Christian Aviation Ministries

There have been several things the Lord has put on my hear this summer and I’m about to share one of them with you so, be warned.

As Christians I don’t think the majority of us think too much about the physical and spiritual realms of things.  I know that not often do I sit down somewhere, whether its on a beautiful hot afternoon on the shores of Lake Michigan or in my apartment during a cold and blustery pre-Autumn thunderstorm, and think about both physical and spiritual realms God has created.  This season, however, I’ve spent an unusual amount of time thinking about such things.

I often offer prayers of thanksgiving for silly things like my apartment and my car and my used set of washer & dryer some old lady from church gave me during her home upgrade.  These things aren’t vital to my life or salvation but they sure make things easier and more convenient.  Its easy to think about material things and want more, do to the simple fact they make things easy, convenient, or you just plain want them. Physically speaking they all do go away.  My family’s house in Evanston, my stuffed snoopy dog from when I was a kid, and even my cat Wyatt, all eventually go away.  Temporary blessings, if you will, to fill a temporary need.

I’ve come to realize this just recently, that all this “stuff” and the stuff money can buy, and even the people or animals in our lives,  are temporary blessings to fill a temporary need. Which begs the question, what is the Spiritual stuff?  I start to think about all of the intangibles in life.  The people you’re with and the conversations you have on the shores of Lake Michigan on that beautiful hot afternoon or the random text you get from a friend during that lonely, cold and blustery pre-Autumn thunderstorm.  The secure feeling of a hug or words of affirmation, assurance and good memories.  Relationships and community, these are the things which fit into that spiritual realm category.  These are the things that last.

In Deuteronomy 6 we see the stock God puts on words and their importance and realize the Spiritual significants.  It is no wonder in proverbs it says the power of life and death is in the tongue. You may be wondering where this is all going, well, I’m bringing it in for a landing (pun intended), so hang on.

CAM has supported 2 families for a little over a year now and would like to support more.  We are awaiting word from several foundations and non-profits here in the Grand Rapids, MI area, on grant requests we’ve sent out.  What we are lacking is consistent monthly donors.  In fact, I’m the only one.

The idea behind this website and organization was to build relationships in the Kingdom for Kingdom work.  Because, relationships are what God desires and are long lasting. The hope was to use this site and its almost-monthly newsletter to build those relationships.

There are approximately 180 viewers of this site from all over the world, on a monthly basis. If every one of those viewers automatically donated $10 a month, CAM would generate $1,800.00 a month, which basically could allow us to add 2 more families to support.   Consider the Impact. Consider sacrificing the physical for the Spiritual– Jesus did.

Alright, so I’ve been toying with the idea of using this space a little bit as a personal blog.  I like to write and the Lord has a tendency to put things in my heart that could be a blessing to others so why squelch it? So here it goes…

I was driving yesterday to pick up my small group fellas for our weekly meeting and the verdict came down and was broadcast on the radio about California’s proposition 8.  That, if you recall was the challenge of the popular vote taken in CA of over 51% to define marriage as between a man and a woman.  It was decided by this judge that is was discriminatory to NOT allow same-sex marriage.  To me and my Christian Worldview, this was disturbing. So I got to thinking about these things:

• Homosexuality has been around for a very very long time.
• Marriage has been around probably for about the same amount of time
• The term “separation of Church and State” has been butchered in meaning ever since it was penned by Thomas Jefferson.
• At what point does marriage (defined either way) effect legislation? And how does it effect legislation?

After thinking about these things, this is what I came up with, tell me what you think…

Marriage is a God ordained entity.  It is a sacrament.  It has nothing to do with Man or legislation so how could it be discriminatory?  We have, though legislation always banked on opposite-sex marriage since the US was created therefore we have created legislation though those lenses. Now, we find several legislative discriminative points when it comes to same-sex marriage.   One such example is tax code.  I’m a single guy and I’m “discriminated against” though tax code because I’m not married. I’m “discriminated against” because I have to pay higher taxes than the couple with two incomes and two children.  This is just one such example.

Don’t get me wrong here, I have several homosexual friends whom I pray for frequently.  I love sinners because I am one. BUT I do really hate the sin (any kind) because sin destroys and kills.  So here is my conclusion, if two people want to live in sin, let them, call it a union, call it living together,  call it whatever–but don’t call it marriage–That word and meaning is taken, and it was taken by God. Second, if there is a “separation of church and state” let there be one all the way, specifically in tax code, then no one can cry discrimination.

We are not of this world and we will be discriminated against, that is written.

Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Just some thoughts…

Isaiah 40:25-31 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

25 “Who will you compare Me to,

or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.

26 Look up and see:

who created these?

He brings out the starry host by number;
He calls all of them by name.

Because of His great power and strength,
not one of them is missing.

27 Jacob, why do you say,
and Israel, why do you assert:
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my claim is ignored by my God”?

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and strengthens the powerless.

30 Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,

31 but those who trust in the LORD
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.

I often think about the delicate balance between “producing” for God and “loving” God.  So often we  are told we have to preform for God and to a degree, I believe there is some validity to that.  On the other end of the spectrum, I believe that the “work” has already been done and what we must strive to do is to receive this the outcome of that truth.

I recently visited a friends church that made me rethink this thought of doing and being.  The context of the talk was about righteousness and the following statement was made: “[righteousness] involves our accomplishments for God, those good deeds we are called to do for the Lord.” Now before my thoughts are rolled out in words regarding this subject, I want to make clear that I have much respect for the particular pastor who was preaching on this.  I would also like to underscore the importance of every Christian to carefully discern what is preached, no matter who is preaching. Now that the disclaimer has been made, I’ll continue.

Brennen Manning, in his Book Abba’s Child states that one must continually accept the “present risenness of Christ”.  His application to this phrase comes out of the idea that what Christ has done is far greater and far more substantial than anything we could possibly to do for Him.  The wight of this thought, when given the time to digest, is truly categorical in breadth.  Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, MI also states in his excellent video Everything is Spiritual that God created human beings not human doings.

What is traditionally thought of in the Christian Church is so often done out of the mindset of “having to do something” to portray oneself as a “good Christian”.  We must go to church, we must pray and practice spiritual disciplines, we must help out at the soup kitchen, we must give to charity, we must work harder for approval of others and approval of the creator of the universe.

The 40th Chapter of Isaiah, specifically verses 25-31, gives an analogy of an eagle in flight.  I think it is fascinating that the author starts this section of the chapter with somewhat of a rhetorical question: “Who will you compare Me to, or who is My equal?” and then the author talks about the attributes of God.  Finally in the last verses of this section the author specifically talks about eagles:

31 but those who trust in the LORD
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.

Now, there are a few things we all know about eagles simply by observation.  Eagles soar.  There is no frantic wing flapping, no panting or struggle to defy gravity, they simply soar.  In order for this soaring to take place successfully they wind.  Wind is commonly described or equated to the Spirit of God.  All of this said, we must think about what is “required of us”.

Merry Christmas! Thank you so much for your support of Christian Aviation Ministries and we hope you are able to enjoy this day with friends and family.  Remember this day as sons and daughters of the Living God and the wonderful gift we all received.

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,  5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you:  “you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace on earth to people He favors!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing [them], they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

These verses always remind me of my youth watching Charlie Brown’s Christmas special.  When Linus reads these verses, Charlie Brown’s world stops and he is “realigned” with the now cleche “rember the reason for the season”.

Recently, I heard a discussion on the radio about how some Jewish kids feel out of the loop around Christmas because of all of the Christmas specials televised during this time.  They also talked about what Christmas specials Jewish parents would let they’re kids watch duing this time of year.  I was surprised to find out that most Jewish parents would allow they’re kids to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas.  Many view this special to be the most Christianly overt animated Christmas special ever produced.  What a wonderful testimony Charles Shultz has given us all.

Charlie Brown\’s Christmas