Advent – How about some Hope?

This week, I spent Thanksgiving with family and friends did some VERY early morning Black Friday shopping (more on that later), then came home today and started my preparations for Christmas (lights up on the house, outside manger scene set up, Christmas tree bought, set up and decorated). This week starts the beginning of the New Year for the Christian Calendar. Advent, a time of preparation, repentance, a readiness for the Coming of the Christ, the King!

I have struggled in years past with the Christmas Season. I guess to some degree, I have suffered from a bit of depression, touched with a bit of disgust for the commercialization, and simply grown tired of all of the hustle and bustle that surrounds the holiday in general. It has been a lot of prayer, focus and determination that has caused me to start finding the Hope of Christmas. It takes a lot of determination these days. I saw Christmas advertising in September and the malls started decorating the first week of October. Black Friday ads and sales have been running for weeks. My wife and I decided to do a bit of shopping on Black Friday, the deals seemed to be too good to be true, and they must have been because just at one store, people were literally lined up ALL THE WAY around the inside perimeter of the store waiting to check out! After a couple of stores, we decided to go eat breakfast. We put our name on the waiting list and after about twenty minutes of waiting, we hear "East, party of two." As we were getting up and gathering our things, we noticed a couple come in the front door go to the podium and proudly proclaim, "We are the East's" and then promptly got seated! Is it any wonder that people face depression and generally get frustrated at Christmas? We have lost sight of the real reason for CHRISTmas.

As I have said earlier, I have started finding again the Hope of Christmas. It has come from a purposefully choosing to see others as Christ sees them, -and me. It comes from looking for opportunity to forgive, as Christ forgave me. –Even East impersonators at breakfast! Hope comes as I choose to look for the good in every situation even when EVERY store is out of the "must have" gift of the season. Understand, I do like to be able to give cool gifts to my kids, but truth is, we have EVERYTHING we need, most things we want and what we don't have, pales in comparison to the great goodness that we have in Jesus Christ.

All I want for Christmas is to better know the true Hope that this Advent Season holds. That has a name, Jesus. Won't you join me?

Enjoy the Journey!

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up!

This has been a mantra of mine since, well as long as Toys R Us has been using it in their advertising. This fits society's never-ending infatuation with youth and childhood. We want the Fountain of Youth, the magic pill to keep us young, Botox injections to at least keep us "looking" young or some formula that will at very least help keep us feeling young. Consider Brett Favre. He is absolutely an iron man in regards to the streak of consecutive games he has played. No one takes that away from him, but at the same time, the majority of people that I have talked to, think of Favre as "so 4-5 years ago." I do not wish any harm on Favre, so I would hope that once and for all he would retire and deal with the other issues facing his life, but that is completely another story.

We, too often live like kids in that effort to "stay young." Nothing wrong with youth if you can also have Spiritual Maturity coupled with it. It seems, granted my opinion, the Church has allowed itself to remain spiritually immature for way too long. This is evidenced by the rapid decline in attendance, the rise in humanistic thoughts pervading society, the lack of love being demonstrated to each other much less those who do not ever darken the doorway of the church even on "Chreaster."

Spiritual Maturity does not have to be elusive. It simply needs to be sought after – diligently. Brett Favre has been intentional throughout his career in making sure that his body was as prepared as possible prior to the season. That is why he has played in what, a million straight games or something? We too need to be intentional in our preparation for our spiritual lives. Disciplined, dedicated, and always putting ourselves in the environment where God Himself can demonstrate His power in our lives, every day. Remember the words of Jesus, "If you ask, you shall receive, if you seek, you will find, if you knock, it will be opened."

The ancient Chinese proverb says, "He who aims at nothing, shall surely hit it every time."

Intentional. That is my new mantra. Although I want to feel young forever, I finally do want to grow up. Sorry Toys R Us.

Enjoy the Journey!

Joel+

A Familiar Friendship with Jesus

Thomas à Kempis talks of "a familiar friendship with Jesus." I would like to really, I mean really know Jesus. I am not talking about a casual relationship that epitomizes most relationships in my life. I am talking intimacy, a feeling of His heartbeat, knowing his thoughts and ways. My desire is to feel the caress of his cheek as He softly sings over me while wiping the tears that flow down my face. It is an encounter, a life-altering, situation changing, passionate touch that I absolutely desire. But am I willing to crucify my own fleshly desires in order to obtain the unmatchable riches that are in Christ?

 

The Psalmist figured this out when he wrote, "Oh, how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day… I hold my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy Word. I do not turn aside from thy ordinances for thou hast taught me." Ps. 119:97, 101, 102

 

Isaiah said it like this, "But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired." Is. 40:31 (Amplified)

 

It is in the joy of Christ that the Psalmist also penned these words, "I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises! If I'm sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. Because you've always stood up for me, I'm free to run and play. I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post." Psalm 63:5-8(The Message)

 

Hmmm… Meditation, waiting, grateful reflection. In the chaos of my life, that sounds like better than a week off work with pay any day and the even greater reward is a much more "familiar friendship with Christ!"

 

Enjoy the Journey!

 

Rest in peace

We seem to be very preoccupied with death these days. Every show on TV seems to have that theme. It seems the more sensational the death, the better the ratings. But frankly, this post really isn't about TV and lack of anything good to watch on my several hundred channels of satellite TV, although I sure miss the Beaver and Wally.

Really, I have been pondering this question. Why do we wait to die to "Rest in Peace?" Scripture tells us that "to live is Christ and to die is gain." That is very true but at the same time, while we are here God showers us with His peace if only we would receive it. Yet in the reality of God's peace being showered, we find ourselves in constant turmoil, fretting about this bill needing to get paid, or that chore that absolutely needs to be done right now or a countless other miniscule details that Christ tells us to "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30 (New King James Version)

I am finding more and more, that as I allow Christ to live in me and allow Him to do the "heavy lifting" of my life, I am finding more and more peace. In Christ, I don't have to strive. In Christ, I don't have to worry about "those things which so easily beset us" I am so glad that because I am in Christ, and He in me, that I truly can "Rest in Peace" and I don't have to wait to die for it!

Won't you join me in the journey of His peace?

 
 

Encountering Him

Joel+

Who are you?

I have to admit, I love the show CSI. It may be the riveting action, the great production or frankly, it may be that I always have loved the band “The Who.” The show’s theme song gets me air rocking every time I hear it. I even liked the Super Bowl half-time show with a vocally worn-out Roger Daltry because frankly, the song just rocks!


The song asks a very important question though, “Who are you?” No, really who are you at the deepest, most secretive places in your heart and life? I have pondered that question for myself for a number of years and would like to think that I have had a pretty good grasp on my identity. As a Christian, I know that the Scriptures declare me to be “the Righteousness of God through Christ, Jesus,” a “joint-heir with Christ,” and a multitude of other great promises. All very true, but the question if not answered for yourself at a core level is simply a pat answer.

About a month ago, my Bishop started using a phrase that frankly, at the time, I thought was really cool, but as I have been chewing on it, has revolutionized my way of thinking about my life at all levels. That simple phrase was this, “I am one in whom Christ dwells.” I have begun asking myself tough questions. Does my life line up with that statement? Are my actions speaking louder than my words? Does Christ really manifest Himself through the windows of my life or have I become so secretive in my Christianity that others may miss what I say is my true identity?

I am one in whom Christ dwells. When you are asked “Who are you” next time, I challenge you to think about that simple statement and as Augustine would have preached, “Always preach the Gospel, and when necessary, use words.”

Enjoy the journey!

Warranty covers all parts and labor

We bought a new washer several months ago. I won't specifically mention the company although I will say that "Life's Good" doesn't really mean much to them it seems. A short time after purchasing the biggest, best machine that I could find and I really even didn't care how much it cost, that is until it broke down....FOUR TIMES!! Four warranty repairs later, I'm still not sure that the machine is right.


I am so glad that when God comes into fix a situation that His repair goes something like this, "Behold, all things are passed away, behold all things become NEW!" Even if that doesn't always happen with today's corporate customer service, it does happen when a life is turned over to the Master Repairman. His warranty policy is lifetime replacement on all parts and labor. All that is required is a repentant heart.


I really love this prayer in the Book of Common Prayer, "Most merciful God, we confess that we 
have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have
left undone. We have not loved thee with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as 
ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 
have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in thy will, and walk in thy ways, to the 
glory of thy Name. Amen."

When I pray that prayer, I feel like I am truly clean. Clean that my washer could never grant me, but 

clean that the Father always gives those who call upon Him.

Enjoy the Journey.

Where do we go from here?

Strange title for an initial post eh? I caught myself humming that old Chicago song the other day. Really, I couldn't get it out of my head. I could not help but wonder if that is really the sentiment of most people today. We have wars in the Middle East, floods in Pakistan, drought in Russia, earthquakes in Haiti, and all types of famine, destruction and hatred all through the world. So, where do we go from here? I then started thinking about a couple of scriptures that were spoken into my life a couple of weeks ago. These may shed some light on the hopelessness of today...

The first is 2 Chronicles 25:9 (NASB) Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD has much more to give you than this." Death and destruction? NO! God has not only more, but better! MUCH BETTER!

How about this for a promise? "Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV) God's goodness is so good that we are incapable of believing it! God has been spending all of eternity bestowing His infinite goodness upon us and it seems that all we have in response is wanting "more, More, MORE! No wonder the world is in the state of destruction that it is.

Maybe we should take a cue from Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NLT), Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” Believe and you will be able to stand firm AND you will succeed! That doesn't seem so hopeless.

Further, the Apostle Paul gave us our marching orders when he wrote to the Romans in chapter 13:11-14, "But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!" –The Message

So where do we go from here? Start by getting up and getting ready. Then remember that as we follow God's direction through the leaders that He has placed in authority, we will be able to not only stand, but succeed. Yeah, I know that sometimes the journey gets tiring, but remember, God has much more for you than this!

Loving the journey,

Pastor Joel