From Newtown to Your Town

There have been several times when my full attention has been captivated by something going on in the world.

               September 11, 2001

               Hurricane Katrina

               2009 NCAA Basketball Championship Game

               Last week in Newtown Connecticut

When all of these events occurred I can be found on my couch glued to the TV, watching and waiting on the next interview, update, or the next breaking news.  My first reaction to the school shootings in Newtown was probably no different than yours.  

            

                Anger

                Unbelievable

                How Could Someone Do That

                How Could We Let Someone Do That

After the feelings of disbelief and anger had settled my next reaction was PURE GRACE.  I wish my first thought and feeling and reaction would have been grace, love, and forgiveness.  I believe that everyone has been touched by God's grace.  You may can look back at a time in your life when you have experienced God's grace.  Or you may not even believe in God's grace, but I believe that you have proof of His grace in your life.  The proof is this...

YOU AND I ARE STILL ALIVE

That is the only proof needed to show the love, grace, and mercy that God has poured out on our lives.

As For The Shooter

There's a story in the Bible when Jesus washes his disciples feet (most people know it well).  The first thing we learn from this story is that we are here to serve people.  If we want to become like Jesus it is upon us to serve the people around us.  But if we look a little closer at the feet that Jesus was washing I think we can learn something else about GRACE.

         

           Philip (one of the disciples) - When Jesus told the disciples to feed the 5,000 he basically said, "That's Impossible" (John 6:7)

          James and John lobbied to be able to sit beside the Father in heaven.

          Peter quit trusting Jesus and denied him before his crucifixion (Jesus new this would happen before it did).

          Judas turned Jesus into the police for some money.

Jesus pours his grace out upon everybody.  Doesn't matter your background, decision, family, job, social status, etc...  You have received God's grace.  Why do I feel I have the right to withhold grace from you or a murderer that killed kindergarten students.  I'm not saying there should be no punishment.  Grace is not blind, grace can see clearer than our own 2 eyes can.  However, graces chooses forgiveness over anger, hatred, and unforgiveness every time.

To Accept Grace Is To Accept The Vow To Give It.

-Max Lucado

It's All About Advertisement

          In case you have not heard the new Iphone 5 has been released.  I am a loyal apple customer and I would love to have the Iphone 5.  However, I just upgraded, back in January, to the Iphone 4s.  Therefore, for that reason and because my wife says NO, there will be no Iphone 5 in my near future.  But I am already counting down until the Iphone 7 is released and I'll be ready.  This version of the Iphone has some competition with the new Samsung Galaxy phones.  I must admit the commercial for the Galaxy is pretty good (feel free to go to youtube.com and look up Samsung Galaxy Commercial, it's well worth the minute and a half that you will spend watching it).
                                             IT'S ALL ABOUT ADVERTISEMENT
          While reading my devotions this morning I was challenged by what am I advertising.  In 1 Timothy 1:4 Paul talks about promoting controversies rather than God's work.  Immediately I began to think about what I am promoting.  I made a list of things that I advertise in my life and in our ministry at the church.  I quickly realized that I promote myself and activities way more than I do God's work.  It's a normal thing for me to send out a flyer to our students with events that we have coming up so that they can make plans to attended these activities.  Even during our regular Sunday night meetings I spend more time planning and programming around games, activities, etc... instead of around God's work.

          Here's my challenge to you and to myself:  We need to get our priorities straighten out.  There is nothing wrong with carving out time in your life for things such as sports, school, activities, shopping, tv, etc... But make sure you are promoting the one thing that will never stop or leave you.  I need to make sure that I am promoting and advertising for Jesus Christ more than I am for Michael Jernigan or for Foster St. Wesleyan Church.  No matter where I go in my life I will never be more important than Jesus.  No matter what our church does, we will never be more important that Jesus.

                                                 What are you promoting?

LISTEN UP!

          Callie and I have 2 dogs.  One is a miniature dachshund named Chloe and one is supposed to be a Chihuahua (however I'm pretty sure he's not completely chihuahua) his name is Reggie.  We love our dogs.  I'm pretty sure that they love me more than they do her (she probably disagrees).  The only reason I think that is because I let them lick me in the face and Callie does not.  For some reason they always go straight for my ears.  Both Chloe and Reggie are good dogs.  Reggie maybe a little smarter than Chloe, he picks up and listens better than she does, they both listen to what we say.  When we tell them to stay, lay down, go, or whatever, for the most part they listen and do ask we say.  However, if a stranger were to come into our house and try to tell them what to do they would attack and attack with ferocity that you have never seen before (don't let the combined weight of 20 pounds fool you, these are some bad dogs).

          Our dogs will listen to Callie and I because they know our voice.  They can tell when we are mad at them or when we want to play or when it's time to go to sleep all by the way we talk to them.
                   
                                                           THEY KNOW MY VOICE

          In John chapter 10 Jesus says that He is the Shepherd.  If you know anything about sheep you know that they are some dumb animals.  However, the one thing they do have is that they trust their shepherd.  They shepherd has proven to their sheep time and time again that they will feed, teach, nurture, and protect them.  The sheep knows above all else to obey the shepherd because the shepherd has taken care of them.  When the sheep wonder off or go somewhere they aren't supposed to, they will hear the shepherds voice and obey his command.

          My prayer for my life and for yours is that when you hear the shepherds voice you will obey.  The only way that you will recognize God's voice in your life is if you get to know Him.  If my dog's don't know you they won't obey you.  The same is true for our spiritual lives.  The only way we can distinguish God's voice from all the others in the world is by getting to know God.  The things, people and the culture you listen to will lead you.  If you listen to Hollywood, you'll be tempted to feel ugly or poor.  If you listen to the doom and gloom of the news, you'll fear that the sky is falling.  Listen to culture and you'll live for fashionable fads instead of lasting truth.  Your ear determines who is your shepherd.

          Many of us including myself have slowly and unknowingly chosen to follow relentless shepherds who are driving us instead of leading us.

                                                             WHAT VOICE DO YOU HEAR?

Let's Trade

As most of you guys know I am a huge sports fan.  I love all sports, especially basketball.  There's seems to be 1 time during the NBA season that get's my attention most:  The Trade Deadline.  The trade deadline is the date set every year that is the last time you can trade players on your team.  Some teams use this time to make a trade to more players to help their team.  Some use it to trade away players to save money for their team.  Some use it to trade players to get another draft pick in next years NBA draft.  Usually right before the trade deadline there are several deals being made.  Most of the time there is usually at least 1 big time superstar involved in a trade.  That's what makes it exciting.  Your team has a chance to land a trade that could bring you the missing peace to lead your team to a championship.

There's a story in the Gospels about a little boy making a trade with Jesus.  In John 6:1-13 we read about 5,000 men that were present with Jesus and they were hungry (I can't think of much worse that having 5,000 hungry men all wanting to eat at the same time).  I'm pretty sure that not even the great Golden Corral could handle this problem.  Not to mention, the Bible says that there were 5,000 men present.  That's not counting the women and other children that were there.  Some estimate that there could have been 10,000 hungry people there that day.

This is when the trade takes place.  A young boy came up to Jesus with 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish.  On a side note, I think it's funny that none of the other adults decided to pack lunch only this boy brought fish and bread.  The Bible doesn't say if Jesus asked him for the food or if the boy offered his food.  Either way the little boy gave up his lunch to Jesus.  This young man was probably looking forward to eating his fish sandwich that afternoon.  But instead he gave it to Jesus.

On that day, this young man traded what he had to Jesus and in return he saw a GREAT miracle take place.  So what does that mean for us?  TRUE LIFE IS FOUND WHEN WE TRADE OUR PLANS FOR GOD'S PLANS.  The boy had plans of eating and enjoying his fish sandwich.  But he was willing to trade with Jesus.  I can only image the impact that this trade had on this boys life.  He traded some fish and bread to see 10,000 people be fed through Jesus Christ.  Our lives are not all about money, security, protection, nice house, cars, etc...  Our life in Jesus is about trading what we want and our plans for what Jesus has for us.  Trading our fish and bread to see God do a great miracle through us and around us.

What do you have to give away in your life that would make Jesus look great?

Israelite's, Basketball, Your Mind

It's amazing what you can get used to. It's easy for us as humans to get used to our surroundings. It could be the city you live in, the type of food you eat, the people you hang around, etc... I've seen and been apart of sports teams in the past where we get used to losing games. My high school basketball team easily had one of the worst losing mindsets that you could have. We would have already lost most games before we even started playing.

It's a horrible place to be. You know there is no hope, no chance, and no good ending. The Israelite's had this same outlook on life. In Exodus, Moses was sent to lead them out of slavery and into a better life that God had prepared for them. However, when Moses tried to get his people freed, Pharaoh simply punished them more and made them work even harder. In chapter 6 the Lord told Moses to tell the people that He will redeem them and set them free. When Moses relayed God's message to them the Israelites simply "refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery" (Exodus 6:9). These people simply got used to the slavery, beatings, and bondage. Even when God promised to deliver them, they didn't believe because of their present circumstances.

I wonder how many of us, if we're honest, would say I've gotten used to living away from God. If you're like me, there are times when you confess that you have loved God more, given more, been more compassionate, prayed more, etc... It's a good thing to recognize that your relationship with God isn't as good as it used to be. It's a totally dangerous place to be when you have gotten so used to your lifestyle that you don't recognize God's redemptive promise.

Good Does Not = Great

There are certain things in life that I view as good: Carolina Panthers, Milky Way's, and Vanilla Ice. However, there are other things that I view as great: UNC Tarheels, Rick's Chicken Pie, and my Wife. Lots of times we get good stuff mixed up with great stuff.

There's a guy in the Bible named John the Baptist. John did some great stuff: he baptized people with water, spread the news about the coming Savior, and even ended up getting persecuted for who he was and what he believed in. John had some followers/disciples. No doubt John was a good teacher and did a lot for his followers. But in John 1:35, when they saw Jesus walk by and John himself said there, "Look there is the Lamb of God" his disciples quickly left a good thing for a GREAT thing.

It's so easy for us as believers to get comfortable with good stuff, that we totally miss out on some of the great things that God has in store for us. We can get comfortable with our group of friends and comfortable with the job that we have. When that happens it's easy for us not to recognize that God is calling us to a great life. Jesus himself said that He came to give life, not just an average, ordinary, good life, but an abundant and GREAT life.

Make a commitment with me to not miss out on the GREAT things because we really like the good things in life. God maybe calling you to a different type of ministry to different people at your school or work. Don't miss out on being a blessing to other people because what you're doing now is good. What would have happen to John's disciples if they wouldn't had left John to follow Jesus?

stay HUMBLED

stay FOCUSED

love GOD

love PEOPLE