In His Time

Ecclesiastes 3:11

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

What a wonderful verse to read and ponder. No matter who you are, where you are, or what your going through, God is speaking to your situation through this verse. Let's quickly and simply unpack it.

God has made everything beautiful in its time...

• Did you know that all things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose? (Romans 8:28)
• Did you know that weeping endures for a night, but that joy comes in the morning? (Pslam 30:5)
• Did you know that suffering and trials ultimately produce character and hope? (Romans 5:3-4)

Regardless of your circumstances, God has a plan and will make it beautiful in time.

He has set eternity in the hearts of men...

• Did you know that we're not made for this temporary world only, but most importantly for eternity? (Matthew 6:19)
• Did you know that Jesus' kingdom was not to be of this world? (John 18:36)
• Did you know that we have no excuse for rejecting God, since He has placed eternity in our hearts and given us creation as evidence of Himself? (Romans 1:20)

We all know deep down there is an eternity, and that we have no excuse, so let us set our hearts and minds on the eternal things of God rather than the temporary things of this world.

We cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end...

• Did you know that God is so great that He goes beyond all of our understanding? (Job 36:26)
• Did you know that the all the books in the world cannot contain all of who Jesus Christ is or what He has done? (John 21:25)
• Did you know that no eye has seen or ear has heard all that God has prepared for those who believe Him? (1 Corinthians 2:9)

God is unexplainable and His glory is unimaginable. His Will is a direct result of His infinite wisdom and goodness. His Love goes beyond our greatest comprehension. We cannot fully fathom God, or what He has in plan for us, but we must seek Him. (Matthew 6:33)

On the Journey Together,

Justin

Health Care Overhaul

Right now there's a health care summit taking place in Washington D.C. in which our country's leaders are seeking to reform/overhaul our nation's health care. The hope is that we may be able to fix "broken" parts of our health care system in such a way that all Americans will be able afford to be live long, healthy, productive lives.

Though I don't have much a voice in that debate, I do have a "prescription" that will allow us to add energy and vitality to our spiritual lives:

"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

Ready for a spiritual health care overhaul? Try these few steps:

1. Let God's Word richly dwell in you. Read it. Meditate on it. Memorize. Study it. Pray it. Live it. It will transform you. In fact, it's got a guarantee that it will not be unproductive. (Isaiah 55:11)

2. Teach and encourage one another. Compliment each other. Build each other up. Hug, "high five," and give pats on the back. After all, it's by our love for one another that the world knows we are Christ's.(John 13:35)

3. Sing songs of praise and adoration with thanksgiving in your hearts. As the old hymn says, "count your blessings." Be appreciative. Look for the good in things. Tell God (and others), "thank you."

I'm no health care expert, but I submit to you these 3 steps are a healthy prescription that will help you have life and life more abundantly.

May your days be better and your smiles be brighter...

On the Journey Together,

Justin

Number 1

It's been a big week in football- the Saints brought home the NFC Championship and will be headed the Super Bowl for the first time, and in the process delivered a stunning loss to Hall of Fame Quarterback, Brett Favre. Earlier last Sunday, Peyton Manning and the Colts advanced on the AFC side to return back to the big game. Then later this week, the NFL saw one of their greatest quarterbacks, Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals), go into retirement. Kurt Warner became one of my favorite players with his explosive offense and incredible passes while playing for the St. Louis Rams (1998-2003).

Kurt Warner is a hero of mine as he has been such a great role model and Christian example even while being the superstar football player that he was. For quite some time I have been familiar with his testimony and reputation. It wasn't until his retirement announcement that I found out about his ministry/charity organization; the name of which I found particularly inspiring- First Things First. (See www.kurtwarner.org.)

His theme verse is one that we need not forget, Matthew 6:33:

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness..."

I don't know about you, but I struggle with that one. It seems that sometimes...a lot of times...I seek ME first. What makes me happy? What makes me look good? What do I want?

Whenever we put ourselves first, we miss out on the promises of God- that passage deals with God taking care of our needs and blessing us. When we try to put ourselves first and at the top instead of God first. We end up just like the prodigal son--more thirsty, hungry, and lonely than before.

We all struggle with putting things before God. It's no wonder that the first of the ten commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3).

What are you putting in front of God today? What (or who) is number one to you? Join with me (and Kurt Warner) in putting God first.

Putting Him in First Place Together,

Justin

Attitudes and Earthquakes

Last Tuesday a 7.0 magnitude earthquake smashed the country of Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere. The devastation is unimaginable. In a country where getting food and water is already a daily struggle for most and where the infrastructure fails to meet what we would consider even the most basic standards, this earthquake has drastically affected literally millions of Haitians and killed an estimated 50,000 (American Red Cross estimate). People in droves are now without homes, food, clean water, clothing, and medical care. The need though already enormous enough is further complicated by the ability to get aid and resources to those who need it. The country's single airport in Port Au Prince is overwhelmed, the streets are crammed, and the logistics of distribution are nothing short of a nightmare.

It's really hard to wrap one's mind around such chaos. When I consider events that have shaken "my world," two castrophes in particular coming rushing to mind- the 9/11 attacks and the Katrina/Rita hurricanes. You may think about the Tsunami in Asia in 2004 or the cyclone in Myanmar in 2008. For those who are slightly older, Pearl Harbor is one of those unforgettable memories. Whatever the calamity whether natural or man-caused, when we encounter situations like these, there is usually 4 attitudes of thought:

1.) Attitude of the Unconcerned- "I'll ignore it. This doesn't affect me. It's so far away, why should I be involved or worried." These people know and see what's going on but they don't really give it much thought.

2.) Attitude of the Confused- "What's going on? Why would God allow this? What does this mean?" They question the processes and events that take place. They may get depressed or axious.

3.) Attitude of the Conceited- "How can I capitalize on the situation? What can I get out of it? How can I profit from this misfortune?" People with this attitude are judgemental and selfish. They will seek to money over morals and look more for the photo opportunities than the mission opportunities.

4.) Attitude of the Compassionate- "How can I show Love in this situation? Who can I serve? How can I help? What need can I meet? How can I share Jesus?" These are those who love God, and therefore have the "agape" love for others. These people show humilty, mercy, justice, and compassion like no other group of people. They're not so much concerned with judging others as helping others. They make sacrifices to help others instead of making excuses for why they can't.

Most people will fall into one of the first 3 categories, however, we know that God has called His people, His Church, to be the fourth group- the people of Compassion. We are to love, serve, pray, and encourage. We are to feed, nourish, clothe, and bring healing. We are to be the light in the darkness. When all else seems hopeless His people are to point others to the hope. I am convinced that Christians need to continue to be the ones who serve and love the people of Haiti. One of the ways that you can help those in Haiti is to support our very own LBC Disaster Relief missionaries. You can donate to thier ministry and find out more information at http://lbc.org/Haiti/ .

You may not feel that you can do much in and for Haiti where their world is crashing down, but there is probably someone nearby who feels like their world is also caving down upon them. Maybe you can be the one who will encourage and bring hope to a family member or neighbor. You might be the one to feed a hungry person or give clothes to someone who needs them. I hope so, for that is the mission of Christ and His Church.

On the Journey Together,

Justin

New Year's Resolutions

The year 2009 has come and gone, and 2010 is only hours away. Many are reminiscing over the past 365 days and trying to look forward to the next. Some of us are thinking about those things that we'll do different next year. We'll exercise more, manage our money more wisely, be kinder to people, read our Bible more often, and, gosh darn it, we're going to stick to a diet and really lose some of that stubborn weight.

This practice of making New Year's resolutions is a cultural tradition, not a Biblical one. (Note: New Year's resolutions actually go back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians.) So, what does the Bible say about New Year's resolutions?

Well, there is nothing in the Bible that directly forbids them. There are, however, warnings about making promises that you don't keep- let your yes's be yes, and your no's be no (Matt. 5:37). It also cautions us about presuming about the things of tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). As grandma would say, we should be careful to not count our chickens before they hatch.

With that said, if you are making resolutions, I encourage you to do these 3 things:

1. Godliness First. You must keep your priorities straight. Don't go in debt buying that new treadmill or weight loss program, don't become a grinch or a tightwod just to manage your money better, etc. Remember, Titus 4:8, "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” Make sure to seek and commit to godliness above all else.

2. Glorify God. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for the Lord, not for men." If you are getting in shape to impress others or saving your money to flaunt your wealth, you are doing good things with the wrong motivation. Whatever you commit to, give the glory to God in it and stay humble.

3. Rely on Christ. Phillipians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Trust in Him to help you become a better person. Apart from Him, you will most likely give up and give in.

I pray as you seek a fresh start and commit to doing new and better things that God will mature and grow you into the man and woman of God that He has called you to be.

Celebrating the New Year Together,

Justin

God With Us!

I suppose every Believer has their favorite parts of the Christmas story-those things that they enjoy most about the birth of Jesus and what Christmas really means to them. For me, my favorite aspect Christmas deals with Jesus as Emmanuel:

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

Every other religion in the world tries to teach how man can get to God. Christianity is the sole religion that says God came to us.

For those who were at His Church this past Sunday as we finished up our series called "Open Before Christmas," you know that one of the gifts that God gives us when we come to know Him is the gift of His Presence in our lives. We discussed Sunday how God's presence also brings us:

• Protection
• Provision
• Personal Relationship

After all isn't this the Christmas story? God came to be with us, and in doing so, He would protects (saves) us from sin and the consequences of it. He provides a way of escape from death and hell and give us a way to eternal life. All of this is ultimately so we could and would know Him personally.

My prayer for you and your family this Christmas season is that you will experience God's presence in your lives, and that His presence will bring you protection, provision, and a personal relationship with Him.

Celebrating the Birth of Christ Together,

Justin

Silent Night?

Everybody, well almost everybody, loves Christmas music. Whether we listen to it on the radio or on our iPod or have a collection of Christmas songs on CD's or, God forbid, cassettes, most of us have our favorites.

One song that you'll undoubtedly hear this Christmas season is "Silent Night." Here are a few lines:

"Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright...

Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace...

Radiant beams from Thy holy face..."

It's a traditional song that seems to bring peace to the soul. I admire this song in many ways, however, I sometimes wonder if this song was really written in Hollywood.

Silent night? All is calm? All is bright? Radiant beams from Jesus' face?

I know some of you have now labeled me a heretic but think about it- the song makes Jesus' birth so (picture) "perfect."

The Bible do say that Jesus was perfect in that He had no sin and His nature was pure and holy. It does not say, however, that he was perfect in every single area of life. Surely even Jesus missed a goal while playing ball or spilled a cup of juice at the dinner table!

I don't mean to sound sacrilegious . I just want to us to see the reality of the night in which Jesus was born. The song is half right- it was a holy night, but I doubt that it was silent at all.

After all, they were in a manger filled with animals, and Mary was giving birth to a baby who was crying, and there were surprise visits (from wise men and shepherds).

I believe, for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, the very first Christmas was not silent. No, I think it was probably noisy, crowded, and stressful.

However, in the midst of the commotion there was peace, and joy, and holiness, and serenity. There was something special about the night, for God was giving a Gift, His Son, Jesus, to the world. He was showing the most perfect and ultimate display of love.

You see, the gift of Love can take what is stressful, painful, noisy, and difficult and transform it to be peaceful, joyful, and triumphant. That is the story of the first Christmas, and it should be our story each Christmas, too.

As we celebrate God's gift of Love to us, let's share Love with others? In the midst of the Christmas chaos, let us bring the Christmas love, joy, and peace.

Continue to rejoice in God's Love and His Gift this Christmas season.

Celebrating the Birth of the Savior Together,

Justin