Are you Christmas crazy yet?
The craziness has been going on for weeks now: special sales, shoppers packing the malls, parades, school plays and concerts, presents to buy—and the list goes on.
Soon last minute panic will set in and some will feel like they really are going crazy.
To make matters worse, some family members even ASK for specific gifts. Then they let it be known they won’t be happy if they don’t receive exactly what they want!
What happened to the joy of giving? Somehow it’s been turned around to the joy of getting. So we stress out trying to get everybody on our list something they will like. We even ask our children, “What do you want for Christmas?”
We do it because we want to be good parents and give them the desires of their heart.
Then we drive ourselves crazy and bust the budget trying to get them everything on their list. We hope for a big smile on Christmas day and an excited, “Thank you, thank you! It’s what I always wanted!” --As if Christmas was just about exchanging gifts.
Well take a break from the stress and think about what you do for just a minute. Why not try something different? Consider the plan one dad came up with for his family.
This father still wanted to celebrate the tradition of gift giving that honors God’s gift of his Son, Jesus. But he also wanted to save the budget and stop the Christmas craziness.
His plan was simple: to buy his children four gifts for Christmas each year. That’s right—FOUR gifts. They were “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.”
If the children complained, he asked them, “Whose birthday are we celebrating?”
Once he started buying just four gifts for each child, the children began to appreciate every gift they received. They insisted he label them. There was no more comparing who got the most gifts. No more whining amidst the piles of torn paper and boxes--“Is that all there is?”
It also helped focus on the true meaning of the Christmas gift giving: That we give gifts, like the Wise Men, to honor the Christ Child. And we do it to remember God’s gift of love to us.
Remember what the Bible says: “For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Teach your children that one of the reasons you give them gifts is because you love them. And because God loves us, he gave us his greatest gift at Christmas: a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. Don’t let Jesus get lost under the tree. He is the reason for the season.
The four gifts are just a suggestion. But I’ll bet if you tried it, it just might get rid of the craziness trying to find and buy gifts you can’t afford. And trying to make everyone happy.
Then don’t forget that the real Saint Nicholas is remembered for giving gifts--not to those who had more than they needed but to those who were poor and had almost nothing. Maybe you could get your family excited about finding a family in need and making Christmas about giving instead of getting.
Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do your children and grandchildren know that?
The choice is yours: Christmas craziness or bring back the joy of giving. If you’re the parent, why not take the lead? You might just restore some sanity to your Christmas.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
The Real Christmas Present
Frosty the Snowman’s first words when he came to life were “Happy Birthday!”
The TV show is an annual favorite for many during the Christmas season. I guess the writers thought that Frosty’s first day of life was naturally his birthday. And it makes sense in the world of cartoons.
In a video I watched the other day a small child was asked why we celebrate Christmas. Her answer? “Because it’s Santa’s Birthday!”
At least the TV show and the little girl got it half right. Christmas is about a birthday, but not Frosty’s or Santa’s! The fact that some children may think so shows that we need to do a better job teaching them about Christmas.
No doubt some kids even think Christmas is about them since they get all the presents. Many children receive more presents at Christmas than they do for their own birthday!
Well hold on just a minute. Whose birthday is in anyway? And why all the presents?
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines Christmas as “an annual Christian festival on December 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.” It says that it’s also become a secular holiday when people traditionally exchange presents and greetings.
We practice many of our Christmas traditions without ever giving thought as to why we do them. Exchanging presents is a good example. Why do we do that?
One reason we give gifts is to help us remember that the birth of the Savior was God’s great gift to the world. Talk about a surprise gift! Most people don’t think they need a savior. They don’t feel like they’re drowning or trapped and need to be rescued. Why a savior?
Two thousand years ago Israel was hoping for a savior to deliver them from the rule of the Roman Empire and Caesar. What they got was One who offered spiritual salvation instead of political deliverance. And the nation’s leaders rejected it.
But God turned the rejection and death of Christ into an offer of salvation for the whole world. The Bible says that faith in Christ brings deliverance from sin and judgment to come.
What a gift! Salvation that doesn’t depend on being born into the right family or belonging to the “right” religion. Salvation that is free. What a Christmas present!
Today many people are drowning in failure and the consequences of bad decisions. In the Bible God gave us standards to live by. Those who break his rules often suffer the consequences in their health and in their relationships. The Bible calls that “sin.”
Unable to fix our broken relationship with God, we need someone to save us. And that’s where God’s great gift comes into the picture. God’s purpose in sending Christ was for him to become the Savior of the world. To save us from sin and its consequences that lead to death.
The angel told the shepherds, “Today in the town of David [Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). People who heard Jesus and personally experienced his ministry recognized that he was “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
So this Christmas, before you put down your credit card to buy those presents, pick up a Bible and turn to the Gospel of Luke. Read about the first Christmas in chapter two. Join in the wonder the Shepherds felt when they saw Jesus, the Savior. Worship him with the wise men.
When a person recognizes who Jesus is and puts their trust in him to save them, God gives them the ultimate gift, eternal life. That’s the real present of Christmas.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
The TV show is an annual favorite for many during the Christmas season. I guess the writers thought that Frosty’s first day of life was naturally his birthday. And it makes sense in the world of cartoons.
In a video I watched the other day a small child was asked why we celebrate Christmas. Her answer? “Because it’s Santa’s Birthday!”
At least the TV show and the little girl got it half right. Christmas is about a birthday, but not Frosty’s or Santa’s! The fact that some children may think so shows that we need to do a better job teaching them about Christmas.
No doubt some kids even think Christmas is about them since they get all the presents. Many children receive more presents at Christmas than they do for their own birthday!
Well hold on just a minute. Whose birthday is in anyway? And why all the presents?
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines Christmas as “an annual Christian festival on December 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.” It says that it’s also become a secular holiday when people traditionally exchange presents and greetings.
We practice many of our Christmas traditions without ever giving thought as to why we do them. Exchanging presents is a good example. Why do we do that?
One reason we give gifts is to help us remember that the birth of the Savior was God’s great gift to the world. Talk about a surprise gift! Most people don’t think they need a savior. They don’t feel like they’re drowning or trapped and need to be rescued. Why a savior?
Two thousand years ago Israel was hoping for a savior to deliver them from the rule of the Roman Empire and Caesar. What they got was One who offered spiritual salvation instead of political deliverance. And the nation’s leaders rejected it.
But God turned the rejection and death of Christ into an offer of salvation for the whole world. The Bible says that faith in Christ brings deliverance from sin and judgment to come.
What a gift! Salvation that doesn’t depend on being born into the right family or belonging to the “right” religion. Salvation that is free. What a Christmas present!
Today many people are drowning in failure and the consequences of bad decisions. In the Bible God gave us standards to live by. Those who break his rules often suffer the consequences in their health and in their relationships. The Bible calls that “sin.”
Unable to fix our broken relationship with God, we need someone to save us. And that’s where God’s great gift comes into the picture. God’s purpose in sending Christ was for him to become the Savior of the world. To save us from sin and its consequences that lead to death.
The angel told the shepherds, “Today in the town of David [Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). People who heard Jesus and personally experienced his ministry recognized that he was “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
So this Christmas, before you put down your credit card to buy those presents, pick up a Bible and turn to the Gospel of Luke. Read about the first Christmas in chapter two. Join in the wonder the Shepherds felt when they saw Jesus, the Savior. Worship him with the wise men.
When a person recognizes who Jesus is and puts their trust in him to save them, God gives them the ultimate gift, eternal life. That’s the real present of Christmas.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The Samson Syndrome
When it comes to muscles, Americans believe bigger is better.
We like our athletes big and strong. Strength matters. On the sports fields and courts, strength and stamina win the day. Scrawny types just don’t cut it.
And when you’re the biggest and the strongest, your friends treat you like a god. That fact is not lost on athletes who are tempted to bulk up with illegal drugs that destroy their health.
But if your confidence is in your strength, it becomes your greatest weakness.
Now hold on just a minute! How can strength become a weakness?
Strength leads to pride. Eventually you run into someone bigger and stronger. And when your strength and your ability are your only resource, you’ve set yourself up to lose.
Have you ever heard of Samson? He was a national hero. He was the strongest man alive and proud of it. His story is in the Bible book of Judges, chapters 13-16. Read it sometime.
Samson was so strong he killed a lion with his bare hands. Bound with ropes, he snapped them like threads. Attacked by a thousand warriors, he destroyed them single-handed.
But one day, in a moment of weakness, he revealed the secret of his God-given strength. His enemies took advantage of his weakness and made him a slave.
You have the Sampson Syndrome when you depend on your strength alone and not on God. You forget that all that you have, your strength, your talents and your intellect—everything—is a gift from God. And when you do that, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”
So is it wrong to be strong? Not at all. The problem is pride.
Pride makes us think we’re invincible. Pride is the seed we sow that leads to a harvest of self-destruction. That’s why God warns us against becoming proud.
If pride is the problem, humility before God is the solution. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”
If a person humbles himself or herself, lets God use them and trusts in him, God’s power will make them strong. Look at Jesus.
Jesus was crucified in what appeared to be a moment of weakness. But God’s power brought a resurrection. And Jesus walked alive out of a solid rock tomb. How’s that for strength?
Maybe you face overwhelming odds in your life. Your health, your finances or your reputation have been crushed. You feel weak, defeated and humbled. Take heart.
When humility brings you to God and you put your faith in him through Jesus Christ his Son, it changes everything. Suddenly you are connected to the power of God. Your failures are forgiven. And you can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Put your confidence in God. He can and will save you. He alone is able. Trust in him.
That attitude led the psalmist to write, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” And it led the Apostle Paul to exclaim, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Samson learned this lesson the hard way. Tortured and humiliated by his enemies, he finally humbled himself and cried out to God. God restored his power and gave him victory.
Take a lesson from Samson and put your trust in the all-powerful God today.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
We like our athletes big and strong. Strength matters. On the sports fields and courts, strength and stamina win the day. Scrawny types just don’t cut it.
And when you’re the biggest and the strongest, your friends treat you like a god. That fact is not lost on athletes who are tempted to bulk up with illegal drugs that destroy their health.
But if your confidence is in your strength, it becomes your greatest weakness.
Now hold on just a minute! How can strength become a weakness?
Strength leads to pride. Eventually you run into someone bigger and stronger. And when your strength and your ability are your only resource, you’ve set yourself up to lose.
Have you ever heard of Samson? He was a national hero. He was the strongest man alive and proud of it. His story is in the Bible book of Judges, chapters 13-16. Read it sometime.
Samson was so strong he killed a lion with his bare hands. Bound with ropes, he snapped them like threads. Attacked by a thousand warriors, he destroyed them single-handed.
But one day, in a moment of weakness, he revealed the secret of his God-given strength. His enemies took advantage of his weakness and made him a slave.
You have the Sampson Syndrome when you depend on your strength alone and not on God. You forget that all that you have, your strength, your talents and your intellect—everything—is a gift from God. And when you do that, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”
So is it wrong to be strong? Not at all. The problem is pride.
Pride makes us think we’re invincible. Pride is the seed we sow that leads to a harvest of self-destruction. That’s why God warns us against becoming proud.
If pride is the problem, humility before God is the solution. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”
If a person humbles himself or herself, lets God use them and trusts in him, God’s power will make them strong. Look at Jesus.
Jesus was crucified in what appeared to be a moment of weakness. But God’s power brought a resurrection. And Jesus walked alive out of a solid rock tomb. How’s that for strength?
Maybe you face overwhelming odds in your life. Your health, your finances or your reputation have been crushed. You feel weak, defeated and humbled. Take heart.
When humility brings you to God and you put your faith in him through Jesus Christ his Son, it changes everything. Suddenly you are connected to the power of God. Your failures are forgiven. And you can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Put your confidence in God. He can and will save you. He alone is able. Trust in him.
That attitude led the psalmist to write, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” And it led the Apostle Paul to exclaim, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Samson learned this lesson the hard way. Tortured and humiliated by his enemies, he finally humbled himself and cried out to God. God restored his power and gave him victory.
Take a lesson from Samson and put your trust in the all-powerful God today.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Homeward Bound
Where’s your home?
When I meet someone new I like to ask them where they’re from. Sometimes they’ll tell me where they live right now. So my next question is, “Where were you born and raised?” or “Where are you from originally? Where’s ‘home’?”
“Home is where the heart is.” Home is where you head for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if you can. It’s family, friends and a place where you sense you belong. Home is a place where you can rest. It’s where you feel safe and secure.
Often it’s right where you are. For others it’s a place far away in another state or another country. But wherever it is, it’s an anchor for your life. It helps define who you are.
Sometimes home is where you yearn to be. In the old Simon & Garfunkel standard “Homeward Bound” the lyrics speak of a seemingly endless concert tour. Then the pair admits, “And every stranger’s face I see / reminds me that I long to be / homeward bound.”
For the God-follower, the Bible says that home will one day be with God in Heaven.
Now hold on just a minute. Doesn’t the believer have a home here on earth?
Absolutely. But his or her desire is to, one day, be with the Lord forever. That’s why, after a Christian’s funeral, you’ll sometimes hear it said, “He (or she) is home with the Lord.”
The Bible says of the Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, “By faith…he was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God.” His quest didn’t keep him from setting up homes in the different places he lived in the Middle East. But as a God-seeker he knew he wouldn’t really be home until he was in the presence of God.
According to the Bible we will all be somewhere forever. Where will your home be?
When you get to the end of your life what do you expect to find on the other side? How do you hope to get there? Are you sure—sure enough to bet your life?
For the Christ follower, the Bible promises a heavenly home. It’s a place much better than sitting on a cloud and playing a harp. It’s better than you can even imagine.
First, Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for those whose faith and trust are in him for salvation. Then he said he would come back to take them to be with him.
To that the Apostle Paul added, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Heaven is too wonderful for words.
Some people think that Christians are crazy to pin their hopes on an ancient book. And with all the religions in the world there’s nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism. But when you examine the evidence, the Bible alone stands the test of time. No other book comes close.
Yes, some of its authors had visions. Many were eyewitnesses of events they recorded. Others thoroughly interviewed eyewitnesses and examined evidence. On top of that, hundreds of prophecies the Bible recorded have come true. It has more than 40 authors but they all agree that to make it to your eternal home takes faith in God--faith in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
You owe it to yourself to check it out. Don’t just take my word for it. Start with the New Testament book called the Gospel of John and take Jesus’ challenge. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” He added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul! --And it will get you home.
When I meet someone new I like to ask them where they’re from. Sometimes they’ll tell me where they live right now. So my next question is, “Where were you born and raised?” or “Where are you from originally? Where’s ‘home’?”
“Home is where the heart is.” Home is where you head for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if you can. It’s family, friends and a place where you sense you belong. Home is a place where you can rest. It’s where you feel safe and secure.
Often it’s right where you are. For others it’s a place far away in another state or another country. But wherever it is, it’s an anchor for your life. It helps define who you are.
Sometimes home is where you yearn to be. In the old Simon & Garfunkel standard “Homeward Bound” the lyrics speak of a seemingly endless concert tour. Then the pair admits, “And every stranger’s face I see / reminds me that I long to be / homeward bound.”
For the God-follower, the Bible says that home will one day be with God in Heaven.
Now hold on just a minute. Doesn’t the believer have a home here on earth?
Absolutely. But his or her desire is to, one day, be with the Lord forever. That’s why, after a Christian’s funeral, you’ll sometimes hear it said, “He (or she) is home with the Lord.”
The Bible says of the Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, “By faith…he was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God.” His quest didn’t keep him from setting up homes in the different places he lived in the Middle East. But as a God-seeker he knew he wouldn’t really be home until he was in the presence of God.
According to the Bible we will all be somewhere forever. Where will your home be?
When you get to the end of your life what do you expect to find on the other side? How do you hope to get there? Are you sure—sure enough to bet your life?
For the Christ follower, the Bible promises a heavenly home. It’s a place much better than sitting on a cloud and playing a harp. It’s better than you can even imagine.
First, Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for those whose faith and trust are in him for salvation. Then he said he would come back to take them to be with him.
To that the Apostle Paul added, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Heaven is too wonderful for words.
Some people think that Christians are crazy to pin their hopes on an ancient book. And with all the religions in the world there’s nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism. But when you examine the evidence, the Bible alone stands the test of time. No other book comes close.
Yes, some of its authors had visions. Many were eyewitnesses of events they recorded. Others thoroughly interviewed eyewitnesses and examined evidence. On top of that, hundreds of prophecies the Bible recorded have come true. It has more than 40 authors but they all agree that to make it to your eternal home takes faith in God--faith in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
You owe it to yourself to check it out. Don’t just take my word for it. Start with the New Testament book called the Gospel of John and take Jesus’ challenge. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” He added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul! --And it will get you home.
Monday, November 19, 2007
From Thankless to Thankful
Tradition and the calendar tell us it’s the week to be thankful.
But if you listen to the average American, they’re more thankless than thankful. Complaints, gripes and grumbling seem to be the order of the day.
Times are tough. Gasoline prices are sky-high. It’s hard to sell a house or get a mortgage. The cost of everything is going up. Children are ungrateful and won’t listen to their elders. The Hollywood writer’s strike is delaying the season for your favorite programs.
Plus there’s a seemingly endless war going on. Many families will spend the holiday worrying about their loved ones who are in harm’s way. What if you wake up on Thanksgiving Day feeling like there’s more to be worried about than for which to be thankful?
Life can look pretty grim at times. But it doesn’t mean that God has forgotten us.
The Pilgrims knew that. So did Abraham Lincoln.
We’re not the first Americans to feel less thankful during trying times. Consider the story of the first Thanksgiving in America.
The winter of 1620 was devastating. The harvest was almost non-existent. The cold was numbing. Parents saw their children die in their sleep. There wasn’t much to celebrate.
But then came the bountiful harvest of 1621. The Pilgrims gathered to thank God for blessing them. Things could have been better but they also could have been much worse.
Fast-forward 242 years after that first Thanksgiving feast. Listen to the words of a man who faced a different, but no less devastating trial.
Abraham Lincoln was the president of half a country involved in a bloody battle with the other half. Yet in the middle of a Civil War, he declared that there was much that the no longer United States could be thankful for.
On Oct. 3, 1863--just two weeks after more than 34,000 Americans were killed or wounded in the battle of Chickamauga--Lincoln issued a proclamation establishing a national day of Thanksgiving.
“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies," he wrote. "To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added…”
Lincoln went on to observe that America was at peace with foreign nations. Farming and industry continued, as did international trade. He said, “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”
“It has seemed to me fit and proper,” he continued, “that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
If Lincoln and the Pilgrims were able to thank God in the midst of the trials they faced, shouldn’t we be able to do the same? Surely our difficulties are no worse than theirs.
The Bible tells us to “Be Thankful.” It reminds us to “Sing…with gratitude in your hearts to God…. And whatever you do…do it…giving thanks to God.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
But if you listen to the average American, they’re more thankless than thankful. Complaints, gripes and grumbling seem to be the order of the day.
Times are tough. Gasoline prices are sky-high. It’s hard to sell a house or get a mortgage. The cost of everything is going up. Children are ungrateful and won’t listen to their elders. The Hollywood writer’s strike is delaying the season for your favorite programs.
Plus there’s a seemingly endless war going on. Many families will spend the holiday worrying about their loved ones who are in harm’s way. What if you wake up on Thanksgiving Day feeling like there’s more to be worried about than for which to be thankful?
Life can look pretty grim at times. But it doesn’t mean that God has forgotten us.
The Pilgrims knew that. So did Abraham Lincoln.
We’re not the first Americans to feel less thankful during trying times. Consider the story of the first Thanksgiving in America.
The winter of 1620 was devastating. The harvest was almost non-existent. The cold was numbing. Parents saw their children die in their sleep. There wasn’t much to celebrate.
But then came the bountiful harvest of 1621. The Pilgrims gathered to thank God for blessing them. Things could have been better but they also could have been much worse.
Fast-forward 242 years after that first Thanksgiving feast. Listen to the words of a man who faced a different, but no less devastating trial.
Abraham Lincoln was the president of half a country involved in a bloody battle with the other half. Yet in the middle of a Civil War, he declared that there was much that the no longer United States could be thankful for.
On Oct. 3, 1863--just two weeks after more than 34,000 Americans were killed or wounded in the battle of Chickamauga--Lincoln issued a proclamation establishing a national day of Thanksgiving.
“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies," he wrote. "To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added…”
Lincoln went on to observe that America was at peace with foreign nations. Farming and industry continued, as did international trade. He said, “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”
“It has seemed to me fit and proper,” he continued, “that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
If Lincoln and the Pilgrims were able to thank God in the midst of the trials they faced, shouldn’t we be able to do the same? Surely our difficulties are no worse than theirs.
The Bible tells us to “Be Thankful.” It reminds us to “Sing…with gratitude in your hearts to God…. And whatever you do…do it…giving thanks to God.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Road To Nowhere
Would you take a road if it went nowhere? How about a bridge?
For some time the state of Alaska was in the news over a highly publicized “bridge to nowhere.” At a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars the state was going to build a bridge to a small island with a few residents.
The project was finally cancelled before it became a taxpayer boondoggle.
We chuckle and shake our heads at such an obvious waste of time and money. Why would anyone drive over a bridge to nowhere?
Yet every day millions of people take the on-ramp for a road to nowhere.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. Why would anyone get on such a road?
Exactly. And my question to you is, “Are you on a road to nowhere?” If life were a road trip, would the road you’re on take you to where you hope to end up?
Jesus compared life to two roads with two destinations. He said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road the leads to life, and only a few find it.”
The majority of people in this world take the broad road without ever checking to see where it might lead them. The broad road is the easy road. It’s the road of self-indulgence. The road to destruction. The road to nowhere.
My advice? Look down the road you’re on to see where you’re headed.
When I’m on a trip I like to stop once in a while and check the map and the directions to be sure I’m still headed to my destination. I do that because distractions sometimes make me miss my exit and I end up on the wrong road.
Life is full of distractions that put you on the wrong road. Jesus mentioned things like, “the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth.” Other distractions mentioned in the Bible are “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does.”
Jesus said that there is only one way to Heaven and the place he is preparing for those who love him. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus made it clear in this and other passages of scripture that he alone is the path to God and eternal life.
But this road to which he calls us is the narrow road, “the road less traveled.” It is a path that leads first to the cross, the empty tomb and accepting the risen Christ as Lord and Savior. Then it leads to serving God and others. A life of selfless service.
The older I get, the more I think about what’s waiting for me at the end of the road. But I don’t worry about it because many years ago I took Jesus at his word. I put my faith and trust in him and answered his call to “Follow me.”
Ever since I have found that Jesus’ narrow road is the path to peace and purpose in life. It’s not an easy road, but there are many joys on the journey. Joys that come from seeing my life make a difference for eternity.
Many people meander through life with no thought to which road they are on. One of the saddest moments in life would be to get to the end of the road and find out you’ve been on the wrong road. The road to nowhere.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
For some time the state of Alaska was in the news over a highly publicized “bridge to nowhere.” At a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars the state was going to build a bridge to a small island with a few residents.
The project was finally cancelled before it became a taxpayer boondoggle.
We chuckle and shake our heads at such an obvious waste of time and money. Why would anyone drive over a bridge to nowhere?
Yet every day millions of people take the on-ramp for a road to nowhere.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. Why would anyone get on such a road?
Exactly. And my question to you is, “Are you on a road to nowhere?” If life were a road trip, would the road you’re on take you to where you hope to end up?
Jesus compared life to two roads with two destinations. He said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road the leads to life, and only a few find it.”
The majority of people in this world take the broad road without ever checking to see where it might lead them. The broad road is the easy road. It’s the road of self-indulgence. The road to destruction. The road to nowhere.
My advice? Look down the road you’re on to see where you’re headed.
When I’m on a trip I like to stop once in a while and check the map and the directions to be sure I’m still headed to my destination. I do that because distractions sometimes make me miss my exit and I end up on the wrong road.
Life is full of distractions that put you on the wrong road. Jesus mentioned things like, “the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth.” Other distractions mentioned in the Bible are “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does.”
Jesus said that there is only one way to Heaven and the place he is preparing for those who love him. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus made it clear in this and other passages of scripture that he alone is the path to God and eternal life.
But this road to which he calls us is the narrow road, “the road less traveled.” It is a path that leads first to the cross, the empty tomb and accepting the risen Christ as Lord and Savior. Then it leads to serving God and others. A life of selfless service.
The older I get, the more I think about what’s waiting for me at the end of the road. But I don’t worry about it because many years ago I took Jesus at his word. I put my faith and trust in him and answered his call to “Follow me.”
Ever since I have found that Jesus’ narrow road is the path to peace and purpose in life. It’s not an easy road, but there are many joys on the journey. Joys that come from seeing my life make a difference for eternity.
Many people meander through life with no thought to which road they are on. One of the saddest moments in life would be to get to the end of the road and find out you’ve been on the wrong road. The road to nowhere.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Cold War
For two weeks I’ve been battling a rather nasty virus.
It began with a burning feeling in my chest. Then it tried to steal my voice.
My response was to declare all out war. I drank plenty of fluids, took the best cold medicine I could find and got plenty of sleep. But when the medicine wore off, I woke up coughing. The cold had won. I knew I was in for the long haul.
All my life I’ve been fighting another nasty condition called sin. Once I realized I had the condition, my response was similar to my battle with the cold: I tried to fight it. And the outcome was the same as with the cold. Sin won and I lost.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. What’s the big deal with sin? Isn’t that just a hang-up for religious people?
Most honest people recognize a dark side to their personality. Sometimes alcohol lets the beast out. Other times it rears its ugly head on its own. Most of the time we try to hide it and pretend its not there. But those we’ve hurt and those to whom we’re close know the real truth.
To deny our evil self is as foolish as spitting into the wind.
I fought it as long as I could. But as a child I discovered that, try as I might, I couldn’t be good all the time. I wanted to obey my parents and knew I should. But that knowledge had no power to help me overcome my rebel’s heart.
Not only did I disappoint my parents, I disappointed myself because I wanted to do right.
Why is it when we hear “Don’t” something inside of us says, “Do it!”?
This “dark side” to humanity is cross-cultural and affects both men and women. To discover the source of this “criminal” behavior governments have spent great amounts of time and money. But the only definitive answer is found in the pages of the Bible.
In Genesis Adam’s disobedient choice inflicts sin and its consequences on the human race. In Exodus God reveals a Law to show us our shortcomings and our need for mercy. Then in the New Testament God holds a mirror up to our soul to show us we “all have sinned.”
Most religions recognize the reality of sin. When I was in Japan I visited several famous religious shrines. At one the faithful believed that smoke from a fire would cleanse their sin. At another, the faithful washed their faces and hands and then rinsed their mouths with water to wash away sin. They hoped these rituals would cleanse them. At least temporarily.
But there is only one permanent remedy for sin that can remove its penalty and its grip on the human heart. Jesus Christ said that he could forgive sin. And it’s not just for Christians.
Jesus’ disciple Peter made it clear that God’s intention is for all people to receive forgiveness through Christ. He said, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
Salvation from sin doesn’t belong to one ethnic group or a particular religion. The God who made the heavens and the earth offers it to people of every nation, language and tribe.
For almost 2,000 years people worldwide have discovered the truth in Peter’s message. They’ve been set free from all kinds of addictions and destructive behaviors. The reason is that the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is more than just words. It is more than just a fact to believed. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
The Gospel has worked for millions of others. It changed my life. It will work for you.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
It began with a burning feeling in my chest. Then it tried to steal my voice.
My response was to declare all out war. I drank plenty of fluids, took the best cold medicine I could find and got plenty of sleep. But when the medicine wore off, I woke up coughing. The cold had won. I knew I was in for the long haul.
All my life I’ve been fighting another nasty condition called sin. Once I realized I had the condition, my response was similar to my battle with the cold: I tried to fight it. And the outcome was the same as with the cold. Sin won and I lost.
Now hold it right there for just a minute. What’s the big deal with sin? Isn’t that just a hang-up for religious people?
Most honest people recognize a dark side to their personality. Sometimes alcohol lets the beast out. Other times it rears its ugly head on its own. Most of the time we try to hide it and pretend its not there. But those we’ve hurt and those to whom we’re close know the real truth.
To deny our evil self is as foolish as spitting into the wind.
I fought it as long as I could. But as a child I discovered that, try as I might, I couldn’t be good all the time. I wanted to obey my parents and knew I should. But that knowledge had no power to help me overcome my rebel’s heart.
Not only did I disappoint my parents, I disappointed myself because I wanted to do right.
Why is it when we hear “Don’t” something inside of us says, “Do it!”?
This “dark side” to humanity is cross-cultural and affects both men and women. To discover the source of this “criminal” behavior governments have spent great amounts of time and money. But the only definitive answer is found in the pages of the Bible.
In Genesis Adam’s disobedient choice inflicts sin and its consequences on the human race. In Exodus God reveals a Law to show us our shortcomings and our need for mercy. Then in the New Testament God holds a mirror up to our soul to show us we “all have sinned.”
Most religions recognize the reality of sin. When I was in Japan I visited several famous religious shrines. At one the faithful believed that smoke from a fire would cleanse their sin. At another, the faithful washed their faces and hands and then rinsed their mouths with water to wash away sin. They hoped these rituals would cleanse them. At least temporarily.
But there is only one permanent remedy for sin that can remove its penalty and its grip on the human heart. Jesus Christ said that he could forgive sin. And it’s not just for Christians.
Jesus’ disciple Peter made it clear that God’s intention is for all people to receive forgiveness through Christ. He said, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).
Salvation from sin doesn’t belong to one ethnic group or a particular religion. The God who made the heavens and the earth offers it to people of every nation, language and tribe.
For almost 2,000 years people worldwide have discovered the truth in Peter’s message. They’ve been set free from all kinds of addictions and destructive behaviors. The reason is that the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is more than just words. It is more than just a fact to believed. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
The Gospel has worked for millions of others. It changed my life. It will work for you.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
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