This is a very unique day – a day that only comes once every four years – it’s Leap Day! Leap Day is added to the calendar in leap years (typically every four years) as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days. There are some exceptions to this rule since the duration of a solar year is slightly less than 365.25 days. Years that are evenly divisible by 100 are not leap years, unless they are also evenly divisible by 400, in which case they are leap years. Clear as mud, right?
Regardless, Leap Days are pretty unique since they only happen every so often. To help celebrate and mark these days, people do some fun and unique things. For example, Disney is keeping their Disneyland and Magic Kingdom theme parks open for 24 straight hours for the first time, opening at 6am today and running until 6am tomorrow. Their whole campaign was centered around, “What would you do with an extra day?” Tor them, they are offering special decorations, special food offering, and of course, special memorabilia, all in hopes of drawing people to spend their “extra day” this year in one of their parks.
Disney’s Leap Day campaign got me thinking. Their hope is that people would “celebrate” Leap Year by investing the day – and the money necessary – to spend twenty-four hours in one of their parks. It’s a unique campaign to be sure, and they are expecting record crowds coming out to spend an extra day in “Happiest Place on Earth.” Playing around with this motif, I think followers of Jesus should also take this opportunity to do something a little extra to shine the light and love of GOD in a world in such desperate need of it. Not just because we have an extra day this year, and certainly not just for happy places to visit on earth (though for full disclosure, I LOVE Disney World!), but because we were created for far more than happiness in the here-and-now!
So often, we think of time as a commodity that we never have enough of. In some ways, especially since we live in a temporal world, that is true. The fact of the matter, however, is that GOD transcends time, and this is primarily important as He seeks to bring all of us into a saving relationship with Him through Jesus. But you know what? Our souls are eternal, too. Sure, our bodies will wear out and we will one day cease to walk this earth, but our souls will live on, and when that happens, GOD wants that to be with Him in heaven.
One of the primary emphases of the Lenten season is to remind us of our mortality. Some people live as though they will live on the earth forever. Others live as though this existence is all there is. Jesus was adamant that neither of these propositions is true, so it is imperative that we live acknowledging the focus of Ash Wednesday and the entire season of Lent: that from dust we come and to dust we will return (Genesis 3.19). Contained within our dusty nature, however, is the soul that GOD created specifically for the purpose of worship and relationship; not just in the here-and-now, but also for eternity!
Disney asks a great question, “What would you do with one more day?” I’d like to see us redeem that and understand that we are about something far more significant than just one more day, because eternity is real! If you would live differently just because today is Leap Day, why not approach each and every day with the same vim and vigor? We were made to live forever with the Lord in heaven, and once we are united with Him there, the whole notion of “one more day” will mean something entirely different, for then, we will bask in the eternal glow of GOD’s light and love.
If you have yet to do so, take this opportunity to turn your “one more day” into the blessed assurance of life eternal with GOD through Jesus Christ! We were created for so much more than this, so may we start living it…not just because we get “one more day,” but because GOD has planned us for eternity! May this Good News cause you to leap for joy today and every day!
Happy Leap Day!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Bringing Balance To Your Life
Have you ever lost your balance? Odd sensation, isn’t it? To be standing or walking then all of a sudden you feel as though the carpet has been pulled out from under you. It is an odd sensation to think everything is under control and then to grasp for something hoping to not hit the ground.
Losing your physical balance can also come when you are trying to overdo it. Case in point: the other day my lovely wife came home with a trunk full of groceries. As I meandered to the garage, the testosterone kicked in. I did not want to make more than one trip, so I decided I was going to carry everything I could possibly carry, and then some! So I looped the plastic grocery sacks all up and down my arms and morphed into a pack mule as I carried who-knows-how-many pounds of groceries upstairs.
The trip went just fine, though my machismo would prevent me from saying anything to the contrary. It all went south though we when it came time to put the groceries down. I had exhausted myself carrying such a load and I wanted to just drop everything. So I did. And you can probably guess what happened next. I dropped a bottle of steak sauce; it shattered and created a colossal mess! I had tried to overdo it thinking I could take a short cut and get out of a harder job. Though I made it through the initial task unscathed, overextending myself created a worse mess.
Losing your physical balance gives us a physiological sensation or consequence. But what about when we lose spiritual balance in our lives? It is just as easy for us to bite off more than we can chew, thinking we need to be a superman or superwoman, and find ourselves out of balance spiritually. This happens when we set ourselves up as god of our lives or get more concerned with getting stuff done versus touching hearts for Jesus. It also happens when we allow others to demand more than we can give on a constant basis. This breeds resentment and burns us out.
The writers of the devotional book, TouchPoints For Leaders have this to say about balance. “Balance means living a life that honors God, others, and yourself in the way you use your gifts and spend your time and resources. One of the greatest mistakes [people] make is getting out of balance by over-emphasizing one aspect of their responsibilities at the cost of other areas. God assures you that there is a time for everything he calls you to do. Jesus, with all his potential and all the needs around Him, left much undone yet completed all God had given Him to do.”
So how can we get balance back in our lives? We need look no further than Jesus Christ. “Jesus modeled a life balanced by involvement and withdrawal, action and reflection, mission and meditation, effort and then time for spiritual energizing. This pace allowed him to remain open to God’s direction instead of human pressures. Balance helps you realize that the need and even the opportunity are not necessarily the call of God.”
So how is your balance? Are you standing tall or finding yourself struggling to find your footing? God did not intend for us to live awkward lives, but lives full of grace, glory, and growth. And when we constantly bite off more than we can chew, we leave ourselves unbalanced. So take some time to find that balance you so desperately need in your life. And in so doing, you’ll find you are honoring God, others, and yourself by not getting out of balance, dropping stuff, and leaving messes in your wake. May you find balance in your life today!
Losing your physical balance can also come when you are trying to overdo it. Case in point: the other day my lovely wife came home with a trunk full of groceries. As I meandered to the garage, the testosterone kicked in. I did not want to make more than one trip, so I decided I was going to carry everything I could possibly carry, and then some! So I looped the plastic grocery sacks all up and down my arms and morphed into a pack mule as I carried who-knows-how-many pounds of groceries upstairs.
The trip went just fine, though my machismo would prevent me from saying anything to the contrary. It all went south though we when it came time to put the groceries down. I had exhausted myself carrying such a load and I wanted to just drop everything. So I did. And you can probably guess what happened next. I dropped a bottle of steak sauce; it shattered and created a colossal mess! I had tried to overdo it thinking I could take a short cut and get out of a harder job. Though I made it through the initial task unscathed, overextending myself created a worse mess.
Losing your physical balance gives us a physiological sensation or consequence. But what about when we lose spiritual balance in our lives? It is just as easy for us to bite off more than we can chew, thinking we need to be a superman or superwoman, and find ourselves out of balance spiritually. This happens when we set ourselves up as god of our lives or get more concerned with getting stuff done versus touching hearts for Jesus. It also happens when we allow others to demand more than we can give on a constant basis. This breeds resentment and burns us out.
The writers of the devotional book, TouchPoints For Leaders have this to say about balance. “Balance means living a life that honors God, others, and yourself in the way you use your gifts and spend your time and resources. One of the greatest mistakes [people] make is getting out of balance by over-emphasizing one aspect of their responsibilities at the cost of other areas. God assures you that there is a time for everything he calls you to do. Jesus, with all his potential and all the needs around Him, left much undone yet completed all God had given Him to do.”
So how can we get balance back in our lives? We need look no further than Jesus Christ. “Jesus modeled a life balanced by involvement and withdrawal, action and reflection, mission and meditation, effort and then time for spiritual energizing. This pace allowed him to remain open to God’s direction instead of human pressures. Balance helps you realize that the need and even the opportunity are not necessarily the call of God.”
So how is your balance? Are you standing tall or finding yourself struggling to find your footing? God did not intend for us to live awkward lives, but lives full of grace, glory, and growth. And when we constantly bite off more than we can chew, we leave ourselves unbalanced. So take some time to find that balance you so desperately need in your life. And in so doing, you’ll find you are honoring God, others, and yourself by not getting out of balance, dropping stuff, and leaving messes in your wake. May you find balance in your life today!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
“Celebrate God’s Time, Come On: Part II”
Last week I wrote about the need to celebrate the miracles that GOD is doing in our midst, as well as the need to celebrate our hope and faith in GOD’s miracle working power when we are going through difficult times. This revolves around the fact that we all have a story to share…a story we need to share…to help people connect their stories to the miracle working power of GOD!
One of the common misconceptions that non-believers have toward Christianity is that they think they have to be perfect in order follow Jesus. If there is anything that the Gospel teaches us is that Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves; meaning, we do not have to be perfect to follow Jesus, but respond to his invitation for relationship and strive to be more like Christ. Consider Jesus’ calling of his disciple Matthew (Matthew chapter 9). Matthew was a tax collector, qualifying for a sinner-stigma that was separate from the other classifications of ne’er-do-wells – think about how those in opposition to Jesus’ example of grace would say that He eats with tax collectors and sinners. The beauty is that Jesus didn’t care. At all. In fact, I think He loved it! What He knew and cared about is the fact that we all are in need of redemption! As He invested time and grace in Matthew, Matthew became one of the greatest champions for Jesus…even writing the Gospel of Matthew. Talk about having a story to share!
This brings me to the crux of my point – one of the greatest miracles that GOD performs is redeeming our lives, and therefore, redeeming our stories! Let’s face it: we all have so-called skeletons in our closets. For some, to hear that Christians have such circumstances in their pasts is an excuse to justify their judgments about Christians. In reality, though, if we allow GOD’s love, grace, and mercy to be magnified by our stories, we become a powerful testimony to what it means to follow Jesus. That, my friends, a story to share!
This brings to mind a bumper sticker I used to see around town a lot: “I’m not perfect, just forgiven.” This is true for each and every one of us, so let’s celebrate the miracle of GOD’s forgiveness. Let’s celebrate the miracle of GOD’s redemption! Let’s celebrate GOD’s redeeming our stories so we can share with others who might erroneously think that GOD cannot be for them. That is a powerful and profound way to share the powerful miracle of GOD’s love for you!
One of the common misconceptions that non-believers have toward Christianity is that they think they have to be perfect in order follow Jesus. If there is anything that the Gospel teaches us is that Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves; meaning, we do not have to be perfect to follow Jesus, but respond to his invitation for relationship and strive to be more like Christ. Consider Jesus’ calling of his disciple Matthew (Matthew chapter 9). Matthew was a tax collector, qualifying for a sinner-stigma that was separate from the other classifications of ne’er-do-wells – think about how those in opposition to Jesus’ example of grace would say that He eats with tax collectors and sinners. The beauty is that Jesus didn’t care. At all. In fact, I think He loved it! What He knew and cared about is the fact that we all are in need of redemption! As He invested time and grace in Matthew, Matthew became one of the greatest champions for Jesus…even writing the Gospel of Matthew. Talk about having a story to share!
This brings me to the crux of my point – one of the greatest miracles that GOD performs is redeeming our lives, and therefore, redeeming our stories! Let’s face it: we all have so-called skeletons in our closets. For some, to hear that Christians have such circumstances in their pasts is an excuse to justify their judgments about Christians. In reality, though, if we allow GOD’s love, grace, and mercy to be magnified by our stories, we become a powerful testimony to what it means to follow Jesus. That, my friends, a story to share!
This brings to mind a bumper sticker I used to see around town a lot: “I’m not perfect, just forgiven.” This is true for each and every one of us, so let’s celebrate the miracle of GOD’s forgiveness. Let’s celebrate the miracle of GOD’s redemption! Let’s celebrate GOD’s redeeming our stories so we can share with others who might erroneously think that GOD cannot be for them. That is a powerful and profound way to share the powerful miracle of GOD’s love for you!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
"Celebrate God's Time, Come On!"
You probably know I was on the road a lot in January attending church leadership conferences. I'm not the best traveler and am again reminded how grateful I am that I do not have to travel for a living. All this travel talk aside, there was one common theme between the two weeks I spent in learning, and that is, we do not celebrate enough in the Church. I'm not just talking about our own local congregation, but in more general terms...I do not think we celebrate enough with people in their life joys and celebrations.
Often times we come in to worship, just sit back, and allow church to happen. As you might have guessed, this is not the way GOD intends us to live! GOD wants us to live lives of praise to Him for the miracles He is working in our midst. And you know what? We cannot do this very well on our own. Think of it like this: when you're planning a party, one of the first things you think about is the guest list; the type of party you throw is based upon who is invited. I think we would do well to think of church in the same way, but let me offer this caveat - we behave as though church is for us, but worship is for GOD!
Often times we come in to worship, just sit back, and allow church to happen. As you might have guessed, this is not the way GOD intends us to live! GOD wants us to live lives of praise to Him for the miracles He is working in our midst. And you know what? We cannot do this very well on our own. Think of it like this: when you're planning a party, one of the first things you think about is the guest list; the type of party you throw is based upon who is invited. I think we would do well to think of church in the same way, but let me offer this caveat - we behave as though church is for us, but worship is for GOD!
That being said, GOD invites us into His presence and calls us to enter with an attitude of gratitude, both for what is going on in our lives and in the lives of others. Paul said this well in 1 Corinthians 12.26, while writing on how we are to be connected as believers in the Body of Christ, that when one of us celebrates, we all celebrate! Friends, we need to be doing more celebrating in the church...celebrating our victories, milestones, and the very fact that if GOD is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8.31)
Hopefully you are so inspired now that you are ready to come worship with a spirit of celebration, but let's be honest - I know there are times when we just don't feel like celebrating. Life's timing can be cruel, and we need to remember that we live in a fallen creation where sin has distorted the image of GOD within us. "What do we do then, pastor?" Well, I'm glad you asked. The answer is found in one word...CELEBRATE!
Hopefully you are so inspired now that you are ready to come worship with a spirit of celebration, but let's be honest - I know there are times when we just don't feel like celebrating. Life's timing can be cruel, and we need to remember that we live in a fallen creation where sin has distorted the image of GOD within us. "What do we do then, pastor?" Well, I'm glad you asked. The answer is found in one word...CELEBRATE!
In Philippians 4.4-7 from The Message, Paul wrote, "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of GOD's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
I love these words, and there are few passages that confront how we are to handle life's hardships so clearly.cPaul wrote these words while he was in prison, seemingly having nothing to celebrate, but his message is clear: celebrate when you feel like it and celebrate when you don't, because when you celebrate, it moves you out of feeling sorry for yourself and reminds you that GOD is in control.
Paul's message is pretty clear...we need to celebrate who GOD is and what He does for us, especially in the times we feel down and out. When we are feeling "spiritually empty," we might not be able to celebrate too well. In faith, however, we can - and should - celebrate the victory of hope over the defeat of despair. Paul tells us that hope does not disappoint, so may we celebrate hope, even when we fear we have nothing else to celebrate! (Romans. 5.5)
The title for this blog post is, "Celebrate GOD's Time, Come On!" It is a play on words from the old Cool and the Gang roller rink anthem, "Celebrate Good Times." I hope it will serve as a reminder for you to celebrate GOD and enter into His presence with celebration and praise. This blog miniseries will continue next week as I offer a great way to share your story once you decide to celebrate GOD's presence and the power of hope, despite life's difficulties. So until next week, "Celebrate GOD's Time...Come On!"
Paul's message is pretty clear...we need to celebrate who GOD is and what He does for us, especially in the times we feel down and out. When we are feeling "spiritually empty," we might not be able to celebrate too well. In faith, however, we can - and should - celebrate the victory of hope over the defeat of despair. Paul tells us that hope does not disappoint, so may we celebrate hope, even when we fear we have nothing else to celebrate! (Romans. 5.5)
The title for this blog post is, "Celebrate GOD's Time, Come On!" It is a play on words from the old Cool and the Gang roller rink anthem, "Celebrate Good Times." I hope it will serve as a reminder for you to celebrate GOD and enter into His presence with celebration and praise. This blog miniseries will continue next week as I offer a great way to share your story once you decide to celebrate GOD's presence and the power of hope, despite life's difficulties. So until next week, "Celebrate GOD's Time...Come On!"
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
On Today's Internet "Blackout"
Today is an interesting time for this “information generation.” If you are not aware, major internet sites, such as Google and Wikipedia, are protesting a bill in Congress that would radically change the way information is shared on the World Wide Web. They are protesting this bill in something they are calling a “blackout,” though each site is going about it differently. For example, if you try to search a topic on the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia, this is the message you will receive: “For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia.” If you were to go to Google, you will find that their daily “Google Doodle” is simply their logo covered with a black box. Other internet sites are getting in on this protest by essentially “occupying themselves,” in hopes of motivating users to contact their local Representatives and informing them of their opposition to this proposed legislation.
There is no doubt that people will be inconvenienced by today’s blackout. That is the intent. This blackout got me thinking, however (imagine that). It brought to mind an inspiring passage from the Apostle Paul as recorded in 2 Corinthians 4.6: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” This verse tells us that even when we are confronted with darkness – whether it is in trying to search on Wikipedia or facing a crisis in life – it is God who allows light to shine in spite of that darkness! That light, my friends, is the knowledge of God’s saving love in Jesus Christ!
The first thing that the Bible records God saying is, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1.3). One of the first things that John tells us in the New Testament is that Jesus is the light of life (John 1.4). Acknowledging that God’s light – Jesus – has the ability to shine out of any darkness is the first step to a brighter and more meaningful reality. You might think that the problems you are facing at home, at work, or wherever are creating an impenetrable darkness, but Scripture is clear, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (John 1.5b).
If you are facing an area of darkness in your life, turn to God and allow Him to shine His eternal light onto and into the situation…there is no such thing as something that is too dark for God! Sure you might have a hard time learning about it today on Wikipedia, but the time will come when even that will go dark forever. You can rest assured, however, in the knowledge that God is eternal and His light shines perpetually. Allow Jesus, God’s eternal light, to shine in your life today. It will change you forever!
Have a great rest of the week!
Pastor Mark
There is no doubt that people will be inconvenienced by today’s blackout. That is the intent. This blackout got me thinking, however (imagine that). It brought to mind an inspiring passage from the Apostle Paul as recorded in 2 Corinthians 4.6: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” This verse tells us that even when we are confronted with darkness – whether it is in trying to search on Wikipedia or facing a crisis in life – it is God who allows light to shine in spite of that darkness! That light, my friends, is the knowledge of God’s saving love in Jesus Christ!
The first thing that the Bible records God saying is, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1.3). One of the first things that John tells us in the New Testament is that Jesus is the light of life (John 1.4). Acknowledging that God’s light – Jesus – has the ability to shine out of any darkness is the first step to a brighter and more meaningful reality. You might think that the problems you are facing at home, at work, or wherever are creating an impenetrable darkness, but Scripture is clear, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (John 1.5b).
If you are facing an area of darkness in your life, turn to God and allow Him to shine His eternal light onto and into the situation…there is no such thing as something that is too dark for God! Sure you might have a hard time learning about it today on Wikipedia, but the time will come when even that will go dark forever. You can rest assured, however, in the knowledge that God is eternal and His light shines perpetually. Allow Jesus, God’s eternal light, to shine in your life today. It will change you forever!
Have a great rest of the week!
Pastor Mark
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
On Christmas, New Year, and a Brand New Epiphany
I sure hope you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! I know our family did and we are enjoying the opportunity to have some downtime together.
This coming Sunday we will commemorate and celebrate the Epiphany, otherwise known as the visit of the Magi, or Wise Men. You can read this account in Matthew 2.1-12. Epiphany occurs on January 6 and marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas. The word, epiphany, means a sudden comprehension or awareness of reality. So when we celebrate the Epiphany and the visit of the Wise Men we are called to realize two distinct things: (1) that Jesus is the Son of GOD and (2) that in Jesus, GOD is for all people.
It is important to bear in mind the image that GOD deliberately gives us at Christmas. Jesus is born in apparent scandal to a poor and unwed teenage girl. He makes His entrance to the world not in the posh comfort of royalty, but in a feeding trough in a stable or cave. Yes, angels announced his birth and a star shone brightly overhead, but it was a group of shepherds and dignitaries from a non-Jewish people who came to pay homage to the newborn King. Where the cries of “no room in the inn” were echoing through the Bethlehem night, GOD was declaring that Jesus was born and sent for all people. And if the Son of GOD can come in such a scandalous and humble fashion, then there is no such thing as a person caught up in the same who cannot come to GOD. Period.
The Bible tells us that when the Wise Men made their pilgrimage to Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were indicative of Jesus’ royalty and the fact that He would suffer for our sins and bring forth salvation. Though Jesus could provide a preeminent case of what-kind-of-gift-do-you-get-the-person-who-has-everything, the Magi knew just what to bring to mark this momentous occasion. For us today, we can turn to the sentiments of the beautiful Christmas song, “In The Bleak Midwinter” and say, “what I can I bring him; bring Him my heart.”
As we prepare to usher in a new year this weekend, I want to encourage you to think about how you will bring GOD your heart to mark this year’s Epiphany. Will you allow GOD to bring you a sudden realization that He is Lord? Will you allow GOD to break into your life and show you that He is for you, despite what you might think or feel? Perhaps you did that a while back and need to recommit to living for Him and His purpose for your life…New Year’s Day provides us that unique annual opportunity to acknowledge GOD’s loving sovereignty in the world and in your life.
May you enjoy this blessed Christmas season and prepare for a very Happy New Year. If you are in town, I hope to see you in worship on Sunday as we celebrate a New Year and learn about how we are taking seriously our call to be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth.
This IS indeed the most wonderful time of the year, so may we commit, or recommit as the case may be, to living for the Lord!
This coming Sunday we will commemorate and celebrate the Epiphany, otherwise known as the visit of the Magi, or Wise Men. You can read this account in Matthew 2.1-12. Epiphany occurs on January 6 and marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas. The word, epiphany, means a sudden comprehension or awareness of reality. So when we celebrate the Epiphany and the visit of the Wise Men we are called to realize two distinct things: (1) that Jesus is the Son of GOD and (2) that in Jesus, GOD is for all people.
It is important to bear in mind the image that GOD deliberately gives us at Christmas. Jesus is born in apparent scandal to a poor and unwed teenage girl. He makes His entrance to the world not in the posh comfort of royalty, but in a feeding trough in a stable or cave. Yes, angels announced his birth and a star shone brightly overhead, but it was a group of shepherds and dignitaries from a non-Jewish people who came to pay homage to the newborn King. Where the cries of “no room in the inn” were echoing through the Bethlehem night, GOD was declaring that Jesus was born and sent for all people. And if the Son of GOD can come in such a scandalous and humble fashion, then there is no such thing as a person caught up in the same who cannot come to GOD. Period.
The Bible tells us that when the Wise Men made their pilgrimage to Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were indicative of Jesus’ royalty and the fact that He would suffer for our sins and bring forth salvation. Though Jesus could provide a preeminent case of what-kind-of-gift-do-you-get-the-person-who-has-everything, the Magi knew just what to bring to mark this momentous occasion. For us today, we can turn to the sentiments of the beautiful Christmas song, “In The Bleak Midwinter” and say, “what I can I bring him; bring Him my heart.”
As we prepare to usher in a new year this weekend, I want to encourage you to think about how you will bring GOD your heart to mark this year’s Epiphany. Will you allow GOD to bring you a sudden realization that He is Lord? Will you allow GOD to break into your life and show you that He is for you, despite what you might think or feel? Perhaps you did that a while back and need to recommit to living for Him and His purpose for your life…New Year’s Day provides us that unique annual opportunity to acknowledge GOD’s loving sovereignty in the world and in your life.
May you enjoy this blessed Christmas season and prepare for a very Happy New Year. If you are in town, I hope to see you in worship on Sunday as we celebrate a New Year and learn about how we are taking seriously our call to be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth.
This IS indeed the most wonderful time of the year, so may we commit, or recommit as the case may be, to living for the Lord!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Change
I saw a list of ten things identified by Forbes magazine that our kids will never have to worry about. The children being born right now are part of what Forbes calls the Information Generation. Here is that list:
(10) No instant connectivity to the Internet
(9) Sending letters
(8) Having to search for content in resources like dictionaries
(9) Sending letters
(8) Having to search for content in resources like dictionaries
(7) Buying and storing music in formats like 8-tracks, records, cassette tapes, or CDs
(6) Renting a movie from a store
(5) Waiting on pictures to be developed from film
(4) Using a pay phone or paying a long distance bill
(3) Buying encyclopedias
(2) Paying bills with checks
(1) Taking a typing class
It is interesting to me that many of the things on this list were actually taught as courses or lessons in school. I can remember going to the library and learning how to research in a library. I can remember learning how to handwrite letters. I have owned recordings by The Beatles in all of the formats listed above, in addition to a digital format on my iPod; and yes, that includes an 8-track! It's pretty funny to me that much of what I learned in school is essentially irrelevant (saying nothing of course about subjects like biology, geometry, political science, or recess).
There is no doubt that the world has changed more quickly and more dramatically in the past 25 years than likely at any other time in history; and some could argue the past five with the proliferation of smartphones like BlackBerrys and iPhones. It is amazing what having seemingly instant access to information has done to change the world. When I think about what we are gearing up for this week, however, I am not so sure that the internet, and instant access to it, is really what ushered the greatest change.
This weekend we will once again celebrate the coming of GOD into our world at Christmas. I love how Eugene Peterson describes it in the Message when he writes that in Jesus GOD moved into our neighborhood (John 1.14). GOD so emphatically wanted us to know His heart, love, and desire for relationship with us that He sent His one and only Son that we might believe and be saved. Friends, this is information that changes the world and it happened over two-thousand years ago! It is information that changed the world and it can change you!
My life has changed pretty dramatically due to technology in this past month. Due to some extreme generosity and some shrewd saving, I have gotten a new iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Let me tell you, I love these new devices! They have definitely changed the way I conduct my business and go about my day, but they have not changed my life...only GOD can do that! And He does that through the saving love of His son, and our savior, Jesus!
May this be the information that changes us this Christmas! Despite what may be wrapped under a tree or being loaded onto a sleigh, may we know that the greatest gift of Christmas came that very first one. There were no tweets, Facebook posts, 4-Square check-ins, or Linked-In connections made, but in Jesus, GOD moved into our "neighborhood" to show us His heart and to let us know He wants us to be saved. It changed the world! May it change your celebration of Christmas. May it change you, too!
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark
(6) Renting a movie from a store
(5) Waiting on pictures to be developed from film
(4) Using a pay phone or paying a long distance bill
(3) Buying encyclopedias
(2) Paying bills with checks
(1) Taking a typing class
It is interesting to me that many of the things on this list were actually taught as courses or lessons in school. I can remember going to the library and learning how to research in a library. I can remember learning how to handwrite letters. I have owned recordings by The Beatles in all of the formats listed above, in addition to a digital format on my iPod; and yes, that includes an 8-track! It's pretty funny to me that much of what I learned in school is essentially irrelevant (saying nothing of course about subjects like biology, geometry, political science, or recess).
There is no doubt that the world has changed more quickly and more dramatically in the past 25 years than likely at any other time in history; and some could argue the past five with the proliferation of smartphones like BlackBerrys and iPhones. It is amazing what having seemingly instant access to information has done to change the world. When I think about what we are gearing up for this week, however, I am not so sure that the internet, and instant access to it, is really what ushered the greatest change.
This weekend we will once again celebrate the coming of GOD into our world at Christmas. I love how Eugene Peterson describes it in the Message when he writes that in Jesus GOD moved into our neighborhood (John 1.14). GOD so emphatically wanted us to know His heart, love, and desire for relationship with us that He sent His one and only Son that we might believe and be saved. Friends, this is information that changes the world and it happened over two-thousand years ago! It is information that changed the world and it can change you!
My life has changed pretty dramatically due to technology in this past month. Due to some extreme generosity and some shrewd saving, I have gotten a new iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Let me tell you, I love these new devices! They have definitely changed the way I conduct my business and go about my day, but they have not changed my life...only GOD can do that! And He does that through the saving love of His son, and our savior, Jesus!
May this be the information that changes us this Christmas! Despite what may be wrapped under a tree or being loaded onto a sleigh, may we know that the greatest gift of Christmas came that very first one. There were no tweets, Facebook posts, 4-Square check-ins, or Linked-In connections made, but in Jesus, GOD moved into our "neighborhood" to show us His heart and to let us know He wants us to be saved. It changed the world! May it change your celebration of Christmas. May it change you, too!
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark
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