Blog

The Award-Winning Documentary - 180

"180" now has been seen by over 1,800,000 people online and has changed people's lives forever. "180" is an incredible 33 minute award-winning documentary by Ray Comfort, a long-time friend of Tapestry Productions, Inc. and Ron DiCianni.

Take a few moments and watch the movie above. Contact your friends telling them that a new award-winning movie is out where eight people who are adamantly pro-abortion, change their minds and become prolife in a matter of seconds...because they were asked one question.

To learn more about "180" visit 180movie.com.

Posted on December 13, 2011 2:09 PM

Comments : 0

This too shall pass...

Three weeks ago when I dropped my oldest off at school I heard that tell tale noise of impending disaster. I like to call it the "pre-school kennel cough." Those of you with young kids know what I mean. You know as soon as one kid in the class gets it, just about everyone will and you know that merely venturing into the classroom is form of Russian Roulette.

Fast forward 3 weeks later and I am on my third round of the "creeping crud". So, if you're wondering why there hasn't been a blog post (or return phone call or return email) in the last few weeks, mystery solved. By God's grace we're on the back end of it, everybody is heading back to healthy and God sustained us because more then one kid in the class had to go in for breathing treatments, etc and by His grace, we were spared all of that.

But, in the midst of round 2, I learned something that I thought might be applicable to more then just me. Ron called me and asked "so, how are you doing?" My answer was "This too shall pass." Kind of a tongue in cheek attempt at being upbeat despite the fact that I was really feeling crummy. And as I thought about, that really was my comfort, God was in control and I had every expectation that in a few days or so I would feel better. Despite my low state, it would most likely pass, none withstanding the fact that my I felt horrible.

But as I pondered that statement I realized it was more of a universal truth then a tongue in cheek truism. Neither the best of this life nor the worst of this life is permanent, because this life itself is transitory. The only problem is that in the "throes" of it, circumstances seem pretty darn permanent. Especially if they have the likelihood of lasting more then a few days or happen to hit in the midst of particularly bad time. But we'd do well to remember that, as long as we have breath, neither success nor failure is permanent. In fact Scripture tells us:

Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Psalm 39:5 (NKJV)

Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor. Psalm 62:9 (NKJV)

Too often it seems we make our present circumstances or worse yet how we "feel" at the moment, the governing factor in our outlook and even in our feelings toward God. A friend of mine once repeated a nugget of gold that he'd received from a pastor: "Make sure you give your feelings time to catch up to the facts." It's powerful statement that I have quoted many times since.

When that big business deal closes, when that new car is parked in the drive way, when the baby is born, when the realtor hands you the keys; we feel on top of the world. All is right in the universe at this moment. It's not. It just feels that way. And this too shall pass.

When the diagnosis comes, when the pink slip arrives, when they're tacking the foreclosure notice to the door, when the money in the outgoing column is more then the money in the incoming column, when the kids are sick, when you have a fever of 102 and your sinuses feel like flame throwers and its been two weeks, when the judges slams down the gavel ending the marriage you've been fighting for; everything feels out of whack and somewhat hopeless. It's not. It just feels that way. And this too shall pass.

As well, when we have the right perspective on events we begin to see too that even in "disaster" God's hand of favor is evident. For example during this illness, of our 7 member family, the 2 most vulnerable members of the family didn't even get the sniffles. Despite the fact that the whole house sounded like a TB ward. Praise God!

In the big things and in the little things, it is good for us to remember our place. First, we are His. Second we are not in control, He is. Third, this life and its circumstances, painful or joyful though they might feel, are not permanent.

For those of us struggling whether its financial, or illness or seeming failure right now, I love this verse, offered to the church at Smyrna:

Fear nothing in the things you're about to suffer-but stay on guard! Fear nothing...It won't last forever. Rev 2:10 (MSG)

For those of us on the top of the world right now in our finances or business or ministry this is the verse to keep in mind:

But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. James 1:9-11 (NIV84)

And why? Because as James reminds us:

[W]hereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14 (NKJV)

So? Our response? Paul tells us:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NIV84)

Remembering that:

Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. 1 Peter 2:11.

'til next time... God bless!

Art: Weight of the World by Ron DiCianni

Posted on November 17, 2011 12:00 PM

Comments : 0

To Be Mature in Christ is Basic

As a father of 3 kids under 5 years old, it's amazing to watch the progression of growth that happens as children mature. Each is a unique creation but somehow seems to go through the exact same stages. Crawling, toddling, those first precious words and then my strong desire that they'd just stop talking for 5 seconds so I could actually ask my wife a question!

There is, however, one word I have come to learn as the hallmark of very small children. Namely "self-centered". Psychologists tell me that it means the process of living a "me" centered existence. It's a key hallmark of young children until they develop maturity. Everything revolves around "me" and its not that I don't care about anyone else - it's that as far as I am concerned, everyone else should revolve around me too! And being self centered like that is a primary indicator of the maturity - or in this case immaturity - of a person. Its not just my kids, even their friends at these young ages are chiefly concerned with themselves to the near exclusion of all else. And we all laugh it off as "immaturity" knowing that some day "they'll grow out of it"

Case in point my 5 year old just barged in asking:

"Daddy, do you want to wrestle".

When I said "I can't hunny" he said "why".

"Well Daddy, has to work".

His reply "Sooooooo... why can't you wrestle?".

That's just a 5 year old. Nothing really matters beyond his little world. And it shouldn't. I'm so glad that he's protected from all the mental ravages of this world. His ego-centrism is a protection mechanism at this age.

But what's cute and mildly amusing at age 5 would be a definite annoyance at age 10 and probably a full blown frustration at age 15. Imagine a 30 year old who was so self consumed they couldn't focus beyond their own nose if they had to. We'd pity that person and probably keep our distance. They really never "grew up" and what a shame their parents tolerated such behavior without calling them on it.

That maturing process is applicable to a lot more then just childhood. It applies to just about all pursuits in business, in sports and it applies absolutely in our walk with Christ. At the very early stages of our relationship with Christ, it's all about what He did for me. Namely, came to earth, died on a cross paying for MY sins and then was raised to life for MY justification (Romans 4:25). And as we grow in Christ, we realize that we have obligations to others (the Golden Rule, the 10 commandments, the Persecuted Church, tithing, intercession, etc). As part of the body of Christ, we are called to certain "corporate" pursuits. But then, as we mature further, we come to the realization that Paul writes about through his epistles. Namely that all that really matters is Christ. That we're to live a Christ centered existence. That the only response to what Christ did is to give Him everything in return. That's also the point of Jesus' parables in the last part of Mathew 13 and the lynch pin of Paul's famous statement that he considers everything but Christ to be "rubbish" (Phil 3:8 NIV1984). When we mature, we realize that instead of an immature "me" dominated existence, we now live a Christ dominated existence and everything is weighed in that balance of Christ being the center. We recognize that instead of it all revolving around me; "it" all really revolves around Him!

In Colossians Paul writes:

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels-everything got started in [Jesus] and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body...(Col 1: 16-18 MSG)

So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe-people and things, animals and atoms-get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross...(Col 1:19-20 MSG)

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! (Col 2:6-7a MSG)

At the end of Colossians 1, Paul makes this statement that I double underlined in my Bible, again in the Message Translation:

...To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.

In 1615 Galileo postulated that instead of the commonly held notion of everything revolving around the earth, the solar system instead revolved around the Sun. For this he was branded a heretic and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. The people of that day could not imagine a world in which the God-created earth was not the center of existence. Similarly today, we have generations of American Christians who seem to hold that they are the center of existence, forgetting that in relating, just like in Galileo's time, it really all does revolve around the Son.

Christ is in fact what this world, our lives and everything revolves around. It is not, as so many seem to act, that Christ is one facet of our life in competition with work, school, family, play, etc. It is that Christ is our life and all else is peripheral to Him. That's a mature Christianity.

Instead of being egocentric, we need to be Christ-centered. One of the key tests for our maturity level as Christians is to gauge whether we're centered on Christ or something else. Is our overriding concern is me and my needs or, as it should be, the needs and desires of Jesus? Anything less is to still be in kindergarten!

Posted on October 26, 2011 2:53 PM

Comments : 2

A Furious Squall

Continuing on in our Blog Devotional Series I read this today and God really impressed on me how applicable it was to our view of life as American Christians. Our text is in Mark, a story many of us know well. Jesus & the disciples were in a boat, the disciples were rowing, Jesus was sleeping and up comes a "furious squall". The Bible records that:

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" Mark 4:37-38 NIV

The disciples, despite all the miracles they had seen were scared of some wind and water. Sure, Jesus could feed an army with a few loaves of bread but the weather? That might hurt.

As Christians, particularly western Christians, it seems we have adopted this view that the Christian life is the easy life. It's the protected life. It's the guaranteed life. And it is all that, just not in the way we mean it. Our temporal earthly existence is very much in flux. The part that is guaranteed is Christ, our security in Him and His control and mastery of our circumstances. The daily circumstances themselves are never guaranteed.

Forgive me if I am wrong but I think many of us object when God swamps our boat. More correctly we object when we THINK that MAYBE our boat MIGHT be POSSIBLY swamped - true facts notwithstanding. Life events that we don't want, like, or understand sometimes make us nervous and fearful. And our response is to look to heaven and say "But You promised...". We forget though that God is God and nowhere in Scripture is there a promise that He keep us physically comfortable 100% of the time. Now eternity is a different story, it's guaranteed lock stock and barrel perfection if we've accepted Christ as Savior. Our soul can't be touched if we're God's. But our physical surroundings - they can change in the blink of an eye. The only constant is that God is in control.

I know I have been guilty of this in my own life, when the winds and waves kick up I am apt to freak out. But what does Scripture tell us? Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Do you think God is unaware of our circumstances? Or is He in control of them? You'd better settle this in your mind today if you've not already done so... God is 100% in control 100% of the time. And there is no guarantee we will like the physical situation of our circumstances.

There is a further phenomenon that I would like to talk about that I see rampant in the church. Even though we are admonished otherwise I can understand getting jittery about big events... the loss of a job... spouse...child. Those are world rocking circumstances and many Christians lack the maturity to be able to immediately respond with "Lord You are sovereign" as we ought. But it seems to me that more and more we take issue with God over what we want versus what we need. If someone else has a nicer car, a better house, a cooler job, we get jealous and envious and - as I have even seen happen - get aggravated with God. "Geez God, I thought you wanted me to have the best. Aren't I serving you more then that guy? How come he got the big raise then? Don't you love us? Didn't you promise us good things?"

I think this logic exists because we have it so well here in America. There is no universe in which any of these thoughts would be expressed by our brothers and sisters in countries where Christianity is illegal. They recognize that God owes them nothing. They owe God everything. They live, each second, by His divine provision and they are His to use as He sees fit. And daily many die for the privilege.

I have personally met Christians who have been chained, jailed, beaten, starved, tortured, and brutalized in unimaginable, inhuman ways - simply for being Christian -and I have never, not once, heard them complain. They are so grateful to God for His Love and Salvation that they take the view of Paul where he said:

...no one [should] be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4

James tells us:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3

Pure Joy? Yep!

In 1st Peter we find:
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

The events in our life are not random and they are not pointless. God uses events to position us, to refine us, to correct us, to grow us and to use us for His purposes. Who are we to object?

So, the net result? We don't get to be afraid when God throws some water in the boat... be it a few drops or a deluge. Trust Him. Respond out of knowledge that He is God, He is in control and our response is to come before Him as we read earlier:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

'Til Next Time... God bless!

Art: The Storm by Ron DiCianni

P.S. Here's something I do when I fall into the trap of thinking God owes me something. I get out my copy of Jesus Freaks and read what God could ask of me. Don't be misled that the book is "aimed at teens". I've been in the office of some of the most respected pastors in the world and this book is prominently on their personal bookshelf - it's on mine too.

Posted on October 19, 2011 2:56 PM

Comments : 2

Hardship is Not Eternal

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials...set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 3-6 & 13b)

From time to time I have the privilege of preaching and addressing audiences all over America. Usually on some topic of spurring them on to depth in Christ or specifically talking about using the Arts to proclaim the Gospel. Those two themes are easily adapted to just about any American venue from big city mega-churches to rural home churches. I have often wondered though what I would say if I were addressing Christians from another country. A country where being a Christian is not merely unpopular but downright hazardous to your health. A country like Vietnam where Pastor "T" was, on June 26th, dragged from his home, beaten to within an inch of his life and whisked off to an unknown location by the police - merely for being a pastor. I realized that I would not seek to preach some high treatise on the nature of salvation or a resounding call to mature Christianity but I would offer them part of the same encouragement that I myself depend on.

About 3 months ago as I was getting ready for bed I was talking to my wife, reminiscing on some of the joys and frustrations we had gone through together. During this time a very important truth made the 18 inch drop from my head to my heart. In truth, my wife and I are amazingly blessed but there are still some things in our lives that are genuine difficulties and that we've struggled with over the years. I am sure you have those things too... an illness, a physical limitation, maybe it's a persistent need or an unending conflict. Maybe an unsaved spouse or wayward child that causes your tortured nights. It could be an imprisonment for a crime you did not (or even did) commit. It could be an imprisonment of a different nature... imprisoned in a loveless marriage or a thankless job. Or even the knowledge that God is calling you to something but has, as of yet, kept you waiting. And for whatever reason you have to endure either as a consequence of your own choices or because this is where God has put you for this time and place. Those things are often painful & uncomfortable.

Here's the encouragement I want to offer you in this segment of our ongoing blog devotional. Simply this, no matter what you encounter in this life as you walk with God - no matter what blessing or hardship, joy or pain - nothing can change the end result for a Christian. Namely an eternity with Christ in Heaven. For those of us who have believed that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins and was raised to life; for those of us who have invited Him to live in us as Lord and Savior - for those of us who in fact are Christians - there is a guaranteed eternity for us with God in Heaven. Not a quick vacation or sabbatical - not even a long term retirement - an eternity. Time without end to bask in the presence of our Saviour, to worship before His throne, to be in physical perpetual fellowship with the Author of Creation forever. Yes, in this life there may be pain (nowhere in Scripture is walking with Christ called "easy" - it's the "narrow" road for a reason) but there is also a guarantee. So long as we stay centered on Christ, no hardship, trial, frustration, failure, difficulty or stress can change our end destination. The pain is temporary, the victory is already won, the prize already awarded, the end guaranteed - all in and because of Christ.

The verses that surround our initial text above in 1st Peter say much about how we are to live our lives between now and eternity - I encourage you study them so that you make the most of the time that God gives you here on this earth - but the fact remains that no difficulty or hardship we experience on earth as we walk in God's plan for us can change the fact that we are guaranteed eternity with Christ! Praise God for His unfailing mercy and favor! Walk with your head held high that this - whatever you are going through no matter how hard or painful - is not your end. Your end is Christ; your end is guaranteed forever! Hang in there, trusting God, knowing that our temporary hardships can not change our eternal guarantee! Praise God!

'til next time... God bless!

Art: Never Alone by Ron DiCianni

Posted on October 14, 2011 9:21 AM

Comments : 0