I'm not much of a blogger. That is because I can't type (unless the "hunt and peck" method is considered typing) and I really don't spell well. So, I don't post many things on my blog. Maybe when I have been retired (that means put out to pasture by others) I'll have the time and inclination to blog every day. I just hope I'll still have the mental ability to do so. All of that is to "justify" why this is my first blog entry since August. I also must add that any thoughts I want to share are usually expressed when I preach so blogging is a secondary outlet for me. Nonetheless, from time to time I do feel the need to write something.
That brings me to this past weekend. About ten days ago I had some growths removed from my vocal chords. The biopsy was negative, praise the Lord, but it left them swollen and me hoarse. So, I was sentenced to "total" voice rest which is like making a glutton fast or a NASCAR driver walk. It was hard enough to not be allowed to preach, but not being able to talk to people during football season or yell at the TV during a ball game was pure torture. Finally, after two torturous weeks I was allowed to preach again. The problem was that a couple of months ago I had committed to preach at my daughter's church in Tuscaloosa on the second Sunday in November(yesterday). This wouldn't be a problem except that they have two morning services (9:00 & 10:15) that I would preach back to back. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to do it but at the same time I knew that God would enable me to if it was His will for me to do so. That is exactly what He did. In fact my voice, though hoarse, held up during the first service and actually got stronger during the second one. Since Valley View Baptist is currently without a pastor I was asked to baptize those who were awaiting baptism. Now, I knew that I would have the privilege of baptizing my oldest granddaughter (Jordan) during the 10:15 service but I was also asked to baptize fifteen year old Chase Davis at the 9:00 service. Now here is what is interesting. Valley View was started when about half of the members of Rosedale Baptist Church decided to relocate. Half of Rosedale stayed where they were and the other half founded Valley View. So, Valley View is partly my home church though I have never been a member. However, many of the people there are part of my spiritual pilgrimage. They were there when I was saved, when I surrendered to preach, at my baptism and my wedding and they heard my first sermon. They had prayed for me, encouraged me and modeled the Christian life in front of me. When I surrendered to preach (six months after I was saved) I committed myself to be as active and faithful in the ministry of the church as I could possibly be. The first Tuesday night after I surrendered to preach I showed up for visitation and went out to visit and witness for the very first time in my life. My partner that first night was Billy Ray Davis; Chase's grandfather. How's that for coming full circle? I admit that it made me feel old but at the same time I felt such a sense of "home" and of being a part of God's grand design. It has been forty-one years since I made those visits with Billy Ray but I remember the long conversation we had that night when we got back to the church. We sat in his car outside the church and talked for an hour about the Lord and our spiritual lives. Billy Ray told me about a man he worked with. Billy Ray worked commercial construction. They were working on a thirteen story dorm on the University campus. As he rode up the elevator he was witnessing to a twenty-seven year old coworker and encouraging him to give his heart and life to Jesus. His friend responded, "I'm going to, but I want to get all the fun out of life while I'm young and then one day, when I'm old, I'll get saved". They got off of the elevator and his friend went to sharpen a chisel. When the tool touched the sharpening wheel, the wheel disintegrated and a piece of flint rock went into his heart and he was dead before he hit the floor. I have told that story many times in the last forty years in sermons to stress the importance of accepting Christ while there is time because you never know how much time you have left. All of those memories passed through my mind as I baptized Chase. I felt like Abraham when came came back to Bethel (which means house of God). I was reminded of God's faithfulness, life's frailness and motivated to return to my church with the passion and zeal I had when I was that young "preacher boy" just starting out in the ministry. I pray I will never lose my passion for Christ and His work and that I will never lose sight of the wonders of His grace and His mysterious ways of working.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Politics As Usual
We are in the heart of the election season and it is painful. Not once, since I reached the legal voting age, have I ever failed to vote in a presidential election. True, I have missed a few (very few) local elections, but never a national one. Sometimes the people I voted for won and sometimes they lost, but I have always voted. There are times when I have voted against someone, or I should say their policies, more than I voted for the other person, but I have always voted. And, as the years go by, it becomes harder and more painful but I will still vote as long as I am alive and able.
It is painful because the only thing I can truly expect from whoever is elected is broken promises. If the other person were elected they would give us the same broken promises but they won't have the chance this time because they didn't get elected. All they will do is say, "I told you so" when the winner begins to renege on his or her campaign promises. Now I understand that many times they do mean to do what they promised but the political realities that are out of their control prevent them form doing so. This, however, does not ease my pain or disappointment. The rule of life seems to be that the more people promise change, the more things stay the same. The truth of the matter is that we can't eradicate greed (corporate or individual), dishonesty, lust for power, selfishness and complacency with a ballot. It resides in the human heart and politicians carry it into office with them and we citizens put up with is as long as their policies satisfy the same things in our hearts. Do the candidates sincerely love America and want to make her better? I really believe they do. Do I really want to lose weight, exercise and get fit? You bet your sweet bippy. (If you don't know what that means then you have never watched Rowan and Martin's Laugh In). Why will neither probably happen? They won't happen because the desire may be there but the will and the power aren't. America won't change until we have a change of heart not a change of Presidents, or Mayors, or Congress, etc.
Then why do I vote? First, I vote to protect my right to vote and my right to gripe about what our government is or is not doing. If you didn't vote, you need to shut up because you are just as much a part of the problem as those "lousy politicians" you are complaining about. The heart of America's heart problem is the complacency that comes from our selfishness. We won't do anything about anything unless it hits us in the pocket book. Shame on us! Second, I vote because of the great privilege it is to voice my opinion and convictions. Watch the news sometime and see how rare that is in this world. We are gripping about a few "hanging chads" when elections all over the world are either outlawed, rigged or held at gun point. Finally, (and I have more reasons but these will do for now) I vote because of all of the men and women who have sacrificed and died to give me this privileged right. When I enter that booth and take my ballot in hand I am there for Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln and many other statesmen who served, suffered and fought for this amazing system of government that can hand over the reigns of power peacefully every four years. I stand there to read my ballot for those who were blinded in combat to give me this privilege. I read it for them. I stand there for those who gave their legs so I could stand for them. I mark my ballot for those who had their arms blown off in the defense of this most precious gift; the gift of liberty. I vote to speak for all who lay silent in their graves after they had given their all for my freedom. And I vote for all their loved ones who suffered their loss. It is not only poor citizenship but and offense against the memory of their sacrifice not to vote. How dare we be too busy or too lazy to vote! How unforgivable to behave like petulant little children and refuse to vote because we "don't like" any of the candidates! We may not have the opportunity to vote for the best person for the job but we do have the best right to exercise; the right to vote.
It is painful because the only thing I can truly expect from whoever is elected is broken promises. If the other person were elected they would give us the same broken promises but they won't have the chance this time because they didn't get elected. All they will do is say, "I told you so" when the winner begins to renege on his or her campaign promises. Now I understand that many times they do mean to do what they promised but the political realities that are out of their control prevent them form doing so. This, however, does not ease my pain or disappointment. The rule of life seems to be that the more people promise change, the more things stay the same. The truth of the matter is that we can't eradicate greed (corporate or individual), dishonesty, lust for power, selfishness and complacency with a ballot. It resides in the human heart and politicians carry it into office with them and we citizens put up with is as long as their policies satisfy the same things in our hearts. Do the candidates sincerely love America and want to make her better? I really believe they do. Do I really want to lose weight, exercise and get fit? You bet your sweet bippy. (If you don't know what that means then you have never watched Rowan and Martin's Laugh In). Why will neither probably happen? They won't happen because the desire may be there but the will and the power aren't. America won't change until we have a change of heart not a change of Presidents, or Mayors, or Congress, etc.
Then why do I vote? First, I vote to protect my right to vote and my right to gripe about what our government is or is not doing. If you didn't vote, you need to shut up because you are just as much a part of the problem as those "lousy politicians" you are complaining about. The heart of America's heart problem is the complacency that comes from our selfishness. We won't do anything about anything unless it hits us in the pocket book. Shame on us! Second, I vote because of the great privilege it is to voice my opinion and convictions. Watch the news sometime and see how rare that is in this world. We are gripping about a few "hanging chads" when elections all over the world are either outlawed, rigged or held at gun point. Finally, (and I have more reasons but these will do for now) I vote because of all of the men and women who have sacrificed and died to give me this privileged right. When I enter that booth and take my ballot in hand I am there for Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln and many other statesmen who served, suffered and fought for this amazing system of government that can hand over the reigns of power peacefully every four years. I stand there to read my ballot for those who were blinded in combat to give me this privilege. I read it for them. I stand there for those who gave their legs so I could stand for them. I mark my ballot for those who had their arms blown off in the defense of this most precious gift; the gift of liberty. I vote to speak for all who lay silent in their graves after they had given their all for my freedom. And I vote for all their loved ones who suffered their loss. It is not only poor citizenship but and offense against the memory of their sacrifice not to vote. How dare we be too busy or too lazy to vote! How unforgivable to behave like petulant little children and refuse to vote because we "don't like" any of the candidates! We may not have the opportunity to vote for the best person for the job but we do have the best right to exercise; the right to vote.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
God's Plan versus Ours
One of the strongest imprints from our old nature is the desire to maintain control of our lives and everything in it. I find that I have this need to "plan my day" and if I'm not careful I will pursue my plan regardless of anything. Now I'm not advocating an undisciplined or careless lifestyle, but there is a downside to being "organized". The downside or pitfall is that we see the opportunities for ministry that God brings into our daily lives as interruptions or hindrances instead of "divine appointments". In other words, we miss them because we misunderstand them. Instead of saying, "Thank you Lord, what are You doing here and what do You want me to do'' in our hearts we are impatient or aggravated at being hindered from carrying out OUR plan for the day. Instead of being lead by the Spirit we are driven by our need to maintain control. At the end of the day we have finished our check list of "Things to Do Today" but have accomplished very little (if anything) for the Kingdom and to the glory of God. The result is that we are tired instead of joyful and somewhat bored with the tedium of life instead of being filled with wonder and excitement at God's providential workings in our daily experience.
Let me illustrate this from yesterday's experiences. Monday is my usual "day off" so that makes Tuesday my Monday. It is a day filled with tasks and some deadlines that make it "busy" though not stressful (well, not very stressful, anyway). I'll not bore you with all the things I need to do, but to add to my "list" was one more project. I had promised to get last Sunday's sermon outline into printed form. Spike had typed out the notes he took and e-mailed them to me. This was a great help but only a starter. So after the normal deadlines were met I began work on "The History of Heaven and Hell". You probably think that all I had to do was copy my sermon notes and it was done. I wish! The truth is that I study all week for my message, then I write my notes but when I preach God always adds to it so there are a lot of things that are not in my notes. My plan was to have them done by lunch time. The reality was that I didn't finish until 6:30 this morning and I worked on them unto 10:00 last night. I'm a slow typist and a slower thinker but this is not the reason it took me so long. Here's what happened.
I was "working up a storm" when a young man (a stranger) walked into my office and just sat down. He was passing by and just stopped in on a whim to ask about the church. We had a rather strange conversation that lasted a little over an hour (there goes finishing by noon!). Then as suddenly as he had walked in, he just got up and walked out. As I sat there, I realized that I had gotten to share the gospel with him in in the course of our conversation. He had assumed that Methodists and Presbyterians were a "different religion" from Baptists. So, I explained to him the difference between denominations and religions. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. are different denominations but the same religion; Christianity. We have some doctrinal differences but we all believe the same gospel as the way of salvation. At that point I explained the gospel to him. Now, I had planned to go out last night and see if i could manufacture an opportunity to share the gospel but God just walked one right into my office (and my busy schedule) and saved me burning all that gas to boot.
My day was not over yet so I went back to work on my outline when my cell phone rang and Nate wanted me to go by Burger King and pick him up some lunch. So, granddad that I am, off I went. While I was in line at BK my phone rang again and a member of my church, who had moved to Shelby County, called and wanted to meet me for lunch. Now the amazing thing was that Chuck and I had both had him and his family on our hearts and had just discussed their situation that morning. They had moved away two years ago and had yet to find a new church home. So as we met over a two and a half hour lunch He shared how God had been working in his life and his family's and that they were about to join a church in their area. WOW! Do you know what my first though was when He called and wanted to have lunch was? "Man, I'm never gonna get this outline done." Then God put in my mind, "What's more important, your outline or your friend and my child?" I began to pray that God would give me the insight and sensitivity to be used in my friend's life in some way. There was something that my friend needed from me and it was a joy to give it. What a Day! I might not have finished my "To Do" list but that doesn't matter, God had a better list "To Do" through me.
Here is one last thought. There are no accidents, interruptions, hindrances in God's plan for us, just "divine appointments" and opportunities. Don't be so busy doing your list that you are impatient or aggravated or that you blow off, rush through or avoid altogether something that, in Heaven, you will find out was more important that your entire "TO DO LIST" for that day.
Let me illustrate this from yesterday's experiences. Monday is my usual "day off" so that makes Tuesday my Monday. It is a day filled with tasks and some deadlines that make it "busy" though not stressful (well, not very stressful, anyway). I'll not bore you with all the things I need to do, but to add to my "list" was one more project. I had promised to get last Sunday's sermon outline into printed form. Spike had typed out the notes he took and e-mailed them to me. This was a great help but only a starter. So after the normal deadlines were met I began work on "The History of Heaven and Hell". You probably think that all I had to do was copy my sermon notes and it was done. I wish! The truth is that I study all week for my message, then I write my notes but when I preach God always adds to it so there are a lot of things that are not in my notes. My plan was to have them done by lunch time. The reality was that I didn't finish until 6:30 this morning and I worked on them unto 10:00 last night. I'm a slow typist and a slower thinker but this is not the reason it took me so long. Here's what happened.
I was "working up a storm" when a young man (a stranger) walked into my office and just sat down. He was passing by and just stopped in on a whim to ask about the church. We had a rather strange conversation that lasted a little over an hour (there goes finishing by noon!). Then as suddenly as he had walked in, he just got up and walked out. As I sat there, I realized that I had gotten to share the gospel with him in in the course of our conversation. He had assumed that Methodists and Presbyterians were a "different religion" from Baptists. So, I explained to him the difference between denominations and religions. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. are different denominations but the same religion; Christianity. We have some doctrinal differences but we all believe the same gospel as the way of salvation. At that point I explained the gospel to him. Now, I had planned to go out last night and see if i could manufacture an opportunity to share the gospel but God just walked one right into my office (and my busy schedule) and saved me burning all that gas to boot.
My day was not over yet so I went back to work on my outline when my cell phone rang and Nate wanted me to go by Burger King and pick him up some lunch. So, granddad that I am, off I went. While I was in line at BK my phone rang again and a member of my church, who had moved to Shelby County, called and wanted to meet me for lunch. Now the amazing thing was that Chuck and I had both had him and his family on our hearts and had just discussed their situation that morning. They had moved away two years ago and had yet to find a new church home. So as we met over a two and a half hour lunch He shared how God had been working in his life and his family's and that they were about to join a church in their area. WOW! Do you know what my first though was when He called and wanted to have lunch was? "Man, I'm never gonna get this outline done." Then God put in my mind, "What's more important, your outline or your friend and my child?" I began to pray that God would give me the insight and sensitivity to be used in my friend's life in some way. There was something that my friend needed from me and it was a joy to give it. What a Day! I might not have finished my "To Do" list but that doesn't matter, God had a better list "To Do" through me.
Here is one last thought. There are no accidents, interruptions, hindrances in God's plan for us, just "divine appointments" and opportunities. Don't be so busy doing your list that you are impatient or aggravated or that you blow off, rush through or avoid altogether something that, in Heaven, you will find out was more important that your entire "TO DO LIST" for that day.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Hard Things
It just seems like everything that is worthwhile is hard to do and the things that are useless or hurtful are always easy. It is easy to gain weight to the point of obesity and hard to lose weight, much stay physically fit. All you have to do is eat all you want, when you want and never exercise and your weight and blood pressure will go "up, up and away" out of control. It is easy drop out of church and hard to be faithful. All you have to do to disappear from church is nothing. The same is true for all of the spiritual disciplines (how that word "discipline" is disliked) that are at the heart of a vital, dynamic relationship with God. If we only pray and read God's Word when we "feel like it", we will do it spasmodically at best and eventually "seldom and never" will describe the frequency of our fellowship with God. The result will be a joyless and barren Christian life and work. But wait a minute, why is it so hard to be consistent in the things that are so vital to our physical and spiritual life?
The answer to this question is simple; lack of genuine desire. Here is a principle of life that is true for every one of us, unless we are an invalid. If we genuinely want to do something we will find a way and if we don't we will find an excuse. It sure is easier to make an excuse than to exercise three times a week or more. But if we really want to then we will find a way to do it "rain or shine". The same thing is true for our spiritual disciplines. Well then, where does the desire come from?
Desire comes from need. When we have a real need for something we will have the desire to do the things necessary to make it a reality in our lives. For instance, if we begin to have shortness of breath and tightness in our chest whenever we exert ourselves and the doctor says that we are on the verge of serious heart problems if we don't eat right and exercise regularly the need to stay alive will give us the genuine desire to do those things; consistently! I've seen people who just "couldn't quit" smoking, stop cold turkey in a single day. How? They were diagnosed with lung cancer and the need to live took away their desire for nicotine.
The same is true of our spiritual life. Until we realize how much we need God, not just to get to Heaven, but to live an abundant, fruitful, useful, satisfying and acceptable life, we won't have the desire necessary to be consistent in the things of God. Until we "wake up" to the the fact that the way we live as believers on earth will eternally affect our life in Heaven we will see no "need" to discipline ourselves to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus talked a lot about this truth. He said that being a servant here was the key to being great in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus warned against having only earthly treasure and not laying up treasure in Heaven. Why would He say that unless our live in Heaven was affected by what we did with what God gave us on earth. That is called stewardship and Jesus said that He will give a "well done good and faithful servant" as well as the assignment to "be ruler over much" in eternity to those who were faithful to Him on earth. When the reality of Heaven sinks in, a need to live life accordingly will give me the desire to consistently practice the spiritual disciplines of a godly person. But, there is one more ingredient and it is the key ingredient to having a real need to live a godly life. James 1:12 says it perfectly. "Blessed is the man who endures temptation (trials and hardships); for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown (a victor's crown) of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
When we truly love someone we have a great need to please them. This creates the desire to do whatever we must do to accomplish that. The key to consistency in the things of God is loving God. This is the way we measure our love for Christ or lack thereof. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments.
One more question needs to be asked. How do we rekindle or increase our love for Jesus? The answer is in 1 John 4:19. "We love Him because He first loved us." A verse from the great hymn, "How Great Thou Art" shows us how to experience this truth in our daily lives. "And when I think, that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die I scarce can take it in; that on the cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great Thou art, How great Thou art!" If you can meditate on the cross without your love for God burning hotter, then maybe you have never been there nor known His love, forgiveness and received eternal life from Him.
The answer to this question is simple; lack of genuine desire. Here is a principle of life that is true for every one of us, unless we are an invalid. If we genuinely want to do something we will find a way and if we don't we will find an excuse. It sure is easier to make an excuse than to exercise three times a week or more. But if we really want to then we will find a way to do it "rain or shine". The same thing is true for our spiritual disciplines. Well then, where does the desire come from?
Desire comes from need. When we have a real need for something we will have the desire to do the things necessary to make it a reality in our lives. For instance, if we begin to have shortness of breath and tightness in our chest whenever we exert ourselves and the doctor says that we are on the verge of serious heart problems if we don't eat right and exercise regularly the need to stay alive will give us the genuine desire to do those things; consistently! I've seen people who just "couldn't quit" smoking, stop cold turkey in a single day. How? They were diagnosed with lung cancer and the need to live took away their desire for nicotine.
The same is true of our spiritual life. Until we realize how much we need God, not just to get to Heaven, but to live an abundant, fruitful, useful, satisfying and acceptable life, we won't have the desire necessary to be consistent in the things of God. Until we "wake up" to the the fact that the way we live as believers on earth will eternally affect our life in Heaven we will see no "need" to discipline ourselves to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus talked a lot about this truth. He said that being a servant here was the key to being great in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus warned against having only earthly treasure and not laying up treasure in Heaven. Why would He say that unless our live in Heaven was affected by what we did with what God gave us on earth. That is called stewardship and Jesus said that He will give a "well done good and faithful servant" as well as the assignment to "be ruler over much" in eternity to those who were faithful to Him on earth. When the reality of Heaven sinks in, a need to live life accordingly will give me the desire to consistently practice the spiritual disciplines of a godly person. But, there is one more ingredient and it is the key ingredient to having a real need to live a godly life. James 1:12 says it perfectly. "Blessed is the man who endures temptation (trials and hardships); for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown (a victor's crown) of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
When we truly love someone we have a great need to please them. This creates the desire to do whatever we must do to accomplish that. The key to consistency in the things of God is loving God. This is the way we measure our love for Christ or lack thereof. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments.
One more question needs to be asked. How do we rekindle or increase our love for Jesus? The answer is in 1 John 4:19. "We love Him because He first loved us." A verse from the great hymn, "How Great Thou Art" shows us how to experience this truth in our daily lives. "And when I think, that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die I scarce can take it in; that on the cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee; How great Thou art, How great Thou art!" If you can meditate on the cross without your love for God burning hotter, then maybe you have never been there nor known His love, forgiveness and received eternal life from Him.
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