Christmas

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  And in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  The Word came to the prophets Isaiah and Micah who declared that the people walking in darkness have seen a great light;  on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned;  the one true light.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.   He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that day on and forever.  And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’  Centuries later, Mary, who was pledged to be married to Joseph, was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.  And it was in those days that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, the promised son. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  So Mary wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.   And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”   Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,   “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”   When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Months after Jesus was born, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”   When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied.  Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”  After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  After leaving, the Magi could declare, that we have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  And we can all join with the angels that sang “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” and today are singing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.”

Scripture compiled from Genesis 1, Isaiah 9, Micah 5, Matthew 2, Luke 2, John 1, and Revelation 4. (NIV)

Work in Progress

We are all familiar with the saying "Rome wasn't built in a day!"  You know that is true, it was not.  That would have been quite a story, but it took years to make Rome into the glorious city that it was.  It was a work in progress.

Have you ever tried to train an animal?  I have tried to teach my three dogs various commands and/or tricks and what I have found is that they are works in progress.  Sam and Maggie are my older dogs and both are extremely intelligent, but Maggie is much more hyperactive than Sam, so she has been harder to train.  (To say she is hyperactive is a little misleading....imagine the Energizer Bunny on steroids with a little bit of 'speed' mixed in.)  That's Maggie!  They are both works in progress, and it has taken time for them to learn things.

Building takes time.  Training takes time.  Change can take time as well.  Today I was reminded about how God has changed me and continues to change me.  Heading home for lunch today I was listening to who else but Steven Curtis Chapman, and specifically his album, "All I Really Want for Christmas."  This is an album I have listened to many times over and know the words to every song, yet I was blown away today as I listened carefully to the words of the Title Track.  This particular song tells the story of an orphan whose only wish for Christmas is to have a family.  As I listened carefully to the words I found myself on the verge of crying my eyes out.  I have heard this a hundred times....why the tears?  COME ON!!  WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME STEVEN?

As I continued to listen I was reminded of how far God has brought me, and how much He has changed my heart.  Years ago, I did not want children.  Now here I am anxiously awaiting the day I get to hold my adopted daughter in my arms.  Now here I am crying like a little girl who just met Justin Beiber.  God has changed and continues to change who I am in Him.  I am and will always be a work in progress.

 

1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  Purification is a process.  Sometimes purification comes in the blink of an eye, but sometimes it can take years.  Through the process we must continue to confess our sins to God.  Also, I think we must continue to confess our worries, our anxieties, our desires, etc.  That is not what this passage is about but 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us to "cast all our anxieties on Him who cares for you."  The more of our sins, problems, desires, heart, and LIVES that we lay at the feet of Jesus the more He can and will change us. What can you and I lay at His feet right now? 

All of us are works in progress.  God wants to take us and mold us into the person He wants us to be.  We are better off if we allow Him to do his work.  Sometimes the change is painful, but remember that after the pain comes relief.   Sometimes the change  takes time, but remember that with time comes wisdom.  Sometimes you get scars, but remember that a scar is evidence of healing.  Sometimes it may feel like no one is there, but remember God NEVER leaves.  He is the potter, we are the clay:  allow him to work in your life. 

Who Do We Serve

In Joshua 24:15, Joshua asks his people to make a bold decision:  "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living."  Each of us must answer;  who will we serve?

Now I'm pretty sure I've never served the gods of the Amorites but I tell you what I have served all too often:  man.  Throughout my life I have all too often worried about what others thought of me.  I have struggled with self-esteem issues all my life (I'm pouring my heart out here....I feel like I should be laying on a couch in therapy) and get bogged down in worries over what others think of me.  This is BAD!! God continues to teach me and remind me that many of my anxieties are built around pleasing others.  Jesus said "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."  A few verses later He says "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven.  But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."  

We want people to like us.  We want people to be happy with us.  We want people to accept us.  We want people to be pleased by what we do.  Of course we do . . . but are we doing that at the expense of our relationship with Jesus Christ?  Oh to be like Paul.  In Galatians 1 Paul writes, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  After Paul surrendered to Christ his life became about nothing else but serving Christ, and pleasing Christ.  In his walk with Christ, he upset a lot of people.  He disappointed a lot of people, and he paid a physical price for that.  However, his desire was to serve Christ, and not to please man.

Pray today for the strength and willingness to serve Christ only.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would overwhelm you to the point where you are not concerned with what others think, but only with pleasing Jesus Christ.  Joshua asked the Israelites who they would serve, and then proclaimed "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord".  

Serve the Lord today, not man. 

Haiti - Days 6 & 7

Well, our time in Haiti is coming to a close.  Although I will be glad to step foot back into the United States I will also miss Haiti.  I have found brothers and sisters in Christ here, fallen in love with beautiful children, and seen poverty on a whole new level. 

On Day 6, we spent our time "sight-seeing".  We went to downtown Port-au-Prince, and made a quick stop by the Presidential Palace which still lies in ruins from the Earthquake.  It was an impressive structure and the destruction serves as a reminder of how powerful the earthquake was.  As we left downtown we drove into the mountains to the American Baptist Mission and to Fort Jacques. As you drive into the mountains you find some places that have a little more money, but not many.  Furthermore, you are clearly reminded of the Tropical Paradise that this nation could and should be.  Beautiful mountain sides, lush green forests, tall trees, colorful flowers, and a temperature in the 70s.  It is absolutely beautiful there.  Fort Jacques was yet another reminder of the poor state of this nation.  This is where the French made their final stand against the slaves in 1804/1805 before the slaves defeated them and ran them out of the country, thus ensuring Haiti's independence.  It sits high above Port-Au-Prince with a great view of the entire country.  Unfortunately it has not been kept up and is yet another sight for the homeless to converge upon and for trash to be dumped on.  It is one of the most impressive historic forts I have ever seen, and should be a symbol of pride for this nation, yet instead serves as another reminder of the lack of government and economy in this nation.

Today, Day 7, we are just packing up, resting and preparing for our trip home.  Everyone will have stories to tell.  Everyone will have memories to cherish.  Everyone will have a renewed heart for God's people. (I hope and pray) 

Pray for our safety with the flight and our long drive home.

Haiti - Day 5

Day 5 - No doubt the most difficult day so far.  Simply because of the emotions of the day.  As I mentioned before, today was our last day at the orphanage, and we all knew that it would be difficult.  Just how difficult, I don't know if any of us fully understood.  Even those who have come before; how can one pretend to know "exactly" how it is going to feel?  To wrap your arms around one of God's precious little children as they are crying because you are leaving them,  knowing that you may never see this child which you have fallen in love with again is truly heartbreaking.  The face of children like Nelsize will be burned into my brain forever, and the desire to speed up our own adoption of Sophia is even more urgent.  To know that my daughter is somewhere in a place like this, hoping for someone to take her home, hoping for someone to finally say "YES - you can come home with us" .... that thought is chilling.

Today was spent playing more games, doing more crafts, singing more songs, and giving more hugs out to the children.  Our construction team finished sealing up the main wall of the orphanage to prevent water from leaking into the yard.  They have worked on this for a couple of days primarily for sanitation.  Understand that where the orphanage is located, water frequently floods into the courtyard, bringing sewage, garbage, and diseases into the orphan yard.  With the job done by our men this will hopefully no longer be a problem. 

You may have noticed that my blog from Haiti has primarily been a reporting of facts and not much reflection or Biblical inspiration.  There is a reason for that.  The problems here are overwhelming and require much reflection on my behalf.  The sadness, destruction, and poverty here are truly unimaginable.  No commercial or news broadcast can fully capture what is taking place here, and for me to come here for just a few days and blog about all the answers would be ludicrous and arrogant on my part.  Despite all the sorrow here, Christ is at work in this nation as well, and He has spoken to me a lot over the last few days about my calling, and about my mission.  Again, for me to just jump right out and speak of that would be uncalled for because there is much more prayer and thought that must be placed.  I will say this to those who may worry, I am not moving down here as a missionary, and I am coming back to the States.  However, for me and my church to neglect this nation would be a sin. 

As long as there are precious children like Nelsize in orphanages crying out for someone to call Mama and Papa, our mission is incomplete.  As long as there are children digging through garbage cans for food and things to collect, our mission is incomplete.  As long as children are longing to be loved our mission is incomplete.  "Father break my heart for what breaks yours" must be our cry, not just a song.

Haiti - Day 4

Day 4 has probably been my favorite day so far.  We spent all day at the orphanage doing a variety of activities. 

The day started off with singing with the kids.  Dax Smith played the guitar and our translators helped lead them in songs such as "Here I am to Worship", "Amazing Grace", Father Abraham, and more.  It was a beautiful sight and sound.  (videos will be available at some point)  It never ceases to move me to hear people singing to God in different languages at the same time.  If you ever doubted that we are ALL God's children, just take a trip to somewhere that speaks a different language. 

My personal favorite moment of the day was spent with 4 little boys playing with stickers.  We all know that kids love stickers, but you cannot imagine the fun these boys and I were having.  We sat down in the dirt with a half sheet of paper and a few stickers and had a blast.  I gave one boy a sticker of a cow, and you would have thought that I gave him the funniest toy ever.  He laughed like it was going out of style.  And I wish I knew what these boys were talking about, but these stickers became serious business as they began comparing their sheets.  We had some serious artwork going on.  It was there I was again reminded how these are God's children, made in God's image, and that His love for them is incomprehensible. 

Tomorrow will be our last day in the orphanage and it will be tough for all of us as we say goodbye.  Pray for us and pray for the kids as we say our goodbyes.

This evening was perhaps one of my most pleasant memories in the ministry.  Me and Eric were invited to preach at a church "30 minutes" away, which when translated always means and hour and a half away.  Obviously this was my first time to preach with a translator.  EXTREMELY COOL!  To share the gospel with people in another country rocks my world.  I am so unworthy of such an opportunity and eternally grateful.  At the end of the service we witnessed one of the most exciting times of praise I have ever seen.  There was some praising that would have literally raised the roof (if there had been one).  This church was devastated by the earthquake and had only a floor and walls.  As the pastor told us later, this was in a community that at one time had 51 voodoo temples, but by the influence and power of the Gospel, there are now only 3 temples remaining.  This was a community that at one point had no children because the voodoo priests were killing all the children, yet at our service there were more than 20 children.  Praise God for the power of the Gospel and for the saving power of Jesus Christ.  No wonder they could raise the roof with their praises.  He has literally transformed a village. 

I will never get over the fact of how happy and grateful and humble the believers in this country are.  Surrounded by complete, and I do mean complete devastation, they still praise God.  Surrounded by the most extreme poverty imaginable, they still honor, praise, and serve Christ.  I know people like that in America, and they are all such an inspiration.  People such as this in America and Haiti and around the globe truly believe that Jesus Christ gives life abundantly, and truly believe that He is true peace.

Haiti - Day 3

The report on Haiti Day 3 is obviously coming out on Day 4.  That's because of the Loritab I was taking last night.  I figured it would not be a good idea for me to be typing while on such meds....I might get myself in trouble.  My back problems flared up big time yesterday and put me down for the evening.  But that's enough about me....you want to know what's going on in Haiti.

Day 3 was another great day.  Our team actually split into two groups.  One stayed at the orphanage while the other went to check out "But God Ministries."  I was on the team that went to check out But God.  On the way we had to make a stop at the airport to pick up James Hutto, who just arrived in country. (That's another story for another day) While at the airport God reminded me how much He is in control of things.  While our Hatian Pastor and Eric went to inside to meet James, myself, one translator, the bus driver, and three ladies were left on the bus to wait.  The waiting turned into an adventure as half of jumped off the bus, thinking we were supposed to, when suddenly the police began yelling at our driver and then forced him to pull over.  Next thing you know our bus driver is getting hauled off to jail for mouthing off at the cops. Our translator then goes off with them to try and play lawyer.  So, I'm left in the middle of hundreds of Haitians coming and going, on the side of the street, with three blond haired white ladies.  Can you say "fresh meat"?  I told Dawn, "just look like you belong here and you know what you're doing"..... whatever that means.  Anyway, God gave me a comfort.  God reminded me that He is in control and there was nothing I could do about.  Guess what....everything worked out fine.  Our translator eventually came back, the bus driver broke out of jail (not kidding), and we got James and went on our merry way.

After a very long and bumpy ride through the country side we made it to But God Ministries.  This is a ministry under the direction of Stan Buckley.  We were all really impressed by what is going on there.  I see potential for a lot of long term ministry there as they already have housing, medical clinic, dental clinic, and more set up.   None of us are experts but from what we can tell, the most effective thing that can be done in this country is to get more people out of Port-Au-Prince and into the countryside where they can farm and sustain themselves.  That is one of the goals of this ministry and they are well on their way to accomplishing that.

A couple of hours after that came the Loritab so that is all I have to say about Day 3 . . .  sorry!

Haiti - Day 2

As I continue to document our "great adventure" here in Haiti, I am coming to you after another great day.  Today we spent most of the day in the "Life is Hope Orphanage" where our team played games with the kids, did some slight repair jobs (electrical, plumbing, etc.), and just loved on the kids.  Although for most of us there is a language barrier, there is one language that is universal, and that is love.  Love and a smile is something all can understand, and there was plenty of that to go around from our end and theirs.  These children are desperate for love and affection and many ask us the heartbreaking question:  "Can I go home with you?"  I hate that question.

After a great supper we drove about 2 hours to one of Pastor Jean's churches where Eric was able to share a message with the people.  I believe we were all moved at worshiping with our brothers and sisters in their church.  Imagine this:  a church with cinder block walls, tarps for a roof, and the tarps being held up with a large wooden pole.  In the middle of what we would call a dump in America we sang "How Great Thou Art" in their language.  Anyone who knows me well knows I'm not a big hymn guy (not that I think they are bad, they just don't speak to me).  However, as I listened to them sing this beautiful song and the wind was whipping the roof all around, stars shining like crazy, and eventually the candle was blown out by the wind, I could not help but raise my hands to the heavens to praise our God. The Gospel is alive and well in the hearts of those in that church, and are led by amazing men of God (Pastor Jean, Pastor Michael, Johnny, and more)

We are back and going to get some rest for another great day at the orphanage.  Needs are so great in this country.  I cannot begin to describe the poverty.  Please remember, I used to teach about Third World Nations in my History Classes.  I didn't do well enough at describing them.  The poverty and devastation here is remarkable, but there is still a beauty here.  I think I see the most beauty in the men of God whom I have visited with that continually brag on the grace of God, and the love of their Savior.  Their willingness to survive and bring great things to their country is amazing.

The driving here is a trip.  No rules of the road.  I think the only rule is, if someone is in your way, or considering being in your way, you must honk at them.  There is no road rage. You just honk and then go around them.  And by the way, its ok if you use the sidewalk or the other side of the road to go around them.  No biggie.  Pedestrians just walk up and down the street in all directions and somehow do not get hit.  And some even jump on the back of our bus and hitch a ride.  Our travels on the road are always a great source of entertainment.

Well, I need some sleep.  God Bless to all my family and friends back in the U.S.  Continue to pray for our team down here and pray for the people of this nation.  Also, spread the word to your friends about my blog.  I would love to have more followers. 

Haiti - Day 1

I told everyone I was going to try and keep you all posted on our Mission Trip in Haiti.  I also told you all that that was my goal, but it may or may not happen.  Good news is I am posting an update on day one.  So here goes.

After an extremely long drive to Miami yesterday we arrived late Saturday night (well....really early Sunday morning).  We had a great flight into Port-au-Prince and arrived at 12:05pm.  Dawn made a great new friend on the trip down.  Laurent is a Haitian pilot/civil engineering and is now Dawn's new friend.  You know her, she doesn't meet a stranger, and she had a great trip down sitting by Laurent. 

After about a 20 minute drive, we made it to the Missions Guest House where we are staying.  And let me just say, as someone who has never been to a third world country, the poverty we saw in just that 20 minutes was astounding.  Tent cities, people digging through garbage, goats on the street, children washing themselves by the side of the road.  That and much more in just 20 minutes.  God's children, God's creation suffering in this beautiful country of Haiti.  With all that said, it is clear why God is calling so many of his followers to come to this land and to share the love of Christ.  If anything can heal this land it is Christ - and we have already met and seen so many faithful Christ followers in this land. 

We just wrapped up a debriefing as we prepare for tomorrow.  Teams are preparing their supplies for the orphanage and we hope to get some rest.  Some have rested well, others, including me, are working on 4 hours of sleep over the last few days.  Hoping I can sleep tonight for the first time in days.  Praying that our team is strong tomorrow and focused on sharing God's love and bold enough to declare the Gospel.  Continue praying for this awesome team and this awesome country.

Thankful

Contrary to today's title, this is not a typical Thanksgiving post where I say write down all that you are thankful for (although I would encourage you to do that).  Instead this is just a reminder to be thankful for some people we often forget about.

In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul boasts about his sufferings. 

 ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

 ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 

Paul encountered and endured unimaginable persecution for his beliefs and the message he preached.  Today I am thankful for men and women like Paul who have courageously and boldly proclaimed the Gospel in dangerous places.  People like Paul paved the way for the Church and helped get the Gospel around the globe.  As I sit in my comfortable office typing this, I am reminded that there continues to be men and women in dangerous spots around the globe today, risking their lives for the Gospel of Christ.

Join with me today and Thank God for the boldness of our brothers and sisters who unashamedly proclaim the Gospel, at the risk of danger, persecution, violence, and even death.  Thank God today for the generations of men and women who have boldly spread the Gospel.  

That's Comforting

Do you ever have those days when you feel like you just need a big hug?  I would guess since you are a human being you probably do.  Even if you're not a "hugger" I bet you feel that need to be held, comforted, embraced....yes even hugged.  I think it is human nature. 

2 Corinthians 1 Paul writes in verse 3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles..."  Isn't that beautiful.  Our God is the God of all comfort.  His arms are open wide with a big bear hug just waiting for you. 

Feeling sad?  Feeling depressed?  Stressed out?  Financial problems?  God knows and understands what is going on in your life and he is compassionate toward you, and provides comfort for you.  Talk to him and let him know how you hurt and then allow him to comfort you.  Too many times we do not allow Him to comfort us.  He is waiting, just let Him.

In the rest of that verse Paul writes "...so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."  Throughout the day we all come across people who need comforting.  Keep your eyes open today and find the courage and compassion to comfort those around you.  God comforts us so we can comfort others.  Maybe it's a hug, a smile, a letter, a Facebook message, a gift....you will know what you need to do.  We just have to do it. 

Find comfort this day in Christ and His great compassion.  In the words of a dear friend "God's got this boo!"

Be To Our God

Revelation 7:9 "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count .... standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb....and they cried out in a loud voice:  'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'"  Revelation 7:11-12 "...They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: 'Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"  

WHAT A SCENE! And to think that those who have given their life to Christ and have therefore become children of God will be joining in this eternal praise and worship.  WOW.  Indeed the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is worthy of our eternal praise.  We will join with the angels and all creation and sing Worthy is the Lamb; and we do not have to wait.  Eternity begins the day you accept Christ as your Savior, and you become a new creation.  Today is my 35th birthday, but my Eternal Birthday happened 16 years ago when I was 19.  Since then I have seen more and more how worthy Christ is of our praise.  My Eternity began that day.

Psalm 103 begins "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."  I will let you read the rest - and trust me it is worth taking the time to read it. 

Christ indeed is worthy of our praise.  Our praise through song on Sunday mornings for sure, but much more than that.  If all eternity sings praises to Him, let us begin praising Christ with "our inmost being".  Let our lives be lives of worship.  As my friend Brett constantly reminds me, our lives must be lives of worship and that we are to go to church worshiping....not to worship.  Does that mean you go through Wal-Mart singing?  Probably not, that might freak some people out, including me.  But it does mean that our lives look like Jesus Christ, and the joy of the Lord is seen all over us.  As C.S. Lewis said, Jesus came to give men life and spread it to others like a "good infection." 

Is Christ worthy?  You can count on it.  Psalm 103:22 "Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.  Praise the Lord, O my soul." Let us begin now.

Here's a little Old School Worship Music to go with the Scripture:  Crystal Lewis

Confidence

After you achieve something or accomplish something, do you feel stronger?  Do you feel more competent?  Do you feel more ready and able to take on the next challenge?  I would bet you do.  Most of us feed off of success, or if not success, at least the knowledge that you can be successful.

In World War II, war raged on in the British and French colonies of North Africa, as the Nazi War Machine was attempting to conquer the oil fields of the African continent.  The British fought bravely but with no success against the brutality of the Germany Army.  That was until the Battle of El Alamein.  In this famous battle the British finally got a much needed victory against Hitler's forces.  Following the battle British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave one his most famous (and one of my favorite) quotes:  "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."   What a great day this was for the allies; and from this battle the British pushed forward against the Germans and eventually recaptured all of North Africa.  After the war, Churchill wrote: "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat."  Isn't it amazing what you can do when you know you can win. 

If you're anything like me (and for your sake I hope you're not) you probably have fought many battles with temptation.  It is quite possible that you have lost these battles time and again.  Be reminded and be encouraged that you can have success against sin.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful;  he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."  Temptation can be overcome.  Sin can be defeated.  Colossians 2:13-15  ^"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."  

God, through the Holy Spirit, provides us a way out of temptation.  Christ defeated sin;  we are no longer slaves.  Find confidence in knowing that you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can resist temptation and defeat the sin that plagues you.  And one day you will look back and say "Praise be to God".  

Abandon

I am not a Reality TV fan.  Maybe you are, and that’s ok; I just personally do not get excited about these shows.  However, I did catch an episode of The Biggest Loser the other night and became intrigued.  This show is a very serious competition and in order to progress to the next week, you MUST give up something.  You must make sacrifices; to lose the weight, to improve your health, to win the cash prize.  I therefore must ask, is the Christian walk much different?  To be a great servant of Jesus Christ we are first called to give something up.  We are called to make sacrifices, give up our selfish ambitions, improve our spiritual health, and to finish the race and receive the prize Christ has for us (Which is Christ Himself!).  Look at Peter and Andrew when Christ called them; they left their nets behind and followed him.  Elisha in 1 Kings 19 slaughtered his oxen and burned his plowing equipment to follow Elijah.  In each of these cases there was a denial of self, and a pursuit of God’s will.  Luke 9:23 is the theme verse of Disciple Now:  Abandon and it reads:  “Then Jesus said to them all:  ‘if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”  Each of us has things in our life that we must abandon for the sake of the Gospel.  Are we willing to give these things up for Christ?  Is He worth it?  I pray for each of us we realize how worthy He truly is.  When we realize daily how worthy Christ is, we will gladly abandon our lives for His Kingdom and His People. 

Forgetful Fish?

In Mark 1:17,  Jesus sees Andrew and Peter and calls out "Come Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed Him."  Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to serve with Him to spread His message, and bring others to Him, so that all may be saved.  Furthermore, Christ calls all of us who believe in Him to be fishers of men.  What an amazing, powerful, humbling, and even scary thought that God chooses to use us to accomplish His plan.  We are Fishers of Men!

If you know much at all about the rest of the Gospels, you know that Peter makes a few mistakes, opens his big mouth too often, and denies the one he called Lord.  However, in Acts we find Peter more bold, more courageous, more determined, and deeply committed to being a Fisher of Men: 
Acts 2:40 "With many other words he (Peter) warned them and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.'  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
Acts 3:1-7 "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer - at three in the afternoon.  Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.  v. 6 Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'"

Here is a man (Peter) who answered his call from God.  He, like all of us who believe, was called to be a Fisher of Men, and although there were bumps along the way, he fulfilled his mission.  How did he go from denying Christ, to leading thousands to Christ?  Personally, I think Peter remembered that he was once a fish himself.  After the resurrection, Jesus confronted Peter and asked "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"  Peter replied, "Lord, you know all things;  you know that I love you."  It was at this point where Peter got it.  Jesus told him three times, "Feed my Sheep".  Peter realized he was no better than anyone else.  Peter realized he was nothing apart from the grace of God.  Peter realized his calling as a disciple was a gift from God;  nothing he earned.  Peter realized the urgency of the mission.  Peter remembered what it meant to be a "fish" brought in by Christ;  to be forgiven, saved, and loved.

How many of us have become forgetful fish?  How often we forget that we were once lost!  How often we forget we were once a fish, lost in the sea of this world, wandering aimlessly with no hope, until Christ caught us.  How often we forget that we are nothing apart from Christ!  I think it is time we take a look at our testimony and be reminded of how great God is, and how gracious He is to allow us to be His fishermen.  As we do this, we need to take a greater look around this world and see that there are "fish" that are dying all around us.  These fish are gasping for air, gasping for life, gasping for hope, and gasping for Salvation through Christ. 

As Peter looked at the poor beggar in Chapter 3 he did not say "I just led thousands to Christ, I don't have time for you".  Nor did he say "I need to run this by the church before I help you, I will be back in a few weeks."  He loved on the man, and gave him the one thing he was never short on, the message of salvation.  Pride no longer blinded Peter from being a fisher of men, nor would anything else.

Are we forgetful fish?  Have we forgotten what Christ did for us?  Have we turned our eyes away from the fish that are so in need of catching?  Has pride and selfishness blinded us from being the Fishermen Christ called us to be?

Your Name

He knows my name.  Have you ever heard this said?  That God knows your name!  Maybe you've sung the song "He knows my name", maybe someone has given you encouragement by saying "God knows your name", or maybe this is the first time you have ever heard it.

Whether you've heard it before, read it before, sung it before, or this is your first time, I want to encourage us all to think on this statement and dwell in this statement.  GOD KNOWS MY NAME!  The Creator of the Universe knows my name.....WOW!!!

Isaiah 43:1 - "Fear not, I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine":  Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you":  John 10:3 - "The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." 

I came across a definition of the word name earlier today:  "someone or something regarded as existing".  Neat huh?  Your name proves you exist.  I know there have been times in my life where I asked "Do I even exist?", "Does anyone even know I'm here?".  Believe me when I say, God knows your name, He knows you exist, and He is here for you.  He created you, He knew you even before you were made, He will redeem you, and He calls you by name and leads you.

God knows who you are.  He knows how many hairs are on your head (or lack thereof in my case), he knows the desires of your heart, he knows the struggles you are dealing with today, and he knows the pain you are in today; He knows the joy some of you are experiencing, and He is the author of the Hope that we all can cling to; and He is there, calling you by name.  Run to His arms and let Him who knows you hold you, love you, and strengthen you. 

Love For Our Brother

How many of us struggle with loving our brother?  By brother, I of course am referring to our fellow man.  I think it is something that many of us would quickly say of course I love my brothers.  I love all people.  We want to say that, and we want to believe that we do, but do our actions say otherwise?  I find myself analyzing my heart this morning, asking myself "do I really love my brother?" 

1 John 2 says "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness;  he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him."  The Darkness has blinded him.  We do not even realize how much we hate our brothers because we cannot even see.  That is why I encourage us all today to look deep into our hearts and minds;  look through the black, foggy, darkness of our selfishness and discover whether our love is real or not.

Driving to work this morning I was taken aback by a scene on the side of the road.  Where I live, many of the county prisoners are sent out on work details to pick up garbage, cut the grass, weed eat, etc.  As prisoners they wear a very identifiable orange and green outfit, setting them apart as they work.  Driving by, I noticed one of the men was up near a fence, away from where the work was going on.  Curious, I slowed my vehicle and found him smiling peacefully as he was petting the face of a beautiful horse that stood on the other side of the fence.  Nearby, another one of the gentlemen stood cautiously back, clearly not comfortable around these massive beasts.  God opened my eyes as I gazed upon this scene.  I have no idea what crime that man committed, nor do I know if it was a violent or depraved crime;  that does not matter.  But what I saw was a man whose heart was clearly softened at the sight of this beautiful creature, and he found peace in its presence.  As I said, God opened my eyes; what I saw was a great reminder that at the core of EVERY man lies a heart.   Many of these hearts have been hardened, many of them even broken and shattered, many of confused; yet you will find a heart at the core of all men. 

If you are like me, you enjoy your heart to be encouraged, loved, comforted, built up, and so on.  If you are like me you enjoy those moments when you find peace through God's beautiful creation, through friends who keep you up all night visiting, through brothers and sisters who show you love, and through those moments where someone goes out of their way make you smile.  So with that in mind, are you loving others as you would hope to be loved?  Are you willing to look to the core of EVERY man and find his heart and love it?

Are we living in the light and loving our brothers?  Or, are we living in the darkness and living blind hateful lives toward man? Take the plunge and examine your heart this day and be willing to work on what you find. 

Poured Out

So I had to get a quick lunch today.  A quick trip to McDonald's and head straight back to the office.  Leaving the drive through I go for the quick fry or two (or three) while driving (don't tell anyone....I sometimes eat behind the wheel)!  Digging around in the bag I feel the fry box, but can't find the actual french fries.  Digging further, I find the straw, ketchup, bbq sauce but no fries.  Digging FURTHER, I finally find the french fries, poured completely out of the box into the bottom of the bag!!  COME ON MCDONALDS!! I'm one of your biggest fans, but how hard is it to actually keep the french fries in their box and SIT them into the bag without pouring them out?

So now, driving along, kind of frustrated but still eating, I find myself asking the question (like most everyone I'm sure) .... how can this apply to life?  It's obvious!! Our lives are like the french fries in my McDonald's bag?  We get so busy, running in so many directions, chasing so many things that we are just poured out and scattered.  Some of us face such tragedies that we cannot help but be poured out and beaten down.  Others of us may have just found out some terrifying news that has left us poured out in the bottom of our bags and feeling like there is no hope.

So when life gets very crazy at times; poured out even, let me point you to the words written by Paul in the Book of Romans.  Paul writes in Chapter 5 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (vv. 1-5)

Read this passage closely and many words will jump out at you.  Four that I want to stress to you are peace, access, hope, and love.  When your life is poured out due to stress, sadness, sorrow, or something else, look to the God of Peace.  When there seems no peace in this world, there is peace with God.  Take hold of the truth that if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, then you have access to God the Father.  Who better to bring order to our distressed life than the creator of the universe?  Christian, you have access to this Creator;  take advantage of this access and find hope.  There is hope for the broken, hope for the lost, hope for the sinner, hope for the poured out....but only in Jesus Christ will this hope be found.

Finally, when life feels poured out, remember that God first poured out His love to us through the Holy Spirit.  God has poured out his love, peace, and hope in His Spirit into our hearts.  It is not impossible to find, just look.   It is not impossible to feel, just allow yourself to experience it. 

What will bring yours and my life back together again is the one who has poured out his love to us.  Will you allow him to this day?

Supremacy

The Bourne Supremacy - what a cool movie!!!  Jason Bourne is one bad dude, and he proved his supremacy in the movie by outsmarting, out-shooting, and out-dueling his enemies.  Jason Bourne is a great action hero, yet not real.  How about the Navy Seals?  Now that's supremacy.  They proved their supremacy over Osama bin Laden when they burst into his million dollar compound and .... well you know how that turned out.  Navy Seals reign supreme, but not supreme over the world. 

Colossians 1:15-23 tells us of the ONE who is SUPREME!! Jesus Christ!! "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church;  he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."  (vv. 17-18)  Prior to that Paul writes "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created:  things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or power or rulers or authorities;  all things were created by him and for him."  

I have tried to create things before.  Epic Fail!! I have tried to put things together.  Sometimes I even read the instruction manual.  Nine times out of ten, I mess that up too.  I am just not a creator and not a builder.  About the only thing I can create is a nice flower bed or landscape.  In the midst of my inadequacies is Jesus Christ who created ALL Things and ALL Things were created FOR Him.  That is supremacy!  That gives me Hope!  Anytime we fail; anytime we find ourselves beating ourselves up over our shortcomings; may we look to the one who is supreme and find our purpose.  May we look to the one who died on the cross for us, and find supreme grace, forgiveness, and mercy .... and then rejoice.

Have you ever found yourself thinking Jesus should play by your rules?  Or have you ever found yourself thinking that Jesus Christ is not fair in what He expects of you?  Or have you ever found yourself reading something from God's word and what it said just didn't feel comfortable to you so you manipulated it, changed it, and tried to justify your thoughts in the place of His?  BE CAREFUL!!  We all have done one of these at some point in our lives, but be careful.  Jesus Christ is Supreme over the entire universe and His ways are HIS WAYS and His rules are HIS RULES and His words are HIS WORDS.  We have no right to make up our own rules.  We have no right to change His rules.  We have no right to manipulate His teachings.

Let us all start acknowledging the fact that God is GOD.  Not a religion, not a custom, not Santa Claus.  God is GOD.  Jesus Christ is GOD.  He does not move at our command, and He does not bend at our will.  We breathe because of His grace.  We exist because of His love.  He deserves our worship, our allegiance, our praise, our service, our honor.....our lives. 

I love Jason Bourne.  I love the Navy Seals even more.  But I want to follow the one who is supreme over all things;  Jesus Christ. 

Find Your Power

If you want to read about a cool guy, check out the life of David.  What an amazing man of God!! And what an ordinary guy too!!!  Here is a guy who was labeled "A man after God's own heart" yet he can relate to the struggles of every ordinary man that has walked this planet.  He often came up short.  He often messed up.  He often sinned.  BUT.....what sets him apart is his understanding that he is nothing apart from God.  David's greatness, power, leadership, military genius, musical genius, and so many other great attributes all resulted from his understanding that God was his power source.

In 2 Samuel 5 we find a great truth.  David has become king over all Israel and Judah; "and he became more and more powerful".  But the great truth is not that he is king;  not that he became more and more powerful, but the last part of verse 10;  "because the Lord God Almighty was with him."  David killed Goliath, later killed his tens of thousands, and eventually became king, and then grew more and more powerful BECAUSE the Lord God Almighty was with him. 

Are you looking to be more successful?  Or are you looking to find something, even anything you can be proud of?  ....  Are you looking to find the courage to stand up for Christ?  Or maybe you are just looking for the courage to get out of bed each day? .....  Are you looking to heal your broken marriage?  Or maybe you are just looking for healing within your own heart?   Whatever your story, you can find the solution only BECAUSE and only IF the Lord God Almighty is with you.  We are simply nothing apart from the greatness of our Lord and Savior. 

David's story continues.  Later in the same chapter of 2 Samuel we read about David going into battle.  Twice we find David inquiring of the Lord.  He's praying.  Realizing that all answers and all success comes from His Father in Heaven. 

And then perhaps one of my favorite parts of this passage; verse 20.  "As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me."  All credit is due God.  David's praise goes to his Father in Heaven.  Not to himself.  Not to his men.  Not to his plan.  Not to his abilities.  Only to his God.

Where do you find yourself today?  Is your power source your own, or is it the Lord God Almighty?  I urge you, plug in to the power of God.  Follow Him, Talk to Him, and Praise Him. 

Going M.A.D.

It is a beautiful thing when God teaches you something.  It may not always be comfortable or easy, but it is beautiful to be taught by the Creator of the Universe. It is even more beautiful when you have the chance to teach others what God has taught you, and even more humbling. 

This past year God has really been teaching me the importance of service to others.  I call it M.A.D. which stands for Making A Difference.  My students and I have been studying God's word recently and looking at the importance of Making a Difference and how we are "all called because all are worthy."  Recently, many of us were able to go out and hopefully make a difference in the lives of others as our students went and worked at the homes of some of the ladies in our church while others went to Homes of Hope for Children. 

Not many things make my heart happier than seeing my students use their gifts, knowledge, passions, and abilities to serve others.  Be it S.B. pruning plants (using something she learned from her mom), A.S. driving the zero turn lawn more (which he wants one now), A.R. jumping up and down on a shovel, J.S. working non stop to make sure that every piece of dirt was moved from around the house, T.R. working harder than anyone although she is just a bit older than the rest of us;  people were Making A Difference by using what God has given them.

M.A.D. is catching on.  God is allowing us the opportunity to serve in North Mississippi in the wake of the tornadoes that struck last week.  I look forward to seeing God glorified through the efforts of our church family.  Please understand why we must all serve....to glorify God.  By serving others, encouraging others, meeting the needs of others, and humbling ourselves,  God is glorified and His name will be praised.  2 Corinthians 9:12-13 says "This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."

So how do we make a difference?  Doing whatever it takes to see that God is praised. 

Our Backs

Do you ever think about your back?  I do.  Well, not yours, but mine.  I have an old man's back and if things aren't perfect back there, my day is rough.  It causes pain, it wears me down, it causes me stress.  The human back controls us, holds us up, brings us down, and the list goes on and on.  Stress tightens it.  Relaxation releases it.  It is truly a marvelous, yet sensitive part of the human body. 

But have you ever considered your back in your spiritual walk.  I mean, as Christians, what do we often want our back to be used for? ........... a pat of course.  We love to have our backs patted and we love to be made to feel good and we love to be recognized for our accomplishments.  Who doesn't?  I certainly don't think it is wrong to recognize people for their accomplishments, I certainly don't think it is wrong to celebrate our accomplishments, in fact I think it is Biblical to encourage and to lift up.  BUT, have we as Christians grown too comfortable in our own achievements?  We demand recognition.  We design programs to honor ourselves and to celebrate ourselves, meanwhile billions of people still do not know Christ.  We celebrate ourselves, while people starve within shouting distance of our churches. 

And then comes the clincher.  Look at the back of the one who we worship.  This Passion week, if we look at the back of Jesus Christ, we should be reminded of a back that was bent over in service;  a back that was bent over washing his disciples' nasty feet; a back that was whipped, beaten, and ripped into shreds;  a back that was hung on a horrible cross.  He never once looked for a pat on the back.  All glory went to the father.

May I stop looking at myself, and look at Jesus Christ.  May the church not celebrate itself, but celebrate its Savior.