A Visit to “Red Sox Nation”

This past week my family and I visited the northeastern region of the United States. We drove the scenic byways and witnessed firsthand the majestic beauty of a New England Autumn. The colorful displays of changing leaves were yet another testimony of the artistry of our awesome God. While we were there we also witnessed another fascinating phenomenon, “Red Sox Nation.”
First, let me state right up front that I have been a NY Yankee fan since I was a boy. (Yea, yea I know they got beat and are out of the playoffs, but there is always next year!) Now everyone knows that you can’t be a Yankee fan and a Red Sox fan, it is mentally, physically and spiritually impossible. But even sworn enemies can admire the loyalty and passion of their archrivals. Everywhere we went we were surrounded by a sea of Red Sox hats, shirts, and jackets. It would seem that no self respecting New Englander would dare go out in public without a visible display of their undying allegiance to the BoSox. Even the homeless could be seen sporting a Red Sox jersey or cap. Every restaurant and place of business proudly displayed posters and banners honoring their beloved heroes. You name it and it had Red Sox on it.
As we toured the Holiest of Holies (Fenway Park) I was truly moved by the respect and reverence given to the history and heritage of this hallowed piece of ground.
I guess the thing that most impressed me was the sense of belonging and camaraderie that seemed to pervade the atmosphere. There was an unspoken, yet tangible unity and commitment to a common cause. It made me wish that I could be a member of “Red Sox Nation”.
I think we who call ourselves Christians could learn some lessons from these diehard fans. Think about it, when was the last time that you made someone wish that they could be a member of “Jesus Nation”?

P.S. While in New England we also experienced the awesome hospitality of some of Red Sox Nations finest, the Giguere family.
Thank you Brian, Sarah, Kyle and Karleigh for opening your home to us and making us feel so welcome. You were a true expression of “Jesus Nation!”

Now That's Funny!

Photo by The Associated Press
Participants in the Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue, a group advocating environmental issues who are walking between Northampton, Mass., and Boston, trudge through a spring snowstorm on the first day of the walk in Northampton on Friday.


God will have the last laugh, so to speak. Global warming will not be the "end of this world." (Sorry Al, you lose again).
Now, while the end of the world is not a laughing matter, moments like the ones pictured above must surely bring a slight grin to the face of God, if not an all out belly laugh! LOL!!!!!!!!

Setting Your Tone

Ask any serious (or maybe a better word is possessed) guitar player and they will tell you that they are on a never-ending search for their perfect tone. You see, when your tone is not right, music is not as fun as it is meant to be. I, myself, am on such a sound quest.
To aid myself along on this lonely, torturous journey, I recently bought a new guitar amplifier. Up to this point, I have always played through a basic “solid state” amp, therefore, I am relatively comfortable with the workings and tone setting parameters of these amps. This new amp is a “tube” amp and I am quickly learning that it definitely has it’s own “personality.”
After spending countless hours trying to dial in my “tone” without much luck, might I add, I finally decided to check with the “experts” on a popular Internet discussion page. Most of the tone setting advice I received was simply the same old standard settings that I have been pre-conditioned to use. I was very near giving up on my quest for my “tone” when I received a valuable piece of wisdom from an unknown cyber space guitar guru. This lone voice crying out in the wilderness told me not to be fearful of trying rather unorthodox and unique tone settings with this amp. It seems that this particular amp responds very differently than most other amps. The problem was that I had been trying to make this amp respond in a way that was simply not part of its character and the results were sub par at best. I had to simply let this amp be what it was created to be. The results would be sweet tonal bliss!
As I allowed the depth of this mans words to sink into my soul, I realized that I should not have had to search the far reaches of the Internet to find this very simple yet profound bit of wisdom. It is a lesson I have learned and am continuing to learn in my walk with Jesus. For years I tried to adjust my “tone settings” to fit the normal status quo. I had been preconditioned to do things a certain way and the results were, well, sub par. Only when I began to find the courage to dial in my own unique God given “tone” did I begin to enjoy the music again.

Mi Tres Amigos!

These are my friends. We have traveled many miles together. We have shared many enjoyable and happy times. Together, we have also endured times of great pain and heartache. They haven’t always responded the way that I wanted them to but I love them anyway. They are my friends. Conversely, I haven’t always treated them with the gentleness, honor and respect that they deserve. On a few sad occasions I have actually dropped them and now they bear the scars of my ineptitude. At others times I have gotten preoccupied with other things and simply neglected them. Yet, Each time I have returned to find them faithfully waiting right where I left them. There have been times that I have gotten so discouraged and frustrated with our relationship that I had crazy thoughts of simply giving up and walking away. But all it takes is one sweet song to remind me why we became friends in the first place.
Oh, wait, that reminds me of another friend I have………

John 15:15 …………now you are my friends, proved by the fact that I have told you everything the Father told me. (TLB)

Prov 18:24 ..…. but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (NIV)

It’s Only Rock and Roll, But I like It!

Well it is that time of year again. Time for our annual three-day pilgrimage to the land of the Texas Rangers, Six Flags, giant malls, too many restaurants, (So much food and so little time!) and loud Christian Rock music. We will be heading out this Friday morning, and I don’t know who is more exited, our youth pastors, our youth group or me!
Now I know that this is supposed to be an event for the “youth” but it is also one of my favorite COG sponsored events. There is something amazing about being in a room with four or five thousand Jesus worshipping teenagers. Every one should experience it at least once in their lifetime. There is also the extra added bonus of getting to hear some of the best Christian bands on the face of the earth.
In my younger, pre-Jesus days I spent a lot of my time attending various other “festivals” in and around the Dallas metroplex. Events like The Texas Jam, The Rock and Roll Superbowl and various other gatherings aimed at reaching that wild eyed, hormonally charged generation called teenagers. In those days I, like most other youths was searching for something to satisfy my wandering lonely soul.
I had the opportunity to see some of the biggest “Rock Gods” of my day. You might say that I worshipped at the altar of such greats as The Boss, ZZTop, AC/DC, Ozzy, Journey, Aerosmith, Rush, Foreigner, Santana…the list goes on and on. (As far as I know the COG did not sponsor any of these events.)
I even tried out some of the Country deities like Merle, Hank jr., Gary Stewart and Alabama. I am ashamed to admit that once I even stooped so low that I actually went and saw Christopher Cross live. (Yeah, I know I was one sick puppy.)
I saw some great “shows” but I never found what I was truly searching for.
For an old headbanger like me this weekend is a chance “rock on” and still retain at least a little bit of pastoral dignity. (Hey, I gotta do it for the kids.) For many teens this weekend will be a chance to find what they are looking for. Please pray for Winterfest.
On second thought, it really is much more than Rock and Roll and I absolutely………….LOVE IT!

Spiritual Yard Work

Recently, out of sheer necessity, I grudgingly participated in one of my least favorite activities, “yard work.” Raking leaves to be more specific.
Now I realize that there is actually a strange mutant species of humans that actually enjoy this arduous activity. They have their own little sub-culture that includes a network of supply stations called Home Depots. It is a sick and twisted world, of which, I am not a part of. Surprisingly, even though I detest this mandatory husband/king of my castle chore it seems that the Lord often chooses to use these times of severe testing to speak to my heart about “spiritual things”. Such was the case as I tackled the gargantuan pile of leaves that annually cover my front yard.
As I “joyfully” raked those leaves I pondered within my heart why these things must be. The Lord began to show me that the winds of time and the storms of life, can blow unsightly debris into our “yards.” Little by little, one leave at a time, “stuff,” can pile up in our “yards.” It is so easy for us to go about our daily routines and never even give our “yard” a passing thought. Then one day we stop and really take a good look at our “yard” and reality sets in. Our “yard” is a mess.
Now, it is not like we set out to have a messy “yard” but things just sort of happen and before you know it things have gotten out of hand. We put it off as long as we can but there comes a critical point where some “yard work” must be done.
The Lord showed me that if we don’t rake our “leaves”, eventually the “leaves” will kill the good grass beneath. The “dead leaves” will smother out the “new life” beneath that is waiting to spring forth if only given a chance. It is sad that so many people in our neighborhoods have potentially beautiful “yards” but they are not willing to remove the dead “leaves” that are destroying their own lawn. I had to get started!
Now raking leaves is hard work and as the sweat dripped from my furrowed brow I must admit the thoughts of shortcuts crossed my mind. “One match would surely do the trick”! Maybe I could simply blow them over into my neighbors yard and blame them for being a disgrace to the whole neighborhood. (After all the blame game seems to be the way to go these days). Perhaps I could simply procrastinate and refuse to deal with the whole mess until the next hurricane hits and blows all the leaves away for me. The only problem with waiting for the “big storm” to hit before dealing with your “leaves,” is that the “big storm” often blows your home away, too.
There was no easy way out. The work had to be done. It is my “yard” and it was up to me to deal with the situation.
Well it was a long day. Beside the curb sat twenty bulging sacks of dead leaves. I had never imagined my “yard” could have so many leaves. My back was aching and my muscles were sore, but it sure felt good to have a clean “yard.” It felt good to leave those sacked up dead leaves by the curb and walk away from them. They were out of my life for good! “Hallelujah!” Oh how my heart swelled with pride as I surveyed the great work of my freshly calloused hands. Then it happened. As I looked toward the heavens fully expecting a “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased” or at the very least an Autumn colored rainbow, much to my chagrin, a leaf gently floated toward my trophy yard.
Oh well I guess as long as I live in “this old house” there will always be a little “yard work” left to do.

Lam 3:40
40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. (NIV)

Proverbs 17:24 (MsgB)
The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;…..

I really hope you don’t think I wrote all this about “yard work.”

Generations

Recently at the 71st General Assembly of the Church of God, the primary theme was our great heritage.
We celebrated the fact that 120 years ago a few men gathered in the hills of North Carolina and laid the foundation for what would become a worldwide movement. We recognized and celebrated the powerful role that the Azusa Street revival played in empowering this great movement. We took time to honor the great pioneers of the faith who have sacrificed so much along the way to help build the kingdom of heaven. We also acknowledged some of the mistakes made along the way: legalism, racism, emotionalism and spiritual arrogance. We discussed the great need to raise up the next generation of pioneers and along the way I think many of us realized that the grand old COG now finds itself facing a dilemma that many churches are facing today. How do we honor and celebrate the past, yet plan and prepare for the future?
The issue of transition is always a touchy subject, whether it is in the world of sports, the business realm or the church. I witnessed this first hand at the General Assembly as I heard some of the younger crowd complain about the older style music and watched some of the older crowd sneer as a video was shown depicting some of the more unconventional church planting efforts that are taking place around the country. Needless to say neither one of these attitudes were cause for celebration.
These attitudes shouldn’t have been surprising because every generation seems to favor it’s own “stuff.” Each generation thinks they know it all and that their methods are best. There is no doubt that there have always been “generation gaps” so to speak. It is just a little harder to swallow when you see these attitudes in “Believers”.
Personally I find myself at a very interesting point in my life. I am middle aged, at 42. (I’m shooting for 80 then I am going to start slowing down a bit.) I am not over the hill but I am sitting on top of it. (This can be somewhat painful at times.) I have now been married half of my life. I have also been a Christian half of my life and I have been in the ministry half of my Christian life. In my walk with God I have been accused of being a legalistic conservative and a liberal backslider. So, from my middleman vantage point I can see good and bad on each side of the aisle. I admire the faithfulness and fortitude of the older generation whose dedication has brought us to where we are today as a movement. And yet I detest the legalism, denominational pride and haughtiness that at times they have expressed. I am inspired by the enthusiasm and openness of the younger generation and yet I worry about their willingness at times to compromise the basic truths of scripture in the name of relevance.
In the end what really gives me hope is the fact that I believe that the true born again believers of both generations share a deep love for Jesus. I believe that it was this zeal for Jesus that led some earlier generations to fall into vain traditions and legalist bondage. I also believe that many of those whom some would contend are living “too close to the world” are driven by a deep desire to reach their fellow man with the good news of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that I can learn from them both.


Ps 79:13
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. (NIV)

Re-connected!

I'm baaaaaak! I know what some of you are thinking, "I didn't know you ever left." I didn't actually leave I have just been having some "wireless connection" problems. Honestly, I still do not know exactly what I did that caused me to "lose my signal."
But whatever it was, my “error” severed my connection to my wireless source. After numerous attempts to “fix” the problem by means of my own computer genius,(quit laughing) I finally just gave up and started all over. I deleted all the old stuff and started all over. New!
Isn’t life sort of the same way? We commit errors along the way, that over time, have a way of “interrupting” the “signal” of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Try as we may, our own efforts to restore the connection fall short. Thankfully, when we come to our senses and we are willing to admit we can’t fix it ourselves, the grace of God shows up, deletes the old errors and lets us start again. New!
Man it feels good to get re-connected.

WOW!

Recently, in celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary, my wife and I spent seven glorious days exploring the Oregon coast and the Puget Sound area of Washington. Although we have traveled extensively across most of the continental United States we had never been to the Pacific Northwest. All I can say is “WOW!” Everything that I had heard about the beauty of this area was true. It seemed that everywhere we went, the wondrous beauty of God’s creative power surrounded us.
I was also struck by the irony that this part of the country is said to be the most under-churched area of America. How sad it is that such a great number people are witness to the splendor of His creation on a daily basis yet they have never met Him.
I consider myself a blessed man to have had the opportunity to see just a small portion of God’s artistry on this amazing planet that we call home. But I count it an even greater blessing to know the “Artist” personally. As a matter of fact I spoke with him today and all I can say is “WOW!”

Monster Movies

Recently we showed a short video at our church. However, due to a small technical glitch, the audio portion was not exactly in sync with the video feed thereby producing sort of an “old Oriental monster movie” effect. You remember those old movies, the ones where the overdubbing was just a little off. In our case the problem did not spoil the intent or effect of the presentation, but it did cause me to ask myself a question.
Do my words match my actions?
The book of Hebrews tells us that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” and these witnesses are watching our “presentation.” We are also instructed to “lay aside everything” that might keep our motions from matching our words. The world is watching and they can spot a “glitch” a mile away.
Looking back, I realize just how cheesy and poorly produced those old monster movies really were. They make me laugh.
I don’t want my life to be a “cheesy old movie.”

Soulmates

On this date, twenty years ago, two hearts truly became one......forever.
To be continued...

Blessed!

There is an old song that tells us that we should “count our many blessings”, but were I to have attempted that yesterday I would have needed a calculator. Along with a calculator, an industrial sized box of Kleenex would have also come in very handy. You see yesterday was Pastor Appreciation Day at our church and my family and I were truly blessed by our congregation. Let me give you a brief recap of my Sunday.
My day began with rare opportunity to sleep in a little later than usual. Once I arrived at church all I had to do was sit back and be blessed. The praise team rocked, I cried. Pastor Skip preached a great sermon, I cried. Then they showed a video filled with our people telling me how much they appreciated me. I laughed and cried. The children gave me handmade cards, I cried. The teens gave me more cards, I cried some more. Pastor Skip’s wife, Alison presented gifts to my daughters, Katie and Hannah, they cried. Next, Allison presented flowers and a lovely gift to my wife, Kim. Allison cried, the girls cried, Kim cried, and guess what, I cried again.
At the end of the service I was given a brand new guitar, a generous offering and a lot of hugs. I…uh …. (see above emotions). After a great lunch with friends complete with watching my beloved San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks I headed home with my lovely wife and my awesome daughters. I am truly a blessed man. Thanks guys.
Oh yeah, I finally quit crying.

Rights or Wrongs?

Nowadays, it seems like everyone is marching or protesting in hopes of receiving some sort of right that they supposedly deserve.
Let me say right up front that I am so thankful that we live in a country where we are free to voice our opinion in public without fear of retribution and we have the opportunity to work to make our county an even better place to live. It just seems to me that some are calling for rights they already have.
First we have the illegal immigrants marching for the right to become American citizens and calling on Congress to pass new immigration laws. Correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that we already have an immigration process in place whereby a person can become an American citizen and I am pretty sure that breaking the law to get here is not the first step in the process. I don’t think we are having this discussion because of a lack of laws but, rather, a lack of Iaw enforcement. I think most people understand the desire of these immigrants to find a better life in this country and I for one hope we can find a way to simplify and expedite the process of becoming a legal citizen. After all we are all descendants of immigrants. I think what bothers most Americans are those who demand a right that they have not earned. Don’t demand a right to become a citizen simply ask for an opportunity. As a Christian, I, of all people should understand the concepts of mercy and grace, but I also understand these are not things I can demand.
Next, we have some radical homosexual groups pushing for “Gay Rights.” Hey, if anyone wants be “happy” in their private lives that is their business, just don’t try to pass a law to force me to say it is ok or teach my kid in school that having unnatural sexual relations is an “alternative.”
Then there is the Hollyweird crowd crying out for the right to film themselves cussing and getting naked. Wait, they already have that right, but now they want the right to transmit their so-called “art” into our homes so our kids can think it is normal to cuss and get naked. I thought that was what HBO was for, so that “adults” have a place where they can pay good money to be cursed at and mooned. Didn’t I read somewhere that when we grow up we should “put away childish things?"
If the “artists” of our day are not talented enough to “express themselves” without using dirty words and flashing I really wonder if they are “artists” at all. If saying four letter words and going around half- naked is the mark of a celebrity then we have we got some “superstars” walking around the malls of America.
I could go on but I think the best thing I can do right now is exercise my “right” to pray. Oh wait, is that the ACLU at the door?

“Man” of God

Last week I was called on to handle an impromptu question and answer session before a very distinguished and important audience. Even though I had received no advance notice I considered the opportunity a great honor and I relished the challenge. The setting was perfect and although the venue was rather dark, the glimmering lights above gave the whole evening sort of a surreal feeling.
The questions were tough and they came in rapid succession. The topics were varied and wide-ranging. We discussed the creation of the universe, the fall of mankind, the infiniteness of eternity, God’s amazing plan to rescue a lost and dying world by sending his son Jesus to die in our place. We talked about God’s love for us, His plan for our lives and the imminence of his return. We talked about heaven and what we will do when we meet there one day.
At times I wondered if I was in over my head as my mind searched for the right words. I struggled to keep my composure as the weight of my task and the importance of the evening became clear. I knew that there might never be another night like this, a night so perfect, a night when I would have the undivided attention of such an important audience.
My heart raced as I felt the presence of Holy Spirit leading and directing my answers as only He can. I knew I was getting through. Lives were being changed! It was an amazing evening, a minister’s dream, a night I will never forget.
That night in my backyard, under the bright lights of heaven, looking into the big brown eyes of my youngest daughter, Hannah, for a few fleeting moments I experienced what it feels like to be a real “man” of God.

Resurrection Monday?

Like many pastors I spent the last couple of weeks focusing on plans and preparations for Easter Sunday morning. My goal was to proclaim the glorious truth that “Jesus is alive!” The focus of the entire day was to be “Resurrection!” My task was to lead people through the Garden of Gethsemane, to give them a seat at a mock trial, to walk them down the lonely Via de la Rosa, to help them feel the weight of the cross as they climbed Golgotha’s slope, to share the gloom of history’s darkest Saturday and the joy of eternity’s most glorious Sunday morning. I longed to help each man; woman, boy and girl discover the power of the empty tomb for themselves.
Did I succeed in getting the message across? Truthfully, only God really knows, but, judging from the smiles and comments that I heard after the service I think that everyone was in agreement that “Jesus is alive!” As a matter of fact, I have found that the majority of people in America don’t have a problem with Jesus rising from the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, it is allowing him rise in our hearts on Monday morning that is the real test of our faith.