One might think I am running out of ideas but this one came to me as I was entering church today at Brown's Bridge Community Church. I am nearly sixty years of age and my estimation is that I have attended church services on at least 75% of Sundays since my birth. That is about 2,200 church services in various denominations in the U.S. On many of these occasions I wore a tie or a suit. Gradually the ties went away and then we went to khaki slacks and polos, then no socks and then the khakis were replaced by jeans and finally today for the first time I wore shorts with boat shoes (no socks of course) and a nice golf shirt. My grandfather one of the greatest Baptist deacons of all time probably did a flip in his grave and I can even hear my mom talking about wearing your best to services.
It was interesting but no one seemed to notice at my church. It helps in that our pastor, Andy Stanley came out on stage with jeans, a polo not tucked in and that some of the members of the band have rings in ears, noses etc and that the common trend at the church seems to be not to put a lot of emphasis on dressing up. I truly think this is all a relief to many folks. They do not have to meet a certain dress code or standard. If they don't have the latest fashion trends they can still come to our church and feel comfortable. I do have a few hangups though about what one wears to church as follows:
*You really should wear clothes that have been laundered and pressed
*You really should comb your hair and perhaps shower and shave before attending
*I am not ready for flip-flops ( I guess I am still a little conservative)
*Ladies..I don't think swim suit cover ups are appropriate
*I do have a little problem with ladies wearing strapless gowns with tattoos on their shoulders
*Also I think bare midriffs and short skirts don't quite fit at church
*Guys I think you need to leave the logo tees at home as well as old SEC champions tees, etc.
It's kind of interesting that a few months ago I commented to my wife that a lot of the guys looked like they barely were out of bed when they grabbed the nearest pair of wrinkled shorts and t-shirts, threw on the flip-flops and headed off to church. As mentioned above I do have a bit of a problem with this but I find that I am perhaps more understanding in this age of dress down. I admit that I like the idea of casual wear to church.
I realize that the subject today may be a bit controversial as some churches today still require a stringent dress code especially for pastors, deacons and leaders but also for those who might want to be in these positions but I really wonder what God might be thinking about all this? I'll ask a few questions to sum up:
*Does God look more on the outward appearance or what's in the man's heart?
*Did the early Christians dress up for services or gatherings in their house churches?
*Were there fashion trends in the early church?
*How about more recently, let's say the 1800's, did men wear coat's and ties or a clean pair of overalls?
*Does the Bible spend a lot of time on fashion? I recall a passage about not wearing anything that might distract from worship, but that is about it.
*Is it possible to worship God and be touched by God while wearing a pair of shorts?
*Does it really matter to seekers if we are all dressed up at Church? Do they feel more comfortable if we are not overdressed? Do they feel that they don't have to fit a certain dress standard and does this make it easier for them to attend services?
It is hard for me to believe that what we wear can be a point of contention in many of our churches today but it is. I do know that I probably would not want to be a part of any fellowship that would think less of a person because they do not meet the criteria established by this body. I am thankful that my own church has figured out that this is not high on God's list of priorities for the church. I truly feel that He is more interested in what the person's heart is all about and what he does with the gifts and talents that God has given him.
Does all this mean that we throw away all tradition such as music, Bible teaching etc. Absolutely not. But when our emphasis on man designed criteria takes the place of the true reason for worship then we do have a problem in the church. Another question I will pose is why for the most part is church attendance and membership declining? Perhaps it is the inflexibility of the church in general today. Not meeting people where they are and how they are and the famous words of the dying church "we never did it that way before".
One thing I don't mean to do is to belittle those who choose to worship via traditional means. If one wants to attend services where everyone wears a suit and tie and sings traditional hymns and reads only from one version of the Bible this is fine. These folks should not however looked down on those who choose a different path. The gospel is the same..always has been and always will be...In the meantime I just received a pair of madras shorts for Fathers Day and I've got to get a shirt that will match for next Sunday's services.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Left To Tell
It is a beautiful evening here in North Georgia. It is amazing for the July 4th weekend. This of course is a time when we celebrate our Independence. Over the course of this week I completed reading a book about a country that struggled with freedom. It is a true story of a young girls journey through the civil war in Rwanda. The story takes place during the 1990's. The author of the book is Immaculee Ilibagazi. The full title of the book is Left To Tell Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. She was assisted with the book by Steve Erwin. It was a great story of an evil time in the life of the country of Rwanda.
The young girl is an amazing young Catholic girl and her family. She was a brilliant student with parents who expected her to achieve both scholastically but also as a beautiful young girl. I don't want to tell the entire story but her native country was thrown into a violent civil war between the Tutsi and the Hutu's. During the struggle her mom, dad and all except one brother were violently massacred by the Hutu's. Many of the killers were neighbors and people her family had helped. Over one million were killed in this slaughter. The goal of the Hutu's was to eradicate the Tutsi race.
This young girl survived by hiding in a bathroom at a pastor's home. She along with six other women hid in the 4' x 6' bathroom for over ninety days. Barely with enough room to move, bodies upon bodies they survived. She lived to tell the story and of her close relationship with God through this ordeal. One interesting highlight is that she taught herself English while in the bathroom with no tutor. She went on to work for the U.N. but the most important point is that she found a way to go to the prison and forgive the one's who killed her parents and brothers.
My point in reviewing this book today is to express my confusion as to why no country came forward to prevent this holocaust? After WW11 it had been said by many that we should never allow what occurred in Germany to happen again. Yet we stood by and offered no help to stop this conflict. In fact France was the only country to move in initially though it was very late in the conflict. Eventually the U.N. sent peacekeepers long after the killing had transpired. Why would we allow this genocide to occur? I would very much like to hear from our leaders at the time as to why this was allowed?
Many feel we have enough problems of our own and do not need to become involved in another country's business. I disagree. We should never allow the wholesale slaughter of innocent people who are killed simply because of their race or nationality. It is our duty as the greatest country in the world (I hope we still are) to come to the aid of those who cannot protect themselves. Another thought I had while reading the book was why did these people not have weapons to protect themselves? The Tutsi defended themselves with rocks and sticks while the Hutu's were armed with Machetes and Guns. Perhaps it was not fashionable to own weapons or maybe they had no fear from attack. Whatever the case I feel it is imperative that we never lose the right to bear arms in our country.
I plan to do more research on this war and why we did not become involved. In the meantime this book will break your heart but it will also encourage you as to how great our God truly is and how He intervened in this young girls life. I am happy to tell you that she is now married to an American, has two children and works for the U.N. in NYC. She lived to share a gruesome tale of mass slaughter but also to tell of the victory she claimed through it all. If you get a chance check out this book on Amazon. Hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful fourth of July and take a moment and thank God for our freedom and say a prayer for the people of Rwanda.
The young girl is an amazing young Catholic girl and her family. She was a brilliant student with parents who expected her to achieve both scholastically but also as a beautiful young girl. I don't want to tell the entire story but her native country was thrown into a violent civil war between the Tutsi and the Hutu's. During the struggle her mom, dad and all except one brother were violently massacred by the Hutu's. Many of the killers were neighbors and people her family had helped. Over one million were killed in this slaughter. The goal of the Hutu's was to eradicate the Tutsi race.
This young girl survived by hiding in a bathroom at a pastor's home. She along with six other women hid in the 4' x 6' bathroom for over ninety days. Barely with enough room to move, bodies upon bodies they survived. She lived to tell the story and of her close relationship with God through this ordeal. One interesting highlight is that she taught herself English while in the bathroom with no tutor. She went on to work for the U.N. but the most important point is that she found a way to go to the prison and forgive the one's who killed her parents and brothers.
My point in reviewing this book today is to express my confusion as to why no country came forward to prevent this holocaust? After WW11 it had been said by many that we should never allow what occurred in Germany to happen again. Yet we stood by and offered no help to stop this conflict. In fact France was the only country to move in initially though it was very late in the conflict. Eventually the U.N. sent peacekeepers long after the killing had transpired. Why would we allow this genocide to occur? I would very much like to hear from our leaders at the time as to why this was allowed?
Many feel we have enough problems of our own and do not need to become involved in another country's business. I disagree. We should never allow the wholesale slaughter of innocent people who are killed simply because of their race or nationality. It is our duty as the greatest country in the world (I hope we still are) to come to the aid of those who cannot protect themselves. Another thought I had while reading the book was why did these people not have weapons to protect themselves? The Tutsi defended themselves with rocks and sticks while the Hutu's were armed with Machetes and Guns. Perhaps it was not fashionable to own weapons or maybe they had no fear from attack. Whatever the case I feel it is imperative that we never lose the right to bear arms in our country.
I plan to do more research on this war and why we did not become involved. In the meantime this book will break your heart but it will also encourage you as to how great our God truly is and how He intervened in this young girls life. I am happy to tell you that she is now married to an American, has two children and works for the U.N. in NYC. She lived to share a gruesome tale of mass slaughter but also to tell of the victory she claimed through it all. If you get a chance check out this book on Amazon. Hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful fourth of July and take a moment and thank God for our freedom and say a prayer for the people of Rwanda.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Putting us to the test
I think that God does challenge us from time to time. In a recent blog I wrote an expose on the Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians. Day by day I discussed the attributes of love. The first two discussed were "Love is patient and love is kind." I focused on these for several days and felt that I had progressed in these areas of my life. This brings us to the past two days.....
First my desktop computer at work crashed and burned. All of my spreadsheets, emails, etc. were lost (for now) we are trying to recover them from the hard drive. So I brought my laptop from home so that I could do my work from the office. This presented a major challenge as the IT guys spent the better part of a day reconfiguring my laptop so that it would match up with our system at work. I patiently waited on these wizards to do their thing and finally it was up and running. I am still patient. Then today my desktop with a new hard drive is online again. But my entire contact list is lost so I am slowly rebuilding it. I had to go back through all of my favorites list and locate them on the web and resave them etc. So things are going ok.
Now to the test of my patience and kindness. I arrive back home with my laptop and find that my wireless service does not work. In reconfiguring my laptop at work I lost everything at home. So it is time to call the dreaded help line of my wireless provider. Of course I am put on hold for over 15 minutes and finally hang up in frustration. I call back and ask for a connection to a live person. About this time I am reminded by the Lord that Love is patient and love is kind. I finally connect with a person and of course he is not a clear speaking American person. I have no idea where he is located but he speaks with an accent that makes it difficult to understand. I patiently explain my problem and he tells me that I must go to my modem and connect a yellow cable to my laptop in order for him to diagnose and solve my problem. Sounds easy but my modem is upstairs under a bed and I explain this to him in a nice soft voice. He says it is the only way to solve my problem so I take my laptop, my phone, my pen and pad and head upstairs. I move the bed, locate the modem and I find no yellow cable. I have a blue cable and he tells me that something is wrong but we will give it a try. I connect the cable and it actually works.
I am going to a new paragraph now just to break the monotony of this post. Everything works as it is supposed to and the technician begins to lead me through the steps to solve the problem. He is very difficult to understand and I have to tell him nicely on several occasions that I cannot understand what he is saying. In spite of this we work through the problem and slowly, step-by-step we reconfigure my system and at last it works and I am now back on line. My normal reaction to this would have been to lose my cool and let the tech know what I think about his company, being on hold forever, etc...but God through His Word had whispered in my ear to be patient and kind.
I think that God does use circumstances to test our patience and see if we really heed His Word. I am so thankful for this little test and that I was able to go through this and realize that He is at work in my life. The great thing is that I feel that due to my patience and kindness that the problem was solved much quicker and with less stress and I made sure that this tech person knew how much I appreciated his knowledge and his help. The lesson in all of this is to realize that many of the issues we have to deal with in our lives are simply tests of our faith and our application of God's Word. So the next time you have a stressful situation think about the fact that God may have put you in this situation to test your faith.
First my desktop computer at work crashed and burned. All of my spreadsheets, emails, etc. were lost (for now) we are trying to recover them from the hard drive. So I brought my laptop from home so that I could do my work from the office. This presented a major challenge as the IT guys spent the better part of a day reconfiguring my laptop so that it would match up with our system at work. I patiently waited on these wizards to do their thing and finally it was up and running. I am still patient. Then today my desktop with a new hard drive is online again. But my entire contact list is lost so I am slowly rebuilding it. I had to go back through all of my favorites list and locate them on the web and resave them etc. So things are going ok.
Now to the test of my patience and kindness. I arrive back home with my laptop and find that my wireless service does not work. In reconfiguring my laptop at work I lost everything at home. So it is time to call the dreaded help line of my wireless provider. Of course I am put on hold for over 15 minutes and finally hang up in frustration. I call back and ask for a connection to a live person. About this time I am reminded by the Lord that Love is patient and love is kind. I finally connect with a person and of course he is not a clear speaking American person. I have no idea where he is located but he speaks with an accent that makes it difficult to understand. I patiently explain my problem and he tells me that I must go to my modem and connect a yellow cable to my laptop in order for him to diagnose and solve my problem. Sounds easy but my modem is upstairs under a bed and I explain this to him in a nice soft voice. He says it is the only way to solve my problem so I take my laptop, my phone, my pen and pad and head upstairs. I move the bed, locate the modem and I find no yellow cable. I have a blue cable and he tells me that something is wrong but we will give it a try. I connect the cable and it actually works.
I am going to a new paragraph now just to break the monotony of this post. Everything works as it is supposed to and the technician begins to lead me through the steps to solve the problem. He is very difficult to understand and I have to tell him nicely on several occasions that I cannot understand what he is saying. In spite of this we work through the problem and slowly, step-by-step we reconfigure my system and at last it works and I am now back on line. My normal reaction to this would have been to lose my cool and let the tech know what I think about his company, being on hold forever, etc...but God through His Word had whispered in my ear to be patient and kind.
I think that God does use circumstances to test our patience and see if we really heed His Word. I am so thankful for this little test and that I was able to go through this and realize that He is at work in my life. The great thing is that I feel that due to my patience and kindness that the problem was solved much quicker and with less stress and I made sure that this tech person knew how much I appreciated his knowledge and his help. The lesson in all of this is to realize that many of the issues we have to deal with in our lives are simply tests of our faith and our application of God's Word. So the next time you have a stressful situation think about the fact that God may have put you in this situation to test your faith.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Church....What has it become?
Our world of many churches has become sort of like a shopping mall with every style, type, color etc. available to those who are searching for just the right fit. I wonder as I ponder the question above, what has the church become? I will not go deeply into what the church is, but it is not a building. It is the people who come together in faith and a belief in the One True God and His Son Jesus Christ. We come together to worship Him and to bring Him Glory. Of course we are there for each other to help one another through the struggles of this life. But our purpose is to worship and glorify our Saviour.
But the question begs...What has the church become? It is miles from where the early church began. In reading through the Book of Acts some descriptions of the early church are spoken of.
They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching(Acts 2:42)so they were a learning people. Are our churches today dedicated to teaching the Word? If so then people should be growing in their relationship with Christ.
They devoted themselves to fellowship (Acts 2:42)so they were a loving people. I feel they strongly valued the fellowship with other believers. A church must provide an environment for fellowship among believers. A great pastor and wonderful music etc. are just not enough. We must have fellowship with other believers in order to grow in Christ. It is such a blessing to have fellow believers to share our hurts and burdens with. It is a joy to share our victories together. It is just wonderful to be surrounded with like minded people that will let you be you. It is essential that you have a group that you can tell anything to and know that it is kept in confidence and that they are praying and pulling for you.
They broke bread together (Acts 2:42) so they shared life together. What one thing draws people together more than sharing a meal together? I think it allows us to share in the food that God blesses us with but also to share in a time of getting to really know one another. What is it about good food and good friends that not only fills our stomachs but also fills our hearts with love one for another. This was a common and frequent practice of the early church.
They prayed together (Acts 2:42) so they were a praying people. What is more important than praying together? It is a time of sharing our hurts, our needs, our burdens but most importantly it is a time for praising God together. I can think of nothing that Jesus was more devoted to than prayer. Why should we be different. I know in my own small group we are slowly learning to pray together but I feel it is delayed until the end of our meetings when we are all tired. I would suggest that this be how we begin our fellowship and I would bet that the fellowship, the study etc. would be much richer as a result.
They were together and had everything in common (Acts 2:44) so they were a united people. They were together much like a band of brothers. A close knit group that were very dedicated to one another. They had a deep love one for another. They left knowing that the others had their back so to speak or that they were in the hearts of the others always. They had everything in common. I think this speaks to their unified love of Jesus and each other. They loved being together and coming together.
They gave to anyone as he had need (Acts 2:45) so they were a giving people or a gracious people. They recognized needs and met them. They did not depend on the government to care for those in need. The grace that brought them to Christ was present as they were gracious in their gifts to the hurting, the helpless, the poor, the widows and the orphans. This is one area that I feel woefully short in my own life and I feel the church is the same.
This particular passage closes in verse 46 with these words:"They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." I ask the question....is this the church of today? Many churches today use every method or trick in the book to add numbers and I think they have missed the mark. The early church described in a few verses in the Book of Acts the way to grow as believers and add to the church.
Let me close today with what prompted this post. Last night in our small group meeting a question was asked as to whether we could share communion together in our group? Would we need an ordained pastor, etc. I feel that without a doubt this early small group shared communion and I doubt they had any ordained pastors. I think they had such a love for the Saviour that they remembered Him at every gathering with grateful and loving hearts. So yes I think it is OK to share the sacrament together and we are remiss if we do not do it often.
But the question begs...What has the church become? It is miles from where the early church began. In reading through the Book of Acts some descriptions of the early church are spoken of.
They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching(Acts 2:42)so they were a learning people. Are our churches today dedicated to teaching the Word? If so then people should be growing in their relationship with Christ.
They devoted themselves to fellowship (Acts 2:42)so they were a loving people. I feel they strongly valued the fellowship with other believers. A church must provide an environment for fellowship among believers. A great pastor and wonderful music etc. are just not enough. We must have fellowship with other believers in order to grow in Christ. It is such a blessing to have fellow believers to share our hurts and burdens with. It is a joy to share our victories together. It is just wonderful to be surrounded with like minded people that will let you be you. It is essential that you have a group that you can tell anything to and know that it is kept in confidence and that they are praying and pulling for you.
They broke bread together (Acts 2:42) so they shared life together. What one thing draws people together more than sharing a meal together? I think it allows us to share in the food that God blesses us with but also to share in a time of getting to really know one another. What is it about good food and good friends that not only fills our stomachs but also fills our hearts with love one for another. This was a common and frequent practice of the early church.
They prayed together (Acts 2:42) so they were a praying people. What is more important than praying together? It is a time of sharing our hurts, our needs, our burdens but most importantly it is a time for praising God together. I can think of nothing that Jesus was more devoted to than prayer. Why should we be different. I know in my own small group we are slowly learning to pray together but I feel it is delayed until the end of our meetings when we are all tired. I would suggest that this be how we begin our fellowship and I would bet that the fellowship, the study etc. would be much richer as a result.
They were together and had everything in common (Acts 2:44) so they were a united people. They were together much like a band of brothers. A close knit group that were very dedicated to one another. They had a deep love one for another. They left knowing that the others had their back so to speak or that they were in the hearts of the others always. They had everything in common. I think this speaks to their unified love of Jesus and each other. They loved being together and coming together.
They gave to anyone as he had need (Acts 2:45) so they were a giving people or a gracious people. They recognized needs and met them. They did not depend on the government to care for those in need. The grace that brought them to Christ was present as they were gracious in their gifts to the hurting, the helpless, the poor, the widows and the orphans. This is one area that I feel woefully short in my own life and I feel the church is the same.
This particular passage closes in verse 46 with these words:"They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." I ask the question....is this the church of today? Many churches today use every method or trick in the book to add numbers and I think they have missed the mark. The early church described in a few verses in the Book of Acts the way to grow as believers and add to the church.
Let me close today with what prompted this post. Last night in our small group meeting a question was asked as to whether we could share communion together in our group? Would we need an ordained pastor, etc. I feel that without a doubt this early small group shared communion and I doubt they had any ordained pastors. I think they had such a love for the Saviour that they remembered Him at every gathering with grateful and loving hearts. So yes I think it is OK to share the sacrament together and we are remiss if we do not do it often.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The King is Dead
Michael Jackson is dead. I have been around this planet for nearly sixty years and I cannot recall many events that have captivated the media the way this death has done. He has been called the King of Pop but I am having a bit of problem understanding the coverage this event has garnered. I as many sang along with his tunes on many occasions. I even danced to a few in my day. But this event has foreshadowed all the news on the airways. In Iran the country is being turned upside down, but Michael has gotten the news. The house of representatives passed the Cap and Tax bill yet it got little press.
I would guess that Mark Sanford and the democratic congress are most thankful for the distraction of this event. I am simply amazed that our country is so captivated by the passing of a fifty year old former star. I am not belittling the passing of Michael but it has received enough press already. We all are sorry for the turns his life had made but this is not the end of the world. I found it interesting that the only news source where I could get info on the Cap and Tax was on CSPAN. Even Fox News could not focus on the real news of the day. Here it is Saturday afternoon and the coverage continues.
The real story here to me is the wasted life that this man lived. He constantly tried to change his physical appearance...why? He holds his child over a balcony dangling him in the air....why? His problems with the charges of sexual abuse of young boys....why?? Absolutely blowing a fortune on who knows what...why? He was obviously a troubled man searching for answers that he never found. The confusing thing to me is why the obsession by people and the media in our world. He was a singer, a dancer, a performer. That was it. His impact on the entertainment world was monumental. People love his music, his performances, etc....but how can his death captivate our world 24/7 for several days? The king of my day- Elvis also caused shock waves with his death but nothing of this proportion.
The sad thing is that both of these men were floundering in their success...searching for truth they never found. They both discovered that fame and money did not have the answers. They both sought relief from drugs and they both were surrounded by an entourage to help them spend their money and feed their addictions. I guess the one question I ask is how we would have handled things had we been in their position?
It all comes down to what this life is all about. Our lives are not about ourselves. Life is for living to the fullest and for serving God and others to the fullest. When we have the proper perspective we will find that nothing except our relationship with God and others is of importance. God blesses us with many gifts and talents that were given to us for the purpose of bringing Him glory and impacting the lives of others.
It seems the past few days I have been drawn back to the importance of knowing your purpose and fulfilling this purpose. It is not about me and it is our responsibility to live life as God has predestined for each of us. We were created for a purpose and a mission that God planned before we were even born. Ephesians 2:10 says it all " For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." At the end of the day and the end of our lives this is the question we should all ask....Did I do the good works that God prepared in advance for me to do?
The life of Michael Jackson has come to an end. The question I have is did he fulfill the purpose that was ordained for him? I do not know the answer to this but I fear that his was a life cut short and that he spent his years frustrated and searching for meaning that he never found.
This same week I attended a funeral for a man none of you knew personally. He lived to the ripe old age of 88 years. He knew God intimately and did all he could to fulfill his purpose. He touched many lives and he faced his death with a longing for the other side. He now sits at the feet of Jesus and I am sure Jesus told him "well done my good and faithful servant." He never received the accolades of the masses but to those of us who knew him, he did all that he was called to do. A much better end to it all than the life of the King.
I would guess that Mark Sanford and the democratic congress are most thankful for the distraction of this event. I am simply amazed that our country is so captivated by the passing of a fifty year old former star. I am not belittling the passing of Michael but it has received enough press already. We all are sorry for the turns his life had made but this is not the end of the world. I found it interesting that the only news source where I could get info on the Cap and Tax was on CSPAN. Even Fox News could not focus on the real news of the day. Here it is Saturday afternoon and the coverage continues.
The real story here to me is the wasted life that this man lived. He constantly tried to change his physical appearance...why? He holds his child over a balcony dangling him in the air....why? His problems with the charges of sexual abuse of young boys....why?? Absolutely blowing a fortune on who knows what...why? He was obviously a troubled man searching for answers that he never found. The confusing thing to me is why the obsession by people and the media in our world. He was a singer, a dancer, a performer. That was it. His impact on the entertainment world was monumental. People love his music, his performances, etc....but how can his death captivate our world 24/7 for several days? The king of my day- Elvis also caused shock waves with his death but nothing of this proportion.
The sad thing is that both of these men were floundering in their success...searching for truth they never found. They both discovered that fame and money did not have the answers. They both sought relief from drugs and they both were surrounded by an entourage to help them spend their money and feed their addictions. I guess the one question I ask is how we would have handled things had we been in their position?
It all comes down to what this life is all about. Our lives are not about ourselves. Life is for living to the fullest and for serving God and others to the fullest. When we have the proper perspective we will find that nothing except our relationship with God and others is of importance. God blesses us with many gifts and talents that were given to us for the purpose of bringing Him glory and impacting the lives of others.
It seems the past few days I have been drawn back to the importance of knowing your purpose and fulfilling this purpose. It is not about me and it is our responsibility to live life as God has predestined for each of us. We were created for a purpose and a mission that God planned before we were even born. Ephesians 2:10 says it all " For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." At the end of the day and the end of our lives this is the question we should all ask....Did I do the good works that God prepared in advance for me to do?
The life of Michael Jackson has come to an end. The question I have is did he fulfill the purpose that was ordained for him? I do not know the answer to this but I fear that his was a life cut short and that he spent his years frustrated and searching for meaning that he never found.
This same week I attended a funeral for a man none of you knew personally. He lived to the ripe old age of 88 years. He knew God intimately and did all he could to fulfill his purpose. He touched many lives and he faced his death with a longing for the other side. He now sits at the feet of Jesus and I am sure Jesus told him "well done my good and faithful servant." He never received the accolades of the masses but to those of us who knew him, he did all that he was called to do. A much better end to it all than the life of the King.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Life Is a Short Season..How's your bucket list coming?
As I sit on the porch tonight I reflect on what is happening in our world. This week Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and countless others have left this world. A true Gentleman, Mr. Bill Carter also passed this week. You don't know him, but he was a former president of the company I work for and was serving on our Board. He exemplified Christ in his daily life and will be missed by us all for his wisdom, his attitude and his love of family. These folks are much like us....all struggled with the challenges of living. All came to know that life is short and our days are numbered.
I don't know where all these folks were spiritually but I do know that all of come to the same end. Life is but a vapor...here today and gone tommorow. I think of wasted days by all of us. Why waste the time we have here on earth? We should really live each day as if it were our last and we should count our blessings each day. I wonder what Michael would do if he had it all to do over again. How about Ed and Farrah? Would they live life differently? I would love to have the opportunity to hear from them if it were possible. Would their priorities be different? Would they cherish the little things?
I have come to realize that most of the things we spend our time doing here on earth will have little consequence in eternity. We should devote ourselves to those things that will live on. The answer is that men's souls are the only thing that will live on so we should be devoted to others. Our family should be high on our list. We have all heard of the movie The Bucket List. It is about doing all those things we want to do before we die. I am not sure if my bucket list is well defined today but it should be. However I wonder what would be on most peoples list? I would love to hear from any who might follow this blog about what is on your list. I am sure for many it would be a trip to some exotic location or some feat such as skydiving..etc.
My own list is somewhat completed such as the birth of my five grandaughters, the marriages of my children, growing old with the same woman but there are many that are not completed. I think my purpose as ordained by my Heavenly Father should be fulfilled. Am I working toward that end? Also I feel that my list should be to touch as many lives as I possibly can in this life...I am woefully short in this endeavor.
It is a good day to evaluate where I am in this life and where I want to go. One might argue that at my age I will run out of time but I think of some folks who accomplished more after age sixty than they did before age sixty. You can go down the list and find example after example. It is not too late to start fulfilling your purpose or your destiny. It is a matter of fixing on the future and not the past. Where are you today? What does your list look like. Share your thoughts with me and others. It is a good exercize that we all should go through from time to time.
I don't know where all these folks were spiritually but I do know that all of come to the same end. Life is but a vapor...here today and gone tommorow. I think of wasted days by all of us. Why waste the time we have here on earth? We should really live each day as if it were our last and we should count our blessings each day. I wonder what Michael would do if he had it all to do over again. How about Ed and Farrah? Would they live life differently? I would love to have the opportunity to hear from them if it were possible. Would their priorities be different? Would they cherish the little things?
I have come to realize that most of the things we spend our time doing here on earth will have little consequence in eternity. We should devote ourselves to those things that will live on. The answer is that men's souls are the only thing that will live on so we should be devoted to others. Our family should be high on our list. We have all heard of the movie The Bucket List. It is about doing all those things we want to do before we die. I am not sure if my bucket list is well defined today but it should be. However I wonder what would be on most peoples list? I would love to hear from any who might follow this blog about what is on your list. I am sure for many it would be a trip to some exotic location or some feat such as skydiving..etc.
My own list is somewhat completed such as the birth of my five grandaughters, the marriages of my children, growing old with the same woman but there are many that are not completed. I think my purpose as ordained by my Heavenly Father should be fulfilled. Am I working toward that end? Also I feel that my list should be to touch as many lives as I possibly can in this life...I am woefully short in this endeavor.
It is a good day to evaluate where I am in this life and where I want to go. One might argue that at my age I will run out of time but I think of some folks who accomplished more after age sixty than they did before age sixty. You can go down the list and find example after example. It is not too late to start fulfilling your purpose or your destiny. It is a matter of fixing on the future and not the past. Where are you today? What does your list look like. Share your thoughts with me and others. It is a good exercize that we all should go through from time to time.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Count Your Many Blessings...name them one-by-one
I am back home after 5 days at Hilton Head. I enjoyed 4 days of golf in 100+ degree weather. Also 4 days of great seafood, etc. I stayed in a room at the beach and lived a charmed life for a few days. It is interesting though when I think about what I missed during my time away. I missed my home, my bed, my front porch rocker, my pool, my schedule but most of all my family. My family members are all in other places tonight. They are in Dallas, Oklahoma City, Arkansas and I have a son-in-law serving at a camp for children with severe disabilities in Missouri. As I sit in my chair I am thinking about how thankful I am for all that God has blessed me with.
I am nearly sixty years of age with relatively good health. I have never missed a meal in my life except for medical situations. I have never slept outdoors except by choice. I have been married to a wonderful lady for nearly forty years. I have two grown children who have given us five wonderful little girls. I have a great job that supplies our needs. I have much to be thankful for. On the other hand I had made a nice income for years then chased a dream and lost most all of my possessions. Yet God taught me many valuable lessons through this ordeal. Most of all He taught be about grace and being gracious to others. I have been restored financially and the second half of my life has been better than the first half.
I say all this to say that we should regularly count our blessings. In the book by Andy Andrews "The Noticer" there is a story of a man who was destitute and ready to end his life. A friend intervened and asked him what he did first thing in the morning when he arose. The man stated that he immediately started thinking about the things he had to do that day, etc. The friend asked him to try something new. He suggested that when the man was fully awake to jot down on a piece of paper the ten things he was thankful for that day and to do this every day when he began his day. This would then change his perspective.
I remember a song from growing up in church. The song said something to the effect of "count your many blessings, name them one-by-one". I feel that we get so busy in our lives that we don't stop and reflect on the blessings that God has given us. It is when we realize the bountiful blessings of God's grace that we can then be gracious to those around us. I mentioned earlier the time in my life when I lost all that i had. It was during that time that God began to open my eyes to His grace and His faithfulness. I had consulting work really sent from Heaven. I quickly found a job in Alabama. My wife and I were off to a new life in Alabama. We met a couple who graciously without asking built us a new home (our first new home) and financed the deal at a rate we could afford. I had never seen such graciousness expressed by others. Soon after we were promoted by our company and moved to Georgia. All this at fifty-four years of age. Our income has been restored but more importantly our faith has been transformed.
So I find myself counting my many blessings and naming them one-by-one on many days as I reflect on God and His Grace. Too seldom I find that I pass this on to others. The one thing I do know is that we all will be tested and challenged when life happens, but we should never forget the One who has us in His hands and in His heart. Take a minute today to count your many blessings.
I am nearly sixty years of age with relatively good health. I have never missed a meal in my life except for medical situations. I have never slept outdoors except by choice. I have been married to a wonderful lady for nearly forty years. I have two grown children who have given us five wonderful little girls. I have a great job that supplies our needs. I have much to be thankful for. On the other hand I had made a nice income for years then chased a dream and lost most all of my possessions. Yet God taught me many valuable lessons through this ordeal. Most of all He taught be about grace and being gracious to others. I have been restored financially and the second half of my life has been better than the first half.
I say all this to say that we should regularly count our blessings. In the book by Andy Andrews "The Noticer" there is a story of a man who was destitute and ready to end his life. A friend intervened and asked him what he did first thing in the morning when he arose. The man stated that he immediately started thinking about the things he had to do that day, etc. The friend asked him to try something new. He suggested that when the man was fully awake to jot down on a piece of paper the ten things he was thankful for that day and to do this every day when he began his day. This would then change his perspective.
I remember a song from growing up in church. The song said something to the effect of "count your many blessings, name them one-by-one". I feel that we get so busy in our lives that we don't stop and reflect on the blessings that God has given us. It is when we realize the bountiful blessings of God's grace that we can then be gracious to those around us. I mentioned earlier the time in my life when I lost all that i had. It was during that time that God began to open my eyes to His grace and His faithfulness. I had consulting work really sent from Heaven. I quickly found a job in Alabama. My wife and I were off to a new life in Alabama. We met a couple who graciously without asking built us a new home (our first new home) and financed the deal at a rate we could afford. I had never seen such graciousness expressed by others. Soon after we were promoted by our company and moved to Georgia. All this at fifty-four years of age. Our income has been restored but more importantly our faith has been transformed.
So I find myself counting my many blessings and naming them one-by-one on many days as I reflect on God and His Grace. Too seldom I find that I pass this on to others. The one thing I do know is that we all will be tested and challenged when life happens, but we should never forget the One who has us in His hands and in His heart. Take a minute today to count your many blessings.
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