What a strange few weeks it has been. I have sat many an hour pondering the events of these weeks, and the weeks to come, and the question that is the title to this post kept ringing in my ears. In the past few weeks the world has watched as the plant in West, TX blew up. We watched on as an abortion doctor was convicted of murder for killing babies after they were born. We saw the devastation of the tornado as it ripped through the town of Moore, OK, and many of us held our breath waiting for survivors to be found. Then, when the death toll was confirmed and the stories of that day came out, our hearts broke for families torn apart, parents without children.
In the midst of this tragedy, there are many in this world who cried out asking, "Where are you God?" When I was searching for my loved one, where were you? When I found the devastating truth, why weren't you there? Why, God? Why did this happen? Why am I experiencing this? Where are you?
It is so easy to begin to believe that God could not have been there when these terrible events occurred. Surely a God of love could not stand by as these atrocities happened. The logical conclusion seems to be that God had abandoned those situations or predetermined those situations in some way. It would be so easy to begin to blame these things on our actions, our sinfulness as the cause of tragedy. There are hate groups doing that. The little Kansas terror cell that calls themselves Westboro Baptist Church. They are not a church and they are at their core terrorists! In their eyes, these things are the wrath of God poured out on humanity. They are wrong!
The problem with their theory is God is not the business of causing His children to suffer. According to Psalm 34:18, " God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." God did not cause the suffering of these tragic events. He was not somewhere "out to lunch" when all of these things were happening. In fact, if we hold to the promise of Psalm 34:18, we know exactly where God was during these events.
When that plant exploded and lives were lost, God was there in the fire. He was with the man who was running to safety but didn't make it. He was with the daughter who waited for mom to come home, and is still waiting. He was with those who lost someone and with a town who had to pickup and carry on. He was with those precious babies as that man took their lives. He was with the schoolchildren as their teachers tried to protect them during that monster storm. He was with the teacher who broke protocol and prayed over her students. He was with the parents who would never again see their children on earth. He was with those who crossed over and those who were left behind. God was with all of these people in their time of need. He never left. He never looked away. He never gave up! He walked with them, spoke to them, and welcomed some home. God was there in the midst of the tragedy holding out hope to those who would trust Him.
That is our comfort. Those of us looking on from afar and wondering why. The comfort Jesus promised in John 16:33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." For those of us who trust in Jesus, this life is not the end. This world will throw many things at us, but Jesus has overcome every obstacle we will face. We may face tribulation greater than anything we have seen these past few weeks, but Jesus has promised that we will overcome because He overcame. Because of this promise, we can have peace.
Even in the midst of these greatest of tragedies, we can know that God is still on His throne. Psalm 45 tells us His throne lasts forever. There He is seated on it. In the midst of tragedy, the world still turns. During the hour that the tornado in Moore was on the ground, 24 lives were lost. In that same hour, there were 450 babies born in the United States, 133,500 worldwide. God is still on His throne. The process of creation still moves forward. Unfortunately, because of the fall, death is part of that creation.
As Moore, OK begins to pick up and move forward, here in Rankin (and across the country) high school seniors are preparing to start their adult lives. Something new looms on the horizon for them. Their futures are bright, even as some people's futures have been taken from them. Life goes on, and we must keep our eyes focused on the promises of God. What better gift can we give both those young adults ready to set off in the world and the memory of those whose futures were snatched from them than the hope found in living a life for Jesus?
If we are to honor the dead, we must advance the cause of the gospel. If we are to prepare these students for their future, we must train them to take the gospel with them. Yes, the question will remain "O God, Where art Thou?", but we will ask the question in terms of our proximity to God as we seek to trust in His promises and always walk close to Him. Only when we remain next to God in our daily life can we have peace when the world around us is crumbling. Take heart, He has overcome the world!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
My Own Little Piece of Heaven
I have always wondered what Heaven really looks like. The Bible describes Heaven as a place of indescribable beauty. In fact, the language used in scripture suggests there just aren't words to express what Heaven is like. One thing is for certain, Heaven is perfect.
I would have never imagined Heaven to have a Southwestern/Desert climate. I always imagined a lush green forest with abundant wildlife and maybe a little cabin, but here among the oilfields of West Texas I have found my own little piece of Heaven. In this place I do not feel restless. In this town I do not feel lacking. In this church I truly feel loved and wanted in a way I could never have imagined. Here, things are perfect.
Of course, many of you are already saying to yourselves, "You are still in the honeymoon period!" Actually, I understand that. I did not say there aren't problems. I never claimed bumps in the road are not going to happen. What I am stating is a satisfaction that goes deeper than temporary discomfort of worldly problems. The world will always throw trial and tribulation at you, but I have learned along the way that life is 2% what the world throws at you and 98% of how you take what is thrown. James tells us in his epistle to "count it all joy when you face trials of many kinds." Many times, we are called to make our own Heaven here on earth.
What makes this place Heaven over anything else is the abundant blessings of God that I see poured out all around me. A love that seems to overflow. A highly anticipated family addition. An excitement I have not seen in a long while. Of course, maybe this is all about me and the closeness I feel with God in this place, that communion with the Almighty that makes wherever you are perfect.
Are there things here I would change? Yes. Moving is expensive, and it never fails that after you move the first few months are very tight financially. There are things I want I can't buy right now. I want a couple of rocking chairs (one big one for me) to put on our patio and drink coffee in while I visit with God in the mornings. I want a dependable vehicle for Carrie and the baby when he arrives. I want a massage. I want a new commentary set. I want so many things that God has not given me the money to buy. In spite of all my wants, I am satisfied with what I have.
As time moves along here in Rankin, trials and tests will come. The new will wear off, and the real work will begin. Through it all, there will remain a joy in soul that cannot be snatched away or shaken. Through it all, I will continue to love on my church family and strive to bring the gospel of Jesus to the lost in this world. Through it all, I will be satisfied, happy even, to live out my life here in my own little piece of Heaven.
I would have never imagined Heaven to have a Southwestern/Desert climate. I always imagined a lush green forest with abundant wildlife and maybe a little cabin, but here among the oilfields of West Texas I have found my own little piece of Heaven. In this place I do not feel restless. In this town I do not feel lacking. In this church I truly feel loved and wanted in a way I could never have imagined. Here, things are perfect.
Of course, many of you are already saying to yourselves, "You are still in the honeymoon period!" Actually, I understand that. I did not say there aren't problems. I never claimed bumps in the road are not going to happen. What I am stating is a satisfaction that goes deeper than temporary discomfort of worldly problems. The world will always throw trial and tribulation at you, but I have learned along the way that life is 2% what the world throws at you and 98% of how you take what is thrown. James tells us in his epistle to "count it all joy when you face trials of many kinds." Many times, we are called to make our own Heaven here on earth.
What makes this place Heaven over anything else is the abundant blessings of God that I see poured out all around me. A love that seems to overflow. A highly anticipated family addition. An excitement I have not seen in a long while. Of course, maybe this is all about me and the closeness I feel with God in this place, that communion with the Almighty that makes wherever you are perfect.
Are there things here I would change? Yes. Moving is expensive, and it never fails that after you move the first few months are very tight financially. There are things I want I can't buy right now. I want a couple of rocking chairs (one big one for me) to put on our patio and drink coffee in while I visit with God in the mornings. I want a dependable vehicle for Carrie and the baby when he arrives. I want a massage. I want a new commentary set. I want so many things that God has not given me the money to buy. In spite of all my wants, I am satisfied with what I have.
As time moves along here in Rankin, trials and tests will come. The new will wear off, and the real work will begin. Through it all, there will remain a joy in soul that cannot be snatched away or shaken. Through it all, I will continue to love on my church family and strive to bring the gospel of Jesus to the lost in this world. Through it all, I will be satisfied, happy even, to live out my life here in my own little piece of Heaven.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Raising Youth......a rant
Read this through before you get offended:
So, lately I have pondered the question/problem of teenage sexuality, especially as it pertains to teens of the female persuasion. I find myself conflicted on how to lead them to an understanding of the importance of modesty in their lives, as opposed to the society in which we live. I have been desperately trying to understand the need to wear the clothes many young ladies wear today. Most people write this need off to the celebrity culture we find ourselves engrossed in, but I do not think the issue is that simple.
I believe much of our problem is a disconnect in the way young people today see age. Young ladies of the age range of 13-17 simply do not see themselves as attraction material to people outside of their age group. Many have a feeling, "I am a child, and they are adults." They do not seem to understand that as the physical form matures, they can be seen as attractive by males from the ages of 9 to 99 and beyond. I believe this disconnect happens because of an evolution in our societal way of thinking.
Almost every culture has some age at which a child begins a transition into adulthood. The Jewish culture sees this age as 13. At this age, according to Jewish law, an individual becomes responsible for their own actions. The child, turning adult, celebrates this transition with the ritual of a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, respectively. With this celebration comes the understanding that a change is beginning, and in many circles, the young adults are soon to reach marriageable age. The Hispanic culture of Latin America also has a similar idea when a child reaches the age of 15. The quinceanera is the celebration of a girl's coming of age into young womanhood. In the parts of Latin culture I have been around, this celebration definitely came with an unspoken understanding that the young lady was now to be thinking of her future and her husband. Many Anglo Americans do not understand the very serious and deep relationships young Latina girls find themselves involved in because this is no longer a part of our culture.
Yes, I did say no longer. Over the past 45 years, our society has slowly redefined its definition of marriageable age, thus redefining the whole concept of childhood age. When my grandparents were growing up, it was not unheard of for a girl to be married at 14 or 15. 17 or 18 was definitely normal, so 16 year old girls looked at every relationship as if it could lead to marriage. Even in my parents' generation, 16 was a fairly normal age to get married at. Over the years, however, we have redefined the age at which a person should think of being married. 16 became the year of the car, and 18 was the "adult" age where you started looking to settle down. Then everyone started getting college degrees and 18 was the party/learning age and 24 became the settling down age. Now people want Masters degrees and many people are waiting until their early thirties to begin looking for their future spouse. With each shift, the idea of where childhood really ends and adulthood begins also changed.
I believe this is a big reason for the lack of awareness of sexuality in dress to many teen girls. When a girl realized she could get married at 16, it brought an awareness that men might find her attractive, not just boys her age. I believe we are forcing young women to see themselves as little girls, and their wardrobe reflects that thought! So, we see a rise in premarital sex, teen pregnancy, and everything else that goes with that. I AM NOT SUGGESTING we start pushing 16 year olds to marry. I am simply suggesting we must find ways to help teen girls understand they are no longer little girls, but young women. They are not just attracting boys their age with their outfits or antics, but they are attracting the attention of many older men they may not want to attract. We have to find a way to help them understand the way God created them, and to process the emotional and spiritual changes that have occurred or are occurring along with the physical changes they are experiencing. If they can understand this new aspect of who they are now and who they are created to be, I believe they can make more prepared and educated choices as to what future God has in store for them.
Modesty is simply not pushed in our society. Skimpy is popular. Our goal needs to be to bring modesty back into fashion so that men of every age will see our young ladies as future wives, mothers, current daughters and granddaughters, and always as creations of God rather than objects of lust. Pray earnestly for modesty to return to our society. Pray for ways you can help teens understand their new role in the world. Find ways to help raise the youth you come into contact with in your world.
So, lately I have pondered the question/problem of teenage sexuality, especially as it pertains to teens of the female persuasion. I find myself conflicted on how to lead them to an understanding of the importance of modesty in their lives, as opposed to the society in which we live. I have been desperately trying to understand the need to wear the clothes many young ladies wear today. Most people write this need off to the celebrity culture we find ourselves engrossed in, but I do not think the issue is that simple.
I believe much of our problem is a disconnect in the way young people today see age. Young ladies of the age range of 13-17 simply do not see themselves as attraction material to people outside of their age group. Many have a feeling, "I am a child, and they are adults." They do not seem to understand that as the physical form matures, they can be seen as attractive by males from the ages of 9 to 99 and beyond. I believe this disconnect happens because of an evolution in our societal way of thinking.
Almost every culture has some age at which a child begins a transition into adulthood. The Jewish culture sees this age as 13. At this age, according to Jewish law, an individual becomes responsible for their own actions. The child, turning adult, celebrates this transition with the ritual of a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, respectively. With this celebration comes the understanding that a change is beginning, and in many circles, the young adults are soon to reach marriageable age. The Hispanic culture of Latin America also has a similar idea when a child reaches the age of 15. The quinceanera is the celebration of a girl's coming of age into young womanhood. In the parts of Latin culture I have been around, this celebration definitely came with an unspoken understanding that the young lady was now to be thinking of her future and her husband. Many Anglo Americans do not understand the very serious and deep relationships young Latina girls find themselves involved in because this is no longer a part of our culture.
Yes, I did say no longer. Over the past 45 years, our society has slowly redefined its definition of marriageable age, thus redefining the whole concept of childhood age. When my grandparents were growing up, it was not unheard of for a girl to be married at 14 or 15. 17 or 18 was definitely normal, so 16 year old girls looked at every relationship as if it could lead to marriage. Even in my parents' generation, 16 was a fairly normal age to get married at. Over the years, however, we have redefined the age at which a person should think of being married. 16 became the year of the car, and 18 was the "adult" age where you started looking to settle down. Then everyone started getting college degrees and 18 was the party/learning age and 24 became the settling down age. Now people want Masters degrees and many people are waiting until their early thirties to begin looking for their future spouse. With each shift, the idea of where childhood really ends and adulthood begins also changed.
I believe this is a big reason for the lack of awareness of sexuality in dress to many teen girls. When a girl realized she could get married at 16, it brought an awareness that men might find her attractive, not just boys her age. I believe we are forcing young women to see themselves as little girls, and their wardrobe reflects that thought! So, we see a rise in premarital sex, teen pregnancy, and everything else that goes with that. I AM NOT SUGGESTING we start pushing 16 year olds to marry. I am simply suggesting we must find ways to help teen girls understand they are no longer little girls, but young women. They are not just attracting boys their age with their outfits or antics, but they are attracting the attention of many older men they may not want to attract. We have to find a way to help them understand the way God created them, and to process the emotional and spiritual changes that have occurred or are occurring along with the physical changes they are experiencing. If they can understand this new aspect of who they are now and who they are created to be, I believe they can make more prepared and educated choices as to what future God has in store for them.
Modesty is simply not pushed in our society. Skimpy is popular. Our goal needs to be to bring modesty back into fashion so that men of every age will see our young ladies as future wives, mothers, current daughters and granddaughters, and always as creations of God rather than objects of lust. Pray earnestly for modesty to return to our society. Pray for ways you can help teens understand their new role in the world. Find ways to help raise the youth you come into contact with in your world.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Who am I?
"Preach the Gospel always; if necessary use words." That quote, which is often attributed to Francis of Assisi, sums up the very job of every believer. The problem becomes one of lack of confidence in ourselves to actually follow through. We begin to ask ourselves, "Who am I to do such a job?" We tremble with nervousness at the prospect of really having to share our faith in physical form. We wonder how we will do what God is asking. We complain that we don't have the proper training. We believe we simply aren't equipped to do God's work.
The problem with that excuse is it fails to take into account the magnificent power of God in our lives. No amount of training in the world can take the place of a movement of God in the life of an individual. There have been many "preachers" throughout history who were well trained, eloquent speakers. They led hundreds, if not thousands, to faith in Jesus; but they never knew Jesus themselves. In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of such people. Those who on the last day will say, "Lord we prophesied for you, drove out demons, and performed miracles in your name." These people will be told He never knew them. Training and gifts cannot replace the power of God.
It would be easy to think that training makes bringing a sermon a lot easier, but nothing could be farther from the truth. At times, training gets in the way. You become worried about the proper form or which word sounds right. Sometimes the best sermon is the one that is led by the Spirit in the moment. Even though training can give you the tools, it never takes away the nervousness of being the vessel God is using. As much as any layperson is asking "Who am I?," every pastor asks it each week.
The good news is that we are the blood bought body of Christ. We are the residence of the Holy Spirit, and the greatest power this world has ever known is alive within each believer. God takes that which is ordinary (believers) and uses it to do the extraordinary. We each may struggle with our ability to follow God's lead, but God knows who we are even when we don't.
Who are we? We are creations of God! What are we? We are loved by God, and that makes all the difference!
The problem with that excuse is it fails to take into account the magnificent power of God in our lives. No amount of training in the world can take the place of a movement of God in the life of an individual. There have been many "preachers" throughout history who were well trained, eloquent speakers. They led hundreds, if not thousands, to faith in Jesus; but they never knew Jesus themselves. In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of such people. Those who on the last day will say, "Lord we prophesied for you, drove out demons, and performed miracles in your name." These people will be told He never knew them. Training and gifts cannot replace the power of God.
It would be easy to think that training makes bringing a sermon a lot easier, but nothing could be farther from the truth. At times, training gets in the way. You become worried about the proper form or which word sounds right. Sometimes the best sermon is the one that is led by the Spirit in the moment. Even though training can give you the tools, it never takes away the nervousness of being the vessel God is using. As much as any layperson is asking "Who am I?," every pastor asks it each week.
The good news is that we are the blood bought body of Christ. We are the residence of the Holy Spirit, and the greatest power this world has ever known is alive within each believer. God takes that which is ordinary (believers) and uses it to do the extraordinary. We each may struggle with our ability to follow God's lead, but God knows who we are even when we don't.
Who are we? We are creations of God! What are we? We are loved by God, and that makes all the difference!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
This is the Place
I have started this blog as a new avenue of my preaching ministry. In the coming weeks, you will find here several different things. First, you will find my thoughts on different biblical topics. Second, you may find mini sermons I just don't feel led to preach in the pulpit. Finally, you will find the rest of the sermon. Thoughts that didn't make it out on Sunday morning. My process by which I came to a certain point. Almost a behind the scenes look at my preaching. This post isn't too long, but it will suffice as an explanation.
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