Thursday, February 25, 2010
Read My Story
What do you value in life? Cars, houses, friends and family are all good responses, but if you want to know what I value most, read my story at http://www.whativaluemost.com/.
Thoughts from the First Day of the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention
I know my last email started with the word wow, but it seems appropriate again, so:
Wow, God is alive and moving in the midst of Southern Baptists! In times of economic uncertainty; when hope is fleeting if not lost; when values are turned inside out, upside down and twisted to fit a depraved culture; when it seems that the devil is having a heyday defeating those who stand against him; when it seems easy to focus on differences that divide instead of common ground that unites us; it is in these times that I see God moving again.
He is moving in a fresh way. His movement is not crouched in a theological debate - though some would say the convention has centered on a theological theme. His movement is not covered by a blanket of methodological programming - though some would say the convention has covered a problematic, programmatic misalignment. His movement is based in a humble and holy desperation to see God move in our lifetimes.
Desperation can be the doomsday prophet's message, or the divine prophet's motive. This week - and we are not through yet - God is moving among leaders in Southern Baptist life to call us to love one another, work with one another, support each other, serve each other and minister with and to each other.
As one young pastor said, "I want to be a part of something that is bigger than the Southern Baptist Convention; I want to be a part of the Great Commission."
The theme repeated throughout today's meeting has been that we need to refocus ourselves on the heart of God for a lost and dying world. Our preference of worship shouldn't be preeminent. Our preference of style should not be paramount. Our preferences should fall far behind and below our desire to see someone who does not know Jesus come to know Him; to see the sinner condemned to Hell, forgiven.
Now, I wish I could say that there is no dissention, but we are Baptist. The call has not been for uniformity, but for unity - these are not synonymous. Uniformity means we are all the same in action and appearance - our message and mission are expressed in the same way. Unity means despite our differences in actions and appearance, we are one in our mission and message. With the adoption of the motion to form a Great Commission Task Force, headed by Dr. Johnny Hunt, we, as Southern Baptists, are on the way to unity around the cross of Christ.
Praise God! Thank God for Southern Baptist men and women who unite around the gospel message of hope for a sinner through the love of a Savior!
Wow, God is alive and moving in the midst of Southern Baptists! In times of economic uncertainty; when hope is fleeting if not lost; when values are turned inside out, upside down and twisted to fit a depraved culture; when it seems that the devil is having a heyday defeating those who stand against him; when it seems easy to focus on differences that divide instead of common ground that unites us; it is in these times that I see God moving again.
He is moving in a fresh way. His movement is not crouched in a theological debate - though some would say the convention has centered on a theological theme. His movement is not covered by a blanket of methodological programming - though some would say the convention has covered a problematic, programmatic misalignment. His movement is based in a humble and holy desperation to see God move in our lifetimes.
Desperation can be the doomsday prophet's message, or the divine prophet's motive. This week - and we are not through yet - God is moving among leaders in Southern Baptist life to call us to love one another, work with one another, support each other, serve each other and minister with and to each other.
As one young pastor said, "I want to be a part of something that is bigger than the Southern Baptist Convention; I want to be a part of the Great Commission."
The theme repeated throughout today's meeting has been that we need to refocus ourselves on the heart of God for a lost and dying world. Our preference of worship shouldn't be preeminent. Our preference of style should not be paramount. Our preferences should fall far behind and below our desire to see someone who does not know Jesus come to know Him; to see the sinner condemned to Hell, forgiven.
Now, I wish I could say that there is no dissention, but we are Baptist. The call has not been for uniformity, but for unity - these are not synonymous. Uniformity means we are all the same in action and appearance - our message and mission are expressed in the same way. Unity means despite our differences in actions and appearance, we are one in our mission and message. With the adoption of the motion to form a Great Commission Task Force, headed by Dr. Johnny Hunt, we, as Southern Baptists, are on the way to unity around the cross of Christ.
Praise God! Thank God for Southern Baptist men and women who unite around the gospel message of hope for a sinner through the love of a Savior!
Thoughts from the Pastor's Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention
Wow, what a day! I count myself blessed to be among the pastors at this year's Pastor's Conference and Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, where our leaders are calling us to personal repentance and corporate renewal. On Monday, I had the opportunity to be challenged by men from a variety of church settings, differing generations and opposite ends of culture - united around the singular, unifying cross of Jesus Christ.
To say that any one of these impassioned sermons was better than the last would be a disservice to God who spoke through each of these men, but I do want to share with you some of the insights I gleaned:
Powered by the Holy Spirit, and driven by a passion to see us as a denomination make an impact on our world, Ed Stetzer used his exhaustive research to remind us that we must engage the lost and dying world around us to be found faithful to God's call on our lives. He spoke of the differences within or convention, but spoke of them in terms of allowing each difference to focus each church and individual on a different aspect of those who are lost - unified around Christ.
A Few of his sound bites include "the nations need our witness, not our conflict" and "we argue about tertiary issues while the world waits on the Gospel."
He was followed by Frances Chan of Simi Valley California, who opened with the comment "every time I opened the book, and then looked at my church, I saw two different things." This set the tone for his impassioned plea for us to evaluate our motives as well as our methods. Challenging us to recall how powerful God is, he told of what stated has become our unspoken belief "God moved in mighty ways [in Acts], but don't get used to it, that was then."
Probably one of the most indicting statements came when he took the antithesis of Southern Baptist life and used it as an analogy of what we have become when he said we have "Blackjack Christianity." Informing the audience comprising the same convention that has repeatedly repudiated all forms of gambling, he said that in the game of blackjack, the player is concerned only with the dealer and himself with no concern for anyone else at the table. The player doesn't care if the guy next to him hits 21 or busts. Could it be that we are concerned only with our life and God and could care less about the others at the table of life?
Former pastor, presidential candidate, and governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee spoke about the direction of our country as a whole and the need for genuine leaders in all aspects, but got good laughs from his quip, "What a shame that Barak Obama didn't listen to Fred Luter for 20 years instead of Jeremiah Wright," and his confession that one of the major changes in his life over the past 20 years was the change from a PC to a Macbook. He explained the change was because a file on his PC became "corrupt" and the whole computer crashed. If we let leadership become corrupt, we are destined for a crash - in the family, the convention, the nation.
After a long day of challenges, the evening culminated in an appeal from Johnny Hunt, president of the SBC for us to focus on our own spiritual renewal, for as the pastor goes, so goes the church. If the pastor is concerned for the lost, the church will be evangelical; if the pastor has a heart for missions, the church will have a heart for missions; if the pastor serves, the church will serve. He challenged us to search our hearts and make a renewed acceptance of our call to follow God and lead His people.
Wow, to give just these insights seems an injustice to all that God is doing in the SBC this week. Please pray that God is glorified in all that takes place and that we leave Louisville as a convention keenly focused on living out God's call of love to a lost and dying word, with an eagerness to serve them and share with them the joy of His salvation!
To say that any one of these impassioned sermons was better than the last would be a disservice to God who spoke through each of these men, but I do want to share with you some of the insights I gleaned:
Powered by the Holy Spirit, and driven by a passion to see us as a denomination make an impact on our world, Ed Stetzer used his exhaustive research to remind us that we must engage the lost and dying world around us to be found faithful to God's call on our lives. He spoke of the differences within or convention, but spoke of them in terms of allowing each difference to focus each church and individual on a different aspect of those who are lost - unified around Christ.
A Few of his sound bites include "the nations need our witness, not our conflict" and "we argue about tertiary issues while the world waits on the Gospel."
He was followed by Frances Chan of Simi Valley California, who opened with the comment "every time I opened the book, and then looked at my church, I saw two different things." This set the tone for his impassioned plea for us to evaluate our motives as well as our methods. Challenging us to recall how powerful God is, he told of what stated has become our unspoken belief "God moved in mighty ways [in Acts], but don't get used to it, that was then."
Probably one of the most indicting statements came when he took the antithesis of Southern Baptist life and used it as an analogy of what we have become when he said we have "Blackjack Christianity." Informing the audience comprising the same convention that has repeatedly repudiated all forms of gambling, he said that in the game of blackjack, the player is concerned only with the dealer and himself with no concern for anyone else at the table. The player doesn't care if the guy next to him hits 21 or busts. Could it be that we are concerned only with our life and God and could care less about the others at the table of life?
Former pastor, presidential candidate, and governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee spoke about the direction of our country as a whole and the need for genuine leaders in all aspects, but got good laughs from his quip, "What a shame that Barak Obama didn't listen to Fred Luter for 20 years instead of Jeremiah Wright," and his confession that one of the major changes in his life over the past 20 years was the change from a PC to a Macbook. He explained the change was because a file on his PC became "corrupt" and the whole computer crashed. If we let leadership become corrupt, we are destined for a crash - in the family, the convention, the nation.
After a long day of challenges, the evening culminated in an appeal from Johnny Hunt, president of the SBC for us to focus on our own spiritual renewal, for as the pastor goes, so goes the church. If the pastor is concerned for the lost, the church will be evangelical; if the pastor has a heart for missions, the church will have a heart for missions; if the pastor serves, the church will serve. He challenged us to search our hearts and make a renewed acceptance of our call to follow God and lead His people.
Wow, to give just these insights seems an injustice to all that God is doing in the SBC this week. Please pray that God is glorified in all that takes place and that we leave Louisville as a convention keenly focused on living out God's call of love to a lost and dying word, with an eagerness to serve them and share with them the joy of His salvation!
Why is Church Important?
In the Old Testament, the people of God gathered in the tabernacle, and later, in the temple because it was seen as the dwelling place of God. But for those of us living under the influence of the New Testament, we recall that our body is the temple, and we recite phrases like I have Jesus in my heart. It seems, then, that the New Testament down plays the role of the church. In fact it does, if you think only of the church as the place to find or meet with God. For the New Testament theology broadens our understanding of the omnipresent, omniscient God who is everywhere and anywhere at any and all times.
So, then, why do we need a church building and a religious organization? I think we all agree it is obvious that we gather in a church building, with other believers, to worship God. For example, I need to gather with others for worship because I cannot play the piano, nor read music, so my worship is limited without the help and expertise of others. But there are some other reasons as well. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews wrote to those who knew full well the tradition of the tabernacle and temple worship:
Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God.
But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception (Hebrews 3:12-13, HCSB).
And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works,
not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near(Hebrews 10:24-25, HCSB).
We are to gather to worship God in the church so that we can encourage one another and hold each other accountable to living the life God has called us to. First, we are to watch out for each other and encourage one another so that our hearts are not deceived or hardened. Do you agree that when we encounter a lost and dying world on a daily basis, our hearts can become callous to the desperation of those caught in the death spiral of life and death without Christ? We gather as a church so that we can peel back the callous and let God soften our hearts to see them as He does. But we also gather as a church to be held to the high standard of righteousness so that we will not live a watered down, sin filled life that does not reflect the Savior we seek to follow.
Second, as the second coming of Christ draws closer and closer (for each moment that He tarries moves us another moment closer to His coming), we meet together to encourage one another to do good works and to love one another. Notice the emphasis on "not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do." We need to be in the habit of coming to church so we can encourage and be encouraged.
It is important that we gather together to worship, not just so we do not sin, but more importantly, so we look like our Savior. Let's gather together and worship our Lord as we seek to encourage one another in the things of God.
So, then, why do we need a church building and a religious organization? I think we all agree it is obvious that we gather in a church building, with other believers, to worship God. For example, I need to gather with others for worship because I cannot play the piano, nor read music, so my worship is limited without the help and expertise of others. But there are some other reasons as well. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews wrote to those who knew full well the tradition of the tabernacle and temple worship:
Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God.
But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception (Hebrews 3:12-13, HCSB).
And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works,
not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near(Hebrews 10:24-25, HCSB).
We are to gather to worship God in the church so that we can encourage one another and hold each other accountable to living the life God has called us to. First, we are to watch out for each other and encourage one another so that our hearts are not deceived or hardened. Do you agree that when we encounter a lost and dying world on a daily basis, our hearts can become callous to the desperation of those caught in the death spiral of life and death without Christ? We gather as a church so that we can peel back the callous and let God soften our hearts to see them as He does. But we also gather as a church to be held to the high standard of righteousness so that we will not live a watered down, sin filled life that does not reflect the Savior we seek to follow.
Second, as the second coming of Christ draws closer and closer (for each moment that He tarries moves us another moment closer to His coming), we meet together to encourage one another to do good works and to love one another. Notice the emphasis on "not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do." We need to be in the habit of coming to church so we can encourage and be encouraged.
It is important that we gather together to worship, not just so we do not sin, but more importantly, so we look like our Savior. Let's gather together and worship our Lord as we seek to encourage one another in the things of God.
Teach Me to Pray
I had a unique opportunity recently. I had the joy of taking my daughter to the orthodontist. Now, I know what you are thinking, orthodontist appointments aren't the most joyful thing in life. I agree. My daughter very loudly (with a beautiful smile) agrees. My wallet agrees. In fact, I think in most situations, the only one who enjoys the orthodontist visit is the orthodontist and his accountant!
However, it was enjoyable because of the time I got to spend with her one on one, mano-a-mano, dad and daughter. For the hour drive to the orthodontist of our insurance carrier's choice, I got to talk with her and her with me. Once the visit was over, we went to get ice cream. Then, back in the car for another hour of tunes and talk, just the two of us.
She spoke with me in ways that never find a voice in the crowd of children clamoring for attention when I come home from the office. I heard her heart in ways that seem to get lost in the busyness and the bustle of everyday life. This particular orthodontist appointment will forever stand as a great day in our lives (I truly pray it meant as much to her).
At the same time, I heard my Heavenly Father's voice calling my name in an unusual way. I found myself hearing Him ask me if I valued my time with Him in the same way as I value the time with my daughter. Am I content with a quick "Good Morning" prayer followed by a haphazard handful of hurried and hushed prayers throughout the day concluded by a quick "Good Night" prayer as 'I lay me down to sleep'? This caused me to stop and evaluate my prayer life. As a quick side note, I believe everyone should stop and evaluate everything in life to prevent stagnation, so now became the time to evaluate how I pray. I came to a phrase I first remember hearing about 15 years ago. It comes from Luke chapter 11:
"One of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray...'" (Luke 11:1, HCSB)
I have books on prayer in my library. I have books on how to pray, what to pray, why we pray, even a great exposition on the Lord's Prayer, but these topics don't necessarily teach us to pray. For the request to "teach us to pray" goes beyond the ritual to the relationship. It looks through the list to the link between me and my God. It bridges my pattern with my passion. Maybe this is the key, for my next question of self -examination became "am I passionate about prayer?" It is easy to go through the motions with a mechanical precision, but passion involves my heart, mind and soul. It is taking time out of the busy day to concentrate on the Savior that concentrated on me when He was on the cross.
Lord, give me passion in prayer.
Lord, teach me to pray.
Take time to pray today. Start now with a quick prayer asking God to clear the schedule and allow you to spend time with Him. Then, look for the opportunities that He gives you to spend time with Him and use that time to talk with your Savior. I hope you take Him up on it before He decides you need braces just to get time alone with you!
However, it was enjoyable because of the time I got to spend with her one on one, mano-a-mano, dad and daughter. For the hour drive to the orthodontist of our insurance carrier's choice, I got to talk with her and her with me. Once the visit was over, we went to get ice cream. Then, back in the car for another hour of tunes and talk, just the two of us.
She spoke with me in ways that never find a voice in the crowd of children clamoring for attention when I come home from the office. I heard her heart in ways that seem to get lost in the busyness and the bustle of everyday life. This particular orthodontist appointment will forever stand as a great day in our lives (I truly pray it meant as much to her).
At the same time, I heard my Heavenly Father's voice calling my name in an unusual way. I found myself hearing Him ask me if I valued my time with Him in the same way as I value the time with my daughter. Am I content with a quick "Good Morning" prayer followed by a haphazard handful of hurried and hushed prayers throughout the day concluded by a quick "Good Night" prayer as 'I lay me down to sleep'? This caused me to stop and evaluate my prayer life. As a quick side note, I believe everyone should stop and evaluate everything in life to prevent stagnation, so now became the time to evaluate how I pray. I came to a phrase I first remember hearing about 15 years ago. It comes from Luke chapter 11:
"One of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray...'" (Luke 11:1, HCSB)
I have books on prayer in my library. I have books on how to pray, what to pray, why we pray, even a great exposition on the Lord's Prayer, but these topics don't necessarily teach us to pray. For the request to "teach us to pray" goes beyond the ritual to the relationship. It looks through the list to the link between me and my God. It bridges my pattern with my passion. Maybe this is the key, for my next question of self -examination became "am I passionate about prayer?" It is easy to go through the motions with a mechanical precision, but passion involves my heart, mind and soul. It is taking time out of the busy day to concentrate on the Savior that concentrated on me when He was on the cross.
Lord, give me passion in prayer.
Lord, teach me to pray.
Take time to pray today. Start now with a quick prayer asking God to clear the schedule and allow you to spend time with Him. Then, look for the opportunities that He gives you to spend time with Him and use that time to talk with your Savior. I hope you take Him up on it before He decides you need braces just to get time alone with you!
Gov. Bobby Jindal's Visit to Our Church
What a joy it was to be in church on Sunday, February 15, 2009. I pray you were blessed by Gov. Bobby Jindal's testimony. If you were unable to attend, you missed a true blessing as he shared his testimony of how many people had planted the seeds of the gospel in his life until he found Christ - or as he said, "Christ found me. He wasn't lost, I was." Gov. Jindal also stated that his favorite verse is Matt 10:32-33: "Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven" (HCSB). If you were unable to be with us, you can download the entire service from our podcasting page on our church website and even view a few pictures. If you had your picture made with the Governor and would like to post it on the church website, send it to me and we will post them all on the website for our church family to view.
Sweet Speech - Human PEZ Dispensers
I have a friend in Dallas named Grant who loves PEZ Candy - or at least the containers that the candy comes in. He had a very large collection of the containers and often ate the candy just to prepare the container for storage! Often for gifts, he would receive a new item for his ever-growing collection.
I don't know if you are familiar with PEZ, but according to their website they have been around for more than 70 years and began as a condensed peppermint candy. All of that is interesting, but not the point of this story.
You see, the interesting thing about the PEZ dispenser is that it is a plastic box with a special lid that is made to look like a head (of an animal, movie character, etc.). When you press on the back of the head, it tilts back and opens around where the mouth should be and out comes a sweet little piece of candy.
This past week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend our state evangelism conference and heard Michael Kelley of LifeWay Christian Resources describe the Christian's speech using the analogy that Christians ought to be like human PEZ dispensers spitting out the sweet words of encouragement and love for the fellowship of believers like the dispenser opens up to reveal a sweet confection for the taste buds! As I dwelled on this analogy he gave in passing, I came to this nugget of wisdom in Proverbs:
Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. (Proverbs 16:24, HCSB)
Did you catch what our pleasant words are? They are two things. First, they are sweet to the taste. Sweet to the taste implies that the initial impression and use of the words is something pleasant and enjoyable. Pause just for a moment, think of the words you spoke to your coworker standing by the coffee pot this morning, or your spouse as you clamored around the sink brushing your teeth. What about the words spoken to the child running late for school or even the words to the dog demanding more food before you left the house this morning? Were your words sweet to the ears of the hearer? Were they enjoyable and pleasant?
The second aspect is a little more long term. Pleasant words are health to the body. Recent studies make us weary of the long term effects of too much sugar, but let's run with the illustration provided in the context in which excess wasn't known in the way we know it today. Honey, and the sugar in it, would have been a building block of the ancient diet providing necessary energy and strength and overall health to the body. Look again at the words you have spoken today. Will they linger long in the palate of the soul and bring health to the recipient? They are to build them up, leave the recipient stronger than when you were silent. They are to give energy, not leave them languished in the lost luster of spoiled speech.
Regardless of your self-examination of the words already spoken, you have the blessing in front of you to speak the sweet words of a human PEZ dispenser. Go ahead, try it. Imagine what the world would look like if our churches were filled with a life-size collection of sweet speaking saved saints! That would truly be the Collectors dream!
I don't know if you are familiar with PEZ, but according to their website they have been around for more than 70 years and began as a condensed peppermint candy. All of that is interesting, but not the point of this story.
You see, the interesting thing about the PEZ dispenser is that it is a plastic box with a special lid that is made to look like a head (of an animal, movie character, etc.). When you press on the back of the head, it tilts back and opens around where the mouth should be and out comes a sweet little piece of candy.
This past week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend our state evangelism conference and heard Michael Kelley of LifeWay Christian Resources describe the Christian's speech using the analogy that Christians ought to be like human PEZ dispensers spitting out the sweet words of encouragement and love for the fellowship of believers like the dispenser opens up to reveal a sweet confection for the taste buds! As I dwelled on this analogy he gave in passing, I came to this nugget of wisdom in Proverbs:
Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. (Proverbs 16:24, HCSB)
Did you catch what our pleasant words are? They are two things. First, they are sweet to the taste. Sweet to the taste implies that the initial impression and use of the words is something pleasant and enjoyable. Pause just for a moment, think of the words you spoke to your coworker standing by the coffee pot this morning, or your spouse as you clamored around the sink brushing your teeth. What about the words spoken to the child running late for school or even the words to the dog demanding more food before you left the house this morning? Were your words sweet to the ears of the hearer? Were they enjoyable and pleasant?
The second aspect is a little more long term. Pleasant words are health to the body. Recent studies make us weary of the long term effects of too much sugar, but let's run with the illustration provided in the context in which excess wasn't known in the way we know it today. Honey, and the sugar in it, would have been a building block of the ancient diet providing necessary energy and strength and overall health to the body. Look again at the words you have spoken today. Will they linger long in the palate of the soul and bring health to the recipient? They are to build them up, leave the recipient stronger than when you were silent. They are to give energy, not leave them languished in the lost luster of spoiled speech.
Regardless of your self-examination of the words already spoken, you have the blessing in front of you to speak the sweet words of a human PEZ dispenser. Go ahead, try it. Imagine what the world would look like if our churches were filled with a life-size collection of sweet speaking saved saints! That would truly be the Collectors dream!
In a Hurry?
If there is one mantra that others would claim that I live by, it is the classic line "better late than never." For my entire adult life, I have tried to figure out why I find it difficult to be ahead (or even on) schedule. Sometimes, I crowd too much in the time allotted; sometimes, I add a stop to a busy schedule for (mostly) noble reasons; and sometimes, I simply loose track of time. Nonetheless, those who know me know that I am "time challenged". While this is typically not seen a as a positive character trait in humans, it is one that does have a very positive meaning in reference to God.
In Peter's second letter, we are reminded that God isn't late, as we humans consider tardiness, but He is delayed for a divine purpose:
Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you: with the Lord one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9, HCSB).
Did you catch the Lord's reason for delay? It is not that something has distracted Him from His intended purpose, it IS His intended purpose. For once this life ends; our final answer has been given to the supreme deal of forgiveness:
And just as it is appointed for people to die once-and after this, judgment- so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:27-28, HCSB).
The only reason God has not sent Christ to the Earth for the second coming is that He wants others to hear the Gospel message. He is waiting and giving others a chance to believe and receive the salvation He offered them on Calvary's cross. Indeed His coming is better late, and the never isn't even a part of the equation - for He will come again.
So, with each day that passes, have we grown more complacent to His purpose, or are we hastening to the task - understanding that today may be your last day in the office; this hour may be your last at home; this commute may be the last time on this road before the clouds roll back and we see our Savior coming to claim us as His own.
May He find each of us faithfully serving, sharing His message with all we meet. If you haven't ever asked Jesus into your life, take a moment to read my story. If you haven't ever shared your faith with someone, start today. You'll see these are a few more times it is "better late than never!"
In Peter's second letter, we are reminded that God isn't late, as we humans consider tardiness, but He is delayed for a divine purpose:
Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you: with the Lord one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9, HCSB).
Did you catch the Lord's reason for delay? It is not that something has distracted Him from His intended purpose, it IS His intended purpose. For once this life ends; our final answer has been given to the supreme deal of forgiveness:
And just as it is appointed for people to die once-and after this, judgment- so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:27-28, HCSB).
The only reason God has not sent Christ to the Earth for the second coming is that He wants others to hear the Gospel message. He is waiting and giving others a chance to believe and receive the salvation He offered them on Calvary's cross. Indeed His coming is better late, and the never isn't even a part of the equation - for He will come again.
So, with each day that passes, have we grown more complacent to His purpose, or are we hastening to the task - understanding that today may be your last day in the office; this hour may be your last at home; this commute may be the last time on this road before the clouds roll back and we see our Savior coming to claim us as His own.
May He find each of us faithfully serving, sharing His message with all we meet. If you haven't ever asked Jesus into your life, take a moment to read my story. If you haven't ever shared your faith with someone, start today. You'll see these are a few more times it is "better late than never!"
How Fast Can You Run?
Have you heard about the two hikers enjoying the cool breeze as they walked the back country one sunny afternoon? They came upon a clearing and quickly discovered that they had inadvertently stepped between a mama bear and her cub. Hearing the tremendous roar of the mother, both hikers remained calm and began to plan for an escape. The first guy said to the second, let's play dead and hope she leaves us alone, the second replied I have a better idea and knelt down to tighten his shoe laces. The first hiker inquired if his friend honestly thought he could outrun a bear. The second hiker simply responded, "I'm not outrunning the bear, just you!"
Regardless of how fast you run, the world is running faster than both you and I. In fact, our world moves at such a fast pace that it seems like lightening flashes in slow motion. I read the other day that a production model corvette will break 200 miles per hour and reach highway speeds in 1st gear. As exciting as this sounds, it is a little excessive; but they still sell. People definitely have a need for speed. Think about the things that seemingly increase the speed of the world around us:
- Speed dial on your phone (office, cell or home)
- Microwave dinners (no more slaving over the hot stove for hours)
- Computers (if you bought one yesterday, there's a faster one available today)
- Quick drying paint (you don't have to wait 24 hours before a second coat)
- Fast food (well, you get the point, now don't you?)
All of these things increase the speed of our lives, but what about the quality of the life they push faster than ever? Do they really add to the value and impact of your life, or do they simply allow more things to crowd in on the 24 hours God gives you each day? I know for me, many days it is the latter. Now, don't get me wrong, I think I could be quite productive eating fast food in a corvette while talking on a cell phone, but would I truly get enjoyment out of each thing? How can I carry on a conversation, much less eat my fries while driving 200 mph, I mean the speed limit, in a corvette?
God has given us so many resources that we could use for His good, but the goodness of the things seems to crowd out the greatness of His call because we combine, multitask and rush through so many things.
Please don't confuse me with those wanting to go back to life before Edison and the light bulb, or Franklin and electricity, or Jobs & Wozniak and computers. I enjoy and even rely on these discoveries and inventions in my everyday life. But I have come to consider what brings the most joy out of life; and it has nothing to do with light bulbs, but everything with encouraging continued tries despite apparent failures. It has nothing to do with using a key to unlock the potential of electric current and everything to do with kites that unlock a child's smile. It has nothing to do with super fast computer chips and random access memory and everything to do with slowing down to enjoy the random acts that create memories.
I know it is the busiest time of the year, but that's not what the song says, is it? The song says it's the most wonderful time of the year and it truly is. It is the season of celebrating Christ's birth - the miracle of Almighty God coming to earth as a helpless baby in a manger so that all who believe in Him can have life everlasting - a life that doesn't need to be sped up because it has no end!
This week, slow down and set aside time with the people you love. Set aside some time with them reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. You might find it to be more of a rush than the corvette, well at least better than the burger and fries.
Regardless of how fast you run, the world is running faster than both you and I. In fact, our world moves at such a fast pace that it seems like lightening flashes in slow motion. I read the other day that a production model corvette will break 200 miles per hour and reach highway speeds in 1st gear. As exciting as this sounds, it is a little excessive; but they still sell. People definitely have a need for speed. Think about the things that seemingly increase the speed of the world around us:
- Speed dial on your phone (office, cell or home)
- Microwave dinners (no more slaving over the hot stove for hours)
- Computers (if you bought one yesterday, there's a faster one available today)
- Quick drying paint (you don't have to wait 24 hours before a second coat)
- Fast food (well, you get the point, now don't you?)
All of these things increase the speed of our lives, but what about the quality of the life they push faster than ever? Do they really add to the value and impact of your life, or do they simply allow more things to crowd in on the 24 hours God gives you each day? I know for me, many days it is the latter. Now, don't get me wrong, I think I could be quite productive eating fast food in a corvette while talking on a cell phone, but would I truly get enjoyment out of each thing? How can I carry on a conversation, much less eat my fries while driving 200 mph, I mean the speed limit, in a corvette?
God has given us so many resources that we could use for His good, but the goodness of the things seems to crowd out the greatness of His call because we combine, multitask and rush through so many things.
Please don't confuse me with those wanting to go back to life before Edison and the light bulb, or Franklin and electricity, or Jobs & Wozniak and computers. I enjoy and even rely on these discoveries and inventions in my everyday life. But I have come to consider what brings the most joy out of life; and it has nothing to do with light bulbs, but everything with encouraging continued tries despite apparent failures. It has nothing to do with using a key to unlock the potential of electric current and everything to do with kites that unlock a child's smile. It has nothing to do with super fast computer chips and random access memory and everything to do with slowing down to enjoy the random acts that create memories.
I know it is the busiest time of the year, but that's not what the song says, is it? The song says it's the most wonderful time of the year and it truly is. It is the season of celebrating Christ's birth - the miracle of Almighty God coming to earth as a helpless baby in a manger so that all who believe in Him can have life everlasting - a life that doesn't need to be sped up because it has no end!
This week, slow down and set aside time with the people you love. Set aside some time with them reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. You might find it to be more of a rush than the corvette, well at least better than the burger and fries.
A Little Bit About Me
I've come to a great self-revelation. I know for some of you, you will quickly agree with my self-assessment, while for others of you, you will read this in a sense of denial saying it cannot be true. For the former, I apologize for my delay in coming to grips with the reality. For the latter, thank you for believing in me! What, pray tell, is this great mystery of myself? Are you ready? It's a big one, so beware. Read this self-disclosure at your own risk:
I am weird.
Not in the 'make your skin crawl' sense of the word. Not in the eccentricities of life, either. I mean in the fact that I have come to a greater realization about humanity: Normal is relative.
Therefore I am not normal, according to some one else's definition of normal. Another way of looking at this is that I am unique. Oh, that's more pleasant to the eyes, now isn't it? But the truth is that we are all unique. God has given each of us different abilities, skills, desires, goals, talents, resources and the list goes on. I am not like you; you are not like him; he is not like her and so on. God made you unique (or weird).
Why did he do this? Wouldn't life be simpler if everyone looked alike, talked alike, felt the same and acted the same? Maybe, but where would the excitement be in this Stepford world of unreality? And hypotheticals aside, we still live in the reality that we are all different.
The beauty of this self-discovery is that I understand my uniqueness (or weirdness) and that you understand your weir...I mean uniqueness as well. In fact we need to see the greater reality that we fit together like the pieces of a 6.72 billion piece jigsaw puzzle!
Just think about a few of these examples. In your marriage, you need your spouse to complete you. Genesis 2:24 says that the two become one, like puzzle pieces fitted perfectly together. So the next time your spouse seems a little, shall we say unique, remember they are the perfect match for your, um weirdness.
And what about your friends? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that a cord of three strands cannot be easily broken. It begins by saying two are better than one, but ends by saying that which is interwoven and intertwined creates a time enduring bond of friendship.
And what about the church? Paul reminds us that we are bonded together for perfect unity with a diversity of gifts:
"For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body-so also is Christ. . . So the body is not one part but many. . . But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted.
And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?
Now there are many parts, yet one body" ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, HCSB)
This means that the church without you is incomplete, lacking and not what God created it to be. I sometimes read this entire passage and chuckle wondering if I am an eye, a mouth or a little toe (or maybe even the toe nail on the little toe). However, the truth is that each of these are important to the body (remember how the little toe nail comes in handy when you forget where the coffee table is in a dark room in the middle of the night) and the church needs you to not only be present, but involved in using your gifts for the benefit of the Lord and His church. No matter which body part you are, you are the only one who can fill the void of your place. God has made you - uniquely - to fill a place in His church to make it function perfectly (dysfunctional churches are usually missing a few parts or have people pretending to be a part that they are not).
So, go ahead, call me weird. I don't mind because I know it's true. And this great self revelation is quite liberating. Go ahead, call yourself weird and realize we fit together like a great big 3-D jigsaw puzzle that is God's wonderful beautiful creation!
I am weird.
Not in the 'make your skin crawl' sense of the word. Not in the eccentricities of life, either. I mean in the fact that I have come to a greater realization about humanity: Normal is relative.
Therefore I am not normal, according to some one else's definition of normal. Another way of looking at this is that I am unique. Oh, that's more pleasant to the eyes, now isn't it? But the truth is that we are all unique. God has given each of us different abilities, skills, desires, goals, talents, resources and the list goes on. I am not like you; you are not like him; he is not like her and so on. God made you unique (or weird).
Why did he do this? Wouldn't life be simpler if everyone looked alike, talked alike, felt the same and acted the same? Maybe, but where would the excitement be in this Stepford world of unreality? And hypotheticals aside, we still live in the reality that we are all different.
The beauty of this self-discovery is that I understand my uniqueness (or weirdness) and that you understand your weir...I mean uniqueness as well. In fact we need to see the greater reality that we fit together like the pieces of a 6.72 billion piece jigsaw puzzle!
Just think about a few of these examples. In your marriage, you need your spouse to complete you. Genesis 2:24 says that the two become one, like puzzle pieces fitted perfectly together. So the next time your spouse seems a little, shall we say unique, remember they are the perfect match for your, um weirdness.
And what about your friends? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that a cord of three strands cannot be easily broken. It begins by saying two are better than one, but ends by saying that which is interwoven and intertwined creates a time enduring bond of friendship.
And what about the church? Paul reminds us that we are bonded together for perfect unity with a diversity of gifts:
"For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body-so also is Christ. . . So the body is not one part but many. . . But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted.
And if they were all the same part, where would the body be?
Now there are many parts, yet one body" ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, HCSB)
This means that the church without you is incomplete, lacking and not what God created it to be. I sometimes read this entire passage and chuckle wondering if I am an eye, a mouth or a little toe (or maybe even the toe nail on the little toe). However, the truth is that each of these are important to the body (remember how the little toe nail comes in handy when you forget where the coffee table is in a dark room in the middle of the night) and the church needs you to not only be present, but involved in using your gifts for the benefit of the Lord and His church. No matter which body part you are, you are the only one who can fill the void of your place. God has made you - uniquely - to fill a place in His church to make it function perfectly (dysfunctional churches are usually missing a few parts or have people pretending to be a part that they are not).
So, go ahead, call me weird. I don't mind because I know it's true. And this great self revelation is quite liberating. Go ahead, call yourself weird and realize we fit together like a great big 3-D jigsaw puzzle that is God's wonderful beautiful creation!
Redeem The Time
Is there a commodity in today's society that is more precious than time? In the ancient days, perfumes and fine fragrance oils were a precious commodity before running household water and daily bathing rituals. Land was a precious commodity in the days following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World when the explorers and their kings would risk life and limb, fame and fortune to claim a little more land. And financial treasure - whether gems or metals, gold or silver, paper or plastic - has always had a place in trade and commerce and signified the powerful influence of money. But yet, I am prone to agree with the Jewish Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel in The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man when he boldly states, "Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious."
In fact, in the last 45 seconds, you have graciously given me something I can never give back - your time. Once the second hand clicks to the next mark on the face of the watch, it can never be turned back, made up, or caught again. That moment is gone. And the question for each of us, then, is to examine what we do with this precious treasure. Jesus told his followers in Matthew 7 "Don't give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet" (Matthew 7:6, HCSB). Yet, how do we spend this precious treasure in our lives?
First, realize the fleeting nature of time. The older I get, the more I realize how precious time is. I am not perfect in living as I should, but God has been teaching me lately that every second, minute, hour and day is His and while I may feel that I have many more to come, I am not guaranteed another breath. I must make the most of each moment knowing that time stops for no one. Jesus taught his followers this lesson in John 9 when He said "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work." And he even spelled out for them that this work was to change the world when he followed it with these poignant words "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:4-5, HCSB). Christ understood that His time of earthly ministry was limited, but as long as He was here in bodily form, He was working toward the Kingdom cause!
Second, spend your time glorifying God. Ask yourself the question "Is this something that is adding to or taking away from the Kingdom of God?" This will keep you focused on the preeminent value of the treasure of time: time is a gift from God for us to use to glorify Him. Paul reminded the church in Colossae of this when he said "And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17, HCSB). Everything you do, from taking out the trash to taking in the homeless is to be done in the name of Christ and for the glory of God.
When we as Christians grasp these concepts, it is then that we can be considered wise: "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk-not as unwise people but as wise- making the most of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16, HCSB). Some translations use the word "redeem" or "buy back" to translate the concept of making the most of time in this passage. Today, redeem your time. Treasure it and claim it for God's glory.
In fact, in the last 45 seconds, you have graciously given me something I can never give back - your time. Once the second hand clicks to the next mark on the face of the watch, it can never be turned back, made up, or caught again. That moment is gone. And the question for each of us, then, is to examine what we do with this precious treasure. Jesus told his followers in Matthew 7 "Don't give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet" (Matthew 7:6, HCSB). Yet, how do we spend this precious treasure in our lives?
First, realize the fleeting nature of time. The older I get, the more I realize how precious time is. I am not perfect in living as I should, but God has been teaching me lately that every second, minute, hour and day is His and while I may feel that I have many more to come, I am not guaranteed another breath. I must make the most of each moment knowing that time stops for no one. Jesus taught his followers this lesson in John 9 when He said "We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work." And he even spelled out for them that this work was to change the world when he followed it with these poignant words "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:4-5, HCSB). Christ understood that His time of earthly ministry was limited, but as long as He was here in bodily form, He was working toward the Kingdom cause!
Second, spend your time glorifying God. Ask yourself the question "Is this something that is adding to or taking away from the Kingdom of God?" This will keep you focused on the preeminent value of the treasure of time: time is a gift from God for us to use to glorify Him. Paul reminded the church in Colossae of this when he said "And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17, HCSB). Everything you do, from taking out the trash to taking in the homeless is to be done in the name of Christ and for the glory of God.
When we as Christians grasp these concepts, it is then that we can be considered wise: "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk-not as unwise people but as wise- making the most of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16, HCSB). Some translations use the word "redeem" or "buy back" to translate the concept of making the most of time in this passage. Today, redeem your time. Treasure it and claim it for God's glory.
Now What?
It's over. The presidential election, with its $2.4 billion spent on advertising and rallying the people to vote, has accomplished its course. The nation has elected a new leader to guide and shape the direction of the country over the next four years. You may agree with the outcome; or you may, as some are prone to do, live in denial for a short time. Regardless, the truth is: the people spoke and the results are final
So now what? Well, if you find the outcome favorable, you can rejoice and be excited about the first African-American being elected president. You can look forward to "Change we can believe in." You can pray that the promise of a brighter day is held.
But what if you don't like the outcome; what if you fear the results of the election and the ramifications on your everyday life? What if you worry that there will be no real change - at least not for the better? What can you do?
The answer is simple. You pray.
I know that sounds "churchy" and you expect me to say that, but why would you pray if you disagree? Wouldn't it be better if you let things run their course so you can sit back a few years from now and gloat that you knew better? It may seem that way, but the Bible counsels us differently:
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
When Paul wrote these words to young Timothy, life wasn't the greatest and kings were part of the problem. Kings require taxes, young men to fight battles and can force people to give in so that the king gets his own way. Paul writes to Timothy to remind him and his church to pray for those in authority. This point is easy for all to concede, everyone can accept that we must pray for our leaders. But what do we pray?
Paul lists four elements that remind us of the all-encompassing nature of prayer, but that is a discussion for another time. Rather, I want to look at the outcome of the prayer for the kings or the ones in authority.
First, the outcome is good for us. Paul writes that we are to pray "so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness in dignity." Pray for President-Elect Obama and his future staff that the decisions they make will be profitable for the country. Despite what you think he may have in mind to accomplish, his authority is given by God (Romans 13:1) and therefore Mr. Obama is under the powerful guidance of praying people! His decisions are under the sovereign supervision of the Supreme God, not the wishful whims of the Supreme Court or any other influential entity.
Secondly, remember your true citizenship. I'm not talking about defecting to another country here, I'm reminding you of your citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul states in the fourth verse that God wants all people "to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." As important as the election of a president is, it pales in comparison to the importance of salvation. God has blessed America so that we can carry the banner of the gospel to all nations and to every street in this nation. Proclaim the good news of salvation despite your concerns with the outcome of the election and let God be glorified in your attitude and actions.
Don't allow the devil to turn you into a mercenary of defeatism constantly belittling the president of our nation. Pray for him. And in turn, know that God is sovereign and will continue to bless you so that you can continue to share His love with a lost and dying world - starting with the people on your street and mine.
So now what? Well, if you find the outcome favorable, you can rejoice and be excited about the first African-American being elected president. You can look forward to "Change we can believe in." You can pray that the promise of a brighter day is held.
But what if you don't like the outcome; what if you fear the results of the election and the ramifications on your everyday life? What if you worry that there will be no real change - at least not for the better? What can you do?
The answer is simple. You pray.
I know that sounds "churchy" and you expect me to say that, but why would you pray if you disagree? Wouldn't it be better if you let things run their course so you can sit back a few years from now and gloat that you knew better? It may seem that way, but the Bible counsels us differently:
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
When Paul wrote these words to young Timothy, life wasn't the greatest and kings were part of the problem. Kings require taxes, young men to fight battles and can force people to give in so that the king gets his own way. Paul writes to Timothy to remind him and his church to pray for those in authority. This point is easy for all to concede, everyone can accept that we must pray for our leaders. But what do we pray?
Paul lists four elements that remind us of the all-encompassing nature of prayer, but that is a discussion for another time. Rather, I want to look at the outcome of the prayer for the kings or the ones in authority.
First, the outcome is good for us. Paul writes that we are to pray "so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness in dignity." Pray for President-Elect Obama and his future staff that the decisions they make will be profitable for the country. Despite what you think he may have in mind to accomplish, his authority is given by God (Romans 13:1) and therefore Mr. Obama is under the powerful guidance of praying people! His decisions are under the sovereign supervision of the Supreme God, not the wishful whims of the Supreme Court or any other influential entity.
Secondly, remember your true citizenship. I'm not talking about defecting to another country here, I'm reminding you of your citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul states in the fourth verse that God wants all people "to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." As important as the election of a president is, it pales in comparison to the importance of salvation. God has blessed America so that we can carry the banner of the gospel to all nations and to every street in this nation. Proclaim the good news of salvation despite your concerns with the outcome of the election and let God be glorified in your attitude and actions.
Don't allow the devil to turn you into a mercenary of defeatism constantly belittling the president of our nation. Pray for him. And in turn, know that God is sovereign and will continue to bless you so that you can continue to share His love with a lost and dying world - starting with the people on your street and mine.
Why I Don't Speed (Much) Anymore
I used to be of the mind set that faster is better. Maybe it was learning to drive in Houston, or living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex for about 10 years, or just my own "need for speed", but I have moved past all of that now.
I wish I could say I have done this because of some great application of Romans 13:1, or at least a deep moral understanding. But the truth is, it comes from an understanding not of morals, but of money. That's right, the good ol' US Dollar has convinced me to drive slower.
Sure, I remember all of those Driver's Education Horror Films. Yes, I have seen the negative effects of speeding on the lives of people in the churches I have served. Of course, I have paid a traffic ticket or two as well. But none of that truly changed my lead foot.
On the other hand, when the right foot started draining the rear pocket of my trousers, I took a little more notice. When gas prices started bumping up to $4.00 per gallon, I finally listened to the talking heads on TV that said "slow down." I decided to test their theory and so I drove a little slower - I must admit I was skeptical, but I did it anyway.
Our vehicle has a computer that tells you the approximate fuel economy of the vehicle. So I drove one last time (well almost the last time) on the interstate at about 5 miles per hour above the speed limit and recorded the numbers in my head. Then on the return trip, I set the cruise at about 5 miles below the speed limit. And what do you know, it worked. We appeared to have increased our fuel economy by about 4 to 5 miles per gallon! Now I know some of you will argue other contributing factors such as uphill verses downhill driving, wind speed and direction, but the reality is to some degree, driving slower is cheaper.
So I decided that would be my motto. After several trips of this slower and cheaper method, I began to realize a few other things as well. No longer was I worried about the Highway Patrol stopping me, so instead of looking in the trees to see if they were stalking me, I began waving to them - well I thought about it at least. Really, though, I was more relaxed as a driver. No longer did I have to worry about the consequences of getting a ticket (Romans 13:3-4). Slower really is cheaper in this idea as well! Not only that, my overall anxiety and stress lowered. Now the trip was more enjoyable for me - and the family! And the downside of it taking longer really isn't much of a downside on trips of less than 100 miles - only about 10 minutes.
So I have decided - at least for now - to drive slower. Isn't it funny how abiding by the rules makes life more enjoyable? Driving below the speed limit reduced my stress and anxiety, saved me money and possibly saved my life or the life of someone in my family. The same is true in all areas of our lives. When we choose to live by God's rules, we no longer have a guilty conscience - we eliminate stress (Romans 13) and we move towards the abundant and joyful life God has for us (John 10:10) and we find life to last for all eternity when we receive Christ as our Savior (John 3:16). Maybe we could all slow down a little - in life or on the freeway. After all, I have learned it isn't that bad of a day when you get passed by someone whose age is in the triple digits!
I wish I could say I have done this because of some great application of Romans 13:1, or at least a deep moral understanding. But the truth is, it comes from an understanding not of morals, but of money. That's right, the good ol' US Dollar has convinced me to drive slower.
Sure, I remember all of those Driver's Education Horror Films. Yes, I have seen the negative effects of speeding on the lives of people in the churches I have served. Of course, I have paid a traffic ticket or two as well. But none of that truly changed my lead foot.
On the other hand, when the right foot started draining the rear pocket of my trousers, I took a little more notice. When gas prices started bumping up to $4.00 per gallon, I finally listened to the talking heads on TV that said "slow down." I decided to test their theory and so I drove a little slower - I must admit I was skeptical, but I did it anyway.
Our vehicle has a computer that tells you the approximate fuel economy of the vehicle. So I drove one last time (well almost the last time) on the interstate at about 5 miles per hour above the speed limit and recorded the numbers in my head. Then on the return trip, I set the cruise at about 5 miles below the speed limit. And what do you know, it worked. We appeared to have increased our fuel economy by about 4 to 5 miles per gallon! Now I know some of you will argue other contributing factors such as uphill verses downhill driving, wind speed and direction, but the reality is to some degree, driving slower is cheaper.
So I decided that would be my motto. After several trips of this slower and cheaper method, I began to realize a few other things as well. No longer was I worried about the Highway Patrol stopping me, so instead of looking in the trees to see if they were stalking me, I began waving to them - well I thought about it at least. Really, though, I was more relaxed as a driver. No longer did I have to worry about the consequences of getting a ticket (Romans 13:3-4). Slower really is cheaper in this idea as well! Not only that, my overall anxiety and stress lowered. Now the trip was more enjoyable for me - and the family! And the downside of it taking longer really isn't much of a downside on trips of less than 100 miles - only about 10 minutes.
So I have decided - at least for now - to drive slower. Isn't it funny how abiding by the rules makes life more enjoyable? Driving below the speed limit reduced my stress and anxiety, saved me money and possibly saved my life or the life of someone in my family. The same is true in all areas of our lives. When we choose to live by God's rules, we no longer have a guilty conscience - we eliminate stress (Romans 13) and we move towards the abundant and joyful life God has for us (John 10:10) and we find life to last for all eternity when we receive Christ as our Savior (John 3:16). Maybe we could all slow down a little - in life or on the freeway. After all, I have learned it isn't that bad of a day when you get passed by someone whose age is in the triple digits!
We've Started, False Starts And All!
Wow, what a way to start! I mean I have always heard "the best laid plans" and other quotes like it, but I wish it wasn't coming true at this moment.
God had been laying it on my heart for some time to try to reach out to our community in some new, exciting way. When I read an article by my parents' pastor with some fresh ideas for connecting with his congregation, I began asking God how I can do the same. Soon I was making plans to begin a periodic email to share my thoughts with you. And Snapshots form the Savior was born - at least as an idea!
So I began doing some of the detail work and was ready to launch with the first week of October. Then, through a series of confusing and somewhat inexplicable complications, we sat in the 21st century version of the dark for about a week with no internet/email connection at the church.
But isn't it funny how obstacles seem to jump up out of nowhere when God is leading us in a specific direction. Jesus told his disciples (and us) that we should prepare ourselves for opposition. After all people opposed Him, so why would they not oppose us (John 15:18). Instances like our "loss of connectivity" at the office don't necessarily fall into that kind of opposition. I mean there wasn't a person labeled as the enemy working to malign us - or was there. Isn't our battle against an adversary who prowls about waiting for the opportune time (1 Peter 5:8)? Isn't our battle against the spiritual forces, not just flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-20)? I think this little bump in the road is like a lot of bumps in a lot of our roads where we feel that the deck is stacked against our success. Remember, don't take it personally, for the world is not rejecting you and me, but they are voicing their desire to follow the enemy rather than the Savior.
I don't know about you, but that makes me want to work even harder to help the cause of my Savior and Lord. Won't you join me in this attitude of the second mile? Next time something seems to pop up as an obstacle in the path of following God, remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-41:
38"You have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him also have your coat as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two."
Let's face our difficulties "head on" and label them what they are - attempts from the adversary to detain us and to derail us from the will of God
God had been laying it on my heart for some time to try to reach out to our community in some new, exciting way. When I read an article by my parents' pastor with some fresh ideas for connecting with his congregation, I began asking God how I can do the same. Soon I was making plans to begin a periodic email to share my thoughts with you. And Snapshots form the Savior was born - at least as an idea!
So I began doing some of the detail work and was ready to launch with the first week of October. Then, through a series of confusing and somewhat inexplicable complications, we sat in the 21st century version of the dark for about a week with no internet/email connection at the church.
But isn't it funny how obstacles seem to jump up out of nowhere when God is leading us in a specific direction. Jesus told his disciples (and us) that we should prepare ourselves for opposition. After all people opposed Him, so why would they not oppose us (John 15:18). Instances like our "loss of connectivity" at the office don't necessarily fall into that kind of opposition. I mean there wasn't a person labeled as the enemy working to malign us - or was there. Isn't our battle against an adversary who prowls about waiting for the opportune time (1 Peter 5:8)? Isn't our battle against the spiritual forces, not just flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-20)? I think this little bump in the road is like a lot of bumps in a lot of our roads where we feel that the deck is stacked against our success. Remember, don't take it personally, for the world is not rejecting you and me, but they are voicing their desire to follow the enemy rather than the Savior.
I don't know about you, but that makes me want to work even harder to help the cause of my Savior and Lord. Won't you join me in this attitude of the second mile? Next time something seems to pop up as an obstacle in the path of following God, remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-41:
38"You have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him also have your coat as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two."
Let's face our difficulties "head on" and label them what they are - attempts from the adversary to detain us and to derail us from the will of God
Transitioning to the Blog
I am beginning to transfer the email version of Snapshots from the Savior to this Blog, so there will be several post that fall close in time. Then I should begin updating the blog with new information. That tortoise pace seems to be moving, a little.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)