Making Every Connection

I recently flew from Little Rock, Arkansas to Jacksonville, Florida with a connection in Baltimore, Maryland both ways. Southwest Airlines did a good job getting me there and back. The departure from Little Rock was delayed about 90 minutes and the connection in Baltimore was only ten minutes longer so I left Little Rock thinking I would have to sprint through the Baltimore airport. The Southwest folks in Little Rock told me I would have a seat on a later flight from Baltimore to Jacksonville, but that would put my arrival much later. So I was ready to hustle!

As we approached Baltimore the pilot notified us that we would be arriving about ten minutes early. Now my ten minutes to connect became twenty. I was relieved. After deboarding the plane and walking through the jetway into the terminal I checked the video screens for the Jacksonville flight information. It was delayed thirty minutes. Now my twenty minutes became fifty. I had time to relax, stop by the restroom, and enjoy a stroll through the Thurgood Marshall International Airport in Baltimore.

The fifty minutes then shrank to exactly the amount of time it took me to get from the arrival gate to the departure gate. I'm not sure how much that was. I'm convinced that Southwest was holding the departure from Baltimore so that the three of us connecting from Little Rock could make the flight. We took off a few minutes late, but not thirty minutes late. We arrived in Jacksonville right on time. Southwest Airlines did everything they could do to get me from Little Rock to Jacksonville via Baltimore as planned.

That makes me think about the security of my salvation. Once I accept Christ as my Savior he will do everything necessary to make sure I arrive in heaven after I die. Life may be uncertain or difficult along the way but God ultimately works around and through those things for my good and his glory. My salvation depends upon God's grace and my faith in him. His grace provides the means of salvation; my faith simply gets on board.

My journey to Florida and back may not be typical for those who travel by plane. Sometimes travelers miss connections. Sometimes jets have mechanical problems that delay flights. Sometimes weather brings havoc to the flight schedules. Sometimes a passenger waits too long in the restaurant. People miss flights for many reasons. People who place their faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation never miss heaven.

Thank You, Pearces

This has been one of the most refreshing weeks I've had in a long, long time. I am attending the Pastors Conference at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. This conference has been on my wish list for several years; I'm so glad I came this year.

The preaching has been great. The workshops have been very useful. The fellowship with other pastors makes me miss my friends back home. If I were to grade the conference, it gets an A+!

Perhaps the most special part is the couple I've met who are housing me for the week. In order to help keep costs down for those who need it, the members of the church who are able open their homes to guys like me. The hotel bill for this conference would have been several hundred dollars. Instead, $0.

Allan and Pat Pearce are a delightful couple. They have been part of FBC JAX since the '70s. They have served their church and the pastors in countless ways. Until this year they were part of the "Ask Me" crew - those folks that point us in the right direction as we try to move from place to place across this big campus.

Another way the Pearces have served, and how they are serving me, is by opening their home to me. Not only that, but they also picked me up at the airport AND let me use one of their cars to go back and forth to the conference each day. That saved another couple hundred dollars. Then I could also talk about the wonderful fellowship around their breakfast table, too!

It might be fun to fly into town, get a shuttle to a downtown hotel, and ride the metro to and from the conference every day. But I would have missed getting to know Allan and Pat.

I admire FBC JAX because of this conference, because of their pastor, but mostly because of the Pearces.
For my new friends, the words to this old gospel song seem appropriate: "If we never meet again this side of heaven I will meet you on that beautiful shore."

Classic (and bad) Case of Proof-texting

Our crew was walking at 5:30 this morning. About 13 minutes in our hardcore trainer began praying. He was thanking God for the pain we were feeling as an indicator of our progress.

Then he began quoting scripture about perseverence and the strength God gives.

Then I just couldn't help myself. From several paces behind him I resorted to a typical pastoral tactic. I proof-texted; I pulled a verse out of context to make my point.

In the dark hours of an early Tuesday morning I shouted: Be still and know that I am God!

Weekly Devotion - January 20, 2012

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13 HCSB

"I just hope this works out." She was visibly nervous when she spoke these words. A hint of desperation tinted her voice. The unspoken words were "but I really don't think it will."

I guess we need to understand what the word "hope" means. The common usage of the word indicates wishful thinking. A person has a dream that is out of reach yet they hope to achieve it. This kind of "hope so" mentality is based upon experiences, our own abilities and those of others.

But the biblical usage means confident expectation. Christians have hope not based upon their ability to achieve or anybody else's abilities, but based upon the promise of God. Do you believe God will keep his promises? He has proven himself to be trustworthy, his word proclaims his reliability, so I trust his promises.

I have hope that God will provide for me. I have hope that even in difficult times God is guiding and helping me. I have hope that a person who calls on the name of Jesus for salvation will be saved. I have hope that when this life is over there is an eternal life in heaven awaiting me.

This God of hope fills those who follow him with joy and peace. That means that even when life is not going the way I want it to go I can have an inner sense of satisfaction. Even though the storms may be raging around me I can have a sense of calm. Joy and peace reinforce my hope.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all involved. That means that the fullest essence of God is at work in Christians' lives to help us with what we face now and in the future. That's not "hope so," it's "know so"! Pray that God will give you hope and joy and peace.

JAX Pastors Conference

I've been waiting for a long time. The Jacksonville Pastors Conference is next week. Every year I get the promotional piece in the mail and tell myself that this is the year I'm going. It's just never worked out. Either I didn't have the money or the time. But this year, I'm going! And I'm pretty excited about it. Can you tell?

The church members of First Baptist in Jacksonville, Florida offer their spare bedrooms to guys like me to help reduce the travel expenses. I will be staying with Allen and Pat Pearce. We've emailed back and forth several time and they sound like a delightful, godly couple. Not only have the Pearces offered a comfortable place to stay but they will also pick me up at the airport. That's good hospitality. Pray that I'm a good houseguest!

So the Lord is working through the church in Jacksonville, Florida to help this preacher from Little Rock, Arkansas have a time of rest, study, worship, and encouragement. I am thankful for the excellence in stewardship.

Now I have to think of a nice gift of appreciation to give the Pearces. And I need to think of ways my church and I can impact and influence people for the cause of Christ through hospitality.

Weekly Devotion - January 13, 2012

“But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31 HCSB

Sometimes I get tired. It doesn’t take much exercise or physical labor before I’m breathing heavily and sweat begins to run down the side of my face. Some men in the church got together last summer and poured a concrete sidewalk connecting two of our buildings. I thought I was going to pass out! My strength was sapped too quickly. I admire those of you who can do that sort of physical work.

I’ve been walking for exercise three mornings each week since the first of the year. I’m being pushed by the two who are walking with me. Sometimes it feels like they are dragging me! But not long after we are through with the exercise my breathing returns to normal. And after a little while longer my legs actually have a little more spring in them. We’ve only been at this for a couple of weeks but we are already walking farther and faster.

These examples of physical tiredness and renewal may help us understand the times when we are spiritually tired or weak. That happens to all of us, doesn’t it? Maybe temptation gets the best of you. Or you have to face a particularly difficult situation regarding your health or a relationship. Sometimes it’s multiple layers of stuff that drag you down.

You may feel like quitting. You might think you’ll never get on top of this. The prophet’s promise is good news for all of us: those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. These words are so encouraging because I’ve been tired in my spirit before but I’ve been renewed. I’ve fallen but soared again. I’ve gasped for breath but have run again.

If you trust in the Lord you can have renewed strength to get through tough times. Pray that God will help you trust him more and feel that renewal.

Walk before You Work

The last four nights have been good for me. I had the opportunity to lead music in a Bible Conference at Otter Creek First Baptist Church in Little Rock. Since I am a pastor, I don't get the chance to do this much. But I love it.

And I heard four good preachers deliver four good sermons. I love that, too. So it's been a pretty good week!

Gary Hollingsworth is pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock. He spoke on the topic of living in the will of the Father. One of his points was that our walk with the Lord is more important than our work for the Lord. He was quick to say - and I agree - that our work for the Lord is important. It just doesn't matter if the walk is right.

I believe that good works naturally develop out of a good walk. Nothing gets a person interested in helping others like getting to know the Lord better. As we learn more about Jesus we will soon learn that he was all about helping people. As you turn the pages of the Gospels you can't help but notice how he reached out to touch a blind man's eyes or a crippled man's hand. He had compassion for those whose family members were dying (or already dead!). He cared about the lonely, broken, left out in the crowds.

And could you dare claim that Jesus DID NOT have an incredible relationship with the Father? Of course NOT! Now, we aren't God like Jesus is. But the principle is the same: walk before works, walk leads to works.

One of my points of focus for 2012 is spiritual development. I plan to lead our church to a greater depth in relationship with Christ. What will come of that? I expect we will be more compassionate and will impact more people around us. I expect we'll be more urgent sharing our faith and will see more people come to know Christ as Savior and Lord.

In other words, by focusing on our walk we'll do good works. That will help us reach the goal of "Impacting Eternity at the Cross Road of Life."

Weekly Devotion - January 6, 2012

"You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath."

Psalm 39:5 NIV

Have you ever watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Broadcast each year from various spots along the parade route, millions of people get an close-up view of the spectacular. The parade lasts three hours and follows a route from 77th Street to Herald Square in New York City.

Parade watchers line the streets as one by one the floats and bands and balloons pass by. The parade stretches for blocks but a viewer can only see a few presentations at any one point in time. Once the parade has been going for a little while you would not be able to see the beginning or the end; just what's in front of you.

That's the way our lives are: a small part of a long span. Just a breath to God, the psalmist said. That's because God is eternal; we live in a temporal realm. God has no beginning or end but this life does, as evidenced by inscriptions on all the grave markers in the local cemetery.

Rather than trying to limit God to our understanding of time, why not try to see yourself as an eternal being? At least an everlasting being. You see, when this body gives way to death, our soul continues on. We exit the temporal home of this world and enter the eternal realm of God.

What will that look like? I'm not exactly sure but I do know that the Bible gives us wonderful descriptions of heaven and tragic descriptions of hell. Those are the two dwelling places in eternity and every person who has ever been conceived will be in one or the other forever.

Do you know which destination will be yours for eternity? Pray asking God to forgive you of your sins, claiming Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Contact me if you have questions or would like to talk about salvation.

Bible Reading Plan

I want to challenge you to read the Bible in 2012. Not just a little bit but a lot. In fact, I challenge you to read the entire Bible. Will you take the challenge? Will you join me? No other "resolution" will impact your life as much as this one. I believe this decision will actually empower you to make other changes in your life you've resolved to attempt.

So let's do it! Let me know if you accept the challenge so I can encourage you throughout the year.

Check out this website for some guides if you need help. This is the plan I'll be following. There are lots of resources in print or online...or you could just open your Bible and start reading!

Be sure to listen as you read. I suggest you keep a journal of what you sense God is saying as you read his word.

Alright, let's go!

Both Are Wrong

I read an article this morning about a singer changing the lyrics to a song written by John Lennon during a NYE show on Times Square. According to the article, here are the original and changed lyrics sung by Cee Lo Green.

Instead of singing "Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too," Green instead sang, "Nothing to kill or die for, and all religion's true."

Two extreme positions on religion. Two wrong positions on religion.

John Lennon missed it by saying there is no religion. In fact, there are thousands of religions. Very few people are actually atheists. Even at the core of atheism is a humanistic idea that they are their own god.

Cee Lo Green missed it by saying that all religions are true. If that's the case then anyone can believe anything. That's really the point for Green and those who think like that. Look closely at world religions and you'll see vast differences. Some claim a higher power that must be appeased by good works. Some claim a higher power equivalent to one's self. One claims a higher power that desires a personal relationship with you and even sacrificed himself to atone for our sins. The only way to be right with this God is to trust him, love him, and obey him.

I guess it's true that anyone can believe anything. It's just that believing some things won't make  you right with God. Only faith in Jesus Christ can do that. And without it, a person chooses to perish for eternity. Embrace the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through him. Your good works can't save you but his grace can.

Weekly Devotion - December 30, 2011

"For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

Luke 21:15 NIV

 

I read a Facebook conversation that took place earlier this week. A friend threw out a question similar to this: How do you witness when you are in a hostile environment? Let me define what is meant by "hostile environment." Most of us are living in safe places when you consider the persecution faced by Christians in other places around the world. But even in America we are facing more hostility to the gospel than has been known in many generations.

 

Hostility takes many forms. One is political correctness. The gospel message is clear that Jesus is the only way to salvation. But that message is offensive to others who claim they have the way or a way. And those who claim there is no way really hate to hear or see a good witness.

 

Another form of hostility is the reaction of someone who feels the conviction of the Holy Spirit. If they have resisted for many years they can recoil when they hear you speak about the Lord. That creates a hostile environment in which to share your faith and live out a close walk with Christ.

 

I am thankful that I don't have to worry about the severe persecution other Christians face daily. I also have great respect for those who do because they are living clearly behind the lines of enemy territory. But we all have to deal with people who are not receptive or even argumentative toward the gospel.

 

Jesus' words in the twenty-first chapter of Luke's gospel were spoken about the end times. Maybe we are in those days; maybe we are very close to his return. His words apply to our times even if his return is not so near.

 

When we speak our words we will likely create problems. When we speak his words we will be much more successful sharing our faith and answering skeptics. Pray asking God to give you the words to say and the boldness to say them when you have opportunities to speak up in a hostile environment.

EBT Prayers

How's your prayer life?

What do you pray for?

Are you getting what you pray for?

I found a key to effective praying tucked into the middle of the book of Daniel. In chapter 9, Daniel confessed his sins and the sins of Israel. He pleaded with God to restore the people as a nation and to restore Jerusalem as a city. Nebuchadnezzar had razed the city and exiled the people a generation earlier.

We don't know how long he prayed but we know that he put all his energy into it. This wasn't a wimpy little prayer spoken hastily as Daniel was hurrying to get to something else. He was spent.

The angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him that God had answered his prayer at the moment Daniel had begun to pray. But God allowed Daniel to keep praying. He allowed Daniel to spend all his energy making the confession and requests.

Here are three keys to prayer that we all need to put into practice. First, pray earnestly. Daniel put his whole being into the prayer. We have lots of room for improvement in this area. Our prayers are quick. Our prayers are shallow. Our heart just isn't in it very much.

Second, pray believing God will answer. We all are familiar with a song Garth Brooks sang that says he thanks God for unanswered prayers. I understand the sentiment but disagree with the theology. God always answers prayers. He either says YES, NO, or WAIT. We just don't like the last two options and blame God of not answering. We ought to pray believing God is going to answer. And then embrace the answer he gives even when it's not what we asked for or expected.

Third, pray trusting God's answer. God is all-powerful so he can do anything he wants to do. God is all-knowing so he knows what the right thing to do is. God is all-loving so he cares so much about us that he wants to do what is best for us. Put that all together and we must conclude that what God does is best. If anything was better he would know about it, want to do, and be able to do it. So trust that what he does is best.

In the financial world, EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer. Sounds like a good illustration of prayer to me. Except in prayer the EBT stands for earnest, believing, and trusting.

Pretty Day to Travel

About as many cars on the road as clouds in the sky.

Nothing a Little Time and Money Can't Fix

It must have been at least 12 years ago when Deana and I stayed in the Hampton Inn in Rogers. It was pretty new. We made it back today. We came to Rogers to spend some time with our son Caleb and his girlfriend Keegan.

The outside of the building looks the same...like any other Hampton Inn. But inside...Wow! We found out that the hotel was remodeled about three years ago at the cost of almost $3M. I have no idea what it looked like four years ago, but the difference between our first visit and this visit is unbelievable. Time and money can fix just about anything.

Just about.

Your life may need a makeover...the kind time and money can't bring. Let me guess, you've spent lots of time and lots of money and nothing is better. And it won't get better.

But there is a resource I can suggest that will make all the difference in the world. I've found Jesus Christ to be a life-changer. And all he really wants from you is for you to give up control of your life and let him take over. Too costly, you say? Not really. Think of what it's been costing you to maintain control? And to fix things when life gets out of control?

Here's what you get. First, you receive unconditional love. God loves you so much that he gave his son Jesus to take the punishment for your sins. The greatest act of love is dying for a friend and Jesus did exactly that for you, friend.

Second,you get forgiveness for your sins. That's why Jesus died. He had to because we are all sinners and sin separates us from God. But in his death, Jesus took care of our sins and you can be forgiven. The guilt will be gone.

Third, you will be redeemed. Redemption is the act of being restored to a right relationship with God. Your sin breaks the relationship. Nothing you do can fix it. But what Jesus did by dying on the cross can fix it. Sinners are redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Time and money won't remake your life. Only Jesus.

Does Form Matter?

It's been raining all day. Not sure how much rain we've received by the backyard is full. The ditches are running fast.

Seems like I learned at one point that an inch of rain is equivalent to seven inches of snow in total precipitation. If that's true, we would have at least seven inches of snow today, maybe a foot. And I would be thrilled!

So the form of the precipitation makes a difference.

Does the form of a church's ministry or outreach make a difference? Is one kind of ministry just as effective as another? Does one type of outreach impact lostness as much as another?

I think form makes a difference. The popular defense of new methods is that the message cannot change but the methods must. I agree. But not change just for the sake of change. Form or method must change as is necessary to reach people for Christ.

So much has changed just in the 30 years that I've been involved in ministry.Technology today is the stuff of science fiction in the early '80s. Changing almost as rapidly is our culture. People don't view themselves, the world, and God like we did just a generation ago. Some of what has worked will still work. The task of church leadership is to discern what still works and implement new strategies to complement the other. And then to motivate everyone to get involved.

I am praying that I can discern God's will, learn the forms and methods we should employ, and motivate others to get onboard.

Off Track

You're just going along like life's on rails. Up the hills, around the bends, across the trestles. You don't really have to do much...just ride.

Then something happens. An unexpected turn and you're off track.

You and your boyfriend found out you're pregnant. Maybe he's not even your boyfriend.

Mom calls to tell you that Dad has cancer and it doesn't look good.

Your friend at the Sheriff's Office pulls up in the driveway...your son is in the back seat.

The utility company calls demanding payment...again.

Your boss calls you into her office to explain that the reorganization leaves you unemployed.

We all have a different story but at one time or another, life derails.

Join me in January for a series of messages about life's troubles and God's solutions.

Sitting in Traffic

A nut drove off the road into the ditch. We are first in line waiting for him to get towed.

Off Track

A friend took this picture this morning. I plan to use it as part of an illustration in a sermon about getting off track when trying to follow the Lord. Check back.

Distractions

Riley's school let out at 11:15 today for the Christmas break. A friend came home with him to spend the night. If you would like to help you can come over and spend a couple of hours with them to give me a break. Bring your own Nerf gun because they have already claimed all that Riley has.

On second thought, they'll put them down and pick up another toy any minute. The attention span of 10 year old boys is...wait, what was I talking about?

Have you ever noticed how short the average Christian's attention span is when it comes to really focusing on Jesus? We really get focused for about a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas then again for a week or so around leading up to Easter. Other than that you may well get a "Jesus who?" response from a lot of people when you ask them about their Savior.

What distracts so many Christians away from Jesus? You'd probably get a lot of different answers if you passed through the church pews on any given Sunday. Job. Family. School. Money. Relationship. Uncertainty. Complacency. Indifference.

It's a shame that Christmastime gets all the attention because Jesus really wants to your Lord all year long. And he can do some amazing things in addition to the virgin birth and resurrection.

Christmas is this weekend. Then New Years is here. Would you resolve to keep Jesus in the center of your life all year long? Will you choose to focus upon him rather than the circumstances around you that have been a distraction? Jesus is good for any season. Start with this one and keep it going all...wait, what was I talking about?

Weekly Devotion - December 16, 2011

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:8 NIV

 

In January 2006 I was digging a ditch to drain water from the church parking lot. It was cold. It was raining. I already had a cold but my dogged determination to clear the parking lot pushed me over the brink. Pneumonia is no fun.

 

My physician took x-rays to confirm his diagnosis. Yes, pneumonia. But he also saw abnormalities in the lymph nodes. We talked about the possibilities. I had never been in a conversation with a doctor about cancer until that day.

 

I wasn't sure how to react. Uncertainty about the future often leads to uncertain actions and reactions today. So it was for me. The one thing I knew to do for sure was to pray. So I prayed. At the time I was also working another job and the commute was a forty-five minute drive. So I prayed a lot.

 

The prayer was typical, I guess, of most people faced with something like this. I prayed for healing. After a few days of praying like this I felt like the Lord told me that this was a selfish prayer; instead, I needed to pray for his will to be done. Believing that God's will is perfect, his power is unstoppable, and his concern for me is off the charts, I began to pray for his will to be done in this situation in my life.

 

That can be a hard prayer to pray. What if God's will is to use me as an example of faithfulness as life ebbs away? What if God's will is to teach me greater dependence upon him by removing my ability to care for myself? What if God's will is to magnify himself instead of me? These are hard questions but totally within the realm of possibility when I realized that my life is intended to bring glory to God rather than to me or anyone else.

 

I now pray for God's grace to help me deal with whatever may come my way. I don't want to avoid the problems because through them I draw near my Lord. Pray that God will show you sufficient grace for everything you face.