Christmas Blessing

The argument concerning Christmas continues. I choose to embrace the opportunity to focus on the great act of God's redemptive grace, He gave His Son. However it all came to be, it is an opportunity to call attention to an act like no other. The indescribable gift has been given and the world needs to be aware of this generosity. The Word became flesh-let that sink in. The Word became the sin offering for mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21). A price so great, a sacrifice so significant, an act of mercy so intense and awesome-who cares about the date, or the origins of a holiday. Let's worship and adore the living and true God who sometime, somewhere became flesh so that we might know Him. The world affords us an opportunity to focus attention upon this mercy. Celebrate every light, song, tree, gift, decoration-in some way they point to the King of kings. Christmas is God blessing a broken world. Let's be a blessing to Him!

Advent

As we enter Advent season of another year, we focus our attention upon one of God's sign posts. This neon sign reminds us of God's sovereignty, that His ways are beyond finding out or explanation. His plan, purposes and the working of His power defy our best explanation. What God does, how He has responded to the sinfulness of man should bring astonishment and wonder to us-always. Some hear the message and call it foolishness. Some hear, see and believe and through a power and authority not their own are transformed into children of God. A transformation that defies description and is experienced through faith. A song of praise replaces a cry of despair and emptiness. God is still working His plan. The Incarnation was only part of the story. Let's fix our eyes upon Jesus and refuse to settle for a Christianity that is less than what Jesus illustrated. He defines love, mercy, compassion, holiness, obedience, faith. He defines God. Fix your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith-the Word became flesh.

God's Rule

It is reported that when Churchhill was dying, after reflecting about the world and life he stated, 'there is no hope.' As we view the landscape of history, as we look into the troubled waters of tomorrow and work to make sense of the noise of today, it would seem that hope is in limited supply. One would especially come to this conclusion if you lived in other world areas. Areas constantly stressed and decimated by famine, war, genocide, disease, extreme poverty. The good news is God rules. In His sovereign purposes He is working His story and bringing to pass what He has planned. There is a solid foundation, there is an unshakable kingdom. The life of Jesus was reflective of this stability. Hanging from the cross, breathing the last breath of his earthly existence, He entrusted His spirit to the Father. Each day we should do the same. Each day we should submit to God's rule and live in His peace. Each day we can have hope because He is at work in all things. Someone said, 'life without Christ is a hopeless end, but life with Christ is endless hope.' Let's turn our eyes upon Jesus and live under God's sovereign rule-today!

Tune My Heart

The thanksgiving season is upon us, but for Christ's people, thanksgiving is to be a continual attitude and practice. The hymn states, 'come thou fount of every blessing tune my heart to sing thy grace.' We need a heart tuning to sing praise and thanksgiving and separate ourselves from complaining. It is a great sin for Christ's people to complain. We need to practice one minute praising throughout the day not only for each other, but for Almighty God. The King of kings deserves our praise. Israel had a tendency to forget. When we forget God and His blessings we become ingrates-ungrateful people. The opposite of an ingrate is a Christian. The person who remembers grace and mercy, who has not forgotten that they were once darkness, once without hope and without God, but now they have come to new abundant life in Christ. O Holy Spirit tune my heart to be a heart of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Love is the greatest

Our challenge at Amarillo First Nazarene over the last two months has been, "love Amarillo." We have been challenged by God's Word as it repeatedly calls Christ's church to a whole different way of living. To live a life of love is the holiness that Christ is looking for in His church. We, the body of Christ, must have a different look, feel and smell from the world. We are to be the aroma of Christ-the aroma of holy love. Patience, kindness, gentleness, self control, forgiveness-God's Word defines this love in very practical ways that challenge each of us. It is a radical lifestyle that requires the work of the Holy Spirit. When we walk in love, we bring life into the situation. When we do otherwise it leads to death. We can be like Cain or like Christ (1 John 3:12). I find it too easy to be like Cain who butchered Abel. The Holy Spirit must be in control. His cleansing presence is not an option. Christ's eternal life in us is a powerful presence to make us different from the world around us, and to help us make a redemptive difference. Self must be laid aside if the world is to see Christ in us. This all begins as we grasp how great the love is that God has lavished on us (1 Jn. 3:1).

Blaming God / Burning Books

As a pastor you hear a lot of excuses for various forms of behavior. A common excuse is the one being exercised by the pastor in Florida who wants to burn the Koran. He is blaming the whole episode on God. "We are only trying to do what God told us to do." No, they are only trying to do what some short sighted man wants to do. It is interesting that the church's name begins with "Dove". The symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit and yet for this man and his people it seems to be only a symbol. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace... We all know Christ told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute-a stretch for any of us. It's easier to burn books, call names, drop bombs, file lawsuits than to love. Let's abandon the "God told me" excuse. This man's proposed actions do not fit with the Jesus way. It is amazing that so much attention has been generated by a single, small church. Yet it is amazing how much hatred, anxiety, hostility was generated by 911-the actions of only a few. A terrible tragedy that left many deep wounds, but only a few expressed the hatred. Hopefully this man will move beyond his selfish agenda, see the bigger picture and ask a simple question, 'what would Jesus do?' The answer: He loved his enemies and calls His church to do the same.

Worship vs Entertainment

The body of Christ in America is in major need of Holy Spirit overhaul. We have become like the world, are really in love with the things and ways of this world. A renewal of worship could be a key place to begin. As Tozer stated years ago, 'worship is the missing jewel of the church.' The American church scene has become inspirational, therapeutic, and entertaining. It is man centered, and presentation driven. It is culturally inspired and no longer driven by our awe of God's holiness, and a humility and brokeness concerning His love and grace twoard us. We are bondage to our cultural climate which is driven by our need to be entertained, stimulated. Lighting, sound, multi-media, all forms of instrumentation-yes it may have its place; however, when we become dependent upon those things to create a certain 'worship experience' we are idolatrous. How much lighting, sound, media is enough? Are we incompetition with Hollywood?

When we worship, whether in a building on Sunday morning, or driving to work on Monday morning, it is an encounter with the living God and brings transformation to our person through the work of the Holy Spirit. The encounter with God, the engagement of His person and the recognition of His holiness brings transformation. Every day is a battle for our worship. Let's focus attention on the living Christ and live in awe and gratitude.

Isaiah was revived as He saw the Lord and worshiped.