Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[Yahoo]

As financial workers suffer through tumultuous times on Wall Street, some are turning to an old source of solace: religion.Religious leaders said attendance was up at lunchtime meetings in New York’s financial district last week, with many more people in business attire than usual.

That is hardly surprising, said Reverend Mark Bozzuti-Jones of Trinity Church Wall Street, given that people don’t know if their employers will survive from one day to the next.

“The economic financial crisis is a reminder that we cannot put our faith in riches, that we cannot put our faith in money,” Bozzuti-Jones said in his sermon at lunchtime on Friday, which he devoted to coping with the financial crisis.

A handful of men in suits and ties and women in business attire were among dozens of people at the Episcopal church, which was hit by debris from the World Trade Center collapse on September 11, 2001.

The church, which normally attracts tourists and a few financial workers, experienced an upturn in visitors this week, Bozzuti-Jones said. In the past few days he had requests for help to pay rent from those who had lost their jobs.

“People are just sitting there, praying or crying and definitely exhausted. There has definitely been an increase in the number of people who have come in,” he said in his office after the service.

Read more here.

[From me]

Well, if it takes a recession or worse to bring people back to God I may not like it but ultimately it is up to Him.  Are you willing to give up your comforts if it brings people to Jesus?  Really?

What do you think?

Yesterday started off like most days that I have. I enjoyed spending the weekend alone with my wife. My parents spoke at our church’s Father-son and Mother-daughter lunch on Saturday and took Jacob and Hope home to Columbia, SC. Cassandra was scheduled to pick them up yesterday morning @ 11:00 AM half-way between Columbia and Charlotte.

I’m a planner and live by my Franklin-Covey Software on my Palm Treo. But I learned years ago at their seminar to expect interruptions. Of course the Bible tells me that in James 1:2-4:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

That was one of the first passages of Scripture I memorized as a child. It has been my life. In fact, I know that if I’m not having opposition of some sort I’m not serving God to the fullest. I’m convinced that Satan doesn’t need to bother those who aren’t living for him.

Anyway, While I was studying Cassandra called and asked me if I would go pick up Jacob and Hope because her back was acting up again and she couldn’t drive. I said sure because I knew I could study on the way down and get them back home and be in the office by 12:30 at the latest to prepare for Sunday’s message.

I drove down to Exit #65 in SC and was waiting for my Dad, Jacob and Hope to meet me at McDonalds (not to eat!) when a man and his girlfriend hit me up for $$. They made me feel very uncomfortable so I went inside the McDonalds because I was afraid they might try to rob me. A half-hour later my dad arrived with my kids and we packed up and I was right on schedule. I decided to stop and get gas in Rock Hill, SC because they have cheap gas ( can you believe that I am considering $2.83 a gallon cheap?). Right before I pulled off I ran over something on I-77. I didn’t think much about it until a lady at the Raceway gas station told me my front tire was flat. It wasn’t just flat it was to the rim.

I put some air in it but heard air oozing out so I drove to the Pep Boys across the street to get it fixed. They said it would be 45 minutes so Jacob, Hope and I went to the Pizza Hut across the street and ate from the Buffet. I don’t like Buffets because I always feel I have to get my money’s worth but after speaking on Gluttony Sunday I was good and ate a salad.
After eating we went back to Pep Boys and my car was still not ready. We ended up waiting 2 hours total. Thankfully I didn’t have to buy a new tire. I drove the kids home and drove back to the church to get some studying done. I stayed much later than normal to make up for lost study time.

I’m convinced of this–God must be planning something big this week in my life or the church. Anytime I have Murphy’s Law days I know that Satan doesn’t want me to do something for God’s glory. We are passing out ice cold water bottles this Saturday and I’m speaking from Colossians 3 this Sunday about work. I’m not sure what is going to happen but I look forward to seeing God move!

What about you? When you experience opposition do you see God in those time?

[UPDATE]

I guess there is a lot of spiritual warfare going on this week. I just got off the phone with Wells Fargo regarding the leased van I turned in 2 months ago that was 10,000 miles under the allowed miles and I had to settle with them for “excessive” wear for money I don’t have. Do not lease from Wells Fargo!!!!

God must really love me!