Merry Christmas!

I remember growing up in Arkansas… Christmas morning was an event at our house.  We would get up early and open some presents… and it never failed.  The one toy that I wanted to play with most had to wait because it was missing batteries.  Those three words:  “batteries not included” were so heartbreaking.  We’d dig through the junk drawer and would inevitably come up empty.  The disappointment was very real… after all, a toy with no power is just a piece of plastic.  But put those cells in… and you’ve got a remote controlled car that could race down the driveway!     

As I sit and think about Christmas… and more specifically, Christ as a baby… I wonder how many thought that God’s plan didn’t include batteries.  After all, how could the Savior of the world be so meek… so tiny… so seemingly powerless?  How would this little baby rise up to be king?  How could this small boy from this tiny insignificant city overthrow the Roman government and restore God’s people?  But the people missed it.  God’s Christmas plan… His rescue mission… was powerful beyond measure.  Jesus Christ, the most significant human being to ever walk this planet… was mighty.  Even as a tiny baby, His mere presence changed the course of history.  At the mention of His name, kings kneeled… wise men gathered gifts… and prophecies were fulfilled.   God knew exactly what His earth needed… a Savior… a loving, serving, giving, sustaining, providing, merciful, power source that would allow repentant people to have a relationship with their Creator. 

So spend part of your Christmas season thanking God for the majesty and power of His Son… thank Him for His provision and His presence in your life.    He is all that you need… all you could ever want… all powerful… all-knowing… and everywhere at one time.  He is the Alpha and Omega… the Beginning and the End… He is Almighty Lord and Everlasting Savior.  Jesus is glorious… and His love for you knows no bounds.  You are His masterpiece… and your presence on this planet is purposeful and specific.  Never forget that.  You matter.  How do you know?  Because over two-thousand years ago, God sent His Son… as a baby.    And that baby would one day grow up to sacrifice Himself on a cross and be resurrected three days later…  

For you.   For your eternity.   

Christ did that so you could live power-filled lives… confident that you don’t have to do it all on your own.   Hold your heads up … pray and give thanks… and this Christmas, celebrate the greatest gift this world has ever known.   

Greatness

I read a story of a man who played the violin in the Washington DC subway.   On this particular cold and blustery morning, very few people noticed the man on the platform… playing skillfully on his instrument.  They were scurrying to make their next train… looking over their newspapers… pressing their faces close to their phones while they checked Twitter.  After a little while, a lady stopped and placed a one dollar tip in his violin case.   But the recognitions were few and far between.  After about 45 minutes of playing, the man had made $32.00.   After finishing his last piece, to the deafening silence of no applause, the man placed his violin back in its case and headed home. 

What the people passing didn’t know… this was Joshua Bell.  Violin virtuoso.  One of the most talented players in the world.  In fact, just two days before, Joshua had played to a sold-out concert crowd in Boston… where the average ticket price exceeded $100.  

Sometimes greatness is right in front of us and if we aren’t careful, we’ll miss it.  

For many of us at Christmas, the same thing can happen to us.  We can miss the Greatness that this season is all about.  Busyness, family, and the rush of getting everything done can cause us to be blinded to the real meaning of that special night.   The night where Mary and Joseph walked the streets looking for a place to rest… and the innkeeper turned them away to the caves…   The night when angels prepared to sing, shepherds stared into the starry sky in anticipation, and God smiled knowing that His plan for salvation was about to be unveiled.  It was the night when greatness and perfection lay waiting as a human child in the womb of a young virgin… eager to open His beautiful eyes in a world desperate for His presence.  

Greatness was about to appear to the world.  Yet many would miss it.   To some it was just another night… just another star in the sky… just another young boy.  

To some it was just another birthday.   

This Christmas… don’t miss it.  Don’t allow the busyness to get in the way of the beauty of His birth.   Don’t miss the chance to worship Him… giving your greatest gifts to Him… sharing His story with those that might otherwise walk on by.  He is the greatest single human being ever born… and, at the same time, every bit God.   His knowledge is as vast as the sands on the beach… and His compassion is unequalled.   He IS God.  He is greatness personified.   He is our Savior.   Let’s celebrate knowing that He was born with the ultimate purpose….  saving the world!

Travel Light

In 2007, England’s Queen Elizabeth II decided to make a short 6-day visit to the United States.   While most people would pack a couple of suitcases… the queen travelled much heavier.  In fact, it was estimated that her gear weighed in at two to three tons!    What could she possibly have brought that weighed so much?  The list included clothes, a diamond tiara, her gowns, her crown, gifts, paperwork, and up to 50 pairs of white gloves.  In addition, her personal affects included several framed photos of her family, her favorite tea and teapot, large quantities of favorite brand of water, and special medicines that she required.  Planning and packing took eight months.  

All for a six day visit. 

But not all royalty travels with such fanfare.  Over 2000 years ago, a little child entered the world that would forever change it.  He would grow up, heal the sick, raise the dead, teach the masses about God’s love, serve those He created, allow Himself to be crucified, and resurrect back to glorious life.  All while maintaining very few possessions, keeping a selectively small circle of close confidantes, and having a low profile.   Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, came out of Heaven that Christmas morning…  not weighed down with stuff… but burdened with the sins of the world.   In a couple of days we will celebrate Christ’s royal arrival… and as we observe Christmas.. let us never forget that Jesus travelled light for a reason.   It was so that He could spend His time intentionally… not worried about bringing everything with him… but making sure He didn’t leave without us.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Words

The other day I read that as a pane of glass breaks, the cracks travel faster than three thousand miles per hour down the length of the glass.  Hard to believe anything could cause that much damage so quickly...  As I was thinking about this piece of trivia, one thing came to mind that might be comparable...

Our words.   What we say can cause widespread destruction in very little time.  A sarcastic response... a jab.. or maybe it’s more directed pain.  Maybe it’s bringing up the past or a hurtful memory... perhaps it’s tearing someone apart just because we seek revenge.  Whatever the circumstance, words can wound deeply.  

Scripture tells us in Ephesians 4 that we shouldn’t let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths.  Any.  Why?  Because as much as we might want to, once words come out... they can’t go back in.  The person is hurt...the relationship over...the damage done.   God-honoring speech is a conscious choice... and no matter what a person’s background, environment, upbringing, or influences are...they can still decide to honor Christ with their words.  This Christmas, make the choice to spread holiday cheer…. one God-honoring conversation at a time.  

Keep Going

Mary Fasano’s parents pulled her out of eighth grade so she could work in a cotton mill in Rhode Island. Fifty-five years later, she made a major decision. She decided that she was going to go back to school to complete her education. At 71, she completed her coursework and received her high school diploma… but she wasn’t done yet! She signed up for Harvard University’s extension program and took one class at a time. Week after week, she drove the twenty miles to the school… and did so for seventeen years! In June of 2003, Mary Fasano graduated from Harvard at the age of 89.

Many called her crazy.

Many would have told her that her dream was impossible.

But what they forgot…? Something is impossible ONLY until it is accomplished.

It’s Christmas, 2015. What have you spent this past year thinking is impossible. A marriage on the rocks? A wayward child? A job situation? An empty bank account? Have you gone from hope to helpless… figuring that it’s just easier to give in and give up than give it over to God?

Mary Fasano lived her life by this truth from Matthew 19:26 “For nothing is impossible with God”

Today you may be facing something that nobody else believes in but you. It’s a mountain that’s never been climbed… and achievement the world’s never seen… a way of doing something that’s never been done. Be bold. Read that verse above over and over until it weaves its way into the fabric of your heart. You have been created for greatness… and your greatest competition is the status quo. The odds of success mean nothing when you have God on your side. He sets the odds. He gets you through. And He will equip you with everything you need to push onward. Seize the day. Take your dreams back from the critics because someday you will be dancing in victory while the doubters stand silent.

Make this holiday season different. Believe again. Believe in the God who loves you more than you can imagine and is working things out behind the scenes with your best interest in mind. Never give up. Don’t quit. Believe in the impossible again. God can and will come through with the best possible solution for your situation.

You can do this. Keep going.

Merry Christmas.

Winning An Argument?

A man from Berlin, Germany was desperate to bring peace to his marriage.   He was quoted as saying “My wife never lets me get a word in edgeways.  So I crank up the siren and let it rip for a few minutes.  It works every time.  Afterwards, it’s real quiet again.”  The siren?  An old air raid siren that he used to stun his wife into submission.  He had it mounted on his roof... and when he felt she was talking too much... he cranked it up.  Before long, the 73 year old man lost his siren.. and so much more...

During my time in ministry, I’ve talked to hundreds of couples... and while none have used air raid sirens to silence the other... people have done many things to win arguments or be heard.  The Bible tells us that they are missing the point.  The goal of a relationship isn’t to have the loudest voice or to keep the other person quiet.  Healthy and Godly couples work diligently at submitting... competing not to win... but to out-serve the other.  Ephesians 5 tells us that we are to do so out of reverence for Christ!   Remember the point isn’t to be right... the point is to be understood.  Want to win?  Make the choice... siren or servant?  It can make all the difference in the world.  

Does God Make Deals?

Old Joe was driving down the street.  He was late for a very important meeting and couldn’t find a place to park his car.  He looked up to Heaven and said, “God, take pity on me.  If you find me a parking space, I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life.”  Miraculously, a parking space appeared.  Joe looked up again and said, “Never mind.  I found one!”

You’ve probably seen it before... “God I’ll do this... if you just do that...” We beg, plead, and do our best to make a deal with the Creator of the universe.  When you think about it... God doesn’t need anything that we can offer.  He made it all and He owns it all.  He doesn’t jump at our command... He doesn’t have a price tag... and His favor toward us is because He is good not because we have earned it.  God simply wants our praise.  Not due to Him having a big ego... but because He deserves it.   Tempted to try to strike a deal with God?  Instead... thank Him for what you already have and praise Him for giving you the opportunity to manage it for a while.   

Directions

Former major league baseball player Yogi Berra once said, “You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.”   I think what he was trying to say was.... have a direction for your life.  Maybe an odd way of saying it... but he’s right. 

If you’ve ever been lost on the highway in a strange city... you know the feeling of wandering around aimlessly.   Some of us know that feeling every morning.... we get up and take on our day with no plan... no destination... and no way of knowing if we’re really going anywhere.  We feel off course and drifting.  I want to remind you that there’s hope.   We might feel lost... but we know someone Who knows the way... In Luke 9:23, Jesus tells us to follow Him.   Christ knows where we need to end up... He knows how to get through what stands in the way... and He knows that we can’t do it alone.   Feeling lost today?  Stop wandering.  Simply take a few minutes and ask Jesus to lead you... you’ll get to where you’re going... and your faith will grow stronger in the process. 

Push On

A student once asked Muhammad Ali for advice.  He wanted to know how to make something of himself in life.  Ali’s answer, “Stay in college, get the knowledge.  And stay there until you’re through.  If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you!”

As funny (and rhyming) as this is... it’s also very true.  The Bible echoes this idea of not giving up in Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  So many quit too early...give up on their dream just short of breakthrough.  Want to make something of yourself?  Don’t stop just because life gets hard.  Push on and don’t stop until you reach your destiny.  And when you get there, the view from the top will be worth the climb... guaranteed!

Good Decisions

A man was filling out a job application that had only one question... and here it is:  Suppose you’re driving in your car during a violent storm.  You see 3 people at a bus stop waiting for the bus.  The first is an old lady who looks as if she is about to die.  The second, your best friend who once saved your life.  The third?  The perfect woman who you have been dreaming about all of your life.  There is only room for one in your car and you can’t go back to the bus stop once you leave.  What do you do?

While this is a hypothetical situation... we are faced with many very real decisions every day.  So how do we know which way to decide?  God tells us in James 1 that we should ask Him first... seek His wisdom in prayer and from scripture... and He will give it to us!  Every time.  So how did the man answer the question?  He said he’d give his car keys to his best friend to take the old woman to the hospital.. and he’d sit and wait with the woman of his dreams for the bus to come.  He was hired on the spot.   Never forget...good decisions matter... seek God and He will always give you the wisest solution.  

Caring

Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian Pastor who spent fourteen years in Communist prisons suffering for his faith in Christ.  When he wasn’t in solitary confinement, he endured physical torture and exposure to long periods of hunger and freezing temperatures.  In prison, he was given one slice of bread per week for food. Every tenth week, he would “tithe” his food... giving the entire slice to a weaker prisoner as an act of obedience to God.  

The Bible tells us that caring for those less fortunate is an important part of following Christ.  Psalm 19 says that as we care for others... we are caring for God... and that He will repay us for our generosity.  Many hesitate providing for the poor because they look at what they have and don’t think it’s enough to make a difference.   Let’s choose to follow the example of Pastor Richard... even in unfavorable times... with very little... we should remain generous to others and obedient to God... pouring into the lives of those with even less than we have.  It’s that kind of heart that rises above circumstance and achieves true greatness for the Kingdom.

Ours

There’s a story told of a northern girl during the Civil War.  It’s said as she watched southern general Robert E. Lee ride past her house on his way to Gettysburg she said, “Oh, I wish he were ours.”   Lee’s reputation was so compelling... his behavior so genuine that even the opposing side wanted his influence...

This got me to thinking... how many people watch us during the course of our day?  I would guess there are far more than we might suspect.  I wonder how many of them look at us and want to be more like us because we are in a relationship with Jesus Christ.  How compelling are we living out our faith?  How genuine is our joy?  2 Corinthians 5 calls us “Christ’s ambassadors”... a big responsibility... but a huge opportunity to show others how wonderful Jesus is!   Let’s commit to living our lives in such a way that even those that don’t know us look at us and want the joy, peace, patience, and strength that only Christ can provide.  

The Hall

For every 2000 high school football players... only 44 of them will ever play in college.  Of those, less than 1 percent will ever make the roster of an NFL team.  The 1,696 players currently in the NFL are in a very elite group!  Out of all of veterans of the league... only 4 to 7 per year are inducted to the Hall of Fame.  Quite an impressive accomplishment!

When we visit Canton, Ohio...and the football hall of fame... it’s easy to walk past the statues and be awed.  But the Bible cautions us about having too much admiration for those the world considers great... 2 Corinthians 10 tells us to avoid comparing ourselves with others because it’s unwise.  Instead, we should remember that our value comes from God... and He made each of us on purpose and destined for greatness!  We may never make it in to a hall of fame... but our name is known by the Creator of the universe... we are valuable to Him.. and that’s what truly matters.

Real Winning

Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning isn’t everything... it’s the only thing.”  Only one problem... he discovered how some coaches were using his words...and he didn’t like it.     They were coaching their teams to stop at nothing... and win by any means necessary...  Lombardi said, “I wished....I’d never said it... I meant the effort.  I meant having a goal.  I sure didn’t mean for people to crush human values and morality.”

Win or go home.  Climb over people on your way to the top... the world may define a win that way... but Coach Lombard sure didn’t.  And neither does the Bible.    In 1 Corinthians, Paul says that the goal of life is to “get the prize”.  What does that look like?  Obedience to God...loving others unconditionally... serving with a tender heart... and helping people find Christ and begin a relationship with Him.  Those are real victories.   Want to win at life?  Start with a relentless pursuit of your God potential and don’t quit.   You’ll achieve far more than a trophy... you’ll reach your destiny.

Back of the Card

There's an old baseball saying, "You are the ballplayer it says you are on the back of your baseball card."  Baseball players (like everyone else) tend to make up excuses for bad play.  They exaggerate the truth and sometimes blame it on others.  But no matter what they say... the stats don’t lie.  Hits... runs... errors... all there in black and white.  No matter what the front of the card might look like... the real player and his ability (or lack thereof) is revealed on the reverse.

Many of us are just like those ball players.  We choose poorly and blame our environment.  We become disobedient in our giving and blame the economy.  We stop praying and blame God when we struggle with faith.   The Bible says in Galatians 6, “For we are each responsible for our own conduct”  God says... we ARE the player on the back of the card.  He wants us to admit our faults... learn from them... make the changes we need to... and work toward becoming the all-star that He has created us to be!   

Purpose of Pain

Mark Twain is quoted as saying “We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it – and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove top. She will never sit down on a hot stove top again, and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”

Have you ever been burned by an experience?  Ever felt pain from a relationship and were hesitant to get involved in another one?   Have you ever served on a team and been rejected or disillusioned?  Twain’s quote is accurate however tragic.  Every pain has a lesson... every trial a bit of wisdom.  But it is tempting to get hurt and completely withdraw from ever doing anything like it again.  James 1:4-5 tells us that the purpose of pain is perseverance, maturity, and growth.  If you’ve been hurt, resist the urge to never try again.  Pick yourself up... seek the wisdom to learn from it... and get back in there.  You’ll be glad you did.  

Left in Port

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper once said, “A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”                                                                    

One of the single greatest tragedies in the world today is unused talent.  God-given ability sitting in port doing nothing.  Wasting away beneath the excuses of “no time”, and “no opportunity”.  This is especially true in the church.  Many don’t get involved because they feel that their skill set doesn’t match the needs of the family of God. Not so.  Paul addresses this in Romans 12.  He tells us to get out and use what we’ve been given!  Pull up anchor and get involved!   Take what we know how to do and help others find Christ!  No matter what our profession.. God wants us to use the gifts He gave us for His Kingdom!   We were built to change the world for Christ... but it won’t come to us.  Let’s leave safe harbor and do what we’ve been called to do...with every talent we have.

Hearing

Did you know that your ear is using thousands of moving parts to make hearing happen?  Scientists tell us that certain parts vibrate more than twenty thousand times per second and can distinguish over two thousand different pitches and tones!  So why do so many struggle hearing God?  With such a precision instrument in our possession... why is hearing His voice so difficult?  

Maybe we truly do hear it... just not in our ears.  While I’ve never heard the audible voice of God... I do know that He communicates with me through His Word, the Bible... Every syllable intentional... every page written to impact my life.  Let’s take today and block out distraction... get in a quiet place... open His word... and listen.  There’s a lot He wants to share! 

Simplest

According to the Global Language Monitor... as of January 1st of 2012, there were over 1 million words in the English language.   In fact, a new word is created every 98 minutes!   Out of all of those words, well over a hundred thousand are rarely used because they are technical and/or scientific.  

Isn’t it amazing that when we read the Bible... the most important and life-changing part of it is perhaps the simplest?  In Acts 16:31, Paul and Silas are in jail talking to their captor.  During that conversation, the jailor asks “What must I do to be saved?”... and here was their simple...non-scientific...non-complicated answer... “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”  10 words.  No fluff.  Nothing extra or tough to understand.  We have a million word options when sharing our faith... but no need to complicate what’s meant to be easily understood. Trust Christ with your life... spend eternity with Him.  Simple word choice... infinite impact.