Morning Rush

THE HEART OF A CHILD

2012-02-15T07:00:00.004-06:00

The Word of God calls for individual spiritual growth. He labors intensely throughout His design to see that we get the message of Life and Hope. Truly, God went to excruciating pains to see that we could and would be in possession of such.

Yet on this scene and at every turn is unparalleled argument and divisiveness. We have leaped into this pool head-long assuming God has named us to clean up this epidemic of confusion and death.

We haven't in many cases. We have added to the turmoil and if we could see His truth may have created, in some instances, those who are twice the sons of hell.

A lofty percentage appears to be faithful in attendance and/or intensely laborious in congregational ministry who are neither lovers of the Word nor of God. This shallowness perpetuates division. Its base is comfort as well and preference; not what the Bible says.

The good news is there is a way out. We must revert to becoming as children. The need for humility is great. Dependence upon Father is always the path. Reliance upon His provision and productivity always trumps our combined and meager efforts.

The church today is in the same need that the church of the first century had; God. We desperately need Him to reach us, save us, and live among us. Otherwise, we are grown-ups contributing to infertile languish of the church on every street corner.

To run wide-opened as a child will find us willing to say things like:

I was wrong.

I can't fix it.

I need God to take care of this.

I believe God will provide.

I cannot breathe unless He provides the breath.

I must love the Lord and His people above all else.

In so many things I have been wrong.

Father, hold me. I don't know how to do yet another day.

We have become an answer people. We are learning to be a praise and worship kind. The former, unfortunately crusted the many hearts. The latter melts the heart.

The heart of a child....open and melted and ready for God's entrance.

LIFE: ALLOW IT TO UNFOLD

2012-02-14T07:13:00.011-06:00

Eckhart Tolle wrote, You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!

I agree with his statement. And, I key in on two words: purpose and unfold.

Life that unfolds is a beautiful sight to behold. It is both peaceful and joyous. Unfolding is the opposite of charting one's pressurized performance in order to obtain reportable results.

Purpose is core to the believer's doctrine. Several can't find their niche in the kingdom; they feel like they have no meaning, no purpose, in life. This struggle is a result of trying to perform life rather than allowing it to unfold.

To find purpose, in the N.T. contextual use of that word, is to sense our call to stress and struggle. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose of Romans 8 would be one example. The context is the extreme threat placed upon those who choose to follow Jesus.

The unfolding life refuses to run from painful circumstances. Meaningless life, however, seeks the shortest route to the quickest escape. These do not learn and do not allow God to bless for their central doctrine in life is "don't get hurt". This is a cross-less formula.

For you have been called for this purpose, wrote Peter, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. Unfolding of a productive and meaningful life takes place in the very depths of suffering. When we live solely to avoid suffering, life will not unfold. It will stagnate due to our self-protectionary doctrine designed to keep one safe at all costs. This is the opposite of the life of Christ.

A life that unfolds into the glorious warmth of Jesus is one that does not revile when being reviled; while suffering he utters no threats. A life with purpose submits to such punishment and life arises as from those momentary.

The cross is the picture of true life. To avoid it in our daily walk is to avoid our core purpose. To allow it is to see the marvel of God unfold right where we live.

(Thank you, God. This is a good one.)

THINK POSSIBILITY

2012-02-13T06:16:00.004-06:00

One of God's strongest and most consistent messages is to think possibility. Others may not see. Those with Joshua and Caleb were convinced it wasn't there. Immediately upon the conclusion at the cross that he was dead, Peter and James didn't believe the possibility factor.

Yet, possibility is what God is all about.

This is precisely what God is all about for you and me; accomplishing things that cannot get accomplished. Crazy people with crazy ideas baffle the logicians.

God's ways are higher than ours. Be glad!

So go for it! Imagine and then know God will trump your imagination...Eph. 3:20.

For with God nothing shall be impossible...Luke 1:37. The key for you and me is "with God".

May we be with Him while He does the fun stuff!

TODAY....IT IS A YIPPEE!

2012-02-12T08:54:00.004-06:00

Sunday has come!

I can't wait...can't wait...to see what Father will do with, to, and through us this morning. We are nothing without Him and everything with Him. We intend to see an everything sort of day!

I have already met a returning visitor; a homeless man that I adore. He's here early and loading up on the warm coffee and donuts on this 11 degree morning.

Watch for God among you this day. Try not to miss Him.

May you be richly blessed because you believe fascination comes from the spiritual when human reason would balk.

GOD AND ME...WE WALK THE FIELDS TOGETHER

2012-02-11T15:11:00.003-06:00

I so enjoy God. These days I find a stark difference from manipulating sermon plans to hearing from Him. I look forward to tomorrow for I can't wait to find out how He puts it all together. I am confident He will.

But I really write to tell you about this morning. When I awakened He was there. We do some of our best work right at the moment I awaken.

I was thinking about an upcoming assignment to speak at the high school graduation back home this coming May. What would be a good thing to say? What can be said the graduates will remember a bit down the road? Hmmmm.

And then God planted a terrific idea of which I will embark to see if such could be accomplished.

I am going to write a book for the graduating class. The title is DON'T DRINK THE WHINE. Good idea, God!

DON'T DRINK THE WHINE is about leading a life free of grumpiness and full of thanksgiving. So many live completely wasted; they waste their days slobering in misery and complaint.

I don't know if I can get it done in time....but I think I can.

COMMUNICATION...IT ISN'T EASY BEING PEOPLE

2012-02-10T07:31:00.005-06:00

During the exciting World Series in October, Tony La Russa went to the mound in late innings to change pitchers. When the reliever came running in from the bullpen, Tony said, What are you doing here? Reports in camp two weeks ago were that some on the bench heard the Pitching Coach request that pitcher to get up and throwing...the wrong one.

I recently ordered new checks; a second order. We had received an earlier order six month ago when we moved. After sufficient time, I called the bank out of concern that the checks had not been shipped. They had been shipped...to my old address...with my new address on the checks. (What?) (Say that again?)

Is it any wonder society struggles to get along let alone function? Communication has a hard time around people. We may think one thing and say another and then argue about it because our minds know exactly what we were thinking; no one else. Yet, our lips betray while the mind does not know where the delete key is. Our spouses and friends do.

Communication has a hard time around people. One can say wrong or one can hear wrong. If it is both then it starts to get sort of funny. My word to you this day is don't be surprised about it. The Cardinals won the series and I went to my old house and retrieved my new set of checks.

Communication....it isn't easy being people.

ATTENTION ST. LOUIS CARDINAL FANS

2012-02-09T09:16:00.006-06:00

A notable sports analyst with FOX Sports and the St. Louis Cardinals will be speaking at Memorial Drive on Sunday, March 4, at 10:30.

Dan McLaughlin is well-known throughout the Cardinal Nation. He has recently encountered a personal crisis with alcohol abuse. His rebound gives him intense passion to help teens and older avoid such an addictive pit.

The public is invited. Would you spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, etc. as Dan's presentation, Just Getting Started, will offer substantial inspiration to everyone who struggles with some element of their lives?

Our community is plagued by so many frustrations. Please pass the word that Sunday, March 4, will be a special day of encouragement and new life. In God each of us is always Just Getting Started.

The Memorial Drive Church of Christ is located at 747 S. Memorial. We hope you will be our guest.

A PRACTICAL MOVE THAT MIGHT HELP YOUR CONGREGATION

2012-02-08T07:34:00.004-06:00

To move within God's system becomes more intriguing day by day. For me, every day is like returning from a seminar. I'm pumped!

I don't know that you would need this, but in case it would help, I want to remind you to work on one major shift. The work of God is the difference between light and dark when we shift from creating ministries and asking God to please bless them (please-oh-please-oh-please) when, on the other hand our job is to pay attention to where God is working and we get on board with Him.

As a young church leader wishing to prove my prowess, I ushered in many an idea. Some of them took. Some didn't. All had some measure of nobility, I thought, but not all evidently had the Leader convinced.

Today is so much different for me. All I do is watch for Him; that's all. God is fascinatingly able to open some doors and close others. I told my kids from early on walk through the open doors and don't force your way through the closed ones.

God is very interested in our kingdom labors. He has that knack of both supplying and withholding at the perfect time. He is in control.

Be encouraged. God knows our street addresses. He knows our hearts' desires. Every day is a gift from Him. Look at it. Pay attention to it. Respond accordingly.

My life is a wow! But in the last few years it seems it has been a wowie!

WHAT KEEPS US PUMPED?

2012-02-07T07:55:00.004-06:00

Why do we find life so super-charged day after day? Don't we each have enough financial, emotional, and managerial ditches to bring us down to an unbeliever's level? But, we will not yield to such distracting life.

Why?

The why is in the Holy Spirit. We will never know the how; but we will the why. Jesus told us he had to move on up that we could receive him in Spirit form. He did and we do.

I remain enthused because of two basics: (1) I have not lost sight of what a sheer zero I am, and (2) Father has given me sight as to how deep He will reach to provide salvation. My being "up" is not dependent on how a day goes; good or bad. It is dependent upon Him. He really works in our world.

Be careful not to miss the forest for the trees. The Jesus life--in his terms--is abundant. We aren't called to die to go to heaven. Rather, it has come down in the form of Jesus and then the Holy Spirit. We are to die to self that we might enter the vast regions of unexplainable heaven now.

What keeps us pumped. It will never be a series of presentable and explainable passages from the Bible. It will never be because the church always comes through for us. It will always be because we know and carry the resurrected one, literally, in hearts.

Because of Him, we are able. Ephesians 3:21 says glory will, then, be rampant! God's glory...that's what keeps us pumped!

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? IS MORE THAN A RUBBER BRACELET

2012-02-06T12:52:00.006-06:00

Life is a chore. Ups, downs, inconsistencies of others and then of self keep us in perpetual ying and yang of moods. We have moods galore. Until Jesus gets here, life about and among us will surely have its stressful terrain.

One of the zones hot for growth among us is insistency that Jesus is our life. This includes his exemplary dependence upon Father while he was both revered and rejected. The kingdom of God bears Holy Spirit fruit; none of which can be mimicked by humanity because an individual without the Spirit will ultimately cave to hatred, anger, harshness, and operating out of control when living under duress.

None of us are exempt from failure to yield to the Good Spirit. Intentions are solid; but behavior is not so much.

From experience I can say that a lot of things I thought were devastating turned out to be blessings from the classroom of Suffering 101. We must go to school when conditions are negative. What would Jesus do? is more than a rubber bracelet. It is the question to be raised when humanity is on the threatening ledge.

We learn to trust Him when we can no longer solve the puzzle. If we would begin our days with this in mind, we might not find ourselves on so many negative ledges. It really could be that our problems are such because we refuse to let Him use our frustrations to lead us to the Christ-Life.

Our understanding of What would Jesus do? is to be duplicated by you and by me. If we can increase in our actions mimicking his, we will find that even if more troubles arise, joy will exceed.

GIVE HIM URGENT GLORY

2012-02-05T09:02:00.002-06:00

I my earlier years I was not about giving God glory. Such word or phrase was an empty-headed comment in the Bible to be read on my way to the bigger stuff like work and winning souls.

But, as in many instances, God has shown me my academics lacked wisdom from above. There is much to be noted regarding giving God glory.

My understanding of it is merely kindergartenish. Such a spoonful, though, ignites a fire within me and us that spawns enormity in the God-size; not ours.

To give God glory is to give Him credit for the marvel around us and about us. To issue praise is appropriate lip-service.

Try not to spend your time in assemblies today noticing anything nor saying anything nor singing anything until you have heart-mailed a report to God that you are infatuated with His talent, skill, and energy.

It is all about Him. May we open our mouths and say so!

THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

2012-02-04T08:42:00.005-06:00

If I may offer my opinion, nightly news is wearying. Well, it is so 24/7, I guess.

The constant barrage upon our minds regarding divisive political maneuvers is either enhanced or smeared by media bias. CNN and FOX evidently are reporting from two separate orbits.

On one hand there are Senators Reid and Schumer and former speaker Pelosi while loud opposition offers speaker Boehner, Ann Coulter and Rush.

A middle ground isn't needed. To find humility in congress or in the media would be like striking a vein of gold.

We who watch from the sidelines remain in a perpetual state of confusion, irritation, and eventual indifference.

Hmmm....I wonder if this same aggravation lies within the hearts of our communities where bias and smear-tactics have filled the church air-waves. If one could find worse division than in our government, could it be found in our very own denominational circles?

I wonder if middle ground isn't at all what people seek; but rather a humility of heart which would reflect a humble dependence upon Father.

Maybe the blending similarities of church and state is worse than even Christians have believed.

ALL OF US HAVE BIG WORK TO DO

2012-02-03T07:47:00.002-06:00

In Bill Chance's new book, "Restoration Run Amuck, a clear clarion call abounds to meet the heart of the Restoration with honesty.

Jesus suggested that heart trouble was epidemic among God’s chosen
people saying, “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly
hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might
see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and
turn, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13: 15). Thus, symptoms of the
calloused-type of heart trouble are spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness,
and an inability to understand what the Great Physician has to offer. It
appears that softening the calloused heart is prerequisite for sight, hearing,
and understanding on the spiritual level. Jesus said that these changes
must occur in a person before he could heal them. A calloused heart still
exists today among God’s people. These are the Christians who refuse to
let God’s Spirit affect their spirit. They keep God and everyone else at
a distance, believing that a good strong Christian is one who does not
show emotion, but rather maintains tight control of all aspects of their
lives. Jesus said these people will never see his glory, hear his voice in their
lives, or understand what he wants them to be until their calloused heart
is softened. He would like to soften it, but he refuses to force change
on anyone. The owner of the calloused heart must open the door before
Christ will come in (Revelation 3: 20).

One of the things I very much love about the Church of Christ is we are free to seek His will above the loud personalities of the past as well as our own unbiblical biases of the present. It is not a "they" thing; but rather a "we". We have work to do and that work is to begin at the starting pointing. Our work is to believe in the One whom He sent...John 6:28-29.

I DO MORE THAN PLAY BASEBALL

2012-02-01T07:02:00.007-06:00

I am coming off of a fabulous week at baseball camp. While I can note the specific days when in camp, baseball evangelism goes on year round.

When I came in this morning two emails awaited me (from two of the stars) which are surely encouraging about God's timing and involvement.

Too, I share a note with you which will be sent today to another of the former Cardinals--a major name in the game. I planted good seed in camp and follow up with the following letter.

You don't go to baseball camp. You work in offices, or teach classes, or go to the doctors, or take coffee breaks. Awaken to your world of people and take action. Plant kingdom seed.

You have words that fit your stage, your circle of connections, and your life-zone. Do what you can to open doors and hearts with your words. Most of all, realize the opportunity few have in the space God has you planted.

February 1, 2012

Dear (name withheld for this post),

Thank you for being so ultra good to me. I never take your kindness for granted.

Too, thank you for being gracious when I risked saying to you what I did at the coach’s box that one afternoon. I admire and love you so much.

File away my cell and keep my card with the email address nearby for any emergency where I would be deemed as helpful.

I don’t want to get religious on you for I resist that dead-end alley myself. I live to encourage others about possibility and hope. If you have never been baptized, you might want to think about it for it is there that one’s blunders are completely washed away never to be brought up by God again.

If you can imagine the Cardinals trading Matt Holliday straight up for me, the move would be scandalous; a young pro for an old nobody? Yet God traded His son straight up for you (and me) which is even a much bigger trade—everything right about Jesus placed on us and all of our wrongness placed on him on the cross (see II Corinthians 5:21)!

All of this is private stuff; thus, I would never bring it up to you in a crowd. This is the kind of stuff one needs to begin to work out in his own conscience.

Know of my admiration and deep appreciation for your goodness toward me. My email is on the back of my card should you ever want to be in touch if even for you to give me advice on hitting!

My best to a terrific friend,
Terry

I do more than play baseball. I plant. I water. I watch for God.

Be encouraged. Knock on hearts. See what God will do with all of us!

SETTLING IN AS THE PREACHER

2012-01-31T16:41:00.008-06:00

Standing before a congregation carries a bit of pressure. We want to please God. We want to please the church. Our wives and kids have friends and we don't want to uproot them by moving again and again.

So what I did was to learn to adapt my messages to fit what I thought the critics of the church wished to hear; we were the only true church and all others were wrong. I thought I was doing the right thing, but that tickling their ears passage would not go away.

A problem began to develop within as I didn't believe everything I was preaching. Image of courage and force was important to me. We had been sufficiently warned in school that many others mistakenly yielded along the way to the deceitfulness of liberalism. It wasn't going to happen to me!

I finally went to an elder and told him I was lying from the pulpit; that I was not telling the truth but, rather, I was trying to keep my job. I had good elders who walked beside me at the time and one named Harriel Scarsdale counseled me that I had to be bold enough to make adjustments if God was going to be honored.

As the preacher, his words of assurance seemed to be what I needed in spirit to grow up a bit and move forward. I took my message to the pulpit and cleared the air. There was a significant stirring afterwards; both pro and con.

I hadn't thought of that conversation with Harriel in about twenty years; but it was a significant moment. When that really good elder gave me counsel that Saturday morning a new life began for me....and for Memorial Drive. I started a transition out of preaching Church of Christ into preaching Christ. There is a difference.

It didn't go down easy; but it surely bears Holy Spirit fruit to this day. The days ahead weren't necessarily easier for quite a ruckus ensued. But the stability of being honest with God, the people, and myself put me into a zone I desperately needed.

I had settled in as a preacher trying to keep a paycheck. However, my yielding to popularity had become unsettling. I don't urge any reader to become a trouble-maker. I am, though, saying the preaching of Jesus will stir the pot at times causing many great discomfort. Let it, best you can, be His timing.

HAVING A CRITIC IS CRITICAL or WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE REST OF US NOBODIES?

2012-01-30T17:32:00.007-06:00

Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you as if some strange thing were happening, Peter declared in his first of two books. Life in Jesus is abundant....and so are moments of the painful process.

Do not be discouraged Joshua heard centuries before. There was reason for the message. Working with God's design contains multiple testing grounds.

And us? Beware of the Messenger of Satan, just as the Saul/Paul warned for such messages are intentionally critical. Yes, you have critics, you who do very effective works.

Read that account in II Cor. 12:5-10. If Paul didn't have stressful attackers, God's work would be going so smoothly Paul might begin to believe he was actually running this show. Critics lead us to depend upon Father. That's why critics are a critical element in our work.

Do not be discouraged when you are under attack. Thank God. Do not wonder what is wrong with you. Rather praise Him for what is right with Him....everything!

We must have those who send messages of personal (even painful) disapproval to sharpen our focus. We must have them to remind us of what Paul declared of himself in that Corinthian text....he gets to do good stuff...but he is always never more than a nobody.

Me, too.

LEGENDS CAMP....COMPLETED

2012-01-30T10:25:00.002-06:00

I returned to Tulsa late last night from another baseball camp experience with the St. Louis Cardinals.

What a trip!

I'm so sore that I feel I'm about two degrees from hurt. Fatigue is abundant.

Joy is on overload, though, as God worked so much in so many ways I would make notes at the end of each day lest I forget.

These camps serve as refresher reminders of how it is He works in the most fundamental ways to place us in the simplest of connectabilities. I see Him work and I know what to do, how to reach, what to say.

Thank you for praying. Thank you for cheering.

LEGENDS CAMP....DAY 3

2012-01-27T16:01:00.009-06:00

Regarding hitting I am now 0-3. Interpreted, that would mean I have not had a hit in three games. I barely touch the ball to foul it off.

Whereas yesterday I fielded each of eight opportunities flawlessly, not so much today. I didn't make one of my plays. And, as was true of me yesterday, when I made the final out to end the game...so be it today. Did I mention that of the twelve men on my team, I bat.....12th?

Although my play today was shameful, I did have five fans in the stands with signs and whistling and other benevolent attributes. Gerald Lovett from Memorial Drive was there as well as Phil and Shelley Crews of Longmont, CO. plus her parents.

Urgggh. However, not to fret, I made the other team smile many....many....many times!

But the kingdom stuff....ah, the real reason I am here....it is like the Maytag washer....it just keeps going and going and going. I am so appreciative of God.

You know I pray for eyes to see His moves day by day. At baseball camp it seems magnified while I am dealing with both the common and celebrities. Jesus gives the same answer to both...sheer and perfect reason to hope. My job is to watch for Him.

Today verified a significant breakthrough I began to notice yesterday. It pleases me very much. I feel that many of you are praying.

I was mindful of Jesus saying in John 5 that unless he saw the Father do it, he couldn't do anything. At first glance I thought Jesus meant he was staring at Father and if He moved to the lake, Jesus made same move.

From experience, I now believe Jesus meant that if he didn't see Father do it...nothing would be coming about in his ministry walk...Jesus was waiting on God to do the work. As was true for the Son, it is clearly similar with me and with all of us. If God doesn't do it...it won't be done.

This takes off the pressure to make things happen while, simultaneously, awakening us to prayer that God would be active among us.

This is what I wait on patiently in any part of ministry; God's activation. We are not called to manipulate nor to self-impose. We are called to believe Him.

Day 3....oh how very sore I am in body....and how elated I am in Spirit. I saw Him work today.

LEGENDS CAMP---DAY 2

2012-01-26T18:35:00.005-06:00

A long day...began by boarding the bus at 5:30 a.m. my Tulsa time.

A busy day...every where I turned...God opportunities...much counseling....thank you for praying.

A good day...scored first run for our team as we won our first game...lost our second...got no hits...made several plays with no errors...looked terrific in my uniform.

A safe day...no injuries...trainers worked on me twice because I'm old...and put me back together.

A very sore day...but not a hurt one.

A very encouraging day...I ministered to many...many ministered to me.

Hot here....sunburned.

LET SPRING TRAINING BEGIN!

2012-01-25T17:21:00.002-06:00

I made my way to West Palm Beach, FL today for year number 29 of Legends Baseball Camp with the St. Louis Cardinals.

I checked into the Double-Tree early this afternoon and spent immediate time in prayer continuing to set the stage for what I yearn to be His agenda.

We report to Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter early tomorrow morning. I've already had great interaction with many of the former stars and campers.

While I love the game, I marvel at the hearts so open to God-concepts and Life.

Jesus came that we might have an abundance of it...and Great Life is easy to market.

Pray, if you would, for God to work while I'm here.

Thank you.

THE MASTER EVANGELIZER

2012-01-24T07:12:00.008-06:00

Evangelism, like much else in the spiritual world, has been sabotaged. Squint-eyed, red-faced hounders of souls have transformed the sweet love extension of God into a robotic memory presentation of aligned passages geared to meet at the baptistery. This has created a pseudo-urgency which has not always been for love of neighbor but as combatant of a neighboring religion.

Jesus helps us.

The Master possesses that God-knack of drawing people. While it could be legally noted that Jesus reached out; he did so by inviting others in. In simple terms, Jesus found that the way to a person's heart was to ask him or her for assistance.

Take the woman at the well. How did Jesus break the ice on that warm day? He asked her for help. Could he have a glass of water? Thus the story unfolds which eventually drew an entire city to his feet.

Consider the man up a tree. Jesus inquired if he might go home with him to get a bite to eat. The kingdom story not only unfolds; it continues to inspire.

And then there was that kid with a sack lunch and 5000 who needed to be fed. The disciples ask the kid if he would give them assistance. How do you think the lad felt as he skipped back to the house?

A neighbor of mine showed little interest in the church. We had baptized his wife. In the midst of a Joy Bus explosion in Illinois, I asked him for help; would he go with me and drive a newly acquired bus to the church parking lot? Eventually he was baptized and became the Joy Bus driver for my wife's route. Today this man is the head of a Christian organization in Dallas that ministers to abandoned children.

Another neighbor lived on my Tulsa street. I rang his doorbell seeking his help to remove a car battery. This led to a study, his conversion, and his faithful service to this day.

The Master Evangelizer clearly shows us the path to a neighborly encounter. Simply find a way to seek their help. This both softens our approach and ushers a confidence that works so much more effectively.

DEFINE GOD

2012-01-22T07:28:00.003-06:00

Some things change.

Others never do.

Some should change.

Others never should.

We live in a day of open mindedness...of sorts. It is more of the norm to be open to all sorts of gods.

How is one to know which is the True God...or if there is only one True God?

Jesus narrows the list to the One who sent him. This list will be consistent as the same One brought him back from the dead. In seeking the True God, I would look for the on who claims Jesus and all that goes with him.

There is a large list of gods. Jesus simplifies the matter. It isn't that he is narrow-minded. It is just that one is only one.

NOTHING BUT A BLANK PAGE DAY AFTER DAY

2012-01-21T06:50:00.012-06:00

I tell you a secret to some. I know how to see life click. It isn't random. It isn't happen-stance. It isn't luck. It is intentional and obtainable due to the specifications of Father who nurtures His little ones.

If not careful, one will work against the kingdom of God by practicing concepts domestic to our earth nature and, yet, foreign to the spirit nature. This is always a challenging task. We must not give up, out, nor in to the pressures of such noble pursuit.

As for me, I am a very strange person, indeed. I feel like a very little child every day...every day...clueless, directionless, and pointless. However, I get to engage in the most fantastic moments of kingdom progress. I begin every day as a blank page (not by choice but because I am nothing) and conclude by evening time with the same emptiness of personal skill, talent, and ability.

I am not being superficially humble when I tell you I am a void. Before all eyes, I am a complete dork.

Yet....I tic.

What makes a plain man tic?

The answer is biblically clear. It is God's grace.

I want to be full of grace. Such a term means not of me and always of Him. I don't do good work. God rents and chooses to set up shop from my---and your--- space. His works are fascinating to us! We can never claim any of the credit for we are completely empty of ability while desperately desiring to be full of His grace.

What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” Zech. 4:7 Mountain ranges topple without dynamite? To move a mountain problem we would say, Bulldozer, bulldozer to it! Or apply God grace to see it melt?

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16 His fullness is His Spirit (Eph. 3:14-21) that the work done comes through us but not of us. It is God who is to be glorified for the accomplishment.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8 Performance comes from the God-skill through the pipes of the human willingness to yield. The human is the zero. Father is the complete power. Grace is Father actively renting our space.

From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. Acts 14:26 The work they accomplished only due to their nothingness open to His fullness...His active grace-power.

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. Romans 11:6 If it is by grace the results are so powerful one can immediately perceive such did not come about due to personal muscle; but rather the emptying of such so He could use such a disciple.

....of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. Eph. 3:7 We are the dork. He is the Master-worker.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebr. 4:16 When we have need---and we have it every day for it begins as a blank page---confidence is never ours due to skill evaluation; but always due to the might of the Gloried One.

If not careful we will try to hone one's skills to be kingdom productive. The sharpening to be done is not upon the workman's table of refinement; but is to be found in the laboratory of developing the ingredients of faith, trust, and love.

It is God who does the work. Never me. Never us. Never.

If you want to live on top of the world, empty yourself of personal agenda. Accept the blank page you are. And then hang on! For when one dares to say Grace, grace to it! stunning and remarkable and unexplainable wonder takes place.

Get out of the way and then prepare to rejoice. He will fill the blank page with excitement and overjoy...day after day.

CARDINAL BASEBALL CAMP NEXT WEEK

2012-01-20T14:54:00.003-06:00

The eyes grow dimmer and the tendons tighten; but the excitement for baseball camp escalates!

As Whitey Herzog said three years ago in front of the entire morning meeting, Everybody knows Terry is the last guy picked for a team..... Uh, thank you Whitey for informing me in front of the other 99 guys and 20 former players.

Not-to-fret....while I would have thought the two blind men would go after me...I pretty much knew I was near the end of the selection list. At 64, I am always excited that I'm on some team...even if they were forced to take me.

It becomes more of a challenge for the coaches to figure where to hide me. I'm just not very hideable! There is sort of a rule in baseball: no matter how hard a coach tries to hide a guy, the ball will surely find him.

Each year is tougher on the body and, yet, easier to connect with more and more of the guys in the spirit. I love watching God work in a most unlikely place. From security guards, to umpires, medical personnel and trainers, to present day players in camp early, to the eight teams of cronies, we have surely carved an inroad to many hearts.

I still attend for the reason I stated when headed to the very first camp. I believe God will work. He has and He does and He will. Some of His moves are sweet, others are outlandish, and then others are in process.

I don't look forward to the aches and pains; but I really get enthused over watching for God's surprises.

WE GO ONLY BY THE BIBLE

2012-01-19T15:23:00.007-06:00

To build a faith based solely upon the Word of God is, in my opinion, as highly noble as a lofty goal can get. A pure conviction based upon His perfect revelation is Truth based upon Truth.

Our tribe, though, is guilty of parroting said convictions without faithful follow-through. In a few places we are guilty of adding to and subtracting from scripture while using scripture to prove why one must not.

I was converted with repeated admonition to go only by the sure Word of God. Soon confusion arose as quite vocal stances were issued of which I assumed to be true. The deliverer surely seems convinced so why should I doubt? He was one of us and certainly a respected leader to boot.

But then respected leaders began to wrangle over "what it said". For a young guy intending on always getting it right, such clamor was a major disruption for my training had been based upon the simplicity of the understandable Word.

This was a positive dilemma as it forced me to develop my own faith. I wished all would approve of my conclusions--tried to work it so--but such was inevitably a dream-world of which even Jesus could not succeed.

What to do? How to think? Where to turn?

Fortunately, Father and many of the church hung (hangs) in there with me while I perpetually sort out what He says in the Bible. The early admonition to go by the Bible continues to be the correct avenue to Truth.

When I would hear boisterous claims or read of passionate directives, I finally had to take the verbatim and ask myself, Where is that sentence in the Bible?

I began to re-investigate what I had been told and what I was holding on to in my heart. Where did the Bible say:

The Holy Spirit no longer works in a believer?

Churches cannot have garage sales?

We give God our best?

If you step from a curb having neglected to ask for forgiveness of your last sin, you will go to Hell?

You cannot have two acts of worship going on simultaneously?

You cannot take up a collection for God's causes on any day except Sunday?

You cannot bounce on your toes during songs and please God?

Silence of scripture is authoritative?

Interpretation of the Word is by direct command, apostolic example, and necessary inference?

The KJV is the only correct Bible translation?

A church that has a Mother's Day Out program is liberal?

You cannot have Christmas trees in the building?

You should sing Christmas songs in July to show we are different than denominations?

We are not a denomination?

There is only one reason for divorce?

You cannot forgive anyone until they ask for it?

Women can sing in church but cannot say Amen or speak?

It is wrong to drink anything alcoholic?

Videos with instrumental music can be shown in church before the opening prayer or after the closing prayer and we will not have sinned?

It is wrong to eat in a church building?

These are twenty ideas I soon heard when I became a serious believer. I immediately wanted to do the right things by believing only the right things. We go only by the Bible is still a most noble calling. Our challenge will continually be to honestly note which is a Bible teaching and which is a factual and traditional preference of one or many among us.

OBSESSED WITH JESUS

2012-01-19T06:49:00.002-06:00

The patent phrase among us we just go by the Bible is both dishonest and absurd. Our goal is to go by the Bible. We surely have a ways to go.

This gesture is neither demeaning nor discouraging. We have great work to do...John 6:28-29...to believe in the One whom He sent.....Jesus.

There is a healthy bend in the church toward Jesus.

Hasn't such always been the case? Surely not. Our slant has been forcefully and emphatically upon doing church right. Still, in too many communities, the church isn't about Jesus. Rather it is about one-up-man-ship on our religious neighbors; they do--we don't, we do--they don't.

Jesus changes the rules, the playing field, and the goals. Pride goes out, humility enters, and a great awakening of what can be arises as the early morn. Jesus puts life in well-oiled church organization and power in routine works. Without him, we remain a testy and belligerent sort who whittle every other group and congregation down to unanimous disdain.

With him--oh with him--darkness cracks open and light rushes in. We see nothing become something and the dead begin to live. This is to be our obsession; not the preserving of the true church but the aggression of reaching the Truth: Jesus.

As Jesus stated in John 5:39ff, many simply are unwilling to come to him. Thus the annoying claims of going by the Bible continue to chant. Jesus, though, pleads that we are to use scriptures to get to him; not to declare ourselves the correct of religious correctness.

We have work to do. We must shift toward an obsession with Jesus.

THE KINGDOM IS FUN, ALIVE, AND EXTREMELY HARD

2012-01-17T14:17:00.004-06:00

Discipline is training to move about in a direction that hasn't been the norm. Discipline insists on adjustment. It often involves redirection. Old habits are hard to break. You can't teach an old dog new tricks seems wiser the older the dog.

To me, the kingdom of God is robust with present experience as well as intended potential. What, other than God's realm, would be more meaningful? He is our purpose.

So don't be discouraged when you discover repeated days of heavy lifting. It was our Brother who could not carry the weight of his own cross for he had been beaten so severely. Severity, whether we want it, is a part of the marriage contract with our Jesus.

We will not run. Instead, we will learn.

We will not complain. Instead, we will praise.

We will not hide. Instead, we will speak up.

We will not fight the system. Instead, we will volunteer to die that others may find life.

God's church is not for sissies. For every comment we could offer as to our personal mistreatment is surely our true testimony of being intimately connected to the Jesus nature.

Whether frustration, tears, or sleepless nights, do not disregard the value of things going wrong where you live. These are the very fiber of an authentic disciple.

In these situations are our tests as to whether, even here, we believe God and His resurrection power.

MAYBE OUR GOAL SHOULD BE FOR GOD TO ENTER IN

2012-01-16T17:20:00.003-06:00

I like positive thinking. I like the feeling of accomplishment. I really like to listen to the testimonies of the successful. But I'm not sure setting goals in the church is as major as some would believe. I'll try to explain.

Please understand that I'm not anti-goal. I want to see specifics develop in my family and in the kingdom. I have a firm goal of paying my bills. On the other side, I am also aware of the potential to miss-God-in-our-lives if such an infraction is due to our infatuation with a worldly orientation called "setting goals" where we muscle and mind our own fleshly ways.

God has chosen to let me do several things of which I surely feel blessed....and I didn't plan any of them. I didn't intend to preach anywhere but Quincy, Illinois to the extent I told the Memorial Drive elders in 1977---twice---that there was no way I was moving. But God entered in.

I didn't plan on going to the St. Louis Cardinals' Legends Camp more than once. But God entered in and I head out next week for my twenty-ninth year. I didn't see this coming.

I never gave a thought to hosting a nation-wide weekly television program for three straight years in which hundreds were baptized. I didn't have such a goal; but God entered in.

Since truth is stranger than fiction in places, I had no goal of writing a blog. I accidentally set this one up when all I was trying to do was make a comment on Tim's (my son) blog. I didn't understand how blogville worked and in making that comment to him, I established a living blog site that had two hundred and eleven hits the first day....and there were no words. God entered in...and thus you are reading this post.

The list goes on; but enough. I am not against the setting of goals. We at Memorial have Baptism Sundays and Missions Days, etc. where we intend to reach kingdom marks.

I am, though, not enamoured with the idea of establishing high-pressured goals as if we are on a humanistic sales campaign. It is my conviction via observation that Jesus stands at the door and knocks is not only for a lead into an invitation song. It is God's effort to get us to open to Him that He might enter with His surprise mode of operation for the moment.

It also seems to me that during the very times I was trying to appear active and leader-ish in the church, I was simultaneously missing God opportunities while I was trying to reach up the ladder.

We should have goals. One of our first ones should be to note God in the very center of situations we might label as mundane...or even hopeless.....Romans 4:17-25. You see...even in the tomb of dead Jesus....God entered in.

THE SENSIBLE. THE REASONABLE. AND THEN THERE IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD

2012-01-15T08:43:00.004-06:00

We are surely involved in a very fine-line religion....God's kingdom.

Just about the time we think we have things figured out, God will move the yard markers. He warned us to remain flexible like being blown about by varying wind currents...Jn. 3:-3-8.

Whether church shepherd, pulpit minister, or committee chair, we are to be on our toes to avoid imposing humanistic reason onto the church scene. God's ways are not our ways. We quote Him on this....only too often to proceed with "our way" of conducting business.

Just about the time the church has God nailed down, He slips the knots. He is a master at doing business beyond the minds of the one or the many. We can't figure God. We can only believe Him and trust Him.

Considering the scramble God caused that one Sunday morning in the cemetery, we surely can afford to be reminded that God can do anything when He gets ready. Our job is to be ready for His readiness. However, our habit is more inclined to believe God operates under the same umbrella as we....reason.

Fortunately for us....He doesn't.

THE CONTAGION CHURCHES DREAM ABOUT

2012-01-14T08:57:00.003-06:00

I have spent many an hour throughout my years trying to land upon that magic and God-oriented move that would set a congregation on course for authentic Life.

The Matthew 28 text known as the Great Commission has not done it. Yes, I am all for evangelism. Outreach is my heart. However, for too many decades the bulk of the church membership has given this proof text more lip service than foot action.

I wouldn't want to be held too literal on this next statement, but I will say, I have found the Greater Commission is found in Mark 5:19. I say Greater because this passage bears two fruit; powerful evangelism and church contagion.

Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.

The avenue for a congregation to be contagiously evangelistic is not found in the organization of our twenty-five top verses. It is found in the testimonials of those who experience God.

The more we conversationally share of God's personal handiwork the greater awareness of His walk with us begins to be acknowledged. Members begin to tell clusters of friends about their God-stories. Excitement follows. And, God does seem to inhabit such praises while He gives us even more to praise Him about.

The contagion churches dream about resides in the many hearts of the moment which are fearful to share. Encourage His people to tell of His excellent greatness which it actually residing in front of our eyes everywhere we turn.

If you want to motivate your church to reach out, before you remind them of Mt. 28-18-20, maybe it would be to the kingdom's advantage to rehearse aloud exactly what it is we see God doing among us. This will build an automatic contagion....for the good.

FOR PREACHERS ONLY: WHEN TO LEAVE

2012-01-13T10:23:00.003-06:00

One thing I discuss with myself every anniversary of July 15 is whether I still have the drive to remain at my dear church that meets at 747 S. Memorial. I adore this people. Their endurance of me is to be recognized as a faith testimonial that there are yet a people who believe God can override the man in the pulpit...and love the little guy anyway.

I've never been tempted to exit due to difficulty. I am highly self-conscious, to the extent I seek guidance from my elders, as to whether my time is up. Each day I am here is one day closer to my departure.

My friend, Wade Hodges, www.wadehodges.com , now has a second book published.

When to Leave (How to Know It's Time to Move On...Because You've Stayed Way Too Long) is a call to all in such positions to weigh two of our tougher and conflicting questions: Should I stay? Or, Should I go?

Wade discusses openly the arguments that seem to await upon our pillows about 10:00 pm. We surely hit these walls.

I'm in a rather unusual position on this topic as I have been at Memorial Drive for 34+ years. It hasn't been easy. Yet, it is still thrilling. Hundreds have left because I wouldn't. I believe I have single-handedly caused more attendance growth for area Churches of Christ than any other minister in Tulsa. This saddens me; but I must grow up and grow on.

Honestly, there are those who would not walk across the street to hear me preach...and I don't blame them. If I were still the yeller and shouter I once was as a preacher, I wouldn't go to hear me either.

From When to Leave, Wade issues humorous declarations shuffled alongside sobering ponderizations.

"There is always an easy solution to every problem---neat, plausible, and wrong." H. L. Mencken

When you leave too soon, especially amidst difficult circumstances, you miss the opportunity to learn lessons that only hardship, resistance, and disappointment can teach.

Why do so many great professional athletes play one season too many and retire only after it's become painfully obvious that they no longer belong on the court or field anymore?

His followers didn't want him to go. They had just gotten him back from the dead. They wanted to cling to him, to hold on and enjoy the new reality of the resurrection with him. He left anyway.

So at some point you have to ask: Am I actually doing a disservice to the church by staying? Am I hindering people from developing a faith of their own?

If you sense you're losing your ability to dream, and if you can no longer summon the necessary energy to take bold and risky action that could lead to something wonderful, then you may have stayed too long.

You started going along to get along.

"The only thing holding some churches together is lack of communication." Randy Harris

One thing about Wade Hodges that has remained true from the get-go; regardless of personal injury and pain, he never quits imagining what God might do to guide us to our best. I like that about my friend.

ARE YOU IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL?

2012-01-12T07:13:00.005-06:00

The church isn't a social club where one compares success stories of church work. Neither is it a place where one brandishes his or her endowed gifts for God as trophies to be admired. Yes, the church is surely social as well as a display case for God's accomplishments. But more, the church is the testimonial of a people not willing to give up on God when under fire.

Oh how I love to learn and share the God-stories. The more we tell of them it seems the more of them He gives us for yet additional testimonies. Keep it going.

It must occur to us at some level of Christian commitment that God's true kingdom is riddled with crosses of weakness, insecurity, inadequacy, imprisonment, confusion, and even death. These aren't rare innuendo; they are reality for the believer.

If you are in this for the long haul, surely you realize disappointment and disturbance reign. From Moses' burning bush to Joseph's pit to Gideon's army reduction to Jesus on trial to the early church scattering....the kingdom is all about things not going right and God's ultimate delivering of absolute and definable victory.

Try to refuse a life of seeing that all goes well. It will; but only after the stage is clearly set so disparagingly that if God doesn't come through....come through doesn't come.

PREACH THE WORD

2012-01-10T19:36:00.004-06:00

I love preaching. It is rewarding, exhilarating, and terrifying....all in the same moment. I love it because I love God and I love seeing people hold on to hope. The Word is ever transforming in nature.

When I began preaching full-time I would try to think of a good story or illustration and build a sermon around it/them with linking passages. Today is different. I love to find a main text and two or three supportive ones. After that, I then look for a way to illustrate their meaning.

Do not lose confidence nor focus of the Bible. Life resides within such texts. Read them once or repeat them over the years and the truths of God continue to ignite Life in us.

Preach the simplicity of the Word. Preach the Jesus of the Word.

Watch him. Notice his eyes, his touch, his vulnerability as he passes a street corner or a tree along the route. Hear his tone as he heals the one or the seven. Watch him turn his back on the throngs for an escape route to the shore.

Watch Jesus in the Word.

Relax.

Let the Word teach you and then relay it. After all of these years I still find my preparation, as well as my delivery, in need. But I never find the Word of God anything but current and lively.

Our people are deserving of perfect hope. We best not dilute His message of firm hope with our distractive education nor our unfocused indifference. The world is always brighter when God's children are aglow with the glory of the message preached from the Word of God.

Old hat? Nope. New life...Sunday after Sunday!

THE SCORECARD OR THE GARDEN

2012-01-10T06:37:00.005-06:00

John Mark Hicks' recent commentary on Denver Broncos' quarterback, Tim Tebow, is a good one. Tebow's Christian faith is the strong pro and con chatter of the sports talk shows. He is good.

Verifiably, faith has within itself an embedded nature that arouses protest from unbelievers of every corner. I am becoming even more convinced that the sweet nature of Jesus is so right based on how prohibited it is throughout the human system. The flesh just can't take it.

(Ooops...I've got a meeting at 7:00. I'll be back to finish this in a bit.)

So an hour and a half later I return from a meeting to pick up. Now where was I?

We are not to be scorecard Christians to the extent we determine how the kingdom is doing according to our victories---or the number of responses at the invitation song, the attendance at Ladies Class, or the number of baptisms for the year.

We are not called to a scorecard faith. Rather, we are to live in the garden where fruit is born.

We are to find the Holy Spirit fruit in our orchard. Oddly, the fruit is the answer or the solution to a persecuted, loser-feeling, individual who must find help in time of need. Don't you get it?

Anyone (including those who do not believe in God) can show signs of any of the fruit listed in Galatians 5 as long as everything is going in their favor; yet no one can display it under severe pressure. It must come from the Spirit for the flesh just can't be kind and patient in unfair and inflammatory failure. Without the Spirit we can't pull it off.

We must do what we can to refrain from a scorecard walk. Love does not keep records. Our move is to be one of availability to the Holy Spirit sort of fruit. Thus, our confidence is in Him although we are inadequate in the flesh...II Cor. 3:4-5.

FIND SOMEONE....

2012-01-08T09:06:00.003-06:00

...who might be on the outer edge of your circle today who might be sorta looking in.

Call to them.

Assure them they are important, meaningful, and loved.

And when you walk away....

....remind yourself that such is just like what Jesus would have done.

WHAT THINKETH YE?

2012-01-07T08:07:00.003-06:00

I am forming a Think Tank of committee members to help me with a new project. Those members are (YOU) readers of this blog. Do you accept?

Good.

I want to put something into print to hand to our food pantry clients which would awaken them to their value. In the process, to draw them into Jesus would be the ultimate goal.

Our food pantry is a wonderful and meaningful kingdom mechanism at the moment. These friends not only receive much-needed bags of groceries. They also find friends from this flock who sit with them, listen to them, and pray with them. One lady recently sobbed under suffocating duress, I'm not a crier, but this is the one place in my life I can come and cry and know it is alright.

It seems to me that while we are thinking of ways to reach out into the community, this is one place where the community is coming to us. I'm sure similar circumstances dress the stage where you live and serve.

So I want to write a page, a booklet, or a book--something ultra simple and yet professional--which would give these valuable friends a boost to the next level of encountering God. Over dinner last night, while explaining this concept to Mary and our friends David and Lisa, Lisa discussed great stresses of the past and said that you reach a point when you want to say, Just tell me that you love me!

Ah Lisa, I want to call this writing we are discussing Just Tell Me That You Love Me!

Would you think with me? Your comments matter. Some might open a door that you didn't have in mind, but would cause me to realize even another concept. All thoughts are valued.

My feeling is the same for these as for celebs; each possesses pockets of insecurity where they feels themselves to be failures, lonely, useless, and very unimportant. I want to put together a message which would reverse this thinking due to the magnetic love of Jesus.

Ideas? What thinketh ye?

SIMPLE WAYS TO REACH OUT

2012-01-06T15:01:00.008-06:00

Not everyone has a their own bubble gum card. But everyone can make up something creative.

I intentionally include statements about me that are cutting. Weakness opens doors here and there!

When I hand this card out, some are intrigued and others are ho-hum. But when they read the back; all laugh and I'm in the door.

What are simple ways we can reach out? I share some of my tools for caring.

Create a business card they will remember.

At the bank today I invited the teller to our church with the reminder that the first three visits are free. Some laugh, but one of more recent visitors has been the lady from the loan office that I mentioned such to her at our house closing.

Pray. Pray for people when you see no sign of them having any attraction to God or the church. Pray...thanking Him for reaching to hearts.

Believe. Believe that every person you come into contact with is filled with loneliness and/or self-doubt in pockets of their spirit life; especially those who try to hide it the most.

Relax. Move through life robust for the day. Enjoy God, His creation, and His community.

These surely aren't the most professional; but then we are simply ordinary people reaching to everyone of whom He would think. What a life we have. We are walking invitations. Believe it...there are so many who wish to be invited!

SING. SING. SING. SING.

2012-01-06T07:45:00.004-06:00

Jesus died on the cross. He has finished the work. He absorbed our sins. It is over and done. His resurrection is our hope...completed.

Yet, while Jesus has finished the work, faith leads us step by step. Faith is ever ongoing due to or in the finished accomplishment of Jesus' saving grace.

....the unity of salvation is a single piece, and yet a flowing stream. I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith; that is justification. The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment. The whole unity of biblical teaching stands solid at this place. If we try to live the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, he will be our song. That is the difference. The "how" of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit by faith moment by moment (Francis Schaeffer).

...but in the place of sorrow, he will be our song is the verification of the one-time conversion. Who is singing in the center of sorrow? Only the faith-full.

Stress happens to all. Grief is unbiased. The singers of the Jesus song are the believers who get it. Salvation is a done deal. To partake of it at the moment of disruption is surely a sweet aroma to all.

Sing His praises!

THE OLDER WE GET THE YOUNGER WE ARE

2012-01-05T06:58:00.002-06:00

When I was a wise 16 year old I began to ponder just how old would be old. I concluded 23. When I reached 23 I upped the call to 30. As 30 loomed, I then I felt mature enough to raise the ceiling to 35. Today? Old is always ten years out.

One of God’s verifications is found in the simplicity of this age thing that goes on within each of us. In my mind, I don’t feel as old as I am and then Could anyone help me out of this chair is a norm for the coffee shop.

In my spirit I can see the ground ball coming. Yet, my feet say Huh? Well, feet, you were a smidge late for that one.

As the pitcher releases the ball toward the plate, my spirit announces it is high time to swing. However, my hands and arms plead for a bit more time only for my low-grade ears to hear the ball smack the catcher’s mitt.

The spirit and the flesh argue over age. My mind feels like I’m fifteen years younger and my body reports me to be ten years older. I have a 25 year war going on in here!

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day (II Cor. 4:16). As I aged it became noticeably more difficult for me to throw from third to first. Today? Well, it is a bit more challenging to see from third to first.

Aging? No. Renewed in the inner man. Newer today than ever! God said.

My friend if you insist that today should feel old to you….give it ten years.

INTERCHANGEABLE WORDS

2012-01-04T06:57:00.003-06:00

Blessed and thankful seem to be interchangeable. I can't verify that such is always the case. In many instances it is.

The accounts of feeding the 5000 and then the 4000 portray Jesus as taking the bread and blessing it when in the other he offers thanks for it. Thankfulness is the kingdom match which sets the forest of miracles on fire.

Ann Voskamp wrote of the significance of gratitude in her world. The real problem of life is never a lack of time. The real problem of life---in my life---is lack of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving creates abundance; and the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks--take the just one loaf, say it is enough, and give thanks---and He miraculously makes it more than enough.

We are a one and two loaf people. We always will be as long as we live from stingy or even hoarding hearts. But when we let go of the loaf in our hands, the indescribable wonder begins to unfold.

Offer blessings and thanksgivings for whatever you have. The work of God then has its chance to show its stuff.

BELIEVE AND DREAM PAST THE VISIBLE

2012-01-03T06:59:00.003-06:00

Faith sees what isn't.....yet. Romans 4:17 and Ephesians 1:18 are two of my favorite verses to nudge believers to live with their heart eyes wide opened.

So, what do seeing (into the invisibles) eyes do? Being rather small in kingdom dimension, surely I would know only a speck of Truth. Yet, what I do know makes for a good life experience.

Faith eyes see potential when flesh eyes are clueless. Faith eyes believe in people and circumstances when head eyes didn't note a possibility.

For me, I sow seed. I plant crops all over the world and all over the centuries. I have farms coming up that will not be around until I have passed for I pray for some not yet born to have major impact for God.

I sow seed by prayer. Bill Mauer will most likely be clueless when he becomes a believer that I even exist. But I've been there fighting for him in prayer.

I sow seed by phone calls, notes, and simple interaction. Last week I emailed a present-day major leaguer whom I have not had contact with for about two years. My message was that, whenever his young family hits a crisis or trauma, he is welcome to seek my team for prayers for his family. His positive response came immediately.

The church is dull when it operates only in reaction. When the flesh eyes can't see past the seeable, kingdom potential is short-sheeted.

I say that we should do what we can to praise, glorify, and thank God for things to come which have yet to give us any indication such is even possible. In other words....believe and dream past the visible.

SLIPPERY SLOPES

2012-01-02T08:20:00.004-06:00

I ran into an old friend recently. I hadn't seen him in years. He once liked my preaching back in the good ol' days. Not so much anymore.

This caused reflection on something I learned a ways back; why I preached what I did and why I preach the way I do. I cannot speak for all preachers; only for myself.

Upon conversion I was immediately exposed to a severely critical brotherhood. According to the church chatter, few preachers and elders and congregations were doing church correctly; very few. With great eagerness, I did not want to be one of "them" who were surely sliding headlong down that brotherhood coastline known as the Slippery Slope.

My primary preaching goal was the Word with heavy slant toward brotherhood approval. Oddly, one way to gain such was to be loud in the pulpit, unbending, naming names, and taking prisoners. The base of many of those I was around at that time took these signals to be sound in the faith.

While my approach was later to be found out as Jesus-less, I stood against liberalism in the toughest of situations! I felt I was due great honor for not caving.

Then a very strange thing happened. This loud, self-proclaimer met Jesus. It wasn't a pretty sight for my preaching style was found to be more beat 'em over the head than Jesus sacrificing. My fire remains; but the noise has been curbed somewhat. The drive to win souls is stronger than before; but to the mean-spirited I appear to have lost my zeal on that fore-warned slippery slope.

Jesus doesn't cool us off, my friends. He redirects our muscle tone. He strengthens us with his Spirit rather than our own ingenuity. Jesus leads us to bear fruit rather than shout at the orchards. He takes us to the finish line rather than bellowing loud claims from the non-participating stands.

We are in the war to be loved by God. We are in the war for people. The war is intense. I had to move from loud barking at cars passing by to joining the ranks of many others on that infamous slippery slope. Middle-of-the-road, as I was informed by one famous brother that I needed to walk, may indeed be safer. But I know nothing more anemic nor unlike Jesus.

We are called to place our all upon his shoulders. Whether in the ditch or on our cross, may God bless us as we no longer serve with screaming pulpitudes; but with tender mercies of faith in His ability. Some will label this as Slippery Slope. I choose to call it Dependence Day on God.

My preaching? Oh, it gets weaker. My hope is the Spirit of Christ comes through....that which is regarded as the slipperiest of all slopes.

ARE YOU THE COLLECTION PLATE PEOPLE OR THE COMMUNION PEOPLE?

2012-01-01T09:21:00.008-06:00

I'm still a novice at being a Christian. My conversion takes place nearly every day. I'm both new and in kindergarten. So when God works with me all I can do is to say He told me or He caused me to think about certain aspects of His work/my ministry that I did not receive from flesh and blood.

Due to this I have learned to wait with great confidence for Him to supply parts to the sermon each week. He does so throughout; yet I have practiced noticing last minute details that show up as perfect fits.

This morning I was showering and He gave me this thought: My people are one of two categories. They are either needy takers (like in collections plates) passing themselves around specifically to be noticed and stroked or they are selfless givers like communion (fruit crushed or bread broken) which blesses others by their attentive ways.

The former have lines of worrisome foreheads and seldom are willing to get happy while the latter are those who hand out happiness with twelve baskets left over--and in turn--are a very delightful sort.

Not so strangely, both groups have equal burdens. It is the style of the crushed and broken (communion) who choose to be thankful in the midst of difficulty (sharing with others how they are blessed by their brokenness) that lets in the Light from above so that one may pursue His mighty riches beyond imagination.

The hope that excites me is I lived too long in the church as a Collection Plate person. How many times was it said to me, It isn't about you!? My misery was transformed when I learned by watching Jesus give hope to any nearby all-the-while being persecuted and facing a torturous cross.

I am sympathetic to the Collection Plate person. For their misery runs deep. The help and hope is to learn to transform the very things which crush them into useful tools in which to pay attention to others who hurt.

Life is miserably lonely for a Collection Plate person who arrives on the scene to spill their story (again) so that needy words of sympathy might return. Life is brand spanking new for those who convert to glorying in their crushing hardships by noticing the pain in others...for joy returns rapidly.

A Collection Plate person or a Communion person? Which will it be? We decide.

THE MARVEL OF FAITH IN GOD

2011-12-30T14:48:00.005-06:00

So many opportunities brush past me for complete failure. The older I get the more instruction I receive from conscience of my pale feebility. I am worthy of nothing but stones....truly.

This, then, leads me to pause at the marvel of God. Give God your best, I am now convinced, was an Ishmael-like fleshly stab at serving God in strength during years gone by. While the phrase has a noble ring, it has a strong odor of self-assertion and self-accomplishment.

Just like Abraham taking charge via Hagar or Moses declining in reluctance God's first offers at freeing Israel, we tend to gauge opportunity upon our assessed contributional possibilities. And in step with Abraham being in grandfatherly years and Moses debating in resistance, we are at our best when we can't.

When I was first converted at age 23, one of the first sermons I heard was that we must bury our "can'ts". Today I think we need them to press us as God did both of these historical ambassadors to convince us through our failures that God is indeed both able and willing.

The marvel of faith in God is that He can do things with losers. Not all of God's stories reflected the brave Esther or the virgin Mary. He posed powerful potential in stammering, stuttering, idiotic followers who didn't know up from down in the true way of kingdom operations.

At this stage in my life, I am no different. And....neither is God. He is still doing His stuff through the scrambled messes of those like you and me. Faith in God....it is still very marvelous, don't you think?

DISCIPLESHIP: THE COST AND AFFECT

2011-12-29T11:04:00.005-06:00

Discipleship is a serious matter. I am convinced I'm nowhere near such an expectation. I'm not depressed; but I also am surely not parading my most amazing faith for I sorely lack.

I am curious about the need for discipleship among us. Some have lived through the Crossroads and Boston Movement eras. Each seemed exciting at first; but then legalism soon arose as demanding standards (which did not come from scripture) were enacted. From my perspective, therefore, we have taken stabs at sober discipleship only to find glaring missteps and misapplications.

Would I be off-base, though, to say that we mainline churches don't do discipleship as much as we do active volunteerism?

If this is true---and I don't feel I am far off---might we evaluate such a pattern?

Volunteerism is great muscle to our sacrificial body. Service and servants mobilize as ant farms; duty, responsibility, interaction. A negative to this procedure is the sheer lack of allowable correction; we as individuals are not approachable when we don't come through at the best level.

Volunteerism has overtly developed a "hands-off" or else I'll move to another group that will appreciate my efforts. This approach leaves us with either giftedness or not; but little training will be permitted for, after all, I'm serving the best I can. Not.

I think of my Preaching School days where one would deliver his sermon in Homiletics and while the remainder of the class checked those traits well-done and not so well-done. And then....both orders would be verbalized to the deliverer in front of the class; You mumbled, your voice is too high, your lifestyle doesn't back what you just said, etc.

Not only am I not an expert in discipleship, I'm barely a novice. My critique is to be taken with such consideration. I do believe that our volunteeristic processes allow immaturity to remain at immaturity for we have groomed our people to be touchy as well as indifferent to self-improvement in the spirituals.

HAVE A NON-AGONIZATIONAL DAY!

2011-12-29T07:04:00.004-06:00

I am a well-trained and professional worrier. I began such a career when I was about six months old. I know how to fret with style. Harmonious agonization is where I live anxiously over four things at once.

My head swam at Troublesome Time Lake and Overly Concerned River. I would head out right after school for these shores. Later I learned to try to get there an hour before my workday started. One cannot afford to be negligent to a healthy set of fears.

For me, worry and fret were a control mechanism. My frustration was that I wanted to be in control of people and circumstances and I was rarely either.

And then God moved in.

He told me to let things go. Psalm 46:10 Be still and know I am God. Be still can also be translated Let go. Repeatedly the Word reflects, DO NOT WORRY!

So my concern is that if I do not worry and if I curb my frets and if I let go, how will everything work out? Ah.....God knows....really.

When I'm misunderstood or I misunderstand, sometimes the only thing I know to do is to let it go. God will iron these wrinkled sheets. I can't. I don't understand the problem of me or of them. God clearly does.

To let go of dis-ease and nervous apprehension is like being handed a new life. Another Ah!

God runs the show. I don't. God can make lemonade out of lemons and if He should wish He could also make lemonade out of bananas. He can do it all.

This All-Doer clearly instructs us to let it go. But we then feel irresponsible. True irresponsibility is to fail to trust Him. Life for me is so new because I have climbed so many mountains only to find them to be mole-hills in perspective.

Have a non-agonizational day!

SO WHAT WOULD BE WORSHIP BEYOND 11:00 TO NOON ON SUNDAYS?

2011-12-27T19:25:00.002-06:00

I was many years into ministry before I became a worshipper; even during the Sunday morning hour. My early days of preaching were about how good or poorly I did....maybe not to others; but to me. They were about how we performed as to whether the morning assembly went well.

There was little concentration on my part regarding God. It was more about how we lined up.

With the help of spiritual leaders over decades, I began to realize I wasn't praising God. I was more about earning credits, and points, and praise. Eventually, a heart-felt communication toward Him grew. After awhile, this worship moved beyond the auditorium walls.

I pause to speak of our worship as to whether we truly are. And...only the heart of the worshipper knows. I knew when I wasn't...and when I was.

But how? What does worship mean. How will it look?

Giving God praise and glory is worship. Using our lips, not only in song, to speak of how amazing God is should be one's goal. To discuss God's awe verifies that He fills our hearts for from the abundance of such one speaks.

To worship Him is to pray, to praise, to bless, to vocalize, to dream, to ponder, to notice everything in thanksgiving; a bird in flight, a wrapper blowing across a street, an infant's sigh, or the scent of good cologne. When we live thankfully, we speak thankfully, and when we speak thankfully of and to Father, we worship Him....because we simply worship Him.

Finally, to truly worship God would begin by simply having Him on our minds and hearts as routinely are our days.

TWO ITEMS THE CHURCH HAS YET TO RESTORE

2011-12-27T06:24:00.003-06:00

Would it be all right with you if I point out something about us that remains in great need? If I do, would you understand how much I love being us? Would you understand without us I would have been lost? Do you get it that 34+ years in one congregation does not reflect impatience with us or with myself?

Good. We simply have much work to do.

Would you mind, therefore, if I point out a couple of places that need major work if we are going to claim to be the church Jesus is building?

First, there is a great chasm from where we are and where we should be regarding the absolute adoration and worship of God. Emphasis has been on attendance, protocol, and silence of scripture. It has not and still is not---I speak in general terms of the conglomerate Churches of Christ---the urgency upon the lips of us to give glory to our God unless it somehow shows up in the words of a song.

We are surely more prone to speak of a sports team, a world catastrophe, or our grandchildren over offering loving praise of Father in the midst of any casual gathering. In general, we are praisers of God from 11:00 to noon on Sunday.

Second and in general, we are still shy in our own communities. While we do make intentional effort to contribute to a drive or fund-raiser, the majority of our people are afraid to carry on a meaningful conversation with a stranger needing the attention of Father. True, we have worked on greeting others, but our willingness to truly meet those we don't know seemingly will not budge.

If we are to be like Jesus, surely one of those strong traits is the interaction with strangers regarding kingdom matters. Small talk is our agenda, but not Jesus'. He would start with the small talk of course, give me a drink of water. Yet, his thought was always of drawing strangers toward the kingdom of God.

I know the enormous fear of loving others by carrying on interactive communication with those not yet my friends. I wasn't just afraid; I could not do it. Yet, I had to learn. The church has not felt the need to have to learn. Our volunteerism has excused us from restoring the church to the outreach/neighborly connection Jesus walked.

In essence, the Church of Christ has failed in the two most pronounced doctrinal matters to the heart of Father: (1) love God, and (2) love your neighbor as yourself.

I speak not disparagingly nor hopelessly. I speak to any, though, who yet pride themselves in being a part of the true church now completely restored. We aren't yet.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW

2011-12-26T07:10:00.003-06:00

Mary and I are in Atlanta. Wendy's live here. Dusty's live here. Tim's are in from Guadalajara. I've overdosed on grand kids mugging me with requests to be tickled and given zerbert kisses where Crappaw starts to kiss their cheeks only to blow loud LOUD noises onto their faces.

Atlanta is the place where two years ago I came to officiate my cousin's funeral. She died at 61 of cancer. She left behind a sweet husband, son, and daughter.

The daughter, Cara, has chosen to stay in touch. She is my cousin Jr. I love her, though I rarely ever saw her. Yet, we connected in heart at her momma's funeral.

Since that occasion, Cara has been drawn to God. He was not in her home in her first 30 years. But year 31? Well, that's a terrific story.

Cara has been found by God. She speaks wide-eyed of being found by God. She meets in small groups in churches led by Andy Stanley and Louie Gigglio....and is crazy about it!

As we visited at a gathering on Christmas night I could not help but absorb her fascination regarding the Christmas story of Jesus' birth. In her words with wide-eyed expression, I never knew that!

Oh, I know her feeling and those of you who were also converted later in life know the dynamic. You just can't take in what others have known for so long. And....the wow never leaves!

She didn't know! Imagine the others in your workforce or neighborhood...or even relatives...who would love the opportunity to GET TO KNOW!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-25T07:38:00.002-06:00

Dear You,

Thank you.

Thank you for never giving up on the rest of us. I'm sure you have had moments when you could justify tossing in the towel...but you didn't.

Thank you for believing in us. Sure we mess up. Certainly we wish we had come through with better style...but you never let your disappointment show.

Thank you for being a worshipper toward God. Because of your faith in Him, we benefit from His presence in you. Your faith is showing.

Merry Christmas to one, you, who gains momentum from Christmas to Christmas. The church is blessed because you seem to know the One born in a manger so we could be born over down the road.

Merry Christmas.......you!

GENEROSITY ABOUNDS

2011-12-24T07:25:00.003-06:00

'Tis the season for sure.

Sacrifice and devotion to those in need are quite abundant. Memorial's stage will be piled high in the morning with coats, gloves, socks, and scarves. It will be a cluttered wonder coupled with imagination for the brightness flashing across the faces of the homeless recipients tomorrow afternoon....Christmas Day.

Yesterday--here in Atlanta--my two boys and I went over to Dusty's church to pack bags of groceries, toiletries, and toys for homeless families who live in a nearby improvised hotel. These goods were donated by about three varying brands of churches; plus a couple of civic organizations.

Wouldn't it be something if this were to go year round? I thought to myself.

And then myself answered back, It does!

Where Jesus lives, generosity abounds because every day 'tis the season.

GENEROSITY ABOUNDS

2011-12-24T07:25:00.002-06:00

'Tis the season for sure.

Sacrifice and devotion to those in need quite abundant. Memorial's stage will be piled high in the morning with coats, gloves, socks, and scarves. It will be a cluttered wonder coupled with imagination for the brightness flashing across the faces of the homeless recipients tomorrow afternoon....Christmas Day.

Wouldn't it be something if this were to go year round? I thought to myself.

And then myself answered back, It does!

Where Jesus lives, generosity abounds because every day 'tis the season.

A SEASON OF CELEBRATION...AND OF SORROW

2011-12-22T06:45:00.004-06:00

Christmas is a lavish and child-heart time for every age. I love it!

Some, though, hurt deeply because it is supposed to be a time of celebration....but sometimes it just isn't.

I stood yesterday before an eleven year old boy and his relatives to deliver thoughts at the memorial for his father. This little boy has a strained mixture of emotions as much of the city hustles right past him with malls of fun in mind.

Pain and sadness is rough at any point in any year. My heart goes out to those of you who have buried within a tragedy or a loss in the center of a special time where the communities find wonderful excuse to celebrate.

We invite you into our celebrations....but first know we are aware of how badly your sadness burns within your heart.

You are loved.

ENTERED GOD....AGAIN?

2011-12-21T07:47:00.011-06:00

We tend to look for God somewhere within our two-day church platform of Sundays and Wednesdays (you know, those official times the church is the true church?).

So, I am still learning the ropes of the God-work among us. It doesn't necessarily come with a 13 week plan nor an embroidered Church of Christ across the waitress' apron. God uses gospel preachers, gentle courteous waitresses, and all sorts to get His theme across.

We say, Thank you, God, for being so much so vastly so often.

So this morning at 7:08 I spotted our homeless--our recently baptized--toothless Charles embarking on the same day as me. He was entering our shared corner cafe where he enters nearly every morning with purpose. He is important and he is on a mission.

What would homeless Charles find of self-importance at our cafe? Oh, he noticed my suit and tie garb. I informed him I was doing a funeral when he inquired. Immediately he moved to the back to inform the waitress; Terry has a funeral today.

She didn't know and she would not have known had it not been for Charles passing along such pertinent info which for a brief moment was known only by him.

Homeless Charles is to be found checking the cafe's thermostat with a vision of importance to any customer who might note his deliberate slumping to view the numbers through his bifocals. And then he makes his way to our space afterwards to patrol (self-assigned) the entry and halls for the operation of our Food Pantry.

I watched him again today. Isn't that just like Jesus to come to earth in one more form; that of a tall and lanky man wearing a twelve inch brace around his middle for heavy lifting....and then there's that huge gummy smile wider than his entire face?

Yes, I saw Jesus today in his unofficial, non-VBS form, officially standing in as a simple man who desires nothing more than to find someplace on this earth where someone(s) would call him important.

And the church does! The waitress does! Hopefully some scattered along his lonely path do...for he is!

And, yes, it must be mentioned that due to the grace of Father, Charles is no longer officially homeless as he moved into a very small and very humble abode just a few days ago...sort of like a modern day manger.

Entered God....again?

WHAT WOULD CHRISTMAS SAY IF IT DOESN'T SAY THIS?

2011-12-20T06:49:00.003-06:00

I love Christmas!

I thrive in it every day!

I'm not kidding!

Every day is like Christmas to me because of who I know and Who I know. My world has been rocked...for the good!

If Christmas says anything, to me, it says personally. Personal is a very much needed commodity in our culture. ATMs and drive -through windows and online shopping (as well as paying) continue to separate people from people.

God felt the twinge first and sent His son that He might be Personal. No, He didn't shout out commands from heaven's balcony. No, He didn't send out a mass mailing. What He did was brilliant.

God suited up as man! That, my friend, is very Personal.

We enter school to earn credits and we leave school to earn a living. All can be exciting and dramatic unless such a process weans the heart from personally being an interactive person.

Christmas is God's card that says, I just want to remind you to be sure to live personally. What would Christmas say if it doesn't say this?

IN TOTAL AWE OF WHERE I GET TO WORK

2011-12-19T06:28:00.004-06:00

My head spins at the over-joy of getting to work where I do.

The Memorial Drive church isn't the only church in the town or state or world. But it is surely one of the sweetest kingdom spots and I cherish the thought of getting to be a part of it.

Saturday we had our first "Christmas Store" where we bought gifts for children and allowed parents to purchase items at a highly discounted price. Sheila Cheatham and David Combs orchestrated a stunningly amazing two hours of shopping at "Memorial's Macys"!

Several families from the community are going to have much better Christmases because this congregation captured another opportunity to bless our neighbors. About 60 of our people worked the store. It looked like a little ant farm of delightful activity. Everyone loved it!

And then early Sunday morning one of our homeless visitors over the past two months began at 5:00 a.m. and walked maybe 5 or 6 miles to get here. One of our elders found Chris curled up at the door when he came to pray with us at 7:30. So....he unlocked the doors so Chris could get in...and he even joined us to pray.

And then.....this same one responded at the invitation song and said he wanted to get to Branson, where his family lives, for Christmas; but he didn't have a way. A young couple who was visiting met him afterward and drove him from Tulsa to Branson! Another man---also a visitor---handed me money for him to travel. I have no idea how many of our own members helped with a few dollars as well.

Another of our homeless now has a home! He is sitting in our office as I write. He has a humble little apartment and David Combs will help him go to our neighboring friends at the Park Plaza Church of Christ who have a furniture ministry to get him some good stuff!

My job is to tell God how very much I live in awe and over-joy of His handiwork. It is still going on you know!

BEYOND OUR MINDS

2011-12-17T18:03:00.003-06:00

God is breathtaking!

His unfathomable ways are available for all to approach fathomability...only to prove Him right...He remains both unchartable and immeasurable.

So it is with any who determine to believe God. We shall never reach the dead end of imaginational potential.

Thus, I call you to remembrance of the God-work rather than the brotherhood march. I mean do not set your sights on what anyone has accomplished as the epitome of "getting it done". Because of God, newness is always in the wings.

Throughout I have prayed God would show me things and let me do things no one would consider. I will continue to love and respect many great works among us, but I don't want to miss the ones for me by mimicking the good labors of others.

I urge you to do similarly. Just as current civilization is obviously capable of coming up with new inventions, surely Father is more so.

Dream what can be done in evangelism, in giving, in worship, in relationships, in business, in homes, in missions, etc. that has yet to be discovered by our best minds or our bravest souls.

Do not let what has been deter you from praying for His arm to show you what is and can be. Be appreciative for all blessings of all believers. Simultaneously, remain prayerful about the new style and territory which He and you might robustly partner.

May Father's glory wow the multitudes through the few things He dares to let you see.

DOES GOD SPEAK DIRECTLY TO US TODAY?

2011-12-16T07:39:00.002-06:00

There is strong need to open ourselves to inter-communication; God and us. Our errant doctrine of the past has left us out of touch with Father....literally. If you want to know why so many of ours spend ultra-little time in prayer, I'm addressing it.

One-sided, non-responsiveness-from-God conversation via prayer seems to lift no higher than our man-made ceilings. Prayer that is not interactively mutual in relationship (Him/us) ultimately starves the soul. A non-responsive and mute God implies a deaf one that leaves us with little hope except by chance there might be something behind door #3.

While this sets me up for criticism, I still share that God is a God of interaction with His people. I am novice at this for my inner battle over defying what I was groomed to believe has been no minor skirmish.

God speaks to me.

How does He do it, Terry?

It isn't an audible voice of Turn left at the light which the critics would like to believe I propose. All I can say is it is an awareness of Him giving me thoughts. This is very immature in explanation; yet it is the only point I can make thus far.

God says that if we want wisdom we should pray for it. How shall we receive that prayer's response? God said in the same book that it would be sent in from heaven.

Too, God said we are to practice training our senses to discern good from evil. Training our senses from discernment evidently requires more than reading English words from a text. Note: such wisdom might actually be found in a text; but is not restricted to such a location.

For the Word-only group, if every answer is to be found in the Bible:

How would a prayer of guidance whether to become a pharmacist or a doctor be conveyed from God?

Why would we be told to practice discernment? Shouldn't it say just to read the scriptures?

Is there additional information God wishes us to have which is not included in the Word of God? Yes, the Word of God says so....James 1:5 and 3:13-18.

To dismiss potential dialog with God is to short-sheet experiential lives in walking with Him. The old stand-by And....He walks with me and He talks with me....is evidently a hoax if that song isn't to be experienced.

So let's get more specific. Terry, what has He shared with you recently that the Bible didn't already say? What God told me in the past few weeks are things about the Bible that I did not get from flesh and blood. They were thoughts that just fell out of the air...as if from above:

That Peter walking on water was a message from God to tell us to use as sidewalks any disturbance which would normally pull us under.

That thankfulness is a doctrine of greater significance and expectation by God than we have let on; that it is key to causing imprisoning and suffocating barriers to fall.

That I needed to write a well-known personality of something God wanted me to pray over him.

An admitted problem with my overall proposal is that anyone can make up anything one wishes and claim God told them. Of course, I get that. Of course, that is a proper concern.

Yet, our calling is not to avoid an experiential walk with God because some might abuse it. That is merely falling for Satan's sham. He constantly dupes us. We must do according to the Bible; train our senses by practice; plus seek wisdom by anticipating that such will come from above.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSPECTIVE?

2011-12-15T07:27:00.006-06:00

Rather than send you exhortation on this very nice day, I seek your insight.

We at Memorial Drive are investigating the possibilities of Zondervan's The Story by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee. This is an intense thirty-one week focus upon the message of the Bible for all age categories and for all ministries.

If you have experienced this project or know of some who have, would you share with me/us what worked (and didn't work) and what you would do differently if you had it to do over?

If you have a perspective, I would like to be advantaged by your insight.

What thinketh ye?

IDEA FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT

2011-12-14T07:28:00.002-06:00

A few weeks back God sent in a sermon regarding thankfulness that will forever adjust my life. It was and is powerful. Soon afterward my daughter reminded me of a book, One Thousand Gifts, that we had discussed months ago.

I ordered the book.

It is the same sermon God handed me.

You will love it.

To this date I had believed Max Lucado was one of the most descriptive writers found. Ann Voskamp surpasses all skills---my opinionated opinionly viewpoint.

While women will thoroughly enjoy Ann's work, men will glean incredible insight as well.

Excerpts:

Ultimately, in his essence, Satan is an ingrate.....Isn't that the catalyst of all my sins?

Our eyes fell on the glory of God (referencing the Garden). We saw God as He truly is: good. But we were lured by the deception that there was more to a full life, there was more to see.
And, true, there was more to see; the ugliness we hadn't beheld, the sinfulness we hadn't witnessed, the loss we hadn't known.

We only enter into full life if our faith gives thanks.

Make every moment a cathedral giving glory...I am Jacob and the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it (Gen. 28:16).

The real problem of life is never a lack of time.
The real problem of life---in my life---is lack of thanksgiving.

Several somebodies in your world will be blessed by this book...I believe.

POOLING OUR WEAKNESSES

2011-12-13T08:44:00.002-06:00

I don't know anyone exempt from pitiful and humiliating weakness. This secret to some is why we can walk into any heart; we know they too are weak and even fearful. There is no exception.

Weakness is the kingdom secret of God. He can when we can't.

We pool our weaknesses and say to God...Go for it! And, He does!

Abraham was so clueless he has forever messed up the Middle East.

Moses was so self-conscious he argued repeatedly........with God Himself!

Peter thought he was so on top of things he could admonish Jesus when declared he must suffer and die. Peter? No exception.

The church is a corporation of weaknesses glued into the mold of faith....assurance we can't and faith that God can.

Set any congregation up with elders qualified and deacons with deacon pedigree and preaching from the Word and singing without instruments...go ahead and set such in motion. It will be dull, anemic, and lifeless if not enmeshed by members throwing their weaknesses into the faith pot and saying now let's watch God make something of us!

MEMORIAL DRIVE JOY

2011-12-11T19:51:00.006-06:00

We no longer have the wonderful Joy Buses which gave us abundant connection with the community. But we still possess the joy!

We can't quite figure how Father does His stuff; yet we are surely enjoying a rich time of connection with people. As a side note, He seems to have so much going that no one at Memorial really knows what, when, or where. We do know the why....glorious Father.

The Food Pantry ministers to so many very needy individuals. We love these and our people are so good at more than just handing bags of food. They befriend them. These, in turn, help us become a better people because each has buried within gifts from Father that we could use as blessings.

Some sister who resides in India has come across our congregation (I would assume through the internet) and makes constant requests for DVDs of our sermons. This lady, in turn, passes them around to area churches in India. I know nothing about her other than she writes with humility and gratitude. God knows and we sit back and enjoy.

Wednesday night our children will have their Christmas Program; an awesome event put together by our Stacey and our Linda and our Brenda. Not only will the kids do their thing which will be awesome, we will have a natural Friends Day where we can rub shoulders with relatives and neighbors.

Next Sunday and the 25th Memorial is collecting coats, scarves, socks, and gloves for the homeless to be delivered Christmas afternoon. We will pile them on the stage for the next two Sundays....it will be an avalanche of garments for our homeless friends. Two were in our assembly this morning!

There is so much more; what our teens do, what our members do in private that is amazing! So I close with one final yippee!

Last Thursday morning I did a funeral for a family that had no church. Fifteen attended. This morning in walked the son of the man who died; bringing his wife and children with him. He said they were church shopping and really connected during the memorial.

It is our church's yearn to make a difference for others. It seems the more we praise Father the more He gives us to praise Him over. Yippee!

GOD CREATED AGE

2011-12-11T07:23:00.004-06:00

I become frustrated in listening to unbelievers discuss Evolution as the accurate account for life. It opposes God and His creationistic skill.

I wince at the former who declare scientific tests prove the Earth to be some million or billion years old. Really? They have such accuracy? Rather I believe it to be dishonest guestimation.

There is a factor about Creationism that science seems to overlook; God created age.

Did He not create Adam and Eve? And were they newborns or adults?

Imagine a news reporter walking up to Adam 30 minutes after being created.

Sir, may I inquire as to your age?

30 minutes.

Sir, may I have a serious response?

30 minutes.

But Sir, science can verify you are at least...ummmm....24 or 25....years.

Scientific research into age of mountains or oceans or people runs into a stressful scenario when it realizes that one of the things God created in the beginning was age.

EDGAR BERGEN AND CHARLIE McCARTHY

2011-12-09T12:50:00.003-06:00

A few years ago I talked one of our retired members into being Charlie McCarthy for our church Christmas party. I told him he would be fine...for he definitely is not an up-front-in-public sort.

Still, he was hesitant to be on stage in front of so many. To put him at ease, I instructed him to say I see your lips moving whenever he could not remember his lines.

We had a great time!

BYE-BYE ALBERT

2011-12-09T08:57:00.004-06:00

The Los Angeles Angels signed long-time Cardinal slugger Albert Puhols for millions upon millions of dollars. Millions of dollars don't resonate with me as big as they probably should because I live mostly with $5s, $10s, and $20s. Yet, I get the picture---BIG.

So many phone calls, emails, or personal encounters have one main question coming at me, Terry, are you okay? Three police officers at breakfast (that are always in the cafe each morning) inquired if I was doing okay today.

Of course I am.

I'm not only doing good, I'm ecstatic! I didn't want Albert to resign with us.

Love him? Yes. Admire him? Of course. Remain a fan of his? Of course.

Want him to stay? No.

To me, Albert is a case of unfortunate greed. I would wish to be wrong, but I would say that within three years of his ten year contract, he will not produce the results these major bucks assumed. He might leave baseball as one of the best players ever only to be resented by the fans for his paycheck.

Greed, though, isn't just a matter of baseball stars. It is surely embedded into the fabric of our kingdom effort. Money doesn't only talk. It talks in a whisper...with allurement...that we might gain comfort for our self-center.

Greed is a temptation to many to depend on dollars rather than the good hand of Father. May we each do what we can to place our constant trust upon the treasures of a faithful-to-His-promise filling God.

HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU?

2011-12-08T07:07:00.003-06:00

My heart goes out to you soldiers of the cross. We need encouragement from every angle. My goal is to build some segment of the kingdom one brave heart at a time. So, I share with you a book that will fan great flames of confidence in God.

Have you read Kisses From Katie?

This inspiring true story is about a young Tennessee dreamer who was her high school's graduating class president and homecoming queen. Unpredictably she made a bold move four years ago to Jinja, Uganda to serve Jesus. Her faith is riveting. You will be inspired!

Excerpts from the book's Introduction are:

....I began to delve into the truths of Scripture. As I read and learned more and more of what Jesus said, I liked the lifestyle I saw around me less and less. I began to realize that God wanted more from me and I wanted more of Him. He began to grow in me a desire to live intentionally, and different from anyone I had ever known....

.....So I quit my life.....People often ask if I think my life is dangerous, if I am afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable.....I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy....

Katie Davis is now 22 years old and the mother of her 14 adopted Ugandan children. Her compelling story will clear your sinuses!

So here's my deal. I will give free copies of this book to the first 18 readers who do the following:

Request one copy through the comment section of this blog. Do not email or call. The first 18 listed will receive a free copy and you will be able to tell by the number of comments if any copies remain.

In your comment, give me complete name, address, and zip. I will not track you down if part is missing.

This offer is open for the next 24 hours. Once it is closed I will send the remaining copies to servants here and there.

I think you will be intensely inspired by this amazing woman and God's amazing work in her.

PROVE IT

2011-12-07T07:08:00.004-06:00

Have you noticed the extreme nebulicity of God's activity?

We enjoy our multiple labors in His vineyard and we may see great fruit for the moment and we may not for it will come well down the road.

I so love working in such an unframed and unbound zone of nebulicity for God has different measuring devices than we.

When the widow with her mite was praised by Jesus, what do you see of her faith in the following days. Nothing. What good did she do in giving it?

Of the woman who had five husbands, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. What do you have as proof she did? Nothing.

Our walk is a constant score of randomly bumping into people as well as intentional connections throughout the day. Each interaction is pregnant with the Jesus persuasion. Yet, at the end of the day, prove it.

Just as Jesus returned from the grave at the end of three, there were two full days of heavy doubting. And....then there is God. Such is all of the proof we can conceive for much of our effort. Sometimes we see the third-day results and sometimes we don't see it for months or years or decades or never in our lifetime.

Do you think Paul thought about anyone gleaning from his letters in 2011? Doubtful. What we do today for and with God will bear fruit in 2012 and in 3817 if earth lasts that long.

Regarding our kingdom efforts, "prove it" is the wrong phrase. The correct one would be "believe it".

THE HOPE OF A RELEASED FAITH

2011-12-05T19:57:00.011-06:00

I wonder if some of our faith is tight-fisted. By that I mean that we are unable to experience the dynamic belief system God envisions for us because we grab a bit of it and hold on tight; never to let it go. Oddly, we actually stunt its intended power by sheltering those few things we have learned beneath our religious robes of fear.

Consider one of the church's favorite gospel stories; the fish and the loaves. The young lad had five and two. His generous release fed beyond his imagination; 5000.

If the boy should have been tight-fisted the 5000 would not have been blessed. Neither would he.

So it might be with faith. When one accumulates a couple of sound doctrines here and there, and then gets miserly with them by refusing to make them available/vulnerable to correction/addition, a great harvest of new learning is never experienced. Upon reflection I can see where I missed some of His greatest encouragements because I was off in my brotherhood corner protecting my few accumulated doctrines.

When I did such, I was unwilling to risk whether more might be out there for my belief files. I didn't want to know about the Holy Spirit for I had five verses on the Word only. I didn't want to know any more about worship for I had two places earmarked against instrumental music. My own stinginess to the Word was keeping me from encountering a vast and new arena of God working.

But when we make all we know available for release (should we need correction), what will be the result? Much more of that which we held dear will bloom before our eyes. Did the young boy share loaves and fish only to find grapes and lettuce expanded? No, he reaped a harvest of much more of what he already possessed.

When we risk letting pet doctrines go, we will not be robbed of them. Rather we will find more and more and much more of synchronized teachings which support His true will. We learn and we grow when we refrain from being tight-fisted with our beliefs.

God has more to share from His eternal Word. If we will quit holding on to the ten or twenty texts we know best, He may just have an avalanche of additional revelation awaiting! My guess....and my experience....absolutely!

OUR WORK IS TO BELIEVE IN THE ONE WHOM HE SENT

2011-12-04T20:12:00.003-06:00

Our work is not to lay out plans and then plead for God to bless our directions. Rather it is to believe Jesus has the directions, believe him, and get on board with what he has going.

Blackaby and King's Experiencing God workbook of 20 years ago gave us a major and much-needed shift. We look for God's moves.

When we made such an adjustment, a new world of wonder opened for our congregation. So many things have developed; so many ministries begun. We didn't map them out. They seemed to show up on our doorstep.

When God is in the lead, the work seems to go so much easier. And we wonder why?

I, for one, will always need to improve in all my responsibilities. One that has blessed me beyond imagination is to do the work (John 6:29) that Father insists; believe in Jesus.

MULTI-SITE CHURCHES

2011-12-04T07:06:00.002-06:00

While we might still be good at refraining from calling the church house the church (for the church is the people; we all know), there remains among us the tendency to believe the kingdom of God operates mainly from such centralized acreage. It may be time for expansion of such a funneled vision.

Of course I enjoy the crowds in attendance. Yes, I would love to find the count ever-increasing. Yet, it is possible and (maybe) probable that the church could do more at being the church by moving away from our central hub.

Occasionally a few of Memorial's workers will move down the street to our sponsored elementary school for clean-up day....yes, on a Sunday morning. With paint brushes and Lord's Supper involved, a few gather to be Jesus to a public school system.

Last Sunday our Youth Minister took the teens to a workplace where they moved one of our older members from one house to another. Again, the Supper was observed, the fellowship was intact, and the work of the cross in thinking of others was administered.

Don't misunderstand. I'm not antsy to "break us up". But such is what happened among the earliest of beginning believers as they were forced to break up into smaller groups spread into other countries.

We have said it right all along. I'm just not sure we have believed our own lingo. The meeting house isn't the church. The church is wherever the believer(s) is. I love our assemblies; the bigger the better.

Having stated this, I still wonder if more would not be reached through multi-sites. If you happen to disagree with me, that's quite all right. I disagree with me as well.

I just wanted to share this should it click with any in an area I can't yet grasp or even imagine!

While I merely write about multi-site churches, though, others are already doing it....quite effectively.

SANTA HAS TO BE WOWED BY NOTES COMING HIS WAY!

2011-12-02T14:13:00.004-06:00

Campbell is my six year old granddaughter sitting in this photo with her very neat dad at a Candlelight Lunch at school.

Her family was at our house last week for Thanksgiving and she shadowed Grandma each day. She even helped prepare the big Thanksgiving dinner.

Once returned to Atlanta, she wrote Santa such a special note (spelling is her own).

Hello Elfis and Santa!

Dear Elfs Santa and Elfis I miss you Guys and I miss Mrs Close to. I love you so much and Merry Cristmas. Did you no I amost fixst the hole thanks giving lunch?

Love, Belle

AS TRUTH UNFOLDS

2011-12-02T07:27:00.006-06:00

Lord, teach me would be a useful part of our prayers, I believe.

I have hit points in my ministry where I will call out to Him as I pace our auditorium alone, God, would you teach me what you have always wished someone would learn? Would you open to me a world of understanding that no one has yet thought to seek?

I want to know those types of things. Of course I want to learn from what others of have learned. But don't we also want to know from God what no man has yet to discover? And, don't we believe there is yet much to be unearthed from the Bible and His will?

Do we not believe the Word is deeper than the chemist's ability to discover what has yet to be found? Do we not grasp the fact that God's secrets are buried out in the open where only the baby-like will find them? Surely we haven't taken on the stance that heaven has emptied all of it's wisdom....James 1:5 and 3:13-18.

It seems that nearly every time I spend moments with Him, seeking the hidden, something usually arises regarding the Spirit.

Why do we not seek continuance and extension of Truth?

Could it be because we don't want to know; that additional truth might nullify errors we have always called Truth? Could it be that we have it well-embedded into our senses that the brotherhood believes what it believes and to buck the system will be costly?

A bigger question would be are we afraid to admit that we are wrong so it would just be best not to find out?

This can happen. It has happened. I will happen.

May we believe there is more Truth to yet unfold and, too, may we be unafraid as we grow into it.

BASIC INCLINATION JUST HAS TO GO

2011-12-01T07:06:00.009-06:00

We are called to a daunting task. We work for the King.

Man's basic inclination is self-preservation. This basic inclination goes out the window when facing the kingdom life.

Preaching and teaching are pregnant with nervous anticipation. What will we say next? Teach next? Study next?

When I began such a ministry I had two goals: (1) fill up the time, and (2) find out what the brotherhood believed so I could assume their stances of sound doctrine. I preached outlines; but I didn't have much to say from God for His people. I was a likable sort who steered clear of upsetting anyone best I could.

I self-vowed I would never teach anything which would draw the ire from anyone that I was a liberal who left the Word of God and jumped off the deep end. Never! However, I've learned the hard way---believe me---that sticking with the Word is the quickest and surest way of igniting unforgiving fire.

But God broke in and keeps breaking in. He continues to reveal Himself from directions which play havoc upon goals #1 and #2. The less I peruse the Brotherhood Quarterlies and rub up against the poor and the depressed, the more of God I see oozing from life's "spring of what matters".

The Word runs deep, young preacher. If the day hasn't occurred let it, as it happened to me, that you do not run to it to glean lessons for presentation. Rather, you let your eyes rest upon it to say "teach me" what you wish someone would hear.

Our basic inclination is self-preservation until.....until we begin to permissively position ourselves within His sights for true and meaningful ministry. Two things will change immediately: (1) you will have more sermon and class material than you can use week by week which has depth of meaning to those who hunger to hear from God, and (2) you will not escape being in trouble with a brotherhood addicted and devoted to their Brotherhood Quarterlies.

THE DIFFERENCE IN "THE TALK" AND "THE WALK"

2011-11-30T07:09:00.003-06:00

God tells me things. Most likely there are those in our tribe who might mock me for saying such. James teaches that if we lack wisdom we are to pray for it and that when we do it will fall out of heaven above. I (and many others) believe this to be true. God shares things with His children that are not written in the Word.

I understand why some would doubt me on this. There are so many things I doubt that surely Father wishes I would believe. But....maybe I'll grow in some of those areas down the road.

I preface with these comments to say His talking to me happened again this morning as it often does; as I was just awakening from my night's sleep before I realized who or what I was. These thoughts flowed in and I jotted them down on the pad I keep by my pillow for such moments.

Here's what He told me this morning.

The difference between talking the talk and walking the walk is drastic. Talkers believe in the existence of God and His Holy Spirit. Walkers experience God and His Holy Spirit. Talkers discuss attributes of Father with little anticipation that He actually functions in their (or others) lives. Walkers believe there is present-day ongoing interaction between us and Them.

Consider Romans 8:11. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

We contain resurrection power in our mortal bodies now. The talkers debate the role of the Holy Spirit while the walkers experience His activity now. For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you. Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves (II Cor. 13:4-5)!

The difference between those who talk the talk versus those who walk the walk is the former believe in the existence of God while the later experience God. May we be ultra patient with one another while we bridge this gap in the pure harmony of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

That's what He gave me this morning.

CHURCH LEADERS FACE TOUGH TERRAIN

2011-11-29T07:27:00.008-06:00

Wishing to escape personal exaggeration, I must express the need for ministers and other church leaders to anticipate rugged terrain at its fullest force. We are not in this for dainty dallying. Ministry is tough stuff; a pure reflection of the cross.

The reason I point to this today is I believe too many quit; we give up and/or out. This is not a charge against any who have served a tenure and then moved on to another form of ministry under a business umbrella. It is a challenge to those who want to get out because they felt they received unfair treatment.

We are called to a lifestyle that has many facets which simply are and always will be...unfair.

Should you happen to be a shepherd or a minister on staff or a class teacher, do not be caught off guard at how frustrating your role is. Jesus came to die for the world including the ungrateful and we are following in his sandals.

Dan Allender states, Leaders choose daily, but the real weight on their shoulders lies in the need to decide. And there are no easy decisions. To decide requires a death, a dying to a thousand options, the putting aside of a legion of possibilities in order to choose just one.

De-cide. Homo-cide. Sui-cide.

The root word for decide means "to cut off." All decisions cut us off; separate us from early infinite options as we select just one single path. And every decision we make earns us the favor of some and the disfavor of others.

To stay away from the front lines of ministry is to live disengaged. At times this mistaken ploy can be massaged into seeming deployment by arguing causes. This merely deceives the heart by talking a good talk among disengaged (and maybe dishonest) talkers.

We are to be among the troops who live from the cross; hung out to dry that others might be saved. Decide to die daily and you will experience both the presence and the provision of Father.

If we are truly going to lead, we can be assured there will be definite tough terrain.

THE PASSWORD OF GOD

2011-11-28T07:05:00.004-06:00

Thank you is code to kingdom life. It is the key fob to unlocking otherwise stubbornly closed doors.

Yesterday's sermon was one of the harder ones to hear. Oddly, it was on an assumed easy topic; thanksgiving. Throughout scripture be thankful is the command which opens the kingdom system for us.

Philippians 4:4-6, Colossians 3:12-17 and others pound us with the urgency to be full of thanks in each and every circumstance. There were other passages I wanted to hit; but time did not permit. One of them I choose to share at this time.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

It is God's will that we be thankful in all things. Sheep from goat separation does not come merely in faith labors; it shows up decisively in whether one's heart is grateful.

This has demanded a huge turn around (repentance) in my life over the years. I have behaved as a spoiled brat insisting matters go my way. I learned through the harsh pits to say an unlikely phrase to God; Thank You.

What would Paul and Silas have been singing about when the jailhouse fell down? Praises to God were flowing from their lips when it just wasn't a praiseworthy day....to unbelievers.

If you want to change your world for the greatest, start by saying Thank you in each and every circumstance. The imprisonment will stop.

You know the password. Use it.

FAITH SEES WHAT ISN'T YET

2011-11-26T08:02:00.007-06:00

Faith is the believer's tool that defies the visible. Faith stirs the air in such a way that things that are not....become. We walk by faith; not by sight. Sight? That which seems obvious. Faith draws out the un-obvious because it sees through and/or past the obvious.

Faith will not be talked out of possibility just because the visible presents a seemingly set-in-stone dilemma.

Prayer is not about wishing; but about seeing beyond the visibles.

I had an experience yesterday that made my day. It regards faith and prayer.

Mary and I moved into a new neighborhood at the end of July. I have posted before about praying for each neighbor--by name--that I meet; first thing of a morning and the last thing at night....daily.

I was in my front yard yesterday when one of those neighbors was in her morning walk. She saw me and made a bee-line for me; just to talk neighborly.

During our visit, I mentioned to her that I pray for her and Glen twice a day. Tears came to her eyes. Yes, I know. Glen came right in to tell me as soon as you left the other day.

Now that's interesting.

Glen and Stephanie stopped by our house with their two littles on Halloween. I inquired as to which was their house. When I went to pray that night, I could not recall her name. A couple of days later I stopped by their place.

Glen came to the porch. I reminded him of where I lived and shared that I pray for each neighbor I meet twice a day and I could not remember his wife's name. He told me her name...but he seemed very disinterested.

Here's what I want you to get. I don't know how interested he was; but evidently enough to share it with his wife. She elaborated with gratitude (and tears in her eyes) that I would pray for their family.

Faith does not react nor respond to the visible for such will talk us out of kingdom life. Faith believes seed is sown and God gives increase....in His timing...when He gets good and ready.

When Stephanie and I wrapped up our conversation yesterday morning she reached toward me to give me a huge hug.

I think I have made some more new friends!

YOGI BERRA AND GOD

2011-11-24T17:06:00.006-06:00

There is great excitement in being a child of God. We get to take on His attributes. Jesus served as a written video for each of us to study; his mannerisms, his dispositions, his reactions.

Jesus doesn't just change things. He changes people.

God's children are a new sort. We aren't an old brood oiled down and shined up. No, we are converted. We are new.....really new....truly new.

That newness changes everything. All aspects of our walk have an asterisk. The empty grave is that asterisk. Because it is empty, possibility trumps every impossible charge. We are new in hope, in praise, and in glory.

Tell us, benign or malignant? The faith asterisk says we know something more than a report. We win. If we live, we win. If we die, we win sooner.

Tell us healed or wounded? The asterisk of believing in resurrection power vaults us into a new zone of everything is a yes world.....everything.

When Jesus broke from the tomb due to nothing of his own strength---his role was to be dead for God to be glorified---he ruined every item which wishes to restrain our lives. The empty grave is the asterisk which trumps Yogi Berra by stating, Hey, it isn't over because it isn't over.

AND....WHERE ARE YOU TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING?

2011-11-23T07:05:00.002-06:00

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends and family.I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.

I've also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

Once I was in Dispensible, but I'm not allowed to even visit there anymore.

I don't know who wrote the above. These thoughts just showed up on my computer. But one place I believe the author has been in his/her travels is in Denial. Possibly?

And why would I suspect this? Because I have often been in Sensitive.

Have a nice Thanksgiving....where ever you travel----
Terry

THORNISM: ALWAYS A NEED OF THE MOMENT

2011-11-22T08:07:00.006-06:00

Critics are critical to the work of God. Jesus had them and we need them. I don't like this truth; nonetheless, it is a vital part of His success in us.

Admittedly, I was caught off-guard by these who live to pick apart my work. To have sermon CDs sent anonymously of a preacher naming me in his sermon as a false teacher--all the while clearly misrepresenting me--was a toughy. To open a brotherhood newsletter/paper to note, "The False Teachings of Terry Rush" without having ever heard from the author first....difficult for me to take. But...I must have such opposition to keep me focused in dire need upon Him.

My first mistake was to contact these men. But I learned a yes in the midst of such mistakes. The yes is don't contact them. They take this as a feather in their cap. These are weasle-men whose only claim to fame is to pronounce loudly how they wage war against others.

I just returned from a trip to check on my mom. What awaits me among 70 emails? Another public discourse by one bragging of his stance against others and me. His contortioned message is sad. He surely looks good to his audience that evidently gives him applause.

He will not hear complaint from me for I learned long ago that such is precisely what gives the critic the ammo he or she needs to flaunt their stances. Just as important, I learned during the same lesson that I need the critic in my life that I keep in mind church doesn't operate upon my great skill nor my smooth sailing.

It only operates within and among those dependent upon Him.

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me--to keep me from exalting myself!

What we don't like (criticism) is a very elemental key to our groomed dependence upon God. Brennan Manning wrote in his newest book, I saw my life as vitiated by pride, by the inordinate desire to be liked, loved, approved, applauded, and accepted.

No kidding. Him, too?

Thus he points to Matthew 5:3 of the New English Bible, How blessed are those who know that they are poor, the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Thornism is a major player in God's kingdom as its pain shifts us from independence to a grace-filled walk. We need the critics. They are our blessings. Don't throw them away.

A strong test for me is to see that I don't become critical of my critics.

GOD STILL LIVES!

2011-11-21T15:34:00.002-06:00

I was out of town the past weekend checking on my ailing mom as well as speaking a couple of places in my hometown area.

Sunday morning I preached for a little Disciples of Christ congregation in Gorin, MO. They have a young preacher there that is delightful. The quaint little church was packed front to back, side to side. Guests were from at least six other towns. My first visit was, indeed, one that touched my heart.

And then Sunday evening I preached for an area-wide Thanksgiving service in my hometown of Memphis. Attendance was strong. Spirits soared. It was simply a sweet time of reunion.

The longer I get to preach the more I see I have made the things of God far too difficult. I don't mean to imply that His path is without pain for we do each have a cross, understand. Yet, the more I relinquish control of how I think God would/should/could operate, the more He seems to respond to our trust.

I am encouraged by the reports I am continually fed by believers that God is active among us. Shame on us for ever convincing another that the works of God were over. He still lives!

A COMMENTARY ON THE OCCUPIERS

2011-11-17T10:24:00.004-06:00

The Wall Street Occupiers movement has spread across our land. From coast to coast, reporting flows of protests by Occupiers and their clashes with authorities.

I can't quite get what it is that is being protested? I really might be way off base, but it seems to me these pools gather those who evidently don't have jobs....or money. Am I missing a bigger point? Surely.

My larger frustration is with the media. Why show these scenes? Would such have lasted two months if given no publicity? Isn't publicity their goal...and their basic fuel?

Years ago Memorial had a set of elders that made a major and positive difference for this church. It continues to this day. They quit giving attention to the protesters who occupied the pews. When ears went deaf to Occupiers who were weak on jobs and long on both opinionation as well as demandination, the protests evaporated...quickly and permanently.

Major League Baseball has a similar rule. When a fan jumps the stands and races across the diamond, the television cameras are instructed to momentarily view elsewhere. They will not show the interruption nor the interupter. The result? Very few streakers.

The solution for Wall Street Occupiers is the same for Church Occupiers. The reign of ingratitude needs to fall. Thanksgiving needs to fill the veins of both. Gratitude for minuscule blessing and major ones shift focus from self-determination to a community partnership of wonder.

As our efforts increase in being occupied by the love of others per Jesus' example, the world will view the most necessary and meaningful protest; seeing that hope comes to all lonely hearts.

LEADING OTHERS TO KNOW JESUS

2011-11-16T18:09:00.004-06:00

As we help others come to Christ, we will come to Christ in new ways ourselves.
Brian McLaren

One of the best ways I know of meeting and growing in Jesus is to try to explain him to others.

Haven't many of us spent our fair share of time teaching the five steps or the film strips or the Romans Road? Within each platform are eternal truths of life. Truthfully though, each has the inbred capacity to skirt the issue; that issue being Jesus himself.

He warned us against teaching the Word and knowing the Scriptures without ever coming to an understanding of him. This instruction from John jolted me at a point in my ministry that I never forgot it...nor did I ever have the inclination to go back to my previously pet standards.

Jesus makes church life an entirely new ball game. Helping others catch his drift impacts us in equally grand and glorious ways.

Tell others about your story of your interaction with Jesus.

KEEP WATCHING FOR THE NEW YOU

2011-11-15T14:45:00.003-06:00

The Word says we are new every day. It also calls us to renew our minds; not to be conformed but transformed. Hardly a day dawns but what it does not fail to present opportunity to grow and mature.

This is just too exciting. We are on an adventure on the scale of God.

We teach our children God-story after God-story. Why would we clear our throats with a different version of life once we surpass both five feet tall and one hundred pounds? I think God anticipates that our thrill over Him will increase; not decline.

My inadequacies disappoint me. I am now 64 years old. I have kingdom experience under my belt. Yet in meeting after meeting I misspeak and misrepresent and mislabel and misjudge. Will it ever quit? Will I ever reach a better standard?

Due to my hunger, I love to continue to learn. So much I don't know. So much I have never given a thought.

The world populace grows bigger. The need for Jesus is staggering. The hope of God's love within and among us is impressive.

Day by day I am impressed by the hard-core devotion by so many toward Jesus and his cause. We, as a body, are not moody about it. Yes, we misfire and often mistake. But we have reason to hold our heads up high and hope for yet another and better day.

May we learn from our bummer moves which would give us reason to bemoan our own inabilities. Rather may these be our power-lessons which would thrust us into the "new me" we have long anticipated.

Go us!

THE GREAT IRONY OF A GREAT LIFE

2011-11-14T20:02:00.003-06:00

I live beyond my most imaginative life. Even I would wish I could be me...and I am! Before you wish you---as I did for too many years---wish you could have gotten to be someone else, allow me to share what I think life is truly about.

Jesus wasn't joking when he declared he could do nothing unless he saw Father do it. I thought he was; but not so.

A great life, I conclude, is a life of enormous irony. We are thrilled over the life we possess because we gave the first one away. The day came when I traded my old life in like an old jalopy for a streamlined Acura. I finally and favorably gave up on me. I tried; but I just could't do good enough.

And then Life moved in.

Oh, it wasn't when I was baptized. I realized very little at my new birth. Life began to pop for me when I ran out of self capacity to make things work. My failures are among my favorite and greatest successes. I am truly and unexaggeratedly one miserable flop.

And then there was God.

The more I remember my zero-ness, the more God translates my economy of impossibility to surprising possibility just like he did with little David and five smooth stones. Nothing plus God equals dead giants.

When this truth permeated my mind, depression did not arise as I once had assumed. To find we are worse than we thought in talent, skill, and effectiveness does not usually contribute to a cheerful demeanor.

And then there was God.

I have become a new man. New in my ability to relax and let God...really. I don't run anything. I don't control one person; not one. Everyone on our staff is sharper than me and my contribution to the team is to realize it. Relax. Let God do his thing.

The great irony of life for me was that while I kept reaching I forgot to look inside of this self wrapped in misgivings and supreme failure. Jesus is in here. I was reaching toward recognition and accomplishment. The Accomplisher was inside all during my struggles to become somebody.

I am somebody. I am a great liver. Jesus is parked in here

Wanna have a really good day. Look inside of yourself. Don't look at self-evaluation. Rather look to see if Jesus isn't in there ready to make you yet another one of the most amazing creatures of His handiwork. It goes on, you know.

I live...yet not I, but Christ live in me....really.

ANOTHER GOD STORY

2011-11-14T08:21:00.003-06:00

Former Cardinal catcher, Mike Matheny, has been a good friend over the past few years. If I could be like any man I ever met, it would be Mike.

He is a great leader and a strong Christian. His faith is a visible walk. The last time we were in camp, Mike was the chapel speaker. He is a powerful tool for God.

My small group that meets on Sunday evenings has been praying for two weeks regarding Mike's role of being one of six interviewees for the St. Louis Cardinals managerial post.

Last night the group had been praying about 40 minutes which included our call for God to pay attention to Mike in his quest.

When we concluded that time, my cell phone rang. It was my son Tim. Dad, have you heard what the Cardinals just announced? It's Mike Matheny! Our small group whooped and hollered!

I just thought you might like to be in on this God story. The connections are fascinating and I am proud for my friend.

HOW TO EXPERIENCE GOD

2011-11-13T07:21:00.004-06:00

Go places the flesh is afraid to go. That is how to experience God.

Safety in the church/kingdom is a grand dilutent to the work at hand. We are to be a people about the work of God; not the ability of the human mind.

When we fear we are poised for failure. Love casts out fear.

The tendency to protect our image must go. How do you think Peter looked to his colleagues as he traipsed out onto the water toward Jesus without giving it appropriate analysis?

I'm preaching on this today and I can't wait. God has shown me so many things. Few of the wows ever came because I was cautious and walked with the herd-thinking. When it gets down to the marvelous experience of God, we will usually find that such happens when we are alone.

The church is bursting at wishing to burst...from the pew. Launch out into the deep...often alone...and expect God to be there ahead of you. Train your senses to know what is of Him or of your own dull imagination by practice. He calls for it.

Our young are bored because we groom them to be respectable and moderate in their faith. Interiorly, I think they hunger to experience God. May we show them how.

THE CHURCH IS NOT TRAINED TO BE DISTURBED

2011-11-11T10:15:00.004-06:00

The life of Jesus is disturbing.

Often scriptures illustrate him blessing one person only to upset another within the same context. Two men praying in the temple depicts such a truth. The Prodigal and his brother reveal yet another.

Fundamentally, the church doesn't do disturb.

Members basically refuse it and believe such to be of the side of darkness. We suffer due to our incessant gravitation toward faith through the safety of little required of us. This simply is diametrically opposed to the nature of Jesus and the cross.

For this reason the church is quite weak in the realm of discipleship. We are missing a great element of kingdom blessing by insisting the church remain agitation free. We naturally desire a fleshly peace which would divert us to a walk a safe distance from the cross but still allow service of sort.

I'm not promoting unwarranted nor unsettling issues; but rather the power of the Word. I am saying the church reacts to disturbance by putting it down quickly when such might be an effort by God to shake us loose from our calloused and deadened ways. The Word cuts. In order to avoid its cuttings we tend to avoid the Word.

The Word will teach us new ways which will oppose some of our settled conclusions. The Bible will not let us remain who we have been; but will call us into the new Life of growth and maturity.

Discipline is hard. It is of God.

Moab has been at ease since his youth; He has also been undisturbed on his lees, neither has he been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile. Therefore he retains his flavor, and his aroma has not changed. Therefore behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter his jars (Jer. 48:11-12).

Lees is the sediment settling to the bottom of a vat of new wine. Emptied from container to container the lees are disturbed and then redisturbed until the fine wine develops as the lees are not allowed to settle but are eliminated through the disturbing process.

So it is with us. Our call is not to quit; but rather to regard annoyances and disruptions as a part of the kingdom life process. We are not to give up in frustration because matters do not pan out as we had planned. Rather we are to regard our personal agitation as within the framework of God's intended and insistent blessings.

One reason the whole church needs to experience what is regarded as that villain called change is that such a process purifies what could have become dull, rigid, and dead over time. I speak not of error; but of Truth that we have yet to realize or admit.

The church is not trained to be disturbed. Who among us prefers it? However, the church has been groomed to reject alarm. Yet, it is surely an important factor for legitimate growth of the body.

The church is not trained to be disturbed. We are the weaker for it. Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeals among us. These are for our testing....they are our lees....I Peter 4:12.

AVOID PARENT SHOCK

2011-11-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

Parent shock can be as stark as sticker shock. We just had no idea.

Therefore, to the younger, I want to give you a concept of what you are in for as a parent. Of course there are varying issues and troubling matters which this simple blog would not address. The basics for avoiding parent shock will hopefully serve to some value for a few.

I always liked parenting. It is sheerly remarkable. Wonder is everywhere. And, difficulties surely arise. Don't go into shock when you hit the latter. It will happen.

Don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you as if some strange thing were happening to you...this is going on only for your testing....I Peter 4:12 is very necessary for moms and dads.

It would be a good idea to determine whether you are about to speak grace at the time of need (Eph. 4:29) or death-words. While I was a strong disciplinarian and believe in it to this day, I intentionally spoke life into the young ears. I could have used the same as a kid.

You might want to get a pen and paper and write this down; Your kids will make mistakes. It isn't because they are kids; but because they are like us. So try not to go into orbit when the phone call comes revealing a negative circumstance. That circumstance is presented you to see how you are going to do; not necessarily to see what you are going to do with or to them.

The question is not, Will they mess up? The question is, Will you go over the edge when they do?

Do what you can to avoid parent shock. Bad choices by children will and are coming. They are us in miniature. Mercy and grace, correction and training are needed in all circumstances. Fathers, do not provoke your children is the back-side of Children, obey your parents.

Our kids will do better if mom and dad can address corrections and adjustments without killing young spirits by our falling apart in shock. Be nice to your children for someday they will determine what elder-care you are worth.

FAMILY CIRCUS CARTOONIST DIES

2011-11-10T07:08:00.002-06:00

Bil Keane died Tuesday. He is the well-known cartoonist of the delightful Family Circus in the "funny papers".

I carry great respect for Mr. Keane's talent. His material actually was funny.

I brushed past this man in the mid-80's when I was writing a manuscript entitled, The Holy Spirit Makes No Earthly Sense. During the months of that process Family Circus popped out one morning with the little one inquiring, I know about the Father and the Son, but what is the Holy Spearmint?

I so loved that particular cartoon as it clearly fit the theme of the book. I wrote Mr. Keane for permission to copy the cartoon in the book. The book eventually went to print without it.

Months later--too late--I received a note from Mr. Keane stating I surely could use his cartoon; that he was impressed someone of faith would see the humor in that specific drawing.

Family Circus was my favorite cartoon of the newpaper industry. I almost got to use it in my book.

THE SIMPLE WAY TO REACH LIKE JESUS

2011-11-09T13:17:00.004-06:00

There is a way to reach to friends and neighbors. There are ways one shouldn't. Many of us have experienced the "shouldn't" ways.

I noticed something today in study that might encourage a few as to how to reach one, a few, or several.

Become human.

Jesus didn't become religious. He was born of Mary; not as a scholar but as a human. Your first great attribute is to remember this point. It is where Jesus began.

A mistake we make at times is in trying to be inauthentic in our verbiage. I tried to learn the ropes of outreach by memorizing a scripted conversation that felt more like I was reading from a teleprompter.

Don't underestimate the simple truth that Jesus' first step in reaching to us was simply by becoming one of us. I Cor. 9:19-23 is the rare text which speaks of "winning" people. How is it accomplished? By becoming like the ones whom we are reaching, winning develops.

Be encouraged. Refrain from trying to be some thing or some one you are not. Be you...a human who loves God....and then say so.

The simple way to reach is to first be a person of God who grows into the role....that's what Jesus did.

BLESSED FOR BELIEVING WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE

2011-11-08T20:47:00.003-06:00

Well-known for his doubting, Thomas is credited for touching the wounds of Jesus to verify the moment wasn't a dream. Jesus really was back!

The response Thomas received was unique and insightful. You believe because you see; blessed are those who believe when they cannot see.

Enter the factual and actual presence of the Holy Spirit.

He is easily dismissed as hodge-podge or hokey to the Thomas' of the present-day church. Foolishness. Silliness. Absurdity. Each call expressed in mockery of believers who dare think there something existing in the invisibles as well as active among us today.

If the church in general could use an infusion of sorts, it surely could use a high dose of Life! Precisely, such is the Holy Spirit duty. Jesus, in both flesh and Spirit, is all about abundant life!

Churches do not need to trade preachers, replace current elders, or revamp tired and worn ministries. They desperately and accurately need the Holy Spirit's engagement within all. Due to His presence, something special breaks out....like life from death's grave.

I know of nothing to beneficially reshape every congregation as that of the activity of the Holy Spirit of God within and among the members who claim to display His banner of love.

One is still blessed for believing the Holy Spirit that cannot be seen.

MY FRIEND; THE SKELETON WITH BEAUTIFUL EYES

2011-11-07T13:21:00.003-06:00

I went to see a friend today. She is borderline hospice. It was a bittersweet visit; bitter at the scene of the deterioration of this once glamorous woman with the sweet that Jesus successfully rescued us from us.

I was escorted into her bedroom which has become her living room, her office, her slumber pad, and her eventual casket of sorts. The view was stark as well as painful.

My friend is now a skeleton with beautiful eyes. No hair. No muscle. Her arms fold as an ironing board. She is frightfully precious.

I took her a plant with blooms. At the sight she began to weep. The flowers are pretty green and purple. I then pulled a brown bulb from my pocket. My friend, don't be afraid. This bulb is you today. This plant is you next week. The bulb cannot imagine the beauty it will become in the future. Such is only a promise of God. But....you can be sure you are about to become more than you can imagine.

We visited a bit. I asked if she was afraid. She is not. We prayed...well I prayed and she agreed. It was both a sensitive and meaningful visit for both of us. Jesus was our guest and our theme. We rehearsed how we are all right because he became all of our wrongs; II Cor. 5:21.

We did not discuss whether is was all right for the church to have a kitchen or a garage sale. The topic of whether Max should be/could be a workshop speaker was not given attention. There was no debate regarding mixed swimming. Neither of us referenced Billy Graham's doctrines nor Joel Osteen's for that matter.

Oh, I don't know. I guess when one in the room is merely a failing skeleton with beautiful eyes we just didn't feel like wrangling over church stuff that both of us at one time were led to believe was of utmost importance.

SEE THE PEOPLE

2011-11-05T18:17:00.002-05:00

Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the church and see all of the people. I learned this little poem when at VBS at a Presbyterian church in my pre-school days. Parts of it still rings essential; see all of the people.

Tomorrow we will be wonderfully positioned to see so many of the people. The importance of people being seen is kingdomly crucial. Jesus was a master at it. Whether behind him in a crowd or stranded up a tree, Jesus had eyes to see the people.

Specifically, I urge you to see the person(s) you are visiting with tomorrow. Try not to be thinking elsewhere when a very important one of God is speaking to you. Look deeply into their eyes to the depth you can see their heart. Notice the importance of the one in your presence.

See the people. Note their value.

When you do those to things love for them will fill your heart. We all know what happens from that which fills our hearts, don't we? Our lips begin to confess the abundance that fills our hearts.

When the person in front of you fills your heart, you will know what to say. You will speak the nature of Jesus for his eyes will be peering through yours at another one of God's masterpieces; a regal person.

Tomorrow's assemblies? Be sure to see the people!

IS HAPPINESS REALLY A CHOICE?

2011-11-05T08:54:00.002-05:00

God and I were discussing this topic on our way to the office this morning. I was telling Him how I so enjoy watching the three of Him do such outrageous work in front of us. We began to think about the topic of happiness.

I walked into my office and turned my daily calendar to this:

Don't be sad about the things you want and don't get. Think how many things you don't want that you don't get!

Why is happiness such a big deal to me? It is because I spent far too many years--including preaching time--being terribly unhappy, dissatisfied, and.....well...extremely pouty.

What changed for me was to realize I really did have a choice in the matter. I could place a deciding vote as to whether I wanted to like today....every day! You know what? That's not a wish. It is the truth.

All happy people have just as many aches and pains as the rest; maybe even more. The difference in life is not whether the good breaks or bad breaks happened. The difference is made when one chooses what to dwell upon.

Choosing to be happy doesn't mean only happy things occur. Devastation and discouragement are at many turns. The definitive factor toward joy is what we choose to soak our mind in. That's it.

God taught me this in many places. Philippians 4:4-13 would not allow me to revert to my age-worn excuse that others got breaks but I didn't. All have enough go wrong to drive us to the edge of the cliff at times. God, though, teaches us to notice the beauty that up til now had not been noticed until we arrived at the edge of the cliff.

Be happy? It is your vote independent of anyone else.

Even this post can make you elated or resentful; but only you choose which it will be.

A GOOD FRIEND PASSES

2011-11-04T13:29:00.002-05:00

I was saddened to learn this morning that Bob Forsch passed away last night at age 61.

He was the third winningest pitcher in St. Louis Cardinal history.

I have been with him at the Legends Camps for the past ten years. We built a strong friendship.

Once I encouraged Bob to be at chapel as I would be speaking and I needed his support. He didn't usually attend. He was there.

This picture is unique in that the "big boys" don't ask the "rookies" for autographs. Yet, Bob sought mine as we were about the clear out of the clubhouse and onto the field.

I thoroughly enjoyed being around this Cardinal legend. He was good to me. When my latest book (MVP) was ready for print, Bob was the first of five former stars to endorse it.

I will miss this man....but I won't forget him. And what I will remember best is that while he was a big deal in the baseball realm, he was really a decent man of humility.

THE POWER OF ELDERS

2011-11-04T07:30:00.005-05:00

Much has been said over the years regarding elders. More will surely follow. I'm in year 34 of a special Memorial Drive tenure. It has been a rocky trip paved with both tears and joy. I have needed every bit of the difficulty and deserved none of the overjoy.

Having experienced approximately seven variations of elder teams, I hope to have learned a few things along the way. I choose to share such should it be valuable to your work.

The major shift for good began when Memorial called men to shepherd us who thought alike. Before, we had teams of elders who did not have the same philosophy and direction. They were continually at odds and a divided congregation most naturally followed suit consistently.

We could not get to the work at hand for putting out fires and enduring countless long meetings filled with frustrating argumentative anger. Throughout the years we have had a variation of teams and each one that possessed inner division saw identical fruit in the body.

Ironically...one of the things voiced most from the divisive clusters was, We may oppose one another in this room, but when we go out there we are one voice. It didn't happen because a few would get with their cronies to complain about how things "weren't" going. And then the next meeting would find the insertion, We may not agree in here, but when we leave this room, we are one.

Wishful thinking. Not true. Kept the church frustrated.

For the last several years, Memorial perpetually experiences new light and life. Compassion for the ailing has found regeneration. Openness to the Spirit finds great presence. Gifts embedded in one another form a body of workers together rather than against one another.

This has come about--not because of preaching and not because of effective marketing--because our shepherds over the years have had the same philosophy and mutual respect. Yes, each is different.

Yet, the annoying egocentricity isn't present. Their approach to the Word and the Work is naturally one because they are not only biblical brothers; they have grown to become spiritual friends.

Due to this power of our elders, divisive uprisings within the flock don't survive for they find no elder in their camp. We are all camping as a family. Our staff is a unique and special team. Our congregation is sweet of heart and growing in Spirit. We are experiencing God day by day and the gate that allows us to go in and out is that of our shepherds...for they think the best they can like the First Shepherd.

Elders--my experience--are either of the Law or of the Spirit. The first will stagnate and kill a congregation. The latter will allow the Breath of Life to flow among the flock.

THE ACHE OF THE HURRIED WORLD

2011-11-03T06:28:00.005-05:00

Trends are fascinating. From transportation energy to computer gurus to the latest hairstyles, there seems to be an open market for the latest and greatest.

I find that one of the enduring truths taught me in preaching school was K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). Simplicity is the Jesus style. If not careful, simplicity will be buried in this age known for technology.

Business knows of the Peter Principle where advancement can ultimately push one effective worker upward into a zone which is both foreign to his or her skills; and thus, ineffective in such a promotion.

Christians must be ever alert to the Martha Principle of being involved in an array of things to the extent little is accomplished.

The Martha Principle is rampant in the kingdom. I first began to see this when my three were in elementary school and I was away traveling the nation. I soon realized I must simplify my schedule. I could. I did. Oddly, it took a few defensive arguments with invitees to get to this productive juncture.

The tech world concerns me. Conversations at business breakfasts or family gatherings are often interrupted as cell phones ding-dong and the receiver is compelled to look and relook and look again at the next ding-dong. Public speakers are more likely to lose a portion of the audience due to their incessant need to text across the Atlantic or across the room.

America is addicted to distraction. ADD and ADHD are actually enhanced by so many Martha-wares on the market to keep the diseases going.

My word to many of you is to have the courage to say no to the drugs that dilute the thrill of living right now. The drugs of opportunities which would burden your calendar; let them go. The drugs of so many good things going which distract from the one thing necessary; let them go. The drugs of signing up to keep your image afloat; let them go. Go to rehab. Get well.

It is a strange set of plates the church needs to balance; those who won't help out with the work and then there are those who have their hands in so many things they contaminate a simple work. A few need to get up and get going while others really need to drop multi-commitments in order to do a few commitments well.

The old-fashioned ability to be a devoted and hard worker without feeling the pull to join the many grand schemes may, in fact, become a welcomed and new trend.

Simplicity is the ache of our hurried world. Bless your kids with it!

SHOULD THE CARDINALS RE-SIGN ALBERT PUHOLS?

2011-11-02T12:56:00.003-05:00

No.

THE BIGGEST LOSER

2011-11-01T19:46:00.004-05:00

My favorite television show is now in season; The Biggest Loser.

Everywhere we turn, learning is prominent. I study the speech traits of news analysts, timing of comedians, and the tendencies of all people under duress. God has secrets buried in each that I could use.

Oddly, each time I watch The Biggest Loser I feel like I have attended a two-hour seminar on leadership training. It happens week after week, season after season.

Tonight the nine remaining contestants were forced into realignment of teams and coaches. Few remained with their beloved coach of seven (or so) weeks. None got to stay with their welded teammates.

Anger and disruption has hit the ranch! My guess is that before the season ends new bonds and newer successes will develop.

I see in this the value of adjustment. As in physical training, muscles develop better when routine is broken. The same similarity appears to be true of humanity in general. Adjustment is necessary to keep us alive.

I think back about how I didn't want a computer, email, or a cell phone. The way I had been working...had been working. Why upset things when mediocrity seems to work so well?, I always say.

I laugh at the comment, You don't need to change things for changes' sake. Sometimes, even that is needed at times to awaken our dispositions to greater and undiscovered possibility.

Possibly?

So what is in this for us today? Disruption is all around. As leaders we would do well to study those areas where we see value in it. God says we are new day by day. True? If it is true, newness should be anticipated; not fought off.

Even the biggest loser is to be encouraged because in their enormous strain of losing weight, the lean and mean healthy one buried within their overweight is about to emerge. As we lose the overweight of life's turbulence, maybe we will discover yet a new us.