Surrender

There is a belief among the present day Evangelicals that for "one to be born again" they must "accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior." Really? Just where in the Bible are the words "accept and personal" found?  Today I would like you to invision another word, "surrender."  I would suggest that for "one to be born again" they must surrender themselves to Jesus Christ and confess that He is in fact their Lord and Savior.

Surrender for many implies an inherent weakness, giving up or giving in.  Many of us find the word offensive, but I challenge you today to look at in another context.  Surrender to me means that I'm willing to be open to another thought and/or idea.  I'm willing to look at my life in a different way than before; surrender means strength not weakness, for when I surrender to Christ I'm empowered with the Holy Spirit and by the power of the Holy Spirit I am able to confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Just as Christ died on the cross and surrendered His life for ours.  Make the decision that today you will surrender yourself, your agenda and your life to Christ; and He will inturn fill you with the power of the Holy Spirit, changing your life forever.  Surrender to the risen Christ - Amen.

Judgement

If you've read any of these blogs you know that I seldom comment on social and/or political issues; today, however, I couldn't refrain from writing something on an event which has recently occured.

You may have heard that a women named Barbara Johnson was attending her mother's funeral in the Catholic Church to which her mother had been a long time member.  She was denied the sacrement of communion because the priest, Reverand Marcel Guarnizo, said that she was living with another women and as such her sins precluded her from being served.  As though this was not enough of an affront, the priest didn't even attend the commitment ceremonies for her mother at the cemetary.

I would remind the "good priest" of what Scripture has to say in the Gospel of Matthew, "Do not judge so that you will not be judged."  Wasn't it Jesus who offered communion to Judas on the night the  same man would betray Him to His death upon the cross?  Aren't we all sinners condemned to Hell but for the actions of our Lord and Savior's death upon the cross?

As ministers, pastors, priests, elders, deacons, etc. all have been given the same Holy command that Jesus gave to Peter; "Tend My lambs," "Shepherd My sheep," "Tend my sheep."  We're to guide, protect and teach the flock that Jesus has entrusted to us.  I can only surmise that Reverand Guarnizo was acting upon the tenants of His faith and I will pray that in some way he make amends for his actions.  This incident is just another in a litany of acts that cause many non-believers to shake their heads and ask "why would I want to become a Christian?"

HOPE

Scripture tells us that distress and suffering brings about perserverance and when we perservere we build character and from character comes hope; do you believe that?  If one perserveres for a long time do we hold on to our hope or does hope evade us?  At what point do we just throw in the towel and say "enough is enough?"
Romans 5:5 tells us that "hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  Let us then not give up on life or give in to sin but rather surrender to a Higher Power and give our trials and tribulations over to God who loves each and everyone of us.  A God that loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us and by His death upon the cross Jesus has given us hope for a better life yet to come. 

Remember in the immortal words of Alexander Pope "Hope springs eternal."

Its a journey

The father of aerobic exercise Dr. Kenneth Cooper has a saying that "getting fit and staying fit are not a destination but a journey;" as I am finding out again.  Losing weight, trying to maintain one's sobriety being a Christian are all one in the same, journies.

I can't think and become thin, it takes hard work and exercise.  I can't race through the "12 steps" and believe that I'm forever free of my addiction.  I can't go to church one Sunday and walk with Christ on Monday.  It takes time to achieve these things.

I found myself unable to give God an hour a day, and I'm retired with not much to do.  God doesn't want us to be "part-timers" but He wants all of us all of the time.  He knows we're a work in progress and He's more then willing to wait as long as we're committed to the journey.  As Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote "To travel hopefully is better that to arrive."  No matter what you're struggling with keep hope alive and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who walks beside as we travel towards our final destination.

I invite you then  to join with me on this journey, for the rewards are eternal.

Friends

What do you do when a friend calls and asks you for help?  If you're like me you'll politely listen all the while thinking of reasons I don't really want to do this right now.  Come on, I'm sure many of you have had those thoughts and its not just me.  What were some of those reasons we came up with?

Now's not a good time, I was just going out, I'm coming down with something, I'm really tired, I promised_________I'd help_______today (fill in the blank), let me think about it and I'll call you back. 

Or, how many of us never gave it that second thought but said sure I'd love to help you.  That's exactly what God says to each and everyone of us; "I love you and I'm always here to help you, all you have to do is ask."  Philippians 4:6 tells us "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God."  Trust in the Lord and He will provide.

The Mulligan pt 2

In my last entry I asked that you think about an excerpt from a book I was reading entitled  The Mulligan;  " in my opinion not believing in God makes about as much sense as saying the unabridged dictionary is a result of an explosion in a print shop."

Is God the creator and master of the universe or did, as some would have us believe, the Earth and all it's wonders somehow "evolve" in a "Big Bang?"  2 Timothy 3:16 says "All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.  The Bible tells us that God created the earth and all that it contains including the men and women who walk upon it's surface.

As the quote from the book suggests, do you really think all that surrounds us is the result of some random act of nature?   Walk through a forest, sit at the edge of the ocean or atop a majestic mountain in the Rockies and try to tell me that you can't see the hand of God at work. 

God's greatest work however was His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was given to us, suffered for us, and died for us so that our sins, yours and mine, would be forgiven.  Scripture tells us that by one man's disobedience sin and death entered God's creation, so also through another man's obedience the gift of grace is freely given to all who believe in Jesus Christ.  With God's grace comes the promise of eternal life and forgiveness of all our sins. 

We are not some random fortune of nature but children of a God who created us, nutures us and loves in spite of our sinful nature.  Take a moment then to thank God for His presence in your life and for the world in which we live.  If you're having trouble finding God just walk outside into His creation and know that God will find you.

The Mulligan

I'm re-reading a book entitled The Mulligan and I'd like to share a line or two from the book with you. Of course its a book about golf and the "old pro" is speaking with a new student; he asks him if he believes in God?  "I haven't given it much thought" replies  the young man.  Well says the old pro " in my opinion not believing in God makes about as much sense as saying the unabridged dictionary is a result of an explosion in a print shop."

Take just a moment won't you and think about that statement it's a lot to think about.

After Advent pt. 2

Athanasius, the 20th Bishop of Alexandria said the following:

"Jesus became what we are to make us what He is."

Nuff said!

After Advent

Another Christmas has come and gone; it seems like we take weeks to prepare and then in the course of 2 days its over.  The tree is coming down, outside lights are being turned off and rolled up, and all the presents have all been opened, or have they?

Every year at this time we miss this gift. I'm sure for many of us it didn't make it under the tree.  It probably wasn't on our list of things to buy, we didn't have to wrap it. 
It's a gift that doesn't cost us a thing; sounds to good to be true?

God's grace is a gift freely given to each and every one of us because of the sacrifice His Son made upon the cross.  It's the greatest gift you and I can receive this holiday season and yet many of us may not have even opened yet.

Go ahead check under the tree if its still there, look once more.  If you don't find it it's not to late.  Before the New Year arrives may I suggest you make this resolution.   Let the power of the Holy Spirit work within you this day and in the days ahead; come to know Jesus Christ and the good news of the Gospel message.

God's grace means our sins yours and mine are forgiven not just for today but yesterday and for all the tomorrows to come.  Go ahead open the gift of salvation, its the gift that's free and one that  keeps on giving for an eternity.

The season of song

During this Advent season as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ child one is surrounded by the sounds of music.  The traditional Christmas carols and old standards such as "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" can be heard 24/7 throughout the malls and shops as we go about the task of buying gifts and making prepartions for holiday parties.

Listening to the music often takes me back to different times and places. On more then one occasion I have sat back and reflected upon a song that has caused images of those distant times and places to flood back into my mind. 

My father couldn't carry a tune in the proverbial "bushel basket" but oh how he loved to sing "Oh come all ye faithful" at the candle light Christmas Eve service.  He' get up on his toes, fingers tapping and let it rip; the rest of the family would move a little further down the pew.  I'm sure you have your own memories good, bad or indifferent with the songs that are being played and sung this holiday season. 

There are two songs that I especially love to hear, one old and one relatively new.  The old one is "What Child is This" to the tune of Greensleaves and the new one is a song written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene.  It's entitled "Mary did you know" and it can be found on You Tube.  Give it a try and I think you'll add it to your list of holiday favorites.  As the late great Burl Ives sang and I echo "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" y'all.

Advent

This coming Sunday will mark the 3rd Sunday in Advent.  On the church calendar Advent begins with the 4th Sunday before Christmas day and ends on Christmas eve.  The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival" and I am reminded of the words to a song by Brian Doerksen:

Come now is the time to worship
Come now is the time to give your heart
Come just as you are to worship
Come just as you are before your God
Come.

Christmas is a time to make preparations to celebrate the first Advent of the Christ child and to hope and pray for the second advent, when Chirst will return again with His heavenly kingdom.  Come let us make preparations in ourselves and our churches; let us turn away from the extravagence that has become Christmas and turn instead towards God. 

Ask yourself are we truly celebrating the birth of God's own son on earth or are we celebrating a holiday some might still refer to as Christmas. Come.

Goodbye

Recently the community in which I served for the past two and one half years suffered from the loss of one of it's own. The funeral was held this past Thursday and though I was not in attendance I'm sure many were saddened by this passing.

I've shared this passage with the one most affected by this death and I think it bears repeating. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Timothy, "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness...

Go in peace my sister in Christ. You did indeed fight the good fight, all the while keeping your faith.  Now you've finished the race and you're wearing the crown in your heavenly home. We know that one day we'll all be together again in a world without end - Amen.

Thanks-Giving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day set aside to commerate a moment in history when the Pilgrims celebrated that first meal in Plymouth colony.  It's a day that we celebrate with food, football and family (usually in that order).

Thanksgiving, is actually two words isn't it; thanks, and giving.  The pilgrims gave thanks that in their new land they were free from religious persecution.  What do you have to be thankful for this day?  Think about that for just a moment won't you?  I know that times are tough economically, maybe you've just lost a loved one, and you're thinking there's not a whole lot to be thankful for this year.  Wrong, you still have a God that loves you and will care for you even when you think that He's not listening or has abandoned you. Remember always Matthew 6:25-34, do not worry.

But what about the second part of that word; giving.  Jesus said "I did not come to be served but to serve."  Tomorrow is an excellent day to give in service to others.  Invite a friend for dinner that has no where else to go, serve food at a shelter, turn off the TV and talk with those around you, its not like there won't be another FB game.

 Let us GIVE THANKS tomorrow for the blessings of each and everyday God has given us.  Let us GIVE THANKS for His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who came to us, suffered with us and died for us so that our sins, yours and mine would be forgiven and the prophecy of eternal life would be fulfilled.  Let us GIVE THANKS to the men and women who have fought to give us what the Pilgrims sought so long ago - the freedom to worship God.

Penn State

The events of this past week at Penn State serve to remind us, once again, that we are worshipping things other than God. In this case it was a "legendary coach," or an esteemed university or America's favorite pastime, football, or maybe all three; but in any case all have been smudged, tarnished and dirtied because of selfish pride, lies and greed.

Last week the house of cards came tumbling down as the "alledged acts" of one man, compounded by other men could no longer be swept under the sod of Happy Valley's vaunted footbal field.

People will ask, why did God let this happen? Do you really think God's hand was upon those who were alledgedly involved in this whole sordid affair? This is a world filled with evil people who prey upon the old and the weak; in this case the victims were young boys.  What was it that Jesus said about those who prey upon children: "and whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these who believe in me to sin it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

Let us pray as Paul says without ceasing for the children who's lives have been changed, and who's love and trust have been damaged possibly forever. Let us pray for their parents and family, grant them patience and understanding and help them replace their anger with love and compassion. Let us pray for the prosecuters and defenders of the alleged perpetrator and last but not least let us pray for the alleged perpetrator himself.

Remember this passage from Romans 12:9, "Do not take revenge my friends but leave room for God's wrath for it is written, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay" says the Lord.

Which God is yours?

In my last blog I asked you to identify your God; was He the God of the OT or the God of the New?  Again the reason for this task came from a newspaper article written by Mr. William McKenzie in the Dallas Morning News, Tuesday, November 1, 2011.  In the article Mr. McKenzie sums up a report filed in the Baylor Religion Survey.  It showed that "believers" in a judgmental God (OT) have more, not fewer anxieties than "believers" in an engaged, loving God (NT).

According to the research those raised in an environment that preached "hellfire and brimstone" have 45% more concerns related to social anxiety, and 33% more concerns related to compulsions.

If on the other hand you were taught about God's love for His children and His concern for the "down and out", well you have 31% fewer mental issues.

So are these two one in the same God of course they are, but like any loving parent they must exercise their love according to needs of their children.  If the child has been disobedient then there are consequences for their actions.  If the child on the other hand needs loving attention and guidance, well God is there for us as well.

All we need to say about God is found in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  OT + NT = Salvation (enough said).

Question and answer time

Much of what I read in the electronic media is of two sorts: someone trying to sell you something or someone trying to tell you something. This blog would fall into the second category most of the time, but those of you who have followed me know that every once in a while I like to "change it up."  Today is one of those blogs.  The thought behind this blog comes from an article in the Dallas Morning News, a "fishwrap" to which I subscribe.

I would like to ask you a question then I would like you to think and reflect upon your answer.  Do you see God as an Old Testament God full of anger, wrath and vengeance or do you see the God of the New Testament, one filled with love and a desire for a warm relationship with you?  I said I would only ask you one question but while typing this I came up with another;  Are they both the same God?

Now sit and think about what I've just asked (to be cont.)

Up close and personal

The other day I heard a person asked who they thought Jesus was? They replied, "He's my personal Lord and Savior." Have you ever described your relationship with Jesus like that; I know I have.

There's something wrong with that answere isn't there? If you're like me it might take sometime to figure it out; so let me help.  When I hear the word "personal" being used I think of things like ownership, it's mine, or it belongs to me.  Do you see the problem now?

To the best of my knowledge the word "personal" doesn't appear in any of the Bibles I use.  John 3:16 says that God so loved the world; no one can really say they own a "piece" of God can they? God so loves the world, which includes you and me, and I hope and pray that our love is reciprocal. 

So next time you're asked to describe your relationship with the Jesus how would it sound if we just said, "He's my Lord and Savior and I hope He's your's as well?"

Time well spent

Three days a week I go and work out.  The other day our instructor had us do exercises for our abdominals, 5 minutes worth.  Needless to say it was a "killer" workout and the next day I'm sure I looked like a caveman walking around with my knuckles dragging not quite able to stand erect.  The lesson learned,  other then physical was this we did alot of work in only 5 minutes.

Think about for just a moment;  5 minutes is the time of most commercials on TV, 5 minutes is the time you wait for the microwave to cook your dinner, 5 minutes is the minimum most of us spend on one phone call.  What I'm trying to say is that most of us have 5 "free minutes," or 5 "spare minutes" just lying around during the day.

Now you don't have to "get down" and give me twenty but how about opening your Bible and reading a chapter or two; or maybe you could read from your daily meditation book on a more regular basis; or maybe you could sit quietly and pray.  Don't let the excuse "I just don't have time" keep you from being in the presence of God.  5 minutes; God's worth it!

Relationships - pt. 2

In my latest blog I asked you to identify 5 relationships in which you're currently involved. If God was not #1 on that list ask yourself why not?  As a pastor when I've asked that question the two answers most frequently given are:

1. Why would God want to have a relationship with me after all the things I've done in my life?
2. I'd like to have a relationship with God I just don't know how.

All of us have been made in the image of God.  1 John 3:1 tells us "See how very much our Heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children and we really are!  Know that He brings us to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Through Christ all our sins, past, present and future are forgiven.

Because of God's love He wants to have a relationship with you.  How can we make that happen; you can't by yourself, but together with the power of the Holy Spirit we can attend worship, study the word and pray often.  Thru God's grace and our faith He will reveal Himself to you.

Relationships

Recently I went to Webster's Dictionary to try and find a definition for the word "relationship." Try as I may I really couldn't make heads or tails of what they were trying to describe so I turned to Wikipedia which gave me the following:

1. A relationship is normally viewed as a connection between two people that may range from brief to enduring.
2. People in a relationship tend to influence each other, share their thoughts and feelings and engage in activities together.

Now I would like you to gather something to write with and something to write on and based upon the criteria listed above identify 5 relationships you're presently in.  When you've finished look at your list; Is your relationship with God #1? #2...

God wants to have a relationship with you. Scripture tells us to "Draw close to God and God will draw close to you (James 4:8), do you want to have a relationship with God?

To be continued...