The good life

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (NKJV).

The Personal Growth Study Bible by Nelson Publishers provides some interesting and helpful commentaries on select passages. Here are the comments given about Romans 8:28 . . .
"We want only good for our children, but God still permits bad things to happen to His children. How can Paul suggest that everything that happens to us is good?
First, Paul doesn't suggest that everything which happens to us is good. Sometimes horrible things happen to Christians. What Paul affirms is that things work together for good for those who love God. God is able to take the bad things that happen to us and weave them into the total pattern of our lives so that good results.
Second, Paul wants us to accept God's definition of good. The good is not necessarily the pleasant or desirable. God's good is to make us more like Jesus, conforming us to Christ's image. This what's truly good for each believer, and this is the good God promises to produce through everything we experience.
So, let's not be terrified by tragedy or pain when they visit. Let's remain confident of God's love, and let Him work His good in our lives."

Numerous times I have faced situations which I would not have chosen for myself, nor was I particularly glad to go through those experiences. However, looking back I can honestly say that I can see good which came as a result of each of those experiences. Tough experiences result in stronger faith and an enhanced ability to minister to others who go through similar experiences. This is part of what it means to conform to the image of Christ, and that is good. Part of our maturing process as a Christian is to develop an attitude of understanding concerning suffering, and to express thanksgiving even for those sufferings.
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" (I Peter 4:12-13, NKJV).

How we react to the troubles we face can bring glory to the Lord who has suffered greatly for us. And that is good!

Do you know that you know that you know?

What a glorious day! We have a new Pastor at Central Park Baptist Church, Dr. Jackie Kay. This is a day many have prayed for going on 14 months. Our church is so blessed by God to be able to have such a godly man and awesome preacher.

The church was packed and a tremendous spirit prevailed. Bro. Jackie received a 99% favorable vote. That is almost unheard of in a Baptist Church. Too often, where 2 or more Baptists are gathered you need a referee! This was just another affirmation of God's working in this situation.

The highlight of the morning, however, was not the great service, and not even the calling of Bro. Jackie. The highlight by far was the profession of faith made by Katie Robertson. "Miss" Katie is in her 80's and has been a church member since childhood. This week she came by my office and we began to talk. She shared with me how that long ago she responded to the altar call during a revival and was baptized. She has been bothered often since then, not feeling any sense of certainty about her salvation. A few weeks ago she attended a revival where Phil Waldrep was preaching and he spoke on the issue that many church members have never truly accepted God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. They might have "walked the aisle" as an emotional response to the invitation, or for some other invalid reason. As a result, they probably think they are a Christian, but may be deceived by a misunderstanding of what repentance and accepting Christ is all about. This is what "Miss" Katie discovered about herself.

When Katie shared these doubts and concerns with me, I must admit that you could have knocked me over with a feather. She is such a sweet woman, and probably as good a person as any. But, as we know from reading God's Word, being good is not a qualification for eternal life, for only One man was ever "good enough." That was Jesus! After talking and weeping together, Katie and I prayed. She confessed to the Lord that she had never asked His forgiveness for her sins, and that she wanted Jesus to be her Savior and Lord. Afterwards she and I wept again as she realized a tremendous relief from the burden she had carried for so long. Needless to say, the waterworks returned this morning as I related this story to the congregation. I'm not ashamed to say that I often cry when I hear of or am a part of someone's salvation experience.

Besides my sharing today's experience, I am writing with this important question in mind. Do you know with a certainty that when you die you will spend eternity with Jesus in heaven? Too many people would say "I hope so" or "I guess I will." There is no need to be uncertain as the Bible tells us that we can know without any doubt. John, the beloved disciple, wrote this to the church in his first epistle: "I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (I John 5:13).

Friend, this is too important an issue to allow your pride to stand in the way. If you have doubts or if you cannot point to a very specific time that you repented of your sins and asked Jesus to be your Savior, then please talk with someone. If you know me, give me a call or come by. If you don't know me and you don't know someone to talk to about this, e-mail your phone number to me at kabush@bellsouth.net and I will be glad to call you and help you deal with this issue.

Have a blessed week!

Just because!

Today has been oh so busy and it isn't nearly over. Therefore, I don't have much time to share my thoughts.

Psalm 148:5 proclaims: "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created."

Have you ever wanted to praise God but just wasn't sure what to praise Him for? That doesn't happen often, but if it does, remember Psalm 148:5. If for no other reason God is worthy of our praise because He is the Creator! We all owe our very existence to Him. And think for a moment about how intricately put together you are. Admire your fingers, consider your nose, feel your hair, smell the spring flowers, enjoy the warm breeze of springtime, soak in the suns rays, hear the bird sing . . . I could go on, and on, and on!

Our Lord is such a wonderful Father who loves us as no earthly father can. He made you for the purpose of becoming and being His friend. What a tremendous blessing! Don't let a day go by that you don't pause, at least a moment, to say "Thank you, God!"

In search of peace

One of the greatest desires of most any person is to have a sense of peace. I say "most" because there are some folks (and the number seems to be growing) out there who are so filled with hate and rage that all they seem to want is to destroy and create bedlam. Perhaps even they are searching for peace in a warped kind of way.

Where can real peace be found? Israel and their neighbors have fought for thousands of years and they still can't find peace. Other nations continue to rise against one another, rival factions within countries battle day after day, and in our country political parties, people with different ideologies, even kids on the playground can't seem to get along. Obviously, mankind does not possess within itself the qualities necessary to live in peace.

Peace with one another is a by-product of something significantly more important -- peace with God. Since the fall of man into what is referred to in theological circles as "moral depravity" there has been but one way for the human spirit to live in peace with God's Spirit. In Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he speaks to this subject of peace:
"Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Also through Him, we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:1-5).

Clearly, the Word of God declares to us that peace with Him comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ -- not religion, a relationship. That relationship is the gift we receive when we have the faith to accept that gift as the only means of righting ourselves with God. The greatest sense of peace imaginable is ours when we are in right relationship with God.

In these verses, Paul not only points to the peace which is our through Jesus, he says that grace is ours as well. Grace can be defined as "unmerited favor" or an unearned, undeserved gift. The person who has received the gift of forgiveness and eternal life has a joy because of the hope we have in God's precious promises. It is a joy which can withstand all manner of afflictions, because the believer knows that our trials produce endurance, or in other words, the tough times help us to grow stronger in our faith and resist the temptation to give up on God. Just as the body strengthens through exercise, exercising our faith results in stronger faith!

Paul also says here that our strengthened endurance then results in proven, or tested, character. Character here means the moral "core" of a person which determines how that person responds to everything which happens around him. The more we experience God through faith, the more our character grows in likeness to His.

Finally, Paul says that this proven character produces hope. All of this growth in our endurance and character results in a complete and total trust in all of God's promises including eternal life with Him in heaven, and the abundant life Jesus speaks of in John 10:10. His Holy Spirit, which indwells every true believer, acts like a conduit as God's love flows into our lives to the point of overflowing to the lives of those around us.

Peace, hope, and love . . . sounds like everything we really need and want, and it all comes in one package -- Jesus!

Does any of this disturb you?

The issue of stem cell research has been a political hot potato and a major ethical dilemma. During his administration, President Bush forbid the spending of federal funds on stem cell research which involved the use of human embryos. President Obama recently reversed that order and now embryonic stem cell research is given a green light to proceed, and with the backing of millions of tax dollars.

So you ask, "What's the problem? If this can help in the development of cures for M.S. or other horrible diseases, why should anyone be opposed?" President Obama's own words helps us to put some perspective to the issue:
"This order is an important step in advancing the cause of science in America. It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient -- especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda -- and that we make scientific decisions based on fact, not ideology" (from Pres. Obama's speech at the signing of the bill creating a new Executive Order).

Ben Mitchell is a Bio ethicist who is a university professor and consultant for the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He says this about Obama's speech:
"That rhetoric sounds high-minded, but it is, in fact, extremely dangerous. He makes it sound like science is objective, rational and above ethical consideration. In truth, science -- and especially science funding -- is neither purely objective nor purely rational. And the days of letting research be done without careful attention to ethics is long gone. The Manhattan Project, the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments, and Hitler's infamous doctors have shown that science must be informed by ethics."

As my favorite philosopher, Gomer Pyle, used to say, "Them scientist fellers were messin' with thangs best left alone!" Do you realize that these scientists are wanting to use human embryos (unborn babies!) in their experiments - killing and dissecting babies to "harvest" their stem cells? And in fact, scientists involved have admitted that they need many more embryos than are currently available through laboratories which store frozen embryos. Their solution will be to seek to "farm" embryos to assure a sufficient supply of little humans to destroy all in the name of "science." As Mitchell says, "The good news: more jobs will be created for scientists. The bad news: science becomes predatory on human embryos."

Where is the outcry from organization like P.I.T.A. and Sierra Club which go bezerk over the use of animals for research or the killing of trees? Is it O.K. to kill an unborn child, but not a rat or a Maple tree?

Another fact is that embryonic stem cells are not really necessary for research to continue. It has been found that adult stem cells are great for the kind of research needed to develop treatments for over 70 different health problems, and they don't have to kill an unborn baby. A number of prominent researchers have publicly stated that the alternative to embryonic use is actually a much more practical approach.

Folks, there is a lot of prayer to be done, and we also need to apply pressure to our elected representatives to correct this tragic decision. How can God possibly extend His blessings on a nation which so casually kills it's own young? And this is just one of numerous ethical problems related to human life in our country. Let's not forget the "Right to Die" doctrine adopted by the state of Oregon and courted by several other states. Dr. Kavorkian was just an amateur compared to our present day men of "science" and "medicine." By the way, whatever happened to the overarching rule of medicine -- "Physician, do no harm"?

This decree by our nation's leader directs our country down a slippry slope. Don't be shocked when you hear of other questionable decisions concerning human life. One such issue is the creation of a national health board that will computerize all the medical information of each person, and make decisions about your level of health care based on whether your age and general health condition warrants certain medical procedures to be made available to you. For instance, a man 80 years old may be denied a life-saving treatment because his likely life-span doesn't justify the expenditure of funds required. I am very uncomfortable with the federal government telling my doctor what he can and can't do to treat my problems. Ask yourself honestly, "What has our federal government really gotten right by setting up another level of beauracracy?"

Are you comfortable or comforting?

I had an amazing conversation earlier today with a woman who, along with her family, has been attending Central Park for several months. Her name is Sweetie Berry and she is a bundle of energy. When she began to tell me the various things she does (owns 4 businesses, ghost writes for some big name authors, writes numerous blogs, and oh yeah, she takes care of her family) I admit I was awed and somewhat ashamed at how little I seem to do.

She and husband, Les, have a passion and God-inspired vision to minister to families, especially those that are less traditional in nature, that is, blended families, single parent families, etc. They are able to see and empathize with such families because of their own personal experiences with broken relationships, hurting children, and rebuilding lives. Paul speaks to this reality in II Corinthians 1:3-5 . . .
"What a wonderful God we have - he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement" (Living Bible).

To be able to say, "I've been there," can often be a powerful means of opening a line of communication between the person who is hurting and the one who has gotten through a similar hurt with God's help. Almost four years ago I suffered a spinal cord injury during a surgery to repair a herniated disk in my neck. After the surgery we discovered that I had no movement in the left side of my body, and the doctor told my wife, Kay, that it might be a year of more before I walked again (if ever). My 23-hour outpatient procedure turned into several days of neuro-itensive care, three weeks of inpatient rehab, another six weeks of outpatient rehab, and a probable lifetime of nerve damage and weakness. God was so gracious, as I was able to take my first unsteady baby steps within a week of the surgery instead of a year. The people of our church were wonderful in their support of my family. Christians all around the country, and elsewhere, prayed faithfully for us. We truly were ministered to in countless ways.

My first opportunities to minister to others after the surgery was in the rehab center. I sat side by side with mostly older patients who were there due to broken hips, knee replacements, auto accidents, and more. As we all sweated and painfully engaged in our exercises and other forms of therapy I felt compelled to share words of encouragement with these new friends, most of whom truly were not as injured as I was. The Lord was my comfort during that very trying time, and He allowed me to share that comfort with others who were experiencing much of what I was experiencing. Since that time I have had numerous opportunities to say, "I've been there," and to share God's comfort with the hurting. I cannot say that I wish the injury had not happened. In fact, in many ways I am grateful for that experience because it helped me to grow in my faith, and it has opened my eyes to the pain others experience as I never would have seen before.

Back to Sweetie and Les -- God is giving them some truly awesome opportunities to minister and share words of comfort and strength with others. In just the past week God has opened doors to some truly awesome ways for Sweetie to use her talents in writing, speaking, and organizing. In fact, she is pretty overwhelmed with the scope of these new opportunities. These are "God-sized" things that could only be happening because of Him. For those who know them, ask them to share with you!

Why is it that Les and Sweetie are experiencing these awesome opportunities? Why is it that I'm not? This is a little painful to admit, but I have to say that I really have become too comfortable with my ministry and my life. Though I think that I may be doing a lot of "good" things in my life, I realize that there's not anything really "great" about it. In talking with Sweetie I picked up that she really isn't "comfortable" with some of the things God is opening up for her. They will really stretch her in various ways. However, she has committed to not putting limits on God as to how He can use her. She prefers to be comforting rather than comfortable!

Allow me to encourage you to pray:
-- Pray for Sweetie and Les Berry as they continue to seek God's direction for ministering to families.
-- Pray for me that I would be totally available to God to be used in any way He desires.
-- Pray for yourself. Ask God to help you to be available to Him as well.

Who are you trying to impress?

It's an issue that most Christians have to deal with . . . "Am I more concerned about impressing people or God?" You might think that this is particularly true of teenagers because they are very image conscious, but the truth is that adults are just as concerned about their image as the younger people. Is my house impressive? Does the car I drive reflect my personality or status? Do my friends think I'm cool? Do I possess just the right air of confidence so that my boss will take notice?

I think this is one reason why I love the Apostle Paul so much. He really didn't place a lot of stock in what others thought of him. His main goal was to please God with his life. And in particular, he loved to preach the good news of the gospel, regardless of what opposition he might incur. He declared to the believers in Rome, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

Are you ashamed of the gospel? It seems that many Christians try pretty hard to separate themselves from the gospel by the way they act. "I hope they don't find out I'm a Christian. They will make fun of me." "They won't think I'm cool if they find out I go to church." "If I take a stand for what is right I might not get that promotion I really want." These are just a few of the ways we desire to camouflage our faith.

However, Paul continues in the next verse by saying, "The just shall live by faith" (v. 17). To please God we have to live according to our faith, not by our fears. The writer of the book of Hebrews states it clearly, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). Living a life of faith is a choice. It doesn't just happen -- it requires us to choose to seek a growing relationship with the Father who provides the strength we need when we face the giants in our lives. Let's make one thing clear . . . living a real Christian life isn't for wimps! It requires a strength that comes only through a sincere and complete trust in the Lord.

So the real question is, "Do you want to be a people pleaser or do you want to please the One who created and saved you?"

Oh, I feel so dirty!

As great a man as King David was, he was also a sinful man. He stood one night upon his roof and was probably casually glancing around him to take in the beautiful evening. Suddenly, something caught his eye. Did he see what he thought he saw? He focused more intently and there before him was a lovely woman bathing in what she would have thought was a private moment. David sent for the woman, Bathsheba the wife of Uriah, and committed sexual assault.

Not only did he commit this sexual sin, he tried to cover it up eventually by having Uriah killed at the battle front. One sin had led to another. David probably thought he had gotten away with it, but God sent Nathan to confront David with his sin (II Samuel 11-12). David knew he was guilty of a travesty and his heart was overwhelmed with guilt for his actions. That is what happens when a person of faith sins.

Psalm 51 is David's appeal to God for forgiveness of his sins. He acknowledges that his sin is against God, and only God could remove the stain of his actions -- "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (v. 7b). His plea to the Lord includes a great statement of desire for restoration which many today still pray to the Lord when they acknowledge their sin before Him:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God.
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." (vv.10-12a)

Sin results in guilt, not because God likes making us feel dirty, but because His love compels Him to do that which will lead us to desire restoration in our relationship with Him. Some psychology "experts" try to tell us that preaching about sin and it's guilt is damaging to the psyche' of a person. Actually, the opposite is true. Preaching about sin and guilt, and the grace which will cleanse that sin, is the best thing which can be done for the human psyche' and spirit. Many times I have called out to the Lord to cleanse my heart (my whole being) from the sin and guilt which burdened me. The Lord's promise is that He will create a new heart, that is, he will forgive us and rebuild our lives.

The second thing David cries out for in this passage is for God to "renew a steadfast spirit within me." This is simply David's plea for God to undergird his desire to do that which is right in God's eyes. David realized that even when his spirit was willing to do right, his flesh was weak. Ever been there? Of course! We all have! The Christian life cannot be lived in our own strength. We must have God's power to overcome the world, and overcome we will when we look to God constantly.

Finally, David asked God for the favor of restoring the joy he knew in his relationship with Him. It's important to note here that David did not lose his salvation (relationship with God), but he did lose the joy of that relationship. It is similar to how a husband and wife feel when one or both do something to harm that relationship. The relationship may not be over, but there is certainly no joy in it. The joy of our salvation is the sweet fellowship we experience with God. Cleansing from our sin restores the fullness of that relationship, and joy fills our lives.

Do you have sin which you need to confess to the Father? You can't hope to win your way back into His good graces through any means other than confessing from a heart which is broken for what you've done. David knew that God wanted no burnt offering, no sacrifice, other than this:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart --
These, O God, You will not despise." (Ps. 51:17)

Who's your daddy?

Ever wonder how someone who says they are a Christian can act so sinfully or be so filled with anger and hatred toward others in the church? That's not a new problem. Ever since the church was established there have been those who sure didn't seem very "Christian." It's a real possibility they weren't Christians, but imposters who were deceived or sought to deceive. Billy Graham made the statement several years ago that he felt that as many as 80% of church members in America are lost - without Christ! No wonder there is such disharmony in our churches today. God's Holy Spirit is our source of harmony and peace, but Satan sows a spirit of anger, jealousy, and pride.

How can we know the real thing from the imposter? What should we do once the spirit of a person is revealed? As always, we should look to the Scriptures for our answers. I John 3:10 gives us a definitive answer . . . "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother."

"Does not practice righteousness." What does this mean? To practice righteousness basically means to make it a habit to live in obedience to God's Word. In Romans 6 Paul explains that God makes righteous living possible because of our union with Christ. When we accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and accept His lordship over us, His righteousness becomes our own. Paul tells us that "our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin" (6:6-7). Later in that chapter Paul says, "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" (v. 18).

Does this mean that once you become a Christian you will never sin? Of course not. If this were the case we would all be miserable failures. Even Paul spoke of struggles to not do what he knew not to do, and to do what he knew he ought to do. After becoming a Christian we all have to begin and continue a growth process through which our tendency to sin should diminish (yet will never be complete). We are a new creation in Christ, and our desires will increasingly come under His control, and we will no longer "practice" or habitually engage in sinful actions. The person who claims to be in Christ and yet gives no evidence of such control may indeed be a believer in name only.

Now briefly, let's think about the second part of verse 10 in I John 3 . . . "nor is he who does not love his brother." Love is at the central core of what Christianity is about. God sent His Son to die for sinful mankind because of His love for those He created. John describes God in the simplest of terms when he declares "God is love" (I John 4:16). Then it should come as no surprise that one of the most important evidences of the true Christian life is love. More specifically, John says the evidence lies in our love for our "brother." This refers to our fellow believers. Therefore, he is telling us that how we love or don't love those in the church indicates the sincerity of our profession in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

How then should we respond to those in our churches who don't demonstrate a very strong love for the brethren? Should we confront them demanding that they turn in their "believer badge" and leave. Now that wouldn't be very loving would it?

First, we should pray for those we are concerned are members of the church, but not members of God's forever family. Most likely they truly believe they are a Christian. They "walked the aisle" and were baptized, and they may not have missed Sunday School in 50 years! Our prayer for them should be that the Holy Spirit would lift the veil of deception from their eyes so that they might see their need for Christ.

Second, love them and those around them with the hope that God might use your life as a means of setting an example and prompt them to consider what is different about your life from their own. If a time comes when that person acts out toward you or around you in an attitude unbecoming a Christian, don't respond in kind.

Third, pray that the Holy Spirit would give you an opening for sharing the truth of God's Word in a loving and caring manner with the person in question. This can be a rather delicate situation, but boldness coupled with God's Spirit is a powerful tool.

Let's all remember Jesus' admonition, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

It's a New Day!

Last evening our church had the blessing of hearing the recommendation and report of our Pastor Search Committee concerning the man they feel led of God to ask us to call as our new Pastor. The man God led them to (and him to us) is Dr. Jackie Kay.

What wonderful news! Not only is it good news to know that we should soon have our Pastor on the field, but the one God has chosen for us is such a great man. I must admit that when I first heard the news my jaw fell to the floor. Only through our Lord's working could our church bring such a great man of God to our pulpit. I know that I shouldn't have been so surprised since so many prayers were lifted to the Lord for Him to send us a great Pastor, but no matter how much praying I do, the Lord still manages to amaze me with how He answers.

For those who may not know Bro. Jackie, let me share just a few things about him. He has been a full-time Evangelist for the past 13 plus years, preaching over 400 revivals around the country, and speaking at all kinds of events. His preaching is dynamic and straight from God's Word! Prior to his time as Evangelist, Bro. Jackie served 25 years as a Pastor. The last church he served, Bartlett Baptist Church just outside Memphis, had over 2,400 additions, including 650+ baptisms, in a little over eight years. It was one of the fastest growing churches in Tennessee. Most importantly, Bro. Jackie is a true servant of God who loves the Lord and loves people.

As Bro. Jackie comes to Central Park let me encourage you to do these things:
1. Pray faithfully for him:
- Pray for God's Spirit to empower him every time he moves to the pulpit.
- Pray for divine protection for him and his dear wife, Libby.
- Pray for Bro. Jackie to maintain a humble spirit before the Lord.
- Pray that God's love would flow through Bro. Jackie like a refreshing stream.
- Pray for him to have a deep sense of joy and fulfillment in his ministry.
- Pray that his life would serve as an example of Christian dedication before his people.
- Pray that God's vision for Central Park would be his very own.
2. If you attend Central Park, be a good follower. There can be but one hand on the wheel of a ship, and a church can have only one chief shepherd - the Pastor. However, unless we follow his leading none of us will get anywhere. I believe that Bro. Jackie will earn our trust and respect very quickly, and it will become obvious that God is guiding him, making it easier for us to support him fully.
3. If not already, get involved. If you are involved, be as faithful in your place of service as you know God is leading you to be.
4. Share your excitement about our church with others in the community, especially the unchurched. Be filled with joy over what God is doing there. People are attracted to those who are exuberant and sincere about their faith and their church family.

I'm sure there are many other things we can, and should, do. However, these would be a great start. It's a new day at Central Park . . . and I'm glad to be a part of it!

I wish they would be in Sunday School this week!

Most of the adult Bible Study groups at our church will be studying a lesson from LifeWay's Bible Studies for Life curriculum. This month the lessons are drawn from the book of Nehemiah. What a great leader Nehemiah was!

The first page of this week's lesson explains what it is about:
"Internal injustices, magnified by external opposition and work demands, threatened to compromise the rebuilding task. Nehemiah learned that to successfully step up and serve the Lord, he had to act with justice and encourage others to do the same" (p. 44 - Life Values curriculum for Empty Nest Adults).

Oh, how I wish President Obama's administration and our Congress would be in Sunday School this week. This lesson, based on Nehemiah 5:1-16, speaks to a great injustice the leadership of the people were committing. During a time of crisis (they faced great famine) the leaders were putting their people under such financial strain that they were literally losing their children into slavery -- creditors taking the children because the parents couldn't meet their mortgage payments. This was because taxes were raised to exorbitant levels to finance corruption and pet projects. Sound familiar?

Our nation is in a financial crisis due to greed and corruption. Some of the blame falls with governmental authorities who are more concerned with being reelected and maintaining their positions of power than they are for the people they were elected to represent (not rule over!). Some of the blame falls to corporate "big wigs" who commit corporate "rape" of one company after another. They sit on each others boards and treat one another with ridiculous contracts that provide obscene amounts of money even if the company is floundering due to poor leadership. But before we lay all the blame on "them" we need to consider that "we" are to blame as well. Most Americans are so caught up in materialism that we are prepared to sell our souls to the credit and mortgage companies. There are those who applied for mortgages they could never hope to pay (particularly in bad times), others bought automobiles far more expensive than what was practical for their families, and then there are the thousands, if not millions, of Americans who have maxed out not one, but multiple credit cards. Greed is alive and well in our world, and in the United States in particular.

What's going to be the outcome? I seriously doubt if we learn much of a lesson from recent events. Look how quickly we forgot the outrage of 9/11 and the subsequent calls for God to bless America! As soon as the economy strengthens (assuming it will) and the pressure is off, it will likely be much like before. However, we forget one major issue - the massive debt we are leaving to our children. Eventually, those who are our creditors (China, Japan, and other nations who hold trillions of dollars of our debt) will come to collect. What do we think will happen if we tell them, "sorry, we don't have it"? Very possibly, these nations will rise collectively against us to extract their payments. Could it result in the political or economic enslavement of our children? I think it very likely.

What can we do? This is much more than a political issue. It is most certainly a moral and ethical disaster which must be addressed strongly by those who recognize the dangers we face. Because of the way our country functions, much of this will have to be addressed politically. However, Christians can do a lot to make a difference. First, put your own financial house in order. Second, teach the truth of God's Word to your children, you friends, and anyone else who will listen -- change the priorities of your life to reflect those of our Lord! Third, get involved in the political process and demand that your "servant-leaders" use some common sense or be replaced.

And by the way, attend Bible Study regularly. It's amazing what you can learn!

Hello Mission Control!

I failed to post to my blog yesterday. Just didn't have time as I spent several hours last night helping my son, Alan, work out his fall schedule for school. We are ready to look at the fifth, and final purpose for which we were created by God . . . You were made for a mission!

Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Life, tells us the difference between your ministry and your mission. He says that your ministry is your service to believers, while your mission is your service to unbelievers. That makes sense. If you are a Christian, everything you do for someone who is not a Christian should be done "in the name of Christ." That is, your good deeds for lost people is a means by which to share the love of Christ, especially the love expressed in the Gospel.

Very simply, your mission is to introduce others to Christ! When you share the good news about Jesus with someone you are giving them an opportunity to begin discovering the purposes for which they were created:
- You were planned for God's pleasure
- You were formed for God's family
- You were created to become like Christ
- You were shaped for serving God
- You were made for a mission

Unfortunately, many Christians never really buy in to this last purpose. In fact, a vast majority of Christians never have shared the Gospel with anyone. Now, they may say that they witness by how they live, and it is important that our lifestyles are consistent with Christ's teaching, but that isn't what the Great Commission is about. It is about setting aside your own agenda and accepting the agenda God has for you, which includes sharing the Gospel verbally. That's the cost of discipleship. "Give yourselves completely to God -- part of you . . . to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes" (Romans 6:13b, LB).

Folks, this all goes several posts back when I shared with you the first sentence of Rick Warren's book . . . "It's not about you!" Too many of us look to God to be our spiritual vending machine, handing out blessings whenever we pull the right lever. That's not how it works. Christianity is all about giving up "I" and giving ourselves completely to "Him." The really neat thing is that the more we give ourselves away, the greater life becomes. Life is always sweeter when we fulfill the purposes for which God made us. He rewards obedience with a storehouse overflowing with blessings. This saying is true: you never truly learn lto ive until you decide to die to your own selfish desires.

Let me close with a list of things Rick Warren says we must do to begin thinking like "world-class" Christians:
1. Shift from self-centered thinking to other-centered thinking.
2. Shift from local thinking to global thinking.
3. Shift from "here and now" thinking to eternal thinking.
4. Shift from thinking of excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your commission.

Remember, a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will make you a great Christian.

How is your serve?

As I have entered the "middle-aged" years there has been something of which I've taken notice. Many men and women my age come to this point in life and ask themselves the question, "What have I really accomplished in my life?" This phenomenon is sometimes characterized as moving from the drive to succeed to the search for significance. The closer we come to the grave the greater our desire that the epitaph on our tombstone might reflect that our life counted for something. Suddenly, dying "with the most toys" doesn't seem nearly as important!

In our look at the five purposes for which God created us, we now come to the fourth: You were shaped for serving God. Making our life count for something isn't just a goal we should hope for, it is in fact God's imperative that we add to this life, not just take from it. Paul explained this to the Ephesians when he wrote this to them . . . "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (2:10, NIV). Rick Warren makes four points which explain this matter of service:
1. You were created to serve God. Good deeds on our part are how we serve God, because when we serve the needs of our fellow man we are serving Him. God wants us to make a difference in the lives of the people around us.
2. You were saved to serve God. It is important to know that you are not made right with God (saved) by your service, but you were made right with God (saved) for service. Because of our gratitude to God for what He has done for us through Jesus Christ it is our joy to serve Him. "Because of God's great mercy. . . offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service" (Romans 12:1).
3. You are called to serve God. When you were called to salvation you were also called to service.
"You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you" (I Peter 2:9).
"Now you belong to Him . . . in order that we might be useful in the service of God" (Romans 7:4, TEV).
Every Christian is not only called to serve, they are gifted to serve. When you are saved the Holy Spirit presents you with a spiritual birthday gift, a special God-given ability that you are to use in serving others in the church in particular, but also those outside the church.
4. You are commanded to serve God. It isn't our choice whether or not we serve. Service is at the very heart of the Christian life. Jesus told his followers, "Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life" (Matthew 20:28, LB). Want to grow as a Christian? Give yourself away! Be a blessing! Life isn't about "serve us" but about "service."

"You were shaped for serving God." Shaped? Yes, everything God has given you in the way of talents, abilities, gifts, experiences, etc. has the purpose of preparing you for the ministry He has given you. He "shaped" you for service. It has been said, "What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God." How do you discover your shape for ministy?
Spiritual Gifts - look at yourself honestly to determine what you are can do well and see how they compare to the lists of Spiritual Gifts found in Scripture (Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, I Corinthians 12:28-31).
Heart - What do you really enjoy doing the most? God gives you a special passion for some ministry in which you can glorify Him.
Abilities - These are talents that you were born with or have developed. Consider how you might use these things in service of God.
Personality - God gave you certain personality traits that helps determine how you can best serve Him. There are personality profiles that are helpful for understanding yourself and others.
Experiences - Everything you have experienced in life, good and bad, can be useful in serving God. Often having "been there" can give you a point of commonality with someone needing help and opens the door for you to connect with them.

When it was said that it is more blessed to give than receive, it refers to much more than just financial support. Being on the giving side in our relationships with family, fellow church members, or others, is the source of tremendous blessings. God rewards obedience, and it is clear that He created us to serve.

Do you look like your Father?

Today, as we continue thinking about the five purposes for which God created us, let's briefly examine the third purpose . . . you were created to become like Christ. Romans 8:29 as expressed in "The Message," a paraphrase of the Scriptures, gives us the Biblical basis for this purpose . . .
"God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him along the same lines as the life of His Son . . . We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in Him."

The first chapter of Genesis tells us that God created mankind in His image (v. 26) which means we are spiritual beings like Him, and we were given the ability to reason, relate, and make moral judgments in a manner like Him. Unfortunately, when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they marred that image created in mankind. That is why we all have the nature and inclination to sin, and why we need the Savior . . . Jesus Christ.

An important fact is this: we were not created to become gods, we were created to become godly. There is a big difference in the two. We cannot become a god like our Heavenly Father. He is truly holy which means to He is totally unique, unlike any other. We are to become godly, however, and that means to take on the values, attitudes and character of God. Unlike what some Christians think, it isn't God's intention to make your life comfortable. Instead, His desire is to develop your character. Rick Warren makes a great point while discussing this fact -- "Every time you forget that character is one of God's purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances."

Why doesn't God simply give us heaven on earth? It's because we would never grow in our faith and in our character if life never had any troubles. The very reason God allows difficulties to come our way is that they enable us to grow and be better prepared for heaven. When a Christian faces life's difficulties we should do so with thanksgiving, knowing that our trials build our character. There have been a number of things which have happened in my life that I can't really say I want to occur again -- I've had deep sorrows, experienced life threatening injuries, and been hurt by people I loved -- but, at the same time I cannot say I regret any of these things because I know they have resulted in my becoming a stronger, more committed follower of Christ. They have also helped me to be a better minister to others. Paul understood this truth when he proclaimed, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for You (Christ)" (Colossians 1:24, NKJV).

The key to Christlikeness is to have Christ living at the very center of your life. We cannot successfully "act" like Christ. We always fail in our imitation. To be more like Christ you must choose to allow Jesus to control your life . . . live in and through you. This isn't something you will ever do perfectly and it takes a lifetime for our character to develop. This process is called discipleship. Discipleship is a choice, a commitment to do whatever God requires of you, to go wherever He leads you to go, and to think in a way consistent in the way He thinks. Realize though, that this commitment, no matter how strong-willed you may be, is never going to be strong enough on its own. You need help, and help comes in the form of God's indwelling Holy Spirit. God recognizes that we are weak, and He delights in showing His own strength when we acknowledge our own weakness. In II Corinthians 12 the Apostle Paul spoke of a "thorn in his flesh." We don't know what that thorn was, but it was something that He pleaded with God to remove from his life. God declined. Instead, God chose to demonstrate His own power through Paul's weakness. Paul tells us that God's reply to him was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9). Paul was later able to say that because God received glory from overcoming his weakness, he was glad to be weak, glad to be sick, persecuted, and distressed. Why? "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (v. 10).

Let God transform your life and begin the process of growing you in the likeness of Christ. It will make sense of the troubles you experience, and it will prepare you for the eternal life which follows this very short time we spend in this life.

It's a Family Affair

Christians often describe themselves as being a part of "God's forever family." That is an accurate description. The second purpose for which God created us is "You were formed for God's family."

As Rick Warren states in his book The Purpose Driven Life, "because God is love, He treasures relationships." Sharing in relationships with others is a natural thing for us as humans. The reason this is so is that God is relational and created us so that we could be in relationship with Him. As we stated yesterday, we were created for God's pleasure, and One of His greatest pleasures is for us to know Him as our loving, heavenly Father . . . "It was a happy day for Him when He gave us our new lives, through the truth of His Word, and we became, as it were, the first children in His new family" (James 1:18, Living Bible).

It is important to note here that everyone is invited to become one of His children, but there is but one way to do that . . . through Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:26 expresses this truth when it says, "You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (NLT).

A moment ago I stated that God is love. That means that everything about Him, everything He does, must be seen from the context of His love. It also means that love is to be the basic characteristic of His children, for we are expected by God to seek to grow in our likeness of Him. In order to express that love we must be in relationship with others. Our first responsibility is to seek to grow in our relationship with our Lord (that is called worship - our first purpose), and the second is to develop a loving relationship with other believers (this is often called fellowship). And the main place to do that is in the church (which is the family of God).

Now, there is the church in general (sometimes referred to as the "Universal Church" or all Christians regardless of denomination), and there are smaller groupings or communities of God's family (the local church). God intends for you and I to not just believe, but to belong. Our faith is to be a shared experience with other believers. That's why it is so important for every believer to belong to a local church and to be active in worship, Bible study, and ministry. God never intended for any of us to be "Lone Ranger" Christians, people who seek to be aloof and disengaged from the church body. To do so is to miss the second purpose of your life.

As a minister I know and proclaim the importance of every Christian being involved in a local church. It isn't a matter of getting them in the door to count noses and dollars. As followers of Christ we are commanded to be active and contributing parts of His body, the Church. To fail to do this is to be in direct disobedience of His will and Word. "You belong in God's household with every other Christian" (Ephesians 2:19b, The Message). To be disobedient is to throw away the blessings our Lord wants to bless you with, but cannot, because He will not reward disobedience. He wants to bless you through the church, and He wants you to become a blessing to others in the church.

Here is an important point that all of us must fully understand. The local church you attend is not your church and it is not my church . . . it is Jesus Christ's church! Please don't fall into the trap of expecting and demanding that the church cater to your desires. That is not what the church is about. The church, the body of Christ, is to be about serving the Lord by meeting the needs of unbelievers by proclaiming the Gospel, expressing the love of God through acts of kindness and charity in the community, and loving one another in the church in such a way as to attract lost people.

One last thing. It is common for people to attend a local church for long periods of time, yet never join. That is sort of like a man and woman living together but never marrying. There is a basic lack of commitment! To simply attend is to be a consumer, but not a full contributor. Most churches will not allow you to serve in many ways unless you take the basic step of joining the membership. It isn't very likely that you could attend a lodge's meetings without joining, so why should we expect any less of a commitment in a church? God expects a commitment to Him and to His church . . . First they gave themselves to the Lord; and then, by God's will, they gave themselves to us as well" (II Corinthians 8:5, TEV).

I encourage you to be a real "family man" or "family woman!" Become a part of God's forever family, and serve Him through a local church body.

What's your pleasure?

The past couple of posts have dealt with the subject of discovering one's purpose for living. As I stated, the basic premise of what I share in these postings is that God, as our Creator, is the One to whom we must go in order to understand why we were created. I will share five things which Scriptures say are our purpose for life.

For those who have read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, this will be something of a review for you. However, I think this is a valuable exercise as it serves as a reminder to us of God's plan for each of us. I read this book at least every 12-18 months in order to keep these lessons fresh in my mind. If you have never read Warren's book, I hope this will encourage you to get a copy to read.

Today I will list the five purposes and briefly discuss the first. This will be followed by my dealing with the other four purposes in my next four postings. The five purposes as described by Rick Warren are:
1. You were planned for God's pleasure
2. You were formed for God's family
3. You were created to become like Christ
4. You were shaped for serving God
5. You were made for a mission

First and foremost, you were created to bring delight to the Lord! And how do we delight the Lord? God takes delight in those who truly worship Him, and anything you or I do that brings pleasure to Him is worship. Worship really is more about what we do the rest of the week than about what we do when we are in church. What we do at our "worship services" means absolutely nothing if we are not living for Christ every day. Worship services are about coming together with like-minded Christians and focusing our attention jointly on our Lord and Savior. This involves singing praises to Him, corporately lifting up our prayers, giving our offerings, sitting quietly before Him, and hearing the Word of God proclaimed. True worship, however, is about living obediently and serving faithfully each day of our lives. It is about a lifestyle of doing all that we do as if it is done specifically for Jesus. And that is what puts a smile on God's face!
"Smile on me, your servant;
teach me the right way to live." (Psalm 119:135, TEV)

Living a lifestyle of obedience requires that you surrender yourself to Christ. In a real sense we are to offer ourselves to God in the same way we place a financial offering in the plate as it is passed at church. An offering of our finances, in particular the tithe, requires that we trust God fully to show us how to live better on the 90% than we could on the whole 100%. When that trust is extended to every part of our lives it is an act of worship which gives the Lord reason to smile down on us.

A major paradox of the Christian life is the fact that victory comes through surrender. Christians must come to realize that our lives are stronger when we are weak, because only when we acknowledge our weakness and surrender to God's purposes will we experience His strength and His power. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, "The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender."

Make it a daily practice to surrender yourself to God. In I Corinthians 15:31 Paul says, "I die daily." So remember that the heart of worship is the act of surrendering yourself to God, and it is a daily decision which we must make. Therefore, let it be your daily goal to light up the Lord's face with a big smile!

When is Check-Out?

Motels and hotels usually post their check-out time on their website, on the door of your room, and in the lobby of the establishment. You can see those reminders and know that you have only a certain amount of time to get your things in order and be prepared to leave.

Life is not like that! We don't know the day and hour of our departure from this earth. Some people who are suffering from terminal illnesses are told they have only a while to live, but no one knows the exact date and time of their passing. One thing we do know, life on this earth is really very short. A young person who looks at life may think, "Wow, it will be a long time before I'm old!" However, I'm 51 years old and I've been around long enough to know that life is much shorter than we ever imagined. And for some, life ends unexpectedly at a tragically young age.

Life is, and it isn't, short. The average life-span on this earth is about 80 years, which isn't very long. However, once we leave this life our real life begins . . . and lasts for an eternity. As we continue to ponder the issue of "What is our reason for existing?", "What is our purpose?", we must first understand the reality that this earth is only a "temporary assignment." In Psalm 39:4 David calls out to God, "Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more" (The Message).

For the Christian, such a realization should lead us to put aside our desires and concerns for the temporary things of this earth and focus upon the character God wants to create in us as preparation for our heavenly home. Unfortunately, too many Christians forget this truth and become as obsessed with material things as those who have no understanding of God's plan. Lest you think that I am promoting living as a monk, or suggesting that you sell all your possessions, let me clarify this point. I don't think that having some of life's trappings (ie. television, car, home, etc) is bad. The problem lies in the attitude that leads the Christian to want more and more and more, and letting that desire to dominate your life.

Our focus is to be on other things. If heaven is our home, then we are truly strangers in a foreign land as David expresses it in Psalm 119:19, and the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:20. Once we received Christ our citizenship changed. Therefore, we should be much more concerned with heavenly issues than earthly.

As we close today's post I want to remind us of what I said yesterday, "It's not about you." Life is about our relationship with Jesus Christ and preparing for our heavenly home. In other words, "It's all for Him." Paul Oakley wrote a song, Jesus, Lover of My Soul, which is subtitled, It's All About You. Let me share the first verse:
It's all about you, Jesus
And all this is for You
For Your glory and Your fame
It's not about me
As if You should do things my way
You alone are God and I surrender
To Your ways

You can discover fully what your life is all about when you are ready to surrender yourself completely to Jesus and humbly declare, "It's all about You, Jesus!"

Who's Number 1?

A favorite book of mine is The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, Pastor of the Saddleback Community Church in California. You may know Rick from his moderating a civic forum at which he interviewed Barak Obama and John McCain, each about an hour. The forum was broadcast on CNN and Fox News Channel several times. It is my opinion that second to the Bible, The Purpose Driven Life is the best resource for understanding your reason for living, and how we are to respond to our Creator. One reason I believe it is so good is because Rick Warren based everything he wrote upon the Scriptures. Rick is also a master communicator. If you do not possess this book do yourself a favor -- go to Walmart or a bookstore and purchase a copy.

Rick begins the book with a four word statement . . . but that statement packs a punch! He writes: "It's not about you." In yesterday's blog I referenced Colossians 1:16. The last sentence of that verse states, "All things were created through Him and for Him" (NKJV). Not only did God create you, He created you to fulfill His purposes. To understand your life's purpose, your reason for existing, you have to begin with God. It's not about "finding yourself," but it is about finding God and His purpose for you.

This line of thinking goes against everything the world tries to tell us. It has drummed into us that life is about Number 1, Numero Uno, Me, Myself, and I. Not even close! To discover the real purpose of life is not to focus upon yourself, it is to focus upon the Creator. If you want to understand the purpose of a particular piece of machinery who do you consult? You go to the one who made that machinery, the creator of it. If you want to understand the purpose of your life who should you consult? Oprah? Dr. Phil? NO! You consult with the One who put you together . . . your Creator!

What is the best way to consult with God? Read the Bible. It is the book which God wrote through inspired individuals He selected, and it gives to us the answers to all our questions about the purpose of life. Now, in order to get the most out of what you read, let me share with you the most important point about reading the Bible. It is the job of God's Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the truth of His Word. Without His "illumination" we cannot comprehend what we read. That's why so many people are frustrated when they try to read the Bible. It doesn't make sense because God has not yet begun to reveal to them the "mystery" of His Word. I use this word "mystery" because in numerous places in the New Testament the Scriptures are refered to in this manner. It is not God's will that His Word remain a mystery to you, but until you come to the Bible with a heart that is open and seeking, He will not cast His light of understanding on what you read. So, be open and ask God to show you the truth of His Word.

The key thing you will discover when you read the Bible is that developing a relationship with Jesus Christ is critical for finding out who you really are and for what purpose you exist. I encourage you to accept Christ as your Savior and Lord, not because I can chalk up another convert, but because Christ Himself commands all His followers to share the "good news" that He lovingly offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life with Him in heaven. Someone once described the action of sharing about Jesus as being like one beggar telling another where he can find bread to eat.

I came to Jesus many years ago recognizing that I was a sinner and was in need of God's forgiveness. When I asked Jesus to save me from the eternal consequences of my sin and become the Lord of my life, He fulfilled His promise to do that very thing. Since that day I have known with certainty that I will pass from this life one day right into the eternal home He has prepared there for me. No doubts -- No fear of death! Just a confidence in the Lord and a peace about the life He has called me to live.

God has a great purpose for your life! Don't spend a lifetime trying to guess about the meaning of life. Let God show you how to live abundantly and eternally, doing exactly what He created you to do.

Finding your reason for living.

One of the most basic questions of life is, "Why am I here?" We look at our lives and we look at the world around us, and we wonder what it is we were placed on this earth to do. Life often seems so meaningless. Our lives just don't make a lot of sense. There appears to be no real purpose for our existence.

Is it about "grabbing all the gusto" one beer company used to proclaim years ago? Does life revolve around how much "stuff" we can accumulate over a lifetime? If so, then we are in a pretty pitiful situation. Life with no real meaning is no life at all.

Where can we go then to discover what life is supposed to be about. Well, since God is our Creator, it only makes sense that the One who designed each of us would also be the One we turn to in order to find out about life. Colossians 1:16 says, "For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible . . . everything got started in him, and finds it purpose in him" (The Message).

Obviously, this line of thought assumes the existence of God. This may be an assumption you are not ready to make. If this is the case then very little of what I say will make sense to you. I won't try to prove God's existence, but will merely suggest that you take an honest look at our world, the stars in the sky, even your own body and ask yourself, "Is it easier for me to believe that a divine power created all of this, or should I believe that a spontaneous combustion out of nothing started an extremely complex sequence of events that eventually resulted in some protein molecules accidently forming a microscopic lifeform which later managed to crawl out of a swamp, grow arms and legs, and develop a mind like mine?" Personally, I find the later much harder to believe!

If you are open to it, I encourage you to do something else. Give God a chance to prove Himself to you. Simply say, "God, if you exist, please show me something that will convince me You are there!" I have no idea how He would choose to do it nor how quickly, but I believe He will answer your request. You see, the God I know doesn't want to remain hidden, He doesn't want to be a stranger, and He doesn't want to leave you clueless as to why He created you. He does want a personal relationship with you, and He wants to show you what He created you to be and do. Of that I am certain!

My next few posts will deal with this subject of "Why am I here?". This should be fun.

Who Am I?

Have you ever been out late at night in a place that allowed you to see the stars in all their splendor? Whenever that opportunity arises I never cease to be absolutely amazed at the grandeur of God's creation. That kind of experience often reminds me of Psalm 8:3-4,
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?

In such a moment it is easy to look at what you know is just a small fraction of the Universe and wonder aloud, "God, with all this that You've made, why am I so important to You? Why have you bothered to seek a relationship with me (and it is God who does the seeking), someone seemingly so insignificant? And yet, I know that I am indeed significant in the eyes of God . . . so significant that He sent His Son to die on the cross for me (and for you as well). How much more proof than that do I need?

King David, the writer of this psalm, responds to this realization with words of praise -- "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!" (v. 9) The next time you see a big ole' moon or a sky full of stars, pause to give praise to the One who placed each star, each planet, each moon, and each one of us in their place.

By the way, Casting Crowns, a contemporary Christian band sings about the wonder of what God has created, and what He does in the human heart, in a song titled "Who Am I?". I've included the lyrics to the song below:

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Chorus:
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord , You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Chorus
Repeat

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

It is my prayer that you would look to the Lord Jesus to discover just exactly who you are!

Where is truth?

We live in a world which is plagued by pluralism and relativism. Pluralism says, "there are many ways to God, and as long as you have 'faith', as long as you are 'religious', you will be fine." Since the various religions of the world stand in opposition to one another, this concept of pluralism really doesn't make sense. Everybody can't be right! Thus, much of our world must be following faulty paths to God.

Relativism is the idea that ethical truth is dependent upon the group or individual who holds to that idea. Simply stated, truth is whatever I say it is. This is a plague because it destroys any notion of absolutes, and with no absolutes society will eventually plunge into chaos. There will eventually be no laws because no one will be able to agree as to what is right and what is wrong.

So, what is the right way to God? What is truth? Is there any way we can know? Let me share briefly what I believe and why.

As I stated in my very first post, I hold to a Biblical worldview. I have become convinced that the truth I need for living my life and understanding the world comes from these ancient writings. I believe they are the very words God gave certain men to record . . . men who lived over a period of hundreds of years, and yet whose 66 books form a cohesive and comprehensive telling of God's work in the history of man. It's message is so unique and so amazing that many people decide that it has to be fiction. Fact is, it is either what it says it is or it is the greatest fraud ever perpetrated upon humankind. It is either true or it is not! It can't be a little true . . . it can't be somewhat right . . . it can't be just one of many ways of salvation.

In John 13 we read of when Jesus was sharing with His disciples (closest followers) about His upcoming death. Obviously they were depressed by His words, so in the 14th chapter Jesus tells them to not be troubled about the things He shared because He was going to prepare a new home for them (heaven). Thomas, one of the 12 men who were His closest friends, asked Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" (v. 5) Jesus' reply to Thomas is one of the key verses in the Bible that makes it clear there is but one way to eternal life. Verse 6 says, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"

Such a statement is unequivocal. Jesus declared that He is the one and only way to the Father. Here, and in other places, the Bible states this fact without reservation or apology. John 3:16 is the Good News of salvation and eternal life in a nutshell . . . "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Out of His great love, God became a man (Jesus) and did for us what we could never do for ourselves. There is no way that we can save ourselves -- no way we can earn our way into heaven. Later, in verse 36 of this chapter Jesus said, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Pretty solid evidence that Jesus considered Himself the only way of salvation and eternal life.

Jesus is "the way" and He is also "the truth." Do you want to know what is truth? Look at the life of Jesus. His example teaches us what our lives should be like . . . lived to please and serve God. Jesus is also "the life." In John 10:10 Jesus tells us, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Not only does Jesus provide eternal life in heaven, He offers a fulfilling, complete life to His followers. Ever wonder why life seems empty? Ever wonder why life doesn't have more meaning? It's because Jesus is the source of the life you have been looking for.

So, what's the conclusion to this blog? If you have never accepted the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, I encourage you to do two things:
1. Ask God to show you the truth. If He truly loves us, then He wants to show us how to know that love to its fullest. Just make a simple request of Him -- Lord show me the truth!
2. Read the entire book of John in the Bible. It will tell you about Jesus' life and why He came to this earth. If you have trouble understanding anything you read there, please e-mail me with your questions and I'll try to help you. Send your phone number and I'll be glad to call you (I promise I won't bug you to death).

What's on your mind?

Yesterday's post (March 5, 2009) dealt with verse one of Psalm 1. Today, I want to pick up with verse 2. Verse 1 tells us a man is blessed (happy, content, fulfilled) when he does not adopt the values of others, start to feel at home with sin, and eventually leads others to engage in sinful practices.

In contrast to this choice, verse 2 says of the blessed man, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Whereas the other man allowed himself to ponder the potential pleasure his sin might bring, the blessed man loves the Word of God and keeps it on his mind all the time. Now, does this mean he is like a monk, cloistering himself away from everyone and everything so that all he has to do is to pray and meditate. No! This verse refers to one who reads and studies the Bible, and has allowed it to be his guide as he works, plays, and relates to his family and others. Instead of allowing the seed of temptation to take root in his life, he insulates himself from that temptation with knowledge and understanding of God's Word.

Note the result of making the right choice -- the Biblical choice. Verse 3 says:
"He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
In brief, this verse tells us that the man's life was firmly rooted and stable, it was productive, and he was successful in every part of his life. The great thing is that this same result is available to every believer who will make the Bible and God's Holy Spirit the basis for living their lives. Be warned -- this verse doesn't mean that you will be rich financially (you might or you might not). Your life, however, will be rich in the most important ways . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Sound familiar? Yep, these are the fruit of the spirit -- the product of a life filled with God's Spirit and guided by His book.

There is the negative side to this psalm as well. Verses 4-6 read:
"The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
No preacher who loves people ever enjoys sharing the message of condemnation upon those who live apart from Christ's redemption. And yet, it is part of God's Word and it must be proclaimed. There will come a day when all will be judged by God, and those who are "in Christ" will be considered the righteous (not due to their own righteousness but because Christ's own righteousness is imputed to those who truly trust in Him), and those not "in Christ" will be cast out of God's presence and into the very real place called Hell where they will experience eternal dying (not just fading into non-existence but going through the terror and horrific pain of dying without end). Again, this isn't something I enjoy writing about. It isn't something God likes either. I Timothy 2:3 says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

My next post will deal with "the knowledge of truth" and what God has done to make it possible for anyone to be saved from eternal dying.

Where do you prefer to sit?

A favorite Psalm of mine is the very first -- Psalm 1. It contrasts for us the diferences between a person who lives in obedience to the Word of God, and the one who chooses to defy God. It also serves as a warning about who you "hang out" with. Let's examine for a moment the first verse, which is a description of the progression a person follows from mere casual interest in sin to a point of leading others to join in. Verse one reads:
"Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;"

First, the psalmist tells us "Blessed is the man" who doesn't do the following things. The meaning of the word blessed in this verse is the same as when it is used by Jesus in the Beatitudes. It basically means happy in the sense of being satisfied, contented, fulfilled.

So, what does God say will make a person happy? To not follow the progression of choices that lead to sin. This progression begins when a person chooses to "walk in the counsel of the ungodly." In Scripture "walking" is symbolic of behavior. We walk in the counsel of the ungodly when we begin to mimic the actions of people who live sinful lifestyles, adopting their values as our own. Rarely do we say, "I'm going out to sin today!" Instead, it is usually a matter of seeing what some others are doing and deciding you want to get in on it. One of the greatest influences in this day and time toward sin is Television. So many things which are sinful in nature are glorified in the TV programs and cable movies we watch. Immersion of the mind in these things will lead us to accept those things as being OK.

The second stage of our progression into sin is to "stand in the path of sinners." This means to feel at home with our sin. Usually when we first engage in a particular sinful activity we feel that familiar twinge of guilt, but the more we repeat that action the less it bothers us, until we get to the point that it just comes naturally. Our conscience simply becomes numb and we no longer are bothered by any sense of guilt.

This stage in the progression is usually followed by a third -- becoming a leading proponent of sin. This third stage is expressed this way: "sits in the seat of the scornful." In that day the leaders of the community or organization sat while the others stood. Being seated was a sign of leadership. Therefore, sitting in the seat of the scornful means to be one who leads others to be scornful or practitioners of wicked ways. Thus the progression is completed . . . moving from a passing interest in sin to being one who actively encourages others to engage in sinful practices. And it is so easy to get started in this progression. What looks so innocent and inviting turns out to be like a fishing lure . . . a concealed hook that leads to a very unfortunate end.

Tomorrow I will look at what this psalm says can keep us from falling into the trap of sin, and the results of the choices we may make in our lives. And it is all about choices. One of the choices we must make . . . Which chair do I prefer to sit in?

Who can you trust these days?

As I stated in yesterday's post I look at things with a Biblical worldview. What does that mean? Well, it means that my attitudes, my direction, and my actions are based upon the most influential factor in my life, God's Word . . . the Bible. I have made a conscious decision to trust what the Bible says and live my life accordingly.

That was a decision I made many years ago, but continue to make on a daily basis. The great thing about that decision? Experience has proven that the decision I made (and continue to make) was the right one. It was a wise decision!

King David of Israel came to that same conclusion centuries ago, and in Psalm 118 he praises God for His enduring love which proved to him that living by God's Word is the wise thing to do. One verse (v. 8) in that Psalm stands out to me:
"It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man."

It is said that Psalm 118:8 is the very center verse of the entire Bible. Since I haven't counted all the verses to find out I cannot verify the validity of that statement, but I can say confidently that verse 8 is the central thought of the Bible.

Man can, and will, let you down! However, God is always faithful to keep His promises. He cannot lie because it is not in His nature to do so! In today's world so many people ask us to trust them. President Obama used that approach to be elected. If you are married, your spouse asked you to trust your heart to him or her. Your physician asks you to trust him to make a proper diagnosis and prescribe the proper treatment. But in each of these cases, and in many more, the odds are that at some point you will be let down . . . your trust will be shaken or even shattered.

But when it comes to God, He will never let you down! I know this from experience. I am 51 years old and have been a believer since I was 9 years old. In all that time God has never failed me, never let me down, never lied to me, never violated my trust. Oh, I have certainly let Him down on many occasions -- I am not perfect in any way. But, the God of the Bible is totally trustworthy.

If you have never trusted the Lord Jesus (and He is God) to be your Savior and Lord, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to do so. He says that simple trust on our part will result in eternal life in heaven. That's his promise (see John 3:16)! And He never fails to keep His promises.

"And they're off!"

With these words my first venture into the wonderful world of blogging begins! As the subtitle to my blog indicates I will be using this venue for sharing what I hope will be words of encouragement, challenge, and insight.

My thoughts are unashamedly shaped by a Biblical worldview and the tone of my words will be governed by a sincere love for the people I hope to address. You may be asking, "How could you love me? You don't even know me!" Many readers may very well be strangers, but the basic tenet of the Christian life is love. A man asked Jesus one day to tell him what commandment was the most important. Jesus' response was . . .
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40, NKJV)

In other words, everything in the Bible, and thus in the Christian life, find their meaning in these two commandments, and in the simple word . . . LOVE! Therefore, I may not know you personally, but there is still love in my heart for you. I hope that this truth will shine through the messages I convey.

It is my plan to post daily if possible, but since this is a new venture for me, I many find that more difficult than I hoped. Until my next post, may you have a blessed day!