Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Easter Fun


I enjoy the fun my wife and I have shared with our kids over the
years, coloring eggs, hiding baskets, and all the other fun Easter
traditions, BUT I do not confuse this light fun with the Passion of the
Cross.

The Holy week of Jesus with all the cornerstone pieces of the salvation
message MUST be remembered and honored or we miss the point of Easter.

Now we live in a society where schools have Good Friday off, but don’t call
it Good Friday because that would be ‘too Christian’ and disrespectful of
all the other religions in our diverse society.

Happy is the Nation is who’s God is the Lord.
We should be celebrating the Truth of the Easter message
including Good Friday and quit apologizing for it. My fear is we are as a
nation slip sliding away on the slopes of compromise and are on the cusp of
falling far as just another nation and no longer regarded as a Christian
nation, and will suffer the consequences of these choices.

Two things I know :
1. I AM JUST A MAN and not a prophet, so what the HOOT do I know
anyways, and
2. If we are falling as a nation, God will take us back. So let’s as
individuals prayerfully be faithful and unite as a ONE CHURCH (of many
denominations) but with the ONE PURPOSE in honoring our God by loving Him
and others as ourselves. Then as ONE CHURCH let’s start a revival to become
again ONE NATION under God (not multiple gods) with liberty and justice for
all.

BUT I DIGRESS.. and while my point is serious point is made on honoring the
salvation message of Easter, now let me segue gracefully like a Peter
Cottontail down the bunny trail (or a Norwegian bull in a china shop) to my
secular Easter of bunnies, chicks (the birds, not the girls), colored eggs,
chocolate, and baskets.

May God bless each of you this Easter with safe travels, good family fun,
and a great time of celebrating our Risen Lord.

Easter Blessings

Sunday, March 21, 2010

what would happen if we treated our Bible like a cell phone ?


I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it as we traveled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?

This is something to make you go...hmmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Bit Players and Power Brokers of the First Church


Today let me present Bit Players and Power Brokers of the First Church. So
far I have covered the Old Testament, followed by the Gospels.. so why not
The First Church written about in the Book of Acts.

As soon as Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven the bit players and power
brokers were all busy in their roles in and around the First Church.

- At Jesus Ascension into Heaven there was a few bit player who bubbled
over with nervous chatter.
- Just a few weeks earlier waaayyy SOUTH of Jeruselum there could be found
doubting bit players.
- Matthias, a bit player is chosen to become a power broker (aka disciple)
to replace the recently departed Judas.
- Peter and John were imprisoned after inciting a revival. Rumor was they
set up a Nativity Set in the town square.



- Stephen was stoned by the religous right of their day fearing Stephen
would rise from Christian bit player to power broker.
- Influenced by all the public persecutions, jailings, and stonings Roger,
Tim, and Bobemeus enter the very first Witness Protection Program .. as bit
players.
NEXT.. enters Saul the Pharisee Powerbroker until he SAW THE LIGHT along
the Damascus Road reducing him to blind bit player.
- Simon was a bit player in the new Christian movement, but was a power
broker in the emerging tanning industry with his very successful chain of
tanning salons Simons Tanners




- Waaayyy before Simon on American Idol there was a bit player jailer/
music critic who did not believe Paul had what it took to rise from a life
behind bars to become a first century pop star / power broker
- Waaayyy before I ever dosed in Church, bit player Eutychus nodded off,
fell to his death DURING CHURCH, then.. IT'S A MIRACLE.. he is alive again.
Long live the patron saint for those who sleep in church!
- Snake Handlers are misguided bit players in some churches today.. and to
think they were inspired by snake bit power broker Paul.

AND FINALLY..

Besides the life of Jesus Christ on Earth where bit player carpenter was
actually the son of God and true power broker of our Salvation, there has
in my opinion NEVER been a bit player used by God to be a power broker for
His will that all should know Him like the Apostle Paul.

From power broker Pharisee, then blinded by Jesus on that Damascus Road, to
living out his life where all that mattered was telling a lost world the
truth of Jesus Christ. Blinded, beaten, snake biten, persecuted, and
imprisoned..BUT he was too busy serving God to realize it.





I want to be a man like Paul, but I have a ways to go where NOTHING MATTERS
in my life except serving God. I go to church, I am a good guy, BUT.. Paul
raised the bar where few follow.

May God inspire us to love, serve, and be used by Him in ways that are
beyond any bit player status we may believe you carry.