The Gift

            Christmas day has come and gone. Some have already taken down decorations and neatly packed them away until next year. Their home is “back to normal” or whatever that means. For others, we have not picked up all of the wrapping paper carnage left from the morning’s melee. Presents are still stacked under the tree and the thought of taking it down needs another nap to consider the energy required. We are taking our time about “getting back to normal.” Can you tell from which ilk I hail?

            Sunday a friend said he wished we had the spirit of Christmas all year long. I agree. There is generally a kinder, sweeter spirit in the air and with people. Sure, there are Scrooge’s but in a broad general way people are quicker to help and kinder during the Christmas season. Unfortunately that mood gets packed up with all of the other seasonal decoration until sometime next year. It’s like we receive the greatest gift EVER given Jesus and do nothing with him. One ordinary night in the fields like countless before becomes this EXTRA-ordinary event when aliens (angels) show up inviting shepherds to come see Jesus and they do nothing. Nothing, they are like Chevy’s “like a rock” they just sit there or Ford’s found-on-the-road-dead. Now that is NOT what happened. The shepherds did something they went and saw and then returned to their flocks telling all who would listen and probably some who wouldn’t what they had seen and heard all the while praising God.
            Here are some suggestions for your POST-Christmas life to be sure you get the most out of this amazing gift. Jesus, God with us, moving into the neighborhood. So, since he is here will you:

·         Make room for Him. Our lives are so full that too often we fail to set aside the old and make a place for the new. There are some old habits and attitudes that need to be gotten rid of to make a place for Jesus.

·         Take Him. Have you ever been given a gift and then failed to take it home? I have. Sometimes it is simple forgetfulness but other times it is a blatant disregard for the gift given. If you are serious about Jesus, have made room for him, take him then make Him yours.

·         Hold Him. When my oldest Elizabeth was young it was my duty and privilege to rock her to sleep at night. We would get all warm and cozy in that rocker and more than once did I wake up to her staring me in the eyes. It was good work when you can get it a child asleep in your arms. Jesus desires to hold us. Just sit still and be held and hold on to Him.

·         Live in Him. If we make room, take Him and hold Him then it is a simple step to live like Him letting Him live in us. Make him Lord of your life not just Savior.

Jesus is an EXTRA-ORDINARY gift. Peter says of the gift of Jesus…let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”” 1 Peter 16 The Message

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

The Commercialism of Christmas, Bah humbug!

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, store wide sales it never ceases does it? Buy, buy, buy those gifts and decorations. From one point on view, it seems crazy to:

·         Buy a dead tree to store in your house for a few weeks to throw away or burn just a short time later. Why not just light the cash on fire!

·         Hang lights from the roof edge increasing your electric bill only to burn out whereby you risk your very life to find that one lone broken bulb or strand to replace it.

·         Watch TV shows where the goal is to decorate every square inch of a property so that the glow can be seen from space.

Call me crazy because the above are exactly what I have done plus more time spent trying to program a timer for the outside lights.

As I was walking this very morning I was thinking about the lights and decorations (they were on of course, timer). Why do we go to all of that trouble and is that “commercialization” on my part? Sure, I am buying things on sale and for the season commerce for sure, new “Icicle” lights for the front of the house (Barbara posted a video on Facebook). When Barbara gets done inside we say “Christmas threw-up” at our house. We give her a hard time but we love it although we would never say it out loud. Why do we love it?

I think the answer is decorations are unusual set the familiar apart. They say now is a different time of year. It is special, unique. Scripture tells us all things in moderation and these homes that can be seen from space due to the glow, you know the ones that get thank you cards from Georgia Power, THET are NOT moderation. Lights and decorations are symbols that should point us to the Savior who is Christ the Lord. It is a celebration of life and light for all men, Christmas is. Due to our fallen nature we get that sideways and miss the target. Choosing to see what is right in front of us instead of what is at the center in the manger Immanuel Jesus.

I’ve got to go there is this one strand of lights that just won’t…STOP…step away from the ladder. It’ll be alright. Maybe I’ll go and clean up the boxes and wire ties, put them up for a while and sit and enjoy the light. This Christmas season take a lot of time to enjoy the light.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. ⁴ Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5 HCSB     

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G 
                   merry christmas

Joy at Christmas? You must be CRA CRA!

 With just 13 days until Christmas, the push is at a dead run for the gifts and decorations to be finished and wrapped. The problem for us “task oriented people” is that causes us to focus on the task and not the time. So, Joy is not part of our vocabulary. It is probably far for our head and heart truth be told. Joy has been hijacked because you have run out of money before your list ran out or because this will be the first Christmas without that special someone with you. Might be due to school, or job or the hardest of all death, they just will not be with you and so you are thinking it can’t be Christmas.

When Barbara and I moved to Louisville, KY for me to go to seminary, Christmas was just days away and Barbara was not going to have Christmas. We could not afford to be off from work to go home (retail). So, Christmas was not going to happen because of what we could NOT do. Christmas Eve I came home from Lowe’s where I worked with a tree crammed in the hatchback of my MGB-GT, carried it upstairs to our 4 room apartment in a shotgun house and said, “Barbara its Christmas.” We decorated that tree and enjoyed that time. I/We chose Joy. Joy is a choice not an emotion of feeling. It is a willful decision. We can chose to wallow in resentment, anger and fear or we can chose to pursue the Joy of Christ at Christmas.

Matt Tullos (currently with Louisiana Baptist Convention) put together an advent devotional reading in 2011 on Joy. The following are his key points.

·         Joy is trusting when you want to doubt. That was the key to the shepherd’s response to the angel’s announcement. They said, “hey let’s go check out what he said.” It is that simple child-like faith that takes the shot and decides that no matter what Jesus has got our back and side and…well…all of us.

·         Joy is receiving what you want to reject. I enjoy finding gifts my family likes. It is much more delightful to watch them open a gift that is unexpected and wonderful. It is much better than anything I am given. We need to be open to the gifts of others fore to reject them is to deny them the blessing of giving. Giving is the only fitting response to God’s gift of himself, Jesus.

·         Joy is celebrating when you want to fear. The first things angels say to us humans is…”Fear NOT.” They must be scary to experience. The REAL scary is in what they are there to say. UNWED Mary hears she is going to have a baby (not her fiancé’s) Hum that’s a lot to be afraid of and yet she says OK whatever you say. Now that’s crazy! That whole Christmas adventure was not a Peanut’s Christmas play but REAL, SCARY LIFE.

The joy of Christmas is God showed up and “moved into the neighborhood,” Eugene Peterson says. He knows it is crazy scary. That’s why he came to be with us “Immanuel.”

 

That’s the GOOD NEWS the GREAT JOY.

 

That’s CRA CRA!  

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G
(P.S. I use Cra Cra to mess with you! It’s Christmas!)

It’s a conspiracy of the seasons!

Wednesday I was at Guyton Elementary School selecting names from their giving tree. They started with 91 and as the deadline has approached too many names were still unclaimed on the tree. I spent a little bit collecting names and stopped at 10. I looked again and wanted to take all of the rest still hanging. I could not but I wanted too. The counselor was thrilled like I had done something. All I could think of was the names yet on the “tree.” In my mind I had not done enough. How do you think Jesus’ heart hurt seeing and knowing of the misery yet in this world and still leaving to return home to heaven? Yet, the rest of the day I was thrilled that we had 10 nameless-names that Crossroads could bless in small simple ways this Christmas.

There is a great blessing in the order of the season. Thanksgiving first followed by Christmas. That blessing is found in the word thanksgiving. First is Thanks. A day where we are grateful for the blessings found in any and every situation of life. A real opportunity to consider God’s provision and be overwhelmed and thankful for his expressions of love. If we do that gratitude wells up like a spring bursting from the ground and the only appropriate response is to share by “giving.” Christmas is giving. As God has given his only son Jesus. The greatest gift ever so we who are grateful at Thanksgiving have this incredible opportunity to let our overflowing gratitude become real tangible giving to family, friends and complete “nameless” strangers. It’s a conspiracy of the seasons! Isn’t it wonderful?

I admit it brings a smile to my face and energy to living when there is a need I can meet. Maybe that is the pastor in me or maybe not. That is probably more like the Jesus-follower in me. He looks at us with great compassion and caring for our situation and plight. We see that in the countless acts of healing and never more so than on the cross as witnessed in the Gospels.  To be part of the solution even in the simplest gesture or activity is to be like Jesus. He is the goal of our salvation and life process God began and is at work accomplishing. It’s hard to imagine I can participate in God’s great mission through “nameless-names.” I find it delightful and depressing at the same moment.

That’s enough of “word smith-ing” for today. I’ve got clothes and toys to buy for “nameless-names” to enjoy this Christmas. Gifts given in the name of Jesus even if the recipient may not know that.

 

God knows and applauds.

It’s a conspiracy indeed to transform the world through love!

 

It works best in small ways!

 

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

Obedience is the key to understanding!

 ⁸ He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 HCSB

This week we have seen the reaction to the grand jury’s decision in Ferguson, MO. It is pretty easy to say how can they react that way? What’s wrong with those people? Be honest, on our side it is easy to say that of others. I have no understanding of the dynamic in that community or any community of color.

We do that to those who act or react in a way that we don’t understand. It’s easy. We want what we want when we want it and will use any means necessary to get it. That’s how we started in this world. That’s what a toddler does.

Toddlers are not taught or schooled how to be selfish. No, they came out of the chute selfish. We teach them to share over time. We learn to share over time or at least we are supposed to learn. We don’t or haven’t learned. Christ was obedient to death on the cross. He was obedient to his Father’s will regardless of the consequences. That’s where we are going, obedience. That is what it is to die to self, to be crucified with Christ, obedience. Sometimes we fool ourselves into believing we are obedient.

Max Lucado writes from The Grip of Grace There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get…You pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. May I ask you a very important question? What it God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, “I’ve given you my grace, and that is enough,” will you be content? I would add the question, “Will you be obedient?” Or, are you tempted to help God out or explain away His answer with some excuse or reason like, “God wants me to be happy!” or “Surely he wouldn’t say that?” ”He has given me a sign or maybe that’s his sign.”

Lucado continues, “will you be content? Content. That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has.”

Ugh, would you could you be content waiting on God? Probably not, our nature is that of willful rebellion against God. You prayed for your Mom or friend or whomever to be healed. God heard your prayer and healed them just not how you wanted because they died. You yell and scream, how mean God is and how you don’t trust him, how unjust He is etc. You decide if He is like that then you don’t need him or his church. Question, did you forget to be in Heaven with Jesus is to be whole and Holy as Jesus is holy. Sin completely healed without scar or shame. He heard your prayer, answered your pray and honored your prayer. However, it was not how you liked. You are mad! We understand those in Ferguson, MO better than we thought. It doesn’t make that response right just familiar.

To be obedient is to be content with God’s plan, purpose and your position in His Kingdom.

Understanding is a position of humility, piety and gratitude just like Jesus.

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

Compassion is risky business!

This is from my message Sunday. It has hit home with me this week and so I thought I would share. This event occurs following the teaching of the people we call the “Sermon on the Mount.”

When He came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. ² Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Matthew 8:1-2 HCSB

In other translations “skin disease” was leprosy. It may have been plaque psoriasis or a host of other skin conditions. Either way a leper lived apart from the community both physically and spiritually. It was thought you could get the disease by touching or being close to one who had it. Imposed both by the community and by the individual separation was their isolation protocol. To walk among the “non-sick” the leper was required to call out “unclean” bringing attention to their situation, isolating themselves even more so in public. It made for a lonely, touchless, solitary life. Can you imagine a mother who could not touch their son or a father who could not hold their wife or daughter? The agony, longing, yearning for contact because we are made for touch. Appropriate contact connects us together and makes us more human. A leper had no such contact, no physical touch. Everyone knew that. Jesus knew that. Spiritually the leper could not worship in the Temple. He could not participate in the ritual activities of the nation because of his obvious “sin.” To touch such a “sinner” risked the same outcast life and consequences of the disease spiritually as well at least for a time. Knowing this risk we see the compassion of the leper as he only asks Jesus to heal him nothing more. This is how Jesus responds to the risk.

³ Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” Immediately his disease was healed. Matthew 8:3 HCSB

Jesus being well Jesus starts with the man’s need and then his request. In spite of the great risk Jesus faced (he was a man) and maybe because of it he touched him and then he healed him. I think a contemporary analogy is an Ebola virus patient. As I have pondered this I saw how we isolate those with other lifestyles, ideas, political passion, the wrong families or backgrounds. It is so easy to isolate those who are not like us or have opposing views or lifestyles by treating them as lepers to be “safe.” Where is our compassion? Jesus didn’t see a leper but a child of God. A hurting, broken child in need of healing and hope.

Who do we see as “lepers” in and around us?

 

How do we isolate them?

 

Do we see them with Jesus eyes?

Who will you “touch” to change this?

 

Will you take the “risk?”

 

Compassion is risky business doing the right thing!

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

This is cra cra amaz (crazy amazing)

This is crazy amazing!

The European Space Agency reported Wednesday that they had landed a probe on the surface of a comet 317 million miles from earth. The comet was:

Discovered in 1969, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko circles the sun in an elliptical orbit extending nearly 500 million miles from the sun at its far point -- beyond the orbit of Jupiter -- to a point between the orbits of Earth and Mars some 115 million miles from the sun. The comet measures 2.5 miles across and rotates every 12.4 hours, taking about 6.5 years to complete one orbit. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/comet-landing-esa-rosetta-photos-philae-lander-on-comet-67p/ 11.13.14 12:47pm It is traveling at 86,000 miles per hour. Our own planet earth travels at 66,700 miles per hour around the sun once every 365 1/3 days rotating every 24 hours. The diameter of the earth at the equator is 7,926.41 miles. I know that is a lot of numbers probably too big to get our heads around.

Consider that man aimed at a moving target 21/2 miles across, 317 million miles from our own moving planet 10 years+ ago and yesterday hit it. The machine used the gravitational pull of two different object within our solar system to accelerate to the speed needed to orbit around the comet.  Command and control signals traveling at nearly the speed of light still take 28 minutes to cover the distance and 28 minutes to return.

 

Consider that we could calculate these times and places to land on this “new” object because there is such order in the universe. Not randomness but order, predictable, plan-able (yes I made that one up) perceptible order to the cosmos. Order does not come from chaos.

Consider, Speaking of God Isaiah said:

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales? Isaiah 40:12 HCSB        

God is amazing. Bigger than the vastness of the heavens and all of these mind boggling numbers too big to comprehend and yet it is also true that he knows where you are what you are going through and how it turns out for your good and His glory. You have value and are worth more than the life of his own son!   

²⁹ Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. ³¹ So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 HCSB

Now THAT’S crazy amazing!

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

God’s provision from the ridiculous to the subline!

Speaking of ridiculous, last we I ran out of the paper stock on which we print our worship folder. Its 28lb and bright white (like 100) so it is not cheap or available anywhere. Our previous stock had come from staples and I went to reorder but 4 reams were $46 and that was just too much. So, no order. We made due last week but now have got to have some. As a Staples customer, I received some sweet discounts in the mail. I was hoping for one of those and Wednesday it came $30 off a $60 order. The paper was $46 and we needed some batteries I was at $60 subtract $30 and bingo sweet deal. That’s ridiculous but thank God.

But every good endowment that we possess and every complete gift that we have received must come from above, from the Father of all lights, with whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency. James 1:17 J.B. Phillips

Now the sublime, Tuesday I was driving the babies (my term) home from school. On the way my volt gauge sounded an alarm reading a lower than normal output. Off and on it went until it went off. I thought oh great my alternator is going bad maybe it will get through the route and then can get it repaired. Well, on to the next stop and the same thing again but added to this another alarm on the water temperature. I thought oh great the belt is broken we have got to get another bus. So we limped to a safer spot for student transfer. I stopped the motor only to have my “babies” go crazy because routine was broken. We have never had to change buses during the route before. I don’t know about you but I was a little miffed by all of this. Why now? Why today? Why stupid? UGH!

The other bus arrived and as we transferred students crazy continues pushing me more and more. However, we get on with dropping children off and down the road. Next the radio crackles with excitement that something is happening and emergency vehicles are flying at Courthouse and Little McCall. That’s where I have to go, GREAT. When I get to the intersection nothing, no blue lights, cars nothing so far so good. I made several regular stops behind schedule but fine (it had been about 10 minutes waiting). We rounded the corner and there are 10 Deputies parked in a front yard right where my next stop is. So, I proceed with caution and finally see several deputies gathered by a mailbox talking. Ok, so kids can get off and Moms where all waiting (glory hallelujah). Two more stops and fine and then there is another house with what seemed like 10 more Deputies, the Sheriff and Chief Deputy (that means it’s a deal). But, on with the rest of the route and home.

Later the news reported an armed robbery and three suspects in custody, REALLY! It was not until the next morning as I was still with God that I understood his provision. If we had not been delayed by a broken belt the “babies” and I would have either been in the middle of the robbery or the law enforcement response.

 

Turns out I am the one who is crazy and ridiculous!

 

But you already knew that!       

In HIS Service and yours,
Bro G

I will be so glad when Wednesday morning comes!

I am tired of all of the political commercials. I voted this week early. I think early voting is the best thing yet. I would like for it to be law that once you vote you are exempt from the political ads, calls and nonsense. I don’t know HOW to do that but it should be a law. It is our responsibility to be good citizens and vote as Christians. Regardless of the election results, it is our duty to vote. But not our duty to watch those blasted ads.

Be informed before you vote but not from the ads. Ads are what ads are and truth is not as obvious as they would have you believe. Luke Skywalker asked Obi-Wan Kenobi why he had not been told the truth about Darth Vadar being his father. Obi-Wan replies that what he was told was the truth from a “certain point of view.” The same can be said of those commercials, they tell the truth from a certain point of view. They leave out the details. Do some fact checking. It means whatever you do in office would be used against you in the court of public opinion, Catch 22. That is a shame. We need Godly men and women in elected office. However, they will pay a price.

Consider the amount of money being spent by these candidates to be elected! The totals for this year will be a while coming in but I have little doubt it is obscene when compared to the cost of providing food, shelter and clothing to those without here and around the world. That’s the long view and politics is inherently short sighted. Believers are to be good citizens but this is not our home. We are ever so certainly being changed to fit in Heaven not here. By design and sacrifice we will be less and less comfortable here. If we are not very careful the temporary can consume us to the point of failing to look at the view of the permanent. Heaven is the permanent. Politics is the temporary.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome (a brutal oppressive regime) these words.

¹ Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God.

⁴ For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

⁵ Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. Romans 13:1,4-5 HCSB

 

Notice there is no mention of political ads! Come on Wednesday!

 

Really we should say, “Come, COME Lord Jesus!

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

It's in our nature to make the simple complex!

 In the introduction to Hebrews in The Message Eugene Peterson writes (adapted):

We can’t get too much of God, can’t get too much faith or obedience, can’t get too much love or worship. But religion – the well-intentioned efforts we make to “get it all together” for God – can very well get in the way of what God is doing for us. Doesn’t matter the circumstance: in good times or bad our tendency is to add on, supplement, and embellish. But instead of improving on the purity and simplicity of Jesus, we dilute the purity and clutter the simplicity. We get in the way of God. He goes on to write, “That’s when it’s time to read and pray our way through the letter to the Hebrews again, written for “too religious” Christians. Written for “Jesus and” Christians.

I wish that was true of other people and not me but it’s not. I make the simple complex by getting hung up on the unimportant. You know like a child who fusses over the cup their juice comes in rather than the juice. The Pharisees concerned themselves with their appearance more than their character. Jesus called them out on that. Too often we make life and living about ourselves AND Jesus. Jesus AND my belief, Jesus AND education, Jesus AND politics, Jesus AND my right behavior, you get the picture.

This becomes true (well it’s true all the time) but more evident when we are aggravated that life seems unfair. That someone else is not doing what they are “supposed to.” Yet WE are and THEY seem to “win” or have it better than us. Tuesday as I walked with the dog early in the morning I found my conversation (the one in my head) to be exactly that. It was Jesus AND my righteous behavior. IT JUST WASN’T FAIR. At least as far as I was concerned. If I was God… That is the problem. I want to be God, me AND Jesus.

Reliant K penned a phrase “the beauty of Grace is it makes life not fair.” That’s what I’m counting on, not getting what I deserve in all fairness. Yet, I want to require fairness (karma) for everyone else. I am a hypocrite. I want my cake AND eat it too. I overheard a child on the bus this morning telling another to “shut up.” Their reasoning was they were not the boss of me. I reminded the child speaking they were not the boss either. Yet that is exactly what they were trying to do. I learned it from them?

What I need to learn is found in the words of Jesus (go figure), “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

 

I have MUCH to learn about “unforced rhythm” AND Jesus. 

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G

You just never know!

Last Saturday as I was tooling down the road in a caravan of school buses taking the ECHS marching band to a competition, I was enjoying the pretty day and relative light traffic on US 321 outside of Estill, SC. Little did I know that there would be an accident in the other lane that would spill over and involve the last bus. That changed everything!   

Sunday evening Weston (Elizabeth’s boyfriend of two years) asked her to marry him. She said yes and was surprised by their friends and family gathered around to celebrate the event. It seems she has grown up. There have been times… That changed everything (I’m sure I will find out how much in days to come).

This morning (Thursday) there was an accident (come to think of it there has been an accident somewhere in the area each morning this week) at Ga 21 and Ebenezer Road. That changed the path of a few hundred people as they rode buses to school arriving late because of traffic and detours not to mention the lives of those involved and their families.

We live everyday with the possibility that it all could change in an instant and yet we are surprised and shocked when it happens. When was the last time God showed up surprising you and changing everything? For me it was a week or two ago in a conversation with Elizabeth (our oldest). I realized she had matured and was surprised it had happened, grateful too. She spoke of student loans and how grateful she was to not have to pay them. I remembered the struggle deciding which school to go to of three private (read in expensive) colleges, Baylor, Mercer and Berry. I prayed over several days after the financial aid offers arrived. God revealed it was Berry College. I argued because it was the least attractive financial package. God didn’t argue. It dawned on me after all this time He has been good to his word. He had a plan and we (this time) followed and look how it worked out. That kind of realization changes everything.

That’s what we are looking for. The presence of God active and interested in our lives. It’s a game changer. That’s what God does is change the game completely and wonderfully. Most often unexpectedly and unknowingly on our part, nevertheless, “He who was seated on the throne said, Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” Revelation 21:5 (HCSB) He is at work making all things new and yet we are surprised. Why? Our thinking needs to be made new!      

In HIS Service and yours

Bro G

I'm going to do it!

I saw this post on Facebook from Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Resources with this photo. He declined but yep, I’m going to do it. In some Christian circles there has been much emphasis placed on these four Blood Red Moons to occur this year. It is a rare event but not a brand new event.

 

Since man first noticed the heavens he has tried to make a connection with events in the heavens and events here on this planet. Do events in the heavens predict happenings on this planet? Do they cause them? Often our fascination has misled us to worship the created instead of the Creator. This is still going on today.

Some in the faith community have suggested these astronomical events are the announcement of the second coming of Christ. Now there is a precedent for such a conclusion, Bethlehem. A star announced to the entire universe that the Son of God had become man. The star was witness to what God was doing. Magi who studied the stars saw it and came. However the eclipse of the moon is a calculated regular occurrence. It is not new nor unexpected. It’s more like Apple announcing a new IPhone. It happens regularly and people freak out about it as new and exciting. Now a lunar eclipse is special and unique. It reminds of the spectacular nature of the universe God created and the unique order and precision that God alone defined. It’s not the announcement of the Second Coming. So, what do we look for…

¹⁰ But when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief…

^11-13 Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10-13 The Message

In HIS Service and yours

Bro G

It's been a week!

We started off with our 10^th birthday celebration at Crossroads Church. We had a great crowd (75) great music, good food, and fine inflatables outside for all to enjoy. I was touched by the numerous words testifying of what God is doing in the lives of those present and how we have facilitated that as a church. That is what I had hoped we could do from the very start, connect people to God through Jesus Christ in real day to day ways. Sunday I heard story after story of how that is happening. A day like that should set me on cloud nine for a while. It did but it didn’t last. About the time you get a big head reality comes screaming to a stop right in front of you.

That has been the theme of the week for me. Up in the morning down by the evening or down in the morning and up in the evening. I thought I was heading down one path only to find it blocked. I thought one plan was going to work only to find not today. The roller coaster you see is fun while going up but not so fun if it stops. You are stranded and it’s not easy getting down safely. Have you had those weeks or months? They sure don’t seem like the powerful existence that the 1^st century church had.

They don’t seem like it yet they are exactly the same experience the 1^st century church experienced. Paul writing to his son on Christ Timothy reminds the young man what he needs to do when he is on the roller coaster.

So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain. 2 Timothy 2:1-7 The Message

Once again it is to focus on Christ and following his example.

That is our task.

 
In HIS Service and yours

Bro G

It's been 10 years!

Sunday Crossroads Church will celebrate 10 years of weekly worship services. It seems like only yesterday we were canvasing 500 homes and growing 400% when four of my family joined. In some ways it was just yesterday compared to houses of worship with 140 and 150 years and more under their belts. It always seems so long when it has been your sweat and tears involved and yet in the scope of eternity it has been but a single moment. Yet, here we are surviving 10 years beating the failure rate of approximately 70% (not unlike small business start-ups).

I have to admit that I thought it would be easier. I thought by now we would have 300 in attendance each week and building a building etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Well we are rebuilding a building our permit came a few weeks ago and we are off. Ask me when we will be in there and I must say I have no idea. I do hope by Easter 2015. That has been God’s timeline and not mine. He has provided as we have needed. We have been at and around 45-50 people in weekly attendance. I believe every planter hope to reach un-reached people. I do know that we have a majority of folks who were not connected to any church some never many in many years. I did not expect that but that was my dream as we began and God has made that dream come true. I can point to a large number of folks and tell you a story of God’s work in their life through Jesus Christ and Crossroads Church.

That is happening in many churches. I can say that because that is the very heart of God to draw people to himself through his son Jesus. That is his heart Jesus. It has always been all about Jesus. So, our birthday celebration is not about me and my effort or about the church and its accomplishments, no it is a celebration of grace found through faith in Jesus. Our 10^th birthday is a celebration of Jesus at work in individuals and families changing lives and home to be Kingdom people and families. He is the way the truth and the life. I have the most ridiculous task contextualizing the truth found in God’s Word into the culture of today. It’s ridiculous because it’s great material. How can you go wrong? Even when I do (go wrong that is) God’s Holy Spirit speaks in spite of me ensuring the communication of truth to those with ears to hear.

It has been a crazy 10 years and not matter what I may think will happen, I really have no idea and that is O.K. I’ve only been at it 10 years. That time is but a comma in the manuscript of eternity.

 

I have been crucified with Christ 20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:19-20 HCSB           

In HIS Service and yours

Bro G