The Marathon

I've never run a marathon but I ate plenty of the candy bars that had that name when I was a kid. Do you remember the long, twisted, chocolate-coated caramel? It was about a foot long! If they had just found a way to put nuts in it, it would have been the most awesome-est candy bar ever. As it was, it was pretty good.

My interest in candy bars probably explains why I've never run a marathon.

I browse through a few blogs each week to glean nuggets of news, perspective, and ideas. Michael Lewis (@Pastor4pastors) works for the North American Mission Board (@NAMB_SBC) with responsibility for encouraging pastors. He does a good job. His post from last Friday says, "Ministry is not a hundred yard dash, but it is a marathon to be run with endurance."

I can run a hundred yards. Takes me about a minute but I can do it. But the 26.2 miles of a marathon course takes more than a dash. More training. More stamina. More energy. More determination. More.

Ministry takes more than I thought it would when I started. Preachers just work two days a week, right? And those are half-days.

We may preach for a total of 2 hours or so a week but that doesn't include the preparation time. And most pastors do more than preach. We make hospital visits, we visit shut-ins, we meet with committees, we're on the phone with members who complain, we counsel those with life issues, we write notes or send email to encourage members, we update church's social media and website, we prepare and print the bulletins for Sunday's service. And we have a family.

Some ministers have jobs away from the church.

THIS WEEK (the dash) is tough for a minister, much less the entire lifetime of ministry (the marathon). Too many men and women who start in ministry quit before too long. They get tired of it, distracted from it, bored with it. There are probably dozens of reasons a person is willing to run a dash rather the marathon of ministry.

Runners in a marathon don't do it alone. They have people who train with them and run the race with them. They have people along the route encouraging them. They have event personnel at intervals on the route providing nutrition. Maybe a man can train for and run a marathon all alone but surely it's better to do it with these others I've mentioned.

Pastors need the influence of others as they run the marathon of ministry. Someone to train with. Someone to run with. Someone to encourage them. Someone to support and refresh them. Yes, God does all that but God also uses people to do all that.

I'll be honest with you: I've not been the best at surrounding myself with that kind of support. And I'm reluctant to jump in and support others - I blame it on being an introvert. That's not good for any of us.

If you are a minister, you need folks around you to help you. Do you have them? Are these good and beneficial relationships? Are they mutually beneficial relationships? Iron sharpens iron. Three strands are better than one or two. Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs for a reason: they needed each other to be most effective. I guess that's the same for us, don't you?

If you aren't a minister, you can (and should) be part of the support system every minister needs. He needs friends and accountability partners and golf buddies. He needs to talk about current events while drinking coffee and the local cafe. He needs to coach third-graders in soccer. He'll be a better pastor with you alongside him. He'll be much more likely to finish the ministry marathon.

Shadows

This was a brisk, clear morning for a jog. It felt more like October than August. As I walked from the house to the church parking lot, I thought that maybe I should have worn sweat pants.

I like cool mornings and can't wait for the temps to range between 40 and 70. As far as summers go, this one has been much more to my liking.

Not a cloud in the sky at 5:00 A.M. The moon was big and high overhead. I'm writing this at 7:50 and it's not much brighter outside than it was then.

Our exercise takes us down Colonel Glenn Road onto Rushing Road. There aren't many street lights but we didn't need them. Sometimes when it's cloudy or the moon is low on the horizon or visiting another hemisphere, the pavement disappears beneath my feet. That used to bother me but I've learned to trust that the road will be there.

No such worries today. In fact, as we passed the last street light I noticed two shadows on the road. One was stronger right at the light but grew fainter as we ran on. And it grew longer and more fuzzy.

The other shadow disappeared while I was closest to the street light but grew stronger as I moved away. Its length remained constant and its clarity never changed.

The shadow from the light of the moon was stronger than the shadow from the street light. It was more consistent. It was there even when there were no lights around, only one above.

You can divide the influences in your life into two groups: those of this world and those of a heavenly world.

The influences of this world originate from people and things around you. Some are better than others. Your closeness to them varies. Their influence on you strengthens and weakens. The shadow they cast in your life is inconsistent though sometimes overshadows the influences from above.

But the influences of the heavenly realm never change. Even when the rest of the lights go out, you can still experience their impact. These influences are consistent so you can count on them. You can trust them.

We have to guard our hearts to make sure we aren't negatively influenced by inconsistent sources. Fixing our gaze upon Jesus assures us of a trustworthy source of guidance and protection.

Jesus uses godly people to positively impact the lives of others. I want to be around people like that. And I want to be that person for others.

Godly people help each other as we follow Jesus. That's the "iron sharpens iron" principle. So find godly people and get to work growing in Christ together.

Godly people also help people who are following other influences turn to Christ for love, forgiveness, and redemption. So today look for someone you can point to Jesus.

Sometimes God...

Sometimes God surprises me with a subtle change that helps my perspective. Deana's sister is moving and is not taking much furniture with her. So she's giving stuff away. Deana was excited when she told me about a tall dining/breakfast table and chairs. I've talked about those for a while but we have a dining room table and don't have space in the kitchen. Actually, we rarely eat in the dining room; mostly in our laps in the living room.

But we thought about getting the table and where we might put it. Deana suggested at the window in the living room. I could see it becoming the place where we eat and I didn't really like that. Plus, we would have to rearrange the living room to make room for it. Deana and Riley kept offering suggestions on how to rearrange and next thing you know...

Now I have a great work-at-home space with an AC vent at my feet. Here's the "Sometimes God..." part of all this. The serenity of the view into the backyard from my tall chair (trying not to call it a high chair) helps me focus. Somehow I feel like I'm sitting in a library with a view of a wooded landscape.

We have small group Bible study in our home from time to time. The new arrangement of the living room is going to be good for that. Maybe a few more seats but much more space. So God worked out something my family likes, I like, and the Bible study group will like.

How 'bout that!

Think about how many times you are reluctant to change like I was with the living room furniture. We - Christians, church people - resist change as much as anybody. We ought to start new Bible study classes but we like the "feel" of the one we have. We ought to update the facilities but we don't want to spend the money. We don't like it when someone messes with the look or sound of the services. We want to grow or reach more people but we don't want to lose the quaint coziness of our church just like it is.

Sometimes God wants us to change. When we dig in our heels and resist, not much good will happen. But when we roll up our sleeves and get to work at whatever it is God wants us to do, watch out!

How 'bout that!

A, B, or C

Pick one. If I asked you, "Discussion of which of these topics do you think I have enjoyed more this morning? A. Baseball B. Golf C. Egg Plant

You'd guess A. Baseball, wouldn't you? I love baseball but that's not the right answer.

So you'd guess B. Golf next, wouldn't you? I like golf. I'm no good at it but I like to play every once in a while and I'll watch it some. But golf is not the most enjoyable conversation topic this morning.

Egg plant? Really? I've eaten egg plant just a few times in my entire life! I didn't hate it but I just don't order it and nobody I've ever lived with fixes it.

My first memory of egg plant is from Wyatt's Cafeteria in Central Mall in Fort Smith, Arkansas. I didn't eat it or even order it but I saw it as I hurried from the hamburger steak to the yeast rolls to the chocolate pie. There it was hiding among the other vegetables. It is a vegetable, isn't it? As a 6-year old boy I avoided vegetables so my skill at recognizing them is not up to par. Pie? I can recognize pie! But not vegetables.

Egg plant is purple. My favorite purple food is a grape sno-cone. You can't tell a kid that egg plant tastes like grape sno-cones because both are purple. Not with a clear conscience. If you ever try that you should have to live a long, long time with heavy guilt. It's not right.

So I'm as surprised as you are that the most enjoyable topic of my morning was egg plant. I drove from our home ten miles west of Little Rock into Argenta in North Little Rock. I needed a cup of Mugs Cafe coffee. And I needed to go to the Argenta Farmers Market. But not to buy egg plant. Not even to talk about egg plant.

On the drive to Argenta I had the radio tuned to a sports talk show. For ten minutes - which is a lifetime on the radio - the two hosts went on and on about the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox. I like the Yankees and would love to have been around when some of the greats played at the Stadium. My Dad was a Yankees fan - still is?- and I heard him talk some about Mickey Mantle.

I never saw or heard a game that "The Mick" played in. My Yankees memories begin with Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Thurmon Munson, Goose Gossage, and a handful of others. I didn't like them much because they were Cincinnati's opponent for the 1976 World Series. The Reds swept the Yankees. The Reds had beaten the Red Sox in 1975 even though Carlton Fisk waved a ball to the fair side of the foul pole for a home run to push the series to Game 7.

Back in the day when I was learning about baseball, the Reds appeared in the 1970, 1972, 1975, and 1976 World Series. Baltimore and Oakland beat them in the first two, but the Reds won back-to-back in '75 and '76. It was settled forever for me: the Cincinnati Reds are my favorite team.

So all this talk about the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry gets old in a hurry. Had the hosts said something new, maybe I could have stood it. But ten minutes of rehashing something I don't care for was all I could take. I turned the station and listened to music the rest of the way to Argenta.

I can't make a stop in Argenta without going to Mugs Cafe. You shouldn't either. It's a great place to eat or hang out. I did neither today, though. I was on a mission to find some information about a bluegrass group that played during the farmers market a couple of weeks ago. So I grabbed a cup of coffee to go and headed across the street in the rain to the farmers market.

I didn't expect to find the band playing because it was raining but I went anyway. The lady at the main booth for the farmers market couldn't remember the band I was talking about but she was sure another person at the market today would remember. We caught up with Sarah as she was buying vegetables.

Sarah had two reusable shopping bags over her shoulder. She looked much younger than me but acted like she had grown up in the 60s. Apparently she also played in a bluegrass band so she was the source I needed. The farmers market lady and I waited patiently while Sarah made her purchase - one egg plant.

The neat thing about a farmers market, as compared to a supermarket, is that the vendors and the customers have a relationship based upon the goods being sold. You don't see that at Kroger or Walmart. It reminded me of my days in high school back in Dardanelle when I worked at IGA. Woody Hamilton was the produce guy and he talked with everybody who came down his aisle. It seemed to me that Woody knew them and they knew him. He'd also whistle and sing. Sometimes the songs were popular songs you might hear on the radio; sometimes he sang little ditties that only he knew.

As Sarah talked with the vendors my mind drifted back to IGA and Woody's produce aisle.

Sarah spent about ten minutes talking about how to prepare egg plant. Remember that my only experience with egg plant was the casserole thingy at Wyatt's. You probably already knew most of this but it was news to me. You can boil it, broil it, grill it, fry it. Use it as a filler-kind-of-mixture in all sorts of dishes. You can even make a burger-type patty with it but you have to add some tomato sauce or salsa or something to give it flavor.

I was more interested in Sarah's monologue of the uses of egg plant than I was with the sports guys' endless puffing about a baseball rivalry that matters only to fans of two teams - and probably not all their fans actually would have listened to them go on and on.

Best of all, Sarah knew the bluegrass band I was looking for but she couldn't remember the family's name. So we asked her husband who was buying okra at the next vendor. By the way, their child was eating okra raw. Again, I really only approve of one way to eat okra: breaded and fried like my mother does it. I've heard of other ways to prepare okra but never considered eating it unprepared. But he seemed to like it and Sarah said it was good.

Sarah's husband couldn't recall the name of the band, either, but Sarah would not be denied! Within a few seconds she was on the phone with the host of a radio show that has bluegrass bands play live in the studio. JD and Sarah talked for a couple of minutes and produced the name. I had heard the Davanzo Family Band play at the Argenta Farmers Market two weeks ago. My mission was complete; I could head home.

With that bit of information tucked away in my iPhone, I jumped in the car, beat the River Rail to the intersection, and headed over the river and west on Hwy 10. I hit the button to turn on the radio.

Another sports show was on so I figured the talk of The Great Rivalry was over. It was. These guys were talking about golf since the PGA Championship is this weekend. Rory McIlroy is poised to win his second major in a row, having won the British Open last month. Rory and I both play golf the same way. Well, we hold the club with two hands. Past that, not much in common.

Quickly, the conversation between the hosts turned to Tiger Woods. Really? Tiger used to be the best golfer in the world. Some say he is the best to ever play the game. Maybe so. But he's hardly worth the ten minutes of airtime these guys were giving him. They have bought into the myth that nobody cares about golf if Tiger is not in the conversation. Instead of talking about Rory and the others who actually play the game at a high level this year, they went on and on about Tiger.

As they each gave their opinions about who would win more majors for the remainder of their careers - Rory or Tiger - I turned them off and drove the rest of the way home in silence. Almost complete silence except for the egg plant recipes replaying in my mind.

Love One Another

I'm drawn to John 13:34-35 again and again as I study the Bible and try to learn about the Christian life. Jesus said,

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Years after memorizing this passage during MasterLife, love for one another is in the front of my mind. I've found this principle in so many other passages. It's proven important in relationships and ministry. Clearly, God's people are to love one another.

For some reason that I do not know - I suppose God directed my thoughts - this morning I wanted to post quotes from Baptist leaders from generations ago. I went to Google and search for Luther Rice, one of the leaders in organizing Baptist work in the United States in the early 19th Century. As I browsed the search results and looked at a few sites, I thought I should move away from internet sources like wikipedia (Riley's school forbids him to use this as a source!) and use more credible sources.

I'm so thankful for Logos Bible Software! I digitally pulled Leon McBeth's two volumes on Baptist Heritage and quickly went to letters written by Luther Rice. I have both volumes on the bookshelf but like most of the hard copies there, I'd rather use the digital version. Agains, thanks, Logos!

In 1823 Rice wrote to his friend Adoniram Judson who was serving in Asia. The last paragraph in the letter led my thoughts to John 13:34-35. I can imagine that Luther Rice loved his Christian brother Adoniram Judson and the work he was doing spreading the gospel.

Your last letter to me is dated the 6th February 1822, and has been in hand several months. I have just read it afresh. I seldom weep, and almost never in sight of any one—but your letters I can never read without tears. I still cherish some hope of seeing you again even in this world, as well as of spending a blessed eternity with you in heaven!

The challenge to me - and I hope you'll accept it, too - is to love fellow Christians and the gospel mission in which they are engaged. May we shed tears of joy for the faithfulness of one another and tears of sorrow for those who do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Image courtesy of tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

FreeStylin'

A headline this week highlighted an NBA star doing a freestyle rap song...or whatever that would be called. Freestyling is when a rapper makes up his song (or whatever) as he goes. It seems to be cool when a rapper can do this turning rhymes and staying in rhythm.

When you say "freestylin'" you'll probably get responses relating to rap music...or whatever.

Have you ever heard of Mac Davis? He's known for writing and recording songs like "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me," "Oh Lord, It's Hard to be Humble," and "Stop and Smell the Roses." Before his own recording career, he wrote hits for Elvis (yes, Presley). Do you remember, "Memories" and "In the Ghetto"? Those were written by Mac Davis.

What I most remember about Mac Davis was his variety show that aired on TV in the mid-70s. And my favorite part of the show was when he would sit on a barstool at center stage taking song ideas from the crowd. He'd hear an idea he liked and then sing a song about it. He made them up on the spot. Freestylin' before freestylin' was cool (if I may adapt a line from a Barbara Mandrell song).

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is nothing new under the sun. I'm pretty sure he was not thinking about 20th and 21st Century artists (although the Holy Spirit surely was) but that points out a truth regarding scripture. God's Word is relevant today and still speaks into our lives. We don't have to make up life as we go and figure out if there is a God or who he is, we have a guide that tells us who God is, what he is like, and how we can know him and please him.

I don't really care whether you are impressed with today's rappers or yesterday's balladeers. But I want you to be impressed with God the way I am. Styles of music - and virtually everything else - change, but God is always the same.

Job's Friends

I've been reading through the Book of Job in the Bible the last few days. Job was afflicted with all sorts of agony. He lost is children, his livelihood, his wealth, and his health. And he didn't know why.

Job was a righteous man. God knew it. Satan knew it. Everyone knew it. So his sudden losses were unexplainable.

But some people don't like for things to be unexplained. Job had some friends like this. They couldn't stay away and they couldn't just be there for him. They had to explain to Job why he was in his situation.

I've read this story several times but as I listened to them advise Job this time I realized that they do exactly what today's Christians might do.

Much of what they say about God, sin, judgment, and repentance is right on target. They often get the truth right but miss the application. Distorted truth makes for an awful personal application because distorted truth is really no truth at all.

Have you ever heard someone say, "He knows just enough to be dangerous"? That's a good description of Job's friends and it's a good description of some of us who profess to be Christians.

We are to live according to God's Word while living in this world. The life experiences you face each day must be viewed through the lens of the Bible. This is called a Biblical Worldview. We all use something as the primary lens through which everything else is viewed or filtered. Your worldview is extremely important!

Job's friends wanted to use Job's circumstances to describe or explain God. They looked through circumstances to see God. They should have seen the circumstances through the truth of who God is.

Circumstances change. God does not. Your lens or worldview must be fixed - that is God - or you'll constantly feel frustration and confusion.

Yes, circumstances impact decisions and actions, but those decisions and actions will be productive and God-honoring when God's will and purpose provide perspective.

Job's friends got it wrong even though they had a sense of truth. A Biblical Worldview allows you to both properly discover and properly apply truth.

I've decided that I should further ground my worldview in God's Word. I'll do that by continuing to study the Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to teach me truth and how to apply it.

Encouragement

I can be a better encourager.

One of my faults is that I expect the routine things to be done and to be done well. Not much wrong with that except that I neglect to thank those who did them or to encourage those doing them. I need to tie a string around my finger to remind me to be encouraging and thankful.

I'm especially convicted of this shortfall when others encourage me.

Within the last week I have been encouraged in some really phenomenal and right-on-time ways.

My friend Archie Mason is pastor of Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He and his staff pray for other pastors regularly. I received a card in the mail from the CBC staff last week letting me know they had prayed for me and our church. Pastors have their ups and downs like anyone else in any other job. This card came at a perfect time for me. Thanks, Archie!

One of my mentors passed away last week and his funeral was Saturday. Wylie Jones was my pastor when I surrendered to the ministry. He was the first pastor I served under. He was the first pastor to mentor me in ministry. I owe a lot to him. The church where he and I served together was packed. His daughter and son-in-law led the service. As they talked about Wylie's life and his commitment to serving the Lord, I realized that any Christian's life should be marked by that kind of commitment. Even in his death Wylie Jones was still mentoring me. Thanks, Wylie.

I stepped onto the stage at church Sunday before the worship service started to put my things where I needed them. I noticed a mess on the pulpit! It was more than a dozen sticky notes that the children's Bible study class had put there. Each one had a note or a picture on it. The kids and their teachers had taken time to encourage me. I use a small, lightweight pulpit so before I took the notes off I picked up the pulpit and showed the whole church what the kids had done. That was a great pick-me-up. Thanks, kids!

Sunday afternoons usually provide me a very short period of time to sit in my recliner in gym shorts and tshirt. Sometimes I watch a little NASCAR. Sometimes I piddle online. Sometimes I nap. Sometimes I edit the audio from the morning sermon. Yesterday I was in between piddling online and editing the audio when the doorbell chimed. I opened the door and there stood a friend from my high school days in Dardanelle. Mitchell Smith and I played football together and hadn't seen each other in over 30 years. We are Facebook friends, so you know that means. Anyway, Mitchell had posted a few month ago that when he came to Arkansas this summer he would come to church with me. He lives in Washington and got in late Saturday night. He missed church but still came to see me.

Mitchell shared his testimony of turning to the Lord and the blessings he encountered since then. He said he's listened to just about everything I've posted in the sermon archives. We talked for about 45 minutes and just shared how good God has been to each of us. It was one of the best Sunday afternoons I've ever had since playing in Dado's cotton trailer with my cousins 40 years ago . That was such an encouragement. Thanks, Mitchell!

So now I want to encourage you. I don't know what you face today. Every circumstance is different. But I've found that a kind word goes a long way. My kind word to you is, "Keep going! And trust God to help you keep going."

VBS 2014

This week is VBS week at Cross Road Baptist Church. We are using LifeWay's Agency D3 material.

VBS requires a lot of volunteers and we have the best! I need to brag on them a little. We've had 52 kids enrolled so far; youth and adults are doing a great job keeping up with them and teaching about Jesus.

Here are the volunteers:

Angie Andrews - 5th/6th grade Bible study leader
Juanita Criswell - recreation leader
Nick Criswell - recreation helper
Sibyl Davis - records
Raven Dillard - 1st grade Bible study helper
Seth Dillard - 3rd/4th grade Bible study helper
Joyce Garrett - snacks helper
Theresa Hinkson - 3rd/4th grade Bible study leader
Deana Loyd - crafts leader
Riley Loyd - 2nd grade Bible study helper
Marcia Justice - music leader
Melissa Lumpkin - music helper
Karson Lumpkin - 1st grade Bible study helper
Gwen McCallister - 2nd grade Bible study leader
Shirley Meux - 1st grade Bible study leader
Pat Mitchell - snacks helper
Betty Smith - snacks leader
Anne White - 3rd/4th grade Bible study helper
Judy Wood - missions leader

So the week is going smoothly. Everyone is prepared and excited. They've loved on the kids and shown them what it means to follow Jesus.

I'm looking forward to the next three days for more of the same!

Communicate Clearly in Conflict

Let me get this out in the open early: I don't like conflict. Those who claim they do must be sick. As a matter of fact, sometimes conflict makes me sick. I used to avoid conflict but I'm better at addressing it now. I'm not good at it, just better than I was.

Conflict occurs when two or more parties have a difference of opinion. Conflict is not necessarily negative but can get there in a hurry. So you better communicate clearly, early, and often.

I spoke with a church member yesterday about making a visit to her home today. We made the appointment and I went on about my business. About an hour later I received a call from someone else reminding me of our appointment at the same time for today. I had created a conflict on my schedule.

I've noticed that many conflicts I get into are of my own making. Maybe I insinuate something I didn't mean to insinuate. Or I was just afraid to state my opinion or desire. And then there are times when I just don't fully know what my position is on a topic.

That's basically what happened with the conflicting appointments: I wasn't aware of all I needed to know. Many times, conflict can be avoided by knowing what you should know before making a statement or a promise.

Then there are those times when conflict arises because of attitudes. Someone is snarky. Another person is easily offended. This guy is bullheaded. That woman is condescending. It's hard to have civil conversations when attitudes stink. A little respect and kindness and humility go a long way in heading off conflict before it starts or resolving conflict once it's going.

I called the church member back as soon as I got off the phone with the first appointment-maker. I apologized and asked if Thursday at the same time would be OK. She said it would. That wasn't a conflict where anyone was mad or speaking hateful words but the process of dealing with a small conflict in scheduling is about the same as dealing with the big stuff.

Keys to resolving conflict include loving the other person enough to be fair and honest with them, having enough humility to admit your own mistakes, communicating clearly to aid understanding, and realizing that some people would rather argue than resolve.

What would you add to this list of keys?

We Shall Come Rejoicing Bringing In The Sheaves

Remember the hymn from your childhood (or earlier!) called "Bringing in the Sheaves"? A friend of mine says that every time he heard in the church he grew up in it sounded like a funeral dirge. Yes, farming is hard work and harvesting by hand must have been great labor. But the song talks about sowing the gospel and reaping a harvest of those who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. "We shall come REJOICING bringing in the sheaves!"

The idea of rejoicing while bringing in the sheaves comes from Psalm 126. The writer starts by reminding his kinsmen how joyful they were after they returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. They had been exiled because they strayed from God's commands. While in exile they returned to the Lord and the Lord brought them home. It must have been an exciting time. They were full of joy and hope.

But the middle of the psalm holds the writers cry to God to bring them back to the time of joy and hope. He wrote the psalm after enough time had passed since being released from exile that the people had grown complacent with the freedom and restoration God had provided. Can you hear the godly man crying, "God, take us back to that time of refreshing"?

God responds with a simple reply: "If you want to return to the joy and hope you once knew you will have to sow in tears." In other words, they must repent of their sins. Repentance was the key to renewal after exile. Repentance was the key to renewal after complacency. Repentance is the key to your own renewal. If you are not walking as closely with the Lord as you once did, repentance opens the avenue to restored joy and hope that is missing in your life now.

Then God adds a statement that speaks of his mission in this world. Those who have repented and experienced the joy are then sent with a bag of seed (the gospel) to share with others. Do you remember the story Jesus told about the farmer who scattered seed among the different types of soil? We are to sow the gospel among all those who do not know Jesus as Savior. We must have a burden that all will hear the Good News. If we are faithful to spread our bag of seed we can be assured the joy of knowing people will follow Jesus and escape the punishment of hell for their sins.

Do you remember a time when you confessed your sins and repented of them? Remember how liberated you felt? Remember the joy and peace that swept over you? Remember what it was like to be so "right" with God? But have you drifted away by sin into complacency or busyness? Those who sow in tears will reap in joy! You can know that nearness again. And you can help others come to or return to the Lord, too.

A Gospel-Centered Response to Sexual Sin

I found this article to be very helpful in forming my perspective of and response to the popularity and dominance of the homosexual agenda. Our state is in the midst of constitutional debate about marriage. Many parts of the country are further along in that debate than Arkansas is.

The popular opinion and the biblical perspective do not agree. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I must believe the Bible and view the culture through a biblical lens. It might be easier to believe the culture and view the Bible through a cultural lens. But we cannot do that and still profess Christianity.

So even though I know and love people who are homosexual (you know them, too), I need a response that is biblical. Too many of us want to raise the Bible high above our heads and raise our voices even higher. That comes across as condemnation...because it is. We are not called to condemn but to share the gospel.

I'm still working through emotions, beliefs, and responses. Maybe this article will help us maintain a Christ-like perspective toward homosexuality and build redemptive relationships with homosexuals.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-gospel-for-a-gay-friend/

What's On The News

I'm drinking coffee and waiting for a meeting to start. I have an hour. A TV is on CNN in the corner. Here are the headlines as I've heard them.

• There are germs on airplanes.
• An NBA owner is in trouble for something he said.
• A Swiss bank is in trouble for helping people hide their money.
• The Moore OK tornado struck one year ago.

If there is anything to learn from watching the news this morning, it's that... I don't know. I really don't know what to think.

First, if you put a couple hundred people together in a confined space for even a short period of time there will be germs. So be careful what you touch. Wash your hands.

Second, people say stupid things and ought to be held accountable for it. And we ought not let what others say hurt our feelings so much. He said some offensive things. I hope people don't spend so much time tearing him down that they forget to live up to their God-given opportunities.

Third, should we be surprised when a covert or shady operation is exposed even when we knew that this was exactly what was going on? Let me guess, next week there will be a bank in the Cayman Islands in the news.

Fourth, life is full of unexpected (and expected, for that matter) events that can knock you down...if you let them. By faith, a person can move forward even after terrible losses.

I'm tired of watching the news. I'm going to take a walk and thank God for his blessings.

Q&A on Twitter

Twitter is about followers. I admit that I'd love to have more of them. But today as I scrolled through the posts of those I follow, I was challenged by Charles Lowery (@DrCharlesLowery).

"Sometimes our biggest burdens become our richest rewards."

I immediately wondered what I'm supposed do in the interim. Patience. Prayer. But shouldn't I DO something?

I kept scrolling and found this from Maichael Catt (@MichaelCatt).

" 'A winner never stops trying' - Tom Landry. A prayer warrior never stops pleading and believing."

There's the answer. Why do we always think we must do something and that prayer is not part of the so,etching? Yes, we must do something and praye is ALWAYS part of the something.

We may have to do other tiings, too. Maybe we have to change jobs or locations. Maybe we have to forgive and seek forgiveness. Maybe we have to move from the status quo and change.

But we always must pray.

I have some deep burdens relating to self, family, and church. To see reward I have to persistently plead and believe.

What are your burdens? Are you trying to DO something to make the situation better? Have you prayed?

Follow me on twitter @BobLoyd

Making Adjustments

If you were to look at my resume you would see that golf is one of my hobbies or activities. If you looked at my calendar you would wonder why. If you looked at my scorecard you would really wonder why.

The truth is I don't play much. My slice makes it hard to hide that truth. The first time I played on a real course was when I was in high school. I met a few friends at Bay Ridge in Dardanelle. When it was my turn to tee-off on #1 I put the ball high and long and way right. It was across the trees and across the road. If you've never played Bay Ridge (now John Daly's Lion's Den) then you should know that this shot was worse than you think. If you have played there you are really wondering why I list golf as a hobby.

My birthday was last week. Last year on my birthday I played. I played in a fund-raising tournament with my Dad in the Fall. I was going to Dardanelle to play with him today. But it was raining early this morning in Dardanelle and the chance of rain is 90% for our tee time. I had been on the road for just a few minutes when he called to let me know. He was willing to play in the rain, he said. I figured we'd better reschedule so we'll try again next week.

My life is full of things I need or want or like to do. I try to keep my iCal up to date - I think if you keep a calendar you ought to keep it current. Your calendar ought to serve as a look forward and also a look back. Anyone who must file expense reports understands.

But sometimes you have to make adjustments. Like today. My text to my wife said, "No golf. It's raining. I'll pick up Riley from school." One adjustment seems to bring others.

How do you handle the unexpected changes that come up? In the construction businesses, changes cost money. The lightning delay in Riley's baseball game last week cost us time. The guy who changes lanes in front of you in the interstate can cost time, money, nerves, and lives.

The construction firm uses changes to increase profits. One of the baseball teams (the other one) used the change in schedule to play in the rain. The guy cut off in traffic has to drive defensively. Some choose to drive more aggressively but that's not a good choice.

An unexpected diagnosis from the oncologist, the email from the boss outlining upcoming layoffs, the surprising result of a pregnancy test, the bill to repair a busted water heater, the news that a loved one has suddenly died...

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7 NIV84).

"Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NIV84).

We can focus on the circumstances or we can focus on the Lord. I choose to look to Jesus.

Responding to the Emily Letts Video

Dr. Al Mohler wrote an article at his website addressing the "positive abortion story" captured on video by the young woman having the abortion. She considered the procedure to be "birth-like." Mohler says:

"So her abortion was 'as birth-like as it could be,' except for the fact that the entire procedure was intended to terminate the life so that the birth would never take place."

Read Dr. Mohler's full article here.

Not everyone who is pro-abortion is comfortable with the way this video portrays abortion. However, cultural acceptance is growing while the biblical standard remains the same.

Stacks

Admittedly, I've never spent much time in the library. High school and college assignments that drove me to the library were usually more interesting than I first thought but I just didn't put that much effort into research. The card catalogue is very confusing.

Then I started seminary. I built up my own library as each class had required textbooks and other reading. Shelves line the office at church. We have a couple of shelves in the house. My Logos and Kindle apps are heavily loaded. And as I sit at the dining room table typing this post, I can see about thirty books stacked on the table and in the chairs.

These stacks contain books I'm actively using. (Add another thirty or so e-books to the "actively using" list.) A couple are Bible commentaries I'm using for sermon preparation. One is a book on physical health. Most deal with the topic of my recently-abandoned doctoral project: missional living.

I've abandoned the project but not the concept. Mission living is a broad and deep idea that comes from the Bible. It is the true sense of what the church should be based on the missionary nature of God. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21). The Father sent the Son on a mission to redeem people from their sins. While Christians cannot die to atone for the sins of others like Jesus did, we still are to be actively pursuing the redemption of the lost by showing them, telling them about, and pointing them to Jesus.

When Jesus was born - an infant to a virgin - God took on human flesh. This is called the Incarnation. What Jesus did to redeem people is missional; how he did it was incarnational - he came to us, he became one of us. So the church is to be people who are engaged in the mission of God through the relationships we have with others.

I'm an introvert so I have few deep relationships and almost all of those are with people who are a lot like me. In order to be missional I have to be intentionally incarnational, too. I have to engage people who are different from me, who I may not naturally be drawn to, but who need a Christian to care enough for them to tell them the Good News. Relationships are the best avenue by which the gospel arrives.

That doesn't me Christians shouldn't express the gospel to total strangers. That doesn't put an end to global mission trips or mission ministry in another part of town. We are to be on mission everywhere to everybody. Where possible, we should leverage relationships and personal encounters for the sake of the mission.

I want to encourage you, if you are a Christian, to accept the call to God's missionary call just as Jesus did and to engage people in personal relationships just as Jesus did for the sake of the mission.

When Troubles Come

Horrible storms passed through our area Sunday night. By now you may know that a tornado touched down in Ferndale, then Mayflower, then Vilonia, then points beyond. Images and video are heart-wrenching.

More than a dozen people are dead. Countless families have lost property. I heard this morning that a man near where I live lost six horses...he has no idea where they are.

The insurance industry will one day tell us the cost of this storm. But the impact is much greater than money. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to realign our thinking.

Matthew 6 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. The Lord spoke about doing religious things for the right reasons. Then he said that what we treasure exposes where our hearts are.

Treasure on earth will rust, decay, and be stolen. If we love worldly things we'll be disappointed and heartbroken. But a desire for godly, heavenly, eternal things will be blessed. Then our treasures will last. Each person has to choose whether to value the temporal or the eternal; you can't value both.

Jesus then said that we ought not worry about the temporal things because God cares for us to an even greater degree than he does the birds in the sky or the grass in the fields.

It's hard not to worry when your home is damaged by a storm. It's hard not to worry when your family has suffered the loss of a loved one. It's hard not to worry when emergency sirens sound in the middle of a storm.

But can we trust God to care for us? Will he be there when we are hurting? Will he comfort us in our sorrow? Will he provide in our great need?

I've found the answer to be YES! And I've found the key to be in Jesus's words recorded in Matthew 6:33. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God will take care of your worries.

I've experienced troubles that might have overwhelmed me but I chose to seek the Lord rather than deal in worry. He has always been faithful and I trust he will be now and the next time.

This doesn't erase the sorrow and pain we feel when tragedy strikes. But it helps us deal with it. Each day has plenty of trouble as I see it. God sees it as opportunity to express his love and care for you.

Generations

My morning Bible study included readings from the book of Judges. Two great leaders of Israel had died: Moses, who led them out of Egypt, and Joshua, who led them into the Promised Land.

What next? Have you ever experienced the end of an era in leadership? The affects of the previous leader lingers but diminishes with time.

So it was in Israel. Joshua's contemporaries carried on in the spirit of his leadership. But they soon died, too. Then the writer of Judges records this observation:

"Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10 MSG)

I look at the situation in our world now and wonder where we are in this cycle. My generation is surely further from God than earlier generations. Will the next generation be even further away?

It's not inevitable that every generation slides further away from God. The Great Awakenings are proof that God can move and stir in hearts and bring people to him. In a micro view, I have personally experienced revival that brought me closer to God.

If enough Christians seek to please the Lord, and if enough others come to Christ for transforming salvation, then maybe we can slow the slide away from God or even turn our culture around.

We must keep telling the stories of God's love and goodness to our children. We must keep telling the stories to anyone who will listen. How else will they know?

Consider the great cost of Christians remaining silent.

Hiding

Our dog Lexi loves to get into the trashcan in the bathroom. Because of that, we close the door when we leave the house to keep her out of there. Except sometimes we forget.

Yesterday, we forgot.

Deana found the mess and hollered from the bathroom, "Lexi!"

I was sitting in a chair in the living room. Lexi came quickly and sat beside the chair. She peeked around it toward the bathroom door. She knew what she had done and she knew she was in trouble.

I can't help but think about Adam and Eve. They sinned by not obeying God's instruction to not eat from a particular tree in the Garden of Eden. As soon as they did it they knew they had done something wrong.

Do you remember what they did then? They hid in the bushes. They tried to hide from God.

"Adam, where are you?" God said. Do you really think God did not know where Adam was? Sometimes I know that Riley is somewhere in the house but I have to go room to room calling for him before I find him laying on his bed with earphones in and listening to music. I don't really know why he needs to wear the earphones, I can hear the music just fine and I'm not wearing them.

God didn't have to search the garden to find Adam and Eve. He knew they were hiding. He knew they were hiding in the bushes. He knew which bush they were hiding behind.

God asked, "Where are you?" not so he could learn where Adam was hiding but so Adam could realize that God loved him and wanted to be with him even though he had sinned.

Not only did God come to the garden to be with Adam and Eve, he also prepared clothing for them. And he protected them from ever eating from another tree in the garden. They had eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and they were now aware of what they had been protected from. The other tree was the Tree of Life. If they ate from that tree they would live forever.

Imagine living forever but cast out of God's place of perfection. By keeping Adam and Eve from going back into the garden and eating from the Tree of Life, God was making a way for them to return to relationship with him.

Yes, there is a penalty for sin. It is death. It is separation from God.

But there is redemption through death and separation. Jesus' death on the cross and his separation from the Father when he bore all our sins and took the punishment for us. Jesus did not become a sinner but he did become sin. For us.

You can act innocent but the truth is that you are guilty, just like Adam and Eve. And the punishment for sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus. The promise of God is forgiveness and redemption and love when we turn from our ways and toward his.

Following Jesus is the pathway that leads from death to life. If you are on that journey you can be assured that Jesus will deliver you into eternal life. If you are not following Jesus you can begin today. Contact me if you would like to know more about following Jesus from death to life.

What About Me!

Thursday mornings (early mornings) are reserved for exercise. For the past two years a band of up to six people has taken to the road for a brisk walk or run each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. So the alarm went off at 4:30 and my wife and I sprang from the bed.

I used to hit the snooze but that is dangerous. Do you know that you can hit the snooze button for over an hour? Years ago I discovered this. It may not be the same for all alarm clocks but this is what happened on the one I had. The alarm went off at 6:00. I hit the snooze. It went off at 6:09. I hit the snooze. every nine minutes for 63 minutes the alarm went off and I hit the snooze. After the eighth time (it was 7:03 now) I hit the snooze and waited nine minutes. Of course, I couldn't sleep after all that activity over the last hour. I waited and waited but the alarm never sounded. My clock gave up on me. I guess it had a right to.

But this morning, we jumped from the bed and started the ritual of checking the weather app so we'd know how many layers to put on, then dressing appropriately, then getting a swig of water, then heading out to meet the rest of the group.

What was different about this morning was that we have a guest in our house. He spoke in our church last night and occupied the guest room. Like the wonderful hosts we are, we invited him to get up at 4:30 and walk with us.

Actually, Deana and I had already told the rest of the group we would not be there this morning because of our guest. So we had nothing to do with inviting him to get up much earlier than he was accustomed. I won't name names, but they know who they are!

We walked 2.5 miles and about 2 miles in, Forrest (our leader) asked Jesse (our guest) how he was doing. Forrest had asked once before just to make sure we weren't killing our guest. Jesse's in good shape so he was good.

But I couldn't stand it. "What about me!" I asked. Doesn't anyone care about me? I'm in the worst shape of any of us, so what about me!

Forrest understood and laughed out loud. He and I talk a lot while we walk. Sometimes the spiritual and intellectual aspect of the walks are more beneficial than the physical.

Have you noticed how people are so selfish these days? A team wins the National Championship and a player has to beat down the very institution that is handing out the trophy. A teams earns the right to play in the Super Bowl and a player has to rant about how much better he is than anyone else. A woman gets caught on video hitting another person and says she didn't do it. People stand in line demanding "Where's mine?"

It's as if we all think everyone else owes us something...and we owe nothing to anyone.

Our Sunday Night Bible Study last week focused on 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

We talked about steps to revival. Humility is necessary to be right with God. Instead, we seem to be full of pride. Pride takes root and we no longer praise the Lord and love our neighbor. Pride gets right up in the middle of whatever is going on and says, "What about me!" God will not bless those who are proud but he will hear and forgive and heal those who are humble.

How do we get from pride to humility? What is the pathway? It is service. Jesus is the great example of this. In Philippians 2 Paul tells us that Jesus was very humble, demonstrated by his incarnation and earthly ministry. Jesus is the Son of God but he didn't think he was too good to die for our sins.

I can't imagine this scene in heaven. The Triune God is discussing the plan to save lost humanity. The Father might have said, "Son, you will become a man and live among them. You will die for their sins so they can have eternal life." Then Jesus said, "That sounds good for them but what about me!"

No, I can't imagine that. Instead, Jesus humbly took on flesh, bore the cross, and died for our sins.

Just hours before his death, Jesus demonstrated what love and humility look like. He washed his disciples' feet. That was a task reserved for a household servant but the King of Glory did it. The pathway from pride to humility is service.

I need to serve others more and cry out "What about me!" less. Do you?

A Slice of Coffee

His name was Bob Thompson. I knew him through church and work in the 80s. He was retired from IBM and now worked in the warehouse where I was a salesman. We also served as deacons together at our church.

Bob had a sense of humor that tickled me. Dry, sarcastic, witty. He also had two habits I thought were odd fits. He worked in a warehouse that was horribly hot in the summer but at break time he would sit out there to drink coffee and smoke a cigarette.

I always thought, "What a strange way to cool off."

I never took up smoking but I am wild about coffee. That's probably due to Bob and due to the next job I had at a radio station.

Bob's coffee was the strongest stuff I've ever tasted. He would come into the office each morning before anyone else and make it so I don't really know the ratio of coffee to water. But Bob would come in to refill his cup several times a day and hold the pot out like a  waitress at Waffle House asking if anybody wanted a slice. It was that thick!

I looked at the calendar today and noticed that March is all but over. The first quarter of 2014 is gone. Where has the time gone. It seems like a lifetime ago that Bob and I would share a slice of coffee.

During those break times with a cigarette in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, he often said, "You know, the days just drag by but the weeks and months and years just fly."

In my mid-20s I didn't really understand but shook my head in agreement. I now have many more days behind me than before me and I understand.

Paul encouraged his readers to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5). Seize the day. Redeem the time. However you want to put it, this day will be gone before you know it and you'll have no more chances to make the best of it.

So you better get busy while you still have today.

I Can't Imagine Our World Without God

Browsing Instagram this morning, I found this picture.

Here are the caption and some comments.

The comment from"concede" caught my attention: "Imagine our world without gods."

I suppose that's a reference to the Taliban acting out radical Islam. Perhaps this person thinks all gods are behind all evil. Maybe he thinks the one true God should be lumped together with them.

So what would a world without gods or God be like? I can only answer that through the Christian worldview I hold to.

Some might think the world would be a better place but I believe the world is only as good as it is because of God. The Bible teaches that God created the world, sustains the world, and gives purpose to the world.

Without God, the world would not exist.

Without God continuing to engage with the world, we would cease to exist.

Without God interacting with the world, we would have no purpose.

So, no, I can't imagine our world without God.

Seasons

We are almost a week into Spring. It's chilly outside today. I am amused by the reactions to a change of season or weather that is not normal or what is preferred.

My least favorite season is summer because I prefer cooler temperatures. I can deal with 20 degrees much better than 95 degrees. I prefer a day like today where the high temperature is about 60 and the overnight low is about 40. I could live here for a long, long time.

But I completely understand when someone prefers an upward shift of about 20 or so degrees. I really am not violently opposed to the heat because I pretty much have an inside job. I just wish the switch on my car's AC performed with consistency. I think there is a short in there somewhere.

Griping about seasons is like griping about Mondays. A few years ago a friend posted on Facebook this question: Why would you so despise 15% of your life? That's what Mondays are - 1/7th of your time or about 15%.

God gives us time and seasons but we complain. What sense does that make?

Many want to do away with Mondays but would they gladly give up $15 of a $100 gift? Many want to do away with either winter or summer but would they give up $25 of a $100 gift?

Our time - whether measured in minutes, hours, days, months, seasons, or years - is a gift we are to cherish. In part because of what we can do with that gift, but mostly because of the gift Giver.

When you count your blessings, don't forget to consider the blessing of this day, this season, this time in your life. Be sure to honor God with every gift he gives you.

Christian, Do You Know an Atheist?

After reading Dr. Moore's post/review of Dan DeWitt's new book Jesus or Nothing, I pre-ordered the book for delivery to my iPad Kindle app on April 15. I think you should, too.

If you read the article here you might notice toward the end a phrase that caught my attention. It makes me think about my "daily traffic patterns" as Rex Horne calls it. Where do I go each day? Am I traveling safely within a bubble guarded by Christian people and Christian things?

"if you don't have any atheists in your life, you might should wonder why"

I'm sure I pass by people every day who do not believe that God exists. I'm sure a handful of my contacts on social media would claim atheism - if not verbally, at least in practice.

Dr. Moore brings my thoughts back to something I've pondered but never really done much about: Why have I insulated myself from those who need to know the stunning truth of the gospel? All I need to do is look at Jesus' life and I'll see that he didn't stay away from those who held different beliefs than the truth he taught. Jesus didn't avoid skeptics. He didn't feel uncomfortable around them or worry about debates and arguments.

Jesus clearly had a mission. He came to die for the sins of all people, and he came to seek and save those sinners. The mission is clear for Christians: seek out those who need the gospel and tell them the good news! Having purpose - being committed to the mission - goes a long way in bringing Christians like me out of the "safe house" and into the lives of those who live on the dangerous edge of a eternity.

It's one thing to lob volleys over the wall (i.e. post Christian-ese sayings on social media), but it's something altogether different to be a friend to those so far from the salvation Jesus died to provide.

What Deacons Do

Our church faces a leadership situation we've never known. We've lost four of five deacons for various reasons. So we have one and we have one to be ordained.

The number who attend our church is probably not too large for two deacons to serve. That's if we view the ministry of deacons from a biblical perspective. I've learned from my thirty-two years in ministry (and ten more as the preacher's kid) that what the church thinks deacons are supposed to do and what the Bible says they are to do aren't always the same.

To make sure Cross Road moves forward with the healthy biblical perspective, I'm meeting with these two men each week to discuss "The Deacon I Want to Be" by Johnny Hunt. We have met twice and both meetings have been productive. I'm thankful for Bob and Forrest for their willingness to serve and their desire to serve biblically.

I don't know why expectations of many modern churches do not mirror the biblical pattern for deacon ministry. Some of what they should do is neglected. So of what they actually do is not necessarily a responsibility of a deacon.

Maybe the line is blurred between being a man in the church and being a man who serves as a deacon in the church. Every man has responsibilities to serve and minister in a broad range of ways. Building maintenance, yard work, ushering, and member care are things every man can do based on his giftedness. You don't have to be a deacon to mow the yard or paint a classroom or check on a member who is sick.

(Ministry and service are open to everyone in the church. Age, gender, or experience don't really make difference. So anyone can mow the yard or paint a classroom or check on a member who is sick. In a vibrant church, that will be the case.)

The deacon ministry is a calling a man receives from God and is affirmed by the church. These men serve not in the position of deacon but in the ministry of deacon. If we took a survey of deacons and church members, what would they say deacons do? Does that really matter? I guess so but only for the purpose of providing suggestions for improvement and correction and providing a basis for praise and thankfulness.

What really matters is the Bible's description of what deacons do. Unfortunately, God did not give us a definitive list but he did give us guidelines throughout the New Testament, especially in Acts 6. Here are the five things deacons do (taken from "The Deacon I Want to Be.")

1. Handle Church Growth - the necessity of choosing the seven men to serve in Acts 6 was the growth of the church.
2. Protect Church Harmony - the threat of a church split makes the ministry of deacons of utmost importance.
3. Provide for the Needy - the inability of the Apostles to meet the needs of the growing Christian community led to selecting men to serve in this way.
4. Prioritize the Ministry - the Apostles couldn't serve believers and spread the Good News alone: they needed co-laborers.
5. Ensure Gospel Penetration - the result of effective ministry was a greater spread of the Gospel and the further growth of the church.

A growing church must have a biblical deacon ministry; a church must have a biblical deacon ministry in order sustain growth.

I'm not looking to add to the body of deacons today. Maybe not even this year. We'll let the Lord lead us to this. But I am looking to guide the two deacons we have to serve biblically and I'm looking to teach the church what the Bible says deacons do.

When God Begins to Move

Can anyone tell me what it's like when God begins to move? I'm talking about the ver first movement. I've experienced a couple of periods of personal revival and can almost pinpoint the beginnings. Times of corporate revival have been sparse to non-existent in my experience.

What I've experienced is a gentle rumble of awakening that most of us didn't even realize until it was subsiding. It was impossible to put our finger on the starting point.

That's what I want to know. I've studied HOW revival starts. 2 Chronicles 7 says we are to humble, pray, seek, and turn then God will hear, forgive, and heal. Keys found in Acts 1-2 are obedience, prayer, focus, unity, and action. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Those are a few of the keys to revival; there are many more that tell us HOW revival starts.

Revival is an act of the Holy Spirit. We can't really do much to bring on revival outside of praying and repenting and being obedient. The Spirit rains down upon us stirring our hearts. I long for that.

Sparks of revival glow from time to time and I wonder if I'm doing something to hinder it. Am I not yielding to the Spirit? Am I following some preconceived idea of revival rather than listening to and following the Spirit?

I sense an expectancy among our church. I hear our prayers and desires. I know God does, too. Is revival happening? Is it starting now?

Paul wrote to believers in Philippi, "I will press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me... Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (from Philippians 3:12-13).

Revival is necessary because believers have taken our eyes off the prize. We've run off chasing goals other than that set before us by God.

Will God send revival? I think he will because he wants us to follow him. Will God revive us today? I don't know but I believe it won't happen until the Spirit moves within me and I respond by yielding to his call.

Sometimes I listen to the chimes on the front porch. No sound at first, then a light pinging, then a heavier clang. The wind picking up indicates rain may be coming. Sometimes it doesn't. I hope the wind I'm feeling in my spirit is the refreshing of revival that comes from the Lord.

In Revelation 22, John responded to Jesus' promise to return with the words, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." I believe Jesus wants to revive his people today as much as he wants to return to us some day.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, and revive us.

A Weighty Opportunity

I'm working on sermons for the Easter season. In some regard, this is an easy task. I will preach about sin, sacrifice, forgiveness, and redemption. I will expect the Spirit to work in me as I prepare and present the messages. And he will work beyond me to impact those who hear the messages. Easter can and should be an expectant time in the church - the whole world talks about Jesus for a few weeks! I understand, as you do, that the talk is not always good but just the mention of his name is powerful. So, let them talk about Jesus!

Easter sermons are also hard to prepare. By hard, I mean that the weight of the preparation is heavy. (I take all sermon prep seriously, by the way.) Some who have never heard the gospel clearly presented will hear these sermons. Some who have rejected the claims and offers of Jesus will hear these sermons. Some who are just attending to fulfill an obligation will hear these sermons. That's not a whole lot different from any other sermon, but this is Easter! How do you tell the Good News in a fresh way that is true to the living word of God? Honestly, many of our regular attenders have heard Easter sermons for decades. I not only want to be compelling to the person who does not know salvation in Christ but also to those who are faithful. The gospel impacts both our eternity and our today.

So I'm deep in thought and prayer anticipating a great work of the Lord. That work will be seen several times. I'll see it as he fills my mind with thoughts. Then he'll guide the thoughts from my mind to my notes. Those in the congregation will sense the work of the Spirit when I stand before them to speak the words. The Spirit will work within them to plant truth deep within them. For some, that truth will sprout at that moment and begin to grow as them embrace what Jesus means to us. Others will have to process the ideas longer but when it clicks they'll move forward with Jesus. Sadly, some will reject the truth the Spirit has brought to them.

For some reason God chose to use "the foolishness of preaching" to bring hope to all who will listen to and embrace the gospel. The opportunity to preach the gospel cannot be taken lightly. Nor can the opportunity to hear the gospel. As I and other pastors prepare our messages for the Easter season, you can prepare to embrace these messages. That's a good way to approach Lent. You can read my thoughts on Lent from a couple of years ago here.

The greatest message in the world deserves our greatest attention - whether we deliver the message or hear it.

How to Argue

I just sat at the dining room table at my in-laws' house and listened to them argue. MIL said to me, "See, we still argue." I thought, "It's better than not having your spouse around to argue with."

So are there any rules on how family members should argue with one another. I googled it and found this article at usatoday.com that I thought was pretty good. I'll share the basics but you can read the entire article here  It's not a long article so please go there.

1. Have a plan.
2. Bite your tongue.
3. Avoid the unanswerable.
4. Don't blame, abuse, or punish.
5. Fend of fights.

I've been watching some of the Rocky movies during our snow days. Please, when you argue, don't leave your family member a bloody mess like Rocky and Apollo did to each other. That makes a good movie but not a good home.

Baseball is Back

If you know me or we are connected through social media or you just read my blog for the great insight, you know that I love baseball. I would have been a MLB star had I not taken a ground ball in the nose when I was about 10 years old. And if I hadn't been hit in the back by a wild pitch in Little League. And if I hadn't mis-judged the fly ball and had it hit me in the forehead. Just a little more speed, power, and coordination and I'd be the "Face of MLB."

To fill the void I've coached a little, played a little softball, gone to MLB and MiLB games, cheered from the stands of Tee-ball and Cal Ripken League and now Babe Ruth games, and logged thousands upon thousands of hours watching games on TV.

With all that baseball, I still get giddy when pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in early February; I still set aside time to read and watch games or highlights of the first game in Spring Training; I still consider Opening Day of the season one of the greatest days of the year; I still get a little sad when the final out of the last game of the World Series is recorded each year.

So strike up the band to play "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and update the iScore app on the iPad. It's time for baseball!

It's the Economy, Stupid!

Remember those words? James Carville reminded Bill Clinton's election team to focus on the economy leading up to the 1992 Presidential election.

Bush 41 had a 90% approval rating following the ground invasion of Iraq. But economic troubles turned the tide. He soon would have a 64% disapproval rating. The Clinton Campaign won the election in part by constantly resounding, "It's the economy, stupid." The banter deflected the discussion of Bill Clinton's morality (or immorality).

I'm reading articles today of a skirmish in Arizona between those who claim a bill awaiting the governor's signature is protecting religious liberty or encouraging oppression of homosexuals. The bill narrowly passed both chambers of the state legislature; the governor has until Saturday to sign it into law, veto the bill, or let it become law without her signature.

Homosexual America is weighing in. Corporate America is, too, as entities like Microsoft and the NFL hint or outright threaten not to do business in the state if the bill becomes law.

Conservatives are weighing in, too. Rush Limbaugh said the the governor is being "bullied" to allow the homosexual agenda to advance. But not all conservatives agree. John McCain (is he really a conservative?) is urging the governor to veto the bill.

"It's the economy, stupid." I'm concerned that the governor and many others in the state (like three state senators who voted FOR the bill but now oppose it since the economic threats began) will put the economy above religious liberty.

Remember when Southern Baptists boycotted just about everything they (we) considered immoral? Remember the beating administered by the media?

Those who side with the homosexual agenda are, in effect, threatening to boycott the state of Arizona if this bill passes. But where it the outrage?

There is no outrage because the media long ago stopped reporting and turned to social engineering. Admittedly, the conservative media does the same thing.

There is no outrage because the economic boycott furthers the agenda the media supports.

I have no way of knowing what the governor will do but my gut feeling is that she will bow to the economic pressure to support the homosexual agenda. If so, mark it up as another win for the advancement of homosexuality in our culture. That certainly has been the trend lately.

If the threat of economic boycott works in Arizona, expect it to be used more and more.

"It's the economy, stupid!" That seems to be a good argument to deflect attention away from morality.

Getting It Right

I'm trying to wrap my head around some opportunities that face churches. While the big churches continue to get bigger, many small churches continue to shrink.

An easy answer (and complaint) is that church members are just moving to churches that offer more activities for their families. If that's the case, then it comes down to budgets, leadership, and innovation. Some of us are definitely at a disadvantage.

The 21st century church may function under a model like this, but the 1st century did not. I know, times are different; I get that. Still, is there something about the early church that works. They accelerated the gospel faster than any other generation. Ever.

I think it goes back to what I call "The Ten Most Important Days in the Life of the Church." In Acts 1 Jesus told his disciples that they would be his witness all around the world when the Spirit came upon them. In Acts 2 the Spirit came upon them and the church exploded onto the pages of history.

Here's what happened during the ten days between Jesus' ascension (Acts 1) and the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). (Here's the post where I talk about this a little more. The 10 Most Important Days in the History of the Church)

They were obedient. Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem and they did not. Today's church must be obedient to do everything the Lord says.

They prayed. The Bible tells us that after Jesus ascended the disciples were constantly in prayer. Today's church must make prayer a central part of our existence.

They were focused. During the ten days between the ascension and Pentecost, the disciples chose a replacement for Judas, the betrayer. They knew what their task was and they did not neglect it. Today's church must make the mission of God the priority in everything we do.

They were unified. Preachers like the joke about them being "in one (Honda) Accord," but the truth is that they were together physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, etc. The Holy Spirit gives the church unity and today's church must eliminate anything that can destroy unity.

They took action. They waited, they prayed, they kept their eye on the mission, and they loved each other. Then when the Holy Spirit came upon them they immediately left the Upper Room and took the gospel to the streets. Today's church must act immediately upon the Holy Spirit's leading.

It doesn't matter what size church you attend. What matters is that you join with other believers to faithfully join God in his mission to seek and save those who are lost in sin.

I'm glad so many of the folks at Cross Road Baptist Church get this. We'd love to have a few more who want to join God's mission with  us.

Leadership In A Small Membership Church

In an article about leadership in a small membership church, Lovett H. Weems, Jr. offers this principle:

Leading "in the middle." To be a leader is to live in the middle – in the tension between a future vision and the current reality. This tension is inherent if a leader becomes the steward of God's vision for the congregation. One cannot give in to the current reality and abandon the vision to which God is calling the church. Nor can one simply lift up the vision and ignore the realities. To be a leader means to stay with the tension. It also means to stay with the people. Remember, people in the small membership church often are people who are living on the edge – geographically, economically, theologically, and culturally. They know whether you are living with them or not.

Keeping sights on both the heritage and the future can be hard. You may know of churches (of any size) who are so much the same church they were a generation ago that they aren't reaching their potential for this or the next generation. Rarely is the cutting edge technology or methodology of one generation sufficient for the next. The same is true for the church.

Our church is barely over 40 years old - just a generation or so. But church style and methodology of the early '70s is not too effective these days. So the leaders must look forward. That's vision. God is leading his church forward to accomplish the ageless mission of making disciples of all nations. Leaders look to God and his vision. They point the church in that direction.

Even though we aren't an "old" church we still have lots of heritage that is important to who we are. Cross Road has served the Lord's mission in our community and around the world. At one time, all those accomplishments were part of a vision of the future. We can and should honor the past and celebrate what God has done.

We just can't cling to the past. But we can't ignore it, either. So my challenge and that of our leaders is to lead in the middle - honoring the past, reaching the future.

That's part of what it means to impact eternity at the cross road of life.

Find the full article from Weems here.

Found Faithful

Abraham had great faith. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to know that. The Bible tells us that in Hebrews 11.

The best-known example of his faith is found in Genesis 22. God had promised Abraham that he would bless all nations through Abraham's descendants. Isaac was a young teenager and was, in Abraham's estimation, the answer to the promise.

But God told Abraham to sacrifice his own son. And Abraham was willing to obey God completely. But with Isaac dead, how would God keep his promise? Abraham might have thought that answers to such questions were above his pay scale. Instead of question God, Abraham trusted God.

Faith and obedience and trust always go together. When braided like a cord, these three become the fiber of which godly men and women are made.

Isaac and the promise. Those thoughts must have filled Abraham's mind as he hiked to Mt. Moriah with his son, some wood, and fire.

But no lamb for the sacrifice. Even Isaac noticed. Rarely will you know what's waiting at the top of the test while you are still on the path.

God provided a ram for the sacrifice. Isaac was spared. Abraham proved faithful. God revealed himself as Jehovah Jireh - "The LORD Will Provide."

It is likely that God will call you to some task that will require faith. How will you respond? Faithful? or Faithless?

If you respond with obedience and trust, you will be found faithful just like Abraham. Let's pray for each other so that when the test comes we will be found faithful.

Who's Left Behind

Today would have been Terry McCallister's 56th birthday. But Terry passed away suddenly, unexpectedly on February 1. I would guess that every birthday, anniversary, and holiday will be hard for his family, but the "firsts" seem to be hardest. And this comes so quickly on the heels of his death and burial.

I'm praying today Terry's family.

Can you imagine a family not missing their loved one? A lot of reasons go into this, including love, memories, and responsibilities. Terry loved his family and they love him. They have terrific memories of hunting and fishing, traveling, and generations. And Terry was one of the most responsible men I've known. At home, work, church, or community, we could count on Terry.

There's no doubt about missing him.

I also like to think about Terry's legacy. What did he leave behind? Or better, who did he leave behind? Terry let behind a family of hard-working, fun-loving folks who are committed to each other and to the Lord. I can't think of a better legacy.

Billionaires are giving away fortunes to endow philanthropic activities. Terry's legacy is greater.

Athletes are winning gold medals and announcing retirement to the roar of the crowds. Terry's legacy is greater.

A movie star passed away this week and the celeb-shows tout her on- and off-screen achievements. Terry's legacy is greater.

What are you doing regarding a legacy? You'll leave one whether you try or not. People will look at your life after you're gone. We'll talk about you, too. What will we say?

May it be said, like it is of Terry McCallister, that I loved my family and my Lord.

Atheists and Jesus Statues

When I walk through a shopping center and see a store display that exposes a morality that makes me uncomfortable, I just walk on by. I guess I could protest and picket. I could scream at the manager. I could try to keep customers out of the store. I could vandalize the place. But I just walk on by.

I'm not typical of most Christians, though. Some will want to do all those things (except the walking by part) to raise awareness and to condemn the "heathen." Others think even less of it than I do. While I have a problem with the public display of immorality, not all Christians do. So I'm not typical.

Maybe there's no such thing as a typical atheist either. I read a story today from The Christian Post about a group of atheists who "filed an appeal against a ruling that allowed the 'Big Mountain Jesus' statue at Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort to stay in place." You can read the article here if you are interested.

The atheists don't want a statue of Jesus at the ski lodge. I understand that. I don't want live lingerie models in the windows of stores in the mall. But I walk on by. They file a lawsuit and then appeal the court's decision.

Many of my friends are in the "can't we all just get along" camp. I think getting along is fine. I think imposing beliefs on someone is wrong. I think keeping someone from believing what they want is wrong.

We live in a society where a high premium is placed on the freedom to choose. We just don't want to live with the consequences.

Getting along means that I don't carry cans of black spray paint with me when I go to the malls so I can black out the windows and cover the displays I don't like.

Getting along means that I don't refuse someone the opportunity to worship (or not) as they please.

I can get along with someone who doesn't agree with my beliefs about God. And I should. But that doesn't mean I give up my beliefs or tone them down or hold them in. I am free to express my beliefs and so are they. I am free to share my beliefs and so are they. But none of us are free to impose our beliefs on someone else.

When confronted with beliefs you don't believe, you can express your beliefs but you shouldn't be able to suppress someone else's beliefs.

Don't get me wrong: I think I'm right about God and Jesus and heaven and hell and sin and forgiveness. You have the freedom to choose to believe or not believe. But you have to live with the consequences of your choices.