Check out this video Kevin and Tiffany recently shared on their blog ( KevinsRecovery.com ) showing the changes, and what life is like as a paraplegic:

“We’re still praying for a miracle & are sure hoping that’s Jesus’ plan, but we’ll see where He continues to take us.” -Kev and Tiff

What an encouragement his life is to the rest of us when it comes to suffering well and trusting God when it really counts. They still need our prayers, so let’s not forget them.

.

“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Peter 3:13-16, from the ESV)

I’ve heard it put this way: the true Gospel message is already offensive, so why let your personality add to it? Don’t get in the way of the message itself so that they’re up against what the Bible is saying instead of the way I’m coming across. That’s right on, and who wouldn’t be offended when shown what the Bible says about you and I constantly living in rebellion against a perfectly Holy God who would be justified to kill us off in an instant–but only for his mercy gives us repeated opportunities to return to him through wholehearted faith in Jesus Christ? Note: for those unsure about where the Bible talks about this, start with the book of Romans; focusing on Romans 3:23, 6:23, and 10:9-13. And for a much bigger view of what God’s character is like, read through the Old Testament while keeping in mind that his character has never changed since then, as verses like James 1:17, Numbers 23:19, or Malachi 3:6 say “For I the LORD do not change.”

By the way, here’s a quick side note that was shown to me years ago. For Peter to tell his readers that they should be prepared to give a reason for the hope inside (and hope in the biblical expression here means something you’re completely sure of), the apostle is assuming that people are going to ask his readers why they’re different! If they blended right in with those around them in the lifestyle they chose, there would be no reason for people to ask what they’re living for, because who would bother to notice?

But what I want to do here is go directly to a book called “Tactics” by Gregory Koukl that has seriously impacted my thinking on all of this, and for that I HIGHLY recommend picking up this book. It’s written to help Christians know how to talk about their convictions, knowing that we already have volumes of material written in defense of the actual claims of the Christian faith, leaving people like myself needing help with maneuvering comfortably and kindly through beneficial conversations. The author also reminds his readers that it should give them confidence when they realize how compared with all the worldviews out there, Christianity is the one that best explains who we are and how we got here. The book cover mentions that Koukl has Masters Degrees in philosophy and in apologetics, he’s spoken at 50+ university campuses, he hosted a radio talk show for 18 years, and founded Stand to Reason (www.str.org).

Here’s an excerpt from what Koukl says when addressing just one of the reservations that Christians have when they try to shy away from these issues:

When people say you can’t argue anyone into the kingdom, they usually have an alternative approach in mind. They might be thinking that a genuine expression of love, kindness, and acceptance, coupled with a simple presentation of the gospel, is a more biblical approach.

If you are tempted to think this way, let me say something that may shock you: You cannot love someone into the kingdom. It can’t be done. In fact, the simple gospel itself is not even adequate to do that job.

How do I know? Because many people who were treated with sacrificial love and kindness by Christians never surrendered to the Savior. Many who have heard a clear explanation of God’s gift in Christ never put their trust in him.

In each case something was missing that, when present, always results in conversion. What’s missing is that special work of the Father that Jesus referred do, drawing a lost soul into his arms (John 6:44). Of this work Jesus also said, “Of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:39).

According to Jesus, then, two things are true. First, there is a particular work of God that is necessary to bring someone into the kingdom. Second, when present, this work cannot fail to accomplish its goal. Without the work of the Spirit, no argument—no matter how persuasive—will be effective. But neither will any act of love nor any simple presentation of the gospel. Add the Spirit, though, and the equation changes dramatically.

Here’s the key principle: Without God’s work, nothing else works, but with God’s work, many things work. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, love persuades. But the power of God, the gospel transforms. And with Jesus at work, arguments convince. God is happy to use each of these methods. Why do you think God is just as pleased to use a good argument as a warm expression of love? Because both love and reason are consistent with God’s own character. The same God who is the essence of love also gave the invitation, “Come now, and let us reason together.” Therefore, both approaches honor him.

- from “Tactics: A game plan for discussing your Christian convictions” by Greg Koukl, page 36. Foreword by Lee Strobel, endorsed by JP Moreland, Sean McDowell, William Lane Craig, and Norm Geisler.

.

So on Thursday morning, I was thinking about how I could help the situation in Haiti, and came up with the idea of a local benefit concert. Long story short, the first show kicked off Friday night, and we raised over $900 from generous donations. All proceeds went directly to Three Angels Children’s Relief, an organization that I’ve written about before because I sponsor a young girl named Loralie at their orphanage and school. I first checked with Jim and Candy, who are in charge of Antioch, the cafe-style venue in Newhall with a stage, sound system, tables, couches, etc, and they were excited about the idea. They already had Josiah James on tour from NorCal scheduled to play Friday night, and it worked about well because he was fine with turning this into a benefit concert, and pop-artist Jess Penner drove up from LA to join the cause. Friday I had sent out an email to my coworkers at Paul Mitchell’s corporate office here in Santa Clarita, and I also decided to test the power of Twitter. I sent a tweet to the local newspaper’s account, as well as the local radio station KHTS AM-1220. The newspaper responded by reposting my details on when and where the benefit concert would take place, and the radio station announced the show over the air. Brendie Bandara (whose name I recognized from when I worked at the City Hall) also got involved after I emailed Shannon Hoffmann of Three Angels. Facebook came in handy with some promotion on the fan pages.

Although the money we raised in this small way is just one drop of rain into the sea of needs, it was still encouraging to see it come together. As a Christian I had the opportunity to talk to a few people about this event and the bigger issue of serving in general. It’s worth mentioning to my fellow Christians that if you don’t think you can do something for poor and hurting people, I’m not here to give some cheesy “You can do it!” pitch, but I’ll instead say that God can and will give you the motivation, creativity or whatever it is you need in order to serve others instead of yourself, provided that you honestly ask God for that. If you want to make a difference in the world, you first have to actually have a reason to. And making a difference with giving to Haiti doesn’t have to mean you rebuild the country; it could mean that your generosity leads to a changed perception in your neighbor who previously hated you and your Christian religion, and that’s what they call “planting a seed.” I’ve taken shots at different religions (different faiths in general, including atheism; not the individual people who adhere to them) before, because I believe that once honestly and carefully studied, they cannot explain the world we live in with the depth that Christianity can, not to mention that they don’t have the power to change a life from the inside out as what inevitably happens for true followers of Christ. You can show me a kind buddhist, a polite Mormon, a smiling Catholic or any other nice person, but show me a weak and incapable Christian who, in spite of his or her own admittedly selfish pursuits and desires, chooses, only by the unexplainable strength given by God, to turn their focus in life onto others without need for repayment via money, pleasure, or their reputation, and now you’ve got people around them asking serious questions. And in answer to those curious onlookers, this messenger, knowing their own unworthiness in the face of a holy God, cannot help but be all the more excited about this God whom they serve, not some never-ending religious checklist they’re working on for this God.

One final thought to hammer that last point home. “I wish I was there in Haiti” has been the recurring thought running through my mind as I’ve watched the details unfold on the news over the last few days after this tragic earthquake. There’s not nearly enough help with the overwhelming devastation. While I was thinking about why I wasn’t there, I realized that my mindset has changed over the last few years in the way I’m asking the question. ”Why should I go?” has been replaced with ”Why can’t I go?” to which I do have practical answers that are keeping me where I am now, but it’s interesting to note the shift in thought-process. Here’s what I’m saying: genuine Christianity changes lives from the inside out, and if the effect of that comes out in some small way during my life, then trace it back to the One who caused it.

(Note: thoughts expressed here came from myself and aren’t necessarily shared by the people or companies mentioned. I apologize for not going into the depth I would’ve liked to on each separate issue. There’s always more to be said.)

Another comment I overheard that night, ”I just knew they’d come!” came from a smiling middle-aged man to his friend as we stopped at his street, making our announcement about the free blankets and hot drinks. More highlights: The woman who we gave a baby’s blanket to because a kind young mom from my work had donated it; the man who special-requested a sleeping bag that we were able to provide for after one was generously donated by Matt’s coworker; the enthusiastic responses from three ladies I work with who want to come along next time we go. One lady down the hall mentioned checking if the local Starbuck’s stores would consider each donating one of the large catering containers for us to give out on a cold night. It gets me fired up to see other people coming on board to a beneficial cause. Beneficial not only to the recipients of the gifts, but sometimes much more to the giver. Interesting how that works.

A lot of amazing things happen when you put together something like this and invite people to participate. I’m not one to force my beliefs on others, and I know that can certainly turn into a prideful excuse for not speaking up about an issue when I know I should, but when I exercise the God-given ability and motivation to do something out of the ordinary, I suddenly find that people have genuine questions, to which I have the opportunity and obligation to respond. One of the simplest responses I’ve been able to use in this case is just to explain that the homeless guy on the street, even the drug addict or the prostitute, is a picture of who I am in front of a holy God, who would still be perfectly justified if he had never reached out to help me.

And my response to those who have questions can all go back to the joy and hope that is within me, that no one can take away. One of the exciting points about 1 Peter 3:15, when talking about honoring Jesus Christ by “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you,” is the assumption that people are actually going to ask questions. The most likely way you’re going to have people ask questions is if you’re different, and that had better be in a good way, not some obnoxious, personal preference issue, but I’d rather not go into those specifics here. A quick side note about the Apostle Peter’s charge in 3:15 is to notice that he cautions the believer to “do it with gentleness and respect,” which far too many Christians completely miss. I think it was Tim Chaddick of Reality LA in Hollywood that was suggesting how one of the biggest ways people come to Christianity is by what they saw and wanted in the life of a Christian they knew; ironically that happens to also be the biggest reason people reject Christianity, after observing hypocrisy in the life of someone claiming to be a Christian. And yet of course there is no formula for convincing people to become a Christian, because the Bible repeatedly nails down the truth that God does the work in someone’s heart, even though the believer may have the honor of verbally explaining it as they live out Christianity with their actions. I could say or do all I want, or give the strongest possible intellectual defense for Christianity, and that is beneficial in the right context, but it’s certainly not enough to change someone’s heart. Christians are to go do the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, but success for the believer, thankfully, does not depend on the audience’s response to the message.  A Christian does what the Bible calls them to do, faithfully living it out as a way of life, then the end result, whatever it may be, is left up to God, who has his reasons in all that he does and allows. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8).

It was from one of the program’s biggest fans that I was convicted. It’s simple and here’s why. She casually mentioned that she goes through the material that’s provided in the binder for 30 minutes every day.  …Okay let me just stop for a second… does the word “devotion” or “discipline” come to mind? Ouch, I just got punched again.

Thirty minutes a day. What an accurate example of someone really going for it amidst the hectic schedule that I know she has. Do you see where I’m going with this? How about bringing in a quote that sums it up? This wasn’t my main point, but you get the picture from two guys I look up to:

“G. K. Chesterton correctly remarked that the problem with Christianity is not that it has been tried and found wanting but that it has been found difficult and left untried. In response to an article in The Times of London entitled ‘What’s Wrong with the World?’ Chesterton replied, ‘I am. Yours truly, G. K. Chesterton.’ That is precisely Jesus’ point – we are wrong with the world.” – Ravi Zacharias

Can I tie in something I heard during my time at The Master’s College? I only vaguely remember this, and it might’ve been a guest speaker, but it was an interpretation of Luke 16:1-15, also known as The Parable of the Shrewd Manager, or Unjust Servant, that stuck with me. In this parable that Jesus tells, he congratulates a manager for what seems like deceiving the boss whose money he was put in charge of, but the key is the second part of Luke 16:8, that “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”  So this shrewd manager actually took action in light of something he heard (read the chapter), used his resources wisely, and Jesus held him up as an example.

To bring in just one more point, I think it’s sad but true that a lot of Christians define the health of their faith by the things they’re choosing not to do or participate in: think getting drunk, sex in the wrong context, drugs, even dirty language. But if that’s what we’re using as the measuring stick, something is not right. That leads into the concept behind Francis Schaeffer’s short but powerful little book called “The Mark of the Christian,” which I wrote about in another post. The connection I’m trying to make between this sincere woman applying the leadership training program everyday in her life, and my own convictions about my shortcomings (they never cease to amaze me), is that there is so much more living out to do. Who do I think I am, that I could skip out on the hard work of devotion and consistent discipline it takes to live the things Christianity is all about?