by Pastor Tom
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
-Ephesians 5:1-2
I used to love watching the Ed Sullivan Show. In a single hour, Ed would serve up a heaping helping of entertainment that might include opera singers, bears riding bicycles, somebody juggling flaming swords and one hundred Chinese acrobats. Ed also provided a platform for many an artist to debut for the first time on national television. I can still clearly remember the Sunday night that featured the Beatles. Girls were screaming and millions tuned in. The big talk on Monday morning in many a workplace had to do more with the hair than the music.
My favorites were the comedians, and my favorite comedians were those who did impressions. George Kirby, David Frye, Rich Little and Frank Gorshwin, among others whose names I can’t remember, simply amazed me. They all did the standards for the times – Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas, Louie Armstrong and, without fail, Ed Sullivan. Now that I think about it, every single American citizen back in those days did Ed Sullivan. And we can’t forget Richard Nixon, who during his presidency and for some years after, was the clear favorite of every impersonator.
I’ve often thought about how much work and time had to be spent on the part of those impressionists to perfect their bits. They had to study every nuance and detail of the voice, facial contortions and body language of the person they planned to impersonate. Then, I imagine they spent hours in front of a mirror practicing. Eventually, they probably tried out their impersonations on family members and friends. Only after a long and tedious process would they have been good enough to actually make a living imitating other people.
In the Bible, we’re invited to be imitators of God. In Ephesians, Paul suggests that it should happen in much the same way that loving children end up becoming very much like their parents, which tends to be true no matter how frightening the possibility might seem. Regardless, imitation demands intimacy. For one to imitate another, one must know the other.
I suspect that if any of us are ever really going to imitate God, it would require the same process used by impersonators. It would take a lot of study, examination and reflection. Then, it would take practice. Without the work, we’ll just end up with a god that is little more than an imitation of us.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Our Pastor is writing a column!
Our home church pastor in Jacksonville is writing a few times a month for a column in our hometown paper the Jacksonville Times Union. We were pleasantly surprised to learn this from a community email information that comes occasionally. We have loaded up some of the archived devotions from the past year that he has written and added them in the devotion blog. So look back at some of the past postings to see more devotions written by our Pastor Tom. Here is a short bio on our Pastor Tom. We miss you, Tom! And love you, too! We are thrilled that your ministry is Glorifing the Lord! We look forward to seeing more devotions from you!
Preacher Feature
by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller
Community Columnist
Rev. Thomas Fuller is a native of Dayton, Ohio, and has been married to his wife Cynthia for 33 years. They have three grown daughters. Tom received a bachelor’s degree in World Religions from Wright State University, and a Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary, also in Dayton. He is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and has served rural, inner-city and suburban congregations in both Ohio and Florida, and is currently the Sr. Pastor of Lake Shore United Methodist Church in West Jacksonville.
Tom’s pre-pastoral background establishes him as a jack-of-all-trades and, yes, a master of none. He has worked as a disc jockey, in retail, as a pool table installer, a fork lift driver, a rock and roll drummer and, in addition to many more, for a time shook walnuts off trees in the central valley of California. He claims that his experience in the nut orchards prepared him for service in the ministry. At any rate, his well-rounded encounters with life have given him a unique ability to relate to people from all walks of life.
Tom’s life goal is to grow in his relationship with Christ, and to make Christ known to others. Music, drama and the use of all the arts are important elements in his ministry. Pastor Tom can be reached at trf1452@comcast.net.
Preacher Feature
by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller
Community Columnist
Rev. Thomas Fuller is a native of Dayton, Ohio, and has been married to his wife Cynthia for 33 years. They have three grown daughters. Tom received a bachelor’s degree in World Religions from Wright State University, and a Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary, also in Dayton. He is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and has served rural, inner-city and suburban congregations in both Ohio and Florida, and is currently the Sr. Pastor of Lake Shore United Methodist Church in West Jacksonville.
Tom’s pre-pastoral background establishes him as a jack-of-all-trades and, yes, a master of none. He has worked as a disc jockey, in retail, as a pool table installer, a fork lift driver, a rock and roll drummer and, in addition to many more, for a time shook walnuts off trees in the central valley of California. He claims that his experience in the nut orchards prepared him for service in the ministry. At any rate, his well-rounded encounters with life have given him a unique ability to relate to people from all walks of life.
Tom’s life goal is to grow in his relationship with Christ, and to make Christ known to others. Music, drama and the use of all the arts are important elements in his ministry. Pastor Tom can be reached at trf1452@comcast.net.
Monday, December 04, 2006
The Nativity
by Pastor Tom
My wife and I took in The Nativity on its opening night. We were both a little surprised about how good it was. The filmmakers actually remained faithful to the subject at hand. It was indeed the story of the nativity, beautifully rendered like a fine painting set to music. Even the speculative conversations and circumstances that transcended the biblical material did not overshadow the heart of the story. I’ll probably see it again before it leaves the theaters.
The critics, on the other hand, didn’t care for it all that much. It was too boring, too dry. There wasn’t enough action. It simply wasn’t “Hollywooded” enough for their tastes.
The filmmakers could have kicked it up a notch. They could have introduced a trendy, adolescent character, the kind of aloof, irritating modern day youth that shows up in so many pictures, regardless of the historical setting. There certainly could have been more conflict. Joseph, for instance, could have had another love interest, which would have opened the door for a gratuitous sex scene and an eventual knock down, drag out fight with her live-in boyfriend.
Without a doubt, there could have been a sub-plot that involved revealing the truth about a church cover-up regarding the whole nativity story. Yes, that would be good. Mary could have had a boyfriend who was really responsible for the embarrassing pregnancy, and it could have been revealed that the early church fathers formed some kind of ridiculous club to rewrite the whole story for their own sinister purposes. And that would have opened up the possibility of yet another sex scene. And somehow, it seems, there could have been a few explosions, or chase scenes and maybe even a battle or two! Everything could have been put together in the typical flashing, MTV music video style.
Indeed, they missed a fine opportunity to please the critics. All they ended up with was a straightforward, artistic account of not just any story, but the greatest story. Well, if they have to mess up once in a while, I’m happy they did it with this film.
My wife and I took in The Nativity on its opening night. We were both a little surprised about how good it was. The filmmakers actually remained faithful to the subject at hand. It was indeed the story of the nativity, beautifully rendered like a fine painting set to music. Even the speculative conversations and circumstances that transcended the biblical material did not overshadow the heart of the story. I’ll probably see it again before it leaves the theaters.
The critics, on the other hand, didn’t care for it all that much. It was too boring, too dry. There wasn’t enough action. It simply wasn’t “Hollywooded” enough for their tastes.
The filmmakers could have kicked it up a notch. They could have introduced a trendy, adolescent character, the kind of aloof, irritating modern day youth that shows up in so many pictures, regardless of the historical setting. There certainly could have been more conflict. Joseph, for instance, could have had another love interest, which would have opened the door for a gratuitous sex scene and an eventual knock down, drag out fight with her live-in boyfriend.
Without a doubt, there could have been a sub-plot that involved revealing the truth about a church cover-up regarding the whole nativity story. Yes, that would be good. Mary could have had a boyfriend who was really responsible for the embarrassing pregnancy, and it could have been revealed that the early church fathers formed some kind of ridiculous club to rewrite the whole story for their own sinister purposes. And that would have opened up the possibility of yet another sex scene. And somehow, it seems, there could have been a few explosions, or chase scenes and maybe even a battle or two! Everything could have been put together in the typical flashing, MTV music video style.
Indeed, they missed a fine opportunity to please the critics. All they ended up with was a straightforward, artistic account of not just any story, but the greatest story. Well, if they have to mess up once in a while, I’m happy they did it with this film.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Thanksgiving’s top ten
by Pastor Tom
Thanksgiving is this Thursday. It’s my favorite holiday, still kind of low key, and centered in family get-togethers. I’m a thankful person, having been blessed far beyond what I deserve. I’m thankful for all the standard things. At the top of the list is the love God has shown us, and then of course my wife and daughters, family and friends, freedom and opportunity, and then all the material comforts. But today I’m thinking of a number of things that really bless me, and here are ten of them.
1. Even though gasoline has jumped in price, I’m thankful that I no longer have to constantly worry about the gas gage and wonder if I’m going to get where I’m going.
2. I’m thankful for the motorcycle cop I pulled out in front of the other day, and that he didn’t get too upset about it and who didn’t give me a ticket, even though I had not yet put on my seatbelt.
3. I really appreciate businesses, organizations and individuals who adopt highways and clean up after those pathetic slobs who toss trash out their car windows.
4. I give a lot of thanks for the city of Jacksonville, and all the people who keep it running, from the mayor to the sheriff and everybody in-between.
5. I’m grateful for my evil cat, a creature I inherited unwillingly, but have come to love and appreciate.
6. I’m thankful for the staff of the Dunkin Donuts on Roosevelt Avenue because they are so polite and helpful, unlike the folks at that other coffee place who tend to treat you like a virus.
7. I’m always so thankful for people who let me over in traffic that I regret not having the opportunity to tell them so while driving.
8. I give thanks for waitresses who call me “Honey Pie” and act like they’re really happy about my appearance.
9. I never cease to be appreciative for the guys who pick up my garbage each week. What a hard, thankless job, and what a mess we’d all be in without them.
10. And I’m thankful that the release of O.J. Simpson’s utterly disgusting book and up-coming television interview were both cancelled. It gives me hope that there is still a limit to the bad taste we will tolerate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and may you be too blessed to be stressed!
Thanksgiving is this Thursday. It’s my favorite holiday, still kind of low key, and centered in family get-togethers. I’m a thankful person, having been blessed far beyond what I deserve. I’m thankful for all the standard things. At the top of the list is the love God has shown us, and then of course my wife and daughters, family and friends, freedom and opportunity, and then all the material comforts. But today I’m thinking of a number of things that really bless me, and here are ten of them.
1. Even though gasoline has jumped in price, I’m thankful that I no longer have to constantly worry about the gas gage and wonder if I’m going to get where I’m going.
2. I’m thankful for the motorcycle cop I pulled out in front of the other day, and that he didn’t get too upset about it and who didn’t give me a ticket, even though I had not yet put on my seatbelt.
3. I really appreciate businesses, organizations and individuals who adopt highways and clean up after those pathetic slobs who toss trash out their car windows.
4. I give a lot of thanks for the city of Jacksonville, and all the people who keep it running, from the mayor to the sheriff and everybody in-between.
5. I’m grateful for my evil cat, a creature I inherited unwillingly, but have come to love and appreciate.
6. I’m thankful for the staff of the Dunkin Donuts on Roosevelt Avenue because they are so polite and helpful, unlike the folks at that other coffee place who tend to treat you like a virus.
7. I’m always so thankful for people who let me over in traffic that I regret not having the opportunity to tell them so while driving.
8. I give thanks for waitresses who call me “Honey Pie” and act like they’re really happy about my appearance.
9. I never cease to be appreciative for the guys who pick up my garbage each week. What a hard, thankless job, and what a mess we’d all be in without them.
10. And I’m thankful that the release of O.J. Simpson’s utterly disgusting book and up-coming television interview were both cancelled. It gives me hope that there is still a limit to the bad taste we will tolerate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and may you be too blessed to be stressed!
Monday, November 06, 2006
Elephant ears
by Pastor Tom
I have this great little jungle of elephant ears growing just outside my office window. I love those things. If it were up to me, I would have an entire elephant ear lawn. But lately, every time I look at them, I can’t help but think about my own ears.
I hate to admit it, but I suspect that my ears are getting bigger. And the timing is not good at all, because I have also reached the age when the possibility of growing out enough hair to cover them up is completely out of the question. As a matter of fact, I think the hair that used to grow on my head has taken to growing in my ears for fear of being smothered by the ghastly, flappy things. When they talk about the Golden Years, they never mention those gargantuan ears.
One would think that as old men’s ears grew to the size of wrinkled flapjacks, their hearing would improve. But that doesn’t typically happen. The hearing tends to diminish. Our ears get large enough to have their own zip code, and at the same time we couldn’t hear a train crashing into a cymbal factory. I suppose it’s all part of life’s rich pageant.
I’m probably more concerned about the size of my ears than how well they work. The reason is, I’ve always been able to hear way more than I ever pay attention to, anyway. My problem has never been hearing, but rather listening. A lot of times, my mind is drifting when others are talking. Sometimes, I’m too occupied to hear what others say.
There are times when I’m more anxious to get my two cents in than to really listen, so while I should be listening, I’m simply waiting for a crack in the conversation. When it comes, I’ll jump right in there and enlighten whoever it is that I probably would have done well to listen to. And then, there’s that personal experience and attitude filter that everything has to pass through.
In light of my own hearing disability, I shouldn’t be surprised at how poorly others tend to listen, but I still do get surprised. I’ve learned after many years that, as far as sermons, announcements or even articles are concerned, it is simply impossible to anticipate and account for poor listening skills in a way that will allow everyone to understand any given communication. Most of us just don’t listen very well.
It’s interesting that Jesus anticipated poor listening skills, Many times, he ended his teachings with the phrase, “to those who have ears, let them hear.” Of course, most of the people he spoke to had physical ears, but only a percentage really heard him. I think that’s how it is, generally. We have ears, but we don’t hear.
There’s a nice breeze outside, and it’s blowing my elephant ears around. Pretty soon, a strong frost will come along, and they’ll shrivel down to nothing. All the while, my own ears will continue to get bigger. I’m praying that I’ll begin to make better use of them. I do want to hear others. And I want to hear God.
I have this great little jungle of elephant ears growing just outside my office window. I love those things. If it were up to me, I would have an entire elephant ear lawn. But lately, every time I look at them, I can’t help but think about my own ears.
I hate to admit it, but I suspect that my ears are getting bigger. And the timing is not good at all, because I have also reached the age when the possibility of growing out enough hair to cover them up is completely out of the question. As a matter of fact, I think the hair that used to grow on my head has taken to growing in my ears for fear of being smothered by the ghastly, flappy things. When they talk about the Golden Years, they never mention those gargantuan ears.
One would think that as old men’s ears grew to the size of wrinkled flapjacks, their hearing would improve. But that doesn’t typically happen. The hearing tends to diminish. Our ears get large enough to have their own zip code, and at the same time we couldn’t hear a train crashing into a cymbal factory. I suppose it’s all part of life’s rich pageant.
I’m probably more concerned about the size of my ears than how well they work. The reason is, I’ve always been able to hear way more than I ever pay attention to, anyway. My problem has never been hearing, but rather listening. A lot of times, my mind is drifting when others are talking. Sometimes, I’m too occupied to hear what others say.
There are times when I’m more anxious to get my two cents in than to really listen, so while I should be listening, I’m simply waiting for a crack in the conversation. When it comes, I’ll jump right in there and enlighten whoever it is that I probably would have done well to listen to. And then, there’s that personal experience and attitude filter that everything has to pass through.
In light of my own hearing disability, I shouldn’t be surprised at how poorly others tend to listen, but I still do get surprised. I’ve learned after many years that, as far as sermons, announcements or even articles are concerned, it is simply impossible to anticipate and account for poor listening skills in a way that will allow everyone to understand any given communication. Most of us just don’t listen very well.
It’s interesting that Jesus anticipated poor listening skills, Many times, he ended his teachings with the phrase, “to those who have ears, let them hear.” Of course, most of the people he spoke to had physical ears, but only a percentage really heard him. I think that’s how it is, generally. We have ears, but we don’t hear.
There’s a nice breeze outside, and it’s blowing my elephant ears around. Pretty soon, a strong frost will come along, and they’ll shrivel down to nothing. All the while, my own ears will continue to get bigger. I’m praying that I’ll begin to make better use of them. I do want to hear others. And I want to hear God.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Who owns Jessica?
by Pastor Tom
I just finished watching and listening to a Jessica Simpson video, which was for me a first.
Although I am unfamiliar with her music, I do know some things about her. I know that she is a pop singer, and that she dumped her husband, Nick. As a matter of fact, I have become quite a celebrity expert. I know the sorted details of the love lives of several Jennifers, an Angelina, and I think a Biff or a Brad or somebody like that. I hone my celebrity knowledge when standing in those endless lines at the grocery store. Since I have a knack for getting in line behind one of the half a dozen people in town who have yet to acquire a debit card and still insist on writing checks, I have ample opportunity to check out all those Hollywood gossip magazines (without ever having to buy one!).
I ended up listening to Jessica’s video because the title, I Belong To Me, kind of grabbed my attention. The song, while somewhat irritating and lacking any discernable musical merit, had at its heart what could be considered a respectable message. When two people enter into a relationship, one should not own the other, and each should be allowed to be themselves. All good and well.
But simply because no person should own another, does that really mean any of us own ourselves? None of us made ourselves. We can’t take any credit for our birth. For a good while each of us was completely helpless and dependant upon the good will and care afforded by others. We spend our entire lives in constant need of the provision of other people. Most of us take far more than we give. It would be a tough argument to say that any of us have actually bought and paid for our own existence.
Ownership also implies complete control. In this life, it seems to me that we are more like renters and less like owners. We on occasion have access to certain choices, but ultimately, the big decisions are made by somebody else, decisions like when and where we will be born, when and where we will die, and what kinds of choices we will have available to us in the meantime.
There’s been a lot of talk about self-ownership in our day. Some say that because we own ourselves, we should have every right to take our own life whenever we want. The right of a woman to abort a child has been centered in the notion that each woman owns her own body.
Some of us think that certain crimes can be “victimless,” since they don’t really hurt anyone aside from the perpetrator. The problem is, none of these things ever take place in a vacuum. All of us are a part of a whole lot of others. We aren’t just ourselves. Inevitably, the truth that we not only don’t own ourselves but can never really own anything will come to us all.
I believe that God is our real owner. God gave us this gift of life. As our owner, he is not a tyrant. He’ll let us take the reigns, and because we have so often, the world is like it is and not like God intended it to be. But there is good news. When we grow weary of pretending to own what we can never own, we can hand the reigns back to God. Only then can we really discover the blessings of being his property, his treasure, and the love of his heart.
I just finished watching and listening to a Jessica Simpson video, which was for me a first.
Although I am unfamiliar with her music, I do know some things about her. I know that she is a pop singer, and that she dumped her husband, Nick. As a matter of fact, I have become quite a celebrity expert. I know the sorted details of the love lives of several Jennifers, an Angelina, and I think a Biff or a Brad or somebody like that. I hone my celebrity knowledge when standing in those endless lines at the grocery store. Since I have a knack for getting in line behind one of the half a dozen people in town who have yet to acquire a debit card and still insist on writing checks, I have ample opportunity to check out all those Hollywood gossip magazines (without ever having to buy one!).
I ended up listening to Jessica’s video because the title, I Belong To Me, kind of grabbed my attention. The song, while somewhat irritating and lacking any discernable musical merit, had at its heart what could be considered a respectable message. When two people enter into a relationship, one should not own the other, and each should be allowed to be themselves. All good and well.
But simply because no person should own another, does that really mean any of us own ourselves? None of us made ourselves. We can’t take any credit for our birth. For a good while each of us was completely helpless and dependant upon the good will and care afforded by others. We spend our entire lives in constant need of the provision of other people. Most of us take far more than we give. It would be a tough argument to say that any of us have actually bought and paid for our own existence.
Ownership also implies complete control. In this life, it seems to me that we are more like renters and less like owners. We on occasion have access to certain choices, but ultimately, the big decisions are made by somebody else, decisions like when and where we will be born, when and where we will die, and what kinds of choices we will have available to us in the meantime.
There’s been a lot of talk about self-ownership in our day. Some say that because we own ourselves, we should have every right to take our own life whenever we want. The right of a woman to abort a child has been centered in the notion that each woman owns her own body.
Some of us think that certain crimes can be “victimless,” since they don’t really hurt anyone aside from the perpetrator. The problem is, none of these things ever take place in a vacuum. All of us are a part of a whole lot of others. We aren’t just ourselves. Inevitably, the truth that we not only don’t own ourselves but can never really own anything will come to us all.
I believe that God is our real owner. God gave us this gift of life. As our owner, he is not a tyrant. He’ll let us take the reigns, and because we have so often, the world is like it is and not like God intended it to be. But there is good news. When we grow weary of pretending to own what we can never own, we can hand the reigns back to God. Only then can we really discover the blessings of being his property, his treasure, and the love of his heart.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Ugly talk
by Pastor Tom
I had a lot of fun in a costume store recently, checking out all the Halloween masks. In and among all the gruesome and scary creature heads were the likenesses of President Bush, Dick Cheney and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I suppose it could be rather frightening to have a politician show up at your front door. No doubt, you’d be in for some tricks.
It was reported the other day that John Spencer, the Republican challenger to Senator Clinton, made some remarks to an AP reporter about her looks. According to the reporter, Mr. Spencer was simply amazed at the unattractiveness of Hillary’s high school yearbook photo. He allegedly stated his conviction that she must have since had some serious plastic surgery, and his bewilderment at just how her hubby Bill was ever able to marry her.
According to Mr. Spencer, the report was a total fabrication, and he never said anything of the kind. The Hillary people seem to be taking great joy in the reported remarks, in spite of his denial. Sadly, recent history has revealed that reporters are often untrustworthy, having staged photo shootings and flat-out lied on several occasions, just to make a name for themselves.
The Bible regularly demands that any accusation be accompanied by the witness of at least two or three individuals before a judgment is delivered. I’ve always thought that reporters ought to be able to provide some corroborative support of some kind when they reveal embarrassing, damaging and negative facts about someone. It seems like it’s just too easy to smear somebody with little or no accountability.
Well, being a fat, ugly guy myself, I don’t really have much concern for how other people look. Some of the greatest people to walk the earth would never have won any beauty contest. Hillary seems to look fine, aside from the fact that she appears angry a lot of the time. Maybe it’s indigestion. Maybe it’s Bill.
I do admit that there are a lot of ugly politicians running around, but the ugliness isn’t coming from their looks. It’s coming out of their mouths. Oh, I truly enjoy some spirited competition in a political contest, but the kind of trash-talking that we hear is sad. It’s ugly. It’s embarrassing. It’s scary. God help us.
I had a lot of fun in a costume store recently, checking out all the Halloween masks. In and among all the gruesome and scary creature heads were the likenesses of President Bush, Dick Cheney and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I suppose it could be rather frightening to have a politician show up at your front door. No doubt, you’d be in for some tricks.
It was reported the other day that John Spencer, the Republican challenger to Senator Clinton, made some remarks to an AP reporter about her looks. According to the reporter, Mr. Spencer was simply amazed at the unattractiveness of Hillary’s high school yearbook photo. He allegedly stated his conviction that she must have since had some serious plastic surgery, and his bewilderment at just how her hubby Bill was ever able to marry her.
According to Mr. Spencer, the report was a total fabrication, and he never said anything of the kind. The Hillary people seem to be taking great joy in the reported remarks, in spite of his denial. Sadly, recent history has revealed that reporters are often untrustworthy, having staged photo shootings and flat-out lied on several occasions, just to make a name for themselves.
The Bible regularly demands that any accusation be accompanied by the witness of at least two or three individuals before a judgment is delivered. I’ve always thought that reporters ought to be able to provide some corroborative support of some kind when they reveal embarrassing, damaging and negative facts about someone. It seems like it’s just too easy to smear somebody with little or no accountability.
Well, being a fat, ugly guy myself, I don’t really have much concern for how other people look. Some of the greatest people to walk the earth would never have won any beauty contest. Hillary seems to look fine, aside from the fact that she appears angry a lot of the time. Maybe it’s indigestion. Maybe it’s Bill.
I do admit that there are a lot of ugly politicians running around, but the ugliness isn’t coming from their looks. It’s coming out of their mouths. Oh, I truly enjoy some spirited competition in a political contest, but the kind of trash-talking that we hear is sad. It’s ugly. It’s embarrassing. It’s scary. God help us.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
God's promises are for all of us!
Every promise of God is available to all of us! Whosoever will do whatsoever God tells us! We must be obedient to God! Disobedience is the main hinderence to God's blessings. We need to hear from God individually. Obey God with your words. Receive conviction from God. Promises come with conditions.
Promises of God:
Wisdom, strength, joy, peace, righteousness, creativity, prosperity, good health, long life, favor, good friends, great relationships, hearing from God, being lead by the Spirit. Overall, blessed, wonderful life!
We have to die to sin and choose not to come into the temptation! Go forward and don't keep going around the same mountains.
Speak life and not death!
Live healthy and take care of your body!
Learn how to be and to rest!
Press into new levels of obedience. "learn how to do what's right while it still feels wrong"
Feed yourself regularly with the word
Joshua 1:3 - "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses."
1Peter 4:1-2 - "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that He no longer should live the rest of His time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." Get a new mindset...say I'd rather suffer than disobey God.
Reference: http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Broadcast/TV/Archive/
October 19 - The number one Hinderence to being Blessed
Promises of God:
Wisdom, strength, joy, peace, righteousness, creativity, prosperity, good health, long life, favor, good friends, great relationships, hearing from God, being lead by the Spirit. Overall, blessed, wonderful life!
We have to die to sin and choose not to come into the temptation! Go forward and don't keep going around the same mountains.
Speak life and not death!
Live healthy and take care of your body!
Learn how to be and to rest!
Press into new levels of obedience. "learn how to do what's right while it still feels wrong"
Feed yourself regularly with the word
Joshua 1:3 - "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses."
1Peter 4:1-2 - "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that He no longer should live the rest of His time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." Get a new mindset...say I'd rather suffer than disobey God.
Reference: http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Broadcast/TV/Archive/
October 19 - The number one Hinderence to being Blessed
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Halloweenies
by Pastor Tom
Halloween is good news to many retailers. As far as special day spending is concerned, it comes in a solid second behind Christmas, beating out Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, the Fourth of July, Easter, you name it. And it’s rather strange when you think about it because, after all, what on earth is Halloween all about?
Well, there’s the candy thing, which is very appealing to kids. I used to dream for weeks about ways to increase my take. My costume had to allow for high-speed running through the neighbor’s yards. Forget the mask. And the bag was of critical importance. A strong pillowcase proved best. Of course, I precisely plotted a route for efficiency with notations indicating the “must visit” stops that gave out really great stuff the previous year.
Then, there are the costumes. People really like to dress up and be somebody else for a while. It’s great when kids dress up. They can actually imagine being mistaken for the real Spiderman.
Finally, there are all the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins with a dose of pumpkins thrown in for good measure. It’s no secret that people like scary stuff. They regularly go to scary movies and read scary books and ride scary rides.
It’s not that difficult to identify the attraction of Halloween, but it is a challenge to really figure out where it came from and exactly what it was originally intended to celebrate. There are those who claim a pretty good knowledge of its history, but in truth little is known and a whole lot of things are assumed. Most likely, it is a combination of Northern European nature religion traditions that got tagged on to the Christian All Saints Day, established in the seventh century.
A host of pre-Christian traditions were “Christianized.” Easter eggs fall into that same category, along with Christmas trees. Whatever the origin, it has truly become a unique American phenomenon.
It surprises me that so many Christians are terrified of Halloween. Some Christian parents refuse to allow their children to Trick or Treat. Some churches go to great lengths to provide Halloween alternatives. Preachers pound pulpits and warn their congregations to steer clear of any involvement with Halloween.
I’m not terribly troubled by Halloween. I think everybody could use a little senseless fun once in a while. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I do believe in the devil and in hell and all that nasty stuff. But if Halloween is the best the devil can do to snare us, then we could all rest easy. It is amazing how we Christians can trivialize something so very diabolical, deadly and dangerous as the devil by associating him with a goofy, nonsensical day of candy and mischief. Is it any wonder that some people have difficulty taking us seriously?
As for me, I approach Halloween as an opportunity. I know kids will be out on the candy
run. We pass out candy at church, along with all kinds of little gifts and printed invitations to various church events. Last year, we estimated having about 250 neighbors drop by. I talked to and met many of them. Several asked for prayer, and I prayed with them right out on the church parking lot.
I wish that less Christians would behave like Halloweenies and more would stand firm in their faith. There are genuine battles against evil to be fought that very few have the guts to fight. I suppose that some of us are able to take a big, brave stand against Halloween because we really don’t anticipate any serious hardship as a result.
Halloween is good news to many retailers. As far as special day spending is concerned, it comes in a solid second behind Christmas, beating out Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, the Fourth of July, Easter, you name it. And it’s rather strange when you think about it because, after all, what on earth is Halloween all about?
Well, there’s the candy thing, which is very appealing to kids. I used to dream for weeks about ways to increase my take. My costume had to allow for high-speed running through the neighbor’s yards. Forget the mask. And the bag was of critical importance. A strong pillowcase proved best. Of course, I precisely plotted a route for efficiency with notations indicating the “must visit” stops that gave out really great stuff the previous year.
Then, there are the costumes. People really like to dress up and be somebody else for a while. It’s great when kids dress up. They can actually imagine being mistaken for the real Spiderman.
Finally, there are all the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins with a dose of pumpkins thrown in for good measure. It’s no secret that people like scary stuff. They regularly go to scary movies and read scary books and ride scary rides.
It’s not that difficult to identify the attraction of Halloween, but it is a challenge to really figure out where it came from and exactly what it was originally intended to celebrate. There are those who claim a pretty good knowledge of its history, but in truth little is known and a whole lot of things are assumed. Most likely, it is a combination of Northern European nature religion traditions that got tagged on to the Christian All Saints Day, established in the seventh century.
A host of pre-Christian traditions were “Christianized.” Easter eggs fall into that same category, along with Christmas trees. Whatever the origin, it has truly become a unique American phenomenon.
It surprises me that so many Christians are terrified of Halloween. Some Christian parents refuse to allow their children to Trick or Treat. Some churches go to great lengths to provide Halloween alternatives. Preachers pound pulpits and warn their congregations to steer clear of any involvement with Halloween.
I’m not terribly troubled by Halloween. I think everybody could use a little senseless fun once in a while. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I do believe in the devil and in hell and all that nasty stuff. But if Halloween is the best the devil can do to snare us, then we could all rest easy. It is amazing how we Christians can trivialize something so very diabolical, deadly and dangerous as the devil by associating him with a goofy, nonsensical day of candy and mischief. Is it any wonder that some people have difficulty taking us seriously?
As for me, I approach Halloween as an opportunity. I know kids will be out on the candy
run. We pass out candy at church, along with all kinds of little gifts and printed invitations to various church events. Last year, we estimated having about 250 neighbors drop by. I talked to and met many of them. Several asked for prayer, and I prayed with them right out on the church parking lot.
I wish that less Christians would behave like Halloweenies and more would stand firm in their faith. There are genuine battles against evil to be fought that very few have the guts to fight. I suppose that some of us are able to take a big, brave stand against Halloween because we really don’t anticipate any serious hardship as a result.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Choosing greatness
by Pastor Tom
Like most of us, I’ve been paying close attention to the situation as it has been developing in North Korea. I really don’t understand what’s going on there, but that’s nothing new. Volumes could be written on what I don’t understand.
Pretty much of all I know is that there is this psychotic guy in charge over there with a really bad hairdo who, while the population of his country starves, is totally consumed with the notion of creating nuclear bombs. He could be doing lots of other things. He could invest himself in doing what the South Koreans have been doing. They have built quite an economy and created a pretty good standard of living for their citizenry. He could become a hero, and lead his people into a life of freedom and prosperity. He could do any number of great things. But, he has chosen to do what he is doing, which doesn’t make much sense.
Something must have happened to him somewhere along the way. Maybe his parents didn’t change his diaper often enough. Maybe he didn’t have parents. Perhaps the other kids picked on him when he was in school. It just might be that too many people made fun of his silly hairdo. Who knows?
The sad thing in all of this is that here is a person who has the opportunity and the means to do something really great, and instead, he chooses something destructive. We all know where his actions are taking him, even if he doesn’t.
I’m not certain where all this will lead. It could end up quite ugly. The notion of a nut like this with nuclear bombs is not a comforting thought.
Well, most of us probably don’t have entire nations at our disposal. However, we do have families and jobs and communities. And all of us have had some bad stuff come our way. And, just like Mr. Hairdo over in North Korea, we can all choose what we are going to do with ourselves. We can choose to be a blessing to those in our sphere of influence, or we can choose to be destructive or irritating or just plain worthless. It’s really up to us.
It amazes me that so many choose to miss the opportunity to be great. Parents choose to be uninvolved in the lives of their kids. Sons and daughters choose the low road of poor performance and bad behavior. Workers choose to just put in their time. Every day, people choose to be critics, slackers, no-counts, thieves, and worse.
One thing that this life offers each and every one of us is the opportunity to be great, even if we aren’t in charge of a whole nation, and even if things haven’t always gone right in our life. We can be great in our dealings with others. We can be the best thing that ever happened to somebody. It’s up to us.
Like most of us, I’ve been paying close attention to the situation as it has been developing in North Korea. I really don’t understand what’s going on there, but that’s nothing new. Volumes could be written on what I don’t understand.
Pretty much of all I know is that there is this psychotic guy in charge over there with a really bad hairdo who, while the population of his country starves, is totally consumed with the notion of creating nuclear bombs. He could be doing lots of other things. He could invest himself in doing what the South Koreans have been doing. They have built quite an economy and created a pretty good standard of living for their citizenry. He could become a hero, and lead his people into a life of freedom and prosperity. He could do any number of great things. But, he has chosen to do what he is doing, which doesn’t make much sense.
Something must have happened to him somewhere along the way. Maybe his parents didn’t change his diaper often enough. Maybe he didn’t have parents. Perhaps the other kids picked on him when he was in school. It just might be that too many people made fun of his silly hairdo. Who knows?
The sad thing in all of this is that here is a person who has the opportunity and the means to do something really great, and instead, he chooses something destructive. We all know where his actions are taking him, even if he doesn’t.
I’m not certain where all this will lead. It could end up quite ugly. The notion of a nut like this with nuclear bombs is not a comforting thought.
Well, most of us probably don’t have entire nations at our disposal. However, we do have families and jobs and communities. And all of us have had some bad stuff come our way. And, just like Mr. Hairdo over in North Korea, we can all choose what we are going to do with ourselves. We can choose to be a blessing to those in our sphere of influence, or we can choose to be destructive or irritating or just plain worthless. It’s really up to us.
It amazes me that so many choose to miss the opportunity to be great. Parents choose to be uninvolved in the lives of their kids. Sons and daughters choose the low road of poor performance and bad behavior. Workers choose to just put in their time. Every day, people choose to be critics, slackers, no-counts, thieves, and worse.
One thing that this life offers each and every one of us is the opportunity to be great, even if we aren’t in charge of a whole nation, and even if things haven’t always gone right in our life. We can be great in our dealings with others. We can be the best thing that ever happened to somebody. It’s up to us.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Christophobia
by Pastor Tom
I suppose we Christians can be a pretty scary bunch. At least that’s what Rosie O’Donnell seems to think. She believes that we Christians are as big a threat to America as Muslim terrorists, according to remarks she made recently on national television. Strangely, her remarks drew a pretty good round of applause.
I have to confess a little confusion. Oh, certainly I’m keenly aware of some very strange and at times downright dangerous people who have claimed some kind of bizarre Christianity. But they are in truth very rare indeed. If Christians were really bent on destruction, or on seizing power from others, they could be pretty successful, since four out of five Americans claim to be one.
Although Rosie obviously fears these Christian people as much as she fears Muslim terrorists, I have noticed that she hasn’t decided to move to a Middle Eastern Muslim nation to voice her views. There, as a rule, they don’t tolerate women who speak their mind very well. And, I have to mention that the punishment for the practice of homosexuality among many Muslims is death. Poor Rosie would end up chopped into a million pieces, sprinkled about as food for the birds.
I wonder what it is about Christians that Rosie fears. Perhaps it’s the thousands of hospitals, colleges, food pantries and relief organizations they’ve founded. It might be the world-wide feeding and medical missions they support. It could just be all that praying and singing. It may be some of the crazy notions they hold dear, like putting others before yourself, loving your enemies and praying for them, giving generously from your hard-earned income to help others, or attempting to live a moral, honest and upright life. Scary stuff!
It would seem that a person like Rosie would have nothing but praise for a country and a culture like ours. Where else in the world could a woman without a hint of talent make millions in the entertainment industry? It would seem that Rosie might perceive a person with bombs strapped all over their body to be slightly more dangerous than a person passing out Bibles. Like I said, I’m a little confused.
I have a suspicion regarding Rosie’s fear. Christians do believe and state that there is a God who has given us a moral law. Christians do believe that there is such a thing as right and wrong. I suspect that for a person like Rosie, such a possibility is much more frightening than being blown to bits by a terrorist.
I pray for Rosie to discover the truth about believers. I pray for Rosie to recover from her “Christophobia.” And, in the meantime, I pray that God will give me the grace to be the scary Christian in her closet.
I suppose we Christians can be a pretty scary bunch. At least that’s what Rosie O’Donnell seems to think. She believes that we Christians are as big a threat to America as Muslim terrorists, according to remarks she made recently on national television. Strangely, her remarks drew a pretty good round of applause.
I have to confess a little confusion. Oh, certainly I’m keenly aware of some very strange and at times downright dangerous people who have claimed some kind of bizarre Christianity. But they are in truth very rare indeed. If Christians were really bent on destruction, or on seizing power from others, they could be pretty successful, since four out of five Americans claim to be one.
Although Rosie obviously fears these Christian people as much as she fears Muslim terrorists, I have noticed that she hasn’t decided to move to a Middle Eastern Muslim nation to voice her views. There, as a rule, they don’t tolerate women who speak their mind very well. And, I have to mention that the punishment for the practice of homosexuality among many Muslims is death. Poor Rosie would end up chopped into a million pieces, sprinkled about as food for the birds.
I wonder what it is about Christians that Rosie fears. Perhaps it’s the thousands of hospitals, colleges, food pantries and relief organizations they’ve founded. It might be the world-wide feeding and medical missions they support. It could just be all that praying and singing. It may be some of the crazy notions they hold dear, like putting others before yourself, loving your enemies and praying for them, giving generously from your hard-earned income to help others, or attempting to live a moral, honest and upright life. Scary stuff!
It would seem that a person like Rosie would have nothing but praise for a country and a culture like ours. Where else in the world could a woman without a hint of talent make millions in the entertainment industry? It would seem that Rosie might perceive a person with bombs strapped all over their body to be slightly more dangerous than a person passing out Bibles. Like I said, I’m a little confused.
I have a suspicion regarding Rosie’s fear. Christians do believe and state that there is a God who has given us a moral law. Christians do believe that there is such a thing as right and wrong. I suspect that for a person like Rosie, such a possibility is much more frightening than being blown to bits by a terrorist.
I pray for Rosie to discover the truth about believers. I pray for Rosie to recover from her “Christophobia.” And, in the meantime, I pray that God will give me the grace to be the scary Christian in her closet.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Beating dead horses
by Pastor Tom
“To another [Jesus] said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ Then [Jesus} said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
The Associated Press very recently released a report about a woman in Athens, Georgia and two of her roommates who decided that the woman’s brother was in need of repentance. Since he seemed reluctant, and even laughed when they began praying for him, they opted to hold him at gunpoint until he had a change of heart. When his attention seemed to drift, one of his captors fired a shot into the ceiling just feet from his head. Eventually, he was able to make a break for the door and find his way to the police station. It would seem that God did not see fit to bless the firearm to the head approach to conversion.
It’s always such a treat for those of us who have chosen to be followers of Jesus to see another “Crazy Christian” report in the media. In truth, without meeting any criteria or demonstrating any proficiency or knowledge, anyone can claim to be a Christian, and some of those who do have what we might call issues. On the other hand, there are many more who sincerely seek to follow Jesus and serve others. Their efforts are rarely reported.
Thankfully, most of us do not resort to weapons to obtain converts. But quite a few of us tend to act somewhat desperate. We beg. We plead. We worry more about the uninterested than the interested.
Strangely, Jesus never seemed to dally around with uninterested people. He was pretty blunt and to the point. He never begged anyone. He never acted as though the church and the purposes of God in the world would fall apart unless some disinterested, apathetic person suddenly jumped up to take the reigns. He tossed out the invitation and then moved on. He never even slowed down. Those who chose to follow him had to move quickly just to keep up with him.
I believe God’s invitation is the same today. Jesus invites you to an adventure of service and sacrifice. His claim is that he holds the key to abundant and eternal life. All this can be yours if you say yes to him. If, however, you are content with your life and the direction it’s taking you, and if you believe that you are already reaching your full potential as a human being, then just stay where you are. God’s work in the world will not fall apart because of your indifference to him. And it doesn’t seem, from the example of Jesus, that God wastes time beating dead horses. Relax. Nobody will have to go to heaven kicking and screaming. The kicking and screaming is for someplace else.
“To another [Jesus] said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ Then [Jesus} said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
The Associated Press very recently released a report about a woman in Athens, Georgia and two of her roommates who decided that the woman’s brother was in need of repentance. Since he seemed reluctant, and even laughed when they began praying for him, they opted to hold him at gunpoint until he had a change of heart. When his attention seemed to drift, one of his captors fired a shot into the ceiling just feet from his head. Eventually, he was able to make a break for the door and find his way to the police station. It would seem that God did not see fit to bless the firearm to the head approach to conversion.
It’s always such a treat for those of us who have chosen to be followers of Jesus to see another “Crazy Christian” report in the media. In truth, without meeting any criteria or demonstrating any proficiency or knowledge, anyone can claim to be a Christian, and some of those who do have what we might call issues. On the other hand, there are many more who sincerely seek to follow Jesus and serve others. Their efforts are rarely reported.
Thankfully, most of us do not resort to weapons to obtain converts. But quite a few of us tend to act somewhat desperate. We beg. We plead. We worry more about the uninterested than the interested.
Strangely, Jesus never seemed to dally around with uninterested people. He was pretty blunt and to the point. He never begged anyone. He never acted as though the church and the purposes of God in the world would fall apart unless some disinterested, apathetic person suddenly jumped up to take the reigns. He tossed out the invitation and then moved on. He never even slowed down. Those who chose to follow him had to move quickly just to keep up with him.
I believe God’s invitation is the same today. Jesus invites you to an adventure of service and sacrifice. His claim is that he holds the key to abundant and eternal life. All this can be yours if you say yes to him. If, however, you are content with your life and the direction it’s taking you, and if you believe that you are already reaching your full potential as a human being, then just stay where you are. God’s work in the world will not fall apart because of your indifference to him. And it doesn’t seem, from the example of Jesus, that God wastes time beating dead horses. Relax. Nobody will have to go to heaven kicking and screaming. The kicking and screaming is for someplace else.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
On being human
by Pastor Tom
“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing. He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8
Being a human can get complicated. There are a lot of different approaches. Sometimes, we get cues from the human beings we grow up around and decide to go about being human in the same way. At other times, we reject the notions of being human exhibited by our peers, and we strike out on our own with some kind of new thing.
Most of the time, we discover that people who have chosen a particular approach to being human hang out in little groups of like-minded humans. They all look pretty much alike, talk alike, and tend to engage in the same kinds of activities. Upwardly mobile type humans dress for success, carry cell phones and blackberries, drive BMW’s and talk about the stock market. Biker type humans dress up in leather costumes, hook a chain to their wallets, ride Harleys, and somehow manage to develop huge pot-bellies. Redneck type humans listen to country music, drive pick-up trucks with big tires, pull out a few teeth and marry their cousin. Well, you get the picture. There are a lot of ways to be human.
It’s interesting to me that the one who made humans in the first place, namely God, became a human being himself. As a human, like us, he hung with his peers, but he also ran around with those considered to be less desirable. Like most of us, he had a trade and family and friends, but he was able to step away from those things when a higher calling came along. And, unlike us, he was able to do it all without sin. That made him very unique, and allowed him to become the one person who could save the rest of us.
His sacrificial death gave us new life. And, because of his experience in the human creation department, the way he lived was most certainly a pretty good model for us to live by. He had the inside on just how humans work best, and in some ways his approach was considerably different than ours.
For us, the most important part of being human is to look out for number one. We worry about our rights and how we feel and what we’re going to get. We focus and concentrate on our own problems. We get consumed with self. Oh, we don’t think we do, but we do.
Jesus, on the other hand, had no thought for himself. He surrendered all his godly rights and privileges. He saw his purpose as one of servant hood. He was humble, too. I really think Jesus knew how to do it. He knew how to be a happy, successful human. He knew that the self route is really a rut. He knew that self is just another word for prison. He knew that humans were never designed to be in self-imposed chains. He was free. And I believe Jesus had a great time being a human.
“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing. He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8
Being a human can get complicated. There are a lot of different approaches. Sometimes, we get cues from the human beings we grow up around and decide to go about being human in the same way. At other times, we reject the notions of being human exhibited by our peers, and we strike out on our own with some kind of new thing.
Most of the time, we discover that people who have chosen a particular approach to being human hang out in little groups of like-minded humans. They all look pretty much alike, talk alike, and tend to engage in the same kinds of activities. Upwardly mobile type humans dress for success, carry cell phones and blackberries, drive BMW’s and talk about the stock market. Biker type humans dress up in leather costumes, hook a chain to their wallets, ride Harleys, and somehow manage to develop huge pot-bellies. Redneck type humans listen to country music, drive pick-up trucks with big tires, pull out a few teeth and marry their cousin. Well, you get the picture. There are a lot of ways to be human.
It’s interesting to me that the one who made humans in the first place, namely God, became a human being himself. As a human, like us, he hung with his peers, but he also ran around with those considered to be less desirable. Like most of us, he had a trade and family and friends, but he was able to step away from those things when a higher calling came along. And, unlike us, he was able to do it all without sin. That made him very unique, and allowed him to become the one person who could save the rest of us.
His sacrificial death gave us new life. And, because of his experience in the human creation department, the way he lived was most certainly a pretty good model for us to live by. He had the inside on just how humans work best, and in some ways his approach was considerably different than ours.
For us, the most important part of being human is to look out for number one. We worry about our rights and how we feel and what we’re going to get. We focus and concentrate on our own problems. We get consumed with self. Oh, we don’t think we do, but we do.
Jesus, on the other hand, had no thought for himself. He surrendered all his godly rights and privileges. He saw his purpose as one of servant hood. He was humble, too. I really think Jesus knew how to do it. He knew how to be a happy, successful human. He knew that the self route is really a rut. He knew that self is just another word for prison. He knew that humans were never designed to be in self-imposed chains. He was free. And I believe Jesus had a great time being a human.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Wonderfully made
by Pastor Tom
-Psalm 139:13-14 Every now and then I make an attempt at woodworking. Typically, I get an idea in my head for some amazing creation, and then think about it for a while. My last project consisted of a box-type, framed shelf to fill a hole in the wall in the bathroom where an old, rusty medicine cabinet had been. I began with some precision measuring. I tend to cut a piece of wood over and over, only to discover that it’s still too short (an old carpenter’s line). Anyway, I cut the wood and formed the box with shelves, then glued and nailed it together. So far, so good. To trim the unit, I had to cut out a frame, and that involved angles, which also involved complicated mathematical computations. Well, they were complicated for me. After cutting the pieces, I was delighted, and somewhat surprised, to find that they fit together really well. I then installed this magnificent creation and carefully applied a coat of paint. The grand finale came when I was able to show off the finished product to my wife, who promptly told me that it was perhaps the greatest woodworking project of all time. I frequently drag house guests down the hall and into the bathroom so that they, too, can be dazzled by my woodworking wizardry. It’s really great to conceive an idea, plan a project, and carry it out to a successful conclusion. I think creativity is something we get from God because God is creative, and opportunities to be creative are to be embraced whenever possible. They provide us with reward and satisfaction, and also are a great blessing to others. Well, let me ask you a question. What do you think God had on his mind the day he created you? Really, what was he thinking? Were you just an afterthought? Did God design you and create you for, well, no good reason? Did God finish putting you together and then think, “Hmm, that’s nothing special.” I’m pretty sure that God was thinking some beautiful, wonderful things about you as he formed you in your mother’s womb. God knew of your potential as he designed the miraculous creation that would be you. There would be no other like you in all of human history. All of God’s works are wonderful, and you are one of God’s works. It’s really something to produce a wonderful creation. And, if we take time to think about it, it’s really something to be one.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The best defense
by Pastor Tom
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:8
I’m sorry I can’t remember the exact source for this story, but a while back I read a magazine article about when Mike Kollin was a linebacker for the Dolphins and a graduate of Auburn University. His former college coach, Shrug Jordan, asked him if he would do some recruiting for him. Mike said, “Sure, Coach. What kind of player are you looking for?”
Coach Jordan said, “Well, Mike, you know there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he just stays down.” Mike said, “We don’t want him, do we Coach?”
“No, that’s right. Then there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he gets back up, but you knock him down again and he stays down.” Mike answered, “We don’t want him either, do we Coach?”
Coach Jordan said, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. But then, there’s the fellow, you knock him down, and he gets up. You knock him down again and he gets up again. Knock him down again, and he gets up again. You keep knocking him down, and he keeps getting up.” Mike said, “That’s the guy we want, isn’t it, Coach?”
The coach answered, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. I want you to find the guy who’s knocking everybody down. That’s the guy we want.”
It’s always a great thing to have a good defense. But it’s the offense that scores the points.
Sadly, a lot of what we Christians do is defense. We hunker down in our churches and whine about how bad things are. We hide out and pout. We ask for God’s protection, and then are surprised when the problems we never really did anything about come knocking on our door.
Following Christ means a lot more that being able to get back up when we’re down. It also involves some knocking down type activity. When Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, he was most certainly assuming that the church will do more than sit on the bench.
The problems facing our community will never go away on their own. We should get on the offensive, which by the way doesn’t mean that we are to be offensive. It means that we will act to score some points against the violence and other plagues working full-time to destroy families and neighborhoods. Certainly, we need to pray, and we need to put feet on those prayers.
There are many things we can do. We need to get to know our neighbors again. We need to be involved in community efforts. We need to support our elected officials and leaders. We need to be willing to mentor our young people and provide active role models. We need to get out of the pew and into the stew.
We can begin by believing that there are answers to our problems, and that God will help us solve them if we are willing to be used to that end. And then, we need to begin moving toward the goal.
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:8
I’m sorry I can’t remember the exact source for this story, but a while back I read a magazine article about when Mike Kollin was a linebacker for the Dolphins and a graduate of Auburn University. His former college coach, Shrug Jordan, asked him if he would do some recruiting for him. Mike said, “Sure, Coach. What kind of player are you looking for?”
Coach Jordan said, “Well, Mike, you know there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he just stays down.” Mike said, “We don’t want him, do we Coach?”
“No, that’s right. Then there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he gets back up, but you knock him down again and he stays down.” Mike answered, “We don’t want him either, do we Coach?”
Coach Jordan said, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. But then, there’s the fellow, you knock him down, and he gets up. You knock him down again and he gets up again. Knock him down again, and he gets up again. You keep knocking him down, and he keeps getting up.” Mike said, “That’s the guy we want, isn’t it, Coach?”
The coach answered, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. I want you to find the guy who’s knocking everybody down. That’s the guy we want.”
It’s always a great thing to have a good defense. But it’s the offense that scores the points.
Sadly, a lot of what we Christians do is defense. We hunker down in our churches and whine about how bad things are. We hide out and pout. We ask for God’s protection, and then are surprised when the problems we never really did anything about come knocking on our door.
Following Christ means a lot more that being able to get back up when we’re down. It also involves some knocking down type activity. When Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, he was most certainly assuming that the church will do more than sit on the bench.
The problems facing our community will never go away on their own. We should get on the offensive, which by the way doesn’t mean that we are to be offensive. It means that we will act to score some points against the violence and other plagues working full-time to destroy families and neighborhoods. Certainly, we need to pray, and we need to put feet on those prayers.
There are many things we can do. We need to get to know our neighbors again. We need to be involved in community efforts. We need to support our elected officials and leaders. We need to be willing to mentor our young people and provide active role models. We need to get out of the pew and into the stew.
We can begin by believing that there are answers to our problems, and that God will help us solve them if we are willing to be used to that end. And then, we need to begin moving toward the goal.
Monday, August 14, 2006
EYES OF LOVE
by Pastor Tom
“Above all hold, unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
-1 Peter 4:8
I had three sets of grandparents when I was growing up, and I never really thought it was unusual. Without going into the how’s and why’s of it, I believe it turned out to be a very special blessing in my life.
My step-grandpa was named Tullah. He was a very talented and gifted woodworker, carpenter, cabinetmaker; an artist, really. With the ability to create intricate inlaid furniture as well as design full-sized buildings (he drew and built several beautiful churches), he constantly turned out unbelievable masterpieces. The things that man could do with a piece of wood!
As I grew up, I watched Grandpa build, piece by piece, year by year, a unique house he had designed. He did it all by himself, in the evenings and on weekends, with the occasional help of my Dad, while his family lived in a one room building he had constructed. He even hand-faced the stone that made up the front facade.
I loved building model cars when I was a kid, and once Grandpa built a scale-sized car dealership for my room, complete with showroom, operating glass doors and a service center in the back. He played guitar and sang crazy songs, had served in the trenches of WW1, and was a Christian fellow who could have written the book on courtesy.
The last summer of his life, I spent a lot of time with him on his eight acre property and was then old enough to really get to know him and to love him a lot. When he died, everyone in our family cried and cried.
We had a picture of Grandpa in our living room. One day, a visiting buddy of mine picked it up and asked me who it was. After I told him, he asked, “What’s wrong with his face?” Wondering what in the world he was talking about, I walked over and took the picture from his hand. When I saw it, I remembered. Grandpa had a large, very prominent red birthmark covering half of his face. It seemed so strange. I certainly knew it was there, but it was as if I had never seen that birthmark before.
Eventually, I figured it out. My friend never had the opportunity to know and then come to love my Grandpa. If he had, he wouldn’t have noticed it either, because love makes things like that invisible.
“Above all hold, unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
-1 Peter 4:8
I had three sets of grandparents when I was growing up, and I never really thought it was unusual. Without going into the how’s and why’s of it, I believe it turned out to be a very special blessing in my life.
My step-grandpa was named Tullah. He was a very talented and gifted woodworker, carpenter, cabinetmaker; an artist, really. With the ability to create intricate inlaid furniture as well as design full-sized buildings (he drew and built several beautiful churches), he constantly turned out unbelievable masterpieces. The things that man could do with a piece of wood!
As I grew up, I watched Grandpa build, piece by piece, year by year, a unique house he had designed. He did it all by himself, in the evenings and on weekends, with the occasional help of my Dad, while his family lived in a one room building he had constructed. He even hand-faced the stone that made up the front facade.
I loved building model cars when I was a kid, and once Grandpa built a scale-sized car dealership for my room, complete with showroom, operating glass doors and a service center in the back. He played guitar and sang crazy songs, had served in the trenches of WW1, and was a Christian fellow who could have written the book on courtesy.
The last summer of his life, I spent a lot of time with him on his eight acre property and was then old enough to really get to know him and to love him a lot. When he died, everyone in our family cried and cried.
We had a picture of Grandpa in our living room. One day, a visiting buddy of mine picked it up and asked me who it was. After I told him, he asked, “What’s wrong with his face?” Wondering what in the world he was talking about, I walked over and took the picture from his hand. When I saw it, I remembered. Grandpa had a large, very prominent red birthmark covering half of his face. It seemed so strange. I certainly knew it was there, but it was as if I had never seen that birthmark before.
Eventually, I figured it out. My friend never had the opportunity to know and then come to love my Grandpa. If he had, he wouldn’t have noticed it either, because love makes things like that invisible.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
IT’S RIGHT TO RESPECT
by Pastor Tom
“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all.” -Titus 3:1-2
I can remember coming home from school one day, enraged that I had received detention for an entire week for something I had not done. I argued my case with Dad, urging him to go to school and have a little sit-down with that poor excuse for a teacher who had so violated my rights and dealt me such an injustice. Finally, Dad agreed to miss a couple hours of work the next day and go speak with the teacher on my behalf. I was elated. Yep, the Old Man would make quick work of that guy, and I could forget about a week of detention.
The next evening, I eagerly waited for Dad to arrive home from work. I wanted all the details. I wanted to hear just how that teacher had been put in his place. Finally, Dad showed up. “Well, Pappy, did you talk to that teacher,” I asked. “I certainly did, son,” he said, “and I’m completely convinced that you were indeed innocent.” I said, “Hey, that’s great! Now I won’t have to take a week’s detention.” And then, Dad said, “No, son, you won’t have to take a week’s detention.
Now, you’re going to have two week’s detention.” Needless to say, I was a bit confused. “But Dad,” I protested, “you just said you knew that I didn’t do what I was accused of doing!” “That’s right,” he said, “but you didn’t tell me the whole story. During your encounter with that teacher, you were rude. You talked back. You were disrespectful. You failed to conduct yourself in a manner that acknowledged the teacher’s authority. Even though the teacher may have been wrong, he was still the teacher, and you were still the student. The moment you thought your rights came before your responsibilities, you lost them. In the morning, you’ll go apologize to the teacher, and you’ll take the detention and feel darned lucky that it’s not any worse.”
I didn’t like it one bit. Now, I had two weeks of detention for something I hadn’t done. I had already told all my friends how my Dad was going to come to school and set that teacher straight. This whole thing had gone terribly wrong.
Well, the next morning I went and apologized to the teacher. Surprisingly, it was a pretty good encounter. Eventually, I ended up in one of his classes. He turned out to be a great teacher. And, I must say, this whole episode turned out to be, for me, a pretty good lesson on the importance of respect and courtesy.
I am praying for all the students and teachers who are just beginning another school year. I pray patience and wisdom for the teachers. I pray an eagerness to learn for all the students. And I pray that all of us will know as much as my Dad knew about honoring and respecting those who have been called to teach.
“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all.” -Titus 3:1-2
I can remember coming home from school one day, enraged that I had received detention for an entire week for something I had not done. I argued my case with Dad, urging him to go to school and have a little sit-down with that poor excuse for a teacher who had so violated my rights and dealt me such an injustice. Finally, Dad agreed to miss a couple hours of work the next day and go speak with the teacher on my behalf. I was elated. Yep, the Old Man would make quick work of that guy, and I could forget about a week of detention.
The next evening, I eagerly waited for Dad to arrive home from work. I wanted all the details. I wanted to hear just how that teacher had been put in his place. Finally, Dad showed up. “Well, Pappy, did you talk to that teacher,” I asked. “I certainly did, son,” he said, “and I’m completely convinced that you were indeed innocent.” I said, “Hey, that’s great! Now I won’t have to take a week’s detention.” And then, Dad said, “No, son, you won’t have to take a week’s detention.
Now, you’re going to have two week’s detention.” Needless to say, I was a bit confused. “But Dad,” I protested, “you just said you knew that I didn’t do what I was accused of doing!” “That’s right,” he said, “but you didn’t tell me the whole story. During your encounter with that teacher, you were rude. You talked back. You were disrespectful. You failed to conduct yourself in a manner that acknowledged the teacher’s authority. Even though the teacher may have been wrong, he was still the teacher, and you were still the student. The moment you thought your rights came before your responsibilities, you lost them. In the morning, you’ll go apologize to the teacher, and you’ll take the detention and feel darned lucky that it’s not any worse.”
I didn’t like it one bit. Now, I had two weeks of detention for something I hadn’t done. I had already told all my friends how my Dad was going to come to school and set that teacher straight. This whole thing had gone terribly wrong.
Well, the next morning I went and apologized to the teacher. Surprisingly, it was a pretty good encounter. Eventually, I ended up in one of his classes. He turned out to be a great teacher. And, I must say, this whole episode turned out to be, for me, a pretty good lesson on the importance of respect and courtesy.
I am praying for all the students and teachers who are just beginning another school year. I pray patience and wisdom for the teachers. I pray an eagerness to learn for all the students. And I pray that all of us will know as much as my Dad knew about honoring and respecting those who have been called to teach.
Monday, July 17, 2006
The Truth Hurts
by Pastor Tom
“But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me?” -John 8:45-47
According to some pretty reliable polls, only about ten percent of Americans think political candidates regularly tell the truth. That means ninety percent feel that they just say what voters want to hear. Why is that? Well, politicians lie because voters tend to demand lies rather than the truth.
We live in a pretty deceptive society. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that odometers get rolled back an average of 30,000 miles on about three millions vehicles a year, cheating consumers out of around $1,000 a car. One or every eight restaurant checks is computed incorrectly, the majority of which add up to overcharges. Ten thousand people in the United States are suspected of practicing medicine with a bogus medical degree. Many doctors with valid credentials, when polled, admit to cheating on medical exams. That really official looking manila envelope you received not long ago in the mail that you felt compelled to open because it must have certainly contained some important governmental information ended up containing some half-witted sales scheme from a local car dealer. But you weren’t surprised.
We’ve come to expect as much from car companies. Remember that fine Corinthian leather Ricardo Montalban told us about? Not really from Corinth. It was just a label dreamed up by the Chrysler marketing department.
Then, there are those little lies we hear and tell every day; “I’ll just be a minute.” – “Let’s get together for lunch. I’ll give you a call.” – “Everything’s fixed.” – “I’ll get this book back to you as soon as I’ve finished reading it.” – “The check is in the mail.” – “The doctor will be with you shortly.” – “This will only hurt a little.” – “There’s absolutely no obligation.” – “And if elected, I will…….”
The next time we gripe about our politicians and their inability to be truthful, we should think again. They’re just doing what we’ve asked them to do. We don’t respond well to the truth and rarely want to hear it. We don’t want some politician telling us that the biggest problem with America is directly connected to our shabby, shoddy, apathetic lifestyle. We would rather make believe that they can fix everything for us and we can just all stay as we are.
Jesus got himself into some real trouble, not because he made promises he couldn’t keep or metered his comments according to the polls. He got into trouble because he told the truth. He challenged our false assumptions. He told us plainly to get our lives in order. It didn’t go over well, and it still doesn’t. Sinful human beings are quite comfortable in a world of untruths.
If you want real change, then look to Christ. He is the way, and the truth, and the life.
Sometimes, the truth hurts, but the truth leads to real change and to healing.
“But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me?” -John 8:45-47
According to some pretty reliable polls, only about ten percent of Americans think political candidates regularly tell the truth. That means ninety percent feel that they just say what voters want to hear. Why is that? Well, politicians lie because voters tend to demand lies rather than the truth.
We live in a pretty deceptive society. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that odometers get rolled back an average of 30,000 miles on about three millions vehicles a year, cheating consumers out of around $1,000 a car. One or every eight restaurant checks is computed incorrectly, the majority of which add up to overcharges. Ten thousand people in the United States are suspected of practicing medicine with a bogus medical degree. Many doctors with valid credentials, when polled, admit to cheating on medical exams. That really official looking manila envelope you received not long ago in the mail that you felt compelled to open because it must have certainly contained some important governmental information ended up containing some half-witted sales scheme from a local car dealer. But you weren’t surprised.
We’ve come to expect as much from car companies. Remember that fine Corinthian leather Ricardo Montalban told us about? Not really from Corinth. It was just a label dreamed up by the Chrysler marketing department.
Then, there are those little lies we hear and tell every day; “I’ll just be a minute.” – “Let’s get together for lunch. I’ll give you a call.” – “Everything’s fixed.” – “I’ll get this book back to you as soon as I’ve finished reading it.” – “The check is in the mail.” – “The doctor will be with you shortly.” – “This will only hurt a little.” – “There’s absolutely no obligation.” – “And if elected, I will…….”
The next time we gripe about our politicians and their inability to be truthful, we should think again. They’re just doing what we’ve asked them to do. We don’t respond well to the truth and rarely want to hear it. We don’t want some politician telling us that the biggest problem with America is directly connected to our shabby, shoddy, apathetic lifestyle. We would rather make believe that they can fix everything for us and we can just all stay as we are.
Jesus got himself into some real trouble, not because he made promises he couldn’t keep or metered his comments according to the polls. He got into trouble because he told the truth. He challenged our false assumptions. He told us plainly to get our lives in order. It didn’t go over well, and it still doesn’t. Sinful human beings are quite comfortable in a world of untruths.
If you want real change, then look to Christ. He is the way, and the truth, and the life.
Sometimes, the truth hurts, but the truth leads to real change and to healing.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Left Behind
by Pastor Tom
“For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.” -Acts 8:7-8
Human beings have only been exploring outer space since the Russians managed to place the satellite Sputnik in orbit on October 4th of 1957. However, in that short span of time, human beings have managed to create a huge supply of space garbage.
Thousands of fragments larger than an inch, and somewhere between ten billion and thousands of trillions of microscopic pieces of debris are now floating around our solar system neighborhood. Some chunks of space trash are as big as a truck, or even a small apartment building.
Space garbage is created when certain rocket components are spent, waste material is ejected, tools get away, things come loose and, on occasion when secret military satellites are blown up to avoid having them fall into enemy hands. The Russians tended to do just that for a good number of years.
Some space garbage is almost famous. The Gemini 4 crew had a glove float away during the very first space walk in history. Michael Collins lost a camera during the Gemini 10 mission. The lunar module, normally left to crash on the moon, for the failed Apollo 13 flight came back with them and is still up there flying around the earth, along with bag after bag of refuse tossed from various Soviet space stations.
Both Venus and Mars now have little piles of our junk littering their surfaces, and the moon has in excess of 20 tons of garbage lying around. Just a couple of jaunts to the moon, and already there are several junk cars (moon buggies), satellite parts, experimental equipment, abandoned lunar landing craft and the wreckage of several lunar modules, which in short order plummet to the surface after we leave without the benefit of an atmosphere to burn them up. There are even some golf balls up there, cameras, and a host of refuse that would make any landfill proud.
When we humans go somewhere, we always leave something behind. Normally, what we leave is a mess. It seems to be our nature to interrupt, deface, pollute, defile and in some cases even destroy. I suppose it happens so naturally in outer space because we’ve practiced it for so long here on earth.
It doesn’t have to be that way. In the book of Acts, we read about some people who always left something good behind. The believers we read about left deliverance, healing and joy.
Some people walk into a room and don’t leave very much in the way of good after they’re gone.
But, look on the bright side. At least they’re gone. On the other hand, some people bring a lot of love and joy with them when they come, and it tends to hang around for a while after they leave. Thank God for those who leave the joy.
“For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.” -Acts 8:7-8
Human beings have only been exploring outer space since the Russians managed to place the satellite Sputnik in orbit on October 4th of 1957. However, in that short span of time, human beings have managed to create a huge supply of space garbage.
Thousands of fragments larger than an inch, and somewhere between ten billion and thousands of trillions of microscopic pieces of debris are now floating around our solar system neighborhood. Some chunks of space trash are as big as a truck, or even a small apartment building.
Space garbage is created when certain rocket components are spent, waste material is ejected, tools get away, things come loose and, on occasion when secret military satellites are blown up to avoid having them fall into enemy hands. The Russians tended to do just that for a good number of years.
Some space garbage is almost famous. The Gemini 4 crew had a glove float away during the very first space walk in history. Michael Collins lost a camera during the Gemini 10 mission. The lunar module, normally left to crash on the moon, for the failed Apollo 13 flight came back with them and is still up there flying around the earth, along with bag after bag of refuse tossed from various Soviet space stations.
Both Venus and Mars now have little piles of our junk littering their surfaces, and the moon has in excess of 20 tons of garbage lying around. Just a couple of jaunts to the moon, and already there are several junk cars (moon buggies), satellite parts, experimental equipment, abandoned lunar landing craft and the wreckage of several lunar modules, which in short order plummet to the surface after we leave without the benefit of an atmosphere to burn them up. There are even some golf balls up there, cameras, and a host of refuse that would make any landfill proud.
When we humans go somewhere, we always leave something behind. Normally, what we leave is a mess. It seems to be our nature to interrupt, deface, pollute, defile and in some cases even destroy. I suppose it happens so naturally in outer space because we’ve practiced it for so long here on earth.
It doesn’t have to be that way. In the book of Acts, we read about some people who always left something good behind. The believers we read about left deliverance, healing and joy.
Some people walk into a room and don’t leave very much in the way of good after they’re gone.
But, look on the bright side. At least they’re gone. On the other hand, some people bring a lot of love and joy with them when they come, and it tends to hang around for a while after they leave. Thank God for those who leave the joy.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Tick, Tick, Tick
by Pastor Tom
“We are afflicted in every way, but no crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but no forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” -2 Corinthians 4:8-10
There used to be a fellow on television all the time named John Cameron Swayze. He didn’t have a television show that I know of, but he did do a lot of commercials for Timex watches. The Timex watch came out in 1946 and it sold for $6.95, which even back in those days was pretty inexpensive for a watch. The combination of low price, reliability and a great advertising campaign let to incredible sales.
The commercials all had pretty much the same theme. A Timex watch would be severely punished in some impressive demonstration. Once, one was secured to an outboard motor propeller. In another ad, they strapped one to the leg of a race horse. They did dozens of horrific things to those watches. At the end of the commercial, they would retrieve the watch and then hold it before the camera. Lo and behold, the watch still worked. Mr. Swayze would then boldly proclaim, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!”
Everybody kind of hoped that just once, the watch would fail the test. Finally, in one commercial, just to show that the Timex people had a sense of humor, they placed a watch on the ground and had an elephant step on it. When they retrieved the watch it was smashed to pieces. It was a great bit, and probably did as much to endear their product to consumers as any of the other commercials.
The Timex watch was, and I suppose still is, a great product. Everybody could afford to own one. It did its job very well, and it could take a real pounding and continue to be reliable. Paul and his fellow disciples in the New Testament were much the same. They were afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. But they plowed ahead. Their attitude and outlook remained positive. They could still be counted upon. They weren’t wimps. They weren’t crybabies. They didn’t run home with their tails between their legs when things got difficult.
They didn’t start whining and making excuses. They kept on keeping on.
I pray that we can be as reliable. It seems today that so many are ready to throw in the towel at the first sign of adversity. This happened. That happened. So and so said this. So and so did that. They’re discouraged, destroyed, wiped out, finished. Too bad. Too sad!
For those of us who claim the name of Jesus, and have a call upon our lives to serve God and others, may it be said of us, “They took a licking, and kept on ticking.”
“We are afflicted in every way, but no crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but no forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” -2 Corinthians 4:8-10
There used to be a fellow on television all the time named John Cameron Swayze. He didn’t have a television show that I know of, but he did do a lot of commercials for Timex watches. The Timex watch came out in 1946 and it sold for $6.95, which even back in those days was pretty inexpensive for a watch. The combination of low price, reliability and a great advertising campaign let to incredible sales.
The commercials all had pretty much the same theme. A Timex watch would be severely punished in some impressive demonstration. Once, one was secured to an outboard motor propeller. In another ad, they strapped one to the leg of a race horse. They did dozens of horrific things to those watches. At the end of the commercial, they would retrieve the watch and then hold it before the camera. Lo and behold, the watch still worked. Mr. Swayze would then boldly proclaim, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!”
Everybody kind of hoped that just once, the watch would fail the test. Finally, in one commercial, just to show that the Timex people had a sense of humor, they placed a watch on the ground and had an elephant step on it. When they retrieved the watch it was smashed to pieces. It was a great bit, and probably did as much to endear their product to consumers as any of the other commercials.
The Timex watch was, and I suppose still is, a great product. Everybody could afford to own one. It did its job very well, and it could take a real pounding and continue to be reliable. Paul and his fellow disciples in the New Testament were much the same. They were afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. But they plowed ahead. Their attitude and outlook remained positive. They could still be counted upon. They weren’t wimps. They weren’t crybabies. They didn’t run home with their tails between their legs when things got difficult.
They didn’t start whining and making excuses. They kept on keeping on.
I pray that we can be as reliable. It seems today that so many are ready to throw in the towel at the first sign of adversity. This happened. That happened. So and so said this. So and so did that. They’re discouraged, destroyed, wiped out, finished. Too bad. Too sad!
For those of us who claim the name of Jesus, and have a call upon our lives to serve God and others, may it be said of us, “They took a licking, and kept on ticking.”
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