Monday, August 19, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
A question to think about
Church: A Place or a
People
Many will
attribute the word church to a building.
It might be a pristine building, a house of Worship on the court square,
or it might be an old, broad boarded house in the woods, at the end of a
country road. Whatever the building is
or design that it follows, it is not a church.
I have seen
and been in some magnificent buildings were people gather Sunday after
Sunday. I think of Howards’ Chapel,
located on the north side of DeSoto State Park in northeast Alabama. No other place of worship can compare. The old stone building, built into a huge
boulder at one end, with stain hardwoods floors and high vaulted ceiling, with
exposed beams is nothing less than worshipful.
But it was not a church.
In Roswell,
Georgia I sat in the sanctuary of the Roswell Street Baptist Church during a
conference for pastors from around the southeast. It was such a foreboding facility. A balcony encircled the main floor, with a
pulpit, choir loft and orchestra pit at the front of the ornate sanctuary. But it was not a church.
No, no
matter where the building is or how well kept or beautiful the building is, it
is not the church. For the church is not
cold stone, stained glass windows, and studio production lighting. Mortar and wood, marble and hard clay a
church does not make.
A church is
a living, breathing organism. A church
is something that can speak, touch, smell, weep, laugh, and breathe. The church is not the building; the church is
the people that make up the family of God.
We are the
church! Those of us who have received
Christ as Savior. Those who have been
baptized into the body of Christ. The
ones who have joined themselves to the local body of believers. Yes, that is the church in the world
today! We are the visible, change
agents of Christ in the world.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works.
Titus
2:13-14 (KJV)
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Tooting Your Own Horn...
Tooting
Your Own Will Get You in Trouble
By:
Dr. Jeff Fuller
People
go around bragging and boasting about what they have done, tooting their horn
for all to hear those amazing things they have accomplished. There once was a preacher who was fond of
saying, “He who tooteth not his own horn; his horn getteth rusty.” That might be fine if you are a trumpet
player, but…
Is
it right to brag and boast about the wonderful things you have done? You take a meal to a shut in, put a tank of
gas in the neighbors car, buy groceries for a family who is experiencing a
difficult time, and go around telling everyone what you have done; is this the
way we are to do ministry?
Jesus
said in Matthew 6, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be
noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in
heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored
by men…they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will
be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
(Matthew 6:1-4)
My
attempt in assisting others in their spiritual walk is to encourage and teach
them that they do what God leads them to do, not saying anything about it. I remind them is best to do the good deed and
leave it there. Keep it quiet; let God reward
you for your acts of kindness.
The
woman with the two mites in the Temple comes to mind. The scripture says:
“[Jesus] watched how the crowd dropped money into the
treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow…dropped in two tiny coins
worth very little. He said to them, ‘I
assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple
treasury…they gave out of their surplus…she out…poverty has put in everything
she possessed; all she had to live on.’” (Mark 12:41-44 HCSB)
The religious leaders and the elite
were known to take their money, toss it into the jar, making a huge show as
they gave their offering. People turned
their heads in the direction of the sound and the giving attention to the rich. Not so with the little widow woman.
This poor little widow did not have
much and not desirous of attention. As a
matter of fact no one gave her much notice as she eased through the complex, hiding
waiting for that moment when no one was watching. She eased through the crowd keeping away from
the eyes of others. Quietly placing her
last two coins, worth not much more than a penny today, in the jar she eased
back into the shadows.
While the elite rulers and teachers
gave great deal, making a show of their giving; the little widow was quietly
giving all she had without pretense. Jesus
was able to reward her by saying, “she [gave more] out of her poverty.”
We have more than this widow woman,
with the ability to help in many ways, the question to answer is who are we
trying to impress? Do we give so others
might see and praise us or is it because we love Jesus and want Him to be
pleased with us? The Bible clearly says
that we will be rewarded; our reward will either be temporary or eternal.
As we aid and assist others in this
life, receiving praise, pats on the back, and impressive plaques, we are receiving
temporal rewards. When we perform quiet
acts of kindness; we give and no one knows who acted in a tangible way we are
building up those eternal rewards. It is
more important to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) It is more vital to us that God praise us
than have our name written in the papers.
It is more satisfying to know we are seen by God and praised by Him!
Let me encourage you to give. Give so others might know the love and
goodness of God, and let your rewards come from the hand of God. He will remember. He will reward.
Until next time…
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Listen...
Do you hear what I hear?
Rhetoric!
That is all we hear. Constantly,
over and over again, attempting to drown out the voices of reason and
wisdom. On the one side there is
rhetoric which is an “effective expression in writing or speech,” on the other
hand there are those who speak or write with “language which is not
sincere.”
While I pray that each time I speak it is rhetoric
which is effective and sincere; I know that at times I may be flapping my gums
for the sake of being heard. We had a
word in high school for that. I am
afraid this is a lot of what is going on around us in our world today,
particularly in relation to the government.
We hear speeches; speeches that stir the heart and
soul. These are speeches which could be
published and handed down from generation to generation. These are so good that “sound bytes” are
created from speeches and heard over and over again through the news outlets,
on the Internet, and even on Facebook and printed in the newspapers and
magazines.
Yet, these are void of action, void of purpose, void
of any worthwhile exercise to carry them out, and to see the intent of the
speech to the end result-change. Yes, we
have heard it before, and we will hear it again, but there will be no
effect. It is a speech that sounds good,
makes people feel good, but there will be no action. Rhetoric!
Also, there are those who write or speak with no
thought to answering the questions. It
is not because those who are asking the questions, “can’t handle the answer”, but
it is because the speaker does not have an answer. He or she will make sure that their potential
answer to the question makes them look good, that they love the country, and
have the best interest of society at heart, but they ramble with no
answer. Non-whatsoever! Rhetoric!
For every speech or writing there are two very clear
rules that everyone must abide by. One
is, “Remember the Three S’s.” These are
important principles to live by: “Stand Up, Speak Up, and Shut Up.” The other is as important and it is the
acrostic for the word KISS: Keep It Simple Silly. (I actually changed the last
word in that principle, in honor of my wife)
Another is honesty.
The Bible says, “Let
your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is
from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37 HCSB)
If you know the truth; speak the truth and write the truth. If you do not know the truth or the answer,
then just admit you do not have any knowledge of the issue and leave it
alone. Afterwards the question can be
researched out, and then you can speak wisely and intelligently.
Lastly, be
humble. It is easy to be full of ourselves
and attempt to show how we can lord over others, but humility will go a great deal
farther. Jesus, the greatest example of
humility I have ever known, said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11 HCSB) Those who desire the high places of
leadership for gain will ultimately fail and fall; those whose trust is in the
Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6), God places in high places of leadership and these
individuals will be there because God put them there and whatever befalls them
they will stand. (Matthew 7:24) If all
of us will trust God and place our lives in His hands, He will do as He pleases
with us and we will find favor with God and with man. (James 4:4:6-10 and 1
Peter 5:6)
My desire
is to be heard, to know the subject for which I am to speak about and have a
relationship with God that others will see and glorify God, not me. I want to be that light and salt Jesus spoke
of in the Sermon on the Mount: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt
should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for
anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. “You are the light of the
world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and
puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all
who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that
they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew
5:13-16 HCSB)
Will you join
me in being “effective…sincere?” Will
you pray with me that God will raise up godly leaders who will bring us back to
God and His love and His favor? Will
you?
Until next
time…
Monday, July 8, 2013
Thoughts regarding marijuana
Weeds Wicked Ways
As our world takes a downward slide in morality and
related behaviors, there are many who seem to be on the bandwagon to legalize
the use of marijuana due to its medicinal properties. Eighteen states, and the District of Columbia
have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In so doing, they have opened Pandora’s Box,
leading to mainstream acceptance with the majority of people in today’s time
seeing no harm/no foul.
A newspaper article said:
It
is a moment in America that is rife with contradictions:
—People
are looking more kindly on marijuana even as science reveals more about the
drug's potential dangers, particularly for young people.
—States
are giving the green light to the drug in direct defiance of a federal
prohibition on its use.
—Exploration of the potential medical benefit is limited by high
federal hurdles to research.
States which have approved the measures to make the
use of the drug legal have placed great constraints and guidelines for the
growth and sale of the drug. In so
doing, the state appears to be monitoring the activity and use, but in reality
the question remains, “Is it controlled, now that it is legal?”
Additionally there are the unknown factors, the
incomplete research, and the continual abusive factors involved with this, or
any drug that has some form of medical benefits. Some lawmakers, with faulty and confused
ideologies, claim that to make the use of marijuana legal will aid in control
of the drug. Others have stated the
economical factor as the driving point for legalization. Still others take the “damn the torpedoes”
approach and say, “If it feels good, let’s do it.”
Lawmakers, policy advocates, and the like need to
slow up a bit and face reality. They
need to stop and take a moment to consider the principles which apply to this
drug, a drug that has been abused and used for introduction to other more
deadly and more disastrous drugs.
Before we go any further let us take a moment and
examine the history and definitions of the drug marijuana.
Marijuana is a drug which comes from the Cannabis
plant. Cannabis is an annual,
dioecious,
flowering herb. The stem, which is used as hemp, is included
in various industrial and foodstuff products.
The seeds and oil are also used in various forms, not related to drug
usage.
Cannabis is
most often consumed for its psychoactive and physiological effects which include euphoria, relaxation, and increase in
appetite. Unwanted side-effects include
decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, reddening of
the eyes, paranoia and anxiety.
Cannabis or marijuana is used for the aforementioned
purposes. It makes the user feel good,
relaxed and mellow. Some users, which I
have dealt with through the years, claim that after a stressful, difficult day,
the use of a joint on the drive home gives them the ability to deal with the
day and prepares them for a quiet evening.
Cannabis has
psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed. The immediate desired
effects from consuming cannabis include relaxation and mild euphoria (the
"high" or "stoned" feeling), while some immediate undesired
side-effects include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor
skills and reddening of the eyes. Aside
from a subjective change in perception and, most notably, mood, the most common
short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate,
increased appetite and consumption of food, lowered blood pressure, impairment
of short-term and working memory, psychomotor coordination, and
concentration. Long-term effects are less clear. In humans, relatively few adverse clinical
health effects have been documented from chronic cannabis use.
Marijuana, while giving the user that mellow
feeling, also gives the feeling of speed as well. There is documented evidence that leads to
the understanding of a mixture of results from the use and/or abuse of this
drug.
While many
psychoactive drugs clearly fall into the category of either stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all properties, perhaps leaning the
most towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced as well.
THC is typically considered the primary active component of the cannabis plant;
various scientific studies have suggested that certain other cannabinoids like CBD may
also play a significant role in its psychoactive effects.
The user may see things which are not real, may feel
a floating feeling, and at the same time feel that the world is caving in on
them or that someone is after them.
These may last for a few moments or for a few hours, but the long term
effects are to be considered as a warning of much more problems with continual
use.
Though the
long-term effects of cannabis have been studied, there remains much to be
concluded. Many studies have investigated whether long-term use of cannabis can
cause or contribute to the development of illnesses such as heart disease, bipolar disorder, depression, mood
swings or schizophrenia. Its effects on intelligence, memory, respiratory functions and
the possible relationship of cannabis
use to mental disorders such as schizophrenia, psychosis, depersonalization disorder and depression are still
under discussion.
Since these things are still “under discussion” does it not stand to reason that there is a real problem with this “herb” and long term potential problems? Even though there is not a definitive study involving the connection between use of weed and the problems which may or not be caused by such use, we need to side with the negative potentials of the use of marijuana.
Both advocates and opponents of cannabis are able to call upon
numerous scientific studies supporting their respective positions. For
instance, while cannabis has been implicated in the development of various
mental disorders in some studies, these studies differ widely as to whether
cannabis use is the cause of the mental problems displayed in heavy users,
whether the mental problems are exacerbated by cannabis use, or whether both
the cannabis use and the mental problems are the effects of some other cause.
The addictive nature of the use of marijuana is of great discussion. Most discussions assume this drug is one which can be cut off at any time. Recreational users state they can take it or leave it. Others state that the use is something they do with certain people in their circle of friends, while others do not do it and therefore they can abstain with those friends.
The problem with these issues is that whether these individuals use or do not use, the issue of the introduction to more addictive and dangerous drugs is a greater potential than for those who do not use. Some say otherwise but from my viewpoint these are laced with flawed understanding.
Yes, behind caffeine and nicotine, cannabis may be
the least addictive, but it is still addictive and the results of introduction
to others drugs is present.
Dr. Jack E.
Henningfield of NIDA ranked the
relative addictiveness of 6 substances (cannabis, caffeine, cocaine, alcohol,
heroin and nicotine). Cannabis ranked least addictive, with caffeine the second
least addictive and nicotine the most addictive.
The Gateway Hypothesis is something that seems to be
of greatest argument here. Many, and I
am one in this camp, believe that cannabis is a gateway drug leading to other
more dangerous and destructive drugs.
Through various situations I have seen this to be true. One incarcerated individual after another has
confessed that the life of drugs ruled and ruined their lives, starting with
marijuana. Further, these same
individuals stated that the process that started with marijuana was an innocent
experimentation, which began a lifelong use of drugs and alcohol, starting as
early as thirteen years old on the average (one individual said that they
started drinking alcohol at the age of six and took their first joint at
nine).
Some studies
state that while there is no proof for this gateway hypothesis, young cannabis
users should still be considered as a risk group for intervention programs. Other findings indicate that hard drug users
are likely to be "poly-drug" users, and that interventions
must address the use of multiple drugs instead of a single hard drug.
Poly drug use refers to the use of two or more psychoactive drugs in combination to achieve a particular effect. In many cases
one drug is used as a base or primary drug, with additional drugs to leaven or
compensate for the side effects of the primary drug and make the experience
more enjoyable with drug synergy effects, or to
supplement for primary drug when supply is low.
From my informal studies I have found that marijuana
users will step up to the next available drug.
These include but are not confined to these drugs or in a definitive
order: prescription drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, etc. The most disturbing part of this study finds
that alcohol is a part of the mixture.
When one thinks of the factors of alcoholism and diseases
attributed to the use thereof, adding the problems and long term effects of
marijuana and other drugs, we have a serious problem. Anyone with knowledge of the effects of drug
abuse on family, jobs, friends, and society in general need to see the seriousness
of this situation of legalizing such a drug as marijuana.
A 35-year
cohort study published August 2012 in Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences and funded partly by NIDA and other NIH institutes reported an
association between long-term cannabis use and neuropsychological decline, even
after controlling for education. It was found that the persistent, dependent
use of marijuana before age 18 was associated with lasting harm to a person's
intelligence, attention and memory, and were suggestive of neurological harm
from cannabis. Quitting cannabis did not appear to reverse the loss. However,
individuals who started cannabis use after the age of 18 did not show similar
declines.
Results of the study came into question when in a new analysis,
published January 2013 in Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Oslo's Ragnar
Frisch Center for Economic Research noted other differences among the study
group including education, occupation and other socioeconomic factors that
showed the same effect on IQ as cannabis use. From the abstract: "existing
research suggests an alternative confounding model based on time-varying
effects of socioeconomic status on IQ. A simulation of the confounding model
reproduces the reported associations from the [August 2012 study], suggesting
that the causal effects estimated in Meier et al. are likely to be
overestimates, and that the true effect could be zero". The researchers
pointed to three other studies which showed cannabis did not cause a decline in
IQ. The studies showed that heavy smokers had clear reductions in IQ, but they
were not permanent.
A July 2012 article in Brain
reported neural-connectivity impairment in some brain regions following
prolonged heavy cannabis use initiated in adolescence or young adulthood.
A 2012 study conducted by researchers at UC San Diego failed to
show deleterious effects on the adolescent brain from cannabis use. Researchers
looked at brain scans taken
before-and-after of subjects aged 16–20 years who consumed alcohol and compared
them to subjects of the same age who used cannabis instead. The 92 person study
was conducted over an eighteen-month period. While teen alcohol use resulted in
observable reduced white matter brain
tissue health, cannabis use was not linked to any structural damage. The study
did not measure the subjects' cognitive performance. Publication is scheduled
for April 2013 in Alcoholism: Clinical and
Experimental Research.
Some ask how the introduction of other drugs, moves
the casual cannabis users to the next level.
Drug dealers and users alike know the value of a dollar. Therefore, they may give marijuana in order
to get the consumer to purchase another dime bag of weed or the next drug of
choice. Samples are common practice of
dealers, introducing a potential client to a drug, once they get them hooked,
then they have a customer and a life line to that customer’s money.
In researching marijuana alone, the money is good.
The price or street value of cannabis varies widely depending on
geographic area and potency.
In the United States, cannabis is overall the #4 value crop, and
is #1 or #2 in many states including California, New York and Florida,
averaging $3,000/lb. It is believed to generate an estimated $36 billion
market. Most of the money is spent not on growing and producing but on
smuggling the supply to buyers. The United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime claims in its 2008 World Drug Report that typical U.S. retail
prices are $10–15 per gram (approximately $280–420 per ounce).
Street prices in North America are known to range from about $150 to $400 per
ounce, depending on quality.
The European
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
reports that typical retail prices in Europe for cannabis varies from 2€ to 20€
per gram, with a majority of European countries reporting prices in the range
4–10€. In the United Kingdom, a cannabis plant has an approximate street value
of £300, but retails to the end-user at about £160/oz.
The problems with legalization have been
recent. Problems which are rift with
many other problems. Take for an example
the reduction of penalties for possession or distribution in some places, which
leads to the fact that if one gets caught, then they are slapped on the hand
and sent on their merry way to use and/or sale weed again. This is part of the process to push all
states toward legalization that causes more problems, more struggles, more
situations than we can detail here.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, most countries have
enacted laws
against the cultivation, possession or transfer of cannabis. These laws have
impacted adversely on the cannabis plant's cultivation for non-recreational
purposes, but there are many regions where, under certain circumstances,
handling of cannabis is legal or licensed. Many jurisdictions have lessened the
penalties for possession of small quantities of cannabis, so that it is
punished by confiscation and sometimes a fine, rather than imprisonment,
focusing more on those who traffic the
drug on the black market.
In some areas where cannabis use has been historically
tolerated, some new restrictions have been put in place, such as the closing of
cannabis coffee shops near
the borders of the Netherlands, closing of coffee shops near secondary schools
in the Netherlands and crackdowns on "Pusher Street" in Christiania, Copenhagen in
2004.
Some jurisdictions use free voluntary treatment programs and/or
mandatory treatment programs for frequent known users. Simple possession can
carry long prison terms in some countries, particularly in East Asia, where the
sale of cannabis may lead to a sentence of life in prison or even execution.
More recently however, many political parties, non-profit organizations and
causes based on the legalization of medical cannabis and/or legalizing the
plant entirely (with some restrictions) have emerged.
On December 6, 2012, the U.S. state of Washington became
the first state to officially legalize cannabis in a state law (but still
illegal by federal law), with the state of Colorado
following close behind. On January 1, 2013, the first marijuana
"club" for private marijuana smoking (no buying or selling, however)
was allowed for the first time in Colorado. The California Supreme Court
decided in May 2013 that local governments can ban medical marijuana
dispensaries despite a state law in California of 1996 state law that permits
the use of weed for medical purposes; at least 180 cities across the state and
Bay Area have enacted bans in recent years.
I am against legalization of cannabis. There are a number of other reasons related
to my objection, but I will end with this statement, one which comes from true
life experiences. I have seen the
troubles and problems which come from the use of marijuana. Families have been destroyed, children have
been affected with long term effects, and the accelerated use of drugs has been
witnessed. We must stand up and say no
to the legal use of a dangerous drug.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Overcoming and Persevering
Overcoming and Persevering
Recently, at Rockford, we had the golden opportunity of
hearing the testimony of a young man who has persevered and overcome some
extreme struggles in life. He is careful
to give God the glory, honor and praise, because without God’s help and Christ
living in him, he would not be where he is today.
Price
Sparks, a preacher’s son from Tallassee, Alabama spoke at Rockford on June 31
and truly made an impact on the lives of all who were in attendance.
Price
graduated from Elmore County High School in 2011 where he was a member of the
Maroon Machine and the Panther Football Team his senior year.
He
was selected as the National Tourette Syndrome Association Ambassador for the
State of Alabama in 2011 and traveled to Washington D.C. for training.
Price
received a full academic scholarship to Jacksonville State University and began
in the fall of 2011 where he is seeking a degree in Business Management.
Price
was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society in spring 2012 and named to the
Dean’s List both semesters of his freshman year at JSU.
Price
was selected a Jacksonville State University Presidential Ambassador in spring
2012 for the 2012-2013 school year.
He
was a member of the Jacksonville State University Marching Southerners in fall
of 2012 where he was part of the halftime show which included football games at
the University of Arkansas and the University of Florida.
Again
Price was selected a JSU Presidential Ambassador in spring 2013 for the
2013-2014 school year and this time was named to the President’s List both
semesters of his sophomore year at JSU.
Price
has spoken to numerous civic groups and organizations, churches and schools,
and even to nursing classes at Jacksonville State about his struggles with
Tourette Syndrome.
Having Tourette’s was a difficult thing for Price. He grew up thinking he was different, being
excluded from others, and with daily thoughts of suicide. His entire life was a daily struggle through
the first ten years of school. Then in
the eleventh grade he was confronted with the gospel and an invitation to
accept Christ as his Savior and Lord. He
took the leap of faith and God has blessed him in many and marvelous ways.
Not counting the acceptance and inclusion into the life of
others as he found himself with friends for the first time in his life; his
entire future was falling into place, as God rewarded him for being a believer
who was walking the walk and talking the talking. He watched as God gave him the opportunity to
a place on the football team at his high school as place kicker and perform
with the band during the half time show.
Next he scored a 32 on the ACT and was granted a full scholarship to
Jacksonville State University. In the
meantime he was selected to attend the training for the Tourette’s Syndrome
Association in Washington D.C. to become a state ambassador in Alabama. How God favored him in so many ways is a
beautiful story of a life God has chosen for a specific purpose and plan.
While we do not know the future for Price, we do know that
at this time he is following God. Through the example of a Godly walk, and
countless variety of ways God is using this young man because of his humble
obedience to the Savior who has changed him and given him a new lease on life.
God bless you my brother!
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