Do I Really Sound Like That?

Have you ever heard yourself recorded or through a monitor?  It is so strange to hear your own voice outside of what you hear all the time in your head.  So often, we hear one thing and the rest of the world hears another.  I think many times, we live life that way too.
During one of my first few years as pastor, we had a special guest in town.  My middle son, Sam was still a baby in the nursery so I took that opportunity to hold him for a short time during the end of one of the services because he was acting up.  Our church at that time had a window in which you could still see the service going on but no one could see you, so I stayed in there for a minute and watched as the service started winding down.  The service was going fairly long for us and people slowly were sneaking out.  I knew that an offering still needed to take place and was beginning to get antsy about this guy wrapping it up.  Without even thinking, I simply said very quietly, "I wish he would hurry up".  I didn't think that anyone had heard my statement but just then, a little girl who was in the nursery with me piped up and said, "Now you know what we feel like when you are up there".
I was floored.  I could not believe that anyone thought that I, of all people, was long winded.  This little five year old had no idea what she was talking about.  I have been to thousands of services and I know how long they are.  I keep things short and to the point.  And even if my sermon might (and it is a big might) be a tad bit long, they are filled with witty quips, good points and interesting stories.
The reality is that we all see ourselves in a different light.  Sometimes another perspective can really be eye opening.  From friends to mentors to pastors and leaders, God places people in our lives to help us.  They see things from a different perspective and can objectively tell us about things we might not be able to see in our own lives.
Proverbs 27:9 states that "Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty council"(NKJV).  So even though it may be hard to hear sometimes, we need to hear it.  It can make us a better person.  You never know, someday a little five year old may be just the one to see and say things that no one else will.  Even if she has no idea what she is talking about.  I mean seriously, me long winded.  Have you ever heard such a thing?

Church Clothes

I don't mean to brag, but I am a pretty big deal.  You might say that I have somewhat of a celebrity status.  When I go places, people recognize me.  Ok that sounds a little like bragging (actually a lot), but in my line of work I get a lot of exposure.  From weddings and funerals, to being on stage every Sunday morning, I am in a very unique light.  So imagine my surprise when I was given a reality check the other day.
I was simply picking up a few things for the church at our local hardware store.  As I was heading to the checkout, I noticed a lady who just recently started coming to church with her family.  She just moved to the area and I think this was her first day on the job because she was being trained by another lady.  I purposely went to her line to give her confidence and tell her how grateful I was that she had been attending the church.  As I began to checkout, I noticed that she had not recognized me, so I started to talk about the church.  Finally she asked if I was the pastor at that Christian Center Church.  When I told her yes, she immediately said "I am so sorry pastor, I didn't recognize you with your clothes on."  I looked over at the other girl that was there with us and saw the expression on her face.  She must have been thinking "what kind of church is this".  I assured her, and anyone else within earshot, that I usually wear clothes but am a little more dress up on Sundays besides jeans, a T-shirt and Hat.
We all know what the lady meant, but I think it brings up a good point.  We often live two lives.  One we live at church.  You know, the dress nice, watch your mouth, carry your Bible with you Sundays.  But then on Monday, we seem to live another life.  Just like changing clothes, we change lifestyles.
For example, if we were to come to work dressed like we did on Sunday, our co-workers would think we flipped a lid.  If we showed up at the ballpark or at a social gathering with our church clothes on, it would just make people look at us and make us feel uncomfortable.  The same is true if we acted the same way on Monday that we do on Sunday.  People just would not know how to take us.  So we blend in.
James 1:21-24 says:  "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."(NKJV)  James also calls this type of person "double minded"(James 1:8).
We have the opportunity to see things in our encounters with Jesus that can change our lives.  Just like looking in a mirror, we notice the things that need changing, but often we only want them changed on Sundays.  We simply walk away and forget what kind of person we were.
God's desire for us is to look like Christians all week long.  So even though we may keep our Sunday dress and suit in the closet, we can still live like it's Sunday all throughout the week.  People might not recognize you at first but at least you've got the right clothes on.

WHO'S NUMBER ONE

My son, Sam, has obviously drawn the short straw in our family.  I know this because in so many ways, he acts just like his father.  One of the character traits he has picked up is the need to tease and pester anyone and everyone he meets.  It is an incredible talent passed down from generation to generation and he is really good at it.  He can get his older brother so crazy that Jackson doesn't even know if he is coming or going.

One day, as we were riding in the truck, he thinks that he is going to get a rise out of me.  He turns to me and says that he loves God more than he loves me.  You should have seen the look on his face when I told him that I was so proud of him and that he should love God more than he loves me.  "As a matter of fact," I told him, "God should be number one in your life."  I could tell that this was puzzling him to no end and so I shared some scripture with him.  Deuteronomy 6:5 says that "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength"(NKJV).  Exodus tells us that "you shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3 NKJV).

What he meant to tease me with, we were able to turn into a valuable lesson.  God should be number one in all of our lives.  He should mean more to us than anything and anyone.  This is something we have known in our heads since we have learned the Ten Commandments, but do we really know it in our hearts?  How many things have we put in our lives in front of God?  From our jobs, to relationships, to even our hobbies, it seems like so many times, God is on the back burner.  It's not that we need to give up those things (or sometimes we do), but they need to decrease so our love for God can increase.  

I hope and pray that Sam gets the message along with the rest of us.  He did finally, after a long time to think about it, admit that God should be number one in his life.  Then he looked at me and with a twinkle in his eye and that all to familiar grin tells me, "but mom's number two".  I guess I can handle that.

YOU DESERVE A WHIPPIN

Have you ever noticed parents trying to control their kids at restaurants?  When I was single, I remember saying to myself, "My kids will never act that way in public."  Then I actually had kids.  In the 11 years that I have been a parent, my precious children have not only acted bad, but worse than most of the kids I have witnessed before.
One time, when my middle child, Samuel was around two, we were in a restaurant and he was pushing all of us to the limit.  I thought someone was going to ask us to leave.  Needless to say, I went from patient, to embarrassed, to angry within minutes.  Finally, Haley looks at me with frustration in her voice, and says, "Well, are you going to do something?"  You bet I was.  I'd had enough.  This evil child of mine was going to get the whooping of his life.  With one ninja like motion, I snatched him up out of his high chair and we were off to the bathroom.
The bathroom, however, was all the way across the restaurant.  In that long walk of shame, Samuel did something that I will never forget.  As I am holding him in my arms ready to tear into him, he grabs my face and looks me in the eyes and says "I love you daddy."
I don't know if you have ever stared into the face of one who looks almost identical to you and heard those words before, but let me tell you it is life changing.  All the anger, all the rage, all the frustration that was stirring within had suddenly vanished in one moment.  I looked at my son and said, Do you promise to be good?"  He nodded. And we turned back toward our seats, with me saying, "Just tell your mom that I whipped you."
The Bible tells us that we are made in the image of our Father (Gen. 1:26).  So when we look to Him and tell Him how much we love Him, how could He deny us anything.  He loves us so much and even though He must sometimes show us discipline, He forgives us every time. We fail to realize this because maybe we think that what we have done is too bad for forgiveness.  You don't deserve forgiveness, you deserve to be taken to the bathroom in the restaurant and get a big fat whipping, but somewhere along the line, God sent His Son Jesus as payment for our sins, turned us around and set us back down at His table to eat once again.
So remember, you are God's kid, you are loved, and you are forgiven.  Grab His face and tell Him how much you love Him today.  It will truly melt His heart.

The Worn Out Bible

Her day is filled with laughter and love
Listening to her favorite band
She always enjoys her time spent in prayer
With a worn out Bible in her hand

Through special occasions with family and friends
She helps out whenever she can
Except for the few moments she steals
To read the worn out Bible in her hand

No matter the struggles life throws her way
As unstable as shifting sand
She knows she can find comfort from God
In the worn out Bible in her hand

And as her life comes to an end
And her spirit is leaving this land
One thing is found not too far away
A worn out Bible on the night stand

author:  Jotty Kinney

We Are Surrounded

I have been blessed through the years, to be able to coach my boys in most of their sporting events.  I love getting out on the field with the team, watching them compete and grow as young men.  We have played baseball, basketball, soccer and this year we started football.  No matter what the sport, the game can get intense.  Most of the time, the kids are pretty cool about the whole experience, but the crazy ones are the parents.
When I started coaching, Jackson was around 4. The first sport that we could sign up for was t-ball.  Every kid had the chance to hit and play in the field and parents just sat in the stands and lightly cheered.  It seemed like a wonderful experience.  Ladies in sun dresses sipping lemonade and enjoying the summer night.  Then came the fall and with it, soccer season.  All of a sudden these same ladies traded their summer dresses for warm up suits and went from cheering to straight up yelling.  Yelling at the refs, yelling at the kids and heaven forbid, even yelling at me (mostly Haley yelling at me).  I thought to myself, "What is the difference from t-ball to soccer?"  Then I realized that in soccer, they are keeping score and the competitive juices started to flow.  Ever since then, I have come to learn that parents (including myself) really are crazy.
I have often thought during games what the kids are thinking as this process is going on.  Are they actually listening?  Are they concerned, or could they care less?  I mean, they are surrounded by stands of people, half cheering them on, the other half hoping they lose.  Can you even imagine the pressure we put on our children even at the age of four years old.
It reminds me of a passage in Hebrews.  In chapter 11, there is a long list of people who are deemed the "heroes of faith".  In it are listed a group of heavy hitters who came through in clutch situations for their faith in God.  People like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are there as well as Daniel, David and Samuel.  Then Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 that "we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1).  I imagine a huge stadium filled with saints from the past, family members gone home and maybe even an opposite side hoping we drop the ball.  We also are surrounded by a group of people here on this earth watching us as Christians to see how we play the game of life as well.
So how do we win?  Hebrews 12 continues by telling us to "lay aside every weight, and sin and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus".  It reminds me of a time talking to my under 6 soccer team.  We were huddled up and I could tell the team was losing focus (they are 5 year olds remember).  I told them that Their mom was not the coach, their dad was not the coach, their grandpa was not the coach.  I was their coach, and if they would just listen to me, I would put them in the place they need to be and to play well and even get a chance to win the game.
The world is going to try to yell at you from the sidelines.  You are going to be screamed at from all different directions, but if you listen and look to Jesus the "author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), then you can be placed in the right position to not only win the game but look good doing it.
So remember, you are an important part of the team.  Don't get distracted.  Listen to your coach.  Win the game.  And as I always tell the boys, have fun doing it.

Baby Food

Having a new baby around has been a real joy for our family. Haley, the boys and I have loved the experience of watching Charlie grow over the past six weeks. Already he's starting to hold his head up, push back, and show his Kung fu grip. It won't be long before he is rolling over, walking and graduating from college.
Ok, maybe I am getting ahead of myself, but the point is, we were made to grow up. If you feed a baby, eventually he will grow (and need his diaper changed). The same is true for us spiritually. The more we feed our spirits, the more they will grow. The problem is, we are not growing.
Paul tells the Corinthian people that he wanted to give them more solid food to consume but they couldn't receive it because they were still drinking the milk. They were living a carnal life and not growing toward maturity (I Corinthians 3).
Imagine holding a beautiful baby in your arms. Watching him sleep, feeding him his bottle, burping him (maybe not that last one). Now imagine doing that for a fifteen year old. In the same way, our Father wants us to move past the early stages of our faith and into a something more powerful. Just as a dad wants to teach his son to play catch, ride a bike, and fish, our heavenly Dad wants to do cool stuff with you. He will never be able if we are still trying to simply hold our head up.
Remember, in order for us to grow, we need to be fed. What are you consuming? Is it growing your spirit? I can't wait to hear Charlie's first word (dada)' wrestle with him (and show him the dreaded "CLAW"), and jump off the bunk beds (don't tell Haley). Maybe, just maybe, God is waiting to do cool stuff with you too.