In the Light

Yesterday in church we sang "In the Light" by DC Talk.

I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from you
I am the king of excuses
Ive got one for every selfish thing I do

Whats going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior.

This was a great reminder for me. I'm still a man in need of a Savior. When I became a follower of Jesus, I realized full-well that only Jesus, and He alone, could offer me the forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God, and hope for freedom from sin's curse and power.

Why can't I live everyday with that type of dependence upon Him? Why can't I see that my only hope to live for Him is with that same degree of faith. I will stumble and fall day after day unless I put all my hope and trust in Him.

Jesus, I need you as much today as I did all those years ago. My only hope is You. I can't deny myself, take up my cross and follow You with my own strength. You said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I can't do it on my own. I am spiritually bankrupt without You. The weight and pressure of attempting to "pull-off" a spiritual life without you is impossible. Laboring through the day trying to be a spiritual role model is a labor and a heavy burden. Displaying the greatness of God with You, Holy Spirit, is beyond a burden.

Why church is boring

Early on in middle school I began owning faith in Christ for myself. Many restless nights of thinking about God, eternity and salvation and praying for faith resulted in a fairly solid personal relationship with Jesus by the time I hit high school. With that said, often times church was very boring for me. My nap during Sunday morning Sunday school was usually followed by a deeper slumber during the church service.

Why? Did I not care about God? No. Was I too tired from the weekend? Well, maybe sometimes. I'm not trying to shift the blame completely off myself but I must say that my teachers were not very convincing that it really mattered--that the truth they were telling me had changed their lives. There was no passion!

In Psalm 27, David had a much better experience in "church" than I did. In verse 4 he says, "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. To gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple."

Wow, that guy must have had some great experiences in "church" to narrow down the primary desire of his life to one thing--being there all the time. David experienced the presence of God in such a real way at the Temple (or Tent as it probably was at that time) that he longed to see more and more of God's beauty.

It is my desire to communicate Truth with such passion, purpose and obvious longing for God that others will desire what David desired. John Piper calls it Expository Exultation. That term sounds a bit boring in itself but the concept is right on. I want to communicate in such a way that God's glory, character, and beauty are irresistible! And I know that begins with me being able to narrow down my list of desires and dreams to one primary thing--more of God in my life!

Time and God's Kingdom

I went to the hospital today to visit a man who is in his last days of life. He was asleep so I spent some time talking with the family. Time moves so fast! I'm reminded to slow down and breathe in life after these types of visits. But on the other hand, it reminds me of the urgency I should have to share the life and love of Christ with others.

A few days ago I walked into our high school gym. There is such a unique smell associated with a gymnasium. I was caught off guard by the rush of memories associated with the smell. I was back in my hometown of Ripley, WV at the Ripley High School gym--19 years old. It brought back some fond memories.

Nearly 20 years have past. What does my life have to show for the last 20 years? A wonderful family. An amazing wife and four awesome children. God has blessed so much. But I wonder about my impact for God's kingdom. The clock is ticking. Each year more students move beyond my scope of influence. My children move closer to adulthood.

God, help me in the time you've give me. Use me. I pray that they will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Run the Race

Last weekend our city concluded a multi-church DiscipleNow. For all who are far removed from the "youth group" era of life, this is a weekend long "camp-like" experience where students spend the night in homes (in our area) and come together for worship and other events.

It was awesome to see six churches, from various denominations, come together and make this happen. Over 300 students from our little city participated. It was a real spiritual high for many students.

March 1 is a day circled in red on my calendar. It is the day I'll attempt to run the Albany Marathon. A marathon is a grueling run of 26.21875 miles. Yes, it is necessary for me to include the .21875 because every inch of the race takes all the determination and perseverance from this last 30 something body of mine. In fact, this may be interesting to you, it was for me. My running buddy, who has completed quite a few marathons, told me a few weeks ago that you're halfway home during a marathon when you hit mile 20. Now, I wasn't a math major in college, but I can clearly see he wasn't referring to the mileage.

Remember, all of you who made decisions at DiscipleNow. Standing at the front of the church during an emotional alter call--you're halfway home. Now come the arduous mileage. This is where the race is won or lost!

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Hebrews 12 (NLT)

Free Hugs

I know this video has been floating around the internet for some time now, but I used it as an illustration of Christ's love last night when I spoke to our student ministry. There is something that just draws you to it again and again. Maybe it is the music. Or the story. But possibly it is the appeal of an offer of love and acceptance without expecting anything in return.