in their lives, but when He came to gather the expected good fruit, all He found was stink-berries (stink-berries is the literal meaning of the translated phrase “worthless grapes”). God expects the people that He blesses to produce fruit that is godly, to bless others with it, and to help others come to know the goodness and reality of God.

In John 15 we find Jesus taking the God’s vineyard image even further. In that John 15:1 (HCSB), Jesus says: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper.” Jesus claimed to be the new planting of God, the true (real) vine of God. Jesus further said (cf. v.5) that He is the vine, and that we who put our faith in Jesus become branches connected to the vine. We become the people of God as we connect to Jesus. As we remain connected to Jesus, His life flows through us. As His life flows through us, He produces fruit through our lives. A branch cut off from God, cannot produce fruit (vs. 5); a branch that stays connected to Jesus produces fruit.

God expects all who believe in Him to be infused with the life of God and allow God’s presence in our lives to produce fruit in and through our lives. What kind of fruit should be produced? In Galatians 5:22-23 we see that the fruit of the Spirit manifested in our character as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and meekness. Meekness is not weakness, but rather it is enormous power kept continually under control.

Another “fruit” mentioned in the New Testament is the fruit of righteousness, that is, maintaining right relationships with God and with people. Good relationships are a fruit of God working in our lives. Helping other people come to know Jesus personally is another type of fruit mentioned in the Bible. So godly fruit should impact our character, our relationships, and our actions.

In John 15, we also find levels of fruitfulness mentioned. In this passage we find people described as having “no fruit,” which is associated with a person not connected to Jesus (cf. vs. 4). There are people (vs. 2) who produce “fruit,” which is what God desires of all believers. When Christians produce some fruit, God will prune us (i.e., cut back unproductive things in our lives) in order that we will produce “more fruit” (vs. 2). And the ultimate goal of God for every believer is that we will produce “much fruit (vs. eight)” so that God is glorified (i.e., seen to be as good as He really is). God wants our lives to produce much fruit, and for our fruit to be enduring (vs. 16).

God gives us forgiveness, a new life in Christ, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the seeds of God’s truth in the Bible, so that we can be productive in producing a harvest of righteousness. This harvest should be first evidenced in our own lives, then in other areas of our life such as our family relationships, our church relationships, our work or school relationships, our community relationships, and finally in state, national and international relationships.

God has given us everything we need to produce fruit for Him. He expects us to produce good fruit, then more fruit, then much fruit, so that others can “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34, verse eight). The main way people will experience the reality and goodness of God is as we allow God to use our lives to demonstrate His reality and goodness to them. What kind of fruit is your life producing? Good fruit, or stink-berries? Are you connected to Jesus? If so, are you producing “some” fruit, more fruit, or much fruit? Are you producing fruit that endures, or just Sunday morning fruit?