Friday Coffee with PJ

1. In yesterday's blog post, I posted a video of what happened when I tried to shoot a quick video of a passing train. I mentioned that my one grandson just LOVES trains. Last summer, as my wife and I paroused the gift shop at Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA ... we spotted the perfect Christmas gift for our grandson. A DVD of trains taking the curve. At one point in early January, our daughter Kate told us that she and her husband were growing quite tired of the DVD as grandson John insisted on watching it every night for his evening "show!" I was reminded of this because yesterday she sent us a video clip of John yet again jumping up and down as he watched the trains taking the curve!  Wow! If we could only love God with such intensity! 

2.  Given the turbulent world in which we live, I find much comfort in these words of C.H. Spurgeon.   No matter what trial might happen to crash into our lives, we can find encouragement knowing that the God who sent his very own Son to die for us ... is the very same God who controls the ebb and flow of human history ... right down to the details of our lives. Wow! That is a powerful, life altering truth. Embrace it and you will find rest even in the midst of life's storms! 

3. During last week's visit to Washington, DC, my wife and I traveled into the city and around the city using the DC Metro. Five different lines service the capital. Now granted, it can be somewhat intimating if one is doing so for the first time. But using the map of the system really does make it simple to get from where you are to where you want to be. But read the map wrong ... and you may very well end up heading in the wrong direction. God gives us a map for life. It is called the Bible. As we use it to navigate through what is often a confusing world, we can get to where we want to go (and I trust that is where GOD wants us to go!). Of course, to use the Bible as our point of reference, we must be in it ... and then we must interpret it properly before applying it to our lives (2 Timothy 3:14). This month at Grace Church, we will be wrapping up our summer sermon series which is all about using the Bible correctly. I hope you can come out and join us at either 9:00 or 10:30 AM! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Beware of Living Life in "Selfie Mode!"

Last evening our Life Group spent a delightful evening cruising the Susquehanna River. The mild weather and calm surface made for one smooth ride. Eagle sightings, an assortment of taste bud tickling snacks and a boat full (literally!) of laughter made it a night to remember.

At one point, the quiet of the river was interrupted by the horn of a coming train. I quickly whipped out my phone to video tape the train for my grandson, John. He is one four year old who is in the midst of a passionate love affair with trains. But .... what happened next is downright funny. Take a look.

Now as I reflected on what I did ... it reminds me of how we so often live life. Instead of focusing on God and others (ala the Two Great Commandments - Matthew 22:34-40), we focus on SELF. Yep! So true. The default setting of our broken, twisted, fallen, sinful humanity is to do just that. Selfishness is not something we must learn ... it just comes naturally! So just as I was trying to capture a video of a passing train ... I had the camera focused on me. As you can hear Gary state in the background ... I was still in "selfie-mode!"  

Friends, beware of living your life today (and everyday) in "selfie mode!" Instead live for God and for others! You will be better for it ... and God will be honored by it! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Back "at it!"

My wife and I enjoyed our "road trip" of last week. Leaving Tuesday we traveled to such places as Hagerstown, Cumberland, Rockville, and Williamsport (all in Maryland); Bear Run and Mill Run (both in Pennsylvania); and lastly, Washington, D.C. During this time we walked along the tow path of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, visited with a long time friend, and toured many of the D.C. attractions, including the National Zoo and the Smithsonian Museum of American History. But our most unusual stop in D.C. were two very old cemeteries.

Our first cemetery stop was the Congressional Cemetery, located just two Metro stops from Capitol Hill. There, after some searching and with the needed help of a cemetery employee, we were able to find the unmarked graves my wife's great-great grandparents, Hanse and Emily Smith (I just knew my wife had to have some Smith blood flowing through her veins when I met her!). It was rather sad to see no grave stone bearing their names. Sharon's g-g-grandfather was a veteran of the civil war. His wife very involved in charity work in the city. Yet ... nothing was there to testify of the lives they once lived.

The next day we traveled to the Georgetown section of the city to visit Oak Hill Cemetery. We found this cemetery to be the more interesting of the two. In addition to finding the graves (which were marked) of Sharon's ancestors, we also sat in the beautiful cemetery chapel where Abraham Lincoln sat with most of his cabinet on the day of his son Willie's burial. As we walked through the cemetery, our guide, Lou, pointed out a number of graves of note. Heirs of fortunes, political heavyweights, authors and playwrights ... all are buried here. But what grabbed my attention the most were some of the elaborate mausoleums. One, according to Lou, would cost $30 million to build today. Ouch! That sure is not pocket change! But as I thought of the motivation for spending that kind of money for such a monument (and the cost for a burial plot in this cemetery is $65,000 - definitely a burial place for the "rich and famous") - I came to this conclusion: these people did not want to be forgotten. They wanted something to leave behind that people would notice and ... remember.

Now that's understandable. All of us have a deep desire to live a life that matters. A life that, when we breath our last, people will stop and think: he or she lived a "well-lived life!" My friends. You can live such a life. Just remember as you start each day that you will live that day placing God first, others second and yourself third! Then you will leave a living legacy behind ... one that will speak to others from beyond the veil!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Back Next Week!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Well ... running a bit late this morning. Already had my coffee ... may have another cup. But for what they're worth, here are a couple of random thoughts for your day.

1. All of us need daily reminders. In fact, both the App Store (Apple) and Google Play (Google's version of Apple's App Store) have numerous offerings to help us remember the stuff of life. But there are some really important things that we need to remind ourselves of on a daily basis.These are big realities about God and us that can easily get pushed aside. And when that happens, we can lose our grip on what really does matter in life. Take a moment and read Ten Big Daily Reminders, one of Desiring God's most read blog posts of all time. You will be better for it!

2.  A cease fire accord was signed Wednesday by the warring factions in the Central African Republic. So perhaps this is a good first step toward greater stability in this impoverished and war weary country. Please continue to pray for the people of the CAR and for the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Yesterday my wife and I attended the production of Moses at Sight and Sound Theater here in Lancaster County (vs. the theater the company owns and operates in Branson, Missouri). The performance was marked by striking sets (think three stages - center and both sides), a variety of very lively animals, powerful vocals and a number of surprises. The story of Moses came to life in a wonderful way. But what my wife and I most appreciated was the conclusion of the show. For in its final moments, it was no longer Moses who was center stage. It was Jesus the Christ. Like Moses, Jesus delivers his people from their bondage. And like the passover lamb whose blood was smeared over the doorposts of the children of Israel's homes, so the blood of Jesus as our passover lamb, when applied to our lives, removes the sin that keeps us in bondage. As Jesus himself said, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:31-32, 36). After the curtain fell, an invitation was given to one and all to come to the front if they had any questions about how to find freedom in Christ. I pray that many who come to Sight and Sound seeking entertainment, will find much more than merely a good time. May they find the One True God and the freedom that comes only through his Son Jesus Christ. And if you have any questions on just how you can find forgiveness and freedom, check out Two Ways to Live: The Choice We All Face.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

A Quick Reconnect with a Friend!

This past week, our Fellowship of Churches conducted it's annual conference for adults (vs. the annual conference for youth known as Momentum).  Although I had planned to attend the entire conference, our plans changed at the last moment. Since the conference was being held in Washington, D.C., my wife and I were able to attend the final day. One of the many joys of the day was a brief reconnect with a dear friend from the heart of Africa. I first met Dr. Hibaile when he spoke at our church here in Lancaster back in 2007. Little did I realize then that two years later would see me ministering at his side in the Central African Republic. Since my trip there, three of us established a web site for the Friends of CIDEL (Center International for the Development of Ethical Leadership - Dr. Hibaile's ministry).

During the recent violence and instability in the CAR (here is an update on the situation) in which many people were killed and homes looted, Dr. Hibaile and his wife discussed the possibility of leaving the country. They decided against fleeing the country for, in Dr. Hibaile's words, they believed "we were needed here." So stay they did. As rebels approached the capital city of Bangui, Encompass World Partners decided to evacuate our mission staff who were living in the Encompass mission station in Bangui, The mission asked Dr. Hibaile if he and his family would live at the station to care for it and for the many refugees who had come seeking shelter and protection. So he and his family left their home (located on the northern edge of the city which was the very direction from which the rebels were approaching) and has been living at the station ever since. He told me on Sunday that even though homes all around his have been looted and damaged, some even destroyed, his has been untouched. Wow! No doubt the hand of God at work!

Please continue to pray for the situation in the CAR. And pray for my dear friend who desires to point his people in their suffering to the God of all comfort!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Friday coffee with PJ

Go ahead and pour your favorite brew (I hope it's coffee) and join me for a few random thoughts.

1. For the second week in a row I will have the privilege of officiating the memorial service for a follower of Christ. Now I am not really all that surprised that we have had a death in the church family two weeks running. It's happened before and will doubtless happen again.  Death is part of the package we call life. And Christians don't possess a "Get out of jail" card when it comes to the grave. In fact God's word says that it's appointed unto every one to die and after death comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).  Given this realty that one out of every one dies, that means you and I will both one day die and then face judgment. So are you ready? Are you prepared to meet the God who made you? If you have any doubts about your readiness, I encourage you to check out Two Ways to Live: a Choice We All Face.

2. As I'm writing this, the news has just broken that a Malaysian Airlines jet with 298 people on board has been allegedly hit by a missile and crashed in Ukraine. This news comes on the heels of reports of the escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas ... Not to mention what's happening in Syria and Iraq. These events and many others like them, seem to show that evil has the hand. But is this truly the case?

Not at all! The Bible tells us that God is the One with the upper hand.  He is orchestrating history toward HIS conclusion.  After all, history is, bottom line, HIS-STORY!  If you doubt me on this, take an evening sometime and read the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ (a.k.a. Revelation).   One of the messages of this book is that often reality is not as it seems. Above and beyond and behind and surrounding this natural realm in which we live is a supernatural realm.  From this supernatural realm, our sovereign God is directing the ebb and flow of the events of our natural realm so that at the end of the day HIS WILL and HIS PLAN is accomplished. In the midst of the turbulence of our world, I find this to be a great comfort.  How about YOU?

Thanks for stopping by ...
pj