I don't watch the Ellen show but I'd love to see Joyce Drake get her due

Here's the deal: for YEARS this album has topped the "Worst Album Covers" lists. It's on every website, it's been published in books, and this week Jeff Bridges showed it on the Ellen show. Joyce's picture has been photoshopped hundreds of times in less than flattering (and some down-right disgusting) pictures.

I knew her when I was a kid. She's actually a very nice lady and we had this album. As I remember, she's actually a pretty good singer. She's also a fellow Assemblies of God pastor's wife from Texas.

Her image has been used hundreds of times on the internet and in print publications. There are entire websites and fan pages on facebook dedicated to this album cover and making fun of Joyce. She has never received one dime of compensation for the use of her image and name.

Soooo....since Jeff Bridges decided to put her on the Ellen show I think that Ellen should be encouraged to let Joyce come on the show and show everyone that she's really pretty cool, has a great message and a great voice to go with it.

I'm asking you to let Ellen know that Joyce needs her 15 minutes of GOOD fame. Go to http://ellen.warnerbros.com/show/respond/?PlugID=253 OR you can call 866-355-3684. Just let them know that you would love to see Joyce Drake have a few moments on the show to discuss all of this. I think Ellen is crazy enough to do it...which would be pretty cool.

There is also a facebook group that Joyce's family has put together about it: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=282203757058&ref=ts

Just to show what kind of "fun" people have had with this album check out this facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=joyce+drake&init=quick#/group.php?gid=7230032851&ref=search&sid=887495690.2048305977..1

Thanks for helping out!
Ruthie

Is the Haiti earthquake God's judgment?

A friend of mine wrote and asked me what my take is on the statements being made about the earthquake in Haiti being God's judgment for sin. Is it good theology or not?


Well...the answer is "yes" and "no."

Support for the "yes, it is good theology to say that God uses catastrophes to judge nations, cities, and individuals for their sin" is found throughout Scripture. Common examples would include Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the judgment on Israel after David's census. The prophetic books consist of chapter after chapter detailing God's chastisement on nations for their national sins. Even in the New Testament we read of promised judgment on "Babylon" in the book of Revelation. After all, the main writer of the New Testament made this bold statement: "The wages of sin IS death"...all the time, every time. One really cannot come away from a thorough reading of Scripture and doubt that it is a good understanding of the nature of God that He is the Ultimate Judge of sin and that when His judgment falls it is swift and sure.

SO....all that said...is Pat Robertson right? Was the earthquake and devastation in Haiti the direct result of their national sin of voodooism? Well, it very well could be.

However, there is also much Scriptural support for the "No, it is bad theology to say that catastrophe is the result of God's judgment." There is an entire book in the Bible that backs up this claim: The Book of Job. Remember Job's friends? Their theological understanding was actually quite right. God does punish sin. However, their application of that theology was quite wrong. God does punish sin...but He was not punishing Job. There was more to the story that had not yet been revealed.

Jesus actually answered this question for us in Luke 13:1-5. As He was teaching, men came to him and asked about a current news event: Pilate had some worshipers slaughtered right in the Temple courts. "What do you think about this, Jesus?" Jesus' response was to bring up another natural event (the decay of some towers that had fallen and crushed 18 men) and then to use both of the current events to drive home this Truth: "Do not suppose that these men were greater sinners because of their fate. No, listen to Me on this point: Unless you repent, you will all perish just like they did."

Note that Jesus did not say that the men who died were not sinners. He simply said they were not GREATER sinners than anyone else standing there that day. I believe there are a few principles we can draw from the way Jesus responded to these two tragedies of His day:

1. Great suffering does not necessarily equate with great sinning. Be careful not to confuse the two. Gold is cast into the fire to be purified just the same as chaff is cast in to be consumed.
2. Do not make use of current events to criticize those who are suffering, as if their sin is any worse than your own.
3. Tragedy should cause us to examine our own need for repentance.
4. Our place is to preach Truth (which includes that the wages of sin is death) and to leave the judgment in the hands of the Judge. Remember, God's harshest words in the book of Job were reserved for Job's friends who had good theology but bad application.

So...was it God's judgment on sin? Well, sure. All of the negative effects that come from living in a fallen world are the results of sin. I doubt, however, that the sins of those Haitians were any more despicable in the eyes of God than my own sins. I deserve judgment just as much as they did...and without repentance my judgment is just as sure.

Let's remember that there are parts of the Great Story we have not yet read. Watch the news, pray for the suffering, do what we can to ease that suffering....and look into our own hearts because, as Jesus said, "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13: 5)

Thoughts this morning on Haiti...and God

While hearing the news this week and looking at the pictures of the devastation in Haiti, my mind began to wonder what it might be like to be Jesus. Imagine the sights His eyes must see as He views the pain and suffering going on all around the world, not just in Haiti but in the brothels of Delhi, in the business rooms of Beijing, and in the family rooms of Des Moines. Imagine the cries that His ears must daily hear. Imagine the loving heart of the Creator being broken by what has happened to His creation over the years of recorded history.

Is it any wonder that He decided to step into history, take on human flesh, and participate in our suffering? We often think along these lines "How could a loving God just stand by and watch this take place?" Well, the truth is, He doesn't just "stand by"....He enters into the suffering, partakes in it, and then provides a way of relief from it. He did so in the Incarnation over 2000 years ago, and He is still "putting on flesh" through every relief worker that gives a cup of clean water in His name. He is there in every dollar that buys food for a hungry child and in every construction worker that assembles a safe shelter for a defenseless woman without a home. He is the added strength that allows a pastor to comfort a grieving father while his own home lies in wreckage.

Imagine how the heart of the Creator must long for the fullness of time when all of creation is restored! He must yearn for that time when redemption is fully realized....and there will be no more tsunamis, no more earthquakes, no more rape, no more genocide, no more war, no more divorce, no more sickness...and no more death. Romans 8 tells us that even creation itself is groaning for its redemption.

But you know what? I believe God's heart must be looking forward to that time of the fullness of redemption even more than mine is.

Help me feel your heart today, Lord...and then help me to be your hands.

Resolutions and Jonathan Edwards

I have always been a New Year's Resolution type person because I love setting new goals and having something to use as a tool to evaluate my progress. Some resolutions get repeated every year, some get tweaked, some serve their time and are crossed off the list, and some are just ridiculous and get tossed at the end of the year. For the past 4 years I have had at least one resolution that has stayed the same: to be more fun. I mentioned this one to the children at breakfast this morning to see how I did last year. I, personally, felt that I had more fun last year but, apparently, the children didn't notice. Note to self: have more fun WITH children in 2010.

I also like to read through other people's resolutions. Sounds voyeuristic, I know, but you can learn an awful lot about another person by looking at their immediate and long-term goals. One of the papers on my desk is a list of 70 Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, pastor and theologian of the First Great Awakening. He wrote these over the years of 1722 and 1723.

His first resolution is this: "Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with how many and how great soever."

I like the way he puts the priority of his decision making: 1. Is this to the glory of God? If no, then cross it off the list. If yes, move on to 2. Is this to my own good? It may be for the glory of God but is this something that God has given to ME to do? If no, then cross it off my list for the time being or delegate it on to someone else or make it a matter of prayer that the right person will take it on. If it is something that I should do then 3. How do I do it in a way that it works for the most good for the advantage of mankind in general?

So, here's a resolution for me on January 5, 2010: Resolved, to make my decisions about my time based on three things - 1. God's glory 2. My personal place and priorities as I understand them and 3. To do those things in a way that would be of the best advantage for others.

Sounds like a good way to kick off the new year. Happy New Year!