Sons of Thunder

James and John were two of Jesus' disciples and were also considered two of his closest friends.  Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder" for their often fiery and zealous personalities.  On one occasion, Jesus was traveling with his disciples through Samaria and looking for a place to stay.  The Samaritans refused due to their prejudice against Jews when they learned the group was headed for Jerusalem.   James and John asked Jesus, "Do you want us to call fire down from Heaven to destroy them?", but Jesus rebuked them and traveled on to another city.

Fast forward to the time when Jesus was warning the disciples of his approaching arrest and crucifixion.  James and John's mother made a request of Jesus.  When Jesus returned to the throne, she wanted one of her sons to be seated on the left and the other to be seated on the right of Jesus.  When the other disciples heard about this, Jesus overheard them grumbling amongst themselves.  He explained to them, "whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave, for even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."  

James was the first disciple to be killed, and John was the last to die from old age.  After John had walked with Jesus as one of the Sons of Thunder, he wrote the Gospel of John and John 1-3.  While he still speaks strongly about deceivers, his words are tempered with the love that he no doubt learned from his walk with Jesus.   John's new nickname became the Apostle of Love.

God, please help me to live more like Jesus.

Keeping Watch

I got a good night's sleep last night.  It wasn't until this morning that I realized how fortunate I was that I would have another day on this earth.  On June 17th, Joshua Mhlakela announced that the end of the world was coming on September 23rd and/or September 24th.  He stated on TikTok that he had met with Jesus, and Jesus told him this.  I had never heard of Joshua, and I don't use TikTok, so while this was news to me, apparently there were millions of people who took notice.  Many took the warning seriously, and many more responded with sarcasm.  

In Paul's first letter to the Thesalonians, he states "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."  I believe Paul.  But in Matthew 24, Jesus himself states about his return, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."  Keep watch.  What do those two words mean to you?  For me, I think of important people that have security teams talking into their wrists, keeping watch over the person they were hired to protect.  I also think of the security cameras that our kids have installed in their nurseries to keep watch over their newborn kids.  But what does Jesus mean?  I think He means to be ready and to be vigilant.  We are to expect his return and prepare ourselves by doing everything we can to do the things He wants us to do and not do the things He doesn't want us to do.  I want to do this today, but I won't spend a minute worrying about what day He is going to return.

Private Enemy #1

Jesus instructs us to love our enemies.  That can be a little overwhelming to me.  First, I need to know who my enemies are, and then I need to know what it means to love them.  I don't feel like I have a lot of the traditional enemies - people who seek to harm me or my family.  But Jesus is talking about something more than that.  How about people who think differently from me?  There are plenty of those, and in general, I just try to avoid them to lessen the pain.  Sometimes avoidance might be the best I can do at any given time, but following Jesus requires more of me.  1 Corinthians 13 tells us, "Love is patient.  Love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable and does not keep a record of wrongs."  Jesus gives us nine ways to love in just those two short verses, and I could fill a full day just trying to address one of them.  I challenge you to take 5 minutes today to think about who your enemies are and find at least one new way to love at least one of them today.

The Other Red Team

Most of you know that all our immediate family members are UGA alums.  Our blood runs red and black - not scarlet and grey like all of those that support Ohio State University.  I have to say that my disdain for OSU on the football field is tempered by a healthy respect for their football accomplishments.  They are currently 2-0 and ranked number one in the country.  And my opinion of their team just jumped several notches after seeing this news story about a revival that the team is leading on their campus.  Over a thousand students gathered to worship Jesus and some were baptized on the spot.  The gathering was supported by several current OSU football players, including linebacker, Sonny Styles.  I will be cheering for them on the field (when they aren't playing UGA) and praying for their continued influence on their campus.  Praise God.

Pouring Over The Stories

 Most of us have our go-to news outlets for local, regional, and world news.  The habit of going to one source for news may be because of the producers, the personalities, or it may be because that particular outlet says things the way we want to hear them.  Regrettably, most reporting by these supposedly objective outlets are known to be either conservative or liberal, and they don't really try to hide that.  If you are happy with your news outlet, no need to read further.   But if you are somewhat frustrated with the spin, I found another alternative.  The Pour Over is a subscriber-based news email which reports the same events you see in the other outlets as unbiased as possible.  Better than that, they follow each story with an "eternal perspective" and a bible verse to help give the story a deeper meaning.  Signing up is free at this link if you are interested in giving it a try.  The posts are also available online if you prefer not to receive additional emails.  Click here for recent posts.

Is it in you?

Think of a time when you were extremely thirsty.  It may have been after a hard day of yard work when you were too busy to stop.  Perhaps it was an athletic event like a soccer game, a 10k run or a triathlon.  Or maybe it was just walking to your car in July in Atlanta.  Can you also remember that extreme yearning for something to drink?

The well and the water within are used throughout the Bible to symbolize the quenching nature of God the Father and God the Son.  The yearning that we have for something to drink should be the same yearning that we have for being close to God.  As the water is drawn from the well, it represents the saving grace that God has provided through his son, Jesus.  When we drink the water, it symbolizes the refreshment that comes with knowing Him more.  And as it flows into our body, it fills our soul and cleanses us of our sin.

The next time you are thirsty for a drink, think of the satisfying nature of God that can only be realized through his Son, Jesus.  Is it in you?

Those Were The Days

Parts of the Middle East have been decimated by the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict, and tens of thousands are reported dead.  But 1500 miles to the east, on a small island near Abu Dhabi, a sign of more peaceful times was found.  A tablet with a cross was discovered by archaeologists, indicating there was a thriving community of Christians that made their way to the island 1400 years ago.  This is further east than many had estimated in recent years.  Other findings indicate there was probably thriving trade between Christians and Muslims.  It is unknown what eventually happened to the Christian settlement, but experts agree that the buildings uncovered do not appear to have suffered any sudden demise.  I pray that this kind of peace can return to the region soon so that healing can begin.

Click here for the full story with video.

The Rock

In Matthew 16, Matthew writes that the disciples had been traveling with Jesus and listening to him teach.  While in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked them, "who do the people say that I am?".  The disciples replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, some say Jeremiah".   And Jesus asked, "but who do you say that I am?". Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God."  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."  So Jesus has given Peter the amazing honor and immense obligation of being the rock that the Church is built on.  It is somewhat unbelievable that later, as Jesus is being led to his crucifiction, Peter denies knowing him three times.  While this is startling, it is somewhat comforting to know that the rock the church is built on, was also human and subject to sin.  That helps me to know that my many sins have been overcome by the power of God through his son, Jesus Christ.   

Long Distance Call

 

I have posted about my good friend, John Crawford, in the past.  We have known each other since 1980.  He is my insurance agent; I am his real estate agent; he is my wife's boss, and he has been my spiritual mentor and encourager for 45 years.  John has four amazing sons, and I  have known all of them all of their lives.  The youngest, Stevie, was always full of mischief and curiosity, and I have watched him grow into a mature, thriving adult.  He moved to Montana where he met his wife Abby.  Stevie and Abby became active in a ministry leading students to Jesus.   Abby had some serious health issues that took months to address.  During that time, they felt the full power of their faith as they leaned on God for understanding and for healing.  While Abby's health issues have improved, they still require attention and care.  Despite this, Stevie and Abby felt called to leave the country for full time mission work.  On Tuesday night, about 50 of us gathered at Stevie's parent's home and prayed for God to bless them and the work that they would do overseas.  Praise God for friends like John.  Praise God for the father he is to his boys.  Praise God for Stevie and Abbie's faithfulness to dedicate their lives to bringing good news to people who may never have heard the name of Jesus.

Broken Hallelujah

 

On July 3rd, Skyler went to bed in her cabin with her bunkmates and counselors nearby.  After falling asleep, it started raining, but she probably didn't even hear it.  Around 2AM, she was awoken by loud voices instructing the campers to get in the back of a pickup truck so that they could be taken to higher ground.  She was able to make it to safety, but 27 others at the camp did not.  They were washed away by the flooded Guadalupe River.   The loss of life is tragic.  There are many who have questioned whether the camp did all it could to prepare for and respond to the flood, and others that think the camp should have never been built there.  But in the midst of her fear and sadness, Skyler took another position.  She rewrote the words of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and posted a video of her singing the song online.  The video was watched by over 100,000 people and the media took notice.  Fox News invited her to sing the song on their show.  They had also learned that Skyler's favorite singer is Lauren Daigle and invited Lauren to surprise Skyler in person on live television.  Skyler was overcome with emotion.

It is interesting to note that while Leonard Cohen was not a Christian, spirituality was often a theme in his writing.   He was raised in a Jewish family and his lyrics to Hallelujah included lines about King David from the Old Testament.  He writes about a "broken Hallelujah" which I believe is praise that rises from difficult circumstances.  He closes "Hallelujah" with these words:

And even though it all went wrong

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

I sing Hallelujah to the God who inspired Leornard and Skyler to use their God-given gifts to honor Him, and pray for everyone affected by the tragic loss of life.

Snakes and Doves

I am about two weeks into my "Read the Bible in a Year" reading plan.  The daily reading features scriptures from the Old and New Testaments.  I am currently reading in Genesis and Matthew.  I know from leading small groups in the past, that reading to teach is much different than reading to read, so I have decided to take notes daily about what stood out to me in that day's reading.  

In Matthew 10, Jesus called the 12 disciples.  He then gives them the authority to drive out demons and heal the sick and instructs them to travel lightly as they go from town to town proclaiming the Word of God. "Find somebody trustworthy to stay with while you are in town," He told them.  He then warned them that He was sending them out like sheep among wolves.  They would need to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Jesus is calling us, too.  If you have accepted that call, then Jesus's instructions above are also for us.  I want to be his disciple today.

Mystic mystery

Dick Eastland's grandparents ran Camp Mystic in 1939, and Dick was the third generation of Eastland's to dedicate their lives to the camp.  There has been tremendous scrutiny over the horrific loss of life at the camp after the July 4th flooding.  The riverfront location provided a serene setting for the camp activities, but the area was known to be in a flood zone.  For over 100 years, heavy rains threatened the area, but never like what happened two weeks ago.   Heavy rains would frequently trigger flood alerts like the one that was received at 1:15AM on July 4th, but over the next 45 minutes, Dick recognized that something was different this time.  Campers began to be evacuated to higher ground around 2AM with the help of brave counselors who were later hailed as heroes.  But their efforts could not save everyone.  Dick Eastland sacrificed his own life attempting to get campers to safety.  

Why would a camp be located in an area where this could occur?  Two weeks ago, there would have been no question as to why the camp was there.  To show the love of Jesus to young girls and help set the groundwork to develop them into women of purpose.   While the flood threat was real over the course of the last 100 years, no rain event had presented a threat that the camp couldn't respond to.

Why would God allow this to happen?  I believe God is the God of love.  His love is so big that we will never understand it completely until we meet him face to face.  This does not discount the immense pain that comes from the loss of loved ones that day, but it does give me hope for what is to come. 

Urge To Read

 I have posted frequently in the past about topics our small group from church was discussing at the time.  I led the group for several years, and preparing each week created built-in accountability for me to be taking time each day to focus on Jesus.   After moving to a new area, I am not leading anymore, so my quiet time has become very irregular.  A close friend and a new client both encouraged me within 24 hours of each other to start a regular Bible reading plan.  I found one that has Old and New Testament scriptures each day at BibleGateway.com, but they have several plans to choose from.  Today, I am on Day 2.  Please pray with me for consistency, and if you want to join me in reading, let me know.

Fighting For Freedom

Benjamin Cleveland was an imposing man - six feet tall and over three hundred pounds, earning the nickname Old Roundabout.  He was born in Virginia, but later moved to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he enlisted in the military.  Benjamin rose through the ranks becoming a colonel in 1777.  In 1780, Benjamin led the patriots to victory over the loyalists at Kings Mountain, which is considered a key victory in the Revolutionary War.  After the war, Benjamin moved to Oconee County, South Carolina and lived on the Tugaloo River.  He was buried there in 1806.  It is fortunate his grave site is on a ridge, because the Tugaloo River, which feeds the Savannah River, was dammed by the US Army Corps of Engineers  in 1960 and is now a part of Lake Hartwell.   His grave site is still there.  I was fortunate to work with the recent owners of the private estate where Benjamin's grave site is located.  They hired me to find the next owners for the 113 acre parcel.  I was thrilled that Pine Cove Camps in Tyler, TX chose that property for their first camp on the east coast.  Pine Cove offers summer camps for families instead of just for kids.  Instead of dropping your kids off at camp, parents get to stay, and there are activities and learning where parents and kids are both together and separate.  Pine Cove's mission is to bring families closer to Jesus, helping them to learn to fight for the freedom that is only possible through Him.  Happy Independence Day. 

 

(Photo: Benjamin Cleveland homesite on Tugaloo River prior to 1960 when Hartwell Dam was built.)

Love More

Yesterday, Caroline and I celebrated our 42nd anniversary.  I have known Caroline for 59 of the 64 years I have been on this earth, and I can say for sure that those 59 were SO much better than the first 5.   We waited a few years before starting to date, but we only waited 3 weeks after graduating from UGA to get married.  We then waited for 3 days before conceiving our son Michael, and 3 years after that Lizzy.  Now, we are thrilled with this crew of grandchildren that absolutely provide us with more joy than we could possibly have imagined.  Thank you Caroline for putting up with me all of this time.  I look forward to learning how to love more for years to come.  I love you.

Precious Memories

 

I'm up early this morning because something precious was stolen yesterday, and we need to see if we can recover it.  Captain Hook stole a treasure chest full of candy and took it to a deserted island, as he has every summer for the last 10 years.  Together with some friends, we host all of our grandchildren at the lake (without their parents) for three days to help with the search.  The first year we had four pirates.  This year we have twelve, and unless our kids decide to adopt, we believe twelve will be our max number.  We love that our 14 year old pirate still wants to come.  I say this every year: the preparation, execution and clean up from this event is one of the most exhausting things I do every year, but also the most important.  We love making memories with our grandchildren and hope they continue to love being with us, even if it does take a treasure to lure them.  For a video summary of yesterday, check out my facebook page and start from the bottom up.

Reaching The Unreached

 

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."  Most of us have heard or read these verses.  Some ignore them.  Many believe it is best for them just to focus on the people they run into on a daily basis, recognizing that there is plenty of work to be done right around us.  A precious few take the words to heart and dedicate their lives to taking Jesus to the people that have never heard his name spoken.  Carole Ward is one such person.  Her parents were missionaries, and she has dedicated her life to spreading the Word of Jesus to the people, beginning in Africa's Sahel region.  The region has extreme climates and is dangerous with more than half of the world's terror-related deaths happening there.  She is now serving in Chad, ripe with residents immersed in ISIS and Al Qaeda.  Why would she choose this area to spread the word of Jesus?  Because so few others would.  Digba Katsala was baptized in the first missionary training school offered there, along with 202 others.  He now travels into towns on his motorcycle sharing the good news of Jesus.

Caroline and I have friends who are leading a ministry that helps young adults figure out if they might want to be long term missionaries by providing training and extended visits to the least reached areas of our world.  While the areas are not generally considered dangerous to Christians, spreading the word of Jesus to the local people is illegal - and if caught, they would be asked to leave the countries where they are serving.   While we have not felt the calling to travel there ourselves, we have felt called to support their ministry, and will continue to do so as long as we are able.  I pray that you will listen for and hear God's voice as we attempt to fulfill The Great Commission.

This post was inspired by this article at CBN.

A World Away

In 2013, 9 year old Sokny Tauk sat patiently in her home in Cambodia with her siblings sharing a half bag of rice, which is all the food they had at the time.  When Mike Meierhoffer visited their town on a medical mission trip, Tauk and her siblings were seen eating the scraps of food off of the missionary's table.  Tauk's parents had passed away, and the primary source of income was from her 16 year old sister.  Meierhoffer was moved with compassion, and partnered with a native, Sokhum Hun, to start the Cambodia Bible School on the campus known as The Jesus Village.  The Jesus Village also includes an orphanage, well-digging ministry and medical services and is planned to serve 240 orphans in 12 houses.  One house has been built so far.  Tauk and her siblings were adopted and became the first members of the orphanage.  Tauk, now 22 years old, works with the ministry and hopes to become a teacher in The Bible School soon.  Praise God for the vision and desire of Meierhoffer and Hun to help these children in the name of Jesus.  For more information about the Jesus Village or to learn how to support the ministry, click here.

This post is a summary of an article written by Audrey Jackson at The Christian Chronicle.  

Memorial Year

 

I registered for the draft when I was in college, but I feel fortunate that I was never called to serve.  Most of my friends that are my age are in the same boat.  My dad served in the army, but did not face combat.  It's interesting to me that many of those that have served see it as one of the most important things they have ever done, and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.  I recognize that others had their lives ruined by the trauma, or worse, gave their lives.  On Memorial Day especially, I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice that all of them made for me and for every person who enjoys the freedom that their service bought.  I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend and had some time to reflect on what others have done for us.  I want to reflect on this more all year long.  I found this short video which captures my sentiment. 

The Fair Way

I played some golf in my younger years, but I never played enough to be good enough to enjoy it.  But I do still enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon watching the final round of a professional golf tournament on TV.  If you are a fan of professional golf, you are also likely a fan of Scottie Scheffler who is currently ranked number one in the world.  His golf skills are hitting on all cylinders right now, and this past weekend, he won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.  Beyond his incredible skills, I love watching his demeanor on the course.  He is steady and humble, and even when he puts himself in a tough position, he seems to keep his wits about him.   Scottie's countenance on the golf course reflects what he hopes for in his life off the course.  In an interview last Thursday he said, “I feel like I’ve been given a gift to play golf, but at the end of the day, the golf tournament is over,” Scheffler said. “You take your hat off, shake hands, and you move on. And so, my faith is such an important part of my golf game because it’s not only an important part of my life but it’s what helps me kind of realize that it’s not that big of a deal. I’m called to compete; I’m not called to go win every single golf tournament. Do I want to win every single golf tournament? Of course. But at the end of the day, that’s not what’s gonna satisfy my soul.”  I love seeing people in the spotlight that are not ashamed to share how Jesus has changed their life.

Ear Witness Account

I was introduced to Jesus as soon as my parents could get me through the church doors as an infant, and I accepted him as my Savior when I was in middle school at a church camp.  I never really questioned his existence.  But there are people all over the world that have never even heard of Him, and there are others who have heard of Him but don't believe that He was the Son of God or that He even existed.  The most detailed accounts of Jesus' life, death and resurrection are in the New Testament, but those that don't believe those accounts say that they could have been made up by fanatic followers of the day.  I recently learned that one of the first non-biblical accounts of Jesus was written by Flavius Josephus just a few decades after Jesus' death.  Josephus was a Jewish historian and military leader, and was not a follower of Jesus.   While all of the details do not match exactly with the accounts in Scripture, scholars believe that fact actually contributes to the authenticity.  If the writings were by someone promoting a supposedly concocted Jesus story, they probably would have made the details match.  Here is the text from Book 18, Chapter 3.3 of Josephus' "The Antiquities of the Jews":

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross,^[9] those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day;^[10] as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

If we choose to accept that Jesus is the Son of God, then we have no choice but to fall on our knees and worship Him.  And that begins a lifetime of trying to know Him more and live according to His instructions.  If you aren't a believer, I would love to talk to you about what He has done for me.

All In The Family

 

A couple of months ago, I posted about Brandt Aiken, who we knew when he was a child in our church.  30 years later, he is now one of the pastors at The Journey in Lavonia, GA.   This past weekend, we got to see his cousin, Mark Thomas, preach at Hagen Creek Community Church in Lula, GA.  We have some friends looking for a church in that area, and we were aware that Mark had started a church there, so we took the opportunity to visit as well.  There was something warmly familiar about listening to Mark preach, and that is due to the fact that his dad, JoJo Thomas, had been our pastor in South Gwinnett for the 20 years that we lived there while we were raising our kids.  Mark did an amazing job of taking a familiar Bible passage and giving it new life through his eyes and his personal experiences.  It was satisfying to see Mark's love for Jesus lead him to start a new church that would give others a chance to know God more.  If you are looking for a great chance to worship in the Lula area, stop in.  You won't be disappointed.

Jesus On The Silver Screen

"The Passion of the Christ" came out in 2004 and always gets a little extra attention around Easter (currently streaming on Netflix).  It is the highest grossing Christian movie of all time, but it may need to step aside for a newcomer.  The King of Kings is a new animated film which was just released this month.  It already has box office returns of $60M after just two weeks.  The Passion of the Christ has over $600M in 21 years.  In the King of Kings, a father leads his son through the events of Jesus' life.  There are some A-list voices in this movie, and the animation is crisp and inviting.  If you have young ones that might not be ready for the brutality of Jesus's crucifixion in The Passion, The King of Kings will be a better match for them.  If you have a chance to see it, let me know what you think.

Pope Culture

There is an uncomfortable divide between Catholics and Protestants in my church world.  I overheard a friend asking someone else if he knew if another couple was Christian or not, and the other person responded, "Well, they're Catholic."  - almost like Catholics don't count.  I get that there are some significant differences between protestants and catholics in approach, interpretation and practice, but there is no confusion on the shared belief that God sent his son Jesus to earth to live and then die to pay the debt for our sins.   While on earth, He told us and showed us how to act.  One boy listened and learned particularly well - Jorge Mario Bergaglio.  Born in Buenos Aires, he dedicated most of his life to learning about Jesus so he could be more like Jesus.  His commitment to following Jesus pushed him higher and higher in the Catholic organization until his appointment as Pope Francis in 2013.  I, of course, don't know Pope Francis personally, but I love everything I do know about him.  His humility and genuine concern for others is unmistakable and remarkable.  I pray that the Catholic Church can find someone else who can lead like Pope Francis, and I am thankful for his example to Catholics everywhere - and to me.

Finish Strong

 

For thousands of years, God fearing men roamed the land attempting to interpret the instructions passed down from God by prophets.   Many persecuted others who did not interpret or follow the instructions as they did, and others suffered privately as they struggled with why they were unable to follow the instructions handed down by their parents and church leaders.  God's plan for revealing his plans for us included allowing his son to come to Earth and show us the way.  Jesus spent his time on Earth learning, teaching, serving, loving and performing miracles.   Some followed.  Some were scared, and many feared the power of his presence and message.  That fear from church and political leaders pushed Jesus to the cross, but the cross was his destiny from the beginning.   After being brutally beaten and then nailed to the cross with spikes through his wrists, he endured a suffocating death.  He was offered a sponge soaked with wine vinegar, and after he had taken it, he spoke his last words, "It is finished."   Our struggle with the condemnation from not being up to live up to God's plan for us was now finished.  But the potential power of Jesus inside of each one of us was just beginning.  If you have 5 minutes, celebrate this amazing truth by singing along with this song.

Donkey King

 

2000 years ago, the Jewish people were waiting for their King to arrive and deliver them from the suffering that they had endured for centuries.  Many expected a mighty warrior, dressed in armour, and riding a stallion, that would immediately defeat anyone that opposed him.  He would need to be a force so powerful, that enemies would be annihilated or would flee in fear.  You can imagine the surprise when a carpenter asked his friends to fetch a donkey for his grand arrival, and then announced that he was the king they had been waiting for.  Their king was indeed powerful, but not due to his physical strength or any political stature that He had achieved.  Their king was God's own son, sent to earth to show us how to love and to serve like God does - all while riding on a donkey.  Praise Him.

Image stabilization

God spoke the physical universe into existence, and in so doing, he also established the way it would work.  In the final stages of his creation, he made man and woman to help with the execution of the plan.  He gave them the skills to cultivate plants and raise livestock.  He gave them a brain to think and to know, and a heart to feel and to love.  He made them in his own image - with one exception - He did not give them the power to determine right and wrong.  But He did give them the power to choose right and wrong.  And regrettably, choosing wrong seemed to be much easier than doing what was right.  The mistakes compounded for centuries until God's plan proceeded into its most important phase.  God allowed his only son to be born into the world so that He could demonstrate to us what God intended.  Jesus showed us how to love by serving others, not by making ourselves our own idols.  God then allowed his son to die a brutal death on the cross, and in so doing, bear the cost of all of our past sins and all of our sins to come. I want to be God's image more clearly today.

My words today were inspired by a short video that a good friend shared with me.   Take a look and let me know your thoughts. 

A Peculiar Sort

I have been fortunate most of my life not to be aware of many of my enemies.  I say "not aware", because I am quite sure that there are plenty of people who don't like me - I just don't know who they are.  Similarly, there are people that I don't care to spend time with.  I wouldn't really call them enemies, more just annoying.   Said another way, they don't do anything for me.  As I have gotten older, I find it easier to be "nice" to them when I am around them.  I can pretend that they aren't annoying for a bit.  I believe pretending to be nice is better than being mean.  But then, when I am outside their presence, they are the butt of my conversation with those inside my comfy little circle.  My true feelings show.

In Matthew 5, Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?   

Loving those that love me is nothing special.  Anyone can do that.  The Greek word "periousios" is best translated as "peculiar", and that is one of the ways the Bible describes how Christians should be.  Someone looking in from the outside might think, "Why is he behaving that way?  He seems to be treating others so kindly even in the face of ridicule.  He seems so peculiar."  I want to try to be more peculiar today.

My thoughts today are inspired by Chapter 12 of "The Cost of Discipleship".

Sibling Revelry

One of the classic books on Christian discipleship is Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship".  I read it several years ago, but I am reading it again now.  Chapter 9 is entitled "Brother".  I have two brothers, and many of us have at least one, so it should be relevant to a lot of us, right?  But I was a little taken aback when the first verse of the bible reference was talking about how we shouldn't murder people.   When I was younger, I may have thought I was mad enough to murder one of my brothers, but never seriously considered it.  In Matthew 5:21, Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement."   Of all of the laws and social issues that are debated every day online and around the water cooler (do those even still exist?), I believe "not murdering" is considered by all, except the deranged, to be a good idea.  But verse 22 continues, "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement."  So Jesus is taking the Old Testament commandment, "do not murder", and extending it to "do not be angry".   While we may agree that anger is also something to avoid, unlike murder, most of us feel some level of anger almost every day.  OK, that gives me something to work on that I should be able to manage.  Try not to be angry with my two brothers.  I talk to them and see them regularly, but certainly not every day, so I should be able to handle that most days.  But it is somewhat unsettling that Jesus is not just talking about not being angry with our siblings.  We are all God's children, and we are invited to be the adopted brothers and sisters of Jesus.  If we choose that, we must also choose to try to follow him and his teaching.  Think of who makes you angry.  Remember that they are a child of God.  Try not to be angry with them today.  I will try, too.

Tom Cruising

The bad news: Caroline and I are not great about planning vacations. The good news: We have amazing friends that are - and sometimes they include us. A couple of months ago, one of my best friends from college and his wife invited us to join them on a Caribbean cruise. We thought about it for about 13 seconds and then accepted.  We embark on Friday and return the following Saturday.  We have had a busy start to the year with the sale of our house in Braselton, so we are looking forward to some down time.  More than that, we are looking forward to spending extended time with our friends reminiscing about old times and talking about what's in store for us next. I look forward to giving you an update when I return. I encourage you to prioritize time with the most important people in your life, and I commit to doing a better job of initiating opportunities to do that with our friends in the future.

What goes around...

We raised our kids in South Gwinnett, and they attended the Shiloh school district.  Our church home was Annistown Road Baptist Church.  My wife, Caroline, helped with Vacation Bible School, and one of her most energetic students was Brandt.  We got to know Brandt and his family well over the 2 decades that we attended there.  We are now living full time at Lake Hartwell and visited Lavonia First Baptist Church last Sunday.   Who was delivering the message from the stage? You guessed it - Brandt Akin.  Brandt is now married to Morgan and has grown from a mischievous boy into a seasoned speaker who you can tell loves the Lord.  We were also delighted that Morgan was also on the stage leading worship.  We were so excited to be able to see familiar faces and to hear what Jesus had laid on Brandt's heart.  If you are in the Lavonia area on a Sunday, please feel free to stop in for worship.

Love Is In The Air

 

As most of us were finalizing plans for Valentine's Day celebrations with our significant others last week, some students at the University of Kentucky had something else in mind.  A group of students working in conjunction with UniteUS, hosted an event at the Rupp Arena that attracted over 7000 students.  They came not to celebrate flowers, candy and Cupid, but to worship Jesus.  2000 of the 7000 students attending came to the altar to either accept Jesus for the first time, or to make a new commitment to following Him.  UniteUS started at the Auburn University campus and is currently scheduled to be at 5 more campuses.  Praise God for UniteUS and for the students who had the faith to invite their friends to hear about Jesus for the first time.  For more information on the UK event click here. 

Careful Consideration

 

Last week I posted about us selling our house in Braselton and moving to Lake Hartwell full time.  I mentioned that I had broken my arm and was minimal help with packing and moving boxes. Caroline picked up my slack, but I am fully aware that my injury was not my main disability.  My main disability is that I am such a routine person, that doing anything outside of the normal routine is emotionally draining.  Caroline, knowing this, graciously executed the move.  She didn't just throw stuff in boxes.  She went through boxes that hadn't been opened since we moved to this house 18 years ago, and sorted things into trash, goodwill items and keepers, and then repacked the keepers.  But that is kind of how our relationship goes.  I do routine things quickly, and she does everything correctly with care.  Quickly isn't always bad, but correctly with care is almost always better.  I could try to make a case that you need both types to make a relationship work, but I would just be posturing.  Our relationship works because Caroline takes care with our things, our friends, our family and me.  I love her so much and can't imagine life without her.  Happy Valentine's Day, Caroline.

A House Is Not A Home

I am feeling a little melancholy this week.  We will be selling our home in Braselton where we have lived for the past 18 years.   We raised our kids in Stone Mountain and lived in one house there for 20 years prior to this one.  It was quite the challenge to get 20 years worth of stuff moved, and now we face a similar challenge.  We are fortunate that our next home at Lake Hartwell is ready for us, and Caroline has been amazing with planning and packing.  I was a minor help moving boxes until I broke my arm over the holidays.  That has proved to be a convenient accident for me, but not so much for Caroline.  While I'm sure we will miss the Braselton house for a while, the house isn't what made it home.  Our home was made by the family and friends that visited us there - especially our small group from The Vine Church, who met in our home for the past 10 years.  We will miss hosting that group and hope to find another group of people to learn, worship and pray with at our next home.

An Empty Seat

It was a sad week for our family.  My daughter, Lizzy, and her husband, Trey, had to say goodbye to a dear family member.  All three of their human children are ok, but Bailey, their beloved dog, had to be released from her pain.  Bailey has been a member of the Joyner family for 14 years - longer than any of their natural born children.  Their family has never known life without Bailey.  Bailey was a rescue dog.  Nobody really knows what kind of dog she is, but since she is black, she must be "part lab".  I don't see much lab in the way she looks, but I can tell you that Bailey did love the lake.  She would run as fast as she could the length of the dock and soar through the air into the water to retrieve a toy.  She would swim the toy into the shore and then bring it back to the dock for another throw for what seemed like hours.  She also loved riding in the front of the boat with her ears flapping in the wind like the flying nun.  After a long day on the lake, she would find a sunny spot on the floor inside and curl up for a long nap.  Bailey's dock jumping slowed down over the last few years, but she still loved being at the dock and riding on the boat so she could keep an eye on everyone.  Bailey will be sorely missed, but our memories of the joy she brought to our family will never be forgotten.

Champion's Platform

 

Most of you know my blood runs red and black.  My wife and I, our kids, and their spouses all went to the University of Georgia.  The Dawgs have had some great football seasons recently, but this year they yielded the field to Notre Dame and Ohio State.  While I didn't have a dawg in the CFP championship game, I was very interested in the final matchup.   The game got a little out of control early with Ohio State taking control in the first half, but Notre Dame tried to make it interesting - until Will Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 50+ yard pass play on third and long to seal the deal.  Those two are explosive on the field, but I was also impressed with Howard's early morning interview the next day.  He looked a little more clear-eyed than Stetson looked after his national championship game, and Howard is giving glory to God every time he gets the microphone.  I obviously don't know Howard personally, but I sure like what I see.  And I love seeing good guys doing well for themselves.

Something Worth Watching

I have a confession to make.  I watch a lot of television.  I like college football.  I like tennis.  I like the reality singing shows.  I like good movies.  But I also like that streaming has brought us the limited series. It's like a movie divided into parts, except the creators have 10's of hours to develop characters and story lines instead of 1-2 hours with movies. And unlike the weekly series that we grew up on, you can watch the episodes back to back if you have time.  A lot of what I watch is entertaining, but I don't feel like a lot of what I watch is great.  One of my favorite series of all time is The West Wing - 7 seasons with over 140 episodes.  I love that show because you don't always get what you expect, and the show has heart.  It was probably my favorite TV show of all time until the one I just finished -  The News Room - with a cast of actors that is very impressive - Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda, Oliva Munn, Sam Waterston and B.K. Novak just to name a few.   But the secret sauce is the creator/writer Aaron Sorkin, who just so happens to also be the creator/writer of The West Wing.  Not only are the stories smart, fast-paced and interesting, they have something that most television and movies are lacking - decency.  You won't find one sex scene or one murder in the three seasons, and the characters stand for something besides self-promotion.   If you decide to watch for the first time. or watch again if you have already seen it, don't skip the "Inside The Episode" following each episode which gives Sorkin a chance to talk about what went into his thinking in putting each episode together.   Let me know what you think if you take the time to watch.

All Consuming Fire

 

I have watched with horror over the last couple of days the news reports of the raging fires in and around Palisades. I pray for those whose lives and homes have been threatened and for the safety of the residents and the rescue workers that risk everything to save others. I have heard the fires that are being fueled by the Santa Ana winds described as "all consuming". Those words made me think of this worship song that also talks about an all consuming fire. The lyrics talk about how God's breath blows on the embers of your soul turning it into an all consuming fire - a fire for Him that will burn brightly for everyone to see.  I ask God to breathe His holy breath on you, me and all those affected by the California fires.