I survived! That is my response to the weekend. For those who don't know, Megan and Clay tied the knot this past weekend. What a interesting and stressful time it has been in the past several months. I have tried to keep my mouth shut, which has been a very difficult thing to do. Needless to say, it has been stressful around the house.
The wedding and the reception were beautiful, if I must say so myself. I can say that because I had so little to do with it. The only thing I had to do was show up at the wedding and keep my mouth shut. Everthing went off without a hitch.
One of the good things about the wedding was being able to visit with family and friends that we don't get to see often. I was able to visit with some friends that we haven't seen in several years. One of those was my old roommate from college days. I was able to visit with him, his wife, one of his daughters and his niece. Even though it was a short visit, we enjoyed the time.
It was also good to visit with some former church members who have moved to other places. It was good to see some of these former members. We have lost touch with some of them, so the short visit was good. All of these former members are educators who have moved on to bigger and better things.
On a personal note, I must confess that my daughter was a beautiful bride. I already knew what a pretty girl, now young lady, she is, but to be able to walk such a beautiful bride down the aisle was an honor. I also made it though most of the weekend without too many tears.
I also must confess that when I received a text message from her on Father's Day, it brought tears to my eyes. Just knowing that she took time between flights to send me a text, made Father's Day very special. I also got to spend some time with my son Sunday afternoon. Just driving to and from Austin was a special couple of hours with my son.
I am a fortunate man to be able to have two such great children. My wife and I are trully blessed by God.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Friend of God
Jesus, a day before He was to be crucified, met with His disciples. The Gospel of John records those moments in John 14 - 17. It is in that context, following Jesus' teaching about the vine and the branches, where Jesus says: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." Those are amazing words from our Savior. He changed the relationship with the disciples in that special moment.
Henry Blackaby says: "You did not choose to be a friend of God. This is by invitation only. Only two people in the Old Testament are referred to as being a "friend of God." Abraham walked with God to the extent that God referred to him as His friend (Isaiah 41:8). Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaks with a friend (Exodus 33:11)."
Phillips, Craig and Dean have recorded a song, "Friend of God," written by Israel Houghton.
The song says:
What we need is to have such a special friendship with God - one that is totally devoted to Him - and that we have such an intimate relationship with the Almighty, that God would call us His friend. If you cannot describe yourself as a friend of God, commit yourself to seek after God with all your heart.
Henry Blackaby says: "You did not choose to be a friend of God. This is by invitation only. Only two people in the Old Testament are referred to as being a "friend of God." Abraham walked with God to the extent that God referred to him as His friend (Isaiah 41:8). Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaks with a friend (Exodus 33:11)."
Phillips, Craig and Dean have recorded a song, "Friend of God," written by Israel Houghton.
The song says:
Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How You love me
It’s amazing
Chorus:
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend
What we need is to have such a special friendship with God - one that is totally devoted to Him - and that we have such an intimate relationship with the Almighty, that God would call us His friend. If you cannot describe yourself as a friend of God, commit yourself to seek after God with all your heart.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Mabel
I have just started reading a new book titled, "The Life You've Always Wanted," by John Ortberg. Ortberg is the Senior Pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, CA. The subtitle of the book is: "Spiritual Growth for Ordinary People."
In the book Ortberg relates a story from a friend of his. This friend was visiting a nursing home speaking to some of the residents. While moving from wheelchair to wheelchair he met Mabel. He spoke to her and offered her a flower and said: "Happy Mother's Day!" Mabel's response surprised him. She said, "May I give it away?" The man rolled Mabel over to another group of wheelchairs where she proceeded to give the flower to a lady and said, "This is from Jesus."
The man, moved by Mabel's response, began to visit with her two or three times a week. He learned that Mabel was blind, nearly deaf, had cancer that had caused her mouth to droop due to what the cancer had done to her face. He learned that she had been in the nursing home for 25 years, shortly after she had become blind.
Mabel lived on a farm with her Mom. After her Mother passed away, Mabel continued to take care of the farm. But when she became blind she, and unable to care for the farm any longer, she moved into the nursing home. He also learned that she had few visitors, lived in a room with other ladies that were in worst shape than she. The other ladies in Mabel's room, moaned and groaned most the day, every day. But Mabel never complained.
While reading the Bible to her, he would pause while reading, but she would continue to speak the passage by memory. He asked her one day about her life and her response was: "Jesus is all the world to me." Mabel began to sing:
We need to be like Mabel and others like her who can sing:
In the book Ortberg relates a story from a friend of his. This friend was visiting a nursing home speaking to some of the residents. While moving from wheelchair to wheelchair he met Mabel. He spoke to her and offered her a flower and said: "Happy Mother's Day!" Mabel's response surprised him. She said, "May I give it away?" The man rolled Mabel over to another group of wheelchairs where she proceeded to give the flower to a lady and said, "This is from Jesus."
The man, moved by Mabel's response, began to visit with her two or three times a week. He learned that Mabel was blind, nearly deaf, had cancer that had caused her mouth to droop due to what the cancer had done to her face. He learned that she had been in the nursing home for 25 years, shortly after she had become blind.
Mabel lived on a farm with her Mom. After her Mother passed away, Mabel continued to take care of the farm. But when she became blind she, and unable to care for the farm any longer, she moved into the nursing home. He also learned that she had few visitors, lived in a room with other ladies that were in worst shape than she. The other ladies in Mabel's room, moaned and groaned most the day, every day. But Mabel never complained.
While reading the Bible to her, he would pause while reading, but she would continue to speak the passage by memory. He asked her one day about her life and her response was: "Jesus is all the world to me." Mabel began to sing:
"Jesus is all the world to me, My life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day,
Without Him I would fall;
When I am sad, to Him I go; No other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad; He's my friend."
I began to think: here is a lady, obviously afflicted with pain and physical problems who had found her contentment in Christ. Mabel had discovered what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." She was content because she had been transformed by her Savior. Nothing in life mattered to her but Jesus.
That reminded me of a man in Jena, LA where I served for 12 years. He lived alone when he suffered a stroke. He laid in his house for a day or two unable to reach anyone, or they reach him. He stayed in the hospital for weeks until they moved him to the nursing home. Every time I visited with him - he couldn't communicate with you - he would just babble. But I noticed something. When we would sing an old hymn he would sing along with us. He knew every word. He couldn't communicate with anyone - but he could still sing about his faith in God.
We might not have understood him, but in his head he do what he was saying and singing.We need to be like Mabel and others like her who can sing:
"Jesus is all the world to me,
My life, my joy, my all."
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
C.S. Lewis
I came across an interesting quote from C.S. Lewis. This quote comes from his last sermon, titled "A Slip of the Tongue." Lewis says: "Our temptation is to look eagerly for the minimum that will be accepted. We are in fact very like honest but reluctant taxpayers. We approve of an income tax in principle. We make our returns truthfully. But we dread a rise in the tax. We are very careful to pay no more than is necessary. And we hope - we very ardently hope - that after we have paid it there will still be enough left to live on."
Later Lewis adds these words: "It is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is ourselves. For each of us the Baptist's (John the Baptist) words are true: 'He must increase and I must decrease.' He will be infinitely merciful to our repeated failure; I know of no promise that He will accept a deliberate compromise. For He has, in the last resort, nothing to give us but Himself; and He can give that only insofar as our self-affirming will retires and makes room for Him in our souls. Let us make up our minds to it; there will be nothing "of our own" left over to live on, no "ordinary life."... He claims all, because He is love and must bless. He cannot bless us unless He has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore, in love, He claims all. There's no bargaining with Him."
Later Lewis adds these words: "It is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is ourselves. For each of us the Baptist's (John the Baptist) words are true: 'He must increase and I must decrease.' He will be infinitely merciful to our repeated failure; I know of no promise that He will accept a deliberate compromise. For He has, in the last resort, nothing to give us but Himself; and He can give that only insofar as our self-affirming will retires and makes room for Him in our souls. Let us make up our minds to it; there will be nothing "of our own" left over to live on, no "ordinary life."... He claims all, because He is love and must bless. He cannot bless us unless He has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore, in love, He claims all. There's no bargaining with Him."
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Future Generations
The Southern Baptist Church Music Conference is meeting this summer in Orlando, Florida. This years conference theme is based on Psalm 102:18, which reads: "Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord." I was immediately struck by the verse. The thought hit me - "what am I doing 'so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord?'"
As a minister am I doing anything that will make an impact on future generations? Not that I am significant, by any means, but am I making an impact on either the church I serve or on an individual that will cause someone not yet born to praise the Lord?
We need to be people who live in two worlds - the present and the future. Obviously we must live in the present, but we also should be seeking to make a difference in and to future generations.
I was reminded of a song by 4Him, entitled "For Future Generations." The lyrics of the chorus are significant for us to consider. "I won’t bend and I won’t break, I won’t water down my faith; I won’t compromise in a world of desperation. What has been I cannot change, But for tomorrow and today, I must be a light for future generations."
That song says it so well. We must be a generation that "won't bend," "break" or "compromise." We must be a "light for future generations."
Are we saying, singing, or writing something that will be recorded "for future generations, that a people not yet born will praise the Lord?"
As a minister am I doing anything that will make an impact on future generations? Not that I am significant, by any means, but am I making an impact on either the church I serve or on an individual that will cause someone not yet born to praise the Lord?
We need to be people who live in two worlds - the present and the future. Obviously we must live in the present, but we also should be seeking to make a difference in and to future generations.
I was reminded of a song by 4Him, entitled "For Future Generations." The lyrics of the chorus are significant for us to consider. "I won’t bend and I won’t break, I won’t water down my faith; I won’t compromise in a world of desperation. What has been I cannot change, But for tomorrow and today, I must be a light for future generations."
That song says it so well. We must be a generation that "won't bend," "break" or "compromise." We must be a "light for future generations."
Are we saying, singing, or writing something that will be recorded "for future generations, that a people not yet born will praise the Lord?"
Monday, April 30, 2007
GROW
Tonight we had GROW, which is a weekly visitation program for our church. Roger and I had made an appointment with a couple that have been visiting our church. The couple have lived in the area about a year. The man has been a pastor of a church in a neighboring state. He resigned that church and the Lord didn't open another pastorate for him.
They have moved to the area to open a ministry to children who are suffering from cancer or have other illnesses. Their ministry is to minister to children through animals.
This couple have four horses, 2 donkeys, 4 dogs, a couple of cats, several goats, and numerous chickens. They plan to have children come to the farm and help feed the animals. The animals are then used as therapy for the children.
It is exciting to visit with a couple who love the Lord and have a plan to minister to children in this way. Everyone is gifted by God in different ways. Our purpose is to allow the gifts that God has given us to minister to others. For this couple it is ministering to children through animals. For others it may not involve children or animals.
This couple has responded to God's call for their lives by being available to what He has for them. We need to be available whenever we sense the call of God on our lives.
They have moved to the area to open a ministry to children who are suffering from cancer or have other illnesses. Their ministry is to minister to children through animals.
This couple have four horses, 2 donkeys, 4 dogs, a couple of cats, several goats, and numerous chickens. They plan to have children come to the farm and help feed the animals. The animals are then used as therapy for the children.
It is exciting to visit with a couple who love the Lord and have a plan to minister to children in this way. Everyone is gifted by God in different ways. Our purpose is to allow the gifts that God has given us to minister to others. For this couple it is ministering to children through animals. For others it may not involve children or animals.
This couple has responded to God's call for their lives by being available to what He has for them. We need to be available whenever we sense the call of God on our lives.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Mercy
I have just started reading another book. The book is Max Lucado's newest book entitled, "Every Day Deserves a Chance." This morning I was reading the chapter "Mercy for Shame-Filled Days." Max is writing about the thief on the cross who asked Jesus, "remember me when you enter your kingdom."
Max writes: "What does the thief see now? He sees a son entrust his mother to a friend and honor a friend with his mother. He sees the God who wrote the book on grace. The God who coaxed Adam and Eve out of the bushes, murderous Moses out of the desert. The God who made a place for David, though David made a move on Bathsheba. The God who didn't give up on Elijah, though Elijah gave up on God. This is what the thief sees."
A thought hit me when I read this paragraph - "What a merciful and grace-full God." Yes, He did "write the book on grace." God can use a man who committed murder. He can use a man who commits adultery. Not only is it amazing that God could use Moses and David, but that He has "chosen" to use me.
Why would such a grace-full God choose to use me? What do I have to offer Him? He could have chosen to use anyone, but He chose to use me. I don't have anything to offer Him - but He chooses to use me. God, in His grace, has chosen to work through people that are inadequate, weak, and sinful. But God takes that inadequacy, adds His power, and can use someone like me. That is grace. That is mercy. That is God.
Jesus says in John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." He has chosen to use us to "bear fruit" that will bring Him honor and glory.
Max continues in that same chapter by saying: the thief "hears the official language of Christ: grace. Undeserved. Unexpected. Grace. "Today you will join me in paradise." God offers us grace, simply because He has chosen to. It's His language - the language of grace.
Not only do we need to hear that language of grace, but we also need to learn to speak the language of grace. What would happen to those around us if we learned to speak the language of grace?
Max writes: "What does the thief see now? He sees a son entrust his mother to a friend and honor a friend with his mother. He sees the God who wrote the book on grace. The God who coaxed Adam and Eve out of the bushes, murderous Moses out of the desert. The God who made a place for David, though David made a move on Bathsheba. The God who didn't give up on Elijah, though Elijah gave up on God. This is what the thief sees."
A thought hit me when I read this paragraph - "What a merciful and grace-full God." Yes, He did "write the book on grace." God can use a man who committed murder. He can use a man who commits adultery. Not only is it amazing that God could use Moses and David, but that He has "chosen" to use me.
Why would such a grace-full God choose to use me? What do I have to offer Him? He could have chosen to use anyone, but He chose to use me. I don't have anything to offer Him - but He chooses to use me. God, in His grace, has chosen to work through people that are inadequate, weak, and sinful. But God takes that inadequacy, adds His power, and can use someone like me. That is grace. That is mercy. That is God.
Jesus says in John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." He has chosen to use us to "bear fruit" that will bring Him honor and glory.
Max continues in that same chapter by saying: the thief "hears the official language of Christ: grace. Undeserved. Unexpected. Grace. "Today you will join me in paradise." God offers us grace, simply because He has chosen to. It's His language - the language of grace.
Not only do we need to hear that language of grace, but we also need to learn to speak the language of grace. What would happen to those around us if we learned to speak the language of grace?
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