Things I'd Tell My Younger Self

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Ecclesiastes 12:1

The title of this post might be the strangest one you ever see written by a guy who's not quite 32 years old. You hear plenty of people much later in life talk about things like this, but as strange as it might seem, it's something I've been thinking about lately. You see, in a very short period of time, my thinking about what is important and my priorities have changed drastically. If I could travel back in time, even just a couple of years, I'd like to set myself straight on a few things. I can't do that, of course, but perhaps there's someone out there who is like me who could benefit from reading them. I've decided to share them here in the hopes that they might accomplish that. This post is long, but please don't allow that to stop you from reading. These things are important.

#1: The things you think are so important really aren't.

If you read this blog much at all, you know I'm a hockey fan. Further, you probably know that I enjoy studying the sport's history. I enjoy watching hockey, the occasional college football game, and I must admit that I enjoy working the sidelines of local high school sporting events as a journalist. However, that's a long way from how I used to approach sports. I used to watch any and every sporting event that I could. In short, if I wasn't obsessed (and I probably was), I was very close. Furthermore, when it came to college football, I would sometimes even get angry when something didn't go my way.

I think back on that now and can't help but shake my head in disbelief. I don't think there's anything wrong with being a sports fan, though there is something very wrong with the way many people -- my former self included -- approach it. Much of the time I wasted on things like that -- and it was wasted time -- would have been better used applied to things of more eternal importance. My attitude was certainly wrong, and I'm not alone in that. Your problem might not be with sports. It could be any number of things. Trust me, though, one day, you'll learn that it's not as important as you think it is, and you'll regret much of it. You'll learn that God is far more important.

#2: The problems you're dealing with aren't really such a big deal.

But I don't know what you're dealing with, right? That may be true, but it doesn't really matter -- I don't have to know. I'll explain why in just a moment. You see, if I were to try to pin down my worst personality trait, it would be my tendency to worry. It's something that I've had to fight throughout my entire life. I've said before that I can think of anything that can possibly go wrong in any situation. If that's not bad enough, once I had thought of them, I'd dwell on them. That led to many dreary days, and restless nights. A life built around worry isn't the greatest life. What's more, it's a life of sin.

I can't say that I never worry now, though I'm quite glad to say that I do it far, far less than I used to. The best thing about it is that it makes life much more joyful. I learned something through experience that helped turn it around. The fact is, God truly does know everything that can possibly go wrong, but more importantly, He knows what's going to happen. Beyond that, everything that happens is within His hand. He doesn't simply know the future, He controls it. If you struggle with worry, you'll be far better off if you'll learn to fall back into the arms of God and trust in Him when difficulties arise. Your problems are tiny when compared to the size of your God.

#3 Be careful when you choose your battles, and be careful how you fight them.

It's one thing to be well-intentioned, but it's another thing to be wise. It's another thing still to do things in the right spirit. It's important to stand up for what's right, but it's also important to be discerning in when and how we do it. It is possible to be too nitpicky and aggressive, and so far from accomplishing something worthwhile, possibly do damage. We can also find ourselves at fault by looking for fights.

Grace is important when we deal with others. No one is perfect. It's usually much easier to see the faults of others than to see our own. It can be highly discouraging when someone points out every minor flaw in our lives, so why should we expect that it would be any different for others? We can't expect anyone to be perfect, and we can very easily hurt them by doing so. Before we enter into any confrontation, we should first determine whether doing so is necessary. Are we doing so just because we want the battle? Is fighting the battle something that will do good? If so, are we fighting it in a right spirit because we want to see righteousness win or simply because we want to be right?

#4 You're going to deal with things you never thought you would, but they're for your good.

My life now is far different that it was just two years ago. My life then was far different that it was five years ago, and my life then was far different that it was 10 years ago. Most of those changes took place because of things I would have insisted never would have happened in my life. It would be inappropriate to go into the details here, but suffice it to say that they are things that couldn't be classified as good. In fact, if not for the fact that I have learned to trust more in God through what has happened, they could have been absolutely devastating.

The future is a complete mystery to us. It's easy to assume that certain things couldn't happen to us, but that's not the way life works. None of us is immune to any kind of tragedy or disaster. When those things strike, we often can't understand how or why. However, if we'll allow God to use them in our lives, we'll be amazed at what He does. Speaking for myself, while I have to admit that there are aspects of the things that happened that I do wish had never taken place, I can honestly say that I wouldn't change the effects that they have had on me personally. God has used them to make me a better person and draw me closer to Him.

#5 It's all about God.

This is the most important one, and I guess it's fair to say that everything above falls under this one umbrella. What place does God hold in your life? Most give Him little more than lip service. I want to give a caveat to what I say though. I truly think that many of those that give God nothing more than lip service mean well, but simply don't understand what it means to truly give God first place. They want to serve God, but they really don't know how.

I'd say I once fell into that category, and it's something that I'm still growing out of. In fact, if I don't continue to grow out of it for the rest of my life, something's wrong. To be able to serve God properly, we must know God. The more we know Him, the better able to serve Him we'll be. To get to know Him better, we have to spend more time with Him. We have to spend time in the Bible and in prayer. We have to meditate on God and the things of God. If we do that, we'll understand better what it means to say that it's all about Him, and we'll have a greater desire to make it all about Him.

I apologize for the length of this post, but I pray that it will be a blessing to someone. I don't know if my younger self would listen to my current self, but I'm convinced that it would have done him a lot of good.

God Sees a Cross

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Let's face it: we're not as lovable as we'd like for people to think. I know very well what's in me, and trust me, it's not a pretty picture. I also know what's in you (though maybe not in as much detail), and that's not a picture I'd want to frame and put on the wall either. I hope that doesn't give the impression that I'm trying to insult anyone, because I'm not. It's simply a fact of human nature that the Bible confirms. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

I certainly hope that you've seen yourself in that light at least once in your life. No one can be saved without seeing their sin for what it is and realizing their need of the Saviour. If you have seen yourself in that light though, it probably causes you to wonder the same thing I have: if I'm so bad, how can God love me?

There is a part of me that disgusts me, as it well should. Though the Lord saved my soul over a quarter of a century ago, my flesh wasn't included in that deal, and it still loves to sin as much as it ever did. That's not something for any of us to be proud of. I fact, we should all be repulsed by the way our flesh wants to go through life. So, if our sin is disgusting to us, how must it appear to a holy, righteous God?

Well, quite frankly, it disgusts Him more than it does us. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible makes it clear that in God's eyes, our sin makes us worthy of death. Fortunately for us, God is a God of mercy. That mercy is something for us to rejoice over. "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." But that creates another question: how can God's mercy and righteousness coexist?

That certainly seems to be a paradox, but there is a solution, and it's all about the cross. The very first prophecy of the cross was made by God Himself, spoken to Satan, immediately after the fall. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

On the day that Adam and Eve sinned, God looked through time and saw a cross. When Cain killed Abel, God looked through time and saw a cross. When Moses killed the Egyptian, God looked through time and saw a cross. When David sinned with Bathsheba, God looked through time and saw a cross. And every time you and I sin, God looks back in time and sees that cross. When Jesus hung on that cross and shed His blood, He allowed the righteousness of God and the mercy of God to meet.

That said, while God did all of the work, there's still something you and I have to do. We have to accept that offer. We have to turn to God for forgiveness of our sins. The people mentioned above weren't saved simply because Jesus died. They had to accept His gift, and there's reason to believe that one of them did not. We never see any evidence of Cain's repentance, meaning he is likely in Hell today.

Don't join Cain. God loves you, and He has proven it. He has done what was necessary to make His mercy available to you. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, why not do so today? I have, and I can rest with the assurance that when God looks at me, He doesn't see my sin. Instead, God sees a cross.

Amazing, Marvelous, Wonderful Grace

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

Titus 2:11

I'm someone who at times likes to just sit and think. I haven't really had a lot of time to sit lately, because I've had a lot going on to say the least. Even so, there's something that has been on my mind a lot over the last two or three days. The thing that has been on my mind is grace.

I guess it started on Sunday night. Over the last two or three months, I've been working with one of the teenage girls at my church to form a new duet. We sang together in a service for the first time Sunday night, and we sang the song "No Other Word for Grace but Amazing." We had been working on it for some time, but it seemed to lodge in my mind that night. Since then, I've been thinking about grace, listening to songs about grace, and meditating of Bible verses that deal with grace.

I think that all too often grace becomes little more than a buzzword to many Christians, but it's an incredibly deep subject. The simple definition of the word is unmerited favor. That's an outstanding definition, but what does it really mean? How undeserving are we, and how big is the favor?

Let's consider where we all begin. We all start out guilty. We all start out facing the death penalty. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." There is one trait that everyone of us inherited from our fathers: sin. That can be traced all the way back to Adam. That in itself condemns us, but beyond that, we willingly choose to sin. We've all been confronted with a decision between right and wrong and knowingly and willingly done the wrong thing. Even further, we choose to persist in that sin. Therefore, we're all sinners by birth, by choice, and by practice.

We can't free ourselves from that snare. There is Someone who can, but He is the one that we have offended with every single one of our sins. Even when we feel that our sins are no big deal because they're "victimless crimes," every sin is an affront to God. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." We have all broken God's righteous law and turned against Him, and He's the only One that can forgive our sins.

That should seal the deal, right? For all intents and purposes, we have all spit in the face of the Judge. We have insulted the only One who has the power of grace in His hands. Therefore, the grace should be out of our reach. Not so. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

We could not be any less deserving because of Who was offended by our sins, but the favor also couldn't be any greater because He paid for it. He paid for it with the blood of His own Son. We're all losers in the game of life, failing more spectacularly than anyone has ever done in any sort of competition we've ever seen, but the grace of God still hangs a gold medal around the neck of anyone who will accept the gift.

God's grace is amazing. It's marvelous. It's wonderful. Then again, it's not. It's not, because human language completely fails in attempting to describe it. That's because it's not human. It's Divine. But the experience is also indescribable. There is nothing greater than the knowledge that our sins are forgiven. But as great as that is, the depth of the grace of God makes it an even more incredible thing.

Joy to the World

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:15

Joy to the world, the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

The hymn "Joy to the World" is heard almost exclusively during the "Christmas season." It is universally included in the advent hymn section of our hymnals. However, this is based more on a misunderstanding of the lyrics of the song than reality. A close examination of the words of the song reveal that it was actually written in anticipation of the second coming of Christ.

To be sure, the first coming of Christ was an occasion of great joy. The shepherds glorified and praised God for the things they saw and heard during their visit to the manger. A couple of years later when the wise men visited the young Saviour, the Bible says that they rejoiced with exceeding great joy when the star led them to His location. We too should find joy in the fact that Jesus came the first time, because He came to die for us.

Still, the second coming will be a time of even greater rejoicing. Considering what the first advent meant to us, it seems strange to say that the second advent will be ever better, but there are several differences that make it so.

A couple of those differences are discussed in the song "Joy to the World." One of them is found in the third verse. It is the fact that the curse on creation will be lifted, and once again, the earth will be as God intended it to be and created it when He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The second is the way that He will come. As the first verse above says, the second time around, He'll come as King.

While it's true that He has always been the King of the universe, He was not received as such the first time. He didn't come in a palace the first time -- He was laid in a manger. In fact, although people talk about His birth taking place in a stable, the truth is, we don't read in the Bible that there was a stable. When He came the first time, He wasn't wrapped in a regal robe. Rather, Mary wrapped Him in grave clothes. The first time, He came in meekness to be a sacrifice. The second time, He'll come in power to sit on the throne of David.

After Jesus comes back the second time, there are several things that will change forever. Revelation 21:3-4 tells us about them. "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

The day that Jesus came the first time was a great day, and truly one that brought joy, but when He comes the second time, that joy will be magnified -- at least it will be if you know Him. For those who don't, His second coming will bring doom and the second death in the lake of fire. Is your name in the Lamb's book of life? When you think about the second coming, does it make you sing "Joy to the World?"

One Man Doesn't Make a Team

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:16

As the 1988-89 NHL season began, the city of Los Angeles was truly buzzing about hockey for the first time. The league had put down stakes in the city over two decades earlier, but had been little more than a side note on the city's sports pages during all of those years. Now, celebrities who had long made appearances at Los Angeles Lakers games were being spotted rinkside. What made the difference? One man: Wayne Gretzky.

Most fans consider "The Great One" to be the greatest player in the history of the sport. He holds too many NHL records to count, the most visible being his 894 goals, 1,963 assists, and 2,857 points. In fact, Gretzky's assist total alone is big enough to make him the NHL's all-time leading scorer. He had four 200+ point seasons in his career. No one else even has one. He won nine Hart Trophies as league MVP. Even "Mr. Hockey," Gordie Howe can only boast six. Probably most importantly at the time, however, is the fact that Gretzky was the face of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty.

Gretzky and the Oilers had just won their fourth Stanley Cup in five years the season before. At the beginning of the season, Gretzky was still just 27 years old. That meant that Kings fans could expect a dynasty of their own, right?

Before I answer that, let's take a step back and look more broadly at those Oilers rosters. In addition to Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, and Grant Fuhr all suited up for Edmonton -- an impressive list of Hall-of-Famers to be sure. Gertzky might have been the most famous -- even most talented -- member of the roster, but sole credit for the dynasty did not belong to him. In fact, two years after the trade that sent Gretzky from Alberta to California, the Oilers won yet another Cup.

It was not until Gretzky's fifth season in Los Angles that the Kings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. By this time, Kurri and Coffey had joined him, but neither posted numbers that were at all reminiscent of the production north of the border. The team also had Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake, but there could be no question that top to bottom, the roster wasn't nearly as good as those Oilers teams. In the 1993 Finals, the Kings were summarily dispatched 4-1 by the Montreal Canadiens. As it turned out, his fourth Cup in Edmonton would be the last of Gretzky's career.

Why didn't Los Angeles end up with a dynasty like Edmonton had? I think the answer is simple: one man doesn't make a team. I mean no offense to any of the talented men who played alongside Gretzky in Los Angeles. The fact that they were in the NHL speaks volumes about their talent. Still, when Gretzky arrived, many thought that meant the team was headed to the promised land. Gretzky was going to do it all.

Far too often, I think that mentality prevents churches from being champions for the Saviour. "The new pastor is such a great preacher. Our church will grow as long as he's here." "The music director is doing a great job with the choir. As long as we have that kind of music service, our church is in fine shape." "We have the best Sunday school teachers around. That should draw in a lot of new people." All of those things may be true, but if 90% of the members of the church are content to simply take their place on the pew and let "Wayne Gretzky" do all of the work, the church will never be all that it can be.

Here's my question: what are you doing? Are you playing your part? Maybe the world doesn't look at you as a superstar, but if God has placed you in a church, he has a job for you to do in that church. Are you doing it? No church will ever be all that it can if its members don't do their parts. Maybe you can't preach or teach, sing or play, but there are things you can do. Do you pray for your church? Do you invite others and tell them about Jesus? If not, you're not playing your part and allowing someone else to carry the load, thus reducing their effectiveness.

You don't have to be Wayne Gretzky. You simply need to play your role to the best of your ability. Don't expect the pastor, the deacons, or the Sunday school teachers to do it all. Embrace God's calling on your own life, and you just might see your church turn into a champion.

When the Story of My Life Is Told

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:37-39

A couple of months ago when legendary hockey coach Al Arbour died, I wrote a post on this blog that asked the reader to consider the story he is writing with his life. That general thought is on my mind again, thanks to having heard the song in the video above on the radio on my way home from church today. That song is one that makes me think of the life lived by the man in the photo above. He's the greatest man I've ever had the privilege to know, and I'd like to tell you about him and the example that he set for me and many others.

Many who are reading this likely knew him, but for those who don't, his name was Herschel Bragg, Sr. He was my pastor for seven years, and had many more years of influence on me after he retired from that position. He passed away a little over two years ago, but his legacy lives on. His influence can be seen in the lives of more people than you can imagine. His story is one of a "witness so bold," and it does say that he kept the faith until his dying day.

My family joined Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in 1993 when I was nine years old. At that point, Bro. Bragg had already been the pastor of the church for 21 years. He was so loved and respected that it made him feel like a larger than life figure. But not long after, we had a church fellowship, and Bro. Bragg walked over to the table where I was and sat down across from me and started talking to me. I have no idea what we talked about now, but at that moment, whatever I wanted to talk about was the most important thing in the world.

I believe that was the moment that Bro. Bragg began to teach me one of the most important lessons I've ever learned. He didn't do it by sitting me down and giving me a lecture, but by the way he lived. That night, his actions said that I was important and that he cared about me. He might not have actually cared about the subjects we talked about that night, but his concern for me was no act, nor was the concern that he showed for everyone else who crossed his path.

That concern that he had for people was never more obvious than on the day of his funeral. The sanctuary of the church was filled with hundreds of people that had been touched by his life. As it was said that day, the packed house was not just evidence of how many people loved him, but how many people he loved. Bro. Bragg's story is one of love. It's the story of his love for the Saviour whom he faithfully served for so many years and of his love for everyone around him.

That love can be well summed up by some of the words from the last prayer I ever heard him pray. "Lord, if you're ready for me, I'm ready to go, and I'm ready to see you. But, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to hang around for a little longer and see a few more folks get saved."

That's what you and I should strive to be. We should have the kind of love for the Saviour that causes us to want to be with Him and that causes us to love others. Like Bro. Bragg, we should live a life that reflects the love of God to those around us. One day, when people tell the story of my life, that's the type of story I hope they tell. That's the only kind of story that displays a truly successful life. If I've ever known anyone that entered Heaven and heard, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," it was Bro, Bragg. When the Lord sees fit to put someone like him in your life, take advantage of it and learn from the example. People like him can help show us who we should be, and one day , we can use that to show others the same thing.

Bah! Humbug!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

The title of this post is strongly associated with the character Ebenezer Scrooge from the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol. It is the comment of a character that hates Christmas and everything associated with it. Why then, would I use it as the title of a post on a blog such as this, you may wonder. Please, hear me out on this, but quite frankly, I'm generally fed up with everything to do with "Christmas."

Supposedly, Christmas is a day on which we celebrate the birth of Christ, but is it really? Other than being on of two times a year that many people go to church (the other being Easter) and that many people take part in a traditional reading of the "Christmas Story," how often do people really turn their attentions to the birth of our Saviour on that day? I'm sad to say this, but even among professing Christians, my observations suggest that the answer is little to none.

How much time is spent on Santa Claus as compared to Jesus Christ? Even if your family doesn't do Santa Claus, how much time is spent on gift lists and events as compared to Jesus Christ? We frequently hear people complaining about how commercialized Christmas is, but many of those same people are guilty of participating in such.

The truth is, it's easy to simply go along with the crowd or get caught up in simply going through the motions. I think we all know what it's like to do both of those things. I'd be lying if I said I haven't done the same thing. Twice in recent years, I've lost a family member just two or three weeks before Christmas, and it was all too easy to focus on how disinterested it made me in "Christmas."A true celebration of the Saviour won't be marred by something like that in the same way that a mere holiday is. So, as much as I hate to admit it, I must plead guilty to my own charges.

Here's the thing: if we're truly focused on Jesus, none of the things I've mentioned above matter. Not Santa Claus, not presents, not traditions, not plans. Only He matters. That brings me to another "Bah! Humbug!" that I have: Why do we restrict the celebration on His birth to the month of December.

Let's get real for a moment. We can be pretty sure that December 25 wasn't the true date of the birth of Jesus. In fact, we have no idea what the date was, and can make nothing more than a semi-educated guess at best because the Bible doesn't tell us. Have you ever wondered why? I can't prove this, and I won't be dogmatic about it, but I suspect one very real reason is that God wants it to be a year-round celebration.

The birth of Jesus was a much bigger even than I think we tend to realize. This was no ordinary birth. We're talking about God in the flesh; the Creator of the universe took on the form of a helpless baby in order to redeem us from our sins. Why on earth do we think it's appropriate to limit the celebration of that to a few days, or at most a month? Why do we think it's only appropriate to sing Advent hymns in the month of December? Every day is a perfect day to celebrate the human incarnation of Deity, because it was an event that changed our forevers.

So, no, I'm not trying to be a Scrooge, but I do say "Bah! Humbug!" I say it to the overshadowing and limitation of our celebration of our Saviour. Let's make every day "Christmas," and let's keep the focus on the real reason for the celebration.

Let Me Glory in the Cross

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Galatians 6:14

We live in a society that is very proud of its accomplishments. It's proud of how technologically advanced it is. It's proud of how "progressive" it is. It's proud of how independent it is. Of course, a society is made up of people, and the people of our society are what gives it its braggadocios nature. We constantly hear people toot their own horn about the things they've accomplished or the things they have.

I believe in giving credit where credit is due. When someone achieves something worthwhile, why not give them their roses while they can still smell them? I like technology. I think it has made our lives much easier than they would otherwise be. Granted, some people use it in evil ways to do evil things, but that's a matter of the heart, not technology. Then there are other "accomplishments" of mankind that I, to put it bluntly, regard as complete garbage.

Whether we think any of the things mentioned above are good or bad, however, there is a serious problem when we or our society chooses to glory in them. If we're honest, I think we'd all have to admit to being guilty of glorying in things that we've seen or done. That's part of human nature. Human nature loves attention, and it loves to be recognized.

Perhaps it strikes you as odd that I used the word guilty there and said that it's a problem when we glory in our accomplishments. I stand by that. If you really think about it, what have any of us done on our own that is of eternal merit? One day, this world is going to burn up, and everything that we've ever accomplished on our own -- everything that mankind has ever accomplished -- will burn up with it. When you cut to the heart of it, the only things that we can do that are of any eternal value are those that are done in the power of the Holy Spirit and for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Think about that for a moment. If you want to do anything truly worthy of glory, it has to be done through and for the glory of God. In other words, there is no real glory for us, and we shouldn't really want or expect it. Our focus should be squarely on the person, work, and cross of Jesus Christ, and it should be our goal in life to magnify Him.

Folks, this life isn't about us. It's all about Jesus Christ. He's the One that created the world and us. He's the One who became what we are (sin) so that we could be made what He is (righteous). He's the One who willingly and lovingly laid down His life to cleanse us of sin and to restore our fellowship with Him. This may sound strange at first, but we should look out for #1. The catch is that we're not #1 -- Jesus is. Our lives shouldn't be dedicated to glorifying ourselves and our works, but to glorifying the Saviour and His cross. When you stop to think about what He has done for us, it's only right. He alone is worthy.

Tell It to Jesus

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a Friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

There's not a single one of us that could say that there's never been a time that we've had to answer "yes" to the questions in the first (or any verse) of the hymn "Tell It to Jesus." Ever since the fall of man, grief has been a part of life. Few things are more miserable than the feeling that we're facing our griefs alone. But life doesn't have to be like that, as this hymn reminds us.

First, let's put to rest the notion that there's anything that we can do to turn life into smooth and easy sailing. There are those who ascribe to the "name it and claim it" prosperity "gospel" who will say we can experience that, but it simply isn't true. As Job observed thousands of years ago, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." As Job learned, some of those troubles feel like more than we can bear.

Now, let's put something else to rest. I can't count how many times I've heard someone say, "The Lord will never put any more on you that you can handle." That's also not true. It's based on a mistaken understanding of Deuteronomy 33:25 which says "as thy days, so shall thy strength be." If one continues to read, it's plain to see that the strength is in God, not us. In fact, the Apostle Paul spoke of being "pressed out of measure, beyond strength."

That seems to be a dark picture, no doubt, but that's what makes the words of this hymn so sweet. Even in the times of trouble when we're pressed above what we can handle, we have a refuge. I'd like to take the words that immediately follow the often misunderstood words of Deuteronomy 33:25 and show you what I mean. "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them."

If we feel overwhelmed, we can tell it to Jesus. If we feel pain, we can tell it to Jesus. If we feel grief, we can tell it to Jesus. If we feel fear, we can tell it to Jesus. If we feel guilt, we can tell it to Jesus. When we do so, we're taking our problems to the only One able to truly handle them. He is our strength. When we claim that wonderful promise, suddenly, there is nothing that is too much for our strength, because we are no longer relying on ourselves, but God Almighty.

We need nothing else to get us through the difficult times. The next time you're in difficulty, don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself or digging the hole deeper. Instead, tell it to Jesus!

Thanks

 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

As everyone in the United States is well aware, Thanksgiving is coming up on Thursday. The tradition of Thanksgiving traces its roots back to a celebration by the residents of the Plymouth Bay Colony. In that meal that they famously shared with the native population of the area, they celebrated the blessings of God and offered their thanks to Him for preservation.

Today, many "historians" downplay the importance of God in that event, and our contemporaries mock the holiday or pervert it into nothing more than "Turkey Day" or a chance to get an early start on Christmas shopping. Even many who don't go that far look at it as nothing more than a chance for a family reunion, and never once give thought to the Creator. Still others acknowledge God and His blessings on that one day but fail to do so on any of the other 364 days of the year.These things ought not so to be.

If you'll allow me, I'd like to share with you some things that I'm thankful for, and I'd like to challenge you to reflect on the blessings in your life. Some of the things I reflect upon as blessings might very well surprise you, but I have a feeling that you'll find similar hidden blessings if you think about it enough.

1. Everyone God has placed in my path

Yes, that does say everyone. Like all of you, I'm thankful for family and friends that have loved me and been there for me through the hard times, but I'm also thankful for those who have betrayed me. How can I say that? I say that because their unfaithfulness only serves to magnify the faithfulness of God. I've learned that I can't always trust those that I think I can and that death will eventually take away those I truly can trust, but God is always present and ever faithful.

2. Everything I've faced: the good times and the bad

Again, it's easy to be thankful for the good times, and I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the same. I love that when I feel the most disheartened, God gives me the shot in the arm that I need to continue. But difficulty is just as important in our lives. It is in the times of difficulty that we are reminded of our dependence on God and experience the sweetest doses of His grace. The grace of God more than makes up for any pain we suffer in the hard times.

3. The Bible

I'm getting into things that would be more expected in a post like this now, because almost every Christian would include God's word on his list. But, how many truly are thankful for it? Do you ever put it to use? We have so many more opportunities to study the Bible today. There are computer programs that can be downloaded for free, and you can easily install it on your phone or tablet. How often do you put it to use? How often do you show your thankfulness for it. I think at times we all fail there, either by not studying it or treating that study as a chore. God help us all to truly appreciate this incredible gift.

4. Jesus Christ and salvation

I'm combining these two because in a sense, they are one and the same. Salvation is found only in the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross, and to have Him is to have salvation. We all have accomplishments that we reflect on with joy, and others that we hope to one day achieve, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Nothing that you or I have ever done or ever will do is worth anything in the face of what Jesus has done for us. May God help us all to glory in His cross and reflect upon it with thanksgiving every day of our lives.

The Perseverance of Ray Bourque

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9

The 2000-01 NHL season was Ray Bourque's last. His 410 goals, 1,169 assists, and 1,579 points were all (and still are) records for defensemen. He won five Norris Trophies as the league's best defenseman, was a 13-time first team all-star, and was even runner-up in Hart Trophy balloting in 1990 - a feat nearly unheard of for a defenseman. His career exploits were so great that three years before he retired, he was ranked 14th on The Hockey News' list of the 100 greatest players of all-time.

As impressive as that resume is, there was one thing missing. After playing in 1,612 regular season games, and 22 seasons, Ray Bourque still had not earned the one honor that players most crave -- the right to hoist the Stanley Cup and have his name engraved on the prestigious trophy. Those were the most games and seasons played by a player never to have won the Stanley Cup.

Bourque spent his first 20 seasons, and most of his 21st with the Boston Bruins. In 1988 and 1990, the Bruins advanced as far as the Stanley Cup Finals, only to run into the buzz saw that was the Edmonton Oilers dynasty. As much as Bourque loved playing in Boston, a disappointing season in 1999-2000 proved to him that we would not have a chance to win the Cup with the Bruins, leading to his requesting a trade. Bourque requested a trade to an East coast team, but unbeknownst to him, General Manager Harry Sinden, who also desired to see Bourque win the Cup, was closing a deal with the Colorado Avalanche. When the trade was finished, Sinden told Bourque, "This may not be your first choice, but this is the team I believe is best."

Bourque played only a handful of games with the Avalanche that season, but the team came as close as one goal from the Stanley Cup Finals, giving a lot of hope for the next season. For the 2000-01 season, Bourque was named an alternate captain, and was a key piece of the team. At 41 years old, he earned recognition as a first team all-star and was runner-up for the Norris. After winning the President's Trophy with the league's best record, the team then successfully navigated the Western Conference playoffs to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced the defending champion New Jersey Devils.

It seemed that Bourque's dream would fall short once more when the Devils took a 3-2 series lead, putting them one win away from repeating, but the Avs rallied to win games six and seven to win. It is a tradition that the league commissioner hands the Stanley Cup to the winning team captain who hoists it first, but on that night, Colorado captain Joe Sakic broke that. After receiving the Cup from Gary Bettman, Sakic immediately passed it off to Bouruqe, allowing him to raise it first, and sent him around the ice with it. Of all the players that I've seen lift that Cup, Bourque's moment is still my favorite. Following that season, Bourque retired, finally having the final piece of the puzzle.

Had Ray Bourque given up on his goal before the final game of his career, there would always be something missing. By the same token, if we give up on the Christian life before the "final game," if you will, there will be something missing from our resume. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," but if I quit before I reach the finish line, I will not have reached the final goal. I'll get into Heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ, but I will not have been all that I could have been for the Lord.

We can't quit until our "careers" are completely finished. The day we stop is the day the Lord calls us home. We do not receive an earthly trophy for this, but we get something much better. We will one day receive heavenly rewards that we can cast at the feet of our Saviour in thanksgiving for what He has done for us.

We're all tempted to give up at times. There are times that our flesh feels that we're wasting out time and that nothing will come of our service. The next time that happens to you, remember Ray Bourque. Then remember that you're competing for something much greater than the Stanley Cup, We're competing for an "incorruptible crown." The joy he experienced that day will not compare to the joy we will experience in the presence of our Saviour. Follow Ray Bourque's lead. Don't quit until it's over.

The Greatest Freedom of All

 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36

Today is Veterans Day, and you will no doubt see countless posts and articles written about how we should honor and thank the veterans of the United States military who walk among us and remember the sacrifices of those who gave all in service of their country. I agree with them wholeheartedly. Romans 13:7 says that we should render "honour to whom honour" is due. I even wrote a post on my hockey history blog on that myself in which I recalled the deaths of Frank McGee and Hobey Baker as they gave their lives in the service of Canada and the United States respectively.

In this post  however, I'd like to allow Veterans Day to point us in a different direction if you'll allow me to do so. Say what you will about the collapse our society has gone through in recent years, but there are few places on earth that offer anywhere near the amount of liberty as the United States does. I'm very thankful to be an American. But by the grace of God, I could have been born in China, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, or any other one of countless countries that oppress their citizens. Right now, the population of the United States is about 322 million, whereas the entire population of the world is just shy of 7.3 billion. If you do the math, you'll find that if you choose a random person from the world's population there is only about a 4.4% chance that person is an American. Yes, I've been very blessed.

As great as that is, I'm blessed in a much, much bigger way. I'm blessed in that I'm saved. Even better, this is a blessing that is available to all. It also reveals a greater sacrifice than any person could ever give. The greatest love that any man can display is to lay down his life for his friends. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus Christ laid down His life for His enemies.

As wonderful as it is that the sacrifices of our military have given us freedom in our everyday lives, it is much more so that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ has given us freedom from sin. I cherish my liberty in America, but when I've passed from this life, it will no longer be of consequence. But, the liberty that I have in Jesus Christ is an eternal liberty. It's a liberty that frees me from the bondage of sin in this life and from an eternity in a lake of fire in the next.

By no means to I intend to disparage the contributions of our military veterans or those of any other country who have served the cause of freedom, so please don't take this post in that way. What I do challenge you to do is to allow their giving to remind you of One who gave all to give us the greatest gift possible. If you're saved today, it is because of a Veteran of the battlefield against principalities. It is because God Himself paid the ultimate price. This is truly the greatest freedom of all.

A Black Granite Wall

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Psalms 8:9

No black granite wall could hold nearly all the names of our Saviour and Lord.
And no mountain face could have enough space for one line of His love to recod.
No one could relate to the numberless dates, for He has no beginning or end.
The story goes on, His body is gone, and the tomb is empty again!

The words above are the lyrics to the song "The Empty Tomb Says it All," written by Daryl Petersheim and made popular by the Kingdom Heirs. I consider it to be one of the most eloquently written verses of any song I've ever heard. That's saying a lot. As a church music director, I deal with hymns a lot, and those timeless songs have lived so long for a reason. They're beautifully written, and they teach even more timeless Biblical truths.

After I say that, you may be wondering how I can say that this verse ranks so highly. I say it because of the imagery it brings to mind. We've all seen mountains, and their massive sizes. To think that a mountain isn't large enough to contain even a small portion of the explanation of the love of God is mind blowing. We've all seen tombstones with the dates of birth and death of the person below them. No tombstone can do that for Jesus, because eternity past and eternity future can't be expressed in numbers. There's no beginning or end of Jesus. The most powerful mental image that the verse brings to my mind, however, is found in the very first line: the image of the Vietnam War Memorial.

Back in 1998, when I was in the eighth grade, I had the opportunity to compete in a national math competition. The contest was held in Washington, D.C., and though the trip was too short to see all that I would have liked, our group did visit the National Mall. I'd like to go back again and see some of those sights, because I know I'd have a better appreciation for them at 31 than I did at 14. Even as a teenager, though, the Vietnam War Memorial was very impressive to me. On that piece of granite, there are more than 58.000 names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. To walk down the length of that wall and feel those engravings is a very sobering experience. Two hundred fifty feet of that seems to stretch forever.

The sacrifice of our men and women in uniform serves as a reminder to me of what my Saviour did on Calvary. On the cross, He fought and won the fiercest war ever waged in the history of the world. If we honor those who sacrificed all in the military, we should also honor the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The thing is, if we wanted to make a wall such as the Vietnam War Memorial to honor Him, we could never do it. There are so many names we could give Him to speak of who He is and how wonderful He is. If we could take all the granite in the world and make a wall, and if we had time to fill it up with descriptions of His majesty, we could still couldn't come close.

As much as that tells about our Saviour, it leaves out the best part. We don't need a memorial wall to remember Him. Yes, He was once dead, but He lives again! There's no need for memory when we can have a personal relationship with Him. The next time you visit the National Mall or see a photo of that wall of stone, let it remind you of what our Saviour has done and give thanks to Him for who and what He is.

The Mind of God

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalms 8:3-4

This blog has kind of been lost in the shuffle of things in my life in the last couple of weeks, but I think it's time to fire it back up. I was reminded of one of my favorite thoughts a few minutes ago, and I thought it worthwhile to write about. It's a thought that brings tears of joy to my eyes every time I think of it: the fact that no matter what happens, I'm always in the mind of God.

 I won't go into that since I don't think it's appropriate for this blog, but I believe there's plenty of reason to believe that the writer of the play "Our Town," Thornton Wilder, was not a saved man. Despite that, in that play, he found a way to very eloquently relate the wonderful truth of the text verses.

In this post, I'm not going to talk about the scene in "Our Town," but I would like to talk about a scene from my own writing that was inspired by it. The central character of the scene is a 10-year-old native of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Paula Taylor. Paula has felt overwhelmed by things going on at school, at home, and an upcoming skating competition. She feels pressure to do extremely well at school because one of her brothers, Parker, is highly intelligent. She feels pressure to do well on the ice because her sister, Paige, is the most talented young figure skater in the area. The result is that she focuses too much on the surrounding troubles and loses sight of God and what He can do for her.

A chain of events that follows teaches her a couple of lessons. One is that she doesn't have to worry about living up to the potential of anyone else. All anyone can expect of her is that she does her best. The other is that no matter what happens do her -- and even when she forgets Him -- she is always in the mind of God. He is always concerned about her and always has her best interests in mind.

To drive that point home to her, Paula's mother recalls the scene from our town. I'll share the words of Mrs. Taylor here:

“When I was in high school, I had an assignment to read the play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder. It is told in the play that a character received a letter addressed like this: ‘Jane Crofut; The Crofut Farm; Grover’s Corners; Sutton County; New Hampshire; United States of America; Continent of North America; Western Hemisphere; the Earth; the Solar System; the Universe; the Mind of God.’

“I’ve never forgotten that in all the years that have passed since then. The lesson I learned from it is that no matter how small I am, God has never forgotten me, and will never forget me. No matter where I am or what I do, I’m always on His mind. You are Paula Taylor; The Taylor Home; Colonial Park; Lloydminster; Saskatchewan; Canada; Continent of North America; Western Hemisphere; the Earth; the Solar System; the Universe; the Mind of God.”

As the youngest of four children, Paula often feels insignificant. As you go through that progression, she -- and we -- appears smaller and smaller. Yet, when we zoom out farther and farther and go beyond even the limits of the universe itself into the mind of the Almighty Creator that spawned it all, there we are. On the scale of the universe, we're not even an insignificant speck, yet God is mindful of us. He's so mindful of us that He took on human flesh and died on a cross to redeem us.

Maybe your talents don't seem as great as those around you, and maybe you feel castaway by others, but God loves you nonetheless. You're always on His mind. You were on His mind while He bled and died. The account given may be one experienced by a fictional character, but I assure you, the truth is not fictional. It's as real as you, I, and the Mind of God.

Toiling in Obscurity

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:16

In my opinion, the teams of the Montreal Canadiens dynasty of the mid-late 1970's were the best in NHL history. During the last of their four consecutive Stanley Cup championship seasons in 1978-79, the Habs boasted no fewer than 10 Hall-of-Famers, names such as: Yvon Cournoyer, Ken Dryden, Bob Gainey, Guy Lafleur, Guy Lapointe, Rod Langway, Jacques Lemaire, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, and Steve Shutt. Among a cast of characters like that, the name Yvon Lambert doesn't stand out, but a close look at the stats of that season proves that he was certainly valuable.

Lambert isn't a Hall-of-Famer, and he never played in an All-Star game. He never finished higher than seventh team in All-Star balloting, and his career highs of 32 goals, 40 assists, and 67 points in a season don't stand out at all considering the era he played in. That's certainly not to say he didn't make contributions to his team, however. In fact, in 1978-79, his seven regular season game winning goals were tied for the second most on the team, with only Lafleur tallying more. In the playoffs, he would add one more game winner, and it would be one of the biggest goals of the season.

In the NHL semifinals that season, the Canadiens squared off against the Boston Bruins. The series went a full seven games, and in the last game, Montreal appeared to have their backs against the wall.  The Habs had held leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the series only to see Boston tie the contest each time. In the ultimate game of the series, the Bruins took a 4-3 lead and held that with less than three minutes remaining. But Boston was whistled for a too many men on the ice penalty, and with just over one minute remaining, Lafleur notched the game-tying goal, sending the game to overtime. The next goal would win the game, the series, and send the team that scored it to the Finals.

The goal would come 9:33 into the first overtime, off of the stick of Lambert from a pass received from Mario Tremblay. Lambert's overtime winner is probably not as well remembered as Lafleur's goal to send the game to an extra session or Lemaire's goal that clinched the Cup, but without it, the Montreal four-peat would be a three-peat.

In the Christian life, there are a lot of Yvon Lambert's. There are a lot of laborers that go unnoticed because their ministry is obscure or they're overshadowed by others. That doesn't mean, though, that their ministries are unneeded or unnecessary. You might not see the janitor of your church in action, but if the job went undone, you would notice. People may not see the Sunday school teachers of young children at work, but their job is vital to the future of the church. It's likely that few notice the elderly home bound lady that sends out cards to encourage people, but her ministry has no doubt helped its recipients get through some dark days.

It all boils down to this: do you "serve" the Lord because you want attention and notice from others, or do you truly serve the Lord because you want to be a part of His work and bring others to Him. Do you have to be the star of the team, or are you willing to play an overshadowed role because it's what's best for the body?

God is keeping score. A lot of the spectacular goals that people score in life will one day be waved off at the Judgment Seat of Christ because they were done for selfish motives. I think we'll be surprised at some of the game winners that will be recognized. Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.

I'll Keep on Leaning

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

If you're old enough to read this, I have no doubt you've come to a conclusion I've also reached: life is hard. If you haven't had a reminder of that fact lately, you no doubt will soon. I've heard it said before that at any given point in our lives we're one of three things: going through a store, coming out of a storm, or going into a storm. Experience tells me that there's a lot of truth in that statement.

With storms being a fact of life, it's very important that we determine how best to handle them. Some people try to ignore the problem. The problem with that is that it doesn't deal with the situation. While we try to pretend nothing is wrong, things could very well get worse. Being physically sick and doing nothing to try to improve your health makes no sense. By the same token, it makes no sense to sit back and ignore our spiritual and emotional issues. Something must be done to correct them.

Others try to handle everything themselves. To be sure, there are some problems that we can correct by applying ourselves to find a solution, but that won't always be the case. We're all human, and there are some things that are simply too hard for us. To make an application from the temporal realm, if I have a flat tire on my car, that's something I can fix myself by simply changing the tire. If my transmission goes out, that's beyond my ability. If I were to try to fix that, I'd likely make the situation worse. Often, when we rely on our own strength to calm our storms, we only complicate the matter.

It doesn't take a lot of thought to come to the conclusion that the best way to deal with life's difficulties is to turn them over to God. It might surprise you, however, when I say that there is a right way and a wrong way to do even that. When you take you troubles to God, on whose terms do you do so? Yours or His?

Let me explain what I mean. There are some who pray about a problem, already having determined in their own minds what the correct answer is, and more or less demanding that God do as they say. Some people view God as little more than a slave bound to do as their "faith" says He must. Those with that attitude need to reread 1 John 5:14-15: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." The guarantee of receiving what we ask for is dependent upon asking what is in the will of God.

That brings us to the proper way to take our burdens to God. We cast them on Him and trust Him to do as He sees fit, knowing that what He has in mind is best. This doesn't mean that He'll take us out of the storm. Sometimes, He does. Other times, He simply sustains us in the storm. Paul found out when he petitioned the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh that while God didn't do as he asked, He did do what was best. Paul found that with the thorn came the grace of God, and he determined that it was better to deal with the thorn if it meant receiving grace.

There is a calm in the storm when we determine to rely on God  and trust His will. As long as He is aboard the ship, it will never sink. He is our captain, and He will bring us safely to shore. The sooner we learn that and claim it, the sooner we find peace. What can we do when we face difficulty? We lean on the Everlasting Arms. What do we do when the storm rages on? We keep on leaning. It's not always easy, but it's always the right thing to do. Yes, I've learned that life is tough, but I've learned that my God is tougher. The sun will eventually shine again.

An Arm Around Our Shoulders

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Psalm 147:3-5

As I'm sure many of you are, I stay pretty busy, being involved in quite a few things. I have a full time job in retail, I'm the music director at my church, I write two blogs, I write novels that I hope to have published one day, and I write for a local sports media website. Every one of those positions can be rewarding, and on Friday night, I witnessed something that helps make the last of those jobs so.

Part of the job with the website includes attending local high school football games so that I can write recaps for the site. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that. I love seeing the passion and the excitement from the players and coaches as I walk up and down the sidelines. Because of access my position with the website gives, I'm privy to a lot of things that the fans in the stands never see. I see all the ups and downs on the sidelines up close and personal, I hear speeches from the coaches, and get to be in the middle of post game rallies.

Friday night though, I saw something while walking behind one of the coaches waiting for an interview that warmed my heart. There was a player that had had a tough game and was feeling very frustrated. His coach learned of it and responded by walking over to the player, putting his arm around him, and as we say in the South, "loving on him a little."

That's one of the marks of a great coach. He knew his player was feeling discouraged, so he tried to give some comfort and let it be known that he cares about him. I've been thinking about that moment a lot over the last two days. The more I thought about it, the more it reminds me of what our Heavenly Father does for us.

We all have frustrations in life, but thank God, when we are brokenhearted, He's always there to put His arm around us and remind us that we're loved. He has a complete understanding of our difficulties, and He has power them. Just as He calls every one of the stars by name, He knows all of our names. Just as that coach did to that player on Friday night, He will draw us close to Himself, one on one when needed.

I already had plans to make this post, but this afternoon, I was given more reason to do so. Less than an hour ago, I learned that one of my aunts passed away. It was unexpected. Honestly, I still haven't completely grasped it yet. Even so, I know that my Saviour is near. He's not only near to me, He's near to every member of the family. Whereas a coach can only be in one place at one time and can get personal with only one player at a time, God is everywhere and can give us all personal attention at one time.

When our hearts break, the Great Physician is there to heal. He'll put His arm around us and "love on us" better than anyone else could ever do. Frustrated? Heartbroken? Jesus is there for you.

Do We Need a Pope?

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Hebrews 4:14

The media is abuzz over the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to America. The visit is highly controversial among some, and the man himself is certainly controversial. I'm not going to wade into the politics of the situation, but I do want to take a closer look at the role of "pope." Rather, I want to look at the Scripture and answer this question: Do we need a pope?

Catholic doctrine teaches that Jesus chose Peter as the foundation of the church, and that the popes, as his successors are the modern day heads of the church. They base this claim on Matthew 16:16-19, claiming that Peter was the rock that Jesus would build the church on. That claim however, doesn't hold up to spiritual cross-examination. Jesus, in fact, is the rock. His church was to be built on the confession of Him, just as Peter did in the conversation in Matthew 16.

Rather, 1 Corinthians 3:11 shows that Jesus is the foundation. This verse goes so far as to say that no other foundation can be laid. Everything we do is built upon Him. Note that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, the question isn't whether or not the foundation lasts, but whether or not what is built on the foundation lasts. Only Jesus Christ and things done in His strength can stand eternally.

At this point, the conversation would probably shift to Ephesians 2:20, which speaks of "the foundation of the apostles and prophets." This is another passage supporters of the papacy use to support their claims, but a look at the full verse shows that this foundation is also Jesus Christ. as the verse calls Him the"chief corner stone."

Why then, does the Bible speak about the "foundation of the apostles and prophets?" I think the best illustration I've seen is one found in the history of our nation. Our nation could be said to have been built on the foundation of the founding fathers. Were the founding fathers themselves the foundation? No. The foundation of our nation was a set of principles regarding individual freedom and the role of government. The role of the founding fathers was to lay this foundation. They gave us the foundation, and it's up to us how we build on it.

Moving that to the spiritual realm, if you're saved, it's because someone laid the foundation of Jesus Christ for you. They were able to do that because someone laid it for them. That can eventually be traced back to the apostles and prophets. The prophets told the world about the coming Messiah, and the apostles first spread the news that He had come. From then on, we all build on the foundation they laid. We don't build on them; we build on Jesus.

Is there then, any need for an office such as the papacy? No, there's not. Going a step further than that, there's no need for an organized priesthood. In 2 Peter 2:5, the Bible reveals that all believers are priests with access to the Father. Over us is our High Priest, the greatest of them all, Jesus Christ.

Do we need a pope to be the foundation for us? No. Do we need an earthly authority over the worldwide church? No. Jesus is our foundation and our authority. Do we need a priest to grant us access to God? No. We have that access in Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. Because of that, we can boldly approach the throne, no pope required.

Come Unto Me

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Hear the blessed Saviour calling the oppressed,
Oh, ye heavy laden, come to me and rest.
Come no longer tarry, I your load will bear.
Bring me every burden, bring me every care.

Come unto me, I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, hear me and be blessed.
I am meek and lowly, Come and trust my might.
Come, my yoke is easy, and my burden's light.

We all know what it is to be tired. Every day, we reach a point of physical tiredness and need to go to bed to sleep and recharge. During the first part of this week, I was under the weather because of sinus allergies, and that magnified those feelings. The more intense the feeling of tiredness, the greater the relief found in rest. Therefore, rest was a very precious thing to me this week.

There's a weariness outside that of physical weariness, though, that can be even more draining to us. There are times that each and every one of us come to a point at which we feel mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Sometimes, we bring it on ourselves, and other times, circumstances beyond our control cause it. Regardless of the source of this tiredness, it's not one that can be relieved by a few hours of sleep. We need something more to bring rest.

There are times that we can receive comfort from friends and family that helps to give us release from the burdens of life, but there are other times we're beyond help as far as other people are concerned. Sometimes, we just need more than what human fellowship can offer. There are certain burdens that people simply can't remove or help us bear.

When that happens, where can we go? When we're burdened beyond what we can bear and others are unable to help us, we still have the greatest source of rest of all. The Saviour invites us to cast all of our cares on Him and go to Him to receive rest. He alone can give us release from the things that weigh us down. He alone can give us strength when our burdens are too heavy.

This is not a rest that is begrudgingly given; it is one that is freely offered. The Saviour desires to give us rest. He loves us, and it is not His intention for us to go through life burdened. Jesus doesn't save us to make us miserable, but to give us freedom in Him. His plan for the believer is to live in joy, so it's obvious that He wants to give us rest from the things that steal our joy.

The fact of the matter is, when we go through life burdened and weary, without joy, we do so by our own choice. It's our choice to remain under the things that weigh us down when relief is waiting. As the writer of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" said, we often bear a lot things needlessly because we don't take things to the Lord. The rest awaits us if we will simply go to Jesus and take it.

As long as we live on this Earth, we'll have days that we feel tired and need rest. It's a part of being human. The great news is, however, that part of being a Christian is having a source of perfect rest. The Saviour beckons us to come to Him for rest. If we do so, we'll receive the rest. He's truly the greatest friend we could ever have.

Jesus is Precious

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. 1 Peter 2:7

This isn't the blog post I intended to make, but I feel led to do so. I'm sure I'll still make the one I had in mind, but for now, it will have to wait for another day. Tonight, my pastor preached a message that greatly stirred my heart. The text verse for this post was his text verse. The topic of the sermon -- and of this post -- was "Jesus is Precious." If you'll allow me a few minutes of your time, I'd like to give you a few reasons that Jesus is precious to me. This won't and can't cover them all, but it should make the point.

The first reason He's precious to me is that He's the greatest friend I could ever have. A true friend is one who sticks with you through think and thin. A friend doesn't wait until things are going well to come to your side, and he doesn't run away when they aren't. The Bible says that a friend loveth at all times, and no one fits that description better than Jesus. He knows my worst, and yet, He still loves me. There is nothing I could ever do to cut off His love. He loves me no matter where I go, no matter what I do, and no matter what I experience.

Secondly, Jesus is precious to me because He helps me bear my burdens. We all know what it's like to be, as Paul said, "pressed out of measure, above strength." Some will say that God won't allow you to face anything that's too difficult for you to handle. Speaking from experience, I can say that those people are wrong. However, I can also say that when the burdens I have to carry are too much for me, He's always there to help me. There are many things I face that are too hard for me, but none of them are too hard for Him. As much as I wish I didn't have to face such things, I'm thankful for them, because they prove that Jesus can sustain me.

The faithfulness of Jesus is a third reason He's precious to me. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, meaning I always know what I'll get when I go to Him. That's not true of people. Circumstances and moods can and will change how people deal with us, but I get the same Jesus every time I'm in His presence. Because of that, He's my rock. I can stand on Him and not be worried about the storms of life. My anchor is set in Him, and I can't be blown away.

The fourth reason I'll give you for why Jesus is precious to me is that He supplies my needs. It doesn't matter what the need is. It can be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. He has the ability and the willingness to supply for them all. He's the King of Glory, and all of creation belongs to Him. He's the God of all comfort, and no heartache is too troublesome for Him to heal. With a God like that, who else do I need?

Fifthly, Jesus is precious to me because of His salvation. Anytime I really think about this, it brings tears to my eyes. Why would Almighty God take on human flesh and give His life on a cross, bearing the penalty for my sin? I can't explain it, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to. This is nothing but speculation on my part, but somehow, I feel that even in Heaven, we'll spend an eternity marveling at His love for us. As George Amon Webster of the Cathedrals wrote, "Why did He go to Calvary? There's just one reason. I am the one." I'm so thankful that Jesus took my place and offers salvation through the work He did.

Reason number six for my saying Jesus is precious is His continued forgiveness. As much as I wish I didn't, I still sin. I still sin every day. I deserve nothing more to be thrown away, but Jesus doesn't do that. He offers eternal life, and doesn't discard me when I don't live up to His standards. Even better, when I confess that sin to Him, He washes it away and it's as though it never happened. My fellowship with Him is unaffected, and I'm fully restored.

The seventh and final reason I'll give you that makes Jesus precious to me is the home He's gone to prepare for me. The Bible says some wonderful things about Heaven, but honestly, most of them don't really matter to me. How can I say that, you ask? It's simple. One reason so far outshines the others that I'm blinded to them. The key is this statement by Jesus: "where I am, there you may be also." The other reasons that He's precious to me make this one the greatest of all. He's gone to prepare a place for me so that I can be with Him. What better way could there be to spend eternity?

Is Jesus precious to you? If so, tell me why. I'd like to know why He means so much to you. Let's worship Him for who He is and what He's done. If He's not precious to you, the only reason I can think of is that you don't know Him. If that's the case, I'd love to introduce you to Him. He's waiting for you with open arms. One personal experience with Him is all it will take to make you say, "Jesus is Precious."