So Wii Fit says I’m 37. I’ve been bragging about it for a week. What I have not been bragging about is that immediately after our new fitness game boasted that I’m physically almost a decade younger than my chronological age, it put me through some exercises that made me feel like a grandfather. Actually, that’s an insult to grandfathers everywhere. I’m quite sure the average grandpa out there would have handled the Wii Fit regime much better that I. The aerobic routines had me gasping for air and the strength drills left me so sore that I questioned my ability to get out of bed the next morning.

I’m not as fit as I thought I was. I’m not even as fit as a video game thought I was. It is so easy to overestimate almost everything about yourself. It is also easy to underestimate things about ourselves. Objectivity is mighty hard to come by when looking in the mirror.

I wonder how often we over-rate our own spiritual health. Do we use inadequate, self-serving measures to gage our relationship with the Father? Do we assume spiritual strength based merely on the absence of some obvious sin or neglect in our lives? Would our spiritual stamina withstand a true test such as a serious illness, family stress, or job-related crisis?

My first week with Wii Fit has been educational. And, in spite of the pain, hopeful. You see, while using it demonstrated some areas in need of definite improvement, it has also opened my eyes to the possibilities for the future. That’s also the way it is with a genuine time of spiritual introspection. I may come away from reading the Word and contemplating my relationship with Christ knowing I’m not as strong as I should be, but I also know the Father loves me dearly and promises that if I’ll draw near, He will draw near. His Word holds out a future me that’s worth striving for.

Here are some passages on spiritual fitness to get you thinking: I Corinthians 9:24-27 and II Timothy 2:1-7.

If you’ve found some spiritual exercises that have really helped you, please let me know. In a future blog, I’ll share some that have recently blessed me.

Wii Fit is a video game / fitness tool made for Nintendo's latest gaming platform. It comes packed with a balance board that serves as both an electronic scale and a game controller. Wii Fit has become an overwhelming success with its promise to combine the fun factor of gaming with tools to improve ones health through simple yoga exercises, strength training, aerobic conditioning, and balance drills. Enough background. The point is, we got one.

The fam has been wanting Wii Fit since it debuted last spring but they’ve been sold out. Karla and I happened to walk through the electronics department at Wal Mart the other day and they had actually just stocked two copies.

I’m off on Thursdays, so this morning was my first Wii Fit experience. The game asks for your height and age. It then puts you through some basic balance and coordination exercises while computing your weight and BMI, or body mass index. Then it pauses dramatically and uses all this information to calculate your “Wii Fit Age.” Guess what? According to Nintendo I’m 37 years old. Awesome! (The not so awesome news about middle-aged-me-according-to-Wii will come in a future blog.)

Anyway, all this video fitness fun has got me thinking about spiritual fitness. While I’ve been doubting whether or not a video game can predict my physical fitness with any degree of accuracy, I’ve also been wondering how most folks go about assessing their spiritual strength and/or maturity. I have some thoughts on this I’ll share in the near future, but for now I just want any readers to pause for a few seconds and think about it.

Please keep me in your prayers as all of you remain in mine.

It doesn’t take long in life to learn how important a choice in partners really is. Take third grade for example. Whenever Mrs. Moscow would announce that we needed a partner for an activity or assignment I would immediately secure the services of either Mark Coker or Jeff Dodd. The choice was simple. I knew that either of these two guys would provide the maximum amount of fun. Goofiness and laughter were the primary prerequisites for partnership in third grade.

By seventh grade I had refined my criteria for evaluating a prospective partner. If a teacher even started a sentence that sounded like we needed to pair-up for a project, I’d ask the closest cute girl to join my team. Partnership was just another opportunity for romance in middle school.

Partnership turned a little more serious by college. Real grades were on the line. A choice in team-mates could influence the GPA. I began to look for competence and work-ethic in others. I wanted someone who could produce, carrying their share of the load. Nothing was worse that being assigned another student who signed the paper without really contributing.

Graduate school brought me full-circle. By then I realized that in addition to getting the job done, it was also important to enjoy the work. It was always a pleasure to work with someone who had real insight and talent but could also make the effort a joy to experience. And the most satisfying co-workers of all were those who shared the same values and purposes in life.

At Memorial Road we are privileged to work in partnership with some of the finest missionaries around the world. Not only are they hard working, faithful evangelists, but they are genuine joys to work with in the Kingdom. Over the next three weeks we will have the opportunity to hear from and fellowship with some of our gospel partners. I hope you’ll be here each of the next three Sundays to celebrate this partnership in the Lord’s work.

Remember Philippians 1:3-6: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

I Believe in VBS. In an era when many are leaving Vacation Bible School behind, I believe in its power and significance more than ever before.

Some would say that bringing children into a church building during their summer break is an outdated tradition. Perhaps quaint, maybe offering an emotional tug of the nostalgia cord for moms and dads, but outdated none the less. Others might wonder how this kind of program can compete with summer blockbusters, trips to Disney, endless video games on the brand new HDTV, and virtual reality rides at the mall. And still others may question the wisdom of putting so much time and energy into an already over-booked summer schedule.

But not me. I believe that VBS can offer some things that no other summer activity can promise. First, VBS can touch the soul. Nothing else our kids and grandkids do this summer can prepare them for eternity like Vacation Bible School. My daughter won’t find the Word of God at AMC or at the mall or at Six Flags. She won’t draw closer to the Father sitting in front a flat panel display or on Face Book. She will meet her Creator at VBS.

Secondly, VBS offers the one thing that children these days never get enough of: adult attention. You know why VBS is still so effective? Because kids get to interact with real, live adults that value them. At Memorial Road they can experience not only the best presentation of its kind, but the best people any where on the planet.

I pray that you will give Barbara Price a call and find your place volunteering at VBS. I believe in Vacation Bible School!

For the last three weeks I've been particularly blessed by the video series that our media team has produced entitled, "Simply Invite." These short clips have shown us just how simple it can be to ask a friend to attend an event or service at Memorial Road. I'm praying that we will all step out in faith and invite someone soon to worship with us.

The following is a poem written by one of our own sisters in Christ. It beautifully tells the story of someone in need of an invitation. I know it will bless and challenge you as it has me.

Send Me a Christian Friend

I’ve been searching for some answers, ’cause my life is in a mess,
I can’t handle all these problems, can’t deal with all this stress!
I’ve got no one else to talk to, I’m not close to Mom or Dad,
My husband - he walked out on me, so things are looking bad.

I know that God is out there though He seems so far away,
I wish that I could talk to Him but I don’t know how to pray.
Just yesterday my oldest son said, “What’s it like in heaven?”
He’s got so many questions and to think he’s only seven!

I wish I had the answers but I don’t know what to say,
I wish that I could teach my kids and show them how to pray.
I went and bought a Bible but I don’t know where to start,
Some verses I don’t understand while others touch my heart.

I need to get the kids in church, ’cause someone there would know,
They could help me teach my kids, but what would happen if I go?
Would everybody look at me and see my guilt and fears?
Would I be welcome in a church? I haven’t been in years!

I wouldn’t be afraid if I could go there with a friend,
Since Easter Sunday’s coming up, I wish I could go then.
That’s when people talk of Christ, they say He died for all,
They say that He loves everyone, the big folks and the small.

I think my neighbor down the street goes every single week,
She often smiles and waves at me and sometimes she will speak.
Her kids are close in age to mine, our families get along, But she’s never asked me to her church, although her faith seems strong.

God, if you’re really out there and if you care for me,
Please send that Christian neighbor down to help my family.
Please let her come and visit me or call me on the phone
And invite our family to her church so we won’t go alone.

’Cause I’m looking for some answers and my life is in a mess,
I can’t deal with all these troubles, can’t handle all this stress.
I’d like to learn of Jesus, is He one you’d recommend?
Oh, if you’re really out there, God, send me a Christian friend.

Karla and I like to think we are reasonably competent parents. We’re no experts, mind you. We know enough to know that. But we’re probably not candidates for a DHS investigation either. Average, I’d guess you could say. And then we go and do something with one of the girls that I’m sure lowers our basic parenting-quotient score.

Here’s an example. In a moment of weakness we promised our youngest a puppy. You would think we would know better. You would think that having raised one kid that’s already out of the house would have provided us with more wisdom. You would think that between the two of us we could have come up with a better solution to the problem at hand. A less drastic, life-changing, home-wrecking bribe, if you will. You would think that one of us would have remained strong enough in the moment to yell, “No!” You would be wrong.

In that terrible moment when we were reeling with extreme guilt over changing our daughter’s world forever by moving her from the only home, church, and school she could remember, we caved. We promised her a dog. Then we move and she’s fine. There is no trauma or drama. There are no grave emotional consequences. She’s actually happy. She’s thriving. She makes friends, she loves school, she’s as content as she has ever been. But she still expects a puppy.

We made a promise we didn’t need to make. Now we have to live with a dog for the next fifteen years or so just because we were weak. That one moment of weakness will cost us a decade and a half of pet food bills, vet bills, and boarding bills when we travel. In these early months we’ll clean messes, repair damage, and clean some more messes. But we had to keep that promise.

So this morning while I’m cleaning a particularly nasty mess, I’m reminded of the scripture in Proverbs 15 where the wise writer asks these questions, “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” Guess what the answer is. Verse four says, “The one who keeps his oath even when it hurts.” Ouch! One of my prayers is that at least Karenna might learn something from this whole promise-keeping business. Another prayer of mine is that I might learn something.

There are more than a few lessons here. Other than the obvious one about making pledges in haste, I mean. The casual reader can probably think of a half dozen or so just off the top of his or her head. Here’s one that has stuck with me all day: I have kept a promise out of my own sense of guilt and am paying the price for it. My Father in heaven kept the greatest promise ever made, the promise to give the life of His Son for my sins. Yet, God did not keep His promise because of His own guilty conscious. Now, He did pay the price, but it was because of my guilt. While every time I clean a mess or repair some damage that this pup has made, I have a twinge of regret, my Father in heaven joyfully cleanses my sin. He loves me so much He has no regrets. Isn’t God amazing?

I know deep down that one day this little black bundle of trouble I’m currently chasing around the yard will be a trained and welcomed part of our family. And God knows that one day I will be presented pure and holy into His eternal presence because He loved me enough to keep His promise.

I’ve been thinking a great deal lately about privilege and perspective. It has almost become an obsession the last few weeks. I live in a highly affluent community in the most blessed country on the planet. While I’m sure there are times my kids wouldn’t agree, we are so incredibly wealthy when measured from a global perspective. You would think no one in Edmond, Oklahoma could be unhappy.

Likewise, I serve a church that is blessed beyond measure. God has entrusted us with countless resources of every kind imaginable. Congregations all over the world would give just about anything to enjoy these gifts from God that are too easy for us to take for granted. Again, one would assume that Christians in the United States would be content.

Meanwhile, brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world struggle for the basic necessities of life. Many Christians in distant lands face daily persecution, often fearing for their wellbeing. Churches in some places struggle to offer basic teaching, worship, and fellowship opportunities, often meeting in small homes, shabby rental facilities, or even outdoors. Recent news from places like Kenya and Iraq drive this point home and give our privilege some proper perspective. Under the most trying circumstances, Christians in these countries praise God for the simplest of blessings. Here, some Christians can grumble and complain over the most minor of inconveniences.

Maybe, just maybe, we aren’t the privileged after all. I don’t know. But it is certainly something to think about.

Last Sunday we noticed that in Peter’s discussion of Living Hope, he challenged the first century Christians with four spiritual strategies that secure our hope. They were leaning on God when it hurts, immersing oneself in God’s Holy Word, focusing on spiritual issues, and being devoted to ones church family. I’d like to share some specific and practical ways to stay in God’s Word and to remain spiritually focused in 2008.

First of all, let me urge you to set aside a specific time and place to read God’s word this year. While a daily break from the world is best, at least try something weekly. Build it into your calendar. Make this time a non-negotiable item on your personal agenda. Consider it sacred before the Lord and ask God in prayer to protect this time from intrusion. Realize that you will often have no desire to keep this appointment and don’t let a lack of “want to” keep you from following through. One struggle we often have comes from the false assumption that reading the Bible should be like watching our favorite show. Being in God’s Word is a Holy discipline and should be offered as a sacrifice to the Father. What you will find is that over time, as you grow spiritually stronger each day, you will long to be in the Word.

Second, consider picking up a tool or two to help you stay focused in your time with God. In this week’s bulletin Scott Franks will give you some information about Philip Patterson’s daily devotional book. Here’s part of Scott’s article, “Philip Patterson, a MRCC member and professor at OC, has written a book that serves as an excellent guide for keeping you on a daily devotional schedule. The Greatest Stories of the Bible takes you each day through a Bible story accompanied by practical devotional insights based on that day’s story. The biblical sections are in the New Century Version, which is a very accessible and readable translation. To make it easier for you to get one or more of these for your daily devotional in 2008, the book is available at Information Central for $15, or contact Scott Franks in the church office during the week.”

Another great daily devotional tool is David Deffenbaugh and Bill McFarland’s book Strength for the Journey. I went to college with David and his daughter is a member at Memorial Road. David’s book will take you through the Bible in one year while offering practical insight for daily living. This book and other devotional materials for young families are available at www.littleacornkids.net.

Finally, I’ve really enjoyed having the whole Bible on my ipod. I find listening to the Word while driving, exercising, or doing yard work a great way to spend more time with the Father. And there is something special about listening to the Word that helps me understand scripture in unique ways. Just google Bible MP3 and you’ll find many options for purchasing the Bible on audio for playback on your computer or MP3 player of choice.

There’s another Mark Taylor out there. In fact, there are millions of them. Googleing my name returns over 66 million web links. None of them are even remotely related to me, by the way. But that’s not what I’m talking about. There’s another Mark Taylor nearby. You see, twice in the last month another Mark Taylor has had a letter to the editor published in the local paper, one in the Edmond Sun and another one in the Oklahoman. Each time he’s expressed some pretty strong opinions about area issues and local government. And each time I’ve received phones calls asking me if I’m the author of the letters.

It is somewhat disconcerting having people read the thoughts of another and then assume they are mine. People who don’t really know me at all have come to some conclusions about my convictions and behavior based purely on a mistaken identity. I’m thinking about contacting the guy and asking him to sign his letters like this: “Mark, not the MRCC minister, Taylor”. While I’m sure he’s a nice guy who has spent considerable time organizing his thoughts, I’m not ready to take responsibility for everything he writes.

I wonder if Jesus ever feels like he has to answer for so much that is said and done in his name that doesn’t even remotely represent his character at all. In fact, I wonder how often I have been guilty of misrepresenting the Lord. When a Christian wears the name of Christ it is a great privilege. It is also a great responsibility. I pray that our words and actions reflect gracefully upon Jesus and His Church this week. Let’s think deeply about how we wear his name.

I recently spent a little time with some newly-weds. They were full of enthusiasm about their relationships and optimism for their futures. And as I visited with them, I was too. I really believe they are building their marriages on solid spiritual foundations.

I did find one of the comments made by a particular young bride interesting. It actually brought a smile to my face. She observed that in their short marriage, she and her husband have had some good days and bad days. I assured her that this was perfectly normal.

In fact, she and her husband are going to experience plenty more difficult days. They will probably have some of those days roll into some bad weeks. Some of the bad weeks might turn into difficult months. And if they are anything close to normal, some hard months may even stretch into some challenging years.

My grandparents were married over sixty years at the time of my grandmother’s death. They may have even had a bad decade. But I can assure you that had they reviewed their marriage, they would have seen in retrospect that the good times far exceeded the bad. That’s what we need to remember on the bad days. The good will far outweigh the bad. More than that, even during the demanding times, life together can be a blessing from God. We are meant to partner together when facing trying days, weeks, months, or even years. My grandparents had no regrets. They were in it for the long haul, and their commitment for life paid great relational dividends over the decades.

I so greatly appreciate all the hard work that is going in to our new web site design and upkeep. The fresh look and easy navigation make the site so accessible. You’ve probably figured out by now that we really have two windows into our online presentation. The first, mrcc.org, takes one to our basic home page which is specifically designed for guests who want to learn more about the Memorial Road Church of Christ. The other avenue is found through mrccfamily.org, This takes one directly to information designed for members. (Additionally, the login page for our new online community for members can be reached directly at mrcc.ccbchurch.com.)

I want to point out something about mrcc.org. Our home page actually ministers to people's needs in the exact same way that Jesus did. Have you noticed that? We are trying to meet folks right where they are and then bring them to where God knows they can be. On this page we highlight the various ways our church family is meeting the very real needs that people struggle with in their daily lives. The following ministries, and many more like them, serve people in dynamic ways: Adult Care-Giver Support, Divorce Care and DC4K, and of course Celebrate Recovery. Jesus modeled this kind of ministry for us in John chapter six. You’ll notice there that our Lord healed, fed, and taught.

You will also notice in John six that Jesus challenged those following him to want more than food. He urged them to recognize their spiritual needs. What you’ll also notice about our web site is that we also challenge people to consider their spiritual needs. Each of the ministries highlighted on our site is overtly spiritual in nature. The solutions we offer to life’s problems are rooted in the saving power of the gospel message. Jesus loves us wherever we are in life. And he loves us enough to challenge us to admit our deepest eternal needs as well.

This Sunday we’ll explore these ideas more in a lesson entitled How To Be A Full-Servant Church. Re-read Romans chapter 12 and then spend some time in John six. These passages will spiritually prepare you for our time together on Sunday.

Karissa had a bunch of friends over to the house recently. There were about twelve college freshmen sprawled all over our living room. Each had a laptop open and a cell phone within a nanosecond’s reach. They were laughing, texting, instant messaging, talking, playing, typing, yelling, wrestling, working, emailing, eating, planning, kidding, and studying all at the same time. It was a multi-tasking-interpersonal-interaction-cyber-fest of an evening.

Three words came to mind as I watched these friends. They were Care, Connection, and Communication. These kids, in a very short period of time, have formed a genuine bond. They really care about each other. It was evident in their conversation. You could see it in there faces and hear it in their questions. Thrown into the exciting yet scary world of being on your own for the first time, these young adults had connected in a dynamic way. They are going to thrive in their college experience because they aren’t alone. And one very special key to their connection is the amazing level of communication they share as a group. At any given moment they are touching base with each other either interpersonally or electronically. No one in the group is left out. Everyone is informed about their plans. They are making sure that no individual is overlooked. That’s what community is really all about.

Isn’t that what the church is all about? The Bible says we are a body. The level of intimacy implied in Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12 is incredible. Paul imagines relationships in the church where each member compliments the others. Where every individual is important. Where no one is ever left out or overlooked. Paul says that we actually belong to each other.

Our new Memorial Road Online Community is simply a tool. But it has the potential to be a very important and effective tool for Care, Connection, and Communication in this body of Christ. Karla and I have been using it for two months to learn people’s names, map routes to homes, and find out what’s happening in specific groups such as ministry teams and Bible classes. I’ve also began to use it to communicate to leaders and members alike. And I look forward to using it to help take care of the sick and hurting.

Look for your login information this Sunday. Set up your account and begin to explore. Let’s use every means available to stay spiritually connected.

I’ve watched my share of Disney movies. With two girls born eight years apart, it seems I’ve been in the kid movie mode for most of my adult life. I have many of them memorized. In fact, if you visit my office and examine it closely you’ll even discover my favorite Disney/Pixar film of all time. But that’s not the one I want to write about today.

One of my favorites is The Incredibles. The story of a family of super-heroes struggling to find their place in the world while conquering their fears and foes presents a great metaphor for modern family life. The fact that it is a portrayal of an imperfect family that overcomes the odds by uniting together for a common goal really resonates with me. Their family dynamic may be flawed, but with their love and commitment they can’t lose.

I also find the point about complementary talents right on the money. Each family member has a different gift. And in order for the Incredibles to survive, each member must reach his or her potential while also relying on the other family members' abilities. All of these are great lessons and perfectly illustrate some of the points that God makes in Romans chapter twelve about gifts, ministry, and body-life in the church.

However, there is one line in the film that haunts me. The villain quips at one point, “When everybody’s special, then no one is special.” Of course, this is simply not true. But how do we convince each other that we’re all truly special in God’s sight? How do we really buy into the truth that each individual member of the body is indispensable for God’s plan for our church family? In a congregation the size of Memorial Road, how do we find a place for each member that matches his or her gifts, offers the opportunity for true fulfillment, and ensures that we are becoming the church God envisions we can be? These are pretty big questions. Will you spend some time thinking about this? Would you be willing to take these issues to the Father in prayer this week?

As for me, I can’t wait to see how God plans to use every single one of us for His glory in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Years ago, when I was in grad school, one of my professors was involved in some research that examined public health information campaigns. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Anyway, they were studying ways that health care professionals could increase the likelihood that parents of sick children would follow the healthcare plan that had been prescribed for their kids.

During this research, investigators would actually make house-calls to children who had been prescribed antibiotics. Under the guise of checking on the child, the researcher was really checking on the parent. He or she would look the child over, give them some special attention, and then nonchalantly ask the parents if they had been giving all the doses of the medicine as instructed. Then the researcher would explain that they were also doing a routine checkup on the pharmacy to make sure it had filled the prescription correctly and they would ask to see the bottle of medicine. This ploy was actually to see how much of the medicine had been given. I was shocked when my professor told us the percentage of times they discovered that the child had only received about half to two-thirds of the medicine.

Why in the world would a parent hold back medicine from a sick child? It turns out there are a variety of reasons and none are malicious in nature. In fact, if we are brutally honest, most of us at one time or the other have probably been at least a little guilty of this ourselves. Often times the child would improve rapidly during the initial course of the medicine and once he or she was feeling better it became easy to skip a dose or two until they just stopped the meds completely. At other times the kid would put up such a fight that the parent eventually just gave up. And many times it was simply a function of hurried schedules and harried parents.

No parent intentionally withholds medicine from a sick child. Likewise, few Christians intentionally neglect living according to the spiritual prescriptions of the Great Physician. And yet, I often find myself too content with the apparent wellbeing of my life, or too busy with mundane duties, or simply too lazy to really apply Jesus’ teaching to my daily routine. Knowing what Jesus has said without a commitment to living it out is like filling a prescription and not taking it.

Last week we closed Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This week we begin a study of Romans twelve entitled Living Sacrifices: The Transforming Power of Service. Both these studies are all about taking the spiritual prescriptions, applying the teachings of the Savior, living out the desires of God in our lives. Come this week and let’s explore more fully how God changes who we are when we give ourselves to him in service.

I’m a pretty big college football fan. Obviously I’m partial to the Sooners, but I really enjoy watching just about any college game on any given Saturday. And what a season we’ve had so far. Two of the biggest upsets in NCAA history have happened this season. Additionally, close to a dozen ranked teams have fallen to underdogs and after almost every upset the losing coach has emphasized the need to get back to basics. Have you noticed that? Whenever things are going wrong, the coach insists that a return to the fundamentals of blocking, tackling, and special teams play is the key to a return to winning football.

It’s often the same in my spiritual life. A return to the Father often starts with a “back to basics” mindset. In many ways that is exactly what Jesus has done for us in our study of his Sermon on the Mount. He has emphasized the basics of spiritual need, ongoing maturity, relationships, prayer, obedience, and faith.

As I mentioned last week, the Sermon on the Mount is really the ultimate “Back to the Bible” lesson. This is so evident in chapter five. When Jesus contrasts the “You have heard it was said…” with his own “But I say unto you…” he is NOT drawing a distinction between the Old Law and His own teaching. Rather, Jesus is drawing a sharp contrast between the original intent of God’s heart and the interpretations of the rabbis of his day. The institutional leaders were either distorting God’s original laws or simply focusing on the most surface-level expression of them. Jesus was calling his followers back to their Bible. He was insisting on a deeper reading and obedience of God’s Will.

Notice the following summary of this passage and the accompanying references:

You have heard:
Matthew 5:21 / "Do not murder…"
But I say:
Matthew 5:22 / "Anyone who is angry with his brother…"
Old Testament Passage:
Leviticus 19:17-18 / "Do not hate your brother in your heart."

You have heard:
Matthew 5:27 / "Do not commit adultery."
But I say:
Matthew 5:28 / "Anyone who looks at a women lustfully…"
Old Testament Passage:
Proverbs 6:25 / "Do not lust in your heart after her beauty…"

You have heard:
Matthew 5:43 / "Love you neighbor and hate your enemy…"
But I say:
Matthew 5:43 / "Love your enemies…"
Old Testament Passage:
Leviticus 19:33-34 / "The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself."


What an important principle. When facing spiritual losses, get back to the basics. Get back to the original heart of God’s Will.

You probably have people in your life who have earned the right to say things to you that others can't. They can be brutally honest with you because you know they love you deeply and because they have earned your trust. And in spite of the fact that sometimes they may say things that sting, you know deep down inside that their motives are pure. They would never intentionally harm you or embarrass you. What they think and say really matters and while you may experience a wide range of emotions when they approach you about a difficult subject, in the end you actually appreciate their candor and care.

What does it take for someone to earn this right? What kind of character must they possess? How do you come to trust them so deeply?

In Matthew chapter seven Jesus speaks with a startling candor. He says some things that few teachers would dare to say to their audience and when he is finished, the crowds are positively amazed. This Sunday let's examine what Jesus says, how he says it, and why we too can leave amazed at his love, grace, and authority for our lives.

Jesus said, “Don’t worry.” But how would you have said it?

My dad would have said, “Stop stressing.” Perhaps it is my dad’s background in business and engineering that made him choose this word for anxiety; but its use is quite telling. The word “stress” carries the connotation of physical forces at work. You can imagine loads being strained to their maximum limits. You can almost see structures twisting under too much torque. Applied to the realms of emotion and spirit, it is easy to visualize the stress and strain that too many concerns can bear upon the soul. We begin to bend and break as the thoughts about what might happen weigh heavy on the heart. So Dad would say to reduce the load, relieve the pressure, and avoid the extremes.

My mom would have said, “Stop stewing,” which is another great visual metaphor. Years in the kitchen watching the ingredients actually change their chemical attributes because they’re in the boiling pot gave mom a keen picture of a heart under pressure. When she urged us to stop stewing she was telling us to turn down the heat and let our minds settle. It’s as though she was urging us to stop mixing all the concerns of our lives into one big bad batch of anxiety. Sort things out and see how insignificant each individual concern really is.

My grandma would have said, “Stop ruminating.” Now many folks her age used “ruminate” in a very positive way – think things over, consider them deeply, ponder, mediate, reflect. But grandma meant worry. Now this word picture really is worth a thousand words. You imagine a cow ruminating. The constant chewing of the cud offers a graphic, and rather unappetizing, image of one who keeps working on the same stale, negative, thoughts over and over again. Grandma was saying, “Just stop chewing on it already. Let it go.”

Well, sometimes it is mighty difficult to stop the ruminating. But that is exactly what Jesus commands us to do in Matthew 6:25-34. Read that passage a few times before Sunday. Why is this such a big deal to Jesus? How can we follow his teaching? What would our lives be like if we could? Let’s explore this together this week.

So much has changed in my 27-plus years of ministry. Much has changed for the better. Probably some has changed for the worse. Sometimes I'm not quite sure where technology falls. It has certainly aided my ministry in countless ways. I actually tend to be a techno-geek. I love to have and use the latest gadget. And yet, we are sometimes so consumed with the "new" that we miss out on many blessings associated with the "tried and true."

One change I've noticed over the years has been the decline in pure teaching opportunities. We've become so accustomed to receiving information in bite-sized pieces that we have developed a low tolerance for thoughtful reflection. Some biblical truths simply cannot be communicated in a twenty minute sermon with cute video clips.

That's one reason I'm so excited about our website. It is going to give us multiple opportunties and new avenues for exploring God's will.

If you have any ideas about how we can use this website, or my blog specifically, to enrich growing in God's Word, please shoot me an email. I can't promise we can use every idea. But I do look forward to growing together over the years.

Have a blessed day!

I cleaned out my wallet the other day. What with the move back to Oklahoma and everything, I figured it was a good idea to get rid of all my old Texas plastic that was weighing me down. You know what I’m talking about, all the ID and program cards one collects over the years. Blockbuster Video, the Arlington YMCA, the Arlington Public Library, old insurances cards, an Albertsons discount card, stuff like that which was littering my billfold. I actually felt lighter after I threw them all away.

As I was going through all of those now obsolete cards, I found an American Express gift card a friend had given me a while back. It had been hidden in my wallet for months. I couldn’t even remember if I had ever used it. So I logged onto their website, entered the gift card number, and guess what? I’ve had some money lying around that I didn’t even know I had. There have been several times recently I postponed a small purchase or passed up a bargain because I didn’t have any cash handy. Yet I really had it available right there in my wallet all the time.

I wonder how often we pass up spiritual opportunities because we forget the valuable resources that are at our disposal. This Sunday, September 23, we are going to explore this idea when we examine the spiritual disciplines of prayer, service, and fasting which Jesus teaches in Matthew chapter six. Spend some time this week reading Jesus’ words. Ask our Lord to bless us as we study this chapter. And come with an open heart and mind as we examine further how to let God reign in our lives.