The Greatest Gift of All!

Well, it’s almost here…the event so many have been waiting for. Not Santa, but you’re close. It’s Christmas; the birth of our Savior! Yeah, I know it probably really didn’t occur on December 25, but it doesn’t matter. Our Savior has a birthday and we have come to celebrate it…in many different ways. Some go to church (even at 11:00pm or midnight!), some exchange presents, some gather with family or friends, some help those who are less fortunate celebrate. All of these are acceptable, good ways to celebrate Jesus’ birth, but each of them can lack something. I pray your celebration will include a time with the Savior telling him how much you love him and appreciate his sacrificial life and death. That is what secured your salvation: his life and death—an unearned, undeserved gift from God. Too often we confuse the facts and think it’s because we’ve been baptized or belong to a church. At times we want to take credit for our salvation. You can’t do it; it’s a gift for those who place their faith in Christ. So as you celebrate Jesus' birth tonight or tomorrow, however you celebrate, take some time to express your love to the Lord and praise his holy name...for he alone is worthy.

Hank Voss

This world seems a bit darker today; Henry Voss, Sr. of Ramsey has gone to his reward. Hank was much more than a friend to me; he was a mentor, a shining example of a godly man who lived his faith openly. Hank was the founder, president, and chief engineer of WJLY (Where Jesus Loves You) Radio in Ramsey, and he had retired as a radio engineer after 40 years with WMBI Radio (Moody Radio) in Chicago. He would tell me stories of his days at WMBI: of meeting Bev Shea and Billy Graham, of being a radio engineer in years past, however, Hank claimed his greatest joy and accomplishment was his family. Married for over 60 years to Clara, they raised (I believe) nine children, and he would joyfully boast of the family reunions they would have and how many children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren would be there. The last few years I had only seen Hank once a year during the radio sharathons, but his guidance and wisdom was always with me. I will grieve this loss and I will pray for Clara and their children, but I also rejoice with heaven above, for I know the Lord greeted him saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome home!”

Peace, Hope, Love, Joy, & Stress!

I must confess that I have just about had it with Christmas this year: the rushing around, the headaches of shopping, and the endless invitations—all well meaning, but quite simply clutter. My life has been further complicated by car repairs and children’s birthday celebrations over and above the usual business of the Season. Further stress comes from the fact that I know this is not what God had intended for our observance of the Savior’s birth…I know what God would want, but I’ve been caught up in a whirlwind of activity that has become a distraction from the birth of the Christ. So you’re thinking, “Welcome to the real world!” Well, not me. If I allow myself to surrender this celebration to a politically correct Satan, then what’s next? I contend we must be intentional about our faith and how it is lived out each and every day. I am not suggesting we become Scrooges, but I am saying we must, like Scrooge, realize what we have lost and reclaim that which we once cherished. We must learn to live it with every breath—during this hectic Christmas season and during the quiet times. My prayers for each of us could be the revised words of a modern day Tiny Tim, “God help us…every one!”

I Found It!

This morning as I helped with the food distribution for the Lifeline, the food pantry ministry of the Sesser and Valier Ministerial Alliance, I found the Christmas spirit. It was not in the cool temperatures of the morning, although I would say it felt very much like winter. It wasn’t even in the fellowship that all the helpers enjoyed, but that part of the morning felt very much like Christmas to me (thanks to Beverly and others who allow me to tease them). I found the Christmas spirit in the kind words of a couple different people who thanked me (actually they were thanking all of us) for the food they received. One lady was nearly in tears for the blessing she received from the food that was given to her. All too often I hear people complain about this and other programs that “give” things to people…they only see people who do not really deserve the food…people who could and should work for what they receive. And, yes I am quite aware of those who exploit everyone who tries to help people in need, and while I believe we are called to be wise stewards of our resources, here is my guiding principles on helping the least and the last: If we fail to help those in need, we are held accountable for our actions; if we help someone who takes advantage of our generosity, they are held accountable for their actions. If I error, I will always try to error on the side of grace…grace was an acceptable practice for our Savior as he reached down to me and it is good enough for me to use in reaching out to others. And occasionally, I am blessed to see the true heart of someone whose life you have touched…that is the Christmas spirit.

An Evil Distraction!

I received my first email of the year exclaiming, for God’s sake, how we cannot allow the term “Happy Holidays” to replace “Merry Christmas” as our seasonal greeting. I must confess that I understand the logic behind it, and while I am by and large supportive of the idea, I think it is a ploy of satan that has distracted us from a greater need in our society. I also believe if one could estimate the time, energy, and resources that have gone into the campaign to keep our now politically incorrect greeting from being replaced, it would boggle the mind…and if that weren’t bad enough, I really think only a small minority of people even think of Christ when we say Merry Christmas. It is a greeting that in our day has come to evoke images of Santa, not Jesus, and besides, Christ is a title, not a name. If you really want to do something to restore and promote this blessed event we celebrate on December 25th, then we need to lift up the name of Jesus! It’s his birthday isn’t it? Instead of greeting someone with Merry Christmas (or the more pc Happy Holidays), why don’t we publicly proclaim “Happy Birthday Jesus!” or “Jesus is Lord!” or how about “Praise the name of Jesus!” After all, at that name every knee will someday bow (Phil. 2:10-11), why not start today? I’ve said it before: satan has no power over us (“…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4) but he is a sly creature and I am afraid he has duped us once again.

Prayers of Healing

I have been wrestling with an issue for nearly 6 months now. Basically it is whether I should do as man prefers or as God prefers, more specifically what to do with the lack of interest in the Wednesday night service. I know it should be a no-brainer…but hey, I am human too! After much time in prayer seeking direction, God has spoken to me thru the words of John Wesley: “I have frequently said that it is not a sin to be sick or to die. It is, however, a sin for sickness and death to go unchallenged because there is no one to pray.” So, following my conviction of sinful neglect, at next Wednesday night’s prayer service we will have a healing service. There we will offer prayer for specific persons along with anointing and the laying on of hands. I have offered this before on Sunday mornings, but the response has been disappointing. After the reaction during the recent Revival services, I again realized the need in this church for such a time of prayer. So after conversation with others and prayerful consideration, I will offer this opportunity at the Wednesday night service. It is currently my goal to offer a healing service monthly, though I am willing to offer prayer and anointing at any/every service I preside over. Perhaps as we come together with the purpose of invoking God’s healing touch on those among us who suffer, we can be further molded into the body that God has called us to be.

New Low in Illinois!

Well, yesterday morning politics in Illinois hit a new low. As I am sure you know, our Governor, Rod Blagojevich, was arrested by the FBI and led from his home in handcuffs. What a wonderful image for the children of Illinois to have: our governor is a crook (something we have come to accept in Illinois)! Yeah, I know he has not been convicted (I can't wait to see what this will cost the taxpayers), but as far as I am concerned, if you even think of selling a Senate seat or holding a children’s hospital hostage for political gain you are a crook! This is not a new revelation on my part; I and many others have believed for several years that Blagojevich had no morals. I am angry, but I am not angry at him; I expected nothing less from a politician from Chicago (read your Illinois history). I am angry at the citizens of Illinois who elected him. Illinois voters have a reputation of electing those officials who can do the most for ME. While I lack faith in all our elected officials, I do have faith in the electoral system and the voters as a whole, but Illinois voters disappointed me at the last election. Instead of doing their homework; instead of educating themselves; instead of investigating allegations and claims about our governor, many voted for him because of what he or his party might do for them. Some will say I am a sore looser (no I didn't vote for Rod...how'd ya guess?), but I will say Scripture once again rings true: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to destruction” (Proverbs 14:12). Will we never learn?

Where's the Power?

Many years ago now Wendy’s restaurants had a catch phrase you’ll remember: “Where’s the beef?” With the help of a white-haired, elderly woman (I do not remember her name) who called to question their competitor’s hamburgers, Wendy’s soon became a household word. It’s time the United Methodist Church came up with a new catch phrase and I have one that seems appropriate: “Where’s the power?” We (believers) have been given the charge to minister to our world, but we are afraid. We have been called to reach out to folks who are hurting and suffering, but instead we turn away. God has placed us in a world that desperately needs workers and we sing “Here I am Lord, send me,” while secretly hoping and praying that He doesn’t. Church, where is our power? Too often we are guilty of beating our heads against the walls, confused and exhausted, worn out with no fruit to show for our efforts. Why is it we think our power is enough to battle the forces that oppose us? We have available to us the power of the Holy Spirit…we have received the anointing from above and unless or until we utilize that power we will remain ineffective. The good news is when we surrender our will to our Lord, when we choose to intentionally employ the power of the Holy Spirit, then will our churches and communities experience strength and vitality, healing and wholeness in Jesus’ name.

The Victory's Already Been Won!

Here’s a comforting thought: God doesn’t have a back-up plan. Fact is, God doesn’t need a back-up plan. He has never been surprised or shocked. He has never jumped up off the throne, wringing his hands, shouting, "What’s going on; what will I do!" You see, God knows exactly what we are capable of; and he knows what we are not capable of. This is not to say that God knows our every move before we act: we do have a free will. However God does know our capabilities and shortcomings and God is able to use our every action for his glory and our good. So here’s the good news: if God doesn’t get stressed over our circumstances, why should we? If we can truly commit our ways to God; if we truly trust in his ability to guide and govern, then we can rest assured that everything is under control. We might be facing tremendous trials, but its okay: God has our back covered. We may be facing the pain of heartache or the prognosis of cancer, but fear not, our God stands with us. Fact is, he has faced every struggle we will ever face and he has already won those battles. So stop wringing your hands, pacing the floor, lying awake at night: regardless of what lay before you, if you’re a child of the King, you’ve already been handed the victory.

Faith Watching

I had an interesting conversation up town the other day with someone on faith. I remarked to this person that we are saved by faith, nothing else but an unwavering faith in the person of Jesus Christ, and then asked them, “So what is the depth and quality of your faith commitment?” A question we all ought to ask ourselves…daily. Faith is not a way of speaking or even a way of thinking; faith is a way of living. In his devotion Reflections for Ragamuffins, Brennan Manning states, “If you want to know what a person really believes, don’t listen to what they say, but watch what they do.” That remark of every person who ever reared a child, “Do as I say and not as I do.” is exactly what Brennan is speaking of. As believers, we should not have to tell others of our faith…they should see it. You will live according to your beliefs, regardless of what your words say. Your true beliefs will, in fact, permeate the whole of your life. Does your faith influence the way you read a newspaper or the television shows you watch? When things are turbulent on the surface of your life, do you retain a quiet calm, firmly fixed in ultimate reality? Does faith form your judgments about success; about death? Our practice of faith will verify what we really believe. So when others look at you they can actually see your faith. Would what they see make the Savior proud?

Overwhelmed!

Have you caught it yet: the Christmas Spirit? I know several of us have once again been overwhelmed by all the places we need to be; the rehearsals and performances; the shopping; the scheduling…and the commitments multiply for each person in the family! Do you suppose this was what God had in mind for the celebration of our Lord’s birth? I know its hard (‘cause I struggle with it too), but we must learn to set aside those unnecessary things for the “better things” in life (Luke 10:39-42). I cannot help but think that if preparing a meal for Jesus was deemed unnecessary, then our celebrations would also be considered unnecessary by our Savior. It might seem like the right thing to do; to spend your nights shopping, to rush from one program to another; to get your kids’ pictures with Santa; but a better thing to do is to spend time with your family and the Lord. Instead of the Christmas specials on television, spend devotional time together. Make memories with a Nativity Calendar or shopping for the less fortunate. If Christmas is for kids (that’s a big fat lie of Madison Avenue!) then shop for Angel Tree or some other ministry that ministers specifically to children. Regardless of how you do it, intentionally seek God’s face this Advent Season. It is a time of celebration and preparation, and unless we seek Him we will easily become overwhelmed by the world’s notion of the holiday and miss the true event once again.