My left foot

I called the church office from the "loft" in the sanctuary yesterday afternoon, and told Connie, our receptionist, "I've fallen and I can't get up!"
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I was trying to plug our new service clock into a new outlet that had just been installed. Since I didn't see a ladder I did what I always do.....I improvised. I used a tall bar stool. I got up on the stool and was about to plug the clock in when I lost my balance and fell. It was head first all the way, but on the way down somehow my left heel hit the very corner of a wooden step that leads up to the AV platform. My heel was no match for that hard wooden corner, and in a moment I knew it was hurt badly. I couldn't stand on it and it hurt! What we found out in the emergency room at the hospital was that I had shattered my heel. That sounded bad, and today we found out it is. The orthopedist came to my room today to tell me I would need surgery, would be on crutches for at least 6 months and would always have problems with that heel. Real encouraging, huh?
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So, as soon as the swelling goes down they will get me in for surgery- a metal plate, screws, and whatever else they need to do to fix it. In the midst of the pain I had a number of medical people come by my room in the emergency room to tell me they had never seen a heel injury this bad, and they "congratulated" me on doing such a good job. We all laughed, but I didn't think it was too funny.
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Tonight I'm home, heavily drugged, still in great pain and waiting for surgery. If none of this makes sense you will know why.
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I would welcome your prayers. If I miss a few days blogging in the upcoming weeks you will know why. In spite of all of this I am blessed. God is so good. He has taken care of us in amazing ways. Even at this painful moment one thing was wonderfully missing from our visit with the doctor.....he never once said, "You only have 6 months to live." So I am grateful for God's wonderful care and grace.
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Missing the obvious

My wife and I were both out teaching last night at different locations, but when we finally got home she asked me, "did you see the eclipse?" I had not. I missed it. In fact, as I read the news this morning and looked at the photos of the day I was disappointed that I had missed such an amazing site.

It occurs to me that I had two problems, 1. I didn't know there was going to be an eclipse, and 2. I wasn't looking. Those are the same problems that the world at large faces. They don't know and they aren't looking. God is working in our world to draw people to himself, but many miss it. They don't know and they aren't looking.

It's hard to look for something you don't know about, so it appears that a knowledge is first priority, then watching for that thing you know about is easier. And yet we are in an amazing time of not knowing. There is no absolute truth, no one can "know" anything for sure they tell us. But I believe that we can know, and unless we do know we won't look. Maybe that's the ultimate agenda of the other side....to keep people from looking.

So here we are...in a world where the knowledge of God is everywhere, if you will only look, and most people around us will miss it. They will say, "I didn't know, so I didn't look." They will miss the obvious.

Thoughts on Romans 6

I'm up early studying for a class tonight on the book of Romans. Tonight we are in chapter 6. It's one of the most awesome chapters in the bible! As I read over this chapter again and again, first in NIV, then in the THE MESSAGE, New American Standard and finally the ESV versions one thing keeps popping up as a focal point of the chapter- verse 14.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

In the context of the chapter this amazing verse begins to come alive. We all live in one of two countries- the country of law or the country of grace. We all live under the domain of one of these "governments." If you live in the country of law then your success or failure is up to you. You must perform to live here, and the price is high. But if you live in the country of grace the price of citizenship has been paid by Jesus Christ. We are freely admitted to a new country with a completely different way of living. "Under law" I have to do it all. "Under grace" it's all been done for me, and now I simply respond to the finished work of Christ. The more I read over this chapter the more amazed I am at the difference in the two kingdoms.

This morning I am excited to be a citizen of the kingdom of grace. There's no other place I'd rather be!

W.W.B.D.?

I had a great visit on the phone with one of our single moms tonight. She has two daughters who are in middle school and growing up quickly. It's hard to be a single mom, but she has some help. Her next door neighbors are also members of our church and a great Christian family. This single mom told me that when her girls have questions about right choices she doesn't ask them, "What would Jesus do?" She said that's too hard for them to relate to. Instead she asks them, "What would the Bakers do?"
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(Please don't tell them she does this, because they don't know that she uses them as a role model for her girls.)
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I'm thrilled to know this is happening because one family is living out the Christian life in a way that another family watches.

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I wonder who's watching me? Do you know who's watching you?
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Would your neighbors tell their kids, "What would ____ do?" I'm sure the Bakers don't know about their witness, but it is making a difference. One single mom is depending on them to help her girls make good choices and they don't even know it.
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Who's watching you?

Just thinking...

My mind is racing tonight with the issues of life- a broken fence I need to fix, a rattle in my car that is driving me nuts, a class I need to get ready for tomorrow night, bills to pay, marriage counseling to schedule, hurting people to care for, income taxes I need to fill out (I'm dreading that!), staffing issues I need to work on, dying people I need to connect with, books I need to read, a wife I need to spend time with, complaints I need to address, "stuff" I need to pray about, parents coming to town this weekend (which will be great)......and the list continues.....so let me leave you with just this one thing that I am thinking about:

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In the midst of all of this I am constantly aware that the God of the universe loves me, cares for me and thinks about me all the time...even when I'm too busy to think about Him. That one thought often makes me stop and just bask in His presence. I may be far too busy and a little tired, but I'm loved by the creator of the universe.....so the rest is just small stuff.

Redefining ourselves

I rarely mention politics here because that's not what this blog is about, but today I want to address it simply as an exaggerated example of what we all seem to do in our lives. What we see in campaign years is the ultimate redefining of a person for gain- they want our vote and the position they seek. So the good politician tells us how wonderful they are and what they can do for us. We all seem to agree that they won't or simply can't do these things, but they promise them anyway.
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It's amazing to hear the politicians as they tell us how wonderful they are and what they can do. This whole process is the ultimate exaggerated example of what we do with each other all the time. We put on our "masks" to present the best face we can so people will "vote" for us. So they will like us, believe us, care about us. We want approval of others, and will do almost anything to get it. Some of the funniest comedy routines I have seen are based on this goal of gaining approval from others. We all do it, so why am I talking about it?
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It gives me an opportunity to simply focus on the one I need to seek approval from- God himself. When I’m busy trying to get approval from others I get confused about who I really am…my mask becomes my identity, but when I seek God’s approval first I can be who God meant me to be, and the love and care from others will come, but it will be for a different reason. If I seek God’s approval, seek him first, then I don’t have to “sell” myself to you to get your love or approval. I will love you and care for you regardless of your response because I already have the approval of the most important one- my Father.
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Let me encourage you to put the masks away in your life, seek God’s approval first, and then go live an honest life in the real world. Wearing a mask is a miserable way to live…they had a word in the ancient Greek theatre for those who wore masks. They called them hypocrites.
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Joh 5:44 "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
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1Th 5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

In his hands

Psa 98:1 A Psalm. O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

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Whenever I finish a book the story lingers with me for a while. If the author was good he made me think about what I believe. I am in the middle of that right now after reading The Shack. The "take away" for me is a reminder that we have an amazing God. A God who loves us and cares for us through all of our trials. He holds us up when we fall. And, as the book unfolds, he helps us through difficult crisis.

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I'm just thinking this morning about how wonderful God is. His love, his care, his amazing grace to us. He really does hold us in his hands...those same hands that bear a nail scar for me.

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Thank you Lord for holding onto me. Thank you for your wonderful hands.

Monday's cartoon

It's always funny how we try to bargain with God. I'm sure he smiles at our attempts to get him to do something for us, but the bible is clear that God wants to answer our prayers. He is the gracious Father who loves to give good things to his children. When you pray don't be afraid to ask for "big things." We have a big God.

Quote of the day

"Atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning..."
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--C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Shack

I know this is not Oprah's book club, but when I find a book that is really good I will share it with you. The Shack is one of those books! Our good friend, Lana, recommended it to me so I got a copy Friday. After reading half of it Friday we went to get another copy for Joye. I will finish the book this morning, but I must tell you that this is a book you should read. Eugene Peterson compares it to Pilgrim's Progress, and I would agree. It's an amazing work. It is a must read for anyone pursuing a relationship with God.

This is an awesome book!

Saturday's cartoon

God's protection

It was early the morning of August 20, 1986. We lived in Edmond, Oklahoma at the time. That morning I thought I would run by the post office on my way to work and mail some bills, but as I drove into the post office parking lot and began to look for a parking spot I noticed something very strange....policemen....a lot of them....dressed in bulletproof vests, hiding behind cars with their guns drawn. Their focus was on the post office, and so they barely noticed me, but I noticed them! It was a very surreal moment as I watched them work their way towards the post office with their guns ready.

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In a moment I came to my senses....this probably is not a good day to mail bills...I'll mail them tomorrow, and so off I drive to the office only to hear on the radio during my commute that a gunman was inside that post office at the moment I sat in the parking lot, a postal employee who had "lost it," and one who would, by the end of the day, take the lives of 15 people including his own.

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I have thought back on that day many times in the years since. I didn't feel that I was in danger at the time because I really didn't know what was going on. I wonder....how many times I have been protected by the Lord from dangers I was completely unaware of? How many "near death" experiences do we each have that we may never know about? How often are our lives protected by God's wonderful plan and grace? As I think about that day in my life I reflect on an amazing chapter in the bible. A chapter that talks more about God than it does about us, but we are the recipients of who he is by what he does, and so in light of my morning at the post office let me direct your attention to a wonderful passage from the book of Psalms,

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Psa 91- You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "GOD, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right--he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you-- under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing--not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because GOD's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path. "If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says GOD, "I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party. I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!"

Growing old together

34 years ago today Joye and I got married. We have literally spent most of our lives together. It's hard to describe a marriage that has lasted for decades, but it's wonderful to think about.

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When we got married I had hair. I was thin. I was a pastor making $384.00 a month (I didn't need any more than that). Now all of that has changed. In the last 34 years my hair abandoned me, my love for food has betrayed me, we have raised two awesome kids who are both married with families of their own. So now we come back to the beginning- just Joye and I "doing life together."

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It's quite an amazing thing to walk through life with another person. Through the good times and the bad you gradually find that, as the bible describes, two people become one. To be sure they are still two, but now a oneness exists that is quite hard to describe. It's honestly something that makes me smile as I try to write about it.

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So let me celebrate this day of remembering for us by thanking the Lord for his love and care in providing each of us such a wonderful blessing- each other. Have a good day, I know we will.

Why are you following him?

Today my reading took me to John 6. In this chapter is John's story of Jesus feeding a multitude. After dinner is served and the people disperse Jesus sends the disciples off in a boat to the other side of the sea of Galilee while he goes to the mountain to pray. During the night he walks across the sea to the disciple's boat and they find themselves at the "other side." The next day this is the story that John unfolds,.

Joh 6:24 So when the crowd realized he was gone and wasn't coming back, they piled into the Tiberias boats and headed for Capernaum, looking for Jesus.
Joh 6:25 When they found him back across the sea, they said, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
Joh 6:26 Jesus answered, "You've come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you, filled your stomachs--and for free.
Joh 6:27 "Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last."

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So as I read I'm thinking....."why am I following the Lord? Do I follow him for what he gives me or because of who he is?" It's often true of me that I follow him for the wrong reasons....for what I can get from him rather than to get to know him. It's easy to forget that to know him is better than bread! To know him is to know the very one who made me. Why do I so often seek his hands (what he can do for me) and not his face (who he is)? Why do I so often ask for things from him and not ask to know him better? Why am I, like these people in John's gospel, often following him for what I can get when I am literally in the very presence of the creator of the universe....and I'm focused on my stomach! What a foolish man I am.

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I love Jesus' words, they convict me of my own wrong focus, "Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides."

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And that food is him. Later in John the Lord invites his followers to feed on him, not literally mind you, but to let him, and a relationship with him, satisfy your hungers. And yet we seem content with bread.....how much we miss.....how little we see of all that God wants to give us. He wants to provide our bread of course, but more than that he wants to give us his very life...the life that will satisfy our hungers forever.

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So, why are you following him? What are you looking for?

Happy Anniversary!

Tomorrow, February 15th, Joye and I will celebrate our 34th anniversary!

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(Yes, we married the day after Valentine's Day...what were we thinking?)

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I'm very blessed to have such a wonderful wife, friend and ministry partner. God is good.

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So, happy anniversary to my sweet wife, Joye. The bible says that a godly woman is a blessing from the Lord, so I know that God really loves me because of the gift he gave me, my sweet Joye.

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When I waited for her at the front of the church on that day it was the second time I met her at the front of the church in 3 months. The first time was the day she came forward to trust Christ as her savior (I was the pastor of evangelism), it was also the first time I met her. And in less that 3 months I met her again to marry her. 34 years....so far it's been awesome. I'm in for another 34 years!