I opened the front door and...

There between the storm and front door was a flyer from the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They had come by the house while we were out and left a flyer. I am always impressed with the tenacity and devotion to knocking on doors that they as a group exhibit.

The flyer asks, “how do you view Jesus?” A great question Jesus asked that of his disciples. The flyer then goes on to state “you are invited to hear the answer.” Huh? I thought I was to answer the question? It just bugs me when folks make a secret out of the revealed or say they have the truth when all the facts have not been discovered. That bugs me. Does it you?

We will believe half truths or no truth before investigating the facts. Most homes have the worlds’ knowledge at their finger tips through their computer screen. If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, “Google it.” Google has become a verb but so many of us won’t take the time and effort required to investigate the facts. We would rather believe the sensational speculation than wait for the cold hard truth. It’s easier I know.

It’s easier to listen to someone else say whatever than to explore and investigate the facts for ourselves. It’s easier to believe what others have told us about Jesus than to look at him for ourselves. How do you view Jesus is an important question. However, equally important is where have you looked to see Jesus? “I was reading on the Internet,” is not our BEST most accurate source. Jesus is revealed completely in the Bible. That is the best most accurate source.

Many sources paint a picture of how they want you to see the subject. In the public media those individuals are called “spin doctors.” It is their job to make any person look their best regardless of the accusation or incrimination. They may use older pictures or leave out past details that are less than flattering in order to craft a more positive image for the public. Recently my Mother was complaining about obituaries that include pictures from decades before. She just does not think that is right. So, she has chosen her obit picture from a recent photo. Being the bad son I am, I wrote on the back “for when Mom kicks the bucket.” I have it in my Bible. The Bible does not paint false pictures. Each brush stroke paints a portrait of people warts and all. Indiscretions, crimes, sin out there for all to see. A realistic picture of then and also of God at work in messy sin filled lives transforming them by grace. Jesus is revealed completely in the Bible as well as finite words can reveal the infinite God.

How do you view Jesus? I ask, “where have you looked?”

Google? No!

Bible? YES!                  

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

P.S. KU Final Four Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

March is Mad and spring has sprung...

The spring is upon us here in southeast Georgia with 80 degree days it has arrived in full bloom. Unfortunately so is allergy season and it has not yet reached full bloom. That bothers more folks with annoying symptoms leading them to pray for relief. It often bothers me when people speak of the power of prayer. The power is not in the prayer. Max Lucado penned this thought regarding prayer and power.

When [a friend] told Jesus of the illness [of Lazarus] he said, "Lord, the one you love is sick." He doesn't base his appeal on the imperfect love of the one in need, but on the perfect love of the Savior. He doesn't say, "The one who loves you is sick." He says, "The one you love is sick." The power of the prayer, in other words, does not depend on the one who makes the prayer, but on the one who hears the prayer.

We can and must repeat the phrase in manifold ways. "The one you love is tired, sad, hungry, lonely, fearful, depressed." The words of the prayer vary, but the response never changes. The Savior hears the prayer. He silences heaven, so he won't miss a word. He hears the prayer.

As you pray the power comes from Christ alone. The love comes from Christ alone and the healing comes from Christ alone and you are never alone says Christ alone!

So, let’s pray without ceasing so that all will be “done on earth as it is in heaven.” The purpose of prayer is to bring us into the presence of Christ. It empowers our relationship by reconnecting us to the source of life; the one who made all things and holds all things together.

Often we gage the power of prayer and/or our relationship with Christ by the successful results of our request. Is that an accurate measure? By no means, we are speaking to God who is omniscient and we are not. God who is all powerful and we are not. God who is omnipresent and we are often not where we are. The purpose of prayer is to orient us to God’s plan through a relationship. Yes, we can ask for anything but God reserves the right and responsibility to be, well GOD! Therefore, the answer could be NO, YES or wait (the ugliest four letter word in the English language).

He is God you know!

But was it a waste if He did not answer like you requested. Absolutely not, the connection allowed you to be transformed more into the image of Christ. The connection allows us to have our minds tuned to the Kingdom pitch, to resonate with heaven in the purposes and passions of our heavenly Father. No waste here only Glory!

The spring reminds us of the power of God to bring about new life. Prayer plugs us in to that unlimited love which powers the universe.          

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

P.S. Rock Chalk Jayhawk sweet 16 win on the way!

What's in a Name?

My oldest daughter met a man the other day who said his name was Jesus Christ Martinez and thought he was THE Jesus Christ. I don’t know how he delt with Martinez but he wanted to bless her. When she told me this story I played with her for a moment or two and then laughed. I have my understanding of who Jesus is and Martinez is not part of that image. It could be but I don’t see that in scripture. Just naming that name made me take interest.   

Mention the name Jesus Christ and you may not expect the assortment of answers you will hear. Great teacher, prophet, good man, healer, fake, myth, a god, false prophet you name it you will hear it. He is often misunderstood because of preconceived notions, lack of knowledge and hearsay (gossip, not testimony). Along with those names may come names like Savior, Lord, Son of God, or Son of Man. They say image is everything, Jesus once asked his disciples, 

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” Mark 8:27-28 NIV 1984

I did a little search on YouTube for videos asking that very question. There are multiple videos of “man on the street” interviews with as many answers as you can imagine. The REAL question is the one Jesus asked next.

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29 NIV 1984

That is the point really. Who do you say Jesus is? Yes, words are important but actions speak louder than words. What does your life speak of who Jesus is? The evil one wants to steal, kill and destroy our witness. Sometimes we let him. Our sulking, anger and demeanor then say Jesus is not who he said he was. Or at least he is not in us like he said. He is not enough to overcome this issue in our lives. When did you lose the fire of his presence or did you ever have it? Is that True of who you say he is? I do hope not!

 As Easter approaches this year lets prepared for that celebration. We have Advent at Christmas and Lent at Easter. This Easter season let’s answer the question of Jesus, “who do you say I am?” not from what we have heard or what we think but from the actual accounts of witnesses of the man called Jesus the Christ. Let’s go to the source for the best image and see for ourselves. So that we might make our own decision. Listen to the story of one who has experienced Jesus. Ask questions of them and their encounter. Then tell your story. That’s what it is to give a witness. Not hearsay, no your account of your experience of Jesus Christ. Not who you think he should be, we often make gods of our own design, but rather who he is.

Who he is, that is much more interesting than who I think he might be. Who he is in us may not be who he really is or wants to be. It’s time we looked at the real Jesus and not false images. I think that alone will prepare us for Easter by looking at Jesus.       

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

Last Sunday I spoke of details...

How the devil uses them to distract us from our real focus Jesus. So, guess what, I have had more details this week than normal and yes I have been distracted by some of them. I have tried to look for and insert Jesus in the details to get back on track with varying degrees of success. No failure on his part it's all on me.

In a message on Monday night Jim Cymbala, Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church challenged me and the room full of Georgia Baptists with the reminder that Satan is a thief  ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; John 10:10 NIV 1984

What is he interested in stealing? It's not what you and I typically worry about Pastor Cymbala went on to say. He is interested in stealing our faith, our first love, and our family. I have continued to think about that.  My question is how does he do that? I have an idea!

Oh, there are the obvious temptations of money, power, fame and companionship which lead us into sin and its consequences. But what about some of the evil ones more subtle tactics? What about the details of life? Children when confronted regarding their poor choice of behavior will often without thinking misdirect the criticism to another. They may say “what about them?” “They are doing …” If a parent or teacher is not quick they will get sucked into that detail and the focus will shift from the perpetrator in front of them to another. This all started in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:11-13 NIV).

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Did you notice how each blamed someone or something else? It continues until today. That’s where kids get it from and all of us were kids at one time or another. Maybe that’s why Adam and Eve are so messed up because of their childhood (think about it. The smile will come! Maybe). It comes naturally for us to defer to a detail to deter responsibility and delay the possible consequence. I think evil uses details in everyday life to steal from us the focus of life and living Jesus by distraction. Those details dull our faith, diminish our love for the First of creation and finally degrade our family relationships all so that we are ineffective as light to the world in which we live. The Devil’s in the details for sure!         

Yes, the devil is a thief but Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10b He just never leaves us out hanging in the wind. Jesus is Redeemer, Sustainer and Savior. He is not a detail but the Author of Life. Even though the devil is in the details the BIG Picture is of Jesus alone! He is at the center of all life.

Paul writes to us:

^1-3 So, if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. ²Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. ³Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. Colossians 3:1-3 The Message   

I have been blown away by these words...

You know the ones you have read before maybe multiple times but at this moment they strike you in a unique profound way. The words are from Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race

^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Paul describes living as a Christian as a race. Some of you are thrilled that NASCAR is racing again and with Daytona completed on Monday night the season is off to a thrilling start unless of course your driver did not fair to well in the race. One friend of mine Mark decided to go Monday afternoon at 1pm thinking no one would be there. He was wrong but got tickets and his driver won. I was thrilled for Mark and all of Matt Kenseth’s fans. Racing has all kinds of strategies that vary upon the situation with track, track condition, equipment etc. If following Christ is a race then what kind of strategy do we have! It’s found right here in Hebrews 12:1-3.

Review When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item,(MSG) Reread the gospels possibly a Lent thing to do. Who is Jesus? What troubles, obstacles did he face? How did he navigate the rough seas of life and living? Then continue to run like him.

Accept that long litany of hostility he plowed through.(MSG) Many of us spend our entire lives trying to avoid problems. Trying to live the “good life” and by that we mean easy, problem free life. That is not the life that wins the race and if you thought Christ lived such a life you have not read his story. There comes a time to accept that to follow Christ is to deal with hardships. There is a Pastor sentenced to death in Iran because of his faith. You may ask how could God allow that to happen? I would ask, how could God let his own son die?

Courage you will not lose your purpose or your courage (Phillips) The example of Christ is a powerful thing both from perspective and for position. When we study Him and his example we see where we stand in the order of life in relation to where he stands. He is the one who lives in us and is with us and never leaves nor forsakes us. That brings courage. That drives us to action in the face of fear!

Excitement That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (MSG) Following Jesus has never been safe nor boring. The boring part is our sin nature making excuses. I mean how much fun did you have if you can’t remember it because of the “fun” of which you did partake (read that again)?  National Geographic has an article this month on the disciples and their lives and adventure. Sure seems outrageous that 12 unlearned men went and did so much because of this Christ.

Did you see the Win? It is in verse 2.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. Hebrews 12:2?? The Message
 

How about that race strategy? It is better than Daytona any day because on That Day we will be more than victors. We will rule and reign with Christ forever in God’s Kingdom.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev