Vision Problems

A popular contemporary Christian song has as its chorus the rhetorical question, “How Great is our God ?”. The answer is obvious. Our God is really, really, really great. However, if we turn the Chris Tomlin lyrics around slightly, we have a very powerful question. If we ask, “How great is our God?” we find a question that may help us immensely in our Christian experience. Let me explain.

If you are like me, as life comes at you it is easy to get overwhelmed by it or very frustrated in it. It is easy to have in one’s soul a sense of discouragement. I think that all of that is normal. However, as a believer in the LORD Almighty and a follower of His Son Jesus Christ it seems my perspective should be much different. When it isn’t different, someone could rightfully ask, “How great is your God?”

I think most of us need to get a fresh vision of the greatness of God. One need only think about the universe for a few moments and one will be awestruck by just how great our God is.

Do you know that the Milky Way, the Galaxy we live in, is 5.88 Billion light years across. That means if I start on one side of the galaxy and if I travel at the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles per second, in just about 6 billion years I will arrive at the other side. And remember, our galaxy is just one of billions of galaxies in the universe.

We don’t know how wide, deep or high the known universe is because we can’t measure it. It is impossible to measure. We do know that it is humongous. It was created by, as one author has put it, a “giamongous God”. God’s immensity is demonstrated by the fact that He spoke this universe into existence from nothing. The Bible also tells us that He measures the universe with the width of His hand (Isaiah 40:12). This poetic language should make us pause and exclaim “How great is our God!”.

I think two things happen when I understand how great God is. Psalm 8, where the Psalmist proclaims “Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth” brings out these two truths. In light of the immensity of God the Psalmist (David) sees how small and insignificant we really are. He says “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? (Ps 8:3-4)”. Then he realizes how special and important we really are to God. He continues, “You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet (Ps. 8:5-6)”.

God is great and His love for us is great. You and I could not be more loved or better cared for as His children. In addition, He has great plans for us, both for now and in eternity. What we need to do is focus on Him and who He really is. As we do so those enormous overwhelming situations that we are facing will look small in comparison to our great God. Let us sing with the ancient hymn writer, “Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art, Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.”
Blessings, Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

This Year, Skip Christmas

In the holiday movie comedy, “Christmas with the Kranks,” Luther and Nora Krank decide to boycott everything Christmas. Instead they decide to use the money they save to go on a trip to the Caribbean. Their friends and neighbors are mortified by their lack of the holiday spirit, especially since they were usually the must raucous celebrators of Christmas in the neighborhood. By movie’s end though, by some miracle, they finally come to celebrate the season and everyone lives happily ever after.

With all the hustle and bustle, is it any wonder someone would want to skip Christmas? You’ve probably thought about doing just that, but you have never had the nerve to vocalize your thoughts much less act upon them. You were afraid someone would brand you a scrooge or look at you as if you were unspiritual for not having the Christmas spirit.

Today, I want to propose something radical. I think all the trappings we put on Christmas hide its real purpose. I know that all the stress we feel at Christmas robs us of the joy associated with the season’s true meaning. I am sure that we all agree that the busyness of the season squeezes out any genuine reflection of its significance. I loathe, as you do, that the season is all about anything but what it is really all about. My proposal is quite simple. This year, skip Christmas. Instead of Christmas, as our world knows it, really celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

This is a noble proposal don’t you think? Instead of trying to multi-task this holiday season be single minded. First and foremost, decide you and yours will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Lord, the Savior of the world.

How, you may ask. can we possibly do this? Let me suggest five very simple ways this can be accomplished in our lives.

First, don’t get caught up in the Christmas shows but rather get re-acquainted again with the real Christmas story. Let me remind you that “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, and “A Wonderful Life” are not the real deal. We find the real story in our Bibles in the gospels. Take time to read and meditate on this, the greatest story ever told. Make sure your family does the same.

Secondly, don’t focus on your gifts but rather worship the Gift-Giver who gave the ultimate gift. Christmas is not about what we can do to show others we love them. It is about what God has already done to show us the greatness of His love for us (See John 3:16). The best gift you or I have ever given or that we have ever received cannot compare with what God has given. Our response to Him should be like that of the Apostle Paul who proclaimed “Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift!”

Thirdly, don’t look for the Christmas mood but rather live out the message found at the coming of our Lord. The “Christmas spirit” is elusive at best. The words about Jesus’ coming are not. He came to seek and save that which is lost and we must do the same. He came to give a better quality of life and we should seek to experience that as well. How silly it would be for us to give out gifts at Christmas without telling people about our Savior.

Fourthly, don’t get caught up in putting up decorations. Instead make sure you put on the mind of Christ. At His first advent it is said of Jesus “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.” (Philippians 2:6-7a). People are not impressed by our houses trimmed with lights. They are, however, drawn to Christ when our lives reflect His light via our good works.

Fifth and finally, don’t over romanticize about the babe in a manger. Instead, remember that the baby is the Lord of glory. One day He will come again to this earth. He will set up His kingdom and He shall reign forever and ever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah; hallelujah. Amen. Hallelujah; hallelujah. Amen.

Blessings,

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Jesus and Zuccotti Park

The Occupy Wall Street Moment suffered a set back this week when the NYPD evicted the protesters from Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. The protestors had been there for nearly two full months and are vowing to return. The OWSM (Occupy Wall Street Moment) in New York has given rise to similar protests in major cities across the United States as well as in some foreign countries. It is not yet known if the police and other authorities are now prepared to permanently squelch the protests because of concerns over violence and other illegal activities.

Regardless of how you feel about the OWS protests and movement it would do us all well to listen to what those involved are saying to us in a broader sense. There is a powerful message for God’s people to understand and act on.

The OWSM comes out of the discontent many in our world have come to know with reference to our capitalistic society. Please don’t misunderstand me here. I am a firm believer in capitalism as an economic system. It is my opinion that socialism is another name for shared poverty and I really don’t want anything to do with that. However, let it also be said that capitalism and its cousin materialism are petri dishes for the cultivating of the lusts of the flesh and lusts of the eyes and the greed, covetousness, and jealousy associated there with.

Over the last few months we have heard statements dealing with “the inequality of wealth distribution” and the need for a more “equitable system”. The cry has been, “we are the 99%”. Many, if not most of these protestors are feeling cheated out of their share of “The American Dream”. They believed, as most of us have, that the ticket we need to dance at the ball was a college education. Based on that assumption, they borrowed and borrowed to get that ticket only to find that the dance had been cancelled. They feel that they were duped and they are mad as heck about it.

This movement is not going away anytime soon. In one form or another it is here to stay. Thus, it is critical that the church not turn a deaf ear to this group of people. These protestors in our city and in cities all over the nation and globe speak to a real yearning in the heart of men and women for fulfillment, for more to life than they are presently experiencing. God’s church has a message for “such a time as this”.

Right now across our culture the strong cries for forgiveness of student loans, provision of high paying jobs and lower salaries for corporate executives are actually a desire for the dignity a job brings, the feeling of security money in the bank imparts, and the liberty and autonomy that moving away from home surely gives. The OWS cause is based on the common felt needs shared by all people.

Here is the good news. God’s people, the church, have an app for that. In John 10:10 we read “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Speaking to His disciples 2000 years ago Jesus Christ recognizes and declares that we have an enemy who is seeking to bring ruin upon individuals using any means. Jesus also wants them and us to know that the purpose for His coming is to give us not just life but beyond that, He offers us life to the fullest.

Through Christ we know the dignity of being made in the image of God and having such worth that God sent Jesus to die for us. Faith in Christ enables us be secure and have a peace that is not determined by the circumstances of lives. The Christian doctrine affirms the equality of all people and promises freedom and liberty from the power and penalty of our sin.

We have the real treasure that the Occupy Wall Street Movement needs and desires. A personal relationship with Christ meets the deepest need of the hearts of those all over the world who are crying out in frustration. Heads up church, we’ve got what they need. Let’s seek to meet all who are without Christ where they are and lead them to where we have been lead by the grace of God.

In His Service,

Dave Watson - An Urban Christian

Ten Years Ago Today

Ten Years Ago Today – By Dave Watson, An Urban Christain

Ten years ago it was a beautiful September morning,
A perfect transition from summer to fall.

Ten years ago it was just another work day, a school day, a Tuesday
A Primary Day to choose Mayoral candidates

Ten years ago the city felt good, housing was up, the economy was great, stocks were high and our spirits were even higher.

But all that changed ten years ago, ten years ago today.
And we will never forget!

Ten years ago terror struck our city
Struck our towers, struck them twice

Ten years ago evil incarnate showed up and did the unimaginable
Nearly three thousand innocents were murdered, murdered in broad daylight

Moms and dads, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers,
Snuffed out by the thief who comes but to rob and to kill and to destroy

Oh the horror ten years ago, ten years ago today.
And we can never forgot

And then their were the firefighters and cops
The probies and the vets who ascended the towers and never came back

They journeyed from their firehouses & their precincts as they had so many days before
But this time it was different, different in the worst kind of way
For many it was the last ride of their lives

They fulfilled their calling as public servants.
They were and always will be NYC’s Finest and NYC’s Bravest

They became forever this cities heroes ten years ago, ten years ago today
And we must never forget


Today it’s 9-11 instead of September 11th
Today we are still on edge, still nervous about another attack

Today they have filled the hole and began the rebuilding
Today they say there’s closure since we got Bin Laden

But today there are still empty seats at dinners
Today there are empty seats at christenings, at graduations and at Little League games too.

Today there are empty spaces where dad was suppose to be at the wedding or where mom was suppose be at the baby shower
But most of all there are empty places in our hearts

So Lord we pray this day we will feel your presence and know your love.
Without you we can’t make it through this season, this day

They say time heals all wounds but Lord, you don’t say that, they do
Some holes are just so deep that gravel and steel and buildings and time cannot fill them.
Only eternity can. Then You will wipe away every tear from our eyes
Until then, we can never forget

The horror, the pain, the disbelief,
The courage, the faith, the duty, so clearly displayed
Ten years ago, ten years ago today

No Changing the Channel

This past week, the Mayor of our fine city inferred that myself and others who are against the sanctioning of same sex marriages by the state were “civil rights obstructionists.” Though I don’t agree with this title, I am grateful for his characterization. I am grateful because it beats the other names such as homophobic, bigoted and blanky-blank-blank that anyone who dares oppose the gay marriage lobby is called. I don’t agree with the characterization because though I am firmly against same sex marriages, I do firmly believe that all individuals are created in the image of God and thus they have value in His eyes beyond our comprehension. I also affirm with the founding document of this nation (The Declaration of Independence) “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Equal Rights
With that said, I want to give four reasons to explain my opposition to the sanctioning of same sex marriage. First of all I think that the argument that equal rights means that we all have the same rights is incorrect. Equality is not sameness. We are all equal but we are not all the same. Our rights are equal but they don’t play out the same. Women and men are equal, but who they are and what they can and cannot do is not the same. Reality requires that I accept the fact that though my wife and I are equal under the law, she, not I is able to conceive and bear a child. She is different from me biologically. If someone advertises on Craig’s List for a surrogate to carry a couples’ child and I apply and I am turned down for no other reason than my gender, have I been discriminated against? No. I simply do not have the equipment that would qualify me for this task. I am equal but I am not the same. My equality doesn’t give me the right to be something I am not. Same sex couples may indeed be equal to hetero-sexual couples, but they are not the same. The biology and psychology of their relationships are different than those of hetero-sexual couples.

Definitions
This brings me to a second point. Marriage is the union of two individuals. No matter how much effort same sex couples put into their relationship, they cannot experience exactly what married couples experience in regard to this union. No matter how committed they are to one another, no matter how long they stay together, they will never have the ability to fully reflect what marriage is and has been for centuries. Hetero-sexual couples consummate and unite themselves via a very specific act. This consummation has both physical and psychological ramifications. This act is not reproducible in same sex couples. In addition, married couples, with few exceptions, conceive children through this act. Also, married couples bring two different psyches to their union -- male and female. This is for the benefit of each other, the benefit of child rearing and the benefit of society in general. This unique union of male and female makes up a married couple. It is improper to lead anyone to believe that they can experience what marriage is without having the potential to share in this basic element of what marriage has always been. Marriage is the union of male and female, intimately, both physiologically and psychologically.

I am not claiming that same-sex couples don’t have love for one another, but to assume that their love is the same as the love of heterosexual couples is simply incorrect. Love is a broad word with many different meanings. I love my mother but my love for my wife is quite different than my love for mom. I love my brother and sisters but my love for my wife is quite different from my love for my siblings. I have some friends both male and female whom I really love, but again my love for my wife is different than that love. To love someone of the same gender, no matter how intensely, is not the same physically and psychologically as the love that a man and a woman share. This love requires that the participants go far beyond their own understanding and seek to live with, understand, sync with and become a partner of someone who, by their very nature; thinks, feels, and acts very differently than they do. The love and level of commitment which exist between same-sex couples may be many things, but it is not the same as the love that exists between two people from two different genders. Therefore, it can be called many things but it cannot be called a marriage.

Unintended Consequences
Thirdly, I believe that the law of unintended consequences must strongly be considered here. I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My convictions both Biblically and personally make it impossible for me to preside over a same sex marriage ceremony. Should I be forced to do these marriages regardless of my convictions and religious beliefs? I am sure you would agree that I should not be forced to violate my convictions. Presently I am quite confident that I would not be forced to officiate for this type of ceremony. However, if our state redefines marriage to include same sex couples, I expect that the requirement that ministers perform these ceremonies is not far behind. I realize that this sounds like I am overly concerned about how this will specifically impact my profession…but let’s look at the social impact more closely.

How will this impact the owners of catering halls in our city and state? What if they don’t want to allow a same sex marriage in their hall because of their convictions? Could they say no to a same sex marriage reception? Not on your life! This is true of florists, of jewelers, of bakeries, and of limo companies not to mention the lawyers and obstetricians who might be called upon later. The bottom line is that almost everyone in our culture will have to accept and participate in same sex marriages regardless of their personal convictions no matter how strong their beliefs may be. There will not be a conscientious objector clause. I can almost hear the refrain now, “if you don’t like it…move”. Is this the direction our politicians and Mayor really want to take us? It is as if they feel those of us who oppose same sex marriage have been left back on the evolutionary chain while they have soared to new heights and new understandings. As far as they are concerned, we are still in the dark ages but they have been enlightened by their education and friendships. I find in this thinking a certain intellectual elitism that is dangerous as well as offensive.

No Turning Back
Fourthly, if same sex marriage becomes the law of this city and state it will soon result in a much broader definition of marriage then we can ever imagine. If two people of the same sex can be considered a married couple then why not three people from the same sex or two males and one female or four females and one male as is allowed in some countries. The state of New York’s recognition of marriage as being between one man and one woman stems from a Judea-Christian tradition. Proponents of same sex marriage want to do away with one part of that tradition (one man and one woman) while attempting to keep other parts of the tradition (only two people in a marriage) intact. Their only logic for this is that this is the way they want it to be. If the parameter by which marriage is defined is based solely on the whims of certain special interests at any given time, what is to prevent us from accepting any number of different “pairings” or “groupings” of individuals in the future? We may soon be left with an institution that is impossible to define or defend.

The other night while I was watching one of my favorite television programs, a scene which I found objectionable came onto the screen. In response, I didn’t call the network to complain. I didn’t write a letter to the editor. I just simply changed the channel. The reason that I am addressing this issue now, the reason I am speaking out now is that if same sex marriage becomes the law of our land there will be no opportunity for us to “change the channel.” If we change the definition of marriage, our society will experience change on virtually every level. This change will forever be imposed upon us all. There will be no opportunity for us to avoid the changes that will ensue. It is impossible to alter the foundation of a society without altering the very essence of that society. Marriages and families are the foundation on which our society stands. If we allow marriage and family to be redefined, our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren will live in a culture that will be forever altered. And that, my friends, would be a grave and grievous mistake.

Respectfully,

Dave Watson
An Urban Christian

Christ or Camping – Who should we believe?

The belief that Jesus Christ will come again is a clear teaching of the Bible and is accepted by most of Christendom as a whole and almost all evangelicals in particular. The statement of faith of both the National Association of Evangelicals and the Staten Island Association of Evangelicals reads, “We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ…..and in His personal return in power and glory.” The statement of faith of nearly all evangelical churches is similar. As Christians, we are told to be “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). It is said of us that we “eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20) We are even admonished to “Watch therefore because you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”(Matthew 24:42)

The doctrine of last things, or eschatology as it is sometimes called, is meant to be a great motivator for the followers of Christ who were told that “This same Jesus …will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven.”(Acts 1:11) Sadly though, teaching about the return of Christ has often been used to abuse and confuse. That is what Harold Camping and Family Radio are instigating now with their unfounded, unbiblical claim that judgment day is May 21, 2011. They have even gone as far as predicting the hour -- 6:00 P.M.

I have been a committed follower of Jesus Christ since 1973. I can remember the various predictions about the return of Christ through the years. In 1988 I received a booklet in the mail entitled “88 Reasons Christ will Return in 1988”. The next year I got the sequel, “89 Reasons Christ will Come in 1989.” In 1994 I remember some radio host predicting Christ’s return that September. That individual was Harold Camping. This will not be the first time he has been wrong and has wronged many.

After telling His disciples about His return and warning them about false predictions of messiahs, Jesus Christ told his followers the following in no uncertain terms:
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”(Matthew 24:36) Could a verse of Scripture be clearer than this? We can’t know the hour and we can’t know the day”. Could the context be more clear? Jesus is warning against speculation about His return. Christ himself is telling us not to put dates and times on His return. Having studied Greek, the original language of the New Testament, I want to assure you that the original language does not read, No one knows except for Harold Camping.

The belief that Christ will come on May 21st 2011 and bring in a judgment day is built first on incredible arrogance. Harold Camping and his followers claim that Jesus’ words regarding no one knowing the day and the hour have been voided. They believe they have received special knowledge, an opening of a prophecy heretofore closed to us. Supposedly, the true followers (Camping and his supporters) of Christ now understand that which has been hidden in the past. It is incredibly sad to me that many believers in Christ would embrace the speculations of this group over the words of our Savior.


The belief that Christ will come on May 21st 2011 and bring in a judgment day is built also on incredible assumptions. One of the greatest of these assumptions is that we know for sure that the creation of the world occurred in 11.013 B.C. In addition, there are so many other ludicrous assumptions I can’t address them all here. Suffice it to say that none of them is provable through the Bible that this group claims to believe. None of them! The only way to these assumptions is to take Harold Camping’s word.

I have had the wonderful privilege of teaching a class on the Second Coming of Christ and other matters related to Judgment Day for fifteen years at the New York School of the Bible in Manhattan. I have been privileged to teach a similar course at the church I pastor as well as teach and preach in depth on the Old Testament prophecies of Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation. I am a true believer and a serious Bible student and I find Camping’s teachings to be completely unfounded and unsupported by the Bible.

Why are so many sincere Christians buying ads and hunkering down for the end? I think we as believers have forgotten the instructions of Paul the apostle from the First Century. At the end of his letter to the Thessalonians, a letter that frequently mentions the second coming of Christ, Paul simply says, “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22). All prophecies about the end must be tested. In this case we test the prediction of May 21, 2011 against the words of Christ. When we do this, the result of our “testing” need not go farther than the fact that Mr. Camping is giving a specific date and time for Christ’s return. This automatically disqualifies his prediction. Remember, Jesus said that accurate predictions of the date and time of His return would not be possible!

As Christians, we are those who have “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10) It is true, that we are eagerly waiting for Jesus to come back, but we know we can’t predict when. Thus, we need not be caught up in the eschatamania (hysteria over end times) as some now are, or the eschataphobia (fear of last things) of so many others. Christians should strive to live as if our Lord were coming back today, but plan as if He is coming back years from now. Our belief in the return of Christ makes us seek to please Him everyday so that when He returns we will not be ashamed.

Speaking of being ashamed, Harold Camping and those involved in perpetrating this unbiblical rouse should be ashamed. On May 22nd they will be embarrassed. Unfortunately this is only one of many unbiblical teachings that Mr. Camping has actively propagated. Camping’s positions are not the well thought out, well reasoned beliefs of a serious Bible scholar. Instead, they are the random, baseless, careless ramblings of someone who should not be taken seriously. When Christ does return, Mr. Camping and his followers will have much to answer for.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

“In Christ and on Facebook”

The other day while I was riding home on the Staten Island Ferry I had an interesting technology moment. As the Ferry slowed to dock, the passengers began to congregate near the front of the boat. As I observed the crowd I noticed person after person being obsessed with their smart phones and tablets. I was actually tempted to take a picture with my Blackberry and post it on Facebook. It seemed to me that less than half the people crowded there were talking to anyone standing there. Many however were communicating with someone somewhere else.

“If a tree falls down in the wilderness and there is no one around to hear it does it still make noise” is a thought provoking question that has been asked for centuries. It makes us contemplate what makes something real. The answer of course is “yes. it still makes noise”’ because. my experience of it is not what determines its reality. Whether I or anyone else experiences the hearing of the noise of the falling tree the cause and effect of the event still happens.

We live in a media driven culture. Because of the proliferation of the smart phone in general and the IPhone in particular, we can record in picture or video almost any event of significance. Through the interfacing of social media like Facebook and Twitter or upload sites like Youtube for video and Flickr for pictures, almost instant global sharing of any significant moment in time is possible.

The recent death of death of Osma Bin Laden at the hand of Navy seals was greeted by scores of people ages 18-29 gathering in front of the White House in Washington and at Ground Zero in Manhattan. With their smart phones charged and ready, they sought to record the moment. Within minutes, the death of Bin Laden and this generation’s experience of it inhabited the cyber world now known as "the cloud".

The majority of people now in our culture were raised in front of digital media. Among them an interesting axiom has emerged. Stated simply it is “If I can’t post it or see on it on Facebook then it isn’t significant”. Reality has become dependant on what I can experience through virtual media. Its as if all of life is a movie and only by recording and posting it are we really a part of it.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a great consumer of the various media technologies. Here is the problem with all this though. My relationship with the Lord is real, dynamic and life altering. It is significant and it is not subject to Facebook, a picture can’t be taken of it and posted.

Matthew 6:6 reminds us regarding our prayer life, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Please note the reality of our private time with God. Matthew 6:3-4 speaks of our good deeds and reminds us, “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Please note the power of our anonymously done good works.

I want to be real and genuine in my faith. The world of social media, smart phones and flip cameras cultivate superficiality. This occurs because we begin to become actors in a play for everyone to see. Thus, we start acting instead of living authentically. To some degree, participating in the unreal world of social media is unavoidable. Today, let’s keep in mind that the deepening of an authentic faith, a real faith occurs as I privately meet and respond to Jesus Christ not as I post what I want others to see of me on Facebook.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Rx for Urban Eyes

We live in a very crowded city that moves at a very quick pace. The Ferry gets so full we wonder if it might tip over. The Express Bus is often so crowded there seems as if there are as many standing as sitting. The Subway sometimes resembles a row of sardine cans with strap hangers packed in from end to end. For drivers, the Expressway often looks like more of a parking lot than a freeway. All this as we hustle and bustle from place to place in this thing we call the commute.

This overcrowding combined with the frantic pace has led to another interesting phenomenon. Many of us have developed an amazing eye condition. We are able to look right at people and not ever really see them. The technical term for this is “the glazed over look” or "Urban Eyes".

I have found myself sitting on a train or bus and looking straight ahead with all my thoughts to myself, really not seeing anyone. This eye condition is certainly helpful as a self-protection device. If we ever actually looked at someone we might get a “Are you looking at me?” from the subject of our gaze. That would of course be extremely awkward not to mention somewhat dangerous.

In the last few days for some reason I have been challenged regarding my eye condition. I have been reminded of the example of Jesus when confronted with the needy multitudes. It is said of him that “…When He saw the multitudes; He was moved with compassion….” (Matthew 9:36). I also remember His encounter with the rich young ruler. There it is said of Lord that “……Jesus, looking at him, loved him…” (Mark 10:21).

One of the more interesting narratives in the New Testament involves Jesus, the woman at the well and the disciples near the Samaritan city of Sychar. As the disciples went to town to find food, Jesus engaged the Samaritan woman in conversation about her soul. When the disciples came back it was apparent they had told no one in the town about Jesus. They had been too worried about their growling stomachs to notice anyone. They suffered from an eye condition very similar to mine.

Jesus confronts the disciples about there food obsessions. Then, with the whole town making its way to him because of the witness of the recently departed Samaritan woman, He gives his disciples a very poignant command. He says, referring to the oncoming crowd, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest. (John 4:35)

The disciples needed to lift up their eyes and see the Samaritans as Jesus did. I need to lift up my eyes and see the people in our city as Jesus does. I suspect you may have the same need as the disciples and I have. The words that follow are to a song that would make a powerful prayer for all of us as I close this article. The song writer prays:

“Let me see this world, dear Lord, As though I were looking through Your eyes.
A world of men who don’t want You Lord, But a world for which You died.
Let me kneel with You in the garden, Blur my eyes with tears of agony;
For if once I could see this world the way You see, I just know I’d serve You more faithfully.

Let me see this world, dear Lord, Through Your eyes when men mock Your Holy Name.
When they beat You and spat upon You, Lord, Let me love them as You loved them just the same.
Let me stand high above my petty problems, And grieve for men, hell bound eternally;
For if once I could see this world the way You see, I just know I’d serve You more faithfully.” (Words and music by Mike Otto, Copyright 1979)

An Urban Christian
Dave Watson

Build A Hospital

OF MOSQUES AND MEN

Last week I had a great visit from some friends of mine from Virginia. They wanted to see our fair city as most of out of towners do. So my wife and I, with our kids, trekked them into the city. One of the sites they wanted to see was ground zero so, of course, we took them there.

Ground zero is now a busy construction site and there is not really a whole lot to see. In spite of this, it still pains me to go there. It also still hurts every time I look at our beautiful skyline with the two missing pieces forever etched in my mind. I wish I could forget but I can’t. On September 11, 2001 we lost nearly 3000 fellow New Yorkers, we lost the symbols of our city’s wonder and greatness but we also lost so much more.

We lost our sense of security because it seems we can never really believe we are safe again. We also lost our innocence because we experienced an unspeakable horror. Those who did the deed and those behind it hoped and prayed to Allah that 50,000 of us would die and that our city would economically, socially and spiritually collapse. They wanted more than the towers, they wanted us. But for the grace of God, they would have gotten their wish.

Not content with the 1993 attack, the terrorists tried again and on 9/11 they succeeded. But they weren’t content with the carnage they caused on that dreadful day. They’ve tried again and again to do our country and our city more harm. In their thinking they should not stop until they have destroyed us or killed themselves in the process, because after all we are the great satan - the infidels against whom the jihad most be fought and won.

After our short visit to ground zero my friends asked me to bring them to the site of the controversial proposed “Ground Zero Mosque.” In less than a New York Minute we were there. When I stood at the corner of Park Place (the street where the Mosque will be built) and Church Street I was flabbergasted. Without exaggeration, this Mosque is being built at Ground Zero. If, on 9/11, you had been standing on the spot where I took my friends that day you would have met your Maker.

The building of a Mosque here is not an issue of rights granted by our Constitution. It is not an issue of religious rights but it is an issue of doing what’s right. Clearly it is insensitive and it could be construed as being malicious. Please remember, for the Islamic terrorists, flying the planes into the towers was an answer to their prayers vindicating their hatred of America. Sadly and tragically this is the thinking of many in the Muslim world, even many who live in this country, even some who worship in this city.

If the Mosque is built, on Fridays (every Friday) and on holy days the call to prayer will go out and the faithful will gather and proclaim “Allah is great” in the shadow of one the greatest atrocities ever committed in the name of Allah. Just writing of it nauseates me. What is equally as bad is that many who pray on those days will be quietly giving thanks to their god for the devastation caused on 9/11 on that very block ---an event that they believe was an answer to their prayers.

Our President and Mayor have weighed in on this issue and they are wrong--- ridiculously wrong. I am sure that a great number of Muslims are peace loving people. I am also sure that far too many Muslims for our comfort have sympathies toward the radicals. Listen closely for unapologetic outrage from Muslim leaders next time Christian missionaries are executed like they were in Afghanistan last month. Tune in to talk radio, network news or surf the web when the next bombing or hijacking or senseless murder of innocents occurs in the name of Allah. As hard as you try, you will not find an unqualified condemnation. The best you will get is “Not all Muslims are like this”. What we should hear is that those who have done these deeds are contemptible and damned. That the perpetrators are not martyrs but murderers. What we get is a whole lot less.

The building of the Mosque at ground zero would not be a celebration of our pluralistic society but rather a supreme example of insensitivity and bad taste. I am not bigoted and intolerant for suggesting this project go elsewhere. To make this type of accusation toward me and others who feel this way is to be bigoted and intolerant. Over the last nine years, I have watched our city slowly move forward toward healing. I have been to the firehouses, I have spoken to the first responders, I have been to the yearly memorials. I don’t appreciate the horrific wound caused in the name of Allah being re-opened in the name of Allah. If those in the Muslim community genuinely want to promote healing they could learn a lesson from the Jews, the Catholics, the Lutherans, the Methodists, the Baptists and the Presbyterians, they could build a hospital.

Dave Watson
An Urban Christian

“Come Soar with Us”

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6

This past Memorial Day Weekend I was at my mother’s house in Massachusetts. My mom wanted to make us something special for breakfast so she whipped up some blueberry muffins for my family and I. The muffins looked perfect, but when you bit into them something was clearly missing. In her haste to make the muffins, my mom had left out the critical ingredient of sugar. The muffins didn’t taste bad just not as the recipe intended.

In the Christian life one of the most critical ingredients is faith. For our Christian life to be as God intended we must live as people of faith. Without faith, as the above text indicates, we can’t please God. In addition, it is through faith that we are actually saved according to Ephesians 2:8-9 which states “For by grace you have been saved  through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast.” In fact, all of the Christian life is lived by faith and not by sight, as we are told in
2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Regretfully for many of us, faith (authentic submission and dependence on God), is often missing in our Christian walk. We recognize that we couldn’t save ourselves and thus we cried out to the Lord to rescue us. We now, however, think or believe that we can pull off the Christian life with a minimal amount of help from God.

The importance of faith to our everyday walk cannot be overstated. Hebrews 4:2 warns us of the danger of hearing the promises of God and not applying them by faith when it says, “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.” It is possible for us to know the wonderful promises of God and yet not benefit from them because we don’t mix them with faith.

Most super-strong glues come with two tubes in the package. The two solutions need to be mixed together to obtain a bond. One of those tubes has a strong adhesive in it. Unless it is in the compund the mixture won’t stick. In many ways faith is the adhesive, the epoxy that allows the promises of God to stick to us. If we don’t mix the promises of God with faith they are of no benefit to us.

Faith is so important to our Christian experience we can’t afford to neglect it. Beginning Sunday June 6th and continuing throughout the summer months we will be talking about faith from the book of Hebrews chapters 11 and 12. We invite our members and friends in the coming weeks to “Come Soar with Us” as we learn to fly on the wings of faith”. It is our hope and prayer that we as church family will have a faith-filled summer.

Blessings,
Dave Watson
An Urban Christian

Why Have We Been Blessed?

Psalm 67:1-2 - God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah. That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

Our text for today, Psalm 67, begins with a simple prayer for the mercy, blessing and favor of Almighty God. You and I have asked God for this many times just probably with different words. We say things like “Lord, forgive me for the way I acted today”, or “Dear Jesus, help me to get the raise I so desperately need” or “Lord, may the test results show nothing abnormal”.

These are all the legitimate prayers of God’s people in need. (A position, I might add, we are all in almost every minute of every day of our lives.) They are the normal petitions of the human heart. They are real prayers from real people.

When I ask for God’s mercy I am recognizing that I don’t deserve or earn what I am asking for, but because He is gracious and merciful I am asking for it. When I ask for His blessing I am admitting that what I can do for myself is woefully inadequate, so I need His help. Finally, when I ask for God to shine His face upon me I am asking for His grace, His unmerited favor. This idea is taken from the priestly prayer of Aaron over the nation of Israel in Numbers 6:24-26.

Praying for the mercy, help and grace of God is all well and good but we should probably ask ourselves a very basic question as we lift up these requests. That question, simply put is, “Why should God bless me?” The profound answer is found in verse 2 of this Psalm.

The verse says that the purpose of God’s blessing upon His people is “That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.” So there you have it. God blesses us so that others may be blessed. God answers our prayers not just so our situation can be improved but so that His way might be made known on the earth and so that the nations might know about His glorious salvation.

I prefer to think that the only reason God answers my prayers is because He loves me. I want to believe that I am so important to Him that He blesses me just to bless me. If either of these were the only reason for the blessing of God it would foster an incredibly self-absorbed attitude in all of us. We would be constantly crying, “bless me, bless me, bless me” and “give me, give me, give me” as if God were some cosmic ATM with the password “In Jesus Name”.

Surely, God blesses us out of His concern for us, but His purpose and plan are much greater. He gives to us so we might give to others. He blesses us so that His ways, His salvation might be made known to all.

Let me suggest a very powerful, yet easy, exercise. Take a few moments to list as many blessings that God has bestowed upon you as you can think of. Take a minute or two to read over all of these blessings and then ask the Lord to help you understand His purposes for blessing you. Ask Him to show you specifically how His mercy and blessings upon you can be used to advance His kingdom and His agenda. In other words, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”.

Blessings (with a purpose),

Dave Watson
The Urban Christian

Crisis in Haiti

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the republic of Haiti has left the Capitol city of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas devastated. Because Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and least able to help itself, this disaster is more tragic than any words could describe. The pictures that we have seen over the internet and on our televisions tell only a fraction of the story. The damage on this Caribbean Island of over nine million people has been described as “Biblical” in proportion.

You, like me, have probably asked yourself why God would permit such a natural disaster to happen. I will readily admit that I don’t know exactly all the details of God’s master plan. I also am quite sure that it is not because of a curse on Haiti because of a pact with the devil, as a certain televangelist has alleged. The referenced pact is disputed by many. In addition, if it did occur (it was supposedly made in 1791) it is ludicrous to think it would somehow be binding on the people of today. In addition, we do well to remind ourselves that numerous founders of the United States of America were alleged to be Free Masons; a secret organization that many feel is at its core, demonic. Are all our problems to be blamed on the past sins of a few?

At times like these I remind myself that we live on a fallen planet. Romans 8:22-23 tells us that the whole creation groans and travails for the redemption of God’s people. We also note that the book of Revelation speaks of events far worse than this. Thus, I tell myself that in a broken world everything is broken. Haiti’s woes sadly illustrate this point to the max. This doesn’t mean that God could not have prevented the earthquake. But for reasons we won’t know this side of heaven, He chose not to.

It seems far too easy for me from this distance to say we must trust Him. I pray my Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ will, by God’s grace, be able in this dark hour to claim His promise in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose. I pray that they will be comforted by the words of Romans 8:38&39 which tell us that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, not height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because we are now focused on Haiti it might be good for us as believers to inform ourselves about this small country that shares an island with the Dominican Republic.
Haiti was founded via a slave revolt against the French in 1804. It had been France’s richest colony. It has had a difficult history marked by exploitive and tyrannical leaders. The most recent of these leaders were the Duvaliers (Papa Doc and Baby Doc) who ran the nation from 1957 to 1986. In 1994 the United States helped the country to hold democratic elections. It has valiantly struggled in recent days to put aside the dismal past and develop a hopeful future.

Haiti is primarily a Catholic country, though freedom of religion is one of it tenants. Along with their Catholicism many Haitians practice Voodoo, a development of West African Spiritism. Thanks to God’s grace and recent evangelistic efforts, evangelical Christians now make up over 25% of the population. There are presently nearly 500 evangelical missionaries working in Haiti in a variety of vocations from healthcare to church planting.

Still, why would God allow this to happen? I don’t claim to know the answers to that question. Allow me, however, to suggest a few things we know right now that God would want us to do.

1. Pray for Haiti. It is now on our spiritual radar screens. We should be praying for our brothers and sisters there and hurting as they are hurting. We should be praying for the missionaries there and the unbelievable task before them. We should be praying for many to find Christ in the wake of this disaster. We should be praying for the relief these people so desperately need. We should be praying for the stability of the country and the government, especially President Rene Preval.

2. Give for Haiti. They need our money in addition to our prayers. Truly if having given to the least of these we have given to the Lord, so having given to the restoration of Haiti we have given to the Lord. In the next few months, our church, Calvary Chapel will have a fund that you can give to. All monies received will go to a ministry or ministries that will provide physical relief and a spiritual message to these hurting people

3. Go to Haiti. Let’s get serious. In the next few weeks we’ll be making you aware of short term ministry opportunities with reputable agencies. If enough of us are moved by God to go we will form our own team and go together with one of the agencies.

4. Learn from Haiti. Sometimes when we read the Scriptures and end times prophecies we look at it as a fairytale. Sadly, the disaster in Haiti illustrates the fact that immense devastation can occur in a very short time. This should sober us as it relates to what the Bible says about the end of the age.

5. Care about Haiti. It is my prayer that this horribly tragic situation will cause us to turn our hearts to this nation and its people.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Money Matters

The news media and political pundits have been throwing around terms like socialism, communism, and capitalism with quite a bit of regularity lately. With the hope of clarifying some things, I begin my article with some simple definitions

Socialism: You have two cows. The government takes one of your cows and gives it to your neighbor.

Communism: You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with milk. You wait in line for your share of the milk, but it's so long that the milk is sour by the time you get it.

Capitalism: You have two cows. You lay one off, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when she drops dead.

I’m not sure if these definitions adequately describe for us these governmental and financial systems. Truth be told, most people are more concerned with whether or not they can make ends meet than with the definitions regarding their economic systems. However, I am sure that the Scriptures give us sound advice regarding our finances no matter the economic system and no matter the economic circumstances we find ourselves in.

As we scan the headlines on the worldwide web or in the local newspaper we need to remember that the Bible speaks to our world and to our personal situations.

As we read “Stock Market loses 50% of It’s Value Since Last Year” we are reminded of Proverbs 23:4-5 which admonishes us, “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”
Biblical Headline: The only thing we can count on in regard to money is that it will fly away.

As we try and get our arms around “401K’s Causing Many to Reconsider Retirement Plans”, we note Matthew 6:19-21 - “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Biblical Headline: Our treasure must be in heaven not on earth.

It is alarming to read “Unemployment Could Go Above 10%”, therefore, we must embrace Matthew 6:25 & 33 - “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?.... But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Biblical Headline: We’ll have what we need as we put Him first.
It is somewhat apocalyptic to see, “California Drought May lead to East Coast Food Shortages”. Therefore, we must be find comfort in the words of David in Psalm 37:25 - “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
Biblical Headline: God will take care of His children.

Sadly we read, “12% of Borrowers Behind on Mortgages or In Foreclosure”. We know from Proverbs 22:7 that, “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.”
Biblical Headline: Understand the consequence of debt.

It is troublesome to be informed that, “Decline in Charitable Giving Hits Non-Profits”. In this light we must live out 2 Corinthians 8:2-3 - Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
Biblical Headline: God wants us to be generous in spite of, not because of, our circumstances.

Finally, it may be true for some that “Individuals in Depression Over Recession”. However, this need not be the case for us. We can claim Hebrews 13:5-6 – “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’. So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
Newsflash: What we have or do not have does not define us. God’s presence in our lives is what makes the ultimate difference.

Dave Watson
An Urban Christian

Recent Prophecies

A recent posting on the blog of Rev. David Wilkerson has caused a great stir among believers and non-believers alike. In his blog, Wilkerson warns of coming social unrest that will result in riots and fires. He attributes these to America being under the wrath of God. He tells us that "God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations."

Those who have responded to this blog have tended to fall into three camps. There are those who completely reject Wilkerson as having no credibility and write him off as a kook. I assure you, that is not the case. He actually has a bit of a track record in the prophecy arena.

Others have completely embraced his recent words almost uncritically. Wilkerson's words are taken almost as Gospel. This group would believe that Wilkerson is, after all, a man of God in touch with God. Thus, what he says must be accepted and we must be careful what we say against him because the Scripture says "Touch not the LORD's anointed or His prophets."

A third response is the "I don't know" approach. This, "I hope he's wrong but maybe he's right -- but I don't know so I'm going to freak out a bit" methodology probably is not that helpful. Certainly, there must be a more reasoned perspective.

Believe it or not, the Bible is very helpful in clarifying matters such as this. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 speaks to us as believers saying, "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." A few words of explanation and application are in order.

Quenching the Spirit means "to extinguish a flame." We should not be those who simply pour cold water on something someone says is Spirit-led just because we don't like it.

Despising prophecy means "to look down on or ridicule." We should not reject out of hand a message someone claims to be from God just because it doesn't jive with our thinking.

Testing all things means that we "examine or take out for a test drive" the claims. We should not accept claims uncritically. Our testing should involve what we know about God -- our God sense; what we know about the Scriptures -- our Bible sense; what we know about the person -- our people sense; and what we know about what's going on in the world -- our common sense.

Holding fast to the good means that I "make my own that which passes the test, and believe it." We should not throw away the proverbial baby with the bath water. We must eat the meat and spit out the bones.

With these verses in mind, what do we do with David Wilkinson's recent prophecy? We can't dismiss it, we can't mock it or ignore it. What we can do is test it, throwing anything out that fails the test and believing and acting on what is found to be trustworthy based on our knowledge of Scripture, our knowledge of God, what we know about the speaker, and what we know about current world events. In other words, we should take seriously that which passes the test.

Rev. Wilkerson is not like the Old Testament prophets who spoke "Thus says the LORD." If anything, he is like those of whom Paul says "for we know in part and we prophecy in part" and "we see in a mirror dimly" (1 Corinthians 13:9 &.12) 1 Corinthians 14:29 says "let two or three prophets speak and let the others judge."

Because prophecy today is at best "in part" and at best, we see in glass dimly, it is necessary for what is prophesied to be judged, to be sifted through. Therefore we must follow through with the Biblical principles I have just outlined in evaluating Rev. Wilkinson's blog, as well as any others that may come our way.

Dave Watson
An Urban Christian

What’s So New in the New Year?

As I write this article 2008 is gone and 2009 is upon us. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are memories and many New Year’s resolutions have already been broken. So what’s so new about New Year’s you may ask? I’m so glad you asked that. I just happen to have a very Biblical answer.
The concept of new or newness is found throughout the Scriptures and in this concept we find great hope as well as great expectations. Perhaps the most important idea is found in Laminations 3:22-23 which says “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not, They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” One very important thing is new every year, every month and every day, it is the LORD’s mercy. Our gracious God never runs out of mercy and grace toward you and I. The Hebrew word for mercy here is “hesed” and it means “loyal love”. Thus we know that God’s unfailing loving kindness to you and I is brand new 24/7 365 days of the year. That’s what’s new in the New Year.
A second concept of newness is found with reference to all who claim to know Jesus Christ as personal Savior. The Bible speaks of us as having a new birth (1 Peter 1:23) We are also told as new born babes to desire the pure milk of God’s Word. (1 Peter 2:2) This new birth experience has changed us dramatically. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says of us “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Thus we know that we are indeed new people, a new creation because of Christ. That’s what’s new in the New Year.
A third concept springs from our new life in Christ. We find in this new life new opportunities and new responsibilities. Paul in Romans put it like this “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) In essence he is saying “because we died and rose with Christ we can live like Christ”. That’s the opportunity. The responsibility is found in Ephesians 4:22-24 where the apostle says “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness”. We must and can choose to put off the old man, the old garments of sinfulness which are no longer in style for the believer and we must put on the new man, the new stylish clothes befitting a Christian. Thus we have a new lifestyle. That’s what’s new in the New Year.
A fourth concept that is worthy of our consideration is with reference to the body of Christ, God’s Church. In Ephesians 2:14-15 we read “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.” God’s newest institution is the church. In it, He has broken down the walls of racial division and made one brand spanking new man of which we are a part. Thus we are now part of God’s new community of people from every tribe, tongue and nation under the heavens. That’s what’s new in the New Year.
The foundation of the new birth, the new creation, the new lifestyle as well as the new community is our fifth and final concept. It is the New Covenant. This new covenant was promised in Jeremiah 31:31-33 and it is spoken of by the author of Hebrews as being a better covenant based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6) Jesus Christ is the Mediator of this covenant and He initiated it during the Last Supper when he took the Cup of Thanksgiving and said “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28) In that same breath He promised us a future kingdom with Him saying “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Thus we are reminded as often we eat the bread and drink the cup of the LORD’s death till He comes. May His return be what’s new in the New Year. Amen.
Maranatha, Even so come Lord Jesus,
Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Reflections on Inauguration Day

“In the year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple”. These words, written by Isaiah, describe the transitional nature of political leaders, governments and even nations. It also describes for us the permanence of God’s rule in the universe. He is always completely in control. In our nation we believe that we elect our leaders but, in actual fact, our Sovereign God selects them. Daniel proclaims, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise; And knowledge to those who have understanding.” This truth should give us assurance and strength. God, for His purposes, gives us our leaders.

A closer look at the words of Isaiah from a New Testament perspective reveals an even greater truth. In John 12:41 we see that the One Isaiah is speaking about is none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord and always has been and always will be. He is Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth. He is Lord of you and He is Lord of me. He is Lord over all the leaders of all the nations great and small.

On April 30, 1789 after the revolutionary war right here in New York City, George Washington took the oath of office to become our very first President. As he did so, Jesus was Lord. On March 4, 1797 when John Adams took the oath to become our second President, Jesus was Lord. On March 4th, 1861 when the country was about to be torn apart by the issue of slavery, Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as our 16th President, and Jesus was Lord. On March 4, 1933 while the country was in a deep depression and Germany was beginning it’s rise to world power, Franklin Roosevelt took the oath to become our 32nd President and as he did so, Jesus was Lord. On January 20, 1981 as the Soviet Communist Empire was expanding in the world and Nuclear War was a real possibly, Ronald Reagan became our 40th President, and on that day too, Jesus was Lord.

I hope you see the trend. Things may change on earth but they remain the same in heaven. Thus, our hope is never in earthly kings or leaders but in the heavenly King of the universe. Thus we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We pray for our leaders and for all those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2) because we know that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and that like rivers of water He turns it however He wills. (Proverbs 21:1). We give our leaders their due honor, for that is what we are commanded to do. (1 Peter 2:17) However, our total obedience and absolute allegiance goes only to the One who saved us with His precious blood, our Savior, Jesus Christ, for He is Lord.

Today, as always and as always will be, God is on His throne. Therefore you and I can, and should, say “On January 20, 2009, in the year Barak Obama was sworn in as our 44th President, I saw the Lord, high and lifted up and His train filled the temple.”
And yes, Jesus is still Lord.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Missing Christmas

The images of Christmas are quite vivid in most of our minds. You haveprobably heard about the boy who, when asked about the Christmas story, could only remember the three maggots who brought gold, frankincense and smurfs to the baby Jesus.

In addition to this distorted image of Christmas, there are many other ways that we view Christmas. Some see it as a time of giving and thus, shopping. Some think of family. Others are reminded of plays, candy, and presents.
It is, as one writer has said, ``harder and harder to see Christmas throughthe wrapping paper of our culture.''
In 1989, the actor Charles Durning made a film entitled, ``The Christmas That Almost Wasn't.'' The film portrays Santa as very unhappy. He is so bothered by the greed and selfishness of the world that he has threatened to cancel the holiday, thus causing everyone to miss Christmas. Sadly, almost everyone misses Christmas every year.

How is it that we miss Christmas? We miss Christmas when we don't personally receive the gifts that the Lord Jesus Christ came to give us. Jesus came as a Savior to save us from our sins and to give us a new life, as well as eternal life. We miss Christmas when we don't receive his free gift of salvation.

We also miss Christmas when we fail to personally give the gift of ourselves to Jesus Christ in worship and thanksgiving. We almost always give gifts to those whom we love. Why, we should ask, do we forget our Lord.

The ``how'' of missing Christmas is simple but the ``why'' of missing Christmas is somewhat more complex. Let me suggest some reasons why we miss it that are taken right from the Biblical account of the very first Christmas.

Firstly, it is very possible to miss Christmas because we are preoccupied. Like the innkeeper who had no room in his inn for Joseph and the very pregnant Mary (Luke 2:7), we are not hostile or unsympathetic. We are just very busy. The shopping, the Christmas parties, the Christmas concerts, the wrapping of gifts, etc., make it so very easy for us to miss Christmas. It takes a real effort to focus on the real reason for the season.

Second, we can miss Christmas if we are perplexed about the Christ child. Just as those who heard the shepherds' first announcement of the Savior's birth (Luke 2:18). These individuals marveled at the good news, but did not personally go to check things out for themselves. They missed Christmas. Sadly, to most people, who Jesus really is and what he came to do is some what of a blur. Growing up in church I had a vague idea about the identity of the baby Jesus, but I understood very little of the implications of His coming to earth. I made very little effort to checkout His claims. Frankly, I was comfortable in my ignorance. The result was that for many years I missed Christmas.

We can also miss Christmas because of our own fears regarding Jesus Christ. I call it the phobia of Christmas. When Herod and the Jewish leaders were approached by the Magi from the East they were troubled (Matt. 2:1-3).The Magi sought a new born king. King Herod feared that new king might take away his title as king of the Jews. Jesus comes not only to us as a Savior, but as our King. We miss Christmas when we are afraid to give Christ full reign in our lives because of the changes that He most certainly would require.

Lastly, we can miss Christmas because of pride. The chief priests and scribes were experts in the law. They even quoted Micah 5:2 to Herod about the whereabouts of Christ's birth (Matt. 2:4-6). Yet they failed to seek out the Christ child. They were content in their religious tradition. They had a concept of a Messiah that they were comfortable with. Evidently, the Jesus that the Magi sought was not what they were looking for. We must never forget that it is not the religious traditions that make Christmas. It is Jesus. Let's be sure not to replace Him with ceremony.

In a few short days Christmas will come and go. Let’s not miss it. Let’s put aside our preoccupations with the presents and focus on the person of Christ. Let’s deal sincerely with the questions we have about Christ. Let’s search the Scriptures to find the answers. Let’s bow down before Him as King. Let’s humble ourselves in His presence.

Regretfully, this year many will once again miss Christmas. Don't be among this group. Jesus Christ extends an invitation for us to experience Him and His salvation all year `round.
Receive His free gift of salvation with its forgiveness of sin and
eternal life today and in turn, give to Him the gift of your heart.

Merry New York City Christmas,

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

Reflections on the 2008 Election

In a couple of days Americans will go to the polls and pull a lever to elect a new President of the United States of America. We are truly a privileged people. Christians in centuries past had to put up with maniacal dictators who persecuted and martyred our forbears. Even today there are places in the world where believers are suppressed and oppressed. Because of our freedoms I hope you will avail yourself of the right to vote. Being a good Christian means being a good citizen, rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, so go and vote on Tuesday, November 4th.

A sample of internet sites from and for believers will yield a multitude of reasons to vote for one candidate or another. Many times we are told to pray and seek the Lord’s leading as to who we should vote for. I do believe we should pray. However, I don’t think we should so much seek a leading as we should seek discernment. We need discernment to see through the media’s hoopla and the candidates’ smoke and mirrors. They are, after all, politicians. But there is more.

As Christians we have been given the infallible, life-changing, inspired Word of God. From these Scriptures we can discern, at best, which candidate we should vote for or, at worst, which candidate not to vote for. It seems to me that there are five timeless truths in Scripture that give us the guidance we need.

These truths are:

Principle #1 - A commitment to a pro-life position – All life is sacred because we are all made equally in the image of God (Genesis 1:27-28). The life of the innocent unborn is indeed precious. The Scriptures teach us that God supervises our creation in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16) and that He has a purpose for us from before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5). In Amos 1:13, God promised to judge the Ammonites for their mistreatment of the unborn. God is clearly on the side of the unborn, so the person we vote for should be fully of that persuasion as well, both in their personal and political convictions.

Principle #2 - A commitment to a pro-traditional family position – From the time of Creation, God has defined marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman; Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve or Eve and Elaine (Genesis 2:22-25). Same sex marriage and or polygamous marriages are outside of God’s design. A society cannot survive without strong traditional families. Every effort should be made to hold this Biblical model up as the standard. What’s more, any perversion of God’s original design for the family is both dangerous and destructive to a society. The person we pull the lever for should share God’s view of marriage and the family.

Principle #3 - A commitment to a pro-Israel position – God promised Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you. And I will curse him who curses you.” This Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional and carries through to today. It behooves our nation then to bless Israel, to support her. This is a Biblical conviction we should embrace and hold to. It doesn’t mean we don’t confront Israel’s evils and faults. Israel doesn’t get a free pass to do whatever it pleases. However, it is clear that the Jewish nation is still the apple of God’s eye and we and the person we vote for should see them that way.

Principle #4 - A commitment to a pro-Judeo/Christian values position – Proverbs 14:34 tells us that “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people”. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount reflect what the Lord means by righteousness. Psalm 94:20 asks, “Shall the throne of iniquity which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You?” The Lord says He will have no part with the kingdom/nation that legislates evil behavior. As Christians, we should support those who share our values. We live in a pluralistic country, but we are under no obligation to vote for those who don’t share our Judeo/Christian values. These values are a major foundation for the goodness of our land.

Principle #5 - A commitment to a pro-compassion position -- Psalm 9:17-18 tells us, “The wicked shall be turned into hell and all nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” It is clear that God cares about the poor and needy. The Church should have that same concern and so should those we vote for. Turning our back on those who are genuinely in need can result in God turning His back on us as a nation.

I encourage you to use these five simple principles to determine which candidate would best reflect our Christian values. As believers in Jesus Christ we are told to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. Thus, we don’t vote a political party but our Savior’s priorities. We cannot vote our color, but His creed. We don’t vote our ethnicity but His ethics. We don’t merely vote for “A Change we can believe in”, we vote according to “God’s Word that we can count on.” We don’t vote “Country First”, we vote “Christ’s Kingdom First.” We don’t even vote according to our pocketbook, but rather, we must vote according to His principles. And in the end, our prayer is not for what we want but what He Wills.

If you aren’t sure where a candidate stands, Google that candidate and the principles above. This time around, let’s be sure we search the Scriptures, search the internet, search our hearts and on Tuesday, search out our polling place.

As a citizen of the United States of America I am grateful for the privilege of voting to elect a president and other public officials. As a citizen of heaven I am grateful for the knowledge that the Lord ultimately selects our leaders. Daniel 2:20 tells us that the Lord “changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings”. First, foremost and always though, you and I are committed to follow one person, our Lord, Jesus Christ. He is our only real Hope both now and eternally.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

On the Money

We live in very confusing times. Political leaders are warning of a dire economic crisis. Elected representatives are stumped as to what to do. The Stock Market is up and down like a yo-yo. Credit is tight and sales of antacids are up. Gas prices are high and consumer confidence is low. Presidential candidates try to offer hope while the media seeks to instill fear. What’s a person to do in the midst of this craziness?

As I have watched the news over the last week I have tried to navigate my way through all the reports and commentary. However, all of my efforts have just left me frustrated. Our political leaders do not seem to have any real definitive answers.

As I mull over the role our Christianity plays in daily life I move from frustration and fear to faith and peace. It seems to me that, as believers, there are at least five simple anchors that we can drop that will hold our lives steady when we find ourselves in tumultuous times or circumstances. Please allow me to share them with you.
Anchor # 1 - The Creator of the universe is not surprised by any of the present happenings in the Stock Market. This is true because God is omniscient, He knows everything. He knows the future completely even when it takes an unpredictable turn. The early church father Augustine wrote, “To confess that God exists, and at the same time to deny that He has foreknowledge of future things, is the most manifest folly.”
Anchor #2 - Our Heavenly Father is ultimately in control of the affairs of this world, even in the world financial situation. Speaking of Him in Daniel 2:21, the Scripture states, “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise, And knowledge to those who have understanding.” God is always in control. He is Sovereign. As our Father we can be sure He has our best interests in mind. The One who holds the future holds us in the palm of His hand.

Anchor #3 - God should be praised no matter what happens around us, even in a fiscal crisis. The Biblical character Job is legendary for suffering. His example is one we should aspire to follow. Having lost everything he says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.(Job 1:21)” We should seek to praise God not so much for what He gives us as for who he is.
Anchor #4 - The Lord Himself has us given timeless truths in His Word that are relevant even in challenging economic times. Biblical principles and promises are something we can take to the bank (figuratively speaking). The borrower will be a server to the lender (Proverbs. 22:7). We do reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). If I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness all these things (the meeting of my needs) will be added unto me (Matthew 6:33). In His Word I can hope unashamedly.

Anchor #5 - The Solid Rock of our salvation is the only safe place to put our trust when things on Wall Street affect us on Main Street. .The Psalmist, King David, tells us, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2) Later on he will say “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:2) Thus, we can say, ”God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

These five anchors can be summed up in one simple phrase. “In God We Trust”. In times of financial crisis or economic uncertainty we do well to follow this command. It is more than a cliché. It is way of life and it is “right on the money”, literally.

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian

September 11, 2008

This morning around 5:30 A.M. the alarm on my PDA sounded. When I got up to shut it off I got a chill in my bones as I read to myself the date. September 11th.

I really don’t know how and I really don’t know why but I am and it seems I will always be affected by those two words. September 11th.

I just came from the Firehouse where almost everyone in Engine 158 was gathered. Some of the retired guys had even come back. We had breakfast, we laughed, we joked. But at 8:46 we stood in front of the house and were silent and somber as we remembered the 343 members of their department who had died on September 11th

I don’t understand how much of the country goes about their business today. I don’t understand how business can be as usual. How can you go to class, how can you buy a new pair of pants or a DVD? How can you have a party? I guess everyone copes with things there on way. But I just want to shout “Don’t you know it’s September 11th. “

Like masochists who need the pain I think we must grieve. We must remember the horror of the 2968 who lost their lives in New York, in Washington and in a field in Pennsylvania. We must hear the strained voices as their family members read the names of the loved ones they’ve lost. We must see their tears. We must cry with them. Not to do so would be sacrilege. It’s September 11th.

This is a day like none other. I guess it’s our generation’s and our kid’s generation’s Pearl Harbor. But I really don’t know. It seems so odd. Our elected officials treat it like a holiday and I really think it should be. It could be called “The Day Things Changed Forever, September 11th.”

On this day those of us in this in this city want to be close to our families. We want to hug each other, eat together, and catch up with each other. We miss those who aren’t with us. We ask in advance “what are you doing on 9-11”. We seek religious experiences, that is we watch the coverage of ground zero or we attend a ceremony, go to a firehouse or write. We sing or listen to our 9-11 hymns; Amazing Grace and God Bless America. We hear the 9-11 bells ringing, those sharp pings marking the striking and then falling of the towers and the crashing into the Pentagon. Then we watch the tree lighting; those two overwhelming spotlights from Ground Zero at dusk, piercing the sky where once those two beautiful towers touched the heavens. It has all the hall marks of a holiday. We just will never be able to say “Happy September 11th. “

I know there is much to be thankful for today. Things could have been much worse. We’ve not been attacked in 2557 days, we‘ve made improvements in security. So much good has come out this unthinkable evil. But there are still boys and girls who don’t remember or never met their dads. There are 8 year olds who want their missing mommies when they fall down, there are grown men who were robbed of a lifetime with their sons, grown women who will never help their daughters prepare for her special day, middle age husbands and wives who will never celebrate a 25th wedding anniversary. It seems so unfair, so wrong. One day, a few moments, marred these lives forever just seven years ago on September 11th

We make memorials, lay wreaths and try to make sense of it all. Sometimes life doesn’t make sense. I wish for our nation, for myself and for my city for more than moment of silence. I think in light of this extremely loud and incredibly close event we should have a yearly national day of silence. Perhaps if there was a sacred Sabbath, a day where we shut down, we could know in a life altering way, the presence of our God, comforting our souls and strengthening our hearts, showing us the way. Then we might be able to commemorate “The Day God Changed Us Forever, September 11th. “

Dave Watson, An Urban Christian