Two Cents Worth!

Tell me the old, old story!

2010-08-24T23:07:00.000-05:00

Most people enjoy telling others good news. And if that news has anything to do with their grandchildren, well, they are sure to let others hear. Usually, whatever we spend the most time talking about is what we are most interested in or have been most affected by. Sometimes we tell stories of events that are important to us. Long before written records, novels, or articles, oral tradition was all there was for passing along the history of a family or a nation.

The third chapter of the Old Testament book of Joshua tells of how the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry land. Some folks would say, "Big deal, the Jordan River is hardly more than a brook." Granted, some times of the year it can be like that in places. Without referencing several passages, let me just say that the Scriptures indicate that the river was very high, at flood levels. We'll save any further discussion of this matter for another time. Late in this chapter Joshua instructed the priests to gather 12 large stones (on for each of the tribes) and build a monument to the Lord for His provision. Joshua also directed that when their descendants asked why the stones were piled to form a monument that parents and elders were to use that time to teach each generation about God's promises, and how He was always faithful to fulfill them.

The lesson to be gained from this passage is that it is importnat that we pass along to each generation our testimonies of God's provision and His acts of greatness which when tol will serve to bring glory to Him. If you have children and/or grandchildren they would benefit by hearing the stories of God's people.

The old hymn says:

I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the story
Because I know 'tis true;
It satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.
(I Love to Tell the Story by Hankey & Fischer)

Story telling has been an effective tool for teaching and inspiring for thousands of years, and it is still needed today. Look for opportunities to tell how God has impacted your life. It can make a big difference in the life of a loved one, a friend, co-worker, or family member.

How can I possibly do that?

2010-08-23T19:43:00.001-05:00

OK, let me get my corny joke out of the way. Do you know which person in the Bible had no mother or father? It was Joshua, son of Nun. (I pause as the hysterical laughter fades away)

Joshua is one of my favorite Biblical heroes. What a man! Joshua was one of the 12 spies sent into Canaan to bring back intelligence reports on the people there prior to the invasion which God planned for the people of Israel to commence. When the 12 returned to Moses with their reports, ten of the spies were filled with terror after seeing the "giants" living there who made them feel like mere grasshoppers. But Joshua and Caleb both spoke of a land filled with milk and honey and proclaimed their faith that God would assure their victory as He promised. Of course, the majority report swayed the people and they angered God with their disbelief. Their punishment was to wander for 40 years in the wilderness until all the adult population at that time died. Only Joshua and Caleb was allowed to live and enter into the Promised Land.

Moses was told by God that he would not be permitted to cross over the Jordan into Canaan because he had struck the rock in anger (Numbers 20:11). Therefore, when it came time for the people of Israel to make that historic crossing into the land of promise it was Joshua who was chosen to lead them. Can you imagine the burden placed upon him? Not only did he have several hundred thousand people to care for, he had to lead them into an extensive campaign to conquer hundreds of cities. Whoa!

But Joshua trusted God! As Joshua assumed command God came to him and said, "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them . . . I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses . . . No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:2-3, 5)

Then the Lord encouraged Joshua with these words, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (1:9).

This was the promise which sustained Joshua his entire life. He believed what God told him, and He knew that if God made a promise, He would keep it! God has made that same promise to all of us who are surrendered to do His will. Obedience is the key to receiving what God promises. Had Joshua failed to follow God's commands he would not have enjoyed the fulfillment of the promises. God is faithful! The question is, will we be strong and obey?

A favorite hymn of mine is Be Strong in the Lord by Linda Johnson and Tom Fettke:

Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage;

Your mighty defender is always the same.

Mount up with wings, as the eagle ascending;

Victory is sure when you call on His name.

So put on the armour the Lord has provided;

And place your defense in His unfailing care.

Trust Him, for He will be with you in battle,

Lighting your path to avoid every snare.

Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage;

Your mighty Commander will vanquish the foe.

Fear not the battle, for the victory is always His;

He will protect you wherever you go.

Chorus:

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;

And be of good courage, for He is your guide.

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;

And rejoice, for the vict'ry is yours.

Are Christians being too harsh over the "Ground Zero" Mosque Issue?

2010-08-19T21:39:00.000-05:00

We know that Christianity is a faith which leads the follower to seek new and deeper levels of love for our fellow man. Why, even the Bible declares that "God is love." Then, why are so many people of the Christian faith concerned, even dismayed by the plan to build a massive Islamic Center which will include a large Mosque (place of Islamic worship) within a couple of blocks of the site where the Twin Towers once stood? And don't the Muslims have the right to use their property in that way if they wish.

The simple answer might be to say, "Yes, the Muslims have the right, by law, to build the Mosque. President Obama declared that to be the case just last week, setting off a fire-storm of controvery over his remarks. It is legal -- but, is it right? Should it matter whether it is right or wrong?

Obviously, the Imam wanting to build the Islamic Center is seeking to make a point, and not the one he is claiming to be making. He says that the intent is to provide a place for creating harmony and healing. Either the Imam is ridiculously stupid, or he is yanking our collective chain. The insensitivity of building a Muslim training facility so close to the place where Islamic terrorists brought horrific pain and suffering , to me, appears to be a "thumbing of the nose" by the Imam at the people of the United States. Imagine if the Japanese had wanted to come to Hawaii in 1950 and build a Shrine right next to the U.S.S. Arizona memorial. The American people would have been outraged by the audacity of such an act! Likewise, we are justified to be greatly offended by this unethical, unfeeling, uncaring, act of deception and lies.

You ask, "well, aren't you afraid of destroying good will between major religions? Afterall, aren't we all going to the same place?" There has been been ill-will between those who are descendents of Ishmael (Abraham's son by Hagar, Sarai's handmaiden) and the descendents of Isaac (Abraham's beloved son by Sarai) for several thousands of years. Don't think that things are going to suddenly improve because a Muslim born President tries to placate the Islamic nations. They declared Jihad' against the Great Satan many years ago and they aern't ones who are given to forgiving and forgetting none too soon. They are undoubtedly laughing among themselves at the utter futility and foolishness of our trying to buy friends. That never works!

To be honest, I am much more concerned with the disrespectful way in which the people of our country have responded to the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus, and how His Sovereign Holiness demands justice for our sins. As long as we remain unrepentant as a nation we invite the wrath of God upon us, and that will be far more destructive than all the Al-Queda terrorists ever to exist, or will exist in the future.

Allah is not another name for God, but in reality is a name created by Satan, the Prince of this Earth who specializes in counterfeiting true religion and drawing people into a trap of false promises and deceitful hope. There is no other name under heaven or earth by which all men must come unto God but Jesus! He alone is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is His truth that will set the sinner free, and His sacrificial death that atoned for the sins of all mankind. Mohammed's creation of diety is full of flaw, and short of sense. The Quran is not a holy book that supercedes the Bible (Old and New Testaments) but instead is one man's frail attempt to make sense of what he did not understand.

I realize that it sounds like I am slamming Islam, and I guess in a way I am. It isn't done with joy or with animosity, but rather out of a attempt to persuade the reader to recognize that the Bible is second to no other book, and the God of Israel who came to this earth as a baby to provide the chance for eternal life, is the one and only way of salvation. In order to demonstrate the truth and strength of the Gospel, there has to be a a piece by piece dismantling of false stories, logic, and beliefs. This is done as an act of love for those who need to hear the truth . . . simliar to how a parent sometimes has to show a child the falicy of their thinking about certain matters. May God use this feeble attempt to proclaim the truth of God's Word.

Sometimes it doesn't make sense (at least to some)!

2010-08-15T01:00:00.001-05:00

Romans 12:17-21:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

OK, I can almost hear the snickering, and even hysterical laughter, from many of those who might read this passage of Scripture. It is one of those unnatural commands from our Lord which can be difficult to swallow. Give aid to an enemy! Why isn't that un-American? Is it? I don't think so . . . at least not when America is at its best.

Consider the Second World War and its aftermath. The United States stayed at peace as long as it could, but eventually we were drawn into a war that had to be fought in order to prevent world domination by the evil Axis. But after the war, how did we respond to our enemies? Did we seek to grind them under a boot of hatred and spite? Obviously not! The U.S. led the way in helping the vanquished nations to recover, rebuild, and live peacefully with the rest of the world. It was a case of overcoming evil with good.

As followers of Christ we should seek to live peacefully with all we encounter, but it is not always possible. Some people (or nations) have to be "put in their place" when their actions threaten the innocent. That is why, as a Christian, I believe that war is sometimes justified. Our world is full of evil-doers who will push the rest of us until we have no choice but to push back, or be forced to give up the liberty which was bought by the blood of many and even our lives. The war on terror, in particular Islamic extremists, is a modern day example. I would be among the first to say to Osama bin Laden (or any other terrorist) that I wish for his heart to be changed by Jesus Christ and for us to be able to live in peace. But, until that time at which we saw clear evidence of a changed heart, I would say that our nation (and our allies) would be justified in ridding the world of an evil man who shows no hesitation in seeking our destruction. This is not a case of revenge but of preserving the peace by taking away an enemy's ability to work their evil.

I know that there are those who would say that my reasoning makes no sense to them. That's OK because I'm not threatened by other opinions. I am even willing to listen honestly to the arguments of others. But, I believe that in this case my thoughts are consistent with Scripture, and that is the only affirmation I really need.

Just who do you think you are?

2010-08-13T19:24:00.000-05:00

For the past couple weeks we have been examining the 12th chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. What a magnificent address concerning how the "righteous" should live. By righteous, I mean those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and have been made "right" with God through His atoning death. We have been looking specifically at the passage beginning with verse 9, and now are ready to see what the latter portion of verse 16 has to say to us. It reads: Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Rick Warren's book The Purpose Driven Life has been a phenomenal best seller with over 30 million copies in circulation. Warren begins with a simple, but profound sentence, "It's not about you!" He then leads the reader through a 40-day adventure of discovering what the Bible says is our very purpose for existing. Bottom line . . . we have been created for God's pleasure, and to truly please God we need to humble ourselves to become true servants of His. That humble servanthood is made manifest in our actions and attitudes toward others.

In the Apostle Paul's day, as in our own, most people are treated by others according to their social standing. Rich people tend to be treated with greater respect than are poor folk. Those on the top rungs of the social ladder receive preferential treatment over those on the lower rungs. But Paul tells the Church that we aren't to follow this pattern. We are to be radical in our approach to life and treat everyone equally. And we aren't to think too highly of ourselves while we're at it.

You know, when you honestly look at yourself in light of who God is and who we are, it changes our perspective about a lot of things. In particular it will change how you see other people. I recognize that some of God's choicest servants are those who have never had a thing materially. I have also found that many of my most loyal friends through the years have been those who possessed no great social standing. A number of years ago I served on staff of the Parkway Baptist Church in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Beth Whitman and her family were members of that church. Beth, and her husband Kevin, were just plain country folks who struggled tremendously to make ends meet. They certainly lacked the "polish" which characterized most of our church members. But I have to say that I probably miss them as much as anybody else we left there when we went to our next church. Beth worked in our church nursery when our sons were preschoolers and she loved them as much as anyone could possibly love another couple's children. She was a genuine Christian - one that could easily be called "the salt of the earth." Beth was killed by a drunk driver one afternoon. I mourned her death as much as anyone I have had the privilege of serving as their Minister. Beth had taught me the wisdom of Romans 12:16.

Can't we all just get along?

2010-08-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

A videotape of the March 3, 1991, arrest and beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles was on every news broadcast and television talk show in America. The debate carried on for months. Then in 1992 the trial of the police officers involved resulted in each officer being acquitted of the charges. This set off the horrendous Los Angeles riots which were reminiscent of the civil rights riots of the 1960's. In the midst of the news reports about the riots Rodney King was interviewed and his plea to all involved was, "Can't we all just get along?"

Isn't it a shame that people just don't seem to know how to get along with one another? Unfortunately, the church is not immune to fighting and fussing. The number of church splits, angry business meetings, members leaving in a huff . . . all these give evidence of the spirit that is found in many congregations. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans, the 12th chapter and 16th verse says, Live in harmony with one another.

Shouldn't the church be a place of tranquility and harmony? Why wouldn't everyone get along? The primary reason for disharmony in the church is that many members do not have a right relationship with God, and until we are right with Him we cannot be right with other people!

Some church members have never had a true life-changing experience with Christ. Just because you were baptized and became a church member does not mean that you had a genuine conversion experience. I cannot begin to tell of the many people I have known through the years who came to realize that they were "lost" after decades of possessing a church membership. Some had been caught up in an emotional moment, others "walked the aisle" because a friend was doing so, and still others had joined because they thought it was expected of them. Whatever the reason, they had not accepted Christ as Savior and Lord, and thus, they were not in a right relationship with God.

A true conversion experience, however, is the first step in being "transformed" (see Romans 12:2) into a person who can live harmoniously with others. The process can actually take years as it takes time to grow as a Christian to the point of surrendering our emotions as well as our wills to God. Maintaining harmony, or being a "peacemaker" as described in Matthew 5:9, requires a person who has grown beyond having to have things their own way. This person, by living humbly and lovingly, gains the trust and respect of others who will generally follow his lead simply because of who he is (a man of solid reputation). Therefore, being a peacemaker doesn't mean that you are to be a milquetoast who is overrun by others, it simply means that you wisely lead by example and maintain a caring attitude toward everyone . . . including those who can be classified as "difficult."

Bottom line -- if we love others more than we love ourselves we will live in harmony with others.

Have a Heart!

2010-08-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Are you touched by events which affect other people? Do their feelings mean much to you? Romans 12:15 gives a simple command . . . Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. What does this mean for the believer who reads these words? In the simplest of terms it is an exhortation to avoid becoming cold-hearted.

The Christian life is to marked by a love which seeks the best for others. However, the person who becomes too wrapped up in their own needs and desires can become pretty unfeeling, essentially unaffected by emotions. Though our relationship with the Lord, and ultimately with others, is not to be based upon feelings or emotions, it should include the ability to sense the feelings of others and respond accordingly.

It may seem a little funny that Paul would need to encourage his readers to rejoice with those who rejoice, but perhaps it is harder to rejoice with others than it is to feel their pain. Too often the first response to the good fortune of others is to think, "Why couldn't that have been me?" or "I never get a break like that!" Envy and jealousy can be real problems, even for the believer. We tend to buy into the entitlement mentality of this world which leads us to expect, even demand that we get our "fair share." A true Christian spirit, on the other hand, sees the blessings others receive and thanks God for His favor upon them. Such a person is content because he/she recognizes and appreciates God's blessings for their own life.

The Christian is also to mourn with those who mourn. Heartbreak and anguish is an all too common experience among human beings. Life is filled with disappointments, loss, frustrations, letdowns, physical injury and illness . . . all manner of reasons to mourn. Think for just a moment about all the songs which have been written in the midst of pain and sorrow. Those songs usually gain popularity, at least in part, because almost everyone can share to some degree in what the songwriter has experienced.

How should we respond when we encounter the mourning (pain and suffering) of others? One thing is to allow ourselves to be touched by their distress. It can become pretty easy to "tune out" the cries of others and just look the other way. Oh, there are a thousand reasons why we can't become involved, can't afford to let ourselves drop our guard. But, Paul is saying to us, "See their pain and get involved. Sometimes that simply means to let ourselves cry with them, or to listen quietly while they pour out their feelings.  Then, there are the times when we can, and should, meet some practical need.

There is another thing we should also do -- pray for them!  I can just hear someone scoffing, "Oh sure, when you can't think of something better to do just pray." Fact is, the most significant thing we can do for anyone, mourning or not, is to humble ourselves before a gracious Heavenly Father and ask that He pour out His blessing on the one who is experiencing troubling times. Often, it is the midst of our praying for someone that the Lord reveals how He wants us to be His instrument for ministry to the one we are praying for.

A final thought. Your own experiences in life may qualify you as just the right person to minister to the hurting person you encounter. Why does God allow His children to experience pain?  Ultimately to strengthen us (ever known a flower to grow without a little rain?), and  to prepare us for the chance to influence (minister to) others.

In 2005 I suffered a spinal cord injury while undergoing neck surgery. I woke to find that nothing on my left side worked at all. I was paralyzed. After a month of hospitalization and in-house rehab, and another couple of months of out-patient rehab I was able to walk again and function pretty well, though with pain and lingering nerve damage. I would never wish to experience such an event, but my how it has opened the door to minister in ways I might never have been able to do otherwise. Therefore, I can say that I don't regret what happened because I know that ultimately it was part of God's plan for my life.

What have you experienced that you could use to minister to someone else? You may not know right now, but try to be sensitive to the needs of others and God will let you know!

Say what?

2010-08-06T01:00:00.003-05:00

Most people hear what much of the Bible says and think, "that's nice" or "I can go along with that." Verses which are easy on the ears such as God is love or Love one another don't cause any real discomfort. But, that isn't the case with everything we read. Romans 12:14 is one of those verses that can be a bit hard to swallow. It says (gulp), Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

You gotta be kidding, right? God really doesn't expect us to bless those who persecute us, does he?

One thing I have discovered about God's Word is that the Lord never took lightly what He led His servants to record. Starting with Moses (he didn't bring down the "10 Suggestions" from Mt. Sinai you know) who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament (The Pentateuch) all the way to the Apostle John who recorded the Revelation while on the Isle of Patmos, God laid out a complete account of His purpose for mankind and His actions to assure that His sovereign will is done.

And so, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse is a serious command from our Creator, Sustainer, and Lord. Well, what does it mean to "bless?" According to Parson's Bible Dictionary "One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare."

How is that possible? How can someone possibly express good wishes for someone who has been persecuting them? How could you possibly pray to God for that person's welfare? That's just not natural! You're right. It isn't natural. The "Natural Man" or the "Fleshly Man" as we are often known as in Scripture cannot do it -- at least not in his own power. It is only something that can occur when the heart of the person who has been persecuted or harmed is filled more with the love of God than of hatred for the offender.

Several months ago I watched a documentary which showed the mother of a murdered child in her first encounter with her son's killer. The cameras showed a young man in his 20's as he nervously awaited the encounter. It was clear that he didn't know what to expect, and he certainly did not anticipate it happening the way it did.

The mother, who had requested their meeting, sat across the table from the young man and addressed him quietly. She described for the man how her life had changed since the slaying of her son. She shared how terribly she missed the little boy and regreted that she would not have the joy of watching him grow up. Then she said something that literally took away the breath of the man. "I want you to know that I have forgiven you for what you did and I know that God loves you."

Tears began to flow as what the woman was saying sank in. The young man couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How could you possibly say this?", he asked bewildered.

"It's only because I know that Jesus has forgiven me that I can extend forgiveness to you." And she shared with the man how he could know the forgiveness of Christ as well.

That's something that can only be explained as "a God-thing." May your relationship with the Lord Jesus develop in such a way that you can face your persecutor or enemy in the eye and say, "God bless you!"

Put love into action!

2010-08-04T01:00:00.001-05:00

The past several posts have been dealing with how a Christian should live -- the characteristics or marks of a Christian. We have been looking at Romans 12 and seen how love is really the central focus of a true Christian life. Verse 13 continues in sharing yet another way a Christian should act toward others. It says, Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Does it surprise you that this Bible passage tells us to share our resources with other Christians but does not particularly with unbelievers. This verse is not intended to imply that we shouldn't be concerned with the physical needs of our non-Christian neighbors, but it is emphasizing the importance of church folks taking care of one another. One of the major needs of a local church body is to develop the fellowship among its members. In fact, the word fellowship (koinonia in Greek) means to invest yourself into the life of another believer, and one way to do that is to lend a hand when a brother or sister is facing difficult times. In my opinion, if we don't take care of our "family" then we aren't very likely to be terribly concerned with those outside the family. Thus, generosity toward the brethren demonstrates a giving spirit which will likely also manifest itself through gifts for the poor and needy general public. And giving is a trait that is evidence of a Christ-like spirit, as the Bible tells us that generosity is a trait of our Lord. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave . . . .

Romans 12:13 also tells us to practice hospitality. Why is that important? Again, Christians are taught by God's Word to fellowship, or invest in the lives of one another. How is one of the best ways to do that? To spend time with one another, getting to know each other and developing a bond of trust and love. What better way to do that than to invite fellow believers into your home, or to take a meal when a family has need, or to go to dinner with folks from the church. One of my favorite things to do is to spend time with church folks over a meal (it is obvious that I do a little too much of that). Mealtime is traditionally a time for sharing our thoughts and remembrances with family, and time spent this way with church family is also a valuable investment.

Be a giver of your time and put your love into action!

Plug into the power!

2010-08-02T01:00:00.001-05:00

The past two posts have dealt with the first two phrases of Romans 12:12, Be joyful in hope and patient in affliction. Let's look briefly at the third, and final, portion of this verse: faithful in prayer. This is not simply a pious-sounding "add on" to this passage, but is actually the key to understanding all that Paul is saying in this chapter. You see, prayer is the source of power for living the Christian life. It isn't our own willpower or personality that make the difference, it is the faith which is grown through prayer.

Prayer is not about us reciting pre-written, eloquent prose to God . . . the humble cry of the vilest offender is heard over the repetitious rattle of the arrogant or self-impressed. Prayer is about opening the heart to our dearest friend, acknowledging Him for who He is (the Sovereign Lord of the Universe), and listening to His words of direction, comfort, admonition, love, or whatever else He desires for us to know at the moment. This relationship building through prayer is what develops our faith in the Lord Jesus as our Father, Advocate to the throne, and Spiritual guide.

To be faithful in prayer means to live your life in a constant attitude of prayer. No, that doesn't mean that you stay on your knees with folded hands all day long. Obviously, that isn't possible if you have a life outside a monastery. A "constant attitude of prayer" means that you live with a constant awareness of God's presence and you naturally converse with Him, much as you would a best friend or spouse. Now granted, if you walk around all day talking to the Lord out loud there will be many who will think you have a screw loose. That's not what I'm talking about when I refer to an attitude of prayer. Here is an example of what I mean: Each day we face dozens, if not hundreds of decisions. Most of those decisions are pretty much automatic - things you really don't have to think about and honestly, aren't that important. However, most days we are faced with decisions that are pretty important, and some are potentially life-changing. For one who lives in a constant attitude of prayer it will be natural to take a moment, silently breath a prayer for guidance, and act upon what they believe the Lord is telling them to do, or to not make that decision until they know what He wants.

Being faithful in prayer also means to be regular and committed to having a special time of prayer and fellowship with God each day. The constant attitude of prayer will not occur unless there is a daily, significiant connection with the Lord. Most people refer to this as having a quiet time . . . a period of Bible study, intecessory prayer, and stillness before the Lord. It is through the quiet time that relationship is built and faith is bolstered, opening us to receive power to start the day. Then, as we face the challenges of the day our attitude of prayer serves as a continuing conduit of power.

It is that power boost that enables us to love sincerely, hate evil and cling to good, be devoted to one another in brotherly love, honor others above ourselves, stay filled with zeal and spiritual fervor as we serve the Lord, be joyful in hope, and patient in our trials (verses 9-12). Stay plugged into the power source which strengthens you to do all things and face anything this world can throw at you.

When things get tough!

2010-07-31T01:00:00.001-05:00

I'm picking up with our examination of Romans 12 by focusing on the second exhortation delivered in the 12th verse. Last time we considered Paul's encouragement to remain joy-filled as the result of our hope in Christ Jesus. Today we find the Apostle telling us to be patient in affliction. Essentially he is saying "don't get carried away when tough times come your way." And tough times will certainly pass your way sometime during your life. A pastor I worked with years ago told me, "Ken, if you haven't had any storms to come your way so far, you better hang on, because your time is coming." He was correct! Life is filled with difficult circumstances and difficult people.

As a minister as well as being a student of life . . . an observer of what goes on around me . . . I have seen many people respond to some of the harshest realities of life -- the death of a spouse, a child, or a parent. The discovery that a son or daughter is addicted to illegal drugs. The devastation of learning that a spouse has been unfaithful. You find out much about a person by how they respond to adversity and sorrow. Some people become so upset they literally cannot think straight or make reasonable decisions, while others face the same kinds of situations with a strength of character and the ability to minister to others even though their own hearts must be breaking. Where does one find such strength?

I would immediately assure you that it is not based upon the personal power of the person, but is the result of the indwelling presence of God's Spirit in that person's life. Every Christian, every true believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, has the Holy Spirit of God living in them. This is the promise of God's Word in numerous passages - that God's indwelling presence is permanent for the true believer, and the power of the Holy Spirit is available to any believer to face and overcome every obstacle, every sorrow that might come our way.

Whenever the tough times arrive the Lord Jesus wants us to meet those challenges head on and come out victorious. It doesn't mean that all the problems will go away (some never do), but we should never underestimate what God can do simply to bring glory and honor to himself. What should you do when trouble comes: pray for guidance, ask for the power to stand up the attacks on your body or spirit, look for ways to minister to someone else who is hurting. One of the most therapeutic things we can do is to lay aside our own hurt so as to minister to someone else who needs a caring, loving friend.

Seek to draw closer to the Lord each day and try to look at life's challenges as opportunities rather than problems. With a new heart comes a new attitude which can make all the difference in the world.

There's reason for hope!

2010-07-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

I am continuing today with an examination of Romans 12 and how it teaches us to behave as a Christian. Verse 12 gives three actions or attitudes consistent with the Christlike life. Let's briefly look at the first. Paul exhorts the reader to live rejoicing in hope.

Hope is such a precious possession. To live without hope must be the most pitiful existence. My mother had a severe stroke over four years ago. She has had to live in a nursing home ever since dragging herself around in a wheelchair by one foot due to a paralyzed right side, unable to speak or read because that portion of her brain which allows for such activity was obviously damaged severely by the stroke. After all this time it is evident that there is no hope for recovery. And yet there is hope, and that is what calls for rejoicing.

In 1 Peter 3:15 the former fisherman who was chosen by Jesus to give leadership to the Apostles was writing to a group of Christians dispersed by intense persecution, and he says: always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. What is that "defense" which explains why there is hope? It is simple . . . I believe that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, died on the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of myself and all mankind, rose three days later from the grave proving His power over death and hell, ascended to heaven, and will return one day to take to heaven all who have believed to live with Him eternally. My hope lies in that promise!

Some would say that this hope is based upon foolishness. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in his first epistle (letter): For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God . . . God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21b). It is so tragic that most of the world has no real hope about what will happen to them when they draw their last breath. Then, there are those who hope to return as a cow or a tree or simply a wisp of wind. Only Christianity offers the hope of eternal life based upon the merciful and gracious act of a holy God!

Is that your hope? If not, it can be yours by simply trusting that Christ alone is our reason for hope, and receiving the gift of eternal life which He freely offers. Do this and know the joy that comes through possessing true hope!

Give it all you got!

2010-07-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

Servanthood could be considered the ultimate hallmark of the Christian life. Jesus' life was all about service. He even said . . .the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve . . . (Matthew 20:28) If Christlikeness is our goal then living a life of service has to be a priority for us.

The 12th chapter of Romans, which we are continuing to examine, is all about service. It begins in verse one with:

Therefore, I urge you , brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. (12:1, NIV)

In the New King James the last phrase in verse one reads, which is your reasonable service. This verse is simply saying that based upon the mercy God has shown us it is only reasonable that we respond to Him ready to serve as He directs. The Apostle Paul often refers to himself as the "slave" or "bondservant" of Christ, relegating himself to a position of complete submission before the Lord. Considering how Jesus had saved him from the sins he had committed and restored him to a right relationship with God, Paul had no qualms about giving his life completely to Him, even if it meant death.

I pick up today with verse 11 of the 12th chapter in my recent series of posts on living like a Christian. Verses 9 through 21 are a string of exhortations by Paul to believers giving them various actions and attitudes which are consistent with a life lived in service of the Lord. Verse 11 tells us:

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (NIV)

The first part of this verse is sometimes translated "don't be slothful" or "be diligent". It gives the idea that Christians are to be industrious, not wasting time on pursuits that really don't accomplish much and don't bring glory to God. I think that most of us would have to admit that many of our activities aren't profitable uses of our time. One main thing comes to mind (or should I say numbs it) . . . television. The "idiot box" as it is sometimes refered to can be a total waste of time. Oh, there are some good things to watch (when you search hard for it) but most of the programming is a waste, if not even harmful. Today, the internet rivals the television in this category. However, it can be used for good!

One of the reasons I write this blog is to hopefully capture the minds of other, if just for a moment, in order to encourage a deeper level of thought (and maybe commitment). Writing also "redeems the time" for me.

Paul goes on to exhort believers to keep your spiritual fervor. This word "fervor" or "fervent" pictures the boiling or bubbling of water or metals. It is referring to an intensity or a glow. A Christian's life should be lived with an intensity for serving God. Our lives should glow with a zeal for obeying and serving the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who through His mercy gave us eternal life. Our lives can be lived doing a lot of things, but the greatest pursuit we can engage in is to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Quite literally, that is what we were created for!

Can you put me before yourself?

2010-07-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

The 12th chapter of Paul's epistle (letter) to the Roman church includes a passage on how to behave as a Christian, in other words, how to be "Christlike" which should be the goal of every believer. In previous posts we have looked at the two exhortations in verse 9:
     1. Love must be sincere, and
     2. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.

Now we move to the third behavior Paul says should be lived out in our lives. Romans 12:10 says, Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Most people would go along, at least somewhat, with the first part of this verse. Brotherly love sounds pretty appealing and people generally would like to get along with everyone. The city of Philadelphia even calls itself the City of Brotherly Love (the Greek word philio means "love" in a brotherly sort of way). Now, just how "devoted" to brotherly love people truly are is another question. And when you add the second part of the verse to it a vast majority of folks would either look at you with a blank stare, or perhaps respond with a giggle or a snort . . . "Yea, sure. I'll put you and your needs ahead of my own."

Christianity, if anything, is truly a radical approach to living, because we are called out to live our lives in the way Jesus modeled for us. Think about it! Jesus never worried with owning property or accumulating wealth. It wasn't a priority to make a comfortable living for Himself. He wouldn't bother with eating or resting when someone came to Him with a real need. He washed the feet of His followers like a slave would have done his master. He sacrificed His life so that others could know abundant and eternal life. Jesus came to serve, not to be served! And so the Apostle Paul teaches the church to devotedly love one another -- to extend grace to one another as Christ has extended it to us, and to honor one another above ourselves -- to be more concerned with bringing recognition and praise to our brother or sister than that which we receive.

Can you imagine what our world would be like if people fulfilled this exhortation . . . if even just the Church would do it? If we sought the best for our fellow man, and stopped worrying with who gets credit for the good that is done, the world would be a much better place! Washington D.C. would certainly be different! But it will never happen until we become obedient to the Lord. What most people misunderstand about Christianity is that when we are commanded by God's Word to "give something up" it simply opens the door to bountiful blessings! God will not bless disobedience, but He will pour out an abundance on those who live out their faith in obedience.   In this case God is telling us that giving up the desire to rise above our neighbor will actually raise us all to a new level.

Allow me to let you in on something I have been learning over time . . . the more I choose to live as a servant the sweeter life becomes. A person with a true servant's heart doesn't worry about what he doesn't have, and as a result he is never dissatisfied or feels unappreciated. He simply lives each day with gratitude toward a gracious Lord and is thankful for one more chance to serve.

It Has Become So Mixed Up!

2010-07-23T01:00:00.001-05:00

Does the world seem upside-down . . . twisted and perverted? It sure does to me! And I know why. We have come to love the wrong things!

Romans 12:9b (the second part of that verse) says this: Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (NIV) That is God's strong exhortation to us all, but we have obviously failed to heed what He says. It isn't like this is the only time He tries to teach His people about this. In Psalm 52 David is speaking about one who betrayed him to an enemy when he says, You love evil more than good, and he goes on to describe the judgment that awaits such a person. The prophet Isaiah decried the actions of his people by saying, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness . . . Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

Oh how we have allowed deception to creep in and blot out the light of truth! The people of our nation (and the world), even many who call themselves Christian, have abandoned what God says is good and taken residence in the slums of evil. Joe Wright, Pastor of the Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas, was asked to pray an invocation at the Kansas State House on January 24, 1996. His prayer (actually written by Bob Russell of Louisville) caused quite a stir and even was featured several times by radio commentator Paul Harvey. At the conclusion of the prayer several house members walked out in protest. Here is the prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call good evil,' but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that, we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism; we have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism; we have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle; we have exploited the poor ad called it the lottery; we have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation; we have rewarded laziness and called it welfare; we have killed our unborn and called it choice; we have shot abortionists and called it justifiable; we have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem; we have abused power and called it political savvy; we have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition; we have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; we have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You to govern this great state of Kansas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will.

How I pray that the people of this nation, this entire world, would one day fall upon our knees and confess our sins, individual and corporate, and beg the God of all creation to forgive and to heal. Then, and only then, will we see things reversed and the Word of God revered for what it truly is. Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me!

Make It Real!

2010-07-21T01:00:00.001-05:00

Over the next several posts I want to think about what the 12th chapter of Romans says about living as a Christian. I begin with the first part of verse 9 -- Love must be sincere (NIV).

Have you ever noticed how kids seem to be able to sense when someone is a fake or if they are for real? And when they sense that a person (particularly an adult) is sincere in their love and caring that child grabs hold of them and loves them right back! At our church we have a child care ministry that services over 100 families (about 125 kids). Most do not attend our church, though we hope to bring more of the unchurched families into our fellowship. Occasionally I will go to where the children are and spend a little time interacting with them. Sometimes it is playing ball with them in the gym or playfully call the boys by the girls' names and girls by the boys' names (they think Bro. Ken is so mixed up sometimes). There is rarely a time when many of the children don't rush up and want a hug. Why? Because they sense that I care about them. They believe I am sincere.

What is sincere love? Perhaps the best description in the Bible is found in 1 Corinthians 13. It is a lengthy passage so I won't print it here, but I encourage you to read it. As you do, think also of where it is found in 1 Corinthians. Chapters 12 and 14 both speak to spiritual gifts, that is, the God-given abilities which motivate us and enable us to minister. And lo and behold, right in the middle of that writing about these gifts is a whole chapter on LOVE. The Apostle Paul was telling the early church that all of these spiritual gifts are wonderful, but until they are used in love they are pretty much useless. Love is the indicator that the use of these gifts are sincerely used to glorify God rather than ourselves. And guess what . . . Romans 12:9 follows right on the heels of a passage about serving God with spiritual gifts (verses 3-8).

The New King James translates Romans 12:9 -- Let love be without hypocrisy. Love isn't really love unless it is expressed with the desire to bless and edify another person. If an action is taken with a self-serving motive then it isn't an act of love. Let me encourage you to love those around you . . . and let's be real!

Why Aren't We Different?

2010-07-19T11:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I took a little time away from my blog to go on a mission trip to Wise, Virginia. After that was a few days of scrambling to prepare for a few days off (which I am now enjoying). I hope to take time to write several posts during these days.

Something which concerns me greatly, and I believe to be a tremendous hindrance to the effective work of God's Kingdom, is the un-Christian behavior of so many of those who call themselves Christian. Numerous scientific surveys agree with what I have observed -- most Christians (church members) live no differently from those who do not claim belief in Christ and are not interested in being a part of the Church. The divorce rate among church members is virtually the same as that of the unchurched. Teens raised in the church are as sexually active as those not raised in the church. Strife and ill-will among church members have robbed most churches of their effectiveness. This is so tragic! It is shameful! And, it is so terribly harmful to the cause of Christ!

Why is this happening? I see two primary reasons. First, our church membership rolls are filled with people who have never had a true salvation experience and are just as lost now as they were before joining a church.

You may be thinking, "Ken, that sounds pretty harsh and very judgmental." The truth is sometimes very harsh, and the "judge not" crowd are theologically uninformed.  I am not alone in this assessment of today's Church.  A number of years ago Billy Graham, the great evangelist for God for our generation, proclaimed that he believed that at least 80% of the membership in Christian churches are "lost" (without a saving relationship with Christ). Eighty percent! How could he make such a statement? Isn't that being judgmental? Graham could make such a statement simply by looking at the lifestyles of most church members. They do not reflect the kind of lives the Bible says is consistent with those who are indwelled by God's Holy Spirit. Read what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Galatia:
     Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery (drug abuse), hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like: of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of god. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (5:19-23)

Those who practice such things (verses 19-21) will not inherit the kingdom of God. Whether you are a church member or not, if these works of the flesh (evil deeds) are a way of life (practice) for you then you are giving evidence of an unredeemed, unforgiven spirit. Church membership is not the equivalent of salvation. Salvation is the result of confessing our sin to the Lord, trusting that what He did on the cross of Calvary was the only sufficient sacrifice for our sin, and committing to follow Jesus as our Lord.

The conclusion: those who do not demonstrate the reality of the fruit of the Spirit in their lives act like they do because they do not have a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ! A church member who doesn't act any differently from those who don't claim to be Christian is in all likelihood just as lost.

A second reason why so many church members don't act differently is that many, though being saved, they have really never grown much in their spiritual lives. As Paul would say, these believers are still taking only spiritual milk and have never moved on to the meat! They believe, but have never sought to grow in the spiritual disciplines which are required for developing a "Christ-like" lifestyle. Such believers usually are weak and often cave in to the pressures to conform to this world rather than to stand firmly in the standards set forth by Jesus. Romans 12:2 exhorts the believer . . . And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

What about you? Does your life reflect a real and vibrant relationship with Jesus? Are you truly different from those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior? If not, a life-changing relationship awaits you if only you will follow the One who created you and has a significant purpose for your life.

Are you qualified?

2010-06-30T23:25:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, more than once over the past 35 years or so I have found myself asking the Lord, "Why in the world did you choose me for this role (vocational ministry - I have served on the staff of five Baptist churches)?" My dashing good looks? Hardly. My remarkably keen intellect? Duh, no! My oratorical prowess? That ain't it.

I'm sure that the fellows whom Jesus selected to be the Apostles, the foundational stones of the Christian Church, must have asked themselves the same question. Essentially there was nothing about this unlikely bunch which could have been seen as qualifications for such a critical purpose. Truth be known, nothing about any of these men qualified them to be Apostles except God's own sovereign purpose.

On the subject of our qualifications for serving God John MacArthur states, "So there are no intrinsically qualified people. God Himself must save sinners, sanctify them, and then transform them from unqualified into instruments He can use" (from his book Twelve Ordinary Men). You may look upon yourself as being a worthless nobody with nothing to offer the Lord, but worthless nobodies are just the kind of people God uses because that is all He has to work with.

Why does God choose to accomplish His purposes this way? "God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek, and the weak so that there's never any question about the source of power when their lives changed the world. It's not the man; it's the truth of God and the power of God in the man...The power is in the Word - the truth that we preach - no in us" (MacArthur).

We don't need to think too highly of ourselves, and at the same time we must not underestimate the power of God. The lesson behind today's post is this: Spend time with the Lord, absorb all that He wants to teach you, know the source of your power, and perhaps you will be the kind of nobody God wants to use to fulfill His divine purpose.

When is foolishness actually the wise thing?

2010-06-25T21:04:00.000-05:00

In my last post I wrote of how God loves to use the "nobodys" of this world to accomplish His kingdom's work. Just looking at who Jesus chose to be the Apostles -- the foundational leadership of the newly formed Church -- should say something quite remarkable about who God uses.

These men, and the message they proclaimed faithfully in the first century A.D., were looked upon by the religious establishment of the day as being nothing more than mere fools. And yet, that is just exactly how God wanted it. He despised the sacrimonious hypocricy of Israel's religious leaders and He mocked their spiritual ineptness by choosing men of lowly position to become heroes of the faith.

In the first chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church we see how God chose what would appear foolish to those who thumb their noses at Him as the message of His redemption, and He chose those who would be perceived as fools to be His messengers . . .
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those wo are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (my emphasis) For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the widom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (I Corinthians 1:18-25)

So why does God do it this way? John MacArthur, in his book Twelve Ordinary Men says this about God's purpose: "God chooses the humble, the lowly, the meek, and the weak so that there's never any question about the source of power when their lives change the world. It's not the man; it's the truth of God and the power of God in the man. The power is in the Word -- the truth that we preach -- not in us...God's favorite instruments are nobodies, so that no man can boast before God. In other words, God chooses whom He chooses in order that He might receive the glory."

I have always loved to hear the testimonies of histories great men of God because they all share one common theme - "It has never been about me or my abilities, but it has always been about the power of God and the Gospel message!" Men such as Billy Graham, W.A. Criswell, Adrian Rogers, Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon would all say that they could never understand why God chose them to become preachers of His Word because they knew they had nothing of great value to offer, and each would proclaim "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (I Corinthians 1:31).

Which would you choose -- the wisdom of the world or the foolishness of God?

Are you too small?

2010-06-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

Very often common people (such as myself) think of themselves as being "too much, too little, too late" to be used by God to accomplish much. They look at who they are and lament that they will never amount to much in God's kingdom work. Such thinking is a grave mistake.

If you look at the men Jesus chose to become the very foundation of the church you will notice that none of them were exceptional people. On the contrary, they were as common, as ordinary, as anyone could possibly be.

I am currently reading John MacArthur's book Twelve Ordinary Men which is a study of the lives of the men Jesus called to be His "inner circle" who would spend a relatively short, but intensive time (about 18 months) hearing Jesus teach and observing His actions. MacArthur says of the twelve:
"they were perfectly ordinary men in every way. Not one of them was renowned for scholarship or great erudition. They had no track record as orators or theologians. In fact, they were outsiders as far as the religious establishment of Jesus' day was concerned. They were not outstanding because of any natural talents or intellectual abilities. On the contrary, they were all too prone to mistakes, misstatements, wrong attitudes, lapses of faith, and bitter failure -- no one more so than the leader of the group, Peter. Even Jesus remarked that they were slow learners and somewhat spiritually dense (Luke 24:25)."

Sound like anyone you know? I have to admit that MacArthur could have easily been describing me. He goes on to say of the Apostles: "Yet with all their faults and character flaws -- as remarkably ordinary as they were -- these men carried on a ministry after Jesus' ascension that left an indelible impact on the world."

Why would God choose to use such unlikely characters to entrust the very future of His redemptive ministry among mankind? It's really simple. If He had called upon great men to do this work they may have tried to depend upon their own intellect and skill (just like the Pharisees and other religious leaders tried to do) and God would not have received the glory and praise He deserves. Doing what He did through the kind of people He chose assured that His work was done in his power and not man's!

How does that reality affect how you think of yourself? Does it give you hope that God can do something significant through you? As the old saying goes, "He isn't looking for your ability, just your availablity." God can do whatever He wants without our help, but He has chosen to give us the wonderful privilege of serving Him and being used as instruments for His glory. So don't think you are too small to do anything great for God's kingdom. Realize that acknowledging your lack of power is the beginning of being filled with His power to do "God-sized" tasks!

God with us!

2009-12-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

One of the most important, and yet most understood facts about Jesus Christ is that He is God and came to live as a man among the people of that specific time and place in order to do what only God could do for all mankind.

Matthew 1:23 says, "They shall call his name Emmanuel." That name, Emmanuel, literally means "God with us." Yes, it can be difficult to understand how that babe which lay in the manger so long ago could have been fully God and fully man. In fact, the only way for any of us to begin comprehending this crucial point is for God's Spirit to reveal this truth in His way and in His time to each of us. But this crucial point is exactly what God wants each of us to know and to trust!

The only way Christmas can make any real sense is to understand that God had a divine purpose in coming to this earth. He had created mankind to live in a close relationship with Him. Sin, though, totally disrupted that relationship and affects every person who has ever lived. God's sense of justice demanded that sin be punished, and His holiness requires that those guilty of sin could never enter into His perfect Heaven. As much as man might try, we can never be "good enough" to earn our way into Heaven, and so we faced a terrible dilemma.

Not only is God just, He is also love - not just loving - He is love! That love compelled Him to provide a way for the most important part of His creation - people - to experience complete forgiveness and restoration. And that is why He came to be with us . . . to be Emmanuel. He lived among us, without ever sinning, and gave Himself as the one and only sacrifice which satisfied His sense of justice, and proved His unfailing and eternal love.

Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, was born to die! His death gives meaning to His birth, and His resurrection gives meaning to His death. I pray that this Christmas finds you trusting Jesus, and Him alone, as your Savior . . . as I do. I don't say that with any sense of bragging on my part because I know that it is only because of His grace (unmerited favor) that I know Him as my Savior and my Lord. I never did anything to deserve it. I simply trusted and received God's free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. That grace is available for all!

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing.

It's all about the gift!

2009-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

At Christmas-time children of all ages enjoy the giving and receiving of gifts. Some folks begrudge this activity thinking it takes away from the spiritual nature of Christmas. The truth is, Christmas is all about giving . . . God giving His Son for the salvation of man (John 3:16). Let me share with you this thought about The Gifts...

From the beginning of Christmas celebrations, gift giving has been a part of the season. The Wise Men gave out of their treasures, and the shepherds gave of themselves. Both expressed the Gift of God in giving Christ as the Savior of the world.

Unique in our history of generous givers is the story of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia in the fourth century A.D. He is reputed to have been wealthy, his emblem being three purses and three golden balls. This was the symbol of rich Italian families of his time. The good Bishop gave his money away secretly to three dowry-less daughters. The eldest two each received from the chimney, on successive nights, a substantial gift money purse the generous Bishop had dropped down the chimney.

Christians today exchange gifts and fill their children's stockings as expressions of love and commemoration of the greatest gift ever given. Let our hearts be filled with a spirit of generosity and love as we celebrate the birth of the King, and may it be that through each of our lives that the Good News of this great event will assure that the Gift goes on!

Heavenly Father, as we begin this Advent, give light to our eyes and peace to our hearts. May the Lord find us watching and waiting in joy when He comes. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

2009-12-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Growing up in the 60's and 70's I have seen the traditional "Peanuts" cartoon "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!" many times. One of my favorite parts of the cartoon deals with the scrawny tree Charlie Brown brings for the Christmas pageant. It had only a few needles hanging precariously on the branches, and when he set it down the needles all fell to the stage. Needless to say, the other characters were not too happy with Charlie's selection.

The Christmas tree is a major part of our Christmas tradition. Hear how the Christmas tree originated and what it means to our preparation for receiving the Christ child . . .

Today, the Christmas tree is the center of the season's festivities. Glittering with lights and ornaments, it is a part of the beauty and meaning of Christmas. The Christmas tree originated in Germany during the 1500's. According to legend, Martin Luther wandered into a forest on Christmas Eve and was moved by the beauty of the star-filled sky and its effect upon the fir trees. Wishing to share this loveliness with his family, Luther cut a tree, brought it indoors, and decorated it with candles to represent the glorious heavens he had seen. He compared the Christmas tree, with its top pointing to heaven, to hands folded in prayer, pointing to the throne of grace from which we received our Savior.

Continued thoughts for advent.

2009-12-06T16:17:00.002-06:00

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" as the song goes, and indeed it is a blessed and glorious time of year. We celebrate the most precious gift ever given, God's Son!

With today's post I am continuing with a series of brief articles about the various elements usually involved in our preparation for the season, or Advent as it is called. Our first post explained what the season of Advent is about. The second dealt with the Advent wreath and candles. Today, let's focus for just a moment on the Evergreens. I am drawing from the readings which I wrote for the "Hanging of the Green" service at our church (Central Park Baptist in Decatur, AL) on November 29th.

Perhaps the most striking and universal feature of Christmas is the use of evergreens in our churches and homes. Among ancient Romans evergreens were an emblem of peace, joy, and victory. The early Christians placed them in their windows to indicate that Christ had entered the home. Laurel and Ivy, along with pine and fir, are called evergreens because they never change color. They are ever-green, ever-alive, even in the midst of winter. They symbolize the unchanging nature of our God, and they remind us of the everlasting life which is ours though Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 60:13 we find these words: "The Glory of Lebanon shall come unto you, the fir tree, the pine tree and the box together, to beautify the place of Your sanctuary." Tonight we beautify this place (and our homes) as we celebrate His everlasting glory!

Looking toward Christmas!

2009-12-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

This post marks the second in a series of thoughts concerning Advent or the season of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Does Christmas hold any real meaning for you? If not, perhaps it's because you aren't preparing for it in the right way. Christmas isn't just about the giving and receiving of gifts, it is about the greatest gift ever given, the Son of God!

The following shares with you the purpose of the Advent Wreath and Candles which are often seen in churches and even many homes . . .

Of the many symbols we use during the Advent season to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ's birth, the wreath and candles stand at the forefront. The circle of the wreath is endless, with no beginning and no end, like God Himself. The evergreen also reminds us of God's eternal nature, and of His everlasting love for us. It also testifies of the life without end God promises to us with the coming of the Christ. The Advent Wreath is a symbol of hope - hope for salvation, hope for a redeemer, hope for eternal life, hope of God's everlasting love for us.

Four candles light the wreath, representing the four Sundays of waiting. Each week of Advent one of the candles is lit in expectation of God's Messiah. Three candles are purple, symbolizing the royal line from King David to the Messiah, who comes as the King of kings and Prince of Peace. The pink candle is to be lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent, and it represents joy. These four candles encircle the Christ candle, which is pure white. The candles are lit in a progression symbolizing various aspects of our waiting experience - Prophecy, Preparation, Proclamation, and Rejoicing. The culmination of the season comes as we light the Christ candle on Christmas Eve, declaring to all mankind that Jesus, God's Son, is the Light of the World!

What is Advent?

2009-12-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

Each year many churches around the world prepare themselves for the celebration of Christmas by observing the season of Advent. Our church began our observance last Sunday night with the annual "Hanging of the Green", a special service of decorating the Sanctuary while singing Christmas hymns, hearing various ensembles of all ages sing, and hearing readings which explain the elements of the Christmas celebration. This, and my next few posts, will be excerpts from those readings which I had the privilege of writing for our congregation.

The first reading deals with the question - What is Advent? . . .

The word "Advent" is a Latin term which means "the coming." Thus, this Holy Season of Advent is a time when we remember the words of the prophets foretelling of the Christ and prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We celebrate these days of Advent in celebration of His birth and in expectation of His return, at which time He will establish His Kingdom on this earth.

Through the centuries, Christians have observed a time of waiting and expectation before celebrating the birth of the Savior at Christmas. The Advent season is a time for reflection and preparation, but its mood is joyful. Advent has been enriched by Christian tradition to reflect its distinctive Christian meaning. It proclaims the revelation of God's love as expressed in Christ's birth in a humble stable, His sacrificial death on the cross, and His victorious resurrection! It points to the hope of Christ's coming again as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Advent makes innkeepers out of all of us, asking each of us to make room for the arrival of Christ the King. Let us today prepare room in our hearts, our lives, and our homes!

Where have you been?

2009-12-02T16:41:00.002-06:00

Well, I finally made it back. When I began this blog earlier this year I knew that it might be tough to blog daily, and there might even be short periods of intermission between posts. Little did I realize in June that I would be nearly six months in returning to this little task of sharing a few thoughts with whomever might take time to read them!

Life seemed to jump into hyperdrive last summer and it is only beginning to slow somewhat. There has never been any problem in finding plenty to do, especially around my church, but that aspect of my life became even more involved than usual, and all that I was trying to do around the house during my "spare time" pretty well consumed the rest of my waking hours.

Enough of that. I want to share briefly what has been one of the real highlights of the past six months for me. Our new Pastor and I consulted for a while after he arrived in April. We wanted to do something that would make our church's outreach ministry much more effective. It had become pretty lifeless and few of our people participated.

We determined that we wanted to use the G.R.O.W. Outreach strategy developed by Jerry Tidwell, who is now at Union University, but previously served as Pastor of the West Jackson Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee. We brought Dr. Tidwell to our church one Sunday evening in September to help us kick-off the preparation for G.R.O.W. and we followed that with three more weeks of training and enrollment.

Very honestly, I was praying that we would get as many as 100 of our church folks to participate, and I thought that to be pretty ambitious. To my total surprise and great delight, over 170 of our adults and youth signed up and are actively involved. This is in a church that only runs a little more than 250 in Sunday School!

Our people are divided into four teams and come for about 1 1/2 hours each month to visit, or write letters and cards, make telephone calls, pray in the chapel, keep the children of parents involved, or prepare and serve a snack when everyone returns from their visits. The first six weeks of G.R.O.W. has seen approximately 500 letters and cards sent out, several phone calls made, and dozens of visits to prospects and members who haven't been to church in a while.

G.R.O.W. stands for "God Rewards Our Work" and that is a promise that I am claiming. I truly believe that the seeds we plant today will produce fruit in God's time. We are doing what Christ commanded us to do, and obedience always results in blessing. Pray for us as we seek to reach our community with the Good News of the Gospel. And may God be glorified for His good work!

A special week!

2009-06-11T19:17:00.003-05:00

It has been several days since my last post. Long work days and a bit of mental fatigue just left me with a case of writers block. Actually, it may have just been mental block -- I didn't feel much like thinking! As I sometimes jokingly say, "I try not to think. It gives me headaches!"

Honestly, it isn't much better tonight, but I wanted to share a bit about our Vacation Bible School at Central Park. VBS has always had a special place in my heart for a couple of reasons. First, it is perhaps the biggest week of the year for many churches as the children have a full week of Bible study and support activities that center around a particular theme. It is a wonderful environment in which the children grow in their understanding of who Jesus Christ is and how he desires to relate to them. We are careful to not intimidate or push the children in any way, believing that only the prompting of God's Holy Spirit can result in a sincere profession of faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. This week 12 of the children have indicated a desire to accept Christ as their Savior, and our staff will contact parents for permission to follow up with the children to be sure they fully understand the decision they say they are ready to make. If the child and their parents are sure the child is making a well informed and sincere decision they will be allowed to make their profession of faith public at a church worship service. They will then be baptized into membership of the church.

The second reason I am really big on VBS is that it was during VBS when I was 9 years old that I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. It wasn't that this was the first time I had been taught about Jesus (I had been been in church since the "diaper roll"). However, it was during this particular week that everything I had learned really came together in a way that I knew it was decision I needed to make.

I thank God for Vacation Bible School. It has been a vital part of the elements God has used to prepare millions of children to follow the leading of His Holy Spirit to accept Christ. Pray not only for the VBS at Central Park Baptist, but for all of the thousands of VBS events that occur during the summer months.

Thankful for the price paid!

2009-06-06T12:16:00.002-05:00

It was 65 years ago today that thousands of American, British, Canadian, and French soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy or parachuted behind enemy lines on the day that came to be known as D-Day! I watched part of the movie In Search of Private Ryan last night. It was made to be more "realistic" than the typical war movie, and the gruesome nature of the show does make it closer to the real thing I'm sure. However, there is no way to even begin to approximate what that day was truly like for those men who experienced it.

On occasions such as today it is appropriate for all Americans to reflect on what our fathers and grandfathers did for our nation, the world, and their families. Every man (and now woman) who fought during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and elsewhere, sacrificed something on our behalf. All lost part of themselves on those battlefields around the world, while others lost all, including their lives. Most of these were young people, probably 25 years old or less.

Though I understand that war is sometimes unavoidable or is warranted by the actions of others, it is my prayer that our leaders will be wise in their use of military might. However, the Bible would seem to indicate that wars will become more and more frequent until that time when Christ returns. More young people will die on the battlefields, and more civilians will be killed as well. But one day, when the Prince of Peace comes to take believers to our heavenly home, wars and rumors of wars will cease and never occur again!

Take nothing for granted!

2009-06-04T19:42:00.002-05:00

When I first began writing in my blog I suppose I took it for granted that I would always be able to find at least a few minutes each day to write down a few of my thoughts. This week has shown me that I can't make that assumption. Even when I had a few minutes, I honestly didn't have much "brain power" to think deeply enough to address what I've been reading in the Scriptures. Long hours, killer physical therapy on my bum knee, and strange sleep patterns have combined to make sitting down at the computer to write a not so attractive activity.

Interestingly, Proverbs 27:1 addresses the very thing I have experienced this week . . . "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth" (NKJV) or as "The Message" translation puts it, "Don't brashly announce what you're going to do tomorrow; you don't know the first thing about tomorrow."

So often we tell someone, or even our self, what we will be doing the next day, the next week or month, even next year and beyond. Truth is, we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I've seen so many examples of this fact. One of those examples is a very painful reminder that life often takes strange, and sometimes painful, turns. About 15 months ago a young man named Parker came by the house with my son Andy. Parker had roomed with Andy at Auburn (he actually lived in the mobile home we owned there) and had come by to spend the night. This was on Friday night. On Monday night after that Parker was in a horrific car crash in Auburn and was life-flighted to a trauma hospital in Columbus, Georgia. His mom and dad were awaken by a phone call about 3:00 am telling them that Parker was barely clinging to life - they better come quickly. Parker survived the crash, but he suffered TBI (traumatic brain injury) and lies in bed, unable to speak, walk, feed himself, or anything he had taken for granted before. What a terrible tragedy!

I don't think any of us mean to seem arrogant when we speak of things we will do in the future. Rather, we just don't think very much about the frailty of life. Obviously, we don't want to be ghoulish or scared of every shadow. That isn't living! However, we do need to acknowledge the fact that we really shouldn't take things for granted . . . not the people we love, not the physical health we enjoy, not the freedom that is ours, not anything. We should appreciate every blessing life has to offer, and the One Who provides those blessings. Don't wait until tomorrow to do what you ought to do today, and don't wait to tell someone that you love them. You may not get the chance to do it tomorrow!

All the King's horses, and all the King's men!

2009-06-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

In every life a little rain must fall . . . and then again, sometimes it is a raging storm! Unless you live a very unusual life there will be times when you experience great hurt and disappointment. No matter how good a person you are! It is just a fact of life.

It is during those painful moments when we (and those around us) discover just what we really are. Spiritual sounding talk is easy, but what happens when life comes crashing in around you? Solomon shares a truth when he says:
"If you fall to pieces in a crisis,
there wasn't much to you in the first place." (Proverbs 24:10, The Message)

I have often talked with my boys about preparing ourselves for the inevitable difficulties that come into our lives. You cannot afford to wait until something goes wrong before you seek the Lord and His strength. It must be something that we pay attention to on a daily basis in order to have a "spiritual root system" which can withstand the sudden and terrible storms of life. The unexpected death of a parent, spouse, child, or close friend. The revelation of a loved one engaged in some gross sin. The loss of your job. Any one of a countless number of storms.

No one is immune! In recent years our family has experienced several storms. I had a neck surgery that resulted in total paralysis on my left side and the prognosis for a quick recovery was not good. My mother had a massive stroke and has spent the past 3 years in a nursing home. Dad fell out and lay in the bathroom floor all day until my sister found him there -- he had a brain tumor which required surgery. My oldest son, Andy, fell about 30 feet one night onto a concrete patio, breaking his left wrist and his jaw in two places. I fell down some stairs and required lower back surgery.

Any one of these events could have provoked panic and paralyzing fear, but in each circumstance our family was able to deal with the problems in faith and confidence. It wasn't because of our personal intestinal fortitude, but the strength that is produced in a life of faith. We know that our own strength is never enough so we lean upon God and the relationship that has been building through the years.

God is faithful to His promises, which include His promise to never leave nor forsake us! Just like a growing friendship results in a bonding and increasing trust level, our growing relationship with the Lord results in a greater trust level and a real sense of bonding with Him. May your relationship with God give you a wonderful sense of confidence and trust that will undergird you and prepare you to face whatever storm might come your way.

Does spanking warp the soul?

2009-05-30T19:54:00.002-05:00

Today's word from Proverbs --
"Don't be afraid to correct your young ones;
a spanking won't kill them.
A good spanking, in fact, might save them
from something worse than death." (23:13-14, The Message)

The past 40 years or so has seen a great deal of debate over the evils of spanking. Some psychologists through the years have tried to convince us that spanking is outdated, ineffective, or just plain abusive. I'm not an expert on the subject other than the fact that I was on the receiving end of numerous spankings as a child.

Lord knows I gave my parents plenty of reasons to spank me! I was ADHD before that term came to be. Back then they just called my hyper. I wasn't mean and usually I didn't misbehave out of some evil design. But I was unruly and needed to develop self-control. Being a child it wasn't very likely that I would develop such self-control on my own. I needed help. My parents, teachers, principal, and others attempted numerous kinds of discipline including lectures, grounding, loss of privileges, and more. They didn't have a great deal of success with these methods. Thus, spanking came into play (though it wasn't a game I enjoyed). I have to admit that the board of education applied to the seat of knowledge usually got my attention.

Fortunately for my parents, I grew up in an age when parental discipline wasn't viewed as child abuse as it might today. One such occasion comes to mind. When I was about 12 years old I had several friends over to my yard to play. My mom told me to do something (I don't remember what) and I popped off to her, trying to be "big" in front of my friends. What I didn't consider at the moment was the fact that my mom didn't take very kindly to disrespect from her kids. She took out after me and I began to run . . . in sheer terror. I hadn't seen that look in my mom's eyes before, but I was about 99% sure it indicated that murder was about to be committed, and I was going to be the victim. Around the yard we went, again and again. And as we ran she grabbed anything that she came across and flung it like a missle zeroed in on my body. I can't say if anything actually hit me as I was so scared it would be some time before I could feel anything beyond terror. Finally, either she ran out of steam or the thought of prison crossed her mind, and my life was spared.

Was my mother wrong to act as she did? Though she probably regretted her urge to kill, I believe that this particular experience was a valuable lesson for me. First, I think I learned something about the wrath of God from that experience. Second, I knew I had crossed a very big line -- I had shown terrible disrespect for my mother and it was something I never wanted to do again. Third, I knew that I had to restrain myself when I wanted to say the first thing that came to my mind (that actually is something I have to keep reminding myself about). This occasion, plus the many times that I experienced spankings served as strong reminders of what is right and what is wrong. And that's the purpose of spanking . . . to teach a child the boundaries in which a person ought to live.

These spankings certainly didn't kill me, but I believe they saved me from something worse than death . . . a life lived without discipline, without regard for others, and without a true sense of right and wrong! Thanks Mom and Dad for loving me enough to teach me these lessons, even though I may not have appreciated it at the time.

Is religious liberty under attack?

2009-05-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a posting concerning HR 1913, an act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would protect extend a special federal protection to homosexuals and transgender persons (cross-dressers, transvestites, etc). The U.S. Senate has yet to take up the issue, but it is believed they will join the House in passing the legislation. President Obama has already said he will sign such an act into law.

Is such legislation heading us down the path to a major collision between the radical homosexual agenda and our religious liberties? Many Christian scholars say that "a cataclysmic conflict" is inevitable. I mentioned before that a likely result of HR 1913 would be the threat of federal charges being lodged against any preacher who would declare that God's Word teaches homosexuality to be a sin. It would be considered as inciting violence toward homosexuals. This is already a reality in Canada, the UK, and some European countries. Where is this all heading?

Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said there are three issues fueling the move toward "an eventual clash" between homosexual rights and religious liberty: 1)same-sex "marriage"; (2)workplace protections for homosexuals and; (3)hate crimes legislation. Should these issues all be decided in favor of the radical homosexual agenda there will be a major impact upon religious liberty as the full weight and power of the United States government will be brought to bear to make sure no homosexual's rights are violated. It will become much easier to violate religious liberty instead. Duke said, "The government will be unable to secure both the civil rights of those in same-sex marriage and the religious rights of those who accept what God's Word teaches regarding homosexuality."

The Employment Non-descrimination Act which is proposed in Congress would provide protection of homosexual rights in the workplace, which in effect would take away the ability of most organizations to hire people who share the owner's values. Though churches would likely not be forced to hire homosexuals as ministers, their church daycare may not have such protection. Church related schools, bookstores, retreat centers, and more would also lose that right. This act would also open up Christian para-church organizations to all manner of litigation accusing discrimination because of anything that might be said that could be construed as bigoted language.

These are serious issues that Christians need to recognize as being extremely dangerous. There is an extreme liberal agenda unfolding in our nation, and unfortunately most Americans have not given serious consideration to the impact these new directions will have on our nation. Between these cultural-moral-ethical issues and the financial damage being wrought by the present uncontrolled, ill-conceived spending, our nation may not even be recognizable within just a few years!

Does that come with a money back guarantee?

2009-05-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

One of the Bible verses that is held onto tightly by many parents, particularly if their children become wayward, is this proverb by Solomon:
"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

A lot of parents take this verse to mean that if Mom and Dad do everything right, then the children will live godly lives. As one writer puts it, "This interpretation misunderstands the nature of the Proverbs. The Proverbs state general principles, not promises. If we put "in most cases" in front of verses like this one, we accurately state this meaning."

Like many, I would like to think of this proverb as a rock-hard promise, but observation and personal experience has taught me that our children have minds of their own and they make choices which determine whether or not they accept and follow our faith. To see our child that has been "raised right" turn away from God as an adult could make us doubt ourselves as parents. Did we do something wrong? What could we have done differently?

Parent - do your best to be the loving, godly Mom or Dad you ought to be, but realize that we are never totally to blame nor should we receive all the credit when it comes to how our children turn out. However, if you have a child who has wandered off the right path, don't give up on them. Commit them to prayer and ask God to do what only He can. Many a "prodigal son" has come to their senses and returned to the Father!

What's in a name?

2009-05-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Growing up my Dad use to tell me often, "What you do reflects on the family name!" I confess that I've said the same thing to my children (Oh no, I'm becoming my Dad!). Because of what he taught, I take my responsibility to protect my good name and that of my family. One of the last things I would ever want to do is to dishonor my parents, grandparents, or any of my family past, present, or future.

Solomon had the same idea in mind when he shared this proverb:
"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold." (Proverbs 22:1)

What a family name Solomon was to protect. His father was King David, the heroic leader who brought the nation into a new era of prominence. Despite being the wealthiest man in the world, Solomon understood the supreme importance of maintaining one's integrity. He certainly didn't want to be the one to besmirch his Daddy's reputation. Unfortunately, Solomon's son obviously didn't feel the same. Rehoboam was the first king to be described as one who "did evil in the sight of the Lord."

I admit that there are times when I wouldn't mind having a larger bank account, but given the choice between that or keeping my good name, I'll pass on the money. The only thing a person can carry with them to their grave is a good name.

The joy of doing what's right!

2009-05-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have you watched someone do something noble and wondered why they would do such a thing? Perhaps you have even considered the actions of a person and thought to yourself, "What a fool! What could they possibly get out of putting themselves out like that for another person, maybe even a stanger?" Proverbs 21:15 tells us the reason: "It is a joy for the just to do justice."

A person who enjoys a close and vibrant relationship with the Lord doesn't need a reason to do good. It simply comes as a result of growing to be like Him. Ever notice how people tend to take on the attitudes and traits of those they spend the most time with? A person will often start to talk and act like their co-workers. A married couple certainly grow to be more and more alike. And the believer who grows in their Christ-likeness acts and thinks more like Jesus.

That is why a committed Christian does the right thing. They just enjoy doing what is right! There isn't an ulterior motive . . . it isn't done with the expectation of getting something back. The deed is done because it is the right thing to do. This is a foreign concept to many today. But in the midst of this "dog-eat-dog world" it certainly is refreshing to see someone who is committed to doing what is right no matter the personal cost. I have found that when such a person passes on the funeral home or the church is filled with people who come because they had a real respect for the way he or she lived. It is my prayer that my own life would be seen in this way.

Thanking God for the sacrifices made!

2009-05-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Memorial Day! It is far more than just a day off from work or a time for a family barbeque to kick off the summer. It should be a day of sincere thanksgiving.

All too often we take for granted the sacrifices which have been made in the past and continue to be made today to preserve the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. To do so is the sign of our sense of security, but hopefully doesn't indicate an apathy about the sacrifices made on our behalf. Yesterday at church our Pastor had all veterans and current military men and women to stand as we paid tribute to their service for our nation. What a sight to see at least a couple of dozen men and women stand. Thank you ladies and gentlemen for what you have done!

Another amazing sight is to go to a national military cemetary and see the hundreds and thousands of white crosses aligned acre after acre. I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and had the privilege of conducting funerals at two seperate national cemetaries there, the older one in Madison (an area of Nashville) and one close to Pegram, on the west side of town. It is truly a sobering experience.

As you enjoy your day off take a moment to remember those who bought your freedom with their blood. They deserve at least that much consideration. Also, thank God for the ultimate freedom that is ours because the blood of Christ was the price paid. Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

Is your worship acceptable?

2009-05-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 21:3 is an important word on the subject of worship. It says, "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." Ever since the day of Cain and Able there has been the question of whether our worship is acceptable in the Lord's eyes. Cain killed Able in a fit of jealousy because God was receptive to the spirit in which Able presented his offering to God, but He did not accept Cain's offering. The difference was in the attitude!

Solomon tells us that the actions of right living and treating others in the right way is more important to God than any offering we might bring. That's because our actions reflect the attitudes of our hearts, and God looks upon the heart of a man or woman to determine their sincerity and faithfulness.

As you go to church today what are the attitudes which you will take along with you? Will they be attitudes of love, service, and humility (which God honors), or will they be attitudes which will disappoint the Lord? I encourage you to go seeking for God to create in you a clean heart, and to teach to you the lessons He desires for you to learn.

The "Idiot-Maker"!

2009-05-23T16:06:00.002-05:00

There are many foolish things we can do, but one which seems to rise to the top is the consumption of alcohol. It is without a doubt one of the quickest ways to make an idiot out of yourself. Solomon warned his son about this very matter in Proverbs 20:1 . . .
"Wine is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise."

The past several years there has been much said in our media and among politicians about WMD's or Weapons of Mass Destruction. I would venture to say that all of the WMD's used throughout history have paled in their destructive power when compared to the utter devastation produced by the use of alcohol drink. I have observed broken marriages, foolish abandonment, lost jobs, forfeited freedom, and tragic death as a result of "taking a little drink."

No, drinking isn't the only sin, but it is one that has created more pain and suffering than most. My own family has been touched by alcohol abuse as my wife's father was a heavy drinker, perhaps even an alcoholic. His drinking contributed to divorce and the break up of their family. Even today there are scars with which Kay must deal. She hates alcohol!

Out of a loving concern I would urge any young person to turn away from the temptation to drink. I know it is supposed to be cool, but I've never seen anything cool about losing control of yourself and acting like an idiot! And those kids who tell you they are your friend and at the same time try to get you to take a drink with them -- well, that is no friend. A friend is someone who wants to help you to be your best, not your pitiful worst.

Then, to any parent who might read this - if you drink even a little bit you are inviting your child to engage in something that could be disastrous. I can't imagine you would consciously put your child at risk, but that's what you are doing if your example before them includes drinking an occasional beer or glass of wine. There are some who would say, "Oh, that's just some preacher on his soapbox!" Well, somebody has to speak the truth and hope that God's Spirit will make it stick. I would rather be considered a "prude" than to ignore the opportunity to try to give a loving rebuke. Try to be wise - give up the booze!

Better to listen than talk!

2009-05-22T20:09:00.002-05:00

It has been a busy and tiring few days including a full day of painting today (my day off). Had to have a MRI on Tuesday to determine how damaged my knee is. Ever since my spinal cord injury (occurred during neck surgery four years ago) I have had a weakness in my left side (sure beats the complete paralysis I experienced after the surgery). This has resulted in extra wear on the left knee. And about a month ago I felt a bit of a "pop", hence the MRI, etc. Nothing too serious - good bit of arthritis, sprained MCL, and slight tear of the Miniscus. A little rehab and some steroids and I'll be much better.

I want to share a brief devotional word from the Personal Growth Study Bible on Proverbs 18:13 which reads:
"He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him."

"This proverb reminds us that it's foolish to respond to what another person is saying before we have really listened to them. What is real listening?

Real listening is an active process. We focus on what the other person is saying and feeling, not on what we are going to say next.

Real listening is reflective. We respond to what the other person is saying and feeling, often restating the other person's thoughts and feelings to make sure that we understand them.

Real listening is responsive. Healthy relationships must have two-way communication. As others open up their lives to us, we respond by sharing ourselves with them. In the process, we come to understand no just what the other is saying, but also to understand each other."

I thought this was well stated, and it is a subject all of us should consider. Obviously, all manner of relationships would be better served if we all developed a listening ear.

Is gray hair a sign of wisdom?

2009-05-19T16:08:00.003-05:00

I have often heard Proverbs 16:31 quoted in reference to older or "mature" adults, suggesting that with age comes wisdom -- "The silver-haired head is a crown of glory." However, that is only the first half of that proverb. The second half of the verse reads -- "if it is found in the way of righteousness." Ahhh! There is a bit of a difference in meaning now!

Fact is, wisdom is not simply the result of aging. It is sad to say, but "there is nothing more foolish than an old fool" (I just made that up - cool!). Experience is a good teacher, and often the older person has some very insightful things to share, but as Solomon has been teaching his son throughout these proverbs, real wisdom comes only from God. Therefore, the wisdom that accompanies age is quite limited.

It indeed is sad to meet a person who has a few miles on him that foolishly rejects the Lord Jesus and the truth of God's Word. There is so much benefit to finding the Lord as a young man or woman and living a committed life for Him . . . a sense of purpose and direction, strength for meeting the challenges of daily living, and assurance that this life is not all there is. It is hard for me to imagine life any other way!

Whether you are young or old, however, the wise thing is to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life. The greatest crown of glory is the one we receive from the Heavenly Father upon our entry into eternity at which time we will lay them at the feet of Jesus in adoration and acknowledgement of Him as the glorious Lamb of God.

I may not be E.T. but I am an alien!

2009-05-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

A very entertaining movie from several years ago, E.T. The Extraterrestrial told the story of a little alien who seeks the help of some children to "phone home" so that his friends will come pick him up and take him back to where he came from. If you are a Christian you may be surprised to know that you are also an alien. No, you aren't a little green man or woman, but you no longer should consider this earth to be your home.

I bring this up because of a song I heard tonight at church that spoke of heaven as being our home. It reminded me of what Paul says in Philippians 3:20-21, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

You see, when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior he or she becomes a new creation and is given a new home, a new citizenship -- Heaven! Yes, we live the remainder of this life here, but we know that our eternity will be spent with Jesus in the place He has prepared for us (see John 14:2-3). This is a cause for rejoicing among believers as we "eagerly wait" for the Lord Jesus to return one day to take us home. When that day comes we will be transformed and our weak, frail bodies will become like the glorified body of Jesus. It will be way cool!

I know that people who have not heard this truth, or who have chosen not to believe, might read this and think, "What a wierd guy!" Some might laugh while others might even be afraid of me. That's how people react to aliens. Not the E.T. kind of alien, but the Christian kind. And we will remain wierd in the eyes of many right up to the time when Jesus returns. So don't be ashamed of your identity as an alien, and don't be too attached to the things of this world. What you have waiting is far better than anything this world has to offer. By the way, God encourages you to "phone home" often!

Don't let the dam break!

2009-05-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 17:14
     "The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
      Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts."

Ever see a small disagreement blow up into a major fight? It happens all too often . . . between husband and wife, between parent and child, between co-workers, or even between members of a church! Just like the dam that springs a small leak that builds into a catastrophe, an arguement often gets out of control and creates irreparable damage.

As a minister I've seen the damage done by conflict in the home and in the church, and it breaks my heart. I often wonder how people who claim to be Christians can be so ugly to one another. It certainly points to the fact that believers are not perfect (and we usually don't claim to be). When you consider how much conflict takes place in the world around us it's no wonder Jesus placed such an emphasis on being a peacemaker, or one who promotes harmony.

The best way to stop an arguement is to avoid having it in the first place. How can we do that? By prayer! You see, it is much more difficult to fight with someone you are praying for regularly. Want to avoid fights with your spouse? Pray for them! Want to avoid fights with your co-workers? Pray for them! Want to avoid fights with fellow church members? Pray for them!

Prayer will reinforce your "dam" and strengthen the relationships in your life. God desires to give you the means by which you can live your life in peace and harmony with all of your fellow believers, including family.  The same Spirit dwells in all believers, therefore the more we are attuned to the Holy Spirit the lower the chance for conflict. So let's put the power of prayer to work in our lives and enjoy the enhanced relationships it will produce!

Loose lips sinks ships!

2009-05-16T15:20:00.002-05:00

Back in the early 1940's the world was at war and security was on the mind of all Americans. Who knew if their neighbor or co-worker was actually a foreign spy or saboteur? In many work places, especially those dealing with defense projects, it was not uncommon to see a poster on a wall which read, "Loose lips sink ships!" The slightest slip of the tongue could result in the deaths of American soldiers, sailors, or Marines.

Though not as dramatic as the World War II warning, Proverbs 17:9 has a similar message: "He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends." Do you love your friends? Are you sure? Suppose one of your friends did something wrong . . . would you out of a heart of love keep the matter to yourself, or would it become a bit of juicy information you just can't wait to tell to someone else?

Solomon says that he or she who truly loves will refrain from gossiping about the faults of a friend. The big-mouth "friend" is moving along the path to losing a friend. Now understand, covering a transgression as it's referred to here in this proverb does not mean ignoring sin in others. It simply means to keep the matter to ourselves and not saying something in public that might embarrass or demean the other person.

Being a gossip is a mean-spirited way of seeking attention for oneself. It is like saying, "I'm important because I know something you don't know!" But oh my, the damage we can cause with a careless whisper. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote about this subject when he said, "A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything -- or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony into chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue -- it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!" (James 3:3-10, The Message)

Be a real friend! Don't ignore the sin, but don't announce it to the world either. A real friend seeks to express love by gently rebuking and encouraging. The gossip is no friend at all. You may not sink a ship, but you can certainly sink a relationship!

I'd rather have Jesus!

2009-05-15T09:11:00.002-05:00

George Beverly Shea is a great man of God who has impacted millions of lives through his singing, especially the 50+ years spent working with Billy Graham in his crusades. I can still hear that deep baritone voice as he sang hundreds of beautiful hymns, gospel songs, and choruses. Like Billy, George is well up in years - over 90 years of age. But even today he has a voice which rings out clearly his love for the Heavenly Father!

One of my favorite songs he would sing at the crusades is actually one Shea co-wrote with Rhea Miller, "I'd Rather Have Jesus." Miller wrote the lyrics in 1922, and seventeen years later Bev Shea produced the music to accompany the words. And what words they are:
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Chorus: Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or held in sin's dread sway.
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause;
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.

(Chorus)

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

(Chorus)

This great song seems to go very well with the proverb I want to share today, Proverbs 15:16:
"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
Than great treasure with trouble."

Eugene Peterson, writer of the contemporary English translation of the Bible called "The Message" states Proverbs 15:16 this way:
"A simple life in the Fear-of-God
is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches."

That seems to describe the lives of so many people pretty well -- "a ton of headaches." Life can be filled with tension - relationships, work, school, and even sometimes at church. The wife tells you that the washing machine broke and it will cost $500 to replace it . . . the children act disrespectfully and cause you great heartache . . . you receive a lay-off notice at work. Many of life's tensions are caused by things outside your control, but we would have to honestly say that much of it simply is a response to some action or attitude of our own. According to Dave Ramsey (the financial guru) over 70% of American households are living paycheck to paycheck. There is tremendous stress financially. A related statistic shows us that the number one factor in divorce today is financial stress within the family. It's not adultery . . . it's not abuse . . . it is money!

People today are drowning in an ocean of debt and it is due primarily to the fact that most people keep spending trying to find satisfaction and peace. Problem is, satisfaction and peace can't be found in anything we can buy. Those things are temporal in nature and don't meet the deepest needs of our lives. That's why Solomon says in his proverb that living a more simple life that includes a right relationship with God is preferable to a life filled with worldly treasure but devoid of God.

I know that for me personally, I would much rather have my relationship with Jesus Christ than to be without Him and rolling in money! In fact, nothing this world has to offer comes close to what I possess in Jesus. I know peace because of Jesus! I know comfort in the hard times because of Jesus! I know a sense of security about all aspects of life because of Jesus! I know no fear of death because of Jesus!

When George Beverly Shea sings, "I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today", I'm all about that! Praise God, I have a Lord and Savior who is King of all the earth and showers those who love Him with blessings far greater than silver or gold.

Nip it! Nip it in the bud!

2009-05-14T16:13:00.002-05:00

One of my all-time favorite television programs is The Andy Griffith Show. What a delightful cast of characters brought together in an ideal setting and working from wonderfully written scripts! In my book there is nothing on TV today that even remotely rivals the quality of this program from the 1960's.

Of all the sensational characters on the program, my favorite has to be Barney Fife. Don Knotts' performances in that role were such classics. There is so much about Barney that causes me to laugh even as a moment in the series comes to mind. One of the things Barney is best remembered for is the hilariously high-pitched response he would give when he had heard enough from Otis or Barney or Andy: "Nip it! Nip it in the bud!"

Barney's words come to mind when I read Proverbs 15:1 -- "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Whenever Andy or one of the others needled Barney or argued with him, it drew the wrath of this high-strung little man. It's also something I've observed in many ways other than a television program. Many times I have seen a situation escalate into a pretty ugly scene because the opposing parties responded harshly to something said or done.

This is a lesson I have tried for years to teach my older son. Andy is one who doesn't like for anyone to get in his face, and those who are foolish enough to challenge this 6'5" hulk of a man get perilously close to a very unpleasant experience. I try to convince him that responding in kind to a harsh word or action is not only a good way to find yourself in trouble, it simply isn't the way a Christian ought to deal with people. No, we aren't to be people's "punching bags" physically or verbally. But, the wisdom of this proverb is that a kind and gentle response to a hostile word or act will usually calm a situation and allow for the problem to be solved rather than blown out of proportion. No one ever really wins a fight. The winner is the one who can resolve an issue and make everyone else "feel" like a winner!

I know that such a reaction isn't very natural. That's true of so many things about the Christian life -- they seem unnatural. This is because our sinful nature wants to act and react sinfully, but the indwelling Holy Spirit strengthens us for the task of living according to the unnatural, yet fulfilling and abundant life God created us to live. Next time you encounter a hostile person remember old Barney Fife, and try to nip the hostilities in the bud!

Why is America not exalted?

2009-05-12T16:38:00.002-05:00

For many years the United States was recognized by much of the world as being a nation worth imitating. We were seen as a good people who enjoyed God's blessing. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Putting aside the bashing President Obama and his liberal friends are giving our nation, we are not as respected as we once were. Is it, as the media tries to portray, all the fault of George W. and the eight years he and his brazen cowboy friends "ruled?" I don't believe so!

Proverbs 14:34 gives us some tough words to chew on: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Fact is, our nation is turning its back on God, and this action is resulting in our losing the stature we once enjoyed. One of the things I've noticed through the years is that a just and upright man or woman is respected, even by those who don't understand why the person is so respectable.

Here's a personal example . . . when I was 15 years old I went to work at a local grocery store. One of the men who who worked full-time at the store was Zeke, the produce manager. Zeke was a profane man. His language was raunchy, his mind fixed upon filth, and to top it off he was a bookie who encouraged the teenaged employees to gamble on football games. I never treated Zeke rudely when he made lewd comments around me (he knew I was a "preacher boy") and when questioned about some off-color subject I politely told him that I wasn't interested in such a conversation. I worked at the store about 3 years. Several years later I happened to be in the store with my mother when Zeke approached me. He told me that he had become a Christian and married a Christian woman. And then he said something I have never forgotten. Zeke apologized to me for the many ugly things he had said to me years earlier and stated that even though he treated me so unkindly, he had always respected the way I conducted myself and how I never became angry with him for the way he acted. He was grateful for the witness I had been to him.

Maybe that is what we are missing today as Americans. Oh, we give away billions of dollars to other nations, and we have sent our young men and women to fight and die to protect the weaker nations from those seeking to destroy them. But when those actions aren't accompanied by a righteousness that comes from the proper acknowledgement of God and His truth we no longer have the moral standing that draws the respect and admiration of other nations. This is not to say there are no upright people in America. But, as a nation we have lost sight of what has truly made us great in the past - a national sense of responsibility to God and recognition that what we have comes as a gift from Him.

Righteousness exalts a nation. My prayer is that we might once again be exalted - not for our greatness, but because of His!

Maybe we're not as smart as we think!

2009-05-11T18:26:00.002-05:00

Many folks today think that man's intellect has attained such great levels that we wouldn't need God even if He existed. Billionaire Ted Turner comes to mind. Several years ago Turner was given the "Humanist of the Year" award. Humanism basically says that man is evolving into a state of perfection, and there is no need to believe in a higher being. Personally, I am thankful that there is Someone much more wise than Ted Turner.

Solomon spoke to this issue with one of his proverbs, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12). For centuries there have those who have tried to say that God is not real, or at least He is irrelavant. What foolishness! Many have also tried to say that man's wisdom is great (especially their own) and it isn't intellectually honest or rational to believe in God. That kind of thinking only leads a person toward destruction. Oh, they may attain temporary status or riches, but none of that does you any good once you encounter the grave.

Well, think for a moment about how great "man's" wisdom has proven to be. We haven't been able to overcome the desire or need for war. We are so wise that our children are taking guns to school and shooting their teachers and classmates. Crime becomes more and more violent. Marriages are failing at record rates. Oh yeah, now I see how we might come to the conclusion that man is so terribly wise!

Folks, the truth is that we need God's wisdom. I know from personal experience that when I lean upon God and His wisdom, better decisions are made, there is more joy in my life, and things just make better sense. I look at the world around me and see chaos, despair, lack of purpose, and so much more which I believe is easily traced back to foolish decisions and failure to seek God's wise counsel. Maybe its time to admit that we aren't as smart as we thought, and that God has a lot more to offer us than the skeptics think.

Call her blessed!

2009-05-09T13:54:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and therefore I am skipping ahead in Proverbs to the 31st chapter, where in the passage beginning with verse 10 we find Solomon's tribute to the noble wife (I will let you read it from your Bible if you wish since it is so long). God has blessed me with a heritage of godliness. I may speak later of the men who have proceeded me, but today I want to speak of the women.

It was my privilege to know three of my great-grandmothers, both grandmothers, and of course, my Mom. Of my great-grandmothers I spent the most time with my "Granny Gregory" who lived with Andy & Ruby Thomas, my mother's parents. Ganny Gregory died when I was 12, but I remember her well. She was blinded by glaucoma just about the time I was born, so I guess she never "saw" me. I remember that whenever we went to visit, my Granny G. would have my sister, my brother, and me to stand before her and let her put her hands on top of our heads to see how much we had grown. She also lovingly caressed our faces as though she could see us through her fingertips. One of the things I remember most of my great-grandmother was that she loved Elvis Presley. She had all of his gospel recordings and would sit in her room and listen to them over and over. Even though she was blind she continued to teach her Sunday School class until her health made it impossible for her to attend. A dear friend of mine, John Lawrence, who went to be with the Lord several years ago, told me how much my great-grandmother meant to him. She taught him in Sunday School when he was a child and often witnessed to him about the Lord. He credits her with having a major influence on his becoming a Christian. She was a great woman of God.

My grandmothers, Ruby Thomas (maternal grandmother) and Estelle Bush (paternal grandmother) were also loving, caring, Christian women. I learned much about being charitable towards others from them. Probably the things I miss most about my childhood are the times spent at their homes, enjoying the unbelievably good meals and just being with them. It was my great blessing that they both lived until after my children were born. My, how proud they were of Andy and Alan. I even have video of both of my grandmothers at the hospital when the boys were born, and when we got together the next few years. These women of faith influenced me greatly.

My Mom's name is Julia. She is still alive, though she resides at a nursing home in Nashville, having suffered a severe stroke in February 2006. Mom is not able to speak beyond saying a very few words, and cannot communicate what she wants to say. What a terrible thing to be locked within oneself that way. She also is paralyzed on her right side causing her to be confined to a wheelchair. Yet, my Mom has such a loving spirit. It would seem that one of her constant pursuits at the nursing home is to care for other patients, particularly her roommate. She comes by it naturally! There are so many wonderful memories I have of my Mom through the years, but I guess I will never forget getting up early each morning to get ready for school and overhearing my Mom praying for me and the rest of my family. What a blessing to know you are prayed for every day!

And now, I have another very special mother in my life . . . the mother of my children! On August 9th Kay and I will have been married 29 years. Boy, the years have certainly flown by. Kay and I met the day we first moved in at Belmont College (now University) in Nashville. To be honest, when I first met Kay I wasn't sure I liked her. But it really didn't take very long before I knew her to be a very sweet young lady. Interestingly, Kay dated my roommate for about a year. She and I dated briefly after our Sophomore year, but really didn't date seriously until after we graduated from college. Like most everyone, our lives have had its great blessings and some difficult times as well. One thing has always been true,however, and that is Kay has stayed faithfully beside me every step of the way. The boys are grown and have moved away to work and attend college. We are now in the "empty nest" years, and I have to say that I am enjoying it because Kay and I are able to spend more quality time together than we have for many years. My best friend and I are becoming even closer! And like the godly ladies who were in my life prior to her, she has been such a tremendous blessing in my life. I agree with Solomon who said of the noble wife, "her worth is far above rubies." I also join him in saying, "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all." (vs. 29, The Message) Thank you Lord for bringing such great women in my life.

Surround yourself with the right people!

2009-05-08T15:27:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 11:14 says to us: "Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." Has anyone ever said to you, "Surround yourself with the right kind of people"? If I recall, that may have been number 3794 of my Dad's sermons to me about life. Actually it is good advice to give any person.

Life is difficult . . . life is full of choices which can make a huge difference . . . life can be very confusing! There is no shame in admitting you need help in making the decisions you face. In fact, it is smart! God has several ways in which He gives direction and wisdom to us. He uses His Word, the Bible. The Holy Spirit, the indwelling presence of God in the life of a believer, speaks to us. And often, God uses other people to share His wisdom.

Depending on who we "hang around" with, the advice we receive from those people may be wise, or it may be trouble. The smart person seeks out friends and mentors who he or she knows to be walking closely to God because they are the ones who will give "words of life" versus "words of destruction" which come from the mouths of fools. And the more wise friends you have, the more wise advice you will receive.

The best place I know to find such people are at my church. Through the years I've had godly Sunday School teachers, Deacons, Pastors, Christian college Professors, and others who have had a positive influence and sage advice. To me, it just makes sense to surround myself with those folks than to seek advice about living from people who don't have a relationship with the One who gave us life. Follow Solomon's advice . . . ask for advice from the right folks!

Yes, God does hate evil!

2009-05-07T19:50:00.002-05:00

This has been a very busy week! Almost every week . . . every day . . . is a blur of activity (and I know I'm not the only one living out this kind of life) so it is often difficult to have time to blog. This is the first time since starting my blog that I've missed three days in a row, but it likely won't be the last. I enjoy writing these, but there are other priorities that must come first.

Today I'm looking at Proverbs 6:16-19 which gives a list of seven things which Solomon declares that God considers an abomination. This is not a complete list as other passages of Scripture tell of additional actions and attitudes which God detests. Solomon says:
"Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion:
eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a toublemaker in the family. (The Message)

When considering these seven items it is apparent that much about our world today must be so disgusting to God. We are fortunate that the only thing greater than God's sense of justice is His love for sinners. He has every reason and right to destroy us all, but He chose, out of His great love, to provide us sinners with a way to be reconciled with Him -- Jesus Christ.

Many people feel that they are not loved or are unlovable. Not so! God's expression of love through the sacrifice of Jesus proves to us that He loves everyone, even you! And believe it or not, there are many Christians who love you as well. I know, I know, there are a lot of folks out there who say they are Christians who sure don't act like they love you. That is an unfortunate truth. But, there are millions of Christians around this world who are praying for you (they pray that all people will know the saving grace of Jesus) and many give money from their own pockets to feed the poor, house the homeless, and send missionaries to tell more people about Jesus. There are Christians who give of their time to improve the lives of those who lives around them. You may not know these people, and they may not know you by name, but their love is real because God's love is real in them!

I close this post with a simple plea. If you have never accepted God's gift of love - eternal life and forgiveness through faith in Jesus - please do so right now! You can never earn God's love nor can you earn eternal life, but it is your choice as to whether or not you will accept His gift. He won't force you to accept it. Accepting Jesus would be the wisest thing you ever did!

Policing the Pulpit!

2009-05-03T14:59:00.004-05:00

Even though I didn't see any coverage from our newspaper or television, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a piece of legislation this week that may have a tremendous impact upon the religious freedom of our nation. Baptist Press, the news outlet for the Southern Baptist Convention, reported Friday that HR 1913, the "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act" was passed by a vote of 249-175. This act adds "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the current categories protected from hate crimes. The legislation will now be considered in the U.S. Senate which passed a similar measure in 2007. President Obama has said that he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

So what is the big deal? This is but another step in the effort to force Biblical preachers to stop declaring the truth of God's Word about homosexuality and other unacceptable sexual behavior. The Baptist Press story indicated that this legislation, when combined with other laws already passed, could very easily be interpreted so that charges could be brought against a Minister if investigators decided that his sermon induced a person to commit a hate crime. In other words, I could go to jail if a church member or visitor committed a hate crime and it was determined that he or she heard me preach against homosexuality or the act of dressing and behaving as the opposite sex for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Oh, Ken that would never happen! Think not? It already has in Canada, England, Sweden and other some other European nations. There it does not require for an act of hatred to be committed since the very act of preaching on the subject is considered a crime of hate!

Now, please understand that I would never encourage in any way an act of violence against someone because they are a homosexual or cross dresser or transvestite. Their behavior is repulsive (because it is repulsive to God), but a Christian cannot endorse hatred. On the contrary, we as Christians need to reach out to all people in love. But that love should also include preaching and teaching God's Word faithfully with the prayer that God's transformational love will lead the person to live in accordance with God's will.

Where will all of this lead? This is not intended to be a politically oriented blog, but I am very concerned that our very liberal President (check his voting record and writings) backed by a liberal Congress will lead our nation to move further and further "left", perhaps even radically so. I am not a fan of everything done in the name of conservatism either, but I believe we will see many of our freedoms eroded, while at the same time,we will see a greater encouragement toward behavior that is not in keeping with God's Word. My thoughts on political matters is not so much Democrat versus Republican, but is more about Biblical versus worldly. Issues such as HR 1913 do not give me much encouragement about our nation's direction.

The Purpose of Discipline

2009-05-02T09:40:00.003-05:00

As a teenager there were times that I just knew I hated my Mom and Dad! Oh the insult of their telling me what I could or could not do. Now I am 51 years old, have two sons who have passed out their teen years (Praise God!), and possess something of an understanding of what they had experienced with me. I also realize I'm lucky I lived to the post-teen years!

Actually, the longer I live, the more I appreciate what my parents tried to do with me - a hard headed, know-it-all kid who was probably the cause of numerous sleepness nights and tension headaches. They sought to instill in me an appreciation for the disciplined life, and they showed remarkable restraint (they didn't commit murder) when I refused to go along with the program.

What is discipline? Simply put, to discipline yourself or someone else, you set the boundaries within which a person can live in an acceptable manner, and when that person steps outside those boundaries there is some consequence which is intended to bring the person back to an acceptable way of operating. Parents do this all the time with their children (or they should). Your place of employment sets boundaries through Personnel Policies. A school has a Student Handbook. A country, state, and local governments have laws. And the Christian has the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

God has set boundaries for His children (believers and followers of Christ). Each of us has to apply some self-discipline, seek God's strength in the areas we are weak, and learn to say "no" to the things we know aren't within the boundaries of proper Christian living. But sometimes a Christian chooses to wander from the "straight and narrow" and God applies a little of His own discipline. Solomon explained about this to His son,
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom He delights."
Proverbs 3:11-12

"For whom the Lord loves He corrects." I am so thankful that God cares enough about me to want to steer me back into the acceptable when I stray. I'm also thankful for parents who loved me in that way as well. It is my prayer that my life serves to honor both God and my parents. They certainly deserve it!

Discover the strength of God's economy!

2009-05-01T14:08:00.002-05:00

The headlines of the day scream out at us, "Worst Recession in Decades" . . . "Trillions in Debt Piling Up" . . . "Officials Not Sure What to Do For Economy." There are dozens of "Chicken Littles" racing around declaring that the sky is falling. Millions of people have lost their retirement savings or at least a substantial portion of it. Many have lost jobs. What are we to do?

Tap into God's economy! The One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and unlimited resources is able to meet our every need. Solomon tells his son this very thing. Reading from Proverbs 3:9-10 . . .
"Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine."

As with all God's promises, obedience is the key which opens the door to God's blessings. In this case, Solomon instructs his son to bring honor to God with how he handles his money and to tithe his income. Since everything in our lives is supposed to honor God, it only makes sense that our money management should do the same. How can we honor God with our possessions?

First, rule your possessions - don't let your possessions rule you! A little common sense and some self-discipline will make the difference between a person being seen as a good money manager and one who dishonors God by living above their means, even to the point of declaring bankruptcy and shirking their obligations. That is not a Christlike way to live.

Second, use your possessions to help others. A Christian life isn't about how many "toys" that can be accumulated. Rather, it is about using the blessings God has given us to be a blessing for others. I don't think this means that Christians have to live in shacks and dress in rags. I believe that God wants us to focus on the important things and let Him worry about our financial needs. In Matthew 6:31-33 we read how Jesus approached this subject:
"So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Holman Christian Study Bible).

Reading these verses of Scripture, along with Deuteronomy 18:4, and 28:8, Malachi 3:10-12, Amos 6:6, and Isaiah 43:23, we get a sense of the context of what these verses are trying to teach us. Unlike what some try to preach - what some call the "name it and claim it" theology, I believe that God's promise is to meet our needs and to bless us in all kinds of ways we cannot even imagine. If you're going to be rich, it is much better to be rich in spiritual blessings than the material kind because those blessings are eternal in nature. When God does bless a believer with material riches, He does so in order to enable that person to make a spiritual impact with the money and as a sign of God's power and abundance. Our "job" is to seek a close, personal relationship with the Lord, and simply trust Him to bless us as He sees fit.

The third way we honor God is to be obedient in the tithe. The benefit of tithing is more for the giver than the receiver (the church). God doesn't need our money. He can provide the means for the church to function through any number of ways. His choice, however, was to allow His children the opportunity to share in the support of the work, and to know the blessings that come as a result of obedience to His Word. Tithing is not a negative subject. It is actually one of the most positive messages found in the Bible. God is offering each believer a financial freedom that can only come through faith and obedience, acknowledging a complete and total dependence on God to provide. What a wonderful gift to have the peace of trusting God's goodness! Lookout, God wants to burst your barn doors wide open!

A promise worth banking on!

2009-04-30T16:20:00.002-05:00

There are many passages of Scripture which stand out in the minds of many believers. Many people have adopted a verse as their "life verse", that is, a verse they hold to as a particular guide for their lives. One such verse for me is Micah 6:8, "What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." A couple of other verses which are particularly meaningful to me are 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Nehemiah 8:10.

One passage which many Christians refer to often as a life verse or favorite verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 . . .
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."

This passage is a classic example of the promises God has made to His people. Examine it a little more closely and you'll see that this is a "covenant promise" or a promise that is contractual in nature. Throughout the Scriptures we find passages that are what I call "If . . . then" promises. God says, "If you do this and that, then I will do such and such in return." A great example of this is 2 Chronicles 7:14 . . .
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Obviously, Proverbs 3:5-6 doesn't contain the words "If" and "Then", but they are implied by the way the statement is written -- If you trust . . . and if you lean not . . . and if in all your ways . . . then He shall direct your paths. Well, enough of the linguistics. I think you get the idea. Let's focus a moment on the message of this passage.

These are pearls of wisdom from the father (Solomon) to his son (Rehoboam) about knowing the will of God. Solomon instructs his son to do three things which will allow Him to be open to and receive God's direction for his life. First, he exhorts his son to put his complete trust in God. Just like in our day, Rehoboam would be bombarded from all angles with advice about what He should do to live the "good life." Solomon had listened to a lot of those "voices" himself, and as we can read in Eccelsiastes, all that he gained for his efforts was a lot of confusion and a final conclusion that all of that extra-curricular stuff was "vanity." His advice to Rehoboam, "Son, do yourself a favor and don't go down the path I traveled. Trust completely in God and you will be much better off."

The second thing Solomon advises was to recognize that you don't know it all. In fact, realize that to try to figure it all out on your own is folly. That is tough for a young man to hear, and harder for him to accept. Usually it isn't until we have experienced some of life's bruises do we start to understand that maybe there is a lot more to life than we thought. Actually, it can provide a great deal of relief when we understand that we don't have to know it all - we simply need to get to know the One who does know it all.

The third thing Solomon says is necessary for knowing the will of God is to recognize that life isn't about me, it is about Him. This goes back to some of my first posts when I drew from Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. When we give recognize the true nature of life and give control of it to God, then we are ready to live in obedience which is the key to receiving God's blessings including His direction.

An important thing for us to understand about God's direction is that He isn't like the person who stands on the side of the road and points us in the way to go. No, He takes us by the hand and walks with us so that we don't face anything without knowing He is right there. God desires to be active in our lives. He wants to enjoy our company. And He deeply wants to fill our lives with the most amazing blessings.

So trust God, look to Him for understanding, and let your life be all about Him. You'll know great peace because God is at the controls and He is taking you to abundant life.

Love and wisdom: a real treasure!

2009-04-28T19:37:00.005-05:00

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man."
Proverbs 3:3

Solomon, King of Israel, addresses his son again on the way to live a truly meaningful life by extolling the virtues of mercy and truth. Several times in the past few posts I have defined truth, as it is used in Proverbs, as being wisdom or an understanding of life through God's perspective. Mercy might be defined in a variety of terms, but I like to think of it as referring to an abounding, unrestricted love. This kind of love isn't limited to just loving those who are lovable, but includes a real and active love for those who are the "unlovable." We all probably know of someone who fits that category . . . you know, that man or woman who has such a sour disposition, or that malodorous child who makes a real nuisance of himself in the Sunday School class, or the homeless man on the street corner that you avoid making eye-contact with.

The father tells his son, "Don't let that kind of love and God's perspective on life leave you." It is so easy to become busy with our own important pursuits until we become blinded or even hardened to the people who are all around us crying out silently for someone to love them. Solomon pleads with his son to not fall into that trap which robs us of that part of our humanity which is most important and valuable -- compassion for people! Solomon says, "Bind these things (mercy and truth) around your neck . . . write it on the tablet of your heart!" A person in those days would carry their money in a pouch which often hung from their neck on a leather string. Solomon is comparing love and wisdom to a person's treasure which was kept close to him. To write these things on the tablet of your heart simply means to make it central to your life, kind of like when you refer to something as being "the heart of a matter."

The benefit of doing this is stated in verse four: "Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of people" (The Message). I have often told my boys through the years, "You can lose your money and that can be a sad thing, but you don't ever want to lose your reputation. It's the only thing you take to the grave with you!" Another of Solomon's proverbs reinforces this truth, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold" (22:1). A life lived in wisdom and love earns the respect of those around us, but more importantly, it earns the respect of God. I can't imagine anything more desirable than that!

Abounding love and wisdom - treasure incomparable!

A treasure unlike any other!

2009-04-27T20:06:00.002-05:00

Being a dad, one of my greatest desires for my sons is for them to seek after God and to desire to know Him more and more. I'm 51 years old, so I've been around the block a time or two. When a man gets to be my age he often looks back on his life and question how things might have been "if". Obviously, I can't go back and change my past, and I can't erase the many mistakes I've made. I can make some crucial decisions now that will affect the rest of my life. And, I can try to teach my boys some things which will hopefully allow them to avoid mistakes I've made.

One of the things I would love for them to understand now, early in their lives, is that there are really few things which this world offers that are worth pursuing. Riches are not really important - money is more of a distraction than anything. Physical pleasure, outside of what God intended for it to be, proves to be destructive. Soaring careers often leave a person wondering why they still aren't satisfied with life. What is worth the effort of pursuit? Wisdom, or an understanding of life from God's perspective!

Solomon shared this insight with his own son. From chapter 2 we read:
"My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil . . ."

These words from father to son indicate that God's wisdom doesn't "just appear" in front of you magically. No, it comes as we diligently seek it as the great treasure it truly is. The pursuit results in God's revealing Himself and His truth in measured proportions. If He dumped the whole load all at one time we would never be able to comprehend it. Instead, He gives it to us over a lifetime so that our understanding of Him and our own lives progresses as we are ready. Therefore, the person who begins this pursuit early in life is at a distinct advantage than if he or she waited until some point later in life. Thus, the urgency in the voice of the father as he shares these hard-earned lessons with the son.

How do we pursue wisdom? By continually going to the source of all knowledge and understanding, our Heavenly Father. He has given us the written Word, the Bible . . . and He gave us the Living Word, Jesus, to instruct us in all wisdom. And after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit of God indwelled the hearts of believers, then and now, to be our internal guide and interpreter of truth. Study of the Bible, guided by the Holy Spirit, is our primary means of gaining understanding, but God often speaks to the believer as he prays, and He will also use the words of others to reveal a truth to the prospector of wisdom. God, a loving and gracious Father, desires to give each of His children all they need to be able to live victorious, significant, and fulfilling lives. Are you wise enough to pursue what He offers?

It's not worth it!

2009-04-26T16:21:00.002-05:00

The Bible is a book about love . . . the love that the Heavenly Father has for all people. It tells of how God lovingly created mankind, and it reveals to us the lengths to which He has gone in order to restore us to a right relationship with Him. What a loving Father He truly is!

The Bible also reveals to us that God is Holy and Just. He is unable to just turn His head from the mocking nature of sin. You see, when we choose to sin - to act and think in opposition to the way He has directed - we are basically telling the Lord, "Even though you are God, I am determined to control my own destiny." That simply doesn't sit well with Him! The Scriptures are filled with the stories of people, even nations, who chose not to honor God through obedience to His Word. These are not pleasant stories to tell or refer to, but the truth, no matter how painful it may be, must be told.

The latter part of Proverbs 1 provides a warning to not reject the wisdom of God. In verse 22 Solomon tells his son, "fools hate wisdom." Indeed, from experience I know that it is foolish to turn one's back on God's wisdom and way. The sad thing is that some people never catch on that their foolish choices only lead to heartache and destruction. God tells us in verses 28-31 that there will come a time at which it is too late to change their ways:
"They they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies."

Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham, was interviewed on one of the national morning news programs. She was asked about why God allowed tragedies such as the events of 9/11. Her reply was simple, and yet, so profound. She told the reporter that America has time and again determined that God no longer has a place in the American public arena, and being the gentleman that He is, He stepped aside. Galatians 6:7-8 tells us clearly, "for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." Some folks look at those Christians who seek to live daily for Christ and call them "fools" when in reality it is they who are being foolish.

God wants so much to bless us in ways we cannot begin to imagine. But, He doesn't hand out His blessings to just anyone. His blessings are poured out upon those who love Him and live in obedience. This has always been the case, and it continues to be true today. So let's love the Lord with all our being and gladly serve Him. It's the wise thing to do!

Who are you running with?

2009-04-25T19:54:00.002-05:00

My last post dealt with Proverbs 1:10 which is Solomon's advice to his son to say no to those who encouraged him to engage in sinful activity. Skipping down to verse 15 of this same chapter, Solomon says: "My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path." In the modern vernacular he might have said, "Boy, watch out what kind of crowd you hang out with!" We have all heard that admonition, but have you ever thought about the fact that if you are running with the wrong crowd you are the wrong crowd?

Verse 16 says, "For their feet run to evil." Remember that Solomon was a man of faith, and he was addressing his son who was raised to be a man of faith, so these proverbs were addressing one who professed his allegiance to God. Therefore, for the young "believer" to run around with these evil-doers was totally out of character with what God expected of him.

I am reminded of Psalm 97:10 which commands, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!" Does this mean we are to hate evil people? No! A follower of Christ is to love all men and women because God loves them. But, we are to hate the evil that is done! I think this thought can be well expressed in these three statements about our response to evil:

REJECT IT!
DESPISE IT!
AVOID IT!

Each day we make choices . . . to join in or to reject the temptation to sin. Our old nature is lured by the opportunity, but if our nature is renewed by the Spirit of God we will despise the sin because He despises it. And the best way to reject the temptation is to flee from it. That was the word Paul gave Timothy in his second letter to the young Christian leader -- "Flee youthful lusts . . ." (2:22). A good word of advice to give to anyone is to not put yourself in a position where you might compromise your values, and if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, get out of there! Oh how many of our fallen brothers and sisters would have benefited if they had followed that advice.

"Hate the sin, but love the sinner!" That's God's attitude, and it should be ours as well.

Just say no!

2009-04-24T16:52:00.002-05:00

What is the most effictive way to avoid falling to temptation? Simple, the two letters n...o! We are faced with a variety of temptations each and every day. Satan makes sure of that. He is there throwing all kinds of banana peels in our way hoping that we will slip and fall. Fact is, though, Satan cannot make us do anything. Therefore, it all comes down to our making choices.

Solomon advised his son, "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent" (Proverbs 1:10). Perhaps the most important lesson about sinful behavior that we need to learn is that we don't have to cooperate! Is it just me, or does it strike you as kind of silly that we (youth or adult) are so concerned about what others will think of us if we don't join in with their irresponsible and wrong behavior? Let's see, God says "Don't do it!" and my so called friends say, "Let's do it!" and I'm not sure what to do?

Now, believe me, I understand about peer pressure and how hard it can be to stand up for what you know is right. Taking a stand for righteous living usually isn't a popular thing to do. In fact, in some places it will get you killed. I also know that fulfillment and a deep sense of satisfaction never comes along with sinful actions. That's because God has "wired us" to find satisfaction and fulfillment within a real and vibrant relationship with Him.

Another truth we must grasp is that we need God's help in making the right decisions. His promise is that He will grant us the strength we need to do the right thing. Our problem is that we fail to maintain our relationship with Him through study of His Word, prayer, and heartfelt worship, and end up walking around without the protective armor He provides. A strong relationship with Christ makes it so much easier to say no to the temptations that lie like landmines all along our path. Take Solomon's advice and do yourself a favor . . . just say no!

Why, Dad?

2009-04-22T07:01:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Solomon wrote and accumulated the proverbs primarily to share wisdom with his son, Rehoboam. Verses 2 and 3 of the first chapter provide for us Solomon's explanation of his purpose in these writings:
"To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity." (NKJV)

To know, to perceive, and to receive . . . a progression in the training of his son. A brief interpretation of these words are as follows:
To know = to be taught
To perceive = to gain understanding
To receive = to accept it and apply the lesson

Wisely, dear old Dad (Solomon) was beginning the training of his son with a lesson on how to learn. He differentiated between knowing, perceiving and receiving to tell Rehoboam that real knowledge isn't complete until the information stored in our brains is thought through, and translated into a change of attitude which results in a desired action. Straight out of my Educational Philosophy class in seminary!

And look at the attitudes Solomon wished for his son to adopt and set as standards for his personal activity --
1. Wisdom - to be able to see life from a godly perspective (we call it a Biblical Worldview)
2. Justice - a basic sense of fairness in all his dealings
3. Judgment - an ability to discern what is right and what is wrong, and to act accordingly
4. Equity - to treat all people alike regardless of their position in the community

In verse 7 of this first chapter Solomon sums up for his boy all that he is about to share with him: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." What does it mean "the fear of the Lord?" Are we supposed to cower down in terror at the very name of God? Of course not!

The Bible offers to us a picture of God as the great and loving Father who demands the respect of his children. When I was growing up I had no doubt that my Dad loved me. His actions proved that. This included the times when he disciplined me, sometimes rather harshly, because of my disobedience. I also loved my Dad, but I had a healthy respect for him and also feared disappointing or disobeying him. I didn't fear that my Dad would permanently injure me or ruin my life, but I still feared his wrath, and I feared failing him.

I have no doubt that my Heavenly Father truly loves me. His actions have proven that. The cross of Calvary proved it. Yet, I know that despite having that great heart of love, our God also will not be mocked, nor will he allow his children to be disobedient with impunity. Spoiling and ignoring unacceptable behavior is not love. Every child needs to learn the boundaries within which he or she must live their life. This is for their own good, and for the good of our society as a whole. God uses discipline and correction to help His children learn the boundaries within which a child of His must live, for their own good, and for the good of the Church, the body of Christ. Therefore, I have a healthy fear of God - not one which causes me to cower, but one which helps me to develop into one who is "more than a conqueror" (Romans 8:37).

Solomon tells his son, "To look to God to set your boundaries through His perfect discipline gets you off on the right foot in your quest to understand this life He has given you. But to ignore what you are taught is a very foolish thing to do." I can just imagine Solomon adding, "I'm counting on you Son to learn these things because your people will be looking to you for the right kind of leadership."

The unfortunate truth is that late in his life Solomon rejected his own advice and fell from God's favor. This affected Rehoboam greatly. His reign over Israel started off badly and soon became much worse. Jeroboam (son of Hadad a descendent of a king of Edom who had fled to Egypt when David destroyed the Edomites) challenged Rehoboam which resulted in the split of Israel into two nations with Jeroboam ruling the 10 tribes of the north, and Rehoboam ruling Judah and Benjamin in the south. (This story is found in 1 Kings 11-13).

May it be our hearts to choose godly wisdom over anything this world has to offer.

Don't be a fool!

2009-04-21T20:23:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Proverbs. Solomon, son of David, and in many ways the greatest King of Israel, authored this book in order to pass along to his son the wisdom he had attained. Such is the wish of any good Dad. We examine our lives, see the mistakes we have made, and try to teach our children to avoid the painful experiences we have lived through.

I am no different. How I wish my sons would listen and take to heart the words I share. Sometimes they do, but all too often these young men think of Dad as being a little old fashioned and out of touch. Unfortunately, they have made many of the mistakes I warned them about and learned a little too late that Dad understands things better than they thought . . . right up to the next time they decide to ignore my advice. It's not that I think I have all the answers -- the Lord (and my wife) knows I certainly don't. However, 51+ years of life experiences have left their bruises on my life, and I have learned some valuable lessons. I have also been a student of human life and learned much from observing the mistakes and wise moves of others.

No doubt my sons will experience many difficulties during the relatively short time they traverse this planet. So many of the hard times are simply beyond our control. We cannot dictate all of our circumstances. Go allows us to encounter those things in order to produce a character in us that is more like Christ's and to allow us to give evidence of our faith to a world which doubts the sincerity of our relationship with Him. However, God tries to give us what we need to avoid bringing things on ourselves that are so unnecessary. His Word, the Bible, is one of those things (and the most important) He gives us as a source of wisdom. Another is the advice of godly parents.

It is my intention to "camp out" in the book of Proverbs for a while and seek to remind us all of some of the sage advice Solomon had to share. Solomon, declared as being the wisest man of all time, came about this wisdom because it was the deepest desire of his heart.
"That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, 'What can I give you? Ask' . . . (Solomon responds) And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'ours' of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you've chosen, a great people -- far too many to ever count.
Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?
God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. And God said to him, 'Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, I'll give you what you've asked for -- I'm giving you a wise and mature heart! There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. As a bonus, I'm giving you both the glory and wealth you didn't ask for -- there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life!" (1 Kings 3:5, 7-14)

This would seem to indicate that God loves to give wisdom to those who ask. In fact, it so pleases Him that He is willing to throw in all kinds of blessings we don't seek. Tune in to my future blogs as we dig into the treasure chest of God's wisdom!

You are special!

2009-04-19T16:58:00.002-05:00

It is a busy Sunday and this will be brief. Yesterday, I wrote of God's work of creation and the fact that he spoke everything into being . . . well, almost everything. Genesis 2:7 tells us how God went about creating man: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

In chapter one God created multiple galaxies just by a spoken word, but in the verse above we see God take a handful of dust, shape it into a person (Adam) and breath life into him. Ever wonder if you are special in any way? Have you questioned whether God cares about you? This ought to answer those questions.

He made you special and he gave you a special nature that is above all other creation. You were made in His image (I'll address what this means at a later time). Don't ever count yourself out . . . don't think of yourself, or any other human being, as being worthless. You are of great worth, because you are the crowning achievement of God's creation. The stars are magnificent, the animal world something to behold, the Earth a sphere adorned in great beauty and wonder . . . but all this pales in comparison to you and me. We are truly special!

The power of a word!

2009-04-18T19:29:00.002-05:00

In Genesis, the first chapter, we are told that God spoke everything into existence. All He had to do was to say, "Let there be light," and there was light. In succession He spoke and day and night, the sky, the waters, dry land, plants, the sun, moon and stars, birds, sea life, animals, and people all to be. What incredible power!

For the person who believes that God is indeed the grand Creator, how can we have any doubt that God has done and continues to do miraculous things? And yet, so many who call themselves believers have demonstrated a large propensity toward unbelief. "I see no way out of my problems!" "I would tithe, but I just don't see how I can make it financially if I do." "I'm scared to talk with my friend about Jesus."

Paul reminds us of the reality of this truth when he says, "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us" (Ephesians 3:20, The Message). What a wonderful promise! Don't let your doubts keep you from experiencing the power and glory of the One who can do far more than you could ever imagine. Surely, if He can create this Universe and much more, He ca meet every need of your life!

Start with the beginning!

2009-04-16T14:26:00.002-05:00

"In the beginning God . . ." (Genesis 1:1). It would seem that any other opening statement to the Bible just wouldn't make sense. Everything finds its beginning with Him. Someone has said that God is the subject of life. Eugene Peterson, producer of the modern paraphrase of the Scriptures, "The Message", says this in his introduction to the book of Genesis: "If we don't have a sense of the primacy of God, we will never get it right, get life right, get our lives right. Not God at the margins; not God as an option; not God on the weekends. God at center and circumference; God first and last; God, God, God."

Truly, life just doesn't make sense without starting with, staying with, and ending with God. No wonder there are so many self-help and spiritually-oriented books at the bookstore. No surprise that millions are lost in their addictions to drugs, booze, porn, work, chat rooms, shopping, and more. No shock that news reports are filled with stories of mass murders, suicides, gang violence, and millions of abortions. Without the understanding of life as God explains it in His Word there is nothing solid for the unbelieving to grasp ahold to.

What can we as Christians do to help these who are struggling to find out what life is supposed to be about? Let me suggest a few important actions:
1. First, pursue an evergrowing relationship with God. You cannot lead others to a place you've never been. Also, once you seek to be the salt and light Scriptures exhort us to be, Satan will throw everything he has at you. Your only protection is your realtionship with God through Christ.
2. Love the hurting and seeking people you encounter. Sincere, unselfish love is the key which will open their hearts and minds to the message you wish to share . . . that God loves them and wants to give them new life -- life that has meaning and makes sense; life which never ends.
3. Live in purity. Your life will either show proof of the truth of God's Word or it will become a stumbling block. I hate the thought that I might be the one who serves as a barrier to someone's knowing Christ as their Savior and Lord. My life will never be perfect this side of heaven, but it can be a strong and positive influence. I pray it is!

There is no need to wander aimlessly through life. Go to the One who has all the answers (no, not Oprah!). Discover the wonderful adventure which is life lived God's way. You'll never regret it.

Sand and Rock

2009-04-13T19:41:00.002-05:00

The old children's song still has a great lesson for us:
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
the foolish man built his house upon the sand,
the foolish man built his house upon the sand,
and the foolish man's house went splat!

The wise man built his house upon the rock,
the wise man built his house upon the rock,
the wise man built his house upon the rock,
and the wise man's house stood firm!

So build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ,
build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ,
build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the blessings will come tumbling down!

Oh the blessings come down as the prayers go up,
the blessings come down as the prayers go up,
the blessings come down as the prayers go up,
so build your house upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

If only more adults listened to what the children sing! Jesus taught those who would listen this truth. His words are recorded in Matthew 7:24-27 . . .
"Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mind and doesn't act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!"

Of course the rock which Jesus was referring to is Himself and the truth His Word teaches. Life is filled with storms, earth shaking events, and all manner of challenges. Some people weather these storms and end up stronger than they were because of their faith in "The Rock." Others who have rejected Jesus lack the foundation necessary for overcoming the deep troubles of life. Their foolish decision eventually leads to their destruction.

Be honest with yourself and before God . . . what is the foundation of your life? If you cannot honestly point to Jesus as the base upon which your life stands you have a decision to make. Will you choose to make Jesus your solid rock, or will you reject Him? You may consider yourself a Christian and still not be building your life upon Christ. I won't pretend to be able to judge the validity of your "salvation experience" but even more pitiful is the life of one who knows the truth and fails to act upon it. Be wise. Build your life on the One who will never let your "house" be destroyed.

Are you alive?

2009-04-12T15:17:00.002-05:00

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen!" On this Easter Sunday we celebrate the reality of the announcement of the angels who met the women who had come to prepare Jesus' body for a proper burial. The late hour of his death three days before did not allow the Jews time to perform this task before the beginning of Sabbath (sundown on Friday).

Just a brief thought for today . . . how alive are you? You may be thinking, "I'm as alive as I can be. My heart is beating and my lungs are pumping oxygen." Sure, you may be physically fine, but what about your spirit? Are you filled with the life that only Jesus can provide? Most people today simply go through the motions of life, but don't experience the abundant life our Lord promises to those who allow Him to live in and through them. On this very special day would you ask the Lord to open your eyes to the life He has ready for you? Would you pursue a stronger relationship with Him so that you can follow His direction for your life?

I hope that your Easter has been a wonderful day of worship of the risen Lord, and enjoyment with your family. Andy and Alan were both here today which is a real treat these days. Worship at Central Park was so special, not only because it is Easter, but because it was the first day for our new Pastor, Jackie Kay, to be in the pulpit. The worship center was filled with 417 in attendance. It is my prayer that we will see that number regularly very soon!

Let's live out each and every day as though it is the day on which we will meet Jesus in our heavenly home!

What the resurrection means for us.

2009-04-11T09:43:00.002-05:00

Easter . . . the resurrection of Christ . . . what does this mean for you and me. Let me share several verses from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. I'm taking this from "The Message," a very readable modern paraphrase:
"We know that when these bodis of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven -- God made, not handmade -- and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move -- so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less.
That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming" (2 Corinthians 5:1-8).

For those who believe, the resurrection of Christ proves His power over death and sin. It gives to us the sure hope of our own resurrection, and an understanding that this world is no longer our home. It is merely a foreign land in which we must traverse until that time when the Lord comes to take us home. No wonder there lies within me a restlessness and great desire to see my heavenly home. At the same time, I understand that while I am here there is work to be done.

Paul continues in his writings to the church at Corinth:
"But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, good or bad" (vss. 9-10).

"Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing"! Friend, if you are saved and know you are a child of the King, the resurrection of our Lord gives to you the freedom to live in a God pleasing manner regardless of your circumstances. Truth is, many believers will suffer persecution of various kinds, and this world will feel less and less like home. But our faith tells us that it is really just a little while before we experience the grand homecoming into our eternal reward. Like Paul, we need to be more concerned with storing our treasures in heaven than worrying about giving ourselves the pleasures this world has to offer. If you lack this conviction, perhaps this Easter will be the turning point in your attitude about life on this earth.

Don't deny it!

2009-04-10T16:16:00.002-05:00

"Even if I have to die with you, I would never deny you" (Matthew 26:35). These were the words of Peter just hours before the Jewish leaders seized Jesus and set into motion the events which we commemorate as "Good Friday." Peter didn't wait very long before eating those brave sounding words he blurted out in response to the Lord who told him that he would deny Jesus not once, but three times before the first rooster crowed at dawn.

Many self-confident Christians would also say, "Not me Lord. I would never do that!" And yet, time and again we see believers, great and small, crash and burn on a regular basis. This phenomena, as well as Peter's story, brings to mind two important lessons.

First, we should never consider ourselves above temptation. The stories we often hear of Christians who fall remind us that it is easy to let down our guard and head down the wrong path almost before we realize what we are doing. Satan is crafty, and he knows our weakest points. He won't waste his time tempting us with those things we aren't really vulnerable to.

The second lesson is this . . . only with God's help can we overcome the temptations we face. We simply are not strong enough to withstand all that Satan can and will throw our way. This is why it is so important to spend time daily with the Lord to stay attuned to His way of thinking, and to seek the power and protection we need.

Peter had spent three years in a close relationship with Jesus, and yet, at the first sign of big trouble he bailed out on the Lord. So don't be too cocky when you hear about the failure of a brother or sister in Christ. Instead, look at it as a sign to stick even closer to Jesus. And when the time comes when it is tough to admit you are a believer (and that time comes for us all) don't deny it! Call on the Lord to give you the courage you need and make it evident your faith is real.

Out of the mouths of babes!

2009-04-09T18:06:00.003-05:00

Debbie, our Minister to Preschoolers and Children, shared with me today what one of daycare teachers had told her. The story reminds us in a simple, yet profound way, of a truth we all need to remember.

Brylynn is in a four year old class, and that class has been talking about Easter and what it means. The subject of Jesus' crucifixion came up. Too deep for a four year old to comprehend, right? Hear what Bylynn had to say and you decide.

In the midst of this discussion about Jesus' crucifixion, Brylynn told her teacher and the other children, "I had a splinter in my finger one time and my PawPaw took it out. It hurt so much. Jesus must have really hurt when they put that crown of thorns on His head." And then she said sadly, "I'm so sorry Jesus had to die for our sins."

It must have hurt Jesus so much! Have you ever paused to consider just what Jesus was put through on your behalf and on my behalf? That crown, composed of long, razor sharp thorns pierced His head in dozens of places. He was whipped with a cat-o-nine tails, which was composed of nine strands of leather which had glass and rocks embedded so that the flesh was literally torn away from the body with each lashing. Thirty-nine times they savagely ripped Jesus' back with that horrible device of torture. He was beaten and punched by the Roman guard, spat on by the crowds as he drug that cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and unmercifully jeered and cursed.

As bad as the physical cruelty was, I believe the worst part of his suffering came as a result of having the sin of all mankind placed upon Him as He hung on the cross. Isaiah prophesied concerning the Suffering Servant:
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Can you imagine the pain of experiencing the guilt of all mankind? No we cannot! I know how much I have hurt in the past when I was weighed down by the guilt of something I had done wrong. But I cannot even begin to understand how Jesus felt when all the guilt of every person who ever has lived or ever will live was on Him. The physical pain of crucifixion must have paled in comparison! And yet He willingly bore our guilt.

Perhaps Easter will be a little more meaningful . . . maybe Good Friday a bit more solemn for us if we would slow down from our hectic, crazy lives and considered the great depth of Christ's love. If Jesus died such a horrible death for us, couldn't we live more fully for Him?

The debt is paid!

2009-04-07T20:45:00.002-05:00

On the radio today I heard a news report stating that Americans had reduced their personal debt on credit cards by 3 1/2 % from last year (don't you wish our government could say that)! Reducing our debt is a good thing. However, most Americans still have way too much debt to repay. That's the bad news. The good news? There is one debt which we all owed that has been paid on our behalf.

While hanging on the cross at Calvary, Jesus' last statement before dying was, "It is finished!" The Greek word He cried out was "tetelestai." This word is indeed translated "it is finished" in the Bible and it refers to the mission Jesus came to this earth to fulfill, that is, to be the "Lamb of God" or the final sacrifice needed for our sins. The Old Testament (testament = covenant) required the people of God to make sacrifices before Him as an atonement for their sins. Jesus came as the new covenant between God and man, and His sacrificial death was the last act of atonement necessary to satisfy the judicial nature of God.

Most of the time we emphasize the loving nature of God, and rightly so, for as the Bible tells us "God is love." However, we must not forget that God is also just. His just nature demands that the guilty must pay for their offenses toward Him (sin). The problem we face is that we have no way in which to pay the debt we owe without suffering eternal death. So, in order to satisfy His demand for justice and His love for those He created, God became a man (Jesus) and took upon Himself the penalty our sins called for . . . death!

It has been said, "We owed a debt we could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe." That leads me to a second meaning of the word "tetelestai." It was a word used in the business world of that day. When someone paid for something they purchased the person would receive a receipt with the word "tetelestai" printed on it, which literally meant "paid in full." With His last gasping breaths Jesus managed to cry out loudly "PAID IN FULL!" He was declaring to all eternity that the Lamb of God had paid the price necessary for redeeming His most beloved possession -- You. There is nothing else that can ever be done to buy your pardon, nothing else that could possibly redeem you for all eternity. As the old hymn says, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"

Never consider yourself to be worthless. That couldn't be further from the truth. Easter is the proof that you are very important to God . . . so much so that He gave His Son to die in your place. Now, how's that for letting you know you're loved?

Will this be your "passion week"?

2009-04-06T15:22:00.002-05:00

I've missed writing the past couple of days due to going to Mobile, Alabama where my son, Alan, attends the University of Mobile. UM is a wonderful little Baptist school that has been so very impressive in the short couple of years that I've really been aware of its existence. If you are considering a school to attend (or have a family member or friend looking for a school) give UM a close look. It is fine academically, but perhaps where it stands out in a crowd is the emphasis which is placed upon preparing each student to be able to make a difference in the lives of people. I know that Alan has benefited so much from his first two years there.

The purpose for our trip to Mobile was to attend the University Choir's presentation of "The Savior", a modern oratorio (a choral work based upon Scripture, usually without accompanying drama). Alan is a member of the choir. My, what an outstanding performance by a very talented group of young people. It was such a moving experience.

Being Palm Sunday, the choir's presentation was a great beginning to what is usually refered to as the Passion Week. It is so named because of the passionate way Jesus approached His appointment with the cross of Calvary . . . the very reason He left heaven and came to this Earth. You can read the Gospel accounts of this week in Matthew chapters 21-27, Mark 11-15, Luke 19-23, and John chapters 12-19. You may want to read one of these Gospel accounts each night this week as a part of your own observance of Passion Week.

Most importantly, every person needs to address the question as to what you are truly passionate about. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ's offer to forgive your sins and give you the free gift of eternal life, your life's passion will be about anything except your relationship with God through Jesus. However, if you are a believer, your passion must be Jesus, or you are not attuned to God's purpose for your life. Unfortunately, few Christians possess a real passion for the Lord and are sidetracked by the many things this world seeks to get us to focus upon. I encourage all of us to spend time this week doing some honest evaluation, confessing our sins to the Lord, and lifting our hearts in passionate worship for the One who was passionate in His love for mankind.

What channel are you watching?

2009-04-03T13:28:00.002-05:00

Life is like a television! You are probably thinking, "this should be interesting." Well, it's more simple than you might think.

Our televisions today have a much larger number of stations from which to choose than we did when I was young. Growing up in Nashville, I remember having the three main networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC) and the local education channel. That was all the choices we had. Therefore, we didn't do much "channel surfing" back in the day.

At our house now we have satellite television with approximately 250 channels - a channel surfers paradise, a regular tsunami of programing. It is really easy to switch back and forth between a large number of channels. Problem is, you can switch the channel so many times that you end up not being able to keep up with any of the programs you are trying to watch. In a sense you are experiencing media A.D.D. - a lack of focus.

In our lives, and in particular our spiritual lives, we can experience a type of A.D.D. because of the many things which battle for our attention. We keep cramming more and more into our already busy lives and eventually we find ourselves not being able to do anything well. Our busy lives often lead us to ignore the most important part of our lives - our relationship with the Lord. It's not that we really mean to let this happen, but that seems to be the easiest thing to let go of.

The first part of Hebrews 12:2 tells us, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus . . ." Maintaining our focus upon the most important part of our lives is really the secret to keeping the other parts of our lives in perspective. When our walk with Jesus is given the priority it deserves we gain an understanding of what needs to stay in our lives and what needs to go. So let's put down the remote and quit bouncing around so much with our lives. I believe we'll find life to be more rewarding and fulfilling which is exactly what we were looking for in the first place.

You + Jesus = Change

2009-04-02T14:23:00.002-05:00

President Obama's campaign last fall had the theme "Change You Can Believe In." Only time will tell whether or not the change he is pushing will have favorable results or not. I suspect some will and some won't.

There is one source of change that you can always count on being good -- that which comes when a person encounters Jesus Christ in a life changing way. One of my Biblical heroes is the Apostle Paul. He encountered Jesus while traveling down a dirt road heading for Damascus and it definitely was a life changing event.

Paul, of course, was a Jew, but more than that, he was a Jew among Jews . . . a Pharisee. He had studied under one of the foremost Jewish teachers, Gamaliel. His position among the Pharisees was renown as he had advanced far beyond the other young men in this spiritual/political leadership body. He was even placed in charge of the attempt to silence the new religious sect known as Christians. And take to his responsibilities he did, his zeal leading him to preside over the torture and deaths of many who stood accused of being a part of what was known as "the Way."

Hardly a likely candidate for conversion to faith in Jesus Christ! And yet, God had a different path laid out for Paul. There on that remote roadway Paul was blinded by the brightness of the ascended Lord, and the archenemy of Christianity was born again . . . given a new life through the One he had sought to silence. Now his mission wasn't the destruction of "the Way" but to spread the message of "the Way" to the non-Jews of the world.

Paul wasn't rushed into his ministry among the Gentiles, but was led by God's Spirit to spend a period of three years preparing his heart and mind for the task that lay ahead. He withdrew to Arabia in order to think through his experience with Jesus on the Damascus road, to rethink his understanding of the Scriptures he had at that time (the Old Testament), and to receive from God a revelation of what the Gospel meant to him and to the entire world. When Paul returned from Arabia he knew the will of God for his life and he had a message to preach.

Not every one's experience with Jesus Christ will be as dramatic as Paul's, but each person who encounters the Lord Jesus will not go away unchanged. There is only one salvation experience, but each day can be a fresh and new encounter with the Lord which results in change. Perhaps it is a small and subtle change, but there is change -- a change in attitude, a change in perception, a change in understanding, a change in direction.

The jury is still out concerning President Obama's change, but 2000+ years of experience points to the fact that Jesus Christ truly is change you can believe in.

The good life

2009-03-30T20:47:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-29T16:35:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-27T18:21:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-26T16:11:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-25T11:38:00.003-05:00

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?

2009-03-24T15:14:00.004-05:00

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?

2009-03-22T16:02:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-21T10:20:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-20T18:32:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-19T17:56:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-18T07:42:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-03-17T18:47:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-15T16:03:00.006-05:00

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?

2009-03-14T14:22:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-13T19:04:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-12T09:13:00.004-05:00

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?

2009-03-11T08:44:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-10T10:14:00.002-05:00

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.

2009-03-09T16:12:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-08T16:21:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-07T16:44:00.004-06:00

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?

2009-03-06T08:48:00.002-06:00

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?

2009-03-05T13:23:00.003-06:00

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?

2009-03-04T09:44:00.003-06:00

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!"

2009-03-03T16:44:00.003-06:00

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!