Intentional Encouragement

     I've been a little dry at the blog well recently, but it's given me an opportunity to go back and look at some posts I published in the last couple of years.  My wife and I will be out of town for the weekend, interviewing and observing at a church in another city (another state, actually).  Our minds have been consumed with Christmas and with this weekend for some time now.  I guess that's my attempt at an explanation.  Since we are thinking about the future again and the possibility of a new life in a new place and a new church, I thought I'd reproduce this post that helps me think about the most important part of anticipation for the future...the next day's effort at honoring God.      I remember a commercial for a high end car a few years ago that had a unique headlight system. The fixtures that held the lamps sensed when the wheels were turning and would pan a little bit in that direction. The great attraction, so it seemed, was that you could see a

     It's Christmas Day.  I've enjoyed having all of our kids back at our house today.  We are treasuring these times because we know that this coming year holds some significant changes for our family.  At least one move will be coming this year; a wedding for our oldest son and (of course) all those other changes that happen without announcing themselves through each year.        We opened our gifts this morning and enjoyed sharing God's generosity with each other.  We did the same with my parents a couple of days ago and will with our future daughter in law this evening.  I love the opportunity to share with those I love.  It brings great joy to me as I give gifts.      The following words were penned a couple of years ago and they are brief, but I hope the idea of gift giving that is still fresh in your mind will allow you to spend a couple of moments reflecting on the amazing gift that God gave to us so many years ago in the person of Jesus.      Gift giving is fun

    Tuesday is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  As you head into this week, let these thoughts about the amazing journey that Jesus took from Heaven to earth enlarge your gratitude for the reality of Christmas.      Here's how the ESV translates Paul’s description in Philippians 2:5-8 of what happened that first Christmas: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”      We call this the incarnation. Jesus took on humanity; he became flesh; became one of us.       I am astonished at the extent to which Christ went to bring the message of God’s truth into the world. Jesus is eternally God and the essence of who he was didn’t change whe

     I realize that I've been out of touch for over a month, and I probably won't get back to writing until after the first of the year, but I thought I'd re-publish several posts in the next week or so that I've posted before.  They'll all focus on the celebration of Christmas.  I hope they will be an encouragement to you as you reflect on this wonderful time of year.       There was a lot about Mary's situation that would have been hard to take in. She was pregnant but unmarried. Further, she hadn’t done anything wrong to get into that situation. Even more, who would believe that?       While every young Jewish girl held the faint hope in her heart that she might be privileged to become the mother of the Messiah, they didn’t plan their lives around it. Mary wouldn’t have either. She had plans, but they likely didn’t include this. Not this way; n ot now; not before she and Joseph were married.       It came unexp

     I'm thankful for my "day job."  Since leaving our previous pastorate 2 1/2 months ago, I have had the responsibility of thinking about work in a different way again.  I worked hard as a pastor (and will again, when God opens the door).  I spent long hours in my office and also on "off hours."  I carried the burden of the ministry on my shoulders in a way that those outside of vocational ministry cannot understand.  My average work week was 50 hours or so and I took only one full day off each week.  I received a fair salary for my work and enjoyed my life.      But now I'm in the "real" world of work.  I leave about 6:30 or 7 depending on whether I'm working an hour away or a half hour away.  I work hard (physically).  I get home about 10 hours later.  I have no time during the day to care for any business that needs accomplished.  I'm working during business hours and can't just take 15 minutes to care for something else.  I have

     I've been mulling over a verse lately that God graciously pointed out to me about 10 years ago during my devotions one day.  I'm working out the ramifications of it again just now, so I thought I'd share a little bit of that with you.      At the time God brought this verse to my attention I was searching for his direction for me and my family.  We had sought to go to Australia as church-planters and that door had closed...slammed in our faces.  We spent months searching for the direction God would have us take.  I came to the conclusion that I might not ever be in ministry again on a full time basis.  There seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel.       One day during that time I was reading toward the end of Exodus.  Specifically, I was reading God's command to Moses to lead the children of Israel away from Mount Sinai.  After the disaster of the golden calf incident (read chapter 32 if you want a refresher), it was time to move on.  The people were fear

     I wrote this post about 2 years ago, but not many people were following or reading back then and I still feel like the words are valuable.  I hope they will be a refresher to you:      I've been thinking today about a phrase I used occasionally when I helped to coach middle and Jr. High school basketball a few years ago. "The best offense is a good defense." When I was going through school, I couldn't handle the ball very well, so I learned to play pretty good defense. My logic was that if we can keep the other team from scoring; we won't need to worry about scoring too much to beat them. A couple of good zone defensive strategies; and good understanding of a man-to-man defense; some good conditioning to keep up and the rest will take care of itself. No need for a lengthy playbook with all those different plays intended to dazzle the opponents and run up the score.      Well; shame on me. First of all; that a misquote. You can google it. Se

     I'm putting the finishing touches on a message I will preach this coming Sunday.  It's part of a brief series looking at the life of Elijah from 1 Kings.  He was the guy who prayed that it wouldn't rain and it didn't.  Prayed that a young boy would come back to life and he did.  Prayed that God would send fire and consume a drenched sacrifice and He did.  Prayed that it would rain again (three years later) and it did.      This week I have put together 3 questions that I will close with.  Do we really believe God answers prayer?  How do we prove that?  What are we praying for?      Obviously the questions are very much related and, in fact, sequential.  I thought I'd take a few moments of your time to get you to think about them too.  The major question that I'm working through again is this.  "Is what I've described above the normal way or is it extraordinary?"       For starters, let's keep in mind that everything Elijah prayed for wa

I received this from a missionary friend of mine.  I'm pretty sure he got it from someone else.  Whatever it's origin; I'm glad for the good reminders of God's character from Psalm 23. The Lord is my Shepherd -That's Relationship! I shall not want -That's Supply! He makes me lie down in green pastures -That's Rest! He leads me beside still waters -That's Refreshment! He restores my soul -That's Healing! He leads me in paths of righteousness - That's Guidance! For His name's sake -That's Purpose! Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death -That's Testing! I will fear no evil -That's Protection! For You are with me -That's Faithfulness! Your rod and Your staff comfort me -That's Discipline! You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies -That's Confidence! You annoint my head with oil -That's Consecration! My cup overflows -That's Abundance! Surely goodness a

     Well, it's been 2 weeks (again) since I've made my weekly blog post.  It's been a bit of a roller coaster for me that I won't take time to explain right now.  I received the following from my daughter just a little bit ago and I thought I'd share it with you.  It came from one of her profs in grad school, who relayed it from someone named Samantha Reed, so I acknowledge that it is not original with me, but it sure spoke to my heart this evening and thought it might be a blessing to some of you as well.      "Then Job replied to the LORD: 'I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.' ...My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." Job 42:1-2, 5 (NIV)      Sometimes I don't fully trust God has prepared good things. For me; for family; for friends; for others.      This past year was riddled with home foreclosures, loss of businesses, empty cupboards and gas tanks for those I love. They've fac

     It seems appropriate to share some thoughts about this day in history.  I have been dwelling on it a little this morning and decided to go back and see if I wrote anything about it last year.  It turns out that my thoughts are much the same.  I am reproducing them here with some minor adjustments.  I hope it's a blessing to you.           Today marks the 11th anniversary of a day most Americans remember vividly. I know exactly where I was when I heard the news of the first tower being hit. I remained glued to my TV all day long, wondering what would possess a person to perpetrate the murder of more than 3,000 people. I visited ground zero some months after the attack and was stunned once more by the significance of the event. In a matter of a hours, and over the course of the next days, thousands of people were thrown into their worst nightmare as they received news confirming their fears; their loved one had died on 9/11. On 9/10, I had received a phone call that told m

     It has been 3 weeks since I preached my last sermon at our church in Newport News, VA.  God gave us 9 years of ministry there; more than any place we had been previously.  I am grateful for all that he accomplished while we were there and for all that he did in our hearts during that time as well.  When we came; our oldest daughter was 16 and just learning how to drive.  Now she (almost finished with grad school) and her sister (a couple of years out of college) are sharing an apartment about 10 miles from us.  Their brother (the oldest of 2) is a senior at Liberty University, studying for the ministry.  The youngest is now 18.  Since he is special needs, we will have the ongoing joy of caring for him for many years to come.       A couple of weeks ago, I blogged some of the thoughts from what would be my closing sermon to our church family.  It was a sermon about faith; stepping out when you don't know where it will lead, when it will take place or how it could possibly happ

     Those of you familiar with our situation right now know that we have purposely put ourselves in a position where we will be in trouble if God doesn't come through.  That's a rough quote from a statement made by Francis Chan that I got from a friend a few weeks ago.  I'm still mulling over those words and have found myself enlivened and refreshed by their challenge.  It's funny how we see things more often when we are consciously thinking about them.  I was reading this morning from 1 Kings 17 about Elijah the prophet of God.  He was singularly used of God in a dramatic way.  He prayed and it stopped raining...for 3 years.  He prayed again and it rained.  He prayed and God raised a young man from the dead.  God did some incredible things through Elijah.      This morning I read the account of the widow that Elijah stopped to visit in the little town of Zarephath.  You're probably familiar with the story.  Elijah stopped there to get a meal as he traveled throug

     Have you felt at times like you had no idea where you were going?  Obviously, as a guy, I never admit that I don't know where I am going.  Even if I might be going the wrong direction, I hesitate to stop and ask when I am making such good time!  But of course, what I want to talk about today is not driving directions, but those times when life puts you in a spot that you don't know where you are going.      I have a couple of thoughts to share with you from Hebrews 11.  You may recognize that chapter as the "Hall of Faith" in the Bible.  Don't get scared off by that.  It mentions a lot of people who saw amazing victories because they were willing to walk by faith: people who "conquered kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, received back their dead by resurrection."   Are some of those stories you learned in Sunday school coming back to mind?  But it also mentions others, who were "tortured, suffered mocking and flo

     I'm working on some thoughts for an upcoming message that will conclude a study in the life of David (King of Israel).  There is a lot to learn from his life, both good and bad (mostly good).  He was, by the description of God Himself, a "man after God's own heart."  I've entitled the series of messages on his life "In Sync with God."  We've been studying about what it's like to live the kind of life that would evoke that description by God.      As I draw the series to a conclusion, and focus my attention on 1 Chronicles 29, I'm reminded of something that was pointed out to me about 12 years ago by a counseling professor during grad school.  She pointed to Acts 13:36 as a verse by which she guided her life.  "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with fathers and saw corruption..."      I suppose your reaction may be the same as mine was: "What?"  Why woul

     I was reading from the Psalms this morning and came to the 131 st .   It’s only 3 verses long, but I immediately sensed that I should put a few thoughts down in print about them.   Since it’s so short; let me quote it: O L ord , my heart is not lifted up; My eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me. Oh Israel , hope in the L ord from this time forth and forevermore. (ESV)      Just reading along; I wondered how many times I have waited for “things to calm down.”   I find it interesting (and encouraging) that I can calm and quiet my own soul.   I don’t have to wait for external things to settle down.  If I'm honest; I'm usually "occupying myself" with things that I really can't control anyway; "things too great for me."      That doesn’t give us anoth

     I just spent the last few days praying for and visiting my father who, at 82, spent nearly a week in the hospital with pneumonia.  I know others who are facing struggles with mobility; from backs to bones to joints.   I know some who have undiagnosed pain and physical symptoms that the doctor can’t find a source for.   Of course, I haven’t even mentioned those who are struggling with personal issues that are not of a physical nature. Then came this morning.  I watched in horror (as I'm sure you did) as the news reports came in about the tragedy in Colorado. As of this writing of this post, there are 12 dead and 59 more injured; many critically.  It has the potential to be the greatest loss of life of its kind in a very long time. There are no explanations for something like this.      Perhaps some words of encouragement are in order.      First, I want to remind you that you are not alone.   Even Paul, the great missionary statesman, struggled with fear and despair.  

            My wife and I have just stepped into a transition time.  This past Sunday, after our morning worship service, I read my resignation to our church family.  While it was something that had been brewing in our hearts for some time and something which we are supremely confident that God wanted us to do, it is still very difficult to declare an end to a pastoral relationship with people whom you have served with and loved for almost 9 years.  In some ways; it is made more difficult for us since we do not know yet where we are going next.  We are simply convinced that God has said "start walking; I'll let you know when you get there."  A good friend of mine sent me this quote from Francis Chan and it means a lot to me right now: "God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through!"             Relative to this si

     I love all the talk about freedom.   The longer I live in Southeastern Virginia and gain new friends who serve in the military; the more I appreciate the sacrifice of those who have given their lives to secure and defend my freedom.   It is a wonderful joy to me to live in a land where I can worship as I choose and serve the Lord without fear of interference from governmental intervention.      I have been sitting today thinking about a statement I read many years ago about freedom.   In many ways, it has plagued me, for I find myself mulling over the implications of the words.   The statement was made by a Christian who was in the Soviet Union .   You remember the days when that was a bastion of religious persecution, don’t you?   This brother was asked what it was like to be a Christian in a state openly adverse to Christianity.   Here was his response:      “In Russia we are tested by persecution.   In America you are tested by freedom, and testing by freedom is much ha

            I read the above statement in a daily devotional I received via email and it caught me a little off guard.   The full statement is even more powerful: “The simple rule of a successful life is this: Love God and stop worrying” (Italics mine).             The thought comes from Psalm 145:20 which says, in part: “The L ord watches over all who love him…” (NIV) There is great truth here.   Consider a couple of things.             Not everyone really loves God.   Most people who believe that there is a God would say they probably love him to some degree or another.   But to love God is to obey him; to submit to him; to honor him.   We would never convince anyone that we really loved our spouse if we didn’t talk with them very often or if we ignored their interests and desires.   The same is true with God.               When we come to Christ, humbly accepting his sacrifice in our place and trusting him as our only hope of salvation, we come into a new relationship with God

     On November 4, 2008, Senator Barack Obama was elected to become the next president of the US .   Millions of Americans were ecstatic.   Millions more were saddened and disappointed.   In the four years since that time, we have watched many things take place.   Chances are that if we liked the choice at the time for philosophical reasons; it has been confirmed.   Similarly; if we voted “no” it’s a pretty good chance that our decision has been confirmed in our minds.      I personally disagree at a fundamental level with President Obama’s stand on some major moral issues.   Also; I am convinced that the morality of a nation (including its attitude toward human life, sexuality, marriage, and toward wealth) directly affects many other things (like the economy).   Whenever we ignore fundamental principles of righteous living, we will pay for it, one way or another.      The question I want to address regards our posture and attitude toward our president and those with whom we disagre

     I just finished a great article on the measuring of "success" in the church.  I think we all struggle with what to measure and how to know if we are accomplishing what we set out to accomplish.  How do you put a person's progress in discipleship on a scale that shows how they are doing?      Nothing grows (or even maintains) it's effectiveness without regular evaluation, but how do we apply that to the local church?      The article is longer than my usual posts, but it's worth the read. Measuring What Matters | Leadership Journal      What do you think?  Can we measure our spiritual successes?  How do you track what is going on in your own life?

     The young people of our church are participating in the "30 Hour Famine" this weekend sponsored by World Vision. It is a great experience for teens to get a brief glimpse of what life is like for far too many people in the world. I've been asked to offer a challenge from the Scriptures about what they will experience.       There is so much to say about God's heart for those who are hurting and the responsibility of his people to care for the needy.       I decided to spend the first few minutes talking about what makes a person "wealthy" and thus responsible to care for the needy. I'm confident that all of the kids involved would fit into a reasonable definition of wealthy once they think about it for a few minutes. The majority of us who live in America have more than we need. I plan to use this video from the "miniature earth project" to help them get some perspective on how much they have compared with so many others:     

            It all seemed so small; a brown outline with little dots of blue and one larger empty brown area.   What am I talking about?   Why, the Grand Canyon , or course.   For many of you who have flown over it at 30,000 feet as you traversed the US for some reason, you may remember the first time the pilot said “now out on the left side of the plane, you will notice the Grand Canyon …”   Somehow, since you were so far removed from it; it didn’t seem so grand.             There are a lot of times in life when this is true.   Even the events that are important to us seem to be reduced in magnitude as time moves us further and further away from them.   That time I got knocked down and took a licking from a bully in 3 rd grade…the first girl I liked, but wasn’t sure she liked me…those stitches that came from jumping on hay bales on the back of a pick-up truck…all of these circumstances seemed huge at the time.   The further I am from them, the smaller they seem in significance.