Serving Jesus Willingly

I want to first of all say thanks to everyone who came to the showing of “Courageous” last Friday night. I told you it was a powerful film. That makes three times I’ve seen it now, and I believe it hits home a little harder each time.

Let me also say thanks to a terrific group of volunteers from the church that made this evening possible. From the ladies working the kitchen to the childcare workers to the greeters and usher and counselors and everybody in between, thank you for caring about families in our community and serving Jesus willingly by serving others.

Speaking of serving Jesus willingly, let me introduce you to a man named Sam Winger. For 21 years Sam has willingly served the needs of the needy in the name of Jesus through Serving Jesus Willingly Urban Ministries in Springfield.

Our church had the pleasure of getting acquainted with Sam this past weekend. On Saturday we had a group of nine children and seven adults participate in Children’s Ministry Day. Our team’s ministry assignment for the day was to work on site at SJW on South Grand Ave. The day consisted primarily of sorting clothes for give-away, dismantling and disposing of an unsolicited organ donation (the kind with keys and pedals, as opposed to say a heart or kidney or something), eating lunch, which was the days’ highlight for some, and doing yard work. 

We were paired with another church group from Medora, IL. Together, and with the children doing most of the work, in just three hours we filled nearly 40 yard bags with leaves, sticks and thousands upon thousands of sweet gum balls. 

Can I just say how encouraging it is to see so many children getting involved in such meaningful service toward others? It wasn’t just our group. We were one of about 50 churches across Illinois participating in this event. Nearly 700 children and their adult leaders (many parents) spent Saturday making blankets for crisis pregnancy centers, playing games with residents at nursing homes, collecting canned goods for the hungry, delivering food to firefighters, making cards for the elderly and much more. If you’re tempted to look down upon today’s youth, you should have been there Saturday! 

But perhaps the best thing about the whole day for us was meeting Sam. I don’t have room to tell you much, but I will tell you that Sam’s heart for helping others puts mine to shame. At 75 years of age he doesn’t have to do this day in and day out. As a widower he doesn’t have to put the needs of others first. But he does, and does it willingly. There’s always a song in his heart and often on his lips. 

And let me say the center of why he is so willing is Jesus. His mission is to bring Christ, “the hope of glory,” to those without hope. His statement of faith goes like this: “We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died to save all mankind from their sins, and that He is our only Savior…” That’s why Sam does what he does. 

Then talk about serving! Sam gives away clothes, food and household items and provides emergency help as needed. He also gives away Bibles, prays for his community, leads men’s Bible studies, and looks for every available opportunity to spread the Good News. Each month his ministry serves some 200-400 people in Springfield. 

Serving. Jesus. Willingly. 

I’m also glad Sam came to worship with us in Petersburg Sunday morning. He shared more of his love for the Lord and his love for others. I hope it becomes contagious. I need to get infected with this kind of love, and I pray it for the church as a whole. I think we’re getting there! Maybe the children will keep passing the bug around! Maybe the movie night volunteers will keep it going. Let’s keep serving Jesus willingly!

Tornado Hits Close to Home

Last week’s tornadoes in Southern Illinois hit a little too close to home. Our former home, anyway. Prior to moving to Petersburg in August last year, we lived in Ridgway, IL, the “Popcorn Capital of the World,” home of the Dinger baseball bats, and a town now recovering from the devastation an EF-4 twister left behind as it quickly roared through the village early last Tuesday morning.

Most of the media coverage appropriately focused on Harrisburg, where six people were killed, over a hundred injured and hundreds of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed. I did not personally know any of the deceased, but some of my pastor friends in Harrisburg conducted their funerals over the weekend.

Ridgway is about 20 miles east of Harrisburg, a town of about 900. Nearly half of the village’s 400 structures have been damaged or destroyed. Thankfully no lives were lost. The house we used to live in was not damaged, but homes only a block away suffered great loss. The local hardware store was demolished. And a particularly visible and majestic landmark, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, was practically reduced to a pile of rubble. 

As far as I’m aware, the building with the painted mural highlighting the Ridway Eagles’ 1973 State Basketball Championship – the year in which they defeated the Porta Blue Jays on their way to the title – still stands. Just thought I’d let you know.

The St. Joseph’s church was like the Titanic, magnificent in appearance and seemingly indestructible. If you have a chance to go online to view some of the pictures of this church building, try to find what it looked like before the tornado inflicted its wrath. It’s hard to believe it’s gone.

On one hand a church building is just a building. It’s a structure made of brick and mortar, wood and stone. It’s a lifeless piece of property.

But on the other hand, any church member will tell you there’s an undeniable emotional and spiritual attachment to the building. For many in the heavily Catholic community of Ridgway, their own forefathers erected the walls of that building with their blood, sweat and tears. Many have sacrificed financially and physically to maintain and improve the building. Generations of family and friends have been baptized there, raised there, married there and buried there. It’s more than just a building.

Personally, many of the friends I had in Ridgway were Catholic, which may come as a shock to some old-school Baptists and to hardline Catholics! But I say that to say that I hurt for them in this loss. On Sunday I had the chance to speak on the phone with my friend Stephen Beatty, St. Joseph’s priest. While he understands the sorrow this tragedy has brought upon the members and the community, he’s also very encouraged the church will emerge stronger than ever. As he said reflecting on recovery efforts, “The church is not the building. The church is the people going around picking up bricks.”

True indeed. Our God is a God who brings good out of trouble. He is a Shelter in the storm, a Refuge for the hurting, a Healer of the broken and an ever-present Help in time of need. Friend, may I say that whatever storm you’re going through today, look to the King who sits enthroned above the raging rapids, the howling winds and the fiercest downpour. He is the faithful and Almighty One who gives strength to His people, turns their mourning into dancing and clothes them with gladness.

Yes, weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). That storm hit pretty close to home, but God’s strengthening His people, drawing the lost to seek Him, and getting the glory through it. May His name be praised!     

Courageous Fathering

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

I want to invite you to a free movie night at First Baptist Church on Friday, March 9. We’ll be showing “Courageous,” a compelling story of four police officers struggling with their faith and their roles as husbands and fathers. Our doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for refreshments (also free), and we’ll roll film at 7:00 p.m.

This movie speaks powerfully to people of every stage in life, but especially to fathers. That’s why we’re also offering free childcare during the movie, because we really want to encourage husbands and wives to come and see this together. And I’m sure your children will have a great time with our caring volunteers while you enjoy the show. If you need childcare please call the church office at 632-2488 so that we’ll be prepared.

It is clear that the absence of fathers from children’s lives profoundly and negatively impacts not only families, but communities and nations. Research continually bears this out. The website of the National Fatherhood Initiative includes several studies on this issue and finds that children who live without their biological fathers are, on average, at least two to three times more likely to be poor, to use drugs, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems, to be victims of child abuse, and to engage in criminal behaviors than their peers who live with their married biological (or adoptive) parents. You can check them out and learn more at http://www.fatherhood.org./

I remember reading a story some time ago about Hallmark. Prior to Mother’s Day the card-makers went into one of the federal prisons and gave away cards for the inmates to send to their mothers. As I recall there was so much interest that they ran out of cards. The event went so well they decided to do the same thing for Father’s Day. However, not one inmate came to get a free card to send to his dad. You get the picture?

You may also be interested to know that in 2006 the federal government spent $99.8 billion to provide assistance to father-absent homes. That’s a conservative estimate which does not include indirect costs related to some of the issues mentioned above.

The point is this: kids need dads. Communities need dads. Nations need dads. I have the utmost respect for single mothers who have been left to bear the responsibility for raising their children. I applaud their courageous efforts, and many do an outstanding job despite the obstacles. But even they would be quick to say their children need a dad.

It’s time for men to take responsibility for their families and homes. In the verse quoted above, Joshua was one such man. He understood the call for men to lead their families in the ways of the Lord. He also knew that many wouldn’t. But he courageously stood up before the nation of Israel and declared his allegiance to the Lord, and took responsibility for his house as well.

Men, if you’ve dropped the ball or let go of the wheel, let me say this to you: don’t quit. Maybe you haven’t been the husband or father you know you ought to be, but starting now you can begin to change things. Even if your children are grown and out on their own, what do you think it would mean to them to receive a letter or a call from their dad saying he’s sorry for messing things up, and wanting to make things right? Hearts may not be healed overnight, but don’t give up hope. Start somewhere. Seek the Lord’s help. Walls can be broken down. Relationships can be mended. Lives can be changed by the power of God’s grace and mercy. You can become the man God made you to be.

Come and see “Courageous” with us. This movie might just be the motivation you need to become a better father. As a church we want to help. We’d love to pray for you. Call our prayer-line anytime at 632-5937. Together, let’s be courageous!

Resolving to Be Men of Courage

When my wife purchased for me last fall the book, The Resolution for Men, I must confess that my first thoughts were a bit defensive. I’ve been married for 18 years. I’ve been a dad for 12 years; 15 if you count our first dog. What do I need this book for? Am I not a good enough husband? A good enough father? A good enough man?

Isn’t that kind of like giving Phil Mickelson a Golf Digest instructional video on improving your short game? Or signing up Mark Zuckerberg for a computer class at the local community college?

What a stinking, terrible, arrogant attitude! Talk about a revelation of pride. How could I even begin to imagine that I had somehow “arrived” at a point that I had nothing more to learn? That I didn’t need to continue to grow as a man, a father or a husband? If this was already as good as it was going to get, then I really haven’t learned anything.

Usually I love to learn. I’m always reading a book on preaching (believe it or not!) or church health or something that will hopefully help me become a better pastor. I’m willing to learn to play the guitar better. I want to be in the gym more to work on my jump shot. But learn to be a better man? I thought I’d figured that one out.

The funny thing is, after I’d finally decided to open up the book and at least see what the authors had to say that I was convinced I already knew and didn’t need, I quickly realized how much I didn’t know and how much I really needed this. That’s humbling. Man, I have so far to go!

This is a powerful book that boldly and unapologetically challenges men to “man up” in a culture that has mocked and undermined the God-given responsibilities of manhood and fatherhood. Allow me to quote from the opening chapter:

“Our generation desperately needs courageous men to step up. We need men who will not be swayed by the culture or afraid of criticism. We need men who are resolved to lead their families no matter what. We need men to teach sexual purity to their sons and daughters so that more children won’t enter the world without married parents. We need men who stick to their marriage vows and cry out for God’s help to love their wives rather than giving up during difficult times.

“We need men who refuse to sacrifice their families for the sake of a promotion at work. Men who refuse to let entertainment eat up all of their time and deaden their consciences. Men who will speak out against laws and philosophies that are destroying families. Men who will forgive their dads, break the chains of the past, and set new standards. Men who will pray for their pastors and revival in their churches and make decisions that will strengthen the next generation. We need to be these men. And we need one another!” (p. 21).

I don’t know about you, bro, but I want to be a better husband, a better father, a better man. By the mercy and grace of God, by the power of Christ in me, I want to learn and follow through on resolving to be a man of courage.

If that resonates with you, I invite you to come along with us on a journey to live for what matters most. On Friday night, March 9, we’ll be showing at the First Baptist Church the recently released movie, “Courageous,” which spawned this book my wife bought for me. If you’ve already seen it, come see it again. If you haven’t, then I promise you it will be worth your time. Be watching for details, but go ahead and mark your calendar. March 9, 7:00 p.m. We’ll even provide childcare. Call and let us know.

I yearn for greater faithfulness as a husband, a father and a man, and I want the same for you. Men, let’s resolve to be courageous!

The Joy of New Life - There's Nothing Else Like It

One of the most incredible and memorable experiences in life is the birth of a baby. Moms, even if it’s been 70 years since you’ve given birth, I bet you can remember nearly every detail. You remember when and where you went into labor, who was with you at the time, how long it took and what you felt through it all.

You may even recall something of the pain you endured, though hopefully the joy of seeing your baby has far eclipsed the momentary anguish of the actual delivery process. Personally, I thought it was a piece of cake, though my wife may beg to differ.

Nothing really prepares you for the moment of birth. For nine months prior to our first child being born we planned for his arrival. We bought a crib with “some assembly required,” which was probably the most difficult thing about this whole pregnancy business. We shopped for cute little outfits. We baby-proofed the house. We held long and vigorous discussions about possible names for our child. We talked with other parents about what to expect and how we should go about raising this little one. So when the time came, we were all ready to go.

But there is something miraculous, even mysterious, about witnessing a baby being born into the world. I guess we weren't prepared at all. We had seen the grainy ultrasound pictures, we heard the heart beating, we felt the baby’s movements in the womb; so we knew this was a real, living being. But when we actually saw our baby’s birth, we were overwhelmed.

There was joy mixed with love mixed with awe mixed with excitement mixed with gratitude mixed with just about every other emotion you can imagine. If you’ve been there you know what I’m talking about. It was a holy, sacred moment. I even cried.

Two days later they let us take him home. I distinctly remember thinking, “So, they’re just going to let us walk out of here with this baby, all by ourselves? What are we supposed to do with him when we get home? Who’s going to make sure we’re doing everything right? Who’s going to help us change his diapers, give him baths, rock him to sleep and generally take care of him?”

Well, apparently, they don’t send the nurses home with you. I cried some more. We have a video of me attempting to strap our two-day old baby into the car seat in the parking lot of Rockford Memorial Hospital. The video runs for about four minutes as I fumble with the straps and vainly try to figure out how this seat works. At some point I turn to my wife who’s filming this episode and sweetly say, “You can turn that thing off now.” I’ve chosen to not remember how much longer we sat in that parking lot before finally getting him buckled in.

Life has never been the same since. There are times of frustration and anxiety, periods of feeling total inadequacy and epic failures. But there’s a blessing in raising children like nothing else. There remains an ever-present joy and gratitude to God for such a precious gift as children. The constant weight of responsibility for the care and well-being of a child never goes away. Our dependency upon the Lord for His help in this role as parents increases daily. I’ve never regretted it, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Parents never get over the joy of having children. And if I may say so, a Christian never gets over the joy of having Christ as Savior and Lord and Friend. There’s nothing else in the world like having a personal relationship with Jesus, the Almighty God of heaven and earth. I can’t describe it adequately for you. But I can invite you to come and see for yourself. You’ll never regret it.

What's Impossible for God?

I admit I’m not an auto mechanic. Far from it. In fact, I’m not aware of any other pastors who are. That’s probably because some of the language frequently used in addressing stubborn car problems is not compatible with being a man of the cloth.

There’s been this loud, annoying rattling / knocking sound coming from somewhere under the hood of my aging Toyota Corolla. I may not know much about cars, but it doesn’t sound good and it didn’t used to be there. I really don’t want the motor dropping out of the vehicle somewhere in the middle of the highway.

Personally, I’d love to get another 7-8 years out of this thing (it’s a 1998 with about 130,000 miles). In just four years it will be a good first car for my oldest son, who is definitely not getting a Torch Red ZR-1 Corvette with a handcrafted LS9 638-horsepower supercharged V8 when he turns 16.

So I took it to a guy for him to look at. He diagnosed a possible cause, did a little work, but didn’t make the noise go away. I should also say I’m not really interested in spending a ton of money digging around for other potential, but not guaranteed, fixes. Maybe it’s something I can live with. A little embarrassing driving around on clattering wheels, yes, but I’ve also been living with the “Check Engine” light on for the past several years. And yes, I always make sure the gas cap is securely tightened.

What I want to tell you though, is that this morning when I went to start ‘er up, the rackety mess of machinery was purring like a kitten humming softly on a spring day. And I wonder if someone’s been praying for God’s blessings toward us.

Could it be that without even knowing this situation, somebody’s been asking the Lord to take care of our needs? Is it possible that simply out of His grace that He has answered in this way? Do you suppose God knows how to fix car engines?

Let me give you a word that defines what’s impossible for God: nothing. Add that to the fact that God cares passionately about even the smallest needs of His people, and you’ve got a formula that equals grace every time.

Look at some of God’s “impossible” acts of mercy and grace on behalf of His people. We’ll start in the Old Testament. Giving Abraham and Sarah a son, even though they were well beyond child-bearing years. Inflicting the plagues upon Egypt in order to rescue His people Israel. Drying up the Red Sea. Feeding His people with manna from heaven and providing water for their thirst out of a rock. Breaking down the walls of Jericho. Raining down fire from heaven on Elijah’s water-logged sacrifice. Filling a widow’s vessels of oil until there were no more jars. Just to name a few.

In the New Testament you have a virgin conceiving a child. Blind men receiving their sight. Lepers made clean. Demon-possessed in their right minds. Deaf now hearing. Mute singing the praises of God. Lame men running and leaping for joy. Sick people made well. A man with a withered hand restored whole. Dead raised to life. Crowds of thousands eating their fill from a little boy’s sack lunch. Jesus calming a storm with a word of command and walking upon the waves of the sea. I’m only getting warmed up!

The point is this: nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible for God. There is nothing too difficult for Him. Nothing! What are you trusting God for today? By faith in the name of Jesus, what are you praying for and believing God for right now?

Is He obligated to grant every wish like some kind of divine genie? No. Will my Corolla run forever? Probably not. But I know that He knows my needs better than I do. And I choose to trust Him. He’s never let me down. “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

On the Menu

In the summer of 2007 I had the opportunity to go to China for two weeks. It was my first trip overseas, my first time literally running to catch a flight, and my first time singing in a karaoke bar. Being there was almost surreal. Everything was different. Sounds, smells, sights. As one of our team members was fond of saying, “I’ve been to a couple of county fairs and a hog killin’, but I ain’t never seen anything like that before.”

Stop by my office sometime and I’ll show you some pictures and tell some stories. I never get tired of talking about it. Some of the details tend to get fuzzy if I don’t! And yes, I’m eager to go again. I hope to!

It was also my first experience tasting some real Chinese food. Going to the Supreme Buffet or Panda Express doesn’t count. Of course, steamed rice was a staple, as were noodles. Every meal, and you ate everything with chopsticks. At a couple of restaurants the wait staff saw us struggling, so they offered us forks. Not me, though buddy. I was determined to make a go of it no matter how awkward or clumsy I looked.

One of the stories my boys enjoy most is about me eating a bowl of noodle soup. The weather was pretty hot and we were eating in an outdoor patio. They had a fan on the floor trying to keep their customers cool. But as I lifted out some noodles dangling from my chopsticks ready to slurp down a bite, the fan blew them all over my chin and neck. It caused quite a mess, and not a little bit of embarrassment.

Personally, I really did enjoy the food. Lost about 10 pounds in two weeks, but I was still bigger than most of them. Care to know some of what was on the menu?

Frog porridge. Okay, that one was as bad as it sounds. That’s probably where I lost the weight. Some of our other team members experienced such dishes during that lunch as fermented egg porridge and eel porridge. We only ate there once.

Have you ever had pig’s feet? It was interesting. Chewy, but interesting. Shrimp was served whole – antennas, eyes and all. You just kind of closed your eyes and opened your mouth and went for it. We ate octopus twice. Once it was pretty good. The other time it was served as an hors d’oeuvre at the karaoke bar. It was raw. That left an aftertaste for a couple of days. Never once did we find those sugary donuts you see at the American Chinese buffets. And not a single fortune cookie in sight.

Then there were the “meat sparklers.” At some point we learned to not ask too many questions. Sometimes it’s better to just not know. On another note, we didn’t see many dogs or cats wandering around.

Anyhow, let me take this opportunity to invite all the men in our community to our wild game dinner this Saturday night, January 28. It will be held in the basement fellowship hall at the First Baptist Church at 6:00 p.m. It should be a fun night together. Just the men! Some of the guys in the church are pretty accomplished hunters. There’s no telling what they might bring or what kind of stories they’ll tell. If you have some wild game you’d like to share, or some wild hunting stories, please do! As for me, I’ll probably bring a salad or dessert. I didn’t bring home any Chinese leftovers.

I’d also like to invite you to join us this Sunday morning at 10:45 for a “Men’s Day” worship service. Everyone’s invited to come, but we’re enlisting men to lead out in various ways – through testimony, song and Scripture reading. Should be a great day.

Then Sunday evening at 6:00, come for our “Singspiration” worship service. If you have a song of praise, an uplifting poem or favorite verse, you’re welcome to come and share it. We’d love to hear from you! Maybe you’ll experience something you ain’t never seen before! And I promise we won’t make you eat any mystery meat sparklers.

Is 2012 the End of the World As We Know It?

They say the world will end in 2012. You buying that?

The ancient Mayan calendar ends with December 21, 2012. Prognosticators and prophets are firing up all sorts of predictions about how it’s going down. Solar flare produced by Planet X. Rare planetary alignment creating massive polar shift. Meteor. Asteroid. Disease. Biological warfare. Aliens! Yikes!!

Whatever it is, they say some kind of cataclysmic event will bring the end of the world as we know it in 2012. I wonder if R.E.M. had this in mind when they wrote their hit song back in the day? Seriously, you’re not buying into this junk, are you?

Of course, predicting the end of the world is nothing new. Remember Harold Camping from May 21 last year? Then again on October 21? How about the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1874, 1914, 1925, 1975, etc.? Joseph Smith of Mormon fame predicted the world would end by 1891. Pat Robertson in 1982. David Koresh claimed the end would come in 1995. The Hale-Bopp comet of 1997. The Y2K scare! Just to name a few. If this column makes it to print and you’re reading it, then they’ve all been wrong so far.

Many people get caught up in the hype. The media and tabloids love this kind of stuff. So do movie producers and book publishers. And survival gear companies. Behind any good doomsday prophecy you know somebody’s making some cash.

What I’m saying to you, dear sound-minded friend, is don’t be suckered into believing this garbage. In the Greek New Testament language there is a word that describes such false predictions. It’s pronounced “ba-lon-ey.”

So what does the Bible say? First of all, it says Jesus will indeed come again. In Acts 1:11 two angels appeared to Jesus’ disciples as they watched Him ascend into heaven and said, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Re-read John 14:1-6, too, when you get a chance, among others. There’s no question about it: Jesus will come again.

But Scripture also states clearly that the time is unknown. In Matthew 24-25 Jesus explains this in no uncertain terms. He talks about the signs of His coming and the end times. He talks about the suffering His church will face. He even says specifically that many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Read these two chapters and see how foolish it is for anyone to claim to know specifically when these things will happen.

And if I could make a third point (don’t all good sermons need three points?) it would be that Jesus’ return will be a day of judgment. You’ll see this in Matthew 24-25, but let me also take you to 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10: “…when the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed…”

In a nutshell, that means that Jesus’ second coming will be a great day of salvation for those who believe and long for His appearing, but it will be a terrible day of judgment for those who have spurned Him and despised His church.

The fact of the matter is that it’s utter absurdity to be predicting times and dates that are not meant for us to know. But we should always be alert and ready.

So, are you ready? Have you repented of your sin and received the forgiveness that only Jesus can offer through the cross? Are you trusting Him now for your salvation, living in holiness and godliness as you await His coming? We’d better be buying that!

Watching Tebow Proclaiming Christ

Well, in case you’re wondering, I did get to see the BCS championship game Monday night. Jim and Sue Holler invited me over to watch on the big screen. It wasn’t really much of a game, but the conversation and fellowship was terrific. And man, can Sue make some brownies!

The game of the weekend, though, had to be the Steelers – Broncos. I’ve never been a fan of either team, but I can’t help but root for Tim Tebow. His touchdown pass to win the game in overtime has been all the buzz in the sports world this week.

I’m not writing this to proclaim the praises of Tim Tebow. But I am happy that someone who is unapologetically and unashamedly a follower of Jesus Christ is getting a national spotlight to proclaim his faith. Tebow never fails to give glory to God whether he wins or loses. He never fails to thank his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the gifts and opportunities he’s been given. I’ll cheer for that all the way to the Super Bowl.

It’s interesting to see people’s reactions to Tebow. Most are not indifferent. Either they love him or they hate him. And it’s not primarily for his performance on the football field. We could debate whether or not he’s really a star NFL quarterback. He’s no Tom Brady, that’s for sure. He’s not your fantasy league all-star, and how effective he’ll be in the league remains to be seen.

But the reason there’s so much animosity toward him is because he’s bold in his faith in Christ. A lot of people don’t like that. Our culture has a mind-set that basically says it’s fine for you to believe in whatever you want to believe in – or nothing at all – but just keep it to yourself. Don’t try to tell me what I should believe.

I’ve never heard Tebow preach through the media. I don’t recall any post-game interviews where he’s told anybody what they should believe. I can’t remember him giving any altar calls in the press room. What he does is simply testify to his love for the Lord. You may have seen from his college days that he inscribed Bible verses in his eye black, such as John 3:16. Tim’s a witness of the salvation of Christ Jesus, and he can’t help but tell others what God has done for him.

Tim’s parents were missionaries in the Philippines, where he was born. His mother’s pregnancy was extremely difficult from the start, and the medical team thought they had lost the baby a number of times. In fact, the doctor bluntly told Tim’s parents early on that the only way to save her own life would be to terminate the pregnancy.

Abortion wasn’t an option. They chose to trust in God, and His peace sustained her through the pregnancy. When Tim was born the attending physician told his father, “Mr. Tebow, your child is a miracle baby.” They know God answered their prayers.

I’m not in the least surprised that people get as worked up about him as they do. Tebow’s very existence is pro-life. He’s not a secret admirer of Jesus, but a sold-out follower. His character backs up what he believes. When the media takes swings at him or other players diss him, Tebow always seems to respond with humility and blessing.

People don’t know how to take that. They don’t know how to take Jesus either. Didn’t Jesus tell His disciples that they should expect such malicious treatment? “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me first,” He said. “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:18, 20).

Not every believer will get the kind of platform Tim Tebow gets to witness for Christ, but we all should be so bold no matter what the cost. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” That’s a Savior worth proclaiming!

Looking for Love?

I rarely watch television unless it has something to do with sports. Maybe the occasional evening news or the Storm Riders on the Weather Channel. Even caught a little bit of political info from C-Span recently. How exciting. We have a very basic “local only” cable package, so aside from the shopping channels, PBS and the locals, there’s not many options.

But if you’re a sports fan who enjoys college football bowl games, and don’t have ESPN, the bowl season is quite a bummer. Hardly any games are on the main networks, so unless a good friend or caring church member invites me over to watch the championship game next Monday night, I guess I’ll just have to read about it in the paper.

Anyway, so last night we had a free evening at home. We’d been procrastinating on taking our Christmas tree down by playing Scrabble, (don’t ask me who won), watching “Facing the Giants” on video and taking care of our new puppy, which basically meant trying to keep him from chewing the legs off the furniture. Later my wife starts flipping through the channels and we land on this comedy called “The Bachelor.”

It was hilarious! If you’re not familiar with it, let me explain. There’s this single dude, dressed all up in a nice suit on the set of this huge mansion. And one by one there’s like 25 beautiful women who show up, introduce themselves as potential brides and start fawning all over him. He’s like a kid in a candy store! All he has to do is sample the ones he wants the most, while “dating” whomever he chooses. At the end of the season he will have found the love of his life and they’ll ride off into happily ever after land.

And the drama of it all along the way! Put 25 women together who all want the same guy and you’re rivaling the best of pay-per-view championship fights.

It was so funny I couldn’t bear to watch. And sad. Pathetic, really. Is this how it works these days? Seriously? Men, can you even imagine if while dating your future wife you were also courting several other gorgeous women? You think she’d be okay with that? There’s no way.

I’d like to tell the bachelor dude to think through this for a moment. You’ve got all these ladies who obviously have been unable to maintain a steady relationship with anyone else so far. Same for the guy. You think that under the spotlight of cameras capturing your every move, the fabricated dramatic environment and a few fairytale date scenarios that suddenly you’re going to find a relationship that will last for a lifetime?

The fact that these “beautiful people” can’t seem to attract or find a husband or wife ought to be enough of a warning sign that this is not a very good idea. If you can’t find love in real life, it’s sure not going to happen in prime-time television. And don’t even get me started on the whole fictitious concept of “reality TV.”

Somewhere during the course of this show I started humming the 80’s country song, “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” Many men and women have no clue about love. Some have never received it, many have never given it. They’re looking for it, all right, but they’re looking in all the wrong places.

If you’re looking for love, my friend, let me introduce you to Someone who already has proven His great love for you. Someone who will never let you down, never disappoint and never put you to shame. His name is Jesus, and He laid down His life for you on the cross. You’ll never find a greater love than this; I don’t care what promises the bachelor or bachelorettes make. Receive His love today, and respond by loving Him with all that’s within you. I guarantee you’ll discover a love that is forever true and faithful.

They ought to make a show about that!