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?

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.

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

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.

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!

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”

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.

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.

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

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”?

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.