Plain and Beautiful

I was cleaning up after Christmas Eve communion.  The mess was pretty substantial.  But communion mess doesn't bother me.  I think about communion and remember the mess.  That first time in a room with 12 disciples was pretty messy.  It was presented as a different covenant ... a new promise sealed by Jesus' blood.  In fact, it is what "New Testament" means.  It was framed by great passion from Jesus, great confusion by the disciples, and great betrayal by Judas.  Messy!

We are pretty messy too!  While some of us think highly of ourselves, we, as a group, are tarnished, dirty, and (the old song says) poor and needy.  We are carrying the dirt and dust of the world. And though some of us look shiny and pristine, down deep we are all as plain as a ball of clay.  Messy!

It is only appropriate.  The story of Jesus is messy too.  He walked through the dust and dirt of Israel and surrounding areas.  He encountered filthy and demon-possessed people.  He had a run-in with pig farmers.  He ate with sinners and tax collectors.  He met a Pharisee in the dark of night to answer questions, and he talked one of those tax collectors down out of a tree.  He was beaten, jailed, schlepped from one palace to another, and then asked to carry His own cross up a hill.  Messy!

That is one reason why I love our time of communion.  It reminds us of our messiness and the messiness God (in Jesus) endured for our salvation.  One song says it like this ... "It is true we are as fallen as an angel, but you and me, we're also holy as a prayer."  I think God likes it that way.  And, in our communion this Sunday, we will gather with messy people who are bound together by plain wood and simple nails, put together in the shape of a cross.  It was the messiest of deaths.  As two very common substances come together to become a cruel cross, I am reminded of the good and bad uses of plain things.  Some become cruel.  Some become beautiful.  Maybe the choice is ours, as we either become haughty, demanding, and proud, or obedient, submissive, and moldable.  Isaiah pondered this (45:9) when he said, "Does the clay tell the potter, "What are you making?"  The implied question is, do we (the plain, messy ones) tell God (the one we call Lord) what to do and how to do it?

So I will begin this year with an attitude that acknowledges what I am ... a big old mess!  I wonder ... when we meet with our Church Council at NOON today, will we, collectively, have that attitude?  Will we, as leaders here at Abbeville Methodist, see ourselves as plain wood and nails, usable as building materials for something very good?  In the song "Wood and Nails," Audrey Assad ponders the uses of wood and nails.  Will they build little crosses that crucify Christ again?  Will they build coffins, becoming the whitewashed tombs of Scripture?  Or ... in the hands of the great carpenter, will they/be be used to build an unshakable kingdom that will become a blessing to all people?  That would be beautiful, wouldn't it?  We have the capacity to allow either of these 3 options.  What will our choice be?   

What to Keep

A few years back we had a crisis at Abbeville Methodist.  We were setting up for Christmas, with the usual anxiety and chaos.  There are always things that are hard to find.  But we were missing one major thing.  Our long-time baby Jesus was nowhere to be found.  We looked and looked.  Finally, someone found him in one of the upstairs rooms, and all was well.

But I wonder.  As we take down all of the Christmas trappings ... trees, wreaths, candles, nativity scenes ... do we ever throw out the most important thing?  Do we throw baby Jesus out, while carefully storing away the things we use to "dress up" the church?

The Scriptures tell a story about Jesus as a boy.  The story in Luke 2:41-52 tells a Biblical "Home Alone" story in which Jesus is left behind at the Temple.  Our family is particularly connected to this story because we (in Mobile) once left Christopher (my son) at church (I'll unpack that story on Sunday).  Stuff like that happens, and the story from Luke makes me feel less like a bad parent.  But this story reminds us that we must all be attentive to remember the most important thing ... Jesus.

We are entering a new year.  We will take down the Christmas decorations (eventually).  We will put the Cantata books in the file till we bring them out another year.  We will find a new section of hymns in the hymnal, appropriate to either Epiphany, Lent, or Easter.  The Christian year will move on.  But let's remember the baby Jesus that wrapped humanity around Himself, so He could bring us to God's Kingdom, both on earth and in heaven.  If the New Year is about, for, and with Jesus, the year will be good for the Kingdom and glorifying to God.  Don't throw out the baby!  AMEN

Embrace

Last week we asked if we view the manger scene as a "drive-by" or a place we would like to visit.  This week I am asking, "Do you want to embrace the child?"

When I began ministry in 1997, I was a little intimidated at some of the expectations of serving as a pastor.  Funerals, weddings, prayers in the hospital ... it all was just so big!  And I was so small!  But one thing was particularly intimidating ... holding a newborn child.  It was one thing to hold my own children.  Stephanie and Christopher were no less fragile, but they were MY children.  But, when someone hands you a little baby, just into the world, soft and puffy ... WOW!

Sunday, I want to place you in an intimidating and very reverent situation.  When Jesus came into the world (when He moved into the neighborhood), He didn't come as a strapping young man, or as a majestic king.  Jesus came as a newborn infant.  He was small, fragile and very much like those little babies that intimidated me when I was new in ministry.  What I want you to do on Sunday is embrace that little baby.  Hold Him. Take Him in.  Wrap your arms around Him.  And think ... this child is for you and me.  Are you open, willing, and eager to embrace Him?  Or, are you stand-offish, reluctant, and fearful?  "Is there room in your heart ... is there room in your heart ... is there room in your heart ... for God to write His story ... you can come as you are ... but it may set you apart ... is there room in your heart ... for God to write His story?"

Come Sunday, and embrace the child in the manger.  You won't break Him, but if you are open and willing, He will break, reshape and renew you.  Jesus wants you in His story!  AMEN

Encounter

I was reminded, in a Wake Up Call devotional, that we are experts at missing things because we are focused on the wrong things.  We miss miracles, wonders, beauty, sacred moments, and glory, all because our faith is based on what we get instead of who He is.  We miss an encounter with God because we settle for drive-by vs intimate encounters.  JD Walt quotes Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush is afire with God, but only he who sees, takes off his shoes ... the rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."  Browning is so on target here!  We go TO church to get ... entertained, comforted, amused, fill in your own blank.  All the while, God calls us to encounter Him ... His glory, His grace, His peace, His beauty, His voice.  And this only happens in those thin places where we are willing to enter into His place.

I have to admit ... I let it happen to me this morning.  During our Christmas Cantata, I spent time with God, mouthing the lyrics, watching the children, thinking about the Scriptures, and seeing Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, and wise men (and women), all focused on the manger.  It was an encounter with God, and I felt myself take off my shoes for awhile, and just be a child of God.  Our Sanctuary was "filled with God and heaven."  Then, my mind drifted to a pressing duty.  The benediction and closing.  Would I forget to mention someone?  Would I say the right things, so everyone felt invited to the meal?  Maybe these concerns seem small, even inconsequential to you ... but I know our culture is all into being mentioned, being stroked, and getting attention.  We are taught a lot about picking blackberries, and not so much about taking our shoes off and taking in a God that wants to fill us with His Spirit, His Presence and His Son (that "God With Us" thing).

Here's the thing: My encounter was derailed by my inability to see and talk about heaven all around me, all because I wanted to be everything to everybody except God.  So, I am asking your forgiveness for failing to tell you about the little piece of heaven I saw.  And, I am asking you to take a break from picking blackberries and reflect on the beauty of God's gift to us today.  See the light in the eyes of little girls dressed as angels.  Hear the voices of the choir, the director, and the musicians, as they laid it all out for God.  Think about the over 70 people who were able to see the service online.  Close your eyes and hear the narrator's voice quiver, because those Scriptures meant something to her.  Reflect upon the reverence of the wise men, as they laid down gifts at the manger.  Give yourself permission to imagine Mary and Joseph as all of this was a complete wonder to them.  Ponder how dirty, lowlife shepherds received the greatest gift and honor of their lives.  And think about the words of a song we will sing this coming week ... "Noel, Noel, Come and see what God has done."  And, remember, blackberries aren't in season, but heaven is!

Bells

You might not believe it, but there is actually a "theology" of church bells.  Church bells, because of their loud peals and purity of tone, are thought to 1) drive away evil spirits, 2) expel negative thoughts/attitudes, 3) call people to worship, and 4) announce the "sending" of the saints (this is one way they function at AMC as little girls and boys ring them after service on Sunday).  By any standard, our bells are beautiful and compelling.

Wednesday, our handbell choir will serve at our Community Tree Lighting, and all of the above traditions will be at play.  I expect the bells will ring with purity through the cold evening air.  I hope everyone gathers at this annual "ringing in" the Christmas season!

There is another very American story about bells.  The song, "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day," was written by the great American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Longfellow's life was marked by several events that shaped the song and offer hope, even to those of us who have lost much.  His wife, the love of his life, was sealing envelopes, in 1861, when the flame ignited her clothing, and she was burned to death.  In 1863, Charley, his son, unknown to Longfellow, joined the Union Army.  Later that year, Charley was wounded in battle.  So Longfellow, with his son barely recovering from the wound, was faced with a Christmas nursing his son back to health, and caring for the 5 other children. On Christmas Day, 1863, he sat down, overwhelmed by war, responsibility, and loss, and did what poets do.  He wrote.  Here are some of those words: 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old familiar carols play. And mild and sweet their songs repeat, of peace on earth, good will to men

And in despair I bowed my head. There is no peace on earth I said.  For hate is strong and mocks the song, of peace on earth good will to men.

Then rang the bells more loud and deep.  God is not dead, nor does he sleep.  The wrong shall fail, the right prevail.  With peace on earth good will to men.

Then ringing, singing on its way, the world revolved from night to day.  A voice a chime, a chant sublime, of peace on earth good will to men.

These words are as true today as they were then.  And, for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, those bells did all of those things written above.  They drove out evil, expelled negativity, called him into worship, and then sent him out to serve God.  He served well, as we share his song, his hope, and his longing for "peace on earth, good will to men." AMEN

A Future and a Hope

OK ... I know this passage is not a usual Advent or Christmas passage.  But, on this first Sunday of Advent, I am "hopeful" you will get the point.  "For you know the plans I have for you, 'Declares the Lord,' plans to prosper you and to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11)."  Jeremiah, the prophet to Judah, around 585 BC, writes these words to 'the surviving elders and priests that have been taken into captivity in Babylon.  I want you to keep this letter tucked into your pocket during the Christmas season.  In the darkness of captivity, in the depths of despair, in the throes of loss (note that the letter is to those elders and priests that "survived"), in the destruction of the temple in 586 BC, and in the displacement from their homeland, Jeremiah offers hope.

It was amusing last Sunday, as several of my friends, on the coattails of lost football games, said, "Hey ... basketball season is here!"  We need to keep hope before us.  Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:13, says hope is one of the three enduring facts of life in God.  For these exiles, they needed a big dose of hope.  Here is why.

1. In our "push button" world, where we click on an icon, enter a little information, and can get almost anything, we can become quickly frustrated and impatient.  Sometimes, we are the same way with God.  We pray and want results.  God, in this story from Jeremiah, gives hope, but that hope comes through the process of God's plan. "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce (Jeremiah 29:5)."  Later (in Jeremiah 29:10) God says that He will return them to their home in 70 years!  WOW!  They have to wait 70 years for God to bring them home?  Is that really hope?  Yes ... because when we/they are in God's plan, they need to place their lives, hope, and trust in God.  Maybe, that is how God teaches us and gets His message through to our thick skulls!

2. There are always false prophets, that will tell us their opinion or what we want to hear.  "Everything is fine!" "God will 'zap' our enemies, give us riches, protect our land, and restore us."  The falseness of immediate restoration and quick prosperity is a popular message.  Jeremiah reminds the people the process will take a while.  Quick, emotional, feelings-based solutions and salvation aren't God's "go-to" way of doing things.  God CAN do this.  But, God seems, most often, to use time, process, and plans to teach us the struggles of life.  It is in these struggles we learn to trust, to strive, to persevere, and to grow, so that when we meet God, we will know Him and have a solid, long-term relationship with Him.

3. And here is the most hopeful news ever!  The hope we really need is the hope of God's life-long, solid, beautiful presence with us.  "We have this HOPE, as an anchor for our souls," Hebrews 6:19 says.  God's plan for us is a plan to lead us into a future greater than we could ever imagine.  The writer of Hebrews, as he encourages a struggling nation, calls our hope in God, "strong and secure."  God isn't about event planning, quick fixes, and push-button solutions.  God is "with us [Emmanuel]" for the long haul!

For us, this season, let's enjoy hope in the process of each day.  Let's embrace hope as we live in His grace and live out His story.  Let's remember a letter to people in exlie in a strange land that was sent to tell them ... live life out loud, expressing that our God reigns, our God provides, our God is present and real, and our God will be there when our exile ends.  AMEN

Turning

In the late 1950's Pete Seeger wrote a song called Turn, Turn, Turn (yes, I was there).  It wasn't the most original song ever, because the words came, almost verbatim, from the text of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  I am sure Mr. Seeger was focused on the last part of the passage, "a time for peace (that was a big deal in that time of social and political turmoil)." While I agree with the sentiment of peace (we need a lot of that these days), I want to focus on another part of this beautiful poem.  In verses 2 and 3 these words appear ... "a time to plant, and a time to harvest, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up."

The poem was penned by Solomon, who was called the wisest person ever (aside from Jesus).  However, Solomon's human wisdom didn't land him the warm, fuzzy, and wonderful life he had planned.  He dealt with numerous woman issues, political turmoil that broke the kingdom apart, and (if you read his work carefully) an unhealthy dose of depression.  Solomon concluded, in all his wisdom, "Everything is meaningless ... a chasing after the wind."  This is what happens when people become reliant on their wit and wisdom and fail to rely on the Word of a perfectly wise God.  But that is a story for another day.

I want us to spend some time on three verses from Ecclesiastes 3.  

1. A time to kill and a time to heal. If you look at these opposites, one wonders how they go together.  Then, you remember the New Testament words (Matthew 16:25) ... "Whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it."  What thing(s) are you/we keeping alive, preventing us from truly healing?  We were wronged?  Let it die!  We were cheated?  Let it die!  Our trust has been damaged?  For God's sake and perfect purpose, let it go!  These are the things we keep alive, blocking our ability to heal.  Remember ... we die to self so we can live for Jesus!

2. A time to plant and a time to harvest.  If you think about the agricultural year, it is a healthy cycle.  We toil in the planting (it's hard work).  We sweat in the summer heat, as we keep the crops alive, till the soil, and water the seeds.  We harvest at this time of year.  Many communities have festivals (our Peanut Festival and the Farm City Banquet).  As Christians (and traditional Americans) we have another day ... Thanksgiving.  As a Church, we plant seeds all the time.  It is hard work.  But remember ... we worship the Lord of the Harvest!

3. A time to tear down and a time to build up.  I love this passage.  Again, we see opposites.  And this phrase is interesting because it contrasts something easy and something difficult.  It is easy to tear down.  Our political candidates rip each other apart, not understanding they are also tearing apart the fabric of a nation.  Our ideological camps demonize those "other" people because it is popular, exciting, and easy.

Here is where, on this eve of Thanksgiving week, I want us to consider the wisdom of God's Word.  I believe it is time to take this passage to heart.  Life, and all parts of life, happens to every person on the face of the earth.  All of the things in Ecclesiastes 3 can/will/do happen.  It is up to us, the Body of Christ, to do what the old Shaker Song says "to turn, turn, will be our delight, til by turning, turning, we come round right."  The point of life, of turning, of seasons, of knowing what to kill-off and leave behind, of seeing past the obstacles, of knowing that there is a healing, planting and harvesting God calling us into a Kingdom of abundance ... is to know God is a builder, a creator and a lover of souls.  We have a reason to be thankful.  We can be part of harvesting, building, and healing.  WE CAN COME ROUND RIGHT!  Amen? AMEN!  

For The Monarchy

In Judges, there is a troubling story.  I have reminded you of this story several times because it is s story of priority, perspective, and place.  The story begins with Judges 19:1.  "In those days Israel had no king."  What follows is the most vile and decadent story of rape, murder, dismemberment, war (over 100,000 died), partial genocide, and finally a shacky peace.  The story ends with this statement (Judges 21:25) ... "In those days Israel had no king, and everyone did as they saw fit."

Let's talk about the Biblical idea of a monarchy.  God's kingdom is a monarchy.  There is a true, just, merciful, grace-filled, and beautiful King on the throne.  His name is Jesus, and "on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, 'King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:6).'"  God Himself made those inscriptions, so it is (and must be) true.  God's Kingdom is of the heart (Luke 17:21), on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10), and near (Luke 17:21).  It is universally known that the Kingdom of God is the primary teaching of Jesus.  Jesus begins His ministry with these words from John the Baptist ... "Behold, the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 3:2)."

Why am I bringing this up today?  In Jesus' last prayer (John 17) Jesus says that the disciples (including us) are "not of the world" but are "not to be taken out of the world."  In the song, Land of My Sojourn, Rich Mullins writes about America, saying, "Nobody tells you, when you get born here, how how much you'll come to love it, and how you'll never belong here, so I'll call you my country, and I'll be lonely for my home, and I wish that I could take you there with me."  This is precisely the Gospel meaning of Jesus' prayer in John 17 ... we are IN the world, but not OF the world.  We are Kingdom people, with a King (that is our priority), a perspective (we view the world through the lens of Jesus), and a place (we are "bound for the promised land").

On this day when we honor those who have invested their energy, love, blood, sweat, and tears in this experiment called America, I want each and every person to give thanks.  Our country is, with all of its flaws, the greatest country ever.  But as you pray, give thanks, and tell our veterans, "Thanks for loving us and your country enough to place everything on the table for us," never forget we owe ALL allegiance to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Also, I respectfully ask you, who is your king, and in whose kingdom are you choosing to live?  Evaluate your priorities, your perspectives, and your desired place of final destination.  Then, let's talk Sunday about Kingship and Kingdoms.  See you there!  Randy

The Holiness of Being

The Book of Acts explores various aspects of the early Church. Its central theme is "continuing in the faith." Faith is portrayed as a journey that teaches us to follow and depend on a God who is very much present in our lives. The power evident in Acts comes from the Holy Spirit, which empowers the Church, resulting in healing, significant events, and a sense of "heaven on earth."  But Acts is about one more thing.  It is about "being" the Church as the person of Christ is lived out through regular people.  There is a holiness to this that is beautiful and supernatural!

In Acts 16 we get a glimpse of "being the Church" vs "going to Church."  The believers were gathered together on the Sabbath.  It was how they lived.  It wasn't one option among many.  Gathering was part of the life of the Church, and it was as common as breathing.  The believers were seeking a "place of prayer."  The believers were a mix of people, very different from the gathering of Jewish men in the synagogue.  Paul is speaking to a group of women.  The Holy Spirit, amid Paul and his team serving in obedience, shows up in the heart of a woman named Lydia.  "One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.  She was a worshipper of God.  The Lord opened her heart to respond to God's message (Acts 16:14)."

Five things are highlighted here ... five things we seem to struggle with in our "Pre-Christian," modern world.  Here they are:

1. Lydia was present.  I wonder if our modern rationalizations lead us to think we can be the Church in a non-connected and distant way?  One of the vows we make as we become part of our local congregation is the vow of presence.  Remember that Lydia was THERE and all of the other things happened because she first chose to be in that place of teaching and time with God's Church.  Are YOU present?

2. Lydia was listening.  The Bible, and lots of preachers, repeat certain things.  When you learn to critically read Scripture, you learn to pay special attention to those repeated themes and words.  They are repeated for a purpose, and one of those purposes is to lead us to listen.  "Faith comes by hearing," Romans 10:17 says.  We can't hear if we aren't listening.  Are YOU listening?

3. Lydia was worshiping.  Do you know the reason God claimed and called His people out of Egypt?  Most of us think it was about the Hebrews (just like we think the Church is about us).  The Bible tells us God brought the people out of Egypt "to Himself" so they could worship Him!  God (Exodus 19) calls us a Kingdom of Priests, a chosen people, and a treasured possession (i.e., we are His).  We are called to worship.  Are YOU worshiping?

4. Lydia allowed God to "open her heart."  When you walk into the church on Sunday morning, is your heart open or closed?  Is your heart full of your issues or empty to be filled up by God?  C. S. Lewis reminds us that one of Satan's ploys to distract us is to have us think about what is wrong with the church, the person beside us in the pew, or the preacher.  We fill ourselves with all of that "mess" and are not open to what God is actually doing.  Are YOU open?

5. Lydia responded!  The next verses in this story are all about Lydia's entering into the work of the Church.  She first responds by submitting to God in baptism, dying to self, and rising to live with Jesus in the life of the Church.  She invites the ministry team (Paul's leadership) to stay in her house and receive her hospitality.  Lydia responded ... do YOU respond?

Do you see what is happening here?  Lydia entered the "body of Christ!"  "You yourselves have seen what I did in Egypt (remember My actions) and how I carried you on eagles' wings (remember my provision) and brought you to Myself (remember your destination).  Now, if you obey My commandments (remember to follow ME), and keep My covenant (remember you are keepers of My promise), then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession (you/we / the Church is special to God). ... you will be for Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (we are called into His holiness) (Exodus 19:4-6)."

Do you see it, hear it, and perceive it?  It is all connected to God and you are invited to be part of that connection ... to BE the Church!  What a blessing, honor, and responsibility!  Lydia got it ... do you?  

To Those Who Wait

You all have heard the old saying, "Good things come to those who wait."  My parents probably said this so I would develop patience.  I lacked patience in my teen years, and I probably retain that trait now.  In fact, patience is a fruit of the Spirit.  But, we might take this trait too far.  Patience and procrastination are sometimes close bedfellows.  And there is an urgency to Scripture, as God calls us, leads us, and warns us that time is moving way too fast.  One of my friends says, "Daylight's a burning!"  He is right!

The writer of Hebrews quotes the Holy Spirit, saying, "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for 40 years they saw what I did (Hebrews 3:7-9)."  Responding to God is an urgent matter.  Failure to respond is likened to "the rebellion."

Let's break this down.  "The rebellion" here was a time when stiff-necked people were led by Moses in the wilderness.  God provided manna ... the people complained.  God provided quail ... the people grumbled.  Though God delivered the people over and over again, they continued to gripe, moan, and reflect back on slavery as "the good old days."  God, in this story from Numbers 11, calls all of this dissatisfaction and complaining rebellion.  Because that is surely what it is!

But the operative part of this passage relates to the word "today. "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." I wonder if these two points are connected because they are related. Hardened hearts, the urgency of God's plan, and hearing God's voice relate directly to the negative aspects of "blowing off" what God is saying.

Let me highlight this with a few questions.  Has a pastor's message moved you?  How did you respond?  Do you see a need in the church?  How did you respond?  Do you know God calls His people into regular fellowship?  How do you respond?  Did you hear the call to allow God to use you and your giftedness?  How do you respond?  If, in all of these opportunities, you waited, you are part of what Hebrews calls, "rebellion."

Sunday, we will speak truth into the rebellion of this world.  We will sing grace, into the hardness of this world.  And, we will speak Jesus into a world that needs Him.  Will you come?  Or, will you wait for a better time?  "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."  Great, and true advice!  Randy

Winds

For parents, grandparents, and from a church that would love to make a positive difference, I have a statement.  Somebody will influence the young people (youth, kids, young adults) you love.  Who will that be?

I bring this message knowing that God desires every person on the face of the earth to hear and follow the Gospel.  This is a Wesleyan thing, informed by John 3:16 ("all who believe in Him") and John 3:17 ("for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it").  I think this is really good news, because I am all for God saving this fallen world we share, full of strife, war, conflict, division, and hate.  We need the beauty, grace, and peace of the Gospel.  But somebody doesn't want any of that.   Here are a few thoughts and a few nuggets of advice from God's word.

First, let's all remember that we have an enemy.  It is popular to believe there is no Satan, cosmic enemy, or conscious presence of evil in the world.  God's word disagrees.  "Stay alert!  Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8)."

Second, even when the message of God is preached and taught, we (the fickle people we are) are (as Moses would have said) stiff-necked.  The Old Testament term is a blend of pride, arrogance, and stubbornness.  In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel and the word of God spread, but there was serious opposition, especially from jealous Jews.  "They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region ((Acts 13:50)."

I give these examples because influences and influencers are all around us.  My friend, John Riley, talks about "influence" as "leadership."  I think he is right.  Those who influence us, lead us.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have had two things happen that show how God's people, good people, have chosen to allow themselves and our young ones to be influenced and led, not by the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit, but by the reckless winds of culture.

I read an article from the New Yorker (not exactly a bastion of conservatism).  It was about how we have been influenced (led) to believe that Cannabis (and all its derivatives) is safe.  The article went on to describe cases of psychosis, debilitating symptoms, and severe mental health repercussions that are related to Cannabis use.  By the way ... this is the recreational drug the media, much of the medical profession and a large segment of society have let themselves be convinced is "harmless."  We (culture) have been blown off course by the reckless wind of deception.

I also have seen many who have allowed the winds of influence to creep into their Sunday choices.  Facebook pictures of boating on the lake, absences so preparations can be made for hunting season, football, and one person asking about having sporting events on Sunday.  All of these choices are made by "good" people, but are these good choices and good "influences" for us and our kids/grandkids? Are our children stressed at an early age, all because we consider cultural conformity more important than spiritual maturity?  I hope you will consider these observations as "truth in love."  Maybe these are symptoms of something deeper.  Our children are frantic and busy to stay in the cultural norm, but is that norm healthy?  Are WE following the wind from Ephesians 4 ("tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching (Ephesians 4:14)") or the wild but faithful wind from John 3:8 (the wind of the Holy Spirit)?  We are choosing our leader ... our influencer ... and possibly our god.

There is a better way, my brothers and sisters!  And here it is.  We (the Church) follow the Holy Spirit and our leader Jesus.  Here are the results we can expect, straight from God's word ... "Then we will no longer be immature, like children.  We won't be tossed about by every wind of new teaching.  We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way to be like Christ, who is the head of the body, the church.  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly (Ephesians 4:14-16)!"

Which wind will you choose?  Which wind will you teach?  Will you fit the culture, or fit the Kingdom of God?

From Fallen Stones

This week, on Wednesday at 6:30 pm (meal at 6 pm), we will have our first full Charge Conference as a Global Methodist Church. Liberty Methodist will join us, and we will have a meal, fellowship, conversation, and celebration of life together. Wesley described this as Christian Conferencing. Wesley loved this time, which he kept brief, as a means of God's grace poured out on God's people. Wesley would have treasured this as a blessing.

Is such a thing Biblical? Emphatically, yes. In Acts 15, the Apostles are meeting in Jerusalem. The issue at hand was that some Christians thought new Christians needed to become Jews to join in the new fellowship of the "People of the Way" (the early Church). When I read this chapter, I was compelled by James's words describing the rag-tag people who were called into the early Church. "After this, I will build again from the fallen stones. I will set (God's building) up again. Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even the people who are not Jews, who are called by my name" (Acts 15:16-17), a reference from Amos 9:11.

Two groups of people are spoken of in this passage. The first are those Jews who were part of a broken building, called "fallen stones." This should resonate with us as Global Methodists, coming from a broken house fractured by division and understanding of Biblical authority. But, as "sinners," we also identify as "fallen stones" as we have been lifted up by a master builder who will take our ruins and build something beautiful and useful.

The second group in this discussion are the Gentiles. James makes the point that "we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." James realizes that God has opened this door, and our rules, regulations, and structure should invite, not restrict, the Gentiles who desire to come to the faith.

Aren't we all "broken?" Aren't we all sinners redeemed by the goodness and grace of God? Haven't we all been raised up as shattered stones and placed into the beautiful Church God is building? Isn't this part of the best news ever? We CAN be restored! We CAN be used by God! We CAN be "born again!" Praise the Lord! AMEN

Tricks and Beliefs

In today's world, there's lots of trickery happening.  Listen to a presidential candidate speaking, and you will hear some trickery.  Things will be promised that (if you stop to think) aren't exactly in control of that candidate (whichever candidate you support).  Read posts on social media, and you will soon get caught up in something you want to believe, but it is really only trickery. I have discovered, sadly, that two of the faith stories I used for years were really not true.  Trickery!

So, how do we keep from trickery?  How do we know what to believe and what not to believe, even as we try to rely on a pure and holy God?  How do we discern the truth?  I ask questions.  And the main question is, "Who benefits from my belief in something?"  There are a huge number of posts that are created by artificial intelligence.  Others are created by foreign powers that want to promote their interest or influence our upcoming election.  If you ask the "who benefits" question, you will find that many of these posts are good for Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Russia.  Do these people promote our interests, or are they mortal enemies who wish us ill?  Are they for chaos, while our God is a God that brought order to chaos (Genesis 1)?  Who benefits?

In Acts 19, there are serious challenges to the People of the Way (the early Church).  The Chapter is all about what people believe.  Do they believe in the Gospel message or, do they oppose the Gospel message?  Will they leave their belief in Artemis (the Greek goddess of hunting and wild animals) and follow the truth of the Gospel?  And, are there deeper and more sinister things in the undercurrent of the story?  Those who are caught up in the commerce of the Temple of Artemis stand to lose money if people join Paul's movement and Jesus' Church.  Jews caught up in the commerce of the Jewish Synagogue stand to lose if the people learn about Jesus.  When people follow Jesus ... truly follow Jesus ... it changes everything!  The Jewish sacrificial system is out of business.  The "merch" of the Artemis movement becomes worthless when people learn Artemis isn't real.  Who benefits from what people believe?

If you think this is just a story from Scripture, think again.  Who would benefit and who would lose if we (Christians) became so caught up in following Jesus we actually allowed that belief to change our lifestyle?  Music sales, the football industrial complex, alcohol sales, and a fair number of political icons, would lose followers ... because the people would follow a God named Jesus.

The preacher, Tony Evans, made a promise years ago.  I hope he has kept it.  He said, "I will not let any expense (cost center for you accountants) be greater than what I give to God's kingdom."  The decision impacted where he lived, what he drove, and what he did for recreation.  It even impacted his family, as children and grandchildren were no longer at the top of the spending plan.

I hope you are getting the point.  Acts 19 is full of what happens when people choose to follow Jesus, and what happens when these choices come into conflict with societal norms and Satan's plan to oppose Jesus at every turn.  The choice, here, comes down to asking a question, answering the question, and following the answer you have chosen.  Who benefits from our beliefs, and who we choose to follow?

More

This coming Wednesday, we will have the blessing of hearing a beautiful message from Rev. Carolyn Moore, one of the newly elected interim Bishops in the Global Methodist Church.  I have had the privilege of meeting Bishop Moore, and have enjoyed ministerial interactions with her over the past couple of years.  Rev. More is a real-deal, Spirit-filled, and Jesus-led person.  But she does have one character flaw.  She is relentless and passionate about her vision that the Church (in our case, the Global Methodist Church) needs to hunger and thirst for a God that desires to give the Church more than we have sought in recent years.  Her question is ... "Have we become satisfied with an institutional church, when God's plan and desire is for us to have a transformational Church (note one is capitalized and one is not).  Here are three questions that haunt me, and make me restless for fresh wind and fire.

The first question is ... are we zoo keepers or liberators?  To a God, who has proclaimed that when Jesus comes to town, captives are freed, are we content to make the prisoners content and passive?  A preacher visited a zoo and saw the animal enclosures.  He asked a similar question to the one above.  Do we do to people what zoos do to animals?  Most zoo animals, I believe, would rather be free, even if it means that they would be exposed to the elements, predators, and danger.  I can't answer that question for the zoo animal, but I can answer it for me.  And what would your answer be?  Is your spiritual life one of contentment, or do you hunger for the wild ride God has planned?

The second question is ... is our mission words or wonders?  In Acts 19, God's word says that Paul was so Spirit-filled that "when handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them."  WOW!!!!  Paul and his team preached Jesus, and spread the Gospel.  They were known for the wonders God did through their ministry.

The last question?  Are WE obstacles, or opportunities?  One of my team members and I have been conversing about this very thing.  What if some of our ministries are hampered because we are only invested in the plan we have made and the picture we have painted?  When I read Acts (go read Acts 19, for example) I see the unbounded and powerful manifestation of God's Spirit.  Do we want that?  Does that scare you?  Are you down for more, or are you fine with the same?

Maybe it comes down to this.  You and I have painted a picture, maybe even a vision, of how we think our church and our ministries should operate.  Our pictures and visions might be just fine, but how is "just fine" working for us?  Rich Mullins writes about this ... "Joy and sorrow are this ocean, in their every ebb and flow.  now the Lord, a door has opened, that all hell can never close, here I'm tested and made worthy, tossed about, and lifted up, in the reckless raging fury, that they call the love of God."  Do you see it? Maybe God's plan, word, and story are filled with wildness, beauty, and a passion that died for us!  That isn't logical, manageable, or confinable.  IT is more of God, bursting into a world that needs a great and holy God.  AMEN?  AMEN!!!

Nice Things

I can't have nice things.  I am not worthy of them, and I am prone to break or lose them.  Watches, sunglasses, reading glasses ... you name it!  

Yesterday, a pair of glasses fell in the driveway.  So I drove over them.  A few weeks back I was playing golf, and my sunglasses fell off ... I destroyed them with my driver.  Lee used to get me watches.  Every single watch was broken within a month.  That's how I roll!  

When it comes to nice things, I settle.  One thing I settle for is cheap.  My rule with sunglasses is one of my coping mechanisms.  I will not pay over $10 for a pair of sunglasses.  Whenever I have violated this rule, I sit on them, crush them, or break them.

When it comes to nice things, I fear them.  I am afraid I will somehow mess them up.  I fear the inevitable time I crush them, lose them, or mangle them.  They are nice but useless.

When it comes to nice things, I protect them.  They become like a trophy that sits on the shelf.  They are part of my past, but have nothing to do with my present or future.  They are something that happened, but is not happening now.

God gives us nice things.  He gives grace we don't deserve.  He gives forgiveness that we don't receive or pass on.  He gives salvation we fail to embrace and enjoy.  Instead, we settle ... we fear ... and we protect.  How do we change this pattern of shielding ourselves from the very blessings God gives us?  Here are a few thoughts.

Dealing with nice things is addressed in the Bible.  In Matthew 25:14-30, we find one of several stories about how we will be judged by God.  Most of us might not like that image, but it is right there in the Bible!  Three people are given "talents" to invest ... they are given a chance make good use of their gift, and 2 people invest wisely.  The third person is a lot like me and nice things ... he settles, fears, and protects.  He settles for rolling along, doing life in the safe, slow lane.  This is the "cheap" alternative, "but doesn't the Master want us to be thrifty?"  He fears what might happen to him if he loses or misuses what has been given.  He is afraid of how all of this might come down on him.  And, he rationalizes that he must protect the gift.  So he buries his gift/talent in the ground, safe from enemies and safe from use.

All of the above reactions, leading to becoming separated from God, are based on "self."  "I don't want to fail, I don't want to expend energy/time/resources, and I don't want to risk."  What begins each of those statements?  I!

Do we realize what should be obvious to every Believer on the face of the planet?  We are called to reflect the image of our Master.  He invested (into this world) the most precious thing in the universe!  Jesus!  He didn't give what was cheap! He didn't give in to fear!  He didn't place Jesus on a useless shelf!  He placed Him on a cross.  So we should give and love and risk, because the nice things we have been given weren't cheap.  We should serve and sacrifice without fear.  We give Jesus away, because we aren't in charge of protecting Him ... He is perfectly capable of protecting Himself.

Do you want nice things from God?  Then invest and risk and live!  AMEN

 

Weiners or Steak?

As I watch what is happening all around me, I wonder if a societal disconnect has happened?  I am growing a little suspicious (really kinda disgusted) at our sports channels and a fair number of our athletes.  On College Gameday, there is a segment on "fashion," as the commentators evaluate the virtues of college uniforms and whether they meet the "style standards" of our day.  I watched the pre-game show on one of our NFL games, as they showed clips of famous athletes parading in wearing, in my opinion, ridiculous outfits.  There was more fur and froufrou than one would see in a high-class Parisian bar.  And, added to this, football players are crying over losing games!!! Dick Butkus and Ray Lewis would have their faces buried in their hands, shouting ... "there's no crying in football!"

I wonder if this 'attitude' has permeated society.  That's how I came up with this blog title.  Let me elaborate.  Would you rather have weiners or steak?  That is an easy choice for me!  While weiners are fast, easy, and pretty tasty, they are also unhealthy.  Hot dogs are a bit like Federal Legislation ... sometimes the end product works out OK, but you don't want to be around to watch the process.  What goes into legislation and weiners would not be part of what we would choose to ingest.  In fact, emulsified meat trimmings, seasonings, preservatives, and fillers don't sound appetizing to me!  Steak, on the other hand, sounds really good.  It is straightforward meat.  You see what you get, with few frills and just the right seasoning!  I am a steak person!

You are probably, by now, asking what this has to do with Church?  Here are a few thoughts.  I wonder if many of our congregations have become froufrou and fur, rather than straightforward Gospel? In Acts 13:46, Paul and Barnabas "waxed bold (KJV)."  They said, "It was necessary that we first preach the Word of God to you (the Jews).  But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles."  That statement isn't formed to be froufrou or fur. It isn't a spiritual "hot dog."  That is steak ... straightforward and direct.  Let's pray we will "wax boldly" and tell the truth in love (Ephesians 14:15).

I wonder if our men (that's us dudes!) have been drawn into a gray culture of middle-ground, watered-down truth and "maybes?" I heard our political leaders described as, "grins with a body behind it." Are we like that?  If we examine the Paul and Barnabas of Acts 13, we would use terms like, sincere, "what you see is what you get," bold, structured about God's truth, decisive, and real.  I love that last one ... real. While most weiners aren't Kosher, I wonder if the Jews that ran Paul and Barnabas out of Antioch of Pisidia were Kosher?  When Paul confronted them, God's word said they incited a riot using influential women and 'important' political leaders. They sound like the ingredients in hot dogs ... filler, preservatives, meat byproducts (not actually meat) ... I think you get the analogy! In our era of fur wearing, froufrou-bearing, crying football players, trying their best to be "tough," the real tough guys are just folks ... folks that Jesus taught to "let your yes be yes and your no be no ... anything more than this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37)."

So back to my original thought.  Would you rather have weiners or steak?  Do you want real substance or the fur and froufrou of our culture? Do you seek the boldness of Paul and Barnabas, or the deception and back-biting of the Jewish leaders? Do you want perception or truth? Do you desire the fleeting peace of the world, or the sustaining peace of Christ? Will you live in Jesus' kingdom, where He is King, or in culture where Satan is "the Prince of the air (and airways)".  I am a steak person!  AMEN

Trickle

Last year there was a slight little noise coming from the water tank behind one of the toilets.  I tolerated it for awhile, ignoring it for a couple weeks.  Then, upon receiving the water bill, I was motivated to fix that little leak.  The "trickle" became real when the water bill was over $30 more than usual!

There are two Biblical examples of this analogy being played out.  One is negative.  In Galatians 5:6, Paul warns the church at Galatia about pride.  He reminds us that pride is both "not good (Paul's words)," contagious, and destructive.  "Your boasting is terrible!  Don't you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?"  Pride starts small, but it eats away at the structure of the church.  Paul says, beware!

Another example of a trickle describes the church in the world.  In Ezekiel 47, a trickle of water leaves the temple, flowing to the Dead Sea.  It begins small, but it quickly expands to a river too vast to cross.  It flows from the temple all the way to the Dead Sea, refreshing and renewing all it touches along the way.

In the Pre-Christian world, where people don't know about Christ, aren't aware of His saving power, and are blind to the Kingdom Jesus is bringing "on earth as it is in heaven," we are that living water.  We are the river from the temple!

I know you are feeling a lot like that trickle, making a little sound and adding just a little water to your world.  But take heart!  You are the "strong and mighty warrior" from Judges 6!  You bear the little child that entered this world through a manger in Bethlehem.  And, you carry the power of the Holy Spirit, who is able to fill the whole world with life-giving sustenance.  Let God's river flow through you!  AMEN

Not ME!!

A few months back, I was in Walmart in Eufaula.  I was taking a shortcut to the back of the store and I passed through the pharmacy.  As I walked near the pharmacy window I overheard a woman who was obviously a little fearful of getting what I think was a flu shot.  Being the "nice guy" I am, and wanting to be encouraging, I said, "Oh ... those are nothing.  You won't even feel it.  You can get through this!"  The pharmacy lady looked over at me and said, "Would you like to get your flu shot too?"  My response was quick, decisive, and bold ... "Not me?!"

As I continued my trip to the back of the store, a Biblical image came to mind.  Moses, who encountered the burning bush in Midian, and heard God's voice say, "I am sending you to bring my people,  the Israelites, out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10)."  Moses replied, "Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring your people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:11)?"  The English translation here is, "Not ME?!"

Here is where we should look a little closer at this story.  1) Moses wasn't chosen because going to Egypt, rescuing the Israelites, and leading the Hebrew nation was HIS plan ... it was God's plan.  "Yes, Moses, YOU!" 2) Moses wasn't chosen because he was qualified for the job ... he was chosen because God would equip him for the job ... "Yes, Moses, YOU!"  3) He wasn't chosen because of his timing ... he was chosen because of God's timing ... "Yes, Moses, YOU!"

What is your plan?  What are your qualifications?  What is your perfect timing?  Do you/we arrogantly think that these are God's criteria for choosing us to meet a need, do a task, or embark upon a journey? Or do you really believe the prayer Jesus prayed in Gethsemane ... "Not my will but thine?"

It was far easier for me to commit that lady to getting that shot, than it was to submit myself to getting that shot.  Maybe the next time God's Spirit tweaks my spirit to act, maybe I should ask, "Why not me?"

Pathways

In an old song, Dan Fogelberg writes, "Gone are the pathways, a child follows home.  Gone, like the sand and the foam."  As parents and Church leaders, we are in the business of making sure this doesn't happen.  So how?

I can think of several Scriptures that speak to this.  The first is, "Train up a child in the way he/she should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)."  When I rehearse a wedding, I have a specific way I do it.  I place everyone in the wedding party in the position they will occupy during the real wedding ceremony.  That is where we begin the rehearsal.  Why?  Because I want them to know where they are going when they enter the wedding.  I then ask them to practice the recessional.  And, lastly, we practice the entrance, made easier because they know exactly where they are going.  The same is true for children.  We train them up, telling them where we, and those in our household, stand.  We don't leave them to their wits, the wiles of the world, their peers, or the enemy to teach them where to stand.  That is our job!

The second Scripture that leads me in teaching children is, "I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 1:4)."  Do you get the nuance here?  In Western thought, we are all caught up in information.  The words of teaching are our greatest focus.  In Middle Eastern thought from Jesus' day, the idea was not just information ... it was application.  Knowing the truth is one thing.  Walking in the truth is another.  For our children, I pray they will learn to walk in the truth.

So standing and walking are both important for our teaching and leading children.  But there is another important part to making sure our children become all they can be.  And this one is very simple.  It is expressed in the words of an old Carolyn Arends song.  "We grow up so innocent and wise, till we cut the world down to our size.  We still have that wonder in our eyes.  Maybe that's why Jesus said to come, with the faith we had when we were young.  Letting our imaginations run."  The Scripture is from Matthew 18:3, and is a reminder that childhood faith is both desirable and endorsed by Jesus.  This morning I had a chance to watch one of our older children ring the Sanctuary bell.  The child might have balked at this because we have somehow conveyed the idea one can "grow out" of this fun activity.  It was such a blessing to see the joy in those eyes as the bell tolled.  

Standing in the truth, walking in the truth and living in the joy of the truth seems like a great recipe for entering a messed-up world.  I have to admit ... I had to ring that bell a couple of times myself.  It seemed to clear my head and send the demons of a crazy morning packing.  Try it sometime.  Don't let the world or the expectations of so-called "adults" downsize your faith.  Faith has been given to you to be boundless and filled with the dreams of God's kingdom on earth, just as it is in heaven.  AMEN

Decline the Invitation

Every so often someone tells me about getting an invitation to be included in a "Who's Who" publication.  The invitation is congratulatory and complimentary.  It can be flattering.  It can also be expensive since getting your name published involves sending them a fee for that service.  My advice?  Decline the invitation.

As Christians, we hear blustery and flowery expressions of God's sufficiency.  We sing them, say them at times of stress, and we proclaim them as oft-repeated cliches.  But do we mean them?  The Sanctuary Carillon is currently playing "A Mighty Fortress," a musical expression of the importance and sufficiency of God.  "That word (Jesus) above all earthly powers!" we sing.  Then, we get the invitation from our will and our feelings.  And earthly powers are given more power and traction than they should ever deserve. My advice? Decline the invitation ... but how?

It is really a very simple, but profound, decision to decline the invitation to negativity.  Negativity, self-sufficiency and self-loathing are all bedfellows.  They hang out together, and they are close kin to Satan's desire to tempt and deceive us.  "Jesus ... you are hungry.  Turn these stones into bread!  Jesus ... you are the Son of God!  Throw yourself down and I (Satan) will give you power over your little domain!"  You can read all about it in Matthew 4.  We have heard this before!

Here is my "go to" Scripture for those times when Satan is buffeting me with negative vibes.  "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is commendable ... if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8)," is where I rest my heart.  Try it!  Read it!  Sift your day through it!  Start seeing life, people, and events through the eyes and heart of God.

As I read this passage this morning, I reflected.  How do I assess each Sunday morning?  Do I see the 30-40 different moving parts, questions, issues, problems, and people as a mish-mash of things that either go well or not-so-well?  Or do I watch for the beauty in the people and experiences of each Sabbath?  Yesterday, I watched our handbell team present 2 songs, both wonderful and better-than-expected from the short time they had been together.  But something was happening, beyond the music and beyond my tunnel vision.  Did you notice the almost 80-year age gap between the performers?  Have you ever seen anything, except worship itself, that invites that multi-generational cooperation?  Was the performance true, honorable, pure and worthy of praise?  Did we all pitch in, moving the tables and giving real commendations to each person who was part of the group?  Did we, as the bells rang, sing in our heads ... "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty ... early in the morning my song will rise to thee!"?

Affirmation or Information?

Which of the words above attracts your attention?  And, as you are thinking, I will admit to a bias here.  When I read something on Facebook, see something on TV, hear something in a conversation, and (especially) hear a political ad making a claim, I want to know the facts.  My "go-to" position on all of these sources is to not believe them until I see evidence.  What about you?

So ... I have a pet peeve about the title of this blog.  My annoyance is that we, too often, want affirmation, not information.  The Jews in Acts 18 (Paul is verbally attacked and accused of teaching what was contrary to the Jewish Law) seek affirmation of what they have always done.  Paul teaches from the Scripture and the words of the Jewish Prophets, but the religious leaders will not listen.  They have no desire to examine and debate the information Paul is providing.  Instead, they want Paul to affirm them and their tradition.  But don't be too harsh ... the same thing happens in 2024 America!

First, we live in a world that worships affirmation.  Our children are affirmed by getting a trophy for participation.  I am always astounded when I see statistics on reading levels.  Quora states that 54% of American adults between the ages of 16 and 74 read below 6th-grade reading standards.  Have we educationally affirmed (passed people up the line) our children and adults into this deplorable situation?  Do we affirm behaviors that actually make those behaviors worse?  San Francisco has a $5 million program to provide "managed-alcohol" to the homeless to "stabilize" drinking patterns (Newsnation).  If you have ever been in an addiction, you realize the tragic end of this affirmation.

Second, we live in a world that is reluctant to hear the truth.  The Jews in Paul's day didn't want to hear his expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and actively tried to suppress it (Acts 18:12-13).  I have a friend, in the Global Methodist Church, who was told not to speak at a funeral (held in a United Methodist Church) because they feared what he "might" say.  There is a famous quote at the end of the movie, A Few Good Men, where Jack Nicholson's character shouts "You can't handle the truth."  I had a dialogue with one of our classes about their embarking on the study of The Revelation.  I am excited by this because they are desiring to go Higher Up and Deeper In."  My only caveat, in advising them on materials, is ... "Be willing to look at the actual truth regarding eschatological literature."  Our Southern-influenced view of The Revelation has been off-base for many years, and information, not affirmation, can result in truth, understanding, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we live in a world that is being "blown about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)."  Paul said this happens when we "walk in the vanity of our mind (Ephesians 4:17)!"  And there it is ... our mind supplanting the mind of Christ.  Our mind supplanting Scripture.  Our mind affirming our own understanding and rejecting God's good plan.  Our mind sending us toward our purpose rather than God's will.

Biblical judgment isn't about receiving a participation trophy.  It is about a very just and holy God seeing straight into our hearts.  That is the God of Matthew 25, where Jesus provides one of 2 answers.  The first is directed to proud people who have ignored God's priorities.  Jesus says, "I never knew you."  The second is, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father."  Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those with pure hearts, those who make peace, and those who are persecuted because they love righteousness.  People, I pray, like you!  AMEN

Drawn

I have been watching the Olympics off and on.  Having grown up running track and field and being taught swimming lessons by an Olympic swimmer, it is only natural.  But this year I have especially noticed which athletes draw me in.  So I ask ... what draws you in?

The question, above, is really not about the Olympics.  It is more about life.  What is compelling to you?  What captures you so that you want more?  And are the things that "draw" you cultural or spiritual?

In Acts, we find the stark reactions of people who are either cultural or spiritual.  Paul, In Acts 18, leads Crispus, a synagogue leader, and his entire household to the Lord.  In the same chapter, Paul is attacked by other Jews and is accused of "persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law (Acts 18:13)."  He (Paul) experiences two vastly different responses by people who are supposedly devout Jews.  One group is drawn to the law and the other is drawn by the Holy Spirit.  Both groups claim the moral "high ground."

As I read this account, I can't help but look at the culture in which we live.  I can almost hear the voices of cultural Christians who would say, "Let them believe what they want.  I can't tell other people how to believe or follow God. It's all good!"  Let's let that sink in for a moment!  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6),"  but we are willing to say, "It's all good!?"

Is "IT" all good for our children?  One writer said, "We raise our kids in an aquarium, but release them into the ocean!"  I wonder if this modern idea of allowing our kids to decide what they will believe for themselves has created a generation that has huge mental health issues and a myriad of substance abuse problems.  If we (parents, teachers, Christians) fail to teach them about God, faith, values, and right, what will "draw" them?  Maybe self, substances, and their emotions?  Where will they be when self, substances and emotions leave them spent?  They will be empty and lost in an ocean filled with unfriendly and unhealthy beasts.  It isn't ALL good for our children.

Is "IT" all good for us?  I watch the sports announcers of our generation and see a vast emptiness.  They seek the brash, the boisterous, and the "out there."  That stuff sells, because it is part of life's meaningless soap opera.  And people are drawn to all of this.  And Paul, in his wonderful way (and amid persecution) says, "fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable (Philippians 4:8)."  It isn't ALL good for our adults.

I love the quote from one of our Olympic athletes ... one that I am drawn to ... Sydney McLaughlin.  In the midst of brash victory demonstrations, me-focused histrionics, and prideful pompousness, I see a young woman who seems to have her head on straight.  Here are her words ... "I don't deserve anything.  But through grace and faith, Jesus has given me everything.  Records come and go, but the glory of God is eternal."

Maybe, as our kids go off to school, college, or into the workforce, we teach them what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable."  And, maybe we express the value of being drawn to these things that will breathe substance and life into an otherwise empty world.  And, maybe the ocean of the world will become more beautiful and less dangerous!  Randy

Another King?

Do you remember? Exodus 20:3? "Thou shall have no other gods before Me!" In case you need a reminder, that is the 1st of 10 Commandments. Seems pretty clear, or does it?

In Acts 17, Paul comes to Thessalonica and does what he has done elsewhere.  In the Greek city, there was a synagogue. Paul begins to proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah and that the Jews and Greeks should accept Jesus' lordship. Many believed, but the Jewish leaders became jealous. They make a statement that should cause us to rethink some of our own behavior. "These people who have been turning the world upside-down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the Emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus (Acts 17:8-9)."

Let's unpack this statement. The first accusation is that the believers, led by Paul, are turning the world upside down. Look around, people! The world IS already upside down. It was in Paul's day and it seems to be the same today. Decadence is front and center, and if you point it out, YOU are at fault. Following God's word is frowned upon, spit upon, and even frowned upon inside the Church. Paul is laying out the Messiah by using Scripture, and the Jews (claiming Scriptural authority) are accusing him of sedition.  The definition of decadence is interesting here.  "The act of falling into an inferior condition or state ... decay."  Then, and now, the church was in decay.  The world and the church WERE upside down already!

The second accusation was that Paul and the believers were promoting Jesus as another king besides the Emperor. So the question seems to be, "Who is their king?" Is it the God of Exodus 20:3? Is it the Messiah predicted and proclaimed by the Old Testament? Is it Caesar? And, what is it for us? Is it our political agenda? Is it our favorite sport? Is it our lifestyle? Do WE have another king?

The world is upside down. In these Pre-Christian times, a revival is needed. How will that happen? I believe it will happen when we allow the Jesus Paul talks about to become our one true King. For our kings are failing us. They fall to self-interests, pride, corruption, and corporate greed. These kings are empty, ultimately powerless, and decaying. But King Jesus comes to an upside-down world and offers peace, forgiveness, grace, direction, and hope. Come to Jesus, and come to His table this Sunday.  He is our one true King and our true God, co-reigning with the Holy Spirit and the Father. We need Him!  Come, Jesus our King!  AMEN

Orphan Church

As we continue to think about the question, "Are we Post-Christian or Pre-Christian?", I can't help but think about how this question is directly related to our attitude.  Paul uses a phrase that relates to "attitude."  The phrase is "mind of Christ."

Paul uses this phrase in at least 2 places ... Philippians 2:5 and 1 Corinthians 2:16.  "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus," Paul says in Philippians 2:5.  He then goes on to describe Christ as a submissive and humble servant of the Father.  In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul expresses the difference between the culture (that believes things of faith are foolishness) and the faith, "but we understand these things because we have the mind of Christ."  In both passages, Paul is recommending a mindset and thought process that is not of this world.  He is also calling us, as the Church, to remember we are bound for another place, where we will spend eternity.  There, we will be residents, citizens, and sons and daughters of the King.  Here, we are more like orphans.

Why do I say this?  Orphans are separated from the parents of their birth by some event.  I am not suggesting we latch onto the negative part of this definition, which leaves us drifting without mooring in the values of parenthood.  Rather, I am reminding us that our primary parent, to whom we can always go for guidance, support, help, and unfailing love is our Lord, Jesus Christ.  And the Church, which we have often called the building or the denomination (one Bishop called it "Mother Church"), has a Groom and we have a parent in the person of Jesus!

I offer this analogy (some of you might take exception) to remind us that we must not become so resident and comfortable in a building or a denomination, that we move the main thing down the priority list.  In a song about life's journey and lost relationships, Gillian Welch expresses the need for Jesus in this world of challenges.  The song Orpahn Girl reminds us that 1) all of us will have troubles, including lost loved ones, 2) all of us will have friendships which may help us in the journey, 3) our desire to become reunited with our friends/family in faith needs to be tethered to a willingness to see past what Periti calls, "This Present Darkness and, 4) that we must pray for God to be our ultimate (and always present) parent, so that we can arrive safely home with God.  The main thing is to remember we are making disciples of Jesus Christ, to whom we testify as our Lord and Savior.

Paul reminds us that as we "have the mindset of Christ Jesus," we will find ourselves orphaned from much of the world, some of our friends, and sometimes even our blood relatives.  They will think us foolish, dogmatic, and counter-cultural.  We might even be disowned.  But take heart!  Our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ, will never disown us or leave us stranded.  The song reports, "When he calls me, I'll be able, to meet my family, at God's table, He'll be my mother, my father, my sister, my brother ... no more an orphan girl."  If you are a Christ follower, you have a family waiting at that table!  AMEN

 

The Mission Field

It is somewhat ironic that we, and many other churches, are sending teams to what we call "the mission field."  I am not downplaying the need to go, the motivation to make a difference, or the desire to spread God's Word to every person on the planet.  These are good things that we should do.  They should be a part of who we are.

Here's the ironic thing.  As we "tell the story to the nations," I can't help but have a heart for telling the story here.  This is why we have started the Wednesday evening discipleship group.  We want to become a church that makes disciples that make disciples.  In this country, our "business as usual" churches are not gaining ground in spreading the Gospel.  We are losing ground.  I want US to be a catalyst in changing that.

So, as I board a plane on Saturday, bound for Belize, I am asking each of you to do several things:

1. The first thing, and really, an easy thing, is to pray for our church to become a place of discipleship and disciple-making.

2. I am asking, I think by direct command of Jesus (Matthew 28), for you (yes YOU) to become a person willing to learn about disciple-making.  I will be doing some things during the late summer and fall to make this easier for you, providing materials, instructional support, and place (hopefully some of you will be agents of providing this place).

3. I am asking you to change your priorities.  I get lots of pictures of many of you cruising the lake, hanging out on the beach, and being in your prime place of "fun."  Others of you, thankfully, are posting about your activities and priorities related to our body of believers.  For our country to change, YOU and I have to change.

4. I am asking you to reconsider our "context" of a rural Alabama community as being a Christian bastion.  Until our churches become filled ... until our hurting are healed ... until our relationships become more important than our feelings ... until the Kingdom of God becomes more important than our politics ... until we seek for the Kingdom to "come on earth as it is in heaven," then we will live in the shallow end of the faith pool.  I invite you to come to the deep and dangerous end, where you might have to lose yourself for the Kingdom of God.

As you leave your house tomorrow, remember you are entering a mission field, every bit as needy as those in Africa, Belize, and Costa Rica.  I hope you will pray and respond to God's call, saying, "Here I am, Lord, send me!"

Pre-Christian

I have been getting a little weary of a commonly-used term (Post-Christian) I am hearing in Christian circles.  It is a pessimistic term that seems to defer power to our societal trends in America.  We see these trends becoming less Christian and more worldly (denominations, the fading mega-church model, self-orientation), and we see the Church as somehow drifting into obscurity.

Then, I think of our little sign in the FLC that says, "What is Jesus doing?"  Are these trends, and the negative comments related to them, really the work of Jesus, or are they the suggestions and thoughts of Satan?  I believe Jesus answered this in His prayer in John 16:33, "I have told you these things so that you might have peace!  In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart!  I have overcome the world."  So, in the Spirit of trusting what Jesus IS doing, I am suggesting a new word.  This new word will be the subject of several sermons over the next few weeks.  The term is, Pre-Christian.

What do I mean by Pre-Christian?  First, I believe Jesus is active in the world despite what we see or are led to believe.  Psalm 12 is our text for this belief.  In this Psalm, God says, "I will rise up and rescue them, as they have longed for me to do."  Embedded in the negativity I hear, is a sense of longing for something better, pure, right, and good.  While our society says, "Just go with the flow and submit," God says, "long for and believe I am faithful to come to your rescue."  That is the intent and direction of our God.

Second, God sees what is happening.  He knows ministry in this society is missional and difficult.  Isaiah said it over 2,500 years ago ... "I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5)."  Psalm 12 echos the chaos happening in society ...  "the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land."  If God sees, and God is active, something is about to happen.  You can count on it.

Finally, look around, seeing through God's eyes.  Every week I hear of a new congregation happening in our conference.  Africa is about to explode with new churches and congregations.  Young people are awakening from the "woke" culture to a dawning of the light of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  God is doing something, and I think it is something big!

How can we participate in God's work here?  How about entering a discipleship process?  You can do this and we can help!  Come Wednesday night to learn a basic, but effective, model of leading a band.  Start a home band with your friends.  Join your brothers and sisters in worship ... for this is not optional if you want to be a disciple.  Join a servant-band (the Childrens ministry team, the mission team, help at the Thrift Store, get a team together and remove weeds from our flower beds, etc.).  And learn to witness to your faith, as we grow in Christ together.  We talk about how this can happen on Wednesday nights.

As I compile this list, I think of 2 groups that seem to get the point.  Our Sunday morning kids want to serve, and they are passionate about being part of what is happening.  It is an honor to them to be part of worship!  And, in videos and pictures from Africa (specifically the Congo), people are coming in droves to be part of the praise, learning, giving, and caring that takes place in early-Church-style worship.  They are not entertained ... they are invested.

God knows the barriers we face.  He has seen them before.  So I ask, do you believe Jesus, who said, "I have overcome the world?"  Are you resigned and defeated, calling our current era, Post-Christian?  Or are you part of the new thing God is doing in this Pre-Christian world?  

The Paradox (and confusion) of Freedom

In the movie, Princess Bride, Wesley (the main character), tells the Sicilian (one of the bad guys), "I don't think you know what that word means (referencing the word, "inconceivable"). There is a "cultural" meaning of freedom, and there is a Biblical meaning of freedom. I don't think we have a healthy grasp of what that word means. Let's see which one we really want!

Biblically, Jesus gives us a short definition of freedom. "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed (John 8:34-36)." Here's the paradox. You can live in a "free country," and you can sing the songs of freedom, but remain a slave. Or, you can be in jail in Russia, but be living in a greater freedom that can only be found in Christ.

In this short passage from John 8, in which Jesus' testimony is delegitimized by the Pharisees, He is chastised by the religious regime. In the same chapter, the Pharisees dispute the identity of Jesus.  A third thing happens in this chapter. The Jews claim the name of Abrahan as their ancestor, and they claim they are therefore "chosen" and free. Jesus responds by telling them their ancestry and country is not the source of their true freedom.

Jesus could have had this conversation with any group of Americans. Because we are confused by this "idea" of freedom, and often miss the actuality of true freedom. Jesus' message is pointed, but very unpopular.  1) Your freedom can only come from the sacrifice that has paid for your freedom. 2) Your freedom doesn't come from your ancestry ... it comes from a relationship with God's Son.  3) If you are enslaved by sin, you have not yet been brought into the family of God.

Jesus is saying, choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and become a free man/woman.  And, for you historians, let's take a critical look back at history.  Freedom is, historically, fleeting.  Nations can only provide a temporary glimpse of freedom.  Over time, nations have a way of forgetting their foundational principles.  Does this sound familiar?

I am intrigued by the overall discussion in John 8.  First, the leaders challenge what Jesus is saying (His testimony).  Then, they challenge His actual identity.  Then, they even say Jesus "isn't really one of them."  This scarily resembles conversations happening in denominational disputes and in extreme political disputes.  This turmoil boils down to a lack of understanding of the freedom offered by Jesus, and we must (nationally) hold to Him, lest we become spiritual wanderers, "Like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36-38)."

As we celebrate our Independence, let's remember that true freedom isn't doing whatever we want.  True freedom is choosing those things (and the one person) that offer "abundant life (John 10:10)."  Let's love our country, and long for our home with Jesus.  And let's spread the true message of freedom, from sea to shining sea!

The Battleground

Are you in or out of the battle? Is there a battle happening?  Do you know you are choosing as you live out your day?  These are questions that I think about.  What about you?

I often look at my Facebook posts and wonder what professing Christians think.  While the Bible is calling us to be aware and careful where we invest our resources and our relationships, we often seem to be wandering along as what the Bible calls, "sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36)."  When Jesus said this, he was observing the Jewish people as they did life, oblivious to the wars happening for their very souls.  He follows this statement with a verse that convicts us, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37)."

Today, I want to equate the two verses, above, with another verse from Ephesians 6.  Ephesians reminds us that we battle against forces we (in the "enlightened" world) seem to ignore or not believe.  "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)."  While this is a mouthful, and is starkly against a culture that ignores the idea of unseen forces, I want us to take some time to examine where these battles take place, and with whom we are fighting.

Three places are mentioned.  The unseen world, this dark world, and heavenly places.  Biblically, the unseen world represents powers and presences that are among us but are not visible.  In the Bible, there are 2 realms of creation.  The first is the Elohim, where angels, spirits, and the "sons of God (note the lowercase "s") exist.  The Elohim can be either the place or the beings from this realm.  Created beings from the Elohim have, in the Bible, come into the world, and have created both mischief and good (angels come with the blessing of God ... other beings have come in disobedience)   This dark world is where we live, in the seen part of the creation.  There are mighty powers here, some from evil people and some from beings that have come here (from the Elohim) for nefarious purposes.  Finally, there are evil spirits in heavenly places. These spirits wage a cosmic battle against God (Isaiah 14, Revelation 9).  Our world, at least as it is described in Scripture, is not one-dimensional.  

Three enemies are mentioned.  Evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world include fallen "sons of God" who are declared enemies of God in Genesis, Isaiah, and the Psalms.  Most people ignore or consign these powers (and references to them) to myth, allegory, or just hyperbole.  If you believe Scripture, and you are not blinded by our culture, you might begin to see these powers (and their patterns).  You might even ask, "Why do certain places in the world seem to produce incredible evil that permeates an entire area/culture?"

Mighty powers in this dark world are also mentioned.  There are people, some having great resources or great authority, that have joined Satan in his plan to bring people under his authority.  These people have sold out, and are now part of Satan's plan.  Some of these are even false prophets who lead people astray by looking like the good guys.  Have you seen this?  I know I have!

Finally, there are evil spirits in heavenly places.  It is interesting to know that even in God's realm of the Elohim, there are created beings that oppose God.  Lucifer, before he was cast out of heaven, was "an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11)."

I'll leave on these few thoughts.  We will sing a song in 1st Service this week.  It is called, "Ain't No Grave."  A line in the song tells us about the battleground, and about our champion.  "There is a battle, a war between death and life, there on the cross, the Son of God was crucified, He went on down to hell, and took back every key, He rose up like a lion, and now He's setting all the captives free!"  Jesus has won the battle, so Paul says do 2 things.  Put on the full armor of God (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God's Word).  And pray.  Pray "in the Spirit,"  For this battle is a spiritual battle.  You can't escape the battleground, but, with Jesus' help, the battle is won!  AMEN, and praise God!

Always Monkeys!

I have learned, in life, that when you are in an exciting situation with opportunities, momentum and imminent success, there is always a monkey!  It seems that obstacles and difficulties are both normal and inevitable.  It is just life, I guess!

You might ask, what kind of monkeys are you talking about?  When I visited Brazil, we were taken out into a beautiful rain forest of trees older than America.  There were beautiful birds, stunning flowers, and we had to catch our breath at the lushness of what we saw.  But, true to form, there were monkeys.  These trashy creatures gathered in the trees, chattering and leaping around, very upset with our presence.  When this didn't cause us to leave, the nasty things started throwing fruit at us.  So much for pristine and quiet beauty!  There are always monkeys!

John 4 recounts a story of ministry success.  Jesus' disciples were baptizing and leading many people to the faith, much to the dismay of the Pharisees, the church leaders of Jesus' day.  Monkeys!  To add complication to the situation, Jesus and the disciples were rerouted through Samaria.  The Jews viewed the Samaritans as monkeys (bad actors in the play of life), and the Samaritans viewed the Jews as monkeys.  And one more complication.  As Jesus comes into town, he meets a Samaritan woman, and one of notorious ill repute.  Another monkey!  Even for Jesus, no good deed goes unchallenged!

In life there are always those monkeys, trying to impede or stop things that are both good and right.  What do we do?  Jesus embraced the situation.  He took the trip through Samaria in stride, and (recounting the birth story of Jesus) it is likely his parents, Mary and Joseph, elected to travel through Samaria, ignoring the bad name of this hated place.  He looked for an opportunity to announce the Kingdom of God.

Jesus used the situation (and this woman) to make several theological points we can grasp and apply today.  The Kingdom of God welcomes those that society casts out (women, those who are sinners, those who don't have their act together, those who are not popular with the in crowd).  Jesus doesn't just embrace these folks ... He converts and redeems them!  The Kingdom of God is for all people willing to listen, believe and allow the Gospel to make its way into their hearts.  The Kingdom of God goes everywhere ... even into places the "elite, proud, popular" people avoid.

Jesus used the situation to ask this untrained, spiritually-unprepared woman to go to, tell, and bring others to the feet of their Savior.  Jesus ends this story with both promise and one more "monkey."  The promise is that the harvest is plentiful.  The "monkey" is the lack of workers.  Matthew 9:37-38 says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."

We often avoid, abandon or just stop ministries that present obstacles.  It is our nature.  But, what if we 1) embrace the situation, 2) use the situation, and (doing what Jesus did in Matthew 9) 3) pray to the Lord of the Harvest for guidance, solutions and power over those nasty monkeys?

Out Of The Box?

You all know how much I dislike cliche's, especially the politically-correct buzzwords of our time.  But I am breaking from my pattern and using the phrase, Out Of The Box. This is sort of appropriate for me, since using cliche's is "out of the box" for me.

The Acts Church was, truly, a group of dedicated believers that had chosen to leave the structure and norms of their Jewish roots.  They broke away from the Law of Stone and embraced the Law of Grace.  They deferred to God's calling through God's Spirit, leaving the control of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  They understood that God was FOR them but was not ABOUT them.  Their center was Jesus.  Their power was from God's Spirit.  They were out of the box!

Last week the Alabama Supreme Court denied the standing of 45 congregations to have their case heard in a court of law.  These 45 congregations had cited unlawful and inconsistent behavior by the United Methodist Church in relation to property and financial practices.  Without dwelling on the case, and the merits thereof, I am thinking that this decision should cause these "churches" to make some hard, and possibly freeing, decisions.  Here is my advice.

I would advise them to "just walk away."  Paul said, "I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:13-14)."  That is a mouthful, but Paul is saying what my friend Karl Stegall shared in a message to our recent Annual Conference ... remember that the windshield is far larger than the side view mirror for a reason.

In Acts, the new Church, People of the Way (Acts 9:2), were disenfranchised and persecuted by the Jewish leadership, the Roman authorities, and those with economic interest in the "status quo."  There is an almost exact Scriptural parallel to the conflict inside the United Methodist Church and their member congregations.  It is found in Acts 5, where the apostles are basically told (by Jewish leaders) "Follow us, our reconstruction of Scripture and our control over what and where you can preach/teach."  Here is what the apostles did (Acts 5:41-42) ... "The apostles left the high council, rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.  And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: "Jesus is the Messiah."

They left the box.  They taught about Jesus and the Kingdom of God.  They followed their leader, Jesus.  They were led by the Holy Spirit.  And they (by their radical message that "left the box") changed the world.  AMEN!

Alarms

OK ... it is Tuesday morning in a hotel in Atlanta.  Lee and I are on an anniversary trip and are seeing 2 Atlanta Braves games.  And here I am ... sitting on the patio of an ice cream shop, after being evacuated from the hotel at 7am (6am Central).  A fire alarm sounded because of a fire system leak in the parking deck.  So everyone is now out on the street.  Here is one observation about alarms.

When a fire alarm sounds, most of us follow the other lemmings to a place of perceived safety.  We have been trained this way since grade school.  So the walking slow, exiting the building, and following the stream of humanity comes pretty natural.  Here is the irony.  Other alarms are happening all around us, and we don't seem to perceive them.

The prophet Haggai sounds an alarm.  The temple is not completed, and is in disrepair.  The people are in a season of false prosperity, yet they can't seem to get ahead.  Haggai 1:6 says, "Your wages disappear, as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes."  Haggai goes on to describe the people as "spinning their wheels" but getting nowhere economically, physically, spiritually.  The alarm from Haggai is, like most alarms from prophets, ignored.

Last week we celebrated the graduating seniors, and we sent them out with some advice.  At the 2nd service Sunday, I gave these amazing young people some advice I hope we all will take.  Because the world around us is sounding alarms.  Most of us see something wrong, but we wander through each day like those evacuating the hotel alarm here ... doing the rote thing we have been taught, but not thinking there might be another way.  It there a way to break the societal chain of brokenness we see all around us?  Is there a way to stop spinning our wheels in emptiness and lostness?  Yes!  So I will tell you what I told those seniors.

1. Worship Passionately - Make worship both a priority and a lifestyle.  Listen to and follow God's word.  Give God the best place in your life.

2. Love Extravagantly - With love, we are either all-in or not-in.  We teach our children to love or not love by the way we love or fail to love.  The greatest commandment is ... "Love God with your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself."  God's love and our love is expressed in how we love. God is an all-in kind of love and an all-in kind of relationship.

3. Witness Boldly - I saw a video of an altar in Africa.  It was filled with people ... all of them.  The world is an altar where we express who God is to us.  We witness at work, at play and in all of life.

Sunday, come to the altar, hearing the alarm sounding.  Come to the altar actively, willing to lay down burdens and allow God to break down walls.  Worship, Love and Witness as if lives depend on it.  Because they do!