Sunday, December 11, 2011

Craziness and what is Christmas!

Does anyone feel “stressed” because of the pace of Christmas? It seems like I get stuck on “fast forward” every Christmas and the closer I get to “the day” the more hectic things get for me and the more frazzled I get. Also, is it just me or do you find people do the craziest things at this time of year? I was reading about a department store Santa getting fired in Thousand Oaks, California because when an “elf” called him a name (obviously something other than St. Nick) he pulled a handgun and drew down on said elf. Or how’s this one for crazy: there was a Seattle charity event for meat-cutters where a volleyball game was played. They used frozen meats as “volleyballs” (yes, you read that correctly). It seemed as the game was stopped when one of the “players” was hit in the head with an 11 pound frozen turkey. Even churches are not immune to the craziness. In Miami, a woman was arrested for assaulting her husband with an umbrella shaft after church. His crime? It seems he fell asleep during the service.

In trying to get past some of the craziness this Christmas I pondered what Christmas means. Now I realize it means a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some it is a time of shopping and spending. To others it is a time for drinking and parties. For others Christmas involves traveling and entertaining. I’m sure for many it means a combination of these and other things. Today is Sunday and I’m sitting in my office pondering the real meaning of Christmas?

I came up with a short list of what Christmas means to me:
1. Christmas is about love – For God so “loved the world” that He sent us His Son. We should never forget that symbolism of Christmas in seeing how much God loves us. So as I reflect on the meaning of Christmas I realize that it’s about us sharing His love with so many who never open a bible or attend a church service. That leads to the second thing I believe about Christmas …
2. Christmas is about remembering – taking the time to remember those whom we have loved and been loved by through the years. This time of year is often difficult as we are forced to face the holidays without someone we have spent much of our life with. I hope that when I go through a period of great loss God will help me remember not to focus on what I feel I’ve lost but rather what I had in that person in the first place and to celebrate that.
3. Obviously Christmas is a time of giving – “For God so loved the world He gave”. As a child Christmas was always about what am I “getting” this year but the older I have gotten I have found it much more pleasurable to give. I often say it in sermons but I’m convinced of the truth that we are never more like Jesus than when we give.
4. Christmas is a time of forgiving (or at least it should be) – God was willing to forgive us without stipulations. Oh that I were more like Jesus in this regard. Too often I’m quick to be judgmental and look down on others less fortunate or maybe more fortunate and not realizing just how blessed they are. I have been forgiven so much in my life. I also have been had some very difficult experiences in my life. But I’m reminded that no one has ever done anything worse to me than that which I’ve done to Christ. After all, it was my sin that held Him to that cross.
5. Christmas is a time of change – we often set resolutions right after Christmas as we “resolve” to change some things for the better. So I’m pondering what the Lord would have me to change for the better this year.
6. Finally Christmas is a time of rejoicing – We can rejoice in God’s unmerited grace. We can rejoice in the fact we’ve been forgiven. We can rejoice that God has a purpose for our life. We can rejoice that no matter how far we stray, we never get so far that the arm of God cannot bring us back. Know you are loved this Christmas.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

3 lessons from Joseph

Are you ready for Christmas? Have all your cards been mailed? Are all your decorations out and up? What about your shopping; finished yet? Many call this part of December the “Christmas rush”. As we hurry trying to get everything “done” we are prone to lose sight of the meaning of Christmas. When I ask the question, “Are you ready for Christmas?” I’m not concerned with all the trappings. I’m asking about your attitudes, because every once in a while I hear someone say, “I just can’t get into the Christmas spirit!” Likely some of you have said it too.

Outside of Jesus, Joseph is one of my favorite characters of the Christmas story yet he often goes unnoticed. He's not in the spotlight very long, and we know little about his life. But Joseph can teach us a lot about attitudes. What we learn from Joseph can change our attitude and make Christmas more meaningful this year.

There are three simple things we learn from Joseph that help us understand the true meaning of Christmas.

Lesson #1 – We need to be ready to accept God’s will no matter what. imagine you are Joseph. He had his life pretty well mapped out. He was pledged to be married, the arrangements had been made, and the wedding would soon be upon them. He and Mary would settle down in Nazareth, he’d run his carpentry business, they'd have some children and live happily ever after. But then Mary dropped a bomb on him with the words, “Joseph, I’m pregnant”. Joseph knew the child was not his and came to the same conclusion we’d have, namely that Mary must have been unfaithful. As Joseph considered his “options”, an angel came to him in a dream and basically told him he needed to “trust God” Even though Joseph got few of his questions answered, he chose to trust God and believe His will to be best.

So that leads me to ask what is it God’s been speaking to your heart about that you are wrestling to understand? What is it that you want answers from Him before you decide to obey? From that first Christmas we learn from Joseph that we need to be ready to accept God’s will with no reservations. It’s okay to ask questions but sometimes God chooses not to answer. And getting no answer is no excuse for disobedience.

Lesson #2 – Joseph teaches us that we need to care for others. When children’s groups put on Christmas plays, kids do not typically line up asking for the role of Joseph. Mary is always front and center portrayed either holding Jesus or looking over and after Him. In the manger scene of our minds we also see some excited shepherds. There are also typically wise men bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (though we know their arrival would have been weeks, even months later). But look closely, there, over in the corner of our manger scene stands Joseph. His role is not that of “star” and at times he’s treated as rather insignificant. But Joseph’s role was actually critical to that first Christmas. God had simply told him to take care of Mary and Jesus. Joseph had the important task of caring for the needs of others.

Maybe this Christmas you are feeling a bit frustrated about spending all of your time and resources meeting the needs of others. Joseph reminds us that Christmas is really not about us; it wasn’t about he and Mary and it’s certainly not about us. The focal point of Christmas is Jesus! And with Jesus serving as the center of this season, Joseph reminds us to care for the needs of others.

Lesson #3 – Joseph reminds us that we need to be willing to give whatever we have. He didn’t know that after Jesus was born that he would have to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them. Joseph didn’t know that he would be separated from his business, home town, and family for a long period of time. He didn’t know all the demands that would be made on his life because of the birth of Christ. But here’s the key, whatever God asked of him, Joseph freely gave.

Isn’t that really what Christmas is all about? When God chose to give Himself as a gift to mankind, Christmas came. Joseph simply followed the pattern of the Lord when he gave of himself. What are you holding back from God? Is it your resources? Is it your time? Joseph reminds us to be willing to give whatever we have.

So, are you “ready” for Christmas? I don’t know if you will be able to get all your shopping done (if you're like me you probably be numbered among the thousands shopping on the 23rd and 24th). I can't tell you if you will get all your cards mailed or be able to attend all the Christmas functions you want to. But here’s what I do know … God has a will for our lives and we are wise to accept it no matter what. I know God has a desire that we extend to others the care that He first extended to us. I know that we are never more like Jesus than when we give! after all, it was He who said He came to “give his life a ransom for the many” (Mark 10:45).

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Satan, temptation, and Pin fish

On our recent Fall Break trip to Florida, one of the things the boys and I like doing the most is going fishing down at one of the piers. We go to this place where all of the deep sea boats are docked for the night. In large trash cans are the remains of the fish they caught that day and we will take one of the carcasses out and use pieces of it for bait. Some nights it seems like every cast we are catching either a salt water catfish, white grunt, or small pinfish. Typically there are some cranes that hang out on the pier with us. Occasionally we will toss them one of these pinfish and they, as quick as lightning, peck the fish with their beak to kill it and then quickly swallow it. This year the cranes were pretty aggressive in coming up to us trying to get us to give them a fish.

So I’m sitting at my desk today thinking about this Sunday’s message and a particular verse caused my mind to drift back to our pier fishing. Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”. Peter reminds us as Christians we have to keep our “guard” up because there’s an enemy seeking to “devour” us. The open door he’s looking for is our giving in to temptation and sin. Most of our sin is not done alone; there’s someone else who’s either complicit in the sin or a victim of the sin, but sin typically is not a one person thing.

Here’s the point I’m making here. Those pin fish are partially to blame for their own demise. Had they not given in to the temptation of the bait we used they never would have ended up on the pier, a place where they were not created to be, and thus we never would have had opportunity to give them to the cranes to devour. In order for Satan to “devour” us I believe we first let our guard down. Typically this involves a temptation to sin that we give in to, often involving other people (s). Then the next thing we know we are far from the will of God for our life, in a place He never intended us to be, and we are easily devoured by Satan. So what’s the key to not being devoured? Peter answers that in the first part of 1 Peter 5:8 when he says, “Be sober (alert) and be vigilant”. As a child of God the devil has you in his crosshairs and would love nothing more than to take you down. So no matter how alluring the temptation seems today, don’t give in.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Life lessons I've learned from my dog

Well we learned a life lesson last week … dying is a part of living. Our beloved “Annie”, our 7 year old Golden Retriever had to be put down a couple weeks ago with kidney disease. We mourned for about a week then went out Friday night and bought a chocolate lab puppy whom we named Lexi. She’s a bundle of fun and playfulness and every day we see more of her personality come out. If you have ever had a dog then you know what it’s like to lose one; they literally become part of the family. But you know, “man’s best friend” can teach us many lessons about life if we will only pay attention. Here are some things I’ve learned from Annie and even Lexi the few short days we’ve had her.

Wake up happy, play hard & rest when it’s time – I don’t think Annie ever woke up in a “foul mood.” When Lexi is up and out of her kennel for the most part it’s play time . Life is so “serious” that I think I often forget to take time to “play” and I certainly don’t rest like I should. I’m learning more and more that attitude is a choice and not a result of my circumstances.

No such thing as a stranger – I brought Lexi to the office yesterday and she played with everyone as though they were long lost friends. She didn’t care how they looked, she simply saw them as a potential friend. You know when I meet folks I will often “size them up”. People often make judgments based on appearance using that as the criteria for whether someone will be liked and accepted or not. If I’m out somewhere, how often do I avert making eye contact with others so I don’t have to engage them in any way. I need to be more like Lexi and reach out to all, seeing a potential friend in everyone I meet.

Unconditional love – Annie never held a grudge. If I did something wrong she didn’t hold it against me and “wash her paws” of me. She’d simply forget whatever it was and move on. Annie would always greet me at the door with her tail wagging. It was like I’d been on a long journey and she was so glad I was now home. And now Lexi is starting to do the same thing.

Sharing toys is more fun – It used to drive me crazy playing fetch with Annie. I’d throw the tennis ball and she loved running after it to get it, but then she’d not bring it back to me. She loved the keep-away part but it drove me nuts. When I’d finally get the ball from her and launch it again, she loved it and off she’d go to fetch. If only Annie could have learned how much more fun it is to give share the ball so the game could continue. How often do I cling tightly to what’s “mine”, whether it be my ideas, my time, whatever and miss the opportunity to “play” with someone who simply wants to be a friend.

Be loyal - Dogs are so loyal and loving to their owners. They show gratitude by their affection and sloppy kisses. So I learn from that the need to be loyal and kind to others and show my gratitude and affection.

Stop eating when you have had enough – hmmmm, I wish maybe I’d learned this lesson 30 pounds ago.

I’m sure are other lessons Annie taught me and lessons still to be learned from Lexi. Sometimes I’m a “slow learner” … thankfully Annie and now Lexi are patient in their training.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

"re-learning" a lesson

Is it just me or do you find yourself needing to have lessons “re-taught” to you occasionally in order for them to sink in? I know that somewhere, either a newsletter piece or early in my blog I wrote about the same lesson I’m re-learning tonight. To be gut-level honest I am a bit irritated. I’m a huge Texas Rangers fan and this is the 2nd year they have made it to the World Series and it feels like it’s slipping away again. To top it off, the umpires have blown key calls in two of the three games, both going against the Rangers in critical situations. In game #1, losing by a run and the Rangers best home run hitter at the plate, it’s the last inning and he fouls a pitch off his foot that the umpires all missed, calling it a fair ball and he was “out” at first. Then tonight in a 1-0 game there’s a blown call at first base where the Ranger clearly tagged the Cardinal runner a good step before 1st base, and somehow the umpire missed it and the Cardinals go on to score four runs that inning.

So here’s the lesson I’m learning … or shall I say “re-learning” … are you ready for it? I’m all upset … and this is JUST a game. I doubt we will stand around in heaven talking about blown calls in the 2011 World Series. I told Jan, out of frustration really, I was going to leave the game for a few minutes and write a blog since I’d not written one recently. As I sat wondering what to write about and really still stewing over the game, it came to me.

• I doubt the family who I helped bury their beloved uncle today is worried too much about any missed calls.
• I doubt the deacon who I visited in the hospital this week as he watched his dear mother leave this life is too consumed with umpires, runs, and scores.
• I doubt the faithful member I visited in the hospital this week, who’s wife is dying from cancer and he had to listen to her as she planned her funeral with me is too concerned about who wins this game … he has bigger “fish to fry”.
• I doubt the man who is at the Medical Center right now with his wife of many years who had a heart attack today is worried whether the umpires are getting their “calls” right.
• I doubt the family in another state that a friend told me about that lost two children in a car wreck this week is even watching the game.
• I doubt the missionary friend who serves single in a closed north Africa country that is predominantly Muslim, who literally risks his life for the cause of Christ is even able to watch the game, much less worry about blown calls.

I wish I could tell you I will never again have to be reminded of this lesson. I also wish I was able to say that when this game is over and the Rangers likely lose, that it won’t cause me any angst. But the bottom line is I’m an imperfect human still learning what it means to live out my faith in a world that desperately needs to know Christ; a man doing his best. Though failing at times, often really, but doing his best, to live “right” in a “wrong” world.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Passion of a pastor

One of the blogs I like to read is by a guy named Perry Noble. Perry is the pastor of Newspring Baptist Church in Anderson, SC. Newspring didn’t even exist when I pastored in Anderson about 20 years ago and now they have multiple campuses and gave an average attendance well up into the thousands. Today I read a post about “7 Things A Pastor Should Never Apologize For.” I think he nailed it!

1. Never apologize for dreaming big – How true this is. So often we pastors place in front of our congregations budgets and ministry plans that with a little work and faithfulness can be accomplished without divine intervention. We serve such a big and awesome God; a God that nothing is too difficult for. Should we not challenge our people to exercise a little faith and attempt great things for God; things that when done, only He can get the credit for? Too often we focus on our limitations rather his possibilities.

2. Never apologize for your passion – My passion is seeing people come to Christ. I get fired up seeing people go “on mission” with God. Whether that’s across the street or around the world, nothing fires me up more than seeing the church be the church outside the walls of 500 Eastwood Street or Plano Elementary.

3. Never apologize for wanting to lead – If a pastor is called of God to pastor than leading is simply part of the deal. I remember a lady at my last church saying after I left, “Well the dictator is gone.” Looking back, and also after asking some laymen I served with and trust about my leadership style there, I’m convinced I was not being a dictator but simply being the pastor God called me to be. If a pastor cannot lead than he might want to consider another profession.

4. Never apologize for not embracing someone else’s agenda – This is tricky because as a pastor I never want to squelch what God might be doing in someone else’s heart. But at the same time I can’t embrace an idea without God also birthing that in my own heart. And as pastor, for me there’s only one agenda that I want to embrace and follow and no it is not “Tom’s”. I want to discern what the Lord on His agenda for our church and embrace that.

5. Never apologize for expecting the best from others – I cannot get to the place where I expect perfection from anyone, even myself. But at the same time I don’t think it’s wrong to expect people to give their very best to the Lord.

6. Never apologize for wanting to reach more people – Occasionally people have accused me of only being concerned about “the numbers”. Know what? They are absolutely right! Because behind every “number” in Sunday bible study is a soul that is being taught the priceless perfect Word of God. Behind every baptism is a soul that has been snatched from hell and is now heaven bound.

7. Never apologize for saying “No” to what you need to say “No” to – Of the 7 things listed here, I confess this is the most difficult for me. I struggle to build in proper boundaries and saying “No” to people. I think I’m getting better at this, but honestly I wish I’d learned this lesson while my children were still young.

Just a glimpse today of what the Lord has said to my heart through a great man of God, Perry Noble.

Tom

Friday, September 16, 2011

Phsyicals and spiritual check-ups

Having hit the BIG 5-0 this year has had few side effects … in fact I don’t feel a day over 49 most days (grin). One thing I decided to do though was to go to the doctor and get a physical. I hadn’t had one in about 7 years and so it was time. Most everything went well and many things were exceptional. I have a couple of follow-up things to do based on some lab work and simply my age but all in all it was good.

But after this physical I sat at my desk contemplating … when was the last time I had a “spiritual physical”? Just as my doctor today asked a lot of diagnostic questions, what are the diagnostic questions that would help the Great Physician reveal to me how I’m doing and what I need to work on?

First I think the Great Physician would establish my “case history”. I’m reminded of where I’ve come from (how lost I was and unable to save myself … truth is not even desiring to be saved) and where I am today. The Physician would also then talk about where I want to be 6 months or a year from now and what steps need to be taken to get there.

Next we would probably review what “medicines” I’m taking and what they were for. This would be the Physician reminding me of “problem areas” in my life where I am prone to run into sin or trouble. He’d likely remind me of the “medicine” (my quiet time with Him, avoiding certain places and temptations, etc…) and how I need to regularly take this medicine to avoid future trouble.

Just as my earthly doctor asked how I’d been eating and if I’d been exercising, I think the Great Physician would ask about my spiritual appetite. Have I been desiring the meat of the Word? Have I been feasting on it? Having I been exercising the spiritual gifts He’s given to me? Have I been faithfully serving Him the way I was designed to?

The doctor today pointed out a couple of “pre-cancerous” spots that needed to be removed and we scheduled that. Likewise the Great Physician would likely point out some “pre-cancerous” attitudes or actions that if I don’t remove them likely would lead to much greater trouble down the road.

Finally when you turn 50 the doctor typically wants to schedule a routine colonoscopy. This is where they look on your “insides” to make sure there’s nothing there that needs to be removed … it is preventive as much as anything, so we scheduled that. This reminds me that the Great Physician looks at more than just my outside appearance but gazes into my heart. I know I need to listen to Him as He describes what He sees. If there’s anything going on inside of me, than He certainly knows the remedy and so as I listen I then must confess, repent, pray up, mend relationships, really do whatever the Physician prescribes so that I can be all I’m created to be.

What about you? When was the last time you had a physical? When was the last time you allowed the Great Physician to give you a thorough examination?

Monday, September 12, 2011

3000+ sermons

I was sitting in my office today doing a little reflecting; Mondays are typically good for that. Mondays I’m typically “spent” from Sunday (preaching 4 times can be both physically and emotionally draining) and so I find myself often looking back on the worship services of Sunday and reflecting on life in general. I deiced to do a little math today. I’ve been pastoring almost 21 years now, and have probable preached on average 49 weeks a year, planning 3 sermons a week. That blew my mind to think that I’ve preached more than 3,050 different messages!

I’ve learned some lessons over the years with the most important being that being a pastor is not “difficult” … it’s impossible. Apart from the call of God, and the daily filling by the Spirit of God, there’s no way I’d have been in the pastorate for as long as I have. I’ve made more than my share of mistakes as a pastor, and looking back there are many things I’d do differently if I only knew “then” what I know now. So as I sit reflecting today I thought I’d make a list of what I’ve hoped to embody in the ministry the Lord has given to me. I came up with a list of 12 things I pray my ministry has been “marked” with …
1. Integrity – as Christians our lives should be marked by the highest standards of conduct, character, and ethics and as a pastor I should model this.
2. Vision – I’ve tried to cast vision and dream dreams for the people of God so that they might be all that the Lord desires for them to be.
3. Wisdom – why would anyone seek to follow an unwise leader? I’ve probably been more of a “wise guy” at times, but I’ve tried to seek the mind of Christ that I might then have a word from Him for His people.
4. Communication – preaching really boils down to communication. The caution for me has been to try and communicate what the Lord wants said … as John the Baptist said of Jesus in John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This is especially true in trying to communicate a Word from God through preaching.
5. Motivation – change requires risk, challenge and personal growth. To accomplish this there must be motivational leadership which inspires others.
6. Decisiveness – leaders must make wise decisions. Every decision has not been “perfect” but I’ve found God’s people will forgive the occasional wrong decision and remain loyal but will not long tolerate indecision on part of their pastor.
7. Risk-taking – I believe too many pastors are afraid to take risks. They get comfortable in their position then their people become complacent. It was William Carey who first said that we are to “expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.” Is it really faith if we only attempt what we can reasonably do on our own? We should be willing to follow the Lord to the point that we attempt things that are doomed to failure unless the He intervenes.
8. Compassion – it’s true, people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. My experience has been that people will generally follow leaders that they know are genuinely concerned for their well-being.
9. Humility – though I probably come across to most as very self-assured, I am my own worst critic.
10. Self-control – boy this is one I’ve learned the hard way. Leaders need ability to stay calm in midst of turmoil.
11. Balance – another one of those things I’m convinced most only learn the “hard way”. Pastors must be able live well balanced life emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. To do this requires the ability to build in boundaries and being able to say “No” at times.
12. Humor – I think life is meant to be enjoyed. I can’t take myself so seriously that I’m not willing to laugh at my mistakes.

Some of you will likely read this today and way “What in the world?”. I’m guessing I wrote this post more for myself than for others; it was therapeutic. But I do hope I’ve been able to portray the philosophy of ministry I’ve tried to live by.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

God uses all kinds of people

There was a story back on August 11, 2011 in Baptist Press about Jake “Grece” (his last name was changed for his protection). It told how Jake sits at his computer in Africa answering email from a missionary couple. They have a question about their finances and Jake is their man ... an IMB missionary working as an accountant.

Accountants may not be the first image that pops into people's heads when talking about missionaries, but that's exactly how Jake, a Nebraska native, answered his call to missions. He uses his financial skills in the office while also focusing on ministering to those around him, whether it's frazzled missionaries or local villagers.

Lynn Burton serves as associate vice president for the International Mission Board's office of finance explains people like Jake are a "missionary first with an assignment to do financial support. That's the one thing they are to always focus on. In their job description, the very first line is 'witnessing and participating in Christian life.'"

As I read this, I wondered shouldn’t this be the story of each of us? As God’s children, no matter what task God has gifted and called us to, shouldn’t our job description be “a missionary first … witnessing and participating in Christian life”? Too often we think that God cannot use our particular skill set. Let me remind you that God called you to be a “witness” (see Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20, and other passages) and it was He who gifted you with the ability to work where you do.

Right now in South East Asia there’s a group of 18 representing the Lord and His Church here in Bowling Green. They are faithfully following God’s call to make Him famous in all the world. These include 3 teenagers, a businessman, a retired professor, a house wife, a retired butcher, a pharmacy assistant, a General Motors supervisor, an author and a couple of ministers of the gospel. Did you notice the great variety of vocations and ages represented? You know what the one thing they all have in common, besides Christ of course? They all heard the voice of God when He said, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” and they each responded, “He am I, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

What about you? What stops you from fulfilling the “Great Commission” by going to your classmate, neighbor, co-worker, or ½ way around the world on the next mission trip? For most of us, the only thing stopping us is either an unwillingness to be used by God this way or a disobedient spirit that says in essence “I am my own god and will do what I want to do.”


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Books to read

I read a column recently where the writer composed a list of books to read. As I read his list I wondered about what books I'd put on my list. So, knowing that I'm going to leave something out and later think "Man, why didn't I include this book?", here's my list with the exception of the first book, in no particular order:
The Bible – the book that ought to top every believers list
Radical by David Platt – he will rock your world
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Wild at Heart by John Eldredge – a must read for men, wives, and mothers of boys
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell – any book by Maxwell if you want to develop your leadership ability
Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom – not intended to be theologically correct but it does make you think about how you live in the here and now
• Any book by Max Lucado (one of my favorite authors)
The Warrior Leader by Bobby Welch
The Power of a Whisper by Bill Hybels
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala – a classic but worth the read
Safely Home by Randy Alcorn
• When it comes to fiction I like to read James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, and right now I’m reading Michael Connelly

So what about you? What books make your list of must reads?


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Preachers preaching the whole counsel of God

In a May 2008 article in Your Church magazine, 55 percent of pastors asked reported they can identify one or more topics on which they would not preach at all or only sparingly, because the sermon could negatively affect their hearers' willingness to attend church in the future. What? Are you kidding me? What happened to the man of God with a backbone of steel unafraid to say, "Thus sayeth the Lord!"

Among the topics these "men of God" would preach sparingly include:
Politics (38%) – God’s people Israel might still be worshipping Baal if Elijah had been afraid to preach on politics.

Homosexuality (23%) – to avoid this we must ignore Genesis 1-3, Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, Ephesians 5-6, 1 Timothy 1:9-10 … well you get the idea.

Abortion (18%) – we as preachers must affirm the sanctity of life. Proverbs 6:16-19 says there are “six things God hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him” and the third thing listed is “hands that shed innocent blood.” I ask you what is more innocent than a child in the safety of its mother’s womb? If we don’t speak out for the unborn who will?

Same-sex marriage (17%) – the entirety of scripture affirms the home and establishes it between a man and a woman. How can these preachers look in the mirror if they are not willing to preach the counsel of God? The home between a man and woman did not originate in the heart and mind of man but in the heart and mind of God. God has uniquely made man and woman so that they might complement one another as they serve Him together.

War (17%) – Romans 13 clearly affirms what we would refer to as a “just war.” Now I’m not saying that all wars are “just” but rather that scripture affirms there is a time for government to wage war as instruments of God and good.

Women's role in church and home (13%) – I know Southern Baptists are viewed as Neanderthals when we affirm the biblical teachings 1 Timothy 3 and state that the offices of ministers and deacons God established for men. All other jobs in the church women do and do well. But for whatever reason God stated these two positions are to be held by men who are called to be spiritual leaders in their homes and the church. Now I know that some of my more liberal friends would point to Romans 16:1 and state that the Greek word for deacon is used in reference to Phoebe. While the word is used there are a few problems with saying Phoebe was a deacon. First, the word primarily means servant so Romans 16:1 could be translated that Phoebe was a servant of the Lord. Second, to use this text to prove she served as a deacon goes against the teachings of 1 Timothy 3 and scripture does not contradict scripture. Third, Romans 15:8 uses the same Greek word for deacon in reference to Jesus. So if we are going to say that Romans 16:1 proves Phoebe was a deacon, to be consistent we must say that Romans 15:8 proves Jesus was a deacon as well.

The doctrine of election (13%) – I have a sneaky suspicion that those who would not preach on the doctrine of election lean toward a Calvinistic view of election and know that the masses in the church would not affirm that position so they “steer clear”.

Hell (7%) – Jesus taught more on hell than He did heaven because He wanted us to understand the reality and terribleness of hell. Everyday thousands head to an eternity in hell separated from a God who loves them forever. How can we remain silent?

Money (3%) – of all of these topics I guess this one surprises me the least. Nothing likely gets a preacher in more trouble than preaching on money. But I have found it’s those who are not practicing Christian stewardship that complain. After all as my adopted grandmother used to say while I was in college, “Son, when you throw a rock into a pack of dogs the one who yipes is the one who got hit.”

These are just my thoughts. What do you think? Are there topics preachers should avoid? Are there topics that we need to address even more?

Tom

Friday, July 8, 2011

Funny things heard on a plane

So having flown a couple of times during the past month I heard some funny stuff both from fellow passengers and stewards / stewardesses . So I thought I'd look around and try to find the funniest things people have heard from flight attendants. Here's some of the best I found:

As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."

From the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"

After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."

A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax.. OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine."

A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled. A single agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS." The agent replied, "I'm sorry sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?" Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. "May I have your attention please," she began her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14."

"Hello Everyone, we have a first time flyer on board today - and it is also their 50th birthday!" After everybody cheers, the flight attendant continues, "Will everyone please wish the captain a Happy Birthday!”

So, what’s the funniest thing you have ever heard on a plane?

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

In the game?

It was the 1st day of basketball practice at Wingate High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Coach handed a ball to each player. “Boys,” he said, “I want you to practice shooting from the spots you might expect to be in during the game.”

One of the boys, who most likely would be at the end of the bench and never see the court except in practice immediately sat down on the bench and began shoot the ball toward the basket from there.

Now we might try and justify this by saying that boy didn’t expect to get to play much. And we might suggest that he was just trying to get a laugh out of his teammates. But, there are some people who sit the bench, because that’s where they’ve gotten used to being. They never strive to much more than that - because they don’t believe in themselves enough to put in the extra effort and practice to change their status. And because of that: they’re always going to sit the bench.

It’s as if we’ve made Christianity into a spectator sport. We just sit back in church and listen to the music, and the sermons and never really get involved in the game. We need some Christians today to get off the sidelines and get on the front God has so much for you and I but we will never discover it as long as we watch safely from the sideline. We need to put our faith into action and get involved in the spiritual battle that is taking place all around us.

So I want to quickly give you a "test" so that you can see if your faith is active or if you're sitting on the bench:
1.If you are not attending church with an expectation that a great God wants to do great things in worship that day, get off the bench.
2.When you are no longer or not concerned about the spiritual condition of neighbors, family members, or your co-workers, get off the bench.
3.When you haven't shared your faith with the express purpose of someone coming to know Christ, get off the bench.
4.When Bible study is a drudgery and it seems lifeless to you, it's time to get off the bench.
5.when ones happiness on a Sunday mornings is more important than holiness... when simply making sure you get your parking spot, your seat, and hear the music you like, everything’s fine, it's time to get in the game.
6.With the mention of the word "missions" you think to yourself "I hope they are listening" rather than saying like Isaiah "Here am I, send me Lord" - then you have willingly taken yourself out of the game.
7.When giving cannot be done cheerfully, the hearts not right and the coach can't send you in the game.
8. When it never dawns on you that God might do something radical in your life at any moment today, when that's not even on your radar, you have lost touch with the coach.

Let's put down the spiritual remotes and get off the pew and start walking by faith with the Father.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Waiting on God

Not long ago in a sermon I told our church family the story of John Claypool. Claypool wrote a book, The Light Within You, where he recounts the story of his young daughter who had been diagnosed with Leukemia and was in a great deal of pain. One night in the hospital she asked him, “Daddy, when will my pain go away.” And John said, “Honey, we’re doing everything we can to get rid of it.” His daughter then asked, “Daddy have you asked God when my leukemia will go away. Have you asked Him daddy? What did God say?”

Claypool writes that he didn’t know what to say to her. “What do you say to a little girl when God seems as if he is not listening. What do you say,” he writes, “when the heavens seem silent.”

Some of the most difficult days of our lives are those times when God seems like He is a million miles away; when He seemingly is not answering our prayers. God promised in His word to always be with us, but all of us have had days when it seemed as though He were giving us the silent treatment. Job experienced those days and in Job 23:8 Job said, “I go east, but He is not there. I go west but I cannot find Him. I do not see Him in the north for He is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find Him.”

Maybe right now there is some issue in your life and you have found yourself wondering where God is.
• Maybe it’s a disease you have been diagnosed with and are wondering if God notices
• Maybe it’s a rebellious child and you’ve asked God to help; but your child just dives deeper into rebellion
• Maybe you’ve been abused and the pain is deep and it just won’t go away and you wonder if God even cares
• Maybe you have a decision that you need to make but there is no clear picture as to what you should do. And God is not helping you see what you should do. He’s silent.

I’d like to suggest some lessons we can learn when God seems to be silent.

1. Expect it to be difficult – when you seem to have a promise from God and yet find yourself waiting on His perfect timing, it is difficult. But know this, God is using that difficult period to mature your faith. Harold Wilke was born with no arms and one time when he was a preschooler he was struggling to get his shirt over his head and shoulders. He said, “I was grunting and sweating and my mother just stood there and watched.” A relative turned to his mother and said, “Ida, why don’t you help the child?” His mother responded through gritted teeth, “I am helping him.” Sometimes God stands by in silence and does nothing because it actually helps us mature. James 1:2 says, “My brothers and sisters, think of the various tests you encounter as occasions for joy. After all, you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (CEB).

2. Be careful not to get ahead of God – when we take matters into our own hands rather than wait on god, disaster happens. Abraham and Sarah decided not to wait for God’s perfect timing and so Abraham had relations with Hagar. Today we still see the consequences of that sin as they got out in front of God. Sometimes the best way to determine God’s will for our lives is to do nothing but simply wait and allow things to play out. That is often hard to do; but it is the wisest thing we can do. Considers these verse in the book of Psalms about waiting. Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 38:15 “I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God.” Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.” And you know what we should do while we wait on God? Pray.

3. Finally, when God is silent, don’t try to understand Him - We should never try to understand or interpret what God is doing because we will never fully understand His ways. In Isaiah 55:8 God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My way, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.” In other words, don’t try to understand God because His ways are beyond our comprehension. I have found that we may never truly understand God’s plan for us completely in this life. God never promises us that we will understand fully what He is doing. He just asks us to trust. The apostle Paul was imprisoned, tortured, stoned, hated and rejected. And yet in great faith he penned Romans 8:28, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Paul just trusted that God was working things out for good.

On a wall in Cologne Germany were some Jews had been hiding from the Nazi’s these words were scratched, “I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I don’t feel it. And I believe in God even when he is silent.” God has a plan for each of us. He loves us, the question is do we love Him enough to trust Him?

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The clock ticks down and the end is near

No, I'm not going all "Harold Camping" on you. I'm talking about the fact that as of the next sunrise 50 will have dawned. I’m thinking I will likely wake up tomorrow and not feel much different than today when I was a mere 49.

Have you noticed that kids can’t wait to grow up? If you ask a young child how old they are, seldom do they say “6”. Instead you get something like “6 ½” or “6 ¾”. Or maybe they phrase it like this, “Well, I’m almost 7”. Thinking of kids and their desire to grow up I thought of the stages they go through. For those of us as adults, our “stages” are defined as “spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills, and wills” (I think I’m officially in between the bills and ills stage).

But as kids, man we were in such a hurry to “grow up.” As children, we couldn’t wait to:
• crawl
• walk
• run
• ride a bike
• stay up late (now we long to go to bed early)
• spend the night at a friend’s house
• wear make-up (I never really longed for this one)
• find a girl friend or boyfriend
• get our driver’s license
• get a job (now we fondly think of retirement)
• have our own cell phone (anyone besides me wonder how we lived without these and at the same time want to “chuck” yours some days)
• buy a car

We still have “stages” we long for as adults though I think they are a bit more intense and costly. We long to:
• have kids
• will they ever talk?
• are they ever quiet?
• kindergarten
• retirement
• grandkids

What if we desired and looked with anticipation to our “growing up” spiritually with the same fervor we long for all of these other things?

So with 50 here, today I have reflected (as we old people like to call thinking) on the “good old days” (not really any better today but our memories are selective).

So what time period qualify as the “good old days” for you? For you maybe it was …
• The 90’s – Beanie Babies; Teenie Beanies; Grunge; and the phrase cha-ching
• The 80’s – PacMan; Rubic’s cube; Leg Warmers; and fraggle rock
• The 70’s – 8 track Tapes; platform shoes; and leisure suits (they WILL come back some day … NOT!)
• The 60’s – LP’s; troll dolls; and lava lamps
• The 50’s – (I’ve only been told and read about these days) wax coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside, the 1st hula-hoops, and putting peanuts in your $.10 7 oz. glass coke bottle before you drank it
• The 40’s – party lines on your telephones; and “Big Band” music

All of us can remember some “good old days” … Days when we could spend an entire evening catching fireflies. Days when money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly." Days when it was not strange to have 3-4 "best" friends. Days when “old” referred to people past 30. Days when the worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was "cooties". Days when you were finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park. Days when a foot of snow was a dream-come true. But what helped those days to be so “good” was the simple existence of “do-overs”; when a mistake could be easily corrected by simply yelling "do over".

So here’s the point in all this rambling (it’s what we old people do to entertain ourselves … ramble). The good ole days are not done! God has given us the opportunity of “do-overs”. The greatest do-over happens when someone is born-again. But even then the need for “do-overs” does not end, that is why God’s mercies are new every morning.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Results may vary

Today I sit at my desk and am reflecting on how much of a difference the Lord has made in my life. We’re all familiar with those “before and after” pictures used in advertising. From the guys with hair loss, to the teen with complexion problems, to Jared Fogle the guy who lost all that weight eating only Subway sandwiches. We all know the lure of seeing potential great change by the way things are advertised. Most of us have probably tried a product before based solely on the potential seen in "before and after" pictures. Whether it’s ads for weight-loss products, exercise programs, or hair replacement procedures, most people’s results are less than what's advertised. Usually somewhere in the fine print is a qualifying statement that says something like, “Results may vary.”

But what about the Christian life and the "effect" the Lord seeks to have on our lives? You'd probably agree that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. You'd also probably agree that God desires to make us into the image of Christ. With that agreement, why is there the fact that "results vary" from Christian to Christian? Paul writing to the church at Ephesus said "God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). So the variance in results must mean that if there is a breakdown in our Christians lives and a failure to experience the "best results", it is not God’s fault, but our own. But lest you read this and are only discouraged by any failures on your part, I want you to be encouraged by the difference that God has made and is in the process of making in your life.

There are two examples from Scripture that show what God can and wants to do in your life and mine. The 1st example is Mary Magdalene. She is probably the most prominent of the women who accompanied Jesus. She is named in all four Gospels as a witness to Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Luke tells us in Luke 8:2 that Mary had seven demons exercised from her. Many have confused her with the Mary that was a prostitute but they are two different women. Mary Magdalene was a person of means and as a companion of the wife of Herod’s steward, was a woman of high social status. She was also a woman in need of spiritual transformation.

We know that at some point Jesus came into Mary’s life, cast out the demons, and she became a devoted follower. From that point forward, she financially supported the ministry, and she was faithful to stand by Jesus during his crucifixion, burial and was the first to see him resurrected. Mary Magdalene, before and after, what a pretty picture!

The 2nd example is Simon Peter. He's pictured as a redneck fisherman; a prideful guy who knew everything about anything. His pride led him to say that no matter what the other disciples did, he would never turn his back on Jesus. Peter is an example to us of how the Lord often has to first break us before making us into what He'd have us to be. Jesus invested a lot of time and energy into Peter in preparing him to become the man He wanted him to be; about 3 years of teaxching and training. But the real transformation of Peter came after the bragging, after the denial, Peter's life was changed a few days after the resurrection.

In John 21, early one morning, on the shore of the sea of Galilee the resurrected Jesus made the disciples breakfast. No one said a word until Jesus singled him out and said, “Peter, do you love me?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Three times Jesus asked Peter the same question. The third time, John wrote, “Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’” (Jn. 21:17). Peter responded by saying, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” In spite of all that had happened, in spite of the fact that Peter had failed, Jesus still wanted Peter, and still wanted Peter to be a leader in the kingdom. It is as if Jesus wanted to give Peter the chance to make up for his three denials by giving three affirmations. It was Peter who preached the sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He was a faithful, though not perfect (you remember Paul had to confront him on one occasion), church leader the rest of his days. Peter, before and after, wow!

The “before and after” pictures in our lives are continually changing, and hopefully for the better. If you are like me, then you can pinpoint a number of significant moments in your spiritual journey. Maybe it was the moment of conversion, or your baptism, or some other significant spiritual marker in your life. There have likely been numerous ups and downs; times of spiritual highs and spiritual lows, of spiritual victory and spiritual defeat. I thank God for both the fact I'm not what I once was and also that I'm still not yet all that I will be. What about you? How is your “before and after” picture looking? In what areas of your life do you need to make greater spiritual progress?

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Will you miss Him?

Vince Lombardi, the late Hall of fame coach of the Green Bay Packers, once watched his team suffer a humiliating defeat. They lost to a team that they were highly favored against. The next day, as practice started Lombardi stood before the team holding a football. Calmly he held it out and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” After the humiliating defeat Couch Lombardi figured that it was time to call his team back to the basics.

There are times when each one of us needs to go back to the basics. It happens at our jobs, at school, in our relationships, really in all aspects of our life at one time or another. It even happens in our personal relationship with Christ. Jesus at one point in the gospels is bringing His disciples back to the basics. After teaching His disciples for nearly three years, Jesus paused to ask them a very basic question, “Who do you say that I am?” Then He waited for them to respond. He waited for them to give an answer. Today I think Jesus looks to you and I to answer that same question. So hear Him today as He asks you, "Who do you say that I am?”

With hindsight it's a bit easier for us to formulate the correct answer to that question. but if we were alive in the 1st century would we have "missed" Him?

They were looking for a Lion, He came as a Lamb, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a Warrior, He came as a Peace maker, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a King, He came as a Servant, and they missed Him.

They were looking for Liberation from Rome, He submitted to the Roman cross, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a fit to their mold, He was the mold maker, and they missed Him.

What are you looking for? A Lion? A Warrior? A King? A Liberator? What is it exactly that you are looking for? What do you expect of Him?

They were looking for their temporal needs to be met, He came to meet their eternal need, and they missed Him.

He came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for your sin. Will you miss Him?

He came to make peace between God and man. Will you miss Him?

He came to model servant hood for all mankind. Will you miss Him?

He came that we might have true Liberty. Will you miss Him?

He came to give you eternal life. Will you miss Him?

When we submit to the lamb we will meet the Lion.
Join with the Peacemaker and we will meet the Warrior.
Work with the Servant and we will meet the King.
Walk with the Submitted and we will meet the Liberator.
Concern ourselves with the Eternal and we will have the temporal.

If Jesus is not fitting into the mold you have then maybe it's time to come to the "Mold Maker" and get a new one. Submit to His plan for your life and you will find your eternal needs met! And when those needs are met, all the other things you have need of will be taken care of as well.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Texting for 50 year olds

I’m delighted that AT&T has “unlimited texting” as part of their family plans. When I look at our monthly bill I find our family consistently adds rollover minutes to our balance. What's interesting is the fact we typically have sent substantially more texts than we have made phone calls. I have learned that there is a language that is only used in “texting”. If someone types “bff” that typically means they are calling you a “best friend forever”. Whereas if they type “lol” it means they are “laughing out loud”.

Just when I thought I’d figured out most of the texting abbreviations, I have found there’s a whole new set of texts I need to learn since I am joining the over 50 crowd. I know that some of you that read my blog are either over 50 already or soon closing in on it yourselves, so I thought I’d be kind enough to share my research data on “Senior Texting Codes for the Over 50 Crowd”. Now I realize for some of you that anything and everything in life is "serious" so I apologize in advance for offending you and hope we can stay "bff".

So, if you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code list for you:
ATD: At The Doctor's
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DMSSCC: Did My Social Security Check Come?
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWBB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
GGLKI : Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
HMPDUT: How Many Pills Do You Take?
IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LMGA: Lost My Glasses Again
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk's On
MOH : Man On Hood
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.
ROFL... CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing... And Can't Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Louder
WWAITTA: Wait, Who Am I Talking To Again?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where's The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil

Friday, April 29, 2011

player on bench-warmer?

I just came in from umpiring a couple of softball games at Logan County. After that I went and watched the Eastwood adult’s team put a “beatdown” on their opponents (it is okay for Baptist to use the term beatdown isn’t it?). During Eastwood’s game I stood over by the dugout and talked to our adults. There was a part of me that said “You know, I could still play this game.” But then I realized that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (grin). So I have relegated myself to the role of “cheer-pastor”, though Greg Swack may try and get in on my gig.
As I thought of no longer playing and only cheering I was reminded of a true story from a few years back. It was the first day of basketball practice at Wingate High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Coach handed a ball to each player. “Boys,” he said, “I want you to practice shooting from the spots you might expect to be in during the game.”

One of the boys one the team was basically a substitute and would be only used in the event of multiple player injuries or a blow-out win or loss. As the coach instructed them to shoot from where they’d be during the game, this young man immediately sat down on the bench and began shoot the ball toward the basket from there. I’m sure part of what he was doing was to get a laugh out of his teammates and he obviously didn’t expect to play much. But this same thing plays out weekly in the average Baptist Church. There are some people who sit the bench, because that’s where they’ve gotten used to being. They never strive to much more than that, because they don’t believe in themselves enough to put in the extra effort and practice to change their status. With that kind of attitude they likely are always going to “sit the bench”.

In our churches, it’s as if we’ve made Christianity a spectator sport. Many simply want to sit back in the pew, listen to the music and sermons, and never really get involved in the game. With our nation grasping desperately for hope anywhere they can find it, it’s time for Christians today to get off the sidelines and get on the front lines. God has a “position” for all those who are in Christ to play, but you will never discover it as long as you watch “safely” from the sideline. I would rather attempt something great and fail than to attempt nothing and succeed. So let’s put action to our faith and get involved in the spiritual battle that is taking place all around us.

This weekend pull out your playbook (the Bible), head out to the field (church), ask the Head Coach (the Lord) to speak through His position coach (your pastor) to reveal your part of the game plan. So that when He says “Go to the position you expect to play in the game” you will be prepared, and head somewhere other than the bench.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Words of the Resurrected Christ

Many preachers have preached about the “7 last words of the cross.” These were not literally only 7 words but rather the 7 things the Lord said from the cross. They were each words of significance. In these seven statements Jesus said things that because of the message they convey remain important to us today. He made statements like “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing,” “Today you will be with Me in paradise,” and “It is finished.” I thought because we are approaching Resurrection Sunday it might be good to consider the 7 words after the resurrection as I find them equally important in the message they speak.

1. John 20:15 “Woman, why are you weeping?” – It’s interesting that Jesus does not take away the woman’s tears but rather simply asks why she is crying. In this life there will be heartache and the Lord never promises to take those things away that cause us to weep. But He rather says He will be with us and see us through the difficult days of this life, that we can bring to Him those things that break our hearts. But we know a day is coming (Revelation 21:4) when He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.

2. John 20:16 “Mary” – Now you might be tempted to question what’s so important about the fact He calls Mary by name. Here it is are you ready? He KNOWS your name! You are not just a number to Him. You are a person of great value … He was willing to go to the cross for you. And just as He knew Mary individually after the resurrection so I Believe He knows us and we will know one another in heaven.

3. John 20:17 “Go to My brethren” – She was to carry the message of the resurrection to others. That should serve to remind us that it’s the resurrection that makes the difference. Many so-called “gods” have died, but only One came back to life … the Lord Jesus. The resurrection shows there is hope beyond the grave; that this life is not all there is. What a message to carry to a world groping in darkness.

4. John 20:21 “Peace to you” – When the Lord offers peace to us we get peace with God as well as the peace of God. Our sins are forgiven and we are transformed from “children of wrath” and “enemies of God” to joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, adopted into the Father’s family. And because we have the One called the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) living inside of us in the form of the Holy Spirit, we can know the peace of God in the most trying of times.

5. John 20:21 “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” – Jesus said in Luke 19:10 that He came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” In Mark 10:45 He states He came “not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for the many.” I think clearly the Lord has sent us to those that are lost to point them to Him as the way out of their darkness. In a world consumed with trying to ascend to the top, let us be the hands and feet of Christ; not looking for folks to serve us but rather for those we can serve.

6. John 20:29 – Is the passage where the Risen Lord appears to His disciples. Thomas, likely verbalizing what many felt in their heart said “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” So when the Lord appears He speaks those exact words and invites Thomas to do just that. Then He looks into Thomas’ eyes and says “Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas in the midst of his doubts met the Lord. I think even when we doubt, if we earnestly seek Him, He comes to us in very real ways and removes all doubt and fear.

7. John 20:29 “Blessed are those who have not yet seen and yet have believed” – This is a word to those of us alive today. We have not seen, but rather we simply come to Him by “faith”. Ephesians 2 reminds that it is by faith we are saved.

Let’s go back to the words of the pre-crucifixion Jesus. I find it interesting that the first words recorded of Jesus were, I’m sure not the first words He ever spoke. For the first words recorded are of a youthful twelve year old Jesus in Luke 2:49. Mary and Joseph have taken the boy Jesus to the Temple and they marvel at His wisdom as He teaches the religious leaders. Luke tells us when they had performed all things that the law required they began to make their way back to Nazareth. So they assume He is in the caravan walking with other relatives and they walk about a day’s travel from Jerusalem before they realize Jesus is not in the group. I can imagine the panic they feel as they hurriedly make their way back to Jerusalem. When they find Him teaching again in the Temple Mary chastises Him asking why He would do such a thing, that she and Joseph had sought for Him “anxiously”. It is here we read the first recorded words of Jesus when He says, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?

Now fast forward to John 19:30 where we find the final words of Jesus before He dies on the cross. These words I think are of great importance, especially in light of the first recorded words of Christ. In John 19 Jesus simply says, “It is finished”. Now notice He did not say “I am finished”. I don’t believe this was a statement about His life but rather a statement about His life’s task … the Father’s business. Jesus as He breathed His last breath on the cross told all generations that the Father’s plan for redemption had been completed; that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will now be saved. Thank God “It is finished”. I will see you Sunday as we celebrate the fact He lives!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

working out

So 2011 has started (at least since February 1st when we joined the ROC at 1st Baptist) as the year of the “workout”. I have been going at least 4 times weekly to walk 2-3 miles at a fast pace then lift weights. I haven’t seen the weight loss I’d like to, but I think that has more to do with my eating habits than it does my working out. I just finished my lunch hour with a workout and a shower and now am back at the office feeling really well.

I remember that 1st workout in February … I stood in the doorway of their fitness center, and that particular day the center was filled with slim and trim, toned and tuned hard bodies. My greatest fear was that they would all look up at me simultaneously and fall to the floor, laughing hysterically. As I entered I couldn’t help but notice the mirrors on the walls ... they seemingly were everywhere. Guys lifting weights were staring at their arms as they lifted. I carefully ignored the mirrors since I already knew what I looked like.

So I get back to the office today and I started reading in the Word and come to 1 Timothy 4:8 which states, “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” So what is the Apostle Paul saying? Is he telling Timothy not to worry about exercise and the care of his body? No. I think it’s similar to when the Pharisees were puffed up about their tithing and neglecting justice, mercy, and faith. Jesus tells them “These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.” So I think Paul is telling us we should spiritually workout toward the end of godliness without leaving the care of the physical body “undone”.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were such a thing as a spiritual workout system with machines similar to those in fitness centers that can zero in on specific muscles you want to develop. My spiritual fitness center would be a place with individual stations where muscles of the faith would be purposely developed, a place where we could be intentional about cultivating spiritual stamina.

So having resolved to work out this year, today I’m resolving to spend even more time than in the past exercising some “spiritual muscles”. I plan on targeting the following areas:
1. My tongue – no necessarily by talking more but rather by harnessing my tongue more. To be quiet when it’s time and to be bold when it’s time and the wisdom to know the difference between the two.
2. My eyes – the bible is littered with characters like David, Samson and even Achan who saw their lives ruined by sins that began with the eyes (which I believe are a window to the heart). So I resolve to train even more my eyes to focus on the things and ways of God.
3. My neck – I remember playing football we’d do many neck exercises to strengthen the neck and hopefully avoid perilous injury. How many times do we find God in His Word calling His people “stiff-necked”? It’s not that their necks were literally stiff but that they were stubborn and proud. So I’m going to exercise my “neck” to help protect from getting stubborn and proud with God.
4. My hands – I can use my hands in service or blessing to others, but the Lord desires that they be “clean” first. James 4:8 says, “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded”. This exercise station will have plenty of towels which will serve to remind me to go “wash the feet” of others by serving them.
5. My knees – I’d also have a station that required a person on their knees in order to fulfill this exercise. It likely would have to be done with a bowed head as well (prayer). Prayer has a way of loosening muscles that are in knots from the strain of worry, pressure, stress, and long hours of work.

Let me close by reminding you of Romans 12:1-2. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

This roller-coaster called life

I love what we as Christians have come to call the “mountain top” experiences of our life and faith. Seeing my children saved and baptizing them, going to Israel twice and walking where Jesus walked, and the many mission trips I’ve been on are all examples of those kinds of experiences for me. One thing I have learned about mountain tops is that no one lives on them perpetually. Most of us don’t live on the mountain top but rather in the valley.

As I have thought about this today, I’ve come to believe that God doesn’t really want us to live only on the mountaintops; our times in the valleys is part of His plan as well. And when I say this, I think he wants us to LIVE, not just exist, not just endure until the next mountaintop. Many people seem to believe that God only shows up on the mountaintops, and that those times of their lives where they are walking through the valleys are the barren times “in between mountains”. These folk tend to view life like a roller-coaster, simply a series of ups and downs – times when you are on the mountaintop and times when you are down in the valley, “far from God”. When you live like this, you find yourself longing for the next mountaintop. Then life really becomes like a coaster, going from mountaintop to mountaintop as if life were a game of spiritual hopscotch.

I’ve come to believe this is not a biblical approach to life. God is not just God of the mountaintops; He is God of the valleys as well. Jesus takes us up to the mountaintops, but He also sends us through (and walks with us in) the valleys. His power is there to fill our lives in both places, and His purposes are accomplished in both. The Christian life is not the occasional exciting high surrounded by mostly boring low points. The whole Christian life is one wild ride. Sure there will be high points, but there will also be deep valleys. There will be unexpected twists and turns, dark tunnels, and even some places where your world will be turned upside-down.

How do you keep from freaking out on a roller-coaster? You know that if you are a roller-coaster rider, you have to trust that the engineer that designed the path your car takes knows what he was doing, despite how out-of-control you feel at the moment. You also have to have faith that if you hang on and stay in the car, it will bring you safely home. No one gets aboard a roller-coaster without recognizing that at times the ride will get bumpy but they also realize they have a bar across their lap designed to hold them in the car. For the Christian, that lap bar is called faith. Most of the ride you probably don’t really need it, but when you do need it, it better be there. Emergency equipment is just a nuisance until you need it, and faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to.

Jesus was not only the architect who planned our ride through life; he actually became flesh and rode the ride himself. Jesus’ life was filled with twists and turns, high places and low. One moment He was entering Jerusalem as a King, surrounded by cheering crowds and the next He was betrayed, tortured, and crucified. Jesus never got off the track designed for Him. He rode the whole ride with his hands in the air!

When the roller coaster car we are in goes over the crest of the hill and plummets toward the ground, it’s easy to forget about having faith in the roller coaster designer. Our human nature is to scream out and not worry with who hears or sees us. We, at those times try to hang on to the physical things around us and trust in them for our survival. It’s fairly easy to discern who those are who really have placed their trust in the designer … they let go, raise their hands, and enjoy the ride. This is a great metaphor for the Christian life. The next time you find yourself anxious or fearful, simply let go, raise your hands to the heavens and surrender it to Jesus. You’ll be amazed at how enjoyable the ride really is.

As we enter the valleys its natural for us to concentrate so hard on the problems at hand that we are no longer conscious of much else taking place around us. Just like a roller coaster when we grab the safety bar holding us into the seat and stare straight ahead at the tracks below, we can easily become so concerned about our immediate situation that we lose sight of everything around us, including what we call the big picture. Jesus did not intend for us to sit on a bench and watch others ride the roller coaster of life; He intended for us to experience it for ourself.

There’s one stark difference between a physical roller coaster ride and the spiritual roller coaster of our Christian lives. A physical roller coaster begins with the highest peak at the beginning of the ride. As the ride progresses, each peak gets lower and lower while the valleys, or dips, stay the same. That is an excellent picture of a life without Christ. A person without Christ will spend his or her life looking for any way possible to climb above the valleys they find themselves in. As they progress along the track of ups and downs of life, it seems they find fewer and fewer things that lift them up. Those Christians who walk by faith close to the Lord find just the opposite to be true. Each low point is often not as low as the previous low point. But, the best part is how each high point is always bigger and better than the previous high point. As we progress through life’s roller coaster ride we climb higher and higher, making it possible to better visualize the big picture. This in turn makes it easier to keep a strong faith in the fact that God really will take care of everything we need.

So hang on, feel the power, and enjoy the ride. When the ride is over, and your car comes out of the last bunny hop and rolls back into the terminal, you’ll get to praise the designer and tell him how much you enjoyed the whole ride. Now this is important … You and I only get to ride this ride once; there is no “coming back next year”. When the ride is over we have to live forever with the results. When I get to heaven and am looking back on my life, I wonder what my souvenir photo is going to look like. Will I be surprised to find that Jesus was in the seat beside me the whole ride? Today I plan to let go, look forward, and enjoy both the ride and the view.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

fun things that made me go hmmmm

So I like to collect these things I call “ponderings” … thinks that make you go “hmmmm.” I know I’m twisted a bit different than lots of folks but I find these funny to read and thought I’d share some of the best of them that I have collected through the years.

• If a robber tried to rob a dance club and yelled, "Everybody get down", would all the people start dancing?
• If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
• If your named Will and you are in the army do you get worried when people say fire at will?
• When you put 'THE' and 'IRS' together, it forms 'THEIRS'. Coincidence? I think not!
• If Dracula has no reflection, why did he always have such a straight part in his hair?
• If Milli Vanilli fell in the woods, would someone else make a sound?
• Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out"?
• How come you press harder on a remote control when you know the battery is dead?
• Do you need a silencer if you are going to kill a mime?
• Why did kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
• Why does your nose "run" and your feet "smell"?
• Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?
• Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know you don't have the money?
• Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
• Why do psychics have to ask you for your name? Ever notice how in the 60’s people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and the same people take Prozac to make it normal?
• Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
• What disease did cured ham actually have?
• If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
• Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway!
• Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
• If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
• Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one
talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

Final food for thought: Statistics on sanity say that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends … if they're okay, then it's you.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Ups and downs, questions and answers

Is it just me or does the Christian life sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride? There are days when my strong hope and faith collide with an unexpected reality in my life; one of those “uh oh” moments when something happens that I didn’t see coming. Other roller coaster moments for me are when my prayers aren't answered as I desired or when my dreams become shattered. When this happens, invariably for me disappointment, and sometimes disillusionment come as a result.

I believe that all of us, whether we’re new Christians or long-time believers, battle feelings of disappointment when life goes wrong. Deep down somewhere in the recesses of our hearts is the belief that following Christ should give us special immunity against trouble. We're like Peter, who wanted to remind Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you." (Mark 10:28). The reality is most of us haven’t “left everything” to follow Jesus, but most of us have made some painful sacrifices. So we ask ourselves, “Shouldn’t that count for something?” and thus we hope for that free pass when it comes to suffering and disappointment.

What makes matters worse, at least in my heart as I wrestle with this, is the fact that godless people seem to be thriving with a sort of “Midas touch” where everything they touch turns to gold. I wrestle with the question why are they doing so well and I’m not. This week I have had to remind myself of a lesson I learned several years ago. Namely, when I’m in the midst of pain and disappointment the correct question is not “Why Lord?” but rather “What Lord?”. I’ll be honest, it is hard to ask the “right” question when the hurt and disappointment are so very real. But I’m trying to learn to ask the right questions … “What Lord are You trying to teach me? What Lord do You want me to do next?”

But what do you do when you ask the “right” questions and get no answer or the answers you do get just don’t seem to be enough? Let me close by quoting from the Scott Wesley Brown song when Answers Aren’t Enough …

You have faced the mountains of desperation
You have climbed, you have fought, you have won
But this valley that lies coldly before you
Casts a shadow you cannot overcome

And just when you thought you had it all together
You knew every verse to get you through
But this time the sorrow broke more than just your heart
And reciting all those verses just won't do

When answers aren't enough, there is Jesus
He is more than just an answer to your prayer
And your heart will find a safe and peaceful refuge
When answers aren't enough, He is there

Friday, March 18, 2011

The wonderful grace of Jesus

I received a phone call today and we talked a good bit about how marvelous the grace of God is and how undeserving we are to receive it. That conversation reminded me of a story another pastor had told recently.

This pastor told a true story about one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than 6 months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its biblical basis and sent 17 debt canceling letters via certified mail.

One by one, the letters began to return, unsigned and undelivered. Perhaps a couple people had moved away though not likely. 16 of the 17 letters came back to him because the clients refused to sign for and open the envelopes fearing that this attorney was suing them for their debts.

So here’s my point in telling you this story. We humans owe a debt for our sin and God is willing to cancel it. But far too many people will not even open the letter (the Bible) that explains that. I think they fear reading about a God who is ready to discipline them and as I used to say as a child “beat the fool” out of them. But the reality is we find a God willing and ready to forgive every sin we have ever committed by simply placing our faith in the sacrifice He made on Calvary’s cross.

For those of us already a child of God, perhaps this story best illustrates our need for grace. In 1818 one out of six women who had children died of something called "childbirth fever." A doctor’s daily routine back then started in the dissecting room, where he performed autopsies, and from there he made his rounds to examine expectant mothers. No one even thought to wash his hands...at least not until a doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis began to practice strict hand washing. He was the very first doctor to associate a lack of hand washing with the huge fatality rate.

Dr. Semmelweis only lost one in fifty, yet his colleagues laughed at him. Once he said, "Childbirth fever is caused by decomposed material conveyed to a wound...I have shown how it can be prevented. I have proven all that I’ve said. But while we talk, talk, talk, women are dying.. I’m not asking for anything world shaking, only that you wash your hands." Yet virtually no one believed him. And Jesus is not asking anything earth shaking from us. John writes, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We only need to confess our sins, to regularly wash our souls before God. It’s essential. The failure to confess our sins will result in spiritual infection that will hinder our ability in the spiritual journey.

Is it time to “wash”?

Friday, March 11, 2011

NFL and the Church

I watched with dismay just now about fifteen minutes of Sports Center on ESPN and learned about the players union decertifying their union in order to take the owners to court in an antitrust lawsuit. I find it difficult to side with either group, especially when they cannot figure out an amicable way to divide $9 billion in annual revenue. With all the talk of football I sat on the couch and started thinking how much the church is like football. Not that we have $9 billion to divide, but there are some other startling similarities.

All of the NFL team have owners. The owner pretty much makes the rules because he owns the team. When there are coaching changes to be made, like with the Titans this year, the owner ultimately has final say over who serves on the coaching staff. The owner has expectations of his team and typically will supply all of the means necessary for them to hopefully reach their goals. All owners want to have a winning team and typically will settle for nothing less than 100% effort from the players and coaching staff. The church also has an “owner,” the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He who makes the rules though we sometimes get this backwards. He makes the rules because it’s His team. He selects the pastors who serve because it’s His team. He tells the “coach” (pastor) what His goals are for the “team” (church) and He always provides the means necessary for the church to achieve His goals. Because He is Lord, He will settle for nothing less than a life committed wholly to Him.

Every NFL team has a playbook that is often several inches thick. Players are expected to memorize their assignments in that playbook. Often games are won and lost based on how well the players carry out the game plan from the playbook and not solely because their talent was superior. We also have a “playbook” (the Bible) where our Owner (the Lord God) has given instructions for us to live by. If we carry out what He has designed in our playbook, to the best of our ability, the church goes forward because everyone is following the same game plan.

Every team in the NFL is made up of individuals that work together as teammates. Peyton Manning would be the first to tell you that if the offensive line does not block, if his backs and receivers do not catch his passes, that the team is likely going down in defeat. These teammates help each other and encourage each other to give their best. Watch when a player gets a penalty, often teammates will come up and slap him on the back or the helmet as a way of encouraging him to put that behind him and look to being the best he can for the rest of the game. There are times when strife rises up on football teams, and often leaders of that team will have a “players only” meeting where they air their differences and pull together as a team. As church members we need to encourage one another to live for Christ. When a brother or sister sins, we need to come alongside of them, and when we know they have talked to the Lord about their sin, then encourage them to put that behind them and look to the rest of their life to bringing the Lord glory. When there’s strife in a church, according to Matthew 18, we should go to our brother in private and hopefully make peace. This reminds me of the player’s only meetings, with the difference being that part of our “ownership team” (the Holy Spirit) is always sitting in on those meetings.

There are different positions on football teams. Not everyone can be the quarterback. Not everyone can be a running back. Not everyone can be the middle linebacker. Those are known as the “glory” positions. But the teams also need interior linemen, special team’s players, and even reserves to step in as needed. Every position is vital to the team if it is going to win. Likewise we each have different “positions” in the church with different responsibilities, but all are necessary for the advancement of the church.

There are opponents every game that try to keep a team from gaining yardage, scoring touchdowns, and winning games; they are out to defeat the other team. We likewise have an opponent, the devil. Sometimes teams get a little too cocky because maybe they are playing a team with a poor record, and next thing you know they have lost a game to an inferior opponent. Likewise we know the devil is already a defeated foe and that the Lord has already achieved the victory. But as Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8 we need to be attentive to the fact that our enemy is seeking to not only defeat us but do us great harm in the process.

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars joined the NFL as “expansion” franchises. In less than 10 years the Panthers made it to the pinnacle of their sport playing in Super Bowl 38. We are about to embark on an “expansion” project into the Plano community. I believe this expansion will be highly successful for several reasons:
  • We have an owner who has provided all of the resources we need to achieve His goals.
  • We have a perfect playbook that is fail-proof if we will but follow it.
  • We have a team of players who genuinely enjoy being on the same team. When a teammate slips up, we try and hold them accountable, encouraging them to give their best from that point forward.
  • We have a team of players who recognize the position they have been called to play and understand that if each person fulfills their responsibilities by properly using the gifts and talents they have been given, that the church is likely to achieve great success.
  • Finally, we recognize who the enemy is and understand that our success is not achieved by lining up and going toe-to-toe with our foe, but for us success is achieved on our knees.

I know there are many short-comings in this metaphor, but there are also many truths in it. If you speak “sports”, maybe this has helped you understand a little better the church. And if you don’t, well there’s always another day and another blog. Thanks for reading.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Would God choose to use you?

The devil, whom Jesus described in John 8 as a “liar”, is quick to place into the mind of the believer the thought that God would never choose to use the likes of someone like them because of their great sin past. Truth be told, there are days I am amazed that God would use me. I relate to what Paul said about himself when he said he was the “chief of sinners.” So let me ask you a question. Do you really think, in light of all the sin you have committed throughout your life, that God could or even would, choose to use someone like you? Consider the following story.

There was a man who was born on August 19, 1843 near Clinton, Michigan. When he was 17 years old he moved to his sister’s home in Tennessee where he enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He got out of the army a year later in 1862 and he went to St. Louis to study law. On September 21, 1866 he married his wife, Loentine. In 1869, he and family moved to Kansas where he practiced law. He then entered politics and served in the Kansas House of Representatives. President Grant appointed him United States District Attorney for Kansas in 1873. But he resigned within six months under suspicion of misuse of his office for personal gain. He began to drink heavily. His wife gained a legal separation from him and then eventually divorced him. He returned to St. Louis and reentered law practice. But during this time he sunk into a life of stealing and drunkenness. And then, in 1879, a man named Thomas McPhetters witnessed to him and he got saved; he trusted in Christ alone as his Savior.

He immediately became active in Christian ministry. He assisted in the evangelistic crusade ministry of D. L. Moody in St. Louis that year. He joined the Pilgrim Congregational Church.

He was licensed to preach by the St. Louis Association of the Congregational Church shortly thereafter. And then he organized and pastored the Hyde Park Congregational Church in the city. In 1882 he accepted a call to a mission church of the denomination in Dallas. He started the church with fourteen people. Thirteen years later, the church reached a membership of eight hundred.

He was also involved in Bible teaching and theological training. He helped start several schools, including Southwestern School of the Bible in Dallas, Northfield Bible Training School in Massachusetts, New York School of the Bible, and, finally, Philadelphia School of the Bible (now Philadelphia Biblical University).

When it came to missions, he founded the Central American Mission in 1890. And he presided over its direction for nearly thirty years.

He was a voluminous writer. He authored countless pamphlets and books on numerous biblical subjects. And he mentored a young man named Lewis Sperry Chafer who went on to become the Founder and President of Dallas Theological Seminary.

So, who is this man? Who is this one-time divorced drunk and thief who went on to do such great things for God? The man’s name is Cyrus Ingerson Scofield—C. I. Scofield—the author of the Scofield Reference Bible—the study Bible that has helped me and countless others gain a clearer understanding of the deep truths and riches of the Word of God.

Now, if God can use a repentant divorced drunken thief, then He can use you. And He can use you in a wonderful way. The choice is yours.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was Younger

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