Serve

On Saturday, April 26, 2008, the Central Washington Wildcats were facing the Western Oregon Wolves in a women’s fast-pitch softball double-header.  Sara Tucholsky was a senior for the Wolves.  She had played softball all through high school and college, and was known as a small-ball, line drive kind of hitter.  However, in the second inning of the second game of the double-header that afternoon, she hit a ball further than she ever had.  HOME RUN!  She had never hit a home run...ever!  In her excitement, she forgot to touch first base.  She turned to go back, and she heard and felt a loud snap in her right knee.  The pain that followed immediately caused her to collapse, and she pulled herself back to first base, hugging the bag.  Her ACL was torn, and her game, as well as her career, were over.

As Sara lay they are on first base, everyone wondered what would happen next.  She obviously couldn’t continue.  According to the umpire, if her teammates helped her round the bases, she would be out.  They could sub in a pinch runner for her, but it would only count as a 2 RBI single instead of the home run since she only made it to first.  Nobody on the Wolves team seemed to know what to do.  But Mallory Holtman did.

“Can I help her around the bases?” Mallory asked.  The question shocked the umpire, because Mallory was the power hitting, veteran first baseman for the opposing Central Washington Wildcats.  He thought a minute, and then agreed.  Mallory motioned to the shortstop Liz for help, and they came over to first base.  

“We are going to pick you up and carry you around the bases.” Mallory said.  Sara nodded and said, “Thank you.”  Mallory and Liz carefully picked up Sara, and carried her around the remaining bases, pausing at each one for Sara to touch the base with her good leg.  “Thank you,” Sara said again.  “You hit it over the fence,”  Mallory replied.  “You deserve it.”  Mallory sacrificed to do the right thing.  The Wildcats lost the second game 4-2, knocking them out of the playoffs.

Sara’s coach was quoted as saying, “It’s a great moment when someone has character to step up and do the right thing at the right time.”  I couldn’t agree more.  As Christ taught us, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)

Consider those whom Christ surrounds you with this week.  Simply put, will you serve them?  Remember Christ's example of humility. 

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitudes should be the same as the of Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 2:3-5)

Stay strong.

Mountain Dew

I used to drink this wonderful nectar of God by the gallon.  Actually, a more accurate description would be by the 2-liter.  Morning, noon, night, if I was thirsty, it was a Dew. I was averaging somewhere between 10-15 16oz bottles a day.  Do the math, that's a lot.


Several years ago, I had lunch with my wife, and made a decision.  It was a hard decision, but it was wise for my health as well as our finances.  I gave up Dew.  Right there, that day, cold turkey, no more Dew, period.  So, for the past 9 years, I haven't taken even a sip of that glorious beverage, and my kids have never had Mt. Dew.


Fast forward to Easter a couple weeks ago.  After church, we went to share some fellowship with a lot of good friends.  They had Dew there, and my youngest son Jude asked if he could have some.  I started to say no, but figured, "why not?" and then said he could have a small glass.  I was interested to see what would happen since he's never had any, ever, and his normal energy level is, well, above average.


His face lit up after the first sip, and a loud, "MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" escaped his mouth as a smile grew across his face.  I chuckled and continued chatting with some friends.  After a couple minutes, I went to check on Jude.  He was out in their backyard, all by himself, running laps.  Yup...he was running laps.  Their backyard isn't very large, so he was pretty much running in a large circle.  


I asked him what he was doing, and his response was, "I'm using my new energy to build muscles!"  This was said as he continued to circle the backyard.  I smiled, and then turned around and went back inside to let Jude continue his workout.  It lasted awhile.


I don't know what gets you going.  I'm talking about something deeper than your daily physical self.  I get wiped out spiritually, and sometimes, I need a boost to get it going again.  For me, being outside in God's beautiful Creation is a huge help.  Being in the Word is a must.  Serving someone else around me is another booster.  


I don't know what gets you going spiritually/mentally/physically, but I would recommend finding your "Mt. Dew" as quickly as possible.  Think and pray about it.  When you find some things, purposefully incorporate those into your life on a consistent basis.  Guard them...don't let busyness drown them out.  


In John 7:37-38, we read, "On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."


Sounds pretty good, huh?  Life is tough.  We all need our "Dew" on a regular basis to keep us focused and energized.  Jesus invites us to drink up.  Stay strong.

Thanksgiving in March

A week ago, hundreds of folks gathered at a park close to our church.  We shared an afternoon of food, beanbag toss, horseshoes, football, redneck golf, volleyball, stories, great weather, laughter, and smiles.  There were a lot of things that made us different:  our sizes, ethnicity, background, places of residence, likes/dislikes, languages spoken, etc.  There was one central reason that we were together though:  

KINGDOM WORK

Everyone at the picnic was there because they serve as a volunteer somewhere at Community Christian Church.  What an incredible gathering of servant-hearted folks.  Thank you all for your love and compassion for others.  Thank you for considering others before yourself.  Thank you for sharing the same attitude of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.  You all are the heartbeat of Community (except for Jesus, of course).  Without you, programming could not happen like it does.  Your sacrificial attitude helps others see Christ week in and week out.

To quote the apostle Paul, "I thank my God every time I remember you." (Philippians 1:4)


I love serving the Kingdom with you all every week.  Never stop.  Stay strong.

Prayer

Prayer can take many forms and is commonplace among many different religions.  Here are a few different kinds of ways that people commonly use to approach God:

• Petition/Supplication:  this is asking God for something (wisdom, health, victory...).  Petitions are short.  Supplications are usually longer.
• Intercession:  this is praying for another person (sickness, spiritual health, tough times/decisions...)
• Thanksgiving:  this is simply thanking God for whatever (this should be consistent, but is often overlooked, especially when times get tough)
• Faith:  this is boldly proclaiming a truth out loud!
• Committal:  this is dedicating yourself to God...letting Him be first.

These are a few examples of prayers, and if you google search different types of prayers, you will have the joy of searching through over 3,700,000 results.  There are plenty of different types of prayers to search through, study, evaluate, and try.

I remember Vacation Bible School at Fellowship Baptist Church in High Ridge, Missouri.  A main focus of the week was memorizing Bible verses for candy and prizes.  Well, at least I thought that's what it was for at the time.  Turns out I still remember a lot of those verses and they are foundational in my life today. Go figure!  Anyway, one of the passages I memorized taught me about prayer.  It reads like this:

"This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, 

for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen'."

Matthew 6:9-13

It's simply called "The Lord's Prayer."  Of all the prayers around the world, I figured this would be a good one to learn since God's Son is instructing us.  He's a pretty good teacher.  I love the simplicity as well as the order that Jesus' prayer in Matthew 6 reveals.  

• Start with God.  It's all about Him.  Spend some time recognizing His Name.  Honor who He is.  Ancient Hebrews wouldn't audibly pronounce the name of God out of reverence for who He was.  I think that's cool.  
• God's Kingdom:  do you think about it often?  Does it dominate your thoughts?  Are you existing to serve His Kingdom or just go through life with your agenda?  God's Kingdom should be on our minds all the time.
• Bread.  Daily bread.  God always provides.  Creation.  Freedom from exile.  Manna in the wilderness.  The Promised Land.  Jesus.  The church.  God has and will always provide our needs...not necessarily our wants.  Contentment is key.
• Forgiveness is absolutely necessary.  If we want our sins to be forgiven, Jesus challenges us to have a forgiving spirit.  We are asking God to forgive us according to how we forgive others.  Challenging and powerful.
• Temptation isn't a sin.  Giving in to temptation is.  Just because you are experiencing temptation doesn't mean God has gone anywhere.  Remember, He's always bigger than Satan.  Always has been and always will be.
• A closing reminder that God's Kingdom is where real life is found.  Serving others like Jesus served.  Having His attitude...that's a life that's worth living.  Be thankful for such an opportunity.

Pretty cool stuff.  Some great, practical thoughts Jesus throws out here.  Then, later on in the New Testament, we come across this verse:

"Never stop praying."

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Really?  Never?  What about when I'm driving?  How about after I'm done praying and starting to eat?  Do I have to keep praying as I shovel food into my mouth?  What about my evening prayers?  Do I just start in and keep going till I fall asleep?  But then I've stopped, unless I dreampray?  Would that count as a real prayer?

Paul is writing about prayer, but he's challenging us to not just pray with our words but with our lives.  Look again at the Lord's prayer.  

What would it look like if you focused on God all day...in all you do?  What if you had a forgiving spirit about you all the time, not just the couple of times a day you pray?  What if you constantly depended on God instead of just admonishing your need and dependance on God a few times a week or before you eat your meals?  What would it look like if your life was driven and reflective of the Lord's prayer?  

Serving God is an amazing privilege.  Don't take it for granted.  Focus on God often and live for Him always.  Have a great week living a prayer-led life.  Stay strong.

Prom or...?

Prom season is close.  Instead of spending hundreds (if not more) on dresses, tuxedos, limos, etc. for an evening that often ends in temptation and disappointment, why not make an eternal difference by donating that money to an organization that saves lives?

Rapha House (www.raphahouse.org) exists to help save young ladies from sex trafficking.

Active:Water (www.activewater.org) exists to bring clean water and sanitation projects to needy communities around the globe.

There are plenty of great organizations out there.  I'm sure if you took time to look you could find some great ones locally as well.  Food shelters, house building projects, special olympics...the list goes on an on.

I'm not trying to give anyone a guilt trip about attending prom, but ask yourself this, "In 10 years, will it matter that I went to prom?"

Will it be an evening that honors God?  Will you help people see the love of Christ on that night, or will you be surrounded by temptations and end up making bad decisions?  How can God use you?  How can you make the biggest impact for His Kingdom?  The answer to that last question is what will matter.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Philippians 2:3-4

Stay strong.

Happy Valentine's Day

Every Tuesday I have the privilege of going to Piper High School and meeting with the students who run their 1st Priority Campus Ministry.  It's a student led organization that exists to spread the message of Jesus to school campuses. (http://www.firstpriority.cc)

Last Tuesday was Valentines day, so I had prepared a message that touched on God's love that I was going to share with the students.  Well, God had other plans, and as usual, they were awesome.  

It turns out that two of the high school students in the 1st Priority club had spent some time in prayer the previous week.  They prayed for God to give them an idea, a practical way that they could show and remind Piper High School that they were loved.  

The weekend before Valentine's Day, instead of going to the beach, hanging at the mall or going to parties, these two young ladies made over 100 valentines that read, "Happy Valentine's Day.  You are loved.  From your First Priority Club."  Then, on Valentine's Day, they spent every extra second they had in between classes handing out their homemade Valentine's Day cards to every faculty, staff, and teacher at Piper High, regardless of their belief.  

So instead of sharing what I had planned, last Tuesday's 1st Priority meeting was spent hearing stories from these girls and from other faculty members about what they experienced on their mission of love.  I heard story after story of how thankful teachers, custodians, coaches, and even the Principal was to receive these reminders of love.

I don't know what doors these two girls have opened, but I know I can't wait to get back to Piper High School tomorrow afternoon and hear some more incredible stories of what God is doing through the lives of teenagers who are willing to show the love of God in simple, practical ways. 

Thank you Catherine and Ashleen for putting the Kingdom of God first and showing His love to those around you.  

"This is My command, 'Love each other'."

John 15:17

Stay strong

DWR: Do What's Right

David is an amazing dude.  In the book of 1 Samuel, we are introduced to him in chapter 16 as a boy watching sheep.  From there, he simply puts his faith in God and does what's right for the next several chapters.  That list of right includes:

• Protecting sheep by beating down the bears and lions that tried to take them
• Providing food for his older brothers in the military
• Beating down a foreign warrior champion who dared trash talk his God
• Calming a distressed and anxious king with some sweet harp-work
• Leading military regiments to victory after victory
• Eventually leading a group of mighty men to ridiculous amounts of victories
• Serving a king that didn't make sense
• Obeying his rulers...especially his God

In 1 Samuel 19, King Saul (now focused on himself instead of the God he was supposed to be serving) tries to kill David.  This goes on, even though David has done nothing but serve King Saul and bring honor to him.  David is mistreated, but he doesn't stop doing what he knows is right.

1 Samuel 24 is incredible.  Saul is now so miss focused and driven by jealousy that he has ordered his army that should be guarding the nation and battling the enemy (Philistines, Amalekites, etc.) to pursue and kill his loyal servant David.  David is literally running for his life with a loyal company of soldiers (still winning victories for the nation of Israel and King Saul) while King Saul and his army pursue him!  In 1 Samuel 24, David and his men are hiding deep in a cave, and Saul and his army pass by.  King Saul goes into the cave that David is using to hide in order to relieve himself.

Now was David's chance.  Saul was a tough warrior, but talk about being vulnerable!  David was an elite and highly skilled soldier.  This was an easy kill.  Saul had taken him for granted, mistreated him, and tried to wrongly kill him on numerous occasions.  Now was his chance for sweet revenge...for justice...time to end this stupidity once and for all!

Even David's loyal warriors were encouraging him to end this ridiculous wild goose chase.  They were tired of running...tired of hiding.  They knew who was the better leader.  They knew who was worthy of following.  They had made their decision, and now they all chimed in, encouraging their warrior leader to end this dance and take his rightful place as king.  They even offered to do this for David.

1 Samuel 24:7, "So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul."

David did the right thing.  Even though everyone around him was telling him to do something that made sense...even though Saul was a selfish puppet-king who had rejected God long ago...even thought he had every reason to kill Saul...David did what was right.  He honored God and showed mercy, grace, and love in the face of reason.

This week, all of us will face choices.  Some will be simple.  Some will be tough.  Will we listen to what the world says or display the love of God to those around us?  Will we simply choose to do what's right?

David had plenty of advice.  He followed his heart and obeyed God, even when it didn't make sense according to the world around him.

Choose to Do What's Right (DWR).  Honor God.  Stay strong.

Mission Accomplished

This past week was an emotional one as I attended 3 funeral/memorial services.  One of the services was for a man who had spent the last several months battling several serious health issues.

At his funeral, He was described as "patient, kind, never mad, soft-hearted, innovative, and having a great sense of humor.  Even though he said he didn't have a perfect marriage, he said that he never went to bed mad at his wife.  I'm positive that these qualities and practices had a huge factor in his marriage lasting 69 years!  When he became ill, he had one goal in mind:  make it to 70!

He passed away, surrounded by family, on the day of his 70th Anniversary!

Being a military man, the phrase "mission accomplished" was used at the funeral to describe his marriage.    What an incredible example of dedication, faith, family, trust, focus, pursuit, and love.  70 YEARS!!!!

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.  

He gave up his life for her." 

Ephesians 5:25

In a society that often disregards and quickly forgets wedding vows, I would like to thank Dick Loehr for showing us what it means to live this verse.

Well done sir.  Mission Accomplished.

Stay strong.

Remember Who You Are

This morning, I had the incredible privilege of being a part of a "Changing of Command" ceremony for a Navy friend of mine, Commander Darryl Anderson.  Commander Anderson has been serving our country for the past 32 years as a sailor in the United States Navy.  Today, he was given command of all Naval Recruiting at the Miami station, the largest recruiting post in the southeast United States.  He's an outstanding man, husband, father, and servant of both our country and the Kingdom of God.

During the ceremony, one of the Commanding officers gave the sailors a challenge:

"Remember who you are.  Remember what you stand for.  Remember and work hard at the important task at hand."

What a challenge to everyone, whether they are a sailor or not.

Remember who you are!  God's children.  Protected.  Provided for.  Sought out.  Sacrificed for.  Blessed.  Invited.  Instructed.  Empowered.  Guided.  Taught.  Tasked.  Nurtured.  Forgiven.  Loved.

Remember what you stand for!  God.  His Kingdom.  His Son.  His Holy Spirit.  Truth.  Life (in it's fullest).  Integrity.  Purity.  Holiness.  Righteousness.  Freedom.  The hungry and thirsty.  The poor.  The sick.   The least.

Remember and work hard at the important task at hand.  Loving God.  Loving others.  Everything else is based off of these two basic tasks.

Thank you to Commander Darryl Anderson for the incredible honor of praying at your Changing of Command ceremony.  Congratulations, and thank you for serving our country for the past 32 years in the United States Navy as well as serving our God.  You are an example to all of us.

Remember who you are.  Remember what you stand for.  Remember and work hard at the important task at hand.  Stay strong.

Motion

An object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force!  


Thank you Sir Isaac for that nugget of knowledge known to most as Newton's first law of motion.  Basically, if you are moving, you will stay moving unless acted upon by something.  This is true of physical things, but I think Newton's law applies to spiritual things as well.  


God wants us heading in His direction.  That's no mystery.  That's why He created us.  When sin entered the world, He immediately put a plan in motion to redeem us through the sacrifice of His Son.  That would be the "unbalanced force" that can potentially change us from moving in an unhealthy direction.


We are all moving.  We are either moving towards God or away from Him.  What would your life look like if you were wise enough, courageous enough to move towards Him?  Get real practical...what would it look like for you to take one step towards Him?  He calls us to "Follow Him" in Matthew 4...it all starts with a step.  What would that step look like for you?


Belief?  Repentance?  Acceptance?  Baptism?  Tithing?  Forgiving?  Serving?  Loving?  


The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  He tells a sinful woman to go and "sin no more," and commands us to be perfect like God is.  Those things seem pretty daunting, and can cause many people to turn away and not think they are worthy or will ever be good enough to follow Him.  


Guess what...nobody is worthy.  Nobody is good enough.  That's where God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness kick in.  God knows we are sinners in desperate need of cleansing and took care of our unworthiness on the cross.  Now, the invitation awaits anyone and everyone who would choose to step towards Him.  He's waiting with open arms.  Will you take the step?


As you think about what your step looks like, consider this prayer of David:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139:23-24

You are loved.  You always have been and always will be.  God has and continues to pursue you.  Will you open your life to Him?  He's done everything He can.  Now, it's time for you to take the first step.  Stay strong.

Promised Land

In Numbers chapters 13 & 14, Israel was standing on the border of the Promised Land.  God had delivered them from over 400 years of slavery and given them hope, purpose, direction, and freedom.  They were no longer a tortured and enslaved people, and they were ready to enter the land God had promised to them.

They sent in 12 men to check out what the land looked like.  When the men returned, they gave their report.  It started out good as they talked about what the land looked like (filled with fruit...a land flowing with milk and honey), but the report quickly turned bad when they focused on the negative things they saw there (fortified cities, armies, weapons, and mean giants).  Their conclusion, the land was pretty and nice, but impossible to take.  God must have wanted us to die out here in the desert, so let's ditch Moses and Aaron and go back to Egypt.  Let's forget about what God delivered us from, who He made us into, and revert back to what we are used to (slavery), no matter how bad it is.

Two men (Joshua and Caleb) disagreed with the other 10 who offered the bad report.  They both went and spied out the Promised Land.  They saw the fortified cities.  They saw the armies.  They saw the weapons.  They saw the giants.  However, they didn't forget God's promised.  Their faith is evident in their report and plea to the people of Israel:

Numbers 14:9,  "Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!"

Two choices:

1. Choose what makes sense according to the world around them.  Trust their eyes.  Trust their ears.  Trust what others around them claim to be true.
2. Choose what makes sense according to God.  Trust Him and what He claims to be true!

Unfortunately, the nation of Israel chose number 1, and they never got to live up to their full potential.  They never got to enter the Promised Land because they rebelled against God.  Sure, the Promised Land was dangerous and filled with enemies, but they didn't trust that God would truly be with them and care for them, even though He had just delivered them from Egypt.  That choice cost them their potential and their lives.  Instead of being the generation that took the Promised Land, they spent the next 38 years slowly dying in the Wilderness.

Obviously choice number 2 is the right choice.  But choosing to trust God and enter the Promised Land isn't an easy choice.  It might be dangerous.  It will surely not keep you in your comfort zone.  You will have to depend on Him.

What's your Promised Land look like?  What has God got in store for you this year?  What could He accomplish through you if you are willing to trust that He has your best intentions in mind?  Will you fully trust Him and realize the full potential you have for Him this year?

You get a chance to be part of God's amazing story.  Don't revert to your past or settle for what this planet is offering you.  Trust God and live for Him.

Stay strong.

I Found Him

"I found Him!"

I will never forget those words.

We had just finished one of our Christmas services, and I was standing in the atrium of our church this past weekend greeting folks and catching up with people.  One of the members of our youth group came up with their mom displaying a slight smile on their face.  The mom was smiling too...and they both politely waited to speak as I finished my conversation with a couple other folks.

This youth has spent the last seven months really searching and struggling with God.  They held off on getting baptized last spring because they weren't sure about God.  Their family loved and supported them, but they continued to struggle spiritually, slowly moving further and further away from God.  They still came to church and I had the honor of praying with and talking with them several times.  They just chose to not accept Christ, and eventually let their family know that they didn't want anything to do with Him or God...period.  It was a decision that had slowly been made over the past six-seven months, but it was very purposeful.

This decision was made aware to me at church a few weeks ago after a Sunday morning Bible study.  I was saddened, but still kept praying for them, not knowing how, where, when, or if God would ever become real to them.  I had no quick answer...no miraculous statement...not really any idea at all.  All I had was prayer and love.

So there they stood on Christmas Eve.  They had just finished attending the worship service with their family, and there they were, three weeks removed from respectfully informing me that they wanted nothing to do with God.   I smiled, said hi to them and their mom, and gave them both a quick hug.  Mom softly said they had something to share.  I looked down at the student, and the tears welled up.  Same with mom.

"I found Him."

That's all they were able to say as they smiled and gave me one more quick hug.  The mom thanked me and they both moved on.

WOW!  I have no clue when, where, how, etc...absolutely no details.  They admitted several times that they didn't feel anything from God no matter how long they searched...how many times they prayed...how many Bible verses they read.  What I do know is here's a young person who had less than a month ago publicly denied Christ, and somehow He was now a reality to them.  I also know I will never forget that moment...that look on their face...that statement:

"I found Him."

Sometimes God feels far away.  Sometimes we question if He even exists or what good following Him really is.  Even when we don't feel anything from God, He's still there.  Philippians 4:7 says that "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind."  That's powerful.

There's plenty of things that we can pursue; plenty of options out there; plenty of things to find.  There will never be someone or something larger or more important for you to find than a relationship with God the Father Almighty.  Never give up trying to discover Him.  Never stop learning about Him.  Never stop depending on Him.  Never stop serving Him.

When everything seems hopeless or lost, there are three words we can find comfort and strength in.

"I found Him."

Stay strong.

Fear God

I struggle with fearing God sometimes.  I'm a pretty positive person.  I usually look at the bright side of something, even in tragic situations.  I respect God, love Him with everything I am, and try to serve Him often.  But do I fear Him?


Every week I have the privilege of attending a campus ministry at Piper High School.  It's a public school that has a tough reputation, but it has done a decent job of cleaning up it's act over the past 5-7 years.  It still has a long way to go, but has a lot of good students walking the hallways.


This past Tuesday, I got into the classroom that we use a little early and got to chat with a few of the students that don't normally come to the campus ministry meeting.  As each conversation drew to a close, I told the student we'd love to have them stay.  We had pizza, soda, and Christmas cookies!  Woo-Hoo!  Most students politely said they had plans.  One student I've been chatting with for a few weeks now laughed as I invited him to stay (again) and said he already had something going on.  When I asked him what that was, he laughed again and said, "I'm already going to hell so I don't think I can stay."  I assured him he could stay, but he again reminded me that he was going to hell and that there was no hope for him.  I smiled and told him that I disagreed with him and briefly explained that everyone can be forgiven.  He laughed, said, "Not me!", then gave me a big smile, high five, and wished me a Merry Christmas (kind of ironic I guess) before he left the room.


I don't know if you've ever encountered someone that flat out claimed they were going to hell and were excited about it.  It breaks my heart when I see people willingly choose that as their destiny.  I'm positive this young man does not have a proper understanding about hell or a proper fear of God or he would surely not be joking about hell the way he was.


Jesus knows fear. He was tortured, mocked, and murdered on the cross...experienced every sin imaginable on the cross and was separated from His Father as a result. There's no doubt Jesus knows fear better than any of us can imagine. Listen to His words in Luke 12:

“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.  But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, He’s the one to fear."

Strong words from the Son of God. However, if anyone had the right and knowledge to offer such advice, it was Jesus.

Does your life have a proper fear of God? Do your words and actions show respect/reverence/love for a Father that has done everything He can to prove His love for you? Do you take Him for granted? Do you forget about Him until you need something? Does your life mock Him in any way? How often does sin enter your life? What do you do about it when it shows up? To what lengths are you willing to go to make sure you properly fear the God who gave everything to share a relationship with you?

I can't wait till school starts up again next year so I can see this young man again. I'm praying for him often and hope/pray that somehow he will see Christ this Christmas. Maybe you will be the one who shows Him Christ in such a way that He finally makes sense.

Fear God enough to accept His love and share it with those around you. Never stop displaying Christ to the people God surrounds you with each day. Stay strong.

Reputation

On Thanksgiving, Ndamukong Suh stomped on an opponent's arm during the Detroit Lions' loss to the Green Bay Packers.  He was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty, ejected from the game, fined, and suspended.  Feel free to disagree, but I believe that play really cost the Lions any chance at winning.

Last Sunday, Stevie Johnson caught a touchdown pass against the New York Jets defense.  His touchdown celebration started with a little dance, but then he proceeded to pretend "shoot himself in the leg," mocking Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who spent time in jail and was released by the New York Giants after he accidentally shot himself in the leg at a nightclub.  Johnson was penalized, which ended up costing his team field position and a touchdown, and was eventually fined by the NFL.

Bob Costas gave a very nice monologue during Sunday Night Football about excessive celebrations.  You can watch it here: 

I love sports.  I hate losing.  I love celebrating wins.  I'm all about intensity and being as competitive as possible.  However, the heat of battle...the middle of the competition...that's where you can often get a glimpse of the heart of a person.

How often does "winning" make people forget priorities, character, class, grace, etc.  At what cost are people willing to go to win?  How about you?  When you find yourself in a competitive situation, whether it's on a field/court somewhere, in the classroom, at work, dealing with relationships, wherever; will you sacrifice your character and your reputation for a "win?"

Proverbs 22:1,  "Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold." 

You are the only person who ultimately chooses what your reputation will be.  So don't stomp on people.  Don't mock other people's mistakes.  Don't sacrifice who you are or your future for a temporary "win."  Stay strong.

Forgiveness

Last Sunday night I preached a sermon about conflict.  Conflict is going to happen.  The closer the person that you have conflict with, the more difficult the conflict is going to be.  Ugly things can be said.  Hurtful things can be done.  Sometimes months or even years of silence follow as a result of conflict.  Conflict destroys opportunities for personal growth and it also destroys relationships with others.  Most people focus on themselves during conflict, but conflict impacts and influences several other people around you as well.

Conflict almost always carries with it an opportunity for forgiveness.  Forgiveness is tough.  When I find it hard to forgive someone (especially someone who doesn't deserve it), it's helpful for me to remember how Christ approaches me.

Check out what King David writes:

Psalm 32:5 
"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.  I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.”  And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone."

Remember what John writes:

1 John 1:9
"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."


God loves us so much that He approached us with a solution for the conflict our sins cause.  He is willing to forgive!


So here's some advice from the apostle Paul:

Romans 12:17-19
"Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD."

 Ephesians 4:26-27
“Don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil."

Colossians 3:13
"Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."

Bottom line, don't throw away the plans God has in store for you because of conflict.  Make every effort to love folks around you like God loves you.  Who can you approach today?  Who do you need to forgive?  Don't waste the time God has given you to be a light for Him by allowing conflict to remain.  Forgiveness can be a powerful gift that you give during this holiday season.

Love Him.  Love others.  Stay strong.

Good Character Part 2

 The Josephson Institute established a youth ethics program called CHARACTER COUNTS! that teaches 6 foundational pillars of character.  They are:

Trustworthiness

Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country

Respect

Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements

Responsibility

Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others

Fairness

Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly

Caring

Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need

Citizenship

Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer

Some great stuff to consider and remember.  Stay strong.

Good Character

This past Sunday was the closest finish for the championship in NASCAR history.   Thirty-seven races (not including the All-Star race) over 10 months, and the top two guys ended up tying!  Tony Stewart ended up winning the championship because he won the race, which was the only possible way he could have run since the points leader, Carl Edwards, finished the race in second.  Carl Edwards had a 3 point lead on Stewart going into the night, and had the best average finish over the past 10 races (4.9...9 total top ten finishes out of 10 races) ever.  Carl would have won every Championship in NASCAR history...except this one.

1.306 seconds.  That's how far back Carl Edwards finished to Tony Stewart.  For the last 37 laps of the race...Carl Edwards did everything he knew how to do.  He pulled out every trick he could to try to catch and pass Tony Stewart, only to finish 1.306 seconds behind him...1.306 seconds away from a championship.  This is what 1.306 seconds looks like:

Here is Carl Edwards response after the race:

“I told myself, I told my family that the one thing I’m going to do is I’m going to walk back to that motor home, win, lose or draw, and I’m going to be a good example for my kids and work hard and go be better next season,” he said. “I feel like personally, I passed the test. I didn’t fall into the trap of the trash-talking – I didn’t change the person I am to go compete at my highest level. I felt like I did it my way, and I’m proud of that.”

Last night, I was on the phone with a good friend who was in a very important golf tournament a week ago.  The stakes were pretty huge, and this was something he had been practicing and working towards for years.  It was a four day tournament, and he had three good rounds, but ended up missing the cut by 3 shots.

One hole.  He described to me that he had one nightmare hole, and it cost him everything.  He hit the right clubs at the right times and told me that everything felt right...it just wasn't.   Total disaster was the result.  One hole...11 shots...tournament over.  One hole.

He said he apologized to his caddy and the other three guys in the tournament right there when he finished that hole and then finished out the round.  At the end of the day, he again apologized to the other three guys he was playing with that day.  Instead of being angry with him for taking so long to finish out a hole, each one of the guys complimented him on how he handled himself during the nightmare.

"Character" can be defined simply as, "reputation."  You either have good character or you don't.  I believe pressure situations bring out a person's true character.  Winning doesn't show who someone truly is...losing does.   

1.306 seconds...3 shots.  Reasons for anger, frustration, choice words, out of control behavior, etc.    Winning championships (or even just winning) can cause people to do pretty terrible things, especially when they lose.  Neither Carl Edwards or my friend ended up with the win they were hoping for, but they both walked away with something much more important:  Good Character.

"You must have the same attitude that Jesus Christ had."

Philippians 2:5

Who will you be remembered as?  What is your reputation going to be?  Only you are in charge of the answer.  Consider your character before you speak or act.  Stay strong.

Worship

worship |ˈwər sh əp|

noun
the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity : the worship of God | ancestor worship.

verb ( -shiped , -shiping ; also -shipped, -shipping)
show reverence and adoration for

A couple weeks ago my wife and I had a chance to be up in the New England area and spend time with Heather's brother (Kirk) and sister-in-law (Maura).   It was an incredible time.  We spent a lot of time laughing together and enjoying each others company.  We were also able to spend a good amount of time outdoors hiking and seeing some beautiful fall leaves.

Two Sundays ago, Kirk, Heather and I drove up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire so we could do some hiking.  He found a great hiking loop that would take us over the top of two mountains (Welch and Dickey).

It was a great hike...not too technical but definitely challenging for the legs of a Florida boy used to flat, sea level ground.  It was a little chilly (37 degrees) at the bottom of the mountain, and during the 4.4 mile loop that took us over the top of Welch and Dickey Mountains we climbed 1,694 feet up and back down.  We were able to see some beautiful views and see patches of snow and ice (rare in South Florida...fun to see) while feeling the muscles in my legs remind me that I live in South Florida.  One of my favorite views was from the top of Dickey Mountain where we were able to look back down to the top of Welch Mountain that we had just ascended as well as the rest of the valley.

 

All day long, we were treated to incredible views.  The more I hiked, the more I felt surrounded by God.  The crisp breeze...the sound of the birds..the chipmunks and squirrels...the views of the valleys, mountains, trees, snow, ice...the beautiful blue sky...they were all constant reminders of a God that surrounds me, provides for me, and loves me.  

Psalm 19:1-4

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.  Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.  They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.  Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world."

I wasn't in a church building, at a convention, summer camp, or large retreat.  I was simply outside, and yet that Sunday was an incredible day of worship for me.  Everywhere I looked, I couldn't help but think about and thank God for His amazing creation.

 Thank you to my brother in law and wife for being awesome hiking partners.  It was an honor to spend the day with both of you in the middle of this beauty.

Next time any of you get a chance...get outside spend some time.  You might be surprised how close to God you can end up feeling.  Keep pursuing Him.  Stay strong.

History & Passion

History is an awesome thing.  Yesterday, I had the chance to tour arguably the most historic ballpark in all of America...Fenway Park.  I learned a lot of things about Fenway.  I've always known and respected the Green Monster (the giant wall in left field), but that was about it.  I didn't know things like it's the third smallest ballpark in all of MLB, the Green Monster was built to keep unpaying fans watching the games from the roofs of their houses and buildings, Ted Williams hit the longest homerun in the ballparks history (502 feet) into the right field stands and the seat where it landed is commemorated by a red seatback (http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/stories/in_right_field_its_a_true_seat_of_power.shtml), the five streets that surrounded Fenway when it was built in 1912 are the same five streets that are there today, the curse of the Bambino (when the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees) also involved a sell-off of over 20 top notch players that made the Red Sox go from champions to bottom feeders for decades to come, the Yankees were the first team the Red Sox beat in Fenway, the first 10 rows behind homeplate are closer to the batter than the pitcher is (very intimate park...everyone seems close to the field).

It was very cool to stand inside of Fenway and soak in the history.  Our tour guide was a lifelong Red Sox fan and it was evident.  He loved his team.  He loved his park.  He loved his job.  He really knew his stuff.  It was his life!  It was refreshing to spend time with someone who was that authentic!  He respected everyone around him no matter the team they rooted for (even for the 3 or 4 Yankee fans that were on the tour), but there was no doubt that he was part of the Red Sox nation through and through.  He knew them.  He shared them.  He loved them.  He lived them.  

Mark 12:30, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."  

Love is the foundation of everything that is God.  He is love.  He commands love.  We (Christians) are set apart from the world through our love...at least that's the theory.  Love is a command found everywhere in the Bible...Old Testament (Deut. 6:5) and New Testament (see above).    Is love for others the foundation of your life?  Does it define you?  Do you know it...teach it...display it...live it?  Let love be your passion and your life.  That's the history and power of God that should be evident through us!

Thanks for the passion Red Sox nation!  Go Tigers!  Stay strong!

Friends

The people you choose to surround yourself with will shape who you are and will become.  Are you being purposeful in choosing to surround yourself with people of character, grace, mercy, love?  Not satisfied with who you are right now?  Take a look at who's around you.

Do you have people that put you first?  Do you put others before yourself?  Check out these guys:

Luke 5:18-19,"Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus."

These might be the best friends of all time.  They literally carried their sick friend to the one person who could heal him.  When they got there, the place was packed.  There was no way they were getting in.  Time to go home, right?  WRONG!  Time to climb up onto the roof of a guy you don't know, haul your lame friend up there, and then dig through the roof (interrupting the teaching time of the Son of God) so that you can lower your buddy down in front of Jesus.

What are the people around you willing to do for you?  More important question...what are you willing to do for those around you?  Are you willing to be that friend?  Are you willing to do anything it takes to get people to Jesus?  Are you willing to have tough conversations?  Are you willing to ask them to come to church?  Are you willing to put your schedule second to show love and build quality relationships?  Are you willing to dig through someone's roof?  That's pretty extreme, but that's literally what happened!

At the end of this story, Luke 5:26 says, "Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

Amazing things...No KIDDING.  You listened to the Son of God, Creator of the universe talk.  You watched some dudes dig through the ceiling and lower in a guy who couldn't walk.  Jesus then forgave the guys sins.  Everyone disapproved, so you watched Jesus prove His Authority by healing the man!  All this because some dudes loved their friend so much that they left the excuses at home and proved they were true friends.  

How about you?   There are plenty of excuses out there.  Will you let them stop you or will you step up and be a friend to someone like these guys were?! 

Never stop showing the love of God to those around you.  Stay strong.