Bowl-a-rama

Watching   Oklahoma State  Vs. Oregon in Holiday Bowl.... This creates tension in my life....It is a great game.. (4th  qtr   31-28  Cowboys...but the ducks are driving )  Can Ducks drive? 

THE DUCKS DROVE.... BOYS LOST-= but a good game...

I vote for games to be played on fields where they have quality turf that has not been mauled by the NFL two days before....  Both teams have injuries because of the lousy grass.

Lots of bowl games to watch... Kind of fun....

On another super spiritual note..... Several of my fans gathered in the new gym today for the first shot .... It was a free throw.... The tight rims were a problem....but the ball bounced around and WENT IN !  The crowd erupted... and then we went back to work

Fun

Christmas 2008 ( Catching up from a month long blogging break)

Its been a while since the last post... nearly a month.  Why?  Several have asked (my mom included).  Thank you to all who care. A few have wondered if I was sick. Nope.  Others have wondered if I was worn down and tired.  Maybe.  Others even wondered if I had given up on blogging... no.

I have been in a major effort with writing study guides for next year, articles, bulletin greetings and a some other things. So the first thing to go is blogging for a while.  Its really nothing more than that. 

So what's up? Well, here is my own personal Christmas  Letter for 2008. 

CHRISTMAS HAS BEEN  GREAT.  Our church tried something different this year.  The Christian group AVALON came to the church for two Christmas concerts. They were incredible.  What made it even more special was the participation of our own worship choir.  It was alot of fun, well attended, and a significant investment in our church family and community. 

On Sunday, we had our annual Christmas Services which were excellent.  I really felt like we worshipped Christ.  Our Worship teams were so engaged and full of joy. 

Our Christmas Eve Services were also very good. Interestingly we combined communion, candle-lighting, Charlie Brown Peanuts, Grandpa Tom reading the Christmas story to dozens and dozens of children, and the singing of Christmas Carols. 

These events were our first  Christmas events in our new building. Simply decorated, the building reflected the joy of our congregation as we celebrate the birth of Christ.  The preaching series concentrated on the three word phrase, " God with us."

What else is going on?  Well, Christmas continued today with our family here in Owasso.  Baby Grace is so beautiful.  Having James, Lydia, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, Abigail and Grace here was so good for Pam and me.   We did miss having Joel here ( He is in Portland).  But It sounds like was going to have a good day too. 

At the church, we are just a few days from opening our Phase II. It contains a great gymnasium, Kitchen, gathering area and a state of the art Youth and children's worship area. 

As I reflect on the opening, I am amazed that it is done. Just 9 months ago we were pushing hard to get into Phase I.  I am grateful to those who have worked so hard to get this phase done.  It will add so much to our ability to expand our ministry to youth and children, the development of sports ministries and give us much needed space for other activities in the church. 

When I consider 2008, it has been a year of tremendous challenge and change for our church. ( I will probably write more about this later).  But as we have come through the year and all of these changes, I notice that one thing has not changed.  Christ is the head of our Church. May it always stay that way!

2009 brings a new emphasis for our church. The theme for 2009 is "DEEPER".  For the coming year we will be looking specifically at foundations of our faith. The teaching and preaching will focus on the Bible and its trustworthiness, Jesus, God , Salvation and much more.  Some years we spend more time looking at what the Bible says about specific life situations. This year, it is much more about the foundations.  Along the way we will provide study guides for each message, which will include some more passages to study and read, group questions and Bible reading plans. I have the first 8 of the new year written, and am working on March.  Our hope is that people in the congregation will take these and make it their own personal responsibility to study the Word and apply it to their lives.   We have many many people who do, but we want to increase the numbers of people doing this on a regular basis. 

Some are asking about my health. Right now I am doing pretty well. I can tell when I have had along and intense season of preaching, leadership etc.  This fall has been pretty hectic. So in January , February and March, I will be doing a little less of the preaching and taking advantage of some vacation time, conference time and just some down time. 

Since I had the two strokes, I have gotten better at recognizing when I need to "dial it down." However, many years  of working too much and too long, with too much intensity has created unhealthy life patterns that I constantly have to fight against.  Sometimes I have to just shut it down... My body , mind and soul  tells me when that is... and that is definitely is now. So in the coming weeks, I will read alot  more, write more, preach a little less, and spend some time reflecting on God's work and call in my life. 

I am blessed beyond imagination. The church I serve has been so considerate in understanding my limitations and still encouraging me to press on, lead on, and serve on.  I know many who do not serve such a congregation.  On days I wake up and feel crummy, foggy and empty, I do not fear that someone will be on my doorstep, or at my desk wondering what I am doing or not doing.  Some of those days have become more numerous in last few weeks. When it happens, I retreat to rest and re-charge. And if I don't  then I have people around me who remind me of what I should be doing... and then tell me, "Get out of here." My family and our church want me around for the long haul.  In order to do this, you have to have a great staff. I have a great team that serves with me. 

At the top of the list is my wonderful wife.  This last week I was standing with one my friends at church, along with our wives.  I said, "We both have married way over our heads."  He agreed. 

So did our wives.  :-)   But we all know the score.  How could I even begin to say what the last 27 years, 9 months has meant to me?  These last 2 and 1/2 years have been a challenge for her, but she continues to work at the mid-high, be a great mom, be a "great"  grandmother, pastor's wife, and so much more. ( That is quite a job description isn't it.) She is awesome!

God is so good to me.  

 Well, that is my Christmas letter for 2008.  I would have sent it to you, except that "sending" stuff is not something I am really great at. So for those of you who read the blog...

 Merry Christmas! 

Charlie

 

More Pictures

Each of our children are a blessing to Pam and me.  
Grandparenting is cool...
It is really something to see what a blessing Grace has been for Lizzie and Nathaniel... and the rest of us.
Both of our Son in laws are tremendous people...Our girls are blessed.  It is so good to see men in both of our girls lives that complete them in many ways. 

We had a great Thanksgiving! Everyone was home. Lots of turkey, sports, fun, and laughter.  

AND PICTURES! 

Baby Grace's First Thanksgiving

Not so happy....
That's better. 

What a blessing to have Grace in our lives... We are thankful. 

Rapping at Thanksgiving Banquet 08

The staff convinced me to pursue another career  at the Thanksgiving banquet!  LL COOL CHARLIE is my name... and rap is my game.

Rapping with Tim... He is cooler than me. But I am still his boss.

Groovin and movin'.... The crowd went crazy

More Pictures

FOUR PRETTY GREAT KIDS !

GRACIE, NATHANIEL AND LIZZIE!

GRACIE GOING FOR A RIDE

I MARRIED WAY OVER MY HEAD! THANKS PAM!

WHAT A CREW!

Family pictures

This is our happy family....  Nathaniel, Lizzie, Gracie, Joel, Me, Pam, Abigail, Lydia and James. 

We are very blessed!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Charlie

My Opinion on Playoffs

I live in Oklahoma.

I have a son that graduated from Oklahoma State

My closest friend graduated from Oklahoma

The church I serve is full of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State fans.... many of them serious...far too serious.

With all that said.... here are some observations about College football. ( I know you did not ask for them, but it is my blog and I can decide what I want to write about.)

#1- A playoff is the only thing that makes sense. And in the days leading up the election, it was about the only thing either
one of that candidates said that made sense- WE NEED A PLAYOFF. If the President of the United States wants to get
started on the right foot, he should use his executive order power on something that counts.... Ordering the College
Presidents to get the dollar signs out of their eyeballs and create a PLAYOFF.

#2- This year, the Oregon/Oregon State game means something. Both are 8-3. OSU ( Not cowboys), is playing for a chance to
go to the Rose Bowl. That is due to the fact that they smashed USC early in the year.

#3- This year the OU/OSU game means something. OU wins and they go to Big 12 championship ( if tiebreakers break right).
If OSU wins, they get to say all year long, "na, na, na, na! We won! We Won!" Prediction? One of the two teams will win.

#4- It is tough to see teams like Michigan, Notre Dame, Auburn, Tennesee, Texas A&M, go through tough seasons ( Not
really- remember coaches, Adversity makes us better. You may not get to keep your jobs for long, but you will be better
for it)

#5- There are several "one loss teams" screaming for a playoff. ( OU, Florida, Texas, Texas Tech, USC). To them I say,
"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH." What about Boise State, Utah, Ball State and Alabama? They are undefeated at this point of the
season. Maybe the playoff should be the 4 undefeated teams meeting in a warm weather site...Now there is a playoff.

AND BEST OF ALL... It is feast week on ESPN... which means there is basketball galore! Now there is a real sport.

Commitment Sunday

This month we have been talking about "the offering." The study is from II Cor 8-9. Its been a good study. As is usually the case, our congregation welcomes Bible teaching that challenges us to a deeper walk with Christ.

I used to dislike this month every year. But more and more I enjoy the challenge of teaching this subject, and the encouraging response of the people. I don't get alot of negative for talking about resources/money/stewardship. The practical nature of the Bible and its simple approach to how we manage what God lets us use, helps with this. But our people have such good hearts. Most of them are givers, not just consumers. The vast majority of people coming are grateful for what God has done in their lives. Even those going through tough times know that God is providing for them.

Today was Commitment Sunday. We take cards given to us and make a commitment for the coming year. It is between each individual and the Lord. It is as the Lord leads and blesses. In the past we have had a large cross at the front of the stage and people would pass by and lay their cards at the cross.

This year, new building and all, we had to do it different. Tim and his creative team came up with a very good idea, having stations across the front which would include the cross, communion and a basket for the cross. It worked very well. Connecting the commitment that Christ made with us, to the commitment we make to support the work of God across the world made sense.

It was a good day. I was encouraged as I saw hundreds and hundreds of people come to the front.

I love our church.

"DID I JUST SAY THAT?"

Barak Obama has been President-Elect for eight days. In those eight days, He has met with President Bush, been criticized heavily by Iran and their crazy president, seen the economy get significantly worse, and had his national security briefings (there is no doubt that he learned alot there), and had his first press conference.

The press conference was interesting in the fact that somehow he managed to work Nancy Reagan into the conversation. Even being the great communicator that he is, he has a lot to learn about not saying exactly what he is thinking to the whole world, being very careful about his words and all that. With no tele-prompter and speech writer at his side, things can get a little dicy.

The press conference actually encouraged me. Everyone talks about Him being "on message." He is known to be incredibly disciplined in many areas of life. When it comes to words, that is very useful, especially when every one of them is scrutinized by the entire world. So these small gaffe's that he made in a fifteen minute press conference actually made him seem a bit more human, less robotic, and a little more like me. You could be sure that when he said "Nancy Reagn and seance" in the same sentence that there were "handlers" that were cringing behind the curtain.

When I am preaching, many thoughts "scoot" across my mind . They are not in my notes. I don't preach from a manuscript any more, so I am a little bit more free to "catch" one of those thoughts and use it. But in a split second I have decisions to make. Does it fit? Is it really something that God would want me to say? Is it something that "someone else" wants me to say? Even if it is the right thing to say, is it the right time to say it? All of that comes at once, and then it is gone. I have made the decision. Either I say it, or I let it go.

Most weeks I have a list of those things in my mind at the end of the morning. And I play the game. "Oh, I should have said that!" Or, "Did I really say that?" It is a challenge to turn off my mind and move on. What was said is said. If I need to clean up something, I am usually pretty good at that. I have trusted friends who tell me, "Hey Charlie, that did not come out they way you intended." What is not said, is not said. I can't call all 1100 people back and say, "By the way I forgot to say something very important...so would you meet me at the church at 2PM?


The difference between the President Elect and me is that I have help. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide my words. And when I play the "what if " game at the end of the day, I rest in the fact that I have prayed and believe that God is guiding my words. I also rest in the fact that many people pray for me every day, asking God to guide me as work to prepare messages from His Word each week. That is so reassuring. I am not saying that God guides the President Elects words, or that he doesn't. I just know that I and others ask Him to give me the words to say. And somehow, each week, there is something to say.

The President Elect Obama made a big deal about "change you can believe in." I think he was very wise to tap into the restlessness of our country. He knew that the "change" was going to be the big deal. And now, instead of campaigning, he has to deliver. And that is a totally different deal. He is no longer playing on the sandlots of Chicago illinois... he is the big leagues now. The White House is a long way from the Illinois State House or even the Senate Chambers in Washington D.C. Which means that for the next four or eight years, there is not a word that will be forgotten. There is not a word that will not be examined. Every single word he says and writes will be under scrutiny.

So he needs to watch what he says.... and in that way he is just like the rest of us. Words convey powerful messages. They have many unintended consequences.

I see that in the church . We go through seasons where people, myself included get a little "chatty." And most of the time it is not a big deal, but sometimes it is. But I also see that when things get out of sorts, most people are willing to clean it up.

That is one thing that I will give Obama credit for. . He called Nancy Reagan that night and apologized. I thought that was a pretty good deal. You see, whether you are a preacher, a parent, a principal, physician, President, or President-elect, our words do hurt people. Written, spoken, even thought, words can hurt people. So along with the joy of getting to speak them, sometimes you get the joy of cleaning up the mess too.

As long as you are willing to do that, you get the privilege of speaking some more words...and probably making a mistake or two along the way.

So some advice from Proverbs for all of us... "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." ( Prov. 10:19) .

I think I have said enough for now.

Economy hits

One week ago, we got the news that Joel had gone into work and was laid off, along with 25% of the company. It was a shock for him. He had just moved up to Portland 6 weeks ago. Almost immediately he started networking and has two meetings scheduled with people who make be able to hook him up with potential careers.

His spirits are high. He is a very confident person, He loves Portland and has every intention of staying there.

I on the other hand, did not have high spirits after that call. I told him it would be okay... God would take care of Him. I loved him. All of those things I believed and still do. But after I hung up the phone, I had a tear or two. And I struggled to understand the decision of the higher-ups... and the plan God has for him. This economy is tough. And it has hit us. ''

I found myself thinking, "I wish it had been me." I would rather have to go through it, than him. I have never been without a job since 1981. But I would have taken it rather than him.

I guess that is what a parent does.

I am proud of all my kids. they have high character, good work ethic and a love for family and God. But they are not immune to hard times... layoffs, and other things. That is why parenting never stops. For those of you think , "Man, they are out of the house, and out of my hair." Surprise, they really dont go away... and you dont want them to. the last thing I said to Joel tonight was, "Let me know if you need anything." It is really code for, "if you need to come home, there is a place here for you."

My gut is that he will land on his feet...

I am glad I get to his Father... a father for all of them.

What we do as parents is just a touch of what God does as our Heavenly Father. I am amazed at what He does for us..

Real Life

I am watching election results. Crazy stuff. I love politics , so it is interesting to see the reactions as the numbers come in. Lots of change in the air.

But along the way... real life is happening to:

- the couple that I visited today who lost their little baby at birth.

- the lady I talked to today whose husband said, "I don't love you any more."

- the friend who called me last night because he has a family member who has lost the will to live.

There was more.

All in the last 24 hours.

That is real life. Its where people live.

I said to a friend, "I am constantly reminded that so many people have so much to deal with in life."

I am thankful that God is a personal God who love people where they are, comforting, strengthening, and moving in their lives.

I believe that.

I also believe that tomorrow will be a better day.

Rambling Thoughts....

- No matter who wins the election Tuesday, God reigns.

- I am reading a good book. FAITH AND DOUBT by John Ortberg is an honest approach to the questions about faith that we all have. Yes, we all have doubts.It is not an easy read like some of his other books. it takes some brain power...but I think it will be worth it. i will let you know more as I finish the book. I like the fact that Ortberg has written about Faith and Doubt in light of all the press that Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have accumulated with their atheistic writings in the past couple years.

- I came across this passage in some reading. It spoke to me.

" You've kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, Each tear entered in your legder, each ache written in your book." Psalm 56:8 ( The Message)

Lots of tears in people's lives around me. Lots of tossing and turning. Financial woes, election concerns, parenting issues, marriage struggles,health problems, job layoffs, retirement accounts taking a hit.... I am sure there are alot more than I know. I find comfort and strength in the fact that there is not a tear that comes from our eyes that is unnoticed by God. Not one!


- I have been writing study guides for 2009 Sermons. I finished January's today. I am finding this to be very exciting and am hopeful that the guides will challenge our congregation to "go deep." it will be available on Sundays and on the website after the first of the year.

- We get to see Baby Grace, Elizabeth and Nathaniel this weekend. There is a rumor that she will be a ladybug for Halloween. Maybe I will get a picture next week.

- I am very proud of all four of our kids. They have all turned out to be fantastic adults.

- Last night we had our second FIGHT NIGHT at the church. It was great to see families of all ages worshipping and then playing games. Our staff and their teams were awesome. It was a great night.

- I start a series on Stewardship this Sunday. "THE OFFERING." May seem like a bad time to talk money..but God's ways of handling money are recession proof. The problem is not what He says. The problem is what we do.

VOTE ON NOV. 4th. Its your privilege and responsibility.

TOGETHER

The church is a body... a living, breathing body. It is full of people, people who love God, love the mission, love the purpose and love its people.

The church has a head. The bible says, "...Christ is the head of the church." ( Eph. 5:22) It is good for everyone who attends a church to remind themselves of this one simple fact. Christ is the Head of the church. It is HIS Church.

The Church has leaders that the Bible calls "Elders". They are men. Men who seek God, shepherd the flock, guard the doctrine of the church, work to guide christians through tough times, disputes, and difficulty. They are not perfect men by an stretch. But they are godly.

I will put our 9 Elders up against any group of leaders anywhere. I trust them completely. We do not always agree. Sometimes our conversations are spirited and passionate. But they respect and love me. They love my family. And I respect and love them. and their families.

Last night we had one of "those meetings." One friend who has served on the Eldership would often say, "It was a bag of cheetos" meeting. I did not eat any cheetos, last night but I stayed up late, thinking through the evenings discussions. The more I thought, the more I was encouraged. They made some good decisions. I felt heard... respected... and I felt like we covered some things that needed to get out on the table.

If you are a member of our church, you should know that these men are great leaders who need our prayers. I need your prayers. Our staff needs your prayers. Why? Its pretty simple really. We are in a war with the Spirit of Darkness for the souls of so many who are lost. We are living in a time where people are feeling the crunch of bad economics, debt, loosing jobs and houses. We live in a community where marriages are under attack... even in the church.

What do we have to fight this battle with. Prayer. The Word of God. Good Godly leadership. And our own unity. Life is better together... and our unity is essential as we tackle the issues of our day.

I am proud to say that as I talked with a member today, I saw the love for God come out. It was a difficult conversation, but one comment caught my attention. "I will serve the Lord at this Church... that is what I will do." It was said with humility.. It was said with a commitment to our leaders. And I believe this person, because they are alot like you... is a person who just wants to obey Christ by helping others know, love, serve and share Him." That is who we are.

Blessings

Charlie

Whatever you do....

I am on a blogging roll!!!

Today I had the pleasure of eating lunch with 2 other leaders from our church along with a banker who has helped us with our relocation. We talked about life, business, and church. He took a tour of our building and was very impressed. But as we talked I think I was drawn to his heart for God and how God could use his influence to build the kingdom.

Along the way, he shared some "God-moments" in his business, Later I reflected on how there are so many Christians who are in business, being used by God to help people, to lift people up , and to give God glory.

You know, the power of the gospel extends far beyond what happens in church buildings on Sunday Mornings or Wednesday nights. That is just a fraction of what it means to extend the Kingdom of God here on earth. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, because of your faith, you are a conduit for God's blessing. In business, in your community, in your neighborhood, you have such an opportunity for influence. So go for it! Let people know that you are a child of God... that you have been blessed by God and see where it goes. Remember, we do not go to church...we are the church! Wherever we are, whatever we are doing!

I am reminded of what Paul said in I Corinthians- "So whatever you do, whether you eat or you drink, do it all for the glory of God." You don't need a Bible College education to do that. Awesome opportunities await you!

Crisis? There is still a mission.....

Stock Market tanked again today. Bad news everywhere....

Today i started work on the series "The Offering". Every November I talk stewardship. I have looked forward to this series for a while because we have so many new people coming to church. I have no idea where they are stewardship wise, but I imagine for some the talk about money, possessions, offerings, and related matters may be challenging.

I was doing some reading about this and came across this simple statement. In light of the current financial crisis, as a church we should respond, but not retreat. I thought that was good.

We should respond by reminding people that we will be good stewards of the money they give to the Lord's work. We should be careful all the time, but especially vigilant in spending $ in these times. We should also respond by being ready to help hurting people. There will be more people this winter who are hungry, more people who are cold. There may be people we know who are homeless. We should be ready to respond to them.

But along side of that, we should remember that we have a mission. Our mission is to help others know,love, serve and share Him. It is a mission that reaches out, reaches in and reaches up. It is a life-saving mission. It is a mission that has weathered tough financial times in the past, and it is a mission that will weather tough times in the future.

We should never give an inch when it comes to the mission, no matter what is happening on Wall street, main street, or anywhere in between. No matter who is president, no matter who wins the senatorial race in Oklahoma, no matter if the bailout works or not, there will always be a mission. Jesus came to "seek and save the lost." Nothing got him off his mission.

My prayer is that all of us will remember that no matter what comes next, our mission has not changed, and will not change. People need Christ. People need a church. People need help...and God has called us to respond,

Plowing new ground

People count. People are important to God. They are important to me. God has blessed First Christian Church with lots of people, more people than ever before.

Our church has been building buildings since May 2006. Phase I took about 8 months longer than it was supposed to, but we moved in last march. When we moved in, Phase II ( Youth Worship Center and Gym) had begun. God has paved the way for this to happen in many different ways. From the use of Bailey Hospital to the selling of 86th street to Rejoice, to God providing the funding for Phase I, and the debt-free building of Phase II, to the growth we have seen in our church since we moved, there is so much to be thankful for.

This afternoon I walked through Phase II. It is coming along quite fast. The construction crews are working hard. What struck me was that we have been so blessed. Each step of the way, we have seen God provide. Soon ( very soon), we will have the additional space we need to continue to grow in our Youth and Children's Ministries. Phase II will also open up other opportunities for the use of Phase I, which is needed.

I am most impressed with our congregation. There is no doubt that the relocation has stressed a lot of people. ( me included). There have been alot of hard moments. There have been doubts, some criticism, amazement at what God has been doing, and some wondering along the way. However, the vast majority of our church has been so accomadating, so flexible and so committed to making this about more than buildings. Our church family is excited about the future like never before.

There will always be people who see the negative. There will always be people who get really weary and struggle with changes, whatever they are. Our job is to hear their concerns, be reassuring, but confident in the way God is leading us. There are times when we do not handle the demands of change very well. We all are human. We all have alot to learn.

The truth is that plowing new ground is hard work. It always is. But our people have been so gracious. For example, We have had a number of funerals in the past 6 weeks. Some have the result of sudden death, some the result of long illnesses. Each one of them have required that we provide a funeral dinner. And each time, a group of members ( sometimes classes, sometimes, groups, sometimes ministries), have brought food in, ice in, dealt with no real kitchen facilities , set up, cleaned up, and through the whole thing never complained one bit. Each time, I have seen people rise to the occasion to care for people who were in need. Always with a cheerful disposition, knowing full well that our facilities were not quite optimal... they just have made do with what they have... because people count.

Phase II will bring some facilities that can help us with meals, fellowship and other needs that we have. All along the way, people have seen what we have, and been flexible to make things happen... because people count.

We have along way to go. Some areas of our leadership and ministries are not as strong as they need to be. But I feel like we are making a strong effort to "help others know, love, serve and share Christ." We do that because people count.

FCC people rock! There is no one I would rather plow new ground with.

The Lord' Supper

Today, we led a worship service that is one of my favorites each year. At least once and sometimes twice a year we plan an entire worship service around Communion.

"The Breaking of Bread" ( Acts 20:7) is one of elements of worship that we include in every Sunday worship service. All three of our services participate in this each week, because of our conviction that it was something done by the early church on the first day of the week.

When we do a service like this, We usually divide the 65 or so minutes into sections, do worship along with explanation and teaching. Today, I thought was one of our best. Tim did a great job of building a service that used special music ( Jesus Messiah and My Redeemer Lives ) along with both contemporary songs and hymns. We had a great video to the song "Jesus Paid it all" which was effective and engaging. The Production Team had a table with chalice and loaf of bread, which provided the visual.

Ultimately this was a hour long communion service which gave us the chance to remember that Jesus willingly gave his life for us, and that the blood of Christ provides us with forgiveness, purifies us from sin ( I John 1:7), and unites all believers like nothing else. It is an opportunity to teach about Grace. It is an opportunity for us to "examine ourselves". It is an opportunity to declare that Jesus died, was buried and rose again. It is an opportunity to declare that ONLY Jesus has done this and therefore He is the only way to God ( John 14:6)

It is easy to get on the kick about felt needs, how to's and never take the time to study such foundational truth. So I am glad when we can do these kinds of services. We take communion each week, and every week it is meaningful to me. Some say, "Take it every week and it becomes commonplace and mundane." I don't get that. How could the sacrifice of Jesus be mundane? If it is, that is our problem...a problem with our heart.

It is important to do this as a reminder to those who come to church services all the time. But it is also so important for the newer people who attend to know why we take communion each week ( most of them coming from churches where it is done monthy, quarterly or semi-annually,) and what is really behind this Passover meal that Jesus instituted in the upper room.

It's good stuff....and from my perspective, it is great to work with creative people who can put together a service that engages people on so many different levels.

2nd greatest comeback

Last night the Red Sox got pummeled (through 7 innings). I was disgusted and went to bed. I have followed the Red Sox since the late 60's. I don't exactly know why since I lived in the Pacific Northwest. Through the 70's, 80's and 90's their futility could only be matched by the Cubs. But things got better.

So last night, when I realized that they were on the verge of losing 3 straight at home, and looking bad doing it, I turned my back on them. I walked away. The TV was on, and then I saw the "crawl" at the bottom of the screen. I immediately turned it back to the game, just in time to see the game winning hit. 8 to 7- Red Sox.

I am glad that there will be another game, hopefully two games resulting in Red Sox wins. But, I also have to face the fact that I turned away from them.

There is a lesson in this for all of us. We disappoint God. We lose and lose and lose.... We make mistakes, commit sins over and over... each of which really do hurt the one who created us and who sent His Son to die for us. And yet, God does not turn his back on us. He stays with us, always ready to forgive when we are repentant. He stays with us, always ready to help us pick up the pieces of our broken lives. He stays with us, reminding us that there is a tomorrow, and it will be better. He stays with us, telling us that "the best is yet to come."

I love that about God. Do you? If so, turn over that part of your life that is hindering you from a complete relationship with Him.

Fights and quarrels

Over the summer I preached through the book of Proverbs. Even though I am done preaching from Proverbs, I still am drawn to the book each day.

Proverbs 17:27-28 says, " A man of knowledge uses words with restraint and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue."

Those words are pretty strong. When we reject the notion that we can just throw words at a subject and somehow be thought of as wise, knowledgeable, or "in control", we really do become more like Christ.

Holding our tongue, keeping silent, using words with restraint, being even-tempered are all effective ways of being a better listener, a better communicator, a better friend, and in some cases a better opponent.

I know people who just love to get into arguments. They go around looking for verbal fights. It feels good to them. It makes them feel like they are in control. But Proverbs says something different.

" He who loves a quarrel loves sin, he who builds a high gate invites destruction" Prov. 17:19

" Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." Prov. 17:14

I can recall several times where I failed to "drop a matter before a dispute breaks out." . In the end , I may have felt vindicated, even victorious. But there were usually some wounds as a result. Was it worth it? Most of the time the answer is no.

I think that this counsel from Proverbs also helps when we are being drawn into a fight or dispute. Recently this has happened to me. People with strong feelings about a particular subject have not gotten the response they wanted in a dispute with others. So they come to me. In one case, I engaged and regretted it. I should have just stayed out of it, and let the parties work it out between themselves. In another case, I said, " I am not going to get involved in this." I just decided that this was something that the two or three needed to work out themselves... I did not need to ride in on a white horse and save the day. I have not regretted that decision.

I think the writer of Proverbs could be talking about alot of different things here. But one thing that speaks to me is that it really does take two people to argue. Nothing is more frustrating to someone who is looking for a fight to go around looking for someone to "put up their verbal dukes" and find no one.

This does not mean that there are not times that we need to stand up and defend truth, defend ourselves, and even defend others. But maybe the old saying is true...."You are wise to pick your fights carefully."

Proverbs 17 counsels us to look at our hearts. Do you love a quarrel? Are you the one starting quarrels? Can you be the person who steps away from a quarrel and remains silent?

One more word from Proverbs 17. Verse 3 says, "the crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,but the Lord tests the heart. ( vs. 3)

Good stuff to remember in the heat of the battle.