Eagerly Expecting the Bride to be Revealed!

In recent years watching major golf championships has become my favorite source of sports entertainment. A couple of weeks ago, as I was preparing for the 2011 U.S. Open Golf Championship, I found myself in quite a conundrum. My ten-year-old son had a baseball tournament in Pace, Florida during the final two rounds of the U.S. Open.

Thank God for modern technology and digital video recording. My problem was solved. I would avoid reading the paper and viewing ESPN while away at my son’s tournament, and watch the recorded version of the U.S. Open like it was live when I returned home.

As I was going through my recordings file, I noticed that it was full with recordings from news coverage of the Royal Wedding. My wife must have figured out how to use the DVR! I began to reflect back on the week leading up to the Royal Wedding and how obsessed she was with this event. Both my wife and my mother set their alarms to get up and watch this wedding live.

All throughout that week I would catch glimpses of what they were watching on television concerning the Royal Wedding. It seemed like reporters had analyzed everything possible about Prince William and Kate’s ceremony. You could feel the excitement surrounding the wedding while watching the coverage on television.

Of all the anticipated moments of the wedding, the most talked about topic was what Kate would look like in her wedding dress. Everyone was waiting in eager expectation to see Prince William’s bride in her white wedding dress. The reporter’s commentary about Kate and her dress couldn’t help but make me think about how the Bible uses the metaphor of a bride to describe the church, and a wedding to describe the union between Jesus Christ and His church, at the end of the age.

Ephesians 5:30-32 says, “30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ (the Lamb of God) and the church.”

It was estimated the over 3 billion people watched the Royal Wedding. That is almost half of the world’s population. Wow!

The Bible teaches us that there is an event that is even more anticipated than the Royal Wedding. It is the revealing of the children of God in their future glory. All of creation is waiting in eager expectation for the consummation of the age that will be celebrated with the wedding of the Lamb.

Romans 8:18-19 says, “18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.”

One of the most sacred ceremonies we participate in as human beings is a wedding. The wedding ceremony never begins until the bride has made herself ready. The bride is always the one everyone wants to see. I guess God knew a wedding and a bride would be perfect metaphors to describe our eternal relationship with Him in future glory!

“7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! 
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” Revelation 19:7-8

Are you getting yourself ready? I hope so because I think more than 3 billion will be watching!

Don't Be a Weiner!

For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. Jesus in Matthew 10:26

Personal decisions lead to public ramifications!

Anthony David Weiner is the U.S. Representative for New York's 9th congressional district, which includes parts of southern Brooklyn and south and central Queens. Weiner is a Democrat, and has held the office since 1999.

In June 2011, after having first denied doing so, Congressman Weiner admitted having sent sexually explicit photographs of himself to several female "followers" on Twitter, both before and since his marriage.

His perverse behavior caused many to ask the following question: Should Anthony Weiner resign from his position?

As I watched the news stations, it seemed that many people thought he should not resign. These people justified their position by stating that his behavior was a personal matter.

So, I want to ask a question: Does “personal” behavior determine who we are as people?

I would answer this question with a resounding yes. What you do in private will ultimately reveal who you really are in public. In fact, the true test of character is what you do when you think nobody else is watching.

It is deceptive to think your personal matters do not influence who you are as a person, and how you perform on the job. Your personal decisions forge your character. The first person in life you need to learn to lead is yourself. You cannot be a good leader without learning self-control through self-government. In other words, you shouldn’t govern others if you can’t govern yourself.

Once you are able to lead yourself, the next test of leadership is marriage. Contrary to popular opinion, honoring your covenant vows by being faithful to your spouse is a major qualification for occupational leadership. If we lower this standard in our society, we do it to our own demise. The breakdown of marriages is the number one social ill in our nation. How a person conducts himself or herself in a marriage reveals more about their character than any of their other actions.

It is also naïve to think that we can keep the choices we make in private from being revealed in public. What is done in secret will one day be revealed for all to witness. The fact that the Anthony Weiner scandal has been broadcast on every news station is proof of my point.

Finally, if Weiner decides not to resign, he will be lowering the standard of leadership of our elected officials. It’s not only the epitome of narcissism, but demeaning to the position of U.S. Congressman for him to remain in his job.

Do we really want a married representative sending lewd pictures of his body to women? I’m not afraid to proclaim that I don’t! If Weiner will lie and cheat on his wife, common sense tells me that he will lie and cheat on the American people who elected him also.

I hope and pray Anthony Weiner’s apology is sincere. I hope and pray Anthony Weiner experiences the grace of God. I hope and pray Anthony Weiner works things out with his wife. I hope and pray Anthony Weiner uses his influence in the future to be a better example. I hope and pray Anthony Weiner realizes that private choices lead to public consequences.

It is also my hope and prayer that our elected officials will practice self-government and raise the standard of leadership in our nation. Anthony Weiner could make restitution and begin this much needed leadership revolution by graciously and humbly stepping down.

Let’s learn from Anthony and don’t be a weiner!

The Blessing of Boundary Lines

Two of my three boys play on baseball teams that I help coach. So, I spend many hours a week on the baseball field. My favorite time of the week is when we have baseball tournaments on the weekends.

It seems that our teams have a knack for getting scheduled for the early morning games. When we play early in the morning, we have to get up around 6am to get to the ballpark on time (I thought weekends were for sleeping in!). There are many negative reasons why we don’t like playing early in the morning. The biggest one for me is that it is early in the morning.

However, there is one positive to playing the first game of the day, and that is the fact that the field is in the best condition early in the morning. The dew is still on the ground, the field is soft, the infield has been raked, and the boundary lines are clearly marked.

As play continues throughout the day, the condition of the field deteriorates. The field hardens, the infield that is not raked causes ground balls to bounce unpredictably, slides when stealing bases result in certain skin burns, and the boundary lines become more and more unclear. Every once in a while an umpire will miss a call because the boundary lines are not well defined. A bad call on the baseball field always results in an eruption and outward display of outrage from the team, coaches, parents, and fans impacted by the call. When this happens, it makes the game less enjoyable.

Before every championship game in the tournaments, the field crew takes extra time to rake the infield and reestablish the boundary lines with fresh chalk. As the coaches, teams, parents and fans of the two teams playing in the championship game watch and wait for the field crew to finish their duties, there is one thing that is very evident to all who are watching: this game is very important.

Coaching baseball for four years has taught me two things about boundaries: (1) Boundaries mean the game is serious, and (2) boundaries make the game more fun.

Do you associate boundaries with something that is negative and limiting, or something that is positive and liberating?

In Psalm 16:6-8 King David wrote this about his Lord and boundaries: “6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

King David associated boundary lines with something that was pleasant. In fact, boundaries gave King David a greater confidence in the goodness of God, and a peace of mind knowing that while he lived in those boundaries, he was a recipient of God’s counsel and protection.

Just as a game without boundaries is not a serious one, a Christian without boundaries is not serious about his or her walk with the Lord. A game without boundaries is not as enjoyable and very chaotic. Similarly, a person without boundaries will live in chaos, and as a result, miss the life God designed for him or her. A person without boundaries will live in bondage and insecurity, while those with clearly defined boundary lines are liberated to live life with great joy and pleasure.

Have you established boundaries in your life? If so, I trust that they have fallen in pleasant places for you!

Celebrating Justice

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. Proverbs 21:15

After ten long years of chasing down the world’s number one terrorist, Osama bin Laden, United States military forces killed him at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. As the news stations broadcasted the report many Americans celebrated publicly. This “celebration of death”, as some labeled it, stirred up controversy in our nation. The controversy escalated when many Americans started to demand that the photos of a dead bin Laden be released for viewing.

Let me ask you a question: What do you feel like doing when you think about United States military forces killing Osama bin Laden? That is an easy question for many people to answer. They feel like celebrating.

Why do people feel so happy about the thought of someone dying? I’m convinced that more people despise the thought of someone dying than enjoy it. I don’t like the thought of someone being killed. Gosh, I don’t even like horror movies and ultimate fighting contests. So, what makes so many people thrilled about the death of Osama bin Laden?

The reason so many people are celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden is because justice was served. Is it okay to celebrate justice? Absolutely! In fact, it would be unnatural to not celebrate justice. When justice is not served it causes people to be hard- hearted and cynical.

Psalm 50:4-6 says: “4God summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 
5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.”

One of the main attributes of God is that He is just. The greatest demonstration of God’s justice was when He sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. The Bible teaches us that we have all sinned, and the wages of our sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 3:23, 6:23).

Because God is just, someone had to die for our sins. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that He became our substitute for the consequences of our sins. That is why every Sunday, all throughout the world in millions of churches, people praise the name of Jesus Christ. Christians remember Jesus’ death and celebrate God’s demonstration of justice.

There are certain deaths we celebrate. We celebrate the death of Jesus because He gave His life as a ransom so that people could be saved from their sins and eternal death. We celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden because he used his life to murder innocent people.

Both deaths remind us of two simple facts: God is our Judge who loves justice, and when justice is served people will celebrate!

The Most Historic Prediction

Every once in a while a person makes a prediction that comes true. When this happens, the moment becomes an event that is never forgotten.

After brashly guaranteeing a New York Jets victory over the Baltimore Colts, prior to Super Bowl III, Jets quarterback Joe Namath completed 17 out of 28 passes for 206 yards, and was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player. The victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

Babe Ruth's called shot was the home run hit by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. During the at-bat, Ruth made a pointing gesture, which existing film confirms, but the exact nature of his gesture is ambiguous. Although neither fully confirmed nor refuted, the story goes that Ruth pointed to the center field bleachers during the at-bat. It was supposedly a declaration that he would hit a home run to this part of the park. On the next pitch, Ruth hit a home run to center field. This event is one of the most historic and talked about moments in baseball history.

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went to the temple courts in Jerusalem and found the people focused on the wrong priorities. Instead of preparing to celebrate the Passover and remember how God delivered His people out of slavery from Egypt, the people were selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others were sitting at tables exchanging money. John 2:15-22 tells the rest of the story.

It says: “15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken."

When questioned by the Jews, Jesus predicted that His resurrection would be the sign that would prove His authority once and for all. Of all the predictions and prophecies throughout history, no one ever dared to declare they would rise from the grave. If Jesus conquered death, He would prove forever that He is the Messiah, and the Son of God.

And, that is exactly what Jesus did. Three days after dying on the cross for the sins of the world, He rose from the grave. No more questions about His authority!

Now, every Easter, over 2 billion people remember and celebrate this most historic prediction!

Seeking The Good Of Others

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, you know that one of my favorite hobbies is running. I am constantly updating my status with thoughts of hitting the streets. What’s on my mind? You know it: “Run Ronnie Run”!

On March 5th, 2011 I celebrated my 42nd birthday. One of my birthday traditions is to make sure I go for a run. With about a mile left on my run, a younger man about 24 years of age, passed me on my right hand side.

In my twenties, I attended graduate school at Florida State University and became a good friend with one of the top tri-athletes in the state of Florida. We used to run through the campus together everyday during the week. We had one rule during our run: No one was allowed to pass us! (Note: I think I broke the rule, but he never did.)

As the young man passed me on my 42nd birthday, I had many thoughts race through my head. The first one was, “no one is allowed to pass me”. Then, I reasoned that this rule doesn’t apply to me anymore because I am no longer in my twenties.

The next thought was the scripture 1 Corinthians 10:24. It says, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” How dare this young buck pass me on my birthday? That was so rude…LOL! He was definitely not thinking about this Scripture and my pride as he passed me on the road.

My next thought was: “This is going to hurt”!

Then, I took off and chased him for a half-mile as fast as I could. We ran side by side until I had to turn off the road to take my route home. As I made my turn, he sighed and said, “Thank you sir”.

Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to give instruction and admonition that would lead to the solving of many problems in the congregation. In dealing with the confusion that had crept into the church at Corinth as believers failed to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord, Apostle Paul reminded them that a true disciple of Jesus does not only seek his own good, but the good of others.

The Corinthians had lost sight of God. Their selfishness had blinded them. Apostle Paul taught them that the egocentric life is contrasted with the Christ-centered life. A mature Christian is characterized by giving instead of getting, and building up others instead of tearing them down.

So remember, if you want to be like Jesus, don’t pass an older person while they are running on their birthday, and live to seek the good of others!

What Do You Do When You Have the Fastest Horse In The Race?

Life becomes much more enriching when you discover your gifts and talents.

Romans 12:6- 8 says, “6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

People are most effective when they are doing what God calls them to do. People are most motivated when they are releasing the dynamic force of the gifts and calling that God has placed in them. Everyone should experience the life of God and exercise the gifts that God has given. Ideally every person will operate in his or her own unique gifts and talents. Many people live life with anxiety because they don’t know what they were created by God to do.

I was reminded of the importance of discovering your gifts and calling while watching the movie “Secretariat” with my boys last week. Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in twenty-five years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby (1:59 2/5), and the Belmont Stakes (2:24)—records that still stand today.

Owned by Penny Chenery (aka Penny Tweedy), he was trained by Lucien Laurin and mainly ridden by fellow Canadian jockey Ron Turcotte. The movie chronicled Secretariat’s birth and amazing pursuit to win the Triple Crown 1973. It also showed the struggles of Penny trying to maintain a family life, save her father’s farm and her future inheritance, and make tough decisions while managing an elite thoroughbred horse.

Before the Belmont Stakes, Penny and Lucien were trying to decide how to train Secretariat for the race. It was thought at the time that a horse could not possess both speed and endurance to win the U.S. Triple Crown. So, they were wondering if they should run Secretariat hard or rest him before the Belmont Stakes, the longest of all the races in the Triple Crown. They decided to train him hard concluding that the horse had a special gift and was born to run.

My favorite part in the movie was during the initial stage of the Belmont Stakes race as Secretariat was running neck and neck with his top competitor. If Secretariat finished anything but first, all would be lost for Penny. As the scenes switched back and forth from the racing track to the stands where Penny, Lucien and her family were standing together, you could feel the nervous tension of how important it was for Secretariat to win the Belmont Stakes.

All of a sudden, Secretariat began to break away from his competitor, as the crowd stood stunned at the speed and endurance of this horse. During his surge to the finish line in record fashion, Penny broke free of all her anxiety and yelled at the top of her voice to Ron, Secretariat’s rider. She screamed: “Let him run Ronnie, let him run.”

Penny knew Secretariat was a gift from God, and created by Him to run fast. She made a decision to let the horse do what he was destined to do. The rest is history, and a great American story.

1 Peter 4:10 says: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” When we discover the gifts God has given us, and use them to serve others, we actually get to participate with God in administering His grace to people. That is a pretty cool thought, and makes life very fulfilling because we are able to help others.

Just like Secretariat, when we get in our right lane, and discover what we were created by God to do, we can do amazing things in life. What do you do when you know how to use your gifts and calling? You serve people, administer the grace of God, and live a fulfilling life of purpose.

What do you do when you realize you have the fastest horse in the race?

You “let him run Ronnie, let him run!”

All In!

In 2010, as members of the SEC, the Auburn Tigers went undefeated in the regular season and capped off a perfect season by defeating the Oregon Ducks in the BCS National Championship game. What made the feat more amazing is the fact that they went undefeated while participating in the toughest football conference in NCAA Division 1 football.

What does it take to go undefeated and win a national championship in college football?

It takes a wholehearted commitment to give your best from every single player on the team. The Auburn Tigers came up with a slogan during the year to remind them of this commitment: All In!

Before I asked my wife to marry me, I went and purchased an expensive diamond wedding ring. Facing each other on the altar of the church where we were married, we exchanged rings and said our vows to one another. The vows included these words of commitment to our marriage relationship: “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.” We were “All In”!

What does it take to have a successful marriage?

After fourteen years of marriage, I have learned that it takes a wholehearted commitment from both the husband and wife. This means that both the husband and wife are constantly willing to sacrifice for each other, and serve one another in love. Anything less than total commitment to a marriage will eventually destroy it.

While flipping back and forth from the AMC channel, that was featuring a week of “Rocky” movies, and my favorite news channels, I was reminded that Rocky fought his best when he was wholeheartedly committed to the fight. In order to fight well, he had to accept Mickey’s offer to train him, overcome physical injuries and Adrian’s concerns about him fighting, and conquer his own personal fears.

How did Rocky defeat Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago?

Rocky beat all three of these fierce competitors in the ring by giving an all-out effort in each of these fights. Rocky won on heart and perseverance. He was “All In”!

Jesus Christ came to earth from heaven to save people from their sins, preach about and demonstrate the Kingdom of God, and reveal to us our Heavenly Father’s will for our lives. His death on the cross was a sign that he was wholeheartedly committed to his mission. At the cross, Jesus manifested God’s love, upheld God’s holiness, and administered God’s justice in dealing with humanity’s transgressions. Jesus was “All In”!

What kind of effort does it take to serve our Lord well?

After twenty-one years of walking with our Lord, I have learned that a half-hearted commitment will not suffice if you want to serve Him well. It takes self-denial, sacrifice and a daily devotion to follow the Lord as He leads. In fact, Jesus taught his followers this in the Great Commandment. It says, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Jesus expects us to be “All In”!

Whether you are competing for a national championship, maintaining a successful marriage, winning a title fight, or serving our Lord, it takes a wholehearted commitment. Nothing great is ever attained in life without an all-out effort.

As you serve the Lord and live your life, make sure in whatever you do you are: All In!

Freedom Is Not For Free!

History has certainly proven to us that freedom is not for free. As we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday of this week, I was reminded of this fact.

Our founders mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish a nation with liberty as one of its ideals. They knew their declaration of independence from the tyranny they suffered under Great Britain would cost them dearly. Many early settlers of the United States lost their lives and fortunes in the fight for our nation’s freedom!

Jesus Christ died an excruciating death on a cross to set His followers free from the bondage of sin and its consequences of eternal death. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Our freedom from sin and eternal death cost Christ His life!

Our nation’s finest who serve in our military risk their lives daily to preserve the freedom we enjoy. Many of them pay the ultimate price by being killed on the field of battle. They are a source of inspiration and a reminder to us all that freedom is not free!

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement.[1] He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The fight for freedom also cost Dr. King his life!

As we commemorate Dr. King on this day, I would like to leave us with ten of my favorite quotes by this great civil rights leader. They are:

1. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

2. “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

3. “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”

4. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

5. “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

6. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

7. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

8. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

9. “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

10. “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Thank you Dr. King and all who have fought in this fight for freedom! You remind us that freedom is not for free! I pray that your example and sacrifice would compel us to serve others with the freedom we are so fortunate to experience.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:13

A Great Harvest Comes From A Good Heart!

As we begin a New Year, it is important that we set aside some time to examine the condition of our heart. The last thing a true disciple of Jesus wants to do is allow their heart to become tainted in any way. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 says, “5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.”

There are many opportunities, and circumstances we face, throughout the course of year where our hearts can get negative things sown into them. When this happens, we end up possessing hardened hearts, weak hearts or distracted hearts. The condition of our heart is directly related to what kind of walk we will have with our Lord.

One of the keys to making sure we don’t “fail the test” is protecting our heart from all the opposition that arises as we serve the Lord. That is why Proverbs 4:23 says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus teaches that we have a higher probability of possessing a heart that does not yield a harvest for the Lord, than possessing a heart that does produce a harvest. Three out of four soils mentioned in this parable do not allow the seed to do the work for which it was sown. There is only one type of soil by which the seed can produce a harvest. Let’s take a look!

1. The Path

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

A path is where people travel, and therefore, gets trampled down and becomes hard and crusty. Many people’s hearts have been trampled down by the circumstances of life, or hardened by the consequences of sin. When the seed falls on the path, it cannot take root, so it gets stolen by the passing birds (enemy). Do you feel your faith is constantly being snatched away from you? Are you afraid to surrender your life to Jesus as your Lord? If so, then the path could represent the condition of your heart.

2. The Rocky Places

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Matthew 13:20

Many people want the benefits of the Christian faith without the commitments and responsibilities. These people want to receive God’s forgiveness, but don’t want to tell others because it might bring persecution to them. Sooner or later someone is going to stand in opposition to your faith. The problem is trouble will come. Perhaps you will lose a friendship with someone close to you, or be tagged with a derogatory label. When people receive the word with joy, but don’t allow it to take root, they will not persevere during tough times. When this happens, the person withers away because they didn’t really allow Jesus to be the Lord of their lives.

3. The Thorns

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

The worries of this life can include: our responsibilities, our jobs, our relationships, our finances, our health, etc. When stewarded properly, all these things we participate in should bring glory to God. When obligations become more important to us than serving God, His word will get choked out. The deceitfulness of wealth is putting trust in something other than the Lord to be our provider and protector. When money is not stewarded properly, it deceives people into thinking it will bring peace and contentment. Instead, wealth accumulated with wrong motives leads to more greed and problems. The desire for other things is what consumes the affections of our heart. We make time for and invest in things we truly desire. For example, watching television all the time and never praying or reading the Bible could be a desire that has choked out God’s influence in our life. The problem is not with the activity, but that we do it to the exclusion of serving our Lord.

The Good Soil

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:23

The Lord Jesus Christ expects us to grow in His grace and knowledge. We should not remain immature in our faith. We must accept individual responsibility for our walk with Christ. As we obey God’s Word, we receive more of his grace and learn more about His purpose for our life. When we live as an ambassador for Christ and do the work of His Kingdom, we will produce a harvest that pleases the Lord.

We are not to compare our harvest with that of others. God has given every individual person different and unique gifts. Instead, we should be obedient to His will, and allow Him to bring the harvest no matter what type of increase it produces.

Now that we have begun a new year, take some extra time to do an honest examination of the condition of your heart. Remember to “hold on to the good” of 2010 and release the bad. Nothing is more important than possessing a pure heart for the Lord.

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Psalm 24:3-5

The Trilogy of the Holidays!

The God of Christianity reveals Himself very specifically to the world as the triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is why some of God’s greatest revelations about His creation are displayed in three’s. For example humans, the crown of God’s creation, are also triune beings. We consist of spirit, soul and body. Our triune design separates us from every living creature on the planet. It is the main reason we have the greatest capacity to create. We, as human beings, are the ones crafted to be the most like our Creator.

During the most wonderful time of the year, we celebrate three important holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Understanding the significance of these holidays, and why we celebrate them, is vital to knowing God. The God of the Lord Jesus Christ is the reason for the season! Let me further explain through my own personal 2010 holiday experience.

After a month of feasting on great food and desserts during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday, I am entering the New Year with a full belly and an expectant heart. Why am I so expectant? Am I expectant because I think the economy is going to turn around, and as a result, allow the multitudes to experience new prosperity? No! Am I expectant because I think the war against those who want to do evil to others is going to end? No! Am I expectant because I think our government is going to unify and solve all of our nation’s social ills? No! Am I expectant because I think nothing negative is going to happen in 2011? No way!

I am expectant for one reason and one reason only: I know my God is good!

I have spent more time than usual over the holiday season thinking about the goodness of God, and praying about what He wants to do in the future. It all began with the Thanksgiving holiday. As I thought about the goodness of God during this holiday, I could not stop thanking Him for the kindness he has demonstrated to me over the years. I am thankful for: life, salvation, health, my family, my church, my job, my friends, food, house, clothes, etc. I could go on and on listing the things I am thankful for in my life.

Instead, I will write about what makes me the most thankful. I am most thankful that my gesture of gratitude is not a random one. In other words, it is a very specific, personal and intimate expression of thanks to the God of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The modern Thanksgiving holiday traces its origins from a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation, where the Plymouth settlers held a harvest feast after a successful growing season. This was continued in later years, first as an impromptu religious observance, and later as a civil tradition. Who were these Plymouth settlers giving thanks to? You got it…the God of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It was not a fortuitous celebration of gratitude.

When thankfulness is not haphazard, it manifests in a very specific expression—giving. Thanksgiving, the first in the holiday season, prepares our heart to celebrate the Christmas holiday with a gratitude of giving.

Why do we give gifts on Christmas? We give because God in His love first gave to us. He gave us the greatest gift ever given to mankind. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” A good gift displays three (there’s that word again) things to the recipient: (1) it demonstrates value, (2) it is a personal investment, and (3) it meets a specific need. God gave the life (demonstrated value) of His Son Jesus Christ to save us (personal investment) from our sins (specific need), and give us eternal life (good gift).

The amazing story of Christmas is that God came in flesh (the Incarnation) to live and dwell among us. We can know Him (very definitively and intimately) through His Son Jesus Christ. This God is not only good; He is personal and relational. I think it is best summed up in the Christmas Song, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”:

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Knowing and giving thanks to the Christ of Christmas is important because He is the only One who has the power to make all things new. That is why on New Year’s Eve we make resolutions in hopes that our lives and circumstances will change for the better. Newness, like the concept of liberty, is a thought that is emphasized in the Bible. In fact, it is the central purpose of Christ’s ministry. He is the Lord our God who makes all things new. Most of us don’t live up to our resolutions because we try to do them in our own strength. We need God’s help to embrace the new and make the necessary life changes.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Thanksgiving to God prepares us to celebrate the gift of Christ and opens our hearts to receive the new things God wants to do in our lives! I thank Christ that the new has come!

My faith in Jesus Christ and His goodness is why I enter 2011 with great expectation!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Happy New Year!

What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Part 2)

I can't believe Christmas is less than one week away! As you prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I want to give you some more things to think about from Jerry Newcombe and Dr. James Kennedy's book: What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which is tiny in and of itself; but, when fully grown, it provides shade and a resting place for many birds. This parable certainly applies to an individual who embraces Christ; it also applies to Christianity and the world.

This blog will continue to focus on Christ’s impact on the world using excerpts from the book.

1. Christianity: The Growth of a Mustard Seed

Christianity’s roots were small and humble—an itinerant rabbi preached and did miracles for three and a half years around the countryside of subjugated Israel. And today there are more than 2.1 billion professing believers in Him found in most of the nations on earth! There are tens of millions today who make it their life’s aim to serve Him alone.

Emperors and governors were the men with power in Christ’s day. But now their bodies rot in their sepulchers, and their souls await the Final Judgment. They have no followers today. No one worships them. No one serves them or awaits their bidding.

Not so with Jesus! Napoleon, who was well accustomed to political power, said that it would be amazing if a Roman emperor could rule from the grave, and yet that is what Jesus has been doing. (We would disagree with him, though, in that Jesus is not dead; He’s alive.) Napoleon said; “I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel…nations pass away, thrones crumble, but the Church remains.”

2. Jesus Christ is the only One who can save souls.

The salvation of souls is the primary goal of the spread of Christianity. All the other benefits we have talked about in this series are basically just by-products of what Christianity has often brought when applied to daily living. We must never forget that all of these benefits to mankind have their origins in the Christian faith.

When Jesus Christ took upon Himself the form of man, He imbued mankind with a dignity and inherent value that had never been dreamed of before. Whatever Jesus touched or whatever He did transformed that aspect of human life. Many people will read about the innumerable small incidents in the life of Christ while never dreaming that those casually mentioned “little” things were to transform the history of humankind.

3. Even under intense scrutiny, Christianity has always shined as a bright light to the nations.

Both Friederich Nietzsche and Adolf Hitler wished that Christ had never been born. Others share this sentiment. For example, Charles Lam Markmann, who wrote a favorable book on the history of the ACLU, entitled The Noblest Cry, said: “If the otherwise admirably civilized pagans of Greece and their Roman successors had had the wit to laugh Judaism into desuetude, the world would have been spared the 2000-year sickness of Christendom.” Interestingly, people living under Nazi oppression, under Stalin’s terror, under Mao’s cultural revolution, and the reign of the Khmer Rouge were all spared “the 2000-year sickness of Christendom”! Horrific incidents were the result!

Stalin and Mao both tried to destroy Christianity in their respective domains. In the process, they slaughtered tens of millions of professing Christians, but they utterly failed in their ultimate objective. Nietzsche, Freud, Hitler, Robert Ingersoll, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Madalyn Murray O’Hare, Phil Donahue, the ACLU, and other leading anti-Christians have tried in vain to do away with Christianity. From transforming the value of human life to transforming individual lives, the positive impact of Jesus Christ is felt around the globe. The overwhelming impact of Christ’s life on planet earth has been positive, not negative.

Thank you God for sending your Son Jesus Christ to planet earth!

Merry Christmas!

What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

During this Christmas season, I have been taking some extra time to ponder the question: What if Jesus had never been born? To help me answer this question, I am currently reading the book by Dr. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe: What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? It is an excellent book and I highly recommend that you read it.

I am confident that three things will happen to you while reading this book. First, you will have a greater appreciation for who Jesus Christ is in human history. Second, you will be better equipped to defend your faith in Jesus Christ. Lastly, you will be inspired to boldly declare the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For the rest of this blog, I am going to share excerpts from the book. I hope this will motivate you to purchase the book and read it as quickly as possible. I hope you enjoy!

What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

We live in an age in which only one prejudice is tolerated—anti-Christian bigotry. Today, the only group you can hold up to public mockery is Christians. Attacks on the church and Christianity are common. As Pat Buchanan once put it, “Christian-bashing is a popular indoor sport.”

But the truth is this: Had Jesus never been born, this world would be far more miserable than it is. In fact, many of man’s noblest and kindest deeds find their motivation in love for Jesus Christ; and some of our greatest accomplishments also have their origin in service rendered to the humble Carpenter of Nazareth.

Listed below are three thoughts about the impact of Jesus on the world:

1. Jesus Christ is the greatest man who has ever lived.

Some people have made transformational changes in one department of human learning or in one aspect of human life, and their names are enshrined in the annals of human history. But Jesus Christ, the greatest man who ever lived, has changed virtually every aspect of human life—and most people don’t know it. The greatest tragedy of the Christmas holiday each year is not so much its commercialization (gross as that is), but its trivialization. How tragic it is that people have forgotten Him to whom they owe so very much.

2. Everything Jesus Christ touched He transformed.

Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new.” Everything that Jesus Christ touched, He utterly transformed. He touched time when He was born into this world; He had a birthday and that birthday utterly altered the way we measure time. Now, the whole world counts time as Before Christ (B.C.) and A.D. Unfortunately, in most cases, our illiterate generation today doesn’t even know that A.D. means Anno Domini, “In the year of the Lord.”

It’s ironic that the most vitriolic atheist writing a propagandistic letter to a friend must acknowledge Christ when he dates that letter. The atheistic Soviet Union was forced in it constitution to acknowledge that it came into existence in 1917, in the “year of our Lord.” When you see row after row of books at the library, every one of them—even if it contains anti-Christian diatribes—has a reference to Jesus Christ because of the date.

3. Jesus’ Church has impacted people in a positive manner more than any other institution on earth.

Despite its humble origins, the Church has made more changes on earth for the good than any other movement or force in history. To get an overview of some of the positive contributions Christianity has made through the centuries, here are a few highlights:

• Capitalism and free-enterprise.
• Universities, which also began during the Middle Ages. In addition, most of the world’s greatest universities were started by Christians for Christian purposes.
• Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages.
• Civil liberties.
• The abolition of slavery.
• Modern science.
• The elevation of women.
• Higher standards of justice.
• The elevation of the common man.
• High regard for human life.
• The preservation of ethical standards in regards to sexual conduct in relationships.
• The eternal salvation of countless souls.

God's Will: Give Thanks In All Circumstances!

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is this Thursday. Where does the time go? I recently lost a legitimate 10 lbs., and I am wondering if I can keep it off over the holiday season. This Thanksgiving holiday is going to test my resolve like none other. Run Ronnie Run!

As you prepare to celebrate this holiday with family, friends and food, and I mean a whole lot of food, I want to encourage you to spend some extra time thanking God for all the wonderful things you have in life. Too often, we tend to focus on the negatives, or on the things we don’t have, instead of giving thanks for all we possess.

My favorite scripture on thankfulness in the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. It says: “16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I think it is important to point out that God doesn’t expect us to give thanks for all circumstances in life. For example, if a loved one dies, we don’t have to be thankful for this unfortunate incident.

However, as this scripture exhorts us, we can be thankful even in our worst moments in life. For example, instead of focusing on the loss of a loved one, we could remember all the wonderful times we had with him or her and give thanks.

Why is being thankful so important?

Thankfulness is important because it protects us from a negative attitude. A thankful attitude will act as a protection against the dark forces of anger, unforgiveness, anxiety and fear. Don Kistler said, “The person with the discontented heart has the attitude that everything he or she does for God is too much, and everything God does for him or her is too little." Thankfulness creates a no stick surface in our souls, which prevents the negative fallout from corrupting the mind, will and emotions.

Why is thankfulness so important?

Thankfulness is important because it is a more healthy way to live. A recent study of 1,000 people aged 65-85 points to the importance of a positive/thankful attitude in dealing with life. After almost 10 years of follow-up, researchers found that people who described themselves as optimistic/thankful had a 55 percent lower risk of death from all causes and a 23 percent lower risk of heart-related death.

While one's attitude toward life isn't everything, it does make a crucial difference in dealing with life. Optimistic and thankful people tend to be more physically active, drink less, and smoke less. They cope with stress more effectively.

John Henry Jowett, a British preacher of an earlier generation, said this about gratitude: "Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic." What did he mean? He meant that gratitude, like a vaccine, can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled, discouraged spirit. Like an antitoxin, gratitude can prevent the affects of the poisons of cynicism, criticalness, and grumbling. Like an antiseptic, a spirit of gratitude can soothe and heal the most troubled spirit (John Yates).

Have you ever wondered: “What is God’s will for my life?” His will is for you to give thanks in all circumstances of life. This makes total sense! It protects us from a negative attitude, and it is the healthiest way to live. I can think of no better time to remember the power of gratitude than during Thanksgiving week.

My prayer for you this week is that your heart would be just as full with thankfulness as your belly is with turkey! That’s a whole lot of thankfulness!

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!

Adversity: A Blessing in Disguise!

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been attempting to answer the question: Why do bad things happen to good people? The Bible teaches us that God uses hardships and trials to develop character in us. When we possess character and perseverance, we will bring glory to God even in our most difficult moments. Without character and perseverance, we will never bring glory to God when we suffer.

On October 6th, in a football game against the University of North Carolina, Florida State University field goal kicker Dustin Hopkins missed two field goals in the fourth quarter. He pushed the potential game winner—a 40 yarder from the middle of the field—wide to the right.

After he and teammates listened to coach Jimbo Fisher’s postgame speech, Hopkins cracked open his Bible and read Psalm 34:18. It says: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

While most players will avoid reporters after not performing well on the field, Hopkins chose to speak to the media and answer their questions. When asked why he decided to talk to the media Hopkins said: “There's a lot of stuff I'd rather do than talk about this," he said. "But I'm going to give you the honest answer. I think God just puts us in some situations with highs and lows. And sometimes, you can affect more people with how you react in your low time than you can in your highs."

"So if I can affect just one person through Christ and how I handle the situation, then that's what I'm here for."

Near the conclusion of his post game interview, running back Jermaine Thomas grabbed Hopkins and whispered in his ear for several moments. Hopkins eyes watered when asked about the conversation. “That was probably the closest I came to crying the whole night,” Hopkins said. “He just said that he loved me and the other guys on the team love me.”

It seems Dustin Hopkins is affecting more than one person through Christ!

Though most of his teammates already had showered and changed, Hopkins still was wearing his uniform. He had answered questions for well over 10 minutes.

“This is just a blessing in disguise,” he said. “For sure.”

How can having the worst game of your college football career be a blessing in disguise? It can be blessing when you know that character and perseverance are developed during times of adversity. It can be a blessing when you know that the crown of glory is attained on the road of suffering. It can be a blessing when you understand your greater purpose in life is to be a witness for Jesus Christ in every situation.

One week later, during a night game against the Clemson Tigers, and with the Seminoles’ ACC Championship hopes hanging in the balance, Dustin Hopkins was once again called upon to kick the game winning field goal with three seconds remaining on the clock. This time his attempt would be from a terrifying 55 yards away
.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Dustin Hopkins kick sailed right through the middle of the uprights as the time ran out on the game clock. The Seminoles won 16-13!

Dustin Hopkins two missed field goals during the North Carolina game gave him an opportunity to glorify Christ in his time of suffering. It also gave him the opportunity to develop more character and perseverance. Finally, it gave him an opportunity to witness about his Christian faith.

Coach Fisher told a reporter after the victory over Clemson, with tears in his eyes, that there is nobody else in the country he would rather have kick a field goal for him with the game on the line. He said he knew Dustin had the ability to make the field goal from that long distance. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Coach Fisher then said: “He’s (Dustin Hopkins) even a better person than player.”

It seems Dustin Hopkins is affecting more than one person through Christ! What a blessing in disguise!

(This blog referenced comments from Ira Schoffel's article on Tallahassee.com called "Hopkins comforted by verse, teammates") Great article Ira!

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? (Pt. 2)

Why do bad things happen to good people? It is a question that people have been asking for many generations. In twenty years of studying religions and their worldviews, I have found that only a Biblical worldview gives a redemptive purpose to suffering, hardship and trials. Ultimately, this can be seen in the life of the Holy Bible’s central figure: Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered by dying on a cross to reconcile sinners to God. The death Jesus suffered was redemptive in that it brought life to all who choose to put their faith in Him.

In this blog I want to give you the three main redemptive purposes of suffering, hardship and trials.

1. Enduring hardships produce the character (righteousness and peace) of God in our life.

I have a great relationship with my father. In fact, I consider him my best friend. My father did many things to demonstrate his love for me. He spent time with me, fed me and he bought me good things. He also disciplined me when I needed it. Now that I am a father, I realize how important my father’s discipline was for my character development.

The Bible teaches us that like a good father, God uses hardships in life to discipline us. Without discipline, we will never possess the character we need to act righteously.

Hebrews 12:7, 11 says: (7) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

(11) No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

2. Trials help us develop perseverance in our life.

If we want to accomplish something great in life, we need to possess the ability to persevere. Sooner or later, we are going to face opposition and difficult times. Without perseverance, we will give up when the going gets tough. Therefore, perseverance is one of the most vital character traits we need to develop.

James 1:2-4 says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

As we go through trials and learn how to endure, the suffering we face during these times is redemptive because it matures us and makes us complete. As mature men and women, we can now rejoice during our trials because we know our faith is being perfected during our most trying moments.

3. The crown of glory is attained on the road of suffering.

Before taking over Every Nation Tallahassee Church as Senior Pastor, I worked at Florida State University as a strength and conditioning coach. During the glory years of Florida State football in the 1990’s I observed an interesting phenomenon during meal times after practice.

There was a certain time of the year when the football team would be extremely loud during dinner. This time of the year was preseason conditioning which included early morning matt drills. It was impossible to not notice that they were bonding in a special and unique way. This time of bonding always happened during their worst season of suffering. Florida State football attained more glory than any other collegiate football team during the 1990’s because they embraced suffering together as a team. Almost all of the players attributed their unprecedented success to the hardships they experienced during matt drills.

1 Peter 5:10 says: And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

There is no glory in life without first going through some sort of suffering!

Next time you are going through a difficult time in life, remember God is using this moment to develop in you Godly character. With Godly character, you will be able to preserve during your trials. Also, you will mature and become complete while persevering. Finally, God’s glory will be manifested through your life as you handle trials with character and perseverance.

Why do bad things happen to good people? They happen because our heavenly Father loves us and is committed to us becoming people who reflect His glory on planet earth.

How do you handle your hardships?

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? (Pt. 1)

In these tough economic times it seems more and more people are finding themselves in difficult and unfortunate scenarios. After receiving some unfavorable news, one of my Facebook friends recently updated their status by asking the question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” I will make a humble attempt to answer this very important and inquisitive question.

In order to answer this question correctly, I need to use the best selling book of all time as a reference—the Holy Bible. In regards to this question, the Bible gives us illumination on two essential facts: (1) All people will experience trouble in life, and (2) all people are sinners.

The Bible teaches us that trouble is an inevitable part of life. In John 16:33 Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Jesus also taught that everybody experiences storms sooner or later. Therefore, those who are wise build on His teachings in order to prevent their house from collapsing when the inclement weather of life arrives at their doorstep. Those who are foolish don’t build their lives on Jesus’ teaching, and as a result, are not prepared when the storms arrive.

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27)

Those who are wise and possess a Biblical worldview actually expect bad things to happen in life. The difference with these people is the storms of life do not destroy them because they build their lives with a strong foundation on the Rock of Christ.

Before I fully answer my Facebook friend’s question that many people ponder, and give the redemptive purpose of suffering, I must first address the presupposition that people are good. According to Romans 3:23, every person has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. How many times does a person have to sin to be a sinner? One! We have all sinned at least once; therefore, we all are sinners. An honest inspection of every person’s life would reveal much more than just one sin.

Please allow me to reiterate this point. The Bible teaches that people are not inherently good. When Adam and Eve sinned, all who were born after them were tainted with a sinful nature. Every night every news station reminds us of this fact as they report on the dirty laundry of humanity. That is why Jesus descended from heaven to die on a cross for the sins of humanity. All who put their faith in Him can receive His grace and be “born again” with a new righteous nature (Romans 5:12-20 and Romans 6).

Possessing the knowledge that goodness is not an innate human trait, and trouble is an inevitable part of our existence, will aid us in better understanding how to deal with trials and properly process them. It also helps us better appreciate the common grace God gives to us all as we experience the good things in life. Finally, it humbles us to seek the redemptive grace we all need from Jesus Christ to change our sinful nature.

Stayed tuned for Part 2!

The Amazing Rescue

At Camp Hope at a San Jose Mine in Chile, 33 miners were trapped more than a half-kilometer underground after a mine collapse on August 5. They were not discovered alive until more than two weeks later. They survived underground longer than anyone on record and were rescued last Wednesday when workers lowered a specially built narrow cage down a newly drilled shaft and pulled the miners to safety one by one.

The drama was watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world. It is interesting to note that the whole world seemed to unite behind such a worthy cause.

In Luke 15 the Pharisees and teachers of the law were muttering because Jesus spent His time ministering to sinners. Jesus used this moment as an opportunity to remind them that people who don’t know Him are lost and destined for eternal destruction.

While watching the amazing miner rescue, I could not stop thinking about this teaching of Jesus in Luke 15. In this chapter of Scripture, Jesus responded to their muttering by teaching that a sheep, a coin, and a son were missing. A great celebration broke out after each one was found.

The point Jesus was teaching in Luke 15 is that no mission is more important than finding the lost, especially when it involves saving lives. When something valuable is lost, finding it becomes top priority. A human life is valuable, but a soul is even more precious because it lasts forever while our physical bodies eventually pass away.

Yes, it is crucial to find a lost sheep, coin, son or miner. Finding that which is lost results in wonderful celebrations. Similarly, saving souls is so vital that all of heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents and receives Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior. Jesus said in Luke 15:7: “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

As we celebrate the successful recovery of the 33 Chilean miners, lets remember that Jesus descended from heaven, the ultimate Camp Hope headquarters, to seek and save those who are lost on planet earth. Just as we witnessed during the miner rescue, this is a mission that can unite the world.

Jesus has called us and commissioned us to join Him in the most amazing rescue in the history of the world: the salvation of souls! This must be our top priority!

The Amazing Race

The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops” at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and to avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg (segment).

This past weekend our church, Every Nation Tallahassee (ENT), hosted our annual Fall Festival at the Florida State University Reservation. We ate great food and had a wonderful time of fellowship and fun. One of the games that made our Fall Festival such a blast was our own version of The Amazing Race. Congratulations to our first place winners Jonathan and Lauren Arias. They are fortunate that I chose not to compete!

While I was watching my fellow members of ENT compete in The Amazing Race, I started to think about Apostle Paul's description of what it is like to live out the Christian faith. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 says:

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

I’ve heard many preachers compare Christianity to a marathon, but I think it is more like The Amazing Race. Christianity is about living in obedience to Jesus as you walk with Him and pass the tests of life at each “pit stop” along the way. There is no better person than Jesus to help us win this race because He has already won the most amazing race of all time.

Let’s do a recap on Jesus’ major “pit stops” during His amazing race on earth:

1. The virgin Mary gives birth to Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
2. Joseph is warned by an angel in a dream that King Herod is going to try to kill the baby Jesus. They successfully escape to Egypt.
3. Jesus does not yield to the temptations of the devil in the desert after forty days and forty night of fasting.
4. Jesus lives a sinless life while living and ministering on planet earth.
5. Jesus, in obedience to God the Father’s will, dies on a cross for the sins of humanity.
6. On the third day, Jesus is resurrected from the grave proving He is the Son of God.

Apostle Paul had a life changing experience when he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He went from being a chief persecutor of Christianity to one of the greatest church planting apostles in history. Facing certain death in prison for his faith, he had confidence that he was going to receive the reward for finishing strong in his amazing race. In 2 Timothy 4:6-8 he writes:

6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

We can face eternity with expectation and hope when we live our life on earth in obedience to Jesus Christ. He will give us the grace, wisdom and perseverance we need to run our amazing race in life well. With Christ leading the way, we can pass the test at each “pit stop” and receive an award that has eternal significance, glory and honor. Run well my friends!

Love Is Expressive and It Is Costly!

12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". Jesus Christ in John 15:12-13

When you truly love someone, you express that love with nothing less than a wholehearted commitment. When Jesus wanted to demonstrate his love for humanity, He did it by suffering an excruciating death on a cross. He laid down his life to set us free from our sins. His love was expressive and it was costly!

Why do I love Jesus Christ so much? I love Him because He first loved me and He proved his love for me like no other person in history. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". Wow! It’s not like I was a nice guy when Jesus died for me. No, I was a sinner! However, He loved me so much He still chose to painfully demonstrate his love for me. Love is expressive and it is costly!

When I was ready to ask Cindy to marry me, I wanted to verify how much I was in love with her. I knew I couldn’t ask her to marry me without giving her a ring to put on her finger. So, I began my search for the perfect ring. During my search, I never once thought about going to the grocery store gumball machine in hopes that my quarter would reward me with a candy ring to give to my future wife. Instead, I took most of my life savings to an expensive jeweler in town and purchased a beautiful diamond ring. I could not ask her to marry me empty handed. Love is expressive and it is costly!

After putting the ring on her finger, I told Cindy how much I loved her and how I was making a commitment to give her my best for the rest of our lives. I would have never given her the ring and told her these words if I did not know for certain that she was wholeheartedly committed to me.

A wholehearted commitment to love demands an equal response in return. Just as I expected Cindy to love me back in return for loving her, Jesus expects us to love Him the same way He loves us. That is why He gave us the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37. It says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Love is expressive and it is costly!

Since Jesus fully demonstrated his unwavering love for us on the cross, He can require the same love in return from all those who desire to be in relationship with Him. Instructing people to obey the Great Commandment would not only be disingenuous, but also unjust if Jesus didn’t first prove His love for us.

True love gives everything and requires everything in return. Nobody has ever made this more evident than Jesus Christ, and nobody deserves the best of our love more than Him. His love for us is expressive and it is costly! Our love for Him should also be expressive and it should be costly!