Today We Remember . . .

Today is the 7th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attack. All over our country, people are pausing to remember those who died as a result of that horrible day in our nation's history. My heart aches for those who lost loved ones ... and my heart grieves over the existence of such evil in human hearts that can drive men to devise and carry out such a diabolical scheme. But such is the world in which we live. But in the midst of the doom of our 9-11 recollections - there is a "silver lining." I am referring to the hundreds upon hundreds of men and women who showed heroism that day. Many of these did so at the cost of their own lives. We can find great encouragement in that! Jesus himself said "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Jesus showed us just how great his love for us was and is ... when "while we were yet sinners, he died for us!" (Romans 5:8). May we never forget the cross -- may we always (DAILY) remember his sacrifice! Yes, I know that Jesus left us the ordinance of communion to practice ("This do in remembrance of me.") And it is very important that we gather with our church family to practice communion - but I also hope that we remember the cross and Jesus' sacrifice for us more often than just when we observe communion. Let me encourage you -- to pause right now and glory in the cross of Jesus Christ! As the Apostle Paul states, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!" (Galatians 6:14)

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Guard Your . . .

Yesterday, Colonel Harland Sanders' recipe of 11 herbs and spices was removed from safekeeping at KFC's corporate offices. This was the first time this was done in several decades. A private security firm was hired to transport the yellowing handwritten piece of paper from the corporate offices to an undisclosed temporary location via an armored car. The move was necessitated because KFC is upgrading the security surrounding the recipe. KFC's recipe is one of the closest guarded secrets in corporate America.

Hmm.I guess I can understand the extent to which KFC guards that recipe.It sure helps them sell a lot of chicken! The Bible tells us that we are also to be guarding something. Something we all have and something that determines who we are. It is our heart. Proverbs 4:23 reads "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." Did you catch those first three words ... "Above all else" - in other words, make this a TOP priority in your life. Guard you heart. And how does one do that? Well for starters, if you fill your heart with God's Truth (His Word) - then there will not be room for the Enemy's lies to also take root and grow there! So guard you heart by filling your heart with God's Word. Then ask the Holy Spirit to take God's Truth and transform your heart ... conforming it to the heart of Jesus Christ.

So ... are you making the guarding of your heart a TOP priority? Have you been in the Word of God lately? These two go hand-in-hand!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

On Being Relevant

I hear and read a lot these days about the need for the church (and Christians) to be “culturally relevant.” The dictionary defines the word “relevant” as “having a bearing on or connection with the matter at hand.” In effect, to be culturally relevant is to have a bearing on or a connection with our culture. This means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Many, I am afraid, in the pursuit of cultural relevancy have emphasized the wrong things and lost sight of the main thing (Are you with me?).

My approach to the Christian life is the K.I.S.S. approach (Keep It Simple Smitty). So as I consider the need to be culturally relevant (and it is a need – no one will give us a hearing if we walk around like Ork from Mork!), I believe "being relevant" boils down to the main thing. If we pursue this main thing – we will ALWAYS be “culturally relevant.” So just what is this “Main Thing?” We find it in Matthew 22. Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment in God’s Law (The Jews believed there were 613 of them!). In Jesus’ response we find what I believe is the main thing. If we practice this main thing – we WILL be relevant. Listen to what Jesus said about the greatest commandment: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matthew 22:37-39)

So there you have it. Do you want to be “culturally relevant?” Do you want to have a bearing on and a connection with the people around you? Learn to love God with all you are and have – AND love the people in your life as you love yourself. As you do this – God will work through you to impact your world.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Church Hopping Revisited

I posted the following a little over a year ago. I thought it was worthy of a re-read because of the frequency of "church hopping" among evangelical believers here in the United States. Our consumer mindset has a far firmer grip on us Christians than most of us would like to admit. So I offer this to you again in hopes that you will examine your own heart in this matter.


Church Hopping (first posted August 31, 2007)

Church Hopping. As you read those words, you probably know what I am talking about. Recently church hopping was the topic of a newspaper syndicated columnist. Before that, the Fox animated TV series, The King of the Hill, aired an episode titled, "Church Hopping." Many people have church hopped. It is an all-too-common practice.

Now as a pastor, you probably think that I am not too fond of this practice. And if you think that, you are right. Is there a time and place for church hopping? Yes, I think so ... but to make it OK I would add the letter "s" in front of the word "hopping." So when church hopping is in reality church shopping - then there is a place for it. People need to find the spiritual community in which they believe they fit. A place where they can serve Jesus as they grow in their faith. And as I tell people, you should not judge a church family on just one visit (churches like people have their share of "bad" days!). But once people find their fit - then I believe they need to connect and settle in! However, far too often in our consumer driven culture - people get up and leave a church when their needs are "no longer being met" or when something happens that they don't like or agree with. And often they disappear with no contact with the pastor or other leaders (please note that I do believe there may come appropriate times to leave a church - but that topic I will leave for another blog posting).

No one can accuse me of church hopping (or church shopping!). I have been at Grace for 18 years (as of TOMORROW!). Have I always been pleased with what has transpired here? Have difficult moments caused me to "throw in the towel" and go looking for another church? Obviously the answer to both of those questions is "No!" When difficulties arise - families sit down and work through them. Family members don't (or at least should not) get up and leave the family. Is Grace the perfect church? No. Never has been nor never will be! But that is OK. For me - it's my family. And that means - no church hopping (or shopping) for me!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

And Marriage Is. . .

Recently the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted (380-325) to drop the requirement that elders, deacons and pastors "live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." In its place, the following pledge will be required of candidates for ordination (assuming the denomination's presbyteries go along with the change): "to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church." Now on the surface, there may not appear to be much difference between the old requirement and the new (as the discussion below will show). However, upon deeper reflection, it appears to me that the General Assembly is trying to make a subtle but very significant shift. And it is a shift toward the acceptance of same-sex marriage.

How so? Note that the new wording says nothing about marriage in general and, more specifically, marriage between a man and a woman. By eliminating such a requirement of fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, the door to accepting same-sex marriages in the future would be much easier to open.

But the General Assembly delegates (at least those who voted to drop this fidelity in traditional marriage requirement) show their ignorance of what Jesus Christ taught about marriage. Because what he taught is exactly what they voted to remove! Listen to Jesus words as recorded in Matthew 19:4-6:

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Here Jesus makes it clear that God's plan for marriage is ONE MAN + ONE WOMAN = ONE FLESH (for life). From the very beginning marriage was established by the Creator to be between a man and a woman, not two men or two women. I am sure God's heart is grieved to see how his plan for marriage is being systematically distorted and even destroyed by secular forces promoting co-habitation before (or even in place of marriage), divorce and same-sex marriage.

Please take a moment and stop and pray - pray for your own marriage. Pray for the marriages in our church. And pray for our nation - that we will be able to stop the trend away from the Creator's plan for marriage.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Coffee and Waking Up!

In 1773, Americans revolted against King George's Tea Tax and the Continental Congress declared coffee the official national beverage. I don't know about you, but I am so thankful for that act of Congress! I sure cannot imagine starting my day with a cup of tea instead of a hot mug of coffee! (As the Folgers ad says so well, "The best part to waking up is Folgers in your cup!" - but in my cup just about any brand of coffee will do!) And I am sure that many other Americans share my sentiments. Consider the following facts: The United States is the world's largest consumer of coffee, importing 16 to 20 million bags annually (2.5 million pounds), representing one-third of all coffee exported. More than half of the United States population consumes coffee. The typical coffee drinker has 3.4 cups of coffee per day. That translates into more than 450,000,000 cups of coffee daily.* Now that's a lot of java!!!

Well, let me suggest something else to add to your morning wake up routine (and I am talking to both coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers). Strive to start each day with some quiet time with God. Read the Word. Think about what it says. Pray about what it says. Commit your day to Him. I am not suggesting you set your alarm for 4 AM and spend two hours on your knees. But start by setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier and spend that 15 minutes with God. He will be pleased, you will be encouraged and your day will get the kind of start it needs! There's no better part of starting your day than to read God's Word and pray!

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14).

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

*Coffee facts from http://www.discountcoffee.com/

Goodbye Summer!

Yesterday's Labor Day holiday marked the traditional end of summer (although the last official day of summer is September 21st). Thinking about this saddens me as I have grown to become a "Summer Man!" I love the outdoors -- and in my book there is no better time of year to be outdoors than the good ole summer time!

Now I could spend my day moping around, "boo-hooing" the demise of summer. But that would gain me nothing. I need to be thankful for the blessings I enjoyed this summer and move on to the next season of the year (which brings its own good things!).

This is a microcosm of life. Life has its various seasons. First, their is the season of childhood. This gives way to adolescence which in turn yields to young adulthood. Young adulthood is replaced by middle age which precedes our mature years. I don't know where you are in the changing seasons of life, but I am moving through middle age. Each season brings its own blessings and burdens, joys and sorrows, challenges and opportunities. For those of you who follow Jesus, be assured that you never have to "go it alone" - no matter what season of life you are currently experiencing. My hope is that you will strive to live each season -- ALL BY GOD'S GRACE AND ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj