Hard to Have a Spine

Why is it so hard to stick to a set of absolute values...why is it so hard to have a spine? It would be so much easier to be a social jellyfish and float along with any and every popular belief. If you didn't have a spine you could be everybodys friend and never tick anybody off...you could pretty much do or say anything, and just apologize and retract it later if it offended anyone. If you didn't have a spine you could simply drift along, never having to worry about the friction caused by absolutes.

I hate it when I have to tell someone that the way that they're living doesn't match up with what God has said in His Word. I hate it when I have to be the guy that says and shows, "No, God says that's not right." I wish I could say, "Oh, that's OK...go ahead and live that way," but I CAN'T! I CAN'T! Only the truth sets us free (John 8:32). It's only by the truth that we are converted to God (Psalm 51:13) We are to speak the truth with our neighbors (Ephesians 4:25), and that means that some people are gonna get mad! Some people are gonna get upset, but some people are gonna get right. Some people are finally going to realize (through the truth) that life can't be lived within an ever-changing core value system. There has to be truth!

It's hard to have a spine in a jellyfish filled world. It's so easy to get caught floating along, never stirring up the waters, never going against the current. Truth demands compliance. Truth demands conformity to a set of absolutes. Truth demands that we all have a spine!

The Loneliest Life

The smell of her small, block home reminded me of my great-grandmother's house when I was growing up: damp, moldy, just a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. She's 85 years old. The aged skin on her face tells of the thousands of hours, decades of life, she spent working in the fields with her father. Her tiny frame reminds me of the frailty of life...how we're made of the dust of this earth. Sitting there in her recliner after I leave...she will be alone in her little block home. With thoughts and regrets of the past running through her mind...she will sit there until someone else is kind enough to grace her door.

I wonder how many of the widows and widowers in our churches and communities feel a terrible loneliness? I wonder how many of them feel like they're forgotten, or that they're of no use? I wonder how much of that is our fault because we seldom take the time to show them we care? Somewhere, there's a little, old lady waiting for you to walk through her door. God knows where she is...do you?

Parched Earth: Dry Souls

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, West Kentucky has been updated to D1 drought phase (moderate). If this is moderate, I'd hate to see severe! Walking through the yard is like steppin' on Doritos. My tomato vines have red tomatoes on top, but the vines are already half-way dead. The field corn's gonna be ready to shell in a couple of weeks if this keeps up (and the ears aren't lookin' like they have a bunch of grain on 'em). Beans are twistin' up in the field, and even the oak trees are sheddin' burnt leaves!

It's amazing what a little water does to a parched landscape. One weekend of rain will transform a dry, crispy yard...into a green pasture. Just a passing shower opens up every leaf and blade of living vegetation as it cries out for moisture! Just a few drops of water will change everything. Water = life.

Our spiritual landscape is no different: water = life. We are to always have a thirst, and this thirst is what constantly brings us into the presence of the Lord, because that's the only place we can have our thirst quenched. We can try our best to satisfy our desires in other aspects of life, but the only water that gives eternal life is that which comes from Christ. We all thirst...but what water do we thirst for?

Avenge Our Blood!

"...I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. And they cried out with a loud voice, 'O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood?" (Revelation 6:9-10)

Wouldn't we cry out in the same way if we had been slain for Christ? Wouldn't we demand that justice be served, and punishment be meted out to those who had quenched the flame of our lives? Of course we would! We wouldn't CEASE to cry out! Our blood was shed! Our life was given! How long until we see justice?! How long until retribution!

Every delayed moment that God doesn't bring judgment on the wicked...is an evangelistic opportunity. It's a time (given by God) for them to repent. It's a chance (given by God) to be forgiven of crimes against created and Creator. "The Lord...does not wish that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (II Peter 3:9-ESV)

I'm tired of this world. I'm tired of not seeing God in this country. I'm tired of people who want to, forcibly, remove God from government, schools, and any public area. I'm tired of this world, and I want to see justice! I want to see a God-given retribution meted out on all those who oppose Him! How long will this world stand in its sin?! I'm sure you have asked the same...but every moment God doesn't bring judgment on the wicked is an evangelistic opportunity. He is not willing that any should perish...am I?

He Let Him Go

"There was a man who had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give to me the share of inheritance that falls to me. And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had, and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his inheritance in loose living..." (Luke 15:11-13)

An interesting point was brought to my attention about this parable: the father let his son go. He didn't plead or beg with him...he didn't forbid him from leaving the safety and responsibilities of the house. The prodigal son's father let him go. He didn't send a convoy of servants to look for him. He didn't hire a group of men to go and forcibly bring him back (though apparently he had the means to do so). He simply let his son go.

The hardest lessons learned in this life are the ones we have to learn on our own. The most memorable moments of education don't come from a classroom, or some lecture from parents... the most memorable instruction comes when we are allowed to fail. The lessons that stick with us throughout life come when we choose the wrong path, and we learn to turn around. We have the scars from the thorns, the bruises from the fall, the memory of the hurt...and we learn not to go down that road again.

God allows us to fail. There would be no apostle Paul without the persecuting Saul. There would be no apostle Peter without the unbelief of the thrice denial. There would be no need for the forgiving, outstretched arms of the Father...if we were never allowed to fail. The hardest lessons in life are the ones we have to learn on our own, but they are also the ones that stick with us the longest.

Counting on His Control

My daughter truly depends upon me and my wife for everything. She's 13 months old. She relies on us to feed her, clothe her, protect her...in everything she looks to us to provide. She is my child, and I will do whatever I can to help her in this life.

We, as Christians, are children of God...and as children we are to be ever dependent upon Him in everything. Every day we are to seek Him. Every day we are to rely on Him. He is our Father. He is our strength. He is the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17). The Lord said: "...apart from Me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Do I truly believe that? Am I trusting and relying on God just like my daughter relies on me?

I don't get to come to a point in this life where I can say, "Look at all I've done by myself!" "Look at what I've accomplished by myself!" I am obligated (just by the fact God gives me life and breath) to thank my Father in heaven for all He's done and say, like Paul "By the grace of God, I am what I am." (I Corinthians 15:10). God gets me through this day, just like He gets you through it. The Lord makes the sun to rise and set. It is through Him that we "live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)

I struggle with this every day because we have been taught (from an early age whether through parents or culture) to be independent. Dependence is a sign of weakness, right? It means that you can't do something, and we don't want anybody to think they can't do something (sarcasm much). So, parents teach their kids to "win at all costs", "be the best, or you're not good enough", "never back down". Which flies in the face of what Jesus says: "Whoever humbles himself, like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4)

Dependence and reliance are crucial pillars of the Christian life. Every day I must rely on God to make it through. I can't rely on my strength, or my endurance, or my effort...I have to count on His control.

Coming Together

Long have there been talks in Marshall County, KY...of two churches on the south side merging together: Union Hill and Hardin churches of Christ. They're a mile away from each other. Their memberships and elderships know each other very well, and we get along. We've had combined services, combined VBS, and I'm sure we'll have combined gospel meetings and campaigns in the community in the future. Who knows what will happen, or what puzzle piece will be added next. I'm just glad that the churches of Christ in this area have such a good relationship with one another...and may it be so for years to come.

A Calendar Day: Best Wreck Yet

Today is a calendar day: "my best mountain bike wreck yet" day. It was awful! I came flying down a hill (trying to catch up with some guys I was riding with), clipped a root with my right pedal which launched me off the bike. My head plowed a circular indention into the edge of the trail, as a rock dented the side of my helmet. There were the regular scrapes on the arms and legs...trickles of blood mixed with sweat and grit. It was great (once I figured out nothing was broken and I could still walk...even though I was dizzy as all get out for a few seconds)!

I can assure you that if I had not been wearing a helmet...I would not be writing this blog right now. The dent that was put into that small piece of safety equipment on the top of my head...would've been crushed into my skull. Doubtful I would have been in the mood (or shape) to type this if not for that helmet.

In Ephesians 6:10-17, Paul gives this description of the spiritual armor of God that a Christian should wear at all times: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, etc. However, there is a helmet we are to wear while battling through this life...the helmet of salvation. This is a vital piece of spiritual safety gear! This is what wraps around our mind, gives us hope, gives us peace! If we don't continually wear the confidence of Christ's salvation around our spiritual heads...the Devil has a clear shot at our spiritual skulls!

If you're going to last on the trails of this life...if you want to survive the falls and wrecks that WILL come...you better wear a helmet!

Vacation Bible School: Sunshine to the Soul

Another awesome VBS is in the books! My batteries will stay charged for weeks! My fire is fueled and stoked! It's so encouraging and uplifting to see everybody working together toward a common goal of giving young kids a Christ-like structure to build upon. Even more encouraging is the unity that two congregations (Hardin Church of Christ and Union Hill Church of Christ) have in pooling their resources and combining their collective energies for such a cause. Blessed in hearing the gospel. Blessed in seeing the Scriptures acted out in the fruits of both congregations. Blessed in feeling the love that both congregations have for the truth and one another. This was a week where you could "taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34:8) David said it best: "How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

Keep Me From Falling

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling..." (Jude v. 24) The Lord keeps me from falling! What a great thought, but I'm afraid that most of the time it stays only a thought. Let me explain.

At Union Hill there are several men who are avid "noodlers". For those who don't know what that is, it's the activity of sticking your hand in a monster catfish's mouth to catch it. Crazy, huh!? They sink bathtubs into the shallows of Kentucky Lake (with a hole cut in them), and wait for the fish to spawn. As they do, they become very aggressive toward anything that might come near their "nest", and you can fill in the rest. These guys can pull up fish that weigh upwards of 70 pounds! To me, it's a little scary knowing that you could grab the mouth of a catfish that weighs more than a full-grown German Shepherd!

Application: There's always a person in the water with these guys, holding them up. They may latch on to a monster fish that could easily drag them under, but there is always another set of hands holding them above water. When you're the one in the water holding on to a monster fish...there's more than just a thought keeping you calm. You literally TRUST in the strength of those other hands to hold you up.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling..." I wish that this "thought" of Jude v.24 was more of a reality in the lives of Christians, and as we keep growing in the faith...it will be. It's not just an awesome verse to know...it's an awesome realization to experience. The Lord's hands of strength and comfort are constantly lifting our heads above the waters of this world. Trust in those hands.

Life's Little Phases

Just a year ago...my daughter was born into this world: six pounds of pure joy. Today she weighs twenty-five pounds! Time has gone by so quickly, and I know it will continue to do so. This life truly is like "a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away." (James 4:14) It seems like just the other day I was foaming at the mouth to go plant my garden the first week of April, and now...most of it has produced and died.

Life is a series of phases, and most remain unseen until we stop...and look back at how far we've come. The Christian life is no different. God's gracious enough to let us grow in small increments, almost unseen day to day (just like my little girl). Day after day we pack on those spiritual pounds of muscle, and we reach for the Lord...and day after day we get stronger. We don't just wake up one morning and say, "I'm spiritually mature now." There's always a process to maturity, like rings inside a tree. Be patient.

It's Morphin Time!

Very proud of the High School Class at church. We're studying Romans 12:1-2 on Sunday mornings (transformation by the renewing of the mind), and this is the shirt they came up with for the youth group. Have to say, this is awesome. Way to go, guys!

And All the Crud Melts Away...

There are times in the existence of all families that things get rocky. Something is said, or something is heard the wrong way and BOOM...an over-anxious answer leads to anger, anger breeds resentment, resentment leads to years of awkward Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas get-togethers in silence. The family unit is easily unraveled by just a few words. "A gentle answer turns anger away. But mean words stir up strife." (Proverbs 15:1)

However, there is one time in which a family comes together, and all the crud melts away: at the funeral home. Whether for show, or for the one lying in the casket, or for the true sake of the family...brothers and sisters that have been dead to each other for years, suddenly come alive. Relationships that have laid dormant, waiting for a ray of love to shine through, finally start to germinate and grow. Shoulders that were cold and harsh transform into places to lean on and find compassion.

The opportunity that a death affords a wayward and estranged family is much like the opportunity that we, as Christians have: we can be made alive from death through Christ (Ephesians 2:5), or remain lifeless in our trespasses. And it's a decision that makes all the difference in the world.

Losing It: Faith

A question came to my mind as I was studying this past week: what (if it was taken away from me) would make me lose my faith? And I started going over a logical progression of things in my mind. What if I lost my Sportscenter HD (not a real frustration). What if I lost my Internet, my truck, my job (all things that aren't really detrimental to my faith). Then, I asked "What if I lost my wife and daughter?" "What if I lost my country?" "What if I was overtaken by an imperialistic nation that didn't allow me to worship the one, true God openly and freely?"
The question I had to ask myself was simple, but hard to swallow: would my faith be just as founded the second before I lost it all...as it was the second after? Think about it.

Paths Taken and Choices Made

Lately, I've been on a mountain biking kick. This is both a blessing and a curse because the more I improve at it, the more I like to challenge myself (to do stupid things). On the trails at Land Between the Lakes there are a few obstacles here and there, a few fast, slalom-like downhills, and a few jumps...nothing too crazy. However, when riding with others, there is this almost primeval instinct to do things that are nuts!
For instance, this morning we had a newbie on the trail (Ethan Walker - aka. Ewalk). He's no stranger to bicycles, but more the kind that stay on the road. As he was hot on my heels on this downhill stretch, I decided to pick up the pace a little (exceeding my normal speed). I fly around a sharp, left hand turn and glance over my shoulder (bad move - kinda like putting your hand to the plow and looking back - Luke 9:62). By the time my eyes come back to the trail, I have drifted from the hard-packed, middle of the trail to the VERY loose outside rim of the single track. Luckily, the front tire came back to center-track, as my back tire precariously slid around the rim of the trail, clipping the bark off a small sapling, and jarring me back on course.
Now, I'm not complaining at all...that was an adrenaline packed, fun few seconds! My mind was saying, "Let's do it again!" But there are times in life that we veer off course because we're seeking to impress those people who are around us. Sometimes, the Lord corrects our mistake in judgment without much hurt. Other times, he allows us to suffer injury and pain, so that we'll think twice before we do it again. "For those who I love, I rebuke and chasten..." (Revelation 3:19) What is it that you need to think twice about on your pathway of life?

The Death of a Preacher: What Will I Leave Behind?

Coleman Crocker, one of the past ministers of the Union Hill Church of Christ, died last week. I wonder what the people who listened at his feet remember about him? Was he a man of great conviction? Did he work hard to serve those around him? Was he a good listener when someone had a problem? How did the people of this congregation sum up his life, his ministry, his example?
When I pass on, and that announcement is made about me, what will people remember? How will they sum up my life? I know that life shouldn't be lived merely for the praise of men, but if a life is lived to please God...praise and encouragement will be a necessary result from others trying to live it too.
"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1) More and more, I'm beginning to realize what that means...because when I leave this life...what will I leave behind? A name. A memory. A legacy of life through which I will be remembered by family and friends for generations to come. What will my legacy be?