America's Next Top Model

This season of America's Next Top Model shocked the world when it casted a contestant despite her having second- and third-degree burn scars over 26 percent of her body. Sharing her story, Tahlia Brookins, 18--who has endured 14 surgeries to treat her wounds--writes: "When I was only 9 months old...I rolled [my walker] over to the counter, yanked on the cord, and dumped boiling tea all over my hands, stomach, and leg."

Her volleyball coach's insistence on shorts got her over "being ashamed," of her scars Brookins says. He also helped her say yes when her father suggested she try out for America's Next Top Model. A March 2009 issue of People Magazine reports that Tahlia feels that regardless of her success or failure on the runway, "learning to embrace her body is her real triumph." Tahlia is now at the point where she's able to say that she "loves [her] scars." Her beauty," says Tyra Banks, the host of America's Next Top Model, "is matched by her inner strength."

I can recall as a child loving to touch the smooth, baby-soft, burn-scared cheek of my father's face. His scar was the result of accidently being dropped against a potbelly stove as an infant. Scars like those embodied by Tahlia and my father (now deceased) have a story behind them. By their very nature, scars imply there's a story to tell. Perhaps the most painful scars we have experienced are those that cannot be seen; scars on our hearts-- from rejection, abandonment, abuse, and disappointment. Each scar representing a moment in time when something happened to us; resulting in a wound that we will never forget.

While we cannot forget the details of our wounds, we can choose to forgive the person who has hurt us and not allow the memory of the offense to control our lives. In that sense, we can choose to replace our wounds with scars. By its very definition, scars imply wounds that have healed.

If Tahlia can learn to love her burn scars and no longer feel "ashamed," as she puts it, then we can learn from her example and embrace our scars and be willing to tell the healing story behind them.

Do you have wounds yet to heal? The good news is that Jesus never encountered someone whose wounds were greater than His power to heal. Rest assured, Jesus specializes in not only healing physical illnesses but brokenhearts and wounded souls as well.

For more on finding healing from the wounds of our past, check out this week's Divine Living blog.

America's Favorite Addiction

Do you know why more people watch American Idol than watch the nightly news on the three major networks combined? Why seemingly normal, educated people care about Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's dating life? Or why People, Us Weekly, and Entertainment Weekly have seen their circulation increased by 18.7 percent during this recession? America is addicted to celebrities and addictions are recession proof. I refer to this phenomenon as 'celebrititis'; which is as contagious as hepatitis.

Now, a more troubling question. Has the church subjected itself to this celebrity obsession? Do we create and promote our own celebrities? Do you remember the television program Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous? Today, the church has its own version on cable television called Faith and Fame.

Israel's most famous Old Testament prophet Elijah was so highly regarded that some people thought he was superhuman. However, James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us that:

Elijah was as human as we are, yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would
fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.[1]

When you study the life and ministry of Elijah, you discover that he was a loner who suffered from loneliness, fear, depression, as well as ministry burn-out. His depression became so intense that he struggled with thoughts of suicide. Obviously, our biblical heroes, sheroes, and celebrities were not supernatural people; and neither are today's apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. God uses ordinary people to do supernatural things through his supernatural power.

One of the major problems with 'celebrititis' is that it causes people to live vicariously through the lives of those they view as celebrities. 'Celebrititis' allows the believer in the pew to become content with his or her spiritual celebrities being the only ones experiencing the supernatural power of God. Subsequently, the believer in the pew ends up not doing the work of ministry, because he or she believes doing nothing is the only thing they are capable of doing.

The Bible states,"Their responsibility (apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers) is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ."[2] Do you realize that the person in the pew is God's greatest potential asset? Are you part of the 20% presently doing the work of ministry; who should be equipping the 80% for the work of ministry? Or, are you a committed member of the 80% Celebrity Fan Club that is content watching the 20% "build up the church, the body of Christ?"

[1] James 5:16-17 (NLT)
[2] Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT)

The Devil in the Details?

Most of us are familiar with the slang proverb "the devil is in the details;" which is actually a variant of the proverb "God is in the details." Either version of the proverb is a note of caution that it is the small details of something that often determines its success or failure. From a spiritual standpoint, it is often what we might consider the small details in our lives that end up hindering our spiritual progress. In other words, it is those little demons that taunt us and torment us and keep us from self-transcending in our relationship with God.

This week as I mediated on Mary Magdalene and the other women going to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body, I remembered one of the demons that tormented me as a child; it was the fear of death. I was afraid of everything that had to do with death: funerals, funeral homes, and the dead. The encounters I had with the dead would give me nightmares for years. It wasn't until the Lord saved me that that demon (fear of the dead) became powerless in my life. Imagine this, during my days as a research scientist, I actually performed a number of autopsies with no fear at all. Now that's deliverance!

If you search closely into the details of any of our lives you will discover that we all have had one or more demons that have tormented us at some point. For some the demon is fear, for others it's depression, or addictions, or mental illness, or low self-esteem, or feelings of inferiority, or loneliness, or shyness, or speech impediment or OCD or ADD or ADHD, or other psychosocial or physical disorders that have kept us bound. However, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can transcend our human nature, with all of its flaws. We can rise above our own ability, go higher than we could go on our own, grow in ways that are theoretically impossible from a purely human standpoint, and be transformed into the image of Christ.

The Bible says the women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body, however I believe Mary Magdalene's motivation was completely different; which is why she was the first one to see the resurrected Jesus. It was imperative for Mary Magdalene to see an empty tomb, because her deliverance depended upon it. If Jesus was still dead, he was not divine; therefore she was still possessed by her seven demons. At best, her demons were only temporarily in remission, but she was not permanently healed. For the Bible says, "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!"[1]

Easter Sunday is more than a holiday for Christians. It's more than a time for dyed eggs, jelly beans, and Easter bunnies--these details are the non-essentials. The essential detail of Easter is the empty tomb vacated by the risen Jesus. Easter Sunday is the Christian's hope of salvation, deliverance, and eternal life. Churches should to be packed on Easter Sunday. Every professing Christian ought to be in the house of God during the Easter season to confirm once again that Jesus' tomb is still empty.

If there are particular demons still making havoc in the details of your life, you can continue to confidently look for deliverance, because your faith is not futile and you are not still bound by your sins, since Christ did rise from the grave on the third day.


[1] 1 Cor. 15:17 (NKJV)

Barack Obama, Britney Spears, and Jesus Christ?

Last year, Senator John McCain compared Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears to mock the pop-star treatment Obama received during his overseas trip. This past week, President Obama was welcomed with thunderous cheers as he attended the G-20 summit in London. The G-20, or Group of 20, is an international body made up of leaders from 19 countries and the European Union that convened to hash out solutions to the economic downturn. "Obama remains a superstar in the eyes of European publics," said Nile Gardiner.

President Obama's superstar reception in Europe reminded me of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Christians on this past Sunday celebrated this event known as Palm Sunday. Everyone coming to Jerusalem for the Passover festival had heard of Jesus, and for a time, he was the people's superstar. The people lined the road, praising God, waving palm branches, and throwing their clothes in front of Jesus as he passed before them. "Long live the King" was the meaning behind their joyful shouts. However, before the end of the week, the same crowd was shouting, "Crucify him, crucify him, crucify him." Therefore, it is important for us to remember that human praise is fickle. The crowds praising President Obama today can turn to condemning him tomorrow. Those who love us today can easily hate us tomorrow. The old adage is true: 'Never believe your own press.'

Instead of being excited, flattered, and smitten by the crowd's praise, Jesus entered Jerusalem weeping. "How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace."[1] Jesus' life goal wasn't personal fame or fortune but our salvation. He did not die on the cross for us to become American idols and he has not promised us fame or fortune in life, but peace. Jesus said, "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."[2]

Like the Jews in Jesus' day, we're typically looking for peace in all the wrong places. Those in Jesus' day were looking for external peace--no more war and oppression--but what they needed first and foremost was internal peace (peace on the inside). A good paying job, an attractive mate, beautiful children, a gorgeous home, luxury automobiles, designer clothes, a booming economy or even a thriving ministry will not guarantee us peace or happiness.

What are you weeping about today? What things are troubling your heart? Is it the economy's instability, your job's uncertainty, your financial vulnerability, your marital discord, your children's problems, your academic success, your ministry's growth, or your personal notoriety? Paul wrote,

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."[3]

This week let's take Paul's advice and not worry about anything; but instead, pray about everything; including President Barak Obama.

[1] Luke 19:42 (NLT)
[2] John 14:27 (NLT)
[3] Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)