Memorial Day

To my knowledge, I don't have a family member who gave his life defending our country. My grandfather served in the Pacific during WWII. I never heard any stories. I have friends from school, church, and work that have served.

Respect. The hardship they endured (and their families) is beyond what I can imagine. The separation from family. The uncertainty of tomorrow. The enemy taking aim. And much more, I'm sure.

Memorial Day is traditionally a time to remember and honor those who gave their lives defending the country. I thank them because of the freedom they secured and maintained. Especially the religious freedom.

And I want to thank our veterans and current service members.

Their sacrifice and commitment are worthy of our attention everyday, not just a weekend.

Time, Attention, Effort

If you open your Bible to the very center, you'll most likely be in Psalm 119. It's the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. This Psalm has twenty-two eight-verse segments, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In fact, all verses in a stanza start with the same Hebrew letter. Twenty-two stanzas, twenty-two letters of the alphabet. Pretty cool, huh?

What's even more cool is that the content of all 176 verses focuses on the word of the Lord. Read the acrostic poem called "Psalm 119" and notice how often God's word or law or precepts or commands are mentioned. The central theme of the central chapter of the Bible is God's commands.

I've been a Christian for almost 40 years. I've been in ministry for almost 30 years. I don't know all the commands of God. The Bible is a big book! But I know that I'm supposed to align my life with what the Bible says. I am to give my life to the one who gave me life and gave his life for me and gives meaning to my life.

So reading the Bible, studying God's word, following the commands, and applying the principles is a priority. Priorities require time and attention. And effort.

Riley recently told me that when he gets to the MLB (pro baseball) he wants to be a pitcher. I told him that in order to do that he would have to put in a lot of hard work starting now. He can't wait until he gets to there to start working on his pitching. He can't wait until he gets to high school to start. He can't even wait until next year. If he wants to realize that goal he has to get started now. Put in the time, pay attention to detail, and make in the effort.

I want to honor God so I have to put in the time, give attention to detail, and make the effort. Is there any other way? That's the path for you, too, if you want to honor God. Can you imagine anything better than entering heaven and hearing God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant"?

Put in the time, pay attention to detail, and make the effort. Today.

The only way it's possible to obey any of God's commands is through Jesus Christ. On your own, you won't try to please or honor God. We are too selfish and sinful for that. God dealt with this impossibility through the death of his son Jesus. Your sin demands a sacrifice. You aren't able to make a sufficient sacrifice, but God is. He sacrificed his own son - the perfect Lamb of God - to atone for your sins and put you in right relationship with him.

Will you trust God to forgive you and make you right with him? Click here for more about claiming Jesus as your Savior. I'd love to hear about your decision and help you get started with this "Time, Attention, Effort" thing.

Weekly Devotional - May 18, 2012

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the
wisdom and knowledge of God!"

Romans 11:33 NIV

There's a lot I don't know. As a matter of fact, I don't even know what I don't know. And I've learned that the more I know the more I know I don't know.

I'm told that humans use very little of their brain capacity.  We could know much more than we do! If we don't even know what we could know, how could we ever completely know God?

Knowing God is not an event. You don't wake up one morning and have everything about him stored up in your mind as if you had studied and prepared for a history test. Knowing God is a journey.

Some things about him you learn as your study the Bible. The Bible is the record of God's revelation of himself through Jesus Christ, through his interaction with people throughout history, and through his natural creativity. If you want to know God you have to pick up the main resource. And you have to begin the journey of getting to know him through study and application.

Some things you learn through experience. In the process of living life you come to times when you need comfort and God is there to comfort you. Or you need courage and God is there to embolden you. Or you need strength and he is there to empower you. Or you need joy because life gets hard and God is there to lift you up spiritually and emotionally. Experience never trumps the truth of Scripture but through experience you often can more easily apply those truths. The Bible is the text; experience is the lab.

Your journey is already underway. You began this trip the day you were born. Some lessons have been unnoticed, like the way you have come to depend upon his oxygen for life. Some lessons are unexplainable, like the way he created this whole world. Some lessons are unforgettable, like how he saved you from sin. Pray that God will bring you along the path of knowing him.

Monday Mornings

How many of you dread Mondays? If that was a question on the old game show "Card Sharks" I would have to say that number would be very high. But a Facebook friend asked why anyone would want to so easily give up on 1/7th of their lives. That's about 15% of every living moment. Rather than dread Mondays, we need to find ways to leverage the day for something good.

Let's take a look at Monday. How do you prepare for the day? Being in church on Sunday would be a great way to prep for Monday. Worship draws us to God. Fellowship binds us with one another. Bible study equips us for the spiritual battles that take such a toll on Monday. If you're not in church on Sunday then what are you doing? Probably focusing upon yourself. That won't prepare you for much. On Monday you'll be expected to focus on the job and other responsibilities that you break from over the weekend. No wonder Mondays are so dreaded - the selfishness you enjoyed on Sunday is ripped away bright and early the next morning. I just think a less selfish Sunday - a more God-centered Sunday - would lessen the stress of Monday.

How do you start Mondays? Sleep as late as possible and hit the snooze button at least once? Now you don't really have time to wake up. Probably don't eat a good breakfast. Let me rephrase that; probably don't eat a breakfast that's good for you! prayer and Bible study? No time for that! So there you go - out the door with your shirttail barely tucked in, and your look even more disheveled on the inside. You may not want to hear this, but you will probably agree with me: give yourself a few extra minutes on Monday morning (any morning) for Bible study, prayer, and a good-for-you breakfast. If you feel better inside and out as you pull out of the driveway, you are bound to have a better day.

I'll not go on with this exercise except to say that when you focus upon God and others, any day and any point in the day will be better. The circumstances may not change much but how you respond and react will change for the better. I challenge you to give it a try. Put God first and see what happens. Maybe your life will suddenly get 15% better!

My Mother

Outside of referring to her when writing blogs and devotionals or when talking to others about her, I have never called her "mother" or "mom." She is Tuti. I don't really know how that name got started. Probably my older sister had already pegged her with that name before I was able to say my first word - which was probably, "Tuti."

As Mothers Day comes around this weekend, I want to say a few things about her. First, Tuti is the most generous person I know. Taking from the "5 Love Languages" book, her love language is giving. She gives and gives and never asks for anything. I'm 48 years old and am still on the receiving end of the relationship. Not that I'm complaining!

She cares. Tuti rejoices when I rejoice and cries when I cry. It was Mothers Day in 1992 when I told her I was getting divorced. She cried tears of sadness. In 1982 when I told her I had been called to preach, she cried tears of joy. And maybe tears of grief because she knew the trials a pastor and his family would face. Our phone calls always have the standard "how are you doing?" from both of us. Her answer is always short. She wants to hear about me and my family.

Tuti is there. My successes and failures are dotted along the path of my life. One thing constant throughout is that she's been there. She and my stepfather Ralph have worn out several cars just being there for their kids. It makes this preacher really happy to have Tuti in the congregation on Mothers Day. Because of my job, I don't get to go see her on this special day, so she comes to see me. I know that won't last forever, but I'm glad it's happening this year.

When you meet her or see her again, she'd be honored for you to call her "Tuti." I'll see her this weekend and I'll tell her I love her.

Weekly Devotional - May 11, 2012

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."

Judges 21:25 NIV

 

Anarchy is a state of disorder because there is no recognized authority. A people - like the United States - would quickly cease to exist with no rule. Civics professors, constitutional lawyers, and political pundits talk about the rule of law by which governments make decisions by applying agreed-upon legal principles. For a people to live in community, there must be laws or rules.

 

Around your household, the same applies. You have standards of behavior expected of your children. Even the husband and wife have expectations of one another. If everyone did as he saw fit you would have an unhappy household.

 

Israel was a people in chaos. Just a few generations after settling the Promised Land, they were anarchists. God would raise up a judge to rule them from time to time but they generally did as they saw fit. Each time Israel fell into this state of disarray they would be defeated by the enemy. When they would follow the judge that God set over them they would excel.

 

Rules provide order and are guidelines for success. Lee Iacocca is credited with turning around the failing Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s. He said, "Start with good people, lay out the rules, communicate with your employees, motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively, you can't miss." His leadership made all the difference for Chrysler.

 

We can apply this principle to America, your family, our church, and the workplace or school. Orderliness provides the boundaries within which we are free to live. We see the principle in the creation of the world as God created everything out of nothing. All family members are given specific roles for household order. Paul admonishes believers to be orderly in worship.

 

We have the freedom to do as we see fit but we will live with the consequences. Or we can live in freedom under God's authority. Pray that God will help you experience a full and free life under his authority.

Excuses and Obstacles

It rains on the just and the unjust. And sometimes it doesn't. A group from our church has been walking and running every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday since the first of the year. We've never been rained out. It may rain later in the day. Sometimes it had been raining earlier in the night. But not at 5:00 A.M.

I guess God wants us to exercise so he's taking that excuse away.

I suppose God clears the way for his children to do a lot of good things. The obstacles I see when given an opportunity to help someone in need are just excuses of my own making. Maybe Satan helps a little. But where God gives opportunity, he clears the way and protects the path.

I've not always shared my faith in Christ when I knew I should. Again, the excuses were mine. Sure, God knows when I should keep quiet but if I'm sure I should speak up, then I should speak up and trust God to clear the way and protect the path. And the messenger.

As you go through the day, look for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with someone through word and deed. And trust God to take care of the obstacles. Let today be a "No Excuse" day.

Therapy

I'm in therapy. I know, I know...some of you have thought that would be a good idea for quite a while. But it's for my knees, not my head! Misdiagnosis, huh!

Anyway, I started today. The point is to try to strengthen my hips and knees so as to alleviate the pain associated with the running I've been doing. It's a very long story that started twelve years ago.

I broke my left leg snow skiing. It was a tibial plateau fracture - the top of the bone in my lower leg. In effect, I broke my knee. I have a plate and five pins in there that make for a very nice xray.

My physical therapist back then told me that if I didn't rehab completely my left hip would get the worst of it for having to make up for the weak knee. Then over the long haul, my right leg would pay for it by having to take up the slack for the left leg.

That's where I am today. The running I've recently been doing isn't really the culprit. The running just magnified the problem.

So I'm not able to run for a few days, maybe weeks but I hope not. I really like running and hope to one day be able to run the half mile in a time as good as or better than my personal best of 2:14.8. That was in the spring of 1979. I was 14 years old in 9th grade. I may even go to the Robinson High School track. That's where I ran 2:14.8.

The therapy hurt worse than the injury at first. I whined about it in a FB post. But now, about six hours laters, there's not much pain in either knee. That's the first time in about a week. So maybe the doctor and the therapist know what they are doing after all.

I guess I'll stick with it, follow the instructions, do it all, and come out of this ok.

Sometimes doing the right thing doesn't make sense. And along the way it's uncomfortable or just plain hurts. But God works in every situation you can get into and he works to make something good out of it. So we can consider the fact that we may face trials as pure joy, knowing that God wants us to become more like Christ.

If you take that approach to your trials, I think your trials won't get the best of you.

Weekly Devotional - April 27, 2012

"...because you know that the testing

of your faith develops perseverance."

James 1:3 NIV

 

I can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me that they would not pray for perseverance or patience because you end up with tribulations, troubles, trials, and tests. My response is always, "You are guaranteed to have tribulations, troubles, trials, and tests so you better pray for perseverance and patience!" They just misunderstand what the Bible says about these two godly traits.

 

The two words are similar but not exactly the same. Patience is to refrain from taking action you might later regret. Did your mother ever tell you to count to ten before responding to something someone did to you? That's patience.

 

Perseverance is putting up with the circumstances without acting negatively. A co-worker might get the promotion but you continue being a good employee. The road ahead may seem to be all uphill and marked with potholes but you stay the course and complete the task. That's perseverance.

 

And we need both perseverance and patience if we are to live a life of faithful testimony that will draw others to Christ. People are watching believers and they notice how we respond. Are you patient or hot-headed? Do you persevere or give up easily?

 

Surely perseverance comes from God. Job endured his trials because he was faithful to God. His relationship with God brought about the perseverance Job would need when Satan attacked him. And patience is also from God. Paul says it is a fruit of the Spirit - those qualities that grow in your life as you cultivate a strong relationship with Christ.

 

Since trials will certainly come and since perseverance and patience are products of walking with the Lord, doesn't it make sense to desire these traits? Pray that God will help you develop perseverance and patience so that you will be a faithful witness when trials come your way.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

I completed a series of lessons on prayer last night. I spent several weeks looking at different prayers in the Bible and providing principles of "Praying the ____________ Way." The different "ways" were Jericho, Mount Carmel, Babylon, Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Philippi, and Patmos. I hope to one day write the studies in a good format for other churches and individuals to use.

Last night's "way" was the Patmos way. Among other things, we talked about the last words of Jesus in the Bible and John's response.

Jesus said, "I am coming soon."

John replied, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

Jesus made a promise. John prayed based on the promise.

Are your prayers based on God's promises? Where will you find them? You can't remember them all so you'll have to pray with your Bible open (eyes, too!). Try praying that way for a few days. Read God's word and pray based upon the promises you find.

The Bible says that God will never leave you or forsake you. You can pray claiming that promise as you face a difficult situation or are going through a lonely time.

The Bible says that God will forgive your sins when you confess them. You can pray claiming that promise when you feel guilty of sins you've committed.

The Bible says that you can cast your cares on God and he will sustain you. You can pray claiming that promise when you are feeling anxious.

Think about this: prayers based on God's promises is the same as praying according to God's will. And if you ask anything - according to his will - he answers. God will always keep his promises and prayers based on those promises are powerful prayers.

Take notes during Bible studies and sermons so you can pray those promises back to God. Read God's word each day and pause to pray the promises back to him.

Prayer should echo God's promises.

Aches and Pains

It's been almost four months since I started walking three days a week. Those walks are now runs. I can't express fully how much I appreciate those who have taken the journey with me. I've never stayed with it this long and I know it's because of them.

I have a metal plate and five pins in my left leg just below the knee. That's from a snow skiing accident twelve years ago. Up until now the knee has not been giving me problems. But I hope the pains are just the typical aches that go along with using body parts you haven't used in a while. My knee has more stress on it now than anytime in a long time.

I've had muscle aches along the way. Not worried about that. Didn't even know I had some of those muscles! But watching the knee to make sure I'm not doing damage there.

I gotta go to bed now because 4:30 will be here in just a little while! If you pray, please add me and my knee to your prayer list. I want to do all I can and not damage my knee.

Weekly Devotion - April 20, 2012

"I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."

Psalm 77:11 NIV

I was first introduced to Henry Blackaby in the mid-90s. The Experiencing God Bible study greatly influenced my life. In fact, I believe that a particular church and its pastor, along with Experiencing God and MasterLife, were the catalysts God used to bring me back to my calling to preach and pastor.

One of the most memorable aspects of Blackaby's Bible study was what he said about spiritual markers. Every Christian should be able to look back and see specific times when God was working in their lives in dramatic and memorable ways. Here are a few of my spiritual markers.

I was saved on the first Thursday of August in 1972. I realized I needed Jesus as my Savior during revival services at New Hope Baptist Church in Dardanelle. But I didn't do anything during church. My Dad talked with me at home later that night. I came to saving faith in Jesus that night.

I was called to ministry on the last Thursday of June in 1982. Having just graduated high school, I was attending summer camp as a counselor for the first time. The Lord impressed upon me clearly that I was to be a minister. I wasn't sure what kind, but I knew I would be doing something for the church.

The last Thursday in May of 1992 was the lowest and darkest day I had ever experienced. I walked into an empty house after work that day but I prayed for peace and strength to deal with what was happening. Just like when he calmed the storms, Jesus calmed my life and I am forever thankful.

Asaph was a musician in the temple and wrote some of the Psalms. Psalm 77 is a song of hope. You might not think that when you begin reading. The words show anguish and desperation. But at the halfway point he recalls the spiritual markers in the life of Israel. Pray that God will help you identify spiritual markers and recall them when you need encouragement and strength.

Red and Yellow, Black and White

A crowd of high school students just dropped in the Chick-fil-A where I'm spending the morning. They were on field trip to the Little Rock Zoo. Must've been 50 of them.

I watched as they began to group together in booths and tables in the dining area. Some body language clearly said that some kids were welcome to sit with them and some weren't. I began to wonder how it was in my high school. We didn't have cell phones. We didn't drive $30,000 cars. But we were probably just as clique-ish as today's students.

Nowhere are divisions more noticeable than in the typical Baptist church in the south. I've read articles recently about white churches firing pastors for baptizing people of another color. I've read articles of churches requiring members to hold to particular forms of racism or discrimination. That's really sad.

If a person should feel accepted anywhere it should be in the church. If that "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" statement (Ephesians 4:5) is really true, then one Church is also true. Who is there to follow besides Christ? Sure, there are local expressions called churches that are uniquely fit for carrying out the Great Commission and Great Commandment, but that doesn't mean a local church can exclude anybody. We (Christians) are all on the same team. We ought to act like it.

I'm assistant coach for the Red Roc Rockets baseball team. We don't let the boys talk down to one another. They are on the same team. They are to encourage and help each other. That's how a church should be and how churches should interact with one another. What's at stake for the church is much more important than a baseball game. A vast majority of people alive today are headed for eternal separation from God if they don't hear the gospel and accept the gospel.

We have a huge task and we have no time to waste. So quit saving seats for the people you like and join with all Christians to win all kinds of people to Christ. Eternity depends upon it.

I Ran My Mother Off Today

Let me explain before you jump to conclusions about the title of this post. I love my mother but I had to run her off today.

When I was a senior in high school at Dardanelle, playing for the Sand Lizards' football team, Coach Richie Mathis would run us hard every Monday. He said he was running the poison out out of us. I never had that kind of poison in me and the running was bad. I can't imagine how bad it might have been had I boozed it up over the weekend! Coach Mathis felt that by the end of Monday's practice he would have our bodies back in shape for the rest of the week's practices.

My mother (Tuti) and step-father spent the weekend with us. She likes to cook, he likes to pay when we go out, and I like to eat. That combination probably has something to do with my current physical condition. They arrived on Friday. We ate out Friday night. She got up early and cooked a big breakfast Saturday. We stopped for a quick bite for lunch on the way to a ballgame. After a band concert Saturday night, we ate out again. She got up Sunday morning and fixed sausage and biscuits. We ate out after church.

They went home Sunday afternoon so when I say I ran my mother off today, it's not what you think.

The alarm went off at 4:30 A.M. I jumped up and started the routine that has become habit on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I meet my walking/jogging crew at 5:00 A.M. Tuesdays are running days. We started out in January walking each of the three days. I've gradually gotten to the point that I can run. So Tuesdays and Thursdays hold at least a 2-mile run on the schedule.

I gained some weight over the weekend. Thanks, Tuti! I ran it off today.

So I ran my mother off today and I feel good about it.

Weekly Devotion - April 13, 2012

 

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?"

1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

 

Saul was king of Israel. Samuel was the Lord's prophet. The Amalekites had fought against and beaten the Israelites during the years of wandering between Egypt and the Promised Land. God was ready to settle the score.

 

Through Samuel, God told Saul to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belonged to them: all the people and all the animals. So Saul went to battle with his army of 210,000 men. The Israelites completely destroyed the Amalekites but they did not completely destroy the animals. They kept the best of the cattle, calves, and lambs.

 

Samuel heard about it from the Lord as soon as it happened. God was displeased that Saul had not carried out his orders completely. So Samuel set out to meet Saul.

 

When confronted with the reality of not fully obeying God, Saul said he had kept the best animals to make sacrifices to God. He believed he had obeyed God enough since he was going to honor God with the sacrifices.

 

Samuel's response rings through the ages: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice."

 

Which are you trying to be better at, obedience or sacrifice? You may give up your time on Sunday morning to attend church but do you try to obey the Ten Commandments? You may give up a portion of your money in tithes and offerings but do you honor God with the rest of your money? You may go on mission trips away from home but do you share your faith as you go along your daily routine.

 

Obedience to God's commands is more important that sacrifices you might make. Pray that God will help you obey so that your sacrifice is meaningful.

Love God

The Great Commandment (as it is known) is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). I've been thinking about that lately and plan to preach a series of messages throughout May and June on how to live the crucified life. I think the Great Commandment is the key.

In Galatians 2:20 Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." We do not live for ourselves nor do we live apart from others. We live to glorify God and achieve his purposes. We live to impact the lives of those around us - to impact them for Christ.

I began the pastorate at Cross Road Baptist Church in November 2006. Immediately, I began to promote the theme of "Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life." This series of messages will bring us back to that emphasis in a very practical way. Check back for weekly updates and thoughts on this blog. Sermon audio will be posted promptly here.

A Series of Lessons on Prayer

I'm enjoying the series of Bible studies we've had on Wednesday nights. Is it OK for the pastor to say that about his own teaching? Anyway, I'm liking it!

We are looking at principles of prayer throughout the Bible. The first lesson was "Praying the Jericho Way" and we talked about the prayers that the Hebrews must have prayed as they prepared for and marched around the city of Jericho.

The second lesson was "Praying the Babylon Way." We looked at several of the prayers found in the book of Daniel and drew some pointers form them.

The third was "Praying the Gethsemane Way." The contrast between Jesus' prayer and the disciples lack of prayer made the difference in the trials they were all about to face.

The fourth lesson was tonight. We looked at "Praying the Jerusalem Way." Peter and John had stirred up a commotion in the temple when they healed a crippled man. The religious leaders didn't like that at all so they called the disciples in to punish them. "Don't speak in the name of Jesus again!" they were told. But the followers of Christ answered, "We can't help it. We can do nothing but speak of what we have seen and heard." Then they went to where the other believers were gathered and told them what had happened. The church began to pray for boldness to speak the name of Jesus. The house shook and they proclaimed his name throughout the city! Oh, that we would pray like that and experience God's power like that and obey his command like that!

Next week we'll look at a fifth perspective of prayer, "Praying the Philippi Way." Paul and Silas were jailed. But they were singing and praying at midnight. And something mighty happened. We'll uncovered some prayer principles to help us in our midnight hours.

The final installment of the series is "Praying the Patmos Way." From the Revelation, we'll find principles of praying from John's prayer on the Isle of Patmos.

Then I hope to write up the lessons in a format that I can share with other pastors and teachers. The series is doing me a lot of good! And I hope my church benefits, too.

Easter

I celebrated Easter several ways yesterday.

My family and I got up early to attend the Community Sunrise Service hosted at Martindale Baptist Church. The sky was cloudy so I'm not sure the sun got up that early but we had a good time. Christians from Martindale Baptist Church, Holly Springs Baptist Church, and Cross Road Baptist Church get together every year for worship, fellowship, and a good breakfast! Sunrise Services may be a thing of the past for many churches, but I'm glad we take part in this one.

Cross Road kept the regular schedule for Sunday morning. We had Bible study at 9:45 and worship at 11:00. CRBC is different that other churches I've served and attended. We rarely have big crowds on special Sundays. I'm not exactly sure why and that is frustrating. Some of our members attend other churches with family on Christmas and Easter - they get a "hall pass" for that. And a few families gather at Cross Road. But a lot of people who would consider themselves to part of the CRBC family just don't come to church on these special days. Too much cooking to do. Too much family to enjoy. Too much of __________. I just don't get it.

But those of us who were in church at CRBC yesterday had a great time. The Bible study I'm part of talked about sin, judgment, and grace and how God balances all that. We had a good, spirited discussion. Then our worship service included music that pointed us to the cross, the empty tomb, and beyond as we focused upon our Savior Jesus Christ. The choir sang a beautiful song. I'm thankful for those who love to sing and are glad to lead in worship. My message was based on Mark 16:1-8 and was entitled "The Difference the Empty Tomb Makes." The empty tomb - the resurrection of Jesus - turns our perspective from death to life, from despair to hope, from desolation to relationship, and from doubt to belief. The resurrection is real and really makes a difference!

We had lunch with Deana's family then headed to North Little Rock to talk with the folks at the Church at Argenta. This is a church plant just getting underway. Michael and Amanda Carpenter moved into the Argenta district last fall. They now have another couple and individual who have moved there to help staff the church. They plan to open a coffee shop and Argenta's third place and the plans are coming together. Michael told us about space on Main Street that is available. All they need to do is a little remodel and they'll be ready to go. He is aiming for an opening date of September 2012. A group of believers are already meeting in the Carpenters' home and they have been taking a van load of neighborhood children to a supporting church in North Little Rock for several months. We met a 10-yr old girl yesterday who is getting baptized soon! We are glad to be associated with the Church at Argenta.

Then we were off to Dickey-Stephens Park to watch the Arkansas Travelers take on the Frisco Rough Riders. That was a great way to end a great day. Just with the Travs would've won the game!

Jesus, church, and family. It was a great Easter Sunday.

Weekly Devotion - April 6, 2012

 "Greater love has no one than this,

that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13 NIV

 

Jesus taught his disciples that the greatest love gives up everything for the object of that love. He said those words just hours before he was crucified. And his crucifixion was the sacrifice necessary to satisfy God's righteous demands for punishment of sin. All sin. My sin. Your sin.

 

Sin's a big deal. No matter how small because any sin is enough to break the relationship God wants to have with you. It happened in the Garden of Eden. It happened to King David. It happened to Peter. It happens to us. Nobody is exempt.

 

That's a big problem because to be separated from God leaves you no place to be for eternity but in hell.

 

Many people try to overcome the negatives of sin by the positives of good works. They must think that God keeps a ledger with sins on one side and works on the other. "Do my good works offset and outweigh my sins?" they must ask. And the answer is "No!" With all that the Bible says about good works, it never says that we are saved from sin by our good works. We are saved from our sin so that we may do good works. There's a big difference in those two statements.

 

The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. It's not good works that atones for your sins but blood. To be specific, the blood of Jesus atones for your sins.

 

And he must have had the greatest degree of love for you - for us - in order to lay down his life. That's just what he did to demonstrate his love for us while we were still sinners.

 

Take comfort in the love Jesus has for you. You should be grieved by the sin you commit but relieved by the grace given you. Pray that God will help you realize the depth of his love and the breadth of his grace.

What Does It Take To Be An Encourager?

All of us need encouragement. Otherwise, we feel alone or even worse - we feel beat down.

Some people aren't good at encouraging others. Either all they want to talk about is themselves or they are just so negative. Who needs that!

One of the great encouragers in the Bible was Barnabas. We meet him in the story of Paul's conversion in the book of Acts.

Paul is a new convert. He's been persecuting Christians so everybody is shying away from him. They aren't sure his conversion is real. Maybe he's just laying a trap for them.

But Barnabas comes to Paul. And then he introduces Paul to the disciples. Then he travels with Paul to spread the gospel.

Barnabas didn't call Paul on the phone and say, "Next time you're in town let's do lunch." No, he went out of his way to go to Paul.

Barnabas didn't expect Paul to be anything other than a new convert to Christianity. New believers aren't as wise and mature as those who have been following Jesus for a while.

Here's a principle of encouragement: An encourager comes alongside you rather than demanding you come alongside him.

Forrest Grimmett is my encourager in this fitness thing I'm doing. Forrest is in great shape and can run circles around me...backwards. Instead of constantly telling me to do like he does, he walks and jogs alongside me. Sometimes he picks up the pace and I do too. He hears me breathing hard and he slows down.

That's how we encourage others. Come alongside them and slowly lead them to where you are. That's a good principle for both physical fitness and spiritual fitness.

Paul didn't learn the lesson quickly. He gave up on Mark because Mark didn't finish a mission trip. But Paul eventually got it. He mentored Timothy like a pro - like Barnabas. And he came back around with Mark, requesting that Mark be with him near the end of Paul's life.

Who are you trying to encourage? Take time to come alongside them. You will be more help to them there than from where you are now.

Fix It on the Go

I love late winter because baseball comes back to life. Now it's spring and the MLB season is just days away. Actually, two teams went to Japan this week to start the season. Everyone else starts next week.

Riley's team has been practicing for about six weeks. We (I can say "we" because I'm the assistant coach!) are in a pre-season tournament this weekend. The Rockets won the game last night. The boys hit pretty good, ran bases pretty good, fielded really well, and pitched great. Still room for improvements and we'll work on that.

The next game is tonight then a full day tomorrow if we keep winning.

The tweaks we need to do will have to happen on the fly - no much time for practices once the season starts. It's like working on the car engine while driving 50 mph down the road.

My spiritual life is like that, too. You don't many days off spiritually. It's a battle every day for every believer. It's good to go on retreats or to conferences but those are special occasions, not everyday events.

My advice: take advantage of the special occasions but don't count only on them. You'll have to work on your spiritual walk daily. And get some help. Your pastor will help. Your Christians friends can be a great resource.

The two indispensable keys to a healthy spiritual life are prayer and Bible study. You need to experience these two things privately and corporately. So start the discipline of a daily quiet time where you can spend a few minutes in prayer and Bible study, preferably before your daily schedule takes off. Then gather with other believers frequently to do the same.

Speaking of gather with other believers, did you know that most church-goers consider themselves "regular attenders" if they attend once a month. Let me suggest that that's not enough. Actually, once a week is weak. If your pastor is like me, he has a teaching plan that intentionally moves toward a discipleship goal. For example, I'm preaching through the book of Mark on Sunday mornings leading up to Easter to show how Jesus is active in our lives especially to the point of salvation. And on Wednesday nights I'm teaching on prayer using passages throughout the Bible to bring out principles for daily living. If you only come once a week you will miss some important teaching. If you only come once a month you won't get much at all.

Then think about the value of being in a Sunday Morning Bible Study each week where another series of lessons are designed to help you grow spiritually. But most church-goers miss most of that.

One more thing, being in the building does not quality as going to church and gathering with believers for prayer and Bible study. Everybody needs to sit under the teaching of the pastor regularly.

So, pull into the garage when you can but realize that most of your spiritual growth will happen as you are racing through life - when you can immediately apply what you are learning.

Go Rockets!

Weekly Devotion - March 30, 2012

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

James 1:2-3 NIV

How's today going for you? When I left the house this morning the sky was half clear and half stormy clouds. Not partly cloudy. A front was passing through and literally half the sky was light and half dark. My first thought was, "Which is it going to be today?"

Does it matter? The weather might affect whether you work outside or indoors, or whether you go fishing or not. But the weather shouldn't affect whether or not you have joy today.

Circumstances are not always pleasant. Life's hard and sometimes it hurts. What you anchor your life too makes a difference in how you react and respond to those changing circumstances.

If you anchor your life to the weather forecast you'll have bright days but you'll also have rainouts.

If you anchor your life to a prognosis you'll have days of optimism but you will also have days of hopelessness.

If you anchor your life to a job interview you will have days filled with opportunity and days filled with disappointment.

Your days are sure to be either up or down, good or bad, bright or rainy. That's life. But your joy isn't tied to that. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit - a character quality that grows in your life as you cultivate your relationship with Jesus. And that can be a constant in your life even when everything else is uncontrollably fluid.

Even the many kinds of trials you face are the seedbed for joy because they give you opportunity to lean on Jesus and learn more about him as you persevere. Pray that God will help you grow joy among the ups and downs of life.

Keeping People

I just got off an 18 minute phone call with Robert from my internet service provider. We've used this service since moving here over five years ago. Until a couple of months ago, satellite service was all that was available for high speed internet. Since that is no longer the case, I called to cancel the service from Robert's company. By the way, we like the new service from the phone company.

Robert spent most of the 18 minutes trying to get me to stay with him. I said the price was too high so he offered a twelve-month discount. I said the price would just go back up in twelve months so he said another discount would probably be available then. I said the discounted price is still twice the price of my new service so he offered his minimum plan for me to use as a backup.

After going through all this, he asked if there was anything he could do to keep me as a customer.

The churches I have pastored and attended for the forty-something years I can remember have all had the same challenge: keeping people who want to leave. Some you really don't want to see go and others you wonder why they hadn't left sooner! But in both cases, not much has been done to keep them. Robert spent more effort trying to keep me as his customer than churches spend (on average, I guess) trying to keep members from leaving.

And once they are gone, not much is done to get them back. I predict that my mailbox and email inbox will be filled with advertisements attempting to court me back to the company I just left.

Churches should realize the value of having a particular family, couple, or individual in their congregation. We should think it is worth the effort - some effort - to gain, keep, or regain them.

I'm OK when someone tells me that they feel God calling them somewhere else. If they are telling the truth, I won't argue with God. It would be wrong for them to stay if God wants them to go. But I really wonder how often God has anything to do with a person leaving a church. He rarely gets the credit he deserves and often gets the blame he does not deserve.

Outside of God moving a person to a new fellowship, we - my church and your church - should invest in keeping them. We need them in so many ways that when they are gone a dozen holes appear overnight. Maybe a hole just big enough that only light can pass through it. Maybe a hole big enough to drive a truck through. When they are gone your church will miss them.

My experience tells me this is true. One internet service provider just lost a customer. Just one but that is revenue lost. A church loses much more than revenue when one of its members is allowed to walk away. At least try to keep them!

Take a look at 15 Reasons I Stayed in Church for some fodder for thought.

Weekly Devotion - March 23, 2012

"And the scripture was fulfilled that says,

'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,'
and he was called a friend of God."

Psalm 105:42 NIV

Who's your best friend? I think of people like Mark, Greg, Joel, Steve, Rhonda, Kim, and Donnie. I think of Deana, Larry, Danny, and Joe. Who do you think about when you think about the close friendships you've had?

Fill in the blank: I'd love to be friends with ____________. I was interviewed on camera for a family get-together a few years ago. One question was, "Who - living or dead - would you like to have dinner with?" The first answer came quickly! I would love to meet the Big Red Machine - the Cincinnati Reds baseball team from the early- and mid-70s. That's when I learned to love baseball and that is my favorite team of all time from any sport.

To be a friend of the Big Red Machine would be pretty cool. I follow Johnny Bench on Twitter. Does that count?

To be a friend of God would be even better. What does it take to be God's friend? Abraham was called a friend of God because he believed God. Lots of folks believe IN God but Abraham's belief was more than that. Even demons know God exists and it makes them tremble. But they are not God's friends.

Believing God is more than just accepting the fact that he exists. That's a starting point. Unfortunately, many people never make it to the starting line so there is no way they can be God's friend. But once you believe in God you must believe God. Believe who he is, believe what he says. And to believe to is accept as truth so that it guides your life.

Abraham believed God and was counted righteous, or right with God. And he was God's friend. I want to be God's friend, do you? Here's what it takes: believe God, not just IN God. Pray that God will help you embrace who he is and apply what he says as the guide for your life.

Rain, Prayers, and Facebook

A few days ago we were complaining about the yellow powder covering our cars. "A little rain will clear the pollen from the air and rinse off our cars," we thought.

Now it's been raining for almost 24 hours - raining hard. My Facebook status feed is filled with people lamenting the overabundance of rain. Seems like we are never satisfied.

I wonder if God would answer a prayer like this: "Lord, we need a little rain. Just enough to clear the air and rinse off the cars. Not too much, though. And can you make it happen while we are sleeping so we don't lose any of our time and plans? Oh, and no storms. No storms!"

Yes, God will answer that prayer. Probably with this: "Hey, let me guide the weather! I know much more about this than you do. And my plans are better than your plans."

Or he might answer like this: "Yes, I'll give you exactly what you want to teach you that your prayers are sometimes - often - selfish. You don't really know what the plant life needs. You don't really know what the water table needs. You don't really know all that a heavy rain will accomplish."

Have you ever heard this answer from God? "No!" Nothing more. No explanation.

I'm not much different than my friends on Facebook. I prayed that the rain wouldn't start until my early morning walk was completed yesterday. And I'm hoping it quits in time for my walk tomorrow morning.

I guess there's no harm in asking but I must be flexible to adapt to God's will. Too often my will is rigid and that's when it's hard to get to know God better. At the top of my "To Do" list is getting to know my Lord and Savior better and better each day. So I must learn to put aside my desires and take up his. Then when I pray I'll be asking him to do what he wants to do. Then we are both satisfied.

Make Preparation Today!

As I read the Bible this morning, this passage jumped off the page for me. It speaks of faith, hope, obedience, and optimism.

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

So I asked myself, "Do I prepare today for God's blessings tomorrow?" my honest answer is, "Not always."

God is always up to something. His plans for tomorrow must be amazing. Will you be ready? Or will your lack of preparation today impact the reality of tomorrow?

I wonder how my lack of consecration yesterday will impact today. Think about what amazing act of God you could be missing right now because you didn't focus on the Lord yesterday.

That thought makes me want to consecrate myself to the Lord today in preparation for amazing things tomorrow.

Weekly Devotion - March 16, 2012

"For he remembered his holy promise

given to his servant Abraham."

Psalm 105:42 NIV

 

All God's promises are true! That would be the testimony of Joshua. He led God's people into Canaan where they took over and settled. It was the land promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. Sometimes it takes a while before you realize the promise, but God's promise is a promise.

 

All God's promises are true! Joseph would testify to that. As a teenager he had a dream that showed him ruling over his brothers. After being sold into slavery by his brothers, he ascended to the second highest position in Egypt. During a time of famine, his brothers came to him - not recognizing him - and bowed down asking for food. You may not understand how God is working out his promise, but God's promise is a promise.

 

All God's promises are true! Another Joseph would also arise to give testimony to this fact. This man was engaged to Mary. Then he found out she was pregnant. To avoid a scandal, he wanted to end the engagement quietly. But an angel told him to stay with Mary because the child would save the people from their sins. That child was Jesus - the son of God. That child is the savior of the world. God's promises don't always make sense, but God's promise is a promise.

 

All God's promises are true! Saul of Tarsus violently opposed Christianity. Until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was so completely changed that he even changed his name to Paul. Just after his conversion, the Lord said this about Paul, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Paul later wrote that he considered his sufferings "light and momentary" compared to the blessings of knowing Christ. The promise may include both blessings and hardship, but God's promise is a promise.

 

All God's promises are true! Even for you. Even today. Pray that God will help you live in the blessing of his promises.

Do Christians in America Suffer Persecution?

So I was talking about persecution recently and related a personal story about getting called out for my conservative Christian beliefs. Others talked about the changes that have taken place in the United States over the last few decades and projected into the future a few more decades arriving at the conclusion that physical persecution may not be far away.

Then someone down-played the persecution we experience by comparing it to what believers around the world are facing. True, persons who convert from Islam to Christianity face death. True, missionaries serving around the planet face arrest. I've never come close to being killed or arrested for my Christian faith.

But is it right to dismiss one form of persecution because it's not severe? In the early 90s I drove a Ford Festiva. One of my friends called it a hightop tennis shoe. Not much to look at but I drove that car til it was almost dead. We went to the Atlantic coast. We went to the Rocky Mountains. We went from Russellville, AR to Bentonville, AR twice every other weekend for several years. It was a 4-cylinder with 12" tires. Did the fact that it did not have 8 cylinders and 16" tires keep it from being a car? My son loves to play baseball. His team plays on a field with bases set 70' apart. Isn't it still baseball even though the bases are 20' shy of the MLB standard?

Christians in America have been blessed that we do not face the severity of persecution faced by Christians in other places in the world. I just don't think you can say that we don't face persecution at all because our lives are not threatened.

If we stood up for Christ the way believers do elsewhere, we might just experience the more severe persecution they do. I won't be surprised if that happens in America in my lifetime.

The real issue is not whether what you experience is persecution or not. The question we should ask ourselves as Christians in America is, "Are you standing up for Christ even if that might mean you will face persecution?"

The Christians in the earliest days counted it a privilege to suffer for the sake of the gospel. The persecution amped them up! Let's not let persecution shut us down.

Weekly Devotion - March 9, 2012

"You are good, and what you do is good;

teach me your decrees."

Psalm 119:68 NIV

 

Which is the greater testimony - what you say or what you do? Perhaps this quip attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson will help you understand my point: "What you do speaks so loud I cannot hear what you say." Clearly, our actions speak louder than our words. Yet our words are also important. The two - actions and words - should reflect in harmony the reality of your heart.

 

Jesus taught that the outward things are not really what are impure; what comes from the heart is either pure or impure. Your words and deeds stream from your heart. So if it appears that you talk and act in impure ways, the real issue is an impure heart.

 

What's the solution? How can you clean up? Some folks just try to change the outward stuff. They promise not to say one thing and do another. They say they will not use the colorful language that once filled their speech. They commit to treating people better. But if they don't address the heart, real change is not possible and the superficial change is not sustainable.

 

May I tweak Emerson's words? "What you do and say speak so loud that I cannot hear your heart." Who would say that to you? Your family might be thinking that today. Your boss could be thinking that right now. Do you friends really know you - the inner you?

 

Let me tweak again. "What you do and say speak so loud that I guess that is your heart." It is fraudulent to try to separate the inward and the outward. People will call us hypocrites. Especially if we claim to be Christian and act like the world.

 

So let your actions match your words and let both match your heart. Pray asking God to teach you his decrees so that your heart may be like his and your actions and deeds honor him.

Connecting Passages of Scripture

One reason an on-going Bible reading plan is important is to help those who have read it before get a deeper meaning from scripture. Today I came across an excellent example of this.

I've read the Bible completely in a year. I've read the New Testament several times in a year. I read some portion of the Bible almost every day. I have my favorite passage. I have my "Go To" verses that pop into my teaching and preaching.

One of my "Go To" verses is Psalm 139:23-24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; 

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me, 

and lead me in the way everlasting. 

I call the people at Cross Road to confession using this passage. I've written a little chorus that keeps the passage in the front of my mind. I think the psalmist is showing us the importance of allowing God to call to our minds what our sins are. When we start off to confess our sins we are likely to confess only what we think are our sins and only sins we are aware that we committed. That makes sense - How could we confess something we don't think is a sin or a sin that we committed?

But rather than using your list of sins, ask God to give you his list of your sins. That's probably much different. Sometimes you may try to justify your actions when really it's just sin. Sometimes you may compare yourself to others when they aren't the standard, God is. God's list is comprehensive, exhaustive, painfully personal. Your list - and mine - is not so bad.

So I'm reading in Deuteronomy today and come to chapter 8. Read verse 2 carefully.

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

Now go back and read Psalm 139:23-24 again. Did you pick up on the connecting phrases? The psalmist David asked God to "know my heart" and "test me." Moses, in Deuteronomy, reminded the Israelites that God tested them in order to "know what was in your heart." I don't know about you, but Moses' words help me see David's words differently - more deeply.

In order to know their hearts, God tested the Israelites. And God's people are supposed to ask God to search their hearts and know them, too. I've always thought of this test in Psalm 139 to be God's thorough review where he compares what is in my heart to his purpose and standard of holiness. But in light of Deuteronomy 8, that test is more like how Boeing tests jet engines before putting them into use.

When you ask God to test you and know your heart, get ready for trials. Think about what the Israelites endured for forty years! It was all to prepare them to enter the Promised Land. An earlier generation had not passed the test and didn't enter Canaan. The test may be hard but the reward for passing the test is great.

What is God preparing you for? He must refine you by removing impurities of sin. That's no quick and easy task. It takes time. It takes your commitment to stay in the test. It takes a humble spirit that will allow God to test you and know your heart.

Are you willing to go through the test? The best things God has for you are waiting for you on the other side of the test.

Weekly Devotion - March 2, 2012

"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments,

because you know they produce quarrels."

2 Timothy 2:23 NIV

A few years ago I was the training manager for a customer service call center. My job involved directing the training process of agents who would receive calls from mortgage customers. As you might imagine, the calls we handled were almost always about a problem the customer experienced. The mortgage company may have misapplied a payment or failed to pay property taxes. The customer sometimes just did not understand the terms of their mortgage. We were there to help explain and fix and soothe.

An important thing to remember when taking calls from customers was to remain calm even if they weren't. And never use a tone of voice or choice of words that were bound to create or fan a flame of anger in the customer. I called doing such things "picking a fight." It's not good customer service.

And it's no way to treat your family or friends or church family. It's no way to treat anybody! Yet families are divided over foolish and stupid arguments. Churches split over some pretty silly issues. Friends are lost because of words spoken without much thought.

That's not what God intends for us in the area of relationships. Relationships are meant to be beneficial in some way to all parties. Upset that intention and the equilibrium is turned upside down. Arguments begin and years later you still argue but don't know how the argument got started. You may be more impassioned against the person than by the issue. Think "Hatfields and McCoys."

Think about your relationships. Begin with family, then close friends, casual friends, acquaintances, and finally strangers. Are you close? Are the relations strained? What are you doing to improve them? Are you intentionally trying to be a blessing to others? Pray that God will help you establish healthy relationships with the people around you, mend broken relationships, and bless others.

Balaam Follow-Up

Here's another thought from the biblical account of a man named Balaam.

After Balaam had the conversation with the donkey, he went on to meet with Balak, king of Moab. Balak was a little put out that Balaam had taken so long to come to him. He scolded Balaam for the delay and said, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?" (Numbers 22:37 NIV)

Balaam's response to Balak was better than his response to his donkey and the Lord. Essentially, Balaam said, "I'm not for hire." God told Balaam to only speak the words he gave him. No matter the reward or threats, Balaam could only speak God's words.

I can't speak for all preachers, only for this one. Unless I stay focused on the Lord and his word, I can be tempted to say what others want to hear. Paul warned Timothy of preachers who would say anything to please itching ears.

Today we have men and women proclaiming the word of God but with tactical omissions and twists so as not to offend anyone. Whether they are trying to build a religious empire or just stay in the good graces of their listeners, they preach something that is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are telling Balak what he wants to hear.

For all the ridicule Balaam gets for missing the Lord when the Lord was standing right in front of him waving a sword, Balaam gets kudos for this. He would go on to speak four oracles to Balak on behalf of the Lord that clearly were not what the king wanted to hear.

Every Christian - not just the preachers and ministers - is called by God to speak his word into this world.

Don't get distracted.

Don't water down the message.

Don't change the gospel.

A Man, a Donkey, and the Lord

Are you familiar with the biblical story of Balaam's donkey? The king of Moab was a guy named Balak. He had watched the Hebrew people rout his neighbors and was afraid they might do the same to his and his people. So Balak called for Balaam because he knew that a curse upon the Hebrews from Balaam would end the uprising. God spoke to Balaam during the night telling him to speak only God's words to Balak.

When Balaam went with Balak's messengers the next morning, the angel of the Lord appeared in the middle of the road to block his path. Only Balaam's donkey saw the Lord - Balaam and the messengers did not. The donkey turned off the road into a field.

After Balaam got the donkey back on track they continued on. The Lord again appeared along a narrow path between rock walls. The donkey crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey.

Once more headed down the path, the Lord appears a third time and the donkey laid down in the road. Balaam was angry and began to beat the donkey. Then something amazing happened. God opened the mouth of the donkey, it turned its head, and spoke to Balaam: "Why are you beating me?"

Then something REALLY amazing happened: Balaam spoke back to the donkey! The Bible records no reaction of surprise or fear. He just talked back. They had a conversation just like two people who had a dispute. But this was a man and a donkey!

Do you sometimes let your emotions get in the way of seeing what God is doing?