OPTIONS

Can you believe all the many different options involved in making one simple purchase in these days? My son went to purchase some paint to finish up some outside projects at our house. He looked at the can and everything looked fine until he got home and we looked closer to find that it was not what we needed. He then had to go back to the store, do an exchange, re-purchase the right paint and drive back home again. When he walked in everything looked the same except for one small word at the bottom of the can — instead of pastel it said “WHITE.”

And have you tried to purchase shoes lately? There are so many different kinds of shoes — running, walking, cross-training (I have been involved in sports for years and I don’t know what that is), basketball, football, baseball, high-top, low-top, mid-range, etc. I remember when it was Chuck Taylors, canvas only, black or white! I so wanted white but my Mom always made us get black for obvious reasons. Whether it is garbage bags (or lawn/leaf bags), washing detergent, socks, or even cereal, there are way too many options!

I guess all the different “choices” are reflective of a diverse society, driven by consumer satisfaction with an unspoken emphasis on individualism. When it comes to the items we purchase for our existence or enjoyment, options are good. One problem with this “get whatever you need” philosophy is that it tends to infiltrate every aspect of our lives. Now, let me get to the point (something hard for preachers to finally do).

I have been thinking a lot about JOY this week (especially since I have been confined to the house with some kind of sick bug thing). In Luke 2:8-14 the Bible says that God sent the “Birth Announcement” for His Only Son to the world through a Messenger (called an Angel). This Messenger appeared to some shepherds sitting out in the open fields watching their sheep. They were just doing their job. The Messenger said something very interesting in reference to the Birth of God’s Son. The Message: JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME!

It occurs to me that God did not say that He sent His Son into the world to bring JOY to the JEWS or JOY to the Christians or JOY to the Religious or Good people. NO, HE SAID “GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY FOR ALL PEOPLE!” So, since Jesus came to bring JOY TO THE WORLD over 2,000 years ago, shouldn’t our world be more JOYFUL? When I look around I see some people laughing and some who seem to be having a lot of fun. But, even when we are happy, are we experiencing the JOY that Jesus came to bring?

Finally, back to the whole “OPTIONS” point. JOY is not the same as HAPPINESS. Happiness is determined by our circumstances while JOY is a result of perspective. There is definitely more Pain and sorrow in this world than we like to acknowledge. We have no OPTION when it comes to the things that cause us Pain! But, we do have an option when it comes to our “Perspectives” when hurting. It is our “CHOICE” to either grow bitter or be JOYFUL. Yes, that’s what I am saying, JOY is an OPTION! My encouragement to you today: CHOOSE JOY no matter what you are dealing with. Go ahead, try it.

Thinking About JOY

Not meaning to neglect my blog-friends, my absence from cyber newsletter world can be credited to this “sick” bug that just won’t let go. I have been very blessed with great health for so many years that I just don’t do very well when some foreign ‘germ’ decides to mess with my balance. I see and talk to a lot of people who are sick (and who have to deal with physical infirmities for a long time) but I am not accustomed to being the one who is sick. So, to say the least, add these facts to my complete lack of patience and you will know how my moods have been. (Yeah, I heard you say “poor Lisa”)

The irony is that I have been working on a “Message” (today called a “Talk”) about JOY while dealing with this stinking sickness! Since we are in the “Season” to celebrate “JOY TO THE WORLD”  I have been intentionally watching my conscious surroundings to see if I could detect any JOY. Don’t get me wrong, I do see evidences of happiness and people who are laughing, seeming to have a good time. My actual dilemma is not that no one is JOYFUL it is with the song that says “Joy to the WORLD the Lord is come…” You would think that after 0ver 2000 years since the object of JOY (i.e. that’s Jesus) came that the WORLD would be taking more of a JOY-FULL appearance!

This week I will try to share more about the true meaning of JOY. It is my hope that we will all reflect on the reality that JOY is very possible instead of the many things that arise each day to steal our JOY. Sometimes these things are called “Joy-Suckers.” They just zap the JOY right out of us — even when we are in a great mood. Here’s one interesting fact about JOY that I will talk more about on Sunday:     Happiness is determined by our circumstances but JOY is the result of a renewed perspective! Finding this perspective is the key to keeping our “JOY-Tank” filled in a world that is very effective at shooting holes in it.

Let me know how you are dealing with the JOY Factor in your life if you get a chance. Especially in this Season.

Future Fear

We had our church’s Annual session last night to share ideas and dreams for the New Year. Yes, like it or not, it is time to think about 2010 (yea I know how tardy I am in looking ahead). It is my responsibility to stand up and confidently share exactly what God is leading our church to do in 2010. As I thought and prayed (Seriously) for the past few weeks, all my mind kept thinking about was how much of our planning done in 2008 for the year 2009 never became reality. Actually, 2009 has been a very difficult year for the church I am called to lead! We have absorbed some potentially life-threatening blows from the arch enemy of God’s church. While we were definitely injured, I am happy to report that we are not dead! God has reserved a remnant in this church who are ready to go forward with a Message that can transform lives.

I can also say that we shared in many triumphs this year as well. Unity and determination have been strengthened in our fellowship. People have been saved!! New Leaders have stepped up and are shining bright in their ministry areas. We started and completed a church building for a small group of Believers in an urban village of Romania! This was a tremendous blessing for our group of Christ-Followers!

It occurred to me in planning for this very important gathering time for our church that the best way to look ahead to the future God has planned for us is to look back to the experiences of our most recent past. As already mentioned, things definitely did not go as planned this past year. But, in everything God’s GRACE has been more than “SUFFICIENT” to bring us through. This is the “LENS” through which I can confidently gaze into my unknown future and joyfully look forward to the highs and lows; victories and defeats; triumphs and tragedies! (I think you get the picture)

I am not stating that overused saying about not knowing what the future holds but knowing who holds my future because it makes it sound like we are not supposed to really struggle in our “valleys.” I am learning that “FAITH” is not measured by our ability to deny the reality of pain and suffering! When we are going through stuff that we prayed would never happen, everything we have based our security and hope on is questioned. Until you have silently screamed: “Why is this happening?” or “God, what do you want me to do?” it is hard to know the depths of despair that can come suddenly upon us, like tornados that come out of nowhere.

I am not ashamed to admit some FEAR in reference to “looking ahead.” I don’t know what to expect for another year of ministry within the context of a local church. I can think of many things that I would love to Lead other people to try and accomplish. But, I am not sure if these are things I want to do 0r what God is telling us to do! Again, I am just being honest about my struggles with the “Futuring” thing.

Now, for something hopefully more encouraging! While it can be fearful, looking ahead can be the most exhilarating exercise for our FAITH in God. I am not moving forward with dreams, ideas, plans, and strategies because I know everything will work. Instead, I am moving forward because there is absolutely nothing that can happen on this earth to deter me from my ultimate DESTINATION! I will keep planning, keep striving, keep sharing the Good News of Salvation through Christ because I know where I am headed! Someone said that a Christian’s life on earth can be described as fellow travelers just trying to make it home. The journey can prove to be difficult, with both good and bad; but the FINAL RECORD is settled and nothing can change that!!

Uncertain Futures can produce a great amount of FEAR! Get your “Final Future” settled and the realities of our interim futures can be seen as a challenge to attack instead of a giant to Fear. I hope something in this article will be of help to you. Like many blog posts I did not know for sure where it was going. As God reminded me of my CERTAIN FUTURE, my perspective on the temporary stuff immediately changed. May God Bless You in this Christmas Season.

Practice What I Preach

It is about 5:00pm on a Thursday afternoon and Lisa and I are just getting settled in our room at the Biltmore Inn. Our wonderful church family gave us this 2 night get-away and it is wonderful! I am even more thrilled to finally be here because of the challenge presented on what is usually a very short trip. We met our son and had lunch before heading to Ashville, NC, for the short, one-hour drive. We had so much time before our check-in time that we thought about stopping in Hendersonville for a little shopping or whatever else we felt like doing.

Lisa told me last night that she heard on the news that they were going to close Hwy. 25 from West Greenville to Hwy. 11 beginning at 6:00am. I thought we had given plenty of time for the large contraption they were transporting to be at its final destination. Man was I ever wrong. As we cleared Travelers Rest (yes a real town in S.C.) I saw that traffic was backed up in the direction we were going. I immediately thought that we needed to turn around and go pick up the interstate. That is such a long way around our intended destination that we made a quick decision to “stay the course.” BAD MISTAKE! It took us almost 2 HOURS to go 8.4 miles (digital odometer). Talk about frustrating, aggravating, and several other …tings I could think of!!! Being a man who likes to get where he’s going in “good time” this major delay did not set well with me.

I know why this happened. I was teaching a Bible lesson for a small group of brave souls last night and stressed several times how every day we are supposed to be on God’s Agenda, looking for the Divine Appointments He has pre-planned for us. My wife, who attended the teaching, reminded me that this might be exactly what God wanted us to experience. I didn’t “SEE” it that way. Now that I am safely at our destination, immersed within the blanket of the Blue Ridge Parkway, my disappointment in myself is undeniable.

Wouldn’t it be great if the Preachers could “practice what we preach?” Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t see a whole lot of productivity that could have possibly come out of this senseless delay (because of my “natural” tendencies). On this side of the experience I wonder what I missed that God wanted me to get? I did hear a song on the radio that has managed to “stick” in my brain. It said something like this: “this year give Christmas away.” The meaning of the song was to make the holidays more about blessing others than the same old exchanging gifts! Especially when most of what we give and receive will not be remembered and may not even be used!

At lunch Matthew suggested that we use the money that we normally spend on each other to help someone else and then get up on Christmas morning and go serve at a “Soup Kitchen” or something! Now that’s probably a lot more in line with the “Good tidings of Great Joy” that Christ came to bring into our dusty, despondent world! Now that I have been honest about my “failures” today will you do me a favor? Please pray for me to slow down and let God reshape me into a vessel that can be useable in every situation. And then, take some time to think how you might be able to “Give Christmas away” this year. I would love to hear what ideas come to you.

Do What You Can

In our recent efforts to “BE” the church instead of merely going to a building we call a church (i.e. Missional Living) I was reminded of an illustration I heard many years ago and that I have used many times as well.

A man walked out to the beach one morning for his daily exercise and was concerned to see that the tide had washed up numerous Star fish which were scattered all over the sand. The poor Star fish would quickly die unless they could somehow make it back into the water. As the man looked down the beach he noticed  a small figure doing something so he started walking in that direction. As he got closer he was able to see that it was a young boy who was picking up the Star fish and throwing them back into the sea. The man admired the boy’s compassion but felt the need to save him all the trouble since there were so many Star fish on the beach. As the boy picked up another Star fish the man said, “Son, I know you are trying to help these poor Star fish but there are so many of them on the beach that you can’t possibly make a difference for all of them.” The young boy looked at the Star fish in his hand, looked up at the stranger and said, “I may not be able to make a difference for all the Star fish but I can sure make a difference for this one.” He then threw the fish into the sea.

This past Sunday we distributed approximately 40 complete Thanksgiving Meals throughout the neighborhoods surrounding the physical building where our Church family meets each week. Each of these meals will feed approximately 6 to 8 depending on the appetites of those eating. The weather was horrible this past Sunday afternoon. It was about 47 degrees and raining. Everything was soaking wet! I was taking a great nap when I suddenly woke up realizing it was time to go. To be honest, I looked outside and thought: “We should have postponed this project.” (I really just didn’t want to end my nap and get out in the cold, wet weather) I was absolutely amazed when I arrived at the church to find so many people scurrying around trying to get all the bags, turkeys, hams, etc. loaded in the automobiles to deliver the meals. I was ashamed of myself when I encountered our people.

The response from people receiving the Meals ranged from absolute shock/disbelief to humble gratitude. All of our “servants” that I have spoken with were deeply moved by the experience. One of our young ladies was told by a recipient that we had blessed her. The response: “NO we are the ones who are receiving the blessing!” One of the most consistent things I heard from others was that they just wished we had more bags with more meals to deliver!!!

This is the point of this blog. I too was thinking about how many people who are in walking distance of our buildings and who also needed some help with food for Thanksgiving. Then it dawned on me. Like the boy who was throwing the Star fish back into the ocean, we couldn’t help everyone but the ones we did help were blessed by the “Missional Obedience” of some special Christ-Followers.

My challenge to our hearts this Thanksgiving season is to simply DO WHAT WE CAN to help someone in need. We will never meet all the needs and we will certainly never run out of needs! But, it may just make an eternal difference in the ones we are able to help. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ready for Some Good News

Do you ever get tired of turning on the News programs and hearing about murders, extortion, political posturing, sexual predators, etc.? I don’t know if the world is getting worse or if we just have too many news shows! I certainly know that they need to stop having an hour and a half to tell you the same bad news with just a little different twist. (don’t get me started on the 24 hour news programs)

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming the “bad news” on our media spin artists. I just wonder if there isn’t as much or more “good things” happening in our world that we never hear about. Have we drifted so far away from any resemblance of LIVING LIFE to the FULLEST that our professional journalists think all we care about is the heart-breaking stuff? (This really is not supposed to be a blog shooting down the journalism industry!)

I was teaching last night and started talking about the vibes we send to others simply by the way we answer the question: “How you doing?” Here are some possible ways people answer this very simple question: “So-So! — Just gettin by — Not TOO Bad — Makin it — Been better! — Fine, you?” Just think about it; someone takes the time to ask how you are getting along in life and you communicate that LIFE pretty much ‘blows!’

God has Created us to LIVE! We are so bogged down by the affairs of this temporary life that our “eternity view” is completely lost. I know this is a struggle for me. I started wondering what I communicate to others simply by the way I respond to their greeting. The GOOD NEWS is more prevalent than the bad stuff in our world. Instead of telling us about the 2 or 3 or 8 people who were shot today, why not share how millions were not shot! Even better, people everywhere today shared warm, encouraging words with someone else; some compassionate healthcare worker changed an invalid patient just to make them more comfortable; someone actually slowed down on the expressway to let another driver in the flow of traffic!! Can you even begin to imagine ALL the GOOD that was done today? Of course you are not going to hear about it on CNN, Fox News, or any local news outlet.

Can I just encourage you to share the GOOD stuff that is all around you with someone whose smile seems to have disappeared? Lately certain stresses of everyday life have been so thick around me. It is so easy to get caught in the vacuum of negative energy! (I sure put off way too much of this stuff) I want to learn how to live the MOMENT; maximize this LIFE God has given me;  and intentionally try to sow good seeds into the lives of others. Life is so fast-paced that it will take great energy to resist the ‘gravity’ of stress and worry and exude that which can bless others.

The Bible says to “do good to others as we have the opportunity.” (Galatians 6:10) Trust me, the opportunities are numerous when we choose to see them. They are right in front of us each day, usually in the form of aggravations. I don’t know all that you have been through or are going through but I do know the Precepts and Principles given in the Bible help us to find that elusive “Abundant Life” right in the midst of our daily battles. SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS!! Maybe if enough people in our world decided to focus more on the GOOD than the Bad, we would see less bad!

VETERANS’ DAY

I think it is fitting that VETERANS’ Day falls so close to our annual reminder to be Thankful for the great Nation where we get to live. I have some very close friends who have children already deployed to the war zones and others who are in preparation to go. As I ponder what this day must mean to the many families who have lost loved ones or seen their family members “marked” for life because of war, is it really enough?

This past Sunday our Worship Band was leading us in the Praise song that says “I am Free.” Of course we were celebrating our Freedom from Sin’s power and penalty through the Victory won by Jesus. But, as we closed that song I felt led to come up and remind our people of all the Men and Women who are presently serving in our Armed Forces, many who are in danger of being killed or severely injured at any moment. And then what about those who go to war and come back without any obvious scars on their bodies. Only another Soldier would know what they really went through seeing other people die and maybe even being required to take the life of others. There is no way to measure the life-long effects that await these BRAVEST of the BRAVE!!

I just wanted to encourage anyone who may read this to spend time praying for our Soldiers — those who have served and those serving now. And, let’s be intentional about doing this on a daily basis and not just on a one particular day when the Federal agencies and banks are closed. I’m certainly not preaching at anyone — just sharing what I am convicted to do a better job of.

Are we really THANKFUL? How does this most basic and vital of all Attitudes affect what we do each day? Does it make us more patient when waiting in line? Does it make us kind towards our Server who is responsible for more tables than humanly possible? What about the elderly driver that is getting on your last nerve? Can’t we be a little more patient, kind, caring and giving towards our Fellow Americans? Maybe Holidays like THANKSGIVING and VETERANS’ DAY should be more about “demonstrating” our gratitude! What do you think? Let’s go out and make a difference in someone’s life ASAP.

Let the River Flow

A River in Romania

The Psalmist speaks metaphorically of the “BLESSED” person being ”like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3) Since I am an avid lover of the outdoors this image brings a sense of heavenly bliss to my heart and soul. There is nothing more therapeutic for me than the sound of white water pouring over the river’s rocks. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose and let it out as slow as you can through your mouth, and imagine yourself sitting by this gentle river surrounded by the soft breeze of fresh air. It is amazing how God wires us with the ability to travel to the most serene places without ever leaving our homes, jobs, schools, etc.

This image came to me as I emerged from sleep to consciousness this morning. I hovered between these two states in absolute wonder at how God has blessed my life. When I was in Romania I was staying in one of my Pastor friend’s homes. He has 3 precious daughters who are very attentive to their guests. They gave me a coffee cup that had a phrase written on it in Romanian. I asked what the phrase meant and one of the girls told me: “Too Blessed to be Stressed.” I then asked the oldest daughter if she knew what stress was. It was enlightening to see how she described the “Stress” she sees in her parents as they strive to manage all of their life commitments. This started me thinking how my family “Interprets” my countenance, attitudes, etc. in striving to handle all of the things that I am responsible for. I have to tell you, I do a terrible job handling all these things without the influential presence of STRESS.

Today I choose to “Live the Moment” that God has given me. I will never get everything done and it will definitely never turn out exactly like I plan. I spoke at a funeral service yesterday and heard myself telling a family in grief to make the most of every moment and don’t wait until someone dies to be together as a family. I thought, “Why don’t you take that advice?”

This is a “Season” of Thanksgiving. In our Home Groups we are talking about how to be “Missional.” This basically means “Being the Church” not just going to church. We discussed several practical ways we could show our love for God by helping others in need. (And this is certainly a time when many are in need!) If we are living in the reality of God’s blessings on our lives then we can become a blessing for others. But, if we try to add another thing to our calendar we may do a good deed but it will seem more like obligation than ministry.

God’s Blessings are something to be thankful for. They are also supposed to flow through us to other people. Would you take the time today to “Count your many blessings?” (Make a list) Then, open your eyes and see the people in your sphere of influence through the eyes of Christ. Let His blessings FLOW through you to touch someone else. Channeled blessings multiply joy while hoarded blessings enhance stress. The greatest way for us to prove to God how Thankful we are is to give something away that we actually WANT and/or NEED! The ministry of Thanksgiving is waiting to bless us like nothing else can. “LET THE RIVER FLOW!”

Still Learning

Remember when we thought our time in school would never end? I remember thinking that I would never have to read another book or solve another mathematical equation that had absolutely no relevance to the “real world.” I mean, after all, how has “Beowolf” or “MacBeth” put any money in my bank account? After leaving our country and returning for over a dozen times now, I realize how much we are still in the classroom. The “Lessons” we are assigned each day may sometimes seem as irrelevant as those monotonous chemistry symbols or the theorms of geometry (my all-time worst subject!) But, when we stop to process that which invades our realm of consciousness, we may be surprised by the advantages they bring to our life.

While our objective for going to Romania on this last trip were well defined, I somehow felt that there was something more for me to do (or perhaps learn). Like many of us do, I sought to put my own “spin” on what I thought it was that I would experience. Then, as the trip rapidly progressed, I realized that nothing unexpected or unusual was happening. I began to wonder if our extreme busyness was keeping me from experiencing the “deeper” things that God wanted me to learn. Could it be that our everyday lives are basically doing the same thing to us today? We are staying so busy that the major things God is trying to teach us seem to be irrelevant at the time when we are experiencing them. When we view our daily lives as monotonous activity we may fail to learn some of our most beneficial, relevant lessons.

AS I try to evaluate this last trip out of our great country, I still cannot say for sure that God taught me this… or that God wanted me to go on this trip because… Since I am the kind of personality that puts a great deal of emphasis and importance on results, I fear that many of the things God wants to teach me are overshadowed by my pursuit of successful endeavors.

I do realize that my thoughts of how it would be to share the Love of Christ with the people of Romania were not realized. The people that I did get to talk to were either saved or just as disinterested as the people I encounter many times here in America (in the deep south where I live). I have many times felt like God wanted me to do something for someone else in an attempt to tell them about His love only to experience something totally different when the time came. The question that consumes my thought world right now is: “Why is it so difficult to share with others something that is greater than any other experience we can have on this earth?”

Are we expending our greatest resources on things that have no eternal value at all? Are the seconds passing by right now filled with deeper truths than I am aware of? Are the things we reach for closer and more obvious than we think? Maybe you could offer some help in “making sense” out of these ambiguous lessons. Any thoughts?

Home Again

After boarding many different airplanes, rushing to find the right gates at airports, and just sitting for a very long time, we made it home. The travel to and from Romania is very tiring. But, it is just a part of the deal. We are honored that God has allowed us to once again go and serve His Kingdom in the great country of Romania. We have been blessed beyond description. The Christians we work with in Romania are very devoted to our Lord. This always challenges the level of growth I experience day-to-day.

In trying to assess the progress of another trip to Romania it occurred to me how much has been accomplished since the first time I went to the village of Sanger. I vividly remember being taken to preach in this village in 2005 on a trip we made to work on a church building in another village. The small group was meeting in a borrowed facility right beside the village’s school. I told the guys with us on that trip that I really felt like this was a place where something significant could be done.

After that trip, we were blessed with a significant gift by a committed Believer and started looking for property in Sanger. God blessed us with a very large piece of property that already had a house and some other structures on it that the church could use until a building could be constructed. Now, on these last two trips God has allowed us to build a facility for the church in that village to meet in and for the children to have a place to have their day-camps. Now the dream I first saw in 2005 has become a reality. The church has property and facilities to help them do the work of our Lord in their own community! When looking at what has been accomplished it is amazing. Especially since our church is so small, limiting our ability to finance this work.

Everything that has been accomplished is the result of numerous Christians doing whatever they can. It is many people giving all size gifts and not just a few giving a lot. I believe this is the way God expects us to accomplish His Visions on this earth. Only God can get the credit for what has been accomplished because we could not do it any other way. This also reminds me that He is also ABLE to supply for the future work in this area of the world.

Please pray for God’s CLARITY as we look to the future. Another church in the city of Cluj, Romania has asked us to provide construction teams for a Christian Camp facility on some property they have in the mountains. We toured this property on Sunday, October 25th, and all I can say is WOW! It is some beautiful land with a white water stream running right through it. The church has used summer and fall camps to build their church (over 500 members now) and has some great plans for this property that was given to them to develop something major for our Lord’s work.

Since buildings constructed out of wood are rare in Romania, they need guys from our churches to come and frame up these buildings. They can do a lot of the other construction. Please pray about possibly being involved in this future opportunity.

For all of you who prayed for our team while in Romania; gave to help us financially or any other way, let me say THANK YOU! Look what God has done and dream with me about what He still plans to do!!! God Bless.