I'll let the video speak for itself.
There is nothing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can't rescue us from. There's nothing He isn't willing to help us with or forgive us for when our heart cries out to Him. He is our great redeemer and friend who desperately wants to grow in a relationship with YOU starting right now. Invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life today. All praise, glory and honor be to our King.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The Parable of the Skittles
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Please don’t be offended from what I’m about to say. I implore you not to judge me but rather keep an open mind. THIS blog, THIS parable-haven ... is a “safe place”. Okay, here I go. I … LOVE … SKITTLES. There, I said it. Oh and you heard me right. I love Skittles, every bite-sized candy piece is bursting forth with a rainbow of fruit flavor: lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, and grape. You see as a kid growing up I used to like Starburst Fruit Chews. Those were good too. But in today’s go-go-go, feed-me-now society, I just don’t have the time to unwrap each individually wrapped piece of Starburst. With Skittles you get the same mouthwatering fruity taste without all that unwrapping. It’s “candy on-demand”. Just talking about them makes me wish I had some right now. You’re all probably wondering where I’m going with this whole Skittles thing. Well hang on ‘cause we’re not done yet.I want to tell you a story and yes it too involves Skittles. When the Disney-Pixar movie “Cars” came out, Kristy and I decided to take Nathan and Brooke to go see it at the dollar theater. I took the afternoon off from work and met the family there. We purchased our tickets and of course we had a bag of Skittles to share. Now Nathan was going through this time in his life where he wanted “his own” of everything … his own bowl of popcorn, his own bag of pretzels, his own box of race cars. So the Skittles were no different. I should have had the foresight to bring individual baggies with the Skittles already disseminated equally. But there were a million others things on our minds just in trying to get out the door on time. At any rate, the movie was starting and Nathan had the bag of Skittles in his possession. I was thinking to myself, when he tries to open the bag there’s a good chance these Skittles are going to explode everywhere, scattered to the four corners of the movie theater. So I asked him, “Nathan, may I have some of your Skittles?” He thought for about a picosecond and then responded, “No, I don’t think so.” Quite a few things flashed through my mind at that point but the following 4 statements about sum them up:
- Doesn’t he know that technically those Skittles are already mine because the money we used to pay for them came from my paycheck?
- Doesn’t he know I could just forcibly take those Skittles away from him? I mean, I’m bigger, I’m certainly stronger and if I wanted to I could reach right over there and disarm him of the Skittles.
- Doesn’t he know that I’m not asking for something that he doesn’t already have in his possession? I mean, the Skittles are right there. There in his lap. I didn’t ask him for some Junior Mints or Jujy Fruits.
- Doesn’t he know how much I love him and that I want to give him 10x the number of Skittles he has right now. I just want him to trust me and have faith to share just a bit of what he currently has in his possession.
Skittles Principle #1When we say that God owns everything, we are acknowledging his rights as creator in accordance with the Scriptures. The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). Whatever we have has come from the Lord’s hand, and only indirectly by our earning it (1 Chronicles 29:14). Our wealth belongs to us in the same way that the Skittles belonged to my son. The Skittles actually belonged to me, but Nathan was given temporary, accountable charge over it. This is especially the case for Christians, who have been bought at the price of Jesus’ death. Our lives and all our stuff is utterly at the disposal of God who bought us with the blood of His Son. Which brings us to the second Skittles Principle …
Skittles Principle #2
I’m sure we are all pretty familiar with the Old Testament story of Job. In case you’re a little foggy on the details, I’ll give you the Cliffs Notes version. Job had everything going for him. He was a very affluent man in his day. In fact, if Job lived in modern times I’m sure we’d see his 6,000 sq. ft. tent on MTV Cribs and perhaps his camel driver on ‘Pimp My Ride’. But God allowed Satan to take everything from Job: first his property, next his family, then his health. But despite all of this hardship Job still refused to curse God. He makes a powerful realization that everything is God’s. He declared, “the LORD giveth and the LORD taketh away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). Which leads me to the third principle …
Skittles Principle #3
There have been times in my life where I have been afraid … afraid that if I lost my job I wouldn’t have the money to be able to take care of my family (and as a bread winner, that’s important to me) … afraid that I wouldn’t have the money to enjoy simple pleasures in life like getting a haircut or going to the movies. But I learned that my fear was exposing a lack of faith on my part. After all, if I were to lose my job, I don’t believe that God would expect me to put my family’s well-being in jeopardy by giving at the same level I had previously while employed. But while currently employed and being blessed in that regard, I want to respond positively to God’s request for some Skittles back, “Here you go God. Thank you for blessing me with these Skittles. I know they are all yours anyway.” In 2 Corinthians 9:6 we are instructed to: “Remember this … remember this … Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” This is one of those verses that we hear so many times that we may actually forget what it really means. You know I never lived on a farm, but I can still understand the principles of sowing and reaping a crop. It’s simple economics. I can’t possibly think that I’m going to haul in a bountiful harvest if I only sprinkle a couple seeds over here and maybe a few over there. Paul goes on to write in verse 7, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” It doesn’t stipulate 1% or 10% or 100% … whatever a person has decided in their heart to give and most importantly cheerfully. And our fourth and final principle is … 
Skittles Principle #4
I have no doubt in my mind that God wants to prosper us. In fact, in Malachi 3:10 God makes a promise to faithful givers. He says, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test.” You know from time to time, I makes bets with my wife, Kristy. But I only bet on sure things … when I am absolutely positive that I’m right. And God is challenging us to do the same thing here. God is a god of his word and He’s just asking us to trust Him. Give faithfully and He will surely bless us. It’s a sure thing, done deal.Let’s get back to the story of Job because I kind of left that hanging back at Skittles Principle #2. This is how the story wraps up … After losing just about everything, God made Job prosperous again but not just as rich as before. God blessed Job with twice as much property, a larger more beautiful family, and he lived out his days healthier than before. Just like Job, God wants to increase our prosperity; He’s just asking for a little faith in Him by giving back.
By now I’m sure you’ve realized that I’m talking about the dreaded topic of Stewardship. (*Duck* - ok, who threw that?) But this shouldn’t be a topic that makes anyone uncomfortable. Remember, this is a parable-haven … THIS is a safe place.
So what does God want us to do with the “Skittles” He has given us? The Bible gives a number of answers to this question, including saving (Proverbs 6:6-8), investing (Matthew 25:14-30), providing for family (Proverbs 13:22), staying out of debt (Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8) and more. But the Bible gives special attention to one use in particular: giving. To give (especially to the poor) is equivalent to lending to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17). To give (especially to the poor) is equivalent to investing your money in heaven itself (Luke 12:33). Giving is the fitting response to God’s gift of his Son to us (2 Corinthians 8:7-9). Giving (especially to our enemies) is a way of imitating the redeeming love of God (Luke 6:35).
In the end, each of us will give an account to the Lord for how we handled his stuff in the time we had on earth. Another important reason to give In 2 Corinthians 9:11 it is written that “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion …” God allows us to prosper so that we in turn can be generous with our stuff in thanksgiving to Him. In 1 Corinthians 16:2 Paul also instructs the church in Corinth, “On the first day of every week [Sunday], each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” Now if you ask me that sounds like a plug for the ‘Automatic Monthly Donation Plan’. I’m only kidding. Well half-kidding. I was tired of scrambling to find a pen and my checkbook buried in my briefcase. Anyone who’s ever sat next to my family in services will undoubtedly recall my frantic pleas for a writing implement … “a pen, a pen … my kingdom for a pen.”
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Month: The Parable of the New Fence)
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Parable of the Hermit Crab
Kristy and I just returned home last night from Jamaica where we spent the past few days celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary (May 25th). We were there 10 years ago on our honeymoon and this was our first return since then (just one more visit and we reach "Jamerican" status). Through American Airlines Vacations we cashed in every single one of the Advantage miles we had ever racked up - approximately 90,000 miles or so - for the air travel and accommodations.The flight was great, we weren't accosted in the airport by timeshare salesmen, and we survived the death-defying taxi transfer to our hotel. We stayed in Mo-Bay (local lingo for Montego Bay) at a wonderful place called the Rose Hill Resort & Country Club. Upon check-in, the front desk upgraded us from an outdated garden-view to a newly renovated, ocean-view suite after they discovered we were on an anniversary excursion. This initiated an excellent first impression that would be expounded upon for the remainder of our stay in Jamaica.
Kristy and I quickly unpacked our things and immediately went about exploring the grounds. Although half of the resort was under heavy construction (things that could have been brought to my attention yesterday) the hotel arranged it so that all of the attractions were far away from the backhoes and jackhammers. They had recently developed a water park which included a swim-up bar & grill, water slides, and a lazy river.
As nice as that was, Kristy and I spent most of our time on the beach. The water was crystal clear and the sand was soft and white. It had been a long day of travel so we decided to just veg out on the beach lounge chairs and watch the sun set. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement in the sand. It was a couple of hermit crabs dragging themselves home after a busy afternoon of sun bathing. Then it dawned on me ... they weren't heading home because they always carry their home on their backs. No matter where they went they would always have their shells to curl into for comfort and protection. If they were to ever leave their shell, they would be completely exposed to the sun and predators.
Hermie and his mobile home - photo compliments of Flickr.comThat immediately sparked a parable into my mind - one quite appropriate as Pentecost is nearly upon us. That hermit crab carries its home with it everywhere it goes just like we as Christians have the Holy Spirit living in us all the time and everywhere we go. Prior to his crucifixion and later ascension, Jesus makes us a promise in John 16:7 saying, "... It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor ["Comforter", "Helper", "Friend" in different translations] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
When we open up our heart and accept Jesus as our personal savior, the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling place in us. And since He lives in us 24x7 ...
- He empowers us to be witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:26)
- He helps us lead a godly life (Galatians 5:22-23)
- He gives us spiritual gifts for the edification of believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
- He is our guarantee of eternal life with God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the New Fence)
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Parable of the Deep Freeze
When I was growing up as a lad in Sayreville, N.J. we had a particular family custom where Mom would make a gigantic meal on Sunday for us all to enjoy. It could be her famous lasagna or baked ziti or any number of other bulk meals. We would sit down for a family meal and eat as much of it as we could. Dad tried his best to prevent this from happening but undoubtedly there were going to be leftovers.
However, this surplus of food did not get the normal leftover treatment. It wasn't destined for the refrigerator nor would it be eaten in the next week. You see, Mom perfected a process we liked to call 'suspended animation'. The excess food would be placed on microwavable-safe plates and covered with plastic lids. It was then marched downstairs into the laundry room where we had an enormous deep freeze. There were no tears shed or ceremonial words said. There was no trumpet fanfare or 21-gun salute. There was no missing man formation flown over the house for these leftovers. They would surely be forgotten forever.
The food went into deep hibernation like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. It may be in the deep freeze for a month, a year, or even a decade. But verily I say unto you, the time would eventually come when there is nothing else in the house to eat and you're left to fend for yourself. That plate of kilbossi & sauerkraut would come out of its suspended animation state and find its way to the microwave. Like the door of a cryogenic hyperspace sleep chamber, the lid and plate were encrusted with a thick layer of freezer ice. The contents had been freezer burned beyond recognition. Was it animal, vegetable or mineral? Or had it evolved into another life-form altogether? Sometimes we were willing to take a chance depending on how hungry we were (in the famous words of Austin Powers, "I too like to live dangerously").
It's funny that suspended animation is not only reserved for food. There are humans who wish to preserve their lives in a cryonic, frozen state; however, the process is currently not reversible (uh ... big drawback if you ask me). In the United States, cryonics can only be legally performed on humans after clinical death, and a legal determination that further medical care is not appropriate (legal death). The rationale for cryonics is that the process may be reversible in the future if performed soon enough, and that cryopreserved people may not really be dead by standards of future medicine.
Can you believe the extreme we as a society are willing to go for everlasting "life" (if you can even call it that). I've got an alternative for you which is far less likely to incur freezer burn. In John 6:47-51, Jesus reveals the real secret to eternal life. He breaks it down by explaining, "I'm telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died. But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever. I am the Bread—living Bread!—who came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live forever ..." (MSG). Believe and receive Jesus as your personal Saviour and we need not fear death. For as it is written in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "... but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." The apostle Paul reiterates the promise Jesus offers us all. Christ took our place on the cross; He conquered sin, He conquered death so that we could choose to believe in Him, follow Him, and live forever with Him. Hmmm ... suspended animation or Jesus Christ ... you choose.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
However, this surplus of food did not get the normal leftover treatment. It wasn't destined for the refrigerator nor would it be eaten in the next week. You see, Mom perfected a process we liked to call 'suspended animation'. The excess food would be placed on microwavable-safe plates and covered with plastic lids. It was then marched downstairs into the laundry room where we had an enormous deep freeze. There were no tears shed or ceremonial words said. There was no trumpet fanfare or 21-gun salute. There was no missing man formation flown over the house for these leftovers. They would surely be forgotten forever.
The food went into deep hibernation like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. It may be in the deep freeze for a month, a year, or even a decade. But verily I say unto you, the time would eventually come when there is nothing else in the house to eat and you're left to fend for yourself. That plate of kilbossi & sauerkraut would come out of its suspended animation state and find its way to the microwave. Like the door of a cryogenic hyperspace sleep chamber, the lid and plate were encrusted with a thick layer of freezer ice. The contents had been freezer burned beyond recognition. Was it animal, vegetable or mineral? Or had it evolved into another life-form altogether? Sometimes we were willing to take a chance depending on how hungry we were (in the famous words of Austin Powers, "I too like to live dangerously").
It's funny that suspended animation is not only reserved for food. There are humans who wish to preserve their lives in a cryonic, frozen state; however, the process is currently not reversible (uh ... big drawback if you ask me). In the United States, cryonics can only be legally performed on humans after clinical death, and a legal determination that further medical care is not appropriate (legal death). The rationale for cryonics is that the process may be reversible in the future if performed soon enough, and that cryopreserved people may not really be dead by standards of future medicine.
Can you believe the extreme we as a society are willing to go for everlasting "life" (if you can even call it that). I've got an alternative for you which is far less likely to incur freezer burn. In John 6:47-51, Jesus reveals the real secret to eternal life. He breaks it down by explaining, "I'm telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died. But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever. I am the Bread—living Bread!—who came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this Bread will live forever ..." (MSG). Believe and receive Jesus as your personal Saviour and we need not fear death. For as it is written in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "... but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." The apostle Paul reiterates the promise Jesus offers us all. Christ took our place on the cross; He conquered sin, He conquered death so that we could choose to believe in Him, follow Him, and live forever with Him. Hmmm ... suspended animation or Jesus Christ ... you choose.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Hermit Crab)
Friday, March 9, 2007
The Parable of the Big Fish
I had been working for two straight years after graduating from Ambassador University in 1997. I hadn't taken a single sick day nor had I indulged in a vacation either. So when Royal Host pitched the idea of a timeshare to me, I was hooked. I should have known better and followed one of my personal rules: "Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry." Huh? Allow me to digress for just a minute so I can explain. You see, as a poor college student, I would often go to the local Wal*Mart to stock up on ramen noodles for the week. But if I went grocery shopping while hungry, you could never tell what would end up in my cart: party-size bag of nachos, 2-gallon drum of chili, 12 microwavable pizzas ... you get the point. Well the same rule should have applied to this timeshare deal; I was starving for a vacation since I hadn't had one since our honeymoon in Jamaica.
So needless to say, I was an easy target at the timeshare presentation. I was determined to simply eat the free steak dinner, grab the $50 gift voucher, and get out of there with my wallet intact. I forewarned Kristy not to be swayed by the hype. But when the presenter showed one picture of white sandy beaches with crystal-clear blue water, I slapped by checkbook down at the cashier's table and exclaimed, "I'm IN! Where do I sign?" There's more to that story, but I'll save it for another parable.
Taking advantage of the timeshare a few years ago, Kristy and I took a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After departing the plane, all visitors are accosted in the airport baggage claim by more timeshare salesmen offering everything from "free" Mexican blankets, to "free" transportation, "free" breakfasts, "free" tequila, you name it. I knew there had to be a catch and I was right. The freebies actually came attached to a 90 minute timeshare presentation that you'd have to endure before the gifts were presented. Since I was sure this time I could say "NO" to purchasing a timeshare, we decided to take one of them up on their offer in exchange for a "free" deep sea fishing charter.
Cabo is well known for their marlin and mahi-mahi so that's exactly what we were angling for. Kristy became sea sick almost immediately and spent the majority of our 3 hour tour in the belly of the 48' fishing vessel. I had fished for small game fish growing up on the east coast, but when a fish finally struck my line in the deep blue waters of Cabo I had no idea what kind of battle I was in for. It felt like my line was caught on the bottom of the ocean floor but the capt
ain assured me it was most certainly a fish. I used my entire body to pull and then reel ... pull and then reel ... for what seemed like hours. But actually after only 45 minutes I was finally able to see what I was fighting for: a large mahi-mahi repeatedly sprang out of the water attempting to spit the hook. But by this time he was starting to tire (and so was I). When I finally got him up next to the boat, the captain knocked him on the head and we brought him on board. We caught a few other fish that day, but this one was by far the largest. See for yourself.
Now you may be thinking this is just another big fish story, but as Christians we have a far more meaningful calling to be "fishers of men". In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus calls his first disciples, Peter and Andrew, who also happened to be brothers and fishermen. He challenged them to follow Him and become fishers of men by ministering to them and sharing the gospel of the kingdom of God. He presents the same challenge to us as well in The Great Commission.
Later in Luke, Christ used another fishing trip to further illustrate our Christian calling. In chapter 5 of Luke (verses 1-11) the disciples we're calling it a night after a full day's worth of trolling with nothing to show for it. Jesus persuades them to try one more time - in the exact same place they had been trying (and failing) all day! Reluctantly, the disciples agree but have very little faith anything will be caught at all. To their surprise, they catch such a multitude of fish that their nets begin to break and the boat nearly capsizes (they even need help from other nearby boats to keep from going under). What an amazing turn of events! In addition to learning a great lesson on faith, this story also illustrates how we can reach our full potential by answering God's calling in Matthew 28:18-20, "Jesus came and told his disciples,'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"
So I encourage you to share your own personal story of how God has changed your life, share your faith, and share hope with the people you come in contact with everyday. Ask God for "spiritual lasik" to see those He puts in your life to minister to; pray for a Godly appointment daily. And one important thing to remember ... a major difference between my fishing trip in Cabo and our "fishing trip for the Lord", is that it's crucial that we don't beat people over the head with our Bibles when we get them along side the boat. Show compassion and patience and in time God will fill your life so full of Christian victories that you too might just be riping at the seams with joy.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
So needless to say, I was an easy target at the timeshare presentation. I was determined to simply eat the free steak dinner, grab the $50 gift voucher, and get out of there with my wallet intact. I forewarned Kristy not to be swayed by the hype. But when the presenter showed one picture of white sandy beaches with crystal-clear blue water, I slapped by checkbook down at the cashier's table and exclaimed, "I'm IN! Where do I sign?" There's more to that story, but I'll save it for another parable.
Taking advantage of the timeshare a few years ago, Kristy and I took a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. After departing the plane, all visitors are accosted in the airport baggage claim by more timeshare salesmen offering everything from "free" Mexican blankets, to "free" transportation, "free" breakfasts, "free" tequila, you name it. I knew there had to be a catch and I was right. The freebies actually came attached to a 90 minute timeshare presentation that you'd have to endure before the gifts were presented. Since I was sure this time I could say "NO" to purchasing a timeshare, we decided to take one of them up on their offer in exchange for a "free" deep sea fishing charter.
Cabo is well known for their marlin and mahi-mahi so that's exactly what we were angling for. Kristy became sea sick almost immediately and spent the majority of our 3 hour tour in the belly of the 48' fishing vessel. I had fished for small game fish growing up on the east coast, but when a fish finally struck my line in the deep blue waters of Cabo I had no idea what kind of battle I was in for. It felt like my line was caught on the bottom of the ocean floor but the capt
ain assured me it was most certainly a fish. I used my entire body to pull and then reel ... pull and then reel ... for what seemed like hours. But actually after only 45 minutes I was finally able to see what I was fighting for: a large mahi-mahi repeatedly sprang out of the water attempting to spit the hook. But by this time he was starting to tire (and so was I). When I finally got him up next to the boat, the captain knocked him on the head and we brought him on board. We caught a few other fish that day, but this one was by far the largest. See for yourself.Now you may be thinking this is just another big fish story, but as Christians we have a far more meaningful calling to be "fishers of men". In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus calls his first disciples, Peter and Andrew, who also happened to be brothers and fishermen. He challenged them to follow Him and become fishers of men by ministering to them and sharing the gospel of the kingdom of God. He presents the same challenge to us as well in The Great Commission.
Later in Luke, Christ used another fishing trip to further illustrate our Christian calling. In chapter 5 of Luke (verses 1-11) the disciples we're calling it a night after a full day's worth of trolling with nothing to show for it. Jesus persuades them to try one more time - in the exact same place they had been trying (and failing) all day! Reluctantly, the disciples agree but have very little faith anything will be caught at all. To their surprise, they catch such a multitude of fish that their nets begin to break and the boat nearly capsizes (they even need help from other nearby boats to keep from going under). What an amazing turn of events! In addition to learning a great lesson on faith, this story also illustrates how we can reach our full potential by answering God's calling in Matthew 28:18-20, "Jesus came and told his disciples,
So I encourage you to share your own personal story of how God has changed your life, share your faith, and share hope with the people you come in contact with everyday. Ask God for "spiritual lasik" to see those He puts in your life to minister to; pray for a Godly appointment daily. And one important thing to remember ... a major difference between my fishing trip in Cabo and our "fishing trip for the Lord", is that it's crucial that we don't beat people over the head with our Bibles when we get them along side the boat. Show compassion and patience and in time God will fill your life so full of Christian victories that you too might just be riping at the seams with joy.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Deep Freeze)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
The Parable of the Super Bowl
"Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith were the first African American coaches to lead their teams to the Super Bowl. Even before Dungy's Colts prevailed over Smith's Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI, we knew that there was a connection between these two men beyond the color of their skin. 'I'm proud to be the first African American coach to win this,' Dungy said during the trophy ceremony. 'But again, more than anything, Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord's way. We're more proud of that.'In Daniel Chapter 3 we read about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three men were committed to living life the Lord's way and because of their unwillingness to worship anyone or anything else, they were bound and thrown into a blazing furnace. While God did save them from death, they had no guarantee of that when they were thrown into the fire. As far as they were concerned, that wasn't even the main issue. The issue was whether or not to be obedient to the Lord.
Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith have shown that you can compete in a God-honoring way and still be the best. However, I don't believe they "do it the Lord's way" because they think it will give them the best chance to win. I think they do it because they believe it's the right way to compete. These are two men who refuse to compromise their character for the sake of winning. And because of that, in my book, they were both winners long before the Super Bowl.
Today, I encourage you to compete in a God-honoring way--not in order to win a championship, but because it's the right thing to do. Your integrity will have more lasting value than any trophy you'll ever win."
The preceding was a devotional by Josh Carter, a former athlete and coach who currently serves on staff with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the Bloomington-Normal area of Illinois. He has a new sports devotional book out called "Running 2 Win 4 Him - Be The Competitor God Made You To Be." You can purchase a copy at www.crosstrainingpublishing.com.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Big Fish)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Parable of the Midnight Caller
My daughter, Brooke, is 18 months going on 18 years. She, like her mother, has always been able to fall asleep pretty fast and just about anywhere, especially cars. We could be making a quick trip to the corner store (not even 5 minutes away) and the two of them will be fast asleep in their seats before we're even out of the driveway. So bedtime is usually a non-issue for Brooke. She'll gingerly place two fingers in her mouth, find her ear with the other hand and it's off to 'la-la land' for Brooke.
(Brooke and I visiting Kristy's family in Golden, CO)
But not tonight. Brooke had fallen asleep at her usual bedtime, but by 12:00 AM she was wide awake and ready for action. From her crib she called out for Mommy first. But Kristy can be a pretty deep sleeper so the first hundred cries fell on deaf ears. Neither of us were quite ready to abandon the warmth of the down comforter so Kristy leaned over to the nightstand and switched the baby monitor to 'vibrate'. As you can imagine, this did nothing to help our situation. The monitor simply translated the cries from MOM-MY into VRR-VRRR. Brooke proceeded down her list of parental units with cries for Daddy next. I had a big day coming up and needed sleep to be on top of my game. I was hoping she would eventually find her finger/ear combo but it was evident Brooke was not going to go back to sleep in her crib.
On rare occasions we find it necessary to bring Brooke into bed with us. This was one of those nights. With Brooke happily nuzzled between Kristy and I, she finally found peace ... or so we thought. It wasn't long before Brooke started talking. "Hi Daddy!" she said with a big smile (the lights were off and it was pitch dark, but you could hear in her voice that she was smiling ear-to-ear). "Hi Brookie," I mumbled. In contrast to Brooke's enthusiastic greeting, mine was delivered out the side of my mouth with not quite as much excitement. "Hi Daddy!" she exclaimed again. Over and over, "Hi Daddy!" Despite my lack of energy I still responded every time which only encouraged her to keep up the banter. It wasn't long before Kristy ordered us both to go to sleep and that was the end of it.
In spite of my initial delay in responding to Brooke's cries, I will always be there for her. And in like manner, God is always there for His children. In Deuteronomy 31:6 we are reminded that, "... the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." So it doesn't matter where you're at or what time of day it is, God will always be there for you to talk to, to confide in, to provide comfort and peace. And unlike an earthly parent, "God watches over you [and] will not slumber ... nor sleep." (Psalm 121:3-4). Even if we mess up and stray from Him, God will always be there waiting for us with open arms.
To help illustrate this, I'd like to close with a fitting video produced by the LHBC youth ministry. I think you'll recognize the story (I particularly liked the slow motion reunion scene towards the end).
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Super Bowl)
(Brooke and I visiting Kristy's family in Golden, CO)On rare occasions we find it necessary to bring Brooke into bed with us. This was one of those nights. With Brooke happily nuzzled between Kristy and I, she finally found peace ... or so we thought. It wasn't long before Brooke started talking. "Hi Daddy!" she said with a big smile (the lights were off and it was pitch dark, but you could hear in her voice that she was smiling ear-to-ear). "Hi Brookie," I mumbled. In contrast to Brooke's enthusiastic greeting, mine was delivered out the side of my mouth with not quite as much excitement. "Hi Daddy!" she exclaimed again. Over and over, "Hi Daddy!" Despite my lack of energy I still responded every time which only encouraged her to keep up the banter. It wasn't long before Kristy ordered us both to go to sleep and that was the end of it.
In spite of my initial delay in responding to Brooke's cries, I will always be there for her. And in like manner, God is always there for His children. In Deuteronomy 31:6 we are reminded that, "... the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." So it doesn't matter where you're at or what time of day it is, God will always be there for you to talk to, to confide in, to provide comfort and peace. And unlike an earthly parent, "God watches over you [and] will not slumber ... nor sleep." (Psalm 121:3-4). Even if we mess up and stray from Him, God will always be there waiting for us with open arms.
To help illustrate this, I'd like to close with a fitting video produced by the LHBC youth ministry. I think you'll recognize the story (I particularly liked the slow motion reunion scene towards the end).
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Super Bowl)
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Parable of the Popcorn Kernel
The other night after 25 grueling miles on the stationary bike, I decided to reward myself by having some popcorn. But not just any ordinary popcorn ... this was the movie theater style that's loaded with salt & butter. It's a rare treat that I reserve only for when I've put in a good workout. I had a light dinner and after all those calories burned on the bike, I was about ready to sell my birthright. The bag was placed label down in the microwave as the seconds ticked off. Two minutes, thirty seconds to dreamland ... 1 minute to go (the bag was half popped) ... 30 seconds left ... the smell of buttered popcorn filled the kitchen air ... 3, 2, 1 ... *ding*.Not waiting for the bag to cool off, I tore it open and emptied its contents into a large snack bowl. The popcorn was just as delicious as I had imagined. Because the kids were already in bed the recommended serving size could be doubled and shared between my wife and I (joy)! As we neared the bottom of the bowl, there were still quite a few un-popped kernels. This is where Kristy abandons the feast but where I press on to test my orthodontic strength on a few partially popped kernels (I think it's a guy thing). No sooner had I started this feat of stupidity, when one of the kernels became lodged in between two of my back molars. I actually didn’t notice it at first, but it wasn’t long before that tooth started aching. Here's a day-by-day account of my predicament ...
Day 1: The kernel lodged in between my teeth has become a bit of an annoyance.
Day 2: I try to use dental floss to carve out this enemy who’s made my mouth its home.
Day 3: With the dental floss failing, I upgraded to a plastic pick which I wielded with great skill but to no avail.
Day 4: I’ve started to sub-conscientiously play with the kernel non-stop using my tongue; mid-sentence I’m abandoning conversations with people to “wrestle” with this demon.
Day 5: I’m starting to lose sleep; I start to wonder what the long-term affects of lodged popcorn kernels are.
Day 6: It’s driving me absolutely insane and I’m going out of my mind. I’m about ready to shell out whatever co-pay my insurance company insists on to have this kernel professionally removed.
On the seventh day I finally broke down and dug the old water pik out of storage. I filled the receptacle with warm water and Listerine and cranked that puppy up to full strength. I was going to blast that piece of popcorn out of there if it’s the last thing I do. One pass wasn’t enough, but after the second rinse I finally declared victory when I saw the kernel fall into the sink and retreat down the drain. I exclaimed, “Freeeeeedom!!” in my proudest, loudest Braveheart voice. Suddenly everything came back into perspective. Like when King Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was restored after seven seasons as an animal, so too was I finally able to regain composure and focus in life. How could something so small cause me that much grief? It didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to waste another second thinking about that popcorn kernel. “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last." (borrowed from Martin Luther King, Jr.)
If you’ve ever had a popcorn kernel stuck in your teeth I’m sure you can relate to my plight. Do you remember how liberating it was when the kernel was finally dislodged? Well we as Christians have another opportunity to feel that tremendous sense of relief when we put our trust in God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. I can say with utmost certainty that we have all disobeyed God at one point or another in our lives. This disobedience is called sin and it is an extremely heavy burden. Why? Because it keeps us separated from God (and remember, without that close oneness with God we’re left with a “hole in our hearts”; see The Parable of the Ebay Ad). The evil one plagues us with feelings of guilt and unworthiness when we carry around this sin with us. He wants us to believe that there is no escape from these feelings. But I have Good News! Nothing could be further from the truth. In John 14:6 Jesus carefully draws out our escape route. He explains that “I [Jesus] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That reunion with God is only made possible through acceptance of Christ as our personal savior. “Then you will know the truth [Jesus], and the truth [Jesus] will set you free” (John 8:32). Only Jesus can free us from the burden of sin. Ask Him to help you with a sin you’ve been struggling with and see just how swiftly He lifts this burden that's weighing you down. God promises in Hebrews 8:12 to forgive us and He will remember our sins no more. Just like the old Rolaids slogan, “How do you spell relief?” I spell it: J-E-S-U-S. Amen.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Midnight Caller)
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The Parable of the Bubblegum Machine
When I was in elementary school I had a friend named Ronnie Faiella. His family was probably one of the wealthiest I knew in our small town of Sayreville, N.J. The Faiella's lived in a mansion-sized home and inside there were protective plastic covers over everything ... the furniture, the appliances, just about anything a sly 10-year-old could get his grubby paws on. Plus, it was easy to tell where guests were allowed or not allowed to go in the house because there were plastic runners on the carpet leading you like the yellow brick road - step off of them and I was sure spotlights and sirens would go off to warn the homeowners of the infraction.From time to time I would go over to Ronnie's house after school. It was always a real treat to visit Ronnie because he had his own pinball machines and stand-up arcade video games. But one time, just after his birthday, Ronnie had gotten his own bubblegum vending machine for his room. I remember it vividly ... it dispensed "Dubble-Bubble" bubblegum balls for a nickel. So every time I went over to Ronnie's house after that I was sure to bring a few nickels so I could pop them into his bubblegum machine and hear that distinct sound of grinding gears followed by the anticipated 'clack' when the gum ball dropped into the dispensing slot. I'm sure Ronnie made a small fortune off me (I hope he made it into a very prestigious business school with the proceeds).
But then one day Ronnie let me in on his little secret. You see Ronnie had read the directions that came with the bubblegum machine so he knew how to toggle the little switch inside that made it dispense bubblegum for free. That's right ... no more nickels ... just turn the knob when you wanted free gum and we were set. Of course, I couldn't keep this amazing secret to myself. I had to tell Jim Aleski who had to tell Danny Hassell who had to tell the whole neighborhood. Well you can imagine how popular Ronnie became soon after the secret of his free gum ball machine hit the street.
Maybe you already know where I'm going with this but I can't ignore the parallels this story has with the gospel of the New Testament. God's gift of salvation, communion with Him now and eternal life with Him in His kingdom forever, is free for us to receive. Believe me ... this is far more valuable than gum balls. The reason it's free is because God's only Son, Jesus, came to this earth and paid the ultimate price for us. Sadly, this didn't cost Him a few nickels (or shekels for that matter). Jesus laid down His whole life and took our place on the cross. And after 3 days He rose again. God graciously gives us this gift for free because of Christ's atoning sacrifice and our faith in Him.Ronnie read the directions to understand how to receive free gum just like we have the directions for how to receive the Holy Spirit and Christ as our personal Saviour. It's called The Holy Bible, the inspired word of God. In 1 Corinthians 2:12 the Apostle Paul reminds us that "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." Remember how I couldn't keep the secret of the free gum to myself? Well, we're also commanded in Matthew 28:18-20 to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God (this free gift) with everyone on the planet. It's called The Great Commission and in simple terms using my story above, The Great Commission explains that being a Christian is like being a kid who shows another kid where to get free bubblegum. So here's your "bubblegum" ... If you want to accept Jesus as your personal savior just pray this little prayer in your HEART (the words themselves mean nothing; its believing them in your heart that's important) .
"Dear Lord, I believe you died and rose from the dead. I know and confess that I am a sinner and am lost without you. I ask you to forgive my sins and come into my heart. I give my life to you and want to live for you the rest of my life. I thank you Lord and praise you. Please guide me and direct me for the rest of my life!
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Popcorn Kernel)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The Parable of the Ebay Ad
In case you haven't noticed, ebay, the online auction super-site, is currently running ads touting it's vast inventory of merchandise with the slogan, "Whatever it is ... You can get it on ebay." In many ways the ebay advertising crew is right. Because ebay acts as a hub for people of the world to sell their wares over the internet, good chances are that what you're looking for can probably be found on ebay.Just for fun I did a search on some really obscure items in hopes that ebay wouldn't be offering them. Now keep in mind, these are not necessarily items I desire (so don't get any crazy ideas about what I want for my next birthday).
- "Time, Love & Tenderness" by Michael Bolton (1991): 27 CD's for sale
- "Packers Cheese-Head Hat": 16 for sale (My sister is a huge Green Bay fan)
- "Donald Duck Bobblehead Figure" 1 for sale
- "Crocheted Elmo Hat": 1 available at the time of this writing
- "Water Babies" (1978): 4 available (a movie I only saw once as a child)
How about a relationship with God? Can you get that on ebay? I can undoubtedly tell you that this priceless gift is not for sale on ebay or any other website. Nevertheless, there are so many people in the world who are searching for "it" and they don't even know what "it" is. There's just this void they feel in their lives that they often try to fill with the pursuit of fame, fortune, beauty, success, or other temporary ideals. Others seek to dull the emptiness with addictions. But no matter what we do, if we do not encounter the "real thing", we will always be left with a feeling of emptiness and unfulfillment.
There is only one place where we will find the true love and acceptance that we are looking for and that is in a personal relationship with God. We were all born with a God sized 'hole in our hearts' that can only be filled by God Himself. The good news is that God wants to be in a relationship with us more than we want to be in a relationship with Him. The One who knew us before we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5) and knit us together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13) wants to be our heavenly Father. While we are His offspring by creation, His desire is that we might become His children through redemption in Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13).
The best part is that you can directly talk with God. Can you believe it?! The Creator of the entire universe wants to hear from you and help you in your daily life! In Matthew 7:7-11 we read, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" So take Him up on His invitation and let God fill that void that perhaps you may have been trying to satisfy by shopping on ebay.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Bubblegum Machine)
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
The Parable of the Soccer Mom
1 John 5:1 - "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well."
When I was growing up I played all kinds of sports: gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, cross country, track, tennis ... but probably my favorite had to be soccer. I still remember the rush of adrenaline I would feel in my stomach when we were driving to one of my games. Just the anticipation of getting out onto the field to run my guts out and maybe put the ball in the goal was what I looked forward to all week long.
There was one particular game at the end of the season where the all-stars were selected to play in a final match for bragging rights. To my surprise I was selected but have always wondered if it was for my mad-soccer-skills or because my Dad was the assistant coach. At any rate, I was only 10 and this was the biggest game of my fledgling soccer career. There's one particular part of the game I clearly remember. I was positioned at midfield and I had the opportunity to support the attacking forwards. The ball came to me and I began to dribble it wide left and up field. I was going to make a break for it and try to cross the ball near the 18 yard line so that one of my teammates could have an opportunity to score.
My scrawny legs couldn't carry me fast enough. The defense was closing in way too fast. I had to let it go a little early. I tried to remember all the things my soccer coaches had taught me: plant your foot firmly, lean over the ball, and follow-through in the direction you want the ball to go. With these tips in mind I unleashed the ball with every ounce of strength I could muster. It went up, up over the defensive players and ended up bouncing fairly close to the mark desired. Matt Daugherty was there to pick it up and he made an excellent play on goal but we didn't score on that opportunity. While getting back to my position to receive the goal kick, I heard a familiar voice in the crowd. It was my Mom shouting, "That's my boy!" I've always had mixed feelings about this cheer because it was a little embarrassing to have a mother so vocally proud of her son. But I wouldn't change it for the world. She continued to cheer, "That's my boy!" not only at my soccer games, but every sporting event, school play, report card, you name it, until I turned 18 (ok, I'll admit she still says it to this day and I'm 32 years old).
God sent His Son -- His one and only Son -- to be the Savior of the world for our victory. How do you think God felt when He watched Jesus being born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem? "That's my boy!" When He turned the 'H20 into Merlot'? "That's my boy!" When He raised Lazarus from the dead? "That's my boy!" When He rode into town on a donkey and was hailed King of Kings and Lord of Lords? "That's my boy!" Then finally when He climbed the hill of the skull with cross in tow and blood spilling from every open wound; when He was nailed to the cross and was hanged to die as payment for our sin so that we could have eternal life? "That's MY boy!"
God did so love us that He sent His Son to earth to become like us and to live and die for us (John 3:16). What a God! What a Father! What a Savior! As proud as my parents were of me playing in that all-star game, it fails to compare with what God felt the day His Son went to the cross. We will all accomplish much in life with many great victories and a few defeats along the way, and there will be countless mothers and fathers in the stands with similar chants of, "That's my boy/girl!" But may we always remember that it may have been said for the first time so many years ago when our heavenly Father watched His Son give the world victory that day.
When I was growing up I played all kinds of sports: gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, cross country, track, tennis ... but probably my favorite had to be soccer. I still remember the rush of adrenaline I would feel in my stomach when we were driving to one of my games. Just the anticipation of getting out onto the field to run my guts out and maybe put the ball in the goal was what I looked forward to all week long.
There was one particular game at the end of the season where the all-stars were selected to play in a final match for bragging rights. To my surprise I was selected but have always wondered if it was for my mad-soccer-skills or because my Dad was the assistant coach. At any rate, I was only 10 and this was the biggest game of my fledgling soccer career. There's one particular part of the game I clearly remember. I was positioned at midfield and I had the opportunity to support the attacking forwards. The ball came to me and I began to dribble it wide left and up field. I was going to make a break for it and try to cross the ball near the 18 yard line so that one of my teammates could have an opportunity to score.
My scrawny legs couldn't carry me fast enough. The defense was closing in way too fast. I had to let it go a little early. I tried to remember all the things my soccer coaches had taught me: plant your foot firmly, lean over the ball, and follow-through in the direction you want the ball to go. With these tips in mind I unleashed the ball with every ounce of strength I could muster. It went up, up over the defensive players and ended up bouncing fairly close to the mark desired. Matt Daugherty was there to pick it up and he made an excellent play on goal but we didn't score on that opportunity. While getting back to my position to receive the goal kick, I heard a familiar voice in the crowd. It was my Mom shouting, "That's my boy!" I've always had mixed feelings about this cheer because it was a little embarrassing to have a mother so vocally proud of her son. But I wouldn't change it for the world. She continued to cheer, "That's my boy!" not only at my soccer games, but every sporting event, school play, report card, you name it, until I turned 18 (ok, I'll admit she still says it to this day and I'm 32 years old).
God sent His Son -- His one and only Son -- to be the Savior of the world for our victory. How do you think God felt when He watched Jesus being born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem? "That's my boy!" When He turned the 'H20 into Merlot'? "That's my boy!" When He raised Lazarus from the dead? "That's my boy!" When He rode into town on a donkey and was hailed King of Kings and Lord of Lords? "That's my boy!" Then finally when He climbed the hill of the skull with cross in tow and blood spilling from every open wound; when He was nailed to the cross and was hanged to die as payment for our sin so that we could have eternal life? "That's MY boy!"
God did so love us that He sent His Son to earth to become like us and to live and die for us (John 3:16). What a God! What a Father! What a Savior! As proud as my parents were of me playing in that all-star game, it fails to compare with what God felt the day His Son went to the cross. We will all accomplish much in life with many great victories and a few defeats along the way, and there will be countless mothers and fathers in the stands with similar chants of, "That's my boy/girl!" But may we always remember that it may have been said for the first time so many years ago when our heavenly Father watched His Son give the world victory that day.
Stay the course, finish the race ... AB
(Next Week: The Parable of the Ebay Ad)
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