Christmas Reflections

In this week before Christmas I am blessed to have the chance to do some serious reflection and offering of thanks. I'd like to share some of those reflections with you with the hope that you too will take the time to be reminded of the amazing blessing our great God has bestowed.

1) My wife, Sue, has provided more joy for me than any human should ever experience. We will complete 37 years of amazing married life this week and I can't wait to see what the next 37 years bring. Every day brings another reminder of how much I am loved by the one that God chose for me.
2) My children, Crystal, Carla, and Danny, keep me humble. As I watch them I am reminded of the boundless love God has for me. I see their faith in the Lord and smile because I know they have figured out for themselves how to build that relationship. I watch as they raise their children and am grateful that they learned earlier than I how to show their love for them. I listen as they express their love for me and simply breathe a sigh of relief that they are so forgiving.
3) The rest of my family, brothers, sisters, parents, in-laws, etc, continue to impact me as they provide ongoing love and support even when I mess things up.
4) The churches that I have worked, and am working, with have all given me something in particular that has helped to make me a better minister.
5) I have some amazing Christian friends who aren't afraid to tell me what they see and hear. They model the Christian life and teach me how to be loved by my great God.
6) Christian music brings me the positive message of love every day.
7) I have more physical things than I could ever need. I am grateful that God has entrusted me with the "stuff" I have. I ask daily that I'll be satisfied and use the things I have wisely.
8) I have so much more than just the "hope of eternal life" in my spiritual blessing bag! Every day I'm reminded of the life God has called me to and the changes he has brought to my life as a result of Jesus' sacrifice.
Thank you Lord for making me whole. Thank you for the people you have placed in my life. Thank you for the places you have chosen for me to live and serve. Help me to serve more fully, to love more openly, and appreciate more clearly every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't begin to say enough thanks for all that I have been blessed with. On this national day of giving thanks all I can do is simply say, "Thank You Lord for your continuous, overwhelming love!"

Occupy What?!

The Occupy Wall Street movement continues to make headlines for various reasons. Most of the time it's because someone from within that movement has done something they shouldn't have, a group has moved to block traffic or the "host" cities have grown tired of spending thousands (sometimes hundreds of thousands) of dollars to clean-up, police and ensure peace in the camps and surrounding areas.
While it may very well be that you agree with the premise of the movement there are a multitude of ways to show your dislike for the direction our nation is moving. Interestingly, as I listen to the "Occupiers" I'm still somewhat confused as to their cause...there are complaints that corporations are evil, war is unjust, education should be fully funded, Congress should be disbanded and various other crys of "injustice". It's quite possible I wouldn't even pay attention to the whole thing except for the 15 minutes of fame that the media continues to extend for these protestors.
What I do like is the concept of spreading the message. If, as Christians, we would be as willing to make a public statement as the Occupiers have been then the message of Jesus just might catch on. Oh sure, we'd risk being branded as "weird, strange, out-of-touch" and other such things, but people would at least hear the words. I'm not one that advocates moving on to others property, hindering the flow of traffic, business and government in order to get my point across. But I am convinced that unless and until Christians are as willing as other groups to stand up and proclaim the gospel we are failing at our primary task.
Perhaps we will one day take a page from the lives of people who have chosen to make a particular cause their life-focus. Perhaps, one day, we too will become convinced that the only Occupy Movement that is really worthwhile is the one that allows Jesus to Occupy the Hearts of All Men!

Appreciative Inquiry

I've been doing a lot of reading about a strategy for organizational change called Appreciative Inquiry. While it's not new to the corporate world it seems to be rather slow in catching on in churches. The premise of AI is that all organizations have some positive things going on. By capturing the spirit of those positive things the organization should be able to move forward much more quickly without spending so much time, energy and money on putting out the fires of "problem solving." As I've read the case studies and poured over the concepts I've been struck by the simplicity of the concept. But I've also begun to see some of the Biblical basis for this change strategy.
Jesus' introductory discourse (Matt 5-7) is built on the concept of highlighting successes. The Beatitudes as we call them, are pronouncements of blessing because of the attitudes and actions of those who receive the blessing. The basis of the gospel message is one of recounting the victory of Jesus' over sin and death with an eye toward our own similar victory (1 Cor 15). The entire letter to the Hebrew Christians is filled with stories of the successes of Christians and was written for the specific purpose of showing the strength of an enduring faith in Jesus Christ.
As I continue my journey toward the educational pinnacle of a Doctor of Ministry degree, I am looking forward to employing the principles of AI in helping the congregation I serve to become a highly evangelistic, productive body of God's people. With His help, our memories and the sharing of stories we will do just that.

Fall is in the air

Our move from East Texas to Maryland is complete. Of course, every move brings changes that are rather obvious...new house, new routes to learn, new church familes to meet and new regional "worldviews" to name a few. One change that we often forget about though is the climate difference. When we left Texas we were in the middle of an awful drought. The daily temperatures were still rather summer-like and there was no real relief in sight. We arrived in the D. C. area to steady rain, temperatures that were some 30 degrees less than what we had been experiencing and leave that were beginning to make their wonderful color known.
As I've observed those differences I've been reminded of God's amazing work of creation. Each year it plays out for us all over again. The seasons bring their unique perspectives of life, the terrain shows off the mighty hand of God in the rising and falling of hills and the streams and rivers exhibit the power of the Lord to provide all that we each need on a constant basis. The reminders that I am experiencing right now take me back to the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 1 when he wrote, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse."
That's right...nature reminds us that God exists and that we rely exclusively on Him for our very existence.
I pray that as Fall sets in whereever you live you will be able to be reminded of His providing hand, His unmatched power and His amazing love.

Another Beginning

This coming Sunday, October 9th my morning sermon will be entitled, "New Beginnings". In this 2 lesson series we'll explore some of the opportunities we've been given to start all over again in light of the new ministry we have begun with the Silver Spring church. Inmy research for that lesson I opened the Christian Chronicle online and read the story of a new sister in Christ. It's always thrilling to hear of the new birth of another of God's children but this one was different...this babe in Christ is 108 years old! That's right, she was baptized at the age of 108!!!
When she was born electricity hadn't reached very many in our nation! She was only 42 years removed from the Civil War. But at that advanced age she came to understand that it's never too late to start over again. The lesson is clear and simple...in Christ Jesus, every person is new, every morning is amazing and every opportunity presented is another new beginning.
My prayer is that I will NEVER waste a single new beginning as I try to show my great God how much I love Him and appreciate what He has given to me...a new beginning with an awesome ending!

A Heart to Work

The last half of Nehemiah 4:7 records, "the people worked with all their heart." Taken out of context this could be a confusing statement. But when you consider it in the story of Nehemiah it becomes a powerful reminder of what God's people are capable of doing when they make the choice to work side by side in service to God and each other.
The wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed several decades earlier. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the people had undertaken the monumental task of rebuilding the wall, both as a means of protection and, possibly more importantly, as a psychological reminder that their Capitol City was once again a vibrant, important place. We can't begin to imagine the hardship these folks endured in order to accomplish the task. What we can understand though is that they had a desire to see this project finished...they had a personal stake in successfully rebuiling this wall.
The statement at the end of chapter 4:7 tells us how important it was to them. They poured themselves into it. They sacrificed to make certain it was completed. They set aside things that were important in their lives in order to accomplish this unified mission.
As their leader, Nehemiah understood the importance of relying on the power of God to get the job done. He knew they would get discouraged and that there would be opposition. But he also knew that God had brought him to this particular place to accomplish this construction project so he showed the people the power of God by leading them through the process.
There are many lessons that can be gained from a close study of the book of Nehemiah. There is none more important though than to see the power of a unified body of believers allowing the strength of God to push them far beyond what they ever imagined they could do. It's time for Christians in the 21st century to learn that lesson and put it into practice.

Answered Prayer

It never ceases to amaze me, even though I really shouldn't be surprised, when the blessings continue to roll. We continually read of how faithful God is in fulfilling His promises, taking care of His people and answering prayers, but the truth is, we find ourselves somewhat taken aback when those blessings, care and answers are aimed squarely at us.
Over the past several months I've been on my knees on a constant basis asking the Lord to lead me where I can be used the most effectively. We've agonized over doors that opened and then shut, doors that never opened we wished would and even doors that we had no idea were there. We've listened as He has allowed us to peek through windows of opportunity and then watched as He pulled the blinds on them.
Just over a week ago the final door opened and we were allowed to step through it. Our continued prayer has resulted in a difinitive answer. The funny thing is...I was surprised when that answer came. I was relieved, overjoyed and yes, surprised. I guess it's really not funny at all...odd is a better description. After all, I claim to believe in the power of prayer so why should I be surprised when He answers? Some would say that's the "human" response and I suppose they are right. But prayer is a faithbased understanding of God's amazing work in our lives. It allows us to open ourselves to His voice, His leading, His plans and be grateful when He blesses us with obvious answers.
Now, as we follow His lead we will work at being honestly open to further answers and blessings as He sends them our way.

Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In

There are many churches that have adopted a variant of the Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In motto. It's easy to remember and can spur interest in the programs the church has determined to employ. I certainly like the concept and firmly believe that it captures the essence of the Christian life. I wonder sometimes though how much energy our churches have put into making this concept the overarching principle of their various ministries.

We typically look at Reaching Up as pertaining to our corporate worship on Sunday morning. But when the Lord was asked about the greatest or most important command He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, reminding those who heard Him that Reaching Up is supposed to be a constant part of life (Mk 12:30). By giving ourselves entirely to God we surrender self and focus on His amazing love and grace. I can't help but think of Paul's instruction to the Roman Christians when he told them, "...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship" (Ro 12:1).

The idea of Reaching Out is a reminder of the second half of the greatest command, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mk 12:31). While we seldom look at this passage as a call to evangelism the truth is, there is no greater way to prove our love for our neighbor than to introduce them to the Great Physician. Far too often we emphasize acts of benevolence and fellowship as our programs that fulfill our desire to Reach Out and offer all kinds of excuses for not providing the Bread of Life instead of the Loaves and Fish. Yes, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and meeting the emotional needs of those around us is part of reaching out. But when those areas of work become the focus of Reaching Out I'm afraid we've missed the real mission of the church.

We have become very good at Reaching In...at least reaching in to the people that are most like us. We are social animals that truly need Chrstian fellowship. We certainly need to spend recreational time with our spiritual family and build lifelong relationships. But we can't allow ball games and visits to the local buffet become the focus of our congregational activities. Our Christian associations must be aimed at all Christians, regardless of their backgrounds, current social standing or marital status. We need to seek ways to, "...consider how to spur one another on to good deeds...(and) encourage one another...) (Heb 10:24-25). We all understand that the world won't help us walk more righteously. We need sweet fellowship with the saints that emphasizes our mutual spiritual growth, that turns ballgames and buffets into opportunities to give a helping hand in reaching our common goal of living life showing our appreciation for the grace God has poured out on us.

Next time you look at the motto "Reaching Up, Reaching Out, Reaching In" I pray that it will bring to your mind the awesome life God has granted us. I hope it will push you to review the things in your life and determine to make each one match up with something in that motto. I pray that the churches that have adopted it will find themselves weighing their activities to see if they are truly accomplishing what they say they are.

In Control

In my Wednesday night Bible class we are doing an overview of the Bible. Quite often an overview turns into a multi-year project that focuses on every verse but this is truly an overview. I've dug out a theme for each book, selected specific chapters that I believe are key to understanding the theme and even tried to narrow a verse or two as central to revealing the purpose of the book. By following these outlines we're generally able to get through four or five books each week.
One of the books we looked at last night was the book of Job. As I was doing my own review of Job it dawned on me that this is a book that teaches one very simple yet difficult to accept truth: No matter what is happening in life, our God is not only in control, He is always worthy of our praise and honor.
For some of you that may be a "DUH!" But I believe that for most of us it's a fact that we have verbally acknowledged but haven't completely bought into. We tend to believe that, because we know ourselves and our circumstances, we are best equipped to handle things ourselves. Job seemed to have that idea. He was so confident in himself that He was willing to verbally challenge the Lord.
What I find amazing though, is that when I rely on my own ability to control situations and circumstances, they almost always get messed up. When I humble myself to the point of truly allowing God to lead, those difficult times and decisions become much easier to deal with. Perhaps that's why James said, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (Jas 4:10).

Be Strong and Courageous

I've always been intrigued by the leader Joshua. He was hand picked to be Moses' personal assistant. He witnessed first hand the power of God as Moses and the Lord interacted. He stood strong in the face of overwhelming opposition as one of the 12 spies.
What intrigues me isn't the mentoring or "upbringing" that Joshua had. Instead, it is his need for solid reassurance from the Lord that he could successfully accomplish what God had ordained him to do. The first chapter of the book of Joshua brings out all the evidence we need. Three times in the space of four verses God has to remind Joshua to, "Be strong and courageous."
Frankly I don't know if God gave that admonishment as a result of Joshua's character or if it was instead simply an affirmation of the promise He gave in verse 5. That promise was simply that God would, "never leave or forsake" him. Either way, this repeated reminder of the need to remain strong seems oddly out of place for a man who is about to embark on the amazing task of leading God's people to the place that had been promised them many generations earlier.
Of course we see in the balance of the book that Joshua repeatedly leaned on God for the strength that he needed. The one time he didn't consult God about a decision became a disaster for the entire nation (see chapter 9). Regardless of that one failure, it seems to me that Joshua got the message the Lord delivered to him early in his leadership days.
I've come to believe that God's admonition to Joshua is the same one He wants us to hear. Whether we are taking on a leadership role in the church, changing jobs, moving to a new home or simply approaching a new day, He wants us to be strong and courageous. He wants us to know that because He is walking with us, every moment of every day, we can stand tall in the face of whatever challenges we face.
I'd like to be able to say that I've learned that lesson. However, every once in a while I have to go back and read those few verses in the first chapter of the book of Joshua to be reminded. Every once in a while I need to feel the hand of God as He ushers me through difficult times and events...just so I can remember that He's always there.

A Great Reminder

My wife and I had a great time in Silver Spring, MD this past weekend. We were reminded again of the amazing nature of God's great family. We were accepted with open arms by people who had never met us. We were treated to amazing hopitality, kind expressions of appreciation and reminders of how the Lord works through others to bless His people.
As we've reflected on our visit with that congregation I've can't help but be reminded of the Psalmists statement, "Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations" (Ps 90:1, NIV). I trust that no matter where I live my true dwelling place is in God. He is my refuge, my strength and my fortress. I will trust in His undying promises and will follow His lead as we search for the place He has prepared for us to serve.

Back to the Posts

I was reminded (as I too often have to be) recently that I hadn't posted anything new in a long time. I didn't realize how long it had been until I looked for my self. I could give lots of lame excuses like, being busy with my wife after her double knee replacement, trying to get all my school work done or trying to figure out what God has in store for us but those are just excuses. So, instead of excuses I figured it would be easier to just post something.

I've watched with not so enthusiastic interest as our elected officials have fought, argued, complained, demanded and caved in on the debt debate for our nation. As I've watched I've been reminded of one of Jesus' most difficult teachings: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). I fully realize that our politicians couched their arguments and stubbornness in doing what was "right" for the American people. I wonder though, how long the debate would have raged if our government officials had put their trust where it really belongs, not in the U.S. dollar and economy, but in the God of heaven.
While most of us are incensed at the way our national leaders conducted themselves during this "crisis," the truth is far too many of us saw ourselves in their behavior. We draw our lines in the sand too. We place our trust in things, jobs, relationships and even monetary instruments instead of where it ought to be...the God of heaven.
Jesus was absolutely right..."You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship both God and  (something else)!" (Mt 6:24, The Message)

Knowing but not understanding

I'm sitting in the home of a dear friend who is dying of brain cancer. His days are currently little different than his nights with sleep coming much more easily than it should. He is mostly unaware as the days tick slowly by. Within a few days he'll drift off to sleep and as he dreams of what death will bring it will carry him out of this life and into the arms of our sweet Savior Jesus.

I know the physiological process that Ken is undergoing. I've seen it before and no doubt will witness it again. I understand that it's something that all mankind must go through but that doesn't mean I like it. All I can ask of our great God is to allow Ken to come home peacefully and quickly. While I know what's happening I sincerely don't understand why it has to happen.

God, in Your great mercy please take my friend home. Give his family comfort as only You can do.

Memories

One year ago I watched as the Lord opened the door to Heaven and escorted my Daddy to his eternal home. What a blessing to be able to look back on that morning as the sun broke through the window and highlighted the most peaceful moment of his 92 years of life. With one last, easy breath he was gone from this life and resting in the arms of Jesus.

Thank you Lord for blessing me with a Daddy who loved You more than he loved me but loved me too. Thank you for taking him peacefully and quitely to his room in your mansion. I can't wait to see him again!