Snowed In

    So what did you do on Wednesday?
    Hailing from Wisconsin, I have seen a fair number of blizzards. The storm of ’67 that so many talk about in Chicago hit us even worse. I was six and still remember being afraid that my dad wouldn’t be able to make it home. In college, my sister and I were once stranded in a tiny town when roads were closed and we were forced to spend the night at the county jail (with about 50 other stranded motorists). About five years ago we were on a highway when it was closed and an entire string of traffic was forced to sit in one place for several hours, until traffic in front of us made it off the exit ramp.
    But I don’t remember any like this week’s. The combination of heavy snowfall, cold temperatures and high winds, made this one stand out. Many do not ever remember the city of Chicago being brought to a standstill the way it was Tuesday-Wednesday. 900 cars were stranded on Lake Shore Drive Tuesday evening. Some motorists took the risk of leaving their cars and 200 abandoned vehicles were still littering the roadway on Wednesday. High winds coming off Lake Michigan caused icy waves to be so strong that a man walking was swept into the sea and drowned. Babies were born in vehicles because moms were not able to make it to the hospital soon enough. And on Wednesday mid-morning, when the city that is always bustling with activity and traffic, it appeared to be a ghost town.
    What did you do? I woke up early, looked outside, and realized there was no use trying to get anywhere. So….I went back to bed and slept like I haven’t in a long time! Brock and I enjoyed clearing snow at our place and with our neighbors. We went out with a couple of other men in the church to help some families whose husbands we knew were out of town. And we enjoyed sitting in our warm house, by the fireplace, reading and talking. Wednesday was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time!
    Sometimes we just need a day like that to take us out of our routine, to do some things for a few others, get added relaxation, and enjoy our families. When you think of it, in past generations, people had the whole winter to huddle together by the fire and recharge to get ready for spring planting. Today, we tend to just go at full throttle all year long. At least I do. I needed a day like that in the middle of the week.
    Yep, Wednesday was a good day for me.

I’m Not Usually a Rainbow Kind of Guy

    I’m like everyone else. I like to see a real rainbow. It’s a wonderful symbol from the Great Flood in Genesis chapter nine that speaks of God’s promise to protect and preserve His people.
    While I love a real rainbow, you won’t see any painted unicorns galloping through a multi colored arch in my office or at my house. As far as decorations go, it’s not for me. And that would probably be the case even if the symbol had not been hijacked by those promoting an unbiblical lifestyle.
    But when it comes to God’s rainbows, I love them. The other day, I saw the most unique one I had ever seen. And if you saw it and told me about it, I’d probably wonder if that is really what you saw. But look at the picture for yourself and you’ll see, I’m not making it up.

    My wife and I flew on Wednesday to visit my brothers for a couple of days in Nevada. While waiting in the plane, my thoughts began to be filled with church and family related plans and concerns. Along with great responsibility comes great concern, and my mind can sometimes get overwhelmed. We took off and as I always do, I watched out the window (have never lost the thrill of flying). As we broke through the heavy cloud cover and into the sunlight, I looked down to the clouds below and I couldn’t believe what I saw: a perfectly round circular rainbow. It was something I had never seen before, but that’s not all. Right in the middle of the inside of this rainbow circle was the shadow of our plane reflecting on the cloud below. I sat there staring at it, and it stayed in view, just as the picture shows, for several minutes.
    It seemed as though God was reminding me that I am surrounded by His promises. The concerns that were flooding my mind would never flood my world! “Let it go! Trust me. I’m here and I’ll always be here, and if you honor me, I’ll take care of you!”
    And that’s exactly what Jesus promised in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
    I didn’t need to see a rainbow to remember that. But it sure helped!

A New You

    Several years ago, Linda and I had were partners in a commercial property investment. Our part was the management of the property, which Linda took care of. But we came across an opportunity to sell at quite an increase for what the partnership purchased it for. The prospective buyer was a gas station/convenience store located next door. We had rented to a competitor and the buyer wanted to get the property to both expand and eliminate their competition. Because of that, they were willing to pay over market value.
    At one point, I had to show the property to a rep for the company interested in purchasing from us. As I took him around, I began to inform him of tenant issues and problems with the building, mechanicals, etc. He interrupted me and said something like, “I really don’t care about any of that. We’re going to build a new facility here. These tenants won’t be here long and the building will be torn down. It’s the property we are interested in. We want it to be ours.”
    I couldn’t help but think back to my conversion. I kept telling God about all my faults and failures. No doubt, I needed to repent and God wanted to hear my confession. But he wasn’t looking at reforming me. He wasn’t just going to do a “fix-up” job. He gave me a redesign and a rebuild from the ground up. But I needed to give him ownership. Once I belonged to Him, he took over.
    Sure you’ve got faults and failures. And all of us have a past. But Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  I like the way the New Living Translation puts this verse, “Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!”
    It’s almost as if God said, “You are not the same person anymore. I demolished the “old you” on that property and created the “new you” in its place. You are a new creation! And you are mine!”
    I’m not saying, “Just forget about your sins, it doesn’t matter.” It does. Sin matters. I am saying that God wants to do so much more than just fix you up a little, only to break another day. God doesn’t want to reform you. He wants to transform you! But that won’t happen until He owns the property.
    Isn’t it time to turn it over to Him? There’s a new you waiting!
    “Behold, I am making all things new!”  –Jesus (Revelation 21:5)

Review Next Year Now

    You’ve probably seen the specials on television news programs on the highlights of 2010 in national and international news. There was the Hatian earthquake and the terrible loss of 250,000 lives, the eruption of Mount Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland which sent 330,000,000 cubic yards of volcanic ash into the atmsosphere and grounding over 100,000 flights in Europe. Who will forget the BP offshore oil rig explosion and the ensuing spill that continued to flow for three months? Then there were the 33 Chillian miners who were rescued on live TV after having been trapped 2,300 feet underground for nine weeks. In America, there was the health care bill fiasco, the tea party express and then the huge congressional overhaul midterm election (probably a result of the previous two).
    What stands out for you in 2010? Maybe its a highlight: a new baby, a wedding or engagement or a new job. Maybe its a challenge or series of challenges: the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, onset of health struggles or failure of a relationship. In our family, we experienced both the highlights and the struggles.
    As I have heard from a number of you at The Bridge, many came to know Christ in a personal way this year, and a number of you found The Bridge in 2010. I hope you have all grown closer to Christ this past year, and closer to your church family.
    As a new year begins, we tend to get nostalgic in looking back over the events of the past year. Some are glad to see 2010 go. But for all of us, I hope we can learn from both positives and negatives. Nothing happens to us by chance and it is all part of God’s design for His glory and our good, if we are committed to pleasing Him with our lives. So then, what lessons can you take from this past year? What mistakes did you make that you do not want to repeat? What victories did you enjoy that you can thank God for in a special way? What new initiatives began in your life that you will want to continue through the rest of your days?
    But I think it’s even better to review next year, now, then this year. That is, plan out 2011 as though you are at its end and looking back at what you would like to have done this year. You know there will be the same mix of blessings and difficulties, many of them unforeseen. How will you respond to both? What goals do you have for this next year and what are you doing to reach those goals? When 2011 comes to an end, what will you be looking back on then? And will you be able to say that you grew this year in your relationship with Christ?
    You have a precious gift handed to you. The gift of a new year….more time to fulfill your purpose. Make the most of it! Honor God! Please Him! Love people! Serve others! If you do that, 2011 may be your best year yet!

What Needs to Change?

   Penelope Stokes in Words In Season wrote, “The trouble with turning over a new leaf is that once you’ve done it twice, you’re right back where you started.”
    I recently read that more bad habits are broken in the month of January than during any other month. And yet that same article pointed out that only a small percentage of New Year’s resolutions are realized long-term.
    I’d like to encourage you. Change in your life is not only possible, it is necessary. When Christians stop growing, they stagnate. You know those grumpy, never-do-anything pessimistic Christians? Somewhere along the line, they stopped growing. People stop growing when they refuse to change.
    This happens for a number of reasons. Sometimes it happens because of self-righteousness – “I’m good enough!” Sometimes it happens because of apathy – “What does it matter if I get victory over this?” Sometimes it happens because of defeatism – “I’ll never be able to change.”
    We have a little saying at The Bridge: “No one is expected to be perfect, but everyone is expected to be growing.” And that growth demands positive change – gradual, yes, but continual progressive change. The Bible refers to this constant pattern of growth as “sanctification.” And all of us need to be involved in the process.
    So what do you need to change? (If you have trouble answering, just ask your spouse!) For some of us this may mean replacing an old bad habit with something good. For others it may mean readjusting a pessimistic attitude, or refocusing on a relationship. Perhaps it has something to do with our spending habits or time management. For all of us, I trust it means a renewed commitment to God – our daily personal time with Him and the weekly service we give to Him.
    Don Shelby proclaimed in his sermon, Never Say ‘Never,’ “When we tell ourselves ‘I can never change,’ or ‘That will never happen,’ we presume too much and believe too little. In Jesus Christ, God renders all of our final conclusions premature and all of our talk of determinism as simply bad faith. In Christ, God opens closed doors, brings resurrection, reveals possibilities, reclaims the lost, liberates the cursed and possessed, and changes the unchangeable.”
    You can change! Isn’t it about time?
    “And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.” – 2 Cor. 3:18

Who Cares if the Boys Will Be Home?

    One of the greatest stories in modern engineering history is the Wright brothers journey into the age of aviation. People had been trying to fly since Adam’s creation, and we’ve all seen the bizarre models and attempts inventors have made through the centuries to replicate birds. Then, in December 1903, after years of experimenting and mechanical development, and dozens of attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground.  That story has been told and retold. But a little known detail in the aftermath is a telegram they sent to their family by way of their sister, Katherine. It read, “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.”
    Being part of a family where everyone involved themselves in each other’s projects, Katherine excitedly hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news of the century––MAN HAD FLOWN!
    We are in danger of doing that this week. The story of Joseph and Mary, their love for one another, and Joseph’s kindness to Mary and trust in God after the angel’s appearance, is all very beautiful. The birth in a stable and infant bedding in a feeding trough are fascinating details. Angels appearing to shepherds to announce the baby’s birth, and even the wise men coming from the east to seek out this important child, are wonderful additions to a beautiful story. But all of those components are a bit like Orville and Wilbur making it home for Christmas. Nice pieces of what is being communicated. But the big story should totally eclipse everything else being said! The big news in Luke 2––GOD BECAME A MAN!
    That is big news! Bigger than the Santa Claus fable! Even bigger than the real story of Saint Nicholas. Bigger than the holiday lights in downtown Chicago. Bigger than the crowd of shoppers at Woodfield Mall, or anything else you can think of that gets our attention this time of year. Don’t miss the big deal for the incidentals! God came to the earth to identify with you, to absorb your sin, to die for you, to forgive you, to give you a new life! God became a man on your behalf! That’s the big news of every Christmas.
    What difference does that make to you?

Family First?

    If you know me, you know I love the family, and you know my family knows that I love them. But is the family supposed to first? What about second?
    You often hear of a hierarchy of priorities where people list what is supposed to be most important and it often goes something like: 1) God, 2) Marriage, 3) Children, 4) Church or Friends or Work (this is where the order gets switched around depending on who is speaking).
    As with a lot of things, people hear this and shake their heads in agreement because it sounds good, but don’t give a lot of thought to its truthfulness or whether or not it is Biblical. Actually, there is nothing in the Bible that says anything like this, only that we are to love God first and love others second. By having a list like this, anything in the upper levels could or would supersede the lower and if a husband demands of his wife that children be neglected, a wife would or should comply because he is before them. I know a man who lost his job because his wife kept begging him to stay home saying, "Aren't I more important than your job?" He kept saying "yes" and stayed home one too many times and got fired. I think God wanted him instead to fulfill responsibilities both as a husband and employee, and doing so would have been more loving in the end to both his wife and his employer.
    Instead, of the above man-made priority list, we should go with the Biblical formula: 1) God first, 2) others second, and understand that we have responsibility in every area God has entrusted us with, not neglecting one God-given responsibility for another. No one area should get in the way of our responsibilities in the other, if those responsibilities have been given to us by God. Duties never conflict. Church should not come before family, but family should also not come before church.
    In the common man-made formula, family is always placed before church. But bear in mind, nowhere in the Bible is family described as “precious to God” as the church is. In fact, family relationships on earth, which are temporary, are only a picture of God’s greater reality, his relationship with us and ours with one another in Christ, which will last eternally. My relationship with my kids, as dear to me as they are, will only last a short time unless we are united together in the Body of Christ! I think I can say Biblically that the family is not placed before the church in the Bible. Therefore, I think we have to be careful not to do so as well. Obviously, we have greater responsibility for children when they are little, but that should not be an excuse to neglect church or work altogether. That's why I refer to the “Family First” movement as "worshipping the family" because those in it elevate the family higher than God does, making it an end in and of itself, instead of an instrument to bring us to the greater ends: loving God and loving other people. Grasping this will cause us to involve our families in ways to honor God and serve others and thereby, get us out into the world and to the church, not completely shielding them from the world and guarding them from too much time at church (though there needs to be an element of both protection and time management).
    When my kids were little, we all did ministry together, and we still do often. I never felt that church got in the way of our family, and I don't think they felt that way either, though we spent far more time at church and serving, etc., than anyone I know. But it was never in the way of our family. I also don't know of any other family closer than ours, or young adult kids who love the church more than my kids do.
    On the other hand, I knew many families who's kids are adults today, who's parents turned down ministry and were very guarded about church involvement because they would say, "Family First." Most of those kids are not even going to church today. Instead of "Family First," the Bible teaches that we should lead our families to put God first and others second. That will give us the most valuable family time we could have.
    So the family was given us to help us in loving God and loving others. The family does not exist as an end in and of itself, but the greater end of honoring God and serving others. When we see the family that way, it gives it purpose, and it keeps God in first place and the rest of life in balance.