Closing thoughts for the year

Closing thoughts for the year behind and direction for the year ahead,

Philippians 3:13-14 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

On being a fool

I woke early this morning thinking about a passage of scripture that I thought I understood. As I thought about my own life and the verse I will share with you in a moment it suddenly struck me that the way I had viewed the verse was all wrong. I had missed the main point! Here's the words from Psalms,

^{Psalm 14:1} The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

As I thought about this verse and my own life I realized I'm the fool! It's not the denial of God that's the problem, it's thinking and living like there is no God! I'm the greatest fool of all in this.

Yes, I am a Christian. I'm a pastor. I do love the Lord, BUT I often think, act and live like there is no God. The bible calls me a fool and it's right to do so. If God is really there then my thoughts and life should be different because of that.

If there really is a God who is there then that will affect what I look at on the internet and on television. For any man or woman to get involved in sin, whatever the flavor, is to say in your heart, "there is no God...no one is watching...no one will ever know." If you've ever done that, and I have, then you're a fool. I speak from first hand experience. When you make a decision to sin, in any way, you're saying in your heart "there is no God...no one will know." But he does. He sees. You're being a fool when you do that and so am I.

If there really is a God who is there then that will affect what you worry about. If God is there and caring for you then your worries about your life and finances are saying, "there is no God...I have to worry this myself...if I don't worry about it and fix it no one else will." If you've ever done that, and I have, then you're a fool. You're saying that the God who made the universe can't take care of you? Foolish little human, don't you know he holds you together? Can't he meet your needs as well?

As I think about this I could go on for pages with the things that declare to the world "I AM A FOOL!" but I think you have an idea of my thoughts. Clearly the fool is one who lives like God is not there even when he declares to the world he believes in him.

I had always reserved this verse for the agnostic, the atheist, but this morning it convicted me! Any time I live or think that all of this is on me, about me or for me and make choices, worry or live like God is not there....I'm a fool. Well, let me be the first to make this clear so there is no doubt. "Hi, my name is Mike and I'm a fool." But, my hearts desire is this- I want to live and think and act like God is there, part of my life and intimately involved in what is to become of me. It's either all true or none of it is!

Just a few thoughts on being a fool......from one.

Following Jesus

"I would just love to see Christians following Jesus. He was not an easy guy to follow, especially when he started talking about loving neighbors and loving enemies and going beyond tolerance to live your life with people who are nothing like you and disagree with you. I really want to hammer on some of these points, because I think they are the hallmarks of following Jesus.

I don't think that Christianity, Jesus or the Bible have failed; I think that Christians have failed to believe it and to do it. If Christians would just look at the life and the words, and pursue Jesus, I think they would suddenly find that it's incongruent with a lot of cultural Christianity and Christian practice. I would love to see Jesus lead all of us out of this ghetto of Christian subculture. Even if that happened, we'd still be diverse members of one body, so it doesn't mean we'd suddenly become homogenized. We'd all still have our particular personalities and gifts. Those differences are good. But the most primary and basic ethics that compel us as followers of Jesus should change, and it would change everything and reorient us back to what it actually means to be a Christian: to love." -Derek Webb, in an interview with Chris Stedman.

Winter of the soul

It's been a real winter this year in many parts of our country. Airports closed. People stranded. Cold, snow and short days make for difficult and sometimes depressing days. Winter is a time when nature rests. There is a quietness about winter, a silence that comes with the cold and the storm. Winter forces us to slow down and take a break.

In my own life I've found that I often have a winter of the soul. It's a time when, it seems, my heart is cold, sterile, and empty. It's a regular season of my walk with God and I think the winter of nature describes it better than I could with words. It's in these times when all is cold, quiet and often depressing that our hearts are forced to quietness and a hunger once more for God. It's a time for the soul to rest.

The winter of the soul also renews my thirst for God and his presence. In the sterile cold of winter I long for spring....to see the green, the new growth, the new life. Winter rekindles my longing for the life of God in my own soul. The winter of the soul makes me aware of how much I need the breath of God in my life to give me life. In the winter of the soul, when all is dead, I'm aware of what I'm missing and I long for his life to once more give me life. I long for his Spirit to bring spring to my snow-crusted soul.

These seasons of the soul are wonderful times to rest, review and renew my walk. When the cold of winter touches your soul welcome it as a season of faith and relish the season as you wait for God's spring to come and refresh you once more.

A time to reflect, a time to rest.

This is the perfect time of the year to reflect on God's grace and care throughout the year. It's the perfect time for me to step away and spend time with family and so I will. I'll be back with you in the new year. Have a great holiday.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

One of the traditions we have as a family is to make a birthday cake for Jesus as part of our Christmas celebration. Singing happy birthday to Jesus is a wonderful way to focus on the meaning of Christmas. It's simple traditions like this that keep the purpose of Christmas in focus.

For the culture around us it is a frantic time of buying gifts, putting up trees, decorating the house with lights and a hundred other distractions, but the real meaning of the day is all about God's love for us.

This day, Christmas, is a celebration of God's love for me! God loved us so much that he gave his very best gift, his son, to provide salvation for each of us.

In the busy days of these holidays make sure you celebrate the best gift....God's son given for us.

A Social Network Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas as we remember and celebrate the birth of the Messiah of the world, Jesus Christ. Don't forget...it's his birthday we are remembering. May you know the peace that comes from knowing him.

Monday's cartoon

Saturday's cartoon

N.T. Wright on Adam and Eve

I love N.T. Wright's works and thoughts. Here are his thoughts (briefly) on Genesis.

Quote of the day

"The whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us." -A.W. Tozer

The mythology we live by

I read these words in a devotional a friend forwarded to me this morning. These few words struck me as I read his thoughts on one of the gospel stories. In the middle of his thoughts he said, "The mythology we live by...." I won't bother with the rest of the sentence. It's not important here. But I thought as I read these five words, what are the myths I live by? What do I believe and allow to direct my decisions that is simply not true? What mythology dictates my life choices?

Some would say they have none, but I would disagree. I see it in my life and I'm sure I'm not unusual. If I were to list the things that dictate the decisions of my life I'm sure many would simply be mythology that has developed over time. I'm honestly convicted by the very idea. What things do I allow to direct my life and thoughts that simply is not true?

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." He made a profound claim in these few words. He is saying that if we fail to follow him in our lives we will allow the mythology of our time, our culture, our friends to turn us from the right way, from truth. These few words have me in self-evaluation mode. What are the myths I have allowed to change my course? Where have I wandered? What mythology do I live by?

Finding my way

It's often hard for me to see God's work in my life. I'm living moment by moment and I can't see what he is doing in my moments. The light that shows me what God is doing sometimes comes much later. Most of the time I only get a glimpse, a stream of light through the clouds, a smile from heaven as it were. Finding my way is the challenge of life. How to navigate the road ahead when I only see a little bit in front of me. I remember, years ago, while driving late at night in my 1937 Plymouth Road King that I accidentally hit the light switch and turned off the lights. What a panic! Going down the road in pitch blackness at 60 miles per hour. I quickly fumbled for the lights and the fear that overwhelmed me from the experience took hours to wane. It's that feeling we often live with...the feeling of living in the dark. How to find the way? How to know what God is doing. It's often a matter of trust when we see nothing at all. Finding my way....I'm still working on it. But what I know is that God has promised to lead me, to help me, just as a guide would lead a blind man, holding my hand and leading me around the things I can't even see. Paul wrote these words in Philippians, "My God will supply all your needs in Christ Jesus..." My greatest need is a guide to show me the way. I'm so glad he is that tender hand leading me along...even when I can't see the way to go.