Christmas is tiring...

There is so much to do all the time. It’s all fun but just a lot. Maybe that is a sign of age on my part.

Now comes the bad part of taking down all those decorations that took so much time and energy to put up. The good thing is they come down much faster than they went up. It is still a chore though.

Why is that? The most enjoyable times of our lives involve so much time, energy and sweat. It was said by a coworker at a funeral that his friend believed work could and should be fun (not a quote). If that is true and I think it is, then the inverse is true fun can be work. Why is it that fun is not fun but only work sometimes?

The answer is our missing the point. We see this at Christmas when we concern ourselves with decorations, cookies and party themes to the point that we miss the people. After all Christmas is a story of God loving people so much he gave his only Son. It is easy to miss the point in all of the hoop la and “good times” leaving us feeling tired, discouraged and well tired (yes I said it again). Family and friends are the point. They are the ones who make us wonderful. “No man is a failure who has friends,” Clarence tells George in the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life.  There George missed the point of life and living and Christmas. He was tired and discouraged when the worst happens and all seems lost. In the movie it takes Clarence and the experience of life without his influence to bring him back to God, remember the prayer? On a side note it is Mary his wife who spreads the word of the problem and the people respond. George missed the point.

Christmas is tiring because …well...it is however it is not pointless or without fun. It is the people who make the difference. It is the person Jesus who changed everything. People make the difference. Maybe the answer is to not concern myself with the details and just let the fun be fun with the people.

People make the memories as we spend time together at the holidays and any day. That is the point. Love God and Love people, simple really. It’s all the other stuff that makes us so tired. I need a nap. Maybe I will find some of my family and together we will take a nap.

Happy New Year to you and yours. We will meet again next year!                  

The Rev

A Baby chnages everything...

...The title of a Faith Hill song. Being a song title does not make it true but any parent knows a baby changes everything. Recently a family in our congregation added a third child a little girl born on the 5^th of December. She is a precious addition to their family of 4. But her little-bitty-self will change everything that family does forever. Her older siblings are in middle school and elementary school now there are diapers and feedings, small toys that get under the bridge of your foot before you step on them (did I mention with sharp edges). Yep that baby will change everything. Christmas does that too, it changes everything all because of a baby. Life changes dramatically in most homes at Christmas time.

My own for example gets cleaned from head to toe and then comes the decorations. If it sits it’s decorated. That is my secret keep moving or I will be decorated. The whole house and everyone and everything is transformed by greenery, glitter, lights or tinsel most of the time all of the aforementioned. Outside lights are hung and strung from anything that will support them. Inflatable snowmen are enlarged with a push of air and sway in the breeze dangling joy and peace from their bulbous arms. It is probably much like your home. I think it is like most homes. It’s true a baby changes everything.

We change too at Christmas. The schedule makes you change adding parties and gatherings each week and by the last week a party each day. There are gifts to be given so decisions must be made as to what and “can I afford it.” The pace picks up dramatically. So does our spirits. Strangers wish complete strangers Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Lips that most days are shaped in a frown now have a curvature more vertical in nature or a hint of one at the edges waiting in anticipation for an opportunity to bust into sight of one and all. There is a glad tone to the despondent and sorrowful voice for most. Hope blows in the wind in greater concentrations than dust in the summer and for many they look forward to getting together with family and spending time in the same room. Yes, Virginia a baby changes everything.

THIS baby changes everything, he was supposed to. Right now the transformation is impossible not to see and experience. We have a fire in our fireplace at Christmas. The rest of the year the fireplace consumes space. This baby, Jesus came to change not the physical world but the world of the physical from the inside out. He came to change our perspective on life and living from getting to giving, from trial to transformation, from impossible situations to great opportunities and from existing to living, really living. Live it up this Christmas (the end of the world didn’t happen 12.21.12 as the Mayans never predicted) because THIS baby changed everything!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!             

The Rev

Since we like choices...do we choose well?

The family and I went to Mellow Mushroom in Pooler Thursday night to eat. As we settled in to our booth with menus in hand, I was amazed at all of the choices available, pizza in 3 sizes but with some interesting combinations of toppings and sauces and cheeses. Then there were the Calzones with this list of possibilities that at first glance equaled the pizza choices and then surpassed pizza like a Ducati at full throttle. I was overwhelmed and then I chose. I chose a combination that I did not see on the menu. That meant we had to ask the waitress.

I wanted a Calzone with a topping list from the pizza menu. Seemed easy enough to me to do but you never know. The risk I was taking involved a “no” and what else would I choose. There was so much on the menu but I had a target. If the answer was no, it would be like my children who at times go to the refrigerator open the doors wide cooling the house stare into the stuffed appliance and with great emphasis state “there is nothing to eat.”  Heard that? If you have kids you have. Maybe you have even said it yourself. What that means is there is nothing you choose to eat regardless of the endless possibility of the supply at hand. That was where I was. The menu was full of possibilities but I had laser targeted one combination and now for the answer.

 Jesus speaking to his followers said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 15:16 NIV 1984

That would appear in our minds to be an unlimited menu. Endless possibilities for us to ask God for…riches…health…peace…well you name it and you can claim it all in prayer. Sounds too good to be true but we ask any way, don’t we? In our asking from this unlimited menu we believe we are the customer and customers are always right. We can tell God what we want and He will do it. After all, HE said to! That is selfish and at the same time foolish. We just don’t know enough to ask sometimes for the right stuff. On several occasions I have asked God for…well…a job…or…resources and he did not give it to me. I was disappointed. As time passed, I came to thank God for not giving me what I had asked for. My desired request turned out not to be what I thought it was. I was thankful God had said no. Sometimes the answer is yes just not how we thought.

Barbara my wife told me of encountering some ladies who were downcast and upset following a weekend (no not from Monday morning). They had a dear friend die that they had repeatedly, faithfully asked God to heal. Many folks had petitioned God on behalf of this saint for healing and yet death had come. They were upset that God had not heard let alone answered their prayers. Maybe you’ve been there or are there. God has not answered like you asked him too. Your loved one died or continues to be sick. You are mad at him! He broke His word. That’s OK, be mad, he is big enough to handle your anger. David was angry with God on several occasions look in the Psalms.  I suggested to Barbara that God had heard their prayers and answered yes! Their friend, who was a believer, was now whole and Holy. Healed of sin and its terminal effects and completely transformed into the image of Christ.

I often forget that God in allowing me to ask anything of him never ceases to be God. Never ceases to be the ONE who wants the very best for me all of the time. He is targeted on my salvation by transformation into the image of Christ. Every request is judged by that goal and response is made in light of that goal of his. Not always is my goal the same. I am a saint who still sins you know, oh do you know. Most times I don’t have any idea of the BIG picture. That is why I count on him to do the best for me. That is faith, counting on God to be and do the best for HIS glory and my good. It may not be what I like, but it is always best. When I can’t see his hand I need to trust his heart. His heart is good. Di I say the food was good?            

Back to my food request, she said, “yes we can have that small pizza folded over.” Simple solution and a great meal and lunch Friday as it was so big (expensive too in my opinion but hey I was not paying for it). I chose well (this time).

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Light...is it usually so bright?

I get up first in the morning at our house. That has not always been the case but it is now. Even on Saturdays and Sundays I am the first up with one exception, the dog. We now have nicknamed her chicken dog as she tries to go to sleep when the sun goes down and is up to greet the sun at its rise. That means she thinks I should get up too and greet the sun. During the week that is 5:15, it’s still dark at 5:15 but Annie is ready to go and being a beagle sniffs the world. I sometimes think a bomb could go off while she smells the great outdoors and she would not know it. The last few days have included a full moon and with clear skies the “moon shine” is very bright. Now it is not my custom to carry a light with me but when there is a full moon and clear skies reading the paper even with old eyes is not a problem no light needed.

I have recently, like Black Friday, purchased a Smartphone. To tell you why I need one, it took me two days to figure out how to answer a call. I was double tapping the icon on the screen and nothing happened. Turns out I have to tap and drag to answer a call. Yes, it took me two days to figure that out (STOP LAUGHING NOW AND READ). In my defense I have been using the speech to text feature with great success. That feature is cool. I tell you all this for my custom is to carry my phone as a clock. Lately with the cold I have wondered how cold it is so this new phone gets the real time temp from Accuweather® on the face of my phone. The problem is that display is soooo bright when all around me is sooo dark. Even with a full moon looking from the phone to the dark around me, it takes a few seconds until I can see again. Are they usually so bright…the light that is?

Light it brings us hope in a dark room or unfamiliar surroundings. It seems so bright when all around has been so dark. As a Boy Scout we went on a high adventure to Philmont Scout Ranch. As a stop in the trail we went into an abandoned mine. Our guide turned off the light and we were in absolute darkness. No vision because we had no light, I did hold my hand to my face in an attempt, it was dark. Then a single light was on and every eye darted to it taking in its small but brilliant glow. One by one more came on and we were off to another part of the tour. Light captures our sight and our attention away from the darkness.

Earlier in the week I wondered why we decorate our homes with lights. For some so many lights that we spend extra money paying for the electricity to have them on. Thousands and thousands of lights of multiple colors, shapes and sizes outlining the tree, bush, home, shed, car well whatever. It brightens the yard, the neighbor’s yard and half the street and we enjoy it. Light brings hope!

Christmas lights remind us that the season is one filled with hope for all mankind. Lights on our homes brighten the night reminding us of hope that may have faded. But no string or strings of lights can shine as bright as the reason for the season, Jesus. It’s not just his birth to celebrate this Christmas but him, his light, his love and most importantly his hope. Hope that the night in our lives can become the morning of a new day. Hope that the darkness of our existence can be overcome with joy, beauty and brightness. Jesus is the light of the world and for those of us who are followers his light is within us waiting to be revealed, uncovered turned on in a dark tunnel. When you uncover his light, all eyes in a dark world will be drawn to the flicker no matter how small. His glow will illuminate their hearts with light so bright they will be blinded. If they dare look away they will see nothing but the white hot core of the glow, that one light shining brightly in the darkness of their lives.  

Eugene Peterson paraphrased John 1:4-5 this way

“What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.”

We have a task to shine! Not to shine George, Mark of Sam or Betty but rather to shine only Jesus. His light is life and the darkness cannot put it out! Just like the full moon these last few mornings. It emits no light all of that glow so bright you can read by is reflection of the light of the sun. Christmas is our time to reflect the light of the Son in a dark and dying world. No, it’s not usually that bright but it’s Christmas!

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

I think I am...but I am not

 Faithful that is. It is my guess that most of us think we do this or are good at that but in reality are not. Like counting calories, everybody does a great job counting calories until we get on the scale. There is the proof and yes we did not count well. I’m sure it was a glitch in the computer and that double fudge, pumpkin latte with crème was oh so good but may have had more calories than we thought.

It happens all the time. That friend who you have been meaning to call but just didn’t do it, one week becomes two and three and so on until it has been months and yet you still have made no call. It is strange in the age of connection we live in with instant 24 hour access to communication that a single call could not be completed. “I was going to do it,” came from your mouth as a matter of explanation or is it excuse. The fact is you did not get it done and therefore you are unfaithful. So am I, two peas in a pod.

You know I just made a call I had on the “to do” and am blessed by the conversation and for the call. When we are faithful he pours out the blessings in a deluge overwhelming us with grace like rain, when we are faithful. But what about when I am not?

I read today from Paul while in prison writing to his son in the ministry Timothy:         

I rely on this saying: If we died with him we shall also live with him: if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him. If we deny him he will also deny us: yet if we are faithless he always remains faithful. He cannot deny his own nature. 2 Timothy 2:13 J.B. Phillips

How about that, “if we are faithless he always remains faithful.” His own nature is to be faithful. God’s own nature is love. Those continue regardless of our action or non-action. 

Sometimes I think of faith and God’s response like Karma. What I give is what I get in the same proportions. But the reality of grace in the Kingdom of God is that is NOT true. Grace affords for me what I do not deserve and cannot attain for myself, God’s forgiveness. Not his love he has already given that but rather his forgiveness. Better yet, that forgiveness remains not based on my faithfulness but rather the character of God.

I think I am a good follower of Jesus. I think I am a good prayer warrior.  Think I am a fabulous preacher, musician, father etc. In reality I am not at all what I think I am. In fact I am no longer a sinner but rather a Saint who sins. I cannot follow well, preach, pray, play, father or any of those things. I am completely dependent on Jesus. I Think I am thankful for that!

I think I am thankful but I am not. I need to count on grace for that too. That’s good, grace that is!

Happy Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for that we did nothing for.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Thanksgiving...not necessarily a compound word!

I came upon a visual this week while looking for a thanksgiving image that divided this compound word into two pieces. It started me thinking about thanks and giving.

It has always been special to me that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas. Honestly when we give thanks to God for his amazing love, care, compassion, long suffering, patience and looking the other way that is more than enough but then comes the best gift of all Christmas. Christmas, when God gives his very best to us, Christ, as our present in essence saying thank you. Is it possible God would say thank you to me? I think so. In that progression of holidays it is important to see the order.

Yes, Thanksgiving comes before Christmas that’s because of the calendar. But I want you to see thanks comes before giving in both the word and the holidays. That is the proper order. I know we make it smaller by giving thanks and stop there. But it doesn’t stop there. If I was truly thankful I would give in response to the blessings I have received, giving coming after thanking, just like the season. But stopping is what we do, isn’t it. We give thanks in some way probably not enough (quantity) and not well enough (quality) and then sit back and watch some football. We did our duty, right?

Right, we did our duty or did we? In our practice thanksgiving is not a compound word and yet thru thankfulness would be evidenced by giving. We have been blessed to be a blessing! Max Lucado* likens thankfulness to worship,

Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer.

He goes on in this “worship” theme to say.

Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give.

Worship is the “thank you” that refuses to be silenced.

The Bible says,

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Psalm 107:31 NIV 1984

We have so much to “worship” God. Sometimes we are thankful and sometimes we give but what if… just what if our giving resulted from our thankfulness. We responded to the outrageous blessings of God by giving. The season primes us for the task. More folks give at Christmas. How about us folks be at the front of the pack giving because we know God, his Son and are filled with His Holy Spirit?

This Thanksgiving let’s start with thanks and compound it with giving. Then it will truly be a compound word and not only that but compound action.

 Happy Thanksgiving to you and those you love!    

  

In HIS Service and Yours,
The Rev


*Grace for the Moment © 2000 Max Lucado, J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., exclusively for Hallmark Cards. P. 346 “Saying ‘Thank You’”.

It's sad to say I forgot...

 As I turned into the driveway of FBC Springfield I looked for the four signs that were left in the yard for Pastor Appreciation. White poster board with hand lettering saying thank you to Bro. Jeff, Bro Darren, Bro. David and me Bro. George. I was looking for them because when I first saw them they surprised me and brought a smile to my face. It is the simple things that make us smile. This morning they were gone. Probably they have been gone for a while but I missed them today.

What I have forgotten to say is Thank You to First Baptist Church of Springfield for you continued love and support for me, my family and the church I pastor. You are a kind and loving people and have blessed me by being you. I also forgot to say I was not at the appreciation evening because Crossroads was hosting a pumpkin festival and meal the same evening. So I was there judging chili entries and sliding down inflatable slides. It hard I know it but someone has to do it! No, I don’t feel like a red-headed-step-child. That was my choice.

Choice is the gift of love God has given us. “Free Will” as we call it is a powerful and dangerous gift God gave us at creation’s beginning. John Eldridge says that choice makes God wild and dangerous. It was quite a risk on his part giving us a choice. We might not choose well.

Every parent knows this risk as their children grow towards maturity and take on more responsibilities and opportunities. Thos responsibilities and opportunities involve risk and consequences, some of which are not pleasant and life changing. But the point of raising children is to set them off on their own. It is a risky business for us and God.

We have a choice to be grateful sad to say and most days we forget our blessings. My oldest Elizabeth was telling me of having lunch with a student born in Syria. The conversation with others hung on how long it took to vote and what a yada, yada, yada it was. This foreign born student spoke up and said you have no idea what an opportunity it is to vote. The conversation stopped dead in its tracks with these words. We are just not grateful most days sad to say.

It is less than two weeks until Thanksgiving Day, so it is not too late to begin to count your blessings and say them one by one. Don’t forget to say them out loud and to those who bless your life in any way. Don’t forget it is that important. God has blessed us beyond any measure we could use and it is sad to say we forget to say Thank You to Him or anyone else.

Don’t forget anymore! Say Thank You in this season of thanksgiving.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

It's Morning and Friday...

 For many that alone would make it good. The jury is still out on that as far as I am concerned. There are several things of which I have recently become aware.

The first is from the school bus. Children are paranoid about bleeding. If there is even a hint of red on any part of them they are bleeding. The first thing out of their mouths is, “I am bleeding.” My response is “where?” That is when they stick their appendage in my face to let me see. Now I wear bifocals and it takes a bit to focus. Usually I say where? Because I see no blood, not even a red spot. They try to point out the leakage and I say, “it will be alright.” Yesterday it hit me that no matter what the bleeding will stop. It WILL stop either you will run out of blood stoppage or it will clot stoppage again. So, either way you will stop bleeding. Now I make no guarantee as to which option is to your best advantage. But the problem of bleeding will stop.

It s like a flying airplane, it will come down. How will we get down, the answer is gravity. It always works. The REAL question is under control or not. That IS the real problem. That affects the positive or negative evaluation of the outcome. I really do think about this stuff!

Another thought comes from “I’m going to die.” Well yes you will unless Jesus comes back first. Otherwise you are going to die. Most likely not now or from what it is that is bothering you but yes at some point you will die without a divine miracle like Enoch and Elijah.

I noticed a local restaurant that has been remodeling has painted. The new color is prison-jumpsuit-orange. That shocked me. I am certain I would not have chosen prison-jumpsuit-orange for the outside of my restaurant. I had such hopes for the remodel but prison-jumpsuit-orange has given me a little heart burn.

The beagle we have at our house is named Ann. We call her all kinds of names but she comes anyway, well most of the time. This morning like every other morning she was excited. She is the most excited living thing. She is a beagle and so the smells to be smelled must be the best in the morning. Most days that seems to be true.  She exhibits nowhere near that level of excitement any other time of the day, running and dancing, pawing and pushing me to get up and go. I have to say she is excited for both of us. It is way too early to be that excited. Or is it?

The last few days with the moon full and the cool air at 5:30 am the sky has been magnificent. The stars are bright with extra twinkle and the moon with its bright reflection of the sun has been amazing. We live in the country so there are more stars visible and in the cool air f the last few days they have been extra sharp. It seems the whole planet well at least what I could see was excited for the morning just like Ann. So why do I not share that excitement?

I read this morning:

^3-6 Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what he has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care. He planned, in his purpose of love, that we should be adopted as his own children through Jesus Christ—that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of his which has made us welcome in the everlasting love he bears towards the Son.

^11-12 And here is the staggering thing—that in all which will one day belong to him we have been promised a share (since we were long ago destined for this by the one who achieves his purposes by his sovereign will), so that we, as the first to put our confidence in Christ, may bring praise to his glory! Ephesians 1-6, 11-12 J.B. Phillips

So, It is morning a Friday morning and this is the day the LORD has made…I will rejoice and be glad in it! The dog and the planet say so.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

You know what happens when you get to the end of your road

God shows up and changes everything. By the end of the road I am speaking of a task or start-up you have been faithfully working at for some time with some success but nothing to brag about. You know it’s going but just so. Maybe you feel the passion of the project slipping or it just seems no one is interested or interested enough to make plans to participate. It is frustrating.

 

I think at times we see those feeling in Jesus especially with respect to his disciples. He pours into them and into them and into them and they keep leaving the drain open. So, all that is poured in seems to run out. It is never there when they need it. In the book of Mark chapter 6 his “boys” have been sent out in pairs healing and casting out demons. They were very successful with their task. They were sent simply on Jesus authority with no supplies at the Master’s command. It works out. In verse 30 of chapter 6 they report all they had done and taught. It was a great experience. There was this crowd.

 

The crowd of 5000 men plus their wives’ and children had gathered to hear Jesus teach and be healed. The time was good but the hour had grown late. The disciples tell Jesus he must get done as these people need to get something to eat and where they are there is nothing. (No Logan’s Road House yet it was under construction oh that’s in Pooler sorry.) So, Jesus says to them, “you give them something to eat.” (v. 37).  Did he not hear them? There are no resources and his disciples remind him of their lack of funds for the task. They were frustrated. They saw the need and their supplies and the two did not equal each other. Jesus must have been frustrated because earlier in the chapter he had sent them out with nothing but his name and that had been all they needed. This situation was no different. They still had nothing but Jesus. Think about that “nothing but Jesus.”

 

Yep you guessed it God showed up and asked, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see!” Their answer was five loaves and two fish. Not enough for one of them to eat well much less 5000 men and their families. But God showed up and changed everything. The rest of the story is he gave thanks and broke the loaves. When all was said “they all ate and were satisfied” the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces of fish and bread.

 

Later Jesus tells the disciples to go across the lake and he will follow. It is night and these experienced fishermen are straining against the oars because of a wind against them. It must have been a “dark and stormy night” so Snoopy would say about Halloween time (I just thought I would throw that in there :p) not really. They must have been concerned and on edge. It wasn’t going so well. Not like they planned at least and they could do nothing about it. Like those times you seem to be beating your head against the wall and getting nothing but a headache. Jesus saw their struggle and is headed to them. God is going to show up and change everything. This is the Halloween part, they see Jesus walking on the lake and thought he was a ghost. They cried out and were terrified (v.49-50). Immediately he spoke to them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” He got in the boat and the wind died down and they were completely amazed. God showed up and changed everything.

 

That is what He does. Jesus shows up and everything changes. That happened to me recently. I had become frustrated with this thing I was involved in, frustrated enough to about decide to quit. In my eyes it wasn’t working and was making no difference and Jesus shows up unexpectedly, my small faith, and changes everything. I was able to see he had been at work all along. I was just unaware of what he was doing. My end of the road was not an end at all but rather a new leg of the trip.

 

When God shows up He changes everything. What more do you need?               

 

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Politics brings out the passion...

These days more so than religion. The second of the three presidential debates was filled with passion and tension. It is funny to me how we want our leaders to be passionate but don’t want the consequences of passion to be on display. Passion elicits action and action can bring conflict, but we don’t want that, no conflict but lots of passion. Passion without action produces a fan. Who wants to be a fan? It’s O.K. to put your hand down now.


Recently two of our ladies have been engaged in a book titled Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. The book focuses on the differences between followers and fans. In a nutshell a fan knows a lot about their “star” but does not know the star. There is no personal connection and relationship between the fan and their star. A follower on the other hand may know a lot of information but most importantly knows the “star” and conforms’ their life to that of their star. It is the idea found in Jesus’ teaching of dying to self to be transformed to His image. Let me put it another way from another writer.

 I am reading Love Does by Bob Goff. At least in my mind he relays the same concept of fan and follower in different terms stalker and doer. He has the ability to store and recall facts and figures easily. Bob Goff IS a lawyer. He found that he went to a lot of Bible studies where he learned a lot of facts and figures about Jesus and the Bible. He knew a lot about Jesus and the Christian life but all of his knowledge had failed to change his life. He realized he was a Jesus stalker. He knew a lot about Jesus but did not really know him, like a “fan” of Pastor Idleman. SO, Bob Goff quit going to Bible studies and joined a Bible Do group. This group of men gathers to read scripture and then makes plans to do that in their lives and lives of others around them.

 Consider this, a fan gets to sit and watch, cheer and holler, criticize and arm chair quarter back from the safety of the audience and then go about their lives in the same way they have always done, lots of passion for a moment but no action at any moment. A follower may do all of the cheering and hollering but they jump onto the game. They take the ball and go play the sport. No arm chair quarterbacks, no they are the real thing taking the hits, missing the throws, spitting the blood, spilling the sweat,  hearing the boos and ducking the cat calls. However, they also taste the victory and it is made sweeter through the blood, sweat and tears more so than any fan could ever imagine. I ask you who has more passion, the fan or the follower, the stalker or the doer?

 What kind of preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would I be if I didn’t ask the question? Which am I a fan or follower a stalker or a doer? Which are you? I believe Jesus is not after fans, he had many at one point then he asked them to do the hard work to die to self to make sacrifices and they left all but the disciples. He then asked them if they were leaving too. If asked that same question how would you answer? Are you watching from the sidelines God’s kingdom at work wondering what He is doing or are you in the game getting dirty, injured and tired from the fray? Read Paul’s account of his life would you say he was a fan or a follower?

 Many people can fain passion, those who have it are the ones doing. True passion motivates us to play the game regardless of the cost. Jesus is passionate about you, he died for you remember. Our passion for politics should pale in comparison to our passion for Christ. How about your level of passion for him and his Kingdom?                       

     

In HIS Service and Yours,The Rev

I was involved in a discussion about...

...the Presidential debate last week. Even as the Vice Presidential candidates began the debate the previous weeks exchange was the topic of the conversation. It is so easy for the main thing to get lost in all the details.

Last week I attended Catalyst a gathering of leaders from across the country to be inspired, focused and reinvigorated. Matt Chandler lead pastor of The Village in Dallas, TX speaking of our aversion to getting off topic said, “This job [task, project etc.] is not better than Jesus.” Leaders have this predisposition to believe what they are doing is the most important thing for everybody, believing sometimes that it is the best. However, nothing is better than Jesus.

 As I opened I was involved in a discussion about the previous weeks debate. The conversation was lively like the vice presidential debate but it rambled from topic and point to point not really staying on topic. This election is an important topic and requires our attention and participation both in the debate and voting. It’s important but not more than Jesus. Really, is the next president going to save you from yourself? Is he going to lead you into eternity? Is he going to raise you from the dead? However, in those conversations the political belief and passion fans the flames and the points are thrown like darts at and to the opposing views. It can be dangerous! Is it more important than Jesus? After all, who ordains the leaders of our nation?

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1 NIV 1984

Yep, that is right, “for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Even if you did not vote for them, they have been allowed authority by God. It is Jesus who orders the world. Politics are not more important than Jesus. God has used leaders who did not know him for his purposes through history. Can he and would he still do that same?

So, what about this political season? Is the outcome more important than Jesus? Is the outcome more significant than Jesus? Is the course of this country outside of Jesus influence? Is he involved? The absolute answer is JESUS, NO, NO, NO and YES! Yes we are to be engaged, involved and passionate in the political process but will our lives end if our candidate does not win? Will your eternity be changed because a different candidate than yours takes office? Well in a word, NO.

The debate is good but misplaced priority. Who has the power to change lives, the course of human events into eternity? It might be a better to invest that passion and debate into the ONE who saves, redeems and restores for all time! Investing I the others by introducing them to the real power and authority of the universe Jesus.

       

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Can't you tell the moon is full?

I can. The children on the school bus have been crazy. The mayhem continues with Carolyn and a relationship calamity Monday during the day, that evening Lizzy cut her palm and finger when a Corelle plate exploded and at 3am Tuesday morning my Mother fell in her bedroom cutting her head and bruising her shoulder and arm. Did I tell you the moon is full?

Everybody is O.K. and recovering but it could drive a man to drink. Even a Baptist preacher whose last name is Pabst! Oh did I mention I was headed out of town for three days? I am trying to get done several days of work in one day and a half on Saturday. Did I mention the headache since I got up too? Yep, pile it on go ahead! That's the way we feel at times! Over our head overwhelmed by the weight of it all and all of it weighing at the same time.

How does a person of faith reconcile the life dilemma with the hope of faith? Well by belief, belief that God has your best at heart, belief that the tough times are the ones for our growth and HIS glory, belief that obedience leads to understanding instead of the other way around. Lastly, belief that WE WIN! Not so sure of the last part? Read Revelation chapters 21 and 22 the end of the story. We Win!

Paul writes of this belief in Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

What this belief takes is action on our part. It is one thing to say the chair will hold me up. It is a completely different matter to sit in the chair trusting it to hold you up. In one of the opening scenes of The Patriot with Mel Gibson his character is a farmer and chair maker during the American Revolution. We see him testing an unfinished chair by sitting in it and rocking. His children are hidden in the shadows watching his activity when the chair collapses and he falls to the floor. In frustration he breaks the rest of the chair apart and throws it on the as yet unseen pile of previous failures. Someone had to sit in it. Our faith has to be tested to become a real living faith. But once is not enough. Our transformation is multifaceted and slow, over a life time slow.  We have got to act on it and continue acting on it until Jesus comes. Perseverance produces character and character hope. Hope is what we need when there is a full moon!

Ah but this too shall pass. Life is a cycle, changing always moving towards the next season. The transformation of the saints is always moving forward as it is God who is our change agent. He just uses full moons to accomplish more of the change! Thanks be to Him that they only come every 28 days.


In HIS Service and Yours,
The Rev

I was just sitting there...

…watching a volleyball game at Glynn Academy in Brunswick GA, what a match by the way. The two teams were tied most of the game. It was to say the least very exciting. I have not watched volleyball in a very long time, in person not on TV. I don’t know the rules and how the game is scored. I also could not see the scoring table because of the judge at the net blocking my view. In fact it was four games later that I caught a glimpse of the score board. Then I moved a foot or two along the bleachers so I could see the score during the game.

I was just sitting there when suddenly I was overwhelmed with the answer. Let me go back further in the progression of the story. Each week my delight and dread is to prepare something to preach Sunday morning. I dread it because I want it to be interesting, smart, well presented and well…all the good things we look for in a speaker especially in the “preacher.” The delight is I get to research and learn and then do that. This week I have been circling stories that reveal Jesus from the Gospels. I had settled on the story of the healing of the demon possessed man from Mark 5:1-20, the one with the crazy guy living in the tombs cutting, hurting and screaming at himself and anyone who dared to get close.  In a book I am reading as of late the author suggests some stories that the town folk probably told of him. Stories that grow into legends about who and why he was like he was.  You can probably fill in the blanks to the story from your childhood of a building, house or person close to your neighborhood. So, I had read the story and been thinking through it sifting what was there.

 Each week as I prepare to preach I ask myself two questions. One “So what?” meaning why should we know this? What difference will it make on Monday? Secondly and more importantly, “God what do you want to say?” I had asked these questions and up until that moment had no answer except that was the story. I cannot say I was consciously thinking about the situation. I was watching the game and unexpectedly was overwhelmed by the answer like a flood of emotion and relief enveloped me from head to foot right there in the bleacher. I instantly knew and understood what God had to say from this story. Now, I just have to say it and that can be difficult as well. My experience with God is like that. The answers come while something completely unrelated is happening. Is that true of you?

I have come to trust God to answer my requests. I trust him to answer when he wants to on his time schedule. At times, regarding preaching, that has been just an hour before I was to deliver my part, other times it is days ahead (which of course is a relief) but always on time and very clearly. In this area (not others yet) I can ask with complete faith. It helps that God has never failed to answer. My prayer is without unbelief because I have believed my prayer.

Yep, I was just sitting there watching a volleyball game. That is where God spoke answering my prayer and clearly giving his word. The Word from God is what’s important not the time or place or activity. That must always be clear. It is too easy to get sidetracked by the event and place.

That’s the way God does stuff!  

His time!

His place!

His purpose!

    

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

P.S. the word is he continued to ask his name! You will have to listen to the message to hear the rest of the story (thank you Paul Harvey). You can do that at www.crosroadschurcheff.org click on sermons. 

Another birthday this makes 8!

Sunday Crossroads Church we will celebrate another birthday. It has been 8 years since our first weekly worship service September 11, 2004! This Sunday a church is restarting in Knoxville, KY and others will do the same all around the country. In light of this celebration I have been thinking about birthdays and what we are celebrating!

Birthdays are so important when you are young. Cake, ice cream, presents what’s not to look forward to really. But as we get older birthdays are not so important. I surmise it is because we recognize there are fewer ahead than behind us. When you’re young you look forward to your next birthday because you can do more as you get older. Ask a child how old they are and even if their 7^th birthday was yesterday they will say they are almost 8! Try it. Don’t try that with a 49 year old. They are 49 until the exact moment they were born on their birthday. As we age we realize how much less we can do as we get older.  The other evening Barbara and I were talking about out next wedding anniversary in January. It will be 30 years she has put up with me. I told her it would be my “not 30 year anniversary” because I am not that old! She rolled her eyes and laughed, probably just like you did. When we get older we don’t look forward as much. There is just too much behind us (yes and too much behind with that middle aged spread). So what do we celebrate in a birthday?

Life is what we celebrate. Consider birthdays after our death, no parties no cake, no presents (of course not for us we are dead) but our friends and family don’t celebrate either. Birthdays celebrate life lived and the promise of tomorrow. We celebrate the events that have shaped us and in spite of the hardship and heartache we have survived and thrived. That’s life and living. Birthdays celebrate the providence of God to care for us in another year and into the future of eternity as we claim Christ as our Savior. Birthdays celebrate the honor of getting older. Birthdays celebrate the experience gained. 

Experience is the difference between the young and the old. I read several months ago of a speech given to a group of college graduates by an alum in his 50’s. The heart of the idea was that the young man like the old already knows all of the basic information of life. The difference between the mature and the young is experience. Experience is the time living through it, the time living in it and the time overcoming it. Birthdays celebrate that experience. Each year there is more. More experiences of God being our Savior, more of God being sustainer, redeemer, forgiver, equipper, friend, partner, lover, judge, jury and life giver. Birthdays celebrate all of the above. Birthdays have a dark side. If we are not careful we can focus on the aspects of life where failure has reigned.




Your failures and faults do not define you unless you define yourself by them. To do that is then to make a lie of your life because in God's plan for his children you are defined by God and God is love. That is the ultimate act of redemption love in the face of unlovable, hope for the hopeless and life for the dead.
In the end birthdays are worthwhile. It’s good to celebrate life as often as possible. It is fleeting. In the same moment 8 years can seem like forever and just yesterday. “It was just yesterday that we…” is on my lips and yet it was x years ago. On Kingdom time 8 years is nothing, I am glad for that. I look forward to the time when time is of no consequence and Birthdays are no more.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Why does he have to trow curve balls?

As base ball hits the home stretch towards the playoffs the pitching gets better and better. 

Steve Ellis former Chicago Cubs Pitching pro said this of the curve - Most often a strikeout pitch. Dives down as it gets to home plate. Many times the velocity is as effective as the movement, because it's usually much slower than a fastball.

“Most often a strikeout pitch” are the first words to describe the pitch. Of course the pitcher is trying to get the batter out. It is not supposed to be easy to hit.

Last week I started to work on an article at home and my daughter calls from down the hall "daddy come kill this giant cockroach on my ceiling." Great that seems real ministerial, real earth changing for the cockroach for sure. That is part of being a Dad and husband. Well the husband thing would have been punctuated by a scream. I am around to be the killer of all bugs and the fixer of all things. I have a mind you know.

  

Life routinely throws curve balls just life a major league pitcher. The thrill is not knowing what you will get. So, why am I surprised by life's curve balls? The same reason you are, we like easy. For us easy means predictable and practical. But how do we know that easy and predictable is the path of a Jesus follower?

To look at the Gospels we see a predictable life of Jesus. He went to synagogue on the Sabbath and went where the people were, the down and out, the hungry, the hopeless, the despised and rejected that was where he was, like I said predictable. But those settings were never predictable, a man up in a tree, a Pharisee coming in the dark of the night, a lawyer challenging his motives out in public. No the scene was never predictable. So why do I think my time at bat will be curve ball free?

Because...you see...I can't hit...a curve ball.

I usually swing and miss if I swing at all. But for Jesus curve balls are what he hits the best. When I am weak he is strong. He hits and I get to run!

I took the broom down the hall into her bedroom. Yes, it was a palmetto bug and then it was not. As I left I heard "daddy you are the best." I am the “killer of all bugs” you know! I am just glad it wasn't a curve ball.

The hall led me back to the computer and writing my article to impact lives for the Kingdom in a meaningful way or did I just do that?

    

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev