THRIVING IN CHRIST

THE GOD YOU DON'T EXPECT

2012-01-22T21:53:00.001-05:00

Reading: 1 Peter 5:6

With my sabbatical now just seven days away, I don't have a lot of time to prepare a devotional. (In fact, it's been two weeks.) Let me share this great post from John Acuff and his blog STUFF CHRISTIANS LIKE. Those of you who know me are aware that I am mechanically and carpentry challenged. Those of you who heard yesterday's sermon from Philippians 4 on "Noble Thinking" will appreciate this elaboration.- Steve

The first year we were married, I decided to make a nightstand for my wife Jenny for Christmas.

Why?

Because I am stupid.

I’d never built anything in my life, but in my arrogance thought to myself, “How hard can it be?”
So I tore out a picture of a nightstand from the Pottery Barn catalog and went to Home Depot. Without any sort of plan, I walked the aisles picking up random items. “Jigsaw? Probably going to need that. Hand saw? Why not. Hammer and nails? Of course.” Then I bought a bunch of lumber.

Driving home I thought, “This is going to be too easy for me. I’ll probably finish too quickly. Why don’t I learn woodcarving too? I’ll get some carving tools and carve out a topiary into the front of the nightstand. How hard can it be?”

So I purchased some more tools and retreated into our basement in Arlington, Massachusetts.
Hours later I emerged with the world’s heaviest, nail-iest box. It weighed 14 pounds and had 27 crooked nails jutting out of it. My dad advised me to take the wood to a retired carpenter from our church. He was in his 70s and agreed to help me build the nightstand in his shop. In about 15 minutes, disgusted with my complete lack of skills, he asked me to leave the shop and said simply, “I’ll call you when this thing is done and you can come pick it up.”

If you ever come over to our house, you can see the nightstand, a shameful monument to my completely warped expectations of what I am capable of.

Expectations are a funny thing. The tighter we hold on to an expectation, the more it shapes the actual experience. When you think something is going to go a certain way, you tend to judge how it actually went by your preconceived expectations. They become your measuring stick, filter and scoring system. What is ultimately just an idea in your head can strongly impact the reality in your life.

And if I’m honest, I do that sometimes with God.

I caught myself doing that a lot this fall. Once my book Quitter released I felt a great sense of “What next?” There’s this weird feeling of emptiness that happens once a book is released. You write and write and run and run and then things go quiet. This project that consumed you is suddenly complete. And, in those moments, I started to wrestle with God about what he was calling me to.

The path forward didn’t have the clarity I would have liked. It was darker than I liked. It was murkier than I wanted it to be. As I’ve said before, I felt like everyone else had a plan for their life except for me.
This was frustrating, in part, because of one of my favorite verses. In 1 Peter 5:6 it says, “Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” I felt like I was doing that. I was humbling myself under God’s mighty hand. So why then did it feel like I wasn’t making any progress? Why did it feel so dark? Why did it feel so uncertain?

Because of my expectations.

I failed to realize that sometimes being “UNDER God’s mighty hand,” can feel a lot like being in a cave. That’s the reality of being under something. Have you ever been under a blanket? Or under a bed? You’re hidden. It’s quiet. It’s safe.

But it’s not what I expected. I didn’t want the David experience, where he retreated to a cave with his men and his God. I wanted the verse to say, “Humble yourselves, therefore on top of God’s mighty hand.” I had a secret expectation of what it means to be protected by God and it didn’t include the word “under.”

I also hadn’t expected the phrase, “due time.” I expected the verse to read “your time” or “Jon’s time.” Due time? What does that even mean? Can we get an ETA God? Can you set some expectations please?
But he doesn’t, not always, and not in the way we might want him to.

Right now, it might feel like you’re in a cave. You’re in the middle of a divorce you didn’t want from a person you don’t think you can live without. You’re staring down graduation, and your future is looming in a menacing way. You’re unemployed, and “due time” feels like “never.”

Don’t listen to the voice that tells you that you’ve failed if you find yourself in a cave. Sometimes, that’s exactly where God calls us when we find ourselves under his hand.

Why?

Because it’s safe and secure and maybe even quiet enough for you to hear him say, “I love you.”

GOALS

2012-01-11T23:39:00.000-05:00

Reading: Exodus 20:8

I am a list-maker. If it's important, I try putting it on some kind of list. It goes there so I can remember it, so I can plan for it ... and so I can cross it off when I complete it.

For some people those lists simply focus on "Dumb Stuff I Gotta Do". For others they are goal statements for the day. A list then defines the target that you are trying to hit for that day, For many of us, a list enables us to prioritize so that day's end we can rest comfortably in the knowledge that our efforts have born fruit,

Without goals we often live unreflective lives devoid of accountability and bereft of productivity. We simply get what we get - and that is rarely worth getting, especially when we see the things we missed as we squandered away our lives without a plan,

Healthy people, however, know that sometimes the goal is to do nothing, When we intentionally do nothing at defined times, we get the rest and reflection needed to keep our lives on mission with Jesus.

Such times are called Sabbath. Have you made a sabbath a goal for you lately? A new year is a perfect time to add this goal to the rhythm of your life.

TEXT FREE

2011-12-27T12:18:00.000-05:00

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I stopped at the Sideling Hill Rest Area Monday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. My ride up to that point had been somewhat difficult. First, I was tired and was stopping in part, just to close my eyes so that my drowziness would not create a fatality. Secondly, the Turnpike had been literally jammed with cars either racing home from Grandma's house or heading to another holiday event. Cars traveling at high speeds, filled with baggage, presents both wrapped and unwrapped, the precious cargo of children with Dads grasping a tall cup of Starbucks in one hand as they navigated the various lanes and lane changes.

That reality had already drained me of much energy. It had also added new meaning to the counsel, "Pray without ceasing."

On the door of the rest area building was a sign "This is a text free Turnpike." They, of course, were not referring to a school of preaching that infects too much of the church. They were reminding people of the great hazards involved in texting while driving.

Congress is trying to pass legislation to making texting and driving a crime. The civil libertarians and the social networking junkies are already crying "Foul!"

Don't get me wrong. I don't text (and frankly annoyed by the degree to which people plug out the world while they text). I do, however, use a cell phone, email, and Facebook to communicate regularly. I just avoid driving while I am doing.

What intrigues me is our desire to remain constantly connected with friends, family, work, and sometimes complete strangers and yet our relatively inconsistent and insignificant communications with God.

For the Bible does teach us that there is one connection that should be constant. Paul challenges to pray without ceasing, be constantly aware of your connection with God and consistently in communication - listening or speaking - as we go through the days of our lives. It's a communication that protects you in life instead of putting your life and the lives of others in peril.

And you can do it and still keep your thumbs on the wheel. (And please keep your eyes open if you are literally at the wheel.)

A little Christmas bonus:

WHAT GIFTS WILL YOU BRING?

2011-12-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

Reading: "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh" - Matthew 2:11

Christmas is often an adventure into the distant corners of our relationships. This is especially when it comes to finding a gift for one of the many persons that is probably on your list. This is sometimes an exercise with embarrassing possibilities because you often find that you do not know the person well enough to select more than a generic gift. As a grandparent, how often have you found yourself forgetting the age of a grandchild and then selecting a game that is an insult to their advancing years, (Yes 13 is not the same as three). Or discovering that you spend so little time in conversation with someone that you end up selecting a gift of which they already have several. Then there's the embarrassment/frustration that comes when they supply a wish list reveals that they have no clue how poor you are.

That's why stores now issue gift receipts. It is also why "re-gifting" has become an acceptable practice in our culture. It also may explain why that thank you from your grandchild living five states away seems to have been carefully coached by a parent trying to help you save face and hiding the basic ingratitude or disinterest the child feels towards the present.

Personally, some of the best gifts are those that have been created by the loving hands of the giver, who obviously had me in mind. And who knew what warmed my heart. Those gifts are rarely shiny, cost next to nothing, and are unappreciated by the others around you. But they are the most precious gifts of all because they say in undeniable ways -- you matter.

When God entered the world he brought a gift - the gift of a Savior. The wise men's gifts were gold for a king, incense for worship, and myrrh for burial. Appropriate gifts that reflected God's gifts.

This Christmas what gift will you bring to the manger?

MORE THAN A BAILOUT

2011-12-18T18:10:00.000-05:00

Reading: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:

The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Bailout has become a bit of a dirty word in our language. It implies charitable initiatives intended to help some get back on their feet or stimulus packages to turn under-achievers and failed performers into fruitful workers or industries. Our recent political and economic experience has generally resulted in failed expectations, some times out and out abuse of our generosity, and more often than not increased cynicism and even despair as we spiral deeper and deeper into economic and national chaos.

The problem with mere bailouts is that they assume by a timely addition of resources (like an infusion of capital) that essentially flawed industries can turn themselves around. They assume that the only flaw in those recipients is faulty judgment or bad breaks instead something embedded in the group's DNA.

The Fall has embedded something relentlessly destructive and deadly into humanity. It's called sin - and the wages (the returns) of sin is death. And death always collects its due. Although we are created in the image of God, sin corrupts our spiritual hard drive even more relentlessly and completely than the most insidious computer virus. Those of us who experienced such an infection know that at some point the only choice is to completely clean the hard drive or start over with a new hard drive.

When Christ came into the world it was not for a bailout or simple repair. It was for a transformation, an entirely new creation. Only when the image of God is re-embedded through his work of atonement and grace do we have any hope of breaking free from both the power and penalty of sin.

Thank God He provided us more than an incentive or more than a bailout.

THOU SHALT NOT PARK HERE

2011-12-05T21:33:00.001-05:00

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." - Luke 2.6-7

You know the story. We have revisited and rehearsed it many times. It is the staple of every children 's Christmas program. Some of us still decorate our lawns with a replica of the proceedings.

Mary and Joseph have arrived in Bethlehem and there is no room in the inn. The best the busy innkeeper has to offer is his stable, probably more a cave, inhabited by his cattle and probably some vermin.

This is the time of year when the "Keep Christ in Christmas" campaign begins to counter the "Happy Holidays" crowd. The political correctedness has become so complicated that I sometimes catch myself saying "have a nice holiday," before I remember that I am one of those who desires to keep Christ in Christmas.

Even with an angelic chorus and exuberant shepherds, there were some in Bethlehem that were unaware that the Savior of the World was occupying a free parking space in the crowded city of David. It was many months before Herod and his posse in Jerusalem learned from the Magi that God had become flesh and moved into the neighborhood.

And Herod definitely wanted to declare to the infant King, "do not park here!"

But let me ask you--is Jesus free to park in your neighborhood? I mean, do you treat him like an honored guest at Christmas and Easter and then hope he can take care of himself while you go to the beach, work overtime, sleep and play, and watch the Flyers and Steelers?

Of course he can take care of himself. That's not the point.

Jesus wants to do more than park in your driveway. He wants to dwell at very center of your being. He wants to have an unbreakable and inviolable lease on your heart,

If he does not, then stop being a hypocrite and go shop at Target.

THE DAY PEACE WAS DECLARED

2011-11-27T01:00:00.000-05:00

Today is the beginning of the season called Advent. Note, I did not say the Christmas season. Although much of our culture tends to blur the whole of late November and December into a single event called Christmas (unless they are calling it the "Happy Holiday"), the four weeks before Christmas are called Advent. Advent basically means "arrival" or "coming." It is a time to prepare for the event that we celebrate at Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. That day, more than two millennium ago, was the launch point for God's plan to end the war between sinful humanity and a righteous God. That event was the point where God declared the peace and would establish it forever thirty-three years ago with Jesus' work on the Cross.

Peace is one of the most elusive of dreams pursued by humanity. Presidents and potentates have pursued it by diplomacy, still others have tried to establish at the end of a sword. Periodically people began to preach to one another, "let's be at peace" (or in this day, they pay text or tweet). But all human efforts, no matter how well-meaning or passion, ultimately flounder on the rocks of human selfishness and sinfulness.

In John 14:27 we read this promise of Jesus.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

And Paul would later explain ""... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Ephesians 2:14)

It is that peace we prepare for in the season of Advent.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON THANKSGIVING

2011-11-26T00:23:00.000-05:00

We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity
of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. - Abraham Lincoln (from his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation)

SOMETHING TIME CANNOT CHANGE

2011-11-23T02:00:00.004-05:00

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."- Psalm 107:1

It's 32 days until Christmas. It's 2 days to the Black Friday shopping madness. It's 11 months and less than 2 weeks until the next Presidential Election. It's 4 months and about 2 weeks until the opening of Major League Baseball season. It's an estimated 26 days until my next grandchild will be born. It's 49 days until my father celebrates his 82nd birthday. It's 10 days until my son Michael's business Mikey's Burgers and Fries opens its second store in Brighton MI. It's about ten years until I can afford to retire. It's about 2 and a half years until my oldest granddaughter, Natalie, heads off to college.

We tend to organize our lives by deadlines and milestones. Depending on our age or our ambition we live in the past, in the moment, or in the future. Our lives revolve around that focus and become defined by points in time towards which we are moving. Some of us try to live in the past out of fear for the present.

Regardless of our orientation, one thing remains true. God, who is good, will be present in every time, in each eon, from now until eternity. And that presence means that we will be able to depend upon His love-His love which is timeless.

So today give thanks to the Lord. Affirm your confidence in His goodness. Live in His love forever.

THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE

2011-11-18T07:27:00.001-05:00

Philippians 1:3-6

Thanksgiving is now less than a week away. The news articles are beginning to focus on Thanksgiving travel. About 38.2 million people are expected to be on the road as the travel over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house. That will be about 90% of the traveling public. Another 9% will go by air.

Rising gas prices and a tight economy will exact a greater price for this annual American ritual. And in you travel through Vermont or New Hampshire or in the towns of Livonia MI and Orlando FL, a lead foot may make the cost more dear as they are the locations of the highest number of speed traps in our nation.

The headlines this week don't make Thanksgiving necessarily a pleasant gathering. The rise of debt collector abuse, the child abuse scandal at Penn State, the acrimony of the election campaign, the turmoil surrounding such things as Occupy Wall Street, cities in severe financial crisis are just a few of the things in my own area that disturb our peace and steal our joy.

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to the insanity of travel, the distance from loved ones, and turmoil of his world--a turmoil that sometimes affected him directly. Yet he wrote in so many letters something like he said to the Philippians:

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion in the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil.1:3-6)

This season, whether you travel or stay close to home, whether you live in a community in turmoil or are occupying Wall Street--take some time from the "moment" to remember what God has done in your life. Remember those experiences that remind you of God's provision and wisdom. Remember those persons who share your faith, your values, your love -- and thank God!

BREAKFAST DOES NOT EXIST

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

A few days ago you received a post with this same title. It had, however, only one sentence. Now if you clicked on it they would say this post does not exist. I took it down. It was accidentally published when I clicked a wrong button while writing a first draft. I actually did not discover the error until my Facebook Page informed that I had published a new post on LIFE MATTERS called "Breakfast."

Are you confused yet?

For the record, here is the opening line which WILL reappear when I finally publish that post: "My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. That's no secret to people who know me very well."

Not all that profound, but that's because I "spoke" (published) before I was ready.

How often have you spoken before you were ready. I sometimes refer to this as having "your mouth in motion before your mind is in gear." Very dangerous. In real life we cannot always "unpublish." It's out there. It's attached to you. People form opinions on what you have said and this is sometimes damning evidence that we spend a long time recovering from.

Jesus has some very disturbing words recorded in Matthew 12:36. "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

Ouch!

In an age of email, tweet, sound byte, talk shows, etc. a whole lot of things are said in the heat of the moment. Too much of it should not have been spoken. (I tell the kids, "Don't upchuck on Facebook" and we have developed an expression for such unhelpful "shares." It's called Facechucking.)

Are all of your words worth being spoken?

This devotional has been cross-posted on LIFE MATTERS

A NEW NAME

2011-10-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

Many years ago I performed the wedding ceremony for a young engineer/draftsman and his fiancee, the on-air personality for the local public radio station. They had met at the philharmonic. He was a percussionist. She was the lead singer with a beautiful, professionally trained voice and a following in the music world.

When it came time to plan the ceremony, I asked how they would be identified once they were “official.” He gave his last name. She gave a hyphenated version that retained her maiden name as part of her identity. They had obviously been carrying on this conversation for some time because he quickly explained that it was no problem for him, but that his “old school” father was having a problem that they would not follow the traditionally form of naming a new couple.

“I have built an identity and reputation both as a musician and a broadcaster tied to this name. My name is who I am. My name is tied to my ability to earn a living in both of these fields. Changing my name, or giving up my name means that I lose all that I have worked so hard for. Drop the hyphen within the church family, but publicly I must go by this hyphenated name.”

To be honest, I agreed with her. It made sense. It was reasonable. Her name was very much her identity.
A name is tied to our identity. It can be a reflection of who were are. My brother-in-law is named James Craig Gordon, a rather imposing name. He goes by “Sam.” Sam is less intimidating, more laid back and comfortable. My brother-in-law is really more a Sam than a James Craig. When he was married to Kathy, he answered the questions as “Sam” because that’s who he had become. It fits him well.

Sometimes a name change is necessary … because we are someone new. We need to make a break with the past. Our old name is tied to our old identity and we want persons to know we have changed.
Saul of Tarsus was an over-the-top Pharisee. He was a zealous; actually fanatical enemy of the church. His contempt and rage towards the blasphemous followers of the carpenter from Galilee made him someone to be feared.

But all that changed when Saul meant Jesus on the road to Damascus. Suddenly Saul realized that he was not zealous for God, he had become the enemy of God in his persecution of Christians. But now he surrendered his life to God. He took on a new identity as one zealous for Christ. He became the Apostle of Love instead of the Harbinger of Hate.

So Saul took on a new name. He became Paul. And he prayed people would forgive his past, and trust his leadership in the future. He wanted to become an agent of reconciliation not a disciple of destruction.
So he took on a new name. Saul became Paul.

A new name, however, means nothing if you are not truly a new person. Thanks to God’s grace and mercy, Saul now Paul, was a whole new creation. So Saul took on a new name. Saul became Paul.

YOUR MONEY IS NO GOOD HERE

2011-10-17T23:02:00.000-04:00

Reading: Isaiah 55:1

It's not happened often, but it is always a blessing. I have gone into a restaurant and ordered a meal. Then, having enjoyed the meal, I have reached for the check only to have someone snatch it away with these words:
"Your money is no good here."

You know what they means. You're about to get a free lunch. And since you've already eaten it, it's impossible to argue. You just need to have the good sense and good grace to accept the gift.

I confess that the first time it happened, I protested. Like many of you, I have this inbred pride that says I need to earn what I enjoy. And even more prideful, I am capable of earning it and prefer to.

Pride is the enemy of grace. We protest, "It's too good to be true." What we are really saying is, "I'm good enough. I don't need anyone's help let alone their charity."

Yet that's not the grace works. And God is all about grace, Even before Jesus visited the planet to become the ultimate agent of God's grace, the prophet Isaiah recorded God's declaration:

Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
-- Isaiah 55:1
Your money is no good here.

EXCEPT YOU BECOME LIKE A LITTLE CHILD

2011-09-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

Reading: Mark 10:15

I love it when children think theologically. It is so wonderfully concrete. They don't know they're thinking theologically. They are just analyzing life as they know with the truth as it has been taught to them. They try to explain (or have it explained) not to explain away. They could care less about the nuances of the Greek (it's all Greek to them) nor are they influence by any school of thought (they haven't yet been to school, or are still early in the experience.)

Adults have a way of complicating everything. They don't necessarily complicate by reflecting on the Greek and Hebrew. They complicate it by adding their experience to the interpretation. Yet so often in our fallen world, their experience isn't all that enlightening. Children are short on experience and in explaining the Truth of God, that may be an asset. They still believe God is worthy of our trust for "Jesus loves us, this we know, for the Bible tells us so." (And hopefully Mommy and Daddy have told them and the church has told them.)

Maybe that's the key to becoming the little child that is worthy of entrance into Kingdom. "The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself in love."(Galatians 5:6) A little child still believes the the promise - "Love never fails." They haven't let their experience in a fallen world rob them of their confidence in God's unfailing love.

"Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." - Mark 10:15

WHEN YOU ARE IN DEEP WATER

2011-09-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:9

Lately I have struggled to find the passion and focus to do the job I believe God has called me to do.

My calling is to reconcile people to God, to connect them to Christ's saving grace; to experience the transformed life that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I carry out this calling within the context of being the Lead Pastor of the Church of God of Landisville. That job carries the awesome responsibility of helping a church follow God's vision and to equip it for a future of faithfulness to God and fruitfulness for the kingdom. In that role, it is essential that I take the long view of the church's mission. It requires me to work proactively for the church's long-term effectiveness and not consuming all my time and energy and simply reacting to the latest crisis or making sure everyone is happy in the moment. The reality is that you cannot make anyone happy. Happiness is a choice. And people-pleasing is particularly warned against by God's Word. As a leader and pastor, I must make decisions that are in the best interest of the body even when individuals want to operate from a very personal place.

Much of the past several weeks has been consumed with putting out fires created by people who, either #1 don't take the long view and now are in a crisis that they want to make yours, #2 think their happiness is more important than the church's effectiveness, or #3 are generally miserable and prefer to be miserable by living on their own terms instead of finding peace and joy by living on God's terms. And then there are people who hate for there to be any problems and want me to make all of those other people's problems go away.

Pastors call this the dark side of ministry. And if you go there and dwell there long enough, your passion drains away, you simply operate by reacting to what happens next, and leave little time for what God told you was important but what men do not think is as important.

In these times, you know you are in over your head, and just start paddling just to stay afloat, let alone actually get somewhere. Being a pastor can be a lonely place at those times--for few people understand that struggle and a whole lot of people never know anyway and therefore don't provide the help needed. Although they are still disturbed by the people you haven't managed to fix.

It is a place of weakness for most pastors. But it is also a place where we must keep our focus. When you are in deep water you need to trust the One who walked on water. And this verse becomes the reality thayt ultimately reignites a pastor's passion and renew his focus.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9.

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

2011-08-19T19:42:00.000-04:00

Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly AZ

by Stephen L Dunn

Reading: Ecclesiastes 12:1

"We live in an ugly world," someone said to me the other. They were thinking of the moral decay that has come to define our western world. They were also reflecting on the abrasive, divisive, unbending nature of much of human discourse, particularly political conversation.

Indeed, humanity has made a mess of Planet Earth. Our sin has made turned human relationship and history into a continuing descent into depravity.

It would be easy for me to grow pessimistic, depressed, angry. All that would accomplish would be to make me a poor vessel for the love of God. A voice screaming doom and defeat in the wilderness. A person who pulls into a defensive huddle where my salt and light no longer preserved or brought light to a very troubled place.

In the midst of that. my eyes are often draw unto the hills - to the places where the wonder and beauty of creation reminds me of the providential and powerful hand of the Creator.

In 1901 an American pastor, Maltbie Babcock. penned these words that bear witness to this fact.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.
This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.
This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

Ausulkan Glacier, Canadian Rockies

Long ago Solomon wrote: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them"; - Ecclesiastes 12:1. Good counsel in troubled days. When you feel the world closing in on you, step put into Creation and see the hand of the Lord who is always at work.

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE

2011-08-10T10:04:00.000-04:00

This posting is a guest devotional from a good friend, Dale Miller. I am using it with his permission. Thanks, Dale, now I can get back to finishing the sermon for Sunday-Steve.

"Fulfill my joy by being like-minded . . . Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:2, 5

        A little boy strutting through the backyard, baseball cap in place, toting ball and bat, was overheard talking to himself, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world." Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it and missed. "Strike one!" Undaunted he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and said to himself, "I'm the greatest baseball hitter ever," and swung at the ball again. Again he missed. "Strike two!" He paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. Then a third time he threw the ball into the air. "I'm the greatest hitter who ever lived," he said. He swung the bat hard a third time. He cried out, "Wow! Strike three! What a pitcher! I'm the greatest pitcher in the world!"

        I like the kid's attitude. I'll bet he'll go far, no matter what he chooses to do in life. His spirit reminds me of something I read about Thomas Edison.  In December 1914, the great Edison Laboratories in West Orange, New Jersey, were almost destroyed by fire. In one night, Edison lost two million dollars' worth of equipment and the record of much of his life's work. Edison's son, Charles, ran frantically around trying to find his father. Finally he found him, standing near the fire, his face red in the glow, his white hair blown by the winter winds. "My heart ached for him," Charles Edison said. "He was no longer young, and everything was being destroyed. He spotted me. 'Where's your mother?' he shouted. 'Find her. Bring her here. She'll never see anything like this again as long as she lives.'"
        The next morning, walking among the charred embers of so many of his hopes and dreams, the sixty-seven-year-old Edison said, "There's great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew."

         With an attitude like that, no wonder Edison's name is still prominent eighty years later. The point Paul was making in Philippians 2 is that our attitudes are important, perhaps more important than our actions, because they're the foundation on which our actions are built.

        As he wrote to his friends at Philippi, the apostle Paul was in prison in Rome. Paul saw everything that happened to him through the lens of his service to Christ. Outwardly he was a prison of Caesar, but inwardly he considered himself a bond-slave to Jesus Christ. Paul's attitude was one of humble service to the Savior who rescued him from a life of selfishness and self-centeredness. It's no wonder Paul had an attitude of love toward everyone he met, even toward the Roman soldiers who guarded him day and night.

        Viktor E. Frankl, a prisoner held in a Nazi concentration camp wrote, "Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
        And there are always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offers you to opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determines whether you will or will not submit to the powers that threaten to rob you of your joy. So my friend, today I challenge you to choose a joyful attitude, to choose an attitude of love, even when others align themselves against you. Choose your attitude!

Determined to find joy in serving Jesus!
Pastor Dale

Pastor Dale Miller, Jr. is privileged to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Newburg First Church of God
"Where Christ is found, love is felt, and lives are changed!"
260 Newburg Road, Newburg, PA 17240

Mailing address: PO Box 160, Newburg, 17240
Email Address: Newburgfcog@centurylink.net

TOM AND THE MENSA SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

2011-08-04T03:48:00.002-04:00

This post originally appeared in another blog of mine called EASTER PEOPLE.

I once had a church with a very small senior high Sunday School Class. Small, but extraordinary. They came from two high schools, and the valedictorian of each school was in the class. One other was in the top five of their class. The other two in the top 5%. All were headed to college, basically on merit scholarships. One of them was under appointment to the US Naval Academy.

Their teacher was a single mom who was an R.N. A cancer survivor, she had been abandoned by her husband following her recovery for a trophy wife. She first worked as a pediatric ICU nurse and when that got to be too much, switched to geriatrics. A passionate and caring Christian, she was a superb life mentor but by her own admission, outmatched intellectually by her “Mensa Sunday School Class.”

Jan was the teacher’s name. She believed firmly that Christianity was not about knowledge but application. Love was not a concept. It was a lifestyle. So she urged her students to adopt a grandfather.

The grandfather was a man named Tom in a nursing home that our church provided ministry. He had been married but they had no children. He had outlived his wife and any family he had had. Tom was very much alone in the world. And he was quiet, sometimes crochety, not an easy man to like.

The kids were undeterred and regularly visited him after school, or sometimes during the Sunday School hour. They brought him out of his shell. He didn’t become a motor mouth, but he did begin to talk a little. They learned he liked chocolate milk shakes. So when they would visit, they would bring him a shake. The cool offering warmed him up.

Tom contracted an illness and after a while was hospitalized. The hospital was not as convenient as the nursing home, but the kids continue to visit him–sometimes one-on-one, often armed with a milk shake. As he grew sicker, he grew quieter. Yet Jan and her Mensa Sunday School Class moved beyond the awkwardness to walk through that valley with Tom.

Tom died. And the nursing home contacted me to do the funeral. “He has no family,” they said, “but he deserves a decent burial. His only religious contact is with these kids and you’re their pastor. Will you do his funeral?”

I agreed.

The funeral was actually held in the chapel of the mausoleum where his remains would be laid to rest. A cold room, decorated in somber colors, illuminated almost too subtly other than to suggest death. A couch was placed before Tom’s closed casket, and as his family, the kids crowded with Jan on this oversized piece of upholstered furniture.

As I entered the room, I saw the kids squeezed awkwardly onto that couch. Uncertain about what was happening or what they thought. At the back of the room was someone from the nursing home, standing next to the undertaker. A sad scene, inviting sadness.

But then God spoke to me, and this is what He prompted me to say. “Kids, you all know Tom had no family. No one in this world to love or to be loved by. And if you kids had not entered into his life there would only be three of us in this room right now–myself, the undertaker, and the lady from the nursing home. And we are paid to be here.

“But because you entered his life, you became his family. You are the people who brought love and happiness to his last days. You are the people that he still mattered to God and that someone cared whether he lived or died.

“Your love and attention for a lonely old man was the best gift he ever received, because you put God’s love into action.

“So on his behalf and in the name of God, thank you. Thank you for being God’s people and Tom’s family.”

As I reflect, I simply ask – is there someone lost and forgotten, abandoned or uncared for, who needs to encounter the love of God with flesh on? Are you that person?

Permissions: You have blanket permission to reproduce any original post by STEPHEN DUNN on this blog, as long as it is not altered in any way, is not part of a resource for sale, and proper attribution is made to the author. A link to this blog is appreciated. A copy of your use is appreciated as well. Send it to sdunnpastor@coglandisville.org

A SPIRIT OF SERVANTHOOD

2011-07-30T17:26:00.000-04:00

Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

Lynn Byers is a member of my congregation working as nurse in Haiti on short-term mission assignment. Last week she sent this Facebook message.

'This week I hit awall, a burn out wall at work. While the same problems & stresses are stillhere, I had an instance today which reminds me why I do love Haiti. Oneexample was today when we were walking on the unpaved roads when it wasraining, our feet got drenched in the mud. We were walking around with mud allover our legs (which of course the Haitians thought was hilarious)

I knew we couldn't enter into the store like that, so weasked a young Haitian male where we could find water to clean our feet. He ranand bought some water for us. Then he bent down while it was still raining inthe middle of the street and cleaned our shoes & feet. An older man cameover and gave us more water and made sure the young man cleaned our shoes &feet well. then dried our feet off with a washcloth he had. Neither wouldaccept money (and they were not being creepers either, just very giving). WhileI might feel taken advantage of sometimes, the Haitians are very giving andserving people in general."

I wonder how many of us would have reacted to this situation as this young Haitian male. Or would we have simply passed by on the other side? Was is the recognition of his own neediness that made him alert to the need of another? Was it the realization that he had something to offer to help if he was willing to take a risk?

Most of us are secretive about our own neediness and embarrassed (or perhaps, annoyed) by the neediness of others. Thus, we want to help ourselves without the help of others lest someone else recognize our neediness and be embarrassed or annoyed by it. And when it comes to the neediness of others, we'd prefer to be beyond its reach and impact.

Jesus has reminded us to be aware of others needs and to respond to them. Servanthood is at the heart of Christlikeness. Servanthood is at the heart of our loving Christ.

"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

2011-07-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Reading: Philemon 1:7

We had spent a long, intense week on the Rez conductingBible School for our sister Navajo congregation at Tsaile AZ. It was at times both challenging andexhilarating. It stretched as individualand drew us together as a team. Thefirst two days we wondered if most of the kids were even paying attention. The third day we saw our first young personask Jesus into their heart. There were to be seven more the next day. It had rained often and made a muddy mess ofour afternoons and evenings. The dorms were too cold for some and too hot forothers.

But now it was the last minutes of the closing for ourVBS. I was going to share some partingwords and then we would serve the kids before sending them home, and thengetting ourselves loaded into vans heading for Albuquerque where we would catcha flight home to Pennsylvania. We hadasked the children to pray for the meal and only yesterday had the first child(about ten years old) done so. And sheneeded a lot of prompting to overcome her sudden stage fright.

Maria brought little six-year old Shane, a sweet littleNavajo girl dressed in a pink top. Shane had volunteered to pray. She took the microphone began – quietly, abit more focused. She thanked God for the week, for what we had learned, forGod himself, and for the meal. And thenshe added, “And watch over Steve and his team as they travel back to theirhomes. Make them safe. Amen.”

I lost it. I gave hera squeeze and sent her off to eat. ThenI turned away towards the altar with tears flowing from my eyes. When I turned back I saw almost a dozen of myteam members wiping their eyes as well. We had been blessed by the thoughtful, insightful prayer of a littlegirl mature beyond her years. If we hadstill wondered why we made the journey, all questions were at an end.

In the earliest days of the church, Paul wrote to a man named Philemon and he paid Philemon the ultimate compliment. These those words: "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." (Philemon 1:7)

ASSUMPTIONS

2011-07-13T22:56:00.004-04:00

Reading: I Samuel 16:7

Lastweekend as we readied to leave for the Navajo Reservation, our VBS Teamreceived word that we had no linens at the college where were staying. This was just a few hours before departure,so Dianne and I rounded up all the towels we could locate, washed them, andpacked them in a large suitcase. Since we knew that people’s luggage wasalready packed and probably tightly, we planned on checking that extra bag andtaking it with us on the plane. Fortunately, others brought towels and we packed all we needed into thesuitcases. We were able to avoid paying another baggage charge. But since the bus was arriving, we stuck thesuitcase in a classroom.

Enroute Dianne received a cell phone call from a well-meaning GoodSamaritan. “Pastor Steve left hisluggage. What do we need to do?” Di reassured her that we didn’t need it. Then later on Sunday, Maria was talking tosomeone at home who said it had been announced in church that “Pastor Steveleft his clothes in Landisville.” Sheassured them that I had not. I was not walking around naked or anything.

Icalled Pastor Barry the next morning and indicated that was a piece of misinformation. He said, “Oh! I guess nobody looked inside the bag. They just assumed.” (Of course, theyassumed and then repeated their assumption.) I said, “Well you know what they say about people who makeassumptions. They make ---- out ofthemselves.” (I let him fill in the blanks.) We had a good laugh.

Ilearned early in ministry that assumptions can be very dangerous, even hurtful—especiallythe assumptions people make about other people. We see someone who looks differently from us. They sport a nose ring orear ring and we would never pierce anything. They are old and wear a frown and we are young and bubbly. They have long hair or it’s a pony tail andour hair management is impeccable (or very retro). They are Catholic and we are Protestant. Their kids seem out of control and when wewere parents we kept ours on a leash.

Theworst part about assumptions is that they deal only with the surface. Or theyreflect a pre-judgment about their values that seems to give us permission todevalue them in some way. Or they createan excuse for us to stand at a distance and inspect them instead or engagingthem and learning the truth.

TheWord says two things that should convict those of us who make assumptions ofthe basic sinfulness of our behavior.

Then Peter began tospeak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.” –Acts 10:34

But the LORD said toSamuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejectedhim. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at theoutward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." – I Samuel 16:7

Peoplewho make assumptions usually make ----- out of themselves. They rarely do thework of the Lord.

BRONCHITIS

2011-07-06T09:06:00.000-04:00

Reading: Psalm 103:13-18

“Bronchitis”

For the past several weeks I have beenwrestling with bronchitis. At first Isimply thought it was allergies (Pennsylvania is not a good place for peoplewith allergies) and treated this with over the counter remedies. When that did not succeed, I went to myphysician and received the true diagnosis along with the properantibiotics. He promised noticeableresults in three days, admonishing me to return if those results did not developon schedule.

The meds appear to be working. I am now no longer coughing incessantly,which has vastly improved my ability to sleep and begun to restore my energylevel. The coughing needed to stop. It’stough to preach or teach or counsel when you launch into a five-minute coughingfit at a teachable moment. Plus peoplebecome more concerned about “catching something” than hearing the Spiritthrough you. The energy level needed toimprove because I don’t get a lot accomplished working 3-4 hour days.

My energy level is not returning asquickly as I desired, which I am told is to be expected given the nature ofbronchitis and my age. Nonetheless, itis frustrating because in ministry you cannot always say, “Say two prayers andcall me in a week for an appointment.” Even ten days later, I’m still in lower gear. And just when I thought I was at 90%, twoSunday morning sermons pretty much wore me out. I am scheduled to lead a mission trip beginning Saturday. I have already designated someone to fill myrole on the field if my energy level remains low. At the “nagging” of some prayer partners,I’ve cancelled an evening class or two this week to be sure I stop in the daywhen my body says, “STOP!”

I am not a particularly good patient becauseI fret over what I’m not doing when I am forced to the sidelines and because Itell myself I am better even before I am. And at age 60, I wrestle a bit more with my mortality and limits thathave to be adjusted since I am not 45 anymore. And although I know I am not indispensable, I tend to act is if Iam. It’s an occupational hazard of morethan one leader or clergy type.

Yet God is the first to remind us of ourmortality. " ... for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more."

If we recognized our mortality, we wouldall be better stewards of the bodies and the lives the Lord has given us. Wewould also accept the seasons of life that are part of God’s plan and live inkeeping with that season instead of acting like we can sprint from birth to thegrave.

And if we recognized our mortality, wewould not treat our eternity so casually. We would understand that we don’t have forever to turn our lives over toGod. We would recognize that we need toredeem the days of this life instead of putting off to tomorrow what God intendsto be done today. Eternity has atroubling way of arriving sooner than we anticipate and that tomorrow sometimesis not available to us to get things right with God.

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HUMPTY DUMPTY DEPOT

2011-06-17T03:58:00.000-04:00

Reading: Matthew 18:3

"Jake asked today if we were going to Humpty Dumpty Depot. Henceforth, Home Depot is officially re-christened and shall be so-named." - Message from my daughter Christi on FACEBOOK

I love Jake. It's not that he's my first grandson (well, that, too) but he has a way of defining his world in personally meaningful ways. And once he defines it,he moves quite comfortably through his daily existence.

Jake also has a way of drawing others into his definitions that give them a fresh perspective on their lives (or at least a very good chuckle). The aftermath of such Jake definitions (or pronouncements) often lead a fresh round of reflection on our previously held assumptions and some of us have even been known to embrace Jake's new way of looking at things.

Apologetics is the art of explaining or defending the faith - answering questions people have about our faith with a new clarity. Ravi Zacharias has said that apologetic is not about "getting people to agree with you, but simply to open their minds" so that they might honestly consider them claims of Jesus Christ.

Not everyone in Jake and Christi's circle have renamed Home Depot "Humpty Dumpty Depot;" but I suspect quite a few have thought of the implications of there actually being such an enterprise - and those thoughts have taken them in some new directions regarding home improvement supplies.

For many people - accepting a faith or defending a faith - is limited by our complicated assumptions about life that never seem to get down to the simplicity of what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That really was what Jesus was saying to his disciples when he declared, "Except you become like a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3

Perhaps we need to learn a lesson from Jake.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

2011-06-06T13:56:00.000-04:00

"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.": - Hosea 11:8

I've spent a lot of time on the road lately ... traveling interstates during holiday weekends ... navigating narrow, congested city streets during rush hour. My wife would prefer not to ride with me because I have a tendency to grow impassioned about the "inconsiderateness" of other drivers. I mean, I think a car is a car, not a phone booth. When the light turns green, you ought to step on the accelerator--sooner than later. You should know where you're going instead of slowing down to read every street sign you pass. And more than one car ought to be able to make it through a traffic light.

Since she has to ride with me, Dianne has taken to shaming me. "Did you ever think of what's going on in that driver's life at the moment?" Or she tries to encourage reason, "Frustration doesn't get you there any sooner."

Dianne has only been moderately successful in defanging my fierce anger.

Unfortunately when you someone wrongs us -- not only do we feel angry, but the more we dwell on it, the angrier we get. And let the offender repeat, we might simply explode as that anger grows more and more fierce.

This passage always fascinates me. People like to the characterize the God of the Old Testament as an angry God.; but as I read the text--his fierce compassion cries out and grips him. His love is so great that even when he sees us rebelling against him, it is the desire of his heart to show mercy.

Because he is God, not man--the Holy One in our midst. Maybe we would be able to manage our anger better if we were more like the Holy One in our midst.

LIVING UNDER DARK SKIES

2011-05-28T06:30:00.001-04:00


Kansas City, May 24, 2011 photo by Pastor Derrick

"You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day" - Psalm 95:1

Tornadoes! Wild, violent weather! Destruction of homes, entire communities. A death toll now over 100. This has been the reality of the USA in just the past 7-8 days.   Last Thursday many of us were glued to WGAL as it preempted prime time news and early evening TV to show us the ominous red lines marching across the screen bearing down on communities, threatening with more tornadoes or straight line winds sure to do serious, life-threatening damage. That night a wave of storms left Carlisle reeling and large parts of the Susquehanna Valley without power. No losses of life, but serious disruption of lives.

The next day, Dianne and I headed out for a Memorial Day Vacation trip down I-81 into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The weather forecast was for more severe thunderstorms, some of them with tornadic potential. We were traveling between 4:30-9:00 pm, prime time for such threats. Trust me I watched for dark skies and threatening clouds. Near Chambersburg the emergency warning system captured my radio station broadcasting a tornado warning. One had been on the ground and was headed (and they recounted the path). Fortunately it was to the north and west of me by a number of miles but I saw the edge of the storm with its malevolent dark clouds and pushed my accelerator a little harder to distance myself even more.

Normally I tend to be detached from threats. Each day our media pronounces still another threat from our food, the internet, a weather front, Islamic terrorists, a nuclear disaster half a world away. But the dark skies brought this threat quite close to home. Exposed as I was on the highway (far from my basement), I found myself a little more alert to danger, praying a little more fervently and frequently. And that's probably as it should be.

Alertness and fear are two different things. David writes: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23.4). I might paraphrase, "There is no dark sky that you must live under that is greater than God;s protection."

But more explicitly, awareness of the threats, alert to their danger, does not mean we need stop living or go into hiding. David also wrote: "You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day ..." (Psalm 95:1). Here he referred to those who must live in the battle zone, under the dark skies of this life's spiritual warfare and its physical counterparts. The God who makes us alert to the threats, also gives us the protection and the power to live - and thrive - and serve Him to the fullest. That means we can keep on traveling down the road of his kingdom service, even when we must travel under dark skies.

TOO BUSY

2011-05-11T01:59:00.001-04:00

Reading: Luke 10:38-42

"Most of us are far too busy for our own spiritual good." - Bill Hybels, Too Busy Not To Pray

Lately I have noted that there are a lot of tired people. You can tell the signs ... glazed looks, irritability, negative attitudes; and, of course, the most tell-tale sign of all -- people nodding off any time they stop moving. I understand the feeling. There have been times when I had to put a car in park at a stop light because I might nod off and roll into oncoming traffic. I once fell asleep when in conference with a staff member and I was talking.

Now that's tired.

Tiredness is often the result of busyness, especially extreme busyness. People who have too much on their plate and who are rushing to keep up usually wear out before they get everything finished.

This not only hazardous to our physical health, but is hazardous to our spiritual health, as well. People mistakenly think that busyness is the new spirituality. They engage in religious activity after religious activity but never slow down long enough to be still and know God. (In fact, they are more likely to simply fall asleep in the pew and miss any message from the Lord.)

Martha of Bethany had that problem. She opened her home to Jesus. She created a place and a connection where people could hear the good news of the Kingdom of God. But she was too busy being hostess to a religious teacher than to hear the message that teacher was bringing to everyone--including Martha.

"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”- Luke 10:38-42 ESV

We need to be careful that we are not too busy in the work of the Lord that we don't take to actually be with the Lord.

MUTUAL SUBMISSION

2011-05-03T20:47:00.001-04:00

Text: Ephesians 5:21

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

     It was late in the afternoon. I had stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the church to pick up some items Dianne needed to prepare dinner for our family. In line in front of me was a mother, well-dressed, probably a professional of some sort. With her were two children, each with something electronic in their hands. Each looking the image of bored affluence.

     It was still early enough that a retired man was bagging groceries. It was late enough in his shift, however, that he was obviously tired; but still trying to conscientiously do his work. Mom observed his condition and so she said to her children, “Help the man with the groceries.”

     The girl just rolled her eyes in noncompliance and the boy responded, “That’s his job” and went back to his video game.

     Mom paused a moment and then said to the bagger, “Step away, sir. My kids will finish bagging those groceries.” I wanted to cheer this mother’s actions out loud. She knew pampered arrogance when she saw it and she was not going to let it take any deeper root in her kids.

     On the essential doctrines of the New Testament in found in Ephesians 5:21. It is called mutual submission. It is found at a pivot point between teaching Jews and Gentiles to work together in the kingdom of God and specific instructions about dealing with our relationships in Christ-like ways. Unity does not come from agreeing to be agreeable or committing to working together for a common goal. The unity Paul describes goes much, much deeper.

     In some translations submission is translated serve. The lesson is clear, the heart of God is a servant’s heart. And the motivation and measure for mutual submission is a direct outgrowth not from being agreeable or cooperative, but out of reverence for Christ. Mutual submission is a direct outgrowth of the work of Christ found in Philippians 2.1-11. “If we have any encouragement in Christ,” i.e., if what Christ has done for you makes any difference in your life “each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (verse 4). Our attitude should mirror that of Christ, “who being in the very nature God … made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant …” (verse 6).

     Our sense of entitlement, to deserving service and feeling exempt from serving is a foundation for sin in human relationships. The corrective? “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

JUSTICE IS NO SMALL MATTER

2011-05-01T20:41:00.000-04:00

“For the Lord is righteous,
he loves justice,
upright men will see his face.”
- Psalm 11:7

The Hebrew people believed the face of God was so holy, that sinful men could not look upon his face and live. It was is why Moses hid his eyes when he knew God was going to pass by. God gave himself a human face when he and two other strangers sat in Abraham’s tent to announce that Sarah would conceive in her old age.

Quite correctly we make much of God’s love. It is that part of his character upon which we depend for his grace. But we should not forget that the Lord is justice, as well. It is part of his nature that is not some conflicting impulse. It is the natural complement of love. For love does not tolerate the injustice that victimizes and oppresses others. He hates what injustice does to the unjust person, as well. He may let injustice go unpunished for a time, but he does not ignore it or declare “no big deal, I’ll let this one pass.”

That is why God loves those who are honorable, people of integrity. He loves people who do what is right and justice, no matter the personal cost. Our just-ness is an expression of his holiness at work in and through us. Those of us who live lives of holiness, lives that embody love and justice need not fear seeing the face of God.

And upright men will see his face.

ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED ....

2011-04-21T09:12:00.000-04:00

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” - 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

"On the night he was betrayed ..."

What horrible, haunting words. With these words the Apostle Paul begins his words of instruction to the Corinthians regarding the practice of the Lord's Supper. The section contains a powerful statement of purpose and promise for all believers.

Nonetheless, it is introduced by those six troubling, accusatory words.

Paul was referring to Judas' betrayal of Jesus but we would be spiritually remiss if we think that's all the text suggests. For Judas was Jesus' first betrayer. He was not and is not the last. On this Maundy Thursday I find myself drawn to those words. I ask myself, "Am I one who betrays him?" Not that I sold him to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver. But are there not other ways I betray him by callously or lightly ignoring what He has done for me and the price He paid for my sin?

Do I not betray him ....
   When I operate from selfish pride instead of sacrificial humility?
   When I use my faith to satisfy my own needs and ignore the lostness of my neighbor?
   When I hold onto my anger and withhold my forgiveness?
   When I grow silent about my faith when others speak openly and scornfully?
   When I try to blend into the world and its values instead of risking it for the sake of the world?
   When I think that going to church or even belonging to one is the same as authentic discipleship?
   When I excuse persistent sin instead of confessing and surrendering to His transforming power?
   When I pursue 30 pieces of silver rather than giving all for Jesus?

As you come to the table of the Lord tonight, ask yourself, "Do I still betray him?"

MATURITY

2011-04-13T13:16:00.001-04:00

Reading: Psalm 71:14-19

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

I am now sixty years old but I still refuse to join AARP. I can get just as good a discount deal from AAA and I don't need more life insurance. Everything below my shoulders has the look and shape of a man my age, but my heart and spirit will subtract a decade or more. My golf game is so bad that I'll never be able to shoot my age, but I can still yank a ball up the left field line for a hit (I just can't get past second base).

Lately I have been spending a lot of time with our student ministries as we transition to a new youth director. I have been serving both as a teacher, spiritual counselor, and male influence especially for some of the young men who are part of this congregation. They have graciously accepted me into their company and confidence, even Facebooking me. They acted incredulous went it was announced I had hit the big Six O. That was a tremendous ego boost.

Bur I am also conscious that my remaining years of ministry are numbered. They've always been numbered, I am just now more conscious of the fact. Financially, I plan to work another 10 years before "retiring." But that's not where I am coming from.

God has already blessed me with 40 years of ministry. They have been fruitful years and they have been a purpose-driven life that I would trade for nothing. I have been blessed to see God at work in powerful ways and I have been privileged to help facilitate transformed lives. There are many people who are now fruitful servants of God experiencing life to the full as promised in John 10:10 because of the work God has given me and empowered me to do.

Yet I am intensely aware that there are still too many people for whom God is out of sight, out of mind; who maybe have a religion but not an authentic relationship with the Living God. I am aware that there are still generations who have not been reconciled to God, a reality that has eternal significance. And that continues to be my purpose. That's why I resonate with these words of David's; spoken in the years of his maturity.

¹⁴ As for me, I will always have hope;
   I will praise you more and more.
¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
   of your saving acts all day long—
   though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
   I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD?

2011-04-06T08:28:00.000-04:00

"So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”" - Genesis 22:14

"The Lord tested Abraham." These words at the beginning of chapter 22 begin a powerful and sometimes troubling story of Abraham and his son Isaac and the possibility that Abraham would sacrifice his son to satisfy the Lord, Most of us know, however, that this was a test of Abraham's obedience. God had magnificent plans for Abraham, whose personal story would provide a key chapter in God's Story of the salvation of sinful humankind, And Abraham, who was willing to pay an extreme price to be obedient, demonstrated that he indeed feared the Lord, He learned that the willingness to make sacrifices is the key element to experiencing the fullness of God's promise.

But also Abraham learned that God would never call him to make a sacrifice that would bring harm to those entrusted into his care. And Abraham learned that ultimately God provides what is needed for the sacrifices that He calls us to make. Out of this came the conviction that "on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

We think of mountain as mountain top. So for many of us, we must find a mountain experience in order to be energized or re-energized in our commitment to the Lord. But here mountain is referring to the place that is set apart to come close to God, the place where we have separated ourselves from the demands and desires of this world, to meet God and encounter His powerful presence.

So many times, in the press of life, we default to our own provision for faithfulness and fruitfulness. In grasping at our own straws we actually distance ourselves from the sense of His presence and the dependence on His provision.

During our Lenten Journey, let us take all that we are, affirming all that we need, claiming all that we believe -- and go to the mountain of the Lord. And as we arrive, we will discover an incredible, life-transforming truth ,,, on the mountain of the Lord, He will provide.

CROSS PURPOSES

2011-04-05T12:52:00.001-04:00

Reading: Luke 9.23

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Children are clever and sometimes, more than a little determined. When my children were young upon my arrival at home I would often be greeted with a request, "Dad, can I do this or that?" I learned very quickly not the launch into an immediate consideration of the merits of their request, but to ask a question of my own.

"What did your mother say?"

Invariably, she had said something. A something with which they did not agree. They were coming to me to see if they could get a more favorable verdict.

I have learned that kids love to practice "divide and conquer" and a parent who is not alert to their little machinations can soon find themselves at cross purposes with their partner.The result is usually to the detriment of those they are trying to parent, especially if the cross purposes make Mom and Dad cross with one another.

At one point the Pharisees accused Jesus of being "of the devil." They didn't like his authority. They didn't like his agenda. They didn't like his vision of the Kingdom which threatened their vision of the kingdom. Jesus responded to them, "A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." He was the One and Only Begotten of the Father. Satan would never give Jesus any occasion for glory, no support in his efforts. To do so would to insure his failure.

A more important question for us during Lent is "are we at cross purposes with God?" Christ came into the world and went to the cross to reconcile us to God. The intent was so that now we could live according to His purpose, to be the servants of the Good News.

Are you living with the purpose of the cross or at cross purposes with the cross?

GUEST POST FROM NICK STEPHENS

2011-03-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

"Letting go"

This guest post is from a friend, Nick Francis Stephens, a good friend and chief cultural architect of a new kind of church called Mosaic Lancaster.

I was walking through a local park the other day enjoying the preseason temperature highs and I peered up into the still barren trees. I swear, if they could utter a sound, it was as if you could hear them longing to be fully clothed again. Just then I spotted one tree specifically.

It stuck out not because it was bear but rather because it was scarcely dressed, only it wasn’t new foliage covering the naked limbs it was the leaves of the autumn passed.

I find it interesting that during the shifting winds of autumn none of us find it odd to watch the leaves drop. We recognize that it isn't unordinary as the upcoming winter approaches, yet during the spring months you have to agree, it's quite inappropriate.

I wonder how many of us find ourselves unable to embrace a new season, desperately clinging on to things of our past. Perhaps we are clinging because of fear, or past hurt, just unable to let go. Even though we find ourselves paralyzed, embarrassed by our naked souls, we exert more energy trying to hold on to that which will never cover us or bring back our full glory.

Yet still others of us are actually held in the same dilemma out of the good things in our past. We live day after day trying to re-create old memories, yet with an outcome that only leaves us more and more empty.

Afraid that we will never find wholeness again, we refuse to adventure into a new season with an anticipation of wholeness and regeneration.

Don’t be afraid of a new season. We all have to face winters in our life but if we are not willing to let the seasons pass, we are destined to live cold empty lives. I know that you will be pleasantly encouraged to know a new season of life, joy and faith awaits you. It’s ok to let go. It’s really the only thing that we can do if we dare to live and love again.

ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GRACE?

2011-03-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

"You are salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world ..." - Matthew 5:12-16

Just in case you’re not on FACEBOOK I am sharing some new photos from Lynn Byers, our missionary in Haiti. Lynn is serving as a charge nurse in Adventiste Hospital in Port-au-Prince. She is living indeed as an authentic disciple on mission for Jesus. We pray regularly for this daughter of the church.
Many people admire Lynn, as well they should. We live in a constantly changing, difficult world. It is hard and harsh and unforgiving. It is no friend of grace. Yet we who live by grace know that we need to be the friends of grace to hurting people all around us.
Have you spent time this Lenten season reflecting on your calling from God? Last week at BURN we challenged the students to be salt and light. Salt is no good if it stays in the salt shaker. You have to engage. Light is at its best not in a room blazing with light but in a room where darkness predominates. Even a small light will pierce the darkness.
Haddon Robinson once wrote an excellent book on the Sermon on the Mount called The Christian Salt and Light Company. From his reflections we see that being salt and light is a lifestyle that is intentional, strategic, and committed. Lynn has chosen just such a lifestyle. Intentional she had worked to from a heart filled with compassion. Strategically she has followed God’s prompting into a place of great darkness. Her commitment has led her to set aside a solid, well-paying job at a hospital stateside, living in the tenuous and sometimes frustrating world of a third world hospital out post. She speaks of it matter-of-factly and with passion. And you can see the joy in her eyes.
So again, my challenge to each of us. Understanding that your call to take up your cross and follow Jesus may not take you out of the country. It may not place you in a place of poverty-compelled simplicity. But if you are committed to intentionally following God’s leading, your work for Him will be strategic. It will be the place where someone’s deep need and God’s powerful transformation intersect and you will be the agent of eternal life change.

Don’t you deep down desire to be that friend of grace that you have experienced God’s grace to be?

TESTING

2011-03-17T11:54:00.000-04:00

Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:5-7

I have spent a whole lot of my 60 years going to school. 12 years for elementary through high school. Four years of college. Three years of seminary. Another almost 7 working on my Doctor of Ministry. That doesn't even count continuing education.

In the formal educational process students are constantly being evaluated. What are your learning? Is it right things about the truly important things? How much have you learned? Have you really learned so it has become a part of you?

Generally that evaluation took the form of either tests or papers. I'll let you on a little secret. When given the choice, I always chose papers. Even when I was working from a tightly prescribed set of questions, I found that papers (although longer to complete than a test to take) were better learning experiences and better measures of whether I understood something. Tests often were merely proof of the current state of my memory. And the pressure for tests we generally unpleasant.

To this day when I teach I lean towards papers rather than tests for my students.

People don't like tests, but tests are a necessary part of life - and ironically, of our spiritual life. Paul writes to the Corinthians:

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed."

Lent is a time of self-testing. Of examining our lives up against the call and the Cross of Jesus Christ. When we accepted his gift of salvation, we also committed to living the transformed life he makes possible.

Living in faith is the bottom line of new life in Christ. Take some time and examine yourself. Can people see Jesus in me?

LIFT HIGH THE CROSS - MEDIATIONS FOR LENT 2011

2011-03-08T05:28:00.001-05:00

The season of Lent begins tomorrow with the observance of Ash Wednesday. Since the fourth century Christians have used the 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays) to fast and pray, read God's Word and reflect, examine their lives in light of the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Self-examination and confession ... repentance and renewal ... rededication to live as Christ's authentic disciples ... lives worthy of the price of the Cross.

This Lenten season I will be sharing periodic devotions on the theme LIFT HIGH THE CROSS. Let us lift high the Cross - the historic reality of Christ's actual death for our sins and let His resurrection Spirit teach us what we need to know about ourselves.

Lift High The Cross Hymn

Refrain

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,

Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign,

The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

Refrain

Each newborn servant of the Crucified

Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.

Refrain

O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,

As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.

Refrain

So shall our song of triumph ever be:

Praise to the Crucified for victory.

Refrain

THE HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US

2011-03-06T18:11:00.000-05:00

Reading: 1 Peter 1:3,13

Phillies fans are ecstatic, at least the one fan in my Early Morning Bible Study. Cliff Lee is back in Philadelphia. The Yankee fans are bummed, including the two in my Bible study. The other two uncommitted were nonplussed. I am a Tigers fan who had no expectation of landing Lee. I am just grateful that he is no longer with the Rangers. We'll have to get to World Series to need to worry about Cliff Lee's ridiculously low ERA. (Side note: The Tigers did rough him up for 2 runs in yesterday's spring training contest.)

It is amazing how in the sports world a single player can be identified with tremendous hope. Persons who want to see victory or World Series rings or Super Bowl trophies or World Cups need hope in order to function. Unfortunately it doesn't always turn out that way. (Think Donovan McNabb and Washington Redskins or Brett Farve and New York Jets).

Sports fans(atics) are not the only people who require hope to function. Consider these quotes:

~ To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. ~Mother Theresa

~ Beware how you take away hope from any human being. ~Oliver Wendall Holmes

~ He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses faith, loses all. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

~ Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up. ~ Annie Lamont

~ Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, sickness and captivity would, without this comfort, be insupportable. ~Samuel Johnson

~ To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death. ~Pearl S. Buck

The Christian faith is all about hope. From its roots in the Old Testament come these words: "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” - Lamentations 3:19-24

From the New Testament these: "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead .. Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:3,13

A Christian lives in hope. Not because they want to win but because their lives have been transformed. A Christian believes that despite any short-coming, past failures, ever present sin - that their lives can be new, holy and whole, and eternal because Jesus Christ came into the world and delivered them from sin's penalties and powers by His death on the Cross. And that hope is firmly embedded when he walked out of the Tomb.

This is not a motivation idea for a Christian. It is a reality rooted in an actual historic event. And it is a hope that is further confirmed when we see Christ at the end of this life and this world. Long before Christ, a prophet named Isaiah declared: "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31

Genuine Christians are people who possess a living hope in their relationship with Christ and whose lives are shaped by that hope to bring hope to others.

(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn

This originally appeared as a post on LIFE MATTERS. March 2, 2011

ULTIMATELY, FAITH WORKS

2011-03-02T03:04:00.001-05:00

ULTIMATELY, FAITH … WORKS

Reading: James 2:18

Two kinds of Christians undermine the witness of the Body of Christ. The first are people who believe that faith is defined by believing in a set of doctrinal propositions and focusing on that belief as their “ticket to heaven.” A right set of beliefs is more important than actions that reflect those beliefs.

The second is the group of Christians who still embrace the world’s evaluative standard of “what’s in it for me?” They are often looking for a method or program that will make them happy. And they want to find such a solution that costs them as little as possible.

“Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” – James 2:18, New Living Translation

Ultimately faith works. By that I don’t mean faith is simply effective for coping with living. I mean faith, if it is true faith, works.

The world is concerned with tangible benefits. But tangible almost always has to do with material things. A place in my Father’s House in the future is a tangible thing, and rightly so. But if it makes me so heavenly minded that I stop worrying about those who are poor and oppressed on this planet, or those whose lives are a shambles on this side of eternity, then I have lost the true meaning of Jesus’ words, “I am my Father are one.”

If all faith is to me is a means to make life easier on this planet, then I will be loath to put those tangible benefits at risk to share my faith or to lay down my life for a friend. I will never choose the way of sacrificial servanthood.

Ultimately faith works. It takes what it believes and daily applies it to the utmost to do what Jesus came to earth to do and commissioned us to do until he returns. Truth faith is neither a set of beliefs or a set of tools. True faith is a lifestyle that reflects what Jesus would have us to do.

This was originally posted on one of my other blogs EYES WIDE OPEN on February 10, 2011

RISING PRICES

2011-03-01T19:42:00.000-05:00


Photo from Laura Beth Meier

Reading: Luke 12:27-31

I almost filled the tank of Dianne's Saturn. She has been driving very infrequently. The price, which had been rising for several weeks was $3.29 per gallon. Thursday is the day prices change in my area. The optimist in me said, "Surely, it'll be down at least a nickel." But I was busy talking to the man at the pump next to me who was filling his truck again. "I filled this yesterday for $75." I was about to ask why again so soon when I realized my pump had reached the $36 tally, but her car was now full.

"Oh well," I shrugged.

Later that day I got my heating oil bill. The tank had been filled barely 40 days ago and this bill was for $445. The signs were growing ominous.

This morning (still not Thursday) the pump price at the Weiss on Stony Battery Road hit $3.45.

Good thing I "forgot" and left the pump running on Saturday.

Ever feel like you have no control over your life. As frugal as I true to be to save pennies, all those savings disappear with one jump at gas pump. I fortunately still have two cars that get 35-38 miles per gallon. My heart goes out to the guy with the truck. I can walk to work if necessary (as long as I don't have to go anywhere else) and the church pays my work mileage. Yet I still have less control over my expenses than I earnestly to have. Fortunately the yogurt I have for lunch still only costs 50 cents and McDonalds sells me coffee for a buck. But the co-pay on my blood sugar medicine keeps going up.

It's hard not to feel like a yo-yo when it comes to finances.

In a world where rising prices, and Middle East upheaval, and high taxes (and now rising grocery prices), I am still reminded that my life is in God's hand and He has promised to see that my family and I are provided for. I just need to be obedient to His will, a good steward of what I am provided with, and focused on my kingdom work. He will not let us sink.

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need."

- Luke 12:31 NLT

DO YOU GET IT?

2011-02-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 21:12 - "Ears to hear and eyes to see--both are gifts from God." NLT

I am really not a good joke teller. The same sense of drama and timing that serve me well as a preacher seem to detach themselves when I try to tell a joke. I can get to telling the lead in too quickly and leave out a key detail . When I arrive at the punch line, it's not funny because I left something out earlier in the build-up. Plus, the things that I find funny are sometimes irrelevant to the people around me. Or unfamiliar with the the subject and so I have to explain so much before the punchline that the comedic moment has drifted away into an irrelevancy of its own.

Sometimes my jokes fall flat because the people hearing them simply have no sense of humor or they're not listening carefully or they're simply too slow to get any joke.

It is frustrating to communicate to people who just don't get it.

It is even more frustrating to miss something because we just don't see it?

It is a gift of God in all communications when one has eyes to see and ears to hear.

WHERE DO YOU STAY?

2011-02-15T03:42:00.001-05:00

“But the Lord was my stay.” Psalm 18: 18

It is starting to feel like a distant memory ... far too distant. A little over two weeks ago, while most people in my town of Landisville were really under still another massive winter storm, I was more than a thousand miles away in warm and sunny Melbourne, Florida. Dianne and I were attending the Sent Conference, a networking and training event put on by the Commission on Church Planting of the Churches of God, General Conference. In return for our time and participation, they housed us at the Crown Plaza-Melbourne Beach. We had a fourth floor room, with a balcony and a partial ocean view. I breakfasted in the hotel's restaurant which stretched across the hotel's rear with a magnificent view of the ocean. Since I am an early riser, I enjoyed three spectacular sunrises over coffee, my eggs, and the morning USA Today. The hotel provided us a cabana to break the wind and block the excess sun as we sat one afternoon on the beach. A tidal current dropped millions of prime seas shells right in front of us that delighted Dianne and increased our suitcase weight.

Because the winter storms in the north were paralyzing air travel, Delta was encouraging me stay an extra day, offering to rebook my ticket at no extra charge. The hotel even offered me a discounted extra night. Since I had an important breakfast meeting to host at home with representatives of the school district and area pastors, I had to reluctantly decline the offer. (Reluctant may be too soft a word.)

Where do you stay? In the journey that is life, where book yourself for rest and renewal and shelter? Over the years, Dianne and I have become regular customers of Hampton Inns. They are not particularly cheap--but they are comfortable, provide all the amenities we require for a pleasant rest. They have come to recognize me as a loyal customer and more than once have gone to extraordinary measures to make sure I am satisfied with my stay. There have been times that I chosen (or had chosen for me) other accommodations that may have been convenient or cheap, but were not a place of rest and renewal. And when the heat didn't work and the beds were too broken and the space too confining, they were an unexpected nightmare instead of a pleasant surprise.

David had a place to which he retreated for rest and renewal, for safety and sustenance. That place was a person. God was his stay. He reminds us with this confession that the journey of life is challenging and depleting. Life can sidetrack us or strand us. A life that plans to be lived in connection with God is the only one that will sustain us. It is the only one that will allows us to safely arrive at our destination.

Where do you stay?

BONUS - THE WAY JESUS SEES THEM

2011-02-11T03:28:00.000-05:00

From Joel McKeever, a cartoonist for the on-line Baptist Press

WHATEVER

2011-02-10T01:49:00.000-05:00

This post originally appeared in another blog of mine called EYES WIDE OPEN in October 2010.

Reading: Luke 9.62

Last week I heard someone say that “we live in the culture of whatever.” Rather than make a decision we often say “whatever.” Instead of engaging in conflict we simply announce “whatever!” and the walk away. That response is terribly annoying to anyone who is taking something seriously. It is generally not very helpful. Even now someone has read the previous statement and thought, “Whatever!”

People often describe this as fatalism. You really have no control over something and rather than become emotionally invested in the outcome, you shrug off the whole business by saying “Whatever!”

I don’t agree with this assessment. It is something far more problematic to our culture. When faced with a choice or a challenge, we chose “whatever” instead of the discipline of intentionality and the boundaries of accountability. In a culture that believes freedom means to do what I want when I want to do it and not have someone judging my choices, intentionality and accountability are unwelcome virtues.

Christians are sometimes guilty of embracing the culture of whatever hiding their lack of planning or their lack of going deeper. They don’t say “whatever” but they claim that they are following the Spirit. It’s as if God has no plan, no design, no specifically desired outcomes. In this context, God gets blamed for a whole bunch of nonsense. It’s hard to find a whatever mentality in Jesus’ words, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Counting the cost says there is a cost worth paying. Something that has a cost implies intrinsic value. Having a value means that it can also be squandered.

“Whatever” devalues both the object of value, but it also devalues the person making the statement. Whatever says, “I don’t matter, so whatever happens must be permitted to happen.”

Helen Keller’s parents, upon her birth with her blindness and other handicaps did not say, “Whatever.” The Quakers and others who founded and operated the Underground Railroad before the Civil War did not simply look at the horrid plight of the Negro in the South and blithely declare, “Whatever.” We did not watch the unfolding tragedy following last January’s earthquake and turn aside our eyes and hearts with “whatever.”

John F. Kennedy once famously declared, “Some people look at thinks as they are and say “why?” I look at things as they could be and say, ‘Why not?’ Note – not, whatever. People often ask why to lament their state instead of initiating change. The why question can be a form of whatever if we do not use what we learn to change what is.

Christians understand that everything they do has eternal significance and the potential for life-changing impact. As authentic disciples we would never embrace the uncaring, self-centered apathy of whatever!

(C) 2010 by Stephen L Dunn

LOVING PEOPLE - REALLY LOVING THEM

2011-01-31T05:43:00.000-05:00

Reading: Luke 10:25-28

One of the great scandals of contemporary Christianity is what Craig Groeschel calls “Christian Atheism.” This is where we say we believe something and then live like we do not believe it. The lawyer of Luke 10:25-28 stands up and asks the quintessential question of a seeker, “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” At the end of the chain of discussion Jesus leads the man to the answer. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ In fact, Jesus punctuates it with, “Do this and you shall live.”

Even non-Christians know, and many practice, the latter half of that commandment. We call it the Golden Rule.

But for many persons, including many Christians, there is more intellectual assent than real life application. We know we should practice it, and we do … up to a point.

Up to the point when….

Demonstrating that love requires us to sacrifice a significant amount of time.

Loving them requires us to wade into the mess in which they find themselves living where we might get messy, too.

Loving them calls us to sacrifice something precious rather than what is convenient or superfluous.

Loving them demands us to see them as persons for whom Christ died rather than simply objects of our good works.

Loving them is met with rejection or contempt.

I am reminded that God loved a world where people were His enemies.

He loved a world that killed his prophets and dishonored His holiness.

He loved a world where people keep asking, no, demanding His help and then squandering the blessing.

He loved a world that He knew would crucify Jesus.

Love, genuine God-inspired and empowered love is unconditional and incarnational and sacrificial.

Any less is not really love. It is a counterfeit.

Originally posted at EASTER PEOPLE

GENERIC BRANDS

2011-01-20T14:19:00.001-05:00

Reading: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." - Psalm 34:8

I am a diabetic. As such I must watch my diet - by its content and its portion size. I also a cereal lover. My favorite cereal, Honeynut Cheerios, is acceptable on my diet if I don't overdo it. They are not always, however, particularly inexpensive.

I am also a man on a budget. Dianne and I are trying to pay down some debts and also fund a mission trip this summer, so we are watching our pennies. The other day I was doing the grocery shopping.

When I came to the cereal aisle, my eyes fell upon the store's generic brand of my cereal--Honey oat something or other. The carbs, sugar and calories were similar. The price was almost two dollars less per box. I bought the generic.

Some generics are reasonable substitutes for the name brand. But some are not. "Honey oat whatevers" were not. In fact, I took a second look at the first bite to see if I had accidentally gotten a piece of the cardboard box into my cereal bowl. Even with cold milk and my eyes closed, this stuff did not taste good. The penny-pincher in me will probably finish them; but I will not buy them again.

The real deal, once you have enjoyed it, cannot be matched by the generic.

A lot of us live spiritually in reverse. We have only ever partaken of a generic faith rather than a genuine relationship with Christ. It doesn't cost as much and we don't know the difference. We live on the cardboard substance of what should rich and flavorful.

It may be okay to consume generics for your pocketbook's sake, and generics may be nutritious if not passable as breakfast cereal. But for the feeding our soul and the nourishment of our lives nothing can ever be as good as the name brand - and the name is Jesus.

FORWARD PROGRESS

2011-01-04T09:49:00.000-05:00

Reading: Philippians 3.12-16

The New Year has begun.

Did you spend any time reflecting on the past year and assessing your goals for the year to come?

Did you make any resolutions?

How many have you already broken?

I had a friend who intentionally avoided that exercise. He said, "Every time I do it, it's just deja vu all over again. I always seem to be making the same resolutions with the same old outcomes."

I had another friend who went to the other extreme. His resolutions were revolutions. If he ever kept them, his life would be radically altered. The problem is that his intentions were to give intentionality merely lip service. He rarely had a game plan or a strategy. Nothing really changed.

Paul, sitting in an unlikely place - prison, made a resolution. It's recorded in Philippians 3.12-14.

^"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

But he also had a strategy. It went something like this:

A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT

A REMEMBERING OF OUR PURPOSE

A RELEASING OF THE PAST

A REFUSAL TO RETREAT

A RESOLVE TO PRESS ON

Forward progress leading to obtaining the prize. A great outcome of a worthy New Year's Resolution for any Christ follower. Is that what you are planning for in 2011?

This devotional is a summary of a message I will preach at the Church of God of Landisville on Sunday, January 9, 2011.

ADVENT ENCOUNTERS - JOSEPH AND MARY

2010-12-23T19:32:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine, Tammie Gitt, writes a super blog called living 3368. She makes a guest appearance today on THRIVING IN CHRIST with some thoughts on Joseph and Mary that I found intriguing. Don't forget to click the commentary link. - Steve

Advent Encounters: Mary and Joseph

Did you ever wonder if Mary and Joseph welcomed the anonymity of the road to Bethlehem?
Think about what the past months have been like for them. It all began with an angelic visit. Then came explanations and tears, misunderstandings and revelations, whispers and rumors. No doubt there were still people in town who didn’t buy Mary’s story of becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit or Joseph’s insistence on a visionary dream … and the whispers continued.

For a few days on the road, they were just another couple complying with a Roman edict.

One commentary suggested the 90-mile journey would take about three days. They’re the scholars, but common sense tells me it took longer than that. To make it in three days would have required the couple to cover a distance of 30 miles a day — with Mary waddling along when she wasn’t on the donkey — at a pace of three miles per hour.

I’m guessing that didn’t happen.

I’m guessing it was a much more difficult journey, physically and emotionally.

Any comfort they had in being just another traveling couple on an ancient Roman road ended when they arrived in Bethlehem. They found busy streets and crowded homes. And, since this whole census thing was a government operation, there were probably lines and paperwork and surly counter agents.
But something happened in the midst of the chaos.

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:6-7 ESV)

It was no modern hospital, but it was a decent option overall when you think about Bethlehem that day. It was a warm, private, quiet place where Mary could have her baby without the nosy neighbors complaining about her screams of pain or the baby’s cries.

It was a place where Mary, Joseph and the newborn Jesus could be alone.

In the midst of the chaos in these final days before Christmas, find your stable.

Look for a private, quiet place where you can be alone with Jesus.

Try once again to wrap your mind around the mystery of God with us.

Emmanuel.

FUTURE PLANNING

2010-12-20T03:54:00.000-05:00

"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time."

- Abraham Lincoln

New Year's Day is more than a week away but I already have my planning calendar and it has dates written in it as far ahead as next September - 2011, that is. I actually keep four calendars. One, my sermon planning calendar has been in my possession since early August. In early September I purchased my long range planner (the one mentioned above). It contains my daily planner (which is my third calendar) and I have fairly detailed plans written in for the first week of January. The fourth is my office calendar which I produce weekly for the benefit of my Administrative Assistant, Patty. It is on my computer and is printed out for her each Monday. At the time of this writing, next week has about four confirmed appointments.

Calendars are one of the tools that I use to keep a clear focus on the future and plan to be ready to meet the future, Such planning can be considered presumptuous. James writes:

"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil." - James 4.13-16

If I believed that those calendars defined my future or put me in charge of my future; such planning would indeed be presumptuous. More than that, it would be sinful.

But not too plan at all would also be presumptuous and even sinful. I'd be saying, "God, I have no responsibility to be a good steward of my time." Simply going with the flow would give me an excuse to drift along any current instead of following the command, "Redeem the time."

We are warned not to worry about the future. Jesus says very plainly in Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Jeremiah 29:11 shares these words from the Lord."For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Good future planning is to seek the mind of God to discover what those plans are and to plan to follow them.

THE STORY OF AMAZING GRACE

2010-12-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a bonus for those of you who get the on line version of THRIVING IN CHRIST.

HEADING FOR THE MANGER

2010-12-17T06:32:00.000-05:00

Reading: Matthew 2.1-12

We are now seven days before Christmas Eve. People are hustling around trying to complete their Christmas shopping (or grabbing some time to wrap presents). There may be one or two Christmas parties left. Family schedules are being adjusted so that we can get to all the stops we need to make for Christmas Day. Many of us in this group will be in church Friday night to celebrate the Birth.

This is the story of the visit of the Magi to the manger. The Magi were royalty who had the time and leisure to be scholars--astronomers, it appears and students of the religious writings of the Middle East. In those days, stars were believed to be signs of momentous events or life messages. It was a bit more substantive than the current day's astrology and horoscopes. They were likely from Persia. We do not know exactly when this occurred, but given the distance they would have traveled and the response of Herod after their departure, the journey could have been up two years.

By their own report, they started their journey after the saw the Star. The scriptures leave us to understand that the Star first appeared in the night sky on the day of Jesus' birth.

They also came prepared--with gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.Gold is a gift for a King, symbolising Jesus' kingship. Frankincense is an incense used by priests, thus symbolising Jesus' priesthood. Myrrh is used in embalming the dead, which prophetically signifies that Jesus was born to die. These are the symbolic meaning of these gifts, but they must have also had a practical purpose. It is likely that Mary saved the myrrh for Jesus' burial; although it is also likely that some of it was used for Joseph's burial as well. The Frankincense may have been used in the home of Joseph when they celebrated te Passover.

The point here is this. These men rearranged their lives to come to the manger, and they came with gifts that expressed an awareness of what Jesus would need. So here's the question - are you arranging your life to make sure that Jesus remains at the center, not only for this season but the whole year? And have you asked yourself, what does God want me to offer Him as a reflection of my worship and thanksgiving?

GOD IS OUT OF OUR SIGHT, OUT OF OUR MIND

2010-12-13T04:48:00.000-05:00

We live in a world where God is out of our sight and out of our minds. Too many persons, including many Christians, live as if there is no God or as if He is irrelevant to their daily existence. Craig Groeschel calls the latter “Christian atheists,” persons who say they believe in God but live as if they didn’t.

Why is this the case? I don’t think it is because the true atheists have won us over. In fact, since the beginning of the postmodern era, there are very few true atheists left. Postmodernism admits that man is a spiritual creature and most atheist’s arguments fall of deaf ears.
I don’t think it’s because God has failed to make Himself known. Nor that He Himself is disinterested in His planet and its inhabitants.
I do think it is because most of us are deists at heart and agnostics in practice. Deism is the classic idea of the “clockwork God” who sets the world into motion and then steps away to let humanity work things out. God is there, but does not intervene in human events. Agnosticism is the belief that although God probably exists, He is basically irrelevant to human life. Sort of like your grandfather suffering from dementia and confined to a nursing home.

Isaiah calls this state of affairs and its inhabitants “people living in deep darkness.”

Advent is the season when we acknowledge that we are people living in darkness. In fact, if we manage a little honest reflection in between mad dashes to the mall for yet one more present, we admit we are in deep darkness.

That deep darkness confines generosity and good will to a few weeks before December 25.

It excuses our consumption and materialism while neighbors still starve and others have nothing.

It tolerates our intolerance of people not like us and blunts any compassion under the excuse of “being practical or realistic.”

Deep darkness keeps us living as if we are accountable to no one except ourselves, and then justifies our making an exception to all of our sinful choices.
But in all of this, we are not without hope.

“The people living in deep darkness have seen a great light … for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9.2-6)

The light is in the world.
The light is on.
The time has come for us to open our eyes and see the light.

THE ROAD TO JOY

2010-11-30T21:25:00.000-05:00

If you enjoy THRIVING IN CHRIST, you just nay appreciate another of my blogs, THE ROAD TO JOY. This video was posted on it today. - Steve

THANKSGIVING

2010-11-25T22:52:00.000-05:00

It is the end of a family Thanksgiving celebration. We have been gathered at the home of my daughter Katie and her husband in Toledo. For the first time in several years my entire family has been at the same place for this holiday. Two more of my children, Christi and Chris arrived last night with their families. When they finally arrived after several hours of traveling through the rain and sleet of the Midwest, we gathered at a local Mexican restaurant for a pre-Thanksgiving feast. This morning my two sons-in-law and I found the only restaurant that appeared to be open in this part of Toledo, a Steak and Shake, and began the day's eating with a good All American breakfast.

Throughout the day between us we made trips to Krogers and Walmart, various persons began cooking portions of the meal, and we watched a whole lot of football. I caught my son Chris and his new wife Megan dancing a couple of times (the cheek-to-cheek variety). My grandson Jake entertained us with his 2-year old brilliance. Katie's dogs, Bella and Maisie, sniffed and barked and begged. Later in the afternoon my son Michael and his family arrived from another Thanksgiving celebration. Then we ate ... deep-fried turkey and all the fixings. Pumpkin pie...sugar free for me. As the third football captured the tube, the ladies retired to the basement to play a mad game of Scrabble.

There were amzingly few arguments or tense moments.

There was the treasured moment of being the family patriarch offering the family Thanksgiving prayer.

It's 10:39. The Jets have only managed a 10-7 lead over the Bengals. Michael and his family have headed back to Michigan (he's the only one who has to work tomorrow). I am blogging from the kitchen. The sons-in-law are watching the game. Chris and the ladies have returned to the basement to avoid Tim's agony at the futility of his beloved Bengals.

In the midst of all this I pause to say this prayer:

Lord, blessed is the family whose heart belongs to the Lord.
Who has learned to love and enjoy one another.
Who treasures one another's company.
Who understands that their blessings are gifts from You.
This is as you intended it, and I am truly blessed to be the Father of such a clan.
May we ever remain faithful and thankful to You.
In the name of the Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift, I pray.
Amen.

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS

2010-11-21T15:59:00.000-05:00

I have long been a fan of Bill Watterson and his comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. His is not as overtly theological as was Charles Schulz in Peanuts, but every once in a while (I suspect inadvertently) Calvin makes a profound statement that triggers a scriptural truth. Here are two that I find in this particular strip.

The first is from James 4:17: "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." New International Version

Then Galatians 5:6." The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." New Living Translation.

An authentic disciple understands that omission can be every bit as significant as commission when it comes to sin. Too many of us have changed the focus from loving our neighbor as ourselves to love myself and then give my neighbor the leftovers. Or be careful of loving my neighbor too much lest I not have enough for me. Or this one - love myself spontaneously but be sure and schedule how much I will do for my neighbor in need.

Maybe we need to walk through life with eyes wide open to opportunities to be a blessing to others, praying that our love will find greater expression than merely intellectual assent or carefully orchestrated projects.

AND NOW A RANDOM ACT OF CULTURE

2010-11-03T14:33:00.000-04:00

Haven't had a good inspiration for this devotional this week, so let me share a random act of culture from the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

DO YOU HAVE A CONSCIENCE?

2010-10-27T14:47:00.000-04:00

“Do You Have a Conscience?”

Reading: 1 John 1:9

It must have been a blistering sermon. In fact, to this day I don’t remember the topic or the text. I do remember Jody coming by me in the receiving line and saying, “Do they teach you guys in seminary how to make people feel guilty?”

“Yup,” I quipped. “Guilt 101!”

As she headed past she responded over her shoulder, “You must have gotten an A.”

To this day I don’t know whether that was a complaint or a compliment. Whatever it meant, it told me, “The woman has a conscience.”

People do not like being made to feel guilty. Heck, I understand that. I don’t like feeling guilty. It is one of life’s more unpleasant experiences. But it also may be one of life’s more important experiences.

Rebecca Manley Pippert says “Human beings have an infinite capacity to rationalize or to deny.” It is perhaps because we believe the lie that human beings are basically good. More likely it is because we know we’re not. We just don’t want anyone else to know it.

Yet living daily in the presence of sin, we come subtly under its influence. Undealt with over the long haul, it begins to change us. Like a virus that makes a subtle connection with your computer, it alters things and changes it so that it does not function properly. It corrupts the original design. It may even introduce new and even more unwelcome elements into our lives.

Our conscience is a gift from God. It is that spark of God’s image that the Holy Spirit breathes on to ignite a fire of holiness within us. It is God’s tool to help us remember that originally we were created in His image and intended to reflect His goodness and unconditional love.

I love this quote from one of this nation’s Founders and Framers.

"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."
--George Washington

That’s where guilt comes in. It pricks our conscience when we step across the line. Sometimes it hits us between the eyes to remind us that there is a line. Christians believe that acknowledgement of our guilt is the first step towards transformation into new people, better people, God’s people.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – I John 1.9

A pastor once asked his flock, “What must we do to receive the forgiveness of sin?” After a bit of silence a little boy responded, “First, you gotta sin.”

Frankly, we have no problem meeting that requirement. Our conscience remembers that by allowing us to feel guilty. People of no or little conscience steal pension funds, abuse children, pollute the environment wantonly, manipulate elections, ignore the poor and needy.

Thank God we have a conscience and thank God it reminds us to feel guilty. For more often than we’d like to think – we are guilty.

DOUBT AND FAITH

2010-10-14T07:59:00.000-04:00

¹ To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
       do not turn a deaf ear to me.
       For if you remain silent,
       I will be like those who have gone down to the pit. ² Hear my cry for mercy
       as I call to you for help,
       as I lift up my hands
       toward your Most Holy Place.- Psalm 28:1-2

Have you ever had a moment of doubt? I'm not speaking of sudden and utter disbelief about something you had previously affirmed. I'm speaking of that wave of uncertainty or that gnawing thought that robs you of your peace and makes you want to pause and get your bearings.

Some Christians believe that any expression of doubt, any entertained question about their foundations for believing will cut them off from God. I always thought that was a little extreme. Yes, they can pull out a text or two that standing all by itself on the platform of examination affirms their need for blind faith. But against the whole backdrop of scripture and what scripture affirms about the nature and intentions of God, such a position crumbles.

I appreciate this quote from John Ortberg:

“Theologian Lesslie Newbigin writes that we live in an age that favors doubt over faith. We often speak of “blind faith” and “honest doubt.” Both faith and doubt can be honest or blind, but we rarely speak of “honest faith” or “blind doubt.” Both faith and doubt are needed, yet it is faith that is more fundamental…I must believe something before I can doubt anything. Doubt is to belief what darkness is to light, what sickness is to health. It is an absence. Sickness may be the absence of health, but health is more than the absence of sickness. So it is with doubt and faith. Doubt is a good servant but a poor master.”
–John Ortberg, Faith and Doubt

Doubt enters into the mind of every person - both seeker and true believer. Doubt may disturb those around us who want to remain undisturbed; but moments of doubt--honest doubt--often drive us back to the foundations of what we believe. It reminds us that we do not and will not have answers to every question of our mind but we cannot stop living while we sort it all out.

A good friend of mine, Doug Nolt, used to have a sign on his door during his days as a campus minister:

I do not know all the answers

but I know the One who does.

For ultimately our faith is not rooted and grounded in our intellectual abilities or our prowess at securing unassailable answers. Our faith is rooted and grounded in a person.

And that person is Jesus Christ.

PS - I love this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt "Never doubt in the dark what you have seen in the light."

'WHAT IF?"

2010-09-24T06:02:00.000-04:00

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." - Joel 12:28

Wednesday night at our BURN Student Ministry worship gathering, Jeremy (our Youth Director) began a series called "What If?" He challenged the kids to expand their vision of who God is, what God is doing, and "what if" the kids decided to truly let God work in and through them. The results were very amazing in terms of the kids' response to this challenge. One girl wrote:

"I came home so pumped up about what God's gonna do through the burn ministry that while telling my mom every little detail of the night I had to pace around my kitchen to keep my thoughts strait (sic)"

More awesomely, a young man texted Jeremy with these words:

“I was praying for my cousin. He is one of the people I wrote on my on paper that I want to see come to GOD. He is going through a tough time right now and it felt so good to pray for him cause I felt like God was right there in front of me. It felt like I was talking to my best friend face to face and then I felt the pain of my cousin and what he is going through. It was unlike anything else and it was incredibly awesome.

Jeremy's response:
ALL OF BURN— YOU HAVE YOUR MISSION, WILL YOU EXCEPT THE CHALLENGE….? WHAT IF…?

When was the last time we sensed that challenge in our lives as adults? When was the last time we actually prayed that God would lift us from the familiar and the comfortable, to step out on faith and really see who God is and what He is able to do?

GOD'S HEART FOR THE BROKEN-HEARTED

2010-09-14T11:44:00.000-04:00

“A broken and a contrite heart you will not despise.” – Palm 51.17

Back in the office this morning after an all-too-quick “end of the summer” vacation. Spent a nice time with Christi, Tim and Jake in Florence KY. I was in Fort Wayne IN Friday after through Sunday morning at one of my previous churches, Anthony Wayne Church of God, to unite my cousin Kelly and her fiancée Michael Gomes in marriage. They are a unique couple—Michael is a truck driver and part of a motorcycle club of men who were once on drugs and now many of them live boldly as Christians. Kelly was my Music Director at AWC and teaches elementary music. She has an incredible voice and has sung with Kenny Rogers. Here’s a photo of the happy couple, both members of First Assembly of God in Ft Wayne and who have a heart for people others often write off.

Visiting with their wedding guests – soldiers and their wives, a Starbucks barrista, highly educated teachers, bikers who had been married for more than 40 years, Vietnamese refugees, and the chef of a five star restaurant, former drugs addicts who could sing Amazing Grace with great gusto and pray The Lord’s Prayer with great heart – I was reminded of the call of Christ to be people who build redemptive relationships with all kinds of people so that you might influence those friends to find Jesus Christ. Both Kelly and Michael have stories to tell—stories of brokenness and stories of God’s healing grace. Who are we building relationships with? Are we willing to tell our stories of brokenness and grace? Who are we influencing to turn their lives over to Jesus?

HAVE A LITTLE FUN WITH MARK LOWERY MEETING AN ATHEIST

2010-09-08T17:02:00.000-04:00

I've been on vacation and my creative juices have been a little thin. Enjoy Mark Lowery until I am back on track. - Steve

CLASSIC CARS

2010-08-25T01:59:00.000-04:00

Reading: Jude 3

"Earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints." - Jude 3

I love classic cars. There is something fascinating about these road warriors. There was a time they owned the road--providing transportation to grandmas, gangsters, doctors making house calls, families taking a Sunday drive, salesmen trying to ply their wares. They have a uniqueness and an elegance that stands out in the box-like family vehicles, the monster trucks and sporty SUVs, and the lookalike family cars occupying the road today. Some of them were short-lived in popularity. They bore names that today have little meaning - but they are really neat.

Unfortunately today, you have to be very careful with these cars. Their "age" and uniqueness put them at great risk on the high-speed highways of today. You even have to ration the amount of road miles because their parts are no longer being produced.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is very ancient. It has a beauty in its original form that makes it even more precious today with the trendy and sometimes indistinguishable religious imitators.

Fortunately, the gospel wears well on today's highways in today's world. It is not fragile, needing protection. It is robust, needing faithfulness. The gospel is not intended to be kept in a warehouse as a remnant of other times. It is intended to engage the world where the rubber meets the road.

A classic car may have been built well, but only a few people have the means and opportunity to drive it. The gospel today is for everyone--it is durable for eternity.