Thankful for Temptation

As Christians, we realize that temptation is an inevitable occurrence. Satan is always lurking, always planning, and always scheming. I think most of us look at temptation as a hindrance. Temptation is something we must endure and certainly, we pray for God's aid in overcoming temptation but how many of us ever thank God for allowing temptation in our lives?
In the gospel accounts of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, we get a glimpse into how God uses the trials of Satan to benefit the believer. In Mark's gospel, the temptation of Jesus is played out in just two verses, yet they tell us so much. "At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him." (Mark 1:12-13) Did you notice that? Mark says that the Spirit "sent" Jesus out to be tempted. One thing we can learn from this is that if Jesus could not escape temptation then certainly it is impossible for us to escape being tempted. More than that, we learn that it is part of God's plan to use temptation to better the lives of those he loves.
God allows temptation as part of his plan for our lives. He doesn't allow temptation to come upon us so we will fail, quite to the contrary, he promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can stand. Temptation is allowed in our lives to make us stronger. It is part of the transformation of becoming Christ-like. When Jesus faced Satan in the desert his temptations were real, the things Satan was offering were appealing to him. After fasting for forty days, Jesus was famished so the devil enticed him to turn rocks into bread. "Come on Jesus, you created those rocks! Use your power to stop the hunger." After a long month of solitude, no doubt Jesus was feeling an urgent desire to begin his ministry so the devil offers up a "solution" to jump-start the process. "Throw yourself from the top of the temple, God won't let you get hurt, and people will be amazed!" With Jesus' desire for everyone to believe in him in overdrive, Satan throws down the gauntlet. "You want them, you got them. Just bow down and worship me." Jesus was tempted body, soul, and spirit yet emerged unscathed because of his use of three powerful words, "It is written. . ."
When we face temptation, we can learn from Christ and emerge victorious by relying on the word of God to help us navigate Satan's snares. God allows temptation in our lives as a testing/refining process. Temptation, and how we deal with it, is meant to make us stronger. Even when we make a mistake and succumb to temptation, we can still rise from the ash heap with the power of God's grace. This is why Paul writes in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. . ." By allowing temptation in our lives, God is strengthening us for the journey. I think we should thank God that he loves us enough to desire that we have a stronger, deeper faith.

Ruminations on Grace

I think most Christians, if asked, would say that they are sure of their standing with God. All one needs to do is read 1 John to hear his constant confident reiterations of assurance concerning our eternal destiny. We can know without doubt that we have eternal life! However, the devil has done a number on us and we doubt. We question ourselves. We know what the bible says, we know we've been forgiven, but we also know all we've done and our deepest, innermost thoughts.

It's tough to reconcile God's forgiveness with the reality of our sinfulness. Even after we experience that initial forgiveness when we first give our lives to Christ, we soon realize that sin remains part of our life. We think, "How can I be heaven bound and do such things, think such thoughts?" God never intended for his children to think this way.

This is why it is so important to understand grace. Grace sets the record straight. Grace balances the scales. Grace clears the muddy water. Grace is God saying, "I know you aren't worthy, but my Son is." No matter how righteous we live, no matter how many things we do in the name of Jesus, no matter how many people we lead to Christ we don't deserve salvation. We will never be able to examine our lives and feel "worthy" because of things we have done yet, grace says that we need not feel "unworthy" because of things we have done.

The next time you or one of your Christian friends question your standing with God, remember the words of Paul. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Vacation Surprise

          Vacation is a great time of relaxation and renewal.  It is always good to get away from the normal routine, spend time with your family, and recharge the batteries.  My family along with Mom and Dad just returned from vacation Saturday.  We expected to return relaxed and renewed, however, what we found upon return left us humbled.  You see we missed the big storms that rolled through Waynesboro this week.  We had talked to several people back here at home and knew the extent of the damage left in the storms wake.  Fortunately, our homes were spared any damage from the winds, however, we expected to come home and have plenty of work to do cleaning up from all the scattered debris.

            We were absolutely taken aback when we pulled in to our driveway and saw that all the branches blown from the trees had been removed!  As we began to question our neighbors about what had taken place we soon discovered that members of our GREAT church family had taken it upon themselves to clean up for us while we were away.  You guys are awesome and an example of what church actually means.

            Thank You to the Sam Haines and Ronnie Mathis Families!  (For those of you who don’t know, these great people are Sam, Angel, Samantha and Cooper Haines, Ronnie, Shelia, Zack, Cassie, and Dawson Mathis.)

You make me proud to be a part of the family of God in Waynesboro.

Pure Religion

One fault of mine is the tendency to want to complicate things. I see a problem and immediately seek to solve it with some grandiose plan of action when often the solution is simple and not so glamorous. We see this in government a lot, some issue comes before our consciousness, and our leaders immediately want to add new cabinet position or appoint a czar to oversee the issue. We have this tendency in the church as well, each problem demands a committee with deacon involvement and elder oversight with the preacher extolling its virtues from the pulpit. James’ view of the work of the church was much different. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”(James 1:27) According to James, if we are serious about our commitment to God then when we see a need we take measures to fill that need. A widow who is in need of food doesn’t have time to wait for the committee to be formed, she needs food now! A homeless child shouldn’t have to spend one more night on the street if a Christian man or woman becomes aware of their plight.

Religion that God accepts is faith in action. Paul puts it this way, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6b) Our love for God and our faith in Christ is shown by how we care for those around us. It matters how we treat one another and it matters how we treat those in our community. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him?” (James 2:14)

Programs and committees are necessary for the church to function and carry out the mission of God.However, we must never be lulled into a state of personal inaction because of their presence. Christians are called to act! “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (James 2:18)

Mitchell

GraceConversation.com

A new blog that should interest everyone, especially those of you who are members of the Churches of Christ, is GraceConversation.com.  This blog is self-described as "A conversation regarding the disagreements that separate the conservative and progressive branches of the churches of Christ." 



It's participants are Jay Guin, an elder at the University Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa, AL and author of the blog One in Jesus; Todd Deaver, (son of Mac Deaver and grandson of Roy Deaver) minister for the Oliver Springs Church of Christ, author of the blog Bridging the Grace Divide and the book Facing our Failure: The Fellowship Dilemma in Conservative Churches of Christ; Phil Sanders, author of the blog Phil Answers and evangelist with In Search of the Lord's Way; and Gregory Tidwell a columnist for the Gospel Advocate and the minister for the Fishinger and Kenny Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio.



The conversation has already started so check it out.  You can even get in on the conversation yourself by commenting on each of the posts.

Technorati Tags: blog,debate,unity,fellowship

CSI: Easter

Easter is huge! Next to Christmas, Easter is the most celebrated holiday in the world. There is a good reason why so many people celebrate Easter. Historians and theologians have never come to a satisfactory conclusion for the reason the early church began celebrating Easter. Some evidence seems to suggest that Christians held the first Easter celebrations to differentiate their celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Jewish celebration of Passover. Other evidence suggests that Emperor Constantine, desiring to promote Christianity and marginalize pagan activity, Christianized a pagan festival celebrating the earth's transition into spring.

As I said at the beginning, there is a good reason why so many people celebrate Easter the answer is Jesus Christ. While the origin of Easter may be in doubt, the reason for Easter is apparent, Christians desired to proclaim from highest height and in the loudest possible way the good news that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! Scripture does not command us to celebrate Easter as a religious obligation however; scripture does allow us to celebrate such holidays. Paul writes to the Roman Christians,

"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone." (Romans 14:4-7)

From now until Easter Sunday, we have a unique evangelistic opportunity that will not be available again until Christmas. Your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, anyone with a background in Christianity will be thinking about Christ and most likely desire to go to church somewhere. I encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to help bring someone you love closer to and possibly into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

This Sunday we will begin a new sermon series at Waynesboro that will culminate on Easter, April 12^th. This series, CSI: Easter will take us on a Crime Scene Investigation of the cross. Did Jesus really die on the cross? Did he really rise from the dead or was his body simply stolen to create the illusion? We will look at these question plus many more with a critical eye. We will weigh the evidence from history, from critics, and from the bible; we will place them side by side and see which ones stand and which ones fall. If you invite your friends and family, they will be engaged by this honest look into Jesus Christ and they will be moved by the conclusion. Pick up the phone right now and invite someone this Sunday!

Mitchell

CYC '09 - Fellowship, Friends, and Fun

Christian Youth Conference is an annual event that takes place in Gatlinburg, TN put on by members of the churches of Christ.  This year was my first year attending CYC and the first year that the church at Waynesboro has ever sent a group, it will not be our last.  CYC was a positive and motivating experience for everyone who attended, not just the young people.  I highly recommend that you make plans now to attend next year.

Our trip afforded us with many opportunities I never imagined at first.  My first surprise was running into so many of you who are regular readers of this blog.  It was great to finally meet you all!  Blogging has added a new dimension to my ministry and has expanded my circle of friends (more about blogging in a few days).

We left Waynesboro on Thursday afternoon immediately following school, with the time change encountered as we hit east Tennessee is was past midnight when we finally got to our cabin.  This was the first "bonus" of the weekend, our cabin was awesome!  This thing was nice, it was big, and it had a pool table, air hockey, and foosball table; the kids (and some of the adults) kept those things hot all weekend!  Friday morning we all got ready and went to eat breakfast at the Log Cabin Restaurant (I recommend the Caribbean pancakes).  Following breakfast we went up the mountain to Ober Gatlinburg for some ice skating, we had a blast.  The rest of the day the kids and ladies all walked the streets of downtown Gatlinburg for the all important shopping session.  My friend, Sam Haines, and I hung out in lieu of shopping and just talked; we learned a lot about each other and became closer friends as a result.  Friday night was the first session of CYC and it started with a bang!  My favorite part was the singing, very moving!

Saturday was an early morning as we were in session by 8:00 AM for more motivational speakers and awesome singing until the lunch break at 11:30 AM.  We were so wore out from the day of travel on Thursday and our all day fun fest on Friday that we went back to the cabin, ordered pizza for lunch and basically "vegged out" the entire afternoon.  Saturday nights session of CYC was the best, more great singing capped off by a sermon by Lonnie Jones.  Lonnie is always great and this night he was exceptional.  I don't think I'll ever forget his story about the snake and the .45 pistol!  Hilarious! (Ask me or one of the others and we will be more than glad to share it with you.)  After the session we were invited to one of our Wayne County sister congregation's cabin for a devotional. (Collinwood's group was also invited.)  This was a great way to cap off the night, Clifton was a great host and this was a spectacular way of promoting unity within neighboring congregations.  I love all the brethren at Clifton and Collinwood, both congregations have been good to me and I always love speaking for them.  Hopefully, our efforts toward unity will continue and God will be glorified as a result.  Jake Wilbanks, one of Collinwood's teenagers and my cousin, spoke at the devotional.  I was taken aback by Jake's speaking ability!  He did an outstanding job and I pray that he continues to use his talents for the Lord.

Sunday Morning we again woke up early as we were hosting a worship service at our cabin.  Clifton's group came over to join us in worship as well as Will Tidwell and three students from Heritage Christian University.  Wes, one of the HCU students led singing for us, Jeff, another HCU student, led us in prayer, as well as Chad Love from Clifton.  I enjoyed speaking for the group in such a loving atmosphere.  We shared a meal and laughter before worship and the family feeling just seemed to carry over into the service.  It was great!

CYC provided an awesome opportunity for everyone involved to grow spiritually.  The structure of the conference provided the main spiritual food, however, the part I enjoyed the most was the fellowship with friends and learning more about my brothers and sisters in Christ.  If your congregation doesn't attend CYC then take it upon yourself to organize the trip next year, I guarantee it will be a huge success.  If you had the opportunity but didn't take it this year be sure not to miss it next year.  Just some "sage" advice from a one year CYC "veteran!"

Technorati Tags: blog,faith,Family Life Ministry,unity,youth,worship

Spiritual Mourning - Beatitudes #2

"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

The thought that happiness could be connected with mourning is diametrically opposed to the conventional wisdom of today's culture. If there is one thing that the world tries to avoid it is mourning. Everything that the world has to offer is designed to promote happiness. Yet the Lord said that happiness, even blessing, can come through mourning. How is this possible?   To understand we first need to understand what Jesus meant by mourning.

The bible speaks of three types of mourning; the type of mourning that results from sin, natural mourning (i.e. resulting from loss), and biblical mourning (like Jesus speaks of here). 

First, there is mourning that results from sin.  A good example of this is the account of Cain mourning over the consequences of the murder of his brother, Abel.  "Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."  (Genesis 4:13-14)  Cain is mourning over the situation he finds himself in as the result of his sin.

Next, we see mourning resulting from loss.  Mourning, as spoken of by the Lord in the Beatitudes, has nothing to do with the sorrow or sadness that we experience naturally at the loss of a loved one or some other tragedy.  It is quite natural to mourn over events that bring us sorrow and while the Lord's comfort does extend to these situations, there is a more specific application of this verse.

Finally, there is spiritual mourning.  As we learned in Poor in Spirit, the first step in the salvation process is acknowledging that we are totally poverty stricken spiritually.  The second Beatitude turns our attention to the result of seeing our own spiritual bankruptcy.  Isaiah exemplifies the idea of spiritual mourning in Isaiah 6:5, "Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 

The bible shows two aspects of spiritual mourning.  The first aspect is that initial moment of mourning when we realize our sin.  The bible calls this "godly sorrow" as seen in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."  Initial Mourning refers to "godly sorrow" that always precedes genuine conversion.  This "godly sorrow" is exemplified in Acts 2:37, "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

The second aspect of spiritual mourning is continual mourning.  Spiritual mourning is not confined to that initial experience that leads us to repent of our sins. It is something that persists even after our initial salvation.  The truth of the matter is, the closer we get to God, the more mournful we become over our sin, knowing that it dishonors Him. "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge." (Psalm 51:3—4)

With this understanding of what Jesus was talking about when he said "blessed are those who mourn" is becomes more apparent how comfort comes to those who are motivated to do something about their sin.  There is comfort in salvation.  The sorrow and heaviness of heart that is found in the repentant sinner is soon replaced with comfort as this lost soul comes to Christ in faith and repentance.  This comfort comes as we experience the free and full pardon of sin.  Comfort is not only received at the time of salvation, but it is something the child of God continues to experience.  As the child of God finds himself guilty of sin, he mourns over that sin, which in turn leads him to confess and forsake his sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Poor in Spirit

Jesus began his monumental and earth changing "Sermon on the Mount" with what we now call "the Beatitudes." This group of sayings or teachings has brought hope, inspiration, comfort, and even a little bit of confusion to people from that day up until the present day. Over the next few days, I want to examine Jesus' Beatitudes and prayerfully, bring a little hope, inspiration, comfort, and clarity into your life.

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

Once during a children's sermon the preacher asked his little listeners, "What must you do to receive God's forgiveness of your sins?" A child quickly declared, "First of all, you have to sin." How profound! If you have children, you already know that it does not take long for them to get right to the point. This young child has the right idea to understanding what Jesus meant when he said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Until a person realizes they are in sin, they will never turn to God for forgiveness. I know that may sound simple, so simple that it does not deserve to be examined but really, do we all realize that truth? As we look at our society today, we see many lines being blurred. What is the difference between Christians and the rest of the world? If I am a good person is that not good enough? I submit that the question we need to ask people is this, "How has Jesus changed your life?"

Some translations of the bible and a few paraphrases have suggested that instead of the word "blessed" we use the word "happy." In the case of Matthew 5:3 the bible would read, "Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I will not deny that happiness is a true result of the transformation that comes through Jesus but I'm not sure that the word happy goes far enough in explaining what we receive when we give our lives to Christ. When Jesus said that the poor in spirit would be blessed he capped it off by telling us the blessing, which was the kingdom of heaven! To be blessed means supremely blessed and the promise to the poor in spirit is that they will be blessed by God with the Kingdom of Heaven. Happiness does not even begin to describe what Jesus is saying here and I'm not sure that this side of heaven any of us can explain it satisfactorily.

So what does Jesus mean when he says this blessing comes to those who are poor in spirit? Poorness in our vernacular acknowledges a lack of something, usually in our day and time, a lack of money. Poorness could also refer to lacking in aptitude or certain skills, weakness, being timid or passive, but rare is the occasion that we would equate being poor in something as the key to attaining anything. Yet there it is straight from Jesus himself, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Being poor in spirit is that moment when we acknowledge our total spiritual poverty before God. It is a personal acknowledgment of our own spiritual bankruptcy. It is that instant when one realizes, "I am nothing; I have nothing; I can do nothing; and I stand in need of all things." An example of this can be found in the life of Peter, while still a Galilean fisherman he experiences a life changing, paradigm shifting event, we call it the miracle of the great catch of fish. After fishing all night and catching nothing, Jesus encourages Peter and his fellow anglers to give it one more try. When they do, the results were astonishing! They caught so many fish their nets started breaking and their boats were filled to the point of sinking. The bible tells us that when Peter recognized what Jesus had done he exclaimed, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8) Peter recognized that he was poor in spirit.

Recognizing our poorness of spirit is fundamental to salvation. When we acknowledge that we have nothing to offer God, it is then and only then that we are open enough to allow God to fill our lives. Poorness of spirit is closely related to repentance. Repentance is what follows when we recognize that we are poor in spirit. Another good bible example is found in Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood to pray and talked on and on about all the good things he has done while the tax collector could not even bear to raise his head. The tax collector was broken and in need of God. He "beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." (Luke 18:13) We cannot be filled until we are empty, we cannot be made worthy until we recognize our unworthiness; we cannot live until we admit we are dead.

So, how has Jesus changed your life?

Life Happens

Life is never easy. Life on this earth will introduce you to a myriad of emotions. In the course of one day, we can experience boredom and excitement, elation and desolation, life and death. Whether your outlook on life is positive or negative, life is filled with diversity. Just when we think we have it figured out and know what to expect, life happens. The past few days in my life is a good example of the range of emotions life will throw your way. Tuesday found me conducting the funeral of a young Christian woman who died of cancer; Thursday dawned with the birth of a daughter to a good friend and fellow gospel preacher; Saturday ended with joining a young couple in holy matrimony. Contemplating this whirlwind of events, I could not help but think that there must be a learning opportunity here.
A humanist would simply say that I had just witnessed the "circle of life." One life ends while another begins with some living in between. This "circle" idea may seem all neat and orderly, it may fit perfectly into the secular world, yet it fails to address the needs of man who is created "in the image of God." The essence of being created in the image of God is that we have an eternal soul. Instead of the "circle of life," we more aptly resemble an infinite line. Sure, we have a definite point of origin but when it comes to our soul, there is no end.
How we live while on earth and our response to the cross of Christ will determine where we spend the majority of our existence. Job summed up human existence by saying, "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" ( Job 14:1). Job was beginning to understand that life on this earth is insignificant when viewed in light of eternity. This life we are experiencing is only a tiny portion of our whole existence. Job seemed to understand this as he said, "If a man dies, will he live again ... I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made" ( Job 14:14,15).
Let us not get so caught up in the happenings of life that we forget why we are here. We are the only ones who can let life get in the way of salvation. God has promised that no matter what happens in your life it will not stand in the way of your salvation unless you allow it. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8:38,39).

Unity in Diversity

Conflict and controversy are two sure-fire ways of exciting people into Bible study. Sadly, this kind of fire seldom resolves anything, rarely incites people to go into the world to save the lost, and most often causes division and even congregational splits. Words like "liberal" and "legalist" are discussed in church meetings and brotherhood papers so much that they seem to outnumber words that should be considered like "missions," "saving the lost," and "fellowship." Brethren become "experts" on the topic of discussion, and very often they become "one issue" Christians. If you do not believe as they believe then you are a liberal and therefore must not be fellowshipped. Soon, these brethren try to force their issue into every situation possible and onto every person possible.

Brothers and sisters, it is time for this to end! It is time for the Lord's church to stop majoring in minors. It is time for the Lord's church to complete the mission Jesus set for us and "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

Will there be a time when doctrine is assaulted and needs defending? Sadly the answer is, "Yes." When these cases arise we must unite and defend the faith, but not every issue discussed is a matter of faith or fellowship. Jude wrote to the early Christians concerning this issue saying, "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). Jude wanted to write a letter of encouragement to Christians to inspire them in their evangelistic efforts, however, because of certain people and problems he was forced to write a letter urging them to be unified.

Unity is not giving up the fight, as some perceive. Unity in diversity is often a phrase that gets tossed around like a hot potato. We should never compromise on the doctrine of Christ, yet who would claim that the Lord's church is not made up of a group of people with diverse beliefs? Paul urged the Christians at Rome to have unity in diversity. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters" (Romans 14:1). In other words, Paul says, accept your brother without giving thought to his differing opinion.

If Christians would strive to do as Jude commands and "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints," then we could do away with much conflict and controversy. Later in Jude, those who cause division are said to have gone the way of Balaam's error. It is interesting that even Balaam, when he listened to God, got things right. "How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?" (Numbers 23:8).

When one is seeking to please God and is not violating God's commands, then how can God's people denounce him? Paul says the same thing, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4).

Do you agree or can we agree to disagree?

Proclaimers of His Majesty

"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" ( 2 Peter 1:16).

Today I heard someone use the phrase "too close for comfort"; it was just after I had been contemplating the above verse penned by the Apostle Peter. As he continued, I began to ponder if it was not also true that we could get too comfortable because we are so close.

I live in the fabulous hills of Tennessee, snuggled between the legendary Civil War battlefield of Shiloh and the fabled Natchez Trace Parkway. About ten miles from my home is a naturally made land bridge and about thirty miles from my home is the birthplace of David Crockett, yet it has been years since I have visited any of these places. People travel for miles around to enjoy the beauty and history that surrounds me yet I am seemingly oblivious to it all.

A certain blindness comes from knowledge and familiarity. Unless we take the time to focus on something, it will never become a part of our life. Just because I own a beautiful flower garden does not mean that I have ever stopped to ponder the grandeur of the single rose.

As Christians, there is the danger of becoming comfortable with God.

As Christians we can get in a rut, we go to church, sing the songs, hear the sermons, read our Bibles, and pray our prayers, but none of it really makes a difference in our lives. Jesus told the Christians as Ephesus that this, basically, was their situation. They were doing all the things they were supposed to be doing yet Jesus says, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love" ( Revelation 2:4).

As Christians, we have something about which to be excited!

We need to let people know about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. While we are not in the position of Peter, where we can be eyewitnesses of his majesty, we certainly can be proclaimers of his majesty. We have a message worth sharing and that message is Christ's message.

We do not have to use "cunningly devised fables" or any other "heroic measures" when it comes to spreading the gospel. We have the power of God unto salvation if we will but use it to save those who are lost ( Romans 1:16). This power is the Bible and it is God's inspired word. "No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit ( 2 Peter 1:20,21).

There is nothing more precious, more glorious, more majestic than the word of God that can save mankind.

A proclaimer of the gospel, God wants you to be one; your neighbor is dying for you to be one.

Circle of Protection

The Musk Ox seems to have more sense than God's family at times. When faced with danger, musk oxen form a circle with their heads and horns facing outward. In the center of this circle of protection, musk oxen place their young and weak. They gather for mutual protection rather that trying to go out on their own or running away. We can learn a lot from the Musk Ox. When things get tough, we have a tendency to withdraw from those who care for us the most. When trouble comes, instead of coming together to draw on our mutual strength, we stray from the pack and conjure up lame excuses to justify our actions.

We should all remember the old saying, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven." As long as we are on this earth, Christians will make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes will be embarrassing, not only to the person themselves but also to the church. Our tendency in such cases is to distance ourselves from the situation. We leave the weak ones outside the circle of protection to fend for themselves. Scripture tells us that we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters in spiritual need. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:1, 2).

Young Christians are especially vulnerable to being abandoned in their time of need. Mature Christians should be the first to stand beside a fallen brother or sister. We need not be afraid to admit that we too have stood where they are standing. By doing so, we are not condoning their sin, but rather we are protecting them in a time of weakness. We are showing them that while perfection is not in our lot as humans, maturity is.

Jesus was not afraid to stand beside those who had fallen prey to temptation. In the case of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus stood beside her and became a one man "circle of protection." Not once did Jesus say her actions were acceptable, yet not once did Jesus act as if she was unworthy of his presence. On the contrary, once the protagonists had disappeared, those who delight in the fall of another, Jesus was able to show her the way to repentance. "Jesus declared.”Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11).

Helping God's children in their darkest time of need is as close to being Christ-like as one can get. It was for this purpose that Jesus came to earth, and it is because of our sin that he suffered death on the cross. "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers" (1 John 3:16).

Growth

In the church, the word growth is most often synonymous with numeric growth. After all, saving souls is our "business." If we are taking care of business then growth should naturally occur. We plant the seed and God makes it grow. There is another type of growth we should be concerned with and that is personal spiritual growth.

I have a friend who is very fond of the old saying, "You are either green and growing or you are ripe and rotting." I like that and it holds true for our spiritual lives. If you have been a Christian for very long you have most likely realized some significant growth in your relationship with Jesus Christ.

In my life, personal growth seems to come in waves. It seems I plod along on the same spiritual plane for a while and then something sparks a resurgence from deep inside. For me, these moments often come in the face of adversity.

One such occasion in my life took place over the course of one very long and troubling week. The week began poorly with the release of a "review" of an article I had written for a brotherhood magazine. In this "review," the writer accused me of being "woefully ignorant," and stopped just short of calling me sectarian and a factionist. In other words, the position I took was too conservative for this gentleman so I was to be "called out" and marked. Just two days later I found myself being accused of being too "liberal" for someone's liking. I'll admit, these attacks left me feeling like a "whipped puppy." Following the advice of friend and now colleague, Matthew Morine, I held my head up and soldiered on. Matthew's advice was that if I was being assailed from both sides then I must be doing something right. So I spent much time in prayer, revisited the positions that people had objected to and came out on the other side stronger and feeling closer to God. Did God send these attacks against me? I don't think so, but he definitely used them to grow my faith in him.

So what about you? Have you ever had defining moments like this? Have you ever been tempted to quit? Share your moments and help the rest of us grow through your experiences.

Psych

I love the show "Psych" on USA Network. The basic premise of the show revolves around the main character Shawn. Shawn is the son of a retired policeman who was forced as a child to develop keen observatory skills. Shawn uses this skill to help solve mysteries through the power of deduction, albeit under the guise of being psychic. Before revealing his "psychic" power, the police would pay no attention to Shawn but after revealing his "gift" they began to employ his services on all major cases.

Why do suppose that people are more willing to believe something simply because a person of "authority" said it verses investigating for themselves? Are we too lazy to do the work ourselves? Does the prospect of digging deeper bore us? You may never be called upon to solve a murder or uncover a major theft ring but you do have something in your life that is worth getting right. It is called salvation.

Many people are dealing haphazardly with eternal life because they are willing to simply accept what they have been taught as truth. Salvation is free, but true faith requires effort. We should all take our cue from the citizens of Berea who "were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11)

Listen to your preacher, teacher, or parents but do so with an open bible. Ensure that your faith is a biblical faith and not one "loaned" to you by someone else.

Fight for Faith

I'm not one to complain, but the past few months have taken a toll on me, physically and mentally. Since about February I have been loosing weight, about thirty pounds total, with no known cause. Three different doctors have made an effort to diagnose the problem but as of today not one of them has been able to pinpoint the cause. I have had more blood drawn than you see spilled in one of those old slasher films. I have had scans, x-rays, and too many probes to even mention (not that you would want me to). With the exception of a few minor deficiencies, everything the doctors have checked have been normal. So why am I not happy?

To some extent the doctors with their myriad of tests have brought me some great relief. The obvious culprits that cause the symptoms I've been suffering aren't the kind of things you want to find in your body, things like cancer, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis. The very fact that I don't have any of these diseases is indeed an answered prayer. Yet, I still remain undiagnosed and suffering from the same symptoms.

Frustration is the key word, I am frustrated with the unknown, frustrated at the prospect of continued illness, and frustrated with the lack of answers. In the grand scheme of things and compared with the alternatives, I should be happy. But such is the state of man, we are an impatient and fickle group. One only needs to read the bible for a few pages to see an example of someone whose life is far worse than your own, yet whose faith remains unshaken.

Consider Job, his whole life was literally taken from him yet he refused to blame God. Paul speaks of all the trouble in his life as if they are badges of honor. Beaten with a rod? It only made me stronger. Stoned and left for dead? It only made me want to preach Christ with more urgency. A thorn in the flesh that God refuses to remove? His grace is sufficient. Thrown in prison? Great! It gives me more time to write.

It was from prison that Paul wrote the following:

"Yes and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." ( Philippians 1:18b-21)

Compared to Paul, the struggles I face are mere bumps in the road. Do I ignore my problems? No, we shouldn't ignore our problems based on the fact that there is always someone who is worse off than you. We face our problems and Soldier On!

The problems of this life are miniscule when viewed in light of eternity. So let's "fight the good fight of faith (and) take hold of the eternal life" to which we have been called. (1 Timothy 6:12)

Faith, Family, and Fireworks

For the past few years my family has worked together selling fireworks in order to fund our passion for Disney World. My family, my brother's family, and mom & dad, all basically give up two weeks of our lives to the heat of a tent so that we can spend one week with "the mouse."

It might sound crazy to most people but to us it makes perfect sense. We are a close family but its only when we work together that we truly get to see each other "shine." Each one of us uses our own special gifts to help make our little fireworks tent successful.

The bible tells us that this is the way the church works when we follow God's plan.

But God has combined the members of the body. . . So that there should be no division in the body; but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:24-25, 27

We are all different. We have different talents and abilities. The lesson for us as God's Family is to let him direct our efforts. If we do this then we will be successful.

Happy Independence Day!