Why are believers so afraid of the world?

"Because we don’t believe Jesus has overcome the world" is my short answer.

John 16 :33 says: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I spoke awhile ago in the Village of Splatsville (names and places have been changed to protect the innocent) and I asked the question: “How long has it been since the village drunk in Splatsville has been saved?” Blank, pale faces stared back at me with no response.

After the service a young man came by and said “We have been concerned about ourselves, we don’t even know the name of the town drunk”. They had become so isolated from their community at large they didn’t know who the town drunk was. Not that knowing the name of the town drunk is the measure of a church's influence in a community, but what influence do we have, if any?

Christians wake up! Quit worrying about global warming, we aren’t going to survive until that becomes a serious problem because our Western culture will be long gone before that point.

I know and discuss things with people with a myriad of views. I know this sounds trite, and you’ve heard it before - “They like our Jesus, but they don’t like us, His followers. I am including myself as one of His followers.

As I wrote “His Followers” I realized I may have put my finger on the problem unintentionally. We are followers, not Disciples. To me a follower of someone does not paint a passionate picture. I envision people quietly trudging across a desert in a long silent line.

Now Disciples make me nervous. Disciples are doers. They are serious about their beliefs. They put themselves on the line, stand for truth and have courage. I don’t have to agree with them, but I respect them because they live out their passion.

Over the last two weeks I heard Christians decry Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears. We are quick to point out that Ms. Smith was in Playboy and her only accomplishment was that she married some 86 year old rich man. We lollygagged while Anna Nicole Smith may have very well slid into Hell for eternity but did any of us give a damn?

A pastor friend called me and told me he shared with his church his burden for Britney Spears (the one who shaved her head). As I see it she is crying out for help. She needs Christ, she needs a dad, she needs a mom, she needs the unconditional love of Christ. Are any of us besides this pastor praying for Britney Spears?

We here in rural Minnesota will most likely not rub shoulders with the likes of Britney Spears, but we can pray. We need to pray for her but also pray that our hearts would be tendered towards the “unlovely people” all around us.

We as believers are sitting in huddles, in little groups called churches, tentatively looking out our stain glassed windows, hoping the town drunk does not show up and disrupt our church service as it is printed in the church bulletin.

God helps us to be courageous, gives us strength to go “into” the world, but being “not of it.” We must go into the world and be the sweet fragrance of Christ’s love, hope and forgiveness. Jesus said, “Go”, we say “Come”. And the truth is, they never come because they do not know what they will find inside our church. They don’t know us, and we don’t know them. We are scared of "Them" and "They" are scared of us.

Jesus said he overcame the world! Do we believe it? Jesus prayed for us in John 17: 13-19: "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." If that’s what Jesus said and prayed, what are we afraid of? Notice we are to stay here and do what? Minister to people, be a servant to others.

In Acts 1, at the ascension of Christ, Christ ascends and His disciples stand around looking into the sky. "They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1: 10-11. "Why are we standing around and looking into the sky?" May I suggest, because it’s the easy way out. Keep my hands clean and keep my Holy Huddle secure while the world around me goes to Hell.

Mount up Christians, let’s march into Hell for a Heavenly cause. It’s later than we think. Go to the hurting people in our communities and minister to them.

We need to ask ourselves -

• What have we done with the gifts God has given us?
• How will we as Christians answer for our loss of impact on our society?
• How do we continue to justify our spiritual deadness?

“Quit bugging me Jerry! Pass me a coke, I just want to watch American Idol.” Ya baby. Slumber on Church, slumber on.

Saying Goodbye to Tillie

Tillie Seehusen was married to my Dad’s cousin Fred but she was more like an aunt to me; and in these last years, she became a special friend. Her husband died a number of years ago and in 2003, she buried her only son, Larry. Tillie shared with me that as a woman, you expect to bury your husband but not your son. When she talked about Larry, her eyes would water over but she wasn’t bitter. Tillie wasn’t into being bitter, resentful or petty. I never saw any of that in her spirit.

Tillie died on Saturday at the age of 95. Today as we sat in the church in Clara City, my mind wandered as I thought about Tillie. Many times when I introduced myself, people would ask “How are you related to Tillie?” Tillie and Freddie were not rich by worldly standards but Tillie’s influence in the lives of her neighbors and Sunday school students is priceless. In the last couple of years I have run into neighbor girls of Tillie’s who are now adult women. The mention of Tillie’s name always elicits the same response, “Oh Tillie.” Oh Tillie; she was a special woman. Today, one of Tillie’s Sunday school students was at the funeral—she is now 65 years old and still remembers Tillie as a special teacher. (If you are or have been a Sunday school teacher, will any of your students remember you 50 years later??)

My Mom died when I was 13 after a long battle with cancer. My Mom asked Tillie to pray for me and keep track of me. As a young man, I didn’t always take kindly to what I perceived as “Tillie’s meddling”. As an old man, I am blessed to have known her. Thank you, Tillie; thank you Lord Jesus, for I believe Tillie’s prayers and a gracious and forgiving God is the only reason I’m alive today and able to call myself a son of the Living God. Tillie was a prayer warrior and always showed concern, even when I wasn’t interested. I Samuel 12:23-24 says: “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.” Do we realize the affect we can have on the life of young people just by being a prayer warrior?

God has been good to me to put people like Tillie in my life. I was preaching at Raymond one Sunday about six years ago when she surprised me with her presence. At the end of the service we hugged and cried. I remember what Tillie said, “The Lord is good. The Lord is good.” He sure is. Thank you Tillie for your love and example.

She was buried on St. Luke’s hill north of Danube on the banks of Beaver Creek. It was 6 degrees with a biting west wind. It was cold Friday afternoon but remember this, last Saturday the sweet chariot swung low and the band of angels welcomed Tillie home as she crossed the Jordan River. Well done, well done, my good and faithful servant.

Having it all, yet having nothing

A friend of mine is an accountant and consultant. He has done work for a famous man; now he only meets occasionally with this man directly but he works a lot with “his people.” We “average Joes” may consider certain celebrities and businessmen show offs when they have “their people.” By “their people” I mean personal assistants, security people, lawyers, and accountants, consultants of various types, gardeners, service help and the like.

After a business meeting, my friend had dinner with “Mr. Big’s” accountant and personal assistant. It is a world few people ever get to see, much less gain valuable insight into the workings of such a life style. The group travels on private jets and move around in private limos. Dinners are held in the finest places. The places where this man works-out are the best in the world. His yearly income is over $50 million dollars. Some of us would consider this type of lifestyle to be intriguing but is it?

The “employees” told my friend that they have to move on private jets since “Mr. Big’s” presence in a public airport would make such a ruckus. Dinners at the finest restaurants have to be private so no one could turn the place into an autograph-seeking circus. Movement from the hotel to the gym is done in tinted glass limos so no one can see inside. When this man moves, his whole staff moves and they are on call 24 hours a day. Security has to be cleared in almost every move. Security must be coordinated with local police; business meeting sites must be discrete less any rumor be started about a merger or whatever, being seen with certain influential people, having impact on stock prices. Busy, busy, busy.

As his accountant said, it can be intriguing, traveling all over the world, meeting other famous people, staying in the finest hotels, eating in the finest restaurants, etc. but he said sadly, “It’s all work, and it gets old very fast.” He has no wife, no children; he said he doesn’t even have a goldfish or a dog. Any relationship he has never lasts because of his “constantly–on-the-move lifestyle.” As he looks ahead he said, “When I get old, I’ll have a lot of money but when I get sick, no one will be there except the hired help.”

This is what he told my friend, “You wouldn’t want my life or Mr. Big’s life. We have everything the world has to offer at our finger tips but we’re lonely and cold inside.” The personal assistant said, “You can talk to very few people in confidence because you don’t know who you can trust, so all your relationships become cold and distant and shallow. You ask yourself, “Is he a true friend or is he just trying to get close to Mr. Big?”

To us, sometimes the grass seems greener on the other side of the fence. But many times once we experience the other side; it’s not as green as we once thought.

What a sad life. In the eyes of the world you have everything; in reality you have nothing.

O, Lord Jesus, thank you for the simple life. Help me to appreciate my position in life. Take away my desire to have it all when in reality I have it all in you. Come Lord Jesus, Come.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 -- Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"— before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets. Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 -- What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 -- Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandment, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Bonhoeffer Movie

Jerry & I recently watched a DVD documentary on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer entitled “Bonhoeffer.” He was a German theologian, pacifist, Nazi resistor. We got the movie from the library and it is well worth getting. It was very moving and we’d like to share the following quotes with you. We can all learn from them. ~ Mrs. Beef

Compassion & Action

“We have for once learned to see the great events of world history from below, from the perspective of the outcast, the suspects, the mal-treated, the powerless, the oppressed, the reviled, in short, from the perspective of those who suffer. Mere waiting and looking on is not Christian behavior. Christians are called to compassion and action.”

After Ten Years

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds…we have been drenched by many storms…we have learned the art of equivocation and pretense…Experience has made us suspicious of others, and kept us from being truthful and open…are we still of any use?”

Esteem others more highly then yourselves

A friend of mine was not looking forward to a meeting with a friend with whom he had a serious disagreement. He examined himself, prayed hard to get rid of his judgmental attitudes and all the other negative emotions associated with the proposed encounter. He was struggling.

He came across the verse “esteem others more highly than yourself” Philippians 2:3 (KJV).

He realized he never esteemed his friend higher than himself; he never thought of him in these terms. He sat down and wrote two pages of how his friend is more talented, more creative and should be more esteemed than himself. His resentment and judgmental attitude melted away. The Word of God has power but the measure of a man is when he obeys it.

Thank you, Carl, for the reminder and your Godly example…be reconciled to one another.

A tribute to Gail Schwandt

We heard it first on WCCO radio, a serious head on crash by the High School between Dassel and Cokato, one dead, one seriously injured. After living there for 17 years, our immediate response was “I’m sure we know who was involved.”

Emails flew back and forth, radios and TV’s listened to, news websites checked. Then the news came out, it was Gail Schwandt who was killed.

Gail Schwandt was the Family and Consumer Science teacher at Dassel-Cokato School for 15 years (FACS is Home Ec. to us old timers). Her example and impact on the lives of her students was widespread but I wonder if she knew that.

Our daughter, Katie is a teacher largely because of Gail Schwandt’s encouragement and example. To Gail, teaching was not a job but a passion. If she saw a flicker of passion for teaching in someone, she would fan that flicker into a flame.

When Gail was married, Katie was in charge of the guest book. When Katie graduated from high school, Gail stopped by and we visited for a long time. She and Katie had developed a special friendship. Gail was a genuine, caring teacher. Gail did it all with a calm assurance, impeccable organization, underlying sense of humor, and a beautiful smile.

Our son Andy called his friend Tommy to let him know that Ms. Schwandt had been killed. Tommy was a student of great talent with an irrepressible chip on is shoulder which did not endear him to many teachers. Tommy was labeled, he knew it, and took his lumps for it. But Gail saw under that hard shell and cajoled, encouraged and expected the best for Tommy and she was rewarded for her faith and patience.

When Andy told Tommy about Ms. Schwandt, Tommy did not respond immediately but when he did, the macho man, and all around American man said it best, “Ms. Schwandt loved me.” Tommy knew he had been blessed for knowing her.

Students gathered from all over to attend her funeral in Litchfield. I wonder if she fully understood the impact she had on her students.

So, the former Meeker County Dairy Princess turned teacher never lost her beautiful smile and unassuming easy going way. She was a mentor and yes, like Tommy said, she loved her students.

As I sit here writing, how sad it is that I never wrote to her when she was living to tell her all this…O Lord, may we encourage and lift up our brothers and sisters when there is still time.

To Gail Schwandt, Thank you for a life well lived. Amen.

Please Notice the New Link

I'd like to call your attention to a new link that I have added to this website. It is called Hewed Pillars and the author is Andrew Seehusen (this is the young man that I call Andrew the 3rd; he is not our son). His site is definitely worth reading. ~ Beef

Quote from William Henry Biederwolf’s Sermon, “The Logic of the Cross”

"What a strange and distorted idea of life some people have! Even the Christian life has been misunderstood by some whom the world has been pleased to number among its holiest men. They have thought they could best live that life in the seclusion of a mountain cave or a monastery cell, out of touch with and unmindful of the confused and distracted world round about them so full of heartache and of need.

"Cloistered visions and mountain-top experiences may enrich the soul, but the vision dims and the blessing will not stay if heavenly experience is not translated into earnest service for a needy humanity. After all, this is where Christ was always found.

The village priest of austerity
Climbed up in a high church steeple;
To be nearer God, so that he might
Hand His word down to the people.

And so in sermon script he daily wrote
What he thought came from heaven;
And dropped it down on the people’s heads
Two times one day in seven.

In his age God cried, “Come down and die,”
And he cried from out the steeple,
“Where art Thou Lord,” and the Lord replied,
“Down here among my people.”

"All too much we fail to realize the place that self-sacrifice and service hold in the religion of Jesus Christ. They are the very heart of it. They are the religion of Jesus Christ. Christ’s whole existence, all the way from heaven to earth and back again by way of Calvary, was a continual outpouring of Himself for the sake of others. And He says, “If any man will be my disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34)."

The Technical God is Always Right

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

Do you ever wonder if it would mean the same thing if David would have said “north from the south” in place of “east from the west” in this verse?

Make a mental picture of a globe. Imagine walking north to the North Pole; keep walking. At the North Pole we start walking south. Right. Now go to the equator. Start walking east. You keep walking east; you will never walk west.

David, writing long before the advent of globes, lines of longitude and latitude, said “east from the west”. He was right then and he is right today.

Isn’t God great? Our sins are gone as far as the east is from the west. God’s knowledge and truth transcend all time and is technically correct forever. A truth for then and now and forevermore… “As far as the east is from the west”.

One Year on the Blog

It has been one year since we started this blog. We, being myself and my wife Judi with the help of our son Andrew the 1st, have spent some time looking back and assessing where we’ve been and where we are at. We realize that time is short in everyone’s busy life so I’m going to work on making the blogs a little shorter. We will try to have a blog up by the end of each week. People have asked if I could blog twice a week. I would like to do that but some weeks I just don’t have the time. We will strive to post more blogs, not just to achieve numbers but to make this site worth your effort of searching it out. Thank you for your interest and concern.

We thank you for your comments. Please comment, it lets us know if people are reading and being challenged by the blog; let us know if you disagree. I need to be held accountable for the truth.

We plan on adding other writers, younger writers. We will update when this happens. It will bring different insight into the blog. Variety is the spice of life.

We have also added my speaking schedule so people will know what I’m doing and where I am at. Stop by and surprise us sometime.

I had not been at our home church for quite awhile. Last Sunday a man asked me, “Jerry, what do you find in common with all the churches where you preach?” An interesting and good question. My response was that I see hurting people everywhere. We need to be there for one another. I don’t know how well we do at being brothers and sisters in the Lord.

My battle with prostate cancer is going well. I’m going in for tests during the 3rd week of February. Pray for me. Thank you in advance.

To whomever you are, wherever you are, take this blessing with you…

May God bless you and keep you. May the roads rise up to meet you, may the prairie winds be always at your back, may the sun shine warmly upon your face, and the rains and snow fall gently upon your fields. Until we meet again…May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand and May He keep your hand steady till the setting of the golden sun as we wait with expectation for Christ’s glorious return. Amen. Amen.

Always Living at the Wrong Time

I was the last of four children. When you’re the last in the family, you become labeled with a name we “last ones” do not like; it’s “the baby of the family.” I was 56 years old and my older sister Mary Ann, still called me the baby of the family.

Being the baby has its problems. I was four when my older sister went off to school. Oh, how I wanted to go to school. Two years later I was in kindergarten only to find out when you’re in kindergarten you’re the low man on the totem pole. Oh, I longed to be in 1st grade. First grade was great for awhile but then I decided the best position would be 6th grade since that is the highest grade. I found out it’s cool to be a sixth grader but I’m not in junior high. Junior high came; it was great but I couldn’t wait to be a senior. My goal was to graduate, get into the real world, see what the world had to offer and not be some small town senior.

After graduation I went into the Air Force; I couldn’t wait to get out of basic training. In basic training, I was lowest of the low; I knew it and so did everyone else. I wanted to be in Air Force Tech School. I got into Air Force Tech School, the school of my choice. I just wanted to finish school, to use my gifts and talents. I got out of tech school. I got into the Air Force unit I chose, had a great time, traveled a lot, worked hard, learned a lot, grew up but I just wanted to get back state side. When I got back state side, I couldn’t wait to get out of the Air Force so I could go to college. I got out, went to college, and wanted to get out of college so I could get a “real” job.

Along the way, I fell in love with a beautiful girl. We worked hard. We couldn’t wait to have kids. We had kids, two of them, what a joy. Mom didn’t really want them to go to school but they had to and they began to grow. Before we know it, they were 18 and walking out the door to college.

The house became quiet. They finished college, got jobs, grew up and now we wish they would get married and we could have grandkids. Then they…and then after that…and then later…and then what??

I sat alone on a beautiful winter night contemplating and wondered if other people go through life seeming to live in the wrong time. By wrong time I mean always looking ahead and seldom, if ever, enjoying today…

Today is the day of salvation. Today may be the last day of our life. I thought I’d never say this but: live for today, live wildly, live radically today. Live for Christ today. None of us are promised tomorrow. When we are always concerned with tomorrow, we don’t live and enjoy today.

James 4:13-15 (The Message) says: “And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today - at the latest, tomorrow - we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money. You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that."

Vision Statement Written or Vision Lived Out

Mission and vision statements bug me. Once the darlings of the corporate world, they have now been mainstreamed into the church. When a church has to write a mission statement, it usually tells me they don’t like the one God gave them, namely, when Jesus says “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

Last Sunday, I saw vision lived out. We were invited to Bunde Christian Reformed Church in Bunde, Minnesota (don’t look on the map, it’s too small!) for a praise service in their new 420 seat sanctuary. In the world’s wisdom, you do not erect a 420 seat sanctuary in the middle of the prairie in a town of 30 people. You just don’t do that; but they did. Why?? They have vision and they are obedient. Bunde CRC did this during the 3 years they were without a pastor. They have been obedient when I’m sure people said “you’re nuts!”

Oswald Chambers said this in his little book His Utmost for His Highest, a daily devotional (well worth buying) on page 64: “It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment. You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God. But if once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the common-sense basis.” Acts 20:24 says: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

No, Bunde CRC’s 420 seat sanctuary on the prairie does not make “common sense,” but God has HIS ways and they are not our ways.

People were standing around afterwards talking, people not from the local area who said, “I would drive 30 miles to attend church here.” Why? Not because they have a new building but in the words of one man, “Someone here has a vision, someone had the guts to obey and move forward.” Remember this, people are not attracted to new buildings, they are attracted to a vision.

I agree with Chambers, it is easier to serve God without a vision. You see, then we’re not challenged, we just sit and become self-righteous, pious back-slappers, feeling good about our good deeds while the world around us goes to hell. It’s time to go to work. Let’s GO like Christ said. We do not need to take Christ to the hurting world, He’s already here. We need to get up and see what He is doing. Let’s live the vision not just write about it or think about it while sitting in our overstuffed chairs. God help us. With new vision and purpose, may we all go forth in faith because He promises that He will be with us always. Remember we are not our own but we are His. Let’s be obedient and go to work. Amen.

Keeping Our Vows

It was the first snow in the area last Sunday morning; roads were icy. Attendance was down at the church where I preached. An interesting fact: we had four people in wheel chairs in attendance. Of all the people, these people or their caregivers responded most to my message.

I spoke from Psalm 112:7, “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” We talked about trials and tribulations and God’s sovereign rule. We discussed how we do not like God’s sovereign hand sometimes; we also talked about (Psalm 73:16, 17, 21-22) how when we try to understand God’s plan, it can be oppressive, sometimes making us bitter and angry towards God.

She stood next to the handicap elevator. She stood behind her husband’s wheelchair. He has a brain tumor; and depending on the day, one day interacting and communicating, the next day, totally silent. It was a silent day. She is in her 60’s, still beautiful with a pretty smile. She graduated from high school with my brother. I remembered her and her husband; rock-solid farming stock; Dutch; resolute; determined.

She shared with me her everyday battle. She was not complaining in the least bit but I believe she needed to talk. And oh, did she teach me something!

She said her social worker encouraged her to put Bill in the nursing home so she could rest and “do what she wanted to do.” She told me she got angry and told the social worker, “Forty five years ago, at the altar where we married, I committed myself to him and God. I promised I would be there in sickness and health and I intend to carry that out now, out to the end, Good Lord willing.” As she told me this, tears rolled down her face.

Her life is not easy. On certain days she feels so alone, tired, hopeless, and frustrated but she loves her man and she intends to keep her promise no matter what!

Last Sunday, I humbly stood in the presence of a true hero. A faithful wife, mother, caregiver and Christian woman who is willingly sacrificing her self for the love of her husband—a Christ-like example in these times. We prayed and tears rolled down my face.

Andrew Seehusen the 3rd

As far as I know, there are three Andrew Seehusens in the world. One, a red head, was born 31 years ago; I met him that day. He is our son.

The second Andrew Seehusen lives in Kiev, Ukraine; he teaches in an international school in Kiev. He grew up in Delaware but his dad was from Pocahontas, Iowa; our ancestors were cousins.

Today I met, in person, the third Andrew Seehusen, a 23 year old veteran Air Force loadmaster, a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. This Andy’s grandpa and I are second cousins. What a special young man! His plan is to become involved in international banking, using the law degree he hopes to get from an Ivy League school.

Andrew came out to visit because he wanted to talk “family”. I hope we helped him. Even though we never met before, we are brothers. You see, Andrew is a disciple of Jesus Christ. This makes us brothers. If Andrew and I spent a lot of time together, time would fly fast with our “common ancestry” and our Air Force experiences. Andrew shared a good verse with me—Jeremiah 9:23-24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord”--a good verse for all our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Andrew, if you read this, God’s blessing upon you. Keep the vision. The world needs visionaries with a fixed heart trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7). When you get married to a good-looking Danish woman, don’t forget to invite us.

Do Not Fear Bad News

As the year comes to a close, we look back and we look ahead. In times like these there is much to consider. The war in Iraq unsettles us; Ross is going back for his third tour of duty. Political change has happened nationally and locally. Jihadists want us dead; Saddam’s followers want us dead. The prices for our crops are good but this week a man said to me, “Unless it snows or rains, we won’t have anything to sell next year.” This is all bad news.

But in Psalm 112:7, the writer speaking of Christians says, “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” This is good news for us believers but do we believe it and take it to heart?

Notice, we will get bad news, it’s how we respond that makes the difference. The Psalms say "the one who does not fear bad news has a heart that is steadfast (“fixed” in the KJV) trusting in the Lord." How and what do we trust? We trust what we know! Do you know the Lord or have you just heard of Him?

Job and his buddies pontificate, speculate, and contemplate about God and who He is for 37 chapters in the book of Job. Then God says to Job in Chapter 38, “Stand up, I’m going to ask you some hard questions, and I expect some straight answers” (my translation). The Lord then proceeds to ask Job 66 questions, most unanswered to this day; then in Chapter 42, Job speaks “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Notice Job’s response, “Surely I spoke of things I did not know, things too wonderful for me to know. My ears have heard of you, now my eyes have seen you.” When we try to understand all of God's plan, it can be oppressive to us (Psalm 73:16). Yes, we will get bad news, but unless we know the Lord, through His word and prayer, we cannot be fixed or steadfast, trusting Him. Job's response is to repent in dust and ashes.

If we want this truth to move from our head to our heart, we must seek God in spirit and truth, read His word, pray to Him…then we will begin to know Him and then we will trust Him and no longer will we need to fear the bad news that will eventually come. May you grow in the knowledge of God, hiding God’s word in your heart, growing in faith and wisdom. Come Holy Spirit, come; choose us; hold us. Then we need not fear bad news. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Visited Blue Ball

I remember when the first astronaut came around the back side of the moon and saw earth (that perfect blue white ball, suspended on nothing, hanging in space) and in stunned awe the astronaut said, “In the beginning God…”

I can’t really imagine God sitting somewhere beyond the universe some 2,000 years ago looking at His footstool, the earth, and saying, “Today is the day I’m going to send my one and only Son, Jesus to go to earth , to become a microscopic ovum, to be born of a virgin born in a barn, to go and redeem fallen man.”

Have you ever contemplated if no one sinned until now and we were living in perfect peace, and then old Adam and Eve would decide to do some very serious apple crunching. Sin then comes into the world and God would decide to set up a committee to ask advice from us on how to redeem fallen man (He won’t do that but I can speculate). What would you come up with? We would come up with man-made religion. We’d crawl on our belly, into the presence of God and propose some plan of “working off” our sin. We would be in the deal-cutting business. We’d hope we’d be good enough to obtain salvation. We would propose works based salvation. That is the rest of the world’s religions…hoping we’ve been good enough, and that God may in His mercy allow us to live. Who would even dare come up with the idea of God sending His one and only Son to come to earth as an ovum, be born in a barn, suffer taunts of His suspect parentage (Psalm 69), be tempted by the devil himself, be tempted in every way, yet be without sin, be both man and God, and when preparing for the cross, feel so much pressure He would sweat blood in the garden of Gethsemane. We would convict Him on no evidence, have a sham trial, and murder Him on a cross, the most torturous of death, with the idea that He would forgive your sin and mine. Then by God’s power alone, God would raise Him from the dead—victorious over sin and death…Oh, who would dare dream this up, much less present it to a Holy God and awesome God? No one—no one—no one would dare do it; it’s God’s plan alone. A gift to us; undeserved; we can’t comprehend the majesty, the greatness of it! But it is God’s plan…

Remember this Christmas, the manager is empty, the cross is empty, the tomb is empty…In these days we do not have to take God to a hurting world, and He is already there. Let’s get up and go see what He is doing!

On this Christmas weekend, old Jer cannot bring anymore light on this subject because Jesus is the Light, the God of the universe among man. Immanuel, God with us. What a story? What a Gift! May we never take it lightly. Amen

(This blog is reposted from December 22, 2006)

The Rhinestone Cowboys of Advent

I came home last night; Judi was working. I had to submit information by noon today for this weekend sermons. The sermons have been rolling around in my head; my problem was getting them to paper and putting the services together.

My plan was a night of serious study. I decided to put the TV on as background. I chose a program on Public Television about crossover country hits—hits that were country but became pop hits at the same time. I worked with the background of music playing in my ears. Glen Campbell came on singing Rhinestone Cowboy. I have heard the song many times before but never really listened to the words. For some reason I listened last night. These words caught my attention. I quote: “There’s been a load of comprising, on the road of my arising, but I want to be where the lights are shining on me. Like a Rhinestone Cowboy, out on a horse in star spangled rodeo…I wanna be where light is shining on me.”

Yes, we crave attention but at what price? Did it involve a load of compromising to get into the light? Fame is temporary and fleeting yet many people crave so much attention they will compromise their values to achieve their 15 minutes of fame.

I wondered about Advent and Christmas. Isn’t so much of this season about me? We want to be the one whose Christmas letter is the first to arrive. Effort is put into our Christmas lights so everyone will notice. Of course, the gifts so perfectly chosen so in the presence of extended family, others will swoon at our pluck and creativity.

Yes, we want to be “where the lights are shining on me.” Remember this Advent season, Jesus does not need any light shown on Him. He is the Light, the Light of the World, the Light of the World to bring us out of sin and darkness.

Dear Lord, please forgive us as we Rhinestone Cowboys struggle for our place in the spotlight. Lord, draw us to the “real Light, Jesus Christ, and our desire for human attention will fade away in the fullness of His Light and glory and grace. Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Roger's New Ride

Men love cars. Men love anything with motors that snort and roar. Roger is no different. Roger is in our men’s Bible study in Cokato and he is quite the Roger. He had to show us his new ride—a sleek silver car. It’s not really new, it’s three years old but it is new to Roger—that’s all that’s important. Roger said to me, “Jerry, this is the nicest car I’ve ever had.” Paul, Jim, Roger and I stood and marveled in joy. This “new” car means more to Roger and his wife Renee than our new cars mean to most of us.

A year and a half ago, Roger was looking for a job. He heard of a job he thought he’d like and he applied. One of the requirements for the job was that you could not smoke. Roger smoked. Many people applied for the job and 12 people were interviewed. It was then reduced to 6 and Roger was one of the final six. Even though Roger told them he smoked, he got the job.

We had been praying for a job for Roger at the men’s Bible study. I remember Roger standing and the rest of us laying on hands praying for the job. A week later Roger came to Bible study; while getting out of his old car, two 19 year olds, Ryan and Dylan, yelled, “Roger, did you get the job?” "Yes", Roger yelled and Ryan and Dylan danced. Yes, they danced for joy; their brother in the Lord got a job!

I marveled. How excited do I get when something good happens to my brothers and sisters? To some of us, dancing is a real problem. We just don’t do it naturally and it has been ingrained in our mind that all dancing is bad. Some isn’t. Psalm 150 says in vs. 3, “Praise Him with sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with the tambourine and dancing.” So if you have no trumpet, no harp, no lyre, no tambourine, just dance. Yes, dance; just dance.

There is way more to this story. The job Roger applied for was to be a janitor in a church. He loved the job. Roger gave his notice last week as one of his part-time jobs became full time—working as a counselor at a boys’ ranch. Roger also works part-time at a drug treatment center. God does remarkable things. Roger was a former drug user; matter of fact, he was a drug dealer. Roger spent 15 years in prison for drug dealing.

The last 18 months have not all been easy. Roger and his wife have faced sickness and both are now well. They have scrimped and saved. They have prayed and cried. Jesus is real, God is good, and the Holy Spirit moves and makes old things new.


You see, not only has Roger gotten a new car, he has a new heart, new spirit and a new life. And it is all because of Jesus Christ and Him alone. Roger shares his love for Jesus every day with the boys at the ranch. His past, not forgotten, not hidden, not ignored but laid out, to witness to Jesus’ power and grace, forgiveness and joy.

So, the ex-con no one wanted to hire is on the front line witnessing for Jesus. This ought to make us dance. Yes, dance. You see the new car is great but Roger and Renee know it’s a new mind, new heart, and new soul that is important not just a new car. Let’s dance! Let’s dance for joy! Find someone to make music. Let’s dance. Let’s dance for Jesus. What a Christmas gift this all is. Come quickly Lord Jesus, come. As a matter of fact, He is already here!

Lip service to our families

I’m re-reading “Ashamed of the Gospel” by John MacArthur. One point he makes in the book is this: If the church is to be strong, our families must be strong.

Strong families are the backbone of a nation and of our churches. Stability and economic opportunity flourish when the family is intact, but in visiting and observing other churches, I think we give lip service to our families.

Young families are over committed on all fronts; talk to them if you doubt this. Young families, young leaders have filled the gap in our churches. Many of them have rushed in to fill gaps as people in the church who are older have bought into the idea of “retirement”. All too often the ideas “I’ve done my share”; “I’m going to quit”; “Let the young people do it”; “The young people don’t listen to us anyway” seem to hold sway in our older people. (In case you’re wondering, older people are 50 and above.)

Our young families should be spending time with their families not burdened with church leadership. When the kids leave, that’s when we step up and lead. We’ve been operating with the wrong model, lead when you’re young, sit when you’re old.

If we believe that families are the backbone of our churches and culture, we should give them the “freedom” to learn and not lead. They should be attending Bible class not leading it. Their input and freshness and vitality is needed in our churches but the church has added burdens to our overstretched families, not lessened them. We need sensitivity and creative insight to help our young families so they can have more time for themselves, building a strong family unit.


Retirement from life has run full course in our churches. We believe we have a God-given right to sit down, enjoy the fat of the land, and bring on the good life. God help us-- We live in a land where our stomachs and bank accounts are full but our hearts are empty.

When the hair grows thin and gray, I believe we should crank up for some hard core leadership responsibilities and give our young families a break.

Rose Jergens is a hero to my wife Judi. Rose is well over 90 years old and is the mother of a girlhood friend of Judi’s. For the last 30 years Rose has babysat for many children. Every year she invites all the children (one now 30 years old!) to her home at Christmas time to decorate cookies; this year she’s made 800 cut-out cookies in preparation! Impressed? We should be; but she also operates a flower business, works at the hospital auxiliary gift shop, the thrift shop, provides and arranges altar flowers at church each week plus babysitting every afternoon.

When we embrace the idea of retirement from church, I believe it creates struggles for our faith in our later years. Engaged in life, having a purpose every day, and knowing that we are needed, seems to me to be the best motivator for a continued vibrant and alive Christian life. What has God gifted you to do? Do it!!

With the mobility of our culture, our children and grandchildren can live close or many miles away. In our midst, in our churches, we have families without Grandma’s and Grandpa’s living in the area. Step up, start here…kid’s need Grandma’s and Grandpa’s and Grandpa’s and Grandma’s need kids.

Look at scripture to see what God asks older Christians to do. Are we doing it? Or have we bought in to the idea of self-centered retirement? I believe it’s time to ask these hard hitting questions for the future of our families and the future of our churches depend on it.

Maximillian Kable, German Priest who was executed in World War II.said: “Indifference towards the things of God is the deadliest enemy of any soul.”

Scripture: Titus 2; I Peter 5:1-10; I Timothy 5; Luke 22:24-30.

The Blessedness of Saying Nothing

Every Advent season as I read and prepare for advent, some special verse becomes lodged in my mind and I cannot dislodge it no matter how hard I try. At this time I realize it may be possible that the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me something and I better “listen up”. This year I looked at Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ. I came on Isaiah 40, talking about God’s comfort to us His people.

I have never contemplated what comfort meant. I attended a local concert in Olivia last night and I asked friends “What does comfort mean to you?” The answers and comments were interesting, revealing that I am not the only one with little, if any, comprehension of what it means.

Isaiah 40:1 says in part: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, and that her sin has been paid for…” At the end of verse 5 of Isaiah 40 it says, “For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

True comfort comes when we know with assurance that “our sin has been paid for.” It’s good that God speaks this comfort to us…it’s good to be reminded that God speaks “tenderly” to us.

We are to comfort our brothers and sisters. We should speak tenderly to one another. When I read 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, I am reminded that God is the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” We must do and demonstrate the comfort of God.

But I wonder, many times do we speak of things we know nothing about? Job had three buddies who speculated and contemplated his situation. In Job 13:1-4, Job expresses his frustration with his buddies’ comments. Job speaks “My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. But I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case with God. You however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you.” Then in verse 5 he says, “If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.” (Check these verses in “The Message” translation!—Ouch!!)

An old pastor by the name of James Stewart defines true comfort as this: “True comfort is a strong bracing, re-enforcing thing—it’s wind to the sailboat, it’s a job to someone without one, it’s the clasp of a friend’s hand in the time of trouble.” And I would add, “it’s a hug when there is nothing more that could be said.”

I wonder if in our urge to comfort, our desire to be there, if many times we say stupid things and do hurtful, insensitive things.

I cannot comfort everyone but Jesus can. I should minister to the hurting world but with wisdom and grace. Sometimes I need to speak, but when and if I do, I should be tender like the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 40.

As I sit here writing, I am listening to the radio and Tom Everson from Chaska comments on the conviction of his son, Grant for the murder of Nancy Everson, Tom’s wife and Grant’s mother. Even if I knew him, what could I say? All I could do is hug him.

Yes, sometimes when we comfort others in trouble, it is “blessedness when we say nothing.” Sometimes only a hug will do. As Job said, “If only you would be altogether silent. For you, that would be wisdom.” Job 13:4. A major league stepping on my toes and I needed it. God help me.

Remember this, there are also times we must speak and act. Please consider 2 Cor. 1:5 “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” Only through Christ, only through Christ…only through Christ. Amen.