Day of Praise

Mo, 03/31/14, "Day of Praise"

Isaiah 61:10a - "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation."

Yesterday at church, our nursery staff supervisor was telling me how one of our mature youth was ushering for worship one recent Sunday. This youth came back to the nursery at the appointed worship time to have the small children come into worship for a blessing. As it turned out, there was only one small child to bring into worship. However, that little one had experienced a "blowout" so they only had on a diaper but no outer clothes. The youth usher wasn't sure how to carry this basically unclothed little one into worship, so he held the child with two hands but at arms length with his face turned away as if he was carrying a stinking diaper to the trash. Picturing what the nursery supervisor described, I started laughing.

And thinking.

At first, I thought of the sign posted outside a church nursery from 1 Corinthians 15:51, "Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." Get it? Nursery. Small kids. They won't all sleep. But they'll all need a diaper change. Of course, the Bible verse is talking about the Resurrection when Jesus comes again instead of a church nursery. But it made me chuckle.

But as I thought some more about the picture of the youth usher carrying the diapered-only little one, I thought of today's verse from Isaiah 61:10a, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation."

In sum, friends, God will never leave you in the lurch, which means that God will never leave you abandoned in a difficult position without help. He'll always make sure you're "covered." He'll make sure you have the most important covering, namely, "the garments of salvation."

So, when you find yourself in a precarious position today or anywhere in the future, maybe you could first chuckle, thinking of a church youth usher holding a diapered-only baby at arms length as if the babe were a stinkin' diaper. And then you can rejoice, turning your heart to God's promise that he'll never leave you in the lurch, making sure that you and all little ones and all who believe are covered.

Yaaaaaay!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 03/29/14, "Day of Praise"

"This is the day the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!" - Psalm 118:24

Have a blessed Saturday!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 03/28/14, "Day of Praise"

Luke 6:38 - [Jesus said,] "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

I was pouring the twenty-ounce orange juice into my cup. It was turned totally upside down and had stopped flowing. But I continued to hold it and move the bottle up and down, while only drops of orange juice were now slowly dripping out of the bottle and into my cup. A friend of mine walked by with a chuckle and said, "I think you got it!"

I like to get my money's worth. Whether it's shampoo out of the bottle or salsa out of the pack or air freshener from the sprayer or cereal from the box or skin lotion from the pump, I like to get it all and get my money's worth.

Fortunately, we don't need to worry about getting our money's worth with God. Even moreso, praise God for his goodness and thank God for his grace that God wants to give us far more than we need. But as always, God's giving and our receiving of God's exceeding abundance is tied to faith.

Our giving is an act of faith. That's what Jesus is telling us in today's verse. In the same way as seeking God is a way of receiving God and obeying God is a way of trusting God, so too is giving to God and God's people a way of expecting God to refill our needs to overflowing.

Jesus poured out his whole self, every drop of blood, so we could be both cleansed by him and also filled and refilled and refilled again and again to overflowing with his love. Jesus tells of a woman who gave her last two pennies to the poor, implying she trusted God to refill her needs to overflowing. Scripture also recounts a widow who shared her family's last earthly meal with Elijah, implying she trusted God to refill her needs to overflowing. We hear of Stephen sharing his last breath to tell of God's love to those who were stoning him, implying he trusted God to refill his needs to overflowing. And on and on and on, for it's true. Our giving is an act of faith, so that giving to God and God's people is a way of expecting God to refill our needs to overflowing.

Which is exactly what God promises to do.

That's why Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 03/27/14, "Day of Praise"

Exodus 15:13 - "You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode."

Psalm 5:7 - "But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you."

Psalm 138:2 - "I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word."

Do you worship God? Why? Or why not?

How often do you worship God? Why?

Is worshiping God a priority for you? Why? Or why not?

In today's Bible verses, there are two words in all three verses: 1) holy and 2) love. These two words are coupled with a set of words that mean the same thing: abode, house, and temple. By inspiring the use of all these words, here's what God is telling us.

God is saying that worshiping him regularly with others should be a priority for all of us.

Let's break down that statement. First, in the Bible, what is "worship"? Worship is "bending the knee." It is bowing humbly before God. It is kneeling before God and crying out for mercy because we've gone our own way. It is sitting under God's word and listening to the way he's ordered creation and his counsel for living in the world, according to his order, instead of the way we'd order it. It is singing praise to God for who he is. It is singing thanks to God for his works of grace. Have you worshiped God lately with these elements of worship?

Second, in the Bible, what is worshiping "regularly with others"? Regularly is both daily, wherever you are, which can be by yourself, but also, weekly with others so that you're listening to God's word in a gathering of people. Do you make time to worship God regularly with others? In an ever-increasingly busy world, you will never find the time. Time must be carved out and set aside.

Finally, in the Bible, why is worshiping regularly with others a "priority"? Very simply, as noted in today's Bible verses, worshiping regularly with others is a priority because of the two words in all three verses (holy and love) that are coupled with the set of words that mean the same thing: abode, house, and temple. "Holy" simply means "set apart and dedicated to God's purpose." And God's purpose is to give life. And God gives life by pouring out himself, which is the definition of love. And God pours out himself, in other words, God loves us, by pouring out his Living Word, who is Jesus Christ. So here's what all that means. If God isn't holy and doesn't carry out his purpose to give life by pouring out himself in love through his word, then we're dead. If God isn't pouring out life, then we're dead. But it also then stands to reason that if God pours out life through his word, but we're not receiving it, then we're dead that way too. This is why worship is a "priority." Worship is a priority because it's the way God has ordered creation for him to give life and for us to receive life.

Think about it.

But don't just think about because ultimately what God is saying is simple. God is saying that worshiping him regularly with others should be a priority for all of us.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 03/26/14, "Day of Praise"

2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."

I stopped counting at two-hundred.

And that was a week or so ago.

I just read the last twenty or so sympathy cards tonight as I'm writing the Wednesday, March 26 DoP on Tuesday night, March 25.

Thank you all for all the snail-mail cards that you sent to me for my mom, my kids, and me in order to offer your comforting words about my dad's death. You all are much better at card writing than I am. Thank you!

I feel like I'm writing in a spiritual journal tonight. But it also feels like I'm chatting with all of you as I do so. I wish this thing was set up so we all could chat together. (Surely, one of you has told me how, and it didn't register since I'm technologically lagging.)

Anyway, the thing that's interesting about the majority of your cards, as I've read all of them at least twice, is that there's a constant theme of encouragement to remember the good things about my dad. And I keep wondering if there's something that I've done or repeatedly said through the years that has spurred this or if it's advice from your own experience or if it's a combination of my communications and your experience.

Another interesting thing is that I find myself only remembering the good things about my dad. And certainly, all of you know that, since sin entered the world, there has never been a perfect father other than Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Whose Name is Hallowed. I mean, do any of y'all have any thoughts on this? I find myself reeeeeally having to work to remember things that I wish were different with my dad. Maybe it's that I'm almost fifty, and subconsciously I'm hoping that my kids will think well of me when I pass. I don't know.

The other interesting thing is that every time I do work to remember something that I wish was different about my dad, then I experience a kind of zapping from the Holy Spirit. What's been happening is that the moment I remember a "regret" (or whatever you'd call it) I've been zapped instantly to think and see how God worked through it for good. For example, I wonder if I would've pursued the Lord, had a strong day-after-day, work-for-pay ethic, and felt the need to take good care of my stuff if my dad had not leaned on me like he did. I don't know. Who, but God, knows? But what I do know is that God worked wonderfully and lovingly and graciously through my dad to teach me with reproof, correction, and training, just like we hear about God's word teaching us in today's Bible verse. Oh sure, my dad wasn't the perfect teacher, but who is? Well, yes, Jesus is, but none of us sinners compares to the sinless one. After all, aaaaaALL scripture is profitable...but not all that we people say to each other is profitable; that's why we need God's word and are so blessed to have it.

So anyway, on behalf of my mom and kids, thank you all for your cards! And if any of you would be open to "talking" about your dad in reply, then I'd be open to listening to you. It would be a small way for me to say "thank you" to you for listening to me! God bless you all and all our loved ones who are cradled in Christ!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Any Day of Praise pre-readers out there?

I'll send it to you tonight if I hear from you before I fall asleep from my horrible cold :-)
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 03/25/14, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 94:18 - "When I thought, 'My foot slips,' your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up."

Has your mind ever drifted elsewhere?

My mind drifted last night. It was dark here at my house. I'd just gotten home from visiting one of our shut-ins who lives over an hour away. Because of the distance, it's hard for our visiting team to get to her more than once a month. I was trying to count how many times, in the two hours we were together, she said, "I miss everyone so much." I was thinking how hard it must be for her to be alone in life when she's unable to get out to see people and do things and almost everybody she knows lives so far away.

Then my mind drifted further to my mom with her being newly widowed after almost fifty-five years of marriage. And then it drifted even further to the many of you who read this in Illinois and Washington state and overseas and here in Birmingham, all of whom, for various reasons, live alone.

As nice as it may have been to be thinking of and now praying for so many of you, there's a way in which it wasn't smart. My mind was drifting to you while I was walking down my steep driveway that is covered in marble-sized Lagerstroemia seed pods from the pruning (and dragging the pruning to the street) that I did on Saturday. I was also wearing slick-bottomed dress shoes.

Uh-oh!

My mind was drifting; my feet were slipping; and my first view of stars (the ones in the sky) was becoming clear as my feet went up and my head went back. I knew in my gut that the second view of stars (the ones in my head) was imminent. I also knew, as all these things raced through my mind in a split second, that I was alone. (My girls at college and my son at the lake with a friend for Spring Break.)

And, ya know, it's funny. As all this was happening in a whirlwind, I didn't cringe about the imminent impact. Instead, my heart raced through all the ways that every human being is alone, like my oldest daughter in her commitment to be a missionary, yes, but even moreso to be a woman of God. And she's trying to be God's woman when she has a very imperfect dad, who oftentimes is too quick to speak and too slow to listen and therefore is not understanding and supportive. And the result is that she's alone. Yes, she has lots of amazing Christian friends, but like every human being, she needs a dad. She needs a godly dad. Not one who's going to cause her to slip. So, I cried out to God for her and for all who may be slipping while they're alone, "Lord, have mercy!"

And He did.

Somehow, as I was slipping in my slick shoes on my seed-pod-covered driveway while my mind was drifting to you, God had mercy and caught me and set me on my feet.

I can't explain the distribution of the miracles of God any better than you can. I'm just called to believe his promises and tell anybody who will listen of the great things he's done for me. And I'm telling you, I was slipping, and He caught me.

And He promises to catch you too.

"When I thought, 'My foot slips,' your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up." (Psalm 94:18)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 03/24/14, "Day of Praise"

John 4:13-14 - "Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

My children amaze me. Relatively speaking, they are very young, 21, 18, and 15. Yet, they all have the ability to meet people where those people are at, then stand their own ground in Christ, and then explicitly invite those people to a new life in Christ. That is an amazing ability and strength, regardless of age. It only comes from God in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

In today's Bible verses, that's what Jesus did. He met the woman where she was at, then stood his own ground, and then invited her to a new life in himself, Jesus Christ. It is good for us to note that Jesus didn't just bump into this woman whose life-decisions were less than stellar. He knew where he was and what time it was. He knew who showed up at the well at that time. In sum, he knew that he was going to get to talk to someone who nobody else would talk to.

Jesus didn't care what people said about him talking to people that no one else would talk to. Jesus cared far more about the people who needed someone to talk to. And in talking to them, he would offer them a real and everlasting alternative. He offered them himself. He offered them himself as someone who would share fellowship with them and listen to them and teach them and invite them to faith. And he offered them himself as someone who himself could change their lives forever.

This is what my children do in the pattern of Jesus. They talk to people that no one else will talk to. They do this at ball fields and banks. They do this in cafeterias and classrooms.

In the Bible, God tells me many times to follow Jesus, who will lead me. God tells me many times to follow his word, which will lead me. And God tells me to follow the amazing witness of my children as, in Isaiah 11:6, God says "a little child shall lead."

Praise God for Jesus, God's Word, and all the amazing people who encourage me and you with a clear example of living like Jesus toward others so that all of us can share God's love.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 03/22/14, "Day of Praise"

Genesis 2:15 - "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

Watch out Lagerstroemia! Here I come!

A big pat on the back to the first person who can reply and tell me who or what Lagerstroemia is. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Here's some pictures: http://www.google.com/images?client=ms-rim&hl=en&q=crepe+myrtle&oe=UTF-8&channel=browser&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ei=dwwtU4u_GYrMqAHCzICYAw&ved=0CAsQsAQ

Lagerstroemia is also known as crepe myrtle or crape myrtle. And it needs major pruning in the Spring if you want it to look pretty in the Summer.

I think "God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15) for lots of reasons that have at least as much to do with the health and wisdom of the gardener as the health of the garden.

For example, I hope that someday I can value and hunger for the hard pruning of my life as much as my Lagerstroemia does. After all, unless I learn to surrender to the pruning of God's Holy Spirit through His Word, I will never become as strong and beautiful on the inside of me, ya know, in my soul, as my Lagerstroemia is going to be on the outside after it surrenders to my pruning today!

So watch out Lagerstroemia! Here I come! But I promise to watch out too for the lessons God made you to teach me!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 03/21/14, "Day of Praise"

Romans 13:8 - "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

I have some debt in my life. Maybe you do too. In fact, I have more debt in my life than I care to think about. Maybe you do too. My debts come from my house and various realities in my past and present. Maybe yours do too. I have this tendency to look ahead to the day when my debts won't be hanging over me, and, in so doing, it's as if I'm wishing life away. I don't mean to throw away any time, but I just don't like debt at all. And life will be so much better when those debts are gone.

And then God reminds me. Through his word. And by his spirit. Instead of looking ahead to the day when my earthly debts are gone, I need to focus on the fact that my spiritual debts towards God are already gone. Jesus died for us to pay the penalty of my sin, namely, to pay my debt towards God. And when I focus on that fact as the most important fact, I don't lose time, wishing for the time when I won't have debts, instead I gain time, celebrating that my most important debt, my debt towards God has been paid by Jesus. And life is already so much better because that debt is gone.

And it sets me free to focus on paying what God tells me in today's verse is my only remaining debt, namely, to love others as Jesus loves me. When in Romans 13:8, God says, "Owe no one anything, except to love each other," God's telling us that paying this obligation will bring true fulfillment to our lives.

And it even helps me to see my financial debts in a new light as I make my debt payments and write those checks as an act of love towards them. God wants me to be thankful that the money was able to be loaned to me and to be thankful that I have means to repay. Or if I'm writing a check to pay a debt that stirs bad feelings toward the one I'm writing it to, then God wants me to turn it into an act of love and pray for the person I'm paying. After all, doesn't Jesus say, "Love your enemies, and pray for them"?

Oh, and one more implication of all this. As a pastor, I know a lot of people who tell me that they don't tithe. They don't tithe, and by not tithing they set aside God's promise to bless them because they want to pay off their earthly debts first. I've been at my church, by God's grace, for almost twenty-five years. I have yet to see the first person start tithing after their debts are repaid because they're always taking on more debts. But once or twice a year, I'll have someone tell me that they took the plunge and put tithing before their debt repayment. And when they did, surprise!, their debt just seemed to disappear in no time flat. Imagine that! God does what God says God will do.

Dear God, please help us to prioritize our lives according to your word and not our own. Grant us faith and courage to love you and love one another as our first priority and our matter of first importance. And then Lord, help us to see how everything else just falls into place, just as you promised when our priority is love. In Jesus's name, Amen.

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 03/20/14, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 31:7 - "I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul."

Recently, my daughter, Cassidy, was driving us to the store. I said, "Can we please turn down the radio so I can hear myself think?" She said, "Can you please stop chewing your gum so loud so I can hear the radio?"

I laughed. She laughed. We laughed. And laughed.

And I chewed louder. And she turned up the radio. And we laughed some more.

Is there any greater joy than being known and still being loved? That's what the Psalmist is talking about in today's Bible verse, where he, in essence, says to God, "I rejoice that you know me and still love my soul."

Such love changed my life and yours. Let's go out there today and pass it on.

Hey, world, here we come with lots of love, laughter, and chewing gum!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 03/19/14, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 7:15 - [Jesus said,] "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

WD-40. Just a squirt of that lubricating spray was all it took to loosen up the tumblers and make the lock of my firesafe open right up. That's what professional locksmith Shane Stamps told me for free, thanks to the referral of builder Bill Kinnebrew. Prior to that, one guy wanted $50 just to look at it, and another guy wanted $95 with a guarantee that the lock would be broken after he got done with it. How's that for a guarantee?

The point in all this is that things aren't always as they seem. I was sure the lock was broken; Shane wisely and graciously believed it was only stuck. Friends, there's someone out there with wisdom and grace who's willing to help us see clearly. And there are others who are eager to take advantage for their own gain.

When Jesus says,"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves," he's not only warning us about those who would take advantage of us in our weakness and difficulties, but, as the one who's speaking, Jesus is also implicitly encouraging us to come to him in our weakness and difficulty. Jesus ultimately, like Shane Stamps with my firesafe, will not take advantage of us for his own gain. Jesus ultimately, like Shane Stamps with my firesafe, will serve our situation and strengthen us with wisdom and grace.

Praise God for people like locksmith Shane Stamps in the world. And praise God for Jesus Christ. Indeed!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 03/18/14, "Day of Praise"

Revelation 5:9 - "And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'"

My son asked me about his savings bonds, so I went to the firesafe in my closet to pull out his bonds. It won't open. I can hear a clicking when I insert the key, but somehow the lock has broken though the safe's been sitting idly in my closet since Christmas, when I last added some bonds. I need someone who's able to restore access to our earthly treasure. Otherwise, it's clear that we're not getting into the safe.

And so it is with our spiritual treasure, which is also your spiritual treasure, which is our fellowship with God and our eternal blessings from God. It is literally in a firesafe. Nothing's going to destroy it, but the lock is broken. It won't open. We need someone who's able to restore access to our heavenly treasure. Otherwise, it's clear that we're not getting to our treasure.

But praise be to God for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is worthy "to take the scroll and to open its seals." (Revelation 5:9) Jesus and Jesus alone can give us access to the inaccessible treasure. That's what this season of Lent, which is the time before Easter, is for. It's a time for us to slow down and stop and reflect on the miracle of the eternal, spiritual treasure in our lives: God's mercy, God's forgiveness, God's grace, God's fellowship, God's heaven.

How do we have what we don't deserve? How do we have what we can't attain by our own work? How do we have what is locked away and otherwise inaccessible to us? We have it through faith in the Lamb who was slain on the cross but who death couldn't hold because he had no sin. And the Lamb who is Jesus is alive in our midst, and through faith in Jesus and his saving work we have access to the inaccessible.

Think about it. And give thanks!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 03/17/14, "Day of Praise"

John 3:10 - "Jesus answered [Nicodemus], 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?'"

While we're all walking in faith, misunderstandings happen quite easily.

My son just finished playing in a state basketball tournament for city recreational leagues in Alabama. As his coach, I was introduced to two different kinds of timeouts. I was familiar with the one timeout where you could stop the game and talk to your team for a minute. But the thirty-second timeout was new to me. In watching the first game of the other, same-aged team from our city, I heard the other coach, Jerald, call a thirty-second timeout and call it a "shorty." Ya know, Jerald was just doing what many in the world today do, namely, use less syllables and so less energy to say something. "Shorty" is two syllables; "thirty-second" is four.

But "less energy" and "better" don't always go hand in hand. Sometimes our shortcuts create misunderstandings. Like in our semifinal game in the tournament, as we got further behind and I wasn't happy with the referees. I called a timeout. The ref asked me which length timeout I wanted. I said, "Shorty." Apparently, they'd never heard the term either, so they looked at me as if I'd just insulted their manhood and were the proverbial "this close" to ringing me up with a technical foul. Fortunately, I saw the look and knew I better clarify and quickly said, "thirty-second."

That's what Jesus does in today's Bible verse. He sees the look on Nicodemus's face that goes with Nicodemus's misunderstanding. So Jesus makes it real clear a few verses later, saying, "For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16)

And that's what God wants us to do each day, namely, be clear, telling others, "have fun" or "good game" or "good job" or "good luck" or "I'm praying for you" or "keep your head up" or "let's talk" or whatever it takes, in the bounds of God's word, to cheer on each other, so we can work together as the ultimate team, namely, God's team, the Body of Christ.

So, I pray we all hear and pass along lots of clear, simple encouragements to each other today. Good luck today. I'm praying for you. Come what may, keep your head up. Hang in there. I'm sure you'll do great. And most of all, remember, God so loved the world which means he also loves you!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 03/15/14, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 19:14 - "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'"

To hear Jesus talk about children, ya realize that God must have infinite love and a gigantic sense of humor. So, in the bounds of God's word, my kids and I try to make people laugh.

We'll go through the Taco Bell drive-thru, and we start by complimenting them on their menu board and the landscaping they've planted around it. After a momentary silence from shock, you usually hear a chuckle, and then they thank you for your kindness. Then we pull up to the window and as payment we'll hand 'em some Chik-Fil-A gift certificates, maybe a BoJangles, which they'll look at, read, and say, "Are you for real?"

Or maybe we make our irregular trek to a fancy sit down eatery, like for Calley's Baptism Birthday (February 28) or Caden's Baptism Birthday (yesterday, March 14). And we'll take in a laptop and show our waiter, Gary, some crazy pictures of us, and we'll tell him from the git-go what we'd like him to give us for free. We tell him that if he gives us some stuff, then we'll give him a nice tip, like "don't serve banana pudding to a monkey." And we laugh all through dinner and talk about memories and make some new memories too. And Gary smiles a lot while other tables ask him if they can order whatever we're eating. And then we tell him Jesus loves him, invite him to church, and leave him a nice tip (and this time it's money).

In the bounds of God's word, make someone laugh today. After all, Jesus says heaven belongs to children of God, no matter what your age may be.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise announcement

Ok y'all. Blame it on my tech-savvy, awesome brother in Christ, Matt McLean @Mattplanet, but he convinced me that if I myself am going to walk the walk about being what God made me to be like today's Day of Praise encourages, then I need to do a Twitter version of the DoP. So groooooooooan or spread the word. It's up to you. Either way, Praise God! @CTKChris
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 03/14/14, "Day of Praise"

John 10:10 - "[Jesus said,] I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Fascinating, but not surprising. A friend of mine, who's also a fellow member of our church, drove us from Birmingham to Atlanta yesterday for a church conference on the use of social media like Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and a bazillion other electronic communications that I never even knew existed.

It was great. And it was helpful. And, even with all the possibilities for communicating, the message to churches was extremely clear because all the speakers from all over the country kept saying the same thing in different ways, namely, "know yourself and get better at being you." What is the one thing you're here to do? Do that well! And tell other people how you can bless their lives with that one thing that you're about.

That's what Jesus did. He knew himself and the one thing he was here to do. He did that well! And he told us how he can bless our lives with that one thing that he's about. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

So, are you a church? Help people to take their next step in knowing God personally through Jesus. It may be inviting someone to take the first step in knowing God personally, which is to put their faith in Jesus as their Savior. It may be inviting someone to take a further step in knowing God personally, which is to follow Jesus as their Lord, surrendering some area of life to the Lord where they themselves have previously held control.

Are you a husband? Learn to be blessed and receive love from the greatest husband, which is both God to the bride of his people and also Jesus to the bride of his church, and then be blessed by giving that love to your wife.

Are you a student? A parent? A boss? An employee? Learn from God and his word how to be you and what it means to be you. Know yourself in the light of God's word, and do well the one thing you're here to do. You will bless the lives of many, which God made us eager to do!

Dear Lord, you made each of us in a unique and wonderful way. You bless us. Help us to know our own selves in the light of your word, which shapes and molds and prunes and matures us so we can be what you made us eager to be, namely, a blessing to others. We love you, Lord. Thank you for being our great and wonderful God, who daily shows us your perfect love in Jesus Christ. Amen!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 03/13/14, "Day of Praise"

1 Kings 17:14 - [Elijah said to the widow,] "For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.'"

Have you ever wondered if you were going to run out? Ya know! Are you going to run out of patience? Or courage? Or money? Or food? Or strength?

Yesterday, I thought I was going to run out of gas. My car dashboard meter said I had fifteen miles of gas for the eight miles I needed to go. In less than a mile, the meter said I had two miles of gas remaining. Do the math! Problem! And lots of praying, since part of the trip was getting my son to his high school football team workout at six a.m. on dark lonely roads. I thanked God when we didn't run out. I mean, who else would you thank when your fears of running out don't come true?

Have you ever wondered if you were going to run out? Of anything? Today's Bible story is about a widow and her son who were sure they and their provision were done. But God spoke through Elijah and told her "The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty." God's call was for her, and God's call is for us, to stop living as if our provision is done.

Because we think we're going to run out.
Ultimately, none of us knows if we'll have enough, but we do know the Lord who provides.

Sometimes I myself wonder if I'll have enough Day of Praise stories to keep this thing going.

And then, I'll step off an hospital elevator and someone asks, "Did you see anyone in a wheelchair down there?" I stop for a moment and say, "Is this a trick question? This is a hospital. It has lots of wheelchairs!" Now, that would be a good story to go with a Day of Praise.

And then, I'll bump into someone who tells me they went shooting chickens earlier that day. I ask 'em if indeed they'd killed any. They look at me funny and say they were taking pictures, shooting a camera, not a gun. Hey, how was I to know that people do photo-ops with chickens? Now, that would be a good story to go with a Day of Praise.

And then, yesterday, somebody else's huuuuuuuuge mistake erased my work. Aaaaaaa, frustrated! I wanted to grab from my chocolate stash in my desk. But I gave up chocolate and sweets for Lent, so the Holy Spirit tells me to reach for Christ instead. And that would be a good Day of Praise story too.

Oops! I just used my stash of Day of Praise stories.

Will I have something come to mind for tomorrow? Will I have enough?

Ya know, I don't know!

None of us ever really knows if we're going to run out of patience. Or courage. Or money. Or food. Or strength. Or stories, but we do know the Lord who provides!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 03/12/14, "Day of Praise"

Isaiah 51:7-8 - "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."

The interstate billboard said, "We hope you like the taste of prison food." Indeed, the food is not too good for those who disregard the law of the land.

And so it is for those who disregard the law of the Lord.

But, wherever you lay your head at night, even for the repentant in jail, for those who "listen to [the Lord], who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is [God's] law" (Isaiah 51:7-8), the eating is quite tasty indeed. Simple, but tasty. Throughout God's word, God speaks of His word as honey, as bread, as thirst-quenching water, and more. The bottom line is that God's word is simply satisfying, like the simple black bean recipe my daughter, Calley, made last night and the simple soup that the Hyatts brought to us. Simple, but tasty.

Food just tastes better when you're eating with the Lord and His people and a conscience that's been cleansed by the sacrificial love of God's Son, Jesus Christ. It's like we hear in Psalm 34, "taste and see, the Lord is good; blessed is the one who trusts the Lord."

I pray you have good eating today. The Lord is eager to feed us all.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 03/11/14, "Day of Praise"

John 5:24 - [Jesus said,] "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

Dear Lord,
We humbly ask you to comfort us with your presence in the difficult things that come our way today. Please grant us both the courage to do what is needed and also a sure and certain hope that you are always leading us, in every circumstance, from death into life.
In Jesus's name we pray.
Amen.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 03/10/14, "Day of Praise"

Hebrews 12:1 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Hunh! "So great a cloud." In today's tech world, the great cloud is where all your data gets stored safely.

But for those who hunger for peace and heaven and enduring life, the greatest cloud always was, is, and will be where people are witnessing to the greatness of God, which is perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ.

Each day, it is so easy for us to get caught up in the stuff that needs to get done. And don't get me wrong, it is important for us to tend to our daily responsibilities, just like the man and woman had to tend to the garden way back before sin entered the world in order that the garden would bear fruit. However, if you remember, it was when the desire to be surrounded by a cloud of stuff became greater than the desire to be surrounded by a cloud of witnesses that things went wrong for the first man and woman.

Yesterday, at my father's viewing and funeral, there were two emphatically consistent themes that came out:
1) My father worked extremely hard, faithfully tending to his daily responsibilities, but as he did, he always took time for the people that surrounded him, which were not just clients but also my mom and us four kids as, when we were little, for example, dad would pick up and personally sign "Little Golden Books" for us when he was away, and
2) A lot of people worked extremely hard to both do their responsibilities and also to say to my mom and family, "We remember you and pray for you," using both the cloud of technology like Facebook, texts, and email and also more old-fashioned means like sending flowers or calling or driving 12-hours round-trip to be with us.

It was a foretaste of heaven.

Life now must go on. And there are responsibilities to tend to. But life is so much better when we notice, acknowledge, and remember the God and the people who surround us like a cloud as we do them.

Thank you all! We praise God for you!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 03/08/14, "Day of Praise"

Mark 10:43b-44 - [Jesus said to them,] "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all."

Today is a special day for my friend, fellow church member, retired U.S. Army officer, and Vietnam helicopter pilot, Mel Shinholster. Mel has been selected by the State of Alabama DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Chapter as the first ever recipient of the newly created "DAR Distinguished Citizens Award". This award is given by each state to named individuals who personified service to community, state, and country. Today, accompanied by his wife, Ann, Mel will receive the Award at the State of Alabama's 2014 DAR Convention at the Auburn University Conference Center.

Mel has received a number of other recognitions, honors, and awards not only for his heroic acts and rescues in Vietnam but also for his continued work with the Blue Star Salute, which Mel helped to reinstitute a number of years ago, as Mel travels the Southeast at his own expense to celebrate and encourage young men and women who are being deployed by our nation's peace-keeping forces.

The thing that stands out to me about Mel is simply this. He always says, "I'm not a hero, but I'm honored to serve in the company of heros." And if you've ever met Mel and gotten to know him, you'd know that he means and lives what he says, which is exactly what Jesus is talking about in today's verse. In Mark 10:43b-44, Jesus said, "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" because God established that it's true and showed us this perfectly in Jesus Christ.

Congratulations, Mel! Thank you for your service and your example.

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Fr, 03/07/14, "Day of Praise"

2 Timothy 4:7-8 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

I wish I could remember so I could give them credit. But decades ago, I heard or read how someone ended every class by asking people, "What are you taking with you?" It is a way to make people stop and think about what they learned so they can give an account when somebody says, "What did you learn and talk about in class?"

It is a good practice for the end of life too and not just the end of a class. In today's Bible verse, St. Paul is, in essence, answering the question, "What are you taking with you?" St. Paul not only gives an account for his own life, but he also encourages all of us to love the appearing of Jesus because it brings a great reward. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, what St. Paul means is that there is great blessing for those who love it when God shows up and does his thing, which sometimes sets our enemies straight, but sometimes sets us straight, which we may not be so excited about.

I believe my dad knew that Jesus was about to appear for him. And, in essence, his answer to the question, "What are you taking with you from the class of life?" was, "The Lord is good." My dad had a lot of things in life that didn't go his way, like a forced early retirement, but his last words to me testified that he trusted God had appeared and set it all straight.

So, as Lent is a season for us to think deeply about some things that we may not want to think about, the question is set before us, as with Paul and my dad, at the end of this day that God has granted you, "What are you taking with you from the day?" And, at the end of the big Day, when Jesus appears to take you to your heavenly home, what will you say to the question, "What are you taking with you from the class of life?"

May God grant all of us to say something like St. Paul and my dad, something like "I have believed to the end because the Lord is good!"

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Pr Chris Day of Praise

Dear Friends,

My daddy passed this morning at 8:40 a.m. eastern time, here in Kingsport, TN.

My mom and dad and brother and sisters and I, along with all of you dear Day of Praise friends, are blessed that God cradles and strengthens us with hope in the midst of our sorrows.

My dad did and my mom and siblings do thank you for all the prayers you sent and for all your handmade gifts and support this last month.

My dad got to share in Ash Wednesday yesterday and remember that his mortality is covered in the cross and blood of Jesus Christ so that, though we must die, death cannot hold us since we're joined to Jesus who is already victorious over death and the grave.

On a lighter note, dad got to have a soda last night, as he'd been requesting for days but was just last night permitted to have because he was about to be moved out of the hospital and into a good hospice facility nearby.

My mom and I agreed this morning, as we both slept in his room last night, that last night was his best night of sleep in a while.

Because I needed to go back to Birmingham for a couple days, I had just said goodbye to mom and dad this morning and told my dad, "As an old friend of mine used to say dad, I'll see ya here, there, or in the air because of Jesus." He smiled and said, "The Lord is good." Not long after I'd walked out of the hospital, my mom called and said he'd passed.

Now, we're sitting here, waiting for the funeral home to come, and sharing stories from recent days and days more distant.

As we wait for my older sister, Cathy, to arrive, my mom, Carol Jane, my sister, Cheryl, and brother, Ben, asked me to let all of you know. We are all grateful for your love and prayers.

God bless you! And, yes, Praise God!

Your friend, Chris


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Th, 03/06/14, "Day of Praise"

John 17:20 - [Jesus prayed to the Father,] "I do not ask for [my disciples] only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word."

Have you picked a Lenten discipline yet? No matter your response, please pray about starting the discipline of sending a short Bible verse to some people each day.

Some will ask you to stop, but many more will thank you regularly. And some, for the first time, will be moved from religion to a personal relationship with God through Jesus, which is what Jesus promises in today's verse, namely, there are people who will come to believe in Jesus through your word! In other words, when you pass on God's Word through your relationships, family, coworkers, and acquaintances, Jesus promises that others will be eternally blessed.

Just like yesterday when one of you shared this devotion with a friend who recently suffered a stroke and another day when one of you had just come out of a meeting saying the exact words that then appeared on your phone in this devotion, God has a plan for you to miraculously touch lives when you pass on his word.

As my brother, Ben, sent to me in a devotion yesterday, "Whether by the Internet, telephones, old-fashioned letter writing or a face to face visit, we can all declare God's glory and tell of His marvelous works. We can share favorite songs of worship, declare the beauty of God's creation or simply share a testimony of God's love and faithfulness...Today, share something about the Lord with others. Whether electronically or in person, get in the habit of declaring God's glory for He is great and greatly to be praised...[Encourage each family member to] identify at least one person with whom they can share something about God this week." (www.fbckpt.net/bgcampaign is the source of those words and my brother's church website in TN.)

Can you imagine a world where every believer in Jesus regularly passed along God's word? Jesus did just that in John 17:20, saying that there are many in our world who will come to faith through you!

So give it a try, starting now with Lent, and see for yourself the lives that God wants to touch through you!

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

We, 03/05/14, Ash Wednesday, "Day of Praise"

Psalm 147:1 - "Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting."

It is good! It is good to sing!

Around my dad's hospital bed yesterday, we sang hymns out of the Lutheran Book of Worship. We sang "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and "For the Beauty of the Earth" and other traditional hymns. Dad loved it and hummed or sang in a very muttered way as best he could, but it's not a stretch to say that he was leading the singing. After all, it was his idea. It is good! It is good to sing!

Some of you might be saying, "I could never sing in a hospital." Maybe you think your singing hurts other people's ears. But actually, not singing hurts you!

Here's a link to a fascinating article that explains what God said long ago: "It is good! It is good to sing!" (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12/26/144152193/singing-therapy-helps-stroke-patients-speak-again) In sum, for more than 100 years, it's been known that people who can't speak after injury to the speech centers on the left side of the brain can sing. In the 1970s, Boston researchers started to use a sort of "singing therapy" to help stroke survivors speak again. However, it never caught on much, but in recent years that's changing fast.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who has had a version of "singing therapy," astounded everyone by her ability to speak again after a would-be assassin's bullet tore through the speech center in Giffords' left brain. Giffords' progress came about in large part because Giffords' loved ones, like a growing number of doctors, bought into God's truth: It is good! It is good to sing!

And it's even better when those words are songs of hope and praise from God's word. For just as my father attested yesterday when we were around his bed, no matter how physically weak a heart and mind may be, singing songs of hope and praise to God brings real renewal strength and comfort to both the human heart and mind.

So, maybe for Lent, which starts today, you could take on the discipline of singing a little everyday because God's Word is true. "Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting." (Psalm 147:1)

Praise God!

Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Tu, 03/04/14, "Day of Praise"

Numbers 15:15 - "You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord."

And so it is true. Jason really is a lot like me.

"Who is Jason?," you ask.

A better question would actually be, "Who am I?" Well, late last night, I was the sojourner, travelling from Birmingham, AL to Kingsport, TN to see my dad. I needed to stop, and my phone needed a charge. So I charged toward the restroom, and I stopped to ask Jason for a plug. Ya know? For my phone. Apparently, when Jason works the late shift at the Whizzaroo Gas Station, he doesn't get many preachers stopping in at 12:30 a.m. asking for a plug for their phone. I surmised this when his face looked more puzzled than my closet full of boxes of 500-piece pictures. So I gave Jason the Reader's Digest Version about my dad, and Jason pointed me to the plug on the way to the men's room.

When I came back through to get my phone, Jason said, "I'm sorry about your dad." And he proceeded to tell me about his own dad's failing health and his mom's passing seven years ago and his twenty-one year old nephew's tragic death in a car accident, which was not that long ago.

I listened; he cried. Then he listened, and I cried.

Total strangers.

But we're just alike. Created by the Lord for a relationship with the Lord and for relationships with loved ones and strangers.

So unless you're in solitary confinement, (which means you can't possibly be reading this devotion), you're going to see someone today who's just passing through your life. Ya know? A sojourner. You may not know if their phone needs a charge; but you can be totally certain that their heart does. Maybe their body needs a room for some rest; but you can be absolutely sure that their soul does.

So give 'em your ear, like Jason gave me. Then tell 'em a little of your story. And you'll discover you have much in common, just as God says in Numbers 15:15 - "You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord."

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Mo, 03/03/14, "Day of Praise"

Matthew 5:13 - [Jesus said] "You are the salt of the earth."

My mom tells me that, when I was three years old, I would say that I was "Fwee." Furthermore, when somebody told me that I was three, then I'd say, "I'm not three; I'm fweeeeeee." In other words, I actually could say the right pronunciation, but I had myself convinced that the wrong pronunciation was correct.

And so it is with us all. Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth, which means, in sum, that God made us to be difference-makers. But we have ourselves convinced that life is too much and too hard. We, in essence, say, "I'm not salt; I'm small." We might as well be saying, "I'm not three; I'm fweeee." Being made in God's image, in our heart of hearts, we actually know who we are; we're salt, like Jesus says; we're difference-makers and world-changers; but we have ourselves convinced that we're something else altogether, namely, small and insignificant.

But no matter how much I insisted I was fwee, the truth remained that I was three. And no matter how much we insist that we're small and insignificant, the truth remains that we're the salt of the earth, world-changers, difference-makers, made in the strength and power and image of Almighty God!

So get out there today, believing that God's word about you is true. You are the salt of the earth! Get out there and change the world! Mmmm, let's go!

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson

Day of Praise

Sa, 03/01/14, "Day of Praise"

Luke 18:13 - "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'"

Long ago, the followers of Jesus asked Jesus how to pray. At one point, Jesus taught them what we call the Lord's Prayer. But in telling this story in Luke 18, Jesus also taught them and us how to pray: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

These seven words have three key elements: 1) an humble acknowledgement that God is Almighty and to be feared, 2) an humble acknowledgement that we have rebelled/sinned against Almighty God, and 3) an humble plea for mercy, that is, for Almighty God to not give us what we deserve, namely, to not give us what sin against God deserves, which is death.

Jesus goes on in that story and says that the man who prayed those seven words went away with his relationship with God made right. That reconciliation and restoration to God is what we all long for. In our heart of hearts, we all hunger to have fellowship with God, but we worry that God can't or won't have anything to do with us. Yet, in Jesus Christ and his cross, God has shown how eager he is to have fellowship with us; he is willing to pour out every ounce of energy and blood and life, showing he'd rather die for us than live without us.

This is good news, friends. God loves you. Turn your heart to him each day, remember his great love for you, and ask him for mercy. And when you do, just like the man Jesus described long ago, you too will walk in peace and fellowship with God!

"God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

Praise God!


Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson