Just think...what if...

Last night was a multi-state mega-millions lottery drawing with the winnings being $640,000,000! I was talking with a friend this morning about the drawing and they asked if I thought it was wrong to purchase a ticket. As the day went on I thought more about this.

I am not able to judge the motives and the hearts of the people that purchase lottery tickets
I am not in a position to tell people what is honorable to spend their money on and what is not.

Some claim that it is simply entertainment - it's not gambling.
Others argue "it's only a dollar or two" - it's no big deal. 

Tonight I looked up and found that over 1.5 billion tickets were sold for the drawing last night, that is 1,500,000,000 tickets and $1,500,000,000.

According to The Hunger Project 925 million people do not have enough to eat and 1.4 billion people live on $1.25 a day or less. Just think about that for a moment, if we were to spend that 1.5 billion on the 925 million people that don't have enough to eat, each would receive $1.62. That is enough to eat - enough to survive! And, if a dollar or two is "no big deal" why are we doing more?

Maybe this is a good opportunity for each of us to take a step back, to examine our hearts and our motives. Maybe this is a good opportunity for each of us to take an honest look at our priorities and determine what is important to us.

Just think...what if...

Everything about Jesus

I love the casual moments of chatting with my oldest children, now ages six and three. It is during these times that I gain insight into their young minds, gain access into their profound thoughts, and develop an understanding of what life looks from a small child's point of view.

Last Sunday I had one of these treasured moments with my children. As they sat and played together I mentioned that Easter Sunday was right around the corner, I told them that we would go to church and then travel to Grandpa and Grandma's house for the holiday. Then the three of us shared the following dialog:

Me: "You know what Easter is all about don't you?"
Three-year-old: "CANDY!"
Six-year-old: "No." (with a laugh and an eye roll)
Me: "No, it's not about candy."
Three-year-old: "The Easter bunny!?"
Six-year-old: "No." (with a laugh and an eye roll) 
Six-year-old: "It's about hiding eggs!"
Me: "No, we talk about those things at Easter but the real meaning is Jesus!"
Me: "Remember how we talk about Jesus dying on the cross?"
Six-year-old: "Yeah....?"
Me: "Well, Jesus died but then He came back to life three days later."
Me: "That is what we celebrate on Easter. Jesus is alive!"
Six-year-old: "Oh? Yeah!"
Three-year-old: "Daddy? Daddy?" (with a very serious tone and look he grabs me by the cheeks)
Me: "Yes?"
Three-year-old: "Does everything have to be about Jesus?"

"Does everything have to be about Jesus?"

Yes! Everything does have to be about Jesus! Not just everything at Christmas, everything at Easter, and everything at church. Everything that we do has to be about Jesus, everything must be focused toward and centered around Jesus Christ. Not only is this something that I hope to teach my children, this is something that I hope to teach every person that I meet and talk with and every person that sees me live my life.

But, I will never be successful - I will never teach my children or anyone else that EVERYTHING must be about Jesus - if I have not taught myself this first. That is, if I am not living my life in a way that honors, pleases, and glorifies Jesus Christ, nothing else that I do will matter.

So, ask yourself; Does everything have to be about Jesus? Are you living your life in a way that proves this to be true? Are you striving to teach others that everything must be about Jesus?

Such a Time As This

On Tuesday evenings my wife and I host a small group at our home and it is typical for us to prepare coffee for our guests. Last night I decided to prepare the coffee at the church rather than at our house and, for whatever reason, I decided to go over and start the coffee just as the rest of the family sat down for dinner.

As I was finishing the coffee I heard a pipe burst in the restroom and ran in to investigate. What I found was a toilet overflowing, water shooting into the air, and about an inch of water on the ground.

As I completed the cleanup it occurred to me how much damage this burst pipe would have caused of I had stuck to the normal routine. No one would have noticed the gushing water for 15 hours!

Then it struck me; I was here for such a time as this. The same can be said of each one of us, we are here at this time, in this place for such a time as this. Each of us has a purpose and a calling to fulfill. But, none of us will ever know what our purpose is unless we are listening for and listening to The One that had created us, determined our purpose, and guided our path.

Are you listening for and listening to The One that leads you to such a time as this?

When does worship become common?

Maybe you don't go to church on a regular basis. Maybe you, like many Americans, make it to church twice a year. If this is you, forget about reading this post.

The group I want to target with this post are the "regular attenders" and especially the "members" of our churches in America. See I grew up in the church and over the years I have been to a lot of churches and I have attended a lot of "worship services".

The issue I have is that some of the, so called, "worship services" forget the worship and when a person leaves they feel like they have done a service just by sitting through the hour.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE!

The question I was struck with this evening; "when does worship become common". When does a person begin to take for granted the opportunity to stand before The God of all creation? And, the most important question; what does a person do about it? How does a person that finds themselves taking the presence of The Living God for granted get back to a state of authentic worship and a true awe of God?

Lent and Christ

Lent, a 40-day period (not including Sundays) beginning on Ash Wednesday that leads up to Easter Sunday. Lent is seen by many as an exclusively Catholic season, but this is not the case. Lent can and should be used as a season to draw closer to Christ and to develop a deeper relationship with Him. While this should always be the case, the season of Lent is a particularly good time because it increases faith as aptly us on the resurrection of the Savior of the world.

So, what can you do during the season of Lent? Many people choose to fast from something. This can be a habit, a hobby, or an indulgence. But, I believe that it should be something that takes any of you time, attention, money, resources, or commitment away from Christ. And, as you fast you commit the additional time, money, or attention to serving the Lord.

It is also good to share your Lent commitment with another person, so that you are held accountable. This year my wife is fasting from all carbonated drinks, I have committed to a food fast one day per week and an increased time of prayer daily. And, along with many others in our church family, we are committing to a thorough reading and studying of the Gospel of John.

What will you do to draw closer to Christ and increase your commitment to Him in this season leading up to Easter?

Stay focused on and faithful to Him.

Moses and Jesus

For the author of Hebrews, Moses is a pre-figure of Jesus Christ. Below are some similarities I found:

MOSES	JESUS
A prophet (Deut. 18:15)	A prophet (Matt. 21:11)
From among his own people (Deut. 18:15)	From among His own people (Matt. 21:11)
He was an Israelite (Ex. 2:6)	He was an Israelite (John 4:4)
Raised up (Deut. 18:15)	Raised up (Eph. 2:6)
Baby boys born at the same time were killed (Ex. 1:22)	Baby boys born at the same  time were killed (Matt. 2:16)
Escaped an order to be killed (Ex. 2:1-10)	Escaped an order to be killed (Matt. 2:13-14)
Escaped to Egypt (Ex. 2:1-10)	Escaped to Egypt (Matt. 2:13-14)
Drew out of the water (Ex. 2:10)	Taken out of Bethleham (Matt.2:14)
Wrote the commands of God on tablets (Ex. 20)	Wrote the commands of God on human hearts (2 Cor. 3:3)
A faithful servant of God (Heb. 3:5)	A faithful servant of God (Heb. 3:2)
Testified to the truth (Heb. 3:5)	Testified to the truth (John 7:7)
Made atoinment for the sin of his people (Ex. 32:30)	Was made atoinment for the sin of His people (1 Tim. 2:6)
Was the mediator between God and man (Ex. 32:30-32)	Was the mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5)
Willing to give his life for the sin of his people (Ex. 32:32)	Willing to give His life for the sin of His people (1 Tim. 2:5)

Cows In The Corn

A Funny Little Story About Hymns and Praise Songs

Written by an unknown author

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the farmer. “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”

“Praise choruses?” asked the wife. “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.

The farmer said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you, ‘Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, in the CORN, CORN, CORN, COOOOORRRRRNNNNN,’ then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus.”

As luck would have it, the exact same Sunday a young, new Christian from the city church attended the small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the young man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.”

“Hymns?” asked the wife. “What are those?”

“They’re okay. They’re sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked the wife.

The young man said, “Well it’s like this … If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn chewed.

So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn,

then, if I were to do only verses one, three and four, and change keys on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”