Day of Praise

Thur, 11/01/18, "Day of Praise"

This was from a couple years ago at Halloween, but it's so memorable for me that I really want to share it again. Here it is...

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Romans 8:25

So I'm giving out ice cream and a "Jesus loves you" to every child and adult who came to our door last night. Once I found a rhythm, I'd start by giving a plastic spoon to a couple folks at a time, saying, "Here's a spoon," while they all were noticing the big bucket of Blue Bell ice cream that was clearly sitting in front of me.

Well, one boy, about eight, clearly did not notice the ice cream. As he approached my porch stairs where I was sitting, I reached over the Cookies 'n Cream and said, "Here's your spoon." As I turned to grab his kid cup and the scooper, I noticed him look curiously at the spoon, and then he turned to leave, saying, "Thank you!"

I started to chuckle and said, "Wait! What about your ice cream?" He turned back and with genuine astonishment said, "Oh! Wow! And there's ice cream?"

So, I scooped some up, told him "Jesus loves you!", and sent him on his way, as again he said for the second time what 95% never said at all, namely, "Thank you!"

Two quick things to take with us today, November 1st, which is All Saints Day. First, whatever comes your way, learn from the spoon-boy, and be thankful. It might be small. It might be strange. But, be like the boy, and be thankful. After all, a thankful heart is a happy heart. And all the saints, who've truly encouraged me through the years have been characterized by a genuine faith in Jesus and a thankful heart, no matter what came their way, even if it was just a plastic spoon.

And second, learn again from the spoon-boy, but this time by his mistake. Don't be in a rush and so quick to presume. Again, like all the believers who've genuinely inspired me, when something first comes your way, take a deep breath; wait at least a moment; and see if there's more to the story or the gift. We live in a world where everything is fast, and everyone's in a rush. But today's Bible verse is clear: hope, wait, and be patient. Something more is often on the way.

But if not, be thankful for the spoon!

And remember! Jesus loves you too!

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Romans 8:25

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

Wed, 10/31/18, "Day of Praise"

Here's one I wrote years ago for this occasion. 

"And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them." - Genesis 3:21

I've seen some good Halloween costumes in my years.

There was the year that my sweet daughters, about six and four at the time, were dressed as Dorothy and Toto from "The Wizard of Oz." They were absolutely adorable.

There was the year that I'm sure that I saw both Jabba the Hutt and Herman Munster. Whew!

And then there was yesterday, the day before Halloween, mind you. I was sitting in my car, finishing a call in a parking lot, when this guy walked by me in a "pants-on-the-ground" costume. The strange thing was that this guy had a 3-inch Ace elastic bandage wrapped around the outside of his right, blue jean, pant leg from his shin to his thigh. I'm sure. I am absolutely sure that if it hadn't been for the Ace bandage that I would've been hearing Ray Stevens sing "The Streak." But even with the Ace bandage, the poor guy's "costume" was totally, uuuuuh, shall we say, inadequate. 

Kinda like, the first man and woman who ever lived. 

That first man and woman were doing just fine living "un-costumed" until they decided that they knew more than Almighty God himself, who made them, and they decided to eat the forbidden fruit, which was the fruit of wanting to be their own God. Their tragic decision exposed them. And, unable to find a Walmart or ToysRUs in those days, they put together a costume of fig leaves so as to hide themselves, which is what a costume is for, is it not? 

But their fig-leaves costumes were altogether inadequate, not because the costume didn't cover their bodies, but because the costume didn't cover their shame. 

Shame, mind you, is feeling bad about who you are, which is altogether distinct from embarrassment, which is feeling bad about what you've done. Embarrassment always eventually wears off because it's only on the outside, like an invisible costume. But shame? Oooooo! Shame goes deep within our soul and challenges our very self-worth, along with challenging our will to even continue on in life since shame whispers to us that we're worthless and no one would even notice if we were gone. 

Shame cannot be covered with a costume. 

Shame can only be truly covered in blood. That's why "the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21) In essence, God covered the first people with animal skins, which were the first blood sacrifices. But even those animal-blood sacrifices and coverings were inadequate and had to be repeated year after year. 

That's why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us. Jesus's death was an everlasting blood sacrifice. That's why God's Word, in Romans 13:14, says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ." All who put on the Lord Jesus Christ will truly be covered forever and have their shame removed. 

Everything else is just a costume. 

"And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them." - Genesis 3:21

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

Tues, 10/30/18, "Day of Praise"

"The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing" - Isaiah 19:3

You would look at me as if I were crazy.

Imagine we're playing a friendly game of Jeopardy. Ready?

Answer: Foiled, Futile, Frustrated, Nothing, Shattered, Thwarted.

Question: What do most people want out of life?

You would look at me as if I were crazy.

But what is a life? Isn't it made up of years? And aren't those years made of months? And months made of weeks?

So, uh, what are you planning for this week? And more importantly, with whom are you planning this week? By yourself? With your family? With a team of coworkers?

In today's Bible verse, the southern kingdom of Israel, called Judah, is in the process of making plans for the week. And longer.

Judah's leaders are trying to maximize the possibility of a good life. So they make plans. After all, isn't the old saying, "No one plans to fail; they just fail to plan"?

The problem is not in their planning. Judah's problem is their partner in planning. Judah's partner in planning is  the Egyptians.

And God has something to say about that, as in today's verse: "The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing" (Isaiah 19:3).

In fact, through the whole of scripture, here are the words God uses to describe plans that leave God out of the planning: Foiled, Futile, Frustrated, Nothing, Shattered, Thwarted.

Sounds to me like our little game of Jeopardy from earlier.

But this is not a game. It's life. And the question remains: What do most people want out of life? Or how about, what do you want out of life?

The outcome depends on who you include in the planning.

There's certainly nothing wrong with including others in your planning. Just be sure to ask the LORD to be the lead. After all, "the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations" (Psalm 33:11).

Therefore, with intentional head-bowed prayer, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans" (Proverbs 16:3).

So, if a life is made of years, months, and weeks, then planning for a good life starts this week...with 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

Mon, 10/29/18, "Day of Praise"

"[Ahaz, King of Judah,] burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites." - 2 Chronicles 28:3

My children laugh at me. Sometimes I'll stare at something in disbelief as if my stare is going to change the reality. Kinda like a McDonald's that doesn't have a caramel sundae on the menu, of which there are many such McDonald's in Birmingham, AL.

Only worse. Much worse.

I read the words in today's Daily Bible verses "[Ahaz] sacrificed his children in the fire," and I almost need to read it twice.

Or stare at it in disbelief as if my stare is going to change the reality.

But, it happens. Earthly parents do unspeakable things to their children everyday. And I'm not just talking about people in other countries, who I heard about today, or Saddam Hussein who, for killing his children and countless other unspeakable deeds, was himself executed on December 30, 2006.

Recently, I was with a local family who still tastes the sorrow of things their mother did years ago. Moreover, we all know way too many children who have seen their mother or father's backside, walking away from them, as the abandoning parent chose some other lifestyle or relationship over their own children. I'm not talking about making a loving decision to put your infant child up for adoption. I'm talking about abandonment.

I read an article the other day that said that the abandonment of children has become more prevalent than the abuse of children as the primary social problem in many regions of the world. Sadly, that's probably very old news.

Maybe if we all stare at it in disbelief long enough our collective stare will change the reality.

It won't.

Man, oh man, this is depressing.

It's a good thing that life in a broken, fallen, sinful world doesn't have the final word. It's a good thing that neither Ahaz, King of Judah, nor any other painful, relational reality has the final word.

God does.

The Lord of Life, the King of all Creation, the Master of the Universe, who stared death and the devil in the eye and raised Jesus from the dead as a foretaste that, for all who believe, the one true God has the final word. And the final word of the Lord of Life is a word of Life.

Like the final word that the Lord of Life spoke through Isaiah to those touched by unspeakable sorrow. "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15)

Did you hear that "God will not forget you!" Though the world and even close relatives may have abandoned or forgotten you, "God will not forget you!"

And you can stare at God's words all day long, but it isn't going to change the reality.

You are loved, cherished, and remembered by the one, true, almighty and merciful God, who is with you and serves you everyday, through, His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So God be with you, and have a great day!

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

Sat, 10/27/18, "Day of Praise"

"'Who is my equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." - Isaiah 40:25-26

I don't remember having seen such a wondrous sight. Surely I would've remembered. Because I'm sure we'll never forget.

God brought "out the starry host one by one and...not one of them is missing." (Isaiah 40:26)

The night before my daughter, Calley, and I went white-water rafting at JH Ranch a few years ago, the leaders guided our group to an even more remote place in the Northern California mountains to sleep in an open field without a tent.

I have never seen so many stars in my life.

I grew up in East Tennessee. I was an Eagle Boy Scout. We camped a lot in remote places. I don't remember seeing that many stars. 

I suppose I could blame it on the ambient light, ya know, light from the surrounding area or environment getting in the way of the stars. But I don't think ambient light is the total reason I didn't see so many stars.

I don't think I really ever looked up. 

As I think back, I think I was so caught up in the people and the things we were doing that I never "lifted up my eyes and looked to the heavens." (Isaiah 40:26)

Bummer.

Because when my daughter and I did look up and saw all those stars a few years ago, we saw that God is right. Imagine that.

Looking at all those stars made us wonder "Who created all these?" He must have "great power and mighty strength." (Isaiah 40:26)

Probably enough power and strength to help me with whatever I've got goin' on down here.

Probably.

If I'll give him a chance...to help me, that is.

Hey, when you start to get a little overwhelmed or frazzled today, just go outside.

Day or night.

Look up.

It'll take about 30 seconds for perspective to kick in.

The One who made and guides all that you can see up there and beyond, He probably has enough power and strength to help ya with whatever you've got goin' on down here.

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

Fri, 10/26/18, "Day of Praise"

"The Lord had said...'I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them...' But the people did not listen." - 2 Kings 21:7-9

Today's Bible reading gives us absolutely no good news to work with. Manasseh is a horrible king. The people turn from God. God is not pleased. And the prophets are God's mouthpiece to tell the bad news to the people.

However, all is not lost. Someone once gave me a book for a high school graduation gift, which said, "Everyone is useful, even if only as a bad example."

And there's our "in" for today's devotion; the people, in today's Bible reading, were a bad example. Specifically, "the people did not listen." (2 Kings 21:9)

Listen!

In her book, "Reach for the Summit," retired Tennessee women's basketball coach, Pat Summitt, barely gets started before she's talking about the value of listening in successful teamwork. Listen!

Our premarital and marriage counseling tools at church make clear the value of listening in successful relationships. Listen!

And God, of course, is very clear on the matter in the Bible. From Moses to Matthew, God speaks through all the Bible authors to emphasize the value of listening, especially listening to God. In Proverbs 4:10, God plainly says to all who will listen, "Listen...accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many."

May God bless you with peace and goodness as you listen for him and to him today!

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

Thur, 10/25/18, "Day of Praise"

"For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us." - Isaiah 33:22

There are few greater joys than being known and still being loved. In this vein, we often think about being known as the reason for not being loved. But what about being loved while not being known?

It is easy for us to love God because, through Jesus, we know that God has saved us and "will save us" (Isaiah 33:22). But do we love God without really knowing God? Yes, God saves us, and praise God for that! But today's verse makes clear that God is also judge, lawgiver, and king. 

Do we know and love God as judge, lawgiver, and king? In my experience, people don't want to hear about God as judge, lawgiver, and king. But how can you really love God if you don't know God?

In brief, that God is Judge is to be an authority who is able to estimate worth or quality. God estimates that you are of such great worth that God sends his Son, Jesus, to die for you! So let's love God as Judge.

That God is Lawgiver is to be one who gives a code of laws to a people so that they're not constantly hurting each other. God is very clear in the Bible as to how we can have good relationships and not constantly hurt each other. So let's love God as Lawgiver.

That God is King is to be a ruler of an independent state, especially one who has the position by right. There's no doubt that God has the right to be King. But obedience to God the King, where obedience equals "trust in action", is a major part of being "a citizen" in God's "independent state." As we hear in Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." So let's love God as King.

Judge, Lawgiver, King. God calls us in today's verse to know that the Lord God "is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king" in addition to being the one "who will save us". 

We certainly love God for saving us. Let's read our Bibles on Monday through Saturdays and be in church on Sunday so we can grow in our love for God as Judge, Lawgiver, and King too.

After all, as we said at the start, there are few greater joys than being known and still being loved. So just as God clearly knows us and still totally loves us, let's get to know more about God so we can grow in our love for God too!

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

Wed, 10/24/18, "Day of Praise"

"Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook." - 2 Kings 18:5-7

In the box-office smash, Finding Nemo, the fish named Dory constantly encourages herself and Marlin, the father of the abducted fish, Nemo. Her uplifting, though monotonous, refrain is "Just keep swimming; just keep swimming."

It's as if she believes that something good, or at least better, is just one flip-flap swim-stroke away.

For those of you who read The Bible with us, a slight adaptation of Dory's refrain is sometimes useful, just as it is today, namely, "Just keep reading; just keep reading." Today's Bible verses are a good example. After four pages of gloomy prophecy from Isaiah and despicable living by Ahaz, the "just keep reading" philosophy pays off as the last half-page of Bible reading includes today's section of verses about Hezekiah.

Isn't it amazing how a positive and uplifting final word has the power to totally change the tone of all the ill that preceded it?

This is why I love God's word so much.

Do you love God's word? Do you chase after God's word with purpose? What would that purpose be?

I love God's word and chase after it because it encourages me to persevere, which means to persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles.

It doesn't matter if there's four or four-hundred pages of gloomy prophecy and despicable living. I know that if I "just keep swimming: just keep reading; just keep persevering," then the sure-to-come positive and uplifting final word has the power to totally change the tone of all the ill that preceded it.

We know this because Jesus pushed through and then bore a whole bunch of, uh, bad stuff, but his righteous life and glorious resurrection had the power to totally change the tone of all the ill that preceded it.

God's final word is always a word of life.

Today's a real day. Probably gonna be some gloomy and despicable stuff to deal with.

Just keep swimmin'. Persevere.

Keep your chin up. Stay positive, like Hezekiah in days of old. Good things are just one flip-flap swim-stroke away.

God has promised and sealed it in the cross and resurrection of Jesus 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

Day of Praise

Tues, 10/23/18, "Day of Praise"

"Give praise to the LORD, call on his name." - Isaiah 12:4

I love you! And thank you!

A friend of mine says that there are no sweeter words to the ears of a parent than "I love you!" And "thank you!"

How much more then are they sweet to the Lord, our God? God is both our "Father," as Jesus teaches us to pray in Matthew 6:9, and also like a "Mother" as Jesus says in Matthew 23:37 that he has longed to gather us "children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings."

Today's verse, "Give praise to the Lord, call on his name" (Isaiah 12:4), is God's call to us to worship the Lord with others at a local church. When we worship with others we are called to remember that God loves to hear us say what every parent loves to hear. "I love you!" And "thank you!"

Less than one month from this day is Thanksgiving Day (November 22). Ironically, many regular worshipers choose not to worship on the Sundays that bracket Thanksgiving Day. However, here's an encouragement for you to go against that trend and worship as much as you can during Thanksgiving week, even if you're out of town. Worship him, and tell God "I love you!" and "thank you!" You might even get some interesting ideas for your home church or even a picture of everlasting heaven.

That's what happened a number of years ago for us. We got an idea and a picture when Cassidy, Caden, and I worshiped with our friends, Matt and Lori Spahn and their three awesome kids at Faith Lutheran Church in Seguin, Texas, just east of San Antonio.

When the last worship song ended, no one left. They all sat back down in the pews. At first, we thought we'd unwittingly wound up in a congregational meeting! Oh, no!!!

But we then saw the ushers move to the front and invite the first pew to stand up and go down the middle aisle to the Pastor, then refreshments, and then the exits. Then the ushers invited the second pew from the front to stand up and so on.

In case, some of you don't know it, unless you were my family growing up, which always sat on the second pew, then Lutherans, in general, tend to fill the back pews first and then the second to last pew and so on from back to front.

In the back, you can't hear God's Word as well, though it's better than not being in church at all. But, even though you can't hear God's Word as well in the back, when worship ends, you get to be the first one out to greet the Pastor, eat the donuts, and get on out the door.

Not at Faith Lutheran in Seguin, Texas! Those who sit in the front and hear God's Word the best, they get to leave first for fellowship, food, and the like. Those who sit in the back are ushered out last. Talk about a cure for sitting in the back of the church!

It's kind of a picture of heaven. Don't ya think? Those who hear the word of God are those who get the two most wonderful joys: 1) a renewed faith in Christ that comes from hearing God's word (see Romans 10:17) and 2) an intentional opportunity to tell God the two things that every parent, earthly and heavenly, loves to hear "I love you!" and "thank you!"

Wherever you are, may your worship of God in a local church be blessed this weekend and always.

"Give praise to the Lord, call on his name" - Isaiah 12:4

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

Mon, 10/22/18, "Day of Praise"

Having watched on television this past weekend a not so happy football game in Knoxville, I wanted to pull up this old devotion that speaks of a happy time I did have in Knoxville years ago. 

"As [David] went, he said: 'O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you--O Absalom, my son, my son!'" - 2 Samuel 18:33

When I was a senior in high school in east Tennessee (Kingsport), the World's Fair was in east Tennessee (Knoxville). One of the fun things at the World's Fair for groups of high school and college students was to make lines. 

Lines to nowhere.

All ya did was stand in the middle of a plaza and form a line of 8-20 students or so as if you were in line for some World's Fair exhibit or show. The next thing ya know, there's a couple hundred people from all around the world who had joined the line because they wanted to see the "exhibit" or "show" too. Then the students would just walk away into the crowd, leaving the unwitting crowd to wait in a line for nothing, no exhibit, no show, nothing.

Whose line are you standing in?

According to his flesh, the incarnate Messiah, Jesus, came from the line of David. Of course, David needed a Savior for his sin too, but David is said to have had a "heart for God," which means that he did things as in today's verse, where he weeps over the death of his son, Absalom, the very son, who tried very hard to kill his father, David.

That the Messiah would come from the line of David means that the Messiah would display a perfect "heart for God" and a perfect love for people, even those who would kill him.

To stand in David's line means that we too have a heart for our enemies. For God desires not the death of sinners. God wants not the death of his enemies.

Instead God wants us sinners to be sorry for our sin, then repent, and then believe that God reconciles us to himself when we put our faith in His Son, who we crucified and killed on a cross.

May God lead us so that we do not become the butt of a World's Fair joke and join a line that's going nowhere.

Instead may we be part of a line like David's, that was perfected in Jesus the Christ, where the line is full of "hearts for God," full of loving prayers for enemies, and full of The Way to eternal and everlasting life.

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

Fri, 10/19/18, "Day of Praise"

"Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,' declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 41:14

High school biology. Dissecting a shark was really cool. Methodically cutting up a body in order to study its internal parts was the neatest thing.

Well, it was cool, when there were some internal parts to study. A shark had a lot of parts to dissect. An earthworm, on the other hand, well, there isn't much to it.

Why then does God call his people a "worm" in today's verse? God says, "Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob."

Is God insulting his own people? Is God insulting them, saying, "There's not much to you, you worm!" No!

God's not insulting his people. Instead, God's saying he understands how others insult his people, as in Psalm 22:6, "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people."

So in today's verse, in Isaiah 41:14, when God says, "'Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you," God is saying the following:

1) Other people may insult you, but I, the Lord, will build you up.
2) Other people may think there's not much to you, but I, the Lord, made you, and I think the world of you.
3) Other people may bully you, but I, the Lord, will fight for you.
4) Other people may think you're standing alone, but I, the Lord, am on your side.
5) Other people may call you a worm, but I, the Lord, call you my people.

So today, as the world comes at you and calls you a worm and tries to beat you down, be not afraid; be not discouraged.

The truth that God will stand with you and hold you up, even as the world tries to beat you down, is summed in Romans 8:31, "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Have a great day, Friends, and trust that the LORD, the Living God, is for you and fighting by your side.

'Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,' declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 41:14

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

Thur, 10/18/18, "Day of Praise"

Being born in Atlanta, I've always been an Atlanta Braves fan, but I'm really pulling for the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox to get to the World Series because of my dear friends who cheer for them and who really need some good things to come their way. So with baseball on my mind, I pulled up this devotional from the past. 

"When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. 'I am about to go the way of all the earth,' he said. 'So be strong, act like a man'" - 1 Kings 2:1-2

He seemed like a giant. Maybe he was. Every time a boy on our 4-year old t-ball team did something good, he lifted us up from the ground and high into the air so that it seemed we were on the top of the world. I think his name was Coach Carter.

That's what older men do for boys and young men. They lift them up. That's what older women do for girls and young ladies.

I'm grateful that, when I was a kid, my father and mother were involved in our community so that many men lifted me up as a boy through church and scouts and sports and school.

To be sure, I'm grateful for the women who've lifted me up, but I'll speak to that another time.

For today, it's the older man speaking to boys and younger men that I focus on, specifically in today's Bible verse where David charged his son, "Be strong, and act like a man."

There are lots of awesome women in my life, but the charge "Be strong, and act like a man" has its greatest impact when it comes to me from another man, especially an older man. After all, he can really know what it means to "Be strong, and act like a man."

For years, after I first got here to Birmingham, a man named Larry Felix used to constantly say to me, "Be strong!" Every time he said it, it made me think of Coach Carter, lifting me high in the air as a 4-year old. It also made me think of St. Paul, in Ephesians 6:10, saying, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."

This world needs more strong men. And it starts with the church having more strong men, who recognize their ability to lift up another man by charging him to "Be strong; be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power!" 

And in so doing to say what David said to his son, "Be strong, and act like a man."

C'mon, Men, stop sitting in the stands as a spectator. The world needs you. Get involved. Engage boys and younger men, and be a Coach Carter, who with your life and your deeds and your words, lIfts up that boy or that younger man as David said long ago, "Be strong, and act like a man."

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

Wed, 10/17/18 - "Day of Praise"

1 Thessalonians 4:13 - "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope." (ESV)

So, what does that look like? What does it look like to "not grieve as others do who have no hope"?

Here's an image. 

I was at a funeral once for a small child who died suddenly and inexplicably. Before the funeral, the adults were grieving in various ways: understandable wailing, sitting in silence, chain-smoking on the patio, and other ways. But as the adults grieved in these ways, there were two unrelated children, a boy age six and a girl age two, who lived an image I'll never forget.

Just outside the front door of our worship sanctuary, there are two flower beds with newly planted, so not deeply rooted, pansies. The six year old boy carefully picked a pansy flower from the plant and gave it to a woman. The two year old girl saw him do that and picked a flower too, but with her flower came the whole not-so-deeply-rooted plant. Many of the adults, in their grief, fussed at the little girl. The little boy, without saying a word, watched all the fussing, looked down at the flower patch, held out his hands to the girl to ask for the flower, pinched off the flower from the plant, gave the flower to the girl, stooped down and replanted the plant, including firming the soil around it. Then he wiped off his hands, looked at an older man, and calmly asked if he could view the deceased infant one more time before the funeral began. All of that from a six year old boy, calmly gardening and enjoying God's beauty in the face of death, in stark contrast to the adult smoking, wailing, silence, and fussing. 

It's an image of huge hope in the God of life even while acknowledging the huge reason to grieve.

It must be another of the many reasons why Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like children.

Dear Lord, There are so many challenges and sorrows that come at us each day. Help us, today, to be your children, for that is what we are, so that we may have hope in you in the face of our grief, comfort in the midst of our sorrows, and wisdom and calm in the face of our challenges. Grant this, O LORD, for Jesus' sake. In Jesus' name we ask this. 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

Tues, 10/16/18, "Day of Praise"

"[David prayed to God,] 'When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me.'" - Psalm 86:7

There aren't many things in life that you can count on 100%.

Truth be told, there's only one.

You can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Martin Luther said that a god is anything in which you put your trust. It's best to put your trust in the LORD God, since you can only count on the LORD God 100% of the time.

Wouldn't you agree that it's foolishness to trust something or somebody you can't rely on 100%? Maybe even madness? But we do it all the time! Aaaaaah, Lord have mercy!

David knew that the Lord does.

Have mercy that is.

That's why David called to the Lord whenever he was in distress. David knew from experience, time and time again, that when he called out, "Lord," that the Lord was present and listening.

Do you?

Not just do you believe, but do you call on the Lord, saying, "Lord," as if he's present and listening?

Try it. You'll be blessed. Because he is.

Happy Tuesday! The Lord is present and listening 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

Mon, 10/15/18, "Day of Praise"

"LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? 
   Who may live on your holy mountain?" - Psalm 15:1

It's a blessing to have a friend, a true friend, that you can count on through thick and thin. A true friend is also wise because, in knowing you, they are often able to see things about you that you yourself are missing, things that you really need to see.

If such is true for a human being, that they can see things about you that you really need to see but that you yourself are missing, then how much moreso for God?

God, being omniscient (all knowing), can see things about us that are critical for us to see because, God says, some of what God sees about us is destroying our relationships with God and others.

The collective spirit of our country is rapidly going the way of moral relativism, that is, people want to see things the way they want to see them and do things the way they want to do them.

God is looking at our morally relativistic country and saying, "I'm better than a true friend. I'm seeing things that you're not seeing that you really need to see because the way you're going is killing you, and your ways are killing our relationship."

Today's verse from Psalm 15:1 asks the question, "Who can dwell with God?" The rest of the psalm basically gives a description of the "blameless." The "blameless," biblically speaking, are not those who have not sinned, for God tells us plainly that all have sinned. Instead, the blameless are sinners who receive God's word and say, "Please LORD, help me to see what you see so that I may dwell with you."

Our country needs more blameless people. We need more people who will stop asking for a free pass mor"ally", spiritu"ally", relation"ally", and the rest of the "-ally"s.

And we need more people who will say, "Okay, LORD! Let it start with me! I'm a sinner. My ways don't work. So with the eyes of Jesus and in the strength of Jesus Christ whose righteousness alone makes it possible for me to be in your presence, help me to see what you see that I need to see, and give me your Holy Spirit to teach and strengthen me to amend my life that it may be pleasing in your sight and that I may dwell in your sacred tent, now and forever."

I'm in. What about you?

Here's the whole of the psalm.

Psalm 15 - A psalm of David.
 1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? 
   Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
   who does what is righteous, 
   who speaks the truth from their heart; 
3 whose tongue utters no slander, 
   who does no wrong to a neighbor,
   and casts no slur on others; 
4 who despises a vile person 
   but honors those who fear the LORD; 
who keeps an oath even when it hurts, 
   and does not change their mind; 
5 who lends money to the poor without interest; 
   who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things 
   will never be shaken.

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

Fri, 10/12/18, "Day of Praise"

"But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

It doesn't matter who said it. They are wise words indeed, "God...devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." - 2 Samuel 14:14

As it was, the wise woman from Tekoa said those words. But she was instructed by wise Joab to say those words. And we would be wise to have such words on the tips of our tongues too.

For such wisdom is a major blessing of the Living God.

Because of sin, we were estranged from God, banished from God's kingdom and presence.

But God devised a way so that we banished people do not remain banished from God.

Jesus is The Way (John 14:6).

As Absalom was estranged because of his sin, an enemy of King David, but worse, we were estranged because of sin, an enemy of the King, our God.

But the good news is that God devised a way for us enemies of God through the cross and resurrection of Jesus; we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son (Romans 5:10).

And then he sent us, in the strength of the risen Christ, to do the same (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Is someone "banished" from your life? Kept at arms length because they hurt you? Humble yourself, and ask God for wisdom to be reconciled. It will probably take time and patience, but, through Jesus, God has devised The Way.

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

Thur, 10/11/18, "Day of Praise"

So today is Amanda and my anniversary, so I want to do a rerun of an anniversary trip.

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

So Amanda and I are away on a short anniversary trip in the Mentone, AL and Cloudland, GA area. We're staying in a cabin on a big piece of property and getting to do things with the owners. Ya know, do things. Like explore their 2,800 year old Indian site dig and hike to the ancient Indian prayer pits and go into their chicken coop and visit with the two pot-belly pigs. Ya know, do things. Anniversary kind of things. (I know; we're weird.)

But the most fun of all has been herding the fainting goats. Ya know, you really have to be nice when you're herding those goats, or else they get scared. And faint. Really!

However, ya can't let 'em fool ya. Because if you don't watch out, those seeming meek goats will pick on each other. Like they pick on Bent from time to time. Bent's the old goat (literally) who has something like multiple sclerosis. And when Bent gets to twitchin' then the other goats pick on 'im, and he gets scared. And faints.

That's why Bent needs a shepherd. To look after him. Because he's got weaknesses. That make him vulnerable. To bully Billy goats. Like you and me. Ya know, weaknesses. That make us vulnerable. Aaaaah, you know what I'm talkin' about. I know what mine are that make me feel picked on by bully Billy goats. And you know what yours are.

But just like Bent has Steve and Harriet, well, we have Jesus. The LORD. The Good Shepherd. Like he says in John 10:1-10. He especially keeps us from getting bullied out of Heaven by the biggest bully Billy goat. Ya know the bully goat that Jesus says is always trying to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us. Well, he can try, but he might as well just go sit in the corner like my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Howell, made the big ol' bully in my class do decades ago. Because Jesus ain't gonna stand for his sheep gettin' bullied and causin' 'em to faint.

This is his farm. And we are his sheep. So, well, it's all good. All the time.

"The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

Praise God!

Day of Praise

Wed, 10/10/18, "Day of Praise"

"His attendants asked him, 'Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!'" - 2 Samuel 12:21

How do you meet the day? And how do you meet the things within it?

In today's verse, King David is asked a question that helps us to think about the ways we meet the things that come our way. In sum, it's a puzzle to his servants why David fasts while his child is alive and eats when his child dies.

David's response is a model for us in how to faithfully meet our day. In sum, David is both humble in his asking while things are still unfolding but also hopeful in God when things have come to conclusion.

The application for us is simply this. Ask God humbly for the way we'd like things to go with the day in general and also with specific things within it. God wants to know your hopes.

Then when specific things are done through the day, like a test or a meeting or a talk, give it to God with hope and trust, and believe that it's in God's hands.

Humble asking and hopeful acceptance.

It's the formula for a wonderful day, regardless the size of the matters.

May your day be so wonderful with Jesus.

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

Tues, 10/09/18, "Day of Praise"

"Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family." - 1 Chronicles 16:43

Big blessings are full of little things.

In today's verse, David returned home to bless his family. How can we do the same? That is, how can we return home to bless our families? And how do you do it if nobody's there?

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

In Mark 10:16, we read, "And [Jesus] took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them." In Luke 24:50, we read, "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them."

The keys are in the touch and in the hands.

Jesus, the Son of God, came into this world and touched us with his hands in appropriate ways. In so doing, he blessed us. He also lifted up his hands and asked blessings on us. He also stretched out his hands and received the nails of judgment for our sin so that we might believe and be blessed.

Christianity is not just a religion. It's a lifestyle. God raised Jesus Christ to touch us daily with blessing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God gave all of us hands so that we would use them to bless, genuinely being for everyone, acknowledging their existence with a spirit of kindness, and maybe even touching them on the hand or shoulder if it can be done appropriately. Decades ago, some people helped me realize how important it is to others, when we enter a room, especially in our home, that we walk around and touch as many as possible with a word or handshake or hug.

May God bless the work of your hands today. May God bless those that you touch in Jesus' name.

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

Mon 10/08/18, "Day of Praise"

"Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted." - 2 Samuel 21:15

Have you ever been exhausted? Just tired to the bone exhausted?

Knowing most of you really well, I know that's a silly question. The question then becomes, "Will it ever end? Will those periods, and for some of you, will the life of exhaustion ever end?"

In today's verse, God's word says that the source of the exhaustion was a battle...another battle.

As I write this, I pause.

I see so many of you. Most of you. Actually, it's taking a while because there's a lot of you, but I see all of you that I know. With each of you, I can remember a time or times that you were exhausted...from battling...again.

The battles that I remember for each of you are different, though some are similar. I remember feeling the burden with you. In many cases, I didn't know what to say.

Ultimately, in every case, we have only one thing to say to one another that really encourages us to persevere...to keep going...to put one foot in front of the other while we have breath...to believe that there is joy awaiting if we will fight the good fight of faith.

One thing encourages us in the face of exhaustion born from another of life's battles.

The name of Jesus.

For in him is Easter. And Easter is all year, even on a blazing hot Fall day in the South, when we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and sinless Savior who took our place on the cross and rose triumphant and victorious over sin, death, and anything else that would suck us dry and exhaust us. Say it with me, "In Jesus Christ, I have victory over all that exhausts me—over sin, death, the devil, the grave, along with fear and guilt and uncertainty and anxiety and absolutely anything else that exhausts me!"

As the old Easter hymn calls us to sing and believe from the depth of our being::

"The strife is o'er, the battle done. Now is the victor's triumph won; Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst, But Christ their legions has dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped, He rises glorious from the dead. All glory to our risen head!
Alleluia!

He broke the age bound chains of hell; The bars from heaven's high portals fell. Let hymns of praise his triumph tell. Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded you From death's sting free your servants too That we may live and sing to you. Alleluia!"

Praise God!

(Notes: Author: Giovanni P. da Palestrina, Tune: Victory, 1st Published: 1695)

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

Sat, 10/06/18, "Day of Praise"

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed." -
Psalm 57:1

I hope you enjoy Bible study. It's important.

Take today's Bible verse and one key phrase within it: "I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings."

Not everybody does..."take refuge in the shadow of God's wings" that is.

Study it.

Study the words "shadow" and "shade" in the Bible. It's like studying "darkness."

God's word in the Bible says that there are two responses when "shadows" or "shade" or "darkness" come someone's way.

The unbeliever says, "See, you can't see God, therefore, there is no God."

The believer says, "God has me covered; that's why there's a shadow." As in Psalm 17:8, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." The believer, in essence, receives "shadows" and "darkness" as a privileged place, a place where they're the "apple of God's eye," which means "the desire of God's eye" and the love of God's heart.

That's radical faith.

We all taste "darkness" and "shadows" and "shade" in this world. Dear God, please give us some of that radical faith to go with it so that we, like David and ultimately like Jesus on the cross, might find "refuge in the shadow of your wings." 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

Fri, 10/05/18, "Day of Praise"

"So Saul asked God, 'Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?' But God did not answer him that day." - 1 Samuel 14:37

Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?

You're not alone.

Job didn't get an answer from God. In Job 30:20, he says, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me."

The Psalmist didn't get an answer from God. In Psalm 22:2, he says, "My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest."

But, even when God seems silent, there is a promise for us to hold. 

Through Zechariah the prophet, in Zechariah 10:6, God has promised us this, "I will strengthen...and save...I will restore...because I have compassion...I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them."

God's promise to answer is given to those who trust the LORD. Jesus puts it this way in John 8:47, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says."

And those who belong to God are those who believe what Jesus said earlier in John 8:33-34. He says that anyone who sins is a slave to sin. In other words, we must be redeemed, bought back, from the power of sin. Jesus also says there that it's only through faith in his redeeming work that we're set free from sin so we can know the truth of God.

So then, recognizing your need, believing in Jesus, and believing in his redeeming work for you on the cross, you are given a promise to hold while you wait for God to answer your prayer. In 2 Kings 20:5, "This is what the LORD...says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

So, where does that leave us? Try this on for size. The original question we asked today was this, "Have you ever asked God a question, and God did not answer?"

And what God's word teaches us is this: For those who trust in the LORD, though we may still be waiting for a specific answer, there's a definite promise for us to hold, "I am the LORD and I will answer. I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

Let us be found believing!

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

Thursday, 10/04/18, "Day of Praise"

Thank you all for checking on me! I haven't felt well since Monday night, which is why I didn't send a devotion. But all your prayers have helped, and I'm certainly feeling better! Praise God!

Amanda and I have our anniversary approaching, so I'm strolling down memory lane with a devotion from my archives. 

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

Have you ever felt small and insignificant? 

After days of bad storms, Amanda and I finally got to take our night tour into Dismals Canyon. The whole park is so isolated that it's literally so dark at night that you can't see your hand in front of your face. So add the effect of the canyon depths to the camp darkness, and we couldn't even begin to describe how dark it is.

But shining through the darkness are these little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light creatures called DISMALITES. Our sweeter-than-sweet-tea but tall-as-the-canyon's-Champion-Tree guide, Kevin, and the Dismals Canyon website describe Dismalites this way: "Past twilight the canyon lights up with tiny bioluminescent creatures we call Dismalites. These 'glowworms' require a select habitat to survive and are unique to only a few places on Earth. They are 'close cousins' of the rare glowworms found in Australia and New Zealand." 

If I understood correctly, Dismalites are basically the larvae of a rare species of gnat. Again, in sum, they are tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny.

But as tiny as they all may be, as small and insignificant as they all may seem, the light of just one itsy bitsy Dismalite cannot be overcome by the darkness. 

Looking at a Dismalite is like looking at a little star, far, far away in a vast, dark, and never-ending universe except the Dismalite is shining through a darkness that's as close as your nose and as close as your hand that you can't see but use to keep from running into the rock in the deep dark canyon.

And no matter how deep the canyon. No matter how isolated the park. No matter how late at night. The darkness cannot overcome the light of a little, tiny, invisible-to-the-naked-eye-even-in-the-light Dismalite.

And that's the way it is with each and every one of our lives.

Ya see friends, when we believe in Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter how small and insignificant we may feel. It doesn't even matter how small and insignificant we actually are. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we have the light of the world dwelling in us and shining through us. And when darkness comes to the lives of our family and friends and neighbors and coworkers, the world has nothing to say because the world is cloaked in darkness. But we who believe have a calm and a peace and a word that brings light to the deepest darkness, calm to the roughest storm, and peace to the neediest soul.

Yes, we are all small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But because of Jesus Christ, we, like a Dismalite, have the power to shine our best when things get toughest for those we're given to love.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5 (NIV)

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