Achuckallen

Instigating Better

Friendship

These are Superpowers

by

These Are Superpowers by ACHUCKAllen

I grabbed a Delta jet to my hometown, Daytona Beach, Florida Sunday afternoon to officiate a friend’s son’s wedding. It was a rainy afternoon with thunderstorms strong enough to sweep the beach of every vacationing family. I thought that we would definitely be having an indoor wedding. This is a young couple that needed a wedding to happen on the beach, just outside the condominium that the groom has been vacationing at for 20 plus years. It wasn’t looking good as the skies grew darker.

But at 7:00pm, just thirty-minutes before the wedding, the clouds blew out and the sun started peeking around the now white and fluffy clouds. By 7:30, there was a nice breeze and it was a beautiful evening for a wedding on the beach.

What was the superpower that moved that storm away? A daddy that loves his boy and a couple that has chosen the path of grace and kindness over judgement and legalism. The answer the groom’s daddy gave every person regarding the weather was simple. To every person, whether they were Followers of Jesus or not, his answer was, “well, the Lord is good and He heard our prayers.” Was the prayer the superpower or the kindness? And the answer is YES!

Here is what I know with great certainty: When you openly speak about the things of God, good things happen.

On Monday, I was on my way from my room to the hotel elevator when I met Kadian . Kadian is a young mom from Jamaica. I said the usual “good morning and how are you today” remarks and she seemed timid and a bit distracted. I was hungry and hopped on the elevator and hit the button for the lobby. It was at that moment the Lord spoke as clearly to me as I was hoping a server would when I ordered my breakfast. The Lord was clear. “Chuck, stop the elevator, go back and give that girl some money.” He was specific about the amount and the action. I responded like I often do, “Lord, I’ll find her after breakfast.”

Here’s a life lesson. The Lord doesn’t desire His kids to delay in acting on His directions.

So, I got off the elevator at the Lobby, smelling the sausage, bacon, French toast and biscuits (sorry). And I got back on the elevator and road back to the tenth floor. I found Kadian and told her that the Lord told me to bring her this money. She teared up and asked me to stop in the middle of the hallway and pray for her. I did and decided to pray big. When I said amen and finished, two separate couples had joined in the serendipitous prayer meeting and we were all crying. Kadian looked me in the eyes and said that she told her son, as she left their apartment early Monday morning that “God would provide today.” Well, how bout that?

Was it the money or the act of Kindness the Lord directed me with. The answer is YES!

Again, When you openly speak about the things of God, good things happen.

You have superpowers at your disposal every single day. Prayer, Kindness, Graciousness and Obedience. I wonder what our world might look like if we were to lay down our egos, logos and personal preferences and replaced them with Prayer, Graciousness and Obedience? Imagine a day that you choose the superpower of openly speaking about the things of God…and good things happen? Would we really make a dent in this planet for the betterment of mankind? The Answer, YES!

Go in Peace,
AChuck

The Politics of Jesus

by

The Politics of Jesus by AChuckAllen

I grew up in the home of a politician. For those of you that knew my father, you knew him as Brother Ken or Pastor Ken. But long before that he was Ken Allen, State Representative, State Senator, Chairman of the Republican Party and almost Lieutenant Governor.

You can imagine, there were no donkeys in our home and when I voted in my first presidential election and cast my vote for Jimmy Carter, my dad almost cried.

Over the years I’ve voted for folks on both sides of the aisle and I must confess that in my past 4-5 years I’ve discovered that there is a reason why we are such a diverse culture —- we don’t think the same way for a purpose. I’ve learned to lay down my party lines and sought after the line that God the Creator of the Universe has laid down. Friend, that’s worth this discussion.

Here are a few thoughts to prime your pump.

1. If Jesus had chosen to walk the face of this earth in our generation He wouldn’t sit on either the right or left side of the aisle. He has an aisle all His own. If Jesus were here in the flesh today, what would He do in our present political environment? Would He campaign to get His favorite candidate elected? No, He would still be declaring the message He spoke about when He came during the first century. The solution to man’s problems is not to reform present governments, but rather to replace them with the Kingdom of God.

2. If Jesus were to vote, He would vote for His Father and His FATHER’s ways. “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15)

3. If Jesus were to lobby the hallowed halls of Congress, He would hold up His Word as evidence. Under the scrutiny and temptation following 40 days without food, Jesus replied to Satan…”It is written” The Son of God knew the Word of God was the Bond of God as a Covenant with God and His people!

4. If Jesus were to be under the scrutiny of a special counsel, He wouldn’t be guilty of anything but being fully, completely and utterly the way, the truth and the life. The question we should be asking, then, isn’t whether Jesus is on our side, but whether we’re on his. This is the appropriate question not only for politics and government, but also every other concern.

5. If Jesus were to look at our present government, He would say, honor your government. Pray for your leaders and seek the face of the Heavenly Father before you vote…but vote! “Let every soul, be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” Romans 13:1-2

In the Old Testament, in a time of political upheaval…some might have called it a constitutional crisis, three young guys show us the way. In Daniel 3:1–30, the King builds a golden image (most likely of himself) and demands, by law that all the people of the kingdom fall tp their knees and worship this golden image when they here music. I mean, what in the world?

Friend, This World Wants You to TRUST in POLITICS and POLITICIANS

These men – really young men had been enslaved and removed from their homes forced into a new land with new faiths and new politics. Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar had become a godless and wicked land. It had become a land filled with angry people, living ungodly lives and were being ruled by even worse governmental leaders.

Their leaders, in particular the king had determined that he was THE MAN. He was the final authority and so he builds a massive statue that was to represent he and his government, his greatness and his power.

But listen to what James says about this problem that seems to be a problem today, just as it was in the day of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.. Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously? James 4:4–5

Now, maybe there were some folks that said to the king, “dude, this might not be the best or play.” “Are you sure that you want to require everybody to bow down and worship it?” But their world and this world wants you to worship something! And by the way, everybody is doing it, right? I mean, it’s a new rule, a new law. It’s what the king has requested.

We were made in the image of God, our Creator. We have been called to a citizenship that exceeds even the greatest country on the planet. The Scriptures teach us that we are citizens of Heaven! As Followers of Jesus, the priorities of our lives are to FIRST be governed by God.

So, a few dudes took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse the the three guys Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. You as king have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.

There are some Jewish guys you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These guys have ignored you, the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up. Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to him. So these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar asked them,

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” Daniel 3:8–15

The Politics of this World will DARE YOU to Live for God

These three young men. Bright promising futures ahead of them as leaders and leaders of leaders have been dared, as we are today to step outside of the binary, silly political winds of donkeys and elephants and stand firm on the Word of the Living God.

They were being dared to stand when the political ways and winds said to kneel. Even facing a persecution that goes way beyond being ostracized on social media. Way beyond uncomfortable conversation at the dinner table. Light years away from losing a promotion. They were dared to kneel or die. Kneel or be thrown into the fiery furnace. We are talking cremation heat. Instantaneous death!

But here is what they knew…they knew that they had been made in the image of God. They were image bearers of the Most-High God. They knew He would never leave them or forsake them.

Notice that the King asks the most telling question: “Who is this God that can rescue you from MY POWER?

All of a sudden, these young men have to make three choices:

1. What should I do politically?

2. What should I do morally?

3. What should I do spiritually?

They Were Faced with the Task to TRUST GOD REGARDLESS of the CONSEQUENCES

They didn’t write an op-ed in the Babylon Chronicle. They didn’t form a protest. They didn’t set chariots on fire and pillage stores. They didn’t go on BabylonBook or Jewishgram and see what their other friends were doing. They had to stand on something that mattered with an eternal surety.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Talk about ticked-off. The King was outside of his mind!

So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings, and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. Since the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flames killed those men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire. Daniel 3:16–23

This World and its Politics will dare you LIVE LIKE YOU TRUST GOD.

  • Our challenges aren’t the result of poor leadership, they are all founded in poor followship! If you want God to step in and walk you through your fire, you must choose to follow Him, not just acknowledge Him
  • We don’t need better political parties. We don’t even need better politicians. We need citizens with a heart and soul turned toward Heaven.
  • We are in desperate need for our politics to be in perfect alignment with who God has created us to be. We have been created in His image, in His likeness, to walk in His ways and trust Him, not the system. Not the party line, spin room or political platform.
  • To get our politics right, we need to get our hearts right!

Romans 8:5 give us the key: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 34:7 “The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.”

This desperate world needs to be rescued!

The King looks into the furnace and sees, not three, but four men in the fire. This is a King’s Holy Crap moment! These guys exited the furnace with all of the clothing intact. Without a scent of ash or fire. And the fourth guy? Well, He is no other than God Himself. He stepped in and didn’t let these faith-fille dudes avoid the fire. He did something far better. He got in the fire with them! Friend, God didn’t leave Heaven and come to this Earth to keep you from the fire, He came to get in the fire with you!

Politics is a game. A costly game. But listen, God isn’t playing a game. From the time of creation He has set His Kingdom in place and His Son, Jesus the Lord came to allow us entry into His Kingdom. A Kingdom with no term limits, no political limits and no limits of power. He has no boundaries, no treaties, no equals. He needs no allies, He isn’t elected and He has always been in charge, always will be in charge and doesn’t need the UN, NATO, presidents, kings, prime ministers or dictators. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Savior of the World and our allegiance is first and foremost to Him and to His ways and His will and we are to believe in Him, hope in Him, trust in Him and love Him. Why? Because He doesn’t need a strategy team, a press release, a spin doctor, a pollster, a pundit or a party.

He has one platform – YOU! You are who He has come to redeem and claim as His own child and in Him, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the rule, the law and the truth.

When we get our politics in line with God’s will, we will receive the hand of God’s blessings. America doesn’t need to ask for God’s blessings. America needs to become a land that is blessable.

Looking for a better way? Looking for a fresh and simpler way? Need a platform you can trust and a leader you can follow with all of your heart mind and soul? Then Jesus, the other in the fire is here for you!

The political position of Jesus is simple! You live for Him and He’ll never leave you alone. He’ll never leave you in a mess. He’ll never break a promise.

Go in Peace, AChuck

Here Comes the Judge

by

Here Comes the Judge by AChuckAllen

To judge means: to separate, to pick out, select, choose. By implication, it means to condemn, punish—avenge, conclude.

Our culture often uses Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter seven (“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.“) to promote a tolerance that often encourages acceptance of behaviors that the Bible forbids. We know that wasn’t Jesus’ intention. So, what did Jesus mean when He told us not to judge?

The Bible says we can’t judge what is in someone’s heart. We may assign bad motives to someone who ignores us when, in reality, they are fighting hidden battles. They may have just learned their spouse has been in an affair, or their child has cancer—or both.

Jenny and I were at her garden the other day and noticed a woman about 40 years of age in tattered clothing and a delapidated car parked at the garden park. I made a few assumptions like, “she is going to need money,” and “what’s she doing here?”

A few minutes later, she exited the junk car and walked our way. I asked Jenn if she had any cash, and honestly, I thought, “here we go again.” She stopped and gave us a lot of helpful gardening tips, showed us her thriving garden and then asked about our faith. For a pastor, I was convicted beyond undersatanding. I had assigned to this kind, gracious new friend an assumption that carried with it some significant judgement. Shame on me!

To judge another person shows our degree of selfishness and pride. Only God knows what is in a person’s heart and the effort it takes to function where they are. We might often assume that the late mom is irresponsible. But she may be a single mom working a couple of jobs and caring for a special needs child. We might not know what’s going on and not attempt to know simply out of the terminal certainty of our assumptions.

We can make vast assumptions without caring enough to know the story, heartache or need. The further we are from a problem, the easier the solution seems to us. Just nuke em! Until you realize there are children behind those closed doors, being educated by a missionary from the west. You see, a really good reason not to jump to our preferred assumptions is that the closer we get to a problem, the more complex the solution becomes.

John’s Gospel says “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” We aren’t to judge other Followers of Jesus who practice their faith in ways different than us. We may decide someone is spiritually immature because they don’t pray, dress, or practice faith in the way we do. But we do, don’t we?

Somebody is blasting away at another believer out on Facebook or Twitter about how they teach, preach, dress, sing and far too often we jump on the bandwagon of the mean string of comments. I really cannot find anything about that action that honors the Lord. Has it ever occured to you that you too could be blasted? As a person that gets blasted regularly, it’s often a matter of no significance, but rather, preference.

Maybe you don’t like the tattoo she wears on her ankle or that he has a cold beer when he comes in from cutting the grass. Maybe you think that neighbor that cuts their grass on Sunday morning should be in church, but you don’t really know if they worship at some other time.

Paul wrote, “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat… So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (Romans 14:10, 12, 13).

When we stand before God, He won’t ask us why our friends, neighbors, co-workers or family members did what they did.

He will ask us to give an account of ourselves. To manage ourselves is a full-time job. The Holy Spirit doesn’t need us to do His job.

The scales of justice, God’s justice are not blind at all. You are not to judge others because you have an entire lifetime – and it will take that entire lifetime – to work on you. For every minute you spend judging and criticizing others, you are losing 30 minutes of self-help.

As a Follower of Jesus, what we see in the mirror, and more importantly, what the Lord points out in our time of meditation is more than a lifetime’s worth of effort and surrender without wasting a second on judging, gossiping and critiquing others!

If we truly want a better nation, state, county, city, community, school or home, we might should start by working on a better us.

“Judge not,” like all of Jesus’ commandments, is summed up in love. “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

Let’s lay down our gavels and hang up our robes. Let’s grow up spiritually and know the ways of God. Let’s be wise, be loving, be filled with grace, and let’s be overwhelmed by the mercy of the Divine.

Judge not, lest you be judged.

Go in Peace,
AChuck

CNN vs FOX NEWS

by

CNN vs FOX NEWS by AChuckAllen July 2, 2019

Okay, buckle up. This brief, but thoughtful article has been chewed on from every angle. I realize that this might be one of those equal opportunity offensive articles, but here goes.

I’m in what I believe to be a growing populous of Americans that cannot stand cable news channels. I just can’t take it anymore.

I feel like like I grow a bit more liberal in my older age, but honestly, I grow more liberal in grace, in love and in a desperate desire for a more civil society.

But I also grow more fiscally conservative in that same time of maturation.

Having said that, the blatant bias from alleged news outlets is completely out of control. It is brutally biased along party lines and ideological lines. But that’s not new. It’s been meeting and pushing the preferred agenda going back decades. Since I am a Baby Boomer, I can trace it back to the race, war and political riots of 1968. The difference is the amount of awareness in the age of the internet.

The answer cannot be to simply hunker down and take the thoughts of pundits with a political shtick and a b-level part to play on a stage and a talking point based in ratings, not truth.

The answer must be in what we choose to listen to and watch. I do not believe we are to park our brains and take in the predictable insanity of party line smack talk. It’s time to view cable news with the same degree of sincerity and significance as professional wrestling.

If CNN is Abdullah the Butcher and FOX NEWS is The Sheik, just wait for one of them to jump off the top rope and offer the world a tag-team, caged, death match.

In the meantime, let’s:

  • Pray for our leaders without concern for their political affiliation.
  • Choose to research wisely before assuming that your favorite pundit would never speak an untruth.
  • Never, ever demonstrate your lack of knowledge by using someone else’s manuscript as your alleged conviction.
  • Seek to understand, in an effort to provide solutions rather than piling on with more problems.
  • Start by recognizing that none of us are always correct.

If we were to invest the same amount of time on our personal development as we do watching cable news, we might actually solve a few problems instead of simply discovering more problems.

What do you think?

Peace, AChuck

Random Writings from 35,000 Feet

by

RANDOM THOUGHTS from 35,000 feet.

When you have an eight and a half hour flight, a lot of things run through your brain. Not useful things, just random things. Knowing you couldn’t wait to read my worthless thoughts while crossing the Atlantic, I thought I’d share them on today’s BLOG. You are totally welcome!

Things like, who actually designed these seats in cattle class? I’d like to punch them right now. Like I said, random thoughts.

Here’s a thought – Did the airlines intentionally hire grumpy gate agents or do we passengers just drive them bat crazy?

And while I’m in that vein, what exactly do they type so brutally on those keyboards. It’s like they hate the letters and just want to smash them.

Why is it that we all rush to get on the plane, only to wait for the guy with a massive carry-on that won’t fit overhead?

I’m not sure why, but when the person in front of me reclines on a full flight, that just sends me over the cliff. Is there no respect for airplane etiquette?

If the movies on the plane can be awesome without all the “F-bombs” and nudity, why can’t we see the airplane version in the theaters?

If you have ever flown before, why start on this flight?

Why is it that we can put a man on the moon, talk without wires from sea to shining sea, but cannot come up with a way to keep people on a flight from farting?

Will my luggage make it to my final destination this time?

The little girl sitting near me is so much better at Sudoko than I am.

Never eat seafood before you fly. Just sayin’.

When did the Lord decide that the world should be so diverse. I like it that way, but wow. This world is a lot bigger than Gwinnett County, Georgia.

I love to travel, especially once I get there.

The Lord did some cool diversity work when He decided to place me and Jenny together as a team. We are so different and yet so much alike. I am terribly impatient and she is patient beyond belief, until someone crosses me or one of our girls or their families. At that point she can come completely unglued. She’s kinda cute when she gets that way. There is no telling what she might do to protect or defend us. It’s such a contrast. We both will scrap with anybody, I just want to scrap much faster.

I think we are all like that, really. We are complex and unique creations. We all have the complexities that come with things like, patient yet feisty. Gracious yet ferocious, peace-filled but capable of so much angst. I’m so grateful this world is filled with folks that are so different than I am. And I am so glad that Jenny is my girl. The Lord knew that I desperately needed her. I love you, Jenn!

One last thought before I try to sleep whilst the dude in front of me is using me for a pillow. I feel like I could go all Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream bionic elbow on him right now. But then, I’m a pastor. Bad idea.

Just in case you are wondering…and I’m certain that you are, I’m listening to one of my favorite Spotify playlists, “60’s Rock Anthems.” Specifically, Bob Dillon’s “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Oh, Oh, Oh! One parting thought. I remember my Pop thinking that Creedence Clearwater Revival was a gospel group. That popped into my head as I transitioned from Bob Dillon to CCR’s “Proud Mary.”

See you here tomorrow for my 4forFRIDAY. Recommended reads, listens, learnings and reviews.

Go In Peace, AChuck

PS: Spain’s version of TSA is much nicer THAN THE FINE FOLKS IN Atlanta’s Hartsfield, Maynard Jackson, International Airport.

Three Traits of a Healthy Friend

by

Whether you are an introvert, an extrovert, a people person or a social outcast, one thing I know to be true…We are built to do this life together. God Himself placed this into His creation. He said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” Emphasis on US!

In my line of work, you better have friends. When I was a builder/developer, I needed friends. Actually, I’ve never found myself doing anything that mattered without needing friends to challenge me, encourage me and hold me accountable.

I am an awful friend. I know that’s an awful confession about a pastor. But it’s true. I don’t reach out to many other guys, but I should. I don’t naturally gravitate toward encouragement, but I should. I don’t stop and check on how I could help someone or pray for them nearly enough, but I should.

Over the course of the past 5-6 years I’ve come to a state of mind and attitude that I want to become a really good friend and I want and need really good friends. So here are three attributes of what I want to be to a friend and what I think I’d like to have in the quality of my friends.

    1. Real Time Authenticity. I don’t need a rehearsed or scripted conversation that always ends in what I can do for them. I’ve learned the hard way that if your friends disappear the moment you cannot offer them something, you never really had their friendship. You were an acquaintance that offered a needed service hidden behind the mask of friendship. I also want to know that my friends and I with them, are the same person in any environment. A good friend of mine is a big deal. I mean, he’s a really big deal, but when he sees me walk into a room, he treats me like I’m a big deal. I want to be an authentic friend that treats my friends like a big deal.
    2. Limitless Honesty. I want my friends to tell me truth, especially when it is challenging. And I want to be able to tell my friends those things (in honesty) that might be a challenge. No matter what it is about, the truth is always the right conversation with a true friend. And not just when it’s convenient. I’ve been the emperor with no britches and that’s not cool!
    3. Compassionate Accountability. The last thing I need in a friend is someone that will let me coast or slip. I need friends that will graciously hold me accountable in my walk with God, my marriage, family, career and attitudes. My wife Jenny is my number one fan, but she is also my number one accountability partner. She will bust me on a bad attitude or selfish motive in a heart beat. For that and so much more, I love her so much! But really, I’m not looking for drill sergeants and I have no desire to become a drill Sargent. Compassion and kindness are required to lovingly hold a friend accountable.

There are plenty of other qualities in friendship, but these three seemed to rush to the front of the line. I am fully confident that this world would be a far better place to lead, love and lead should we choose to live in friendship with Real Time Authenticity, Limitless Honesty and Compassionate Accountability!

As Fred Rogers well said, “won’t you be my neighbor?”

Go in Peace,
AChuck

%d bloggers like this: