Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

Life is a stage...

This morning I was at Productions, Unlimited picking up a bulb for a spotlight at the church, and I saw a sign they had above one of the doors that read, "If life is a stage, I want better lighting." For those of you who don't know, Productions Unlimited specializes in stage lighting, so that makes sense. On a different level, though, don't we all feel like this sometimes? Don't we all wish that we could have better lighting to see more of what is in front of us and to our left and right? I know I do. The truth is, however, that we usually don't get the chance to see what's any farther than one step ahead of us.
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." A light to my feet, not to what is in front of my feet, but on my feet. God gives us just enough to take the next step. Just enough for us to say, "Okay, I'm taking this step of faith, and I'll deal with the next step when I get there." I think there are a couple of reasons God works this way, although I'm sure I could never figure out exactly why God does anything the way He does, because He is God and I am not. Anyway, if we knew the ten steps, or five steps, or even the next two steps, then the next step wouldn't require faith, because we'd know what was coming. Another reason, I think, is because if God were to show us just what He has in store for us, we'd freak out. He has so much more planned for us than we could even imagine, so He shows us just enough for us to get moving in faith toward the goals that He has already placed on us.
Here's a challenge for you: sometime in the future, when you're in a very safe area, take a walk at night where there aren't any street lights, and take a flashlight with you, but only shine the flashlight at your feet, so you can only see where the next step will take you. I used to do this in college and at Awanita to remind me that God will show me the next step, but very seldom will I get to see what is beyond that. (If you don't live in a safe place, then turn all the lights out in your home and do this.)

May you, today, rely on God to show you your next step, and believe that He will guide you to the one after that when the time is right. Remember, faith in God results in action.

Vacation

Sarah and I are taking a few days off, so I won't be blogging for a few days (not a surprise, I'm sure). If I don't get back before the 25th, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

SOnTheM 14

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." Matthew 5:21-22

The phrase "you have heard that it was said" refers to the things which the people had been taught their whole lives. When Jesus says "but I tell you," He isn't saying that they were taught wrong, that is to say, that the Old Testament Law was wrong and He is right, but rather that the people took the Law far too literally and did not apply the principles from it to other areas of their lives. Jesus already stated that He was not there to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), so why would He contradict the Law? He wouldn't. He was simply giving a new interpretation of the Law, which is, of course, the correct interpretation.
Just like in our society, a murderer would be tried and face the judgment of the court. Jesus states that anyone who is angry is also subject to judgment, but how can a jury decide whether a person is guilty of being angry? This fact points to the idea that the judgment is the judgment of God, not of men. The important fact is that "the root of murder is anger, and anger is murderous in principle" (Expositor's Commentary). Refraining from murdering someone may keep you out of prison, but harboring anger and bitterness towards someone is known by God, and His judgment awaits that person.
Remember that your heart is what God is concerned with, and your actions will follow your heart.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Revisited

My face was melted off. This was the best I could do to replace it.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra was totally awesome last night! Put it this way, a six-piece band, including two keyboards and two lead guitars, plus an eight person string group, plus an eight person vocal group, all standing on one stage. Eighty speakers, not including subs, and more lights than can be counted. Add to that the fact that there were flames coming out behind stage, and you’ve got the rockingest show ever! The light racks hanging from the roof even moved, so that the lights for every song were different. I remember thinking at one point that everything but the stage moved, but then at the end, part of the stage rose 25 feet into the air. If you include the 9000 people that were there, of all different ages, it was a night one could never forget. Totally awesome!

Trans-Siberian Orchestra!!!

Tonight Sarah and I, along with our friends Jim and Sara Thompson, are going to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Bi-Lo Center. We are both SUPER PUMPED! It's going to be a rawkin good time. As I told Jim on the phone yesterday, we're going to have to bring trash bags and something to scoop with, because our faces are going to be melted off and laying in a heap on the floor by the end of the night. Tomorrow I'll let ya know how it was, and mock those of you who didn't go. Until then, check out this video of the TSO performing Christmas Canon Rock.

SOnTheM 13

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20

The Law, in case you aren’t sure, refers to the Levitical Law found in the five books of the Bible. It is what God gave to Moses way back in the day after the Israelites escaped from Egypt (of course, men added to the Law and seemed to turn it into a list of do’s and don’t’s which were to be followed). What was the purpose of the Law? Was it so that we could do everything in it and then be righteous? NO! The purpose of the Law was to show us that we CAN’T do everything in it to be called righteous. The purpose of the Law was to show men that God would have to intervene for them to have a relationship with Him.
Does that mean that Jesus first coming should remove the Law? Jesus said it doesn’t meant that at all. He was saying the Law will stand until “everything is accomplished.” That could refer to everything concerning the life of Jesus, His birth, life, death, and resurrection, or, I think, it could refer to more things to come—that is, the end of days. I could see the argument for both sides of that. However, one thing is certain, the Law was not removed simply because the Messiah had arrived. The Law was still very important, as Jesus goes on to talk about further in the chapter, only He expounds on the spirit of the Law, instead of setting rigid rules based on the letter of the Law.

Today, may you know that the Law proves that you cannot be righteous without Christ, and that Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for you, so that you would not be subject to the Law of Moses, but to the grace of Jesus Christ.

SOnTheM 12

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-6

Funny how here Jesus says that His followers are the light of the world, and in John 8:12 he says that He is the Light of the world. Do we take the place of Christ? Of course not! Remember how we learned way back when that the moon does not shine its own light, but reflects the light of the sun? I think that’s sort of what this means. We reflect the Light of Christ through our lives, and thus illuminate the lives of others. Christ chooses to use us as His vessels to reveal the Light to others. What a privilege!
Have you ever been in a room so dark that if you lit a match, it wouldn’t light up at least part of the room? No, you haven’t. In fact, you could really define darkness as the absence of light. With this is mind, we are called to light the darkness of the world, and the very fact that there are Christ-followers here means that it is not completely dark and that there is some way for non-followers to see the Light of Christ.

May you live as Christ lives and love as Christ loves, and, in that way, you will be the light of the world.

Sidenote

Just a sidenote: my wife is awesome. Just thought I'd share.

SOnTheM 11

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salt again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Matthew 5:13

Salt is common substance. In Jesus' time, it was even more common, because they used it for much more than we use it for today. It was used to flavor foods (as it is today), as a preservative, and even as a fertilizer. Salt slowed decay in meat, so it was used with food to make it last longer. Looking at this from a chemistry standpoint, salt cannot lose its saltiness. It will always be salty. The way they got salt back then, however, could result in a salty residue which was not useful for anything. Anyway, you and I, as Christ-followers, are called to a purpose. In fact, the very fact that we are Christ-followers gives us this purpose. So, if we are not fulfilling our purpose, then we are doing no good, and should be (although God is merciful and forgiving and loving and often chooses not to do so) thrown out...to the wolves of this world.

Therefore, retain your saltiness! Fulfill the purpose for which you were created. And remember...SALT IRRITATES!!!

SOnTheM 10

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Rejoice! Be glad! Rejoice, Oh My Soul! The world hates me because I love Christ and want to follow Him! What a blessed place to be! I am in good company, for all those who have sought my God with all their hearts have been in the same place, persecuted for His sake.

Stand strong. Keep the faith. The road will be hard, but you will receive your reward. Run to win.

SOnTheM 09

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10

It may seem counterintuitive, but it is natural that those who seek to make peace become those who are persecuted. I've noticed that, in human nature, people love and cherish their hate. They love hate so much, that they are willing to go to great ends to stop those who proclaim that hate is wrong and love is right. Think about it. Haven't almost all great peacemakers of all time been killed and not died of old age, as you would expect of someone who seeks to make no enemies, but to love all? Crazy, huh? True righteousness, which is the basis of this persecution, is convicting to others, regardless of what the righteous person does or says, even if they never do or say anything against the convicted person.

Again, your reward is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Go forth into your world, and as you create peace, be prepared to be persecuted for it, and be willing to persecuted, and know that it is Christ in you who is persecuted, and not you yourself. Be glad, therefore, that Christ has chosen you to be persecuted for His sake.

SOnTheM 08

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9

The word peacemaker immediately brings to mind a scene from Back to the Future III, where a gun salesman tells Marty (Michael J. Fox) that he wants the gun that kills Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen to be a Colt Peacemaker. Funny, isn't it? Naming a gun a peacemaker. Making peace by killing violent men.
God's ideas are always greater than ours. His peace does not involve killing violent men, but by sowing seeds of peace in the lives of those men. Instead of killing them, we should win them with love. These seeds of peace can be huge gestures or seemingly meaningless actions, but somehow they help someone find peace - peace with themselves, with others, and with God.

"And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:18

Hmmm...peace promotes righteousness, and the righteous are the ones who make peace, so they are the ones who sow the seed of peace. Vicious circles anyone?

The sons of God will imitate Christ, the Son of God. They will not be the Savior of the world, but they will be the saviors in peoples lives as they help others to find and to make peace. They will be Jesus with skin on. By the way, sons don't do anything to become sons. They just are sons. And just because they are sons, they are heirs, and to be an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven is a great thing.

Go! Make peace!

SOnTheM 07

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

Purity: - without blemish or flaw; - 100%; - nothing there but what should be there
The reward for being pure in heart is that you shall see God. How can anyone SEE God? First off, He isn't a physical being, yet He is all-powerful and can allow people to see physical manifestations of Himself. Moses cried out to see the glory of God (not God Himself), and God replied, "You cannot see my face, for no man can see me and live" (Exodus 33:20). But then, because God desires to shower gifts upon His children, He allowed Moses to see HIS BACK!!!

The pure in heart refers both to inner moral purity and a heart wholly and completely committed to the Kingdom of God. Each of these is necessary for the other to exist. Without one, the other will not be.

May you be pure in heart. May you commit yourself totally and completely to following Christ and living your life to the standards He set forth - not moral codes of conduct, but live by Faith, Hope, and Love.

SOnTheM 06

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7

The object of this mercy is not specific because this mercy is universal, regardless of the situation. Max Lucado wrote "Without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left." Are you harboring bitterness towards another? Have you been merciful and forgiving? I find that most of the time I can't say that I have been. Most of the time, even if it just goes on in my heart and head, it is hard to forgive someone...I mean to truly forgive them. It's hard to totally, completely, be merciful to others regardless of the circumstances. I think this goes back to the steps that these beatitudes show: once you have admitted that you are poor in spirit, are mournful over your sins and others, long for true righteousness, then you will be able to be merciful, for then you will more concerned with the state of the other person's heart than the state of your pride and the pain you've felt. The meek are the merciful. Being meek means admitting that you are a sinner; being merciful means having compassion because you understand that others are sinners, too. Does that ring a bell with anyone else? It does with me.

Your reward for being merciful is that you will receive mercy. Sometimes others will give you mercy, and sometimes they won't, but God will always be merciful to those who are merciful.

May you be merciful today. Better yet, may you seek out ways to be merciful, even to those who have done you no harm, and may God shower his mercy on you even more than He has already done.

SOnTheM 05

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6

Hunger and thirst show desire. Not just a deep longing, but a deep, heartfelt need. Righteousness is a spiritual need as necessary to the soul as food and water are to the body. Obviously, none of is actually righteous in and of ourselves (Romans 3:10). This means that the desire for righteousness is insatiable...that is, it cannot be satisfied by our own means. Then again, Genesis 15:6 talks about Abraham in this way: "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." So, does this mean that our faith in Christ, which credits us with righteousness, satisfies our deep longing for righteousness? Yes and no. Yes, it is the only way we can be called righteous. No, because it is the fact that we are called righteous that causes us to strive to live lives of righteousness.

The reward for hungering and thirsting for righteousness: you WILL be filled. You will be counted among the righteous.

May you long for, from the very depth of your soul, righteousness. Not for the sake of piety, but for the sake of loving your God. And may you be satisfied.

Summerville Is Going To State

Summerville High School (my alma mater) beat Gaffney last night, which means they're heading to the state championship next weekend to face Byrnes. I know Byrnes is a major powerhouse team and that they've been nationally ranked several years running, but I've been waiting for several years to see a showdown between Summerville and Byrnes. It's going to be a good game.

GO GREENWAVE!!!

SOnTheM 04

"Blessed are the gentle (meek), for they shall inherit the earth."

My wife defines meekness as strength under control. It's one thing when we admit our shortcomings before God, but it seems to be totally different when others point out our shortcomings (whether they do so with love in their hearts or not). Being gentle or meek in those situations is key. Being able to keep our hearts and minds focused when we are confronted with our own failures is harder than most accomplishments we will make. If you are meek, you will not automatically go on the defensive, as so many of us (I'm at the top of the list) are apt to do.

LaGuardia airport is one of the major airports in New York City. It is named for Fiorello Henry LaGuardia, the mayor of New York during World War II and the Great Depression. He was said to rule New York with an iron fist in a velvet glove. Pontificate that for a little while, and then you'll have some idea of gentleness.

The reward for being gentle is to inherit the earth.
"What would you like for Christmas little boy?"
"I'd like the whole planet."
"Okay."

May you be gentle today. May you react to others with meekness, and may you inherit the earth for doing so.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everybody (all 4 of you who read this). Remember that all good things come from the Father of Lights!

SOnTheM 03

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

This mourning is not the type of mourning you experience at a funeral. This is mourning over sin, over both your personal sin and our corporate sin as a community, nation, and world. The beginning of following Christ was to admit that without Him we cannot accomplish anything. This takes it up a notch. To mourn is to feel sorrow when you turn from God, who provides everything. That's sorrow, not guilt. Everyone experiences guilt from time to time. Sorrow, however, is rooted much deeper and effects every part of you. To mourn over your sins is to forget your own image, to stop caring what people think about you and to cry out to the Lord.
The reward for mourning over you sins: you shall be comforted. What a blessing it is when you're mourning and someone comforts you. How much greater is it when God comforts you. And remember, we are comforted so that we may in turn comfort others with the comfort we have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

May you mourn today, and rest in God's comfort.

SonTheM 02

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

Matthew recorded eight beatitudes given by Jesus. Beatitudes were not a new idea, though. They were rooted in poetry and wisdom literature (like Psalms and Proverbs). However, what Jesus mentioned as beatitudes are not at all what people in that time would have expected.
These beatitudes build on each other. It's kind of like an 8-step program. Unfortunately, though, you can't just walk through the steps once and be a great follower of Christ. Each of these is a day-to-day act.

The word poor here means "beggerly poor." The same word is used to describe Jesus in 2 Corinthians 8:9. To be poor in spirit has nothing to do with earthly treasures and wealth, but rather means that you have confidence in God alone. If you're poor in spirit, then you have acknowledged that you are spiritually bankrupt and that only through God's provision can you accomplish anything. Basically, it's admitting that you have nothing to offer God that He doesn't already have access to, and that it is only by His grace that you live day to day.
The reward for being poor in spirit is having the kingdom of heaven. This is present tense. That means that we HAVE the kingdom of heaven, not that we will receive the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is an already-not yet concept. It's already here as Christ reigns in the lives of His followers, but it hasn't come in its entirety yet.

May you be poor today. May you know that without God, nothing is possible. And may the kingdom of heaven be active in your life today as you allow Christ to reign in you.

SOnTheM 01

"Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:"
Matthew 5:1-2

Jesus went up on the mountainside and he sat down. Why would he sit down to teach? Wouldn't it make more sense for him to stand up so that his disciples could see him? Yes, I guess it does make more sense, looking at it from a Western perspective. In Jesus time, the teacher/rabbi sat down, while the people stood up. Sitting was a sign of authority, and as you know, Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth. Who were these disciples? Just the twelve apostles and a few others. Nope. At this time, Jesus had not yet begun his teaching ministry (for the most part), and so many people were still following him because they had seen him do miracles. After this point, however, people began to see that the Way Jesus taught would be a hard one, and from this point on, even though many came to follow Jesus, many others who began following him left because they were not willing to follow his Way. The disciples mentioned here were many; this was a large group of people wanting to follow Jesus without ever hearing him teach them what it meant to follow him.

Over the next few weeks, months, etc., I am going to blog about the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and this was the opening to the Sermon on the Mount. Hopefully I'll be able to blog more frequently as I go, but stay tuned for more. Feel free to leave comments, additions to what I've said, and even leave disagreements. Thanks.

What a Week

Sorry I haven't posted anything lately. The last couple of weeks have been C-R-A-Z-Y!!! Sarah and I were planning on moving to a new apartment this past week, so we've been packing and getting everything ready. Well, we signed our lease on Tuesday, and I told the office there that the apartment needed to be fumigated before we moved our furniture in on Thursday. At that point, I had already moved numerous boxes and tubs and a table and four chairs and some other odds and ends over there. Well, we stopped by Wednesday afternoon to check on it, and nothing had been done. I have to say that even at my worst, I have never felt as bad as I did when Sarah started to cry because of the infestation problem, which seemed to be getting worse daily. Well, we took matters into our own hands and bug-bombed the apartment Wednesday. Thursday, we rented a Penske truck, took the day off from work, as well as had a couple of friends, Rich and Dustin, take off from work, to move. Sarah got to the new apartment Thursday morning and things were EVEN WORSE. After jumping through hoops and waiting all day Thursday, we managed to completely get out of our lease there, but we didn't have a place to move at the end of the month. Fortunately, my parents and Sarah's parents all came over to help us unload the moving truck Thursday evening so that we could return it and weren't paying to keep the truck while we were stuck in limbo.
Well, Friday morning we went to talk to the office at our current apartment complex, and they set us up with a nice apartment in the same complex. Whew! So, yesterday, we started moving (AGAIN) and should finally finish up this Tuesday. Man, life can be stressful sometimes, can't it? Thank goodness we have a God who knows our needs and is willing and able to supply for ALL of them.
Oh, by the way, we took a time out from moving to go to the Clemson game last night, where Clemson choked and gave away the ACC championship. What the crap!

If you don't like who you are, then become who you were created to be

Adam – wasn’t spiritual leader
Noah – drunk
Abraham – doubted God would fulfill His promises
Jacob – deceiver
King Saul – was impatient and didn’t trust in God’s timing
David – lusted, conspired, and murdered
Jeremiah – complained
Peter – hotheaded denier
Thomas – doubted
James and John – prideful
Paul – pious and suffered from at least one physical ailment
Timothy – too young and had an ulcer

Hal – all of the above

"Why would we take the worst moments in our lives and make it the defining characteristics of who were going to be forever?" - Erwin McManus

I know who I was. I was a sinner. I was dead in my transgressions. I was lost.
I am not that man any longer. The core of my being has been changed. Yes, I may screw up from time to time (sometimes I screw up more than others), but it is because I do not do what I want to do, and what I do not want to do, I do. My God has exchanged my flesh for His Spirit, and the core of who I am is centered on Him, and not on me.

"If you don't like who you are, then become who you were created to be." - Erwin McManus

The White Stone

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." - Reveleation 2:17

This is a passage from the letters to the seven churches found in the book of Revelation. This particular passage was sent to the church at Pergamum. I don't want to get into the hidden manna part, but I do want to take a moment to talk about the white stone. Why a white stone? Surely there are more precious rocks out there? Why not a diamond, or a ruby, or an emerald, or something cool-looking like that? Why a plain white stone? In Biblical times, when a person was on trial, instead of saying whether the person was innocent or guilty, the judge would use a white stone and a black stone. I'm pretty sure you can figure out which one is which. Saying that the one who overcomes will receive a white stone is another way of saying that, for Christ-followers, God doesn't look down and see our sin; He sees us as totally innocent, devoid of all shortcomings. How awesome is that! God looks at me, a wretched, sinful, backsliding man, and sees JESUS!!! Not only that, but the white stone has my name on it--not the name Hal, but a name that only God and myself know. This innocence that God bestows upon us is a personal gift. God doesn't just say "All of you down there, you're innocent." He looks at me, He looks at you, if you're a Christ-follower, and says "(You're name here), you're innocent because of what My Son did for you."
To quote Aaron Keyes, "You're not guilty anymore!!!"

Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness and Your forgetfulness. Thank You for setting my sins away from me as far as the east is from the west. Thank you for drowning my sins to the bottom of the deepest sea. And thank You for continuing to forgive me, even though I continually fail You. Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness never end, and I can never do enough to repay You for that, but help me to spend the rest of my life trying to do so. Amen.

Fear

I was listening to a podcast from Erwin R. McManus of Mosaic Church, LA, this morning about living the original life, meaning living what God has called you to be, since each of us has been uniquely designed to fulfill a part in the love story of God that is the history of mankind. Anyway, one of the things McManus talked about was fear.
Often times we are afraid that we will make large efforts for God and discover that we don't have what it takes. We find out that what we feared the most in the depths of our souls is true...we are nothing. We are incapable of doing great things because we are mediocre.
Other times, however, we are afraid of what we can do. God did not make us so that he could laugh at us trying things and failing. God created each of us in His image, and therefore we are capable of doing great things. All of us have a great calling on our lives, but most of us never seek out that call and accept what it means for us. So many of us are afraid that if we step up and step out into whatever great thing is waiting to be done, then we will be shunned and socially excommunicated because we rocked the boat.
I see both of those fears in my life. As far back as I can remember, I have sometimes felt as though I could never be good enough, that I was always the one screwing things up, and that, even at my best, I would never amount to more than average. Also, as far back as I can remember, I know that there have been times that I have hidden my talents, performed as though I weren't talented at some things so that others wouldn't feel like I was cocky, or so that people wouldn't expect more from me.
Today, my commitment is that I not live in these fears. I know that I have been created for a purpose (Jer. 1:5), even if that purpose has not been completely revealed to me yet, and that God has granted me the capability to fulfill that purpose in His strength. Yes, God's strength shows in my weakness, but God is not glorified when I choose to live a mediocre life. I know that God has given me talents and abilities. He has given me intellect and (somewhat) likable personality (most of the time); He has given me the ability to succeed in many areas of my life (even if I have not taken advantage of those abilities and successes). I will not fear that others will feel badly about themselves because I am seeking to live a great life. I will not fear that if I attempt great things for God, then I will fail miserably. Even if I fail, at least I tried, and I know that God honors obedience, not success. I commit that my academic life, my work life, and especially my home life will be lived out in such a way that others will see and God will ignite a passion in them to live out such a life. I will not apologize for being the man God created me to be, and I will not go silently before the ones who try to silence God's call to greatness in my life.

Lord, help me to be all that You have created me to be. Give me courage to face my fears and strength to overcome them. Raise up in me the passion and desire to daily become more Christlike in every aspect of my life and to be unapologetic about it. Amen.

Adopted

For those of you who haven't ever thought about it, as Christ-followers, we are adopted into the family of God. That means that we are not just followers, even though we are called to follow; that means we are not just servants, even though we are called to serve. We are children, and we are called to love our Father just as His "genetic" son loves Him. Not only are we adopted by the Heavenly Father, but He also gives us an inheritance in Him, just like Jesus has. How cool is that! He chose us, He adopted us, and He is giving us the greatest gift possible--an eternity spent knowing Him. And guess what...that starts now, not when we die. Check it out...it's in the Word.

Weekend Update

This weekend my friends Will and Diana came up to visit from Surfside Beach. They both graduated from Clemson, and, of course, are HUGE Clemson fans. Sarah and I got the chance to spend the whole day with them yesterday and some time with them Friday night and today as well. The game was a lot of fun. I am not really a Clemson fan, but Sarah is, so I do my best to go to at least one game a season with her (more if I can). I think the game was fun for me moreso because I got to spend time with my awesome wife and some good friends. Yeah, the team I was cheering for won 70-14, but it was the people I was cheering with who made the difference. So, anyway, it was a great weekend.

MEN

So, last week I did something incredibly STUPID. I am not going to talk about what I did via blog, but for all of you readers out there (I know that there are at least 3 of you), the fact that it was really stupid should suffice. Anyway, while talking with Sarah, my parents, and my friend Jim about the situation, it came up several times that I no longer really have a group of guy friends that I just hang out with and with whom I can have accountability, as well as just be men together. In high school I had a group of guy friends who all lived near me. We grew up together and in high school went to church together, played ball together, swam together, learned HTML code together (yeah, we were pretty geeky back then, too), and got into trouble together. In college, I had the famous Unit F, the guys in my dorm, with whom I was able to have regular Bible studies and hangout and talk time together.
Acts 2:42 says "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer."
Proverbs 27:17 says "Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another."
Now, with my busy schedule, I don't really have any guys to hang out with and just talk and be men together. Sarah and I meet with our LifeGroup from Crossroads, which is a group of 6 couples, but we usually meet as a group of couples, not men and women separately.
Here's where I'm going with this: are there any man who are Disciples of Christ and live around Greenville/Mauldin/Simpsonville who would be willing and able to meet on Thursdays at 6:30 in the morning at Bojangles on Woodruff Rd.? I don't even know if any guys in Greenville read this, but this is where I'm starting to try and find a group of men to meet with. If any of you are interested in this, let me know (and let me know before you just show up at Bojangles, because I won't be there if I am not going to meet anyone).

"Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love." Ephesians 6:23-24

Romans 7

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do now want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then, I myself in mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:14-25

So, basically, even Paul, the creme-de-la-creme of Christians, the apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, struggled in the members of his body with sin. Rather, the law of sin rages war against the Law of God using our flesh and our souls. My soul desires to do the will of God, but, literally, my physical body is incapable of carrying out the will of God because of the law of sin, and so only through the power of the Spirit of the Living God can I, or any other human, including Paul himself, carry out the will of God. Praise God for His Spirit, which overcomes sin. Amen and Amen.

Sober Me

Sober Me

by Ronnie Freeman

Who knew the choice that he would make
In a moment walk away
Seemed a picture perfect life
Now himself, his kids, his wife are shipwrecked
And what became of faith, was it all a masquerade
Or one day starting to love something more than he loved truth
It was one more phone call chilling me within
Can’t deny the consequence of sin

SOBER ME, SOBER ME
LORD WAKE ME TO THE SHADOWS
THAT ARE CLOSING IN ON ME
IT’S HARD TO SEE THE NIGHTFALL
WHEN IT FALLS SO GRADUALLY
SOBER ME

Desire crouches at my door but I’ve never heard him roar
He’s so silent but so real, he will lie and kill and steal
Lord, keep my soul alert of the many I would hurt
With one foolish choice I’d make, there’s so much at stake
Remind me the most dangerous place to be
Is when I’m thinking it could never happen to me

SOBER ME, SOBER ME
LORD WAKE ME TO THE SHADOWS
THAT ARE CLOSING IN ON ME
IT’S HARD TO SEE THE NIGHTFALL
WHEN IT FALLS SO GRADUALLY
SOBER ME

Lord, I know that You have forgiven me for my sin. I know that when You look at me, You see Jesus because of my faith in Him. I know that you count me as righteous, even though I am unholy. Please help me to remember that the worst place I can be is in the position of thinking that "it," whatever that may be, will never happen to me. Spirit, show me the ways the enemy is attacking me, ever so subtly, like the nightfall coming so slowly that I do not notice on my own. Lord I have so much trouble seeing myself the way You see me. Help me to see me through Your eyes. Help me to live in accordance to the calling of being one of Your disciples. You know my heart. You know my struggles. Give me courage to face the day. Give me strength to never back down. Give me grace to forgive others. Give me love to show You to them. Thank you for Your grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. You are indescribable, and my words can never do You justice.

To the one who has been hurt by my sin: I know that you are confused and brokenhearted. I cannot express how much sorrow I feel because of what my actions have done to you. My only solace is that I know you have experienced the grace of God, and so the Spirit of God will prompt you to forgive me, even if it takes some time.

The Hand of God

The past few days I've been thinking about something my friend Steven said a while back. Steven is the pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. He said that he wants his ministry at the church to operate in such a way that if God chose to remove His hand from Elevation, then it would fail miserably. Now, of course, I'm not the pastor of the third fastest-growing church in the United States, but I have my own life and my own personal ministry. Lately I've been thinking about what would happen if God chose to remove His hand from my life. I don't mean this in a God-is-picking-on-me type of way, but I mean, what if God did not let His favor rest on my life for a time? Would things be different? Would I react differently to things? Would my life fail miserably? Unfortunately, I don't think my life would fail, for the most part. I'm not saying that I live like God doesn't exist, but lately I don't think I've been depending on God for my every provision. I think that I rely entirely too much on my own ability and my own strength, as well as those of my wife, Sarah. I'm not bragging or being proud, but God has given me enough talent and drive to survive and thrive in life without relying completely on Him, which, I think, has been my greatest struggle recently. A life can not be truly lived to its fullest until that person has emptied himself of himself and filled the void created with the love of Christ.

Abba Father, please help me to quit relying on my own strength and abilities to achieve success in my life. Help me to remember that true success is only found in obedience to You, and that You have called me to empty myself of me and fill myself with You. Please guide me to live my life in such a way that if You removed Your hand from me, I would be an utter failure. Help me to love You the way Jesus loves You. Amen.

Los on LA Ink

For those of you who missed it, check out Los on LA Ink. As of 3 o'clock today, last night's episode wasn't up online, but I'm sure it will be soon. It was pretty rad. They even portrayed him as a "cool pastor." Maybe this exposure will help show the mainstream world that serving God and following Christ is not synonymous with being a total square.

Ryan Lee is finally in the Blogging World

Here's a shout out to my good friend (even though I only get to see him once or twice a year) Ryan Lee. Check out his new blog. I've kept up with his old myspace blog for a couple of years, and, in my opinion, when he's got something to say, it's good stuff. Check him out at Diary of a Slave.


In case you don't know, doulos means slave or bondservant. Check that out as a word study next time you don't have something to do for a day (or week or month).

John Rosemond

Last night I ran tech for an Upstate Mom's parenting seminar featuring John Rosemond. Here's a couple of highlights I picked up from listening. These are not my ideas, and I don't have any children, but I thought I'd share them with whoever is out there.

There are two main reasons psychology can't answer parenting problems and why using a lense of psychology will never allow you to see the true child:
1) Psychology states that we need to be concerned with a child's self-esteem above all else. There is no evidence for this belief in the Bible, which is of course what we SHOULD base our parenting on (See John Rosemond's new book: Parenting By The Book). Parents should build their children's CHARACTER, not their self-esteem.
2) Even though most psychologists push it, behavior modification (Google Pavlov, if you aren't sure about this) does not work with humans. It works with animals. There is no case where behavior modification has worked over time. Sometimes it works for a period of time due to the novelty of the modification, but it does not last. The problem is that humans have free will (to an extent...see Jim's blog on this matter).

There are plenty of other great nougats of truth which you could pull from Rosemond, so, after listening to him speak last night, even though I don't have children, I'd recommend checking out his new book. I know I will.

PS On a side note, I got to talk to John a little bit before and after the seminar last night, and he's a really cool guy, which I honestly didn't expect from a nationally renown author, columnist, and speaker. Kudos to you, John Rosemond.

Saturday Mornings

Most Saturday mornings I am either at work or at school, but today, I am closing at work and don't have class. As a result, I am "grounded" to my bedroom while Sarah has the Junior Girls Lifegroup in the living room. I don't mind at all because I know that she and Mez are investing in a group of young ladies and helping them to grow into women of God. This past week really drained Sarah, but she kept pressing on. I respect her immensely for all of the time and effort she puts into leading her girls. Just thought I'd share.

Relaxation

Yesterday, I got to take a day off again. It was marvelous. I laid on the couch and watched Star Wars and grilled steak for dinner. What a day! Thank you, God, for rest.

Matthew 18:6

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

Lord, help me not to lead others away from You. Help me to encourage them and lift them up. Whether in the school building or the church building, give me wisdom to lead those younger than me, knowledge to teach them, courage to stand my ground when need be, and strength to continue day after day. Amen.

Unfortunately

"Unfortunately, a child is the only known substance from which a responsible adult can be made." - Unknown

As someone who has been in youth ministry for ten years and who is pursuing a career in education, it is always good to remember that no matter how a child or teenager may act and choose to live now, these times help dictate how that child will grow up, and even the most irresponsible young person can grow up to be a responsible adult. After all, weren't we all irresponsible children at one point.

Happy Birthday, Mom

It's my mom's birthday today. Happy Birthday Mom!

Doers of the Word

"Anyone who listens to the word and does not do what is says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." James 1:23-24

How crazy would it be if I woke up, brushed my teeth, washed my face, etc., but by the time I walked out of the bathroom, I forgot what I looked like? I forgot that I have blue eyes and brown hair, a goatee that is brown with some red and blond in it, or that on most days, I am not clean shaven. That would be pretty ridiculous, wouldn't it? That's what it says in James, though, about a person who hears God's Word but doesn't do what it says. Also, remember that John says that "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). That means anyone who has had an encounter with Christ but not followed Him, is like the man who forgets what he looks like. These are just my ramblings about it, but what if, when it says he forgets what he looks like, it means that he doesn't accurately see himself in respect to Christ? Humility isn't thinking that you are worse than everyone else; it's just seeing yourself correctly in relation to Christ: He is perfect, we are imperfect; He is holy, we are sinful; He is neverending, we are finite; He is all-powerful, all-knowing God, and we are simply man...created in His image, for His pleasure and His glory.
Today, as you go through your life, don't forget to remember what you look like. Don't forget to remember that although God is greater than we can even imagine, He loves us, and longs for us to draw close to Him.

Busy Busy Busy

So, today was my first day of my clinical for this semester. Over the next couple of months, I have to observe/assist a teacher at Mauldin High School for a total of 75 hours. That's a lot of hours. I added things up, and if you count my 20 hours a week at church, 25-30 hours at Home Depot, 8 hours a week in class (on average), and 12-13 hours a week doing my clinical, I will be putting in 65-70 hours a week, not including homework and reading for my classes. I'm not saying this to throw a pity party...I'm just asking that people pray for me over the next few weeks and months that I'll be able to handle everything, that my body will not mutiny against me, and that I will still be able to spend quality time with my wife (which is top priority). Thanks!

The Church is a Whore

"The Church is a whore, but she is my mother." - St. Augustine
I quoted this line before when I was pulling out quotes from Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution. Lately, I've been thinking about that line, and some things have occurred to me.
The Church, as a whole and as individual members, has sold itself to the things of this world. Personally, I have never cheated on my wife, but I can't say that I haven't cheated on my Bridgegroom. I must admit that I have whored myself to complacency, I have whored myself to busyness, and I have whored myself to laziness. Thank God that He is loving and forgiving. His grace keeps on flowing...amazing, isn't it? My Bridegroom, no matter how many times I whore myself out to other things and take my focus off of Him, is always willing to welcome me home, into His arms.
Thank You, God, for your grace, love, and forgiveness, which never cease. Thank You for opening Your arms to me, no matter how many times I have turned away. Amen.

Yelling and Screaming

As I've mentioned before, I've been reading the Harry Potter books. Last week I finished book number 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which is also the most recent movie. At the end of the book, however, there is something different than in the movie. Of course, I won't get into any specifics about the plot and outcome, in case some of you are planning on reading them, but I will say this: at the end of the book, Harry is in Dumbledore's office and is yelling and screaming at Dumbledore as loud and passionately as is humanly (or wizardly, I guess) possible. Harry starts throwing things in the office and turning tables over, but through this whole tantrum that Harry throws, Dumbledore just sits there at his desk, with his fingers placed together (as he often does, if you'll take the time to read the books and notice). Dumbledore allows Harry to yell and scream and pretty much freak out and get out all of his aggression, anger, confusion, etc.
I think that, in some way, God is like this with us. I think God would rather we came before him yelling and screaming at Him, upset at the way He's done things, because we don't and can't comprehend Him, and sometimes He just sits there and lets us vent. I'm not saying that God doesn't listen, nor does He fail to respond to us. All I'm saying in this blog is that I believe God would rather us come before Him in all of our anger and confusion rather than putting on pretenses that we are happy and completely pleased and content. God is not fooled when we put on masks, just as Dumbledore would not have been fooled if Harry had acted the way he "should" have in front of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Just a thought.

Yeah, I know I'm a Bad Blogger

Sorry for disappearing for the last few weeks. Life is about as crazy as it gets. I started back to school at Converse a couple of weeks ago. For those who don't know, I'm getting my MAT in Secondary Math. Anyway, between starting back to school, working 20 hours a week at church, and 30-35 at Home Depot, life has been busy. Anyway, I'm going to try to make the attempt to start blogging regularly again. Until then...

Faith is...

I heard a quote on the radio today. I don't know who it was, but when I turned on the radio after leaving Home Depot this morning, there was a preacher who said "Faith is believing God's word and acting upon it, no matter how you feel." I just thought that was a really good definition. Faith involves a whole lot more than belief (check out the book of James if you don't believe me), so acting upon God's word is necessary to faith. In addition, I like how the preacher added the "no matter how you feel" part, because faith has nothing to do with our emotions. Sure, we are influenced by our emotions at specific times, and the Spirit uses those emotions to speak to us, but just because we're having a bad day doesn't mean our faith is less, and just because we're having a good day doesn't mean our faith is more. Chew on that for a little while.

Nothing Spectacular

Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged. Life has been pretty busy the last couple of weeks. A couple weeks ago I ended up spending about 60 hours at work, so the last thing I wanted to do in my free time was sit down and think and write a blog. Last week, however, I hadn't blogged because Sarah (my wife) and I were on VACATION! We went to visit our friends Will and Diana in Surfside Beach, SC. It was great to just go relax and do nothing for a few days. Will and Diana don't feel the need to babysit us while we're in town visiting them, so for the most part they went about their regular routines, while Sarah and I spent our mornings at the beach and our afternoons relaxing or shopping at the Tanger outlet. We also go to go play putt-putt Monday night with them, which is something we both enjoy doing (even though neither of us is very good, and we lost). Last Friday we also took the opportunity to go hiking at White Water Falls in North Carolina. It was great fun. It's been a long time since Sarah and I went hiking together. I loved it, and I know she did too.

As a break from reading intellectually and spiritually thought-provoking books, I've started reading the Harry Potter books, by J.K. Rowling. I've read through the first three (which are the short ones) and now I'm in the middle of The Goblet of Fire. It's pretty cool to go back and read them after watching the movies, which I really like, although I wish I had read them first. There are a lot of little things in the movies that you would never notice had you not read the books. Of course, like all book-to-movie edits, a lot of things are changed, and the books are definitely better.
Anyway, I think that's all I have to say for now. Hopefully soon I'll have some life-altering epiphany for you to read about.

I've Been Tagged

So, my wife, Sarah, tagged me.
Here we go!

Four Jobs: Lifeguard at Awanita Valley, Sales Associate at Lowes, Cashier at Home Depot, & Student Ministry Intern/Facilities Director at CRCC

Four Places I've Lived: Summerville, Tigerville, Mauldin, & Greenville, SC

Four TV Shows: Numb3rs, Big Brother, Property Ladder, & How I Met Your Mother

Four Favorite Foods: Chicken Casserole, Louisiana Sirloin (from O'Charley's), Grilled Cheese Sandwich, & AmeriCone Dream (Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream)

Four Places I'd Rather Be: Folly Beach SC with Sarah, Surfside Beach SC with Sarah, Blue Ridge Mountains (home of Awanita Valley) with Sarah, & Conyers, GA (where Sarah has never been, but I want her to come with me)

Four Movies: Lord of the Rings (I watch them as one movie), Harry Potter movies, Newsies, & Cinderella Man

Four People I'm Tagging: James Walker Thompson IV, Dustin Hughes, Rich Butler, & JonPaul Watson

The Irresistaible Revolution

This weekend I read The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. That's a big deal to me because I read very slowly because I transpose letters and words. However, I was able to read through this whole book in 3 days (between work time and time with Sarah). This blog isn't going to be my thoughts about Shane Claiborne's thoughts, but I wanted to share a few quotes from the book: some are Shane's and some are one's which he quoted (Shane's thoughts are attributed to SC for Shane Claiborne, not South Carolina or Santa Clause).

Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual. But the one who has love, courage, and wisdom moves the world. - Ammon Hennacy

My goal is to speak the truth in love. There are a lot of people speaking the truth with no love, and there are a lot of people talking about love without much truth. - SC

I was marked by an overconsumptive but malnourished spirituality, suffocated by Christianity but thirsty for God. -SC

It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that scare me, but the parts I do understand. - Mark Twain

In the poor we meet Jesus in his most distressing disguises. - Mother Teresa

The true atheist is the one who denies God's image in "the least of these." - Dorothy Day

We are not called to be successful but to be faithful. - Mother Teresa

Christians pretty much live like everybody else; they just sprinkle a little Jesus in a long the way. - SC

Many spiritual seekers have not been able to hear the words of Christians because the lives of Christians have been making so much horrible noise. It can be hard to hear the gentle whisper of the Spirit amid the noise of Christendom. - SC

We've got to unite ourselves as one body. Because Jesus is coming back, and he's coming back for a bride, not a harem. - "one gospel preacher"

What the world really needs is not more churches but a Church. - SC

We are not simply to bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, but we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor. - Dorothy Day

The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away.

Starve Mammon with your love. - early Christian

Too often we do what makes sense to us and ask God to bless it. - SC

Course he isn't safe. But he's good. - CS Lewis (from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, in reference to Aslan the Lion)

Christians should be troublemakers, creators of uncertainty, agents of a dimension incompatible with society. - Jacques Ellul

We are all murderers and adulterers and terrorists. And we are all precious. - SC

In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face, and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands. Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their smile is my smile. - Henri Nouwen

We live in an age in which people, when they hear the word Christian, are much more likely to think of people who hate gays than people who love outcasts, and that is a dangerous thing. - SC

Grace is contagious, just like violence. - SC

Throw us in jail and we will still love you. Bomb our houses and threaten our children and we will still love you. Beat us and leave us half dead and we will still love you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down with our capacity to suffer. One day we shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory. - Dr. Martin Luther King

The only thing harder than hatred is love. The only thing harder than war is peace. The only thing that takes more work, tears, and sweat than division is reconciliation. But what more beautiful things could we devote our lives to? - SC

The signs of the Christian Church have been the Lion, the Lamb, the Dove, and the Fish...but never the chameleon. - Kaj Munk

People will be more comfortable around a domesticated Jesus than the Lion of Judah. - SC

God's kingdom grows smaller and smaller as it takes over the world. - SC

If the devil can't steal your soul, he'll just keep you busy doing meaningless church work. - an older charismatic woman

The person who loves their dream of community with destroy community (even if their intentions are ever so earnest), but the person who loves those around them will create community. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

In fact, Jesus and the disciples would probably get in a lot of trouble in most fancy churches. They'd probably be turning water fountains into wine fountains, inviting kids to swim in baptistries, ripping holes in the roofs when the crippled can't get in the doors, flipping over the cash registers in the bookstores--at which point a trustee would scold Jesus and ask, "Jesus!?!? What, were you born in a barn?" And Jesus would nod. - SC

The early prophets would say that a church that spends millions of dollars on buildings while her children are starving is guilty of murder. - SC

If our church is not marked by caring for the poor, the oppressed, and the hungry, then we are guilty of heresy. - SC

The Church is a whore, but she's my mother. - St. Augustine

The church is like Noah's ark. It stinks, but if you get our, you'll drown. - a pastor

Hope this catches your interest. Now go buy the book.

Life is Like a Waterfall

Yesterday, I took a day off. To most of you, that isn't a big deal. Everyone takes a day off every now and then. To me, it's huge. Between two jobs and school, the only time I ever take a day off is for a wedding, funeral, or because I'm going out of town (which almost always means I'm the one driving, which means it isn't a day off). But yesterday, I took a day off.
My friend Lauren and some of the people she works with at Awanita Valley were going hiking at White Water Falls in NC, so I went with them. Hiking has been a favorite hobby of mine for a long time, although you wouldn't know it now because I hardly get the opportunity to go, and if you see me, I don't really have the look of a hiker, but I love to do it. So I took a day off and went hiking with some friends.
In the book I've been reading, The Way of the Wild Heart, Elderedge has mentioned that sometimes when he is at a stream or in the woods, God shows him a heart-shaped rock or something like that, to show him that God is constantly wooing him. So, as I hiked and played in the stream above the waterfall, I prayed that God would give me a heart-shaped rock somewhere on the hike to remind me that He is also constantly wooing me. Guess what! I did not find a heart-shaped rock anywhere, and I looked. As I continued to walk and pray, the thought occurred to me (or rather was placed in me) that it's kind of stupid for me to ask God to give me exactly what He gave someone else. God's love is infinite, so it makes sense that He could and would use and infinite amount of ways to show us that He loves us. So I changed my prayer. I prayed that God would show me in whatever way He wanted to that He loves me and is wooing me.
Something came to me a little while later. I don't know if it was God speaking to my heart about my life and about life in general, or if it was just a neat analogy that I thought up (although I find that most of the time I think something is just a neat idea I thought up, it really is God speaking to my heart). Life is like a waterfall. Well, more like the water in a waterfall. For a while, things are smooth. There isn't any turmoil, and it even sometimes seems as though we aren't moving at all. At other times, we come across obstacles in our way, rocks or trees, that make us change our path. Still other times, we go into a free fall and hit the ground pretty hard. At the end of this free fall, I also noticed there a couple of possibilities (which are not choices, but often forced on us). Either we can be pushed forward at the end of the free fall, moving toward other obstacles or smooth times, or we get churned under the water again and again. It's not that we are necessarily making bad choices or not following the Spirit's guidance, but we just get hit by things over and over. Often times, when we are in this churning stage, we don't notice it, but there are other people who are allowed to use us to avoid churning themselves (praise God that our trials can be used not only for our betterment and refinement, but also for that of others). All this is just a crazy thought that ran through my mind yesterday as I stared at the waterfall.
After hiking some more, another thought came to me...no two particles of water in a stream, river, or ocean, ever follow the exact same path, so why should I expect my life to follow exactly how someone else's has. In fact, I should expect that no one has EVER lived their life the way I have lived mine, but that my Almighty Infinite God still has all of our lives mapped our and He is waiting to reveal this map to us.
You are in a position in your life to do something for God that no one else on the planet is in a position to do. You are uniquely created and placed for some work that God wants to do in and through you. Think about it. Pray over it. Believe it.

The Pursuit of Perfection

Last night Sarah and I watched The Last Samurai. It was not the first time we'd seen it, nor was it the first time I'd noticed what I'm going to blog about, but it was a reminder.
Background: In the movie, Tom Cruise plays Captain Nathan Algren, a Civil War hero who has suppressed numerous tribal rebellions of Native Americans and is hired by the Japanese to help them suppress the rebellion of Samurai leader Katsumoto. After the first battle, Algren is taken captive by the Samurai. I use the word captive loosely, considering he is free to roam the village of the Samurai freely, and it is also in the village where Algren finds freedom from his internal chains of captivity.
This is what Algren writes in his journal concerning the Samurai: They are an intriguing people. From the moment they awake, they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seen such discipline. I am surprised to learn that the word "Samurai" means "to serve," and that Katsumoto believes his rebellion to be in the service of the Emperor.
The Samurai Algren comes into contact with pursue perfection in everything they do. There is no mediocrity in their lives, for mediocrity is a disgrace to them. Personally, I tend to be a perfectionist, but still at times I prefer to achieve mediocre things in place of putting in hard work to do the best I can. Maybe it's just me, but it really irks me when I see a person or people doing just enough to get by...just enough to not do badly.
This brings me to my reflection from this. Is my walk with Christ mediocre? Yes, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior...I'm not going to Hell when I die. That's enough just to get by. But am I pursuing perfection in everything I do? Am I doing all things to the glory of God, as I have been commanded to? Is my performance as a Christian an adequate reflection of the great God that I claim to serve?
Don't get me wrong...I'm not contending for a works-based salvation. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that nothing I have done or could ever do could earn me a place at the Table of my Master. It is by grace through faith we are saved, don't be misled. However, I do agree with James, who wrote "Someone might say, 'You have faith, but I have deeds.' Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (Jas. 2:18).
Another thing, the word "Samurai" means "to serve." You can do things to the best of your ability for an infinite number of reasons, but whom do you serve? Do you pursue things to serve yourself? your family? your friends? your boss? how about your God? The great leader Joshua proclaimed to his people, the Israelites, "Now respect the Lord and serve Him fully and sincerely. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshiped on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord...As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord" (Jos. 24:14,15b). Choose this day whom you will serve.
So, today, as you read this and go about your life, regardless of what you do for a living or what you do for fun, devote yourself to the perfection of whatever you pursue. And as you devote yourself to perfection, do so in service not to Emperor of man like the Samurai, but to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
"As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

I <3 My Wife

Have I told y'all about my wife, Sarah? I know I've mentioned her in a few blogs, but I haven't really blogged about HER, so here she is:
My wife is the most godly woman I have ever met. When she reads this, though, she'll think to herself that I obviously don't know her too well if I think that she's that godly. However, to argue my point before she even brings it up, I've never met a truly godly person who believed they were godly. They believe they are trying, but know that they haven't achieved godliness. That's where my definition of godliness comes in: Godliness is the pursuit of godliness. Maybe I'll blog on that some other time, but this is about my wife. Sarah loves Jesus and she tries her best to pursue Him and seek His face, thankfully even moreso that she tries to seek me and my happiness (which is, by the way, more often than not very different than what Jesus desires for me).
Sarah is also the most compassionate person I know. When she sees others hurting or in need, she does her best to meet their needs and carry their burdens, even if it means she and I take on other burdens. For those of you who don't know us, I would never be angry or upset with Sarah for showing compassion to another person, no matter what the cost is to us. Sarah is always willing to go without things which she enjoys and things which would make her very happy so that she can help others and meet their needs before her own. I believe this is the very synopsis of the Gospel: loving others!
Sarah also puts up with a lot from me. I am currently working two jobs and going to grad school, and although my life is incredibly busy and most days are 14-16 hours long (if I'm lucky), Sarah is still the one who is sacrificing. See, Sarah's love language is quality time. One of the best ways for me to show her that I love her is spend time with her, but she understands that I do a lot, not to be doing stuff, but so that she and I can have a better life and that, a year from now, we will have more quality time than we expect to have. To some of you, quality time may not seem like a big deal. However, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Sarah's sacrifice of quality time is a bigger sacrifice than me being tired and worn out. I know that her understanding of me being gone shows her love more than me working to pay our bills (and occasionally taking her out on the town). I believe with all my heart that her willingness to love me, be kind to me, and allow me to just sit and decompress when I get home late at night, even when she has had a horrible day, is more of a sign of Christ in her than the fact that she and I both work for a church.
Sarah knows how to encourage me. She knows that I can get really discouraged by the wrong words, and so she makes it a point to encourage me both verbally and in her actions. For our 1 year anniversary, she spent 5 months getting friends of mine from the past and present to write encouraging notes and she put them all in a journal for me. THAT'S ENCOURAGEMENT! Sarah knows what it takes for me "love tank" to run on full, and she makes it a point to do what she can to fill it.
One more thing before I'm done for the day: it may seem like a small thing, but it's a big deal to me. Sarah works hard all day long, but if I have the evening off, she makes it a point to make sure her schedule is clear. Even if she had a really hard day, she still takes the time to fix dinner (even if it's a frozen pizza) and enjoy the evening with me.
There's plenty of other things I could say about my wife, but this is a blog, not a book. For those of you who know her, you know how awesome she is. For those of you who don't, too bad...you're missing out on a friendship with the greatest woman in the world...and she's mine :-D

Eudoxus

In a comment recently, someone asked what the significance of the word Eudoxus was, so here's a short blog explaining.
First of all, you have to know that I am a math geek. I love numbers and logic, and that's the way God made me.
That being said, Eudoxus was a Greek mathematician who contributed to the writings of Euclid (Euclid's Elements is the basis for just about every Geometry book ever written). He lived from 408 BC to 355 BC.
The word eudoxus actually means "good teacher." For those of you who don't know, I am in grad school to get my MAT so I can teach high school math, and hope to one day be called a good teacher.
Of course, if you want to look at this from the spiritual perspective, there's more to it. In the book of Mark, a rich young ruler said to Jesus, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus' reply began with another question: "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." (Mark 10:17-18). They called Jesus good because He IS God. Jesus was known as a rabbi, and the word rabbi also means "teacher." Therefore, He was and is the true eudoxus. I am just trying to emulate Him.
Jesus was the ultimate because every thing He did and everything He said was from the Father, and so it was not just good, but the best, and I strive daily to be like Christ, and, as part of that, strive to be a eudoxus.

Warrior and Lover

Have you ever noticed that all of the hard trials and problems in life seem to either happen all at once or right after each other? According to John Eldredge, this is part of the Warrior stage of a man's life. These are the times when we are either forced to fight for what we believe in, or we choose to fight fight for what we believe in. Everyone needs to know what they stand for and do what has to be done to fight for it. This is where the Enemy steps in. If he can't beat us during the battle, then he'll continue to bring more and more battles to us. That's where I feel Sarah and I have been lately. Our faith has been strengthened as a result of several big trials we've dealt with this year, and yet we just keep getting tried. If the Enemy can't beat us, then he tries to overwhelm us in battle. This tactic isn't necessarily to eventually beat us, but to get us so tied up in battling that we forget that life is more than a battle.
That's where the Lover comes in. Even in the midst of the battles we face, God desires to woo us into an intimate relationship with Him. Battling for our faith is a very important part of life, but loving God and loving others is even bigger. The Enemy wants us to forget that. If he can keep us from loving, then he was won. Love is result of the grace and mercy we receive from our Lord.
My Challege to You: Even in the midst of your battles, make sure you've taken time to love God and love others.

Quote from Bryan, a friend of John Eldredge quoted in The Way of the Wild Heart:
"My heart rests more now than it used to...it knows that not everything is a fight...much of life is simply a romance."

Date Night

For those of you who don't know, Sarah and I make it a point to have a "date night" at least once a week. Sometimes this means we go out to dinner or a movie, sometimes we rent a movie, sometimes it includes spending time with other friends, but its purpose is so that we can spend quality time together.
Well, last night was date night. Our plan was for her to cook a light dinner and for us to just spend the evening together, not really doing anything (considering we had no money, we couldn't do anything anyway). Yesterday morning, however, someone felt led to leave an envelope marked "Date Night Fund" on Sarah's desk while she was out of the office. Inside the envelope was $40. We don't know who left the envelope, but we were very grateful for it. So, instead of sitting at home eating a light dinner, we got to go out to eat at a Chinese buffet and we had some money left over, so we bought one of the new Nooma videos. Thank you, whoever you are, for being willing to follow the Spirit's leading.
Father, thank you for a wife who is happy just to spend time with me, even if we aren't doing anything specific. And thank you for burdening someone's heart to give us some money to go out to eat. You never cease to shower us with good gifts, and yet we seldom turn our hearts to You in thanksgiving. Help me to love you with my life, my everything, even if I never receive another thing from You. Amen.

First Instincts

When I was a lifeguard, the people I worked with and I trained long and hard to make sure we knew what to do in case of almost any type of emergency. We studied first aid and practiced different procedures to help us save the lives of others. After all of the training and hard work, it became instinctive for us to act and react according to our training.
The Christian walk is the same way. I want to seek Christ with all of me. I want to be so close to Him that, when I'm faced with situation, I INSTINCTIVELY know what to do, because I know what Jesus would have me do. I want my first instinct to not be the one my flesh wants, but the one my spirit, fueled by His Spirit, wants for me.
Father, draw me closer to You every day. Help me to react in such a way that would honor You and bring You glory. Amen.

Friendship

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of days. I had two finals this week for summer school, and the next term starts this Monday. Does it never end! It's all good, though. God has taken care of me thus far (even when I've doubted), and I know that He'll continue to do so (even when I doubt again).
Today I had the opportunity to go back up to the camp I used to work at (Awanita Valley http://www.awanita.org ) with my good friend Jim. We went to visit our friend Lauren and just hang out for a few hours. After that we went to another camp to see a couple of other friends. I have to say that just a few hours with true Christian friends can totally pick you up and encourage your spirit in a way that few things can, even though the hours today were not filled with intentional encouragement. It's good to know that I have friends who are genuinely joyed to see me, and I hope they know I am joyed to see them.
Thank you, God, for not allowing us to go through this life without the companionship of true friends. Thank you for knowing that, although You are all we truly need, we often desire to have those friendships, and You use those friendships to bring us closer to You.

Offering

So, here's a song I wrote at work the other day. I'm not a musician, so feel free to mock and laugh. If any of you musical people want the lyrics, go for it, just make sure when you become famous I'm listed as having written the lyrics.


Offering

Verse I
I can feel Your Spirit moving
I can sense Your presence here
And I know it's me You're wooing
As You say to me, "Child, draw near."

Prechorus
And I
Want to be closer to You than I
Have ever been before and I
Want to dwell within You like I
Have never lived before

Chorus
I want to live in Your presence
I want to dance in Your Spirit
I want my life to bring
A smile to Your face
I want to live in Your mercy
I want to dance in Your grace
I want my life to be
An offering to You


Verse II
I can feel Your Spirit calling
I can sense Your voice in me
And I know that You want all of me
My heart, my head, my hands, my feet

Prechorus
Chorus
Chorus

I want me life to be
An offering to You

Prechorus



That's it...feedback welcome :-D

Flat Tires and the Comfort of God

So, yesterday morning, I got to Converse and got out of my car to find that I had a flat tire. It wasn't flat when I left home, and I didn't hear or feel anything on the drive to Spartanburg that would make me think I had a flat tire, but, BEHOLD, it was flat as could be.
Well, to make a long story short, we got the tire taken care of, and everything is fine (even though I didn't get my afternoon off to relax like I had planned).
As I was leaving Home Depot today after work, my friend Casey told me to go look at her right rear tire because it was flat. She just got her tires recently, and just got her car back a couple weeks ago from a body shop after a wreck she had. Anyway, I asked if she wanted me to change it, and she said no because her dad was heading down from Easley to take care of it. I said okay and started to leave. Well, as I got to my car, I thought to myself, "Michaelangelo (that's what I call myself), how can you let her dad drive down from Easley to take care of this when you're there and are perfectly capable of changing the tire." Again, to make a long story short, I got Casey's keys and changed the tire for her. It's no big deal; it's just a tire change. I didn't have anything spiritual in mind while doing the work, but I figured it made more sense that way.
So, fast forward 15 minutes to me leaving to head to Crossroads to doublecheck some things before Sunday morning: the Holy Spirit brings some Scripture to mind (funny how that happens when we don't expect it). 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Now, I know that a flat tire isn't a massive affliction that burdens our hearts and minds, but it's a little thing that kind of irritates you simply because it doesn't fit into your schedule. But maybe, just maybe, God gave me a flat tire yesterday so that I would be not only willing to change someone else's today, but that I would be compelled to do it, since I know that it sucks to have a flat tire and have to change your schedule for it.
What's the point? you may be asking. The point is simply that sometimes God brings us through things, however large or small, that may be intentional on His part so that we, in turn, can be intentional in helping others. Ever thought of it that way? The next time something unexpected comes your way, even if it is something that is in your opinion bad, stop and pray about it and ask God how he wants to use this affliction for His glory through your life.

By This All Men Will Know

So, this blog is inspired by a friend of mine, who I'll call Raphael (his name is NOT Raphael, but how cool would it be if it was!). Raphael lives in TN and seeks the Lord with all his heart. Recently, that heart has been broken. I don't get to see or talk to him very often, but he and I have a unique connection and are still very close. Over the last week, my heart has been burdened for Raphael because of the pain he's been dealing with. Now, as most of you know, a broken heart is a pain common to most people, and yet everyone who is in his position feels as though they are all alone and that no one has ever been there before. Of course, that's not true, but just how often does how we feel reflect things we know to be true?
Anyway, I've been longing to find a way to help Raphael carry his burden. It breaks my heart to know that a Brother in Christ is struggling with pain in his heart and spirit. Isn't that what we're commanded to do? Didn't Paul write that we should "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)? As the Body of Christ, I think we've lost track of that somehow. Of course, when some members or a local church go through something tragic, people are there to help them, but what about the day-to-day burdens that really eat away at our strength and confidence and sometimes even our faith? Why don't we make it a point to bear those burdens for each other? I don't know if Raphael has other Believers in TN with him who are intentionally seeking him out and bearing his burdens with him, but I do know that he needs that, just like all of us do.
Where is the love that claim to express? Not in times of extreme hardship, but in daily actions. It's just my opinion, but I think if we abandoned seeking new ways to reach the lost in our community, quit trying to have bigger and better worship concerts, and stopped being more concerned about people's opinions than we are about their hearts, and then put all of that energy into loving each other wholeheartedly, unconditionally, God would do a mightier work than any we've ever imagined (He said He'd do it, ya know).
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." -John 13:35

First Words from the Eudoxus

Well, this is my first regular blog, and it won't be very interesting. Basically, I'm going to repost some of my old blogs from MySpace, so feel free to check them out! That way, for those of you who haven't seen them before, you can see what's up inside my head.

The Glorious Truth of the Gospel

Reposted from Tuesday, March 7, 2006

God doesn't need you. That's right. He doesn't need you. I believe this is the glorious truth of the Gospel of Christ. God existed forever without us, so why do we think we are crucial to His existence. However, even though He doesn't need us, God WANTS and LOVES us. Isn't it so much more special to be wanted than needed. Christ didn't die because it was necessary for Him to live, but because it was necessary for us to live WITH Him.

God doesn't need you.

Vision Vs. Provision

Reposted from Monday, August 7, 2006

Well, the past week or so God has really laid on my heart the fact that so many times we think He isn't working in something or doesn't want us to pursue something because He hasn't already provided the means to do whatever it is we're considering. I know that's how I've done things so many times..."the money wasn't there so it must not have been His will" or "if this is what God wants He'll make it obvious to me." I was reading in 1 Samuel 14 about Jonathan's victory over the Philistines. Have you ever read it? He tells his armour bearer, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumsised; PERHAPS the Lord will work for us..." (NASB, italics mine). Jonathan and his servant went to the enemies camp by themselves (and by the way, the armour bearer wouldn't have his own armour) and Jonathan basically said, "Maybe God will show up." He didn't wait for the provision from God before he went. He didn't receive a vision from the Lord and then go...he just went. God did provide a victory for the two of them, but Jonathan didn't know if He would or not.
Basically, I just want to encourage my fellow followers of The Way to just step out and do something for the cause of Christ. Maybe God will bless your efforts; maybe He won't and you'll fail, but at least you'll fail attempting to further the greatest cause ever known--"...the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:25b). Stop waiting for the Provision. God has given you a vision...act on it.
Amen and Amen.

Encouragement for the Brethren and Sistren

Reposted from Saturday, August 12, 2006

When you can't figure out what "God's will" is for you, keep a few things in mind:

The great tragedy is not the sins that we commit, but the life that we fail to live.

Paul said that if it is in our power to do good, we MUST do it.

In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve an endless number of yes's and only one no. Why should we think that he gives us an endless number of no's and only one yes?

Sometimes, (this is my belief) God gives us the choice between multiple good choices, and He wants us to make the decision. If God hasn't said no, it's always a possibility, even if He hasn't outright said yes.

Not having the resources yet is never a reason to think God isn't in what you are trying to do. (See my provision vs. vision blog)

It's better to try to tame a wild stallion than to ride a dead horse. Attempt something for God, and even if you fail (or die), it's better than being complacent.

Just do something. Doing something for God is better than doing nothing.

The Model of Christianity

Reposted from Thursday, October 19, 2006

If I were the model of Christianity that everyone had to look at, would anyone want to be a Christian? Would anyone want what I have? Thank God I'm not the model of Christianity!

Christmas EARLY Morning - not your normal Christmas Blog

Reposted from Monday, December 25, 2006

Okay, well, it's 4:21 on Christmas morning. I haven't gone to sleep yet because I am, you guessed it, sick. That's okay, though. It's giving me a chance to blog something.
For those of you who weren't there at Nexus at Crossroads Wednesday night, I talked about God as Creator. I just figured I would blog part of that message, not because it's such a great message, but because I think it's important to know that God is our Creator and to know why He created all of us. Next time you feel yourself getting upset or frustrated with your fellow man or woman, reread this and think about how we are God's lovegift to His Son, and that is what makes us special. Here is part of my message:

Genesis 1:1-3 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light."

God spoke, and it was. God's voice created light. Seven more times God spoke the words "Let there be," and something was created. In this way, God created day and night, sky and sea, land and oceans, vegetation, stars, fish, animals, and finally, the crowning glory of His creation, man.

God wasn't the only part of the Trinity that had a part in creation. God spoke, and it was, but John 1:1,3 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." Who is the Word? John 1:14 says, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." The Word is Jesus.

The Holy Spirit also played its own role in creation. God chose to make man differently than He made any other part of creation. God spoke everything into existence, but He chose not to speak man to life. Genesis 2:7 says "Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." The Hebrew word for breath is ruach, and it can also be translated "Spirit." In other words, it was the Holy Spirit which was breathed into man, and it was the Holy Spirit which actually gave man life. God spoke the world into creation, through Jesus all things came into being, and it was the Spirit that was breathed into the first man to bring him to life.

Now, let me ask a simple rhetorical question. That means you don't answer. If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, self-sufficient perfect God, meaning He can do anything, knows everything, and doesn't need anyone else, why would He create a limited, imperfect man to live in a limited, imperfect world? It is obvious that God doesn't need us. He existed for eternity past without us, so it isn't our existence that made Him God. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. The glorious truth of the Gospel is that God doesn't need us, but that GOD WANTS US AND LOVES US!!!

The answer to this question is oddly enough bound up in the question of who God really is. The question of God's perfect love answers the question of why He created us. I've talked before about the Trinity of God, and Dustin spoke in September about how God is named Elohim, which is plural, but here's a brief summary of the Three-In-One.

God the Father has existed since before the beginning of what we call time. Before anything was created, God was there, and it's incredibly hard for us to understand this because we are bound by space and time, but trust me that God has always been.

God is perfect, and therefore the best thing God can do is to love and glorify Himself. In fact, God loves Himself so much that there has to be a separate personality of God to love. This is God the Son—Jesus. Jesus is not a separate being, he is simply a second personality of God to whom God the Father can express His love.

God the Father loves Jesus so much, and Jesus loves God the Father so much, that their love is so powerful it becomes a third personality—the Holy Spirit.

At some point in "non-time," God the Father chose to give a gift to God the Son. This gift is what we call "a redeemed humanity," and it means that God the Father was going to give Jesus a group of men and women who, although they x`disobey, would turn their hearts toward God and choose to love Him and glorify Him. If you are a Christian, if you have chosen to devote your life to loving Jesus and following him, then you are a part of this redeemed humanity.

Jesus readily accepted this gift and decided that, since God the Father is so glorious and majestic, that at the end of time, Jesus would take this love gift and lay it down at the feet of God the Father and worship Him, along with all of creation.

But there was a catch for accepting this gift. Jesus would have to join creation, become a man, live a life like men live, but suffer unlike any other person has ever suffered. Jesus would not only have to live as a human being, but He would also have to be separated from God the Father for a time, in order for humanity to be redeemed and rejoined with God.

And Jesus did it. The Word of God, by whom all things were created, became a part of his very own creation. God the Son stepped out of eternity and into time.

For thousands of years, many people have believed that he would come in all of his splendor and glory, but Jesus chose to come in his humility and meekness. Only a very few people realized that the coming of their Savior had taken place. The shepherds were told by an angel; the same is true for Mary and Joseph. Only a man named Simeon, who knew he would see the Christ before he died, and a prophetess named Anna, who was 84 years old and served in the Temple night and day, were aware that the baby they were holding was the One they had been waiting for. Most people missed his coming because they expected something far more extravagant than the way God the Son chose to enter our world.

So Jesus was born. He was born to a young woman named Mary. She was just a teenager, and wasn't even married, and it happened in a town called Bethlehem on the other side of the planet. God became man. The Creator became creation.

As all of you know, and most of you are incredibly excited about, Christmas is next week. As I've studied all those over the past few weeks and months, I've started to see Christmas in a different light. Of course, we all know that Christmas isn't really all about us getting and giving presents. But God has been showing me a new way to view Christmas. We've all been told that Christmas is really about God giving us the wonderful gift of His son, so that we can have salvation and renew a relationship with the Creator of the universe, but I think it's even more than that. I think Christmas should also be a time when we celebrate the fact that, as Christians, we are part of God the Father's ultimate gift of love to God the Son, and at the end of time, we get to be a part of God the Son's ultimate gift of worship back to God the Father. Christmas isn't about giving gifts to each other, and I don't think it's even about God's gift to us. I think Christmas is just like everything else in creation. It's about God's love. It's about His goodness. It's about His glory.