Tuesday, December 23, 2008

It's what I've been doing

This has been a busy month for me. I have been busy with the normal things that Christmas brings, decorations, parties, meetings, and so on.

One thing that has really kept me busy is my son Seth. Today marks a milestone in his life and in the world of kayaking. Seth and his friend Keith completed a historic 11 day, 300 mile journey up the St. Johns River in Florida. I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of this accomplishment. It is the first time this has been done, so far as anyone can tell, on the St. Johns River. I had the privilege of updating Seth's blog each day.

The first 5 days, they counted 620 alligators. What an adventure. I encourage you to check out all the details at sethdent.com. Click here to watch a video of the story.

This is a very proud Dad.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thankfulness

Its the day after Thanksgiving. The leftover turkey and dressing are at my sister Clare's. That's one of the down sides of going to someone's house for Thanksgiving. No leftovers. I love Thanksgiving leftovers.

I was thinking about all the blessings God has showered down on us. It got me to thinking about God's grace. We have so much to be thankful for. Don't get me wrong, the past year has had its ups and downs. There have been some significant valleys and some tragedies. One thing was constant. God's grace, God's mercy, God's strength, and God's comfort. He has been and will continue to be the firm foundation upon which we stand.

We need to be thankful year round. I encourage you to remember just how involved God is in your life; how much He loves and cares for you. I cannot imagine life without Him.

Friday, November 7, 2008

A Great Reminder

John MacArthur said, "Preaching, not lobbying, is how we are supposed to make the truth known. Gospel, not law, is what changes sinful hearts. Service, not dominion, is the most effective way to win people in any culture. And Christ, not moralism, should be the primary substance of our message."

How true those words are. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter who is in the White House. Laws cannot change the human heart, they may be able to control human behavior, but not what guides a person's behavior. Only the Holy Spirit can change the heart through the blood of Jesus Christ. That's the transforming power of Christ.

Especially in this time, our message must remain the same with the same power as when Paul preached it. It is time for Christians to stand once again, on the firm foundation of God's Word.

Following God's Word is the change we all need.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Chuck Colson

I received this and thought I'd share it with you. These are the words of Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Pray for Our President and Our Nation

Whether you voted for Barack Obama or John McCain, whether you're recovering from your all-night celebration or drying the tears from your pillow, today's a good day to remember the words of the apostle Paul: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-3). And the new President will surely need our prayers because he and his administration face huge, serious challenges to the health of our nation and to peace in the world—challenges that, in my opinion, neither he nor any government on earth will have the power to overcome without divine aid.
How has America come to this point? Why is our economy on the brink of disaster? Why is our culture so utterly depraved?

I can only think of what Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said about the catastrophic consequences of the Russian revolution. "I recall," he said, "hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened."

Solzhenitsyn was right. Indeed, I can't find any better explanation for why we Americans find ourselves in the state we are in. We have forgotten God. We have also forgotten that American democracy—indeed Western Civilization itself—is the product of the Judeo-Christian understanding of God and humanity. Without that revelation that man is created in the image of God, our founders never would have recognized the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Indeed, as I and others like Rodney Stark have argued, modern science and education, liberal democracy, capitalism flourished in Western civilization precisely because of the Judeo-Christian worldview.

The attacks on Christianity these days are only going to intensify in the months ahead. But we must press on all the more to make a winsome witness. Those who would banish Christianity from American life are risking the very survival of American society.

Friends have asked me whether this economic crisis is God's judgment upon us. I don't know. As I've re-read the Old Testament prophets recently, I couldn't help but notice the recurring theme: The people of God turned away from Him and worshiped false idols. The result was always disaster.

Is God responsible for credit markets collapsing around the world? No. We're responsible. Because instead of worshiping God, we've worshiped false idols of the marketplace, credit card companies and cheap mortgages. We've put our own appetites over our duties to God and neighbor.

So this is no time for Christians to go into the bunkers. No time to wail or moan over our retirement plans. This is a time to repent, to pray more, to give more. It's a time for Christians to lead, encourage, and minister to a faltering country in a faltering economy.

This is a time for the Church to get serious about Christian discipleship. Enough cheap grace.

So pray for the new President and his administration. But most of all, my brothers and sisters, this is a time to love our neighbors and to hunger for God and His righteousness.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

It Does Matter.

The time is quickly approaching for you to exercise your input into the state and national leadership profiles.

Some of you took advantage of early and advanced voting. I cast my vote yesterday opting for character. As I said in my last entry, character does matter. It is unfortunate that many people are believing what the main stream media is saying. They say the election is over. They have chosen the next president. Don't believe them. They want you to give up, they want you to be depressed, they want you to be hopeless. I've got great news for you. It's not over until the last vote is counted.

Get out to the polls and cast your vote. Be a part of the process. Your vote does matter. I cast my vote for smaller government, real tax cuts, and victory in Iraq. I hope you do the same.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Politics

I really want to rant, but I won't.

Don't be fooled. Both parties desperately want your vote and will do most anything to get it.

The smear tactics are out in full force. There are a dizzying array of facts flying around. They might be facts, but they might be lies. It is incredibly difficult for the average American citizen to sort all of this out.

So what's a guy to do? Can Joe or Jill American know the ins and outs of Wall Street? How about foreign affairs? Would you be willing to sit across the table from a man like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and talk about the future? If that name is not familiar to you, he is the president of Iran. He believes that Israel should be, "wiped off the map." He also believes that the Holocaust never happened. What should be done with Social Security? What about Medicare? What about all these people who are in danger of losing their homes? Should the government help them? Is the answer more money for the people of America? After all, the government recently approved a $750 billion bail out plan for struggling financial markets.

These are difficult questions to answer. Call me crazy, but I must admit that I have educated opinions on many of these issues, because this stuff is exciting to me. My wife is not at all excited about it, and I think many people share her sentiments. Let the leaders handle this, right? After all, they get paid the big bucks.

So if we are to let the leaders take care of these things, who should we choose to represent our best interests? What should we base our vote on? It really comes down to a single principle: character. As Christians, we are involved in progressive sanctification . . . we're growing more and more like Christ each day. We should be known for our character, our integrity, our honesty. You may not know where I stand on a certain issue, but if you know my character, you can probably determine my position.

We need to look at the candidate that most closely aligns with the character of God. No, I'm serious, keep reading. Evaluate the issues and the candidate's positions on those issues and line all of it up with Scripture. It is not a choice between good and evil (although some may think it is). That decision would be easy. Its a choice between bad and worse. Both candidates have some left field ideas. Go with the candidate that most closely aligns himself with biblical principles. There are some great websites out there that can help you sift through the rhetoric and get to the issues. Here are some links to help you out:
In my opinion, the choice is clear, but it doesn't mean happy days are here again. I encourage each of you to educate yourself on the facts and vote on November 4th. For Christians, in the long run, it really doesn't matter who the president will be because we know who the King is.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Black Friday?

No it isn't.

I'm sure many of you have been following the plummeting stock market. Our retirement accounts, our investments, and our children's college funds are declining markedly. What in the world is going on? What are we going to do?

While I'm not a financial adviser, I am familiar with biblical principles of finances. Many Christians are wringing their hands watching the market as it rises and falls with each day closing at 8451.19 points today. What does all that mean? For most of us, it doesn't mean anything . . . . today. All the worrying in the world isn't going to drive the market up. Here's the biblical advice: don't trust in your finances. Jesus told us, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal." (Matthew 6:19-20)

Here's the bottom line: our treasure is not here, our eternity is not here. As the roller coaster market continues, and it will for a while, take this time to thank the Lord for being the guardian of all the treasures you've layed up in heaven. They'll be there when you get there.

The ultimate bail-out plan was carried out when Jesus willingly gave His life for each of us when He died on the cross. Unlike the government's bailout plan, this one didn't cost us a penny, but it cost Jesus everything.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

It's Time to Stand Up.

On Sunday nights we are looking at a video series entitled "Speechless - Silencing the Christians." I am amazed at the stories contained in the series so far. Christians being told what they can or cannot say in school, in public, and at the workplace.

You need to know what you can say. We say things like. "We live in the Bible belt, we'll never be silenced." We can be so naive. Something recently happened in Clay County, FL not far from here. As we approach the elections, the speech police are watching and listening. Don't think an elementary school is immune to the tactics of those who seek to silence the Truth of the Bible. I'm pleased to say school officials did the right thing in this case, but don't think that's always the case. In fact, in our church, one mother said her daughter was told she couldn't mention Jesus in the classroom. That is simply not true.

It's time to stand up for what is right. We've been silenced too long. It's time to speak out and it may be more important now than it ever has been.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Be prepared.

Tropical Storm Fay has reminded us that living in the Southeast may be paradise, but sometimes paradise can be interrupted by annoying occurrences such as tropical storms and hurricanes.

Just as weather storms are sure to come, storms of life are sure to come. This is nothing new. Our enemy continues to roam the earth seeking someone to devour. Satan has devious plans to destroy Christians who are most threatening to his work. Not every Christian suffers at the hand of Satan or his demons. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." As a Christ follower, if you want to live in the world and be part of the world (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?), then chances are, nobody's going to bother you . . . unless you count out the Holy Spirit.

Just like an approaching hurricane, you have time to get prepared. The time to ready for the storm is not when the wind starts blowing, and the time to get ready for the storms of life are not when they arrive. We need to prepare for the storms of life now. We need to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy. We need to get into the Word of God, learn and its powerful truths. We need to put on the full armor of God and stand prepared for battle. Our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan defending freedom would never think of going into battle without their battle gear and we should be no different.

I believe the problem stems from who we think Satan is. A 2007 Barna poll found that 46% of born-again Christians deny the existence of Satan; he is only a symbol of evil. Did I miss something? Are they reading from the same book I am? No wonder we're in such a sorry state in the church. We're wrestling against our brothers and sisters in Christ and ignoring our arch enemy and the arch enemy of God. It's time to rethink our spiritual battle plan. Satan is real and he wants to destroy us. Be ready, dust off the armor that God has issued to you, and stand firm. It's what is needful and it's what God expects of us.

Are you ready?

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Did I hear this right?

Perhaps some of you have heard of the story of the Florida man that won the lottery. It seems that Robert Powell won 6 million in the Florida lottery and wanted to contribute some cash to his church. I'm not sure how the church found out about Mr. Powell's intentions, but when the pastor did, the church refused to accept the $600,000 donation. The pastor offered no explanation as to why the church would not receive Mr. Powell's donation citing the confidentiality of member giving. Wow.

I want to be very clear on this. I am against playing the lottery. Although you won't find any verses in the Bible that say, "Don't play the lottery," the Bible teaches that Christians are to have a strong work ethic and should avoid get rich quick type schemes. We know the verses and even like to quote them using our spiritual voices; Matthew 6:21: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." And of course the ever popular 1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil." There are many others, but the kicker is found in the second part of 1 Timothy 6:10: "and some by longing for it [money] have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Paul provides biblical guidance why we shouldn't long for money. He knows the dangers. That's the fallacy of the lottery that lottery officials don't want you to know. When you yearn or long for riches, you'll end of finding yourself with grief instead. The answer is not more money.

You don't have to believe me, you can do your own research. Many lottery winners are worse off than they were before they won the lottery. How can that be you might ask? Why do poor people stay poor while the rich keep getting richer? The following statement may sound harsh, but it is true. Poor people continue to do what they did to get poor and rich people continue to do what made them rich. You don't see many rich people playing the lottery. There's a reason for that.

All that being said, what would I do if someone came and wanted to offer a donation that resulted from something questionable? First, I don't interview people and ask them how they made their money. Second, you have to realize that money is amoral. It is not good or evil. Are we supposed to evaluate how every dollar that is given to the church was earned? Are we supposed to refuse the dollars that are earned if the giver works at a brewery? Or a distillery? Or a tobacco farm? Or what about the Christian that works as a server in a restaurant and is required to serve alcohol? It's an awful slippery slope to climb when you look at it like that. Of course there are professions I'm sure the Lord would just as soon see eliminated from the world, but let's face it, we still live in a world where sin reigns and as long as we're here, we're at war with an enemy that does not rest.

Would I, as a pastor, accept a donation from someone who won the lottery? Well yes I would. I heard someone once say something like, "The devil's used that money long enough, it's time for the Lord to use it."

You want our address?

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Just Look Around You

Last week I had an opportunity to spend some time at my in-law's house in Maggie Valley, NC. I really needed to get away . . . a change of scenery.

Seth and I loaded our motorcycles on Monday morning and headed out. Kari and Amelia came the following day. The weather was absolutely perfect. Warm days and cool nights. Seth and I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway, from the Smokey Mountain National Park to Asheville, NC. This is some of the most glorious riding there is. Sweeping turns, magnificent views, wonderful mountain air, and a mix of the aromas of mountain flowers and freshly cut grass. I rode over to Deal's Gap on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee to ride on U.S. 129 known as the "Tail of the Dragon." It is a motorcycle rider's dream. It is an 11 mile stretch of road that has 318 turns.

Some of my best prayer time has been on my motorcycle, especially on the Parkway. The beautiful scenery certainly declares the handiwork of God's hand. I often wonder how anyone can look at the beauty of nature and not know that there is a Creator that carefully handcrafted every mountain, every rock formation, every tree, every flower, and every blade of grass. The physical beauty of the world as we see it could not have happened by chance. In Paul's fantastic treatise of our faith, he says that God wrote the truth on each of our hearts so that we'll know there is a Creator. (Romans 1:19-21) As authentic Christians, we need to stand against the deception of Satan. There is a God and we must acknowledge His greatness.

I agree with David, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." (Psalm 19:1)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Do we really care?

As a church we have been given one really important job. We are to reach the world with the life changing gospel of Christ. The real question we must ask ourselves is, "Do we really care about those around us?"

This is more than a yes or no answer. If you say you care and do nothing to share the life changing message of Jesus Christ, then the real answer is you don't care. I think the church has forgotten the God given mandate to make a difference in the world. Oh, we do things for ourselves and we generally take care for ourselves, but that's not the mission. When are we going to wake up and realize that our love for Christ should manifest itself in action? Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. A community that doesn't see the church involved in their lives is a church that has lost its effectiveness.

You may be asking, "How can I make a difference?" Here's the thing; you can't change the world unless you allow the Holy Spirit to change your life. Pray for a desire to reach out to people. There are many ways you can reach out. You don't have to have a "ministry" or be "in ministry" to reach out. Take a pie to a neighbor, do some yard work for an elderly person or a single mom. Help that person change a flat tire. Volunteer somewhere.

Every Christian is a minister and we are all called to make a difference. After all, we know the Way the Truth, and the Life.

Are you a hearer of the Word or a doer?

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Think about it.

Last week our great nation celebrated it's 232nd birthday. As I thought about the years, I fondly remember the bicentennial. The U. S. Mint celebrated 200 years of independence by minting the bicentennial quarter. When visiting Philadelphia on Navy business in 2000, I had an opportunity to stand where our founding fathers of the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence. Thomas Jefferson penned the now infamous words in the preamble to our Constitution: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

George Washington said, "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." Patrick Henry said, ""It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall not fight alone. God presides over the destinies of nations. The battle is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, ALMIGHTY GOD! Give me liberty or give me death!"

I find it ironic that we live in a nation that so desperately wants to be independent, yet our early leaders were so dependent upon God. As we celebrate this great nation's independence, I encourage you to be completely dependent upon the God who loves you with an everlasting love.

Monday, June 30, 2008

What day is it?

My plan for the week was to provide a nice, new covering for a house in St. Marys. Brand new vinyl siding. The house is going to look great. About 1:00, that's 1300 for you military folks, the clouds rolled in, not the puffy white clouds that cause you to think of your third grade science class. These were angry black clouds that carry the promise of rain. They were red according to my radar picture. We have been in a drought for as long as I can remember, including the year we had several hurricanes. The skies opened up and the much needed rain came.

As I sat at my desk worked on Sunday's sermon (my new plan), a thought occurred to me: it's the last day of June. What happened to the first 29 days? I have been deficient in providing the inspiring words that are often, well sometimes, okay, occasionally found in my blog. Life happens even when we want to push the pause button, or even send life right to voice mail. Sometimes in our busyness, we lose sight of what's important. Family, friends, laundry, and most importantly, spending time with the Lord. If you want to be an authentic Christian, set aside a block of quality time to spend in fellowship with Christ. He is worth your time and you will be enriched just by being in His presence.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

That's a Good Question

Tragedy strikes everyday. I learned today that Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter was killed in an accident. My prayers for comfort are being heard by the God that not only hears our prayers, but has the power to answer them.

When tragedy strikes, our first question is normally, "Why?" I don't think it is an unreasonable question, after all, Jesus asked His Father, "Why" (Matthew 27:46) This side of heaven we may never know the answer to the whys of life. In heaven, I don't think it will matter . . . for Christians, we'll worship our Savior face to face no longer walking by faith, but walking by sight. But we're not there yet and we must walk a walk of faith. It's a difficult walk, but God has not left us to walk alone. His Holy Spirit dwells within us comforting us in sorrow and strengthening us in weakness.

Tragedy struck my life on May 5, 2008 that left me asking, "Why?" Two dear friends were killed in their home. These were not your ordinary, everyday friends. These were real friends. These were the kind of friends that called just to talk. There was no let's get to the point of why you called, we just chatted. We talked about the Lord, about our children, our jobs, our goals. We talked.

The answer to the why question is difficult yet the answer is right in front of us. We live in a world where sin still reigns. As long as we live in this world, we will struggle with, and against sin. In Romans 7, Paul spoke of his struggle with doing as the Lord leads and the struggle to overcome the power of his flesh. It was a battle, a struggle. Paul provides good news in Romans 8:2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." We have been set free by Jesus Christ.

Even when we know the answer to all of our why questions, it doesn't change the outcome. The bottom line is that our trials serve to refine us. Just as a jeweler refines gold to make jewelry, our Lord refines us through the trials of life to make us pure. The Apostle Peter says it this way, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1: 6-7)

I thank the Lord for the time I had with T.J. and Cindy. I knew them for 14 years . . . in my mind it was too short. Nothing ever takes God by surprise. Being an authentic Christian means trusting that God is the One that knows tomorrow as well as He knows yesterday. The walk of faith is hard, but it is a walk we must take, but don't be weary, God, His Son, and His Holy Spirit are walking right there with you.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Does it have to be painful?


Today I was "blessed" to make my semi-annual visit to the dentist. Why bother? You sit in a chair nearly upside down with a very stylish bib around your neck. If you're lucky, you also get to wear some very fashionable safety glasses. These are necessary to protect your eyes from any flying shards of teeth, plaque, or calculus (not the math kind) that may be ejected during the cleaning process. I followed my hygienist's advice (mostly) from last time. She told me to floss everyday. I made a conscious effort to do as she suggested . . . mostly out of fear that I would get a lecture on the finer points of preventing tooth decay, gingivitis, and gum disease. She was careful to scrape all the harmful things away from my teeth. She flossed for me. Finally she polished my teeth. The dentist came in for his 20 second poking of my teeth and declared, "I guess you can keep them." My dentist, quite the comic.

Amazingly enough, my cleaning wasn't as painful today as it has been in the past. No bleeding, no stuck instruments, no prying between my teeth. Perhaps my hygienist was feeling especially compassionate today. It was fairly pleasant. Okay, that's a stretch. I got to thinking; isn't going to the dentist just like our spiritual walk? The Lord spends a significant amount of time cleaning our lives. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes we bleed. Sometimes, when there is decay, significant work is required. At the dentist, it may include drilling. Just like the dentist (I think), the Lord does not desire to inflict pain on us for the sake of pain, it is required to get rid of the garbage in our lives that can hurt us, the things that will eventually lead to decay.

If we want to live as authentic Christians, we need to accept the cleanings the Lord provides on a daily basis. He plans are for us to prosper, never to harm us. God wants His children to live lives that glorify Him and reflect His workmanship in us. Oral hygiene and spiritual maturity both take time and effort, but the benefits are worth it.

Friday, March 28, 2008

The Fragility of Life

My last post chronicled the repair efforts to my son's motorcycle. I'm glad to say that it is running well. We are still battling spark plugs that foul every four days. The last time was Saturday night. The motorcycle runs great then all of a sudden, it quits. Seth called at about 10:30 pm and said his bike quit running. I went to pick him up and we put the bike in the back of my truck with the intention of looking at it after church the following day.

We had a great Easter service. The church was full, there was great music, we had flowers, we had someone accept God's free gift of salvation and joined the family of God. It was an absolutely picture perfect day. Beautiful blue sky, warm temperatures. We came home and ate a wonderful Easter meal with friends.

After lunch, I told Seth that I would look at his motorcycle. I pulled the plugs and cleaned them and put them back in. The bike cranked right up. Seth's eyes lit up and said, "Let's go for a ride." I made a few phone calls to get our riding buddies together. Five of us took off on what promised to be a great time together. We rode in an area with no houses and new asphalt. We made several laps around a giant circle. We stopped to chat and I set some ground rules and reminded everyone to ride safely.

Robert was in the lead with John, Seth, me, and Bruce following. When I came around that last curve, I didn't see Robert, but saw John slowing down. I thought Robert had gone around again. Seth slowed and stopped as did I. I thought it strange that John stopped. I thought maybe was something was wrong with his motorcycle. It is always supposed to happen in someone else's group. Tragedy had struck. No one crashes that rides with me. I am an ardent supporter of formal motorcycle training. I am a graduate of the basic and experienced rider courses offered through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. We ride in control. We ride safely.

When I saw Robert laying in the grass and dirt just off the road, my initial thought was, "Robert did not crash." I quickly got off my motorcycle and ran to Robert. John and I got to him about the same time. Robert was moving and John and I both told him to be still. Both of are trained in basic first aid and we both knew there could be something seriously wrong with his neck. Seth called 911 and I called his wife. As a pastor, I can tell you there is just about nothing worse than informing a loved one of an accident or other tragedy.

The ambulance came and took my friend, one of my sheep to the hospital. One of the shepherd's jobs is to protect his sheep. Did I fail the Lord? Did I fail my friend, one of our church members? Many things come to mind as you replay the events in your mind. What could I have done differently? Bruce and I went to the hospital and met his wife. We sat and waited together for word about Robert. It was a busy day in the Trauma Department. Three gun shot wounds and a very serious car accident that resulted in one person suffering a broken back in three places. Robert's injuries were of lower priority. Small comfort when no communication is being made to Robert's wife.

As I sat in the small waiting room of the Trauma Department, the Lord reminded me of some very important concepts that we often take for granted. We don't know what is around the next corner; we don't know about tomorrow; in fact, we don't know if tomorrow will come. James 4:14 reminds us that, "You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." We must live our lives with the expectation that Jesus could appear at any moment and we need to be about the Father's business. Too many of us live for a tomorrow that may not come. We'll start our diets tomorrow, we'll spend more time with our children tomorrow, we'll pay off our debts tomorrow; we'll get into the Word tomorrow; we'll start serving the Lord tomorrow. As Christians, we must live for today. We make grand plans for our lives and inform the Lord what we plan to do and then expect Him to bless it. If our desire is to live as authentic Christians, we need to start with right now. Do you have a list of all those things you plan on starting tomorrow? Pray for the Lord's guidance. Seek Him first. God does not want to be your last resort, He wants to be your first choice. When we ask, God will often rearrange our priorities.

Contextually, we need to look back one verse in James. James said, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (James 4:13-14) James speaks of big plans. When we went by Robert's house to get him, he had just cut the grass and taken a shower. He poked his head out the door of the house and said he'd be ready in a couple of minutes. He didn't know what that afternoon would bring let alone tomorrow. Today, five days later, Robert is at home. He's in a wheel chair. No, it's not like that. In the accident, he broke his right ankle and left wrist. It makes using crutches rather difficult. He also fractured two ribs and bruised his liver. This past Tuesday, an orthopedic surgeon attached a plate in his ankle. It will aid in healing. The prognosis? Three months with no weight on his ankle. It could have been worse. Robert is an experienced rider. He too, graduated from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's basic rider course. He was wearing his helmet, riding jacket with armour, gloves, long pants, and boots. He suffered a small scratch on his right arm. We praise the Lord that He had His hand on Robert. Robert will make a full recovery. . . . and will ride again. Why did he crash? He ran over some gravel in the road while in an aggressive lean on a curve. It was an accident. It happens. . . . that's why we dress for the crash and not the ride.

What about Robert's Suzuki SV1000? It didn't fair as well.




Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Revitalized Life

In February 2007 my son, then 17, purchased his first motorcycle, a 1992 Suzuki GSF400 Bandit. Not really a dream bike, and it was certainly nothing to look at. It was a bit rough. In fact, when it was delivered, the front brake caliper was tie wrapped to the forks and the read was tie wrapped to the swing arm. It seems as though the calipers were frozen. . . .with the brakes applied. The bike was stored outside and had survived two hurricanes, the last being Katrina.

My immediate thought was, "What a great project for us to rebuild this bike." My thoughts were met with enthusiasm and eagerness. As I began the rebuilding process, I noticed a glaring problem. It wasn't the exhaust pipe filled with water, it wasn't the cylinders full of water, it wasn't the frozen brakes, it wasn't the rusted chain. It was my son. He wasn't there. It seemed our schedules never quite matched up. I'm not knocking him, he goes to college full time and has two jobs. But this was something I wanted to do together. I wanted to impart my mechanical knowledge on him. I wanted him to learn by taking things apart. Well, things that don't work. He's had plenty of practice dismantling perfectly good things, but that's another story.


Over the past year, he has provided money for parts, but little hands on time. As I near completion (waiting on parts) of the overhaul, I reflected that our Christian walk is a lot like that motorcycle overhaul. We want it to work, but we don't want to invest any time into the process. We want to be smart about the Bible, but we don't want to spend the time to get in the Word. We like to read books about the Bible, but don't really study the Word alone. We go to Bible studies that study the latest Christian bestseller instead of digging in the Word. We want it easy. I'm all for instant oatmeal and microwave popcorn, but we can't have instant or microwave Christianity. The only way to have an authentic Christian life is to allow the Holy Spirit to infuse us with His wisdom as we study God's Word for what it is; God's personal words to his children.


We grow stong through the tough times, through trials, and through suffering. It is through those difficult times that we are refined and purified. Allow the Lord to purify and refine you because your faith is more precious than gold or silver.


We'll have father son time, my son just bought his first car. It seems like the man in brown comes nearly everyday.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Does authenticity matter?

Have you ever thought about what it means to be authentic? The Secret Service trains its counterfeiting experts to identify all the characteristics that make our currency authentic. When you know what the real thing looks like, its easier to spot the fakes.

Over the past couple of years, the Lord has brought me through a period of trials and sufferings. I'm sure that you have faced similar problems. How we react to adversity reveals our true character.

I am new to the blogosphere and I will endeavor to bring you words that will help you, as a child of God, come to live out your faith with authenticity.

Have I arrived? Hardly, but I identify with the Apostle Peter. Sometimes I am quick to speak and slow to listen. Through this blog, I'd like to share what is on my heart. Perhaps it will strike your heart as we walk on the path of authentic Christianity together.

Authenticity matters to the Secret Service, but more importantly, auhenticity matters to God.