On Hope

What does the word, “HOPE,” mean to you? It is covered a lot in the Bible (it’s mentioned 144 times!) and is something we each and everyone have experienced at one time or another. Maybe you hoped for a certain gift at Christmas or a birthday. Maybe you hoped you would pass a class in school. Maybe you hoped something good would happen to you, or that you would avoid something bad. Regardless, we can relate to the experience of hope in life and know that it means we hold on to something in the face of the unknown.

There are two things in particular that strike me about hope. The first is how Hebrews 6:19 defines hope as the anchor of the soul. Think about that for a moment and what a powerful image it provides – your soul being anchored while sailing through the seas of life with all its storms, wind, and waves. Hope is what can steady you and keep you from succumbing to the unknown, because it confirms in you the power of GOD’s loving presence in your life.

The second comes from Romans 5.5 as Paul writes that hope does not disappoint. The context of that statement is that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Hope is what does not disappoint! I guess when you’ve gotten to the bottom of everything else you had, then hope is all that’s left.

Hope has been on my mind a lot lately. We’ve been helping people all over the world who seem to have nothing left but hope. We know from Scripture that our lives of faith are the powerful projections of GOD in the world, so think about how you can reflect the image of GOD to creation with your life. I concede it isn’t always easy and doesn’t always happen according to our timeframe, but regardless, it’s always worth it! Take seriously your call to live a life of hope, both for yourself and for others who need to see it in you, too!

"May The Fourth Be With You"

Did you know that today is Star Wars Day; an unofficial holiday for fans of the Star Wars universe? It is just a fun and nonsensical way to reminisce about the movies that helped to shape a generation.

Star Wars Day is a relatively new phenomenon, actually inspired by a simple mistake. In 2005, a German news TV channel interviewed Star Wars creator, George Lucas, and asked him to say his famous sentence, "May the Force be with You." The translator tried a direct translation of Lucas’ famous greeting and salutation, but it came out mistakenly as, We shall be with you on May 4. This was captured by a comedy show and aired on TV later that month. Since then, the fourth of May has been affectionately known as Star Wars Day because of the play on words, "May the Fourth be with You" and "May the Force be with You."

In Star Wars, the Jedi (the good guys!) rely on the Force to be their strength to help them know what they must do. They meditate, consult with others, and let The Force guide them before embarking on even the most trivial task. And while wielding their lightsabers, Jedi use the Force to combat evil and protect the innocent in their care. Christians might be able to learn a little from the pop culture icon the Star Wars saga has become.

When Luke Skywalker was learning the ways of the Force, Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi described it as the invisible power that "surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds us all together." This reminds me of God, specifically as the Apostle Paul describes God in Acts 17:28 as the One in whom "we live, move, and have our being." Just as the Force gives the Jedi their strength and power, Christians know it is God who gives us the power we need for living.

Paul wrote in Romans 1 that the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ is the power to change the world. This being the case, we do not need to wield a lightsaber, be able to jump incredible distances, or move things with our mind (all traits of the Jedi) to make a difference in the world. All we need is to allow the love of God to surge through us so we may be aware of where there is need and how we can help impact someone with the light and love of Jesus!

So on this Star Wars Day, may God and God alone be your source of power! He definitely wants to surround you, penetrate you, and bind you together with others in His love. And if you might playfully wish someone a happy Star Wars Day by saying, "May the Fourth Be With You," remember that every day is a good day to share God with someone.

May The Fourth Be With You!

Palm Sunday

This week we will celebrate Palm Sunday, which marks Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday gets its name because as Jesus road into Jerusalem, the people waved palm branches, and some laid theirs on the ground, praising GOD for the salvation they believed was at hand.

The Bible gives us the story of Palm Sunday in all four Gospels, but my favorite is found in Luke 19.28-44. Jesus, knowing the time had come for Him to go to Jerusalem and fulfill his role in GOD’s plan of salvation, rode into the holy city on the back of a donkey. He was sending a definite visual message here – when kings rode in processions during war times, they rode on the back of a steed. During times of peace, however, kings often rode on the back of a donkey. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of the donkey, he was essentially saying He indeed was the King riding into town in peace.

As the story continues, we see that he received a resounding welcome! Luke 19.37-38 says that the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! Friends, this is a big deal! Jesus is making a statement and the people are receiving it and praising GOD for all they had seen, and specifically, the witness Jesus Himself had given.

It was a powerful day to be sure, but as you could imagine, not everyone was thrilled. The Pharisees did not like the disturbance that was being created by this display and they told Jesus to make His followers be quiet. As verse 40 tells us, Jesus says that if He were to tell them to be quiet, the very rocks themselves would cry out for the salvation Christ represents! Amazing!!!

We know how the story goes from there that Jesus’ triumphant entry quickly turns turbulent. The same crowds who were clamoring for Jesus to be their king were the same ones who just five days later were clamoring for his crucifixion. It’s amazing how quickly things can turn, isn’t it? So sad, but so true.

As Jesus made the statement that the very rocks would cry out for GOD’s gift of salvation, I believe it also played a metaphorical role in describing the hearts of the people. Often in Scripture, you’ll read about how people’s heart’s were hardened due to various circumstances in life. Jesus knew what awaited Him and He knew their cheers would quickly turn to jeers. But what He also knew is that despite a human being’s fragile heart condition, we all have this powerful and innate need to be loved, comforted, and cared for. Sometimes we have to endure hardship before we can enjoy victory. Jesus was not riding into town to be praised; He was going to Jerusalem to provide the ultimate example of the love and grace of GOD.

As we prepare for this Palm Sunday, I want you to think about the condition of your heart. I know there are things going on in your life that make you want to celebrate and cheer the Lord. But I also know that there are so many difficulties we each and everyone face that could easily turn your very own cheers into jeers if it were not for the victory that Jesus has already sealed. I also know that there are some of us – if not many – who are somewhere in between being able to jeer and cheer Christ in the powerful and calming love of GOD due to life’s calamities. If that is where you are right now, allow GOD’s Holy Spirit to intercede for you and let you know that salvation is at hand for GOD has already won the victory.

Check out this awesome passage from Romans 8.22-30 which speaks to this very truth: We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Saint Patrick's Day

Today is Saint Patrick's Day…are you be wearing your green? Saint Patrick is known as the Patron Saint of Ireland, and his feast day has become a popular secular celebration, much like Valentine's Day. It is a day when we wear green, add green food coloring to our favorite foods and beverages, and have fun with silly things like pots of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Little is known of Patrick's early life, though it is known that he was born in the 4th century into a wealthy family and his father and grandfather were deacons in the Church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he was told by GOD in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church and studied to be a priest.

In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The idea behind this is the shamrock is one plant with three connected leaves. Looking at this from a Trinitarian point of view, you have one GOD with three manifestations - Father, Son, and Spirit.

After nearly thirty years of evangelism, Saint Patrick died on March 17th 461. Although there were other more successful missionaries to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endures as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in esteem in the Irish Church.

Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue, but over the years, the color green and its association with Saint Patrick's Day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of Saint Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century and are still prominent today.

So now you see that Saint Patrick's Day, with all of its fun and silly customs, actually originated as a religious holiday! Like Saint Patrick, May you use this time - wearing green and shamrocks if you so care - to think about the love and presence of GOD in your life. And also like Saint Patrick used the green shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, find a way to use today to share your relationship with GOD with someone else. If you have any questions, or would like some ideas, feel free to contact Pastor Mark.

Have a Blessed St. Patty's Day!
Pastor Mark

(This blog post comes from this week's church e-newsletter)

What Does a White Polar Bear Have To Do With Victory In Jesus?

In the message I delivered this past week in the 10:55am Contemporary Service, one of the concepts I taught on was being aware of the things that anger and/or attract you. Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about anger and attraction gets to the heart of placing things in life above our relationship with GOD. And the cold hard truth is that when we allow something to consume and dominate our hearts and minds, we allow that thing(s) to become a god in our lives. The temptation to allow these angering and attracting people, places, and things to dominate us is very real, and we must claim victory over them.

I ran across an interesting story during my quiet time earlier this week about the time when Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian novelist, was a boy, he reportedly started The White Polar Bear Club with two of his friends. In order to become a member, you had to stand in the corner and for thirty consecutive minutes not think of a white polar bear.

Have you ever tried to intentionally not think about something? The more you think about not thinking about it, the more impossible it is to keep it out of your mind! Yet, this is how we handle temptation; when it comes, we try as hard as we can to not to think about it: If I just don't think about it, then I'll have victory over this temptation

Victory over temptation (anger and attraction) is attainable, my friends! As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15.57-58: "…thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." As you face all kinds of temptations, burdens, stresses, struggles, and strain, know you have already achieved victory in Jesus Christ! Pray to GOD, invite His Holy Spirit into your life, and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that GOD is for you and has a purpose for your life.

(This blog comes from the weekly email sent out from Cokes Chapel UMC.
It was inspired by Jon Walker's daily Grace Creates devotion from 2/16/11.)

Happy Groundhog Day!

I must confess, I always found Groundhog Day to be a little silly. Even the most expensive computers and highly trained meteorologists have a hard enough time knowing what the weather will do tomorrow, so I don’t put much stock in what a groundhog thinks will happen in a couple months. Regardless, Groundhog Day has taken on somewhat of a different meaning in our culture the last several years thanks to the 1993 Bill Murray movie. If you aren’t familiar, with the movie, it is about a weather man who is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage before coming to the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.

It might just be a humorous fictional movie, but there is a lesson in it for us. All the time we see people doing the same thing over, and over, and over again, reminding us of the old definition of insanity – repeating the same behaviors and expecting results. Some might think doing something new is impossible, but the Bible tells us that with GOD all things are possible (Matthew 19.26)! On this Groundhog Day, think about how you might be able to do something NEW for GOD thanks to the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Revelation 21.5 tells us that GOD makes all things new, so let Him begin today with you! Open up your heart to receive the Lord’s invitation to follow and believe!!!

(This blog was written for our church's weekly email)

Belief Beyond The Tightrope Of Life

There once was a tightrope walker who was going to walk across the Grand Canyon blindfolded pushing a wheelbarrow. On the day he was to do the feat, people from all over came to witness the stunt. Whether they were hoping to see him succeed or the carnage of his failure, they lined up from all around.

When the time came, the tightrope walker made it successfully to the other side! Upon his victory, he turned to a reporter and asked, “Do you believe I can do it?” The reporter responded, “Of course I do, I just saw you do it.” This answer did not satisfy the stuntman as he asked again, “Do you believe I can do it?” Again, the reporter answered, “Of course I do, I just saw you do it.” The tightrope walker asked a third time, “But do you believe I can do it.” Again, the reporter answered, “Of course I do.” With this response, the tightrope walker said, “Get in the wheelbarrow.”

Life is full of challenges. There are times when we only believe we can succeed after we have. Be it a task at work, a test at school, or a confrontation at home, we might think we are doomed to failure until the surprise of finding firm footing at the other end of the tightrope. And there are times when we think life will be much easier than it has been, only to find ourselves gasping for air at the end. Regardless of the tightropes we must walk, in order to succeed, we must first believe that we can! The Little Engine That Could was on to something here.

But when we peer out over the Grand Canyon of doubt we might think the task at hand is utterly impossible. That is where faith comes in! Hebrews 11.1 tells us this about faith, “[Faith] is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” (NLT) We might never think we’ll get to the other side, but the Bible tells us that if we believe it, we can achieve it.

There is an awesome story in the Gospel of Mark about the power of faith and belief. A father whose son had been possessed by an evil spirit comes to Jesus asking for help. The man pleads with Jesus saying, “‘if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ Jesus said to him, "If you are able! — All things can be done for the one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’(Mark 9.23-24, NLT, emphasis mine)

All too often, we find ourselves in the place of the father—wanting, needing something to happen. We have faith that Jesus can do it, but we do not believe anything can be done. We fear the unknown. We fear a lost cause lost. We fear the inaccurate inevitable. Yet Jesus tells us that all things can be done for the one who believes. What’s left is unbelief! And when we surrender our unbelief to the One who can do something with it, then Jesus says, “I AM able. I can work with that!” I’ll not only help your child, your spouse, your parent, yourself, but I’ll help your unbelief. That, my friends, is where the miracle begins.

So in the midst of life’s tightropes, do not forget that with God nothing is impossible. Do not forget that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. Turn in prayerful faith to the One who can cure any ailment, ease any heart, and even conquer the grave. And believe Him when He tells you, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11.24, NLT)