In Spirit and Truth

"Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you." —Deuteronomy 32:7 At one time, we could finish digesting our Thanksgiving dinner before we heard the faintest strains of Christmas. Four weeks of Advent were sufficient to prepare our spirits for the coming of Christ! Today we’re lucky if we get through Halloween before the radio stations start playing 24x7 Christmas music. Suddenly when we have to buy gifts for everyone in our family and friends group, 4 weeks just isn’t enough time. So it is only proper, I think, to keep with our current tradition, and take this moment to skip straight to the New Year! I think it could catch on! Christmas at Halloween and New Year at Christmas! Actually, it is proper, and has been for some time! You see, the first Sunday of Advent is the first day of the Church Year. The church calendar provides a method for us to recall the whole salvation ...

"when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" —Galatians 4:4-6 This Advent season, in the 9:40 service we are going to be singing a new song. While it doesn’t seem on first glance to be all that “Christmassy,” the core of the song, like the core of the season is the Incarnation of Christ. Take a look at it. Love Comes Down (by Matt Maher) I'm searching for a king and kingdom Here among the beggars and the weak The broken and redeemed I'm finding grace beyond all measure In flesh and blood He hides His majesty Inside of You and me Why would a king do such a thing Isn't it beautiful? / Isn't it marvelous? The God of the universe / He became one of us We cry out and then / Love comes down agai...

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." —Romans 12:2 "What is God’s will for my life?" This question is repeated by people in all walks of life, and at all stages of those lives. Once we have decided to follow Jesus, it becomes a central question to our lives, where is he leading us? This question caused me no amount of frustration and inner turmoil as a younger man. I spent much time trying to determine a destination, straining to hear God’s voice leading me toward a glorious end. It took years before I realized that God’s will was perfectly laid out for believers in two brief statements. Through obedience to these two small statements, a Christian can learn the will of God for their lives. The first is found in Matthew 16, Mark 8, and Luke 9, “If anyone would be my disciple, let them deny themselves, take up their cross dai...

" Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. " -1 Corinthians 11:1 "If [in this life] I'll never be like Jesus, at least let me be like Gary Benjamin." For the longest time I was amused by that statement. My long-time friend said those words in what I imagined was a healthy mix of tongue in cheek and sincere admiration. Today, the statement no longer amuses me, it drives me. For me, it isn't Gary Benjamin (no offense Gary). For me, it's my grandfather P.B. Mangum, a principled man who loved his wife in little ways that made a big impact on all those who witnessed it. My mom recalls that he would take her out on the lake that he and his sons built with their own hands, rowing the boat to the best fishing spot for her to fish. When he cut open a new watermelon, he would always cut out the heart of the melon and give it to her. The kids had to make due with the seeded parts. I desire to imitate the preference he showed for his wife as I try to be a godly...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:1-2 Think back to your first driving lesson. When you finally made it out on the road for the first time you learned that wherever you looked, the car would follow. If you gazed at the oncoming traffic, your car seemed magnetically attracted to them (much to the dismay of your parent-passenger). Wherever you set your eyes, your path with follow. This is universally true! The scripture is full of examples of how people’s lives and choices were deeply effected by where the gazed. In Genesis, Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, two chapters later we find him living...

" Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' ...indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today. " —Matthew 6:31-34 What if…? These two little words have an immense amount of power over our lives. We make daily decisions based on them. The industries of financial planning, insurance, security systems, and the like are all dependent on you taking the time to imagine the dreadful possibilities, and then offer you a way to prepare for the worst. There is nothing wrong with forethought and planning for the future, In fact, it is wisdom to make provision for your future. Sadly, many of us allow "What if?" to rule us like an oppressive dictat...

"Then he said to them all, ' If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. '" —Luke 9:23 "How do I become a disciple?" There are books and bible studies that are dedicated to answering that question. Some people answer the question with a system or formula, (bible study x prayer + generosity = faithful disciple). Some people take a more organic approach, (Love one another, serve one another). But the process of becoming a disciple is the same today as it was when Jesus walked the earth. He gave us the only formula we need when he said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Practically, becoming a modern disciple of Jesus means denying yourself, and taking up your cross daily by declaring to yourself and to God that nothing you possess, no relationship you have, no dreams you hold are worth more than being submitted ...

"Peter began to say to him, 'Look, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, ' Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life. '" -Mark 10:28 Jesus called Matthew saying, "Follow Me," and Matthew answered extravagantly. He left his tax booth behind. Jesus called Peter saying, "Follow me, and I will make you [a fisher] of mankind," and Peter left the boat, and abandoned his nets. Every disciple had to let go of their life as they knew it in order to follow Christ. Today the call of Christ rings out, "Follow Me." Many never hear that call, and this is a tragedy, but the greater tragedy is those who hear, but stand paralyzed by the...

" As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him. " -Matthew 9:9 As a young child, Matthew had gone through the educational system. He would have attended both Bet Sefer (House of the Book) and Bet Talmud (House of Learning) at the synagogue from age 6 to age 13. He learned the scriptures inside and out, and at age 13 was declared a "son of the commandments" at his "Bar Mitzvah." Around the same time as his Bar Mitzvah he would present himself to a rabbi to be given an oral test. The rabbi’s would test not only his knowledge of scripture, but also his understanding of scripture and its theological concepts. The knowledge of scripture a requirement for the Bar Mitzvah, but the understanding would have allowed him to be the student of a rabbi. This elite form of higher education was known as the Bet Midrash. Only if you had a grasp of those theolog...

" As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. " -Matthew 9:9 Jesus had been turned away. He had healed a man possessed by demons, and the people of that town were so scared, and perhaps angry at the loss of their herd of pigs, that they sent him away. And so, Jesus returned to Capernaum. The sun hangs low in the sky, the air is thick with hot moisture, and the smell of fish in inescapable. Most people are getting ready to close up shop. The peak hours are past, and dinner with friends and family is all anyone can think about. Jesus is likely on his way to Peter’s house for the night when he and his disciples pass a paralytic man being carried home from a day of begging. Jesus sees him and responds, "Take heart son, your sins are forgiven." Those walking by take mental note, and pronounce judgment on Christ in their hearts. Jesus senses their disapproving loo...

Last June & July I wrote a series of articles on "Finding Freedom" through forgiveness. In light of our current series on the Lord’s Prayer, I felt it was appropriate to republish the second of that series. " ...forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. " —Matthew 6:12 Jesus, it seems, was pretty serious about our forgiving those who wrong us. He put some pretty strong conditions on forgiving, tying our own forgiveness to how we forgive. But forgiveness is hard! When we even think about forgiving "that person" the pain returns and the wound feels as though it were just inflicted. All of the emotion returns, and try as we might, we just cannot bring ourselves to release them. It is important for us at this point to properly define what forgiveness is, and what it is not. We often withhold forgiveness, simply because we do not understand what it means to forgive. Forgiveness is: releasing my right to be angry and/or ...

" Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. " -Proverbs 30:7-9 Give us this day our daily bread. When is the last time you really thought about the connotations of that portion of the Lord’s Prayer? Lord, give me just enough to sustain me through one day. This brings to mind the children of Israel in their nomadic years, wandering in the desert, eating manna that God provided. If they ever collected more than one day’s supply it went bad (with the weekly exception of Sabbath day preparations). There was a lesson there for the Israelites that we all have to learn. For me that lesson began in 2000 and continued for four full years that included my time in seminary, working for a missions agency, an...

" Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. " -John 4:23-24 Worship is not about organs or guitars, ballads or rock songs, hymns or choruses. Worship is not about helping the poor, or feeding the hungry. Worship isn't about studying the Bible or learning about the life of Jesus. Worship isn't even about sharing our beliefs with those in our circle of influence, and it isn't about giving of our time, talents or resources. You can do all of these things, perhaps even better than everyone else, and never participate in worship. What is worship about, if not these things? How do we please God if not by offering ourselves in these acts? How can we become the worshipers that God seeks? There are two answers. The long answer will unfold over the course of 12 weeks in a Wednesda...

"Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10 Our Father in Heaven, - may your name be considered holy, - may your kingdom come, - may your will be done... ...on earth as it is in heaven. A scholar I know suggests that the Greek lends itself to the above translation. Hallowed be thy name, he contends, belongs with "on earth as it is in heaven." "On earth as it is in heaven" is not only one of the deepest prayers of the Church, it is also her commission. When we pray "on earth as it is in heaven," we accept the responsibility to make these statements true in our own lives, and to set the example for the world to see. Worded another way, we pray "May your name be considered holy (Hallowed), by humanity as it is by heavenly beings. May our world, nation, state, community, congregation, family and even our very selves, be submitted to your holy name, your great kingdom and your merciful will." W...

"Lord, teach us to pray." —Luke 11:1 There are volumes upon volumes of books on prayer. There is no shortage of opinions on “the right way” to pray. Many minister’s devote their entire life to teaching on prayer, some with orthodox thought and good intentions, other’s with neither. How then, are we to wade through the glut of information to find the true gems? How do we condense all of the many thoughts on prayer into small manageable bites? The disciples were good Jewish boys. They grew up attending synagogue. They heard at least as many sermons as you or I; they heard at least as many prayers. They knew how to pray, they had seen it modeled countless times. What they had never seen was effective prayer. Jesus often went away to a “solitary place” to pray. Each time when he returned, they saw him either teach with an authority they’d never before experienced, or heal the sick, or raise the dead, or feed thousands of people with minimal resources. When Jesus prayed, amazing...

This past Friday, I took several members of our Praise Team down to Dallas for a retreat. It was a flying trip! We were gone for less than 30 hours. We had a full schedule, and there was hardly time to breathe, but I made sure that before we drove back we had dinner at Posados. In fact, any time I hear that someone is headed to Dallas for whatever reason, I make a point to stop them and say, "If you like Tex-Mex, you have to eat at Posados, there are four of five to choose from, google it. It is well worth your time." What is the deal with Posados? It is quite simply the best Tex-Mex I have eaten in my life! I judge all other Mexican restaurants by how they compare. Posados is so good that I want to make sure those in my circle of influence experience it for themselves. On a related note, I enjoy movies. I especially like obscure movies that tell a compelling story. When I find one that tops all of my expectations, I share that information. I have numerous friends and family ...

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." —Colossians 3:12-15 In the morning, when we wake up, our routine inevitably takes us to the closet or the dresser. Sometime shortly after our shower we confess to ourselves. "I am NOT going out in public like this!" There is something about our natural selves that we realize is not appropriate for public display. And so we cover ourselves with cotton, wool, or polyester. It would be preposterous for us to say, "If I cover myself, I am being deceptive! I am not giving people an accurate picture of who ...

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." —Ephesians 5:1-4 "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" —1 Peter 1:13-16 It is a common theme throughout scripture—God desires that his people be set apart. He instructed the Israelites to mar...

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." —3 John 1:4 The Fourth of July is quickly approaching. It is one of my very favorite times of the year. Although for me the fourth doesn't evoke pictures of grand fireworks displays or patriotic concerts (though I greatly enjoy both), rather, when I think of the fourth I am transported in my mind to a place hundreds of feet below the surface of the "caprock" in north west Texas. Here, on this week, in a small branch of the Palo Duro Canyon, some three hundred 4th & 5th graders assemble to meet with God. This camp, not unlike our own district camps, is a ministry of the United Methodist Church which reaches out not only to kids in conference churches, but also to those for whom camp is their first exposure to church or God. In my 32 brief years of life, I have spent 27 of them attending this camp. In that time, I have witnessed countless children (many of them now adults) receive...

"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." —Acts 11:25-26 The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. But those who coined the phrase weren't being complimentary. It was something akin to "Goody-two-shoes." Strictly translated, Christian means "Little-Christ." What the people of Antioch meant as a jab, the disciples adopted as a motto. Paul spent a good portion of his writings dealing with the concept of being the body of Christ; on submitting our hands and feet to the will of Christ. I have heard lots of discussion recently on what it means to be a good Christian. The answer is quite simple. Be a little Christ. In everything you do, strive to look like Christ. Love. Love the Lord your God will all… and Love your neighbor as yourself. That...

The sound is deafening. Metal against stone; earth against earth. Unstoppable force meets immovable object. Chisel wins the battle and a hunk of rock flies off the stone and skitters across the floor. The stonemason stops for a moment to examine his work. Any flaw left in the stone will not only effect the aesthetics of the building, but will effect every stone placed after it, and could effect the strength of the building. This stone must fit with the angles of the cornerstone, or it is of no use in the building. The strong, calloused hands of the stonemason brush away the grit left over from the last few blows of the chisel, revealing a few more jagged edges and bumps that must be smoothed away. And so the stonemason picks up his hammer and chisel and continues to work. He will work on this stone until it is smooth; until it fits into the plans he has for the building. When he is finished, he will lift the stone into place, and there it will support the weight of the roof, and protec...

"Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised." —Psalm 113:1-3 I had the great honor this past week to attend a day of Annual Conference. It was such a privilege to interact with clergy and laity from all over the state. There was a strong sense of oneness as people from different walks of life, and different geographies came together and declared their unity of purpose—to make disciples. The most exciting aspects of Annual Conference, from my perspective, were time times we gathered together in worship. Each time we joined our voices in song, or creed, or responsive reading, I was amazed at the sheer volume of it. Those "servants of the Lord" who had gathered together, were praising God with every bit of volume they could muster. In the front of our United Methodist Hymnal (for ...

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." —Hebrews 12:1, 2 Look before you leap! Great words of advice for those who may have a tendency to be impulsive. However, it is often used as an excuse for those who are overly analytical. Last week we spoke about those whom we consider to be people who "know God." One of the qualities they share is that they do not talk themselves out of following the nudges of the Holy Spirit. It may appear to the casual observer that these people make decisions on a whim, but these that know God are truly looking before they leap. What sets them apart from most of us, is the thing at which they look before leaping. We feel a nudge or a hint, a whisper...

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." —Psalm 32:8 "There is no one, in all of history, who has known God any better than you can know him." Last week I introduced this quote and listed several people that I look to as examples of what it means to know God. This week it is your turn. Who do you think of as an example of someone who knew God. What is it about their lives that inspires you? Were they a great servant, or a great teacher? Did they die for the sake of Christ, like the disciples; or live a full life poured out as a sacrifice for those Christ loved, like Mother Teresa? Once you have identified the qualities and actions that set them apart in your mind as Godly, ask yourself how they escaped an ordinary life? How did they achieve the extraordinary life of Faith that captured your attention? As I have looked, over the years, at these giants in the faith, I have identified three things that ...

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." —John 16:13-15 For those of you who do not know, I grew up in the home of a United Methodist Evangelist. My father travels around the United States visiting churches of all sizes. He still travels approximately two hundred days a year. Of all the sermons I’ve heard him preach, and of all the statements I’ve heard him make, one stands out in my mind. It is a phrase that I hope I will never forget. "There is no one, in all of history, who has known God any better than you can know him." I think of Adam and Eve who walked in the cool of the evening with the manifest presence of Go...

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.'" —1 Samuel 7:12 Long before Scrooge came on the scene, Ebenezer was around. Ebenezer is a word that means “Stone of Help.” Ebenezer was a large stone that Samuel set up to serve as a reminder to the people of God that it was the Lord who had brought them success. Whenever they walked by that stone, they would remember that they lived in peace and safety because of God’s action in their lives. On several occasions in my life, God has done something significant, and I have said to myself, “This is something I will never forget!” But day moves on to day, year on to year, and inevitably the significance of that day or event slips away. I may still enjoy the benefits of God’s action that day, but often God is forgotten. Samuel understood this, and so he selected something lasting, in his case, a stone. Then he made a memory, a ceremony to...

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; theyonly saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." —Hebrews 11:13 The past few months I have immersed myself in the songs produced by the slavery of a people. Many of these people were enslaved by those who at the very least called themselves Christian. In those circumstances, it would be very easy, and even excusable, for those slaves to shun Christianity, and look with mistrust to God. Yet these songs are filled with hope and trust in God. They serve as examples for us, that even in the midst of oppression and slavery, one can trust in God and worship him for his faithfulness. They looked back in scripture and saw that God had delivered a people from slavery before, and they trusted that he would again. Let us learn from those who have gone before us. Those who had nothing can teach us everything! Ou...

"He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." —Mark 10:14-16 Some of Jesus’ words require an extra step to understand. When he speaks of the kingdom of God like a farmer, or shepherd, we have to first understand those agricultural pictures before we grasp what he was saying. The above statement, however, does not. Having just returned from Guatemala, one thing I learned from that trip is this: Children are children, no matter where you find them. Over time our culture shapes us into different people, but children have not yet been fully shaped by the culture. In children we see that we are all the same! I had the great privilege of spending a great deal of time around the children of Guatemala...

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you." —1 Thessalonians 3:1 Pray for the Guatemala Mission team. Pray for the people they will encounter in the clinics, and in the streets. Pray that God would direct their steps. Realize that you are also in mission. Realize that the God who can direct their steps in Guatemala will also direct yours. Pray for the people you will encounter, and for the eyes to see those God has for you to bless.

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you." —1 Thessalonians 3:1 Each year, we at Faith participate in commissioning several mission teams. We declare that those who go out from us in mission are “Ambassadors” not only of God’s Kingdom, but also of the Faith family. When I tell friends and colleagues at other churches about our missions involvement, they are consistently astonished, both at the number of trips we take, and the number of participants on those trips. After participating in so many commissionings, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect this past Sunday as you commissioned the Guatemala trip. I have been looking forward to this trip for many months; but as you commissioned us, the trip became real. I felt a deep joy swell over me, both that I had the opportunity to go, and that the church, my church, was praying for me and sending me out. I don’t know that I will ...

Sing For Joy! This week's song is HYMN 21 by Charles Wesley in the collection "Hymns on the Lord's Supper" Hymn XXI. 1 God of unexampled grace,     Redeemer of mankind, Matter of eternal praise     We in thy Passion find: Still our choicest strains we bring,     Still the joyful theme pursue, Thee the friend of sinners sing     Whose love is ever new. 2 Endless scenes of wonder rise     With that mysterious tree, Crucified before our eyes     Where we our Maker see: Jesus, Lord, what hast thou done!     Publish we the death divine, Stop, and gaze, and fall, and own     Was never love like thine! 3 Never love nor sorrow was     Like that my Jesus show’d; See him stretch’d on yonder cross     And crush’d beneath our load! Now discern the deity,     Now his heavenly birth d...

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, " This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. " In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, " This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me ." —1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Has it ever happened to you? You walk into a room and suddenly the sight, smell, or feel of that room transports you thousands of miles to your grandmother’s house? In an instant you are 10 again. It is so real that you could almost walk to the kitchen and grab a cookie. What you have just experienced is the power of a memory. Our brains catalog, not just the sequence of events, but the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and touches of those events and places as well. And every time we come into contact with those senses again, our brain, quick as lightni...

“Then he said to them all, ‘ If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ’” —Luke 9:23 A couple of weeks ago, during staff devotion, we were reflecting on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ weeks leading up to Good Friday. As we pointed out his sense of urgency to convey his message, and his determination to reach Jerusalem, Rev. Erma Pregler made a comment that has followed me throughout my Lenten journey. “I wonder,” she said, “how my life would be different if I had a cross in my future.” As the words left her lips, a thousand possibilities entered my head. Would I be more like Christ? Would I elevate people over tasks? Would I listen more intently, or express God’s love more overtly? How would my life be different if I had a cross in my future. This, I believe, is one of the primary purposes of Lent. Not only to reflect on the Cross of Christ, but also to reflect on the Cross that Christ bids us bear. Because, for thos...

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. —Psalm100:4-5 At Wal-Mart the doors are clearly labeled “IN” and “OUT,” however, I rarely pay attention. It’s not on purpose, I just take the path of least resistance. The doors always open for me, regardless of the side I choose. Lately however, we’ve been shopping at Target, and Target is serious about those signs. I can stand in front of that “OUT” door all day long, and the door will not open for me. There have been times in my life that when I would come to church it felt as though I were standing in front of a door that just would not open. My prayers, it seemed, bounced off the ceiling, and an automatic sliding door stood between me and the presence of God; opening for others, but not for me. It would be easy to begin to think that the invisible barrier was normal, a...

“You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways...And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession...He has declared that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.” —Deuteronomy 26:17-19 You’ve heard it, and if you are like me, you may have cringed a little bit. 1 Peter 1:15 says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do." I am reminded of God’s perfection and righteousness; I think of God’s goodness and unconditional love, and know that I do not match up. In this comparison, anyone would feel a little spiritually inadequate. But what if “Holy” were less of a spiritual term, and more of a practical one? What if it were possible, even probable that we could all achieve holiness? The word “Holy” simply means that something is “set apart.” We often speak about a holy or sacred place, and have an understanding that certain things are not allowed there ...

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." —2 Corinthians 5:17 If you were to pull out a calendar and count, you would discover that there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Yet we talk about the 40 days of lent. The reason for this is simple. We do not count Sundays as part of Lent. This begs the question, why do we not observe the Lenten fast on Sundays? Because of the Eighth Day. In six days, according to the book of Genesis, God created all that was. God gave instructions to the Israelites that they also should work for six days, but set the seventh day apart for God. This was the origins of the seven-day week. Jesus was crucified on Friday, “rested” in the grave on Saturday (the Sabbath), and was resurrected on what some ancient theologians call “the eighth day of creation;” for it was in that resurrection that all things were created anew. Through that resurrection on Sunday, we, who are in...

“Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” —Luke 9:23 This Wednesday is the first day in the season of Lent. These forty days between Ash Wednesday and Easter (excluding Sundays) are traditionally a time of repentance and re-commitment in preparation for the joy of Easter Sunday. For centuries, Lent has been a time to begin, or re-begin the practice of denying oneself daily to better become a disciple of Jesus. Lately, however, it seems to be a misunderstood practice often equated with New Years resolutions. The practice of giving something up for the forty days of Lent is not about “self-betterment” but rather, “self-denial.” It is derived from the Biblical example of the forty day fast. Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all had a time when they fasted forty days in order to draw nearer to God. For Moses it was before he received the Law, for Elijah before he heard the still small voice, and for...

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” —Matthew 24:45-57 Last night, following Superbowl XLIV (44), Kristin and I sat down to watch a new show called “Undercover Boss.” Last night, they showed the President and COO of WasteManagement take seven days and seven entry level jobs in his own company, under the auspices of a small budget documentary following a construction worker who just moved into town. As he moved incognito through his company, he took notice of some extraordinary workers who embodied the values of the company, and gave the company a wonderful human face. He also took note of those managers who implemented his policies in ways that he never intended. At the end of those seven days, he called for all ...

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." —Philippians 4:19 I have been thinking about budgets lately. I have defined financial goals, and an solid budget. But a few things aren't meshing between the two. I've been praying about it quite a bit, and God has given me direction, as he so often does, in the form of a question, "What is essential?" The answers to that question have been springing out all week. My Dr. Pepper/Starbucks habits are not essential. The extra snacks I pick up at the grocery store...not essential. That piece of computer hardware I’ve been eyeing... nope, not essential. Like wheat from chaff, my needs and wants are being tossed about and shaken to see which are left standing. But I was sadly mistaken if I thought that God’s question to me would be limited to answering only the question I asked. No, that question has burrowed ever deeper in my soul, moving on to other budgets. What i...

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." —Romans 12:2 As an old choir director of mine would often say, "Practice makes permanent." While he was referring to diction and tone, I find that it is true in other areas as well. I have often found that when I practice a song on either piano or guitar, I reach a point of "muscle memory" where I no longer have to think about playing it, but rather, let my fingers remember where they are supposed to go. I have heard the same is true in sports, construction, and virtually any other repetitive physical activity. The apostle Paul recognized that this concept of "muscle memory" extends into all areas of our lives. "Emotional memory" occurs whenever we respond emotionally to a situation based on previous experiences rather than th...

"'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you." —Isaiah 54:10 On Tuesday the earth could take it no more. Two opposing forces stressed and strained against one another until one gave way with a destructive lurch. In one moment the destruction that took years, decades, and perhaps centuries to build was released upon the people of Haiti. As we watch it unfold on the television, as cable networks and radio stations cover the aftermath, it is tempting to turn away. After all, there are pressing matters to attend to in our own back yard. I encourage you, however, to fix your attention on the tragedy. Gaze into the eyes of those who have lost everything. Hear the cry of the child beneath the rubble. And prepare yourself for the aftershocks. Can you feel the shifting foundations? If you will listen and look, if you will see the ...

"My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart." —Jeremiah 24:6-7 The new year arrived, bringing new calendars,new hopes, new goals and a fresh start along with it. Perhaps it is because our lives are so tied to the calendar, perhaps it is because we are tied to the seasons, but whatever the reason, we instinctively know that the new year is the time to change. We could change at any time during the year, but we believe that the new year will give us the boost we need to succeed. The problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that they most often only address behaviors with which we find fault. “I’ll work out more, I’ll spend more time with my family, I’ll keep my cool in Tulsa traffic.” While the chang...