The school year is already upon us and many of us have spent the morning getting our kids ready for school, taking pictures on the front step, and dropping them off for their first day in a new grade. Many of us also worry through the entire day.  We ask ourselves, “Will they be okay?”  “Will they make friends?” “Will they make the right choices?”  It really doesn’t matter if they are going into kindergarten or walking into their last year as a senior; we always worry. As we set our kids loose in their schools, let us remember the words of God,

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them. (Psalm 127:3-5a)

God compares children to arrows in the hands of a warrior, and there are few things about children that this comparison should teach us:

I’m praying for you!!!!

Recently, something unfortunate happened to my family… Thankfully, it was not something life altering, but it certainly altered our routine for the week.  My two youngest kids came down with strep and had to stay home for a couple days. Now I know that does not sound like a big deal, but when you are a busy family of five with clubs, meetings, and practices to attend; it came seem like the whole week just goes crashing down around you. However, something beautiful happened in the middle of all that chaos.  Suddenly, we all had to just stay home one evening.  A night that would usually be filled with practice, meetings, and appointments was suddenly cleared and all five of us found ourselves home at the same time.  So what did we do?  We had dinner, around the table, as a family. And it was magical…. As I reflected on the evening after my kids had gone to bed, I began to realize that I had been giving up too much ground to the world.  I had allowed the world to dictate what we did, where we went, and even what my kids were exposed to.  I had good intentions to be sure, but I was neglecting the things that really matter. Because of this, here are a couple suggestions I came up with as we fight for our family against a busy world.

What do I do?  How do I get started?  We are so committed now; I don’t know how to pull back!

Often when we notice that our lives have gotten a little too hectic, we want to just quit everything and start over. (Or move far away and start a new life!)

Also, we tend to start trimming the things that seem to demand less of us when we get busy.  This usually means church involvement gets cut as well as family time.  DON’T DO THIS!!

Instead, I would suggest that you start small in other ways.  Is there an evening that you as a couple or a family can block off to be together?  Can you set aside one weekend a month that will remain free of other obligations?  When you figure out when that is, stick to it!  People will want to get you to compromise.  They will say things like, “just this once” but don’t give in.  Show the world that your home and your family are important!  “No” is a very powerful word that you are allowed to use.

Now that you have said “no” to the world; say “yes” to God.  Do a little devotion as a family.  Ask your kids how something they learned at church affected their life that day.  Listen to worship music as a family and even sing along!

  Once you take that first step, you will probably notice that the world will keep spinning.  Your kids will continue to have opportunities and no one’s life will be over because you missed that “one thing”.  But you will probably also notice that your family will be healthier, your relationships will be stronger, and your love for God will deepen as you trust Him even more!   “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”  (1 John 5:21)

“If I were his/her parent…” Have you ever heard someone say this?  You may have heard it from seasoned grandparent or a couple that doesn’t have kids.  Often this is a phrase that comes out in the midst of a tough parenting moment.  It comes out in the grocery store, over coffee with friends, even in the church building. There is an idea behind this phrase that the person saying it would do better; or at least do differently, and often it is complete bologna. Last week, as I was doing my personal Bible reading I came across the story of Absalom.  Absalom was the son of King David and his story is found in 2 Samuel 13 and carries all the way to chapter 19.  By the end of the story, I found myself uttering that same phrase, “If Absalom had been my child, I would have…”  Needless to say, I would not have been very gracious.  See, Absalom’s story began with the assault of his sister by his half-brother.  When his father refused to administer justice, he took matters into his own hands.  He killed his brother and for that he was banished.  Eventually, David began to miss Absalom and he was convinced to bring him back to Jerusalem, but Absalom returned a different man.  He returned arrogant, unrepentant, entitled, and feeling justified.  It did not take long for him to begin to think that he would be a better king than his father.  After some time, he chose to act on that thought and began a coup. David was forced to flee Jerusalem and only by the grace of God was he able to escape, regroup, and reclaim his throne. 2 Samuel 18:5 says, “The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.”  Wait… what?  Did I miss something?  This spoiled little punk committed a crime.  David showed him mercy, and he repaid him with an insurrection.  Now David wants his commanders to show him more mercy?  As we continue to read, we learn that Joab did not follow David’s orders and kills him despite the fact that he did not have to. Picking up in verse 33 after David hears the news, “The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’”  Why is David acting this way?  Why if he were my son, I would have…. Oh… My problem is that I put myself in the shoes of the wrong person.  In this story, I am NOT David…  I am ABSALOM. Think about it for a moment….

I could say the same thing about myself as it relates to my Heavenly Father as well.  All too often I am unwilling to wait on God’s timing.  I am unrepentant even when I know I am wrong.  I would rather be around people that support my sinful actions than godly people who might confront me.  I often think I know what is best over God’s Word. Ultimately, my sin proves that I am a rebel, hostile towards God, deserving judgment. But David’s heart reflects that of our God.  He loves us despite our rebellion. And What David could not do (taking the place of Absalom), God did when he sent his only Son to die in our place. Every.  Single.  One of us is a rebel deserving the same fate of Absalom, but God in his tremendous love for us took that punishment on himself in order to restore us as His Sons & Daughters. So praise the Lord that I am not David, because I would have done it wrong.  May I never forget that I am a sinner saved by grace, and may I share that grace with all who might receive it!

This is the one that got me. All too often we talk to people on the phone, see what they post of social media, and we think that they live these care-free lives where nothing bad ever happens.  We begin to think that all of our problems are unique to us and no one could possibly understand what we are going through.  These thoughts lead us to bury our problems and pretend like they are not there.  We will wallow in our own self-pity and ultimately destroy ourselves.

This is a lie straight from Satan!!!  You are not alone!!!  The Bible clear says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” (1 Corinthians 10:13a) This statement should remind us that we are all going through life in the same fallen world, dealing with the same problems.  You are not perfect, I am not perfect, and we don’t have to pretend that we are.  If you begin to think that someone has the perfect situation somewhere else, rest assured that they are dealing with their own set of hardships.  Trust that God is working in your life just like He is working in theirs. Ultimately, God is calling us to trust Him, trust His provision, and be content.  Yes, your life may not look like your neighbors, but God never intended it to do so.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.(Proverbs 3:5) And enjoy some ice cream along the way!

  If I were to ask you what is something you do on Christmas Day?  You might have one of several answers.  Most would say exchange gifts.  Other would say that they eat a bunch including cookies and other sweets.  Still more would say that they really cut loose, have a “good time”, and just celebrate all day. Ironically, the very activity that seemed to set the tone of the first Christmas Day falls all the way to fourth on most surveys about Christmas Day.  What activity is that?  WORSHIP!!!!  And Evangelicals are probably the worst culprits when it comes to making Christmas Day about everything but worshiping the Christ who has arrived! You may ask, “I know about the angels and all that, but did worship really play that big of a role in the first Christmas?”  The simple answer is YES!!!  Just read through Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 will show you!

One last thing to do is watch a movie as a family that shows the birth of Christ.  Sometimes the most powerful way to communicate the message of Christmas is to see it!  You can just watch the beginning of “Jesus of Nazareth” or pick up “The Nativity Story.”  If you have little children, you may find a cartoon for it.  You may check what options come from VeggieTales or check our Superbook on Amazon Video.

From my family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful season of worship as we celebrate the birth of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!!!! God Bless!!!

“So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.”

Acts 17:17

How can God use me?  What am I supposed to be doing?  Where do I serve in the church?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  Often when we get involved in church, we struggle with not being sure where exactly we fit in.  We see people public speaking, but that makes us nervous.  We see people singing & playing instruments, but only a few think they are talented enough for that.  Sure there is giving, helping set up, and being on committees, but we want to be doing ministry even beyond these things!!!  So what do we do?

Take a moment to consider this:  What if your calling is not in the church?  What if your calling is to serve the church in the marketplace?

We see in the passage that heads this post that Paul’s ministry consisted of two components.  First, he would speak in the synagogue and then he would go to marketplace and talk with people there.  Let us take a moment to consider if God is possibly sending you to a marketplace of your own!!

At the very end of the chapter, Luke writes this, “But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” (v. 34) This is why we have to go to the marketplace!!!  There are people right here in Hardin County that have never heard the Gospel and they probably will never voluntarily darken the door of a church building.

Think about it this way:  Would you ever just walk into the local mosque?  Or the synagogue?  Or even attend a Catholic mass?  Why not?  Probably because it would be intimidating!!!  You don’t know their customs or expectations.  You might be afraid that you would accidentally offend someone.  Or you just don’t believe that they would have anything to offer you at their services.  THAT IS HOW THE LOST SEE US!!!!

IF we have been called to make disciples of all nations, and IF the nations are not going to just magically waltz through our doors, THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO THEM!!!!

I know this may feel horribly uncomfortable.  Sharing Jesus without the pastor nearby may feel like walking a tightrope without a net, but you can do it.  You have to do it.  There is no plan B.

“You gotta get off the fence!” I cannot hear these words without hearing the voice of Dave Marcum, my Sunday School teacher and friend. It is an exhortation to believe in God with all your heart.  Dave calls those who shy away from fully committing to Christ as “Fence-riders”, people who sit on the fence by refusing to commit to a position until they are sure they are on the right side.  These are people so concerned about being wrong or looking foolish that they remain silent.  Yes, they may identify as a Christian, but they would not tell another person about Jesus.  They may call themselves Baptist, but it is doubtful that they would take a hard stand on any doctrine.  They are just there… unless they are somewhere else! Unfortunately, we live in a climate where Christians can no longer “ride the fence”.  Even in the last few months, groups have entered Hardin County and demanded that schools and churches have no interaction.  Prayer has been challenged, Christian groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes are being discouraged, and ministers are not allowed to be present on school campuses. While we do want to honor the separation of church & state, we must also make it clear that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing is going to prevent us from praying, worshiping, and living out our faith in public! Ironically, this is not a new problem.  Even in Jesus time there were those who wanted to follow Jesus, but they were not sure if they wanted to give up everything.  Let’s look how Jesus handled them.  (Luke 9:57-62)

The last reasonable request from the fence-riders is to be able to say good-bye.  Many of us would hope that we would be given the opportunity to tell our families good-bye if we were leaving for a long time.  Again, Jesus sees into the heart of the individual and calls them to truly follow.  In this case, Jesus responds by saying, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

People ride the fence for many reasons.  Some ride the fence until they know Jesus will take care of them.  Others ride the fence until they can take care of themselves.  Still others ride the fence in hopes that following Jesus will not cost them anything important.  Whatever the reason, those who ride the fence are not doing anyone any favors.  The last thing the world needs is more nominal Christians.  Whatever may have you on the fence, I challenge you to take that leap.  Trust in the Lord; trust in his provision, timing, and promises.  Yes, it will cost you something; it may cost you everything. But it is always worth it. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

(Mark 8:34-35)