The Still: A Southern Poet's Ponderings

Walk Properly

2012-01-03T11:13:00.000-06:00

"So that you may walk properly before outsiders." (1 Thess. 4:12)People may not accept your word or belief, but if your lifestyle is admirable, more often than not they are compelled to trust and admire you. Integrity is no small thing. We are called to walk (live) properly (with integrity) before the world around us. Regarding living a life of integrity, here are some things to consider:

1. A person of integrity fulfills his or her promises. Being true to one’s word, especially when doing so is costly (in terms of money, convenience, physical welfare, and so on), is a core characteristic of integrity. 2. A person of integrity speaks the truth, is honest, and does not lie. 3. A person of integrity is a person of sincerity. That is to say, a person of integrity hates hypocrisy. 4. A person of integrity manifests a wholeness of character, including kindness, compassion, mercy, and gentleness. 5. A person of integrity is committed to the pursuit and maintenance of justice and fairness. 6. A person of integrity loves as, when, and what God loves. 7. A person of integrity is humble. He or she shuns pride and haughtiness. 8. A person of integrity is law-abiding. He or she plays by the rules, both in the Bible and the law of the land. 9. A person of integrity is fundamentally altruistic. That is to say, he is committed not simply to laws and rules but to people. Could a selfish person have much integrity? What about someone who is honest, law-abiding, and fulfills his or her promises but is self-absorbed and egocentric? Does the latter eliminate the possibility of integrity? 10. A person of integrity manifests a high degree of consistency. That is to say, he or she is not always changing the principles on the basis of which they live, unless compelled to do so by the Bible or rational persuasion.[1]

Ah, Christmas is Here! Give Like God!

2011-12-20T09:19:00.002-06:00

"The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Ah, Christmas is here! Praise the Lord! Christmas is here (I hope that you can pick up on the enthusiasm in my fingers as I type this)! Whatever your year has been like up unto this point, it can all be brightened and/or recovered in this time of the year! It truly can.

No, I'm not writing a bunch of "preacher fluff" here. No, I'm not crazy or insane (at least I don't think that I am). It is really quite simple. You see, I have experienced a great gift in my life. Personally, and very intimately, God has changed my life by this gift. He gave me his one and only son, Jesus. The Bible tells me that because I have simply accepted His gift to me, I now am forgiven of my sin(s) (which I know are many), have been placed in Christ Jesus and given His righteousness (as though I have never sinned), have been filled with the Spirit (which guides, convicts, and comforts me), and have been given LIFE! Life abundantly! Life eternally!

This has changed everything! It has changed my perspective. It has changed my motivation. It has changed my direction. It has changed my ambition. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G has been changed! All because God gave!!!

Guess what? We can give too! Although we can't give in the exact way God gave, we can give like God gave! We can give out of sacrificial love:

* A smile to a passer-by.
* A helping hand to the elderly.
* A word of encouragement to the discouraged.
* A hands-up financially to the unemployed.
* A hug to the discouraged.
* A visit to the lonely.
* A gift of food to the hungry.
* A _____________. (You fill in the blank.)

You see, this is Christmas! Ah, Christmas is here! And, giving like God is what Christmas is all about!

God bless you this Christmas! May you experience the fullness of Christmas by giving like God!

Ah, Christmas is Here!

Ah, Christmas is here!
My heart doth now remember!

What gift of life is given and shared
in commemorate awe each December!

For God above looked down in love,
as His majestic gift He gave!

Ah, Christmas is here! Oh, heart rejoice!
His gift was given to save!

That Which I Hate

2011-10-05T10:10:00.004-05:00

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." (Romans 12:9)

You command to cling
onto the good of things

and love with genuine flair.

Though for certain things
as evil clings

I find this love not there.

So inasmuch
as your guiding touch

leads me to affection's gate.

Your command is sure
for evil of pure

to be that which I hate!

Gospel must Trump Tradition

2011-09-20T08:38:00.003-05:00

"I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel." (1 Cor. 9:22b-23a)

I've heard, many times before, that there are moments in life when "you can't see the forest because of the trees". Almost a seeming paradoxical statement, this is a powerful and meaningful truth when grasped. Can such a statement be made regarding tradition in ministry? I think it can be.

Recently, the Southern Baptist Convention president, Bryant Wright, has proposed that the convention look "out of the trees" and consider renaming the convention. A bold move by Mr. Wright. But, could this proposal have gospel merit? I believe that if we are going to be good stewards of the gospel message and continue to be Christ-centered in Great Commission focus, we must, at the very least, consider this proposal.

Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expresses sentiments that touch my personal feelings on the matter almost exactly. Mohler writes:

To be honest, I am personally traumatized by the very idea of changing the denomination’s name. I feel an almost physical loss at the very prospect. It is a deeply and unavoidably emotional question for any Southern Baptist whose life is intertwined with the Convention, its work, and its churches.

At the same time, our commitment to the Great Commission and the urgency of the Gospel must exceed our emotional attachments and fears. A responsible movement of Gospel churches — of Baptist churches — must be ready to ask this question and face it fearlessly. We can and will do this together.

The apostle Paul invariably placed importance on doing what was necessary to reach people where they were and in their context. Maybe this is the time that Southern Baptists step out of the forest of tradition and legitimately take the time to look at this issue clearly. The very letters SBC carry powerful connotations--many that emphasize a proud dedication to global missions and others that are painted with hints of early-history racism.

What are we, as Southern Baptists, to do with Wright's proposal? At the very least, may we be willing to step out of the forest of tradition, look at the trees, and decide, in unity, upon the result which most clearly and boldly exalts Jesus before the nations in gospel faithfulness. May we say, along with the apostle Paul, that we, "do all this for the sake of the gospel."

Blessings!

This Wretched One

2011-07-30T18:41:00.003-05:00

Grace loomed eagerly beyond
what my heart defined, deserved.

Lord, how could Your Spirit find a home
in a cell of repeat offense--so disturbed?

Yet the righteous Christ, O great foundation,
merits perfect mercy from above.

For this wretched one, my sure salvation,
by faith is found in love!

My guilt is now addressed as innocence
where my shame was always resident.

A heart of flesh has now replaced
the heart of stone which was unbent.

And sin's pangs are now unraveled
with no former stitches seen.

For this wretched one, once found in mire,
in Christ is now made clean!

Of Baptisms and Record Books

2011-07-24T16:11:00.005-05:00

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

Greeted by "size-up" handshakes and questions of attendance
with no concern of the Spirit's descent,

I talk amongst my peers of God-called men--
who just happen to wonder about such things.

Which church is the biggest? Which church sign is the brightest?
Which is now teaching Zumba classes and which crowd's the largest?

While widows in nursing homes live another week unvisited
by men who just happen to wonder about such things.

The bulletin recognizes a jump in small group participation--
due to a class that teaches money management & wealth administration.

While the orphan down the road is yet again rejected
and the Father promises to provide our daily bread.

The annual report in the associational meeting
recognizes baptisms by number, with no regard to names or meaning.

I wonder when so many souls became numbers?
Some point to the book of Acts and the Gospels for support.

During all the record keeping and hand shaking,
is there something that God's church is forsaking?

Is the savior a numerical Jesus?
Is heaven an accounting firm?

People who are processed often fall through the cracks
when ministry is often discarded as menial tasks.

And the song of chalkboard baptisms and ink-filled record books
plays over the call to true religion once again.

Do You Remember Mr. Greed?

2011-06-25T20:35:00.002-05:00

Do you remember Mr. Greed?
Some say he can still be seen!

He lurks around on the tips of his toes--
at least that is how the story goes.

He whispers words like "more" and "mine"
and his lyrics of discontentment are pleasant rhyme.

He shows up most often during times of giving.
He thinks that the satisfied are no longer living.

He shows up in the malls and stores,
while children starve in the streets of the hungry poor.

He shows up in impoverished, dictated nations
and steals for the tyrannical administrations.

Yet, he spends most of his time within the church.
Closing open wallets and open hearts--as he does his lurch.

He knows the needs of this world that he has roamed;
yet, he encourages church members to build their kingdoms at home.

So if you pass the offering plate in worship,
he'll remind you that it is your money--earned by hardship.

Some have even come to conspire
that he preaches in pulpits wearing Armani attire!

He shows up on Christian television programming,
preaching an easy Jesus and confidently smiling.

He never runs out of things to do,
as long as he has the focus on you.

Do you remember Mr. Greed?
Some say he can still be seen!

Oh Sweet Aspartame!

2011-06-17T00:07:00.012-05:00

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." (Hebrews 12:1)

A poem of the hypocritical attractions of sin and the hypocrites that are born from washing the outside of the tomb while inwardly being full of dead man's bones.

Oh Sweet Aspartame!

I've given up sugar,
seems so long ago!

The taste was so sweet
but round my waist it did show.

So, I've instead taken to aspartame--
now my flirtation is hidden by the word "diet".

I'm satisfied with an indulgence
that I now can keep nice and quiet.

O Sweet Aspartame!
How lovely your name!

How addicted is this man!
You're my sin in a can!

Publicly I've learned
to my sugary sinfulness spurn--

While privately I do linger
in the things that do hinder.

Oh Sweet Aspartame!

Gospel Song

2011-06-17T00:00:00.002-05:00

Salvation's call
and Gospel song

Touch chained hearts
of sin-bound trepidation.

The shackles then fall
from hearts freed by mercy's prong,

Now moved by love
to save the nations!

Freedom Fire

2011-05-30T10:25:00.003-05:00

Briefly upon our calendars
exists this honored day

That is etched upon our memory
by sacrifice of life--our freedom parlay!

In faith that precious freedom
vanish not into the mire

We lay all back on the table
to uphold this freedom fire!

2011-05-24T11:55:00.002-05:00

The Church of Look Like Us

"I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some."
(1 Corinthians 9:22)

There is a church that causes quite a fuss.
They call themselves the church of “Look Like Us”.

They have many things for you to do,
As long as you don’t look like you.

They’ll teach you how to dress and sing—
And to argue over petty things.

But beware! They’ll throw you underneath the bus,
If you look like you and not “like us”.

A Tale of Too Good Tess

2011-05-14T22:01:00.005-05:00

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain." (Proverbs 31:30)

Too good Tess would dare suggest
she was simply too good for all

Too good to meet, too good to greet
Too good to say words like "ain't" and "y'all"

A mirror carrier by trade
a make-up surgeon made

Only the best for too good Tess
all else was lesser grade

She often stared in mirrors
while striking different poses

She often picked out others' blemishes
from their feet up to their noses

A happy day it was for her
when she modeled for the story

But better yet she took a bet
to show off all her glory

Too good Tess sought to impress
and turn the heads of surface

But as she did she formed regrets
and wondered of her purpose

And as she struggled all alone
she thought of all the moments

When others tried to care for her
but never lived up to her judgments

Too good Tess as a story told
can speak for many others

That sought the lust of many men
but left heartbroken mothers

Serendipitous Design

2011-04-29T10:10:00.002-05:00

It was serendipitous design
when you became mine--

God's ordination of all through our choices.

Oh such luck to have met
while the plans had been set.

This heavenly foundation was laid right before us.

So we bobbed and we weaved
as His plan was believed.

In our "yeses" and "nos" we decided.

Oh, such fortune to have met!
The table was set.

God directed our path and our words had been guided.

It was a stumbling in grace--
a reach for holiness.

We prayed that His will we would find.

Your hand now is in mine.
We've been tested by time.

Oh delight, this serendipitous design!

I, and this Band of Soldiers!

2011-04-21T10:59:00.009-05:00

"As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,and his form beyond that of the children of mankind."(Isaiah 52:14)

Why this knock upon my door?
Out of sleep, I'm called to service on my feet!

I prepare to do what must be done,
before the rising of the sun.

Therefore, angrily I hurry in haste--
with a still slumbering scowl upon my face.

Self-justified in my contempt of this one
who claims to be God's own Son.

So whip I bring--and other things--
to scourge this rebel here before us.

Together now, we'll beat Him down--
I, and this Band of Soldiers!

--

Looking back today to demonstrated grace--
when Jesus bled in substitutionary place.

I cringe at such an awesome thought--
my heart can hardly trace!

Twas my pain! My shame! My cross! My place!
Yet, He carried it as His!

I bring a Bible in my hand and songs I sing--
to Jesus who risen lives!

And, as I stand at Easter sunrise now--
awake early from my own sleep.

I come in sorrow to rejoice,
for You have called me to my feet!

I now stand upon the Rock--
my salvation in Him victorious!

I gaze out now among these ransomed ones--
I, and this Band of Soldiers!

What a Stumble Knows of Grace

2011-03-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

If not for a stumbling step or two,
would grace be only a remembered kiss?

Yet the needy and hungry few,
call it such sweet and undeserved bliss!

For what doth perfection know of grace?
Do not the full have no need for food?

It settles far from recompense
and trusts its own payment true.

But prideful hearts shall condemn
their own lofty and self-righteous pace.

And only those with brokenness find
what a stumble knows of grace!

Let My Little One Breathe

2011-03-26T21:19:00.011-05:00

A New Year now has just begun
in time to meet my ready son

Wife in bed with nurse by side
a doctor makes ready for daddy's pride

A push or two and then repeat
at first his head and then his feet

My son born new has been received
Alas I pray, "Let my little one breathe."

Yet mere weeks now see him flown away
Watching still with no words to say

In my soul I stop to pray,
"Let my little one breathe."

Machines and beeps as baby sleeps
while oxygen does ugly tales conceive

With his color back I see it is Jack
And yet still pray, "Let my little one breathe."

In days ahead and years to come
my prayers go forward for my little one

That deeper still is more than seen
when even truth oft speaks falsities

So see beyond the surface son
and take the hand of the Risen One

One day I hope you receive him son
For birth anew I pray, "Let my little one breathe."

Have We Lost our Financial Minds?!?

2011-03-12T09:55:00.002-06:00

"The borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)

No beating around the "financial bush" with this post. No clever introductions. No watered down feel good grabber to read here. Just truth. I invite you to read at your own risk.

Now to the point: Our nation now carries an excess of $14 trillion of debt! Not billion. Trillion! To clarify the magnitude of this debt, lets take the total national debt
($14,171,000,000,000) and divide it by the number of American citizens (an estimated 310,000,000). The leaves American citizens holding a $45,700 share of national debt! Startling, isn't it? Here is another astonishing fact: The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $4.09 billion per day since September 28, 2007!

Does that make your stomach knot up? It should. Listen folks, regardless of what the media pundits may say (or fail to say) about our economy, debt simply does not disappear. And we think the state of Wisconsin is in bad shape? Wisconsin doesn't even scratch the surface of what is happening nationally.

So what does our federal government do in light of this massive, ever growing debt? Get this--they PRINT MORE MONEY!!! Print. Print. Print. And, print some more! They do nothing to stop the bleeding. This amount of growing debt simply has no politically correct solution. So, our government leaders just do nothing. And with every cartridge of ink that dries on newly printed currency, the value of the dollar continues to decline. It declines the purchasing power of every hard working American's dollar. It declines the value of American currency on a global scale. It makes it more expensive to import oil, drives up the price of gasoline, and leaves the American consumer footing the bill.

Without question, we live in a day and time where people are depending on the government for their welfare more than any time in our history. A handout here. A bailout there. Life is supposed to be easy. And when it's not, the government MUST step up and do something about it. "Feed me Seymore!" Our appetite for ease and politically correct thinking is slowly growing into a financial killing machine! And the appetite for more grows with each feeding.

What about the consequences? We simply don't like to consider consequences. But, make no mistake about it. There are consequences of such a floundering way of governing. I'm no economics expert. I'm no dooms day theorist. I simply call it like I see it. With that in mind, let me encourage you to take a few simple steps in your personal life:

1) Save more, spend less.Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents knew much more about how to handle money than we do today. They have been through the hard times before. We need to learn from them.

2) Stop incurring new debts. (cut up the credit cards and only buy what you can buy with the cash you have in hand) (i.e. don't finance anymore new cars, don't take out any new installments for home improvements--fix it one room at a time and save until you can fix the next room, etc.)

3) Strive to pay off existing debts as soon as possible. (paying minimum payments on the largest balance and focusing the rest on paying off all of the smaller debts until you can focus 100% of the payment on the higher balances--this is known by many as the "debt snowball method")

I hope that we take this information seriously, on both a national and personal scale. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. And remember, "the borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)

Pursuing the "Perfect" Preacher

2011-03-03T12:54:00.004-06:00

"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task." ( 1 Timothy 3:1)

I must confess that being a pastor is not as easy as some make it out to be (or believe it to be). Yet, being a pastor is the most fulfilling and rewarding office to which I have ever aspired. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 is one of the standard passages that lists out the certain qualifications for the office of pastor. Here are the characteristics found in that passage:

1) Above Reproach

2) Husband of One Wife

3) Sober-Minded

4) Self-controlled

5) Respectable

6) Hospitable

7) Able to Teach

8) Not a Drunkard

9) Not Violent

10) Not Quarrelsome

11) Not a Lover of Money

12) Dignified in Managing Household Well

13) Demonstrate a Maturity in Walk with God

14) Good Reputation

____________________________________________________________________________________

Being aware of these things, it must be said that "perfection" is not found anywhere on the list. Expectant congregations, the general public, and the preacher himself should understand that grace is also needed by the pastor. One of the greatest myths in ministry is that "the preacher never sins". _____________________________________________________________________________________

I am a preacher and I still...

1) get angry on occasion

2) get tempted by worldly materialism

3) get frustrated enough to let an explicative fly on occasion

4) get absolutely flabbergasted as to how I'm going to get my 3 children to obey their mother and me without having to beat them into submission.

5) get tempted by all of the overbearing, massive amounts of sexual immorality in our world

6) get the opportunity to be a blessing to a needy individual(s) and fail to see it until it is too late to help

7) get concerned about the economic problems that potentially could have negative consequences on my "retirement" plans

The list could go on and on. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is NO SUCH THING as the "PERFECT PREACHER".

If you are a church member, you need to be aware that your preacher will be tempted. He will be pressed to the point of anger. He will have bad days. He will be tempted by immorality. He will be tempted by material things.

However, he must demonstrate the temperance and self-control to resist all of these.

Give your preacher grace and mercy. Give him your support. Give him your prayers. And in the process, hold him to a high-degree of God honoring accountability. Yet, never never never expect him to be perfect.

If you are a preacher, you need to be reminded that you WILL NOT BE PERFECT. And, trying to portray yourself in a light of perfection will not lead down a smooth road in ministry. Hypocrisy is a sin too. We all have much room to grow in holiness as we are being molded into the usable instruments that God desires for us to be.

My Heart Already Knows

2011-02-28T14:47:00.004-06:00

That little smile--
Gives that glimmer in your eye.

Such a pretty smile!
Can I stare for a while?

My eyes just confirm
what my heart already knows.

When you look my way
I still can't find the words to say.

Even though I may try,
they just slip right on by.

Words are never good enough to say
what my heart already knows!

After all these years--
thru all the laughter and tears.

I still see you and love you.
I can't stop thinking of you.

I see that you still love me too--
and my heart already knows.

Thorns of Grace

2011-02-16T23:36:00.005-06:00

Ephesians 2:8

Formerly fraught with callousness
which wrought my inward lend

Me and me, please more of me,
I called myself my friend

Content with I am good enough
as mirrors lie to face

Surprised to find it You, not I,
when pricked by thorns of grace

Oh wretched flesh which sought my aim
and purpose felt in sin

I drew once back for it did bleed
that woeful hardened skin

Oh thorns of grace did tear apart
mine epidermal trust of me

Need of You revealed thru painful yield
which caused my eyes to see

But what I found, from surface down,
as my tryst with You took place

Those wounds were sweet and my salvation complete
when pierced by Your thorns of grace!

What a Valentine could Never Say

2011-02-14T10:09:00.006-06:00

To my beautiful bride and friend...

In depth of thought it seems this day--
that comes once round per year and slips away.

Try as much to utter words, a phrase,
to write them down in proud display.

But pen upon my paper write not down
what eloquent hearts do relay.

So try, I may, this day to convey
what a Valentine could never say.

It is a wordless feeling of love undefined,
not written for our joy sublime.

Yet, it is felt in depth of heart today--
what a Valentine could never say.

Worth dying for. Worth crying for.
Worth swimming deepest seas.

Worth more than money buys. Worth more than bluest skies.
Worth the weakness I still feel in my knees.

Although no description quite fits and words evade
this feeling left unportrayed,

It still burns deep in my soul for you, all year long for you--
what a Valentine could never say.

A Certain Someone Comes

2011-01-12T00:50:00.002-06:00

At wake time's morn' again I rise,
slow and heavy are my eyes.

A knock upon the bedroom door I hear--
a certain someone comes.

She is four of age and beautiful--
her world a stage and wonderful.

My heart her warmth will welcome near--
a certain someone comes.

Smell the morning caffeine brew
and my slumbering stomach dreams of breakfast too.

A familiar smile from a loving bride--
a certain someone comes.

My wife through seven years of morning suns;
I praise the Lord for each one of them.

Her faithful love erases fears--
a certain someone comes.

Still more from this boy of blonde and blue
that rocks to and fro and drinks his juice.

Just a glance and smile will do--
a certain someone comes.

What comes today I do not know for sure;
whatever comes I will endure.

I'll make it for my hope is secure--
a certain someone will come.

Where Men are no Longer Men

2011-01-01T22:09:00.005-06:00

Clarity, oh Lord, this for I ask
as I reflect upon this then--

where stood once strong has now turned along
where men are no longer men.

Game and chase and play and fun
have come to hearts therein--

forgotten are the sacred absolutes
where men are no longer men.

Easy and plenty, song and drink--for this I should not think!

Mindful not of what costs such passivity pays
and so suffer future children kin--

just more game and chase and play and fun
where men are no longer men.

Lord, with clarity, now for I ask again
find me not abiding round where men are no longer men!

Penitent Knees

2010-12-27T09:59:00.004-06:00

Today I confide again, hurting inside again
while knowing that I once again--

Have created this tragedy, asking how this has come of me--
that I still fall short in my sin?

So take all of my bumblings and infinite wanderings
and lose them in the vastness of your grace.

Take the prideful remains and the shame that just stains
and find them forgotten in your longsuffering love.

Today I'm made whole again, restored in my soul again
while your mercy falls heavy on me.

What moments ago was a tragedy now is a symphony
conquered on these penitent knees!

My Next Thirty Years with Hints of the Previous

2010-09-28T14:56:00.011-05:00

THIRTY! Really? Already!?! Are you serious!?! The calendar verifies what my heart is still questioning as I write this blog update. My good Lord in Heaven! I'm 30! I was 19 years old in June of 2000 when I heard a hit country song by Tim McGraw entitled My Next 30 Years. I remember first hearing that song on a county road between my home in Samson and Hwy 27 leading to Enterprise, AL.

As I heard it, for that first time, I thought in my mind that I still had over 10 years before I turned 30; yet, I pondered, as the song prompts, if there would be things that I would want to do differently when I turned 30. Well, today is the date. And the question still looms, "Do I want to do anything differently?" What changes do I wish to make? What adjustments? I mean, this is my life. This is my only shot at living. The only 30th birthday that I will ever have. My NEXT 30 years will find me turning 60 on the other side.

I've had the benefit of hearing many older, albeit wise, individuals give that same redundant warning that haunts the ever-aging and evades the young and indifferent, "Time flies." The truth of the matter, in honest reflection, is that time most definitely does fly by! Thank God for those words of wisdom, for they are true.

At my Senior Year Class Night event in May of 1999, This was the forecast concerning my future:

That 10 years from graduation, I would be driving down the interstate in my 1956 Jaguar Roadster convertible with my supermodel girlfriend. I would be living it up as a successful anesthesiologist.

Big dreams, huh? I mean, what 18 year old teenager could ever read that without saying, "Sweet!"

But, I'm not 18 anymore. Perspective has become a close friend that I once vaguely even knew. I read those words now and find them lacking--just small utterances. I read them now through the benefits of the experiences of my life. I look back now to that once "Sweet" statement and find it small indeed. That was dreaming small!

I may not be driving down the interstate in a Jaguar Roadster convertible. But, the Lord has blessed me with a beautiful Porsche convertible daughter named Ellie Kate and a fully loaded Toyota Tacoma 4x4 of a son named Emmett--with a new vehicle being custom built in the factory as I write (expecting a 3rd addition on Feb. 1, 2010)!

I do not have a supermodel girlfriend. That was a small dream as well!Instead, I have been blessed with a wife that I truly believe to be the most beautiful woman in the world! She is a wonderful mother! She is a wonderful wife! She is my best friend! I wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night with a peace in my heart simply because she is in my life. Money cannot replace that. Antique cars cannot replace that. I am blessed. On May 8, 2003, a stunning brown-haired, brown-eyed beauty agreed to allow me to take her out on a date. Apparently, I made a good impression! ;)

And, I am not an anesthesiologist. I do, however, have the blessing of preaching to a wonderful congregation every Sunday morning! And, I hope my preaching has the exact opposite effect! ;)

In addition to these things, I have been blessed with a wonderful, godly family. Not perfect, but perfectly forgiven. Not perfect, but perfectly loved. I would not trade my family for anything! I often thank the Lord for each and everyone of them.

In reflection, I hope that my next 30 years are filled with hints of the previous 30--with hopes for growth in holiness, health, happiness, and the favor of the Lord.

So as that famous Tim McGraw song plays in the back of my mind and entertainings of what I would/will do differently are mulled over in my heart, I am content. I am grateful. I am satisfied.

Here is to hoping that the next 30 years are as good as the previous!

God bless!

Of Peace and Pillows

2010-08-31T09:18:00.007-05:00

Ellie Kate turns four today! I've called her "Tooter Bug" ever since she was little. I'm not sure I'll be able to call her that much longer--before she starts objecting. But, for some reason, that name just came to be; and, I love it! She means the world to me. And, her smile can definitely light up my day! She knows that her daddy loves her very much. I make it a priority that she always knows that to be true.

Several months ago, I walked by her room and looked in to check on her. I was absolutely captivated by her as she slept. This is what I wrote that night before I went to sleep.

OF PEACE AND PILLOWS

The bedroom nightlight is cast tonight
softly on her cheek.

It is blessed to find this landing place,
as she is comfortably asleep.

With covers to her waist
and her dolls by her side,

I'm helpless as my heart skips beats
watching from the hall outside.

I wonder what she is dreaming
as she shares a midnight smile.

Is she far away in her dreams
playing princess for a while?

What a joy it is to have such peace!
What a blessing for daddy to know!

His little girl is far away in dream--
of peace and pillows.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE KATE!!!

This Son of Mine now Two of Years

2010-08-23T16:53:00.005-05:00

This son of mine, now two of years,
has brought many laughs, smiles, and tears.

In my talks with God, I have often prayed
for strength, love, and truth as my son is reared.

Strength to say, "No," when it must be said
and to say, "Yes," when wisdom permits.

Love to hold him with caring arms
even when he screams and pitches fits.

Truth to guide him in right and wrong
and to point him in the way he should go.

To teach him consequence, good and bad,
and responsibility as he grows.

As I watch him delight in simple things
such as trucks, cars, and chase,

I understand that these are moments
even time cannot erase.

I often find myself in prayer for him--
that he would have health and many years.

Without a doubt, I'm proud to be the Father of my Champ--
this son of mine now two of years.

Happy Birthday Son!

She Speaks

2010-07-24T10:25:00.003-05:00

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3)

She speaks again today.
From above, I hear her silent voice.

It is loud and clear, far and near,
and in every language choice.

Listen as she speaks.
Be still. Look above.

She testifies of heavenly things
and of the Father's love.

Doubts subside when her voice is heard
and people turn to understand.

For how could all that is have come to be
without the Creator's hand?

She expands above the mountain tops
with intrigue for those who seek.

The works of God are thus proclaimed.
Each day and night she speaks.

The Pure Way

2010-07-09T10:23:00.002-05:00

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
(Psalm 119:9)

Around me are distractions
that cloud my troubled mind.

From right to left, on every side,
so much corruption I can find.

As I go down this way,
my integrity is at stake.

I look into your perfect word--
for decisions I must make.

I'll keep this truth in mind,
as I walk along today.

I pray my mind your word will guide--
to keep my path on the pure way.

Roof Breakers (Mark 2:1-12)

2010-06-30T14:51:00.005-05:00

Sickly does he lay today;
Yesterday was much the same.

His eyes roll back. His complexion pale.
His body weak and lame.

We've heard of a miracle man--
who heals the blind and sick.

He's in a house in town today;
but, the crowds around him are thick.

Yet, there are four of us who call him friend.
Four of us can share the load.

"A shoulder from each," said one of the four,
"All the way down the road."

Up the house onto the roof--
his life is now at stake.

This roof cannot detour us now.
This roof we must now break.

Down to Jesus we send our friend,
believing in our hearts.

For this is where the sickness ends
and where the healing starts!

Hold Em' Close but Hold Em' Loosely: A Toy Story 3 Lesson on the Joy and Heartache of Parenting

2010-06-24T22:23:00.008-05:00

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord...blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" (Psalm 127:3a,5a)

My wife and I took our children to the movies tonight to watch Toy Story 3. It was a wonderful movie. Ellie Kate (my witty, beautiful 3 year old daughter) sat in my lap nearly the entire movie while Emmett (my blonde-haired, blue-eyed and very determined 1 year old son) sat next to us in Amy's lap. The Kilpatricks were together at the movies in full force--even our unborn child was present. I guess that means that Amy actually had 2 children in her lap at the same time! ;)

I was prepared to watch a great movie with the family. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was the emotional, parental lessons that would present themselves during the movie. And as I held my daughter, watching the eager expectation in her eyes, the movie began. The opening scene was a doozy. Without spoiling the movie for those of you who have not watched it, I will simply mention that the opening scene is a flashback to Andy's youth. It sets the stage for the transitional theme of the movie: Children grow up.

Hold em' close.

Not even 5 minutes into the movie, I found myself holding Ellie Kate a bit tighter and doing my best to soak up these few short minutes of family movie watching. Occasionally, I'd glance over to look at my wife and son in the chair beside us. Emmett was loving the movie too. I could tell that Amy was probably thinking the same things.

Andy grows up. The entire movie hangs on the balance of the enormous life shift. Although Andy has gotten older, there is still just enough child in him to struggle with whether or not to hold on to some of his toys or give them away for good. In the end, Lord help me, Andy does the unthinkable. Without giving specifics, I'll simply say that he does indeed let go.

Off to college. Off to his own independence. The quiver is now empty. The parental bow was strung, tightened, and ready to shoot. Andy was taken out of the quiver and shot into the world. The Toy Story 3 release was made. And, it all revolved around the maturity of Andy.

The toys had played their part. They had been there for Andy from the time his imagination ran wild and his adventures with them were many until he cared very little to play with them at all. And it was in this part of the movie that I felt as if I had been punched in the stomach over a haunting, heartbreaking fact. Are you ready for this? Parenting, in many ways, is much like being the toy. As I held Ellie Kate in my arms, I realized that Amy and I were in the stage of parenting where the children are still fascinated to play with us and enjoy wild imagination adventures while the world was still larger than life. But as she gets older, things will change.

Hold em' loosely.

From the toy's perspective (and the parent's perspective as well) we can understand that there is a rich, heartwarming truth found even in this transitional tragedy. And this brings me to Psalm 127. Children are a heritage. They are a blessing. And the real blessing is found, get this, in the simple fact that we were given the opportunity to be there for them and guide them through their growth.

Of all the people in the world. Of all the toys. We were the ones blessed with this opportunity. The opportunity to be there. The opportunity to be held. The opportunity to be confided in. The opportunity to listen when no one else would. The opportunity to be a parent.

Hold em' close but Hold em' loosely. And love them every minute of their changing lives.

God bless.

Absolutely Relative: The Breakdown of Truth Bravado

2010-05-16T22:48:00.004-05:00

"If you abide in my word...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31b-32)

Post-modern thought (and beyond) has led to a historically unique understanding of truth. Truth has been redefined in our time to fit nicely with any and every alternative. This is the popularized version. Truth, simply put, is not understood as truth anymore. Truth is much more of an "and/or" than an "is" for an increasingly larger portion of Americans today. A book written over 16 years ago by Don E. Eberly recognizes that nearly 70 percent of Americans did not believe in an absolute truth. What does this mean? It means that an overwhelming majority of Americans (much higher today than the nearly 70 percent in the mid-90s) no longer understand truth as truth at all.

Truth, by its very definition, means its alternative(s) is false. If something is true, something else has to be false. If something is true, then, it has to be absolutely true by definition, doesn't it? What seems to be a no-brainer has become such a pool of confusion today. Relativism is in. Absolute truth is out. Since the reality of truth establishes a standard and a benchmark of right and wrong, post-modern culture has sought to remove all standards through the introduction of a relativism that no longer challenges falsities. R.C. Sproul magnifies this by explaining:

Relativism says this: “truth is what you perceive it to be, and what is true for
you may be false for somebody else.” In our present society, you’re
perfectly free to believe whatever you like, but the one thing you may not do is
to deny its antithesis. You can say, “I believe that this is true.”
But you cannot say with impunity that that which opposes it is false. We
have a whole generation of Christians who have been brainwashed by the spirit of
relativism so they’re completely hesitant to say, “I deny that error over
there.” We don’t have heresy trials anymore because, in relativism, there
is no such thing as heresy.

How should the church respond to this cultural shift away from absolute truth? Answer: Proclaim truth! Stand for what you believe. I have heard it said, "If you stand for everything, you are no longer standing for anything at all." How the church needs to rediscover the absolutely reliable truth of the Word of God! The absolutely reliable truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be upheld! The church needs to reclaim its bravado and truth fortitude!

Today's culture says that claiming an absolute truth is narrow minded and hateful. The Word of God says that the absolutely true Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).

This creates a dilemma for the church in a culture of relativity. Are we willing to proclaim the absolute truth of the gospel, even if it means we are to be labeled as narrow minded and hateful? Or will the church lose all remaining bravado and surrender into a culturally acceptable institution of relativity? If the answer is the latter, the church will cease to be the church. In fact, it will become everything else but the church.

We live in a time in which the church must "cowboy up" and once again hold fast to the absolute truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church must abide in the Word of Christ. Only the truth of God in Christ Jesus is able to set the world free.

Do you believe this to be absolutely true?

A Warning to the Self-Righteous

2010-05-04T15:28:00.005-05:00

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 6:1)

Jesus begins Matthew 6 with a warning against the spiritual sin of self-righteous hypocrisy. Using the examples of those who may seek the praise of men (instead of the favor of God) through their public alms giving, praying, and fasting, Jesus gives us the sharp warning to, "Beware." Instead of devotion to God being the goal of their alms giving, praying, and fasting, they desire to be considered religious by their viewers for doing so. They wanted to be known as, what we may call today, as "Super-Christians".

The Greek word used here for "beware" is prosechete. It simply means to "be on guard". As I've studied this passage, I have come to understand that this is not simply an indictment against the Pharisees. It is a warning for all believers. All of us need to beware of this sin. We have to be on guard against the desire to be known as the "most spiritual Christian" in our church. We have to guard against the tendency to want to be known as the most liberal giver, the most powerful prayer, and/or the most committed to fasting. And in this warning, we are reminded of why we should ultimately do these things--to show devotion to the Lord!

We should strive to honor God in all of these things, understanding that we will be rewarded for our devotion and faithfulness to God. When our own selfish ambitions and motives muddy our clarity to the point that we begin doing things for our own recognition, we must hear the words of Christ. We must be reminded that there are no frequent flyer self-righteous awards in heaven. In fact, if we do these things for our own recognition (whether it is preaching a sermon, singing a special on Sunday morning, teaching a class, saying a blessing, etc.), we will not be rewarded by the Father.

The first will be last. The last will be first. God never sees what we do without also being able to see the motives behind our doings. Keep the right perspective. Be on guard against self-righteous hypocrisy.

Keep glorifying God. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He rewards those who earnestly, diligently seek Him.

And remember, there are no self-righteouss, Super-Christians in Heaven. There are only forgiven sinners that have been saved by the grace of God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

God bless.

Limited Atonement in Light of the Mission of Christ

2010-04-23T09:12:00.007-05:00

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10)

There is great news about the purpose for which Jesus Christ was sent into the world: He came to seek and save what was lost. That is the stated mission of Jesus. Seek and save. These are two very important words that shed an incredible amount of light upon the mission of Christ; and, they shed much needed light, I believe, upon the measure for which salvation is extended to humanity.

Now right from the outset of this devotional, I must confess that I believe that God is omniscient in salvation. By this, I mean that God knows all who will ever be saved, even before there is a profession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. So, from this perspective, I agree that although salvation has been extended to the whole world (John 3:16), many will reject Christ. And in God's omniscience, he knows from the beginning that there is a "limited" (narrow is the road and few find it) number of lost people who will be truly found, saved, and ultimately atoned for by the blood of Jesus. Some call this God's foreknowledge.

What I have problems with, then, is the school of limited atonement that says that God only intends to save a predetermined amount of people. Same coin. Different side. Although God would be completely just if He were not to save a single soul from sin (we've all sinned and fall short of His glory), I have great troubles reconciling the seek and save mission of Christ with this version of limited atonement. It is the seeking "what is lost" that brings this limited atonement into question. What is lost, after all, includes all of humanity, doesn't it?

This leads me to believe, yet again, that God's predestined and foreordained, adopted family are those that he, in his foreknowledge, knew would be the chosen. Many 5 pointers have problems with this statement. I find it difficult (right or wrong) to see it any other way, especially in light of the stated mission of Christ to seek and save what is lost.

So, here I stand. A 4 point Calvinist in search of a 5th (point that is) ;). I can do no other.

God bless! Please feel free to comment your feelings/thoughts.

The Clothing of the Chosen

2010-04-05T23:16:00.007-05:00

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." (Colossians 3:12)

Just as we often change the types of clothing we wear to fit a particular change of environment, atmosphere, or occasion, those whose lives have been forever changed by the goodness of God in Christ Jesus have been commanded to clothe themselves with the appropriate attire fitting to be God's chosen. The Greek word that is used here is endysasthe. It simply refers to the action of a person getting dressed. It is a daily wardrobe decision, so to speak.

This clothing, though, is not a fashion statement. Rather, it is a love statement. Paul would follow this list of options by saying, "And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (v. 14) Just as clothing choices can be made or ruined by the wrong choice of socks, shoes, belt, etc., the virtues will never be brought together perfectly without love.

Here are the implications:

1) The life of the believer should be evidently changed!

Compassion must replace coldness.

Kindness must replace cruelty.

Humility must replace haughtiness.

Gentleness must replace violence.

Patience must replace intolerance.

Some clothes just shouldn't fit anymore.

--and--

2) There is a higher occasion for which to live!

Because we have been chosen of God, we are given this command to change the way we "clothe ourselves". We are now ambassadors of our redeemer! Our "life clothing"should rightly reflect our new life in Christ Jesus.

As we approach different stages of our lives (i.e. grow older, gain weight/lose weight, change professions/jobs, etc.), we often alter our outward dress to match the circumstance. So it is with our lives in Christ!

Coldness. Cruelty. Haughtiness. Violence. Intolerance. Sounds like a wardrobe that could use a makeover, doesn't it? It just doesn't fit anymore. It is no longer appropriate, nor was it ever.

And, don't forget to put on love! No spiritual transformation or life change is complete without it; it holds everything else together!

Choose to wear the clothing of the chosen!

God bless.

Did He Live with Passion?

2010-02-15T13:59:00.004-06:00

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)

My wife and I have a Valentine's Day tradition that began 6 years ago in a small apartment in Louisville, KY--we watch the movie Serendipity together. This movie has it all. It has the mushy stuff that the lady folks really dig. It has the comedy and umph that men relate to. It develops the characters nicely and builds tension within the plot as the movie reaches its climactic ending. It is truly a great movie.

As with every movie that I've become especially fond of over the last several years, Serendipity meets a requirement that all of the others must possess as well. They each have at least one quotable line in them. A thought provoking quote.

To set up the quote, I must first explain its context. One of the friends in the movie is an obituary writer for the New York Times. As the series of events unfold in the movie, this friend turns to one of the main characters and explains to him that the Greeks did not write obituaries. They simply asked one question about the deceased (and this is where the quote comes in). They simply ask, "Did He live with passion?"

Jesus teaches us to love God with all that we are. Our entire heart! Our entire soul! Our entire mind! Our entire strength! We are commanded to live for God with passion!

Each year, on Valentine's Day, I am reminded of this. In my mind, I fast forward to my last day. What would the Greeks say of me? If no obituary were written of my life, how would my family, friends, and neighbors answer this question?

Was I passionate for my God? Was I passionate in my devotion and service to my family? Did I live a life that would inspire others? Or, did I simply exist through each day of my life as though I were simply waiting for my last?

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul teaches us that God has a good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives! For each one of us! Jesus said that He had come that we would have life to the fullest!

When all is said and done, what will be said of you? Did you live with passion? If not, I hope this devotional has been timely for you. I hope that you will be encouraged, along with me, to be passionate about the will of God for your life--with ALL that you are! Live abundantly! Live passionately! Live to the glory of God!

God bless!

Honoring Marriage Once Again

2009-12-03T15:43:00.009-06:00

"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." (Hebrews 13:4)

Recent statistics have revealed, once again, that the divorce rate of the church is dangerously similar to that of the unbelieving world. After being confronted with this fact and questioned as to the reason this is so, Dr. Richard Land replied, "It's because, for too long, the church has been quoting the bible by the mile and living it by the inch!" Agreed.

Why is this so? Why is the church no different in the success rate of it's marriages? Want the painful (but true) answer? Here it is: the church has forgotten how to honor marriage.

The Greek word for honor here is timios--which means "most precious."

The most precious relationship a man and woman could ever have between one another is the one-flesh union of marriage. And, it is worth fighting for. Even when things get difficult. Even if it turns out to be a little different than what you initially imagined it to be. Even if. Even if. Fill in the blank.

On several occasions growing up, I have heard the expression "nothing worthwhile comes easily." The older I get and the more I learn about myself, I find this statement to be incredibly, increasingly true!

Marriage is not simply an event. Marriage is not a one-lane street of self-indulgence and satisfaction. Marriage is a commitment of honor! It is most precious! It is the uniting of two individuals, which were completely independent before, into a one-flesh, precious union. A union of sacrifice. A union of selflessness. A union of forgiveness. A union of making mistakes and learning from them.

Billy Graham, when asked the secret to his marriage, once said, "The secret to marriage is for two people to be very good forgivers!" Marriage is worth the forgiveness it takes to make it work. Don't give up on marriage! Don't give up on the most precious relationship you could ever have with another human being!

Let's make marriage precious "by the mile" once again! For the witness of the church! To exalt Christ! To the Glory of God!

God Bless!

Financial Tips for Black Friday

2009-11-27T10:34:00.003-06:00

According to Business News, American consumers spent an estimated $41 billion on Black Friday in 2008. The average consumer spent $372.57 on retail purchases, a 7.2 percent increase from the year before. What does this piece of information tell us regarding our spending on Black Friday? Simply this: American consumers are becoming more confident shoppers on this day than any other shopping day during the Christmas season, if recent spending trends hold up. And given this confidence, it should be noted that there are dangers associated with spending on mega-retail days such as this. Here are a few, simple spending guidelines that I believe we would be wise to follow:

1) Know before you go.

Even though Black Friday is considered the day of great deals, it is still necessary to understand the dangers of shopping aimlessly. The aimless shopper is much more vulnerable to the random purchase. These purchases tend to be less expensive per item, yet they end up costing more due to volume. There is not a more deceptive way to spend monies than to aimlessly purchase on Black Friday. The aimless shopper looks at their receipt after the shopping day is over and wonders how in the world they spent so much on all of those unplanned purchases.

2) Buy to keep.

Black Friday presents a lot of "bargain" prices. And when shoppers see bargains, they are less likely to think through the implications of "bargain-based" buying. Bargain-based buying is the buying based on the "deal" and not the need/plan. The dangerous excuse for bargain-based buying is that if you change your mind or if it doesn't really fit, you can take the item back for an exchange/refund. Sometimes this type of buying is actually used as an excuse for shoppers to have a Black Friday carryover shopping day. But returning the bargains for exchange/refund can be costly. The gas to get there. The food court or the restaurant. The additional unintended purchases. The prices go up after Black Friday; therefore, many times the bargain-based purchase loses spending power when refunded. It is better (and typically less expensive) to buy what you intend to keep.

3) Don't be compulsive.

The danger of not knowing what you intend to buy before you shop is compulsive spending. The retailers are at the consumer's mercy, but they don't want us to know that. From displays to retail shopping music, all is set up to provide a relaxed shopping experience. Avoid the tendencies to wonder away from the game plan. Make a list and stick to it. Some say it isn't as fun. I beg to differ. It is much more fun to stick to items planned for, shop for the best prices on those items, and make it home with some semblance of a budget intact than to carelessly/needlessly spend the Christmas Holiday in financial hardship.

I believe that these tips are helpful for any shopping day; however, extra caution must be used on the day that every consumer seems to be a little bit more willing to open up their pocket books--a 7.2 percent more. Be wise. Have fun. Be careful. God bless.

The Heartache of Forgiveness

2009-11-04T14:46:00.003-06:00

"Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them." (Genesis 42:6-7a)

The memories had always been with him. Though it had been over thirteen years since he was handed over by his brothers, his heart still ached with bitterness. Things were better now. He had been sold into slavery. Made a servant in a high ranking official's household. Placed in charge of all of his master's house. Accused of immoral crimes he didn't commit. Locked in jail. Given discernment to interpret dreams. Released from prison. And now, Joseph was second in command over all of Egypt. His success was astounding.

Yet, his heart was still aching with bitterness. The success could not soothe the sting.

Selling grain during a severe drought came easy for Joseph. He had been granted, by God, the wisdom to portion out and sell the stored grain when the famine came. He knew the people would continue to come to buy grain. Yet, he was ill prepared for the heartache that this day would bring. As he looked into the distance, he saw strangely familiar faces coming to buy grain. His heart, as if it already knew, had begun to ache again--even before he allowed himself to recognize the faces before him. It was his brothers coming to him for help.

Joseph's story of forgiveness is a great inspiration for all of us. What is often overlooked in the midst of the celebration of reconciliation, however, is the heartache that preludes it. Joseph doesn't react in the most Christ-like manner when he speaks to his brothers. In fact, Joseph was far from being Christ-like. He was downright mean. He allowed the ache of his heart to give him a sense of hateful entitlement. His first responses were: 1) he accuses them, three times, of spying on Egypt, 2) he places them in custody for three days, and 3) he accuses them of stealing a silver cup that he planted in their midst before they departed for home.

Yet, even in the midst of the heartache, Joseph continued to struggle for a forgiving heart. Even when the pain of his heart stung the sharpest, he desired forgiveness.

Joseph's forgiveness struggle should be a great encouragement to all of us. True forgiveness doesn't mean that we no longer feel the pain. It doesn't require us to have a PhD on the subject. The lesson of forgiveness, in the closing chapters of Genesis, teaches us a very important lesson that we need to know about ourselves and the heartache of forgiveness: We don't have to be perfect forgivers in order to forgive perfectly!

So, if you have been struggling to forgive a former/current spouse, an estranged brother/sister, a fallen minister, and/or an apathetic father/mother, take courage! Forgiveness is often accompanied by the heartache of reconciling a painful, past experience with a person who, even in their absence, still causes our hearts to sting. Yet, we can remember Joseph. We can remember how he fought through the heartache. We can remember how, though he wasn't a perfect forgiver, he forgave perfectly.

May God bless you! And, may he give us the strength to forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave us! (Ephesians 4:32)

The Aim of the Believer

2009-09-14T14:10:00.009-05:00

"Let us fix our eyes of Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...consider him...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2, 3)

Alright, I must confess. I grew up a HUGE fan of Michael Jordan. Huge! (Like Mike. If I could be like Mike. I want, I want, I want to be like Mike!) Remember the song? I remember just how amazed I was over Michael Jordan's incredible dominance on the court. I remember watching as John Paxson would nail a clutch three. I remember Dennis Rodman's crazy hair color changes, along with his dominant rebounding. I remember Scottie Pippen's dependability, even though his talents were underutilized at times. Most of all, though, I remember MJ! I remember gatorade ads. Nike ads. Wheatie ads.

Now, I knew that I was just a small-town, athletically challenged white boy, but that didn't stop me from pretending that I was MJ taking the game winning shot in the backyard every now and again. It was inspiring.

As we grow older and enter different periods of our lives, it is normal for us to draw inspiration from those who seem larger than life. The celebrity. The attention. The fame. The ability. The determination.

As Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame this past Friday night, I had high hopes as I awaited his speech. Was it going to be a tear-jerker? Would he graciously accept the honor? And for a moment, I was back in the backyard learning to emulate Jordan's crossover move.

But, then the speech began. It started with a few tears. But soon, a few mild-mannered acknowledgments and an inappropriate profanity later, I quickly realized that although this man was super talented in basketball, he was never worthy of my emulation or aim. For a man to have had four other men on the court that helped him win multiple, multiple championships, not much credit was given. Sure a mention was given. Here and there. But as the camera scanned the crowd, it focused on some of Jordan's teammates--who seemed somewhat muffled in their applause.

For a man who played a team sport, not much gratitude was given to the team. In fact, more than anything, MJ boasted of his abilities and his determination to be the very best. But, the athletically limited youngster inside of me was hoping that more acknowledgement would be given to that clutch three-point shooter, that solid rebounder, and the consistent, dependable comrade on the court.

When the speech was over, I began to think about what kind of people we should seek to emulate in life. Immediately, I thought of Jesus. I thought of Him alone. Then I thought of his attitude toward recognition. Then I remembered the words of Paul written to the Philippian church, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...he humbled himself." (Philippians 2:5-8) I was reminded that we live in a world of self-exaltation. We are a prideful people. And for the few who really excel, awards and recognition can be a fuel of temptation to flame our egos. Yet, believers are called to a higher standard. Even in the midst of recognition, we are called to consider others better than ourselves. We are called to humble ourselves. We are called to be like Christ Jesus.

We should be very careful where and who we draw our inspirations from in this world. Acknowledging athletic accomplishments, academic excellences, and job achievements are all wonderful opportunities to show appreciation to those who have earned them. Yet, we must be careful when looking up to these figures. We must esteem those who receive such honors with extreme selection. The manner in which these honors are received are more telling of an individual's character than the success that led to the recognition itself.

And although we are encouraged, inspired, and challenged by such people for their accomplishments, they should never become our aim. They should never become our model. They should never become our ambition. Rather, we should, "fix our eyes upon Jesus...so that you will not grow weary and loose heart." (Hebrews 12:3)

It was a wonderful thing for me (and others like me) to be inspired by the amazing feats that Jordan accomplished on the court. As I grow in my walk with the Lord, however, it becomes increasingly clear that Jesus Christ is the only one deserving of my heart's aim. And instead of a commercial song encouraging me to "be like Mike", I can truly say, with all of my heart, that I want, I want, I want to be like Jesus! Corny, but true.

Let us make our aim in life the person of Jesus Christ. Let us fix our eyes upon Him alone. Amen.

Making the Most of our Maladies

2009-08-21T15:59:00.008-05:00

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:20-21)

C.H. Spurgeon once said, "So surely as the stars are fashioned by His hands, and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: He has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us." Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a malady? If not, prepare your heart. Life is full of them. Trials, some call them. Others call them hardships. Just the words themselves are enough to make us quiver. Aren't they?

Paul is near the end of his life as he writes this letter to the church in Philippi. He is under house arrest in Rome. Shackled. Secluded. Supervised. Roman guards for companions. Is this the reward for years of faithful missionary work for the Lord? Is this the end-of-the-line for God's determined worker? Will Paul's finale result in such a great malady?

Paul didn't ask these questions. Paul viewed his malady differently than what you might expect. You see, Paul didn't gauge God's goodness in his life by the health, wealth, and prosperity teachings we hear so much of today. He didn't measure his checkbooks or reconcile his financial statements in order to determine whether or not this had been a successful season of his life. He didn't hold his chains, look toward heaven, and cry, "Why me, Lord?" Instead, Paul saw the opportunity that God had given him in his malady--and looked to make the most of it!

In fact, he taught the church in Philippi what Spurgeon would later recognize--our trials are allotted to us. God is sovereign over the maladies of life.

If we are to learn to make the most of our maladies, we must be completely surrendered to the will of the Lord and say as Paul did, "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." We must be surrendered to God in the midst of our maladies because He is sovereign over them. We must also have courage because the outcomes might not always be what we expect them to be. Yet, we can always be sure that we have an opportunity to make the most of our troubles. We will always make the most of our hardships when the end result is that Christ is glorified by the witness we exhibit during them! Always! One-hundred percent of the time!

We have an eternal impact on those around us not when we master our maladies. Nor when we hide them from others. Nor when we ignore them altogether. Rather, we have an eternal impact when we exalt Christ through them and trust Him with the results.

Take courage! Hope! Let us give our maladies to the Lord and make the most of them (for His glory) when they come our way!

God bless.

The Danger of the Happy Hollows

2009-08-17T10:35:00.005-05:00

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28)

Goodness. Simple, yet pleasing to the ears, eyes, and soul. Goodness. Our youngest thoughts remember the simple idea of it, right? Be good. Play good. Act good. We are taught what good looks like. And as we grow, we learn what it looks like to breathe goodness. To live goodness. To play goodness. Before we know it, good becomes the standard. Good becomes the goal. Good becomes what we are "good" at. We learn to play by the rules of goodness for goodness' sake, right? So what's the problem? The problem is that though we learn to present ourselves as being good, we are simply not good. It is a cover up. It is a sham. It is an outward projection of what we wish to portray without any inward confrontation of who we really are on the inside. Sound familiar?

Jesus had a problem with religious people who spent all of their time projecting goodness outwardly without taking an honest inventory of their inward problem. Exuders of goodness with happy, hollow insides. The deception is in that which we exude. We have placed so much importance on the appearance of goodness that the appearance has BECOME goodness to us. Just the appearance of it then means that it is real in our minds. And the Pharisees say in unison, "Amen, pass the potatoes!"

There is danger in the Happy Hollows. There is danger in believing that when we get the goodness game down pat, we magically become the goodness we portray--without dealing with our sin inwardly and without repentance in our minds. We have become a people who need not repent as long as we can project goodness outwardly. Happy but hollow. Happy outwardly. Dead inwardly. No wonder there are so many dying churches in America. No wonder the church has seen drastic declines in the past decade. Who needs repentance when we can cover ourselves with goodness to cover the unrighteousness that screams out loud from the hollows within?

Jesus shared his sharpest rebukes for those of us who play the goodness game. "Hypocrites!" he said. "Blind guides!" he yelled. "Empty!" he discerned. Happy. Hollow. Dying on the inside.

It would be an understatement to say that we live in a culture of people who put all importance on what is noticed outwardly, church included. But there is danger in the happy hollows. We need to re-learn repentance. A masquerade of goodness leaves our internal sin problem unresolved. This is Satan's lie, "Be good and hope for the best. God wouldn't condemn a good person, would he?" We need to re-learn the biblical truth that although we play a "good" game, "there is no one righteous, not even one...there is no one who does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10a, 12b) We need repentance! We need Christ! We need to deal with the inside, for once in our lives!

Jesus pointed out the inward need of people, the happy hollows, to show just how much our sin is masked by goodness. Jesus didn't come to save good people--he came to save sinners. Sinners who come to grips with the reality of their condition. A heart filled with spiritual cancer. A heart that is dying. A heart that resembles a bunch of dead man's bones.

There is good news for all of us! Really GOOD news! Jesus loves us in spite of us, not because what we outwardly project or for goodness cover-up. God sees past our good game, even when others around us do not. Even when the church does not. Even when the preacher does not. Everyone can buy into our happy hollows game. God does not.

Have we convinced ourselves of our own goodness by the outward projections we have learned so well to display? This is the danger of the happy hollows. May we be the people in our generation who are willing to deal with the hollows within us. May we turn to Christ for forgiveness. May we repent before God. May we live genuine lives which are concerned with much more than an outward facade.

Lord save us from the danger of the Happy Hollows. Amen.

Remembering the Glorious Escape

2009-07-20T09:59:00.006-05:00

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air...gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:1-2a, 3b-5)

Do you remember the prison? Do you remember the chains? The darkness? The selfishness? The self-centeredness? We were spiritually dead. We were enslaved. Many prisoners have told stories of the horror of being behind bars. Many have even been able to see the light shine in from the window above their cell and dream of what existed outside of their dark imprisonment. Yet, we were not this way. We couldn't see any light. No flicker of hope was noticeable. In fact, we didn't even know of our imprisonment. We were blinded to it. We were blinded by it. And we were unable to do anything about it. We were enslaved without hope. Satisfied with sin. Doomed by sin. Awaiting the wrath of a holy God.

But, then it happened. The Glorious Escape. The prison break that would expose our helpless condition and provide an eternal means of escape from bondage. Only one thing could break down these sinful prison walls. Only one thing could save the day for the guilty.

It was the love of God.

Through Jesus' obedience to the Father, He took our spiritual darkness upon Himself. He carried out our sentence on our behalf. He defeated it on the cross and was raised triumphantly in victory over it for all of eternity. The result you ask? The result is that those of us who are in Christ will never know the darkness again. We will never know the chains. We will never again know the futility that comes from living only to satisfy our own desires. We have been ultimately, finally freed from this dark prison of death.

Oh, how God's saints need to remember this! We get so good at Christianity. We get so good at "doing" church. We get so good at casually skimming the surface of the Christian life that we forget the marvelous extent of God's love for us. We forget the prison break and somehow become somewhat content with our abilities as a freed man, turning a blind eye to our complete, unending need for what Christ has done for us. Almost as if we end up giving ourselves partial credit for what only Christ could do. Discrediting the full measure of God's love for us. Discrediting and forgetting the glorious escape.

This is where so many of us burn out in our Christian lives. We settle for a self-centered Christianity and forget about the marvelous love of God. We forget that we were ever imprisoned and even, at times, doubt that God may still love us. What a tragic thing it is for God's redeemed to settle for this type of living. Yet, it happens doesn't it?

A.W. Pink puts it this way, "Christ died not in order to make God love us, but because He did love His people. Calvary is the supreme demonstration of Divine love. Whenever you are tempted to doubt the love of God, Christian reader, go back to Calvary."

Are you satisfied with your life today, Christian? Or, has your love for God died alongside the ever weakening remembrance of just how sinful we once were--imprisoned in darkness? If so, maybe we just need a good reminder of the love of God. Maybe we need to remember the condition which imprisoned us with no intention of letting go. Maybe we need to remember the glorious escape that has been provided for us by the love of God expressed in Jesus Christ. A loving Father. An obedient Son. A needy sinner. A prison break. With each hand that was nailed down to the cross, a greater amount of bricks and bars were thrown to the ground by Divine love. With each thorn that pierced His brow, another shackle fell to the ground. And as Jesus breathed His last breath, the work was finished. The means of escape was available. The love of God was demonstrated to the sinful, selfish world.

God loves you. May you never forget that. We need Him just as much today as we did the day He set us free. May we never forget that.

Remember the Glorious Escape and the love of God that set us free!

Texting Away Adolescent Development? Thoughts Worth Pondering from Dr. Albert Mohler Jr.

2009-05-29T15:08:00.002-05:00

Stop Texting and Read This -- The Thumb You Save May Be Your Own

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The Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2009-05-11T15:00:00.005-05:00

"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:3)

I can recall singing the song in children's Church when I was young:

I may never
march in the Infantry,

ride in the Calvary,
shoot the Artillery.

I may never fly ore' the enemy,
but I'm in the Lord's army!

As we go through the years, the Christian life can seem, at times, more like survival instead of victorious living, can't it? The longer we live, the more hardships we face--and the results can be quite detrimental if we forget what we are. We are soldiers. Paul David Tripp acknowledges, "Scripture presents spiritual warfare not as the violent, bizarre end of the Christian life, but as what the Christian life is!" The Christian life isn't supposed to be easy. Through trials and perseverance, we prove ourselves to be good soldiers of Christ Jesus our Lord. Our general. Our commander. Our king.

A soldier is trained to do two main things. The first is to keep orders. The soldier must listen to the commands. Equipped with the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit) we battle through the mire of temptation and darkness while keeping our orders. Scripture contains the marching orders and is our greatest weapon.

A willing heart. A willing body. A willing mind. Determination. Fortitude. This is the mark of a good solider.

The second is to carry out the mission--even in the face of resistance. Jesus taught His first fighters that, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) The same is true for His soldiers today. We will have troubles. We will face hostile spiritual battles. We do have an enemy that desires to see our mission fail. There is a dark resistance. But, we can take heart. We can take heart because we know that our Lord has already won the victory. We are not fighting a loosing battle! Though he may be determined, Satan will soon know his end.

Today, no matter where you are on the battlefield of life, take heart. The statistics show us that America is now a post-Christian nation with the things of God slowly degenerating like a slow spreading Alzheimer's disease. But, though the church slumber, and though the darkness grin with evil intent, there will always stand a remnant of redeemed who are willing to fight as good soldiers and the Gospel of Christ Jesus will always prevail.

Jesus has conquered the enemy. There is nothing that this world can present that the redeemed in Christ cannot triumphantly, ultimately overcome through His power working within us.

We are in the Lord's eternally victorious army.
So, be encouraged. Continue marching forward as a good soldier in Christ Jesus!

The Hidden Life of the Redeemed

2009-05-05T13:36:00.009-05:00

"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:3, 4)

An overwhelming sense of surrender came over me as I prayed to the Lord that night. For the first time, I got it. I understood what it meant to follow Jesus. I had been a quote, unquote "Christian" for many years. I had prayed the prayer. I had walked down an aisle. I had been dunked underwater by the preacher. By all accounts, I had made the Spiritual Honor Society in the First Baptist Church of Going Through the Motions. Yet, in my heart, I was still clinging desperately to my self-identity. My rights. My dreams. My ambitions. MY LIFE!

But finally, I did it. I finally just gave up. I surrendered my life to God.

Many mistake this as a call to full-time vocational ministry. Indeed, it is a call to ministry. It is a call to follow Jesus in obedient service. But we often confuse this as a separate call apart from the call to salvation. It is not. We are called to die to ourselves. Our sense of entitlement. Our ambitions. We are called to live in Christ. An eternal exchange takes place. My life for Jesus' life. Paul says, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Paul has removed himself from the equation altogether. He had a new identity. A new mission. A new direction. A hidden life with Christ.

We are all called to Jesus this way. We are all called to be witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to die so that Jesus Christ will live in and through us. This call is expressed in many different ways. The call, however, is the same for us all. Our lives are now the lives of the hidden life. Hidden with Christ in God. Obedient to Christ. Surrendered. Our lives become Christ.

Oswald Chambers aptly writes that we are to have "no end, no aim, and no purpose but His." We come to Christ for what He can do through us, not simply for what he can do for us. We surrender all. We no longer live for ourselves. Rather, we live the hidden life of the redeemed. This is what it means to truly come to Jesus.

Have we truly removed ourselves from the equation and made Jesus our whole life? This is the call to the hidden life of the redeemed. This is the call to follow Christ Jesus.

Pressing On with Post-It Notes

2009-05-01T09:35:00.008-05:00

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus...let us hold true to what we have attained." (Philippians 3:14, 16)

Post-it notes are somewhat of a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, they are a very convenient way to leave myself reminders and important memos. They are convenient in that they can be attached to pages, desktops, and other important, relevant places. They do not take up space. From all accounts, the post-it note is very helpful. They even make for nice bookmarks from time to time.

However, there is a downside. They become outdated so often. Old news. Old information. They are easily misplaced. They are small, so they are often lost in the clutter. Also, they are known to fold up and become a source of unwanted desk-trash if they are not eventually discarded and maintained all along. Although they are extremely convenient when we need them, they also can become a source of aggravation.

Paul introduces an interesting concept as he relates our spiritual walk with the concepts of both pressing forward and living up to past attainments--old information, old growth. Sometimes, we can become frustrated with our spiritual lives because we, like a post-it note, just seem so cluttered with spiritual information that we have no clear direction. So much bible knowledge. So little clue as to what to do with it. So much church clutter. So much Scripture scribble. And before we know it, we feel almost overwhelmed with the clutter of the Christian life. Maybe we don't feel like we've grown enough in comparison to the amount of knowledge we've gained over a specific amount of time. We have all of these spiritual "post-it notes" and "bookmarks" to show with little or no feeling of spiritual growth in our lives. Sometimes we all can feel like we are spiritually "lost in the clutter". Lost in past growth. Lost in yest er-years growth. Yet, Paul tells us to press forward. Then he tell us to remember back to be "true to what we have attained" already. What is Paul really saying here?

In a way, Paul is telling us to press on with post-it notes.

As we go about our walk with Christ Jesus, we have all of these reminders of the times that God has spoken to our hearts. We have all of the spiritual "post-it" notes that remind us of the things we have been taught. We need these. But, we are not to be content with them. We should strive to continually balance the desire to grow forward while remembering and putting into practice what God has already shown and made fruitful in our lives in the past.

So if you are frustrated today that you aren't farther along in your Christian life by now. If you feel as though you are walking through your Christian life with "post-it" notes stuck all over you. If you just don't feel like you have made much forward progress lately. Take heart. We need the reminders. We need the guidance they provide. But more than that, we need to be able to press forward even when we feel like we've accumulated a bunch of spiritual clutter.

After all, reminders are a good thing. Let us live up to what we have already attained. And after doing so, continue to press on in Christ Jesus our Lord. Post-it notes and all.

Can America Make Peace with Islamic Nations without Becoming One Herself?

2009-04-08T10:53:00.014-05:00

"You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)

Today, much controversy is brewing over the statements made by President Barack Obama during his visit to Turkey yesterday. In his speech to the Turkish parliament, Obama stated:

"The United States is not and never will be, at war with Islam...We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

Whether we observe America as "Christian" or not, there is an essential understanding that must be reached if we are to keep a correct perspective on the relationship between America and Islamic nations.

Although Obama ultimately says many of the same things that former President George Bush has said over the last several years, he is making an observation that is inherently contradictory. That observation centers around the goal of Islamic belief and thought. The goal of Islam, as commanded by the Qur'an, is for all lands to be submissive to its rule. It is a dominant religion. It is a dominant theology. And as much pain as Obama has taken to disassociate terrorism with what he called a faith that he has "deep appreciation for," the understanding that Islam is not a religion of peace must be reached.

To the Muslim world, America, as Dr. Albert Mohler rightfully cited, "appears as the great fountain of pornography, debased entertainments, abortion, and sexual revolution." And as long as we are viewed as such, America, and thus Christianity, will remain an enemy of the Islamic faithful. Better yet, as long as America is viewed as un-Islamic, this will remain the story. You can label them extremists if you would like. But according to the Qur'an, they are simply being obedient and faithful to the cause.

The true conflict, then, is not a political conflict--although Obama takes pains to make it seem so. It is a theological, religious conflict. And as Obama is overseas making claims that America is not religiously united (as is truly the case), he undermines the very substance of his claim to live peacefully with the Muslim nations--for they seek religious unity. Unity through domination. Religious belief runs much deeper than political alliances or affiliations.

We must remember that America did not wake up one day with an angry desire to go to war against Islamic extremists without cause. America was attacked into war by a religion that ultimately wants it no other way. At its deepest roots, Islamic belief encourages a violent baptism for its opposition. And although Barack Obama seeks to establish that America is not in opposition to Islamic belief, political speeches can do little to change the drastic theological differences and extreme desires that will eventually prevent any type of substantial, enduring alliances from forming. Politics do not change or influence religious fervor. Religious fervor influences political stances and aspirations. And this shared "set of values" that Obama speaks of are only shared insomuch as they are held in common by the beliefs of the people. And beyond this, the unity dies.

Unless, of course, America continues to be a breeding ground for its fastest spreading religion--Islam.

The Bright Morning Star

2009-03-31T13:23:00.005-05:00

"I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." (Revelation 22:16)

I can remember it vividly. When I was very young, my mother took me down to the steps of the living room during a severe thunderstorm. I remember seeing the sky light up beyond the blinds of our living room windows. I remember counting the seconds until the thunder clapped in applause to the light show provided by the lightning. To her credit, mother provided an unmatched comfort and sense of safety by teaching us to sing My Lord is Near Me all the Time:

I've seen it in the lightning;

heard it in the thunder;

and felt it in the rain.

My Lord is near me all the time.

Now I teach the same song to my children.

Over the last week or so, it has rained almost non-stop. Dark clouds have replaced the sunshine. Regardless of what time of the day it has been, most every weatherman in the state of Alabama seems like a genius these days. All they have to say is that it will be dark, cloudy, and that there is a strong chance of rain and thunderstorms. Guess what. They would be correct. Two weeks of saying this has probably erased two years of inaccuracies for many a weatherperson. Now, they are brilliant because they knew the rain was coming. They knew the storms were on their way. They knew it was going to be dark for a while.

Sometimes it is the same with life, isn't it? Sometimes we go through long periods of darkness, don't we? Uncertainty. Trapped in the thunderstorms of life. Sound familiar? You are not the only one. No matter how often we go through them, we know that sooner or later another band of showers will be on their way.

But, it takes the storms of life to help us appreciate the sunny days. It takes a little rainstorm every now and then to help strengthen our roots so we can grow stronger.

In the concluding chapter in the Book of Revelation, Jesus introduces himself as the Bright and Morning Star. In ancient times, the morning star was seen as a sign of a new day. A new time. A period of refreshment and new beginnings. The darkness subsided at the sign of the morning star.

Jesus is reminding the Church, through the signs and visions of the apostle John, that he is the light of the world. He is the light that penetrates the darkness. He is the voice that calms the storms. He is Lord of the thunderstorms. He is our source of refreshment. He is our source of a new beginning. He is the Bright and Morning Star.

Tired of feeling abandoned during the thunderstorms of life? Look to the Bright Morning Star. Need a sense of refreshment and renewal? Trust Him during your trials. Even in the darkness, we have a shelter from the storm. And from Him, all darkness must flee.

As we struggle through the storms of life, we do, indeed, see it in the lightning, hear it in the thunder, and feel it in the rain. Too often it seems. It is good to know, however, that our Lord is with us all the time.

Is it raining as much inside as it is outside today? Has the weatherman been right about much more than the weather outside lately?

If so, look to the Bright Morning Star. He is our source of comfort and safety during the storms of life.

The Preacher on Television

2009-03-23T09:35:00.010-05:00

"Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete." (2 John v. 12)

In the apostle John's second letter, he writes a warning to the church congregation to guard the truth by holding firmly to the teachings of Jesus Christ. There had been influences, possibly both within and outside of the church congregation, that had been teaching false doctrines. John goes as far to say, "if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching (the teachings of Jesus), do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." (v. 10, 11--words in bold are added for clarity)

The word truth is the dominant theme in John's greeting to the church. If the church was to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, it faced the task of guarding the truth from corruption. So it is today.

Over the years, I have come across many professing believers who have told me that they do not attend church because they are content with, "Watching the preacher on t.v." As much as it is up to them, they are content and satisfied to have Sunday morning service right there in their living rooms. So, from the comfort of their recliners, they turn on the television and eagerly await the message from their favorite preacher.

There can be many compelling, biblical arguments made as to why this type of church participation is unbiblical. But, today I would like to simply write about some of the dangers that this approach to church attendance presents.

The purpose of John's second letter directly involves this issue. In fact, in his closing remarks he mentions his intent to visit the church face to face. Instead of relying wholly upon ink and paper to deliver his message of truth, John desires to visit the church and lead it as its elder (or pastor). The church was not to simply be content with his letter. In order to make their joy complete, John would visit them face to face. Personal. Confrontational. Pastoral.

The television today has a smorgasbord of preachers to choose from. And though many may teach from a biblical standpoint, there are many who preach nonsense, watered-down truths, and even false teachings. For example, I have heard of many who love to listen to Joel Osteen-- the smiling Texan. They cling to his every word. They are wooed in by his prosperity preaching and his self-empowerment messages. But, Joel Osteen would tell you himself that he refuses to preach on the subject of sin. He refuses to include such negative comments. He would say, and has said, that this is just not his gift.

Hogwash!

This is not in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ. In fact, there can be no clear gospel presentation made unless the truth of the sinfulness of man is preached. There can be no power of salvation unless the gospel is preached (Romans 1:16). In my humble opinion, Mr. Osteen is well short of preaching the plain truth of the Word of God. And for this, I discourage others from listening to his messages.

The danger of the television preacher and the Lazy-boy church pew is that there is no accountability for truth. The listener is left alone to decipher truth. In John's second letter, the entire congregation is charged with the guarding of truth. Simply put, we are more easily deceived when we are disassociated with a church congregation. (It must be honestly mentioned here that not all local churches abide by biblical teaching. But, that is another devotional for another day.)

Furthermore, the television preacher cannot meet with us face to face. He cannot pray with us in our times of need. He cannot visit us in the hospital. And when a false teaching arises within the church, he cannot correct, rebuke, and train us in all righteousness as Scripture teaches.

Understandably, there are many people who cannot physically make it to a church service on Sunday morning. However, this does not excuse us all to attend church on our own terms--apart from the clear teachings of God's Word.

Nothing can replace being active in a church body that desires to live in accordance with the teachings of the Word of God. Worship. Encouragement. Prayer support. Challenges. Loving, caring interaction with brothers and sisters in Christ. The pastor is present not only to preach, but also to personally shepherd the members of the congregation. This is what Scripture teaches...

Just ask the preacher on television.

Purity in the Midst of Pain

2009-03-17T14:08:00.005-05:00

"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." (Job 31:1)

It seems a bit awkward when you read it for the first time. In fact, Job 31:1 seems to be completely out of place. In the middle of turmoil, suffering, and personal loss, Job includes this important, yet seemingly out-of-place statement. The first time I read this verse I remember thinking, "Where in the world did that come from?" A covenant with my eyes? Look lustfully at a girl?

Just what are you saying here Job?

Job had been devastated. He had experienced more loss and tragedy in the last passing hours than an entire community of families could expect to face in a lifetime. He was in complete agony. He was suffering in physical torment and sickness. Yet here, he turns his attention to purity. Here, Job proves to be resilient. But, his resilience isn't directed toward his physical pain; rather, it is aimed at the temptations of the flesh. Why is this? Why is Job worried so much about purity during this tragedy? In the middle of all of his questions, he guards his purity. In the middle of all of his pain, his focus is on keeping a clean heart.

I believe that this one verse is pivotal to the rest of Job's story.

Although Job doesn't know the answers, he desires to stay pure before the One that does. He desires to stay pure before God, even though others (specifically his wife) had told him to curse God and die. The result of Job's purity in the midst of pain was that God ultimately blessed and restored Job. Because Job remained pure before God, he was restored and blessed beyond measure. Ultimately, Job would understand that God had a great purpose in his sufferings. We can see the same truths through the promises found in Romans 8:28, 29.

Last week, my hometown of Samson experienced tremendous tragedy and pain. And like Job, many people were left wondering why it all happened. During times like this, we often make two major mistakes. The first mistake we often make is that we blame all of the tragedy on God. Just like Job's wife, we desire to curse God for any evil that takes place in our lives. We blame him for tragedy. And although God allowed these things to happen to Job, He was not the culprit. The culprit was Satan. The second mistake we often make during these times is that we often dismiss God's association with tragedy altogether. Though God could not be accused as the culprit, we must acknowledge that God was sovereign over the circumstances. He did, for His perfect reasons, allow these things to happen to Job.

It would be outrageous for us to blame God for what happened in Samson last week. However, it would be just as outlandish to say that He had no control at all over the measure of the happenings. That would be saying that God isn't sovereign. Whatever the reason, we need to understand that we will never truly be able to see God's purpose on the other side of our pain unless our hearts are determined, like Job, to remain pure in the midst of it.

I believe Job understood what Jesus would later teach in Matthew 5:8. Jesus says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." We should be careful not to blame God. We should also be careful not to dismiss His purposes. Our sole priority in pain and disaster should be to emulate Job's example. We should desire to remain pure in the midst of pain. We should pour out our hearts to God. We should ask the questions that dwell in our hearts. We should ask for comfort and mercy. But most importantly, we must seek to remain pure before Him.

God give the communities, families, and the individuals involved in this tragedy the mercy and strength to remain pure during this time of pain. And, may they experience your blessings and provisions on the other side of it. Amen.

A Cup of Coffee, a Morning Walk, and a Boxer Bulldog

2009-03-09T23:24:00.006-05:00

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." (1 Timothy 6:6, 7)

Far be it from me to start the morning anymore without a nice cup of coffee. It is really quite funny. Just a few short years ago, I would have never guessed I would have developed a taste for it. Yet I find myself waking up to the thought of a nice cup of Maxwell House coffee these days. Master Blend. Medium. French Vanilla creamer. Now we're talking a good morning indeed! Just one good cup. That is all it takes.

This morning, after I took hold of my cup of coffee, I set out to do what was becoming my favorite daily routine just before it began turning colder late this past fall. I took my cup of coffee with me outside, let my dog (Butler) out, and began a walk around the backyard. And as I walked, I began my daily prayer. Customarily, I begin my prayer time with a few words of thanksgiving and praise. Then, I move on to make my request and petitions known. However, this morning was different. Though the morning had started with some challenges, I found myself sheltered from them as I began my prayer time. Coffee in hand. Dog by my side--step for step. There was just one difference in the arrangement of prayer time this morning. I couldn't stop being thankful. For my family. For my church. For my health. For my friendships. For the simple blessings. And yes, I even was thankful for my dog.

And as I continued down this seemingly endless list of thanksgivings, I was reminded of this verse:

"Godliness with contentment is great gain."

Gain. We are obsessed with the word, yet we often know little about what it actually means. We often associate a monetary value to it. Or, we ascribe a higher level of material satisfaction to it. Yet, so often we miss its meaning altogether. One can never truly recognize gain for what it is unless he/she reaches a point of contentment toward what is already possessed. But underlying this contentment is the most foundational issue we all must understand. We must seek godliness. We must seek to understand God's purpose for our lives. There is a level of contentment that is found in being and doing what God desires for us that cannot be matched by anything this world can offer.

I never would have guessed that, at 28 years old, I would be a pastor in the small community of Reeltown, AL. I would have never guessed that I would be the husband of a wonderful wife, a father to two beautiful children, and an owner of a goofy boxer bulldog. Yet, as I made my rounds this morning I was overwhelmingly thankful. Thankful for my beautiful bride. Thankful for my two amazing children. Thankful for the church congregation that God has called me to shepherd. Thankful for the small, rural town that I now call home. Thankful for God's provisions.

There are some things money just can't buy:

The peace of knowing that you are doing what God intends for you to do, the joy of family, and the blessings of friendships...

a cup of coffee...

a morning walk...

and a goofy boxer bulldog.

That is what I call great gain.

Give Me a Break!

2009-03-02T13:42:00.008-06:00

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Ever felt bored and burdened with life? Not a popular question, is it? Yet, to be honest, how many of us often find ourselves desperate to break the routine and find some way to rejuvenate our perspectives. I remember the feeling as if it were yesterday. I had counted more money that day than I cared to count in a month. It was busy. Real busy. And as people came in and out of the bank lobby with their deposits and checks, something struck me.

I had been working at the bank for some time. And the more I worked, the more I noticed how this week looked much like the week before. The same people brought their same deposits. They drove the same paths to the bank. Parked in the same parking spots in their same cars and trucks. Many of the clients even brought the same conversation to the teller booth with each passing visit. There wasn't anything wrong with it. It was just somewhat redundant for a wide-eyed, twenty-year-old that was searching for his place in the world. I was learning a new lesson. Life 101 was just beginning and the bank lobby was my classroom. And the burdens of work, school, and of adjusting to all of my new found responsibilities began to feel heavy on me. I wanted a break.

We often do the same things every day. Don't we? Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. And MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY...you get the picture. Bank teller. Doctor. Wall Street advisor. It doesn't matter. We all will face the next day much as we did the day before.

The truth of it is that it is supposed to be this way. God created all that is in six days (YOM--literal 24 hour interpretation) and rested (or ceased from His work) on the seventh. There was evening and there was morning (qualification of literal 24 hour interpretation). God then declared all that He had made as being "good." So is our workweek. So are our lives. (Genesis 1)

There is meaning in the repetition. Yet, through all of this, we feel frustrated and burdened at times, don't we?

Augustine once said, "Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in Thee." Until we surrender to the maker of our days, we will never truly be able to understand the meaning behind them. Until we know the God that rested on the seventh day, we can never truly understand rest in our own days. Last week I saw an old bumper sticker that read, "Know God, know peace. No God, no peace." Fitting. True.

And as the busy day at the bank drew to a close, I remembered this verse. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Much more than just temporary, physical rest. Jesus offers rest that penetrates our being. When we understand this invitation rightly, we understand that he is not just offering rest from our stressed-out moments. Rather, He is inviting us to continually rest in Him. For forgiveness. For a new start. Freedom from guilt and the bondage of sin. And consequently, from the routine difficulties and hardships we face in this life.

Have you felt dried-up and burdened lately by the repetition of life? By the heartaches? Pains? Stresses? Have you endured life to the point of unsatisfied submission? Then take Jesus up on His offer.

A much needed break from a loving Savior.

The Bloody Truth

2009-02-23T12:56:00.009-06:00

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Ephesians 1:7a)

As the 21st Century has brought about an even more calloused attitude toward sin, so too has it brought an ever weakened understanding of the price of forgiveness. As sin is celebrated in our streets, a disregard for accountability and an disregard toward the need for forgiveness accompanies the parade. What does the bible say about our condition? Answer: We are sinful and separated from God. What does the bible say must be done to fix the problem? Answer: Blood must be shed. Our sin costs life.

In the Old Testament, we see that the shed blood of a sacrifice (which met God's requirements) was as a pleasing aroma to God. Why was this so? It is because the sin of Israel had been covered by the shed blood. A sacrifice had been made. God's wrath had been appeased.

The penalty for our sin remains the same. Blood must be shed. Every sin carries this price. The wages of sin is death. Blood must be shed. That is the truth about sin. Sin is ugly. Although it promises pleasure, it provides isolation. There is no amount of pleasure in this world worth the penalty that accompanies sin. Blood must be shed. God's holiness demands that sin be dealt with. God's wrath will be poured out upon sin. Upon those that choose their sin over Christ. Blood will be shed.

The good news? God loves the world. God loves the world so much that, in spite of our sin, he sent His only Son to be sacrificed to settle a sin debt that we could not pay. Only Jesus could meet the requirement necessary to satisfy our sin debt. Once and for all, Jesus died a sacrificial death. So instead of our blood being shed, it was Jesus' that flowed. Jesus shed His blood to pay for sin that we fail to recognize today. The sin that we celebrate, He spilt his blood to forgive. How often do we trample on the shed blood of Christ by minimizing the severity of our sins? How often do we fail to revere the love of Christ by failing to acknowledge the price He paid? And as we are "living it up", Jesus was "laying down" His life on a cruel cross. As we are busy failing to acknowledge our sin, He was busy becoming "sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) In other words, Jesus paid our sin debt as a propitiation--to satisfy the wrath of God against our sin--to bring us back to a right standing with God. A pleasing aroma to God. And because of this act, we not only can be forgiven of our sin(s), we actually become the righteousness of God. Jesus shed His blood, became our sin, and then gave His righteousness to those who would but place their faith and trust in Him.

His blood was shed for us. Sinful, selfish, and unacknowledging us. He brought us into right standing with God by shedding His blood. And how dreadful it will be for those who dishonor, disrespect, and deny the cross of Christ Jesus. For they, as Scripture teaches, are still "enemies of the cross." (Philippians 3:18) Lovers of sin; haters of God. And we so often accuse God of being unjust (due to the fact that people will go to an eternal Hell apart from Christ). The real question is, "How in the world could God love such a sinful people to the measure of sending His Son to die for us?" For the world. For anyone who would but turn from sin and believe in Jesus. Love God. Hate sin. It is funny how we love to shift the blame upon God. Make Him the enemy. Yet, Jesus shed His blood. He made the way. He paid the penalty.

That is the bloody truth.

It Matters to Him about Me

2009-02-16T14:01:00.006-06:00

"Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26b)

Economic hardships often reveal much about the fortitude of an individuals faith in God. When we can see God's provision leading us into prosperity, we are encouraged. When we are swimming in abundance, we are often complacent. But when we are at the point of maximum need, we finally understand that we are always dependant upon His provisions--even during those periods of overflowing. As a former financial advisor, I am aware of the many different types of people that this economic recession will negatively impact. The retirees' interest income is reduced from the dropping interest rates, the nearly retired are having to hold off from their retirement plans in hopes that their 401(k)s and their 403(b)s can recover quickly, and everyone in between struggles to continually watch their hard earned investments take such a nosedive into the red.

When push comes to shove, though, the believer has a certainty about his situation that others simply do not have. That certainty comes from an unmatchable satisfaction that our Father in Heaven sees our needs. He cares about our circumstances. He notices when we hurt. And, he is able to provide for us in our need.

I am reminded of the great testimony of George Muller--a 19th century English missionary. Muller never drew a salary. He was absolutely convinced that God had led him to build the many orphanages he had built in Ashley Down, England. Yet Muller never knew how he was going to provide for the hundreds of orphans that relied upon him daily for their needs. He admitted the many days in which he was discouraged and overwhelmed with the responsibility that was upon his shoulders. He had to provide for those children. He also felt his own financial situation grow extremely tight from time to time.

Years later, when his ministry was finished and he had passed on his responsibilities to another, he told the secret of his success. Years back, during one of the most difficult financial hardships of his ministry, he made a sign and placed it on his desk. The sign read, "It matters to Him about me." Simple, yet powerful. He relied on this message during the often tough times. And when all was said and done, God had never let him down. It is good to be reminded that God cares. He doesn't turn a blind eye. He doesn't delight in our misfortunes. He genuinely cares. He is interested. He is concerned. It matters to God about our struggles. Our pains. Our sorrows. Our financial need. Even down to the clothes on our backs (see Matthew 6).

When we hurt, we can take comfort in the fact that it matters to Him about us.

Observing the Nations from Ft. Lauderdale

2009-02-09T08:14:00.005-06:00

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9a)

Today, and for the first time, I am embarking on a journey outside of the continental United States. My lovely bride and I are celebrating our 5th anniversary (although it was technically Sept. 27th) by taking a trip to the Bahamas. Currently, I am sitting in the Ft. Lauderdale, FL airport waiting to board our flight to Nassau. Moments ago, we walked off of the plane and into a crowded airport that was noticeably different from the previous gates we had just recently left in Atlanta, GA. If this difference could be summed up in word one, it would have to be "diversity." Cultural. Socioeconomic. Racial. I find myself studying each passer-by with intrigue. Where is this man from? What is his story? From Jamaican to Caucasian. From Spanish to Indian. Everywhere in between can be found here. And in an instant, my south-Alabama, bible-belt culture seems distant. It seems confined to the airport I left just a few hours ago.

Due to time restraints (and limited internet connectivity), I need to be brief and to the point today (did someone just shout Amen?). Oftentimes, we tend to develop a self-defined, personally confined understanding of the Kingdom of God. Too often, we cannot even see beyond our own church walls and into the surrounding communities outside of our own. Yet, God sees all of us--the whole world. The Kingdom of God extends to all peoples. To all nations. To all tribes. To all peoples and languages. God's redeeming purpose for humanity is not confined to our particular cultural context. Plainly put, I have brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world. It is a wonderful, powerful truth. God's love and salvation extend to the WORLD!

If we are to understand the Great Commission as Jesus commanded, we must be able to see beyond our limited context. Our compassion must reach beyond the stagnant grounds we trod in our every day lives.

Sometimes, I guess it helps to have a few minutes of quiet observation in a Ft. Lauderdale airport. Perspective is often a powerful thing.

God bless.

Considering the Inconsiderate

2009-02-02T15:01:00.007-06:00

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)

Daddy-daughter date day. One of my favorite days of all--especially when daddy is taking daughter to an Auburn basketball game. Saturday was going to be a blast. Little did I know the work that was going to be involved with this past Saturday's date day. When we arrived at the campus, the parking lots were full from Beard-Eaves coliseum all the way down to Mama Goldberg's Deli (if you haven't been to AU's campus, this is roughly 500 yards or so). Consequently, I end up parking in the very last parking lot right across the road from the distant deli. The walk began. Not your ordinary, everyday walk mind you. This walk consisted of a 30 lb. child in one arm, a packed bag of diapers, snacks, camera, and other child products in the other. And the traffic. Did I mention the traffic? Unreal!

People and cars seemed to limit my walking space with every single step. People were cutting in front of us left and right. Vehicles were failing to stop at the bright red sign with white letters that command them to "Stop!" Daddy was nervous. And by the time that daddy managed to carry daughter to the steps of the coliseum, he was exhausted. Nevertheless, we were there. No more walking and carrying for daddy--or so he thought. I paid for a ticket and walked into the stadium with youthful expectation that this game would be promising. I could feel myself getting excited as I heard the band play. I could see the cheer on the face of Ellie Kate as she took in all of the happenings around her.

That is when it happened.

I looked at the ticket to find our seats. Could you believe that it was at the very top row in the entire arena? In addition, it was the longest distance from where we were at the time. And so, daddy now has a 30 lb. daughter in one arm, a bag full of stuff in the other, and a cardboard container full of nachos and cheese plus a coke balancing somewhere in between the two while walking up an ever growing flight of stadium stairs! Talk about a workout. Talk about a safety hazard!

As if the journey to the top row wasn't enough, some of the people around us seemed exceptionally rude. At several times during the march to the top, it was as if I had a sign on my forehead that read, "Please cut in front of me! Please act as if I do not exist! Please act as if my daughter and I are insignificant casualties of your world!" I guess that you can tell by now that this preacher was getting frustrated. Well, that would be an understatement.

But, then something hit me like a ton of bricks. A conviction from the Holy Spirit stirred my soul. As I stepped up the last couple of stairs, I realized that I was that person/those people. I was that college student that didn't show courtesy to a struggling daddy just trying to enjoy some time with his daughter. I was that lady in the car that didn't stop at the stop sign. I was the disgruntled old man in the seats in front of us that made disrespectful remarks to the refs during the game. I was all those people toward God. How many times had I cut in? How many times did I act like he didn't exist? How many times did I say exactly what my sinful heart desired without regard to his holiness? And then I thought of this verse:

"We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

How many times had I turned my own way, without regard to my heavenly Father? More times than I would like to admit. How many times had I cut in and insisted that I live my life by my own standards, without regard to His will? More times than I'd like to admit.

When all is said and done, we are all these people (or have been these people)! Selfish, arrogant, inconsiderate, and inappropriate sinners in need of unconditional love. The good news? The good news is that God loves us just this way--unconditionally. As we cut in, He loves. As we fail to stop, He waits patiently. As we are inconsiderate, He considers us enough to send His own son to die on a cross for our sins. For our rebellion. For our selfishness.

Auburn ended up loosing the basketball game. Yet, it was a wonderful daddy-daughter date day. It was also a wonderful Father-son experience. It was a wonderful reminder of just how much my heavenly Father loves me. It was a wonderful reminder of how much He loves all of us.

When everyone around us seems to find us insignificant, He sees significance. When we fail to consider Him...

He considers us still.

A Prayer for Barack Obama--originally posted by Dr. Albert Mohler

2009-01-22T10:51:00.002-06:00

Our Father, Lord of all creation, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: We pray today with a sense of special urgency and responsibility. We come before you to pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and for all those in this new administration who now assume roles of such high responsibility.

We know that you and you alone are sovereign; that you rule over all, and that you alone are able to keep and defend us. We know that our times are in your hands, and that "the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord" [Proverbs 21:1]. Our confidence is in you and in you alone. We come before you as a people who acknowledge our constant need for your provision, wisdom, and protection.

Father, we pray today for Barack Obama as he takes office as President of the United States. We pray that you will show the glory of your name in our times and in these days, confounding the wisdom of the wise, thwarting the plans of the arrogant, and vindicating those who do justice and practice righteousness.

Father, we pray with thanksgiving for the gift of government and the grace of civic order. Thank you for giving us rulers and for knowing our need for laws and ordered life together. Thank you for this nation and the blessings we know as its citizens. Thank you for freedoms unprecedented in human history. We understand that these freedoms come with unprecedented opportunities.
Lord, we pray with thanksgiving for the joy and celebration reflected on millions of faces who never expected to look to the President of the United States and see a person who looks like themselves.

Father, thank you for preserving this nation to the moment when an African-American citizen will take the oath of office and become our President. Thank you for the hope this has given to so many, the pride emerging in hearts that had known no such hope, and the pride that comes to a people who have experienced such pain at the hands of fellow citizens, simply because of the color of their skin. Father, we rejoice in every elderly face that reflects such long-sought satisfaction and in every young face that expresses such unrestrained joy. May this become an open door for a vision of race and human dignity that reflects your glory in our differences, and not our corruption of your gift.

Father, protect this president, we pray. We pray that you will surround this president and his family, along with all our leaders, with your protection and sustenance. May he be protected from evil acts and evil intentions, and may his family be protected from all evil and harm.
We pray that the Obama family will be drawn together as they move into the White House, and that they will know great joy in their family life. We are thankful for the example Barack and Michelle Obama have set as parents. Father, protect those precious girls in every way -- including the protection of their hearts as they see their father often criticized and as he is away from them on business of state. May their years in the White House bring them all even closer together.

Father, we pray for the safety and security of this nation, even as our new president settles into his role as Commander in Chief. We know that you and you alone can be our defense. We do not place our trust in horses or chariots, and we pray that you will give this president wisdom as he fulfills this vital responsibility.

Father, grant him wisdom in every dimension of his vast responsibility. Grant him wisdom to deal with a global financial crisis and with the swirling complex of vexing problems and challenges at home and abroad. May he inspire this nation to a higher vision for our common life together, to a higher standard of justice, righteousness, unity, and the tasks of citizenship.
Father, we pray that you will change this president's heart and mind on issues of urgent concern. We are so thankful for his gifts and talents, for his intellect and power of influence.

Father, bend his heart to see the dignity and sanctity of every single human life, from the moment of conception until natural death. Father, lead him to see abortion, not as a matter of misconstrued rights, but as a murderous violation of the right to life. May he come to see every aborted life as a violation of human dignity and every abortion as an abhorrent blight upon this nation's moral witness. May he pledge himself to protect every human life at every stage of development. He has declared himself as an energetic defender of abortion rights, and we fear that his election will lead directly to the deaths of countless unborn human beings. Protect us from this unspeakable evil, we pray. Most urgently, we pray that you will bring the reign of abortion to an end, even as you are the defender of the defenseless.

Father, may this new president see that human dignity is undermined when human embryos are destroyed in the name of medical progress, and may he see marriage as an institution that is vital to the very survival of civilization. May he protect all that is right and good. Father, change his heart where it must be changed, and give him resolve where his heart is right before you.
Father, when we face hard days ahead -- when we find ourselves required by conscience to oppose this president within the bounds of our roles as citizens -- may we be granted your guidance to do so with a proper spirit, with a proper demeanor, and with persuasive arguments. May we learn anew how to confront without demonizing, and to oppose without abandoning hope.

Father, we are aware that our future is in your hands, and we are fully aware that you and you alone will judge the nations. Much responsibility is now invested in President Barack Obama, and much will be required. May we, as Christian citizens, also fulfill what you would require of us. Even as we pray for you to protect this president and change his heart, we also pray that your church will be protected and that you will conform our hearts to your perfect will.

Father, we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, the ever-reigning once and future King, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He and he alone can save, and his kingdom is forever. Above all, may your great name be praised. Amen.

A Righteous Problem

2009-01-19T10:56:00.003-06:00

Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once, Suppose ten (righteous men) are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." (Genesis 18:32)

In Genesis 18, we have an amazing dialogue between Abraham and the Lord God. God decides to speak of his plan to destroy the city of Sodom due to its wickedness. And as is the case with us today, Abraham had a hard time finding justice in the wrath of God. It might have been difficult for him to believe that a Holy, loving God would do such a thing. So he bargains with God. Sound familiar? He begins by being honest before God. He says quite boldly, "Far be it from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the bargaining continues.

Abraham was wanting God to withhold his wrath if he were to find but fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom. God agreed. Abraham then asked the same for forty-five righteous people. God agreed. Then the bargaining continued. Forty? Agreed. Thirty? Agreed. Twenty? Agreed. And finally, the numbered withered down to ten. God agreed.

One very distinct question rises out of this dialogue for me. Why did God continue to entertain Abraham's questioning? Why did he endure the questioning as it withered down to one-fifth of the initial numbering? Same question. Different angle. I believe God had a purpose in doing so.

I believe the answer to that question takes us to the book of Romans. Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one who understands; no one seeks for God'." God was tolerating Abraham's questioning not to validate Abraham's point. Rather, God was making a point of his own. There is no one who is righteous. Fifty...forty-five...thirty...twenty...ten. It could have evaporated all the way to zero and still Abraham would have been left searching for answers. The problem wasn't God's inability to look for the remaining righteous. The problem was that there weren't any righteous people to be found.

When we think of God's judgment, we must be careful not to fall into the same trap that had caught Abraham. We must be careful not to think of God as not being just or righteous in his judgements. If we do fall into this trap, it means that we have forgotten two very important things. First, we have forgotten the holiness of God. God is holy. And because God is holy, he must punish sin. If God were able to tolerate sin, he wouldn't be God at all. His love for us wouldn't be pure. Even more, he would be unable to save us from our sin. Second, we have forgotten the depths of our own sin. Our unworthiness. Our rebelliousness. Our inability to reconcile the problem of our own unrighteousness--for there is no one who is righteous.

This should lead us all to an absolute adoration of the gospel message. Romans 5:8 explains, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Each time a repentant sinner receives the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in faith, God does not destroy Sodom--figuratively--for we all deserve the wrath of God because there is no one righteous. But, the punishment was still given. It just didn't fall on the repentant sinner. Rather, God's wrath fell upon his son--Jesus Christ. This is what is meant by, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

God's love and holiness cannot be fully understood unless we are willing to acknowledge our own righteous problem.

Where Did We Come From and Where are We Going?

2009-01-12T16:20:00.008-06:00

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them." (Genesis 1:27, 28a)

Matthew Arnold wrote a very poignant, insightful poem concerning the deep questions of our existence:

But often, in the world's most crowded streets,

But often, in the din of strife,

There rises an unspeakable desire

After the knowledge of our buried life:

A thirst to spend our fire and restless force

In tracking out our true, original course;

A longing to inquire

Into the mystery of this heart which beats

So wild, so deep in us--to know

Whence our lives come and where they go.

Where did we come from? Where are we going? Every moment in between these two reference points of origin and destination is greatly influenced by the way we answer these two questions. If we hold to a naturalistic worldview, we just simply appeared. We evolved from matter which has no plausible explanation. Hence, the direction of our lives can truly be summed up in the quote, "We are nothing but the sum of our experiences." No course. No purpose. No reason behind it all. Pure chaos in the strictest sense.

This, unfortunately, is one of the dominant worldviews of postmodernism. It is easy to see, then, how our country has slowly began to redefine a Constitution that was greatly influenced by the Judeo-Christian worldview. A Judeo-Christian worldview that believed in standards, accountability, and ,when necessary, punishment for crimes committed. But, why did we once believe this way? It is because we believed in a holy God that has given us standards to live by. Postmodernism attempts to reverse this type of thinking with teachings of relevance and autonomous significance. Postmodernism leaves no room for a holy, loving God that creates, loves, guides, enforces, and acts among his creation for his good purposes. Rather, postmodern thought leads to a struggle to reconcile a godless, authority-less, and revelation-less thought process with the innate knowledge of good and evil, right and wrong, and intrinsic processes of sickness, decay, and death that we will all experience.

Arnold expressed poetically what each of us, regardless of our worldview, must wrestle with if we are to seek a purpose in our existence. Earlier today, I spoke with a very polite middle-aged man who had just undergone a successful surgery to remove his gal bladder. I asked how he felt. He said he was doing fine. Then, as if he knew I would be interested in his story, he began to enthusiastically describe how he was given permission by the doctor to look on the monitor to see his gal bladder functioning while he was being examined. And then, it was easy to hear Arnold's poem underlying his next words to me. He said, "I have always taken so much for granted. I never even thought about something like my gal bladder. But it has been there working all along." Then he turned to me and said in a very simple way, "There has to be a God."

He continued, "There are just too many things happening and holding together around us for there not to be a God in control." Surgery and illnesses often force us to ponder Arnold's expressions for ourselves in a new light. And for this man, his final conclusion was that if there was a creation there has to be a Creator. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? In fact, it is statistically more probable than naturalism--even by the measures of science.

So why do so many refuse to acknowledge the existence of God? Well, Tom Cruise summed up his reason very bluntly and honestly in an interview a couple of years ago. When asked about this, he responded, "I refuse to believe in a God who holds us accountable to his standards." Honest and to the point. If we do not acknowledge the existence of an almighty God, maybe we might be able to better live by our own ways--by our own desires and choosing. It comes as no surprise, then, that Cruise holds to a belief system that exalts the individual as a form of deity--Scientology. Self-reliant. Self-accountable. Self-centered to the nth degree.

Through natural revelation (God's creation) and special revelation (God's Word, Jesus' incarnation, and God's supernatural acts), God has made known where we have come from and where we are going. The Bible teaches us that God created us and blessed us above all of his creation. It also gives us all a plain description of our destination. There are only two options. Heaven or Hell. Heaven for the forgiven sinners. Hell for the unforgiven sinners. Enter the gospel message, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

We are marred by sin--every rotten one of us. Consequently, we are separated from the holy God that created us in his image. The bible teaches that we are all destined for hell--eternal separation from a holy, loving God--apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, God demonstrates his love for us in that, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God not only created us in his own image, he also loves us all dearly. He loves us so much that he provided a way for us to be reconciled into a right relationship with him--Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect life. He died a sinners death. He rose on the third day in victory over sin and death. The result? Anyone who believes in him will not perish. End result? Destination...Heaven.

Arnold was right to ponder what we all, at one time or another, are pondering.

Where did we come from? Where are we going?

The Ministry of the Home

2009-01-05T15:30:00.002-06:00

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

One of the most dramatic realizations that any parent can have is to understand that a parent has more influence (either passive or active) over their children than any minister, teacher, friend, or other family member could ever have. Just a few days ago, I sat in a room full of youth ministers from all over the southeast United States. And as a series of questions rang out from around the room, concerns were being honestly expressed by these different youth pastors. Were the concerns regarding an inability to get students to pay attention in bible study time? No. Was the concern regarding a lack of interest in youth group activities? No. Surprisingly, several of the concerns focused on the parents of the students.

Interestingly enough, many of the kids that are growing up in so-called "Christian homes" are suffering silently in the shadows of our church buildings. They are suffering in the corners of their computer lit rooms at home. What is this suffering based upon? To be blunt, it is based upon a lack of reinforcement of the truths learned on Sunday within the walls of their own homes. Plainly put, the homes are becoming more and more "worldly" and less and less "godly." Parental influence/training is not only diminishing, it is often contradictory to the truths we claim to believe. This leaves our youth in more conflict than you and I could ever imagine.

We live in a culture that is increasingly giving adulthood status and freedoms to a increasingly younger age of adolescent youth who are ill prepared for the challenging responsibilities given to them. The attentive parent must be proactive to prepare his/her children. The attentive parent must be available. The attentive parent must be teaching at every opportunity.

What have parents done for the training/education of their children? They drop their children off at school to learn. What have parents done for the spiritual development of their children? They drop their children off at the church. Then, on the drive home, or to work, they feel as if they are doing their parental duties by simply providing transportation toward whatever area of formation that they carry their children to. Passive parenting does not deserve a pat on the back.

Yet, Scripture teaches that parenting is applied. It is practiced. Scripture teaches that it is the parents' responsibility to TRAIN UP their children. According to biblical truth, parents are to be the primary influence in the lives of their children--not simply facilitators of influence. Not the only. The primary. The pastor preaches once or twice a week. The teachers teach five days a week at school. Yet, parents are given the primary responsibility to teach and train their children every day of their developing lives.

As these youth ministers poured their hearts out concerning their young students, it became very evident that there was a bit of animosity in their hearts toward some of the parents that leave the spiritual development of their children completely up to them (and hold them accountable for it). This animosity should be repented of. However, I couldn't help but hurt to hear some of the stories of many spiritually orphaned kids that are being left to the world for their training. Left to the school systems. Left to the coaches. Left to the ministers. Left to the televisions. Left to their ipods. Left to the Internet to secretly discover things that ought to be rightfully taught in careful, loving fashion by parents. Right under our steeples. Right under our noses. Right in our "Christian homes."

And as more and more parents (fathers and mothers) are allowing themselves to be bombarded by responsibilities outside of the home, the ministry of the home is becoming more and more of a distant memory. We often work late so that we, as parents, can afford the next five-hundred dollar PlayStation 3. And in truth, it is probably easier to do that. In reality though, our children are screaming silently for our time, attention, and parental guidance.

Wouldn't it be nice to reclaim an active part in the development in our children? Wouldn't it be nice to reclaim the ministry of the home?

Easy as Jumping Off of a Cliff?

2008-12-28T19:13:00.004-06:00

"Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16b)

Have you ever jumped off of something really high in the air? Me, I prefer the safety of my feet on the ground. But for many of my young acquaintances, the thrill of jumping off of "the cliff" was just too much to pass up. Let me explain. This was no ordinary cliff. This was a towering cliff that extended out over the sounds of a flowing river underneath in the heat of a southeast Alabama summer. The only problem was that when you stood on the cliff, you couldn't see the water.

All you could see was the bank of the other side of the river and a treeline. The hardest part about taking the leap, so I have heard, is getting past what you could not see. You had to trust the sound of the flowing water below. You couldn't see it; but, it was there nonetheless. And for the few brave, or reckless, souls that took the plunge, an epic story of endless descent into the river became one of their lifelong "big fish" stories. It meant bragging rights. It meant that you belonged to an elite few knuckleheads that were young enough, brave enough, and dumb enough to take the plunge.

When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, he described salvation in terms that he had never heard before. Salvation wasn't attained by keeping the Law to the letter. Salvation wasn't attained by keeping a check-list of good deeds for the day. Salvation wasn't attained by trusting in the tangible, seen things in life. Rather, Jesus spoke of belief as being the only way to be reconciled to God. Jesus spoke of salvation as believing in what you could not see. In Nicodemus' case, Jesus used the analogy of the wind to describe the regenerative process of the Holy Spirit.

As people around us stand on the cliff of conflict (on the edge of belief), we should be the ones to assure them that there is a fountain of living water ready to catch them. No more trying to be good enough. No more check lists. No more impossible standards to keep. Just believe there is water to catch you. Just believe the Savior is waiting. Just believe. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it?

In reality, though, it is as simple as believing in God's promises. It is as simple as trusting in Jesus for our salvation--making Him the Lord and Savior of our lives. It is, in a very basic way, as easy as jumping off of a cliff.

Denying the Undeniable

2008-12-22T15:10:00.006-06:00

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20)

Those that know me well will tell you that I can be quite particular about certain things. One of them just happens to be personal space. I do not like to be crowded. I do not last long in a room with many people competing back and forth in conversation. I must remove myself from situations like this or I will simply shut down and become a silent "bump-on-a-log." I've tried...Lord knows I have. But, that is just the way I am. Warts and all I guess.

Not long ago, I was a financial advisor being sent off to St. Louis for financial preparation and updated knowledge on the latest financial packages and products. As far as the trip to St. Louis was concerned, I was somewhat excited about it. I had never been to St. Louis, MO before. There was just one small problem; I was forced to room with another advisor that I had never met before. Not only had we not met, we had never talked. We had never heard of one another. And the thought of sharing a hotel room in St. Louis, MO with a complete stranger did not appeal to me at all. In fact, I felt myself already guarding my invisible "me-space" as the plane landed in St. Louis.

Fortunately, the gentleman that I was forced to bunk with turned out to be alright after all. He had a young family to support. He was an intelligent individual that seemed mature and level-headed. Even better, he cared about his personal hygiene. He wasn't a slob. Praise God! And as we began talking, we found that we had a good bit in common. We were near the same age. His youngest child and my daughter were almost the same age. We liked some of the same sports. We liked some of the same teams. The evening passed by with polite conversation and an occasional laugh.

That is when it happened.

Just before bedtime, I liked to read from the Bible. And as I read, I could tell my Bible reading bothered Todd (finally introduced his name) a little. Although I was trying to concentrate on the Scriptures, I could see Todd give a glimpse of interest from time to time. And as he did, I began to wonder what he was thinking. Was he thinking, "Aw, Man! I thought this guy was going to be alright. Now, it turns out he is a 'holy roller!'?" Was he thinking, "I wonder why he is reading the Bible?" Or, was he thinking something like, "Interesting...I wonder what that is all about?" My questions were soon answered. Todd asked the question like he had been repeating it over and over and over in his mind during the last twenty minutes. He said something along the lines of, "Do you believe the Bible?"

Not a bad question to ask I suppose. I responded, "I sure do." And then I asked a question to Todd, "Do you believe the Bible?" I believe that this caught him off guard. He thought about his response for a minute, as if he were collecting the perfect response. Then he said, "I don't believe we can know any absolute truth." According to Todd, coming to grips with a God who revealed himself to mankind in an authoritative, absolute way was a difficult task.

I, in turn, took a few moments to gather my thoughts for a response. Then I responded, "Doesn't the fact that something is 'true' inherently mean that the other options are 'false.' Otherwise, we would truly live in a world of complete relevance and personal opinions, right?" So if something is in fact true, it is necessary that it is absolutely true. Todd asked the next logical question, "How do you know that your belief is right and all the other religions are wrong?" He continued, "Aren't there hints of truth (though not absolute) in them all?" What a great question? If there is a question that encapsulates the confusion of the post-modern thought process any better than this question, I would like to know it. I responded simply, "They cannot all be true...it is an impossibility."

The greatest difference between Christianity and all other world religions is the fact that--in Christianity--God reveals himself, making himself known. Absolute truth is revealed. It is proclaimed. I believe all of Hell, all of the dark demons, and even Satan himself would like nothing more than for the world to be as relevant, as opinionated, and as tolerant as possible--especially toward this subject of truth. If this becomes the case, then the only foundational aspects of one's belief system would simply be their individual opinions and personal worldviews. Why would anyone need absolute truth if everything is truth? Even more, why would anyone need to feel bad for sin? Why would anyone believe that sin is possible? If truth is relevant, it would be ridiculous to punish someone for their own actions based upon their own relevant truth and worldview induced actions. Right? And the slope gets more slippery with each descent. With each thought.

We are all accountable to a holy God because truth is truth. God reveals truth. And because God reveals truth, we have standards to live by. Furthermore, we are accountable for our actions based upon his revealed truth.

I never really felt as if Todd and I settled our differences that night. However, he did respond by saying, "I have never heard it put that way before." And as I turned off the light and tried to go to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. I prayed for him. I prayed for his family. Then I prayed for the millions of people in this country that have been taught relevance. That have been taught that truth is what you decide it to be. That have been taught to suppress the truth. From Oprah chit-chats to University lectures, the thought of tolerance permeates our culture.

God's Word tells us that God has made himself evident to all. He exists. God has made his truth known. His invisible qualities have been clearly seen.

We can suppress truth in order to create some sort of "out" away from absolute truth. Away from moral accountability. Away from the concept of sinfulness. Away from the idea of brokenness. Away from moral responsibility.

But in the end, it is simply another attempt to deny the undeniable. We are all without excuse.

Taking Out the Santa Claus Pacifier

2008-12-14T22:32:00.011-06:00

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14)

Ah...Christmas is just around the corner. Ready or not, here it comes. It doesn't wait for you. You must be prepared for today's Christmas mania (correction...holiday season mania). Once a religious holiday, Christmas has developed into a mad dash for survival. Just one more dollar to squeeze. Just one more gift to wrap. Just one more this. Just one more that. Silent night turns into clanging cash registers and honking horns in the parking lot. Peace on Earth turns into debt recovery plans. Good will to men turns into "hands off that last special edition barbie doll...it is MINE!" The funny thing is that this isn't a semi-humorous attempt at hyperbole on my part. This is what Christmas has become for so many. This is what Christmas has become for so many Christians. Better put, this is all it has become for too many.

No more wide-eyed wonder over the virgin birth. No more exuberant praise for the supernatural workings of a loving, holy God. No more proclamation that "God is with us!" We have been taught to say, "Happy Holidays" so not to offend others. But wait a minute. Isn't the Christmas story hope for ALL of mankind? Isn't the Christmas story God's gift to "whosoever believes?" Yet, we live in a post-Christian country that the ACLU has in a choke-hold--daring the Christian remnants to express their faith during the holidays. Daring us to believe again. Daring us to utter a word.

This struggle has brought me to question several things. One of these questions has brought about more soul searching than I bargained for. The question? Should I really push the Santa Claus story to my children? My daughter, Ellie Kate, will be old enough to understand so much more this year. And even though deep down I want to throw away every Santa Claus hat and every commercial product that has taken the place of the greatest moment in human history (the birth of Jesus Christ), I do not want to rob my children of some of the intricate details of the Christmas festivities--though secular they may be. Maybe you haven't had this struggle. Honestly, I didn't see it coming. Truthfully, it hasn't been an easy issue for me. Amy and I have prayed over this. We have discussed it together. We ran into wall after wall of uncertainty.

But this morning, I read an interesting, helpful quote from C.S. Lewis. I would like to share it with you. Lewis said, "There is a stage in a child's life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Christmas or Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began 'Chocolate eggs and Jesus risen.' This seems to me, for his age, both admirable poetry and admirable piety. But of course the time will soon come when such a child can no longer effortlessly and spontaneously enjoy that unity. He will become able to distinguish the spiritual from the ritual and festal aspect of Easter; chocolate eggs will no longer seem sacramental. And once he has distinguished he must put one or the other first. If he puts the spiritual first he can still taste something of Easter in the chocolate eggs; if he puts the eggs first they will soon be no more than any other sweetmeat. They will have taken on an independent, and therefore a soon withering, life."

If you didn't catch it the first time, please read it again. Santa Claus is not the enemy here. The enemy is the failure to faithfully teach the true meaning of Christmas as our children grow. The real danger is a lack of "gospel" in the Christmas season. The lack of the greatest gift of all--Jesus Christ. The lack of a public witness during the Christmas season. People are comfortable in their Christmas "death-dash." And as our culture continues to drown out the majestic with the material, it is becoming more and more important for Christians to reclaim the Christmas boldness within their hearts, homes, churches, and communities. I don't fear a thieving Santa Claus lurking in the shadows to hinder my children's belief. What does concern me, however, is the lack of proclamation during the Christmas season. The lack of worship. The lack of reverence. The lack of hope.

Our nation needs to remove the "Santa Claus pacifier." We must be able to distinguish between the spiritual and the festive. The material and the majestic. Unless we do, we too will ultimately settle for an independent, and therefore a soon withering, holiday season. The material must not remain more important than the majestic. We must re-discover the foundational.

Merry Christmas everyone! Glory to God in the highest!

Too Short to be Passive

2008-12-01T20:31:00.018-06:00

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52)

As a parent, I've often wondered what it must have been like for Joseph and Mary to experience the same joys of parenting that I do with my children. There he was, the Savior of the world. Yet, he learned to walk, talk, and speak just like my children. He grew. He developed. He matured--just like my children.

Before the movie "The Passion of the Christ" came out, I was indecisive on whether or not I wanted to watch it. After prayerful consideration, I decided that I would go see it. One of the most powerful scenes in the movie took place during Jesus' walk to Golgotha. He had been beaten almost beyond recognition; and now, he was carrying the cross. During this dreadful walk, Jesus falls several times. During one of Jesus' falling scenes, his mother, Mary, witnessed his descent from the side of the street. As he fell, Mary had a flashback to when Jesus was a small boy. He had fallen and skinned his knee up. The scene is one of parental love as Mary picks up Jesus and comforts him in his distress.

Even though we know that the grave could not hold Mary's son, it amazes me that Mary had the same worries that every parent has. She couldn't bear the thought of her child hurting. And as I watched the scene play out, I couldn't help but wonder if Mary thought that the time had passed too quickly. Just the other day, they were looking for Jesus as a child. They found him in the temple. Just the other day, the Magi had brought their gifts to her young son. And now it was all flashing before her eyes.

Why do I write this today? I guess I am in somewhat of a sentimental mood. Just minutes ago, I watched my son, Emmett, splash around in his infant tub. He was kicking, splashing, and smiling. In the short time I have spent as his father, I have watched him grow in so many amazing ways. Similarly, I have watched my daughter, Ellie Kate, grow into a young girl with so much wide-eyed wonder. Just hours ago, I was watching her play dress up and walk around in shoes twice the size of her feet. It was beautiful.

As a parent, I wish to squeeze as much enjoyment out of what little time I have to spend with my children in this lifetime. If the standard passing of time so far holds true, Ellie Kate and Emmett will be graduating from school and I'll be shooting these arrows out of my parental quiver in no time whatsoever. I am angered when I see how often parents of children forsake their God-given responsibilities to spend time with and mold their children. I am angered when I see how often society makes children seem more like a burden, rather than the blessing that they are.

Life is simply too short to be a passive parent.

Does God Really Care About Football?

2008-11-24T20:49:00.010-06:00

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:25)

Love it or hate it, football is a great American sport. Perhaps there is no other game that brings about more passion from the fan than football. If you are from my neck of the woods, this week is especially important. It is Iron Bowl week. Auburn vs. Alabama. Two in-state rivals lace up for another battle for bragging rights. Husbands cheer against wives. Wives cheer against sons and daughters. And yes, preachers cheer against the rival congregation members--imagine that! All in the name of the "orange and blue" and the "crimson and white." This brings up a very important question. Does God really care about football? Surely this is a great theological question!

The truth is, I actually believe that God does care about football. In fact, I am quite sure he does. However, it might not be like we would imagine. I'm not sure that God pulls for His favorite team. I don't believe he will have his favorite collegiate shirt and hat on come game day. But, it is unmistakable that God has moved through the avenues of sports like football to bring lost people to faith in Jesus Christ. Programs like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Fellowship of Christian Students provide great evangelistic, discipleship opportunities through high schools and colleges throughout America. In addition, many teams have their own chaplains who pray with and counsel the players on a daily basis.

In sports today, there is most definitely a spiritual war brewing. There are many evils associated with sports. For example, steroids, HGH, and other dangerous, illegal performance enhancing drugs are being passed around like candy in order to gain the "competitive advantage." There are many evil associations with football. We have scantily clad women dancing around on the sideline (although not all cheerleaders lack modesty), the amount of alcohol consumption and drunkenness at games is simply ungodly, and there is also an abundance of power struggle, pride, and greed present in sports today. But, for all of the evils that can be associated with football, there are many instances where it is undeniable that God's blessings can be found. Young men like Tim Tebow use their abilities and talents on the football field as a platform to share their faith in Jesus Christ. And behind the scenes, many student-athletes are placed in environments in which they will have multiple opportunities to hear the gospel message shared.

Will God loose sleep if my team doesn't win the Iron Bowl? Not hardly. But, then again, he might just use the game, win or lose, to bring some wondering soul into a right relationship with Himself. So as you cheer for your team this weekend, remember that God is able to use this "game of inches" for His eternal, immeasurable purposes. Then, spend a little time in prayer for the local athletes in your home town. Pray that God will use this sport of football to make a difference in the lives of those that play the game that we love so much.

When God Calls You Out

2008-11-17T16:34:00.008-06:00

But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9)

Eve was so convincing. The fruit of the tree looked so delicious. His mouth was watering. Maybe the serpent was right. Maybe he wouldn't die after all--as God had warned. Just one bite. Just this once. He took the fruit from Eve and took the dive. His taste buds experienced the sweet taste of the fruit from the one tree in the garden from which he was commanded not to eat. The sweet experience became bitter quickly. The consequences didn't take long to take hold. He looked at Eve and noticed that something was extremely different. He looked at himself and noticed it too. They were naked. For the first time, they experienced shame. Adam had introduced God's good creation to sin. He had welcomed death to a world created for abundant life. He had welcomed destruction to a world God had created for His glory. The result? Well, you know what he did--he hid. Ashamed. Guilty. Separated. Lonely. For the first time, he was afraid of his maker. For the first time, God's holiness meant punishment for the lawbreaker. Behind the bushes, he heard God in the garden. He felt his presence. He closed his eyes, held his breath, and hoped that God would not find him.

Then God said the one thing that Adam so desperately wanted to avoid. He asked the one question that sent chills up Adam's spine. He asked, "Where are you?" Three words. One question. The conclusion in Adam's heart--busted! Adam knew that God knew where he was. This was no secret. God wasn't playing hide-and-seek with Adam. He was calling him out. He was calling him out for his disobedience. A verdict had been reached. The sentence was about to be given. Adam now realized that his nakedness reached far beyond his outward anatomy--it reached deep down into his soul. God could see his sin. God could see the mess he had made. The punishment wasn't easy. Yet, the first thing that God did was provide clothing for Adam. He sewed it together Himself. He clothed Adam to preserve his dignity. Although he had ripped God's good creation to shreds along with Eve, God still provided for the ones he loved more than anything. God is just. The sin had to be punished. But, God is also merciful. He clothed them.

When we sin, we are also exposed. The Bible teaches that we are all sinners through Adam (Romans 5:12). We sin because we are sinners. We sin because we, like Adam, just can't resist the subtle temptations in life that have such devastating results. The amazing thing is that God still seeks us out. He doesn't leave us hiding naked in the bushes. He loves us far too much to leave us broken, separated, alone, and naked. The gospel message saturates this garden tragedy. We can be restored. We can be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Through placing our faith in Jesus Christ, we can not only be clothed, we can have right standing with God--as though we didn't sin. No more hiding. No more guilt. We can experience what it is like to start with a clean slate. A new birth. A re-birth. Washed as white as snow. The question, then, is, "What will we do when God calls us out?" Adam couldn't hide. Neither can we. But all too often, we try to act like we have it all under control. All too often, we feel like we can do enough good works to fix the problem of our sinfulness. All too often, we try to act like we aren't as broken as we really are. The problem with this thinking is that we can't fix the problem. We can't change the fact that we are sinners. But, we can seek God's forgiveness. We can seek to be restored.

Are you still hiding in the bushes? Are you still clinging to the futile possibility that somehow, by your own goodness, you will be able to escape God's gaze. Are we still trying to hide the mess that we have made of our lives from God? If so, maybe we need to be a little more honest with ourselves. Maybe it is time to finally "fess up" with God. Maybe it is time to let the father clean us up and clothe us.

When God calls you out, he is calling because he cares.

Who is Jesus Christ?

2008-11-09T23:35:00.005-06:00

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:15, 16)

Peter stood before the Sanhedrin--the Jews' national ruling body and supreme court. There were 71 members of opposition breathing down his neck. Peter remembered. He could hear Jesus' question like it was yesterday, "But what about you...who do you say I am?" In his heart he knew. Peter had witnessed the miracles. He had heard the teachings. He had seen the violent storm reduced to still waters. He managed to tremble out the words, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." His heart knew deep down. Yet, Peter would still struggle to live up to his billing. He would deny Jesus three times. He would follow from a distance. He would shrink back in shame after the rooster confirmed what his heart still lacked--conviction. He had been a coward. And although he had been restored over a meal at the Sea of Tiberias, he could still see the look in Jesus' eyes at his third denial. He could still feel the burning in the bottom of his stomach. He couldn't forget the shame.

Peter clears his throat. He had watched these same Jewish leaders hand over Jesus to be crucified. He knew their intentions. Yet this time, it was different. This time he was no coward. This time he would speak boldly. He looked toward the crowd of rulers with courage and exclaimed, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Not good doing. Not by keeping the law. Not by keeping a set of rules and regulations. Salvation came from no other name. Where he had once withered in shame, Peter now stood boldly. The difference? The difference was Jesus. He had observed his life. His ministry. His death. His resurrection. His ascension. He knew who Jesus was. He was the Son of the living God.

Not just a man. Not just a carpenter.

Who is Jesus? Who do you say that he is? How we answer this question impacts our eternity. This is more than a simple question. This is the question of all questions. It is the question.

Peter's proclamation to the Sanhedrin is the door that slams shut in the path of universalists. God had given us a way of reconciliation. He hadn't given us several ways. He had given us a way. And, Peter was making that point very clear to his astonished audience. No other name. No other Savior. No other god. No other hope for humanity.

It wasn't a message of condemnation. Jesus once spoke with a member of the same Jewish council, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17) It was a message of hope for all of us. God has given us a way. In Jesus, we can have the forgiveness of sins. John 3:16 resounds in each of Peter's words. God loved the world. He gave his son. Whoever believes will not perish. Whoever believes will have everlasting life.

Next time you feel pressed to follow Jesus from a distance. Next time you are tempted to deny the Savior. Next time you choose to believe in silence. Next time you can almost hear the crows of the rooster. Remember Peter. Remember the message of hope. Remember that God loves people. Remember that Jesus is the only way to salvation.

Who do you say that he is?

When Mercy Saves the Day

2008-11-02T21:23:00.007-06:00

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:11b)

I wonder what she was thinking. She had been caught in the act. Dignity and self-respect were lost somewhere in her cloudy past. Maybe she had been divorced by her previous husband(s). Women in her time could be divorced if their husband simply found some "unlovely" trait in his wife. Women in this day and time were at the bottom looking up if they had been given a certificate of divorce. No socio-economic status. No security. No hope. Not as many takers the next time around. She had been cast aside as impure. Maybe she was just so lonely that she jumped at the first glimmer of affection. The first glimmer of adoration. The streets had become her home. She lived in the dark places. She lived in despair. And now she had been caught in a horrible, sinful act by men with stoning on their minds.

This time they were going to expose this small town, teacher for what he was. They had set the stage. They had the bait in the trap. Surely he would put his foot in his mouth this time. She offered no excuses as she stood there--probably half-dressed and beaten. Humiliated. But, she stood there looking at the crowd surrounding her. She looked everyone in the eyes. Then she looked down at the ground. The Pharisees had no compassion in their eyes--only self-righteous hatred. She feared the worst. She knew the penalty. She knew the price for her sin--death by stoning.

The Pharisees confronted Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" The haughty Pharisees smiled. They had Jesus right where they wanted him. Finally, this so-called Messiah would be exposed as a fraud. Finally, there would be no more crowds following this articulate teacher. Jesus surprises them. He doesn't give an immediate response. Rather, he kneels down and begins to write on the ground with his finger. Maybe he wrote the word "mercy." Maybe he wrote the word "forgiveness." I like to think that he wrote a message. A message that signaled his knowledge of the sins of the judgmental Pharisees in the crowd. Maybe he knew their dark secrets. Maybe he could expose them. Just maybe. They caught the woman in her sin. Maybe Jesus had caught them in theirs.

Jesus stands up and looks at the silenced mob of Pharisees and says, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Then he returns to the ground to write in the sand. What he wrote isn't recorded. Nevertheless, it must have been powerful. From oldest to youngest, the Pharisees began dropping their stones one-by-one until only Jesus and the scantily clad woman remained. Instead of hearing the whistling sounds of the stones flying through the air, she heard the stones flop to the ground. There would be no stoning today.

She looks at Jesus. She looks into his eyes. She didn't expect to see what she saw. For the first time in years, she saw compassion. For the first time in years, she didn't feel like the trash of the city. She straightens up and wipes the tears off of her cheeks. Jesus speaks, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She didn't know where they had gone. All she knew is that they were no longer there. She had not been condemned. She answers the second question, "No one, sir." She trembles. The trembling isn't due to fear. She trembles because she no longer fears for her life. The adrenaline is wearing off. She is no longer afraid.

Jesus was the only man in the crowd that could have thrown a stone. He was without sin. If anyone had reason to take out a little frustration on this sinful woman, it would of been him. He would have been just in doing so. But, Jesus wasn't in the stone-throwing business. Jesus was in the business of forgiving sinners. Jesus was in the business of healing the sick. Jesus was in the business of bringing new life. He was in the business of mending broken hearts; and, he had one more heart to mend today. He turns again to the woman and says, "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and sin no more."

A second chance. Mercy had been shown today. Mercy had saved the day.

That is the last we hear of this woman. We don't know the "rest of the story"--as Paul Harvey would say. But we do know one thing. We know that Jesus was true to his words to Nicodemus. He had said, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17)

Have you ever felt the threat of stones clinched tight in judgmental hands? Have you ever been so disappointed in yourself that you, too, felt like you were holding one back, ready to take a shot at yourself?

Maybe we all need to remember the mercy of our Savior.

If we are in need of a little compassion. If we are in need of a little mending.

We can revisit the scene that we are familiar with.

Instead of throwing stones, he shows compassion. Instead of shouting accusations, he whispers forgiveness.

His mercy will save the day.

Finishing Strong

2008-10-27T11:16:00.012-05:00

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

There I was. Twenty-two years old. At a turning point. I was about to graduate in Finance/Business Administration and was looking a career choice right square in the eyes. I have to admit, I was scared to death. It isn't easy trying to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life, is it? No matter where we are. No matter how old we are. It isn't an easy decision. It wasn't for me. At this point in my life, I was not exactly living the way I knew I should. Constant conviction was my steadfast spiritual condition. The last four years of my life had been a constant struggle between seeking out the life that I desired for myself and struggling to surrender my future to the Lord. Here is the pressure point--the two just don't mix. One has to give. Every time. We either reach the point of submission in which we echo Jesus' words, "Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:42b) or we continue to rely on our own abilities and strength and mosey through life the best way we know how.

It had always been easy to reflect back to see the things that God had done in my life--especially as a young teenager. It seemed so much easier to trust the Lord then. Accountability was present. Spiritual growth was encouraged. Godly examples were given and sought after. God was moving. But eight years and a couple of bad decisions later, I was struggling to surrender. My future was clinched tight in my hands and I was struggling to open my fingers and let go. I had allowed the things of this world to take my eyes off of that for which God had called me heavenward in Jesus Christ. For a period of time, what the world had to offer looked pretty good. But, the world can never keep its promises. Never. It can never truly satisfy. There is always the illusion of "more" and "better." There is always an emptiness to its promises.

So, once again, there I was. Lying on the bed having a "staring at the ceiling fan" experience. I couldn't sleep. In fact, I really wasn't having much success eating either. I knew this feeling. I knew this conviction. I had heard this voice before. God was calling. The Spirit was convicting. I had to decide. Even for a church-raised, bible-belt youngster, this decision wasn't easy. I could finish my life selfishly. Or, I could finish life strong. Finish serving instead of constantly being wrapped up in the desire to be served. Finish for eternity instead of finishing for the temporary. Finish for God's glory or finish for my own. Finish weak or finish strong. I thank God that He gave me the strength to finish the rest of my life for Him. I cannot take the credit for the decision. I never could have made the decision by my own strength. Control is such a funny illusion. It isn't easy to call its bluff. I did, though. I gave the control of my future to the Lord. I trusted Him and let go. It was liberating. The struggle was over.

In a way, we decide to do this each day. In a way, it isn't just a single, turning-point decision--it is a daily decision we all must make. Where are you today? Have you had a "ceiling fan" experience lately? If so, choose to trust in the Lord with all of your heart. If so, choose the promises of God rather than the promises of the world. John warns, "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:17)

Continue to seek the will of God for your life. It isn't too late. You haven't gone too far already. Don't believe that lie.

We all can finish strong.

Ever Felt Like a Crash-Test Dummy?

2008-10-20T12:39:00.006-05:00

"Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." (Exodus 13:22)

Have you ever needed protection? Have you ever felt like a crash-test dummy--just waiting for the next crash experiment? These type of feelings might lead us to ask the question, "Does God really provide protection for us today as he did for the Israelites in the desert?" What about my "cloud by day" and "fire by night?" The truth is that we all need providential protection. We all need that "cloud by day" and "fire by night." Without it, we will end up feeling like we are wondering aimlessly through our lives. Right? God's protection and provision for the Israelites in the desert was not this on-again/off-again type of scenario. It never left its place. The fire was constant at night. The cloud was constant during the day. So is the Lord's presence with us.

In Matthew 28:20b, Jesus leaves a comforting departing word for His followers, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." How about that? Nothing that the disciples would do from that point on would have to be done alone. Nothing that they would do would be accomplished by their strength alone. Nothing that they would do would be without that providential protection from the Lord. Jesus promised that His Spirit would never leave them...never. God will always protect His purposes for us.

What about you today? Are you in need of a little shade? Do you need a little warmth and guidance during your night? Jesus promises that He will never leave you. You are never abandoned in your time of need. You are never alone.

We should never live carelessly--as if we were this untouchable, unstoppable experiment. Yet, we should find comfort in knowing that the Lord is with us always. Every breath we take. Every step we take (starting to sound a little like the Police--it is unintentional). We have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. We have a Savior to cast our burdens upon. We have a Father who will never leave us or forsake us.

So next time you feel like an open target, next time you feel as though you have lost all control and expect another crash-test procedure--take comfort. The Lord is near. Always. Until the end of the age.

We'll just leave the crashing up to the dummies.

A Hungry Little Chap and an Acorn

2008-10-13T20:17:00.004-05:00

"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:17)

Early memories are priceless. But, not this one. I was no older than 5 or 6 years old when it took place. I was hungry, very hungry. I was standing underneath a tree that had produced tons of acorns. In fact, I had spent the last several hours in an all out "acorn war" with several other kids that afternoon. Then it happened. I stepped on an acorn, heard the crunch, and looked down with interest at the orange, crusty center. Was this cheese? My young, naive eyes said yes. So did my hungry stomach.

You could probably guess what happened next. Yep, you guessed right. I ate it. It looked just like the cheese that I loved to eat so often. I loved cheese so much that I can remember sneaking to the refrigerator to secretly sneak a slice every once and a while. It was my favorite food. I mean to say that I absolutely loved cheese! I loved the taste. This hidden, miniature cheeseball that I had discovered within the acorn promised to be a good tasting snack. So, I popped it into my mouth and began to chew.

Unlike the cheese that I loved, this was not as good as it visually promised. In fact, it was terrible. It was bitter. It was nasty. What had started with strong promise ended with bitter distaste. What had started as a pleasant discovery ended in a bad experience. Lesson learned. DO NOT EAT THE CHEESE LOOKING SUBSTANCE INSIDE OF THE ACORN. Noted.

Have you ever been promised the world only to end up lacking? Relationships? Material purchases? Advertisements? Advancement? The world works this way. It promises what it cannot fulfill. Why are there so many Christians who fail to experience God's best in their lives? Why is this? What goes wrong? Answer. They ate the imitation acorn-cheese. They took the bait. What promised to be a pleasant experience ended up being downright nasty. Bitter. Disgusting. And sometimes, the guilt is overwhelming. Sometimes, it is just easier to lay out of church the next Sunday. Sometimes, it feels easier to lick our wounds on our own. Enticed. Deceived. Wounded. And ultimately, separated. Sound familiar? I've been there before.

The apostle John says something amazing here. He says, "the world and its desires pass away." The empty promises really are empty. No substance. Futile. It can look real, smell real, feel real, and sound real. But, it is not. Tempting--yes. Promising--yes. Satisfying--no. Trustworthy--no. The Christian must be alert to these deceptions. Nothing that this world promises will endure. It will all "pass away." Then the apostle John says something else amazing. He says, "the man who does the will of God lives forever." Promises and delivers. Imagine that.

Have you fallen for the old acorn trick lately? Has the world served you a bitter experience on a silver platter? Is the guilt setting in? Feeling a little separated? The apostle John has some good news for you. In the same book (1 John) he writes, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Another one of my favorite verses. Life is full of that stinking, imitation cheese. In one way or another, we've all fallen for it. The good news is that no matter how many times we take the bait, we have a loving Father that has a good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives (Romans 12). If you've fallen lately, don't savor the aftertaste of bitterness. Don't allow yourself to be isolated. Rather, confess the incident to God, let Him clean you up, and seek His will for your life. It (God's will) will endure forever.

Satisfaction guaranteed.

Marriage is a Good Thing!

2008-10-06T12:00:00.010-05:00

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22)

I have to admit. I am a blessed man. I married way above my head and the only explanation that I have for it is that God has most definitely been good to me. Last week, Amy and I celebrated 5 years of marriage. It has been the most wonderful period of my entire life. Amy has given me 2 wonderful children and is an incredible mother. She is also a great friend.

We live in a culture that discourages marriage. Even more, our culture downright belittles marriage. Watched an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" lately? Watched an episode of "Desperate Housewives" lately? I think we get the point. Downgrading the role of husband/father to a whining, lazy joke for target practice from the other members of the family. Downgrading the union of marriage to an on again/off again, deceptive relationship of lust and selfishness. Do we really believe all this? Really? Statistics say we do. No reference is needed here.

God ordained marriage. Marriage is a good thing. Scripture doesn't teach us to avoid marriage at all costs. Rather, it encourages us to seek a spouse. It teaches of marriage as "favor from the Lord." The 21st Century single Christian has great challenges ahead of him/her, especially in light of cultural persuasion. Most young men/women delay marriage and make 100 million different mistakes before they find out that the "cultural" way of doing things just leads them to feel unfulfilled and empty. Often times this period of self-realization is severely detrimental to these wide-eyed youngsters. I know, I was one of them.

But marriage shouldn't be discouraged. Rather, it should be embraced and sought after. God intended it to be this way--unless, of course, you are given the gift of singleness (if so, singleness is a gift that is only meant to be embraced in complete service to the Lord). Singleness is the exception, not the rule. God intended for a man and a woman to be united into a one-flesh relationship. Outside of this, our culture formatting relationships can only be justified by relativism and self-controlled autonomy--a justifier often only as stable as an individuals emotional outlook. I prefer to have God's blessing. I prefer to find God's favor.

I am glad that I found Amy. I am glad that the Lord has shown His favor. I am glad that I have found such a wonderful, GOOD thing!

He who FINDS a wife finds a good thing.

God Bless.

Plenty to Go Around

2008-09-29T11:33:00.005-05:00

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3,4)

One of the greatest temptations we face when confronted with troubles is the tendency to become self-centered trouble-bodies. "Poor me," we often say in our distress. "Why me, God?" Right? The problem with this kind of thinking is found at the time in which we are comforted in our troubles. When God answers our prayer for comfort. When God gives us peace amid the storm.

Often times, we receive our compassion from God and allow ourselves to sink in the comfort. We don't want to leave. We bask in it. We relish it. We hide it under our pillows. But, that is not the reason that God gives us comfort in our troubles. God doesn't comfort us so that we will simply find a remedy from distress. Instead, God has a purpose beyond our comfort when He sends it to us. He sees others who are hurting, too. When we are still straining the last drop of comfort from our situation, God sees other needs. God sees other hurts. God sees opportunities for us to minister to others.

When we pray for comfort, what is our intention? Is it simply to feel relief from the burns of our troubles? Or, is it because we want comfort from our troubles and desire to minister to others who are facing similar troubles? It is important to see that God is the, "God of all comfort." All comfort comes from His hand. We should be willing to share our comfort with others out of thankfulness to God. We should not selfishly keep it to ourselves.

One of the earliest memories that I have of attending church was when I was in the nursery at FBC in Samson, AL. There was the electronic teddy bear named Teddy Rockspin in that nursery. I thought he was the most amazing toy that I had ever seen! He could actually talk to you! Wonderful! Absolutely magnificent! There was a problem though. This one other kid was hogging Teddy. I remember doing everything I could to try to get a few minutes with Teddy. It didn't work. Apparently, the other kid believed that the electronic bear was his personal gift from the nursery. Apparently, it had a sticker with his name on it. Apparently, it was his world and I was just living in it.

In a similar way, although with much higher implications than a small, electronic teddy bear, we can either choose to be like the little kid in the nursery or we can choose to share our comforts. Our troubles are never just about us. Never. Neither is God's comfort. It doesn't have a sticker with our name on it. Rather, there is more fulfillment to receive. What an awesome thing it is to actually be able to comfort others with the same comfort that God has shown us!

Have you recently received any comfort from God? If so, be mindful that there is plenty to go around.

Every Parent a Teacher

2008-09-22T13:20:00.007-05:00

"Because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:14b,15)

Nothing brings me more joy as a parent than spending time teaching the Word of God to my daughter. Every night, my wife (Amy) and I review a couple of bible stories, sing some verses that are put to song, take prayer requests, pray, and close by reciting Psalm 4:8 with our daughter (Ellie Kate). We've been following this format for the past year or so. Along the way, we have become much more efficient. When this process began, it took nearly 30 minutes or so to complete all of these events. Now it only takes 15 minutes or so. A few months ago, after we had finished reciting Psalm 4:8, Ellie Kate called Amy back into the room just to tell her, "Mama, Jesus love me!" The flood gates opened up. Amy came into the living room and told me what she had said. I couldn't have been more touched! I couldn't have been prouder!

The one thing about being a daddy that continues to grip my soul is the burden I have in my heart to see my children come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That my children will follow Him. That my children will have abundant life in both the here and the hereafter. And although I know that I cannot make that personal decision for them, I can prepare them. I can teach them the Word of God. I can, as the Scripture teaches, make them "wise for salvation." I cannot save them; I CAN prepare them! What an awesome privilege! What an awesome responsibility!

Encouragingly, one of Barna's recent polls discovers that, "Nine out of ten parents of children under age 13 (85%) believe they have the primary responsibility for teaching their children about religious beliefs and spiritual matters, while 11% said their church is primarily responsible. (2003) " (link: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=44 ) It is a delight to know that parents understand that the primary teaching role does not belong to the church. Rather, they understand that they have the awesome responsibility to prepare their children spiritually.

Timothy was a disciple of the apostle Paul. Since Paul's early days in Lystra (Acts 14:6-23), Timothy had been a faithful pupil, friend, and co-laborer in the work of the Gospel. In addition, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy. In his greeting to Timothy in 1 Timothy, Paul writes, "To Timothy my true son in the faith." Timothy had been discipled by not just an apostle; he had been discipled by a father figure. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul writes to Timothy, "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life...continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it."

One of the most important ways that parents teach their children is by their example. Our way of life. Our faith. Our perseverance. Our struggles. Our dependency upon God. This is Faith in Practice 101. If we fail in this regard, we do a tremendous disservice to our children. Then Paul turns to lesson number two, "and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures." Evidently, Timothy had received a godly upbringing from his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. Paul had reminded him of the fact that he had known the Scriptures since infancy. He had been "made wise for salvation" by his family. He was taught the Scriptures. Saturated. Trained. Reminded. Corrected. Rebuked. Encouraged. Taught.

As we continue to raise our children in hopes that they will come to that saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, let us not be passive, spiritual babysitters. Rather, let us take the opportunities to set the example of "faith in practice" and to make our children "wise for salvation" through the intentional teaching of the Word of God. May we start this with urgency and courage when our children are but infants. May we continue teaching as they grow.

May God find us faithful in realizing that every parent is a teacher.

God bless.

When the World Caves In

2008-09-15T13:26:00.007-05:00

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." (Psalm 46:1,2)

Looking out from the coffee shop window (where I am currently sipping on a nice cup of coffee), all I see are storm clouds. Overcast. Dark. Gloomy. Threats of storm clouds begin the new week. In fact, I cannot see a single ray of sunshine this early, Monday afternoon. The coffee makes today much better. I used to not like coffee at all. Bitter. Hot. Dark. Not your typical feel good drink is it? Yet, today (as it has many times before) it seems to fit in just right. This good cup of coffee reminds me of how we often find a source of comfort during the ho-hum days. We often turn to things that we can "bank on" when things aren't quite going well. You know--when there is not a single ray of sunshine piercing through. When all you see are the threats of the storm clouds. That is when you turn to something/someone you can "bank on." A friend. A family member. A spouse. A minister. A warm cup of coffee (had to throw that in again).

Psalm 46 contains another amazing truth about God. Are you ready? Okay, here it comes--God is present and ready to be our safe haven in the storms of life. What about those days where there is much more going on than the threat of rain? What about those days where not only does the light not pierce through the clouds, but it is so dark that you cannot see your own hand in front of your face? A torrential downpour. Nowhere to turn. Scared to turn to anyone even if you could. Life gets this way at times, like it or not.

Have you been in any storms lately? How about today? How about now? Is the coffee just not cutting it today? Then look up. Then trust in God. Then pour your heart out to Him. God is your refuge. God is your strength. God is ever-present. You're not alone. He'll give you the strength you need for today. And though the coffee spills. And though the friends, family, and trusted ones give way. He is there. Ever-present. Ever-loving. Ever-protecting. Tried. True.

When the world caves in, He does not.

The Point of Straining Ahead

2008-09-07T19:57:00.004-05:00

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal ." (Philippians 3:13b-14a)

Surely we should all be "super-Christians" by now. Right? Attend church faithfully? Check. Pray regularly and fervently? Check. Tithing/Giving with a glad heart? Check. Bible reading? Check. Surely we can check "Yes" all the way down the "super-Christian" to-do list by now. Right?

Let us be realistic for a minute, shall we?

Chances are most of us feel as though we have hit some kind of invisible, spiritual ceiling in our Christian walk from time to time. If we are honest, I don't think we would have any problems admitting that we are not perfect Christians. Yet, there is often strife involved in this issue. The good news is that most of us desire to live faithful Christian lives, don't we? The problem is that, despite our best efforts, we grow weary because we so often realize our shortcomings somewhere along the way. Somewhere, we miss a check on our to-do list. Then, it happens. The thought hits us, "Surely we should be further down the Christian maturity road by now?"

Don't get me wrong, I am all about the spiritual disciplines. I believe that we should continually strive to exhibit discipline and self-control in our every day lives. This brings glory to God and better prepares us to lead godly lives before those around us. The righteous man in Psalm 1 was blessed in everything because "his delight is in the Law of the Lord" and "on it he meditates day and night." He exhibited discipline.

I've mentioned both scenarios. I've mentioned that we all want to better exhibit continual Christian growth. But, I've also mentioned that somewhere along the way we fall short of the to-do list expectations. This leads us to the place that I often find myself--stuck somewhere between the to-do list failures and a disciplined, surging Christian walk. I like to call this "the point of straining ahead." This is a point of absolute self-abandonment and submersion in God's grace. It is the point where I find that I cannot and will never be sufficient enough to "grow myself" into Christian maturity by keeping some to-do list. It is complete reliance on the sufficiency of Christ and the determination to continue, by the power of God, seeking to be faithful in those disciplines which prepare me for "that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:12b)

Has your to-do list looked awfully shabby lately? Is the frustration setting in? Good. Now you can take a little dive into "the point of straining ahead." Where we realize that God is the only sufficiency for Christian growth. Where we are enabled, by the Spirit of God, to do "immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3:20)

With the sufficiency of Christ and the determination to strain ahead, we are able to "live up to what we have already attained" (Philippians 3:16) and continue forward in Christian growth.

So go ahead. Take a little dive.

In Need of Fine-tuning?

2008-09-01T09:03:00.005-05:00

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul." Psalm 19:7a

Have you ever felt out of tune? Out of touch. Stressed out. Sleepless. Overwhelmed. Maybe a compilation of strains and pains? According to the Better Sleep Council, 65% of Americans are being deprived of sleep due to unhealthy stress levels.http://www.bettersleep.org/OnBetterSleep/stress_sleep.asp

But, that is life. Isn't it? All work and no rest has led to a culture of increasingly "stressed out" individuals who simply feel "out of tune." Out of shape. Out of touch. And, unfortunately, out of hope for a remedy.

In the Psalter, David takes the time to acknowledge an amazing aspect of God's law. He addresses the fact that the law of the Lord is perfect. Then he says something of great significance. He says something of supernatural meaning. He says "the law of the Lord...revives the soul." The word he uses for soul here simply alludes to one's mind or body.

If you've been experiencing the burn of the midnight oil. If you've been sleepless and stressed out. If you've been playing notes that have been out of tune for sometime, you can take heart in David's psalm to the Lord. For you see, David knew a great deal about sleepless nights. David knew a great deal about stress and anxiety. Yet, instead of continuing to toss and turn night after night, He turned to the Word of God for satisfaction and restoration. He turned to God's Word for a fine-tuning that only the Lord could give.

The law of the Lord does indeed revive the soul. It can restore our vitality for our bodies and our minds. Pretty amazing thought, isn't it? But, that is the meaning here. In our turmoil and distress, we can have peace. We can turn to the Word for our restoration. Hudson Taylor rightly encourages, "Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him."

Are you tired? Stressed. Sleepless. Exhausted. Are you in need of fine-tuning?

If so, then turn to the law of the Lord. It, as David puts it, revives the soul.

Being Still Before God

2008-08-25T11:09:00.005-05:00

Personal computers, television, computerized games, text messaging, on-demand tv, and tivo are evidences of just how fast and furious our culture has become. When we are not working, we are most likely consumed with the idea of our next technological adventure. From MySpace to Facebook, we have so much to consume our "off-time" with that we often forget what it is like to enjoy some old fashioned, reflective "quiet time." The thought of being still is almost a painful thought for many of us. Often, the only time we really take to be quiet and reflect is when we are going through some sort of trial in which we feel like God is our only way out. So, we take a moment to still our minds and our computers in order to acknowledge that God might actually be watching. He might actually be listening. Even more, He might actually care about our lives after all.

Returning to the place in which we actually look forward to having a time of stillness, reflection might just be what the doctor ordered. Better yet, discovering that there is a God who desires for us to speak with Him and to know Him would change our lives forever. God does indeed desire to be known by us. The question is--do we desire to know him at all? Andrew Murray once said, "Each time, before you intercede be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and priviledge in Christ, and expect great things!" Similarly, the Psalmist writes, "Be still and know that I am God."

Have you reached the point of technological addiction? You know, the point that you find yourself surfing on the internet for endless hours not really knowing what you are looking for. The point in which you are re-looking at former posts, pictures, and/or blogs just to pass the time. If so, you're in good company. There are about 100 million of us in the United States alone that are desperate for our next "technological hit."

Wouldn't it be nice to rediscover a quiet time? Wouldn't it be nice to be still? Better yet, wouldn't it be great to discover that there is a loving God that desires to know us--and to be known by us?

A nice change of pace for an on-demand society.