Play Till The Final Whistle

On Super Bowl Sunday I preached a message relating life to the four quarters of a football game.  As most fans know a football game is divided into 4 periods consisting of 15 minutes or ¼ of an hour.  Each quarter in the game can have a different strategy or momentum.  It is possible to start well in the first quarter and lose the game in the fourth quarter by not finishing well.  Inversely a poor start can be overcome by learning, correcting mistakes and improving over the course of each quarter and finishing well.   So, in the game of football the final outcome is often never certain until final quarter.  Therefore, it is important to do as well as one can making the most of each quarter.

I related the importance and uncertainty of the four quarters of a football game to the up and down periods of life.  Moses speaks of this in Psalm 90: 10 where he says, “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures.” If we divide those 80 years into four quarters we have the first quarter of our life as birth -20.  The second quarter would be 21-40.  Ages 41-60 would be the third quarter giving us a fourth quarter of 61-80.  Of course some go into overtime and live past eighty.  As you can imagine, especially if you are a football fan, one can make many parallels in this analogy.  I may have gone a little past noon with the sermon that day. 

I will be 60 in June.  According to my analogy (with the third quarter being ages 41-60), I am in the last minutes of the 3rd quarter of my life (if I don’t get hit by a truck later today).  As a team concludes the third quarter and prepares for the final quarter often they will gather to remind themselves of the importance in finishing well.  I have been extremely blessed in my previous years.  My first quarter got off to a great start in a loving home where I was nurtured into the joy of God’s love by parents who loved God, one another, their children, life and laughter.  I grew up in a small southern town where most of us knew each other, if not well we knew who we were to wave and give a pleasant greeting.  I got off to a great start.  My second quarter was fed by that positive momentum.  I followed God’s call for my life, found a special gift for lifetime companionship.  We married and raised two wonderful girls.  So I felt I had a comfortable lead entering into the third quarter.  Life began chipping away as that big lead during the 3^rd quarter.  I lost both parents, experienced work difficulties and had medical issues that threatened to take me out of the game.  Miraculous major surgeries allowed me to keep in the game.  As I conclude the third quarter I feel the momentum returning and look forward to finishing well. 

I don’t know where you are in life’s game.  All can make our own personal analogy.  Some experienced bad breaks at the opening whistle starting off in a deficit and feel overwhelmed ‘playing to catch up’ every day.   Even you felt the entire game has been more struggle than fun, take heart you are still in the game.  All of us have memories those who are no longer in the game as we had family or friends taken out in each quarter.  If you are reading this the clock has not yet run out on you.  There is always time to rally.  Unlike football, we do not have a scoreboard in life that shows us the number of minutes we have remaining.  Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” We are reminded in Scripture of the brevity of life (James 4:14), of the need to take advantage of every opportunity (Eph. 5:15).  So as we break this huddle let us realize there is no time to lose.  Play hard with passion until the final whistle, making the most of each day by living an abundant life loving God with all your heart, loving others as you love yourself.  Live each day as if it is the game breaker!

Pay Attention!

Every Sunday I get up and prepare to go to church to do my best to deliver God’s truth in a way that people can understand and apply to change and improve their lives.  It is not a task I take lightly.  James 3:1 reminds me, “…that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”  It is important that I get it right and seek do my best every week.  That is why I spend hours each week in study and preparation.  II Timothy 2:15 tells me (and you), “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  That is why I went through the sacrifice, expense and effort to earn Master’s and Doctorate degrees.  Lifetime change and eternity may hang in the balance for someone each time a message preached or heard.  That is why I also urge members of every congregation to do their best to be good listeners. 

Just this week as I went about my normal routine on Sunday morning I was having breakfast and flipped through a couple of channels on the TV.  The image of a well-known pastor flashed across the screen.  I paused to hear what he was saying.  It was a typical ‘feel-good’ message.  I am continually amazed at the number of people who flock to any speaker from pulpit or political podium who will tell them what they want to hear or make them feel good.  I should not be surprised as 2 Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”  There is growing spiritual, political and social confusion today as we love to hear what sounds good.  Anyway before I get too carried away back to my point; in just a few short minutes I was shocked to hear him refer to a verse of scripture to make his point.  My shock came, not because he used scripture, but because he misused the verse.  It sounded good and helped him drive home his point but the popular speaker’s point was the exact opposite of what the truth of the scripture actually taught when placed in its full context. 

As soon as I heard this I cried out (my wife is used to me doing that at the TV) “That is not what the Bible teaches! It teaches just the opposite point!”  I was shocked as no one in the congregation cried out, walked out or seemed surprised at what they heard.  In fact, the camera panned to people applauding, nodding approval and taking notes.   It sounded good, made them feel good, he is an impressive and smooth speaker, his hair looks nice.  It must me true!  However, it was completely false according to the truth of the scripture!  No one seemed to notice or care.  It is always dangerous when untruth is accepted rather than corrected.  This is why it is vital to be good listeners! 

I am continually amazed as we often listen with numbed minds to preachers, politicians, celebrities and anyone who can gain a forum.  I have known enough preachers to know that most are honest and sincere but also it does not hurt to be skeptical and careful when I listen to what is being proclaimed (again eternity may hang in the balance, it is important to be careful). The amount of spiritual confusion seems to be growing. I have been around long enough to realize that while many seek and serve as humble public servants, often a politician’s promise is as sound as the dollar that their policies keep inflating.   And I have never figured out why we give such credibility to the words of celebrities.  They may be attractive, rich and eloquent but they make their living primarily from reading what others have written, being good at acting or playing a role (we used to call that pretending when I was a kid) or being paid to say what they say. 

No matter how polished, popular or attractive the speaker may be (by the way that lets me out) one should always listen with an objective and educated ear.  How do you do this?  Always do your homework before and after you listen.  There are many voices out there.  In the final analysis, your life will be shaped by how you respond to what you hear.  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  

Sic transit gloria mundi

The recent funeral of another oppressive dictator called to memory a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”  I have seen the fall of many dictators in my day; Nikolai Chauchesku in Romania, Manuel Noriega in Panama, Saddam Hussein in Iraq.  Recently, in quick succession, we observed the fall of such men such as Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.  Such exits are never pretty and often gruesome.  However, the seductive temptation of power continues to lure people to compromise integrity, morals and ethics often to do whatever is necessary to grasp power.  We see this scenario acted out continually in national politics, local institutions as well as church and family systems as people desperately want power, influence, attention or approval as a way of feeling loved. 

The news from around the world or locally can often cause one to despair as we hear of people exercising power or control over others in an unethical manner.  However one must remember truths like the quote from Gandhi but even more comforting are words from the master of the universe spoken through his prophets.  Such as Isaiah 40:23, “He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.” 

In his timeless best seller, ‘The Road Less Traveled’, Dr. M. Scott Peck writes, “There are two kinds of power: political and spiritual. “Political power is the capacity to coerce others, overtly or covertly, to do one’s will.” It derives from a person’s position and not from the person. The capacity of spiritual power is the “capacity to make decisions with maximum awareness. Most people most of the time make decisions with little awareness of what they are doing.” But, with spiritual maturity, we can. ”We can come to power.” Those who have “succeeded in coming into alignment with the mind of God” have a joyful humility. “The experience of spiritual power is also terrifying.” Our greater awareness may involve us in complex decision-making situations. Those with spiritual power can make those decisions wisely and with awareness and not shrink from the job. Another problem with spiritual power is aloneness (not loneliness). Politically powerful people have their cronies; spiritually powerful people “will likely have no one in his or her circle of acquaintances with whom to share such depth of understanding.”

As Dr. Peck eloquently summarizes the result of the seduction of power we are reminded that all of us are seduced in this area in one way or another.  People will continue to seek to control, manipulate or gain popularity to make themselves feel powerful as a way of feeling fulfilled or loved.  Power, the capacity to influence others, is a potent factor that can easily be used for good or bad.  Let us discern and teach the important difference in power.  Political power is the capacity to influence others by one’s money or dominant position.  Spiritual power is the capacity to influence others by the loveliness of one’s being.  Let us not despair but continue to seek, support, and exemplify the power that is spiritual.  Political power comes from men and leads to pride which eventually leads to destruction.  Psalm 33:10 tells us “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.”   Spiritual power comes from God and leads to humility which leads to exaltation.   This is best illustrated in Philippians 2 as the humility of Jesus is portrayed in his complete submission to the Father’s plan, even when it resulted in his own death.  “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Now there is an example and a leader to follow. 

Happiness is a Choice

Earlier I was visiting a church member in the hospital. He was battling cancer bit had a positive attitude. Those times cause one to focus on the matters that are most important to life. I noticed a book beside his bed. The book was, How we Choose to be Happy. We discussed the importance of attitudes. I have always believed in the importance deliberately being in charge and having a choice with one’s attitude, philosophy and approach to life. I often tell people, “I am know I am going to have fun doing (whatever the activity may be). They will ask, how do you know you will enjoy it. I respond by telling them, “I know I will have fun because I am planning on it.” Later he gave me a copy as a gift. The writers made an extensive three year study of extremely happy people. They discovered nine choices that people who are extremely happy make. I share them as I hope it will be helpful.


The Nine Choices of Extremely Happy People (from ‘How We Choose to be Happy’)

Intention: The active desire and commitment to be happy and the decision to consciously choose attitudes and behaviors that lead to happiness over unhappiness. Regardless of what happens or the circumstances present, we make a conscious choice to be happy or unhappy.

Accountability involves making the choice to create the life you want to live—to assume responsibility for your actions, thoughts and feelings, and the emphatic refusal to blame others or view yourself as a victim. It is okay to grieve, but being a victim gives the power to others. Learning to let go moves us toward happiness.

Identification is the ongoing process of looking deeply within yourself to assess what makes you uniquely happy apart from what you are told by others should make you happy.

Centrality is the non-negotiable insistence on making central to your life that which brings you happiness. There will always be pressure to meet someone else’s expectations. This is about finding balance to care for those we love and take care of ourselves.

Recasting/Reframing involves the two steps that transform stressful problems and trauma into something meaningful, important and a source of emotional energy. We need to dive into our emotions and search for a way to melt the “emotional pot” and recast it into something that can help us move forward in a positive manner.

Options say we look at life as adventure, full of possibilities. This allows us to create multiple scenarios, open for new possibilities and adapt a flexible approach to life’s journey.

Appreciation in the moment is about making the choice to appreciate deeply your life and the people in it. This requires us to stay in the present moment and deliberately choose to turn each experience into something precious. This involves gratitude for the things we have without focusing our attention on the things we don’t have.

Giving and expecting nothing in return. We make the choice to share with friends, family, our community, and the world at large without any expectation of a return. This habit allows us to let go of the “what’s in it for me” mindset and just give in to being generous.

Truthfulness involves honesty and integrity. It means that what we say and do match. We do not allow people, society or circumstances to dictate how we respond. It means we have clarity around our internal standards and values, and we live in a manner congruent with them so we do not allow societal, workplace or family demands to violate our internal contracts.

*Adopted from How we Choose to be Happy by Rick Foster and Greg Hicks

Three Unique Gifts

Christmas is the season of gift giving. Often lost in the rush to find the perfect gift (or gift card) is the original gift of Christmas. God gave His only son that we might be transformed by placing our faith in Him and not perish. In remembering the birth of Jesus we will see manger scenes, Christmas plays and hear the familiar story of Magi (men of wisdom) from the East who somehow followed a star and found the place where the child was. The scripture tells us of their action in giving the familiar trio of gifts in Matthew 2:11,“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

We have grown up hearing of that story of the miraculous birth of Jesus and the following events. As a child, I remember being a narrator in elementary school memorizing reciting this account from the book of Luke, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Yes, this was a Christmas a play in public school. Times have certainly changed but that is another story.


No matter what our faith background may be, we all have familiar memories of the timeless story. However, many have no idea of the significance of the gifts from the wise men. They brought treasures from their native land but in those gifts God was giving a public statement of the identity of this child. The first gift, gold, was a gift suitable only for a king. In many countries one was forbidden to see the King without Gold. This young child was destined to be King of all Kings (Revelation 19:16). Earthly kings and rulers will rise and fall but only He and His reign are eternal so it only makes sense to follow Him as the ultimate King or master of your life.


Frankincense was a fragrant gum resin. The perfume was used by the priest for worship. Again, God is revealing the identity of this child. Jesus is our high priest. A priest is defined as “one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God”. Jesus is the ultimate perfect ‘mediatory agent’ to connect us to God. All of us seek to connect with God but fall short of God’s glory and His intention for us (Romans 3:23). We are able to reach toward God and do some good but faith in Jesus is the only way of completely connecting with God and all the love, light and illumination that is God.


The third gift may seem to have been the most unusual gift for a baby yet it was most appropriate for this child. Myrrh was a sweet-smelling gum from a tree native to the land of the third Magi. Myrrh however was commonly used in preparing bodies for burial. How strange, giving a baby a gift associated with death. One does not like to think of death at anytime however it is especially not a common thought at a birth, the beginning of life. This birth was different. This cradle had the shadow of a cross (remember at this time the cross was only an instrument of execution). God used this gift to tell us this baby was destined to give His life to be a willing sacrificial gift as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). As well as we may try to 'do right and be good’;  we have no way to pay the penalty for our shortcomings. Christmas is the story of perfect God loving us, who botch things and fail at every turn, by providing the ultimate sacrifice worthy to lead us to abundant and eternal life (Romans 6:23). These three gifts declare the identity of this special child. He is the ultimate King, supreme Priest, and ultimate sacrifice to bring us into an eternal relationship with God.  Christmas truly is the gift of giving. Let us make the most of the season by receiving and giving the gift of Jesus.

Remember

Today is the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. We are in the midst of an important season of remembrance. A few months, on September 11, ago we remembered the 10th anniversary of the most deadly terrorist attack on our nation. That attack changed our nation and began what was dubbed as ‘the War on Terror’. December 7, 1941 is "a date which will live in infamy" as President Roosevelt used that phrase in the first line of his speech to the nation on the day after the Japanese attack on the naval base in Pearl Harbor. As you know that enemy attack led to our involvement in World War II. Both of these dates, 9/11 and December 7, 1941 will be remembered for the savage attack from an enemy that provoked a response that changed our world. Proper remembrance of these days is vital to move forward in appreciation for the sacrifice and response that allows us to remain free today and tomorrow.
We don’t often think of December 25 in the same manner but our reaction to that day of remembrance may be the most important response to the greatest terror attack from the greatest enemy or terrorist of all time. Satan is the enemy of all that is good and all that is of God. If he cannot win a victory over God or God’s children he will continually seek to rein terror and fear on our lives to keep us from experiencing the joy of abundant life that Jesus came to give us. Jesus makes all this clear in the familiar scripture of John 10: 10 where he tells us, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Christmas is a season of giving, a season of joy, a season of celebration with friends and family but let us not forget that Christmas is a season of remembrance of our only hope against the greatest enemy and terrorist of all time. Without Christmas, the Word becoming flesh as Jesus entered history, we have no hope of overcoming the fear, punishment and terror of sin. Christmas, the coming of Jesus into this world provided hope, salvation, courage and freedom from the penalty of sin as we place our faith in Him and follow Him for forgiveness, abundant and eternal life. Without Christmas we have no human model for perfect love. His coming represented perfect love from God. His coming, life and sacrificial death illustrate perfect love for us to model and follow toward God and our fellowman. Without Christmas there is no power to change lives. The coming of Jesus, whose personal resurrection from death and giving of the Holy Spirit shows us there can be power within to make transformational changes in our lives. Without Christmas we miss the whole point of life. Proper remembrance of important days and historical events is vital to move forward in appreciation for the sacrifice and response that allows us to remain free today, tomorrow and in eternity. Let us remember the “reason for the season”.

Following Jesus or Religion?

September 11 or 9/11 is a date that will remain in our memories. We remember the vicious attack on our country. Over 3000 people were killed as twisted zealots following teaching of radical Islamic fascism hijacked planes and became suicide murderers. This is not the first or will it be the last time that great harm or evil has come at the hands of religious fanatics. History’s pages are filled with warped people (and sometimes whole religious institutions or countries) committing horrible misguided actions in the name of religious fanaticism.

This is not to condemn religious zeal, often people start with good intentions. This is to say one must always be careful that passion does not overcome the ability to see truth. Jesus is the only way and the truth (John 14:6). We must be certain that we are always following Him and His teachings lest we become zealous and mistaken as others have in the past. We must be careful to keep our focus on Jesus rather than allegiance to religious activity or certain traditions and become misguided.

Former pastor and noted church consultant Kennon Callahan gave an analogy I thought helpful to keep things in perspective. He said the church should function more like a M.A.S.H. unit rather than a large institutional hospital. The Mobile Army Surgical Hospital goes where they are needed most, even when it is on the battle front, always on the edge of their resources but they give professional aid to those who may not make to the sterile hospital. Whereas, the hospital spends much time and money servicing and keeping the building so they can help those who will come to them. While hospitals are necessary, the mission of the church Jesus founded is more similar to the M.A.S.H. unit model while the hospital model could more easily lead to misguided institutionalism as serving the structure could become more important than accomplishing the true mission.

The last words our Lord gave us while he was on this planet are found in Matthew 28:18-20. He tells us to make disciples of ALL people as we go about our daily lives by teaching everything He commanded. He does not tell us to push our ideas, agenda or desires on others.

The church Jesus established in Matthew 16 professes Him as the Lord and goes wherever He is needed. It operates by faith and the Holy Spirit rather than constraints of a budget or the power of those in control of business meetings. Religious zealots say “be like us or else” (the “or else” can be harsh or it may simply mean we won’t fellowship with you.) Followers of Jesus want you to be like Jesus, but we continue to love you anyway!