GIVE ME THE RESPECT I DESERVE!!!!!!!

It suddenly occurred to me - while writing this particular post - that a lot of people don't know how magnificent a person I am.  Truly - I am a VERY  important individual.  Just measure me by the obvious wordly standards and I think you too will come to see my tremendous worth as a unique human being.

I am a public educator - not nearly appreciated enough by those individuals with whom I am forced to work.  Did you see how smartly that last sentence was crafted?  I - being well educated - know that in no case should you end ANY sentence with a preposition, therefore, my prepositional phrase was well executed.  I have traveled the world - literally - and have been exposed to the finer things of numerous cultures.  I have seen the snowy alps of Switzerland and the watery canals of Italy.  I have dined within the shadow of the Eiffel Tower ( La Tour Eiffel) - an extremely kitschy and garish object that has been allowed by the people of France to remain in a place of prominence that overshadows the highest spires of the sacred Notre Dame Cathedral.  And for the purposes of public record, I have performed within the flying buttressed walls of this GREAT cathedral.  Je suppose que vous vous souhaiter etiez moi - mais naturekkement.  That, of course, is French for "I suppose you wish you were me - but of course.  Oh, vous petit porc commun.

As far as education is concerned, I graduated magna cum laude with my undergraduate degree and summa cum laude with my graduate degree - following the successful completion of my dissertation process.  All in all, I am a destined leader, an absolute gift to humanity................I'm gonna stop this one before it gets any uglier.  The truth of the matter is, the things that I could brag about are "bars of achievement" set up by people for the enjoyment (and self promotion) of people.  Given too much latitude, and we become nothing more than pompous/arrogant "Star-Bellied Sneetches."

Let's look at this one from a different angle.  Have you ever REALLY considered just how small you are in scope of the universe?  No, really, you aren't even a speck.  Watch this video - then try to puff out your chest of pride.

So who am I that God should be mindful of me?  Nobody - absolutely nobody.  But wait, the God who waved His hand and wiggled his fingers and created - for Himself - the heavens and the Earth, who cast every star into the night sky, knows me BY NAME!!!!!!!

William Shakespeare once posed a question.  "What's in a name?"  Our modern society usually places little significance on what we name our children other than the fact that it just "sounds good."  Some names become so popular that it seems that many get the same name.  Then, when those children start to school, there's a classroom full of children with similar first names.  To know that God knows my name is something that has caught my attention.  Oh yes, I have known that for some years, but it has become even more real to me over the last several weeks.  Just imagine the God of a universe as magnificent as ours, with Him even knowing the stars all by name (Ps. 147:4) and yet, He knows me personally, calling me by name.  The God who made the heavens and the earth in their entire vast array (Gen. 2:1) knows me by name!  It's almost too much for my small mind to grasp. 

I was at a local Thomasville restaurant last evening.  I poured on my charm with the various employees and told them how much I loved their chicken strips.  I really do, and I wanted them to know how much I appreciate what they do for me by prepring delicious food to "compliment my discriminating pallet."  At the time I placed my order, there were two of us waiting to get our orders and take our food home to eat - "to go" orders.  In just a few minutes, the guy who took my order handed me a bag and said, "Come to see us again, sir."  He had to call me sir, because he doesn't know my name.  I got home with my order, and it was NOT my order at all.  I had before me a plate of pulled pork - not my much-anticipated chicken strips.  The other "sir" got my food - and mine was a more expensive menu selection.  One thing is for sure, with the Lord, we're not a number or some obscure name on a take-out sack, but we're known to Him by name.  Our name means something to God and He knows each of us by our name. 

Psalm 139 is a beautiful chapter and the thoughts David penned are thought provoking.  To even see on paper the thoughts that God has concerning me is intriguing.  That such a man as David could even ponder such things had to be God ordained to start with!

In this chapter I saw that God not only knows my name, but that He truly knows me, knows when I sit, when I rise, knows my every thought, knows when I go out, when I sleep and is familiar with all my ways.  The Psalmist went on to say that even before a word is formed on my tongue, God knows it completely and that He has His hand upon me.  He created my inmost being and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I just have to give Him praise, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!  (vs. 13-14) 

No matter where I go I cannot get away from God’s presence because He is there.  There have been times that I have wondered, “Where are you God?” But, I have learned that He will never leave me or forsake me. (Heb. 13:5) No matter if I go up high into the heavens or make my bed in the depths of the sea, He is there.  (Ps. 139:8)  I am amazed that the Father would come to the rescue when I whisper His Name.  When I have a need, He is there.  When I’m doubtful, He reassures me and He is there.  When I’m worried, He is there to calm my fears.  When I’m in tears, He is there to wipe them.  When I’m at my lowest point, He is there to lift me.  When I’m too weak to stand, He is there to lean on.  When I need someone to wrap loving arms around me, He is there.  Whenever I have no one to turn to, He is there.  When I’m in need of a friend, He is there to stick closer than a brother.  When I cry out to Him in the midst of adversity, He is there to hear me.  When I am sad, He is there to make me glad.  When I am heavy burdened, He is there to take my yoke upon Himself.  When I’m restless, He is there to give me peace and quiets the stormy seas which threaten to overtake me.  When I’m weary from the battle that has raged against me, He is there to fight for me.  When I’m in a pit so deep that I don’t think I will ever get out, He is there to take hold of my hand and pull me out.  Wherever I go, He is there.  When I don’t think He’s there . . .  He is!  Why?  Because He knows my name! 

In Casting Crowns' song, “Who Am I?,” the question is asked......."Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?  Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way for my ever wondering heart?"  Yes, God is mindful of us and we are so important to Him that He engraved us on the palms of His hands.  (Isa. 49:16) We are so significant to the Father that He indeed calls us by name.  John 10:3 says: “He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.”  It is indeed an honor for the Father to call us by name and be mindful of us. 

It was at this point in the writing of this "contemplation" when I was at a standstill on knowing what direction the Lord would have me take, when Mark Hall's voice echoed from the kitchen-placed Bose wave stereo system with one of his many songs of inspiration.

So, who am I?  I'm God's precious child, carved in His very image, an object of His pure delight.  Jesus paid it all, so all to Him I owe.

Father, I thank You that You surely know our names and know all about us.  I pray for each of my friends and family reading this message and pray that they will make sure that their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.  What an honor to have our names written down for all eternity and that we will worship before the Throne of our God with great rejoicing.  What an exciting time it will be for all the "overcomers" and all who have their garments spotless and white.  Thank You Jesus for what You did for us on the cross of Calvary.  Thank You for the Blood You spilled out for our sins.  Thank You that You indeed love us so much that You would give Your life for us.  We come in repentance asking You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so that our robes will be washed spotless and white.  Take away our every sin and make us white as snow.  We will live our lives for You always.  In Jesus's precious name.

 Selah (סֶלָה )

CHRIST the LORD has come at last!!!!!!!

.........and with those words, the 2010 Advent season comes to a close.  The trip to the manger has been, as always, a wonderful one, indeed.  Christ, the Savior, is born - Praise God for His redeeming love!


But as I stand at the manger bed, I can't help but wonder why God sent Jesus to us in the first place.  I certainly understand my need - and the world's need - for a Savior, but it defies all earthly wisdom for me to think that God in any way needed us.  Yet we were in His heart from the foundations of the Earth.  God, from His heavenly throne, sent His Son into the world, to actively pursue His children.  Jesus said that He had “come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  Jesus came to earth to seek and to save lost people ... lost people like you and me.

Some people describe religion as a blind leap of faith into the dark.  That may be true of other religions, but that is not the way of Christianity.  Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).  Believing in Jesus is a rational step of faith ... a step into the light.

Other religions are examples of lost men drawing their own maps to God.  Christianity is not like that.  Jesus came to show us the way to God ... to be the way.  He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).  Jesus is the one road to God.  “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  Jesus is the one bridge between God and man.  “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

Why did Jesus come to us?  He came to seek and to save man.  He came to be Light in the dark world ... to show us the way to God ... to be the WAY to God.  Oh, how He loves you and me.

What we see, then, in the stable of Bethlehem was the unfolding of God's plan to reconcile men to Himself.  It was with good reason, too, that God the Father chose a lowly stable as the place for Jesus to be born.  This lowly and humble setting was chosen to confound the wise of this world.  People of "wisdom" look to rich men and palaces, but God is not impressed with these.  All of the wealth and power of this world is as nothing to Him who resides in heaven.  Creator of all that is, He asks only one thing of those whom He calls His children: that we love Him without reservation and accept the gift of His love as He freely pours it out unto us.

So, take Advent into January 2011 and beyond.  Continue spreading the word of truth you have received this season.  Go and light the fire of God in the hearts of all men.  Remain steadfast in your faith in God and in the one sent by Him to deliver the world unto salvation.

We've a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right.
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light.

We've a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword.

We've a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who regins up above,
Has sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love.

We've a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow has trod,
That all of the world's great peoples
Might come to the truth of God.

For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ's great kingdom shall come on earth,
The Kingdom of Love and Light.


Selah (סֶלָה )

Angels from the realms of glory..........

I have, for my entire life, marveled at angels and the different ways in which angels are mentioned in the Bible.  My current interest is certainly in high gear in relation to "all things angelic" because we lit the Angel Candle in our church service yesterday.  This, as you know, marked the fourth Sunday in the season of Advent.  But what is the significance of angels in the Advent wreath?  We know, from reading God's word, that we (as human beings) were created "just a little lower than the angels."  But what/who are angels?  Why were they created?  And exactly what do angels do?

Artists, for centuries, have tried to depict the likeness of angels on their many and varied canvases.  So many of their images have been of comfort to us, but are they really images which have been drawn from God's word?  I used to think that angels were plump baby-like beings with tiny sets of wings.  Although this might make a cute image for our enjoyment, it is hardly Biblical.  So what does the Bible say about angels?

Part of that answer lies in the fact that angels are mentioned 273 times in the Bible.  For the purpose of this writing, I certainly won't take you to all those places or try to find all those places myself.  But there are different scripture passages that mention, in specific, some of the roles and functions of angels.  I thought it might be interesting to look at some of these.

Angels were created by God:
Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.
Colossians 1:16
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Angels were present when God created the world:
Job 38:1-7
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: "...Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? ...while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?"
Angels are wise and intelligent:
2 Samuel 14:17
Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.’
Daniel 9:21-22
...while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding." 
Angels have knowledge of, and interest in, the affairs of men:
Daniel 10:14
"Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."
Luke 15:10
"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Angels are faster than men:
Daniel 9:21
... while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
Revelation 14:6
And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
Angels were created to glorify and worship God the Father and God the Son:
Revelation 4:8
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.  Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
Hebrews 1:6
"And again, when God brings his firstborn into the word, he says, 'Let all God's angels worship him.'"

But in keeping with Advent and the season of Christmas, the Bible tells us that:
Angels announced the birth of Jesus:
Luke 2:10-14

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
 
And that, my friends, is the best news of all.  God came to Earth, in human form, to ransom the souls of sinners like me.  Because of the birth of Christ, as proclaimed by the angels of heaven "on a cold wintry night that was so deep", I have a Savior and a Means by which to spend eternity with my Heavenly Father - my Abba.
 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Selah (סֶלָה )

It was a GLORIOUS invitation................

Have you ever received a wedding invitation in the mail?  There's really more to one of those things than meets the eye.

When Jami and I married, she went to great lengths to pick just the right invitation, with just the right font, with just the right font color, printed on just the right grade of stock, with just the right wording.  She and I planned for a "high church" wedding - just the right music, just the right musicians, just the right wedding gown, just the right church..........and the list goes on and on.  We, therefore, wanted a wedding invitation that spoke to our need for all things GRAND.

And getting the invitations printed was no easy task either.  The first batch of invitations that we received had the wrong middle initial for my Dad, so we had to re-order.  When the correct batch finally came, we had to start stuffing them, addressing them, and getting them into the mail.  It was a huge job.  First we had to place the invitation itself inside the inner envelope (with this thin white tissue paper on top).  On the outside of this envelope went the less formal names of those invited.  This envelope was then placed inside the outer envelope.  This outer envelope had to be licked and sealed (lick a few hundred of those bad boys and you'll know exactly why I mention that as an important step in the process).  The outer envelope carried the name(s) and address of the person/people being invited and Jami's name and address (as the return address).  And could just anyone do the necessary writing?  Absolutely not.  Jami practiced and perfected her calligraphy skills, bought calligraphy ink to match the color of the print on the invitation, and filled out every word written on the invitation IN CALLIGRAPHY.  So, if you got one of these invitations, you immediately knew how important your presence was on our BIG DAY.  And don't even get me started on birth announcements.

And why did we go to such great lengths?  It was our way of telling family and friends, "HEAR YE ONE AND ALL!!!!  THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY FOR US IS COMING UP AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO COME AND JOIN IN THIS OUTSTANDING CELEBRATION!!!!"  Often times, our guest lists for weddings read like a WHO'S WHO list for the elite and prominent.  We expect that everyone will show up, dressed in their finest, bearing gifts, which have been carefully registered by the bride.  No shabby stuff here - we're talking fine china (that's purchased by the individual piece), crystal, and silver.  And don't think brides and their level of personal taste aren't discussed at great lengths in relation to how pretty (or tacky) her china pattern is.  It's all just a great deal of pomp and circumstance - and matters not one whit in the big scheme of things (certainly not an indicator of marriage success).

And why am I mentioning wedding invitations and all things nuptial?  Well, it actually fits into the Christmas story.  Maybe you already see the connection.  Maybe, however, I've made the water too muddy for clear interpretation.  Let me help you out with that.

Jesus - God's only begotten Son - was sent by His Father into this world for the redemption of all mankind.  And who did God invite to this awesome occasion - this heaven-planned arrival?  A bunch of dirty, smelly shepherds - fresh from the fields.  And as fancy and involved as my invitation description sounded, think about the invitation the Lord Almighty gave these nasty smelling shepherds.  It was a live performance - an angel hovering in the sky with a voice like thunder, announcing DO NOT BE AFRAID, FOR BEHOLD I BRING YOU GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE FOR ALL PEOPLE.  FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD.  The angel went on to tell in glorious terms how the child could be found.  And to top it off, a multitude (a host) of angels joined in, filling the sky with the largest light show of its kind.  And who again was the intended audience?  No, don't leave the pasture folks.  It was those dirty shepherds (a bunch of illiterate nomads).

Look at that invitation against the backdrop of a present-day wedding: "The bride, in her regal gown with cathedral train, got married in a local dive.  She invited only the homeless - the street people.  She was surrounded - on this, her most special day - by dirty, nasty people who were complete strangers."  That sort of event would never do in the society column.  Can you imagine picking that backdrop and assembly for your daughter's wedding?

But that's just the way God staged the entire event.  The ONLY people He invited were the shepherds - some of the lowest people in society.  No kings, no governors, no dignitaries.........just common folk - REAL common.  Why?  Well, not even I can mess this one up.  We all come before God as dirty, repugnant, shabby, common folk.  Even in our "Sunday best" we are no more than dirty and vile.  But God invites us to His side.  He invites us to come into His presence.  He asks us to allow Him to step into our wretched filth, our shame, our guilt, so that He can tell us how much He loves us.

And when you draw close to the manger, you'll see that His arms are open wide, calling all who will choose to follow Him into eternal splendor.  "For God loved the world so much, that He sent His only Son to live here among us.  And for anyone who believes this, He has INVITED us to spend eternity with Him."

So, this past Sunday, we lit the shepherd's candle, or the candle of joy.  Let us, therefore, come to the manger with the JOY of the shepherds.  Let us not venture there with any sense of self-importance, but let us come into His presence with the joy and realization that we have been invited by God Himself.  Let us come and meet with Jesus.  Let us bring Him - empty-handed like the shepherds - those places in our hearts and lives that don't yet know His good and loving presence and power.  Come.  Let us open our hearts to our Lord.  He is waiting, lying in a lowly manger, longing for us to draw close.  If we as a church are going to embrace our world with the heart of God, our hearts must first know His heart's embrace.  Come.  Let our good Lord love us and give us REAL LIFE.

Look at your invitation friend.  It's written for only one person, but it's got your name all over it!!!!!!!

Selah (סֶלָה )

So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Advent - A Season of Hope and Preparation

This Advent season has been a little skewed here in the Butler home.  For us, Advent has always been such a special time - a time for coming together (in a quiet attitude of worship), a time for turning off all distracting electronic disturbances (iPods, cell phones, TVs, etc.) and all the lights in the house (except for the two Christmas trees in the living room), a time for reading God's word and praying together, and - of course - a time for lighting the candles on our Advent wreath.  This year, however, finds our family tackling geographic challenges.  Our precious Lauren is away at college (the Baptist College of Florida), and so our chance to be together nightly as an entire family unit has been impossible.

But Lauren is home now (for five weeks), so we are going to pick up with Advent, do a little hustling, and "get to the manger" with just a small adjustment in the travel schedule.  So bear with me, for our journey is still alive and well.

This week, we light the BETHLEHEM CANDLE or the CANDLE OF PREPARATION.  This time of preparation and anticipation is such an awesome attitude for my little family......"and even now, Lord Jesus, do quickly come!"  We celebrate by remembering the time before Jesus was sent by His Holy Father into this dark world.  We can do so with gladness of heart, because we live on the opposite end of the Incarnation spectrum - for our lives have never known of a time of gloom and darkness in which there was no LIGHT.

This week, we - as the church family of First Baptist Church of Thomasville - have also been reminded of the fact that preparation and anticipation can be bittersweet as well.  This week, Sue Spencer (who is the mother of our dear pastor Dan Spencer) made her final journey home to bask in the wonder, the glory, the LIGHT of God's unfathomable splendor.  For weeks, we have prayed for this trip, anticipating and preparing for the time in which Sue's body would give up its earthly struggle and be freed for full acceptance into the Kingdom of Heaven.  And this past Wednesday, our collective anticipation was summoned to a close as Sue drew her last breath and slipped triumphantly through the "thin veil" and into eternity.  Praise God - her round trip is now complete.  We praise God, even in this, for Sue's life - her earthly life - is FAR from over.  Sue's legacy lives on through her husband Jerry, through her children (which include Dan and Tresa Spencer) and for all those who loved her and cherished the warmth of her friendship and smile.  But perhaps the greatest of all is the fact that the "seeds" of Sue's faith have been broadcast into the lives and hearts of her grandchildren - Jeremiah and Jacob (two of which I am especially fond).  We will watch as those seeds continue to blossom in the lives of these special young men.  And from the flowering of those seeds will come the splendid fruits of faithful legacies as yet unborn. 

I have heard so many people say, "Oh how terrible it was that Sue passed away so close to Christmas."  I say, "What a wonderful time of year for Sue Spencer to depart for the far shores of Heaven."  Why?  Because Christmas is all about gifts and the giving of gifts.  God's supreme love for His children was so clearly evidenced by the giving of His Son - the greatest gift the world has ever known.  But know this, dear Christian, Sue Spencer's life here on Earth was also a tremendous gift of magnanimous proportion.  And the gift of Sue's life was constructed of eternal substance - a gift that will be opened again, and again, and again, and again, .......................... 


God - who always keeps His promises - kept His promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem.  Preparation (and anticipation) means we need to "get ready."  Therefore, Christ Jesus, help us to be ready to welcome YOU, O GOD!  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: " a voice of one calling in the desert, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God's salvation" (Luke 3:4-6).

The splendor of a King, robed in majesty - let all the Earth rejoice.  He wraps Himself in LIGHT, and darkness tries to hide - let all the Earth reroice, "How GREAT is our God!"  I can't wait to see Him face to face, just as He is!  It's a beautiful sight, huh Sue?

Selah (סֶלָה )

So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Advent - A Season of Hope and Expectancy

Advent - the time of year in which we find ourselves - once again - approaching the manger and remembering the birth of our Savior, on a cold night long, long ago.  Although Advent has been celebrated by Christians for many generations, we (the Butlers) had a young man in our home this past Sunday evening who knew very little about the season.  So, let me take a few lines to talk about the rich and deep meaning of Advent.

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival."  The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.  Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history.  It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God.  Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals, congregations, and families (including their adopted son Tyler) as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power.

This past Sunday evening, we lit the first purple candle of advent.  This candle is known as the Prophecy Candle or the Candle of Hope.  We, as God's children, have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us.  Our hope comes from God.  Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him."  And on this night, as a small pocket of believers, we celebrated HOPE - hope that springs eternal, hope for the light that is coming, hope for the salvation of all mankind.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  Hebrews 6:19

".......while we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."  Titus 2:13

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Colossians 1:27

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:30-31

So, in this season of Advent, let us cling to this HOPE - may we all find His strength to endure the race which is before us.

Come, thou long-expected Jesus.  "Lord Jesus Christ, who is, who was, and who is to come, we pray for the virtue of hope, that amidst the trials and difficulties of this world, we may keep our hearts fixed upon you, who reigns over the cosmos.  May your grace enliven us, strengthen us, and defend us, as we await your coming in glory.  Amen" (David Bennett)

Selah (סֶלָה ) 





So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."

I'm not afraid of the dark!

There are things that, sometimes, I think about doing or becoming.  It's not that I'm unhappy being who I am at present - it's more like I have this desire to explore all the intricacies of my God-made self.  I once heard a statement that went something like this:
"Within every human there exists.......
information to cure the common cold,
the harmonious notes of untold numbers of symphonies,
words of inspiration to fill countless libraries with books,
the very inspirations needed to foster world peace,......."
It's kind of cool to think about how we are so wonderfully designed by our Heavenly Father.  So why haven't I stumbled on the greater complexities of self?  I'll continue to contemplate that one on my own time.  The truth of the matter, however, is that the very thing that keeps any of us from finding those "hidden things/gifts" within ourselves is our lack of tenacity in the search.


I could take an inordinate amount of time to poetically tell you of all the wonders that abide in all people, but  in doing so, I would miss the very thoughts that led me to this page and to this writing, for in my list of things that "I WOULD LIKE TO BE" or "THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY," physicist has never surfaced.  Nope, never has and never will (unless God increases my tenacity in the search).  But recently, while reading Psalm 23, my thoughts returned again and again and again to the part that talks about the valley of the shadow of death.  Do a little research on this phrase, and you will find that the Valley of the Shadow of Death was actually a recognized area in what we now call the holy land.  No kidding!  It is one of the names given to the road that stretched between Jerusalem and Samaria where the Good Samaritan helped the man along the way.  It was a winding road that was very steep, and shepherds had to take their flocks through it on their way to fields.  People (not the neighborly kind, either) would hide in the caves to steal the lambs to eat or ambush the unguarded traveler.  I'd be a little nervous about such travel conditions, too, wouldn't you?

Well, from there, I started thinking about why certain words within that phrase evoke such emotion for the reader.  It's all about light and darkness, good and evil, safety and danger.  A little information here: I'm 48, but I STILL don't like being in dark, unfamiliar places. 


So, I let my mind wander a little deeper into the passage, and the word that propelled my physicist-like exploration (that's even gross to type) was shadow.  Stick with me on this one, for the path is going to get a little more complex (complex being relative to the size and shape of my brain - so fear not).  A shadow is defined (loosely) as: an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object.  It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it.  That's easy to understand, I suppose.  Visible light, you see, spreads out in waves as it leaves its source.  These waves travel in straight lines through the air until they hit an object.  The object itself will absorb some of the waves and reflect some back into the air.  Light waves will not be able pass through most materials, unless they are clear, like glass.  Behind any object that has stopped the light waves is a dark spot, or shadow, which is simply a space where no light is. 


And what does all of this mean?  Well, it's little more than HOGWASH if you miss the all-important word and its empirical connotation: LIGHT.  Gregg Carr, my buddy for all seasons, once told me that "in order to have shadows you've got to have light," and that's physics 101.  Dear Christian, Jesus Christ is the light and our sin and heartache compose the shadows.  But even in our days of darkness, the light of Jesus never stops shining (this sounds like something I've read before).  God's love is like a beacon on a hillside, shining for all the world to see - shining so that the pathway is able to be safely traversed.  Light - an illuminating agent or source, as the sun, a lamp, or a beacon.  Try it this way: Light - an illuminating agent or source, as the SON, a Lamp, or a Beacon.


In light of those facts, the entire 23rd Psalm was written with this in mind -- God watching over us while we go from one place to another known to be inhabited by thieves and ___________________.  Go ahead.  Put your present heartache, your present pain, your present suffering, your present confusion in the blank, for He covers that with His light as well.


So, fear not fellow travelers, I'm not afraid of the dark..........for I know the Son, the Lamp, the Beacon!!!!!

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He refreshes my soul. 

He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley

(the valley of the shadow of death),

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely Your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever!

Selah (סֶלָה )

Take it from an old and well-used molcajete.......

In authentic Mexican cooking, you've probably encountered the cooking gadget known as the molcajete.  You've probably even seen them in Mexican restaurants, for plastic replicas are often used to serve salsa when the waiters bring you the initial basket of chips.  Are you seeing it? the little three-legged pot that looks like it has been carved from basalt?

Well, for those of you who are still lost, let me give you some more help.  A molcajete is a stone tool, the traditional Mexican version of the mortar and pestle, used for grinding various food products.  Molcajetes are used to crush and grind spices, and prepare salsas and guacamole.  The rough surface of the basalt stone creates a superb grinding surface that maintains itself over time as tiny bubbles in the basalt are ground down, replenishing the textured surface.  As the porous basalt is impossible to fully clean and sanitize, molcajetes are known to "season" (much like cast-iron skillets), carrying over flavors from one preparation to another.  Salsas and guacamole prepared in molcajetes are known to have a distinctive texture, and some also carry a subtle difference in flavor from those prepared in blenders.  Molcajetes can also be used as a cooking tool, where it is heated to a high temperature using an open fire or hot coals, and then used to heat its food contents.  Although true molcajetes are made of basalt, imitations are sometimes made of a mixture of pressed concrete and volcanic rock particles.

Now, why am I telling you about the molcajete?  Well, you see, the molcajete is my inspiration for today.  When you are making REALLY AUTHENTIC guacamole, you have to grind avocadoes, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, onion, sea salt, and black pepper.  I don't mean mixing lightly with a spoon either.  When you grind the ingredients in the molcajete, all those ingredients get bruised and twisted and minced - yet only with such grinding force does the essence of each ingredient fully present itself into the mixture.

And people respond to "grinding, bruising, twisting and mincing" in much the same way.  Let tragedy strike upon the shores of these great states of the USA or elsewhere in our global community - grinding, bruising, twisting and mincing "our" people, "our" brothers and sisters - and we become galvanized into ONE GREAT effort to help and comfort those in need.  It doesn't matter if it's a hurricane that has torn apart New Orleans, attacks on lives and property in New York City, earthquakes in Haiti or mudslides in Brazil - when one of us is crushed in the world family, we all are crushed.  And in that time, when the pain and "realness" of the tragedy is still clear on our minds, we become more like the people God intends for us to be all along.  It's as if the "grinding, bruising, twisting and mincing" more fully exposes the finer essences of humanity.

But people are different from molcajetes, too - for the molcajete "remembers" past grindings and carries over the "flavors" from one preparation to another.  Not so with far too many people - me included.  Once the tragedy has struck and left its ugly mark on the landscape of human existence, and once the interest and concern in the story has cooled and become "old news," we let our hearts close again to the needs of this world and carry on with our own agendas, oblivious to the pain and suffering around us.

Did you notice how the molcajete works well when exposed to hot coals and open flame?  Wow!  Talk about putting your cookware to the test.  Wouldn't it be nice if we were more like that?  Get our feet to the flames and we'd automatically find our "energetic inspiration" rather than panic and heartache.  But God says that in such a "hot" moment, He is merely refining our faith and full dependence - "thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine."

So take a cue from the molcajete - and let the "grindings" of life release the full essence of your pure love for and complete faith in Jesus Christ.

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow,
For I will be with thee, they troubles to bless,
And sanctify thee in thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

Selah (סֶלָה )

It really can be a YES day!

I cannot tell you how many days I have literally wasted, squandered, tossed aside, because I chose to ignore God's blessings and allowed satan to have his way in my heart.  I know that sounds dark and scary (and it is), but that's about as real as it gets.  I type those words, however, with a hope that I will in "all my tomorrows yet to be" choose to claim God's power and reject the notion that the devil has the power to destroy anything which God has so masterfully created.  But, let me give you a sample of a day "gone south."

"I woke up this morning - LATE - because I hit the snooze button on my alarm clock too many times (I hate that).  I make a made dash to the bathroom, take a look in the mirror and realize that this has GOT to be a "shave day" (shave day falls into a pattern I have created: shave on Sunday, but not on Monday; shave on Tuesday, but not on Wednesday; shave on Thursday, but not on Friday or Saturday; and start the cycle anew on Sunday).  At best, that shave is going to add another 5 minutes to my hurried prep time.  I jump in the shower and bathe off as quickly as possible.  After showering, I storm into the closet to find something to wear.  The very outfit that I think I have to wear that day is composed of a pair of pants and a shirt that needs ironing.  This day is already busting my chops - AND IT JUST STARTED!!!!!!  I don't have time to iron the shirt, so I take it to the laundry room to put it into the dryer for a "tumble iron" - OH MY GOODNESS, wash woman (that's a less-than-flattering title I give to my wife on mornings like these) has left an entire load of clothes in the dryer.  Now, I have to unload the machine and sling my shirt in.  O.K., this is multi-tasking I suppose - I can get the rest of me ready while the shirt is going through the process of "tumble ironing."  Finally dressed I sprint to the kitchen to take my morning medications.  OH MY GOODNESS, medicine woman (follow the pattern of slanderous tone and accusation) has neglected to fill my medicine box.  I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!!!  I get one day's worth of medicine together (just the essentials) and swallow them with milk - yes, mouth to the jug, for there is no time to pour milk into a glass (literally).  I grab all my things for the day, rush out the door, get into the car, crank up and BING, the dashboard light pops on indicating that I have LOW FUEL.  I'm ignoring it - I'll gas the car after school.  Take Nick to school and head to work.  And wouldn't you just know it, some senior citizen has picked MY morning and MY route to take a much-needed tour of Cairo.  So, I ride her bumper (dangerously close) all the way to work, flip into the parking lot, realize I have two minutes to get in and sign in, holler in frustration and declare, "THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE ONE OF THE WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE" - all before I see the first student of the day.  "Those kids BETTER not cross me today, or I'm going to take their heads off!!!"  And there you have it, an entire day ruined - not what I had "planned" for at all."

Do you ever do that?  Go ahead and answer that one honestly - I'm basically blogging this for me.  It's just a huge pity party, and I've handed God's day to satan on a silver platter.  Not what I had planned?  That's a joke, "planning" would have changed the entire morning.  But good things CAN come from "plans gone wrong."  It's hard to believe, but VERY true.

The invention of the humble Post-It Note was an accidental collaboration between second-rate science and a frustrated church-goer.  In 1970, Spencer Silver, a researcher for the large American corporation 3M, had been trying to formulate a strong adhesive, but ended up only managing to create a very weak glue that could be removed almost effortlessly.  He promoted his invention within 3M, but nobody took any notice.
Four years later, Arthur Fry, a 3M colleague and a member of his church choir, was irritated by the fact that the slips of paper he placed in his hymnal to mark the pages would usually fall out when the book was opened.  One service, he recalled the work of Spencer Silver, leading to an epiphany – the church being a good a place to have one – and later applied some of Silver’s weak, yet non-damaging adhesive to his bookmarks.  He found that the little sticky markers worked perfectly, and sold the idea to 3M.  Trial marketing began in 1977, and today you’d find it hard to imagine life without them.

Yep, Silver probably felt defeated and out of sorts.  If he allowed himself to "put on" the spectacles of negativity, his vision would have been clouded by the fact that he was looking at his "gift" from the wrong perspective. UH OH, ain't that what I did with my "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day?"

So the solution is that easy, my friends.  Take a day or situation or conversation that is going south and turn it around by shifting the focus from "negative" to "God is in control."

"God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.  Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next." 

It really can be a YES day!


Selah (סֶלָה )

Happiness is.......

Happiness is.......
good friends sharing laughter, tears and dreams,                   
knowing that someone loves you and understands you more completely than you
understand yourself.

Happiness is.......
livin' large and loving life,
in finding renewed hope with the dawning of each new day.

Happiness is.......
knowing the difference between house and home,
it's celebrating the joy and love of family, and living out the eternal truth
that home is where the heart is.

Happinss is.......
that warm, snuggly feeling you get when your heart "thumps" harder with the
realization that you are loved without compare, that life
has meaning and purpose, and that you have the potential to leave the world
a better place than when you entered it.

Happiness is.......
understanding who you are and recognizing your inborm need to be needed,
to know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made - the center of God's love and
affection.

Happiness pours freely from a heart filled with thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving World!!!!!!!!

Selah (סֶלָה )

Who am I?

Somewhere across the rolling hills
there are vast meadows painted by the sun's dying light,
and every day I venture there to immerse my body and soul
in the splendid hues of first evening.
In this place, time has no real meaning or purpose,
for time itself is only a burden of the hurried.
And in this place, the lines that exist to lend separation
from my body and the universe, all fall away.
And slowly - like a creeping, silent fog - I am completely aware
of the fact that I am no longer aware,
but aware, all the same,
that I have become one
with the true splendor and resplendency of all God's creation.

Adorned simply in the vestiture of evening,
I lie softly in a thickened patch of velvety sedge - resting as if in
Earth's first cradle - with arms and legs willfully splayed
to the starry hosts which reign above, who cast their primal
glow upon the landscape
with well-learned and well-rehearsed precision.

And in my thoughts - as often as I have been there -
resounds the one and only truth,
the truth of all the ages,
the truth that bursts forth from eons past to eons yet to be,
a truth that resonates through myriad miles of vast uncharted and unnumbered universes - the absolute sum
of everything that exists in the cosmos, including time and space itself:
"Who am I, that God should be mindful of me?"

Father, each of us make our dwelling on "Thankful Lane" when we daily attribute thanksgiving to You, who provides for all our needs.  You give us shelter from the harsh elements, food on our tables, clothing for our bodies and people who love and care for us.  We've been blessed beyond measure, both physically and spiritually, as You provided for our greatest need: salvation.  We will eternally praise You for Your goodness to us.

Selah (סֶלָה )

Somebody bigger than you and I

Although the title should technically read, "Somebody bigger than you and me", the gospel music writer who penned these words was obviously more interested in his relationship with God the Father than his need for precise grammar.  Looking past that small blunder in grammar (and appreciating the fact that it makes the entire song rhyme more precisely), one can sense the writer's full appreciation for the wonder, the majesty and the grandeur of our Heavenly Father.

I first sang this song as a teenager growing up in Dawson Street United Methodist Church in Thomasville, Georgia and at the request of my piano teacher Mrs. Myrtle Ellis.  I guess she remembered when "King Elvis" had recorded the piece - not bad vocal company for a budding singer such as myself.

At any rate, the words have somehow stuck with me over the years, so I thought I would take this opportunity to bring them to light once again.

Who made the mountains?
Who made the trees?
Who made the rivers flow to the sea?
And who sends the rain when the Earth is dry?
Somebody bigger than you and I.

Who made the flowers bloom in the spring?
Who wrote the song for the robin to sing?
And who hung the moon in the starry sky?
Somebody bigger than you and I.

He lights the way when the road is long,
He keeps you company.
With love to guide you, He walks beside you,
Just like He walks with me.

When I am weary,
Filled with despair,
Who gives me courage to go on from there?
And who gives me faith that will never die?
Somebody bigger than you and I.

Think about those words.  Think about the majesty of God and marvel at the fact that He is even mindful of us.  His palm is my refuge - my dwelling place.  He's somebody bigger than you and I.

Selah (סֶלָה )

Flying into the sunshine

I never will forget the day - though it's been nearly 15 years now.  The month was October and the year was 1995.  It's not that I'm smart about dates or have a memory like a steel trap.  I remember so vividly becuase I had just begun my tenure as a public educator - and finally had the certificate to prove it.  I was flying out of Atlanta, Georgia on my way to Branson, Missouri (through Dallas, Texas - never did understand that flight path).  The day was cloudy with wind and rain blasting against the side of the huge 747 I was traveling aboard.  We (me and the other 300+ passengers in "economy" coach) were sitting at the end of the runway, waiting for our turn to jet into the sky.  The grayness outside was not much different from the grayness I was carrying in my heart.

My mission was not one of pleasure - it was the flight of my life.  My Mom - on a "once-in-a-lifetime" family trip with my Dad - had called the evening before from a hospital in Branson.  She had somehow collected enough courage to place the call, in which she told me that Daddy had had an apparent heart attack and had been life-flighted to a nearby hospital, barely alive at the time, but holding his own at the moment.  You talk about something crashing into you from out of nowhere, I didn't begin to see that one coming.  And there I was, sitting on that plane, praying that the captain would "put the pedal to the metal" and get me to my parents, post haste.  No, there was no happiness for me on that flight - only tears and raindrops.

The captain finally announced that we had been cleared for take-off, and with tremendous thrust and mounting speed, we took to the darkened and wet skies.  I put my head back on the seat, my mind rushing with a thousand worried thoughts.........."Would I get there in time to see my Daddy still alive?.......Would I be of any use or comfort to my frightened Mom?.........Would the light of God's grace ever fall on my family again?"  At only 33 years, I didn't have a long track record for dealing with such situations or questions.  I was in "no-man's land" without a map or compass.

For some reason, I didn't lower the shade on the window next to my seat.  I know now that I wasn't supposed to lower the shade on the window next to my seat, for you see, just moments after take-off, the plane broke through the clouds (nose still pointing upwards in a steep climb) and the brightest sunshine bathed my window, sending out immediate warmth.  I sat up in my seat in total shock.  I had never before been on the top side of a thunderstorm, and from up there it looked like just a normal day.  It occured to me - DUH!!! - that the sun had been shining all along - I just couldn't see it because of the tremendous cloud cover.  And that, my friends, is the central thread of this message.

The sun always shines - each and every day.  You can count on it - it's a SURE thing.  And I'm not just talking about the physical sun that God suspended in the heavens to light our daily path, I'm talking about the sunlight of God's never-ending love.  No matter the clouds that darken our skies, the light of God's love continues to shine.  It's only through faith and believing that we can "jet" past the cloud cover of our fears and anxieties and sadness to see the ever-shining light of God's love.

This particular trip had a happy ending.  I did get to my father's bedside and he survived the ordeal.  My Mom and I spent an entire week in that hospital, comforting one another and nursing my Dad back to a point where he was able to fly home to safety and much-needed surgery.  But more importantly, God showed His tremendous love for me by sending His never-failing grace to me on a sunbeam.

Are you missing out on the sunshine?  Do clouds of doubt and fear threaten to overtake your landscape?  Has it been awhile since you've experienced the warmth of God's light in your life?  Just remember this:  God's love is FOREVER!!!!!  His love, His grace, His mercy endure FOREVER!!!!!!  You can count on it - it's a SURE thing!!!!!

Selah (סֶלָה )

It's all Karen's and Brother Dan's fault............thanks you two!!

Of all the things that I thought I would probably try, blogging had to be at the VERY bottom of the list.  You think I'm kidding?  If there was an award for being the LEAST tech-savy person on the planet, I would easily capture the crown (with no competition).

But here I am all the same, casting my "line" into a sea of seasoned bloggers - pretending that I have something to say that's worth remembering/contemplating.

And perhaps I do.

Brother Dan has been preaching about our church - FBC of Thomasville, Georgia - becoming an Acts church (that's Luke's Acts).  He ABSOLUTELY believes that OUR church can change the world.  And that my friends is the basis of my BLOG conviction.

Karen - my dear friend of a lifetime - authors, without question, the sweetest, most honest, most inspiring blog ever written.  And that my friends is the basis of my BLOG confidence.

With nothing to lose and maybe tons to win, I strike out on this voyage of faith, letting God fill my drooping mainsail and headsail with the winds likened to the mighty rushing winds of Pentecost.

Selah (סֶלָה )