Because sometimes you just need to laugh a little.
Just a Little Funny
He Suffered for Us
“I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the one Nietzsche ridiculed as “God on the Cross.” In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples and stood respectfully before the statue of Buddha, his legs crossed, arms folded, eyes closed, the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth, a remote look on his face, detached from the agonies of the world. But each time after a while I have had to turn away. And in imagination I have turned instead to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in Godforsaken darkness. That is the God for me! He laid aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us” (John Stott).
Every other religion is about working our way to God and somehow managing to be good enough or obey enough rules or simply to be lucky enough to get to heaven or nirvana or whatever they believe exists after death. But Christianity is the story about how God in Jesus has come to us (and I hear Mike Glenn’s voice as I type these words). Jesus knew that man could never climb high enough to get to heaven, so He came from heaven to live among us and die for us.
It’s still a few weeks away from Lent Season and Easter, but I still think it’s good to remember that God doesn’t watch us suffering from a distance. He’s with us in our suffering. Best of all, He became one of us and suffered for us more than anyone before or since to provide redemption and salvation and freedom to all who would receive Him.
That’s a good thought for Easter, but it’s also good for any time of the year. It’s good especially for times like these when pain and suffering are the norm rather than the exception. Your King knows all about suffering and He is still here and He still reigns. One day, He will make all things right. This is our God, and Jesus is His name.
A Prayer by Charles Spurgeon
| “Oh Lord, we often question ourselves to know whether we have real faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, and we will now pray asking you to search us, and try us and see that we are really trusting in him; and if we are, Lord increase our faith. But if we have merely a faith in name, rid us from the counterfeit, and give us yet the real, precious gold, which wisdom alone can furnish. |
| Oh, for a humble and sincere faith in our divine Lord. Lord, if it is necessary to break our hearts in order that we may have it, then let them be broken. If we have to unlearn a thousand things to learn the sweet secret of faith in him, let us become fools that we may be wise, only bring us surely and really to stand upon the Rock of Ages—so to stand there as never to fall, but to be kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.” |
The Bible talks about faith that is tested by fire like gold (1 Peter 1:7). I’ve posted this before, but I love the idea that a gold refiner knows that the gold is pure when he can see his reflection in it. That’s how it will be for us — one day God will see His reflection in us and so will other people. And every bit of the fiery trial will have been worth it for that moment.
Lord, do whatever it takes for your reflection to be seen in your people — in me.
Worship on a Cold Sunday Morning
I love my church’s worship team. I love how they glorify God through incredible musicianship and singing. I love how they bring so much energy to the service and elevate the name of Jesus. But at the end of the day, if it’s about them and their talents leading the way, then it hasn’t been true worship.
I do think that singing hymns and praise songs are a part of worship. I do think there’s something about declaring the worth of God in song that gets us closer to the heart of God and makes us more aware of His presence. But if it’s been just about us singing songs about God, then it hasn’t been true worship.
True worship doesn’t start at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning and end at 10:15. True worship doesn’t exist solely in 4/4 (or sometimes 3/4 time). True worship begins when we open our eyes in the morning and declare the worth of God. How we talk to and treat our family as we get ready for church, how we navigate traffic as we drive to church, how we treat the servers where we eat after church are all a part of worship.
We can’t sing to Jesus for 30 minutes on Sunday and live for ourselves the rest of the time and call it worship. Granted, we all fall short of God’s glory every single day, but when we confess our brokenness and declare our dependence on Jesus, that’s worship. When we present ourselves — our very bodies — to God for the purpose of being transformed instead of allowing ourselves to be conformed to the world, that’s worship. When our world as we know it is falling apart and every visible sign of God’s comfort and presence is gone, yet we still declare with Job, “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him,” (Job 13:15, NIV), that’s worship that is acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God.
Theology of Naps
I confess that I didn’t like taking naps as a kid. I’ll admit that sometimes when I was forced to take a nap, I would fake like I was sleeping until I could get up and go play. When I saw the meme about how I wish I cold have rollover minutes for all the naps I missed, I felt it deeply in my bones. I wish I could have those naps back.
But now I love naps. There’s nothing better on a cold and rainy afternoon than a good nap. Especially if the fan is blowing and the pillow is cold and the sheets are warm. There was a point when I had to set my alarm for a nap or else I’d sleep for three hours and wake up not knowing what year it was. Now, I can bank on sleeping for 45 minutes to an hour, regardless of how sleepy I feel.
Naps are good because sometimes the human body needs rest. I mentioned previously reading a book recently called The Rest of God about really taking a Sabbath rest. I think that we’ve escaped so far from the legalism of Sabbath that sometimes we miss the point altogether. It’s about restoration and refreshment, not ritual.
I’m still learning what that means. I’m not the best at it yet, but I believe God honors us when we honor Him by keeping what He commands, including honoring the Sabbath. If you have ways that you use to make the Sabbath restful, I’d like to know so that maybe I can add them to my own life. You can leave me a comment below or you can text me at 615-556-5850.
Why Community Matters
“The atmosphere around you my friend…
Who has your ear?
How are your conversations?
Who says I’ll pray and really does?
Who tells you the truth,
even when they know it will be tough or you won’t hear it?
Who encourages you to merge from small territory?
Who tells you to pray when a knee jerk react is imminent?
Who can be trusted?
Who points you to Jesus?
That circle is of utmost importance, my friend—
Just as the air you breathe.
No small thing” (Kathy Troccoli).
After my last small group broke up, I didn’t think I’d ever find another one like it. To be accurate, we didn’t break up, some of the people in the group decided to start seeing other groups. We just sorta stopped meeting. Plus, our fearless group leader was blessed to become a campus pastor at our Woodbine location. So no complaints at all there.
Still, I missed being in a community of believers. So three weeks ago I broke down and signed up to be in a new small group. It was billed as a Co-ed Intergenerational group. I wasn’t sure if that meant they were of all ages or that they all just really liked Star Trek a lot. It didn’t matter. I was in and I was committed.
I haven’t regretted it one bit. I felt welcomed and at home from day one. I found a place I belonged. I had found my people. So many of the group are walking through some dark valleys, but we lift each up in prayer and encouragement. Sometimes, when you’re struggling, the best words you can hear are “you’re not alone” and “me too.”
I can’t wait to see where God takes us. I may even start bringing my jokes to the group, although I don’t want to scare the newbies off with my lame dad jokes. At least not yet.
God’s command is for us to be present and engaged in a local body of believers called a local church. But I really do believe God wants us to go deeper into community groups, Bible reading groups, and/or mentor relationships. After all Jesus had His followers, but He also had His 12 disciples and His 3 (Peter, James and John).
We are truly better together and there’s an empowering of the Holy Spirit that happens when believers meet to celebrate Jesus that doesn’t happen to us individually.
My Mac Is Old
Yes, my Mac Book Pro is old. According to the screen shot I took earlier, it’s 10 years old. In people years, that’s not very old. In technology years, that’s old. In laptop years, that’s just about ready for the Smithsonian years old.
But I like old things. Lots of my shoes and shirts are old. Heck, after getting a senior discount at Goodwill recently, I’m beginning to think I’m old. And I’m quite fond of me most of the time.
I still remember biting the bullet to purchase my trusty old Mac back in 2016. I saved a bit when I bought a year-old refurbished Mac off the Apple website. Apparently, I chose well because this thing is still running great 9 years later. Or more accurately, I’ve been blessed.
I hope this one lasts another 10 years because I really don’t want to spend money on another laptop for a very, very, very long time.
Timely Grace
One of the things God is reminding me lately is that there is such a thing as timely grace. I think most of us spend way too much time thinking about possible future scenarios involving us or our loved ones. Or in my case, sometimes obsessively thinking about these things.
It’s easy to get caught up in imagining what we would do if we lost the job or wrecked the car or had a terminal illness in the family. Usually those kinds of thoughts lead to great anxiety as we picture ourselves overwhelmed in such a scenario.
First of all, those what-if cases rarely ever happen. Second, we tend to leave God out when we bring anxiety into the picture where it’s just us trying to figure out what to do and managing it all by ourselves.
Most importantly, we forget one very vital piece of information. In my experience, God will often give you the grace to deal with any of these situations should they ever actually happen. But God doesn’t give you that grace ahead of time. It’s only at the exact moment you need it most that it comes.
Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.
The problem is that we want to be like Israel in the desert with the manna. We want to hoard and stockpile grace in case it might run out. We want plenty of grace in plenty of time to be prepared. But that’s now how God works.
God knows what we need when we need it. Faith means trusting in God’s timing as much as God’s provision. Seeing God come through in the clutch makes our faith stronger and reminds us that all things really do work together for good because God designed it that way.
“My faith demands that I face the uncertainty of the future in the confidence that in any meeting of affliction, I am held by the tether of God’s grace. My way is well known to my Master, and therefore I walk in confidence. No testing will come that will not be accompanied by sustaining grace. If I failed to believe that, I would be impoverished beyond measure and would deny the truthfulness and example of Scripture. God’s provision has been adequate in the past; it will be adequate in the future. The secret of our courage lies in our confidence that the future is controlled by the providence of a sovereign God” (James Means, A Tearful Celebration).
Winter Is Mad
I think it was last week when in the span of four days, the temperature went from 70s to 40s to 70s to 40s. I’m not even kidding. We had all four seasons in the span of 96 hours.
That’s sick. Literally. And by sick, I mean bad and not the good kind of sick like the kids are all saying these days. I mean people get sick of this kind of up-and-down weather. Either that or they really do get sick.
It’s been a span where we went from shorts weather to possible snow in a short amount of time. I literally have no idea how to dress for the weather anymore. I forgot how 40 can feel much colder when it’s been 70something the previous day. Or how hot 70 can be when it’s been just above freezing the day before.
I guess that’s why God invented a thing called layers. I guess I’ll be wearing layers from now until some time in May.
Amazing Testimony
I saw this testimony on Facebook and I had to share. It’s the power of Jesus to save and transform anybody at any point to be a true disciple. I’m copying and pasting the post but also providing a link to the original post in case you want to check it out as well:
“I get a lot of messages from gay men and women asking me how I came out of homosexuality. Many of them tell me they want out of the lifestyle but they still feel sexually attracted to the same sex. What do I do they say and they all ask that same question.
There is no shame in asking those questions or feeling that way because in His time he will show you.
I didn’t want out of the gay lifestyle when Christ came to me. I was happy being gay. I had a boyfriend. I saw no need to change. Christ came to me while I was yet a sinner and began to deal with my heart FIRST. He came to me FIRST while I was living in my sin. I hadn’t repented or anything when he began to deal with my heart. That’s important to note. So many times we want people to repent at an altar in front of everyone and people don’t even know why they are doing what they are doing or why they are even repenting. 
As Christians we need to be sensitive to the needs of sinners.
When God began to deal with my heart I began to see in the Word of God where I was wrong about the way that I was living. I still felt gay but I began to read in the Bible things that I didn’t want to do…..BUT YET I began to follow what the Word said and NOT how I felt. And so I repented of my sins but at times I still felt gay.
If you will follow the process of Jesus Christ then he WILL change your life! God gave me a poweful revelation of the Love of God that immediately broke the chains that held me bound to that lifetsyle. I felt instant freedom but I still didn’t feel convicted about it.
After repentance I walked away from a lifestyle that I knew and loved and began to follow after a man that I didn’t know and his name was Jesus…..but still felt gay. I told God that if he would help me that I would never go back to that life and it’s now been 6 years now and I have never one time went back to it and I have never slept with a man since then. Never ever.
It was about 2 years into my walk with Christ after repentance that Jesus began to show me why I was wrong. I’ll never forget the day that conviction came to me over the lifestyle that I once lived. I felt so
ashamed that day. I cried like a baby. 2 years AFTER becoming a Christian Jesus Christ sent a strong conviction to me. Think about that. I felt so grieved that day knowing that I had grieved the heart of Christ with my old sinful lifestyle but it was 2 years later. Why are we rushing new converts?
I am free from that life today, thank you Jesus!!!
Here’s what I want to tell you today. Repent of your sins whatever they are and wait on the Lord. Do all that you know to do according to the Word of God. Don’t live by how you feel but rather by what the Word says and Jesus Christ will lead you into ALL truth.
Christ is a powerful process if you will just follow. He will deliver you in his time….not someone else’s. He has changed my life little by little by little. Not with BIG things but with the smallest things. He’s still changing my life today.
Today I am delivered. Today I am not gay. Today I don’t have the feelings that I used to have. I am free in my mind. I am so thankful to a God who has saved my soul from eternal fire.
Listen to me when you’re coming out of this lifestyle I want to be honest with you…..most Christians do not know how to help you. It’s no fault to them. They just don’t understand AT ALL. If you are putting your trust in man then you are going to be let down. I want to encourage you to TRUST in God and TRUST what the word of God says….with your whole heart. There are mean ministers who slam gay people for that sake of handclaps from the audience. I’ve been in those services. There are mean Christians who hate the way the way you are. There are mean people everywhere especially in the world. Don’t keep living like you are because someone was mean to you. You are seeking something else because when you lay your head on your pillow you feel deep down that something isn’t right.
When you start coming to church you’re doing to deal with all kinds of nonsense but let me tell you what else I found. I found a group of Christian people who know the power of God and how he changes lives. They have loved me while Christ was changing me. They have helped me more than I ever thought possible. You might be surprised who is sitting in your congregation who have been exactly where you are right now. The enemy wants to bring meaness to the forefront but the LOVE of God is the most powerful thing that there is! Jesus loves you even when others don’t. He died for YOU!
Be honest with God. Tell him exactly how you feel. Tell him that you still feel attracted to the same sex. Talk to God. He knows. He understands. Be honest with him but walk away from anything that doesn’t align to his word. Then give him time to bring you OUT of it.
I found out what coming out of the closet really means….it’s when I came OUT of the world and into His marvelous light!! When I came out of the world I became a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away and ALL things have become new to me!
I was ‘trans’ formed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2) NOT ‘trans’ formed by mutilating certain body parts. Trans is a Christian word. We are transformed through the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost will lead you into ALL truth! didn’t become gay overnight and I’m thankful that I serve a God who has given me space to make powerful changes in my life.
I am learning what it means to be a man….a Christian man…..because I used to feel like a woman.
Talk about a powerful process. 
Come and be a Christian with me.
This is the BEST life!” (Ben Bland)
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