TouchPoint

Failure Is Not An Option

2007-10-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday morning at a trade show associated with my work I was privileged to hear a genuine American hero speak about his experiences in the heyday of the American space program. He was none other than Gene Franz whose NASA career spanned the days from the Mercury program to the present day Shuttle system. Many of these space pioneers were and still are household names whose bold work inspired a generation to greatness and led the nation to one of the greatest accomplishment of mankind, man landing on the moon. Many of the technical innovations that we take for granted some 50 years later have a direct lineage back to space motivated research.

While Gene’s career has consisted of many highlights, including being awarded the Presidential Freedom Medal, He is known primarily for being the Flight Controller for the ill fated Apollo 13 mission. Many younger Americans were exposed to the heroic efforts to bring home three Apollo astronauts when their spacecraft was badly damaged while en route to the moon, via the Tom Hanks movie, Apollo 13. In a rather dramatic moment during the film, which mimicked history, Franz uttered his signature phrase, “failure is not an option.” Per his description of the moment, the mandate was clear, there was no other option, and these astronauts were dependent on his team to get them home.

So here I was listening to a recounting of the circumstances and unimaginable challenges faced by Franz and his crew when a slight miscalculation would have led to the deaths of three men and the humiliation of the nation who was locked in a space race with the arch enemy the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. One of the most surprising facts shared by this great American was that the average age in Mission Control during this trying time was 26. Hundreds if not thousands of decisions were being made in the fishbowl of live media coverage as a nation held their breath by young men who were just a few years removed from college performed superhuman feats to develop procedures and design makeshift equipment to nurse the heavily damaged spacecraft around the moon, back to earth and through the tricky reentry of earth’s atmosphere.

There was one rather poignant point in the story when Gene was faced with two options, either one which in theory would have resulted in bringing the astronauts home but the one which would track the shortest route required the firing of the spacecraft’s motor. With nothing to go on other than a gut instinct Gene chose to slingshot around the back of the moon which would take a couple of days longer to execute. Now as I sat glued to my chair hanging on every word of this story, I was fascinated to here this no nonsense, tough as nails, old schooler explain that at the point when he made the gut call he sensed that all we can do is go with the best information we have to work with, and then be content with turning the results over to a higher power.

To cut to the chase, under immense pressure, with lives on the line, and a world looking on the mission was accomplished. But it was not until the astronauts jettisoned their service module prior to earth reentry that they were able to get a look at the magnitude of the damage. As providence would have it, the intuitive call made days earlier was dead on. You see, if he had chose to take the shorter route, which as he reminded us would require firing the spacecraft motor, it would have resulted in the spacecraft bouncing off the gravitational influence of the moon and being irretrievably lost in space. The view of the damaged spacecraft revealed that there was no rocket motor left, it had been blown off. The final picture he painted was the sight of adult men in Mission Control weeping over the site on the big screen monitor of the three parachutes that gently guided the men and their craft back to earth.

Now what does this have to do with Christianity? As I listened to the story I was blown away by the parallels. Mankind is heavily damaged by a sin nature that is propelling us toward a sure doom. The Designer has assembled and equipped a crew in Mission Control and has given the mandate; let’s save these people. Lives are on the line as the rescue plays out in the fishbowl of public scrutiny. Will the mission be accomplished? Failure is not an option!

“God our Savior, . . . desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4.

The Exclusive Life

2007-10-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

The kind of travel that I’ve done the last four years has yielded a few very nice perks via airline, hotel, rental car and charge card customer loyalty programs. The premise is simple. If you give them business, they will do things like let you first in line at boarding airplanes, let you pick up your rental car right at the front door, give you free airline tickets, give you access to airport lounges, setup special concierges to help you rebook flights in case of interruptions; and on and on.

I’ve walked right past long lines of people who were waiting in the “regular” customer service line trying to rebook a flight after a cancellation because I had access to that special person who helped me rebook via phone. I can tell you it’s been several years since our family has “paid” for a vacation. Wow, special treatment like this will make you feel like a king. The way I looked at it I deserved every perk I received; I earned it. Unfortunately that privilege treatment did not extend to my return home. As soon as I walked through the door at home, I was just “Joe the garbage man.” But that’s a story for another time.

My point is that I like the special treatment. I got used to it. It made me feel special. I earned it. But you know what. Since I’m not traveling as much anymore, I soon will lose my special status and all the privileges that go with it. The fact is, I’m special as long as I’m spending money. The reality all along was that these perks are factored into the price of the services and I was actually purchasing these perks a few dollars at a time as I spent money with the service providers.

The other day I was listening to one of my favorite Christian radio stations and the DJ was telling of an occasion where Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham was being interviewed on television. The interviewer was quizzing her about the exclusive nature of Christianity. The question went something like, “Are you one of those people who believe that Jesus is exclusively the only way to heaven?” he added, “You know how mad that makes people these days!” Without blinking she replied, “Jesus is not exclusive. He died so that anyone could come to Him for salvation.”

One of the greatest perks that a human being can receive is to spend eternity with the creator of the universe. And the interesting thing is that this is not reserved for a privilege few. Billy Graham’s daughter got it right. Eternal life is freely offered to all who will receive it. You talk about a life of privilege. And this time you’re not actually paying for it bit by bit with the illusion that you’re getting a free ride. Jesus paid the price for your perks.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

Delicious Leftovers!

2007-09-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

There is a great Bible Story that seems to illustrate the fallacy of thinking that church is always about getting something. Think for a few minutes about the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand found in John 6. What normally is the focus of our attention in this story; why it’s the miracle of multiplication. Jesus took five loaves and two fishes from a little boy and blessed it. The disciples dutifully started passing it around to feed the hungry masses who had chased after Jesus. To their amazement they never seemed to run out of food and furthermore they collected twelve baskets of leftovers after the people were satisfied.

What does that story have to do with the attitude of the Sunday morning parishioner? Let’s examine this story a little closer. Who is never mentioned in the story? The person who labored to prepare the loaves and the fishes to begin with, probably the little boy’s mother. Out of five thousand people at least one person was proactive and made preparations to go see the Savior. An act of motherly love is the first and unseen essential element of this story. The next act that appears in the story is the unselfish nature of the little boy. I’m sure he was hungry. Don’t you think he thought about quietly slipping away to the sideline and consuming his meal? But that was not his response. He gave all he had that others would benefit.

Now don’t you think its funny (i.e. interesting funny not humorous funny) that Jesus gets all the attention for this “miracle.” Rightly so that the Savior gets the attention but the primary role of Jesus was to bless the gift and honor the preparation. At this instance He wasn't passing out something that He brought with Him.

Let’s relate this to our weekly worship. What do you think it would be like if we would spend the week before preparing for the time? Maybe the preparation is acts of service or kindness to others or maybe it’s simply making our personal quiet time a time of daily worship. Wouldn’t it be great if the Holy Spirit could during our corporate worship look around to see who came prepared, and collected the unselfish gift, and presented it to Jesus so that He could bless it. Can you imagine what worship time would be when God’s instruments (e.g. the Preacher, the singers, the musicians, etc.) passed out the shared blessings so that everyone was stuffed? You know the neat thing about that way of worship? The leftovers! What do you think happens with the leftovers? Why we take that with us and share it with those who weren’t there.

Here’s our challenge for the week. Will you be the one to prepare for worship this week? Will you be the one to bring something that can be a blessing to someone else and unselfishly offer it up for the benefit of everyone? God will be there. He wants to bless something. Will we have anything to offer?

When you think about this story in the future I want you to remember two components that hardly ever get mentioned; 1) somebody prepared the meal, 2) the satisfaction didn’t end with the meal; the leftovers kept on giving. These are not everyday leftovers. Leftovers from the master are better than the finest human cuisine that has ever been prepared.

See you in worship Sunday. Let’s bring something with us!

A New Way of Fishing

2007-09-19T19:12:00.001-07:00

It’s the only life they had known. They had learned the trade at the foot of their fathers who had learned it from their fathers. It was reinforced by the geography of the land where they had lived perhaps for generations; a region dominated by one of the natural geographic wonders of the world; a large fresh water lake that sits over 200 feet below sea level. Simon, Nathanael, Thomas and the Zebedee brothers were commercial fishermen working amongst a fleet of over 200 boats that derived a livelihood from a seemingly never-ending supply of fresh fish. The only interruption to this idyllic existence was the last few years when they left to join nomadic lifestyle of a charismatic leader.

The allure of this Leader had enticed them away from the only life that they had ever known. And then as suddenly as He had appeared on the scene, He was violently taken from them. In a panic they scattered – probably because the government was the culprit behind the disappearance. Most gravitated back to their prior existence. That’s why these four soon found themselves on the Sea of Tiberias in the middle of the night; when fishing was best. But this was no normal night. Every trick of the trade had been tried; yet no results.

Can you imagine the frustration as some guy on the beach seemed to be taunting them; “Catch any fish? Try the other side of the boat!” How ludicrous, that’s not the way fish work. They knew this lake like the back of their hand. They knew what worked and when it worked. Change sides of the boat, who is He kidding. I don’t know what motivated them to give it a try but soon they pulled up their nets and sunk them on the other side of the boat. Their indignation turned to surprise when the net immediately began to fill with fish. Not only was the net full but it tore as they attempted to haul the catch into their boat because it was so full. As they turned their gaze back to the Taunter on the beach, a huge smile covered His face. Wait, could it be? Yes, it is. . . No it can’t be. Why hadn’t we noticed? It was their Leader.

Many of you by now recognize this story as a contemporized paraphrase of John 21. The Leader is Jesus and the fishermen were the disciples. Now let’s cut to the chase. Jesus was not trying to help them catch fish. He was probably disappointed that they were even back on their old job. He had recruited them and poured His heart into preparing them for a much more important role. Jesus was masterfully using their old life and their old skills as an object lesson to yank them back to the reality of their new life. Jesus intended for them to passionately pursue their newly appointed life of “fishing” for men and women. The lesson from John 21 is that fishing for men is a God thing. We’re called to it but there is absolutely nothing within us that we can call on to know how to do it. The instruction manual for “man fishing” comes from God. He knows where the catch is; all we do is follow instructions.

What a celebration that morning when they realized, probably for the first time that everything Jesus told them was true. He really was “the Master.” Once you meet the Master your life is never the same. Wanna have that experience for yourself? Jesus extends the same invitation to you that He extended to His early gang.

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

When’s the last time we saw a bumper catch? Maybe we’re fishing on the wrong side of the boat!

Tension - A Good Thing?

2007-09-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

DateLine (9/13/07)

I hate pressure but it seems that I can never escape it. Whether its schedule or responsibility or relationships or life in general I’ve never had the opportunity to live on “easy street.” A few weeks ago I was in the middle of one of my DIY projects which involved using a skil-saw. Since the work was finish work that would be seen by others I was concentrating on making sure that the cut was straight. Now I don’t know if you’re ever tried doing finish work with a skil-saw but it does require a slight amount of skill. And since I don’t do this type of work on a routine basis it took a few cuts before I regained the “touch” required.

One of the tricks that came back to me in the midst of my project was the need for tension. If ones applies just a little bit of downward force on the base of the skil-saw with the other hand it’s easier to keep a straight line and the rate at which the saw slices through the wood can be maintained more consistently. Right in the middle of one of my cuts it dawned on me that life is a lot like making those tricky cuts.

While I detest the pressure that occurs when too much tension is flooding into my life, a little pressure (i.e. tension) is a good thing. For the bodybuilder or health enthusiasts tension is what builds muscle. Tension is the feedback that tells us the undertaking is working.

Got doesn’t promise us a life free of tension. He doesn’t even promise us that we won’t have pressure at times that tempts us to faint and draw back. What He does promise is that there is a purpose to the pressure; it makes us stronger. Want to get stronger? Don’t give up; push back.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

A Fourth of July Story

2007-07-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thought you might appreciate a different perspective on one of our most popular national holidays. Read this and remember our servicemen and their sacrifice. This comes from the wife of Harriett’s nephew:

Hey everyone. I was thinking about this Fourth of July and realized that most people view this day as a celebration of freedom, however there are those who view it quite differently, so I decided to share this story with you. I hope you enjoy it.

Well, it was Sunday night of this week and Robert and I were driving down our street and someone in our neighborhood decided to test out the fireworks early. As one went off he slammed on the breaks and panicked. The firework was certainly less frightening than the sudden halt of the vehicle to me. As soon as we got in the house he searched frantically for his MP3 player and headphones so he didn't have to hear them again. After the fireworks had stopped for quite some time, I told Robert that he needed to try and get use to them. I explained that he had to face his fear.

So, now that it’s July 4th and a million fireworks are going off around our house, I realized, after pondering, why Robert freaked out. The noise places him in war! It's not just the sounds that really bother him, it’s the memories and flash backs that come along with it. He feels like he is in the midst of a firefight in his own house.

He has told me stories of different situations and missions he has been on. I have heard of his friends being killed, the fire fights he has been in, and the most terrifying situations which he has experienced. The war on terror is much more than what you see on TV. This country should be a heck of a lot more focused on finishing this war the "right way" rather than contemplating on the next election.

I guess this 4th I want you to realize how the men and women serving this country are spending this Independence Day. Some like my husband are wandering from room to room in their house trying to escape the never-ending noise of fireworks so they can stop remembering war. There are also those like my brother Chris who are just beginning to serve this country and are not yet haunted by the sound, but someday may be. And last but not least there are those like my brother-in-law who are in the midst of war and are hearing the sounds of fireworks too- the fireworks of war. I want you to take a minute and listen to or remember the sounds. Picture yourself running for your life, or your best friend along side of you dying. Picture how frightened you would be. Take a moment to think about what our husbands, brothers, sons, daughters, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins and friends are going through this day so that we can grill out hamburgers and watch the sky light up.

I realize now that Robert may never adjust to the 4th of July celebrations. I realize that I can't make him okay! I realize that Robert will always hear the sounds and his heart will pound and he will remember the dozens killed in his group when he was deployed. He will celebrate his freedom in pain.

I am sorry that this was quite long, but I hope that you are able to gain something from it. I felt like sharing, so I did. May God Bless America and our Troops!

Heather Baker

P.S. - If you ever doubt God’s presence in your life or just want to hear an amazing story, talk to Robert about his experiences in war. He is living proof that there is a God. His testimony is himself. Ask him to share with you how God showed He is always there for us, even when he seems so far away.

Rotten to the Core

2007-06-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

DateLine (6/7/07 – Nanuet, NY)

Six million European Jews died as part of a program of deliberate extermination planned and executed by the National Socialist regime in Germany led by Adolf Hitler. It is likely that the number of deaths for the current conflict in Greater Darfur is higher than 200,000 individuals, and it is possible that the death toll is much higher. Estimates vary as to how many people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime in the Killing Fields of Cambodia. Depending on whether or not one includes deaths from starvation and subsequent deaths in refugee camps, estimates range anywhere from 1.7 million to 3 million. Rwanda is a country well known to the outside world for the infamous 1994 genocide that resulted in the deaths of up to 800,000 people. Columbine, Virginia Tech; once idyllic islands of academia, now symbols of unbridled evil. December 6, September 11; once unremarkable dates on the calendar, now burned in the psyche of living generations. WWI, WWII, Desert Storm; wars that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.

“In order to define sin, one of the most frequently used terms in the New Testament is the Greek word hamartia, literally translated ‘to miss the mark’. It suggests that humans have missed the mark that God has intended for them.” (www.comparativereligion.com) While mankind has many admiral qualities and noteworthy accomplishments, it’s easy to grasp the Biblical concept of missing the mark when one contemplates the checkered history of mankind through the examples listed above. In spite of such a history, some people would deny that sin resides deep within the human soul. What motivates a human to foist such unspeakable acts upon fellow humans? There is nothing that satisfies the question like that Biblical concept of sin. We tend to characterize sin as acts; ranking them by priority; some even priding themselves that their sin is not as bad as others. God has revealed that there is no hierarchy of sin. In a sense God is saying that sin is not necessarily the act, it is a state; our nature.

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Romans 7:14-21.

Is there hope? Fortunately we are not doomed to a dark existence. While we do suffer this malady there is a cure. God, our original creator, has made a way for us to be recreated (i.e. re-birthed) and this time with a pure nature. It is a curious thing that while we live on earth after our rebirth we continue to behave like the old nature is still within us. That’s clear from the scripture quoted from Romans above. But here’s the clincher. When God looks at us after our rebirth He only sees the new nature not the old sin habits that still linger. By the time we catch up with Him when we move into His place (i.e. heaven) all that nasty stuff will be stripped away leaving nothing but a shiny new core. Now that’s something worth looking forward to.

The Cycle of the Harvest

2007-05-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

DateLine (5/24/07 – Nanuet, NY)

I like to grow things, especially vegetables. As far as I’m concerned one of the simple pleasures in life is to walk down to the garden, pluck something from the vine or ground, wash it off in the sink, and consume it. That’s the way God designed it in the “Garden of Eden.” The pinnacle of garden eatin’ is the homegrown tomato. A country gourmet delight is a slice of vine ripe tomato on wheat bread dressed with a little Duke’s mayonnaise.

The entire cycle is an annual reminder of the goodness of the heavenly father. It is not limited to dietary benefit, it is therapeutic for me. The warm days of spring beckon me to turn over the moist earth, press the seeds into neat rows, pray for rain, and dare the weeds to show up. The garden is a retreat that temporarily removes me from the complexities of modern life. A weekend without dirt under my fingernails is incomplete. While I do enjoy the plowing, planting, watering, and weeding; the greatest reward is the harvest. At the moment of harvest the hard work that goes before fades into a dim memory as the purpose is fulfilled.

I want to focus a few moments on the harvest. Let’s use my favorite the tomato as an example. With just a little experience it is very easy to determine when the tomato is ripe on the vine. The first hint of a color transition from green to red is an indication that it’s almost time. A gentle squeeze to determine firmness is the final test. At the point of harvest the tomato is slightly soft to the touch. A vine ripe tomato will literally drop off of the vine into your hand with the slightest tug.

The cycle of harvest is used in the Bible to describe the process by which people are reconciled to the Creator. The temptation is to gloss over the initial steps of the cycle to focus on the harvest but it is a multi-step cycle. Without the tilling there is no harvest. Without the planting there is no harvest. Without the watering there is no harvest. Without the weeding there is no harvest. While the harvest is exciting, there is no indication in the Scripture that the other steps of the cycle are any less important. As a matter of fact there is no requirement that all of the tasks be performed by the same person. One could till, another plant, another water, and another weed; all important contributors to the harvest. What could be more natural?

Are you involved in cycle of harvest; I mean the one that yields eternal life. “When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.” Matt. 21:34 “As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come." Mark 4:29 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.

It’s time for all of us to go to the garden. I’ll plough, you can plant, someone else waters, another weeds. Occasionally you’ll get the opportunity to gently tug as the vine ripe “fruit” falls into your hands; another child entering eternity with the Father. I do not know of a higher purpose in life.

“Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matt. 9:37-38.

Outsourcing "The Church"

2007-05-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

DateLine (5/17/07 – Nanuet, NY)

Drop off the laundry as you rush to work. Pick up take-out as you dash home stopping only to pick up your preschooler from day care. Pick up the pet from the grooming service. Remember to tape the garbage service payment to the trash can lid as you push them to the curb for the weekly pickup. Schedule car service at the dealer. Remember to leave a key hidden under the pot on the back porch for the cleaning service. Call the lawn service that does the neighbor’s yard to see if they’ll do your lawn. We live in a service economy. Outsourcing is the name of the game. After all, we’ve got to shed as much responsibility as possible from our busy lives in order to have some down time to ourselves. We live in a service economy.

It’s Sunday morning and the kids pile into one or two cars to rush to church. Mom and Dad drop the little ones off in the Children’s Ministry area on their way to Adult Bible study. As they exit the Children’s area Mom stops to look at the coming weeks schedule for the kids: Mission Groups on Wednesday and VBS Festival in the park on Saturday. Anything wrong with this picture? I have a strong suspicion that Christian families did just find before the modern era of fully packed church calendars. As a matter of fact the anecdotal evidence is that for all of our efforts in the church we are having minimal impact on the culture.

Statistics tell us that the difference between church members and the culture is insignificant in those areas that we as Christians define as being key indicators of a Christian lifestyle. Why does it seem that church is ineffective in affecting the culture or even its own members? This is not an indictment of the institutional church. There has been a shift in behaviors but the responsibility cannot be placed with the church. The responsibility lies in the home. A significant danger to the American family is that our penchant for outsourcing has translated to the accountability of spiritual formation, especially of the children. The real question is; is there any church going on at home? The proper relationship between the institution church and families is one of partnership. A weakness in either side of the partnership compromises the mission.

Now I’m fully aware that the majority of the readership of this material has yet to have the opportunity to assume the role in the family that I’m describing but chances are your have observed the same dynamics that I’m observing. I’m amazed as I look back to the time when I was your age at how fast the full responsibilities of adulthood crashed into my life. Within three years of my graduation from high school I was married. Within seven years I had two children. Your opportunity to assume the role as high priest of the cathedral of the home will be in your lap before you can say “what do I do now.” It is not too early to begin to form a strategy for how you will handle your parental responsibility.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov. 2:6

Pray that you will not outsource one of the most important roles that you will ever have the privilege of assuming.

What a Difference?

2007-05-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

DateLine (5/8/07 – Nanuet, NY)

I’m not sure if the thought was triggered by something said on the Christian radio that I was listening to or simply a serendipitous event of my morning commute. For some reason the question came to mind, “what difference has God made in my life.” This coming July I will have been a Christian for 36 years. I received the unmerited gift of eternal life when I was 16 years old in July of 1971. At the time of my conversion I was dangerously near the age where the probability of such an event was in freefall. But here I am almost four decades later a convert. What difference has it made? The gravity of the thought momentarily stunned me.

My first inclination was to consider what I had offered to God in response to His gift to me. This is an important question because God tells us via scripture is that His children (which is what we become at conversion) do have accountability to Him for our thinking and our actions. Unfortunately as I contemplated my response a sense of grief overwhelmed me as I realized that although I could see a clear difference in my life’s direction pre and post conversion it seemed so miniscule in comparison to God’s provision to me as His child. What do I mean by that? My conversion has not been about what I’m doing for God, although I do pray that God has found me of use to Him.

My grief seemed fleeting as my focus shifted to what God has done for me. Now the gift of eternal life with Him is a given here, it’s the more pragmatic impact of God in my life that awed me as I reflected.

As a child of God I have received:

Peace of mind – I do not have a worry about my long term future – I will survive eternally with Him in what He has described as a perfect existence.
Strength – I have a constant friend to lean on – if I have learned one thing in life it’s that life is hard – I can’t imagine having to endure the normal twists of life without His help.
Perspective – God is the “measuring stick” by which I can evaluate and separate the trivial from the priorities
Direction for life - God is like a lighthouse piercing the fog to guide the ship past the hidden dangers of a jagged shore.
Sense of Purpose / Empowerment – a primal need for humans is to derive purpose from their existence – my relationship with God joins me with something bigger than me giving me eternal significance.
Enriched relationships – God’s relationship with me teaches me how to relate to others – this is not limited to family relationships, it extends to the camaraderie of co-laborers in the church.
Contentment – deep within me is a peaceful core, the very presence of God.
Protection – nothing can touch me without passing the Sentry of my soul, God Himself.

I cannot imagine what the last 36 years would have been like without God. What a difference. Although insufficient, all I have to offer is a heartfelt thank you. Why would anyone want to go through life without Him? We’ve got to share the news. God is good.

Bring It Back

2007-05-02T19:11:00.001-07:00

DateLine (5/2/07 – Nanuet, NY)

I believe that many of us have the concept backwards when it comes to church. Our consumer driven society has spilled over into the church life. It’s my opinion based on my years of church involvement that the average participant comes looking to pick something up. Many see worship services as another drive-through joint much like our instant gratification fast food culture. Numerous churches have fallen into the trap of trying to ramp up to meet the expectations of delivering high quality “worship experiences.” The more we travel down this slippery slope the more energy is drained away from the real reason for churches to exist.

I’m going to offer what might be a unique thought given the current reality. The point of worship services is not what you get there; it’s what you bring there. Church is not what takes place for an hour or two on Sunday. Church is what takes place the rest of the week. If the worship service is not fun it’s because we didn’t see God at work outside the church building and we got nothing to bring back with us. You see, church is foremost a celebration of God and what He’s doing.

Worship services do not occur in a cathedral of consumerism, worship is a celebration of service. If church were a football game, then the worship service doesn’t take place in the stadium, it would take place in the press room after the game when the highlights were being recapped and the glory of the competition was being relived. Now here’s a thought to ponder; if it ain’t happening for us at church it’s not because the preacher is not doing his job, or the musicians didn’t quite make it happen, or the Sunday School teacher was uninspiring. If it ain’t happening at church it means you didn’t bring anything with you; you don’t have anything to celebrate.

I want to challenge you this week to look for God where you go. If you see Him up to something run toward it as fast as you can. When you get to where He is, jump in with both feet. And one more thing; would you please bring it back with you to the meeting house. I want to celebrate with you.

The apostle Paul instructed the church in Corinth; “. . . When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” (I Cor. 14:26)

You want to do your part in to strengthen the church? You gotta bring it back!

Paradigm Shifts

2007-04-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

DateLine (4/18/07 – Nanuet, NY)

A good many years ago I was driving my Mom’s Volkswagen down a straight stretch of highway near my home. For some reason the thought popped in my mind to retrieve something from the glove compartment. Without thinking as I had on occasions before I pressed in the clutch pedal, turned off the ignition, extracted the key, and proceeded to unlock the locked glove compartment with my right hand; while still coasting down the highway steering with my left hand. DISCLAIMER: Do not try this under any circumstances – the reason will be obvious as I continue with the story

I’m claiming bad judgment that comes from being a teenage driver. It soon became apparent that the left-hand curve at the end of the straight stretch was approaching faster than I realized. Not too worry I thought as I gently exerted counter-clockwise pressure on the steering wheel. Nothing happened. Both hands now on the steering wheel applying significant counter-clockwise pressure on the steering wheel. Nothing happened. Panic now sitting in as the car continued on a straight path while the road started curving to the left. Then it dawned on me, this model of Volkswagen had one of those new-fangled steering column locks to prevent theft when the key was removed, and it was locked in a straight on position. All of this occurred in what probably was only a few milliseconds but in the thick of situation seemed like 5 minutes. In the nick of time, I slammed the glove compartment shut, removed the key and inserted it back in the ignition, unlocking the steering wheel thus freeing the wheel to turn to the left. Given another few seconds that part of the road would have been renamed “dead man’s curve.”

Now I’m fully aware that for some up you my IQ just dropped 50 points. For the rest of you I didn’t have you fooled anyway so it doesn’t matter. There is a point to this revelation of my bone-head move. You’ve got to realize that this occurred sometime in the 1970s. For the first 60 years or so of the history of the automobile there was no steering column lock. I know that the average reader cannot relate to that but trust me it’s true. For the rest of us who learned to drive in older automobiles, my “trick” was possible but now in hindsight not recommended. For newer automobiles, it’s not only not recommended, it can be deadly. I had experienced a “paradigm shift” in a way that endangered my life. This new feature had some downside if I continued to ignore it’s presence.

What does this have to do with the church? Churches can experience paradigm shifts. The cultural context changes in such a way that the “old way” of doing things no longer works and can be life threatening to the congregation. Now I’m not talking about having to change fundamental beliefs. I’m talking about outmoded methods. The church becomes so “wedded” to methods and practices that it negates its contemporary influence. Desperate people cannot hear the gospel because it’s wrapped in a package designed for an audience 50-100 years ago. The job of the church is to interpret ageless doctrines in the present culture. Our challenge is to use culturally relevant methods to proclaim a culturally neutral gospel. Let’s learn this lesson before we hit “dead man’s curve.”

Looking Ahead Over Your Shoulder

2007-04-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

DateLine (4/4/07 – Nanuet, NY)

I’m at that point in my life where I have to pay close attention to retirement planning. For my generation this means taking accountability for a personal savings plan since social security will either be inadequate or non-existent by 2019 when I need it. All of us need to spend some effort educating ourselves in investments in order to grow a nest egg to the point where it will sustain us through the inevitability of old age. While doing my own research into investing I was impressed at how many brilliant minds are in the field.

While acknowledging the talent in the field I was also struck by the inadequacy of tools and confidence in the results. The secret to investments lie in the future. The best tools in the field are to analyze future investment strategies by comparing them to past market performance; i.e. history is the best available tool. In spite of all the money at stake and the importance of getting it right, our future health and well being depend on it, there are no guarantees. There are no investment prophets. There are a lot of investment advisors but the best they can do is to give advice by “looking over their shoulder”.

One thing I’ve learned from personal experience, if an investment advisor guarantees results you should immediately bolt for the door. Market volatility serves as a constant reminder of our inability to see investment futures. Now here’s the point. God’s advice is in direct contrast to financial advisors. God doesn’t advise by looking back. God draws us to the future with foreknowledge of the outcome. We have the privilege of tapping into the omniscience of God through revelation.

While retirement planning is important, eternity planning is more important. The inadequacy of retirement planning tools is disconcerting but the sufficiency of eternity planning is unquestionable. Our “nest egg” is our feeble attempt to secure the future. The Easter Season reminds us of God’s gift of a secure eternity.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Now that’s a guarantee.

Irrecoverable Moments

2007-03-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

DateLine (3/28/07 – Nanuet, NY)

In his autobiography, Just as I Am, Billy Graham tells about a conversation he had with John F. Kennedy shortly after his election:

“On the way back to the Kennedy house, the president-elect stopped the car and turned to me. ‘Do you believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?’ he asked.
‘I most certainly do.’ ‘Well, does my church believe it?’
‘They have it in their creeds.’
‘They don’t preach it,’ he said. ‘They don’t tell us much about it. I’d like to know what you think.’
I explained what the Bible said about Christ coming the first time, dying on the Cross, rising from the dead, and then promising that he would come back again. ‘Only then,’ I said, ‘are we going to have permanent world peace.’
‘Very interesting,’ he said, looking away. ‘We’ll have to talk more about that someday.’ And he drove on.”

Several years later, the two met again, at the 1963 National Prayer Breakfast.

“I had the flu,” Graham remembers. “After I gave my short talk, and he gave his, we walked out of the hotel to his car together, as was always our custom. At the curb, he turned to me.
‘Billy, could you ride back to the White House with me? I’d like to see you for a minute.’
‘Mr. President, I’ve got a fever,’ I protested. ‘Not only am I weak, but I don’t want to give you this thing. Couldn’t we wait and talk some other time?’
It was a cold, snowy day, and I was freezing as I stood there without my overcoat.
‘Of course,’ he said graciously.”

But the two would never meet again. Later that year, Kennedy was shot dead. Graham comments, “His hesitation at the car door, and his request, haunt me still. What was on his mind? Should I have gone with him? It was an irrecoverable moment.”

Year ago several Christians including myself would routinely have lunch together at my company cafeteria. One of the engineers started joining us periodically and expressed a lot of interest in our faith occasionally asking questions. One morning many in my department were gathered in a conference room for a series of presentations. The engineer who occasionally joined us for lunch was present and very engaged in the presentations asking questions about the subject matter. After a break for lunch we reconvened to continue the presentations. The engineer did not return and later we learned that he had gone home at lunch and took his life. As we looked back at those luncheon questions we all realized with the clarity of hindsight that the questions were a plea for help. Irrecoverable moments! I carry the guilt of the lost opportunity with me some 20 years later.

All of us are presented with opportunities to speak or serve as ambassadors of our Lord Jesus. Join me in praying that God will sensitize our hearts to recognize the moment and the courage to seize the moment. It’s a matter of eternal life or death.

Reflections

2007-03-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

DateLine (3/21/07 – Nanuet, NY)

The last few years have been a unique period in my life. To be honest a few years back I could not have imagined the lifestyle that has been mine since 2003. By nature I am a homebody but the sad truth is I’ve spent more time away from home the last 4 years than I have at home. Family life has always been my center but I’ve spent more time alone during this period than I have with family. Now I can tell you that this period has presented more than a few challenges but I am convinced that this has been God’s will for me at this time. Having said that it is obvious to me that God desired to use these circumstances to teach me some valuable lessons regarding life. So if you’ll allow me I’d like to share five lessons that God has taught me.

Lesson #1 – God’s crowning creation; mankind is remarkably diverse. I have had the privilege to work in Boston, San Francisco, Italy, Germany, Virginia, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, Ireland and New York during this time. This has been a pretty good stretch for a boy born and raised in an insular Southern culture. As Christians we are charged with a global mission. It’s become painfully obvious to me that in order to reach diverse cultures, we must have a command of the essential elements of the truth and be able to communicate in plain spoken terms, many times in a language that is not the primary language of the listener. While I have observed differences I’m struck by the universal similarities; desire for respect, response to love, need for God. My view of the world and an appreciation for the challenges of our mission are forever changed. I have enjoyed immensely experiencing these cultures not as a tourist but working alongside the residents.

Lesson #2 – Time = Commitment. Separation from family is a byproduct of the itinerant worker lifestyle. With crystal clarity I have come to understand that the foremost indicator of commitment to family is expressed by time spent. I have learned that it could be very easy to become irrelevant to those I love most simply by depriving them and me from being together. As a parent I have realized that time away begins to pull you out of a position of influence with children. To make up for time lost I have had to learn to prioritize time that we do have and intentionally plan quality time. The greatest investment is the investment of our most valuable commodity; time. We take for granted our relationships.

Lesson #3 – Complacency can be mistaken for contentment. A normal “existence” runs the risk of complacency. It is very easy to be lulled into a routine that while comfortable does not necessarily equal alignment with God’s will. As a matter of fact complacency may be what the writer of Revelation was describing with the description of the church of Laodicea; neither hot nor cold; just existing. There have been periods in my life where I exhibited all of the outward sides of doing all the right things but there was no contentment. Contentment comes from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. The last few years have been anything but routine and calm but it has been a period of contentment from deep within because I felt strongly that God had opened this door. While I love routine; sometimes obedience to God’s will forces us outside of our comfort zones.

Lesson #4 – Distance does not preclude Intimacy. Physical separation can lead to loss of intimacy; with wife, children, family, church family. I have learned that intimacy is not always physical. I have struggled to figure out how to maintain a sense of closeness with people that I was not with as often as I once was. While I have learned that intimacy is best in person there are ways to achieve a level of intimacy while separated by thousands of miles. In my case I have tapped into technology. My initial objective with ReferencePoint (and now TouchPoint) was to create intimacy and connectedness in a young adult community that has trouble getting together physically because of very active lifestyles and time away at school. What I found was that the medium was in fact helping me to stay connected with church family from afar. Remarkably God led me to discover an interest in writing that otherwise would have been hidden to me. My email dialogue with some of the TouchPoint “groupies” gives me a sense that I’m participating in church from thousands of miles away.

Lesson #5 – Exhaustion exposes our true nature. Last year I was on the road 48 weeks of the year. The constant travel takes its toll on the body and the psyche. Every year around Halloween I hit a physical and psychological wall and it’s all I can do to hold on to Thanksgiving week or Christmas break which will allow for a much needed rest. What I’ve noticed is that in a state of physical and mental exhaustion one is more prone to exhibit characteristics of the human sin nature. No matter how hard I might want to keep my “natural man” under control it is right there below the surface waiting to rear its ugly head. It is very important to pay attention to our mental and physical health. We cannot be effective ambassadors for God nor can we be loving members of our family if we are not healthy. Our body is a temple; now I have a greater appreciation.

Wow, it’s been an interesting time. You know what, I’m just glad I’m still learning. It lets me know that God is not through with me yet. Ain’t God good!

Fisherman - Part 3

2007-03-14T18:01:00.001-07:00

DateLine (3/14/07 – Nanuet, NY)

“Welcome to live coverage of the 2007 edition of The Angler’s Cup. This is day one of the largest fishing tournament in the world and we’re happy to be here to bring it to you courtesy of our sponsor Legacy Lures. Our reporting begins today with the venue, the venerable Hallowed Hall; a historic location here in Sweet Pond, Georgia. As most of you know this annual event rotates among some of the largest venues in the world but none more steeped in tradition than this place. The participants in this week’s tournament earn their way to The Cup via weekly qualifiers held in fishing halls worldwide.”

“We had a chance earlier to meet with some of the favorites for the coveted Cup and we’re going to roll some of that video now. Our first interview is with Jane Banksitter; veteran lady angler.” “Jane, can you share with us your strategy for this year’s event.” “I’ve been looking forward to coming back to Hallowed all year. Fortunately I didn’t have to worry about qualifying since I’ve got an eternal bye based on my 1965 world championship. My strategy is real simple; I’m really here for the pageantry, you know. I’ve paid my dues and had my time; I’m more interested in hanging out here in the hall. Isn’t this a great old lady? My favorite part of the week is the awards banquet later in the week; old friends – you know! The food is to die for. Until then I’m just hanging out and soaking up all that this truly historic event has to offer.” “Thanks, Jane. Enjoy yourself.”

“That’s was an interesting perspective from one of the veterans. It’s a shame we won’t be seeing her on the water today. Hey, there’s Sam Conventional. Let’s work our way over and get a few words from him. Sam, Sam! Over here. What’s on your mind as we get ready for the starting gun?” “Well I brought my lucky tackle box. My best friends in the world are in that box. I’ve had most of my lures since my granddaddy bought them for me when I was a kid. I couldn’t imagine a tournament without them. I am a little disappointed in some of the sportswriters who seem to be on my case lately. Listen, here’s my philosophy; these lures are what got me here and I just feel like I’d be letting my ole granddaddy down if I traded them in on some new ones. I know it’s been a while since I’ve had a good tournament but I feel like if I just hang in there and be true to myself, the magic will return.” “Thanks Sam. Good luck today.”

“Let’s go over and speak to some of the spectators. I’m always amazed at how many show up to this event – funny they never even get to the water – I guess they’re just motivated to be here and hang out with the fishermen. What’s your name and where are you from?” “I’m Joe Pewman, from Five Forks, South Carolina. I just love being here. I wouldn’t miss it, I’m here every year. How do you like my vest? It’s a Sam Conventional classic. He’s my man - I could watch him fish all day long. His TV show is the greatest; those classic old lures; some of my best napping. I’d like to say hi to my wife Ann and kids back home; Veronica – that’s my 12 year old daughter, and Sammy – that’s my son – I named him after my hero.” “Thanks Joe. I’m sure the folks back in South Carolina wish they were here.”

“One last interview; Ralph Humbler. Come over here. Ralph, what’s your secret? Year in and year out you always seem to be in the hunt. Come on, how do you do it?” “Well, it ain’t no secret. My Daddy was a fisherman. I learned from Him - just watching and listening. He seemed to always know where the fish were. That’s the real secret. You gotta be where the fish are. Equipment’s not near as important as location. I ain’t much for all these fancy parties and stuff. I just love to be on the water. Daddy’s been gone a long time now but somehow when I’m out there at dawn I feel Him close by pointing the way to the fish. It’s all I ever want to do.” “Thanks Ralph. Not a nicer gentlemen in the contest.”

Now for the point. I’ve spent the last two weeks using words like passion, state-of-the-art, camaraderie, persistence, flexibility, adaptive, innovative, lifestyle, investment, commitment, focus, endurance, dedication, precision and efficiency to describe sport and commercial fishing. In the satire above its painfully clear that these words for the most part cannot be used to describe the efforts of the church as it pursues one of the primary purposes, evangelism. The words that come to mind are more like misguided, tradition, outdated, lack of purpose, and lack of commitment.

Jesus used the fisherman hook to call two of His disciples; Simon and Andrew who themselves knew full well the fisherman lifestyle in that they were fisherman by trade. With just a few words Jesus set expectations and described the objective; when we fish out the hole; move on; when the lure is not working; change it; be willing to work at it; it’s not easy; use leading edge equipment and methodologies. Church, what are we doing? We’re fishermen, we’re not socialites.

Jesus extends an invitation to anyone willing to respond, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

Let’s get on the “water.”

Fisherman - Part 2

2007-03-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

DateLine (3/7/07 – Nanuet, NY)

Commercial fishermen are some of the hardiest people alive. Whether we’re talking about the sole proprietor lobster fisherman in New England or the yeoman on an international fishing vessel. Harsh conditions, long hours, hard work; a rugged lifestyle. Focus, commitment, dedication; all in or not in.

One form puts fishermen days on end at sea in pursuit of “the wild catch.” Away from family and friends for sometimes months; a self-sacrificial thrust into alternative social circles. This form of the “industry” has invested millions in highly efficient ocean going processing plants. Big investments; big rewards; big results. Modern fishing techniques have overharvested some areas of the massive oceans that cover the globe such that quotas have been imposed. Multiple harvesting techniques are employed depending on the species being fished for and the area being fished.

A more modern version is based on aquaculture; that is fish farming. While perhaps not as nostalgic as the fishermen setting out to sea, the level of commitment, investment, and dedication is none the less equivalent. Precise and predictable; the results are astounding. In 2003, the total world production of fisheries product was 132.2 million tonnes of which aquaculture contributed 41.9 million tonnes or about 31% of the total world production. There is an interesting overlap between sport fishing and commercial fishing in the “pay-to-fish” enterprises. Businessmen provide stocked ponds for the angler’s joy for a small fee, often tied directly to the reward.

Some of the world’s cultures revolve around fishing, no doubt born of the need for sustenance. Fish is a major source of nutrition the world’s population. God has wonderfully provided and this is an industry that reaps God’s bounty. Regardless of the type of commercial fishing concern, it requires meticulous planning and methodical execution.

Jesus extends an invitation to anyone willing to respond, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

Stay Tuned for Next Week: Fisherman - Part 3

Fishermen - Part 1

2007-02-28T18:13:00.000-08:00

DateLine (2/28/07 – Nanuet, NY)

Some of the most passionate people I know are sport fisherman. Often within minutes of making their acquaintance, you know where their heart is. Give them a chance and they’ll work fishing into the conversation even if it doesn’t necessarily fit. Even if they are prone to exaggeration, it is fun to relive the experience with them. Chances are they have some fishing equipment close by ready to opportunistically sneak off to the closest “fishin hole.” Speaking of equipment, it’s not unusual to have invested thousands of dollars to support the “hobby;” rods, reels, lures, boats, depth finders, GPSs, etc.

Fishermen must possess social prowess; they often travel in pairs or groups. I suspect that the camaraderie is a big part of the allure. Their world is filled with clubs, tournaments, weekend trips, weeklong trips or any other excuse to “hit the water.” For some reason it’s important to be at the fishing hole with bait in the water at daybreak. I gotta believe that the average consumption of hot coffee by fisherman is twice the national average because so much of the preparation is before the cock crows.

Fishermen are the personification of persistence. They occasionally sit for hours in pursuit of the catch with limited results. It’s as if a few moments of success make the dedication worth the while. Flexibility and adaptation is a prerequisite for the sport. If the rig or the bait is wrong, they don’t hesitate to change. Sometimes what works in one location under one set of conditions doesn’t work at all in another set of conditions. Fishermen are experts at sensing what it takes to be successful and shifting the approach until success follows. A tackle box full of alternative gear and lures are never more than an arm’s length away.

Fishing is a lifestyle for some; complete with an attitude and a look. The love of fishing often runs in families; not exclusive to the male gender. I don’t believe it’s an inherited trait, but the love of fishing is so strong it must be pretty easy to pass it on. There must be a camera in every tackle box, because it seems as if fishing pictures are ubiquitous; you know the one with the proud fisherman posing with the “trophy.”

Jesus extends an invitation to anyone willing to listen, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

Stay Tuned for Next Week: Fisherman - Part 2.

Unplugged?

2007-02-21T19:37:00.000-08:00

DateLine (2/21/07 – Nanuet, NY)

A few months ago I was on a business trip outside of the country. I normally have a routine for such travel that includes making sure I have power adapters so that my necessary equipment (i.e. computer, shaver, smartphone, etc.) can be recharged when traveling to places where the power and the plugs do not match our standard here in North America. For some reason I was not on my game when packing for this particular trip and I failed to include my power converters. Somewhere early on in the trip when I discovered my oversight, the withdrawal began to set in. How could I function without shaving, receiving electronic reminders of what I was to do (e.g. smartphone), and get online in the evenings to touch base via email, etc.

As soon as I checked into the hotel I quizzed the front desk to see if they might have a loaner; no luck. I eventually found a power cord at the work place that allowed me to charge my computer up by day, but the entire week was about conserving the precious power stored up in my rechargeable devices. The week consisted of quickie shaves, short phone calls, and much less evening web surfing and emailing. I did not think that I was going to get a week’s worth of shaving out of that shaver. Toward the end of the week I feared having to show up at my client’s plant partially shaved. I changed my shaving strategy to insure that if it gave out at least there would be some symmetry to my face. Now I know Americans have a reputation for quirkiness but in my mind I did not think I could explain away such an appearance. I felt off balance the entire week. If I’ve having to think about shaving “strategy” you know it wasn’t fun. Life had one too many stresses.

Now let’s talk about the Christian life. Ever feel weak and ineffective? Ever feel like you’re just crawling toward Friday with barely enough energy to get you there? Find yourself off your game, having to settle for less than what you think your potential might be and more importantly what you might be accomplishing for the Kingdom? It’s clear from Scripture that God does expect His children to be powerful agents in support of the mission of the church. Jesus expressed to His disciples “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

The problem may be that you’ve become disconnected from your “power source.” You might have “left home” without your “converter” so that you can’t recharge your batteries. Do you find yourself having to change your “routines” because you’re conserving what little power you might have left? The neat thing about God is that He is an inexhaustible supply that is sufficient for everything that we need. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3 People recognize when we’re operating powerless vs. powerful. When God’s people are plugged in and fully charged people will marvel just as they did at the Apostles. “They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?” Acts 4:7

Here’s the encouragement. We know Who the Power Source is (e.g. God). We know how to recharge our batteries (worship, scripture study, prayer, compassionate acts of ministry.) The good thing is we don’t have to worry about packing the power source or the converters for the trip. God is always there (i.e. omnipresent) and the Holy Spirit is the God provided plug-in adapter.

Feeling drained? It may be time for you to get plugged in!

Love Means

2007-02-14T19:51:00.000-08:00

DateLine (2/14/07 – Nanuet, NY)

The year was 1970 (yes I was alive.) The hit move was Love Story, a tear-jerking “chick flic” which features a young married couple. They set out on the adventure of life estranged from the man’s father since the wife was a working class girl; not worthy of the father’s social standing. Financial struggles beset them as they scrape by, the young man attempting to finish law school supported by the wife on a teacher’s salary. In spite of the odds, he finishes school and lands a position with a prestigious law firm. They soon decide to have children only to be unsuccessful. While seeking medical assistance regarding the infertility they discover that she has terminal leukemia with only a short time to live. The medical bills once again strain their finances and the man is forced to go to his father for financial assistance but does not reveal the real reason to the father for the need. As you might have surmised, the wife dies and the young husband is left to deal with the cruel twist of fate and the strained relationship with his father.

The final scene in the movie depicts the son bumping into the father outside of the hospital where the father offers his apologies for the way their relationship had suffered and for the death of his true love. The most famous line in the movie was delivered by the son to the father; “love means you never have to say you’re sorry!”

I don’t know about you but that last line is about as bogus as anything that Hollywood has ever produced. In my experience love means you better be ready to say you’re sorry. I’m forever tripping over my humanity in my treatment of both casual and close acquaintances. The only way to get past the transgression is to say I’m sorry. I’m not talking mouthing half-hearted words of contrition. I’m talking about a heart-felt appeal for forgiveness that emanates from a place within us that is fueled by an implanted love. I’m talking about the love that is placed there by the Father.

Now I get it that the movie was attempting to express that in a loving relationship forgiveness is something that you don’t always have to ask for, it’s freely given. Even still I think that that is a misguided notion. I’m going to take my clue from my relationship with God, the ultimate example of love. Our first response to God is to say we’re sorry. It’s true that we know what the response will be, He’s already told us that He’ll forgive us, but there is something meaningful about mouthing the words; in some cases publicly.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9.
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven,” Matt. 10:32.

This is not about caving in to someone who has telegraphed an unwillingness to grant forgiveness. This is about a mutual desire to maintain a valued relationship. While it makes for good box office, to grant someone “permission” to never have to ask; the reality is “I’m sorry” is a signature of a healthy relationship.

Plasticity

2007-02-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

DateLine (2/7/07 – Nanuet, NY)

plas·tic·i·ty–noun
1. the quality or state of being plastic.
2. the capability of being molded, receiving shape, or being made to assume a desired form: the plasticity of social institutions; the great plasticity of clay.

It’s stronger than steel. It can be made to masquerade for the more traditional materials of leather and wood. They even build cars from it. Plastic is everywhere. When I was a kid the only plastic that you could find in a car was in the toy bin of the local 5 and Dime. Our food is packaged in it. What happened to those delicious hamburgers of yesterday wrapped in wax paper and carried out in a paper box?

We’ve grown to accept plastic in unconventional places; in the products that we purchase. But I’m beginning to notice that this ubiquitous material of the modern culture is showing up in what I hope is unintentional ways. Smooth scripted politicians; plastic. Tightly focused demographic radio with tight playlists; plastic. Highly coiffured TV evangelist; plastic. The culture is melting into a homogeneous politically correct lump of plastic. Diversity is giving way to bland conformity.

Compare this to characters found in the Bible. Brothers as different as night and day; one carefree wooly outdoorsman, the other a devious domesticated momma’s boy who keeps alive the lineage of Christ. A shepherd boy who slays a giant that men twice his size feared, rises to the position of King of his people, and dances for joy in the streets. A prophet who marries a prostitute to dramatize how Israel has become faithless by worshipping other gods. A preacher dressed in animal skins preaching in an almost uninhabitable wilderness and getting by on bug stew. Jesus Himself, weeping with friends over death, fiery with anger in running profiteers from the temple. The Bible is a celebration of the diverse imagination and creativity of a majestic God.

Now to be honest the Bible speaks of God molding His creation; as a potter does to clay. Is this an attempt to produce armies of uniform creatures? The lesson of Scripture is that God is not pressing us into homogeneity. God is carefully crafting one-of-a kind masterpieces. God meticulously designed each one of us. He is personally so familiar with our individual makeup that He knows the number of hairs on our head. We are uniquely gifted for to serve a purpose in His movement. God is the initiator; not of plasticity, but of individuality.

One of the greatest lessons that we can learn is to accept God’s diversity. This is not to mean that we do not celebrate many common traits and attributes, but it is an appeal to see the uniqueness within each of us as a reflection of a remarkably diverse God.

Romans 9:21 “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?”

Isaiah 64:8 “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Jeremiah 18:4 “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

The unique characteristics that make up who you are could be the thumbprints of a loving Artisan; God Himself. Let’s celebrate our diversity; not our plasticity.

Imprinting

2007-01-31T20:00:00.000-08:00

DateLine (1/31/07 – Nanuet, NY)

The appointment is 7:00 on Saturday night. Two back to back session s of Andy Griffith on WFBC TV4. I realize that appointment TV is a little old fashioned in the Ti-Vo age, but Saturday night normally is downtime for me anyway. Besides, I don’t have Ti-Vo. Generally I’m not that much into TV now but there is something relaxing about sharing this time with my friends from Mayberry; Andy, Barney, Goober, Floyd, and the gang. Occasionally after Andy Griffith goes off I’ll flip over to public TV and watch Lawrence Welk returns. In my video library I have DVDs of 50s TV icons like Ozzie and Harriet and 60s TV like Dragnet.

Now I’m fully aware that some of you have no idea about some of the shows that I’ve referring to. If you’ll go to either Google, YouTube, or Wikipedia you can get the rundown on some of these classics. What is it about these shows some 40-50 years after they originally aired that entice me to devout valuable time to watch. The only conclusion that I can draw is that they bridge me back to a time during the innocence of childhood. These shows imprinted me at a time when life was easy. For me it’s an escape of sorts, a time when now in the middle of a complex time starved life I can retreat almost instantly into an idyllic state of mind; an oasis in time.

It’s not the escapism that I wish to emphasize but the power of imprinting. I’ve read stories and have seen documentaries on television where newborn animals are fooled into thinking that a female of another species is their mother when the other species is the first thing that they see. This phenomenon is so powerful that it can alter the laws of nature. What’s the point? As Christians we have an amazing opportunity to imprint our world. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls it being “salt and light.” We literally can be a conduit between people and God. We can be the bridge that people cross for the first time to reach an idyllic life; the Christian life. Idyllic is not defined as the world defines it; but when viewed from the perspective of eternity there is nothing like it. This bridge is not an escape backward like my TV watching, but a leap forward to a time in the future when we will literally reign like Kings. There have been countless saints who have profoundly influenced my life; some aware of their effect and some not; school teachers, pastors, Sunday School teachers, friends, family, work mates, and fellow parishioners.

I saw one of the most influential pastors of our time being interviewed on television during the holidays. He told the interviewer that at one time He considered becoming a politician. After careful examination he determined that politicians were not influential enough in our society; hence not worthy of the life commitment. He deduced that the most influential positions in the society were those that were changing the culture; at the time he observed that to be movie starts and musicians. At some point God impressed him that pastoring a church presented an opportunity to radically alter the culture. He committed his life’s journey toward that end. Now I’m not saying each of us should aspire to be a pastor; that’s for you and God to determine. But I am saying that each of us have a tremendous opportunity to influence people right where we live, work and play. The truth is you’re imprinting someone whether you know it or know; either positively or negatively.

Our challenge is simple. Go forth and make a positive imprint. It’s a bridge to eternity.

Haunting Flaws

2007-01-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

I can’t escape them. They confront me every day of my life. When I walk into the room I cringe. There for all to see are my flaws fully exposed. I can’t avoid them, the room is fundamental to daily existence. Nobody likes to have their flaws on display but sometimes it’s unavoidable. When I was 25 years old, I built the kitchen cabinets that are in our kitchen. I had tackled minor woodworking projects before but never anything of this magnitude. So I learned to build kitchen cabinets in my kitchen; literally. I transported borrowed power tools from my Dad’s shop to what is now the dining room portion of the kitchen of the house that Harriett and I were building and began the process, by trial and error, of constructing kitchen cabinets from scratch.

Unfortunately a by-product of my do-it-yourself project is intimate knowledge of every flaw; major and minor. The typical observer may not even see them but I do. Every little flaw screams at me as I pass by; Ha! Ha! Ha! – look at what you did. I’m haunted by their existence. Oh, I’ve learned to cope with them; some days are better than others. While I do acknowledge their existence I will not point them out to you. You’ve have to discover them for yourself, I’m not going to facilitate my humiliation.

While it’s true that I may be overhyping my deeply felt dissatisfaction with my handiwork, it has parallels with a spiritual condition that exists in each of us. Unfortunately, regardless of personal faith in God or spiritual maturity, we all suffer the flaws of a fallen sin nature. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9. Our condition is genetic; we inherited them from our ancestors. Try as we would to ignore, control, suppress, hide or cure them, we cannot rid ourselves of them. We brought them into the world with us and we live with them our entire existence. They humble us and humiliate us. They are an inextricable part of our humanity.

There are several major differences in my woodworking flaws and my spiritual flaws. I could tear out the cabinets and start over with better skills; erasing any evidence of their existence. We cannot so easily deal with our sin nature. Paul lamented, ”For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will.” Romans 7:18-19. If Paul couldn’t outrun his nature we don’t have a prayer. I could excuse my woodworking prowess by feigning lack of experience; but there is no excuse for our spiritual shortcomings. “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

But here’s the best part; God gives us provisions for coping. In the short term “if we confess our [flaws] He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.” 1 John 1:9. In eternity as Christians we can be comforted in this life that at our personal judgment day at the end of our life He will permanently deal with the problem. While I cannot conceal the flaws in my handiwork or in my life, God has promised me that when it counts the most He will rebuild me with a new body; flawless to the core. “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body. . . “ Phil. 3:21

Haunted by your flaws? "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

Let the Chips Fly

2007-01-17T19:54:00.000-08:00

DateLine (1/17/07 – Nanuet, NY)

A few weeks back during a wind storm one of the trees in the woods behind my house fell into my neighbor’s yard. Since it was my tree, I felt responsible to remove the debris. This past Saturday Kyle and I pulled out my old chainsaw, adjusted the chain, filled it with gas and oil, and headed over to clean up the mess. Before cranking up the chainsaw I took a look at the chain to determine if it was sharp enough to get the job done. As far as I could tell it was in good shape. But my experience with chainsaws has taught me that you can’t always tell by touch and sight whether a chainsaw chain will get the job done. I’ve laid into a tree only to find myself cutting sideways when a chain was over sharpened on one side.

On this day, I fired up the saw, moved toward the downed tree, and dropped the bar against it. As it sliced into the horizontal trunk like a steak knife in hot butter, it threw out a steady stream of long well formed chips. The only way to tell if a chainsaw chain is up to the task is to try it out and observe the results. A sharp chain kicks out a long steady stream of uniform chips.

The church has a similar challenge. It is possible to look like a Christian; one can even sound like a Christian. It is possible to impersonate a Christian such that it’s near impossible to tell if someone is an imposter or the genuine article. As a matter of fact, Jesus warns us against trying, We are encouraged to leave it up to God to judge one’s faith and sincerity. But the Bible does give us some very strong clues. It’s a lot like my experience with the chain saw. One of the primary purposes of the church, and therefore church members, is to share the Gospel with our contemporaries. Jesus warned us in the Sermon on the Mount that those who tout themselves as Christians, especially setting themselves up as church leaders, but seem to be interested in everything but spreading the Gospel, are probably not worth the DVD that their image is recorded on. It’s like a fruit tree that doesn’t bear fruit. The inward condition of a person will be evident in the “fruit” that they produce for the Kingdom of God.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers. Luke 7:15-23

While it’s not a recommended practice to set ourselves up as judge of others, God gives us this tool so that we can discern leadership that may try to lead us astray. If you have questions about the sharpness of a chainsaw, put it to the test and see what the chips look like. If you have a question about those who set themselves up as church leaders; inspect their “fruit.”

Digital Death Spiral

2007-01-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

DateLine (1/10/07 - Nanuet, NY)

Seems like I was spending more and more time waiting for computers to boot up, browsers to render websites, and applications to launch. What happened to those zippy new computers that I removed from their original boxes just months ago? Over the holiday weekend I spent too much time in front of multiple computers healing them from the “digital death spiral;” removing old unused programs, deleting unused files, defragmenting files systems, updated spyware, tweaking firewalls, updating antivirus defenses.

It didn’t happen overnight but steadily occurred over a period of time. I probably could have stemmed the tide by paying more attention to routine recommended maintenance practices, but, hey, computers are made to improve our lives making us more productive and to make life easier. Who wants to spend their time “under the hood” doing maintenance on the things. My motto is boot up, log on, and surf away.

The sad reality of these enablers of modern living is that their finest moment is in their finely tuned pristine state right out of the box. From that day on, they frustrate the user by continuously degraded performance. The more programs we load, web sites we visit, emails we open, and files we download, the more de-tuned the beast becomes; finally succumbing to the “digital death spiral.” I’ve seen computers in such bad shape that it takes 10-15 minutes just to boot up. What originally was a state of the art speed demon now plucks along like someone had poured molasses into the case. Eventually it gets to the point where we only have two choices; get rid of it or rebuild it. Defensive use and routine maintenance will prolong the inevitable but the system will eventually succumb to the spiral; if for no other reason than the latest operating system or monster application which requires more raw computer power than is contained in the system.

My holiday choice was to nurse my systems back to health by performing some much needed maintenance. Whatever the choice, it’s typically not a quick fix; many times requiring hours of time invested. Aren’t you amazed at the similarities between our own personnel predicament and the computers that “we” have created. One could argue that our finest moment is the first day of our life. We were cute, cuddly, soft, and innocent as proud parents gleefully introduced us to our new “home.” Unfortunately we began our own death spiral on the day of our birth.

Our physical death spiral is undeniable; the aging process takes it toll over the course of our life and it irreversible. It’s fascinating that we will spend literally billions of dollars to decelerate the aging process which in the big picture has minimal effect. Equally fascinating is the natural downward spiral of our spiritual lives. The more sin that we’re exposed to, the more tainted entertainment that we view, and the deeper we allow ourselves to be drawn into unhealthy lifestyles the more we fall short of our own personal potential that was so celebrated at our birth and the more estranged we are from a source of nourishment for our souls.

Unlike our physical death march, I’m happy to report that our spiritual journey does not have to be a downward spiral. Much like a good computer maintenance strategy; i.e. don’t load more programs than you have to, keep spyware up-to-date, keep antivirus up-to-date, be cautious about emails that we open, and be cautious about web sites that we visit; we can make positive steps to insure that our spiritual journey is an upward spiral. Those positive steps involve submitting ourselves to our creator and recognizing Him as Savior and Lord. Only God himself can shield us from spiritual death. Where do we start? Let me show you a little bit of God’s soul maintenance routines.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Want to “coo” like a new born baby. Put your soul in the hands of the Master today.

Some Disassembly Required

2007-01-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

DateLine (1/3/07 - Nanuet, NY)

I’ve shared with you before that when I was young I liked to take things apart. I was fascinated by the “secrets” that existed deep within anything electronic or mechanical. Unfortunately I did not always get the “thing” back together. It was a whole lot more exciting to tear it apart than it was to put it back together. All too often I’d break it while trying to disassemble it; patience was not one of my virtues. Sometimes brute force is the “quickest” way to achieve the result, especially if the objective is short-sighted. My reputation within the family was to hide my “activities” in a shoebox full of leftover parts. But I can tell you this, I learned a lot about how things worked.

While in my “discovery” phase there was a by-product to my penchant for disassembly. I realized that by examining these wonderful inventions and appliances of modern living I was learning something about the engineers, designers, and assemblers of these devices. Shoddy design, materials or workmanship could not be hidden as the guts of the devices were laid bare. On the other hand an excellent design could be compromised by shoddy craftsmanship in fabrication and assembly (i.e. loose bolts, misaligned parts, etc.) Some designs were so simple in concept yet valuable in application that they screamed elegance. The complexity of some devices reflected the genius of the person who conceived the design. The ingenuity and creativity of the repair person was sometimes evident. My father inherited my grandfather’s garden tractor after his passing. The tractor was literally being held together by bobby pins. At some point a critical electrical component had failed and my grandfather had repaired it from components snatched from my grandmother’s dresser. Resourcefulness is a great virtue in the country.

The greatest “engineer”, “designer”, and “assembler” of them all has laid out His handiwork before us and implicitly requested that it be examined. Psalms 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Much like my childhood experience all of us have a wonderful opportunity to learn about God through nature. Nothing has received more scrutiny by humans than this natural world that we call home. This complex and wonderful world screams of the handiwork of God. Some of God’s characteristics can’t be directly examined. "God's eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That's why those people don't have any excuse. They know about God, but they don't honor him or even thank him" (Romans 1:20, 21). The crowning creative achievement of God is man himself; created in the image of God. In spite of mortal flaw called sin we see the faint image of a loving benevolent God in ourselves.

To really get to know God you have to get beyond a casual glance at an amazing sunset. We can’t begin to appreciate the nuance of the complexities of creation, and therefore the wonderment of the creator, until we get up close and personal. We won’t appreciate the image of God until we stare deep into the souls of his creation to see His reflection. This only comes through forging deep interpersonal relationships with other people. To really get to know God, “some ‘disassembly’ is required.”

Go ahead, look for yourself. Don’t worry yourself about the fallout of “disassembling” God; even if you could “literally” take God apart, He’d never fit in a shoebox.