A Christian Guide for Surviving American Culture
By: Rev. Dr. Philip W. Chapman
ISBN: 9781617926419
Overview
Christian Americans maintain their faith amid a morally challenging and materialistic culture. Many of America’s traditional ‘ethical boundary markers’ disappeared. Believers seek God amid a new ‘market place of religions’ and varied life styles. A Christian Field Guide for Surviving American Culture reaffirms Christian principles. Dr. Chapman shares life changing stories, provides keys to a Christian lifestyle, and helps readers reflect on the deep meaning of Christian and national holidays. The author weaves a colorful tapestry of story and faith. If you seek spiritual renewal this book is for you. Take this book while on vacation, commuting, or enjoy it when you have quiet time at home.
Unauthorized reproduction by any means is forbidden without prior permission from Philip W. Chapman, P.O. Box 592, Highland, Il 62249 Copyright 2011 Philip W. Chapman All rights reserved. Scriptural quotations from the Eight Translation New Testament by Tyndale Publishers, Copyright 1974, or from The Holy Bible, New Life Version, Christian Literature International, Copyright 1969,1976,1978,1983,1986, Christian Literature International, P.O. Box 777, Canby OR 97013.Used with permission by Tyndale Publishers and Christian Literature International.
Disclaimer
All stories provided in this book are based on actual events but unless noted all the characters, organizations, locales, and events portrayed in this book were created by the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.
Contents
Section One: Challenges of Christian Life Style
1. Take Time to be Holy Mark 1:35
2. Holy Roller Derby Matthew 7:1-6
3. A Christian’s Trademarks Matthew 5:13
4. Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors? Matthew 6:12 Matthew 18:21-22
5. Judgment: A Two Edged Sword Matthew 7:1-2
6. The Death of a Young Man? Matthew 5:4
7. The Blessings of Poverty Matthew 5:3
8. The Man (or Woman) in the Glass
9. The Devil’s Garage Sale Romans 5:3
10. A Matter of Priorities: Lessons from the Great Economic Meltdown Matthew 6:33
Section Two: A New Lease on Life
(Life Changing Stories and Healings)
11. I’ll believe it When I See It! Mark 1:15
12. ‘The Make Over’ Mark 1:15
13. Where Are You Headed? Matthew 13:47-50
14. The Gospel Harp Player’s Roadie
15. The General
16. The Carillon Player Mark 3:1-7
17. The Power of Prayer: The Centurion’s Servant Luke 7:2-10
Section Three: Christians Celebrate the National and Religious Holidays
18. Lady Liberty and the Fourth of July Leviticus 25:10
19. It’s Only an Ouija Board? (Halloween) Matthew 12:24-29
20. The First Thanksgiving Psalm 118:1
21. The First Christmas Luke 2:1-17
22. Wise Men and Women Still Seek Him Matthew 2:1-11
23. Greater Love Has No Man than This: Good Friday and Memorial Day John 15:13
24. The First Easter: An Idle Tale? Luke 24:1-11
Section One: Challenges of Christian Life Style
Take Time to be Holy!
Mark 1:35 describes Christ’s early morning prayer: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed to a solitary place, and there prayed.”
I know a person who wears a bracelet upon which is inscribed the letters WWJD. Many Christians know this acronym means What Would Jesus Do? Jesus would get up a great while before days and pray. Mark 1:35 provides Jesus’ model for prayer. In solitude and without distraction, Jesus set aside a time and a place to pray.
The Problem? Many Do Not Pray
In America’s fast paced society many don’t take time to pray. Instead, they grab all benefits of our materialistic society. Spiritual disciplines, once important to Americans, seem largely forgotten and replaced by a scientific rationalism. Bound to idols, some people make little time for the God who created us, nurtures us, and sent His only Begotten Son to the world to die for us.
Even Christians, who attend church regularly face the demands of business and family life find little time to pray. Others don’t pray because don’t know how or feel strange trying. The reasons appear varied but people just don’t prioritize prayer. I read study conducted by a major denomination which stated the average person prayed less than fifteen seconds per day!
None the less, Christians may learn from Jesus example in Mark 1:35. Jesus prioritized prayer. He minimized distractions and made a special place top pray. Contrast his example to many in society who do not pray at all. Jesus prayed and so should Christians!
Take Time to Pray
In today’s church we note many leaders consider themselves people of action. Successful in the business world we’re fortunate these men and women bring their talents to the church. Jesus is also known widely as a man of action yet humbly sought God in prayer before any important undertaking. Jesus got up a great while before day to get his marching orders and the strength to carry them out. The words to an old hymn advise; “Take Time to be Holy, Speak oft with thy Lord, Abide in Him always and feed on His
Word, spend much time spend in secret with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like him
thou shalt be, thy friends in your conduct His likeness shall see.” Church people may be privileged to be serve as the President of the consistory, the chairperson of a committee, or enjoy another leadership position but without listening and getting your direction from CEO Jesus you’ll be without sufficient direction.
Find a Special Place for Prayer
Jesus didn’t want to be distracted. Christ gave his undivided attention to God. While others stayed in bed, Jesus got up before the day and sought God. Alone with God, Jesus found the tremendous power necessary for preaching, healing, and teaching. May I humbly suggest that each day you find a spiritual place where you feel at home and communicate with God? If you reside in the city, a large cathedral might set the tone for your conversation with God. Living in the country you may have a favorite place in God’s great outdoor Cathedral where you feel God’s presence. Wherever you choose, please find a place to pray without distraction which enhances your closeness to God
Use a General Prayer Outline
People who have not been praying regularly may feel uncomfortable. Some people tell me; “I would pray more but I don’t know what to say. I sit there and feel awkward and afterwards I don’t want to do it anymore.” If this is you, I humbly suggest you might profit from the following prayer outline. Begin your prayer with thanksgiving, move to intercessory prayer, and end your session with your personal requests.
Thanksgiving
God loves a grateful heart. Consider for a moment, what do you think of someone when you only hear from them when they want something? Do you wonder if they view you only as a means to an end? Do you wonder if you are being used? Imagine you are God. How would you like it if the only time you heard from a particular child of yours is when they wanted something and if after they got it didn’t even bother to say thank you? Therefore, start your prayer with thanksgiving. Consider all He gives you. You will develop a spirit of gratefulness. He woke you up today. Some people woke up dead. The only question is did they wake up in heaven or in hell? Develop a spirit of gratefulness. God clothes, feeds, and nurtures you. Count your blessings and say; “Thanks!” Your attitude will set the tone for your relationship with Him. You will feel close and will appreciate God when you give thanks for all He does for you.
Pray for Others
Many people go to God with a grocery list of things they want. They never think of other’s trials or needs. Prayer helps us to ‘develop a heart’ for those around us. Pray for your family, neighbors, people struck by tragedy, your church, regions of our nation suffering disasters, and for our nation’s leaders. The intercessory list seems endless but please don’t forget to pray for others!
Pray for Yourself
After you’ve counted your blessings and interceded for others then take a moment to pray for yourself. God loves you and already knows your need. Jesus teaches us: ‘Which of you if your son asks for bread will give him a stone or if he asks for a fish will give him a serpent? If you, who know how to give good things to your children when you ask them how much more will your heavenly father give to you when you ask?” If He thinks it is best for you to have something you will get it. You may not receive it on demand or when you think it ought to get it but your prayer will be answered in His time.
Conclusion
I end with a well known poem called ‘No Time’. Perhaps you recognize it. If so, won’t you read it again?
No Time by Anonymous
I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry;
No time to give to souls in need
But at last came the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, and I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the Book of Life.
God looked into His book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"
Holy Roller Derby Matthew 7:1-6
Jesus advises us in Matthew 7:1-6; “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.’”
A Problem
Humans seem quick to find the faults in others but seem less apt to see their own. If you live around or work with a person for awhile you will see their faults. You or I may try to hide our faults but try as we might, our faults can’t be hidden forever. We see other people’s faults and they will see ours.
Sadly, in some Christian circles, people delight in finding and then advertising another’s fault. For these Christians, it isn’t about helping another to improve but seems more about feeling ‘good’ or ‘superior’ at another person’s expense. While Christians self righteously criticize another they cleverly fail to observe their own shortcomings. The devil uses this twisted pastime to destroy our homes and churches.
Christ’s Solution
Jesus’ teaching found in Matthew 7:1-6 enables the reader to focus on their own shortcomings while correcting other’s faults. Jesus asks us; ‘Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye and not see the log in your own eye? First take the log from your own eye then you will see clearly enough to take the speck form your brother’s eye.’ Jesus advises us to correct our own faults before correcting another’s.
Holy Roller Derby
I’ve sometimes watched something called “Holy Roller Derby” in churches. Have you? What a spectacle! If you grew up or lived during the 60s or 70s you probably remember a show called; “Roller Derby”. If you’ve never seen Roller Derby let me briefly describe it to you. Two teams dressed in flashy uniforms and wearing helmets skate at breakneck speed around an oval track hoping to win the contest by being the first team to reach twenty one points. The teams form packs and lock arms in roller blockades. ‘Jammers’ throw elbows to the head and body of opposing players. Some may use ‘NFL clotheslines’ appearing to take the other team’s heads off in an effort to help teammate’s breakthrough the jam and score points. Special players called ‘blockade breakers’ help ‘sprinters’ to speedily skate their way to the front of the pack. Fans scream wildly for their teams. A drama unfolds much like WWE or NOW. A wild fracas unfolds in a circus
like atmosphere as spectators get their money’s worth cheering for heroes and booing the villains. I humbly suggest we may sometimes see a variation of ‘Holy Roller Derby’ in local churches. Perhaps because they’re bored or haven’t read their Bible, different groups, sometimes dressed in flashy fashions emerge to take their place on the track. They form into teams and engage in self righteous gossip about others. Gossipers, assisted by their teammates, seek to skate past others to the head of the pack and score a point by putting others down. Legends in their own minds, they whirl around an imaginary track throwing emotional haymakers and vicious elbows at their opponents. Unlike Roller Derby players who return to the oval track week after week to recreate endless variation of their entertaining drama, ‘Holy Roller Derby’ ends when hurt and discouraged members leave the church.
Talk to a Person Not About Them
If Christians really want to help another person they might try talking with them rather than about them. Jesus reminds us to look at our own faults so we can see clearly enough to correct our brother’s or sister’s. People I’ve spoken to in the AA or NA movement call this taking a ‘Fearless Moral Inventory’. NA and AA practitioners find their own faults and then seek to make amends. If judging and gossiping about others is one of your faults won’t you change your ways?
I once took a first aid class. Our instructor provided guidance in removing a foreign particle from another person’s eye. She told us to tilt the victim’s head to the side and then gently pour water across the eye until the particle washed out. This image of caringly removing a foreign particle with water is a far cry from the cruel self righteous methods some so – called Christians mistakenly employ to correct others.
Christ in Matthew 7:1-2 advises; “Judge not lest you be judged for the same measure you judge with you shall be judged with. First remove the log from your own eye, then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck in your brother’s or sister’s eye.”
“A Christian’s Trademarks” Matthew 5:13
Christ teaches us in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted. It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under the foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city on a hill can’t be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that it gives light to the whole house. So let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.”
Product Trademarks
In today’’‘’ ’‘’’’