Dropping In and Rocking Out

So the music was loud. Guitars were screeching. Drums were pounding. Voices were ringing. Hair was flying.

It was the Drop In and Rock Out Tour featuring the bands Philmont, Our Hearts Hero and High Flight Society. And professional freestyle skateboarder Tim Byrne.

Yeah, I wish I would have brought my earplugs. I didn’t catch most of the lyrics anyway. But as I sat and watched about 50 young people crowded around the stage, God moved in my heart to pray for them. And He moved in me to devote myself to the obedience of evangelism and discipleship.

Some of these students were probably not saved. They may have heard of Jesus and known about Him. But they didn’t know Him as the Savior of their souls from the clutches of hell. They didn’t know Him as the Lord (the “Boss” as Tim Byrne said) of their lives. No doubt many of these students were living for themselves and not for the One who died for them and was raised from the dead (see 2 Cor. 5:15). I pray that God will prepare their hearts to receive Jesus, believing in His name.

Others have likely made “professions of faith” but aren’t sure about living out what they say they believe in front of their friends and family. It’s one thing to stand for Christ in their youth groups, and another to stand boldly for Jesus at school. Jesus said this: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33). I think this group includes a ton of people – students and thousands of adults alike. They’ve signed the card, they’ve walked an aisle, they’ve prayed a prayer…but have they truly repented of their sin and let the Spirit of Christ reign in their lives? I wonder, and I pray that God will make them into wholehearted followers of Jesus.

And some in this motley crew of young people were certainly saved and sold out to the gospel of Christ Jesus. What an opportunity to allow God to use them to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit among their friends! A young person on fire for the Lord can make an impact in his or her world more than most adults ever will. I pray that God will keep them strong in His grace, loving, merciful, humble, teachable, useable, zealous and obedient to the faith.

No, it wasn’t exactly my style of music. But I believe that God can take these guitars and skateboards and use them for His glory. Tim Byrne gave a mighty testimony for the Truth last night. I pray that the students heard Him. I know I did.

"It's a bad night to be an athiest."

I love this line from ESPN's Rick Reilly at the end of this story. Check out this demonstration of God's power in the life of Josh Hamilton, From heroin to home run hero.

You Might Be a Missionary

I came across this list that I'm thinking about using to introduce Jerry and Ruth Moye on Sunday. Jerry and Ruth have been long-time missionaries in Hong Kong, where Jerry currently serves as pastor in a local church, and Ruth teaches in China. I'm looking forward to hearing how the Lord has been and is still using this couple to preach the gospel of Christ Jesus and make disciples of all nations.

We're also sending two of our youth on a week-long mission trip to Metro East St. Louis this week.

I think this list provides a humorous look at missions life - or at least our preconceived ideas of what missions life might be like! If anyone reading this has other suggestions to include, then please respond and we'll see about getting airtime Sunday morning.

You might be a missionary if...

• You don't think two hours is a long sermon
• You refer to gravel roads as highways
• Fitting fifteen people or more into a car seems normal
• You realize that furlough is not a vacation
• You do your devotions in another language
• You speak with authority on the subject of airline travel
• You can cut grass with a machete but can't start a lawnmower
• You watch nature documentaries and think how good that animal would taste if it were fried
• You can't answer the question "Where are you from?"

There are probably some other good ones. Let me know, and I look forward to Sunday morning!

Beautiful Feet

Are your feet beautiful?

Many people claim to have some kind of religious or spiritual belief system, but they often don't want to talk about it. "My faith is private," they'll say. Or, "It's between me and God. It's really nobody else's business."

I read in Reader's Digest (July 2008) an interview with Pierce Brosnan - Agent 007 turned singer/dancer - in which he was asked about his religion. Here's the published report:

Q. Do you still practice the Catholicism you were reared with?

A. I was an altar boy. That never leaves you. So when there are churches around, I go to church. I just went yesterday. I also love the teachings of Buddhist philosophy. It's my own private faith. I don't preach it, but it's a faith that is a comfort to me when the night is long.

I think this type of answer is very common among our generation in this culture. "I agree with this part of that philosophy. I like this part of my upbringing. I like what that verse says in the Bible and what this verse says in the Koran..."

You see how it goes. We just make up our own faith. Discard the stuff you don't like and keep the stuff you do. You just rearrange it all to fit your style and to fit your ideas. In the process you just make up your own god to be whatever you want he/she/it to be. In fact, you become your own god by creating one you like.

And you keep it, for the most part, very private. You don't preach it, at least not too emphatically. Probably for fear of offending someone, or not desiring to impose your off-brand beliefs on anyone, because after all, aren't all beliefs the same? As long as you believe in something? But who's to say that mine is right and yours is wrong. This works for me, but hey, whatever works for you is OK too.

Oh how deceived this generation has become! How far we have wandered from the truth of the Word of God. How little attention we heed from John's Revelation: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Revelation 22:18-19)

Rather, we are commanded and compelled to preach the Good News of the gospel of Christ Jesus! The reason that the kind of "private faith" doesn't preach well is because it's flawed. It is untrue and unfounded. It is contradictory. It's mixed up and it's wrong.

Those, however, who know what it means to be saved from death and given new life through Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can't help but tell others about it because we want them to experience this life, too. It's not our own blend of beliefs, but it is the Truth according to the very Word of Almighty God. It's a life of abundance that Jesus came to give, and it's a life everlasting.

You just don't keep Good News to yourself.

Friend, if you don't know Jesus and the power of His salvation and righteousness which saves from sin and death and hell, and assures His followers of the glory of heaven that awaits, then I urge you to call upon Him right now. Jesus will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness, that you may stand faultless before the Throne on the Day of Judgment. He will give you a new life, for anyone who is in Christ is a new creation - he is born again by the Spirit of God.

Call upon the Lord Jesus today and you will be saved. It's news so good you can't keep it to yourself.

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:15)

Tony Dungy's "Quiet Strength"

What do you do when things don’t go your way? What do you do when disappointments seem to shatter your dreams? What do you do when you get fired unexpectedly from your job? What do you do when your nineteen-year-old son commits suicide?

Think about it: How do you respond when life throws you for a sudden detour? Some people retreat. They withdraw and often succumb to bouts of deep depression. Some people squeak and squawk. They get angry and throw temper tantrums that could rival any three-year-old. Some people seek revenge. They are the ones wearing the T-shirts, “Don’t get mad. Get even!” And they’re the ones whose lives are ruined by resentment and bitterness. Others whine, complain and sing the doleful refrain to as many who will listen.

You know that this journey in life is full of unexpected twists and turns. How you handle them helps define who you are and where you are going.

I’ve been laid up this past week following a minor surgery. There’s an unexpected turn for you. I’d much rather be playing ball in the back yard with my boys and helping my wife with the laundry. Summer’s made for baseball, bicycling, and barbeque – not for sitting immobile in the living room reading books. Even so I must ask myself: What am I doing when things aren’t going my way?

Last week I finally read the book, Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy. Many of you know that Tony Dungy is the head football coach for the Indianapolis Colts, who led his team to a Super Bowl victory in 2007. I bought this book several months ago and have been looking forward to reading it. My wife and I heard Coach Dungy speak briefly at the Southern Baptist Convention last month, as well, so it was about time I got to it.

The book is a memoir of Dungy’s life. Repeatedly he reminds his readers that even though he loves the game of football, and even though the sport has brought accolades and honors few others have attained, Dungy maintains that life’s not about football – it’s about the journey. He writes in the Introduction: “It’s about the things I’ve learned, the mistakes I’ve made, and the heartaches that have made me lean into the Father’s presence.”

Dungy is the guy whose dreams were shattered with disappointment. As a standout quarterback for the University of Minnesota in the 1970’s, Dungy dreamed about moving on to the next level and playing quarterback in the NFL. His dream, like that of millions of young boys, was about to become a reality. The disappointment came, however, as he sat by his phone while twelve rounds of players were being selected in the draft – without his name being called.

How did he respond? Dungy kept his faith in the Lord and prayed for direction through his devastation. Offers had come in from other teams to try out for different positions, and he eventually made the Pittsburgh Steelers as a non-drafted free agent defensive back. It was from this life detour that he later met his wife and began a coaching career that would prepare him to become one of the greatest coaches in football.

Dungy is also the guy who was fired from his job unexpectedly. Despite turning a losing Tampa Bay program into a strong playoff team in only two years, Dungy was fired as head football coach at Tampa after six great years. Why? His teams never quite made it all the way to the Big Game. He was running a terrific football program, filled the stands at every game and was extremely involved in community outreach, yet it wasn’t enough for the owners.

How did he respond? Dungy writes: “There was no one to be upset with. God just wanted me to move on to a different situation. His time for me in Tampa had been completed.” No bitterness, no revenge. Dungy saw God’s hand at work and submitted himself to follow wherever the Lord opened up the next door – which would soon be Indianapolis.

Tony Dungy is also the guy whose nineteen-year-old son committed suicide. As the Colts sprinted to a 13-0 record in 2005, at the top of his game as a coach, delighting in the joy of his family, strong and growing stronger daily in his walk with the Lord, Dungy’s oldest son took his own life.

How did he respond? He took comfort in the promises and presence of God. Dungy spoke at the funeral service saying: “What’s kept our family going these last couple of days is what we believe, and we believe God when He says that He works all things for His good for those who love the Lord. It’s hard to accept because we can’t always see it, but we have to believe it…”

Friend, how do you respond to life’s unexpected journeys? A final quote from the last page of Dungy’s book that I hope helps your faith rest on God’s sovereignty: “And so we press on…We press on with our sense that life’s not always fair. And we press on with the knowledge – and assurance – that even though we can’t see all of God’s plan, He is there, at work and in charge, loving us… We press on into an abundant life on earth, followed by an eternity with God.”

VBS and Ice Cream Bars

We enjoyed a wonderful week of Vacation Bible School last week at Ridgway First Baptist Church. The kids and the workers enjoyed the Outrigger Island theme, and it gave me a perfect opportunity to wear some Hawaiian shirts in the pulpit.

I personally want to thank the parents and grandparents who entrusted their children to us. We value deeply the confidence you have in the church to provide your children a safe and inviting place to come. We hope that your children experienced the love of Christ in us for them throughout the week and that they learned the truths taught from God’s Word.

Without apology our desire is that your children will know personally the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and receive Him as Savior and Lord. One of our memory verses for the week was this: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6). There are many competing and confusing ideas today about spiritual things, but our heart’s desire and prayer is that your children (and you) will believe in Jesus and become His fully devoted followers.

I also want to say a public thanks to the church for their support of VBS. Truly this is a church-wide effort. Many covered us with prayer support, many gave generously of their finances, and we had 40 workers who gave sacrificially of their time to help in different ways during the week. From the kitchen crew to the rec staff, the music leaders and craft workers, and to the teachers and their helpers who carried out their mission with great grace upon them, I offer a humble and heartfelt thank you. I wish I could list them each by name, but I’ll settle for a special word of appreciation to our co-directors, Theda Miller and Becky Mitchell, for outstanding leadership. Oh yeah, we also were privileged to have a couple of young men who did a fine job of ringing the bell!

After the final bell rang on Friday night at 8:00, when the children went home and the lights were turned off, my family and I went home to celebrate a great week. We celebrated with chocolate and peanut butter ice cream bars. We don’t just get these treats out every night and eat them mindlessly while watching television. This was an occasion of celebration!

While our two boys tore into their ice cream with the grace of a hungry wolf on its prey (not unlike the way many of your children ate their snacks this week!), I carefully unwrapped my ice cream bar and began looking at it. Holding the stick I slowly turned it and examined it from different angles saying, “Man, this looks sooo good! What a combination: chocolate and peanut butter – and ice cream! This is going to be delicious. I am going to enjoy this like it’s the last ice cream I’ll ever eat!”

Tyler knew I was just playing around and asked incredulously, with chocolate all over his face, “What are you going to do? Aren’t you going to eat it?” Ah, yes, that’s the question! Are you going to eat it, or what? That thing’s going to melt if you just hold it there. Everyone knows that you have only a short window of opportunity to decide what you’re going to do. Either shut up and eat the thing or waste the moment.

Friend, do you know that time is running out on us here on earth? I’m not talking about global warming – I’m talking about that day when the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:7). There’s only a short window of opportunity in which you have to choose whether you’re going to keep examining the claims of Christ Jesus, merely talking about Him, or truly “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). Either bow before Him now and confess Him as your Lord and Savior, or waste the moment.

God is patient with you – He does not want any to perish. He wants everyone to come to repentance. He wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. And in His great love He gave His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins and raising Him from the dead, making the way possible for us to be saved from death and made righteous before Him for eternity. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all men” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15), and miss out on God’s promise of salvation. The Truth is before you. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). What are you going to do?

Fireproof

We took the chance at the SBC to view a screening for the new movie, "Fireproof," coming to theaters in September. All I can say is this - if your marriage is struggling but you want to make it work, you need to see this movie.

I won't give away the plot, but if you'd like to see a trailer and get more info you can go to http://www.fireproofthemovie.com and check it out.

If your marriage is strong and you want to keep it that way, you'll want to see this show. If you're thinking about getting married or want to someday, you should go see this movie.

God has ordained marriage (think one man, one woman) as a covenant for a lifetime. He has given men the incredible task of loving their wives as Christ loves the church. He commands women to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ. It's a beautiful picture of Christ and the church. It's a profound mystery, Paul says in Ephesians 5:32. How can two become one flesh? I can't explain it but God makes it happen.

I'm so thankful for a faithful, loving, God-fearing wife. God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve. I truly feel like I married "above me." We're not without our disagreements and different perspectives, but we complement each other and work toward building each other up. Amy is a treasure - a true gift from the Lord.

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22).

Is your marriage "fireproof"?

Back Home and on Outrigger Island

My wife and I spent a few days last week in Indianapolis at the SBC Pastor's Conference and Southern Baptist Convention. Although I came home just about exhausted, the messages we heard were challenging, inspiring and Spirit-led.

I hope to write more about some of our experiences and how the messages impacted me personally this week, but this is also our week for Vacation Bible School in Ridgway. That's enough there to keep us busy as we pray and prepare for God to move in the hearts of children and draw them to Jesus.

More to come from Outrigger Island!

Better Things - A 2008 Memorial Day Tribute

Even though we grieve deeply in the loss of loved ones who have gone before us, yet we hold on to the anchor of hope for our souls in the promises of God, whose Word assures followers of Christ of better things to come. May the words of this poem help direct your gaze toward better things.

Your Word speaks, O Lord, of much better things
And in this great hope we are saved
Saved by the grace of our great King of kings
The pathway to heaven now paved

O how our hearts long to dwell in that place
Where mansions of glory await
Where gold lines the streets and pearls clothe the gates
Our wondrous eternal estate

But here down below our troubles increase
Our sorrows and griefs multiply
Hearts ache with sadness at loved ones deceased
While tears flow like streams never dry

Sons for their fathers and fathers for sons
Weep watching them march off to war
Fighting for freedoms and liberations
Some not to embrace anymore

Others are mothers whose newborns lie still
The sun never gleamed in those eyes
Daily she wonders just how long until
She sings her unsung lullabies

Then ring the voices of faithful and pure
True witnesses of Your promise
Cheering us on with the hope to endure
Lord, may your strength come upon us

Even so, come, Jesus, come and come soon
Come gather us home in the sky
Come let your saints hear that sweet trumpet tune
And dance with the angels on high

There is hope! Celebrate Recovery

There is hope!

We were privileged to welcome the Celebrate Recovery ministry team from Harrisburg (IL) First Baptist Church with us Sunday night. Eight men and women gave testimony of how God has changed their lives and brought them out of various addictions and sins, griefs and sorrows and into His marvelous grace - which is Jesus Christ.

The message that rang loud and clear from these transformed lives is this: There is hope! Truly, no matter where you've been or what you've done, no matter how many people you've hurt or how many have hurt you, no matter what's happened or where you've been, there is hope in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is the one for whom nothing is impossible. In Him there is freedom, there is forgiveness and there is victory. There is hope.

In Christ - through the blood He shed on the cross for the sins of the world - there is hope for a new tomorrow. There is hope for better things to come. There is hope for everlasting life.

When we come to Jesus and receive Him as our Savior and follow Him as the Lord of life, there is cleansing from the filthy stain of sin, for there is mercy in His suffering for our sake. When we turn away from sin in repentance and faith, our sins are wiped out and times of refreshing come from the Lord. When we confess our sins we discover that He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There is hope. And there is peace in Christ - peace that passes all understanding when we present our requests to God with thanksgiving. It is a peace that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and remove our anxious, worrisome ways. And there is joy - joy that is unspeakable, for our Savior is able to keep us from falling and presents us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

I want to thank the ministry team from Celebrate Recovery for their honesty and openness in sharing their hurts, habits and hang-ups, and for giving God the glory for the great things He has done. These are real people who have stepped out of denial into God's grace. May the Lord bless them richly and reward their work to lead others to faith and recovery in Christ.

If you want to learn more about this ministry, or how you, too, can know the hope Jesus gives go to http://www.celebraterecovery.com.