TO ALL THE CHEERLEADERS I OFFENDED BEFORE

I need to ask all the cheerleaders I've known in my life to forgive me.
I realized this the other day as I was sitting there watching my 11 year old daughter cheer.
She went to a one day cheer camp and then had the opportunity to cheer at halftime with the middle school cheerleaders. As I watched her smile and jump, wave her pom poms and cheer, I all of sudden became a fan of cheerleaders; well, at least of one cheerleader! And as I saw her cheer and then saw how much she loved it, I all of sudden was filled with guilt; as though I had possibly offended every cheerleader I ever knew in life. Hopefully it wasn't that many.

So, officially, I apologize for: saying that cheerleaders were not athletes. The fact is that most of them are more athletic than I ever was; saying that cheerleading was not a sport. I'm not sure I could make a great argument for it, but I have decided to make no more arguments against it. Does that count?; joking that cheerleaders are so clueless that when their team is losing by 20 points with 2 minutes left in the game, they are still doing cheers such as "we're number 1, we're number 1"! Perhaps it was me that was clueless. Could it be that they knew some psychological secret about believing in the future, encouraging us to believe as well, and never give up...perhaps...

O.k. My conscience is clear.
So, here's to you cheerleaders:

Raise your pom poms high in air
Kick your leg, bind your hair
Show your smile, make quick strong moves
When you cheer for others, you never lose!

HONKIN MOSES

I'm not sure when I first said it. I was pretty cautious not to swear and that included anything close to swear words. But one thing I did say as I was growing up, and I have no idea where I learned it (or if I made it up) was this strange phrase: "Honkin' Moses"! I would use it in many different instances where I suppose others might use the swear words, or words close enough to it. Since no one knew what it meant, including myself, I guess I never got in trouble for it. I guess taking Moses' names in vain seemed less offensive than others. By the time I got to college, I must have learned to control myself, and perhaps not wanting to be embarrassed, I think I stopped using it.

But, this past week I was thinking about this term and I'm not sure exactly why. Then I realized that perhaps it was because I have been thinking about the biblical character Moses recently. It wasn't long ago that I preached through the book of Exodus and Moses was a key character. Then, this week I was preparing a message on John 3:16, perhaps the most well known verse in the Bible, and I noticed that Moses' name appears just 2 verses prior.

This all made me consider how I am like Moses and how I want to be more like Moses. I feel like Moses in that he, too, felt incompetent to be used by God and to fulfill God's will in ministry. I have no idea why God would want to use me in service for Him, when He already knows all of my sins and weaknesses. But, He chooses to anyway; and just like Moses, I am doing my very best to serve Him with all of my heart.

There are some things Moses did that I would not want to do; but there is one thing that Moses was praised for, by God, that I want to be a part of my life as well. It is not so much something to do, but to be. In the Bible, Moses is known for being the meekest man on earth. That doesn't sound all that great, at first mention, but once I studied what it meant, in the Bible, I realized that it was an amazing character quality to have!

"Meekness is not weakness" I have heard often, and that is right. Even Jesus was known as meek, but He certainly wasn't weak. And Moses, although unsure of himself, was a man of strength as well. And what made him really strong, in God's eyes, was that he showed meekness. That is: he was not about personal power and control; he was not a brawler; and was not out for His own glory. He was humble and lived only to please God.

That is what I want to be known for. I don't care if I never write a book or have a large church, or am known for being a great preacher. But, if others know me, and in particular and most importantly, if God knows me as a person of meekness, then I will be satisfied. It will mean that I had humbly served God and others, regardless of the challenges or trouble that came my way. It would mean that I would lead and serve in whatever way I believe God called me to; even if that meant I would not be the most popular person around.

Perhaps, the greatest compliment I could receive one day is for someone to exclaim: "Honkin' Moses! That Greg guy is meek!"

Traveling Mercies

My brother was joking the other day about being 41 years old and still not understanding what "traveling mercies" meant. The context is that as we were growing up, when a group of people would pray, they would often pray for "traveling mercies". There seem to be many things that we pray about, using words that may or may not make sense, but that focus on health and safety issue, physically, rather than the spiritual issues that the Bible says we should pray about. However, perhaps someone was praying for "traveling mercies" for me the other day?

On Tuesday night, I had just finished (or so I thought) a long trip home, with 4 other guys, from a conference in New York. It took us about 6 hours rather than the normal 5, because once we hit Pennsylvania, it began to snow. I was driving the whole way, and for much of the way home, I had both hands tightly wound around the wheel, praying our 15 passenger van would not go careening off the highway. I was very careful not to get too close behind any vehicle and I took it much slower than I really wanted to.

Once we got off the highway ramp, near the church, I was careful to slowly approach the stoplight and come to a safe stop. I was excited that we were almost there, and that I would soon be able to rest my eyes and stretch my legs. And then it happened:

CRASH! I felt my back buckle, although it did not hurt. We had just been back-ended by someone who claimed to have been "pumping the brakes" all the way down the ramp. Our back bumper was dented in pretty good and the front grill on her new car had some unintended holes in it now. But, no one was hurt, we were able to get the information needed, and then get everyone home fairly quickly.

Whatever traveling mercies are, perhaps that is what we experienced Tuesday night.
Thank you Lord that no one was hurt. Thank you that the damage to the vehicles was minimal.
Thank you for the time away at the conference, where I was able to get closer to these guys, and where we were able to be challenged to move forward in reaching others for you. If traveling mercies are those things that help people draw closer to you, then bring them on!

Choosing Joy Today

Is there any good reason I cannot have full joy today?

• What if I'm not feeling well?
• What if things are not going so well at work?
• What if my child is struggling with school?
• What if my finances are low?
• What if the weather stinks?
• What if I am the topic of gossip/slander?
• What if I am having an argument with my wife?
• What if someone I love is dealing with a life threatening illness?
• What if the government doesn't seem to be making God honoring choices?

I'm sure I could add to this list, and if anyone out there reads this entry, you would have some circumstances to add as well: things that we all go through at one time or another. And, sometimes, it seems as though we are going through it all at the same time. But, one of the things God has been challenging me with, is His command to pursue joy at all times, and in all circumstances.

If my focus is on Christ and all He has done...if I am focused on what is eternal rather than temporal..if I will focus on God and not on myself; then I can, indeed, choose joy today! Here are some of the verses I am focusing on today:

Lamentations 3:22,23 - "Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Habbakkuk 3:17,18 - "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will be joyful in God my Savior."

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

I Thessalonians 5:16,18 - "Be joyful always...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

To Heaven in 2011?

What if Jesus returns in 2011? What if my life ends in 2011?
With these possibilities in mind, I want to enter this New Year with the following resolutions:

1. I will give thanks to God, regardless of my circumstances
I Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; or this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

2. I will pray, and then pray again, and then pray some more
I Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing"

3. I will pursue joy, rejoicing every day for who God is and what He has done
Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."

4. I will not be ashamed of the one thing that can change a person's eternity
Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

5. I will make my last days all about God and His glory
Acts 20:24 - "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

6. I will discipline my children, in love, and train them in God's ways
Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

7. I will not boast about myself, but I will boast about God
Jeremiah 9:23,24 - "Thus says the LORD: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

8. I will keep singing new songs about God and point people to Him
Psalm 40:3 - "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."

9. I will forget the past and press ahead to what God has called me to do, for His glory, in the future
Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, i press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

10. I will fear God and strive to obey Him, in everything
Ecclesiastes 12:13 -"The end of the mater; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Celebrating a birthday at Christmas time

Yesterday, we celebrated our youngest twin's birthday. I asked them if they liked having their birthday so close to Christmas. And although all the other children agreed that it is perferrable to have their birthday closer to the middle of the year, the two who were celebrating their birthday thought different. They both said that they really enjoyed celebrating their birthday so close to Jesus' birthday (that is: the celebration of it anyway)!

That made me wonder what Jesus is thinking right now. The celebration of His birthday is traditionally on Christmas Day; and yet it really take 2nd or 3rd or last place to all the other celebrations going on at the same time (and I'm not talking about my twin's birthday). Everywhere you look, even before Thanksgiving time, peopel began celebrating this time of year. And outside of some of the music played on a Christian radio station, the celebration of Jesus' birth is somewhat confined inside church walls.

I have noticed that the most popular and even most enjoyable TV movies at this time of year, are all about the power of belief. But, it is not the power of believing in Jesus' birth and what He did for us. It is, of course, the power and importance of believing in Santa Claus, though noone over 8 is actually trying to say that he even exists. How does Jesus feel about this? The celebration of His birth, which changed the world, is overshadowed by a fat, fictional gifter of greed. His gifts are all about filling some temporary desire in us, which will not make us happy for long. Jesus gave the gift of Himself, which can bring eternal life.

Then, I think of Christian homes, including mine. It is pretty easy to conform to the thinking of our world's system, and practically forget about what we are to be celebrating. I find it challenging to keep our family's focus on the right things, and the right person, this time of year. I would be interested in hearing what you do to make sure we are celebrating the birthday of the Savior of the world, most of all. Here are a few things we are doing:

• Attending a church each week that is celebrating Jesus' birth
• Attending a Christmas Eve service that keeps the right focus
• Constantly reminding our children that this is not the time for selfishness or greed; but to give, and to serve others
• Participating in a service project, where we purchased gifts for a needy family and then delivered them personally
• Reading a story, during Advent, each night. This particular story is called Tabitha's Travels, which is the 3rd book in a series we have used the past few years. They are very interesting stories, that tie in fiction with the truth of what happened 2,000 years ago with Jesus' birth. It serves as our family devotional during this time of year
• On Christmas morning, having a time of worship before we open all the gifts

What do you do, to remember the "reason for the season"?

Surprised by the Song of Solomon - part 4

Even though I finished preaching through the Song of Solomon last month, and have blogged about it 3 times now, I still have something that surprises me about the book. No matter how hard people have tried to make the book something other than what it truly is, it still remains a God breathed book, describing the intimate (including sexual) relationship between a husband and his wife.

Many have tried to allegorize the book, making it all about the church and Christ, even though there is nothing within the book to make us think that; or anywhere in Scripture, referring to the content of the Song of Solomon as an allegory of this. I read that some have tried to say that the sachet of myrhh lying between the woman's breasts was a reference to the shikineh glory of God, with 2 cherubim, angels, resting over the ark of the covenant! Others have said the reference to breasts is a reference to the Old and New Testaments, the pure milk of the Word. And others have said that the breasts stand for faith and love.

When I preached about this, I told the people that I was going to take a really wild, extreme stance on this. I was suggesting that when the Song of Solomon used the term "breasts", that it was actually talking about...breasts! Isn't that crazy? Scripture uses a ton of figurative language, and so does the Song of Solomon, but we still believe in the literal approach to Scripture, and do our best to interpret the words as the original authors intended. Let's face it: this book does include a lot of talk about sex.

And so, the final thing I will mention about what surprised me about this book is just that: the incredibly intimate talk and references to sexual activity. But, that is a good thing...no...a great thing! God created sex and sex is good, and right and proper...as long as we utilize it within the boundaries God as set. And He makes it clear that those boundaries are defined as: the marriage relationship. "Don't awaken love" the Song of Solomon says, until the time is right; and that time is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Solomon eventually blew it, as he added 700 wives and they turned his heart away from God. But, we don't have to do the same thing.

If we will allow it, the Word of God, and especially the Song of Solomon, can get us talking to our spouses and children about sex, improve our sex lives; and pursue the glory of God...and that should not surprise us. In fact, God promised that every book, every word of the Scripture is here, not just for knowledge sake; but so that we can grow spiritually and be more complete:

II Timothy 3:16,17 - "All Scripture is God breathed; and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."