Accountability

In writing about the French constitution, Thomas Paine said, "A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not be trusted by anybody." In Luke 16:1-2 Jesus said, "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'" Jesus believed in holding people accountable! Another person said that when it comes to privacy and accountability, we want privacy for ourselves and accountability for others.

I am accountable to God. How I live, how I treat my family and neighbors, how I share my witness...I'm accountable to God for this. As I study the Bible I learn more and more of what God expects of me. And I'm accountable.

I'm accountable to my wife and children. I am to provide for them, care for them, love them, guide them. Part of my accountability to God is that I lead my family in worship and Christlikeness. Should I fail in any of these areas of my family life, I must answer to God and to my wife and children. I am accountable.

I am also accountable to my church. Christians are to live in community with one another. Not in a commune! But in community. We share our lives together. The joys and the hurts. The gains and the losses. The Holy Spirit gives us unity and we are to maintain it. We keep each other encouraged and in line. I am accountable.

I am also accountable in my job. For me, that is a church that I pastor. This opens up a big discussion of various levels of pastoral authority. I believe that Jesus is the head of the church so that pastor cannot fill that roll. The pastor is an under-shepherd responsible to both God and the church. He is to guide believers into a faithful expression of community, Christlikeness, faithfulness, obedience, and witness. I am accountable.

And you are, too, depending upon your various rolls in life. If you are a teacher you are accountable to the students and the school administration. If you are a dentist you are accountable to your patients and your staff. If you are a manager you are accountable to those you manage, those who supervise you, and your customers. Even the CEO is accountable to the shareholders.

Nobody escapes accountability. And ultimately, every area of accountability includes accountability to God. We are to work as if working for the Lord. We are to forgive one another as Christ forgave us. We are to love because he loves us.

Who are you accountable to? Are you honoring God with the way you respond to accountability? "Leave me alone" or "I don't have to do what you say" or "you're not the boss of me" are responses that show a push away from accountability. Like Thomas Paine said, one who will not be help accountable cannot be trusted. Like Jesus said, failure to be responsible in the face of accountability hinders your ability to serve in that capacity.

Don't get pulled out of the game. Embrace accountability.

Weekly Devotional - May 31, 2013

"He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;

whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."

Proverbs 17:5 NIV

 

Why is it that people compare themselves to others who don't have as much in possessions or who have experienced a hard time? Those with something look for someone with less, then ridicule them. Those whose lives are going relatively smoothly spot the ones dealing with hardships, then gloat over them.

 

Let it be known that God does not take this lightly. Shouldn't that make us think and act differently about those who are less fortunate?

 

Here's some perspective. "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" These are Jesus' words recorded in Matthew 25.

 

Jesus is talking about judgment at the end of time. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. The sheep are identified by their good deeds. Jesus needs no help identifying the sheep because he knows who has called upon his name and who has not. The sheep are not sheep because of their good works but because they have called upon the name of Jesus.

 

The separation of the sheep and goats is not based upon their works. But those who follow Christ will have good works of righteousness. Those who do not follow Christ will not. They may do some good things but their motive is not to help others in Jesus' name. In other words, our love for Jesus motivates us to love others in word and deed.

 

Let your life be marked with true words and deeds of righteousness. How? By going the way the Holy Spirit leads you. Try to see others through his eyes and touch them with his hands. Pray that God will help you seek him and follow him as you engage the people around you.

Weekly Devotional - May 24, 2013

"May integrity and uprightness protect me,

because my hope is in you."

Psalm 25:21 NIV

 

Hope is an interesting word. Most of us use the word to express a wish or deep desire. Sometimes that is even in the context of pessimism. We might hold out hope for something to happen but never really believe it will happen. Hope is viewed as a component of helplessness by some folks.

 

That's not the biblical view of hope. The word is rich with optimism. The sun is always shining or about to shine. The storms that come may be severe but they will pass. Death may overtake the life of a loved on but eternal life is promised.

 

The difference between a typical view of hope and biblical view of hope is the focal point. If you focus on your circumstances then your hope will be draped with intermittent happiness and despair. If you focus on the circumstances then your hope will be overridden by doubt and confusion.

 

The focal point of hope - true hope - is the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember when Jesus came to the disciples in the Sea of Galilee walking on water? And Peter wanted to walk on water, too! As long as he focused on Jesus he walked on the sea as if it were a cement slab. But when he focused on the waves he sank and was afraid he would drown.

 

You choose each day, each moment, where you place your focus. Distractions are plenty and more are coming. As you survey the landscape do you see Jesus? Fix your eyes on him! He is the author and finisher of your faith - faith does not exist without him. And faith is the cement slab upon which hope stands.

 

I'm not promising it will be easy but I do know that it is best. That's from my own experience of water-walking and nearly drowning a few times. Maybe you feel hopeless because you aren't firmly placing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that God will give you hope as you place your faith in him no matter what the details of the circumstances may be.

Making a Garden Grow

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).

I'm not sure if I'd like to have a green thumb or not, but I don't. My best claim to gardening is that my Dad planted a garden a few years when I was a kid and my grandfather made a living as a farmer. Based on that, I ought to know more than I know. I ought to be able to grow something. Maybe I can but I just haven't tried.

I do understand a biblical principle about the fruit of the Spirit. These are qualities - Christlike qualities - that grow in a Christian's life when he allows the Holy Spirit to tend to him. The Spirit plants, waters, weeds, prunes. And the Spirit harvests the fruit. That's how a Christian becomes more like Christ.

None of us are a Garden of Eden when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, we're not perfect. But if you've been a Christian for very long at all, you ought to have more of these qualities than you've had before.

So how are you doing? Are you maturing? Is the fruit of the Spirit growing in you?

If it's hard to love somebody, then focus on Jesus and yield to the Spirit and you'll soon find that you can love them.

If you don't have joy and instead allow circumstances to drive your emotions, then focus on Jesus and yield to the Spirit and you'll soon find that you are joyful in spite of what's happening.

If your life is full of strife, then focus on Jesus and yield to the Spirit and you'll find the peace that now alludes you.

Do you see where I'm going with this? I believe that if we focus on Jesus and yield to the Spirit we'll become more like Jesus and our character will reflect his.

I'm so glad I don't have a charge to become more like Christ (which I do) but then have the sole responsibility to get there. What a wonderful act of grace and compassion for God to help me. Actually, he does it all when I yield to him. All I have to do is yield.

Yielding means that I give up my desires for that of another. When I drive up to an intersection and my traffic lane has a yield sign, I have to wait for other cars to go through the intersection before I proceed. This is the safest and best way for traffic to flow. I want to go first; I have some place I need to be. I want to take charge and do it my way. But I yield to oncoming traffic. I submit my will to a higher authority.

Yielding to the Holy Spirit is much the same. I may have my own ideas or plans but I put them aside because his are best. I may have my own desires but his are better so I yield to him. Phrases like "live by the Spirit" (Gal 5:16) and "led by the Spirit" (Gal 5:18) and "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal 5:25) convey the idea of yielding to God's Spirit. When I do this I become more like Christ and I receive his blessings and I am useful in reaching others for Christ.

Disaster Relief

One of the great things about being Southern Baptist is the disaster relief ministry. Forty-five thousand churches cooperate through CP giving to fund the ministry. Thousands of Southern Baptists are trained and ready for deployment.

Many were deployed yesterday from all over the country. They headed to Oklahoma to minister in the wake of the deadly storms.

Disaster Relief is a resource intensive ministry. We always need people to volunteer to serve. Check out the training opportunities for Arkansas Baptists here.

And it costs money to mobilize and serve. You can give directly to Southern Baptists' Disaster Relief here.

The greatest resource we have is prayer. Please pray for those directly impacted by the storms, for the local responders and officials, and for the disaster relief crews as they are the hands and feet of Jesus in this difficult situation.

Gathering My Thoughts

I was watching the Chick-Fil-A Leadercast with a few dozen other ministers from Arkansas last week at the state convention office chapel. I need to tell you that things are different under the new leadership of Sonny Tucker. We were allowed to have drinks (with lids, of course) in the chapel. I'm assuming that's a new practice since we were not allowed to do that the last time I had a meeting in that room. Change is good.

One of the speakers said that thoughts that only stayed in your mind would consume so much of your thinking process that you would get overwhelmed. Actually, the brain can only do one thing at a time. What we call "multi-tasking" is actually impossible for the brain to do. What really takes place is that the brain is focusing on one thing at a time and it's really good at switching back and forth from one thing to another really fast. I know it's true for me and maybe it is for you, too; thoughts that are not tied down to something - like a piece of paper or a computer note file - easily get swept away with all that switching back and forth. I imagine my brain switches away from one thought then can't find it when it tries to come back to it a nano-second later.

I'm forgetful. So I write it down. If I want to remember it later. Many great sermon or song ideas have been lost forever because I didn't write them down.

The struggle to keep a thought alive in our mind consumes mental resources. While I'm struggling to remember the grocery list I can't think about anything else. And when I try to remember a phone number I forget the grocery list. I've heard of tips and tricks to help improve your memory and these aren't intended to help you keep a thought in the forefront of your mind but to enable you to recall the thought later. Like writing it down in your mind. I'm not much good at that so I put it in my iPhone.

Think about this: by making notes, putting appointments on your calendar, keeping lists of things to do, etc., you are freeing up your mental resources to do other things. If you have a keen memory then you may not have to write down as much as the rest of us. If you don't have a keen memory then start writing it down. You'll become more productive and creative. You'll even be more relaxed and sleep better. If I have systems in place to help me remember what to do and when to do it, I don't have to worry about what I'm supposed to do or when I'm supposed to do it.

We have tons of resources to help us do this. Computers, smart phones, paper and pen. You have no excuse not to become more productive, creative, relaxed, and rested.

Weekly Devotional - May 17, 2013

"The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave you country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'"

Genesis 12:1 NIV

It's an exciting time when we start new beginnings. The first day on the job can bring lots of emotions but in the end we look forward to what we may be able to accomplish in this new place. The first day of school brings opportunities to learn and do new things. The first day of marriage, parenthood, or retirement are portals to a new way of life.

Sometimes our new beginnings are mulligans or do-overs. Wouldn't you just like to reach out and hit the reset button every once in a while? Do you remember playing with an Etch A Sketch^®? I was awful at it but would spend hours trying to make curved lines. The best I could do was just make squares around the edge moving slightly inward each time around. The I'd turn the Etch A Sketch^® upside down and shake it.

There's nothing like a clean slate! Tee up the ball again and take another shot! Abram and his family had followed God's call years earlier and had settled in Haran. Then God called them to move on from the comfortable, known, bountiful land to a place of unknowns. Canaan would be a better place but Abram had no way to know that.

Except he trusted God. That's what it takes to move when God calls. You can trust God to guide you the right way. Even if you've been going the wrong way or not going at all. Just trust him and get going.

God has incredible plans for your life. Since his way of thinking is not like our way of thinking, it would be hard to even try to describe what he has in store. Just go to the edge of your imagination, look into the unknown, and realize that God's desires for you are out there.

Then follow him. Maybe you need a jumpstart or a reset. He offers that. Pray that God will help you follow him now from no matter where you are.

The Changes Christ Can Make

Maybe one of the reasons I'm struggling to complete my doctoral work is that I'm a product of a period in Southern Baptist life when missionaries were those people who sold everything, moved to a foreign land, and lived for years with little contact with the rest of us except for an occasional visit to our churches with slides and traditional garb. My DMin project is designed to help the rest of us live like that right where we are. Before I can write the project I have to accept the paradigm. The more I study the more change I realize is necessary...in me, in my family, in my church.

Yes, we are all missionaries called to serve the Lord and sent into our communities to do it. But I still get a chill thinking about those who sell everything and move to a foreign land. Those that I've met like Rusty & Lori Hart and Jesse Hoyer have impressed me with their selflessness. They live so far away from and removed from me. And I admire that. Deana and I strongly considered joining their ranks; I just have too much history. I'm glad I can be a missionary without a denominational board's approval!

But I still have this mental distinction between that kind of missionary and the type I will write about in my project.

Tonight I will attend an appointment service for the denominational mission board. More than fifty men and women will remember this night as the mark of a new beginning. One of them is a member of my family and I'm so proud I could bust. She and her husband are making a great sacrifice. They're selling everything and moving to a foreign land. They'll come back from time to time to show pictures and demonstrate the cultural differences. And they'll tell the stories of how God has changed them and in doing so changed a Christ-less culture.

I hope I can tell stories of Christ changing me and in doing so changing the Christ-less culture where I live.

Jonah Sermon Series

I completed a series of sermons this week from the Book of Jonah. Here are the links to each sermon. Keep in mind as you read Jonah or listen to these messages that the book is not about Jonah or a big fish or a sinful city. It is about God, his mission, and his grace.

Thanks for taking the time to listen. My prayer is that you will be challenged and changed. Let's join God on his mission to redeem all people. The sermon titles are not original to me. I first heard them from my Dad about 30 years ago.

Jonah Chapter 1 Running from God

Jonah Chapter 2 Running Back to God

Jonah Chapter 3 Running with God

Jonah Chapter 4 Running Ahead of God

A full list of sermons is available here.

Weekly Devotional - May 10, 2013

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

Isaiah 6:8 NIV

 

The scene must have been even more dramatic than what today's special effects can produce. Isaiah saw the Lord on his throne. Angels were flying through the air saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty." The sound was so great that Isaiah felt the earth quake. Smoke filled the room.

 

Before Isaiah left the scene he volunteered to go in the service of the Lord. God was looking for someone to go to the people and proclaim a message. Isaiah seems almost enthusiastic. "I'll go! Send me! Pick me!"

 

But think about what brought Isaiah to this point of surrender. The Lord is sitting on his throne. The angels are swirling through the air. The temple shakes and is filled with smoke.

 

Isaiah's first response was not to volunteer to join God's mission. His first response was confession. Can you imagine the arrogance of anyone being in God's presence and not confessing sin? To see the holiness of God exposes our sin. When we see his holiness we realize our sinfulness.

 

Christians sometimes seem reluctant to confess sin. Are you afraid others will find out you are a sinner? Are you ashamed of what you've done? Listen, you are a sinner and everyone knows it because they are too. And you ought to be ashamed of unconfessed sin. Confessing is the best response.

 

Like Isaiah, when you confess your sin God will forgive you. Nothing's better than forgiveness. It releases you from guilt. It frees you to draw near to God. And then God will call you to serve him.

 

I've confessed and been forgiven. Often. But I remember a few times when it seemed like more of a burden was lifted. Probably because the sin actually was a greater burden. I wanted nothing more than to obey God's commands - to volunteer for service. Pray that God will help you feel the freedom to serve him.

Captured by the Word

I've been blessed by this verse all morning. Can't turn away from it.

"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him" (2 Samuel 14:14 NIV).

I see my sin that separates me from God. I see Jesus and the cross - God's plan for redemption. I remember the day I turned to Jesus for my salvation and life. I am captured by his love and grace.

Keeping Score

Yesterday I remembered why I like to play golf. For me, the best round of golf is played by myself. I know, I know...golf is supposed to be played in twos or threes or fours. And that's fun, too, but I like to get out there with nothing to do but hit the ball, brag on my shot, and try to do better.

I keep score but it's not real accurate. My golf prowess will put fear in no one so I don't mind dropping a ball when I don't like the one I just hit. Sometimes I have to do that because I can't find the ball I just hit. And I don't add a penalty shot for that. I know and respect the rules of the game but I'm not playing the same game most people play. If I ever get close to that game I'll gladly adopt and preach those rules, trust me!

I just don't see the need to add twenty or thirty penalty strokes to a score that's already three digits the way I keep it.

So I'm awful at golf. You've already figured that out. Even taking unlimited mulligans and helping the ball sit up nicely on the grass doesn't help much. I'm just awful at golf.

But I like it and hope to play once or twice a month during nice weather. Maybe I'll even invite someone to come along. They better not expect me to keep score the right way.

Christians are good at keeping score even though the apostle Paul said that "love keeps no records of wrongs." We are to love each other as Christ loves us. We are to love our enemies, too. I guess there's just nobody we aren't supposed to love.

But we'd rather keep score. We'd rather assess penalty strokes at even the hint of wrong-doing. We want to crush our opponents rather than love them.

I don't think that pleases Jesus.

Peter thought he was being pretty generous one day when he asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times was sufficient. That seemed very generous to Peter but Jesus said to forgive seventy-seven (or seventy times seven, depending on how you read the Greek) times. Jesus was not giving a hard and fast number but was illustrating unlimited forgiveness. Nobody could imagine being wronged in the same way that many times and being asked for forgiveness that many times. But Jesus' point was that we should be willing to forgive every time somebody asks us.

That's what Jesus does for me. The golf purists probably won't forgive me for my scorekeeping no matter how I throw myself at their mercy. But Jesus promises to forgive me each time I ask.

And he expects that of us, too. We are to forgive rather than keep score.

I keep a scorecard while I play golf. Then I throw it away as I leave the course.

Weekly Devotional - May 3, 2013

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us."

1 John 4:16 NIV

 

Reliability is one factor employers considering when hiring someone for the job. Will they show up as scheduled? Will they be able to perform as required? Will they represent the company is a positive manner? After all, the boss relies on the employees to help make his business succeed.

 

Likewise, the employee relies on the boss. Will he provide a safe work environment? Will he pay me fairly? Will he be in business next year? Will he give me opportunities to advance? The relationship between employer and employee is one of mutual dependence and reliance.

 

In this verse, the word "rely" means to believe. It's kin to faith. In other words, we depend upon God's love for salvation and daily Christian living. So the big question is, "Do you rely on God's love?"

 

In regard to salvation, his love is the basis for salvation. "For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16). "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this..." (Romans 5:8). "Because of his great love for us, God...made us alive with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4). Without the love of God we would be and would remain hopelessly lost. You can lean into God's love or turn away from it. You have that choice but eternity depends upon it.

 

In regard to Christian living, God's love compels us to live for his glory. We are told to bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2). Paul tells us that the church is built up through love (Ephesians 4:16). The family relationships are built upon love (Ephesians 5 & 6). And our treatment of others is based upon God's love for us, for them, and our love for them. Again, you can choose to live a life of love that leads to God's blessings or turn away from it.

 

What will you choose? If you rely on God's love with a confident belief that he will save you and help you live the Christian life you will find full and eternal life. Pray that God will help you as you lean into his love today.

Weekly Devotional - April 26, 2013

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him."

Nahum 1:7 NIV

I remember walking into an empty house. It wasn't unexpected but it was a shock. You can't prepare for brokenness. You can't fully brace yourself for trouble. Life as I had known it was over. A different horizon was before me; one that I had not predicted or planned or wanted.

But the Lord is good. I had told that to others over and over. Now I had to apply it personally. It's easier to tell others how they should react. Sometimes we even become self-righteous in our response when they don't react like we think they should.

Then it was my turn. My friend Kenny Bishop recorded a song a few years ago that came out of his own experiences, similar to mine in some ways. The lyric that runs through my mind says, "When a sister had some trouble I said, 'You're reaping what you sow.' And then I found some trouble of my own."

We aren't immune to troubles. Life's just that way. Count on needing refuge at some point in your life. And when you do, where will you turn? I turned to the Lord and asked him to help me. I decided to trust him even in troubled times. I committed my life anew to him. Even Christians have troubles and the Lord is good. He is our refuge.

I still live with scars from that period of my life. But remember that scars are not jus the signs of trouble but the signs of healing. I thank God that my wounds are healed and not still open. Because I trusted him and sought refuge in him, I found him to be good, to be the healer, to be closer than my closest friend.

And that's who you'll find him to be. God is exactly what you need when you are in trouble. You can try to recover or heal or figure it out on your on. Or you can trust in the Lord. You'll find that he is good and that he cares for you. Pray that God will help you in your times of trouble as you trust in him.

Spiritual Growth and Christian Doctrines

I hear it all too often. A Christian claims he's not concerned with "doctrine," he just wants to follow Jesus. Is that possible? Can a Christian really follow Jesus and not give attention to the doctrines of the faith?

"Doctrine" sounds a lot like "indoctrinate" and that almost always brings up negative feelings. Doctrine is simply the teachings. And who wouldn't want to learn?

Thing about this. Jesus said, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26). There is nothing wrong with the teachings (doctrines) of the Christian faith. In fact, doctrine is a crucial aspect of spiritual growth.

The research is in. See for yourself. Click HERE for the article from LifeWay Research.

Introverts Reaching Out

"When introverts spend time trying to function like extroverts, they're doing more than just wasting time. They're actually robbing themselves of the very tools God gave them to do His work."

I'm one of those guys who was created (by God) to be an introvert. Sometimes that really frustrates me. At other times I'm really pleased.

When it comes to sharing my faith, I'd like to have that nonstop-talkativeness-never-meet-a-stranger personality some of my friends have. But I don't. And you really can't fake it. You'll be a mess if you try for very long.

The quote above is from an article from On Mission written by Mike Bechtle. Read how introverts like me can be involved in evangelism HERE.

Oh, Bechtle also says, "Introversion isn't something to be cured; it's something to be celebrated!" I like that.

Finding Your Calling

Christians struggle with this idea of calling. Most of us probably learned from an early age that God calls some to be missionaries, some to be pastors, and some to be singers. The rest of us are just...well, the rest of us. I regret that we've done this and applaud the efforts of those who are trying to turn this around.

We are all called to ministry. Some to vocational ministry. Everyone to day-to-day-real-life-where-you-are ministry. And God has equipped us for the task he chosen for us. This equipping is called spiritual gifts and it's an interesting journey finding out what yours may be. And an important part of being a Christian.

God calls each Christian into ministry. God equips each Christian accordingly. And God provides everything else we need to do it. We just have to apply ourselves and follow him.

I came across a good article in my inbox this morning that asks a few questions to help clarify the calling. Take some time to read it and leave comments here. And enjoy serving the Lord!

How To Find Your Personal Calling

Fathers Believe In Their Children

The Boston Marathon suspected bombers' father says his sons were set up. What father wouldn't want to believe their children did the right thing? I believe that about my boys. I hope my dad believes that about me.

But the truth is the truth. And the truth seems to implicate the two suspects. In spite of what their father thinks, the authorities most likely have the right guys. He's not ready to accept that. And there is nothing he can do about their guilt if they are guilty.

My heavenly Father knows the truth about my sins and yours. He knows we are guilty so he cannot deny it. He knows our sins because each sin is against him. That's what King David said in Psalm 51. It's true.

But my heavenly Father has the power to do something about my guilt. He doesn't look the other way. He doesn't ignore it. Instead, he deals with it.

How does God deal with your sin? God sent his Son - the one he was confident was guiltless - and poured upon him our guilt. Jesus died for our sins so we could be adopted into God's family and become joint-heirs with Jesus.

From the moment you repent of your sins and turn in faith to Jesus, God sees you as guiltless. Jesus has taken the punishment for your sins. You are robed in his righteousness.

Have you trusted Jesus for your salvation? Send me a message if you would like to know more.

Weekly Devotional - April 19, 2013

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

John 17:3 NIV

We've experienced another act of terrorism this week. Near the finish line of the Boston Marathon two bombs exploded killing three and injuring dozens. As I write this my Twitter feed is full of breaking news about the pursuit of the one suspect who remains alive and on the run.

Other terrorists have claimed a radical allegiance to someone or something that compelled them to act as they did. The details of the current situation are still coming out so we don't know what motivated these brothers to do what they did. I suspect they had a radical allegiance to someone or something. Perhaps time will allow us to know this.

I have no problem with radical allegiance. As a Christian, I am called by my Lord to have radical allegiance to him. Jesus Christ expects this of those who claim to be his followers. When you read the words of Jesus, don't you hear his call? "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23)." "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62)." "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27)."

I understand radical allegiance. What I don't understand or agree with is why anyone would have radical allegiance to anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ calls us to love God and love others. He calls us to tell everyone about the Good News of salvation. Anyone who acts in the name of the Lord but is not fulfilling these calls is not acting Christ-like. Anyone who acts in the name of any other god is not Christian. There is only one true God.

Our faith compels us to radically obey Jesus Christ's commands. Doing so results in loving acts the point people to Jesus. Pray that God will help you live out your faith with radical allegiance.

The Day After

You know that feeling the day after you took a chance? You're kinda waiting for the results to come in. It would be like waking up the day after the election to see who won. Well, back before the day of the 24-hour news channels.

Or like getting up on the second day of the MLB draft if you are a reasonably good baseball player. "Will some team pick me today?" Or the question most of might ask is, "Why didn't a team pick me yesterday?"

Mondays are like that for me sometimes. I preach on Sunday. Ask for a response. And then wait. I am hopeful that someone will get the point of the message. I expect the Lord to move: it's his message, after all.

I wonder what would happen if I put myself in front of the message? What if the congregation walked away with more of a sense of me than of the Lord? That scares me. Some preachers say, "Hide me behind the cross" so that the cross is seen before the preacher. Another has said, "Put me in a hole beneath the cross" so the preacher is not seen at all.

I don't want to obscure the message. I don't want to taint the message. I want to present a clear message that I feel the Lord has prompted me to give. Based on his word. Centered on Christ. Then the Holy Spirit will do the rest. And receptive hearts will respond.

The Holy Spirit always does his part. Sometimes even in spite of the preacher. So the responsibility then lies with the preacher and the hearers. The preacher must be the right conduit. The hearers must be the right receptors.

So I believe the message yesterday was from the Lord. It was hard to preach and I guess hard to hear. Some of the hearers have responded. I'm waiting for more to respond. Revival hangs in the balance.

Weekly Devotional - April 12, 2013

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in

a worthy manner of the gospel of Christ."

Philippians 1:27 NIV

 

I spent six years working in a call center. I've heard my share of irate customers. Most of the time they had a legitimate reason to be concerned. I don't like it when my supper is interrupted or my business isn't handled properly.

 

I used to be like those irate callers. Until I started taking those calls. I'm still not as polite as I ought to be sometimes. I am better than I was, though.

 

Christians are supposed to act and react in ways that are different than the ways non-Christians do. Imagine the impact we could have on the world if we acted and reacted like Jesus rather than like the world. Instead, we often do exactly what the world does and so we don't show that Christianity makes much difference in our character.

 

What a shame! Haven't you heard (or said) that our best witness is the way we live? I hear it all the time. Honestly, I think it's often an excuse to not speak up and tell others about Jesus. Even so, people claim that they'll witness by their actions yet they act like people who have no relationship with Jesus Christ and don't have the Holy Spirit within them to change and empower them.

 

"What does it matter?" you say. It matters because the gospel of Christ is at stake. There is no other way that God has told us by which lost people can be saved except through Jesus. And the only way God has told us that this can happen is through the witness of Christians. When our actions deny the power of the gospel, lost people don't hear or see the gospel. And without the gospel they have no hope.

 

Don't let your circumstances determine your actions and reactions. Instead, let the transforming power of the gospel of Christ dictate how you act and react. This way you are useful to the Lord and to the lost people you will meet today. Pray that God will help you conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel.

A Blessing and a Test

When we gathered at the parsonage Sunday night for Bible study we watched the first episode of The Bible mini-series and then discussed some of the issues presented there. We didn't talk about the production value or the creative license although some of us could have gone on too long about that. Instead we used the scenes to draw our attention to spiritual truths. Any time you watch a movie, mini-series, or show with biblical themes, focus on the themes and not on the details. Remember, Hollywood is trying to get people to watch so they might change or embellish a little. But the truths are there so find them a talk about them.

That's what we did Sunday night. Even if you've already seen the mini-series, join us next time because we don't just watch, we dialogue with the story - with the Bible.

The first episode covered from the Beginning to the beginning of Egyptian slavery. When the scene focused on Abraham's almost-sacrifice of Isaac, the narrator said, "To be chosen by God is both a blessing and a test. He [Abraham] must prove his faith again and again." That is a striking statement that might cause recoil at first. One might reject the idea of proving his faith. And some might think God does not test his people.

God will and does test us. He will not tempt us but he will test us. Just like a metal worker tests the material he works with to see if it is strong and pure so God tests his people. To be chosen by God is a great honor. What has he chosen you for? Are you the encourager your co-worker needs? Are you the wise voice among all the confusion your family hears? Are you the helper assisting the down-trodden person? God has chosen you for some ministry. It might not be in an organized setting of the church's meeting times, but then again it might! Listen for God's call and look for ways to move into action.

To prepare you God may test you. And this call to action may be a test to prepare you for the next call. Imagine if Abraham and Sarah had had a son twenty-five or forty years earlier. Would Abraham's faith be strong enough then to obey God's command to sacrifice his son? Probably not, we can't really know. But the years of barrenness were full of faith-tests that seem to have prepared Abraham for this test. Abraham's faith grew stronger through the years so that he was able to take his promised son to the mountaintop and risk losing the only fulfillment of God's Promise that he could see. Even if Isaac was gone, Abraham believed God's Promise from years ago. He knew God would fulfill that promise somehow.

The tests God gives are not to see what you don't know or cannot handle but to see what you do know and can handle. Really, God doesn't need a test in order to know this; he knows all things at all times. But you and I need to know that God is strong and able and loving and protective and present and... So the test of our faith helps us stand more firmly on his faithfulness. And our faith grows with each test - well, if we stand firmly in this test our faith grows and we are prepared for the next test.

The idea that this happens again and again is full of hope! Don't think that you will one day arrive at the highest level of faithfulness you will ever need. Don't think that you may get to a point in life that your faith won't be challenged. When Jesus said that to whom much is given much is required, one thing I hear him saying is that those with strong faith will need it because a situation is coming that will require strong faith.

Whenever you face something that does not stretch your faith you are coasting. Ultimately, something that is coasting slows down and stops. That's a bad situation when talking about walking by faith. Instead of coasting we should want to have the throttle wide open. That will test your faith but it will keep you growing and going.

You can read the story of Abraham (Abram) beginning in Genesis 11:26 through Genesis 25:10. His family's story extends much further. The specific test of sacrificing Isaac is related in Genesis 22.

Ultimately, Abraham had great faith that God would keep his promise of blessing Abraham, his family, and the world. That promise finds complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is the perfect lamb of God - the substitutionary sacrifice for your sins and mine. When God provided the lamb Isaac was free. When God provided The Lamb (Jesus) we all can go free.

Have you turned from living a world-centered life toward a Christ-centered life? That's what it means to repent. So if you repent and believe that Jesus is God's son and that his death on the cross is the only remedy for your sin problem, you will be saved. Will you call upon the name of Jesus today for salvation, forgiveness, and redemption? Let me know how I can help you.

Equipping Volunteers

I was recently challenged by a friend to consider team building in the church. His point - well taken - is that churches often have the people they need to carry out the ministries the church feels led to do but they may not be as organized as they could be. I began to think about our church and I believe that is true of us. We have wonderful people with great ideas and abilities. They desire to serve the Lord, the church, and the community.

I also began to evaluate how we might better approach ministry and the first thing that comes to mind is how do you recruit, prepare, and maintain volunteers in church ministry. Ours is a small church but that's no excuse for not having active ministry participation. I've always believed and taught that God equips each local congregation with people who are equipped to do the ministry he wants the church to do. As members come and go, you might consider this God's way of re-tooling the church for other ministry.

When the makeup of our membership changes I always look forward to what God intends to accomplish through those changes. Of course, this assumes that people move from church to church for valid, spiritual reasons following the Lord's leading. I hope that's not too much of an assumption to make!

Anyway, I've started browsing for articles to help me lead the church in this way. I would appreciate your input and recommendations. Here's an article written by Thom Rainer that I read this morning that convicted and challenged me. Volunteers are both a blessing and a challenge, Rainer say. I believe it! I hope to be a better leader of the volunteers at Cross Road. Take a look and see if it will help you, too.

http://pastors.com/6-insights-for-leading-lay-volunteers/

Weekly Devotional - March 29, 2013

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

 

Hope is an interesting word. We use it to mean many things. For example, I was listening to a sports talk radio program this week and the topic was what people expected from their favorite team. Someone said they expected their team to contend for a championship each year. But the team has a history of being not that good so the host made the point that this was a hope rather than an expectation. That's one way to use the word.

 

Talk with children around Christmas season and you'll get another understanding of the word. They make a list - mine was always just the Sears catalog with every toy in the boys section circled! - and hope they get everything they want. Something on the list is always absent from under the tree.

 

I look outside and see clouds. The forecast calls for rain. I felt mist in the air when I walked the dog a few minutes ago. Someone with plenty of outdoor activities planned for today might say, "I hope it doesn't rain."

 

Hope can mean wishful thinking or unrealistic expectations or desire for the future. But the living hope believers have is no such thing. Recall the words to the hymn: "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name."

 

We have hope not because of who we are or what we desire but because of who Jesus is and what he has done! And that hope is alive just as much as Jesus Christ is alive. Hope is the confident expectation that what God promises is true. If you need evidence that God is able and trustworthy, then the resurrection is Exhibit A.

 

Celebrate Jesus and the hope he gives! Pray that God will help you anchor your life upon his promises.

The Real Issue

Prop 8, DOMA, gay marriage, abortion. These are hot-button topics on the cultural agenda today. I've become aware of how diverse opinions are even in my own circle of friends. Those of us who call themselves Christians have views that cover a broad spectrum. Even among conservative Christians the wiggle room on these topics is surprising.

That's just where we are today. And we ought not be surprised. We've had plenty of warning. Sadly, we sat back and did nothing when it would have been much easier to keep our biblical values in the forefront.

I'm barely old enough to remember when small town life revolved around the church. Now the outside world swirls around the church so quickly - sometimes violently - that the church is given secondary consideration, at best, and at worst, completely ignored. But we should have seen it coming.

So how long has this train been coming down the tracks? First, let's understand clearly what the train is. The issues of morality are not the issue. We can cry about the number of abortions performed each year, the ease of getting a divorce, the openness of homosexuality, the indecency of entertainment programming, and on and on. These are problems - symptoms of the real issue.

Fewer people live as "people of the Book." The Bible has less influence in our culture than ever. I have no surveys to prove that statement but it seems obvious to me that it's true. All of the moral issues that conservative Christians cry out against are actions that go against God's word. When more people allowed the Bible to direct their lives, we had less of these issues; or at least they were not so much out in the open.

I can hear you already saying, "But there's never really been a time when people really lived by the Book." Yes, we are all sinners and our lives are marked with mistakes and failures daily. What I mean is that there was once a time when more people - maybe a majority - tried to obey the Lord and cared when they failed. By God's grace we can know forgiveness when we confess our sin and repent of it. By God's grace we have his Spirit within us to guide us toward holiness.

Yet we have let other "truths" displace the Truth. Maybe that's not the case specifically for you but I believe it is the case for the American culture. We now live in a day when a minority - probably a very small minority - hold the Bible as the guide for our faith and practice. And that's the issue.

Displacing the absolute truth of the Bible with subjective truth is the issue that has brought us to the point of having the debates on abortion and marriage that we have going on these days. Even among heterosexual marriage, how many are really biblical? I'm not perfect in this area and I've confessed and repented and am trying to do it right this time. That should be the case with every sin we commit no matter if it's a headline-maker or not.

Remember the Pledge to the Bible we said in Vacation Bible School? "I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word, and will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path; and will hide its word in my heart that I may not sin against God." Saying the pledge isn't worth much. We need to commit to it. That may not turn things around dramatically but it is the right thing to do for those who profess to follow Christ.

So that's what the train is. How long has this train been coming down the tracks? Since the last election? Since the 1960s? Since the Enlightenment? Maybe much longer than that. Did you know that in 325 A.D. the Roman Emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion of the empire? At that point the church became an institution more than the body of the Living Christ. What had been a movement throughout the cities, towns, and rural communities was now in big buildings on the corners of the main arteries of town. People came to the buildings which they called the "church." Church became less about being Christ incarnate in the community. Does that sound familiar?

At a church I once pastored we printed t-shirts that said, "It's not a religion, it's a relationship." Honestly, what many people call Christianity is a religion. We need to get back to Christianity being a relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible is how we will know him. Neglect the Bible and you will lose the relational aspect of your faith. A byproduct will be that you lose your grip on the absolute truth in the Bible and will begin to accept or tolerate the subjective truth of the culture. Your own actions will follow suit.

Then you will look up and wonder where that train came from. Has it been coming since 325? Maybe. Maybe ever earlier than that. All I know is that we are looking up and seeing a culture out of control. I believe reverence for God and his word can change things.

Bro. Snow is a member of that church I pastored years ago. He said, "We've raised a generation who have raised a generation without God." His point was that this didn't just happen over night. What one generation does not stand up against, the next generation will embrace. Thus begins a downward spiral.

If you are a conservative Christian - conservative as in biblical, I'm not talking politics - then you can make a difference by living a biblical life that centers on Jesus and his word. If you aren't doing that now, then you can start today. Teach your children to do the same and begin an upward spiral. You may not be able to turn around a nation but you can turn around your family. And you might be part of a supernatural work of God to turn around a nation that has drifted away from him and his word.

Spring Break

It's that time of year. Students and their families look forward to Spring Break so they can pack up and go somewhere or just chillax at home. For one week during the long spring semester there is a change of routine that somehow refreshes us. At least that's how it's supposed to work. My student did not look forward to returning to school. I've read posts of social media about not wanting to return to work. Maybe we've lost the idea of what a break really is. A break is a short period of relief from the normal.

I worked at IGA Stores while in high school. If you worked a shift of at least four hours you got a 15 minute break. After the fifteen minutes I went back to sacking groceries, stocking the milk cooler, and mopping floors. The break was not the end of the shift but just a short time to relax. Spring Break is the same but it's really hard for some of us to go back to the normal routine.

One of the highlights of Spring Break for me was attending Dogwood Church in Peachtree City, Georgia. We were on our way to Orlando and stopped in Newnan, Georgia to spend the night with friends. He's on staff at Dogwood Church so we went with them for the early service before hitting the road to complete the trip to Florida. As a preacher and worshiper, I was encouraged and challenged. I like hearing other preachers preach. I love congregational singing. My family felt right at home at Dogwood Church although we only knew two people. I hope that's the feeling guests have when they visit Cross Road.

The rest of the week was outstanding. The Disney parks are every bit as good as I had been told. It took me almost 49 years to get there and the wait was worth it. Add in a spring training baseball game and a stop at Duck Commander and this was a pretty good vacation!

It's over now. Break is over. Back to the normal routine. I'm not fussing about that. I was energized for our services at Cross Road yesterday and was energized BY them. Our people are really seeking revival. I think it's beginning to happen! We had revival services a couple of weeks ago but we cannot see the services like students view Spring Break. The services weren't the end but just the beginning. Revival services propel us forward into revival just like Spring Break ought to prepare us for the next two months.

I'm glad to have had the break but I'm glad it's over.

Weekly Devotional - March 8

"After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, 'The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.' No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you."

Deuteronomy 9:4 NIV

 

Do you ever start to think you deserve the blessings you get? I hope not because that's a dangerous thought! The right way to think about our blessings is that God blesses us because of who he is rather than because of what we've done. He is the God of love and grace and mercy and blessings. Everything flows from him for his glory. Without a doubt, we do benefit from his blessings and that's part of why he does it. But it has nothing to do with deserving it.

 

The Hebrew people had been in Egyptian bondage for 400 years. They have fled the country and were now free but because the lacked faith they wandered in the desert for 40 years before entering the land God had promised to give them. That promise was first announced to Abraham over 500 years earlier. God keeps his promises and was ready to give the land to the Hebrews.

 

The leader of the Hebrews for the last 40 years had been Moses. Just prior to Moses' death, he spoke to the people. He wanted to remind them of God's promises and commands. And Moses warns them not to take credit for what was about to happen. The Hebrews possessed the Promised Land in a miraculous wave of victories over the land's current inhabitants. They didn't have to earn the land, God gave it to them.

 

The warning from Moses ought to ring in our ears, too. What the Lord does for us flows from who he is and accomplishes his plans. Every victory you experience over evil is not because you are so righteous - and you may be - but because evil is so evil and God provides the victory. Pray that God will provide the victory and you will give him the glory.

From Sunday to Friday

I've been thinking about the last week of Jesus' life. It's called the Passion Week or Holy Week. The Gospels begin the story by retelling Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Sunday. The crowd was euphoric. They proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah. Centuries of expectation reached culmination and the celebration was high.

Then religion set in. Have you noticed how religion can numb celebration? Slowly, as the week progressed, the excitement gave way to anger. Now, I know that not everyone was excited on Sunday and I suspect not everyone was angry on Friday, but the prevailing attitude of the crowd turned dramatically by the weekend.

The people loved it when Jesus swept in. But the religious leaders took over and swept him right out. They convinced the Roman government to nail him to a cross, in fact. The people had never been more alive on Sunday, but Jesus was dead on Friday.

What happened between Sunday and Friday in Jerusalem happens too often in our lives. Don't let Jesus sweep in and create joy only to later get caught up in the motions so that Jesus is swept out of your life. Religion never fully replaces relationship. Religious activity won't satisfy like a personal walk with Jesus.

Preparing for Revival

Several weeks ago while reading for my DMin project I came across what I thought was a great idea for a few sermons leading up to revival services. Ed Stetzer and David Putman wrote "Breaking the Missional Code" several years ago and I've found it to be a good resource for my missional project.

One of the topics the book addresses is that if a Christian wants to really follow Jesus he must do three things: live like Jesus lived, love like Jesus loved, and leave behind what Jesus left behind. When I read that I knew I needed to share it with Cross Road Baptist Church as we were seeking God's movement among us.

I preached the three sermons on February 17 and 24 and March 3. Here are the links if you'd like to listen. Join me praying for revival. If you live close and get a chance, stop by for the revival services March 10-13.

Living Like Jesus Lived

Loving Like Jesus Loved

Leaving Behind What Jesus Left Behind

Directions to Cross Road Baptist Church

Weekly Devotional - March 1, 2013

"In him the whole building is joined together

and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord."

Ephesians 2:21 NIV

 

We are living in an interesting day. Not only is March 1 the anniversary of Deana becoming my wife and not only is March 1 a day of unknowns in our nation's economy, but this is a day when the Roman Catholic Church is without the leadership of a Pope. That doesn't happen very often.

 

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Pope serves in a line of apostolic succession. That means that he is God's appointed one to lead in the same way (they believe) Peter was selected by Jesus to lead. The idea is not clearly found in Scripture and not found in Christian writings until the late First Century.

 

In Matthew 16, Peter proclaims that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus then says, "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Mt 16:18). Some, like the Roman Catholic Church, think Peter is the rock upon which the church is to be built. Their conclusion then is that a line of succession must flow from Peter in order to substantiate the church.

 

A better understanding of Jesus' words is that Jesus is the rock upon which the church is built. This interpretation best fits with the balance of Scriptural teachings like that found in Ephesians 2:21, "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." In 1 Peter 2, Jesus is referred to as the cornerstone - or the one upon whom the church is built.

 

The Bible says that all men are sinners except for one. Just one. Jesus Christ. I want my faith to be built upon the sinless one. Then I can trust my faith. I expect church leaders to look to Jesus for purpose and direction. And I expect Christians to look through their leaders to Jesus as those leaders faithfully serve them and the Lord. Pray that God will help our Christian leaders focus on Jesus Christ so they can help others become maturing disciples.

Serve the Lord

Paul encouraged believers to "never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). So what is zeal? And what is spiritual fervor?

Zeal is an eagerness to do something. Implied in the eagerness is readiness. So believers are to be prepared, able, willing, and enthusiastic to do something. An opposite condition would be laziness or inactivity. We act exactly opposite Paul's command when we sit back and do nothing.

In his commentary on Romans, Robert Mounce wrote, "Believers are to be aglow with the Spirit. The life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit radically alters the way a person lives... A Spirit-filled believer by definition cannot be dull and boring. That would be a contradiction in terms." Spiritual fervor is being on fire for the Lord because of his indwelling Spirit.

The zeal and spiritual fervor are expressed in service to the Lord. Are you serving the Lord or sitting by while others serve him? Is the Spirit working in your life to bring about acts of service? Don't quench the fires of service placed within you by God.

You serve the Lord when you serve others. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 25 that serving others by clothing them, feeding them, befriending them, and helping them equals doing those same things for him. And believers are identified by such acts of service.

So serve the Lord today with zeal and spiritual fervor!

Weekly Devotional - February 22, 2013

"Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it

and that produces a crop useful to those for whom

it is farmed receives the blessing of God."

Hebrews 6:7 NIV

 

My backyard is a low spot in our area. So low that water runoff from all Saline county pools there. OK, that's an exaggeration but it is true that puddles appear quickly after rain begins and they stay there a long time. Yesterday's rain was so heavy that at one point almost half the backyard was under water. The puddles that remain this morning will linger and keep Riley and me from playing ball for several days.

 

My grandfather was a soybean and cotton farmer. He looked for rain. Often his crops badly needed rain. When the rain came the fields would drink it up and the plants would perk up, too. When rain fell often, the harvest would be plentiful.

 

Jesus talked about a farmer who sowed seeds plentifully. Some fell on good soil and some fell on soil that would not sustain the crops. The farmer could not expect a harvest from the bad soil but they could expect it from the good soil.

 

Quality seed plus good soil plus adequately rainfall plus a hardworking farmer equals a good harvest. The seed is the word of God. The good soil is the receptive heart. The rainfall is the supernatural work of the Spirit of God. The farmer is the Christian living out the Lord's commands.

 

God promises to bless those who will trust Jesus as Savior and Lord. People will sometimes get confused about what blessings are. Lots of folks think that a blessed life means success in the boardroom, athletic arena, or classroom. They may gauge success by what's in the game room or garage or bank vault.

 

God's blessings may or may not involve worldly success but his blessings always involve knowing him better. Pray that God will bless you with his presence and deeper knowledge of him.

A Perfect Day

Today is a perfect day. The temperature was in the mid-30s when I ran this morning. The high this afternoon will be in the mid-50s. I'd say that's as good as it gets! I'll take 300 days a year like this and split the rest evenly between warmer and colder by 20 degrees.

What makes today even more perfect is that the sky is crystal clear; almost white on the horizon and gorgeous blue up top.

And baseball is in the air! The way I see it, any day with baseball is a great day! MLB Spring Training is underway. Will someone please give me two weeks at the Reds Spring Training Camp as a Christmas gift soon?

Riley had try-outs for a new ballpark Saturday. I couldn't be there because of church-related work. Not being there was hard but probably was a good thing. He would have felt more pressure knowing I was watching. Instead, he was loosy-goosy and did great. Deana said he hit the ball really well and only made a couple of mistakes fielding. He actually overthrew to first base a couple of times. He's played first base for six years so he never has to make many throws. At least he overthrew the ball so he showed a good arm.

I saw a tweet from the local college baseball team's coach that they play today at 3:00. I'm picking up Riley from school today so maybe we can head over there and watch the big boys play. Clear skies, 54 degrees, and baseball. Yep, this is a perfect day.

Really, what makes it perfect is Jesus. I've spent time reading his word and praying to him. I'm about to dig in and study for this week's sermons. I am aware of his presence by the way he's answered prayer and brought great thoughts to mind. Like baseball with my family on one of the perfect days he's created.

It's a perfect day because I am not alone. Jesus is with me. His Spirit guides me. I will enjoy the day and give him glory.

Weekly Devotional - February 15, 2013

"Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you."

Psalm 63:2 NIV

Did you notice all the Valentine's posts on Facebook this week? How could you NOT notice! The men posted about how much they loved their wives. The wives responded with an "Aawww" and then posted a picture of the flowers or candy or teddy bear that was delivered to their office. All because of love.

What does your love for the Lord prompt you to do? Three choices are before you. You can do nothing. You can do something. You can do a lot.

A person who does nothing cannot possibly understand God's love. Perhaps that person has never realized that God's love is the reason we exist. Maybe they have explained away all the touches of God by claiming coincidence or chance. A sunrise, a hunger to learn, a desire to be in relationships...these are all part of our lives because God loves us. Doing nothing in response indicates a hardness toward God due to a life of rejecting him or of bitterness toward him.

Some people muster some response to God's love. They may participate in church activities from time to time. They may call upon others to pray for them when life is unusually hard. They may thank the Lord when spared from some difficulty. But they don't do much else to glorify God. The stream of appreciation that ought to flow from their lives is just a trickle. Like a brook that is mostly dry and only swells with the occasional downpour, so is the praise that comes from the hearts of many who say they love the Lord. They are either expecting more from God or experiencing little that they attribute to God. And praise is little.

Then there are those who recognize the love of God in the small things and big things of life. The realize that they experience much more than they could ever expect from God. And they respond with an ever-flowing stream of authentic praise that involves their lips, their lives, even their Facebook posts. Pray that God will help you know his great love and give him glory for it.

"Generous" sermon series

I wrapped up the sermon series on generosity yesterday.
All the audio is posted at the links below.

Generous with My Obedience

Generous with My Possessions

Generous with My Forgiveness

Generous with My Prayers

Generous with My Witness

Generous with My Love

Weekly Devotional - February 8, 2013

"Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are wandering around

the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.'"

Exodus 14:3 NIV

Have you ever tried to map out how your life has been? Sometimes we think about what the future might look like and make big plans but the past holds lessons for us that are often overlooked. Take a closer look at where you've been. Map out your past and try to find God's hand in it.

What might look like aimlessness could actually be full of purpose. If you had mapped out the route taken by the Hebrew people as they fled Egypt you would come up with a squiggly line. You might think your toddler had taken a crayon and scribbled on the paper.

But it was not aimless wandering. Even though a direct route from Egypt to the Promised Land seems to make more sense, God had another plan. The well-trained Egyptian army could have easily overtaken the Hebrews on a predictable route. Although the Hebrew people would have been more confident in the obvious route, it would have surely led to greater hardship or their destruction.

God had another plan! And he often does in our lives, too. The obvious often overshadows other options. Our decisions often aren't made with much thought. Consider what God plans to do, however, and the obvious may become obviously undesirable.

Following the squiggly line through the desert led the Egyptians to under-estimate what would happen next. The Hebrews looked like sitting ducks on the pond. The pond, however, was the Red Sea and would become the grave for the Egyptians and the victory for the Hebrews. But only hours earlier, the Hebrews thought it would be the other way around.

God pulls victory out of defeat all the time. The key is to be completely obedient to his word even when it doesn't make sense. Pray that God will help you obey him even when it's tough so that you can experience life's victory.

Expecting an E-mail

So I'm expecting an e-mail pretty soon. It's not the usual e-mail because this one will come from heaven.

A church member was diagnosed with breast cancer about a year and a half ago and she's now nearing the end of her earthly battle. She told me today that she'd e-mail me from heaven. We laughed because she's never sent me an e-mail down here. She admits to knowing almost nothing about computers. But in heaven, hey, all things are new! We'll not be plagued with the kinds of things that slow us down on earth. Maybe Mary will know how to send e-mail, check and update her Facebook page, upload pictures and videos, and lots of other stuff.

Probably so but I'm not sure how handy that will be. I'm not sure what heaven will be like. Nobody knows and if they say they do they are not being truthful. The Bible says that eyes and ears cannot see or hear what God has in store for us. My friend Rex Horne spoke at my wife's grandfather's funeral. He said that when Ed Abel woke up in heaven and looked around he likely took in all the sights and sounds of heaven. Heaven was more amazing, awesome, magnificent, unbelievable, and inspiring than Ed could have imagined. Then Dr. Horne said that Ed probably said, "Well, of course! This is exactly what heaven should be!"

I like that way of describing it. Heaven will be beyond our imagination but we will be able to immediately recognize it as God's handiwork. I just don't know if we'll send and receive e-mail there. I'm pretty sure we won't be sending e-mail from heaven to earth so maybe I ought not get too excited about getting Mary's e-mail. But if I do I'm going to be REALLY excited!

Mary is facing death with confidence. I asked her yesterday how we could pray for her. She said with raised eyebrows, "God's got this!" Whatever "this" is, Mary knows God is in control. "This" could be a lengthy physical fight on the line between life and death. "This" could be the quick escape from the trappings of this world into the freedom of eternity. God's got this!

For you, "this" could be a marriage that seems to be falling apart. "This" could be wayward children that drive you to your knees in prayer. "This" could be the uncertainty of a job. "This" could be a medical diagnosis you never wanted to hear. "This" could be a stack of unpaid bills and threats from collectors.

God's got this.

The big question is, Does God have you? Are you part of his family? Can you face uncertainty with hope and confidence because you know you are his? The answer to these questions can be "Yes!" if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Weekly Devotional - February 1, 2013

"God has raised this Jesus to life,

and we are all witnesses of the fact."

Acts 2:32 NIV

 

We have a new dog. Her owner passed away a few weeks ago. And I learned this week that we are Lexi's third owners. The first two owners both passed away. Lexi is not her original name. She used to be known as "Poptart." I'm glad the last lady changed it.

 

So I kidded with Riley that Lexi must be in the Witness Security Program. I guess I just blew her cover by giving out her real name! Anyway, the Witness Security Program is run by the US Marshals Service. According to their website, they have "protected, relocated and given new identities to more than 8,500 witnesses" and their family members in the last 40 years. I couldn't find a list of names on the website so they do a better job of keeping a secret that I do.

 

The reason these witnesses need protection is because they are testifying in trials of drug traffickers, terrorists, organized crime members and other major criminals. I suppose enough witnesses prior to 1971 came up missing that the government decided to provide protection for someone who could help lock down the case in these kinds of trials. Their testimony was that important.

 

A witness testifies to something they know to be true. Every follower of Jesus Christ knows truth that others need to hear. We know that Jesus is the Son of God. We know that God loves us so much that he gave his only son Jesus to die for our sins. We know that God raised Jesus to life and that Jesus lives today. We know that we can turn from sin and toward Jesus through faith and receive salvation by God's grace. We know that our lives are quantitatively and qualitatively better because we follow Jesus. We know that Jesus will someday return to take us to be with him in Heaven forever.

 

Are you testifying to this daily? It's one of the most important things a believer can do. Pray that God will help you speak up about the truths you know.