While You're Waiting

As I sit here and type this sometimes I am still amazed at all God has done in my life the past five years!  It actually seems like I’m living a totally different life and I’m even a different person because so much has changed.  I went from being a single women, living in Frisco, working full time for a financial planning company in Plano, spending time with friends and family wondering if God really wanted me to be a wife and a mother to…. Getting married to the man of my dreams, becoming a pastor’s wife, serving in two different churches, having 2 children, living in Sherman and then North Richland Hills, and working part time at the same company - Wow!! 

If you knew me five years ago you probably would have said I was not exactly content in my current situation.  I desired so strongly to be married and have a family and as I continued to get older I really started to believe that wasn’t God’s plan for me.  But if you ran into me today and saw me and my husband at church or out to eat with our 2 1/2 year old and 10 month old that thought would never enter your mind!  It’s crazy how God can change a life so quickly and actually almost erase the feelings of despair and frustration you had during the waiting period.  It makes me think of the verse,  "I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten." Joel 2:25.  I couldn't agree more!

Now that God has revealed his plan for my life, which includes being a wife and a mother, I want to be an encouragement for others who may be in a season of waiting.  We all wait for different things, a spouse, a child, a new job, an opportunity… whatever it is that we are desiring but have not received yet requires us to wait.  And can I get an Amen that waiting is not fun or easy?!  However, what I’ve learned in my seasons of waiting is that there is ALWAYS a purpose for it.  In my wait for James, I had to grow and so did he.  We needed to become the right person for each other and God knew exactly when that time was and that is when he chose to introduce us!  In fact, we could have met early if it would have been God’s plan.  James actually performed the wedding of my sorority big sister, but for some reason I didn’t attend the wedding.  I don’t even know why but that was in the year 1995 and we didn’t meet until 2008!  I guess you can say that it wasn’t God’s timing yet!!  Because when we did meet we met on line and we lived over 3 hours away!  Remember with God all things are possible and nothing is too big for him to overcome.  

I did not enjoy waiting and I can honestly say I didn’t make the most of my wait!  However, I will say that I learned from it because now when I am required to wait I try to see what I can do while I am waiting and see what God is teaching me during the wait.  I’ve heard the term "actively waiting" used before and that is exactly what we should all strive to do!  What is God teaching us at this time?  How can we serve Him during this wait?  What is the purpose for our wait?  Is he using this time to change me or someone else?  In fact, sometimes during the wait he will also change our heart and make our desire different!  I think back to Abraham and Sarah waiting for their child and Moses wandering the desert for 40 years to get to the Promise Land.  Do we really think they wanted to wait?  Of course not!  But once God revealed the big picture we can all see the purpose of their waiting!  

So whatever you are waiting for today try to remember that there is a purpose for it and cling to God and know that He is always in control!  

Here is a song I heard during my waiting season for James - What an incredible feeling to hear the song after that season had past and now understand the purpose of that wait! 

While I'm Waiting

Kim

Five Very Simple Things That Will Make Your Life Better

A List of Five Things That Have Changed My Life (They Can Change Yours Too):

Pray -- This is an obvious point from a pastor but it really does change things! Taking even 10 minutes to pray can change the outlook on the rest of your day. Don't just talk to God but listen to Him as well! Pour your heart out to Him but also allow God the opportunity to speak into your heart as you meditate upon Scripture.

Read the Bible -- Again these top two are no surprise from the pen of a pastor! But these two ideas really do go together. If you will read even one chapter of Scripture each day your thought life will be altered...even radically so. God will bring to mind what you have read and your perspective will never be the same!

Work Out (regularly) -- As we grow older there is greater and greater need to be in good physical shape; ironically, it also takes more work to be so. Working out "regularly" means doing so at least 3-4 times per week. Regular time working out will reduce stress, depression, blood pressure and anxiety. In short, working out puts you in a better mood!

Stop the Gluttony -- We tend to look down upon the grosser sins such as adultery, drunkenness and theft while dismissing those closer to home. Gluttony is very close to home for most of us as Americans! Overeating taxes the mind and body in a number of ways. How many times have you returned to work from lunch feeling bloated and tired? Mexican food (my favorite and most tempting food with which to sin) is great but too much of it will slow you down and affect how you feel physically as well as emotionally.

Stop The Madness -- If you listen to six hours of talk radio each day you are probably whipped into a frenzy by noon and ready to start a new Civil War by 3pm. Even if we agree with those on the radio, website or television channel, too much partisan chatter can affect us in negative ways. Consider what you allow your ears to hear and eyes to see. Remember the old adage, "Garbage in, garbage out." If we allow too many emotionally charged speeches/arguments/pleas to enter our mind, we will be negatively affected!

James

More Than A Game

Those of you who know my husband know that he loves sports!  I have always enjoyed sports but now that I am married to James I am even more interested.  We especially love cheering for our Baylor Bears during football and basketball season.  That has been a fun activity for us to share because neither one of us got to cheer for a winning team during our college years.  But lately, both the football and basketball teams have been incredible!

Earlier this week I read an article about the Baylor Bears basketball team.  Last weekend they played for the Big 12 Championship title, but unfortunately they lost.  However, the title of the article is what caught my eye - Baylor's 'Extraordinary' Season has Left Lives Changed! Lives changed?  Really?  I had to continue reading to see how a season of basketball had changed lives?  I won't go into all the details but the Bears had been having a very up and down season and after one of their losses the coach, Scott Drew, said "We may not win another game this year, and I may be a horrible coach, but if any of these guys leave without knowing Christ, that will be the real loss." Wow!  In a world where the focus is usually on winning and earthily things this coach kept an amazing eternal perspective!

After reading this article it really challenged me.  How is my perspective?   Is it on earthly things or eternal things?  Who am I around that doesn't know Christ?  Am I doing all that I can to share the word and change lives?  Or am I too focused on things that really don't matter?

It's so easy to get caught up in ourselves and our families and other things, even good things.  But if we are missing opportunities to share the gospel and grow the kingdom of God then the things that take our focus off of God are not even good things.  Often times I think we rationalize that most people around us are Christians and we don't need to worry about sharing the gospel.  Unfortunately, that is not true and it is becoming less true as the years go on.

Back to my Baylor Bears... As a result of this one season and one coach with an eternal perspective - 5 of these players are now new brothers in the family of God!  Amen!!  And to Coach Drew and the other members of the Baylor basketball team  I say, well done, good and faithful servants!

Kim

What the University of Virginia Prankster Can Teach Us About Genuine Christianity

I love creative thinking and a vivid imagination. I recently read an article about a fellow who used a lot of creative thinking and imagination to pull off one of the biggest sporting scams of all time! You can read about it here. In a nutshell, a University of Virginia student came up with an ingenious plan to become a part of his school's basketball program for the championship game of the ACC tournament. I will let you read most of the details but suffice it to say his plan worked beyond his wildest imagination. He was able to sit court-side, join a team huddle during the game, receive a championship t-shirt and cap and have his picture taken with the championship trophy. Danny was able to enjoy the fruits of the Cavalier's success but none of it was real and genuine. He was not really part of the team and the reward was not really his to enjoy. He had done none of the work nor made the necessary sacrifices to be a legitimate part of the program.

Playing "dress up" or "pretend" is a lot of fun when done at the right time and place. Most of us have been to a party where we dressed up in something fun for the night. I once dressed up as Elvis for a "Decade Party." I wore gold pants, white jacket and a dark wig as I portrayed Elvis in all of his 1956 glory! I had a great time that night but when I went home I took off the outfit in order to be who I really was again. Unfortunately, some folks never take the mask off and spend their entire life playing "dress up." 

One of the greatest tragedies in eternity will be those exposed as spiritual frauds. They had the look of a believer but no real faith to make them one. They talked the talk of a Christian but never walked the walk. They went to church, had Christian friends and sang in the choir but had no spiritual fellowship with Christ. These are the folks Jesus spoke of in Luke 13:37, "I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me all you workers of evil."

Make certain your faith in Jesus is genuine and not "window dressing" for your mama and friends. God is real and so is sin, hell and eternity. If you are not certain that you really know Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, find a Bible believing church and learn how you can become a Christian today!

And if you are genuinely a believer in Christ don't wear a mask when you attend church this Sunday. If you are hurting, let someone know so they can pray and minister to your need! We are human and all of us need love, prayer and help at some point. Don't deny yourself the blessing of receiving what God wants to do in your life through fellow believers!

James

Do You Want Greater Faith in Jesus?

Reading through the book of Luke today brought to mind something we see numerous times in the Gospel...the preeminence of faith! Faith is to believe and trust what we know to be true. All of the Christian life centers upon faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The just shall live their life by faith (Romans 1:17). We are saved by God's grace through our faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). And here is the encouraging word for the day...faith can increase within us through the hearing of the Word of God (Romans 10:17). It is in hearing the truth about Jesus Christ that faith is awakened in us. This leads to a question...Do you want more faith? Ultimately we know faith is a gift from God but to know this gift is realized through hearing the truth about Christ is great encouragement. You can receive the gift of faith if you will. For some this will mean a new relationship with Christ. For others this will mean renewal and a deeper walk with God than ever known before. What will your answer be to the invitation? Will you have greater faith in God? Then read the Word! Hear the Word of God and let the truth of Jesus Christ change your heart and grow your faith!

Take some time to open the word of God during this Lenten season and watch your faith grow!

James

My Hope For You This Lenten Season

When Lent begins I am generally asked by my more "traditional" Baptist friends, "Why would you dare celebrate that "Catholic" thing called Lent?" I will leave it to my Catholic friends (of which I have many) to defend their own ideas about this sacred and ancient time of year. I am quite certain each group of Christians have their own nuance to add to the season. As a Baptist I believe Lent is a wonderful opportunity for renewal and revival; a time to consider God's grace, love and mercy. Lent is a time to pray, fast and seek the face of God while looking forward to the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord at Easter!

I hope you will take the time to celebrate Lent with me this year. I hope you will fast from food at least one day a week and use the time you would have eaten to instead pray and meditate upon God's Word. I hope you will be more intentional about your prayer life and time in God's Word. I hope you will diligently seek God and believe He will reward you for so doing (Hebrews 11:6)!

As protestants, and Baptists in particular, we have "40 Days of Purpose" along with a myriad of other special "seasons" of church life. Who of us hasn't been, or should I say endured, an "Arise and Build" type capital campaign? While each of these "seasons" has a raison d'être how can we begrudge ourselves the opportunity for an even greater blessing during Lent? Don't miss out on your chance for a fresh start through spiritual renewal during this Lenten Season of 2014!

Pastor James

Die Right So You Might LIve Right!

Are you dying and living the right way? Many are dying to please God and missing out on how good life in Christ is meant to be. There are many believers and unbelievers alike who are literally giving up their life one piece at a time in vain effort to win God's favor. Unfortunately, they have either forgotten or never learned that God has already (in spite of us) decided to like, favor and love us. He demonstrated such a heart through the Cross of Christ. Jesus did not choose to die for our sins because of anything we could ever do to win his favor! Jesus chose to die for our sins because He first chose to love us. His choice had nothing to do with us or what we could ever do for Him. Now...will you avail yourself of God's choice by placing faith in Him for your life? This question is not only for unbelievers but is also a very pertinent one for legalistic Christians. Instead of killing yourself to please God through right behavior will you instead die to self effort and vain attempts to win God's favor? Will you live by grace through faith in Him? Start dying right so you might live right today!

James

There Can Be No Justice When The Church is Totally Separated From The State

I hope (expectation of good) and I pray (demonstrating my dependence upon God) for a better America (the country of my birth). Does this make me a good Christian, patriotic one or both? Does it make me a better or lesser Christian to care what happens to a particular nation among the family of many? What place does nationalism have in the church? The question is a pertinent one as our world becomes a smaller place and our faith increasingly challenged by culture and government. Perhaps a better question is, should we consider ourselves "American Christians" or simply "Christians" without moniker identifying us by our geography or land of birth?

It has always bothered me to see an American flag in the sanctuary of a church. My angst has nothing to do with feelings for country; I am a proud American. My negative emotions arise from the identification of God with a particular nation or people. After all, God loved Russians during the cold war, Germans during World War II and even the Red Coats of the American Revolution. Didn't He? 

Certainly we claim no monopoly on the salvation, love or grace of the Christ. God could be said to be both multinational as well as multi-cultural. This is why an American flag in the sanctuary seems a misplaced demonstration of national pride and passion. Our founding fathers (yes they were all men) strongly opposed the idea of a national church. Their wisdom led to the establishment of the idea of separation of church and state. These men wanted the state out of the church. They had seen the abuses and great difficulties such arrangements created in the "Old World" and wanted no part of such in the new one. However, they understood the importance of faith in the public square. Specifically, they understood the necessity of a strong church presence within the affairs of state. George Washington stated the following in his farewell address of 1796, 

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Religion, more specifically, Christianity, is absolutely vital to the continued good health of our nation. If we come to the place where we no longer recognize Christianity as the moral conscience of our people, all petitions for God's blessing will be in vain. One cannot depart God's moral counsel and at the same time enjoy His bountiful blessing. Discipline awaits those who spurn the counsel of God Almighty.

Unfortunately, our secular culture has pressured the church into abdicating its intended function in affairs of state. Popular culture and political pressure have intimidated the church and her people to the point of submission. No longer is the champion of righteousness taking her rightful place at the table of ideas. Christians are told to keep their beliefs personal and out of the public square. The result of this capitulation has been tragic. What we are experiencing today is nothing short of God's discipline or judgement upon a nation which has spurned His moral law.

God help us repent! There is no justice nor prosperity for a nation whose God is anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ.

James  

"Watch One Hour" -- One Hour With God Each Day in June!

A vast majority of people, Christian and non Christian alike, champion the idea that "prayer makes a difference." But, statisticians and their surveys tell us people pray very little.  "An Ellis Research survey for Facts & Trends finds just 16% of pastors are very satisfied with their personal prayer lives, 47% are somewhat satisfied, 30% somewhat dissatisfied and 7% very dissatisfied. Their median amount of prayer time per day is 30 minutes. During that time, a typical pastor spends 12 minutes with prayer requests, 8 in quiet time, 7 giving thanks, 7 more in praise, and 5 confessing sin. The top 5 things they pray for are individual congregation member’s needs, congregation’s spiritual health, wisdom in leading church, spiritual growth for church, and personal spiritual growth." (Facts & Trends 5/6/05) If these are the statistics for those in positions of spiritual leadership, we might expect the same or less from those sitting under their leadership. In general, people pray very little. 

Why are we not praying more? Perhaps we don't know the power of prayer? Perhaps we diminish the genuine value of the opportunity to have a relationship with God? Perhaps we are just lazy? Perhaps we lack faith in God? Whatever the reason for our prayer-less-ness, we must admit our life would benefit greatly if we prayed more. Why don't we find out how much our life might be changed by a stronger prayer life and a closer walk with God! Let's start praying!

Beginning June 1st I am challenging every believer I know to take a challenge called "Watch One Hour." This is a challenge to spend at least one hour in prayer everyday for 30 days. There are 30 days in June so this is an easy time frame to wrap your mind around! 

Will you join me in prayer? Your hour in prayer might be all in one sitting, 15 minutes four times each day or 10 minutes six times each day. However you break it down just make sure you are with Christ for at least 60 minutes everyday! Your life will be changed!

James

The Importance of Christian Leadership: The Lessons of Benghazi, IRS and AP Scandals

Benghazi, IRS, AP, the three together spell trouble for our nation. To quote Jeremiah Wright, "America's chickens have come home to roost." I quote Wright in jest but his words are true if applied to the context of our current day. America is now reaping the consequences of the gross secularization of her culture and abandonment of Judeo-Christian morality. Once a nation removes God from the public square it is left to the devices of sinful human nature. The government of the United States is attempting to operate in a secular vacuum void of religious influences; a democracy can never survive such an environment. The success of any Democracy, government by the people and for the people, is completely dependent upon the influence of those who know and follow Christ. Democracy needs the leadership of those who are devoted to Jesus Christ.

One misconception of modern man is the idea people are generally "good" when in fact the exact opposite is the case. Certainly I could give a long list of examples and evidence to back up the claim of this assertion but the actions and attitude of any two year old sufficiently makes the point. People are born with a sin nature; a sin nature which makes them selfish, self seeking and incapable of pleasing God. This gross combination eventually produces very bad things in the life of the individual, family and community at large. Selfish, unrighteous people are incapable of governing in a way which provides for the greater good of the people they govern. Inevitably, irreligious, Godless men and women will lead a people to corruption and judgment as they selfishly seek their own good to the detriment of the greater good.

Character matters! Without leaders who have repented of past sin and committed themselves to a better, more righteous future, our nation is doomed to failure. The lesson of today's scandals is simply this: Government must stay out of the church but the church must interject itself into the state. The government needs the moral leadership of Christ followers.

Does God Have An Opinion On Same Sex Marriage?

Does God care if two men "marry" one another? Is it even possible for such a union to "be" a "marriage?" How can the church address the issue of same sex marriage without raising the issue of homosexuality above all other sin? The current debate in our culture over same sex marriage has left the church with several important questions to answer.

To the first question, yes God does care if two men or two women "marry" one another. How can I be sure of His interest? Because God has very clearly set forth what actually constitutes a marriage in Genesis 2. In this passage, God created the institution of marriage when He joined Adam and Eve together as "one flesh." He made them "one" both spiritually, emotionally and physically. The physical part had to do with the design of their bodies but the emotional and spiritual "oneness" was no less by design. God designed men and women to be joined into a "oneness" demonstrated in the institution of marriage. So does God care if two men attempt a similar union? Considering God's original design the answer is a resounding yes! God is opinionated when it comes to the "debate" concerning same sex marriage and His opinion, simply put, is no way!

This begs the question, "Can a "marriage" between two people of the same sex even exist at all?" If God has defined marriage as a relationship between man and woman, can a relationship between two people of the same sex ever be actually defined as a marriage? If man defines "marriage" then we have a very subjective institution which allows each successive generation opportunity to tweak and redefine. But, if God defines what constitutes marriage, we have an objective, eternal standard by which all generations are judged. According to the God of Christianity there is no such thing as a "same sex marriage." Such a union of two individuals might be called many things but marriage isn't one of them.

So how should the church respond to the current debate concerning same sex marriage? In order to find our answer we must reacquaint ourselves with a simple precept by which all moral questions should be addressed: Does the thought, word or deed in question miss God's mark? Sin, as defined in the original Greek language, means to "miss the mark." We must search the Scriptures for God's "targeted behavior" and determine whether the issue in question misses His defined "mark." God's "target" for marriage is one man and one woman in a committed, lifelong, monogamous relationship. So any other attempted union, whether between two people of the same sex or multiple people of both sexes, misses God's intended purpose for marriage. We must be the mouthpiece for God's word on the subject. We must proclaim the truth in love. We must stand for Biblical marriage and against any attempt to redefine this God ordained institution.

An Aside: 
Sexual sin is simply sin whether it be homosexual or heterosexual in nature. One type of sin is no uglier than the next. The homosexual who repents of his or her sin is a "sinner saved by God's grace" just as much as any other repentant sinner. The unrepentant adulterer or glutton is no less a sinner than the unrepentant homosexual. Too often the church has made homosexual people feel they are a special class of sinner. We have often been found hateful, unloving, uncaring and obnoxious toward those who struggle with same sex attractions. We must end our prejudice. No sinner and no category of sin is worse than any other. 

On the flip side, if you are homosexual and reading this post, we in the Christian community would appreciate it if you would cease being hateful yourself. Calling us names and treating us less than human makes it more of a challenge to love you. We are not going to acquiesce to your demands. We are not going to abandon or deny our faith, so stop demanding that we do so. If we can treat you with love and respect while disagreeing with your choice of lifestyle please attempt to do the same for us.

The bottom line: 
I have friends who are gay and we will continue to disagree on the subject of same sex marriage. However, there may be things upon which we can agree and find common cause. I will always fight for the dignity of every human being. I will pray and care for all people regardless of who they may be or their life choices. 

Christ's command to love has no preconditions and no qualifiers. As believers in Christ we should consider what this means in reference to those whom so many have chosen to marginalize and despise.

A genuine follower of Christ must always speak the truth in love. So believers in Christ must speak: God defines marriage not man. If the government wishes to allow people of the same sex to enter into a contractual relationship with one another for legal purposes and call it marriage there is little we as Christ followers can do to stop it. However, regardless what the rulers of our day might think or say, God's mark for what constitutes genuine marriage will never change. Genuine marriage will always be what God has said it is: One man and one woman united by God in a monogamous, life long, committed relationship.

What Can Christians Do For Boston?

What can we do to help the hurting in Boston? We can pray. Prayer is our weapon of warfare and balm of healing. Prayer is our privilege and opportunity to both know the mind of God and move the hand of God. Prayer is the ability to depend upon a power higher than our own. Prayer is powerful. We can send money, offer condolences, sing songs and observe a moment of silence but nothing can compare to the hope and help of God's people when they pray.

"God, you are holy, powerful and kind beyond our imagination. Your love has no end and is completely incomprehensible. You are above all powers; You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. You are God and we are not. We approach you with humility and ask for Your strong intervention on behalf of those living in Boston who today grieve, hurt and find themselves filled with anxiety. We do not know all the ways to pray for the hurting and simply ask for You to do what You know to do for them. Restore faith where it has been shaken and remind those who doubt of both Your existence and Your love."

In Jesus name we pray,
Amen 

God is Good All The TIme!

"God is good, all the time, He put a song of praise in this heart of mine. God is good, all the time!" These words, from a popular chorus of a few years ago, sum up the way I feel this morning. God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good!

Often folks judge the goodness of God in subjective fashion based upon their current circumstances. God is good when things are going "well." When things are not so "well" God is determined to be "absent" or some other sanitized word used when questioning the goodness of the Almighty. Such temptations to judgment should humble us. How dare we question the goodness of the infinitely good God? How dare we question the righteousness of Jehovah based upon some momentary hardship? Job learned such wisdom in a very hard way I hope none of us must endure! God is righteous and good all the time!

Look around you today, regardless of any momentary hardships, and give thanks for the goodness of a God who promises to love and be faithful to you. God created you and continues to give grace for life. Regardless of what you face today, God is still in His Heaven, still sovereign, still loves you and is always good! 

James

Should Protestants Celebrate Lent? (A Response to SWBTS and Dr Thomas White)

I am protestant and I celebrate Lent. There I said it, the cat is out of the bag. Whew! I say this tongue in cheek because many protestants, including apparently SWBTS and Dr Thomas White seem to be under the false assumption it is wrong to observe Lent. Dr White wrote an article in support of his viewpoint here. I find his arguments very shortsighted and disturbing for a number of reasons and hope to use his article to contrast such a view with my own. I discovered Lent almost 20 years ago and it has been greatly used of God in my life. Lent can be a wonderful positive in our life (even as protestants) if we redeem it as such. After all, did we not coop the celebration of the Winter Solstice in order to place a date on Christmas? Could we not coop a traditional celebration of much less ignoble birth in order to prepare our hearts for revival and the majesty of Easter?

Lent has been around a very long time, at least since the 4th century. The purpose of Lent is to prepare the believer in Christ for Easter. Traditionally such preparation is made through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial. As Baptists, we do not practice penance because we believe Jesus completely paid for our sins on the Cross negating the need for such. We do believe in prayer, repentance, giving and fasting so the rest of what constitutes a traditional observance of Lent is well within the theological fellowship in which we Baptists do life together. 

Dr White states in his article he does not celebrate Lent because he is not Catholic. However, many protestant denominations celebrate Lent and have done so since the Reformation. Dr White's mention of Martin Luther's 95 Theses as support for his own choice to forgo Lent is weak and without scholarly merit. Luther actually said, "Lent, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week shall be retained, not to force anyone to fast, but to preserve the Passion history and the Gospels appointed for that season" (LW 53:90). I sincerely mean no animus toward Dr Thomas but his argument is porous and misleading. Protestants, even Luther, have celebrated Lent since the time of the reformation itself.

Dr White says Lent is a "man-made" religious exercise and he has freedom in Christ from such "bondage." So does this mean we are to consider Rick Warren's "40 Days of Purpose" a man-made legalistic exercise without any merit for those living under grace? This is a straw man argument at best. Just because a practice is old doesn't mean it was created by "Judaizers." Lent is no more legalistic than any special emphasis a church might undertake as a part of its spiritual life.

Dr White concludes his argument against Lent with the statement he "doesn't need to tell anyone when he is fasting." I agree personal times of fasting and prayer should be done in a humble state which often requires one to keep the practice to him or herself. However, Scripture is full of public, called fasts. This point of argument against Lent is without any Scriptural merit.

I am not picking on Dr White this morning but I do think his article is a great tool for discussion. Many folks fear Lent simply because of its ancient origins and association with the Catholic church. There is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater! We split from Catholics over a myriad of theological issues which have Scriptural merit but Lent is not one of them. We need not lose something so wonderful as Advent, Lent or even the celebration of Pentecost. Luther himself championed the inclusion of such observances in the faith and practice of the Body of Christ. Lent is a time for spiritual inventory, confession and renewal. Lent is a time for spiritual renewal and revival as we look forward to Easter and the celebration of all Jesus did to make opportunity for us to be right with Him. Don't miss out on Lent and the blessing such an observance can bring to your life!

James

Saturday Night Live Djesus and The Coming Persecution of the American Church

Sometimes surfing the net can be a real downer. This morning I watched a blasphemous video Saturday Night Live recently broadcast and MSNBC mock and malign Christians. Of course I am regularly bombarded by politicians (who in many cases claim to be followers of Christ) who do their very best to secularize the culture and marginalize the Christian faith. While all of this goes on the church yawns (when it is awake at all) and ignores the persecution awaiting believers just over the horizon.

I have often heard prayers lifted in worship services which thank God for a free country in which to worship Him. I wonder if those lifting such prayers know or even remotely appreciate the words they pray. Freedom, and more specifically the freedom to worship, is a very fragile thing. Most of the earth live under governments which seek to control religion and expressions of faith within their borders. In the United States we say we believe such a freedom to be our birthright. I wonder if we have forgotten the sacrifices which won the realization of such a right. God gave Americans the freedom to worship Him through the blood, sweat, tears and travail of many, many people who have gone before us.

Religious persecution is coming to the United States unless there is a revival of faith in our country. The current slide from a culture which revered Christianity to one which reviles it is only picking up speed. The media, government and popular culture are doing all they can to intensify the prejudice against Biblical Christianity. The recent Saturday Night Live skit is just a drop in the barrel of what is going on all around us everyday. Our own president disallowed a pastor from giving the invocation at his inauguration because he actually believed certain passages in the Bible were true.

I intend to write more on this topic during the week. For the time being I hope you will begin to pray for a genuine revival of Biblical Christianity in our country. Apart from a real, genuine move of God's Holy Spirit the church will soon find itself under persecution never before seen in our country.

James

Suggestions for Lent 2013

Lent is here! What are you doing to observe this 40 day opportunity for spiritual "reset?" Our church family is fasting and praying together on Wednesdays. We also are worshipping together on Sunday evenings; not a usual occurrence during the year. Personally I am seeking to be more diligent to seek God through prayer and meditation on the Bible. Through all of this both I and my church family are seeking a renewed relationship with Christ and subsequently a renewed relationship with others.

Jesus told us we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. He also said we are to love our neighbor as ourself. If we do the former we will necessarily do the latter; to love God is to love those whom God loves. As much as we want to love both God and others, it is very easy to allow our love to grow cold over the course of our hectic lives. If this is where you find yourself I encourage you to observe Lent this year and seek a "reset" with regard to your walk with God. One of the wonderful things about the church calendar is the opportunity it affords change to be an intentional part of our life. Don't miss out on this important season in the life of both you and the church!

Suggestions for Lent:

1. Wake up 30 minutes early for a time of prayer

2. Start a new Bible reading plan (Youversion on the iPhone is a great place to find one!)

3. Attend special worship and prayer services at your church

4. Fast and pray one day a week 

5. Begin an intentional plan to share your faith with at least one person everyday

James

What is Lent???

Ash Wednesday and Lent are here! I can hardly believe it is time to type those words as it seems Advent happened only moments ago. The clock keeps ticking and thankfully we are here to hear it! So what is Lent? How can we celebrate it? And why should we celebrate it? I am going to give you the condensed and some might argue protestant version; I believe the following may help the Lenten season become a significant part of your spiritual life.

Lent is the 40 days preceding Easter Sunday. For those of you numbering the days, we do not count Sundays when tallying the length of Lent. These are days in which to examine one's conscience and ask God to reveal any and all unconfessed, un-repented of sin in our life so we might repent. It is a time for reflection and spiritual "housecleaning." To put it in old school terms, Lent is a time for revival and renewal. Lent is a time to get right with God and consider the price Christ paid to make a way possible for us to do so.

Often people will give up or take on something as a part of their Lenten devotions. Such a practice is great if it is something which will help point us to God. Anything we can give up or add which helps us better prioritize and enjoy our relationship with God is a good thing regardless of the time of year. Scripture admonishes us to fast and we should do so often!

Tonight is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season for 2013. This particular day is a time to reflect upon our mortality and subsequent hopelessness if not for the death and resurrection of Christ.

I hope you will find a church to worship with and celebrate the gift of Jesus this Lenten season!

James

Love Love Love!

Thought this was a great follow up to yesterday's post. Is just under two minutes long and has a great message to consider as you start your day today.

James

Radical Love Isn't So Radical It's Just Biblical

Most of the time what we call "Radical Love" is really just good old "Biblical Love." We refer to it as radical because it is much more than anything commonly experienced or given. Biblical love is complete abandonment of self for another. Jesus demonstrated this kind of love for us when He went to the Cross for our sins. How could He be any more "selfless" than to offer His life in our place? He suffered the curse, wrath and death due us for what WE had done in rebellion against God! 

Often, we consider the love of Jesus and give ourselves a pass from the responsibility to love likewise. Yet nowhere in Scripture do we find a permissive statement which allows anything less than complete love of God and the resultant love for others. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." In each command, the Greek word translated into English as "love" is "Agape." This type of love is both defined and illustrated best when we look to the Cross of Jesus. "Agape" is the complete giving of oneself. God desires, even expects, each of us to completely give ourself to Him and in turn love others with the same kind of love He demonstrated when He went on the Cross. The ability to love others this way happens when we first love God in the way He desires from us. 

Will you choose Biblical love today?

James 

Super Bowl and "Old Man's Disease"

The Super Bowl is behind us and with it another year of football. I am a big fan of the game although not as much as in years past. Some of my excitement for the game has faded in the face of millionaires who often seem far more in love with themselves than the game they play. "Team" is a loose moniker now days, applying only to names on the collective payroll of a billionaire owner. I long for the days when football possessed a bit more purity and passion. Those were better days in which the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys sold life insurance in the off season to make a living. And today I suffer from "Old Man's Disease," a longing for something from the past which seems in many ways so much better than its counterpart in the present.

I suppose there are a number of folks sitting in the pew each Sunday who also suffer from "Old Man's Disease." Often we long for something in our past whether it be a particular hymn, preacher or sanctuary which made us feel great passion and excitement for God and our faith in Him. Some of these "jewels of the past" can occasionally be recaptured but others are now forever consigned to our memory. Thank God for those the things in our history which inspired us to greater faith in Christ! Yet, isn't it good to know we are not dependent upon people, things or methods for the vitality of our faith? Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Aren't you excited for what God has in store for your future? If He could inspire you with so much goodness in the past just imagine what He has planned next!

James