Pray for Sudan

We have dear friends in Sudan that really need our prayers. From January 9th through the 15th, the people of Sudan will vote on a referendum that will determine the future of the nation. If the South secedes, the current president of Sudan promised to rewrite the constitution to insure Islam is the only religion and form of law in the North. This, of course, has significant implications for our friends.

Please pray for the following things:

• Peace and safety for the Sudanese people 
• Fair and free voting and counting 
• God’s peace to be in the hearts of the believers of Sudan 
• God’s grace and protection for our friends who continue working in the face of potentially tighter laws in the North 
• Wisdom, compassion, and integrity to be exercised by the leadership of Sudan (North and South)

2011 Prayer List

I have been thinking a lot about 2011 and what it holds for those who are followers of Jesus. To that end, I am developing my prayer list. Of course my prayers always include my family, God's favor, wisdom, The Church and missions. But maybe there is something more - something that God is specifically pointing at that I need to pay attention to. Here is what I have so far:

1. That I will have a heightened sense of God's presence in my life. I know He is with me always, but I would like to be even more aware of his presence and activity in and around my life. I pray this also for our church. When we meet together, I pray we remember the reason why.

2. That my life will bring glory to God - every part. That means some things will have to change. Reading the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer has caused me to think about who I am really living for.

3. Pastor George Raduano confirmed this one in his sermon yesterday. That I will live a generous life. This includes relationships, finances and service.

I am sure my list will expand as the year progresses, but for now, this should keep my occupied.

How about you? What is on your prayer list?

A Shelter in the Time of Storm

One of my daughters took this picture of the bird house Melanie and I made together last year. I love it.

Psalm 91:1 "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Four Tons of Canaries

Years ago, I attended a men’s convention listening to Jeff Brawner, a pastor in Southern California at the time.  He used a funny illustration that I now pass on to you. It may be dated, but still relevant. 

Once there was a man driving down the road following a large truck. At a stop light the truck driver got out and pulled out a baseball bat from behind the seat and went all around the truck banging on the sides. He jumped back in the truck and drove off. This was obviously puzzling to the man following the truck. At the next light the truck driver stopped the truck did the same thing. He jumped out of the truck, pulled out the bat and ran around the truck banging on the side, got back in and drove off. At the next light it happened again. This was too much for the man following to handle. At the gas station the truck driver pulled in and the man following had to stop and ask. “What in the world are you doing?” “Why are you beating on your truck at every stop light?” The man responded, “That’s easy, you see, I have a two ton truck and four tons of canaries. I have to keep half of them in the air at all times.”

I feel this way sometimes with church, family, commitments, job, ministry (my job), etc, etc... It sometimes seems like it's impossible to keep the canaries flying. When this happens, it's very important that we create space to get alone with God, collect our thoughts and allow God to speak to us.   

Jesus was very intentional about carving out time for his Father. It seems in scripture that the more hectic his schedule the more time he deliberately, intentionally, set aside time to pray. We, on the other hand, feel like we do not have any more time for God because life is too busy. This is a guarantee for powerless living. If we are going to successfully navigate through this rat race we are going to have to make time to spend with our Heavenly Father.

Mark 1:35 says "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed." Quite simply, Jesus lived a very disciplined life and he knew what he had to do to stay effective in his ministry: He had to create space for his Father.  It consistently connected him with his purpose and mission: to redeem the world through love.

Don't let the canaries weigh you down. 

Gramaw's House - Just Stopping By

One of my favorite places in memory is on York Road, Sparks, Maryland - Gramaw’s house. I lived there for several years growing up. It was ground zero for my extended family. Every day someone stopped by to check up on Gramaw. When my family moved out of her house, we also stopped by at least once a week.

As I grew, I continued to stop by Gramaw’s. When I was able to drive, I drove by her house almost daily. Even when I did not stop in, I wanted to just see it again. It was a secure, safe, and warm place. Her house was always open (If it wasn’t, I knew where she hid the key. Of course, everyone else did too.). I would go in and she would fill me in on the rest of the family. By the time I left I knew which one of my uncles had stopped by and for how long. I knew where the other grandchildren were, and I would also catch up on the latest church news. She never talked negative about the church although she would occasionally throw in, “I don’t know what these young people are thinking nowadays.” (Boy, even writing this I can hear her voice saying it.)

"A Living Stream in the Desert" by Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey writes an intriguing article in Christianity Today entitled, "A Living Stream in the Desert. How the Christian faith will be a subversive - and liberating - influence in the Middle East."

In it he writes:

"Some in the U.S. judge our nation's success by such measures as gross national product, military might, and global dominance. The Kingdom of God measures such things as care for the downtrodden and love for enemies. In the final reckoning described in Matthew 25, God will judge nations by how they treat the poor, the sick, the hungry, the alien, and the prisoner. How differently would the world view my country if it associated the U.S. with the 'Jesus syndrome' rather than with weapons, wealth, and the Baywatch syndrome?"

It makes me wonder not only about my country, but my life.

The Splendor Of Christmas

A Tribute to my friend Dr. Mark Smith

On Monday I attended the funeral of my friend and fellow pastor, Dr. Mark Smith. He and his wife Robin planted a church in Warrenton, Virginia exactly five years ago. At the time when Mark was dreaming and thinking about church planting, he was working in a district position working with Assembly of God churches as the senior administrator to Dr. Robert Rhoden. I happened to also be working in the same office as the district church planting director.

Because of my position and relationship with Mark, he came to me early to discuss the possibilities of planting a new church. What I remember is what Mark said over and over: “I’ve got to get in the game. I’ve got to get in the game.” He was like a first string quarterback pacing on the sidelines just waiting for an opportunity to play. He didn’t just feel like he wanted to do it – he was compelled.

Mark always followed the rules, and one of the first steps to church planting was to go through an assessment to determine if you have all of the gifts and abilities necessary to be a church planter. Mark assessed average, which is not real encouraging. Although Mark was extremely gifted, intelligent and diligent, there were some obvious growth areas. Understanding this did not deter him at all. Mark was compelled and determined to overcome them – and he did.

Fortunately, Mark knew how to develop a team, organize them and put them to work. He gathered around him people that made up for his weaknesses. He also had another church that partnered with him, Manassas Assembly of God, which sent core leadership and a group of almost one hundred people. It was obvious that God’s favor was upon him and the new church called The Bridge. The church grew much faster than expected. It was above and beyond what anyone imagined, except Mark - his faith was in God.

Mark loved God. He loved his family. And he loved The Bridge. As mentioned at his funeral, wherever you started a conversation with Mark, it always came back to The Bridge.

Mark was only fifty-two when he suffered a massive stroke that took his life. This young church has lost its pastor, leader and friend. He was well loved and his influence on the community and the Kingdom of God will be remembered for generations.

Mark died doing what he absolutely loved: growing the Kingdom of God. He served the Lord with all his heart, mind and strength. Now he is enjoying his eternal reward.

We will miss you Mark.

Missionary to Morgantown

Our Trinity missions team just returned from wild and wonderful West Virginia. We served alongside pastor Johnny and Maria Whitehair - missionaries and pastors. One morning, Johnny was driving our team leader, Craig Bell, and me to different job sites. As we would leave one place he would say, "Hey, do we have just ten more minutes?" Of course we had no choice, we were stuck in a truck with him. He then would take us to another house that needed repair, or show us another ministry that needed laborers. The need is so great and the laborers are so few.

One morning, Craig and I found ourselves in the truck again and heard the familiar question. We answer, "Sure, why not? But please, just ten minutes. We have things to do..."

Johnny then took us to West Virginia University, home to 29,000 college students. He took us to a place on the campus which overlooks Westover, a small town across the river from Morgantown. From that vantage point you can see clearly the school we were working on which will one day be a church. "We need a cross on that school so the students can see it. And when they do, they will be reminded that there is a God and there is always hope."

Pastor Johnny reminds me of another that looked out over a city and was moved with compassion. The scripture tells us that Jesus was moved to the point of pain when he looked out over Jerusalem and saw the people as lost and hurting. He then called the disciples to pray for laborers in the ripened harvest field.

Johnny has caught the heart of Jesus for his community. He reaches out to everyone in need. He feeds the hungry, gives rides to those going to work, gives away hundreds of bikes to kids, preaches and teaches, ect, etc.. His vision goes way beyond his ability and provision. But isn't that just like God? If Johnny could do it on his own, then he wouldn't need God.

We are praying with you Pastor Johnny - "Lord, send forth laborers into this harvest field."

For pictures of our trip, visit www.trinitymissions.smugmug.com

Serving Together,
Keith

25 Year Reunion

Last week Esther and I attended our 25th reunion of Valley Forge Christian College. We connected with people we haven't seen since then and reminisced of days gone by. It was a wonderful time with people that changed our lives so many years ago.

Listening to the journeys of each life was fascinating. God's grace, mercy and goodness was evident in each life. Each of us at one time or another went through some kind of crucible: a time where we needed God's sustaining grace to hold us. And guess what... He was found faithful! He wrote His story on each of our hearts.

As Esther and I made our way through old hallways, we were also reminded of God's direction in our lives and His guidance. We were young, immature and insecure, but God chose us anyway. For the four years we attended VFCC, God changed us. We learned that confidence is not found within ourselves, but in God. We also learned what it meant to live in community. The good and the bad are quickly exposed when you live in close proximity for an extended amount of time. Furthermore, we learned what it meant to pray, study God's Word, and communicate it to others. Those years were the beginning of a devotional time with God where I learned to hear His voice. That voice continues to guide us.

Thank you friends for sharing your stories with us. More than that, thank you for sharing four great years together. Two of my daughters are now walking hallways of different schools - growing in God and friendships. I pray that they experience God in even greater ways than we did.

Serving the King,
Keith

Memories of Dropped Passes Fade Slowly

Max Lucado writes in his book, "Fearless", about Noble Doss, a football player for Texas from 1939 to 1941. He is best known for the "Impossible Catch" that upset undefeated Texas A&M in 1940. He also set a Texas career interception record with 17. But what he remembers the most about his football was a ball he dropped against Baylor in 1941 that possibly cost Texas a trip to the Rose Bowl. In an ABC interview, you can still see his pain as he remembers how he let his team down. You can see that interview at Tribute to Noble Doss. Lucado concludes with, "Memories of dropped passes fade slowly."

The story of Fred Snodgrass is a similar one. Snodgrass hit a career high .321 in 1910, his first full season with the Giants. In 1911-1913, he played in three consecutive World Series, but the Giants lost all three. In the second, the 1912 Series, Snodgrass committed one of the most famous errors in baseball history. In the 10th inning of the deciding game, Snodgrass, who was among the National League's best outfielders, dropped a routine fly ball that put the tying run on second base. He proceeded to make a spectacular game-saving catch on the next play, but the Sox went on to score two runs in the inning to win the series. The error became known as "Snodgrass's Muff" and also the "$30,000 Muff." His error remained with him to the end. When he died on April 5, 1974, his obituary in the New York Times was headlined "Fred Snodgrass, 86, Dead; Ball Player Muffed 1912 Fly" (source Wikipedia).

In sports, there are so many stories that could be told about dropped passes and muffs, and who doesn't enjoy watching sports bloopers or American's Funniest Videos?

People fall down and we laugh.

But dropped passes go beyond funny bloopers and falling down. We drop them personally, professionally, relationally, and spiritually. If you haven’t failed, you haven’t lived. Success involves risk and with risk comes moments of failure. If not dealt with, we will live our lives in regret. If we are going to live in success, we must learn to deal with our failings, which can haunt us for our entire lives.

I am amazed at how many people mess up every new day with the regrets of yesterday. This is one of the best weapons Satan uses to keeping us from our future potential. For most of us, he doesn't even need to work very hard.

Along with the thoughts from a previous blog, "The Unforgiving Minute," let me offer a two more suggestions for overcoming failure. The first one is the best - No matter what we do, Jesus is still our friend. Just like Jesus reinstating Peter along the sea after Peter denied knowing him, Jesus reaches out to us and restores us with mercy and grace.

If you haven't seen the movie, "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," I highly recommend it. It is the story of an eight year old, Bruno, who is the son of an SS Commanding officer in charge of a prison camp. Bruno befriends another youth, strangely dressed in striped pajamas, named Shmuel who lives behind an electrified fence. One day Shmuel is brought to the house to clean the glasses of the officer's household. Bruno offers Shmuel some tasty treats. As Shmuel is devouring this gift, a soldier comes in and accuses him of stealing. When Shmuel says that he received the food from Bruno, his new friend, Bruno is afraid and denies ever seeing Shmuel before. It is a scene of fear and rejection.

For days, Bruno comes back to the prison fence to look for Shmuel, and one day he sees him again. This time Shmuel looks different. His face is swollen and his eye is back and blue from being beaten. Bruno repents and seeks friendship again. Slowly, Shmuel looks up and extends his hand through the fence and Bruno is forgiven.

It’s a picture of Jesus and us. Although we let him down and turn our backs to him through times of failure, he still extends his hand to us in order to restore the relationship.

Secondly, don’t let your failure determine your destiny. You have to keep the big picture in mind. Abraham Lincoln, Lucille Ball, and Michael Jordan are all success stories that first began with failure. For a great video on this, go to http://www.bluefishtv.com and search for “Famous Failures.” Or better yet, read the Bible, which is full of great leaders who failed and were used mightily by God.

In a recent fortune cookie I read, "He who never makes a mistake never did anything that's worthy." In that case, I have done many worthy things.

Other quotes on failure:

There are two kinds of failures: those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought. - Laurence J. Peter

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. - Thomas Alva Edison

So... Failing is inevitable in life. It’s what you do afterward that counts.

Enjoy the Journey,

Keith

_______

For other thoughts on failure, go to The Unforgiving Minute

For more quotes on failure, well, just use Google search :)

All Things Considered

Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (NLT).

This is one of the most favored passages in Christendom. It’s one of those verses that people can throw out the reference and we can quote it without effort; kind of like John 3:16, or Psalms 23, or Jeremiah 29:11. You need no compassion to use it – just reference it and you have done your Christian comforting for the day. We have used it so much that we have inoculated people against its deep meaning and purpose. It has become like so many other Christian clichés, thrown in the face of those suffering. Misquoted, misused and misunderstood, this verse can bring more pain and confusion to the hurting and suffering rather than relief and solace. 

My first confrontation with this kind of cruelty inflicted on the hurting came from my own lips. It came as I was saying goodbye to the president of my Bible College after he was asked to step down. I had just completed my first year and I was now well equipped to minister to anyone at any time. When you are in Bible College, you know everything, or at least you think you do. As I walked up to the president, I offered my hand and quoted this powerful verse. He looked at me, shook my hand, completed the verse for me, smiled and offered his hand to the next person. It baffled me that he did not put his arms around me and say, “Wow, I never thought of that! This has changed my life. Thank you for that reminder! I’ll run right home and tell my wife and kids.” 

It’s easy to quote Romans 8:28 when you are the one offering it. But it is another when the bottom falls out and the trials of life seem to be swallowing us up so that we seem to lose control. Yes, we still believe in God, but we may begin to question whether He is really in control. We know he is in control over creation, but in suffering, we begin to think He might be limited and fallible.

Despite the misuse, overuse or abuse, this verse offers does offer us a new perspective on pain. Paul was not, and neither can we, use this verse to dismiss suffering, pain, or tragedy. In fact, the verse is placed in the context of suffering. The scriptures assure us that Jesus Himself was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. We may want to only talk about joy and happiness and wealth, but if we don’t deal with suffering, we will never be equipped to talk about peace. 

We may not be able to understand it all, but followers of Christ see things with different understanding than those without Christ. Followers of Christ, during difficult seasons, do not let it go by without turning to scripture. It becomes a lifeline for hope and peace. When life’s trials cause some to wonder if God even exists, and others to wonder whether He is in control, the Christian may be assured that God is there, and He is in charge of bringing about His purpose for His glory and our good. 

Our misunderstanding comes when we isolate each incident and judge it as being “good” or “bad”. 

When this happens, it creates a careless and cruel God, randomly doling out curses or blessings. God does not bring about all things, but he is working in all things. 

“All things” include the bitter and sweet.

“All things” includes those things that are painfully unpleasant. We may even think they are unbearable. 

“All things” includes even our past hurts, failures and mistakes. 

“All things” means there is nothing which falls outside of God’s control and which works contrary to our good. Not one thing falls outside of God’s control. 

It is a comfort for me to know that nothing is ever wasted in my life. God is working – right now. 

Putting all the pieces together. 

When you look back on your past, or even your present situation, rest assured that God did not bring those things on you, but can use those things to paint a beautiful masterpiece that tells his story in your life. You do not have to look upon past tragedies as crippling. You may not know every thing happened the way it did, but you can trust an all powerful and loving God to use for the benefit of His glory and purpose.

Hallowed Ground

I spent some time on hallowed ground this past weekend at a men's retreat I was speaking at. It’s a place where God has and still is speaking to people. Sitting not a quarter of a mile from the Potomac River is this place called the Potomac District Camp and Retreat Center. It is one of the campgrounds owned by Assemblies of God churches.

Established seventy-five years ago, this campground was a place for churches to come together for “revival” services, youth, kids and family camps. As a young boy, my family and I traveled to this camp every summer. It was usually extremely hot in the summer and eastern humidity did not give you a break, unless you call violent thunderstorms a break. The air conditioning consisted of metal walls around the tabernacle, which were lifted up during services and closed when it rained. Small cabins with no bathrooms were the hotels for guests. The doors creaked loudly when you opened them and slammed behind you as they shut. You always knew when someone entered or exited their summer residence.

There was no pool at the time, no gym to work out in, no video game room - just one building with a ping-pong table for entertainment. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

It may not have been a premiere vacation spot, but there is one thing that drew hundreds of people there every year to this place: it was a place where people met with God.

People who did not have a relationship with God met Jesus there. Children, youth, and adults were filled with the Spirit of God and many were called to be in occupational ministry. Missionaries were called to other countries on that property as they spent time at an old wooden altar behind the tabernacle. If you needed prayer, encouragement, or a conversation about life, there were retired pastors and missionaries living there who would take you in their home, give you a glass of tea or lemonade, and make you feel like you were the most important part of their day (in many ways, you were).

As an adult, I became a pastor in West Virginia, which was only fifteen minutes from these hallowed grounds. Every year I would reserve one of the hotel rooms for a couple of days just to get away, pray and listen to God’s voice. I would walk the well-worn paths and ask God questions: “What are you doing in my life?” “What is your dream for your church?” “What areas of my life are you wanting to change?” It was during these occasions where God brought clarity and direction. On other occasions I would stop by and walk the grounds. Trust me, there was not much to look at, but there was a lot to listen to.

My daughter was healed on those grounds. It’s a long story, but she, like many others discovered that God hears and answers prayer.

Yes, those grounds hold a special place in my life. It’s a place of remembrance, a cornerstone of faith for me.

We should all have places where we look back and say, “God met me.”

2010 Prayer for the National Day of Prayer by Franklin Graham

I appreciate so much this prayer by Franklin Graham for the National Day of Prayer, 2010:
Lord, We are thankful for the abundant blessings You have bestowed on America. Our forefathers looked to You as Protector, Provider, and the Promise of hope. But we have wandered far from that firm foundation. May we repent for turning our backs on Your faithfulness.

We pray that this great nation will be restored by Your forgiveness. From bondage, You grant freedom. Through Your own sacrifice, You offer salvation. From the state of despair, You offer peace. From the bounties of Heaven, You have blessed – not because of our goodness – but by Your grace. You have given us freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth as Your holy Word instructs. May our lives honor You in word and deed. May our nation acknowledge that all good things come from the Father above.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that our nation should set apart a day for national prayer to confess our sins and transgressions in sorrow, “yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon… announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”

“We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our own hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us! It behooves us then… to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Help us to pray earnestly for our president and leaders who govern, that they will humble themselves and seek Your guidance so that everything we do will shine the light of Your glory in a darkened world. May our prayers as a people and a nation be heard and blessed for such a time as this. We make this plea in faith, believing in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen

(source: http://nationaldayofprayer.org/coordinators/updates)

The Unforgiving Minute

I just finished reading The Unforgiving Minute, by Craig Mullaney. It is a story a young man’s story of going through West Point and becoming an officer in the Army. The first half of the book is a “coming-of-age” story about his life and training, which certainly gave me a greater sense of appreciation for our soldiers and what they go through. While serving in Afghanistan, his infantry platoon was caught in a deadly firefight with a-Qaeda fighters and one of the soldiers in his unit was killed. This is the “unforgiving minute.” Captain Mullaney fights with his own demons and feelings concerning the battle and struggles to relieve himself from the guilt of loosing one of his men. The book is riveting and connecting.

When I finished the book, I could not help but wonder how all of us have “unforgiving minutes” in our lives. We make mistakes; we misjudge; and sometimes people get hurt. We cannot seem to let go of that moment – it plays over and over like a broken record (for those who remember what they were). And those moments seem to be replayed at the most defeating times. Sometimes they are replayed when all is well, but you can’t help but think that you are going to mess things up again. Sometimes they are replayed when you are in similar situations and they create a defeatist mindset. Other times they are rehearsed when you make other mistakes and you begin to think of yourself as a looser and a fake. Satan uses these moments as a weapon against you. Since he is a liar, he twists those moments in your mind and hinders all your spiritual growth.

The great news for all of us is that Jesus is the Great Redeemer. He not only forgives, he renews our mind so that we can live again without fearing the haunting past. Although we can never relive the past and change the consequences, we can live in the hope of a forgiving God. Here are a couple of thoughts that keep me sane during these unforgiving memories:

1. There is only one savior and I am not Him. We are all fallen and need his forgiveness.
2. Satan is a liar. Defeating thoughts will come and go, but don’t allow Satan to expand them beyond the reality.
3. Godly people bring the voice of God. Processing defeating thoughts with people who are close to Christ brings hope and correction.
4. God wants to change me. He wants to me to learn from my mistakes and grow in Him.
5. The Word works! In moments of defeatist thinking, the Bible reminds me that I am not so different from the people in the Bible: same struggles, same temptations, same thoughts and same mistakes; and throughout history God has worked to redeem them – and me! What a great God I serve!

With a Grateful Heart,
Keith

Never Lost!

During one of our prayer meetings recently, I asked people to write on one side of a 3X5 card a time in their life when they cried out to God. On the other side, they were to write how God answered. The response was incredible. So many people wrote about a time when they were desperate for God and how he responded to their plea for help. As we read these out loud during the next prayer meeting, it led us to a wonderful time of praise. The one that caught my attention the most was one I did not read out loud. I kept it on my desk because it causes me to stop and consider how God keeps us through the storms of life. On the front, the note said, "My Prayer: I've prayed for the strength to live again after my fiance's death." On the back it read, "God's Answer: I don't know - but I'm still here, and life comes one day at a time." What an honest and open response. It's a three point message:

1. I don't know. There are times we don't know. We don't know the right answers to give and we don't know how we are going to make it. Like the Psalmist saying, "How long oh Lord will you hide your face from me?" We don't know what God is up to.

2. But I'm still here. Erwin McManus, in his book, "Unstoppable Force" describes a time when he was talking to a friend who was going through a time of restoration and renewal. When talking about his future he said, "I don't know the path, so I'm choosing the environment." McManus concludes, "More times than we care to admit, we simply don't know what the next step is. But if our hearts are bound to the heart of God, we are never lost." What a thought!

3. And life comes one day at a time. That's all we can do, take one step at a time. Living our life as a Christian means that we walk with him daily. We can't predict the future and we can't live in the past, so we must live life today - living in his presence, experiencing his love and enjoying his company.

I don't know who wrote this note, but I am grateful she did.

Ephesians 3:20,21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

Christmas Thoughts

It is so easy to rush by without a thought of what Christmas really means to us. We see images of the manger scene with shepherds, wisemen, donkeys, sheep, etc. gathered around Joseph and Mary and Jesus sleeping as the angles sing “Silent Night.”

We sometimes pause long enough to ask, "What does this story mean?" We hear phrases like, “virgin birth” “incarnation” and “Immanuel”, but they so often loose their impact on our lives. I think the better question is, "Does this story really matter?"

In Matthew 1:18-23 we read about the fulfillment of a promise – God’s promise to us that he is going to show up. And we would know him because he would come by the way of impossibility – a virgin. God never forgets a promise and in our darkest hours he is there to remind us of them. Matthew did not want to be misinterpreted or misunderstood so he takes the name "Immanuel," not understood by the Gentiles, and tells us what it means: “God with us.”

The preposition "with" means more than "in company with." It means "together with," sharing with." It implies close fellowship. God is united with us. His power is our power. His ability is our ability. The Lord is with us. We sometimes use the phrase, “We are in this together”, or “I’m here for you.” A friend of mine, last year was diagnosed with cancer, and she went through chemotherapy. As we were corresponding, she told me that all the men in the office she worked at shaved their heads as a sign that they were with her. In a way, they took on the embarrassment of her loosing her hair upon them as well. It was very meaningful to her. It meant that her friends were with her through thick and thin.

The sentiment is expressed beautifully in the wedding vows: “Will you have this person to be your wedded husband/wife from this day forward, for better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and in health, till death do us part?” This is the kind of relationship that the Father wants to have with us, except that it goes beyond death to eternal life.

John 1, verses 14 and 18 also bring some understanding to this. “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14 NLT-SE) “No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18 NLT-SE). Jesus stepped out of Heaven. I read this illustration years ago and no longer recall where:

"During the long war years a boy looked frequently at a picture of his daddy on the table. He had left when the boy was a young infant. After several years the boy had forgotten him as a person but he would often look at the picture and say, 'If only my father could step out of that picture and be real....'"

Some translations use the word “dwelt," which is the word for "set up a tent" in Greek. In other words, He made his tabernacle among us. The Israelites would certainly understand this concept as they reflect on the presence of the movable tabernacle representing God in their midst while they wondered in the wilderness for forty years.

In theological terms, this is called “incarnation” This word is a defining element of our theology and faith. It is foundation to our understanding of who Jesus is.
1. Jesus is fully human - with a body made of muscles and skin. He had nerves (felt cold and hot), needs, emotions (anger and sorrow), pain, happiness, joy, even death, not an angel, he was like us.
2. Jesus is fully divine - If we take away the deity of Christ, we destroy the whole structure of Christianity. That doctrine is built in. It is central. It is structural of the structure. He was not just another prophet, or just another nice guy, he is the Son of God! "If you have seen me you have seen the Father.”

Why does this matter to me?

First it means that the Father is revealed. We no longer have to be in the dark about God. He has gone beyond parchment and paper, dramas and videos. He has actually come and pitched his tent in our back yard and beckoned us to watch him and get to know him in the person of his Son Jesus. When you watch Jesus in action, you watch God in action. When you hear Jesus teach, you hear God teach. When you come to know what Jesus is like, you know what God is like.

Secondly it means that I can be saved. I love the verse in 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” He did not come for trees or bright color packages or lights or presents or school presentations. The gift of God is all about a relationship – ours with Him. He is near.

This week I watched an interview with Stephen Curtis Chapman on Good Morning America. Last year his daughter was killed when her older brother backed into her in their parking lot. He was asked how he makes it during this holiday season, dealing with loss. What is your message? What sustains you? He said it’s the “message of Christmas, Emmanuel, God with us. He came to say, you are not alone, I am with you and whatever you are going through, I will walk with you.”

This is why Christmas, the virgin birth, the star of Bethlehem, the Angelic message to the shepherds all matter: God is with us. Don’t rush by the manger during this season. Don’t get too busy, or think it’s just a cute little story with some shepherds and wise men. Pause to gaze inside. . .to consider and ponder. . .to bend the knee in worship. . .will find the true meaning of Christmas. This is God’s invitation to you.

And to those who receive this invitation, he gives you the right to be called Children of God.

The Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem is one of the best-known parts of the Christmas story. You will see this year Christmas cards with stars over Bethlehem or with the Camels and wise men. We will sing about it. The star will fill coloring books and house decorations. Many of us will put it on the top of our Christmas tree. The stained glass images of the star fill churches and cathedrals.

Some say it was a myth, created by the early church to convince people of the Messiah's birth. Many have tried to link the star to an actual astrological event. They turn the clock back on the night sky's appearance, to come up with some astrological events that might have been interpreted as this "Star of Wonder." There are many explanations on the web and they are fascinating to examine (I do wish I would have paid more attention in science class). Whatever it was, the sequence of events were enough that at least three astrologers go to Jerusalem and ask Herod: “Where is he that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.” For the wisemen, there were no questions about the significance of the star. Their question is, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? They do not ask, whether there were such a one born?

Here is the deal for me:
I don’t know if it was a nova, super nova, or a comet, meteor, nebulae, or planetary alignment. I don’t know if it was a shooting star (even that theory doesn’t make sense to me). I do know that it a miraculous sign. How do I know? The same way I know that Mary was a virgin and angels spoke to the shepherds and a blind man received his sight and Jesus rose from the dead – because “it is by faith that a righteous person has life.” It is by faith. It is because over my 48 years of experience I have found God’s Word to be reliable, accurate, and trustworthy. I don’t follow blindly without thinking, but I live my life by faith. My belief does not override the accuracy of this Word, neither does my experience does not trump the truth of this Word. It is true whether I believe it or not. But I HAVE FOUND OUT that God is God and I am not, and I can have a relationship with him. He did send his son to die for me and he has redeemed me and forgiven me of my sins. He has healed me. He has healed my daughter. He as protected me. And He has blessed me far beyond what I deserve.
I may not be smart enough to debate the existence of a Bethlehem star, but I am smart enough to know that I am nothing without Christ and I am nothing without a hope in a Savior.

To me, it is more than a crutch; it is total life support.

The Virgin Birth - It Means Something!

It is so easy to let Christmas come and go so quickly that we no longer care about the story. We give a lot of thought to what we should give to others and some thought as to what we would like to receive, but little thought into the true message of Christmas. We give even less thought to the specific elements of the Christmas story outside of Children’s Christmas plays in local churches. The public schools are too afraid of the political backlash to mention Jesus’ birth; although, I do find it interesting that when their choirs sing, they include many classical Christian pieces, like Handle’s Messiah, the Magnificant, and other beautiful works of art.

One of the miracles of Christmas that we pass by without a thought is the virgin birth. If we do think of it, it is simply to mention it so that brings mystery and awe to the story, but it has little affect on our lives. We know it, but we don’t pay much attention to it.

We know that it was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14: “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)”. (NLT-SE).

The reason for the virgin birth is stated clearly, “This will be a sign.” This sign along with the other signs (the Bethlehem star, born in Bethlehem, the Angels speaking to Mary and Joseph, the Angelic host speaking to the shepherds, and the Angel speaking to Zecharaiah the priest) all speak to the validity of divine movements speaking to us. Like any sign, they say, “Pay attention!”

The virgin birth was a sign saying, you will know him because he will come by the way of impossibility – a virgin. However, the impossibility of this proposal rests solely in the human mind. With God nothing is impossible. Why should we think that the God who created the world, including humans, would find it difficult to have a virgin conceive?

Here are a few thoughts that might bring back some meaning this Christmas.

The virgin birth matters theologically.

If God was to truly walk among us, he could not have a human father, or he would be only man. There had to be more significance than the rest of us. To deny this miracle denies Jesus' existence before His birth. Jesus said of himself that He existed long before the Bethlehem birth. John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word (referring to Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” To deny this miracle denies that Jesus is the Son of God.

To deny his virgin birth denies the validly of scripture. It also denies the union of God and man. He would have been only a human being, not a God-man. If we deny his virgin birth, we can also all other miracles he did.

To deny this miracle also denies all other miracles during life and finally his resurrection, thus destroys God’s plan of salvation, which makes Christianity just another religion.

According to Moody, there are three results that follow a virgin birth:

(1) The human nature of Christ came into existence. It was not a person who came into existence, for Christ as a Person existed from all eternity in His deity; however, the human nature of Christ had a beginning in Mary’s womb.

(2) The human nature of Christ was sinless. Although Christ had a fully human nature, it was not stained by sin. Although He was born of a human mother, the conception by the Holy Spirit guaranteed the sinlessness of Christ. This fact reveals why the doctrine of the virgin birth is so important; had Jesus had a human father He would have been no different from anyone else. The testimony to the sinlessness of Christ is evident as Christ claimed for Himself: “there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18). John the apostle declared, “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

(3) The human nature of Christ brought human limitations. Although Christ was sinless, the virgin birth resulted in a truly human nature. Christ was tired (John 4:6); He became thirsty (John 4:7); He slept (Matt. 8:24); He wept (John 11:35). He submitted to the voluntary limitations of humanity. [1]

The virgin birth matters historically.

Belief in the virgin birth is a central doctrine of Christian thought. The New Testament writers stated that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and when He was born. There was no human father. He was the Child of God. The new creative act of God is seen in His bringing His Son into the world.

From Tyndale Bible Dictionary:

From the very beginning of the church, the doctrine of the virgin birth became the foundation of an exalted Christology. Some of the earliest church fathers stressed this more than any other event in Jesus’ life as proof of the incarnation and deity of Christ. Justin Martyr and Ignatius defended the virgin birth against opponents at the beginning of the second century, and even at that early date it appeared to be a fixed doctrine. In the debates of the next three centuries, the virgin birth became a prominent issue. Gnostics such as Marcion contended that Christ descended directly from heaven and so was never truly human. On the other hand, those groups that denied his deity, such as the Arians, also denied the virgin birth, stating that at his baptism Jesus was “adopted” as Son of God. The Council of Nicaea in ad 325 affirmed that Jesus was truly God, and then the Council of Chalcedon in ad 451 stated that Jesus was at the same time human and divine, a “hypostatic union” of the true natures. These were summarized in the Apostles’ Creed of the fifth century, which declares, “I believe in … Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.” In most of the creeds the virgin birth is also connected to Jesus’ sinlessness, inasmuch as his incarnate, divine nature is the source of his sinlessness. [2]

The reality of the virgin birth impacts our understanding of the incarnation, which literally means, “in flesh”. Theologically, it is the doctrine that in Jesus of Nazareth God took on human flesh and became the God-man. Biblically, it expresses the mystery of Jesus’ identity. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 NAS95).

Jesus is fully human - with a body made of muscles and skin. He had nerves (felt cold and hot), needs, emotions (anger and sorrow), pain, happiness, joy, even death, not an angel, he was like us.

Jesus is fully divine - If we take away the deity of Christ, we destroy the whole structure of Christianity. That doctrine is built in. It is central. It is structural of the structure. He was not just another prophet, or just another nice guy, he is the Son of God! "If you have seen me you have seen the Father.”

Jesus’ birth was the moment in time when God visibly provided a way for man to have a relationship with God.

To say that Jesus was only God rejects his humanity (docetism), and to say he was only human rejects his deity (adoptionism).

The virgin birth matters relationally.

It matters to me. It matters, because it means that Jesus is indeed Emmanuel: God with us. The word "with" is in the Greek is used in the strongest possible force. It does not mean "in company with," It means "together with," sharing with," It implies close fellowship. God is united with us. His power is our power. His ability is our ability. The Lord is with us.

Stephen Curtis Chapman was recently interviewed on Good Morning America. On May 21, 2008, 5-year-old Maria Sue Chapman was accidentally hit by Chapman's son, Will Franklin, after she ran into the path of his SUV in their driveway. Maria later died at a Nashville hospital. He was asked how he was doing and he used the “desperately hopeful” to describe him and his family. He as also asked how he is making it during this holiday season as he deals with the loss and what was his message, he said, “it’s the message of Christmas, Emmanuel, God with us. God came to say, you are not alone, and I am with you. Wherever you are and whatever you are going through, I will walk with you.”

For over 40 years I have recognized “God with us.” Even during the times where I was not living in obedience, He was with me. Through the joys of church ministry, it was “God with us” that made the difference. “Through difficult seasons of life, it was “God with us” that sustained me. And He is still with me.

I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. Without the virgin birth, I am left wondering if Jesus is who he says he is: The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Jesus is the One who accomplished the mission of salvation because He was the One in whom both full divinity and full humanity were present.

Don’t rush by the manger during this season. Don’t get too busy, or think it’s just a cute little story with some shepherds and wise men. The Babe in the manger is God’s invitation: “You will not come to me, so I will come to you. I will eat as one of you, sleep as one of you, even die as one of you, for I AM one of you. Will you see? Will you believe? Will you partner with me?”

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^[1]Enns, P. P. (1997, c1989). The Moody handbook of theology (262). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.

^[2]Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (1287). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

I Caught a Glimpse of You

I Caught a Glimpse of You

I caught a glimpse of you the other day – You were wearing a fireman’s hat and were running into the darkness to give life and you gave up yours.

I’m sure it was you I saw – you were wearing a police badge and carrying a child as you ran from a falling building.

It sounded like your voice as I turned to hear your words spoken to a child, “I love you, I’m here, I care.” You were holding her so close.

I looked and I believe it was you again, this time wearing a mask and mending a broken arm and a damaged lung.

You offered your oxygen mask to someone you didn’t know.

It must have been you who cheered from the crowd to encourage rescuers.

You drove an ambulance,

You operated a crane,

You handed out water,

You opened your wallet and gave more than you had.

I’m not sure if others spotted you in the crowd but I know you were there – doing what you have always done:

Bringing hope to the hopeless,

Holding the hands of our leaders,

Giving strength to the weary,

Calling people to help,

Unifying our hearts.

Through the dark cloud of smoke came a light – your light.

You have reminded us once again of who you are and because of your good deeds, we give praise to our Father in Heaven.

Keep shining through us.

Shine for the world to see.

Truly you are the light of the world.

I pray that others will see you in me like I have seen you in others.

Thank you Jesus.