Preparing for Christmas

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are entering into one of the most important times in the year; a time that is so important for the Church to celebrate properly – especially in our fast-paced culture. The season that I am talking about is Advent – the season of waiting for the celebration of the coming of the Lord at Christmas. We are living in a culture that is increasingly negative to the concept of waiting which makes the season of Advent uniquely pertinent for teaching and reminding us of the value of waiting for God. I have discovered that I can easily become irritated with having to wait in lines, wait for food at a restaurant, or wait for information to load up on my computer. The irony of this is that as the processes of life become quicker and more available, my expectation level of speed and efficiency goes up in proportion. While this is a reasonable reaction, I also know that the time I spent in the jungles of South America I had to learn the practice of patience. I also learned something even more valuable -- that in slowing down and spending time alone with God and my thoughts, I grew more in wisdom, knowledge, and faith than I did at any other time in my life. In a culture where I was forced to become more deliberate in my living, I learned the wisdom of “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Advent is the season of the year when the Church speaks a different word than the culture. Our culture leads us to frenetic activity to prepare for Christmas as we think about gifts, parties, activities and schedules in the month of December. While these things are good and help us to celebrate Christmas, Advent also reminds us that we need times of quiet, solitude and meditation to grow spiritually to fully understand the meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Advent is in the waiting. Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; ‘great is Your faithfulness’. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:22-26). Selah
Steve

One Nation Under God

We live in a time of tremendous change and upheaval in our society. While it is both exciting and frightening to live in these times of uncertainty and possibility, I hope that we as a people never forget the importance of morality and a religious voice as we seek our way toward the future. We live in a democratic republic based on the belief that all people are created by God as equal, therefore we each have a voice in the shaping of our society. James Madison, in writing several of the Federalist Papers, understood that in giving so much power to the people there was a strong peril that the nature of the government would be largely determined by the morals of the people. Democratic action can easily devolve into decadence if the majority of the people are guided by self-interest rather than moral vision. In his Presidential Farewell Address in 1796, George Washington prophetically warned all Americans against this, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.” We must remember that the Bible also teaches, “The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD . . .” (Psalm 33:11-12). Selah.
Steve

The Mystery of Alligators

Since I was a small boy I have been fascinated with alligators. How could a creature so large and strong both run and swim with such agility to capture prey? Several weeks ago my wife, children and I went to the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia to see alligators in their natural habitat. We got on a boat to travel several miles into the Swamp, and as my daughter Faith was driving the boat we suddenly saw a gator rising out of the black water in front of us. Upon seeing this ferocious beast swimming beside our boat, I was reminded of the many great unknown aspects of life. I was reminded of God using crocodiles as an example of the limits of human understanding in his response to Job’s questioning (see Job 41-42). Many of the most important aspects of life require us to take a courageous step into the mystery of the unknown: marriage, child-rearing, job choice, committing our lives to Christ, etc. As Paul writes of both marriage and our relationship with Christ, “As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” (Ephesians 5:31-33). In order to live with mystery, we need faith in order to live. There is an importance of faith in many aspects of our lives; but the most important is our relationship with God. Ask God to give you the courage to step boldly into the unknown of life, because “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Selah

"How To Love Difficult People in Our Lives"

Written for September 22nd
When dealing with difficult people in our lives, many of us resort to anger, resentment or isolation – we don’t appreciate how we are being treated by persons and our “fight or flight instinct” is triggered. Yet if we don’t learn how to deal with conflicts with others in a healthy way, our lives become agitated as animosities build up in our souls. As a Christian, I have tried over the years to remind myself that every person is created by God in His image and that all persons are someone for whom Christ died. That has helped me in my behavior towards difficult people in my life, but it was lacking in helping me to love these persons. After all, Jesus commanded us, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies] and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48). This seems an impossible standard -- we are merely human after all -- therefore many people make no attempt to move toward Jesus’ command of relating to difficult people with love. The truth is that it is impossible for us to do so as human beings, but there is a power that can help us go beyond politeness to difficult people toward actively loving them. In my recent studies, I discovered a passage of scripture that has provoked my thinking and given me a new understanding of loving my enemies. When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we receive the Holy Spirit within us and “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). When we react with anger, resentment and isolation toward difficult people, we are like the Apostles James and John when they became violently angry with the Samaritans after some conflict, we “do not know what kind of Spirit” we have within us. (Luke 9:55). We need to realize that how we relate to people is not dependent on their character or actions, but on who we are – children of a Heavenly Father who pours love on the righteous and unrighteous alike. He has given us His Spirit to transform us into His likeness throughout our lives. Selah.

"Finding Hope in Despair”

Last weekend I was in New York City to see some friends and we visited the 9/11 Memorial Site. Each of us became quiet as we remembered the feeling we each had on that day almost eight years ago when the towers fell and so many people were killed. We then walked less than a block into the small Anglican Church, St. Paul’s Trinity, which served as the place of refuge and rest for the firefighters, rescue workers and aid workers. My eyes filled with tears as I saw the photos and messages left by desperate family members frantically searching for loved ones they would never see again. In another area were photos of church members and other people who came into the area to bring water, necessities, and compassion to those who were digging through the wreckage or waiting to hear word about their loved ones. I was heartened to see that there were many who followed the call of Jesus to “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galations 6:2). As I looked around at the many people walking through this church, I praised God for the hope and love that He was continuing to inspire through the gracious gifts of the persons in that Church during that painful time for many families and our nation. One of the greatest witnesses that we can have for Christ is to help those who are hurting. As Jesus commanded, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Selah

I have just finished participating in Dallas First Methodist’s 12th annual River of Life mission where we spend four days working on different families’ homes in Paulding County and worshipping every evening. It is a marvelous time when almost everything else in life seems suspended and we get a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven. Youth and adults from churches all over Georgia and Tennessee who barely know each other form bonds as they work together in Christian love. We are welcomed into people’s homes and lives because we come in the name of Jesus. After working all day we share stories, sing songs of praise and hear the word of God in a new and powerful way. This is the way that we should be growing as Christians at all times in our lives and we must seek out ways in which to serve thusly. We remember that Scripture teaches us, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6). Look for opportunities in your life to use your spiritual gifts and graces to serve others and grow in faith and thus experience real life in God – faith expressed through love. In our salvation by faith we are freed by Christ from our self-centered lives to experience this life: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery . . . You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:1,13). Christ will bless you tremendously as you live out your faith in serving others in love. Selah
Steve

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
If you are hurting at this time, look into God’s Word for help and assurance. Jesus preached His most well-known sermon to give help to the weary. In Jesus’ sermon on the Mount, He spoke comforting words that Rick Warren uses to formulate eight principles for encouragement:

1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:4

2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.
“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”Matthew 5:4

3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
“Happy are the meek.” Matthew 5:5

4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone I trust.
“Happy are the pure in heart.” Matthew 5:8

5. Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life, and humbly ask him to remove my character defects.
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.” Matthew 5:6

6. Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.
“Happy are the merciful.” Matthew 5:7
“Happy are the peacemakers.” Matthew 5:9

7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and his will for my life and to gain the power to follow his will.

8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” Matthew 5:10

May God’s Word and the love of Christ strengthen you at this time. Selah.

In Christ,
Steve

I have been reading about one of the great persons of this past century – Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Christian Pastor and Theologian, world-renowned musician, Doctor of Medicine and Nobel Peace Prize Winner. He serves as a great inspiration to me as I think about how God calls us into mission in every experience of our lives. This past month has been a kaleidoscope of experiences: Holy Week culminating in a beautiful celebration of Easter, a week-long mission trip to Mississippi where we helped two families return to their homes more than three years after Hurricane Katrina, a fantastic Revival in our church that helped bring about spiritual renewal and healing, and our book club in which we read “Out of My Life and Thought: the
Autobiography of Albert Schweitzer.” Although Dr. Schweitzer was an established Pastor, scholar and musician, at age 30 he gave all that up to follow God’s call into Gabon, Africa to treat the poor who had no way of receiving medical attention. I found it ironic that many of his friends found it unsettling in their minds that he should forsake his life of comfort and prestige for a life of servanthood. One of my favorite passages that Schweitzer wrote explains his calling to a life of Christian mission, “I live my life in God . . . [therefore] the idea that men should ever be favored by being free from the responsibilities of self-sacrifice . . . is foreign to the ethic of reverence for life. It requires that we should all live as men for men. Therefore, search and see if there is not some place where you may invest your humanity. As long ago as my student days, it struck me as incomprehensible that I should be allowed to live such a happy life while I saw so many people around me wrestling with care and suffering. Out of the depths of my feeling of happiness, there gradually grew up within me an understanding of the saying of Jesus that we must not treat our lives as being for ourselves alone. As the years have passed, I’ve found the truth lay hidden for me in Jesus' saying: ‘Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the Gospel shall save it.’”
Following the command of Christ and with the guidance of Dr. Schweitzer, I implore you to search in your life for ways to invest your gifts, time and resources for God and other people. For in the end, as another noted theologian Randy Travis says, “It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, It's what you leave behind you when you go . . . (Three Wooden Crosses)” Selah.
In Christ,
Steve

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This is the week that we celebrate the most important week in the history of the world – when Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem with a parade, when He instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion, when He was arrested, tried and crucified, and when He arose from the grave in glory and victory. In your personal devotion time, through prayer and meditation, focus on these particular truths from the last week of Jesus’ human life and their import to your life:
· Jesus’ death was a life-giving act of God’s love and mercy, not vengeance: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) and “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:10-11).
· God’s grace through Jesus was for our salvation: “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:27-28).
· Jesus taught that sacrificial love has a mysterious power: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me. Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” (John 12:24-27).
· Jesus’ sacrificial love was painful: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," He said to them. "Stay here and keep watch." Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him. "Abba Father," He said, "everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:35-36)
· Jesus’ expression of sacrificial love is the greatest example of love -- as Jesus teaches, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)
· Having received this grace and love, we are called to be dispensers of this same grace and sacrificial love to others: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16).
· Sacrificial love is our primary identity to the world, our chief witness according to Jesus,“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35).
· After the Resurrection, Jesus gave us our calling, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).
Read and pray over these scriptures and God will reveal to you the calling that He has placed on your life and where He wishes you to go and be. Selah.

Steve

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As I know you are preparing yourself spiritually to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, I thought this poem might prove helpful. Some of you know my Father; he writes poetry and sent me this one on his insights about the time of Lent. He wrote these after hearing that more Americans define themselves as having no religion. My Father was moved by these insights while reading "Man In Revolt" by Emil Brunner -- humans are created by God to be “religious” and even those persons who characterize themselves as irreligious create their own false gods to worship:

We humans are part of creation; physical beings; considered the most complex of the mammals.
We are also homo faber, the maker of tools; creating some wonderful and some monstrous ones.
We are also the humanus, who can not only communicate with signs, but can speak.
We not only maintain our existence, but also create and shape culture and civilization.
What is more amazing is we have an individual identity, like no other known created being.
Soon after birth it is evident to those who care for us that we quickly become individuals.
We each are a person, who becomes the 'I-Self' in union with the 'Thou.'
We are also the creatures who are forever seeking to know ourselves, even while we flee from self.
We are forever drawn and attracted to something higher than ourselves.
We dream of 'eternity' and are forever trying to make an everlasting contribution.
Therefore, human beings have “gods” or a God, from whom we are seeking guidance.
In other words, human beings are religious, always seeking a Higher Being;
Someone who can help us to make meaning and eternal purpose out of existence.
Our sense of being related to a Higher Power drives us to seek to influence outcomes;
Not only in this earthly life span, but also in eternity.
Therefore, human beings are incurably religious, Often even trying to substitute Self for God.
We are never satisfied with accepting our physical and intellectual temporary existence.
No matter how sophisticated and knowledgeable we become we are always homo religious.
We are forever seeking to find meaning in our lives, not only for this life, but for eternity.
We can no more rid ourselves of our homo religious nature, than we can reject our need to experience life from the concepts of past, present, and future.
It is no wonder that from the time He was born until the present, 2000 plus years later, millions of human beings find in Jesus Christ the One who gives life meaning and hope.
During this Lenten Season we celebrate that in Jesus Christ, God became one of us; even to the point of taking our sins upon Himself, in order to save us for His eternal purposes.

I hope as you read these words that you will be inspired to recognize that we are all serving something or someone in our lives, and that you need to serve the One who created you, became flesh for you, died for your sins and rose in glory to open the gates of eternal life to you. In Him you are created, and in Him you find life. Selah.
In Christ,
Steve

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We have been studying the Lord’s Prayer together for the past several weeks, and I have been thoroughly amazed at what the Lord is teaching me through this spiritual exercise. I hope that your prayer life has been enriched by this and that you will continue to grow in your relationship with the Lord. As I was preparing for my sermons in this series by studying differing books about this special prayer, I experienced several insights from God that have moved me to rethink the way I go about praying. Let’s look again at this gift from Jesus to help us in our walk with Him:

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13).

Such a simple prayer, but one of great depth and meaning. We first realize that Jesus teaches us to begin with God and not our needs, wants and desires. We desire nothing more than to come into His holy presence, and we recognize our absolute dependence on Him. We commit our lives to participating in His kingdom and seeking His will before we ever ask for anything from Him as an act of trust. He knows our needs and will provide; we must first seek His kingdom and righteousness. Then we can request our daily bread in full assurance that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and will bless us so that we can be a blessing for others. Next we need to recognize that we are sinners in need of forgiveness, that others have sinned against us and need our forgiveness, that God is a merciful God and desires to forgive us, and finally that we should forgive others as God has forgiven us. We then request God’s wisdom and providence to carefully lead us by His Spirit so that, as we struggle with temptation, we can make wise choices and so be delivered from the evil one. God helps us to continue to struggle with temptation so that we are aware of our vulnerability and our need for continued grace. This will keep us humble and compassionate toward others – who are also in a great battle to fight the temptations in our lives. The prayer instructs us that we close with a rousing AMEN. That the most important thing in our lives is our relationship to God and the way we celebrate this relationship is with worship. Our whole selves should give God glory and our prayer lives should reflect this celebration. This truly is the word of God. Selah.
Steve

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
This certainly is a time of new beginnings in our lives: as a nation, we are getting a new president; as a county, we are getting new leadership; as a church, we are expanding our territory and influence and as individuals, we each have our dreams and goals for the future. It is a time of excitement and opportunity but also a time of uncertainty and anxiety. Change always is a complex combination of opportunity and risk. That’s why it is important for us to remember that in the midst of a sea of uncertainty, there is a Rock that does not move. As the Scripture reminds us “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and Forever.” Hebrews 13:8
My “New Years” wish for each of you is for you to delve deeper into your relationship with God through deepening your prayer life. Prayer is communion with God, and the result of prayer is not reward but relationship. As the psalmist wrote, “deep calleth unto deep” Psalm 47:7
You should claim the promise of the Bible, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

The world can neither give this special peace of God nor can it take it away; it is a gift that comes from God through prayer. May the Lord bless you as you grow in your walk with Him. Selah.
Steve