The Beauty of Heaven

Three Funerals in 7 days A middle ageish white lady who loved life, Jesus and people- mature and strong in her faith. An African- American older lady who was no nonsense in dealing with people and fought powerfully as a church mother to hold an enemy at bay who wanted to steal the life of her church. A crusty old sailor who served his country, loved his family and came to Jesus late in his life.

Three people who may have never crossed paths and certainly did not run in the same circles- yet are all enjoying the presence of God this very moment- TOGETHER!

It is an amazing and beautiful thing to me that this can be so. Oh, I knew it to be so in an abstract sort of way before.........but this week- the great blessing for me of this week is to see it in such a real and personal way. Galatians 3:26-28 "You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were Baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, Slave nor Free, Male nor Female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus". We spend so much time in this world running around trying to find people like us- people we can be comfortable with- I put up so many walls that keep others out of my life.............

And yet in Heaven- this place I so look forward to- I will know and be known intimately by those I now call strangers.

It will be such beautiful thing to get to that place where truly only one thing matters- our Love for Christ that makes all the walls fall and the lesser things fade into nothingness. So Lynn, Faye and Bill enjoy each other now- say hello to my Daddy- to my Mamma- give them a hug for me- tell them I Love 'em- I have not forgotten them and I will see you all "in a little while". Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Welcome these who have come on to be with You. Hold them, heal them, wipe away their tears and bring them into Yourself and one another in such a way that Your Glory is put forth for all Creation to see. Amen

Got any Bites?

I can not tell you how badly I wanted to go fishing......... but, alas no- my older brother would have none of it- no matter how much I pleaded. You see I was 5 years old and he was 14. I would hear from him and others all the time about how much fun it was to "hang the big one" - To fight him in until you had your prize- a fat slick cat fish or a monster carp that could get as big as.......well really big. The saddest part of it all was the fishing hole was so close- we lived about 100 yards or so from the Augusta Canal in my "growing up" years- a virtual mecca of fish, muskrats, crawdads and moccasins- but it was off limits to me. Mama always said a little boy could get hurt up there. I know my teenaged brothers were always secretly ecstatic when they could escape a little 5 year old snot nosed pest and get about the adventure of the great outdoors. Ahhhh, but my brother William- Simply leaving me home wasn't enough for him- No he had his own special ways of tormenting a little brother who took away his prized " baby of the family" status. You see William was a trickster, and I was on the wrong end of one of his all- time best. This particular beautiful Summer day he had cooked up a "mess of dough balls" the night before and talked incessantly about the Ji- Mongous Carp he was going to catch with his special recipe. Oh, but he felt sorry for me- you know that I had to stay home because Mama thought it was so dangerous- but he could fix all that- He had a plan- I was going to get to fish today!

Yessssss!!!!

Imagine my surprise when William unveiled his plan by taking me to the back of our little 4 room house to the bath room. Rod and reel in hand and a small bag of dough balls- he proceeded to bait up the hook and drop it right down into the toilet bowl- He then let out a section of line and you guessed it - Flushed the toilet. Well......... yes the bait and line dissappeared..... and yes as he explained- we were really only a short ways from the canal........ and of course our toilet flushes always emptied directly into the canal anyway - so what was the difference. According to William all I had to do was be patient and soon enough his wonderful dough ball would work it's magic. Who knows what I might be able to catch- just be patient he reminded me as he skipped out the front door on his way to his own fishing trip! I Corinthians 15:14 and 19 If Christ has not been raised our preaching is useless and so is your faith.......... If only for this life we have faith in Christ we are to be pitied more than all men. (or a little boy who thinks he will catch a fish from the toilet) Oh the wonder of it all- Christ has indeed been raised- the tomb is empty and I have His life in me. It is a life that unites me to my Father- My Creator- and brings me deep into the life I long for.

He was no trickster- He is a Truth Teller

Just ask Stephen as he is being stoned- Just ask Paul as he is being beaten and in chains under Roman Gaurd- Just ask John as he rots away on the Isle of Patmos- Just ask Mary as she comes to an empty tomb- Just ask Thomas as he feels the wounds- Just ask Peter as he hanged upside- down not counting himself worthy to share the fate of his Master

Just ask me- a little boy who never caught a fish that day, but who has felt the Love of a Saviour- Oh the sweet Love of Jesus poured into my broken heart. Life has never been the same.

Father in Heaven, Friend Jesus, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit- Three in One- Holy Triune God- Do not let me be jaded by the tricksters of this world. Please continue to show Yourself Faithful and True to all of us who place our Faith in You for the life we long for. Amen

What was He Thinking?

I think it was 1980- I know it was a blistering hot summer day and my good friend Jim (names have been changed to protect the guilty) was serving for match point. On the court next to us were 2 gorgeous young ladies all decked out in their tight little tennis outfits- not that I really noticed being a married man and all. My friend "Jim" was a picture of concentration as he made the perfect toss of the flourescent yellow tennis ball into a pristine blue sky background and came with such force against the ball on his serve that all I could see was a yellow- green blur as it landed perfectly in the service court and sailed past me-

ACE! Game- Set- Match!

My friend- fist pumping high in the air- overcome with exuberance and feeling the fullness of himself shot toward the net like a lightning bolt. As he approached the net-ready to leap over in an impressive display of machismo for all to see (Especially the 2 little cuties on the next court) some how he misjudged it's height or maybe his own fatigue or both.......... Well you get the picture- the thrill of victory can turn into the agony of defeat so quickly.

What in the world was he thinking?

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore into all the nations, making disciples, baptizing and teaching........... I have wondered from time to time what God might have been thinking as He gave us an assignment of such monumental importance- I mean it's life and death right- why leave it to people as messed up as I am- a certain disaster in the making. Over the years I have come to believe 2 things that have helped me. First there is the truth that I can not save anyone-it is not about my performance or skill or goodness in delivering the gospel. The Holy Spirit will do the persuading if there is any to be done-My success is measured not by results, but by faithfulness. Beyond that- I believe the great commision is more for me and my own Christian growth in Love and Grace than it than it is about me "getting somebody saved". Think of it from the stand point of the Great Command- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul- Love your neighbor as yourself- Maybe the best way to grow in these 2 Love relationships is to share the gospel. Sharing the gospel is risky business- it calls us out of ourselves to risk rejection- to move in the motivation of God's Love for another and practice our love for another all at once. Think of it from the standpoint of faith in action- Sharing the gospel is a sign that we believe what we say we believe enough to go public with it. Christianity is a personal relationship with God, but clearly it is not to be a private relationship. God knew exactly what he was doing- He has not misjudged the height of the net. The end result of our faith is to unite our hearts to God's own Great Heart- To bring us to a point of being drawn up in Him and live out who He is in all we do- The Glory of God is on display as Christ is revealed in a man. What is more important to the heart of God than bringing about His Love for people in His Own People? How is His Love displayed in any more full way? When am I more united to God's Heart than when I am willing to come out of myself- to die to self- for the Love of God? Father, be in me today and every day to constantly be sharing the Gospel- Your Love- to everyone I come in contact with. Amen

Love

I remember having a conversation with one of my children-I really don't remember if it was Rebecca or Matthew (I think Matthew) when he was about6 or 7 years old. It was a very wrong conversation- a conversation if I could take back now I would. I really don't know what I was thinking in the midst of this conversation with a 6 year old, but as I think back now- I must have wanted to teach him something about Love. At any rate somewhere in the midst of our talking he looked at me and declared his love for me. Here is where it went bad. I looked at him and proceeded to tell him, "Matthew, you don't really love me or your mommy- you are really just confusing Love with need. You need us and we meet your needs- so you think you love us. One day you won't need us any more- At that point we will find out if you Love us. "He looked up at me with tears welling up in his eyes and cried out, " I do love mommy- I do love you- Don't say I don't" He then proceeded to run to his mommy in the next room crying out, "I do love you mommy- I do- Tell Daddy- Tell him I do". Oh my stupidity- my thoughtlessness for the feelings of a little boy even in the midst of deep thoughts about the nature of Love. It is ironic in a way that in my misguided effort to teach him something about Love I was so unloving.

Well he has since recovered as best I can tell from the wound I delivered that day. In my own effort to recover I did tell him that I really did believe he loved us the best he knew how. The reassurance helped a bit and kept some hold on my original thoughts about Love.

While I regret the conversation because it was with a child who was no where near ready to hear such things- I do not back up one inch from the belief behind the statement- "When you don't need us anymore, when we ultimately become a burden, then you will discover your love for us"

I believe that is the essence of real Love- Agape Love.

It is in the truth that God has no need for us-

We are powerless to do anything for Him-

In fact we turned on Him and yet out of His Nature- His Character- His True Self-

He loves us to the point of suffering and dying so that we might have life-

the life we were made for.

He could have given up on us-

He could have turned on us-

He could have destroyed us all and simply started over, but instead-

In the Life, Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Jesus He demonstrated Love.

I do believe our needs are a blessing. My needs lead me into the beginnings of Love.

When I first met my bride to be she filled up many of my needs. I really thought I loved her- and as best I could at that point I did love her, but now, over 30 years later it is different. Infatuation with her has come and gone a thousand times, but Love has grown.

I came to Christ out of need and He has infused capacity for Real Love into my stone cold heart. I do Love You Jesus- You know I do. I hear Him say in reply,

"You Love Me Charles? Live it out- Feed My sheep- Take care of my Lambs- then My Love is made complete in you."

Lord Jesus- You know all things- You Know I need You- You know I love You as best I can here and now- Grow my Love- strengthen it in all I walk through today and evermore. Amen

Things are not as they appear

I remember it like it was yesterday (in truth it was over 20 years ago). I was calling roll as the 6th grade class sat on a set of old wooden bleachers in the gym at Norris Middle School where I was teaching at the time. It was a Monday morning and I had gotten a haircut over the weekend- a very short haircut in fact. Much to the displeasure of my wife Julie- I like short hair cuts. Julie's greatest objection to my short haircuts stems from the fact that I have this mole-

A Rather Large Mole

-sitting there for all the world to see on the left side of my head toward the rear. My mole does show a little (a lot) when I get one of my short haircuts. As I was going down through the list of names, I noticed out of the corner of my eye this one little girl sitting to my left about 3 rows up- I noticed her because as the other kids were sitting sort of blank faced or whispering to one another as they normally would during roll call- this one little girl was staring intently at me. As I looked up to make eye contact with this child her right arm slowly began to rise as she pointed her index finger directly at me. With an expression somewhere between terror and amazement and screamed out, " Ooooh, Ooooh, Coach Welch, you got a tick in yo head!" Poor child- What she thought she saw- in fact what looked so real to her and sent her into a "tizzy" at that moment was not at all what it appeared to be. Poor me- What I think is true-in fact what seems so real to me in this world is often upside down and backwards from reality-Eternal Reality. 2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 1 Corinthians 1:27 - 28 " But God chose what appeared to the world as foolish to shame the wise. He chose what appeared to be weak to this world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things, the despised- the things that appear to be nothing to shame the things this wold views as important." Matthew 20:26 Jesus said, " Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many." I spend so much time and energy in the "tizzy" of trying to be wise and first and important in this world's eyes. Father forgive me for so much wasted effort. Help me today and every day to see what is real- what is true- to fix my eyes on what matters for eternity even when I look foolish in this world. Give me courage to overcome my great fear of appearing foolish. Work in me for humility to overcome my need to appear strong and in control and independent. Continually work out the Heart of Jesus in me for Loving and Serving those you bring my way. Amen

It's Okay Mommy

I just read a great post from a family member on facebook- to protect the innocent I won't name names, but suffice it to say this wonderful young mother of two has her hands full. As she was giving her 2 young children a bath recently the older of the 2 (a 3 year old) fills a mega cup full of bath water and is about to take a good long drink. Well this mommy will have none of it and warns the child, "Honey don't do that- Your brother (13 months) may have peeed in the tub." The 4 year old simply looks at her mother, smiles and says, "It's okay Mommy, I already Peeed in the tub." Kids- what are you gonna do, but love'em? I wonder how many times my Heavenly Father has looked down and warned me, "Charles, don't do it." only to have me look back up and say,"It's okay -I got this- I can handle it." even though I have no clue what kind of trouble I am about to get myself into. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowlege Him and He will make your paths straight. 'nuff said - Blessings to all

There Always Seems to be Something

What do I love more than Jesus? my car? my home? my job? my children? my wife? a relationship? my way of life? my standing at church and in the community? my ministry? approval and acclaim in this world? my own personal view of God? my independence? my theology? my causes? my view of how the world should work- fairness? my own vision for my future? There always seems to be something that rivals my love for Jesus. The rich young man had his wealth- the Pharisees had their religion and position-one man had to say good bye to his family-another man had to go and bury his father first- Even Peter had his own vision of how life would play out for him with Jesus- before the crucifixion. All of us have some things- good things- that we look to find our happiness in- that we look for Life in. Things that we will truly place our faith in- give our hearts and souls to- because we believe those things will bring us the life we long for. Like Sirens of old calling to us- like a serpent in a garden long ago. Jesus will have none it! He will always call us higher. Oswald Chambers talks about Jesus' undeviating question- Do you Love Me? Do you Love Me? Do you Love Me more than these? It is the question I must answer every second of every day. "What about you?" Jesus asks as the Sirens call- "Will you leave Me too?" I hope to answer with Peter,"Lord, you know I love You- to whom shall I go- You alone have the words of Eternal Life." Holy Spirit, bring me deeper into Love with Jesus today, So that all the rest simply fades away. Help me to feel my Saviour's Love for me- To live in that Love- And so to love all of those other things- those good things- Not for the life they promise, But for the gifts they are from You. I pray that all these things bring me to a deeper Love for You. Amen

Instruments of Grace

God's Grace His kindness toward me Even though I have done nothing to deserve it Even though I can do nothing for Him in return Even though I have risen up against Him. God's Grace "But God demonstrates His Love for us in this- even while we were opposing Him (sinners) Christ died for us" When I give my life to Christ He comes into me-He comes to life in me so that the life I live is no longer my own- I am His- for Him to live through to all those He brings my way. I am drawn up into Him-my heart united to His Great Heart and brought to life- His Resurrection Life to be lived through me. I have heard it said that the Glory of God is a man fully alive. God's Glory is His Love and Character being fully demonstrated in our lives. I am to be an instrument of His Grace - To become the hands and feet of Jesus. He has shown you O' man what is good and what does the Lord require of you? Do Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with your God. Lord be in me today to be an instrument of Your Grace- to be Loving, Joyful. pursuing Peace, Patient, Kind, Good, Faithful, Self Controlled, Courageous, Humble and full of Hope. Jesus, Holy Spirit, saturate my heart- join to it in such a way that Iam energized for all these things in You today. Amen

Some Thoughts on Forgiveness

Forgiveness means just getting over it. Forgiveness means I just act like it didn't matter. Forgiveness means forgetting. Forgiveness is an event- Done once and for all. Forgiveness means I have to like you. Forgiveness is the same as Reconciliation. Forgiveness means an offender gets off with no consequence. No, No, No, No!!!!!!!!!!!! At least I don't think any of those are true. What passes for forgiveness these days many times is nothing more than declaring a cease fire while I rearm with anger and bitterness that lead me to more destruction. In the end, I really believe Forgiveness calls me beyond tolerance- To the point that I wish the best for my offender- in fact that I Love my offender- that I wish he would change- that he would repent......... and going a step farther- from Love- that I do whatever is in my power to to help him move toward repentance and wholeness. It does not mean I am soft on him or even need to like him. In fact many times I think it can mean Courageous, Loving, uncomfortable Confrontation. I think of God's forgiveness. I have wronged Him- I have betrayed Him- I have left Him so many times to go my own way. I have rebelled against Him and He has every right to vengeance- to let me suffer the consequence of my betrayal- to sit back and watch while I flounder in my own willfulness and pride all the way to my death. Ah, but that is not His nature- God is Loving- God is compassionate- God is Just and God is Forgiving. My heavenly Father has loved me so much- My friend Jesus has Loved me so much- that He has ransomed me from my captivity to sin and emptiness and hopelessness and death. I got myself into this mess, but He has by His own sacrifice offered me a way out. You might disagree with my theology here, but I believe with all my heart that the sacrifice of Christ made possible God's forgiveness to every human who has ever walked the face of this earth. That being said, forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Not every man accepts God's forgiveness. Not every man is reconciled to God. Many can not bring themselves to admit they have any need of forgiveness and so reconcilation is never achieved. Many- of their own volition- continue on their prideful way, evermore separated from the Father. Death has it's icy grip on their hard cold hearts and God's compassionate, loving heart breaks for them. Ezekiel 18:31-32 Rid yourselves of all offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O House of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and Live! And so it is with God's call for me to forgive. The offense did matter. The hurt was real. I am within my rights to look for justice....... but if God can forgive my offense- my betrayal- What right do I really have to hold on to my desire to get even? I can only forgive to the extent that I realize how much I have been forgiven and truly grasp what God did to satisfy justice and offer His forgiveness. My ability to forgive does not depend on the offender's sorrow. God does not forgive me because of my sorrow- He forgives because of His Love. I also am called to forgive not out of my offender's sorrow but out of God's Love in me. Sometimes wrongs end in reconciliation....... and it is a beautiful thing........... but forgiveness without reconcilation is beautiful as well. With or without reconciliation forgiveness is a key to my healing - to my wholeness- to my ability to take hold of the Life I long for- even here on this earth. My ability to forgive- to at least wish that my offender would be healed and made right- is one of the truest signs of God's Love and Life in me. It is what He has done for me. Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus said," But if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins". Father, because of Your Love in me- because of Jesus in me- I will be forgiving. Amen

What do you Delight in?

I delight in the sound of childrens laughter I delight in going down hill fast on a bicycle I delight in the smile of a friend I delight in seeing a blackfaced fox squirrel on a cold December morning I delight in deep blue skies with cotton ball clouds I delight in seeing my students finally "get it" I delight in reunions with friends I have not seen in a long while I delight in the first drop on a mega roller coaster I delight in seeing a great team at it's best I delight in seeing great acts of courage I delight in the love of my wife I delight in seeing my children happy I delight in music of all kinds I delight in a good cup of coffee "Delight yourself in the Lord" I have been wondering what that means- what it looks like- How to do it. I am not quite sure if the verse is a command- something I am to intentionally do- Today I will set out to delight in the Lord or Is it more that today I will acknowlege God- Abide in Christ-in every thing I think, say, or do and out of that will flow those feelings of delight like the ones I listed above. There is a bit of a mystery to it all for me- but that's okay- maybe even good. I'm sure if I could come up with a formula for how to delight in the Lord I would probably lose some of the wonder of it all. I think I need to be happy with simply trying to love God and Love people moment by moment and see where that takes me. Psalm 100: Shout for Joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship Him with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God- it is He who made us and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. The Lord is good and His Love endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations. Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, move in me today to trust You, to abide in You- to remember Your great Love for me- to remember Your goodness. Move in Me Lord Jesus to delight in You- to find my joy in You. Holy Spirit, be so powerful in me that the Love of Jesus is always what guides my thoughts, words and deeds. Amen

The Life to Come

I Love Weddings!

This morning I took off on yet another adventure on my bicycle-
This time I stuck to the pavement however-
At least for a while-
I navigated my way from my home some 10 miles to a path that runs along side the Savannah River-
The Canal Tow Path.
At the point where the Tow Path begins there is a Community Center that sits high up on the bank of the river. This center has come to be known as Savannah Rapids Pavillion. The Pavillion is positioned in an exquisite spot that looks down over the river for an incredible view of a spillway with a waterfall that tumbles into gentle rapids. As I picture it in my mind, I realize how inadequate my writing skills are to describe such beauty.

Over the years,

the Pavillion has become a favorite spot for many a young couple to launch out into their own great adventure of a lifetime together.

Well this morning-
if only for a fleeting moment-
I was privileged to witness one such beginning.
Ah, the excitement of the wedding party as they made their way toward what I pray would be a wonderful celebration of Love for a lifetime. The Groom and groomsmen were pictures of strength as they walked confidently toward the life-changing moment. As the Bride came into view, in all her splendor, I was drawn back in time 30 years to the moment I first glimpsed my Julie on our wedding day.

She was Beautiful-

Radiant-

Incredible beyond words!

I thank God for the memory of her smile as she approached our moment-
The moment of pledging our hearts to one another-
I don't think I will ever forget that smile.

 I Love Weddings!

Revelation 19:7 and on- Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory for the Wedding of the Lamb has come and His Bride has made herself ready. Fine linen bright and clean was given her to wear. The angel said, "Blessed are those invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb".

Thank You Father in Heaven for the Wedding to come-

for the celebration to come-

for the life to come.

Thank you for my marriage here and now to such a wonderful, beautiful, woman.

Thank You that our Love has brought forth life-

for our children.

Thank You for how weddings remind me of the life to come with You-

my Eternal Bridegroom.

Amen

It is written,

" Behold now the dwelling of God is with men

and He will live with them- they will be His".

He Who is seated on the Throne has said,

"Behold, I make all things new".

All praise be to You my Lord Jesus for the Life You have won for us.

Amen

PLAY TOGETHER!

I have been blessed to coach some very talented athletes- Guys who could do things on the court that simply blow me away. Athleticism through the roof- skills honed and refined by hours of sweat and pain on courts of hardwood or playgrounds of asphalt. As strong as any particular player might be, I have never seen any one guy who could play the game alone. Think about the NBA Slam Dunk Contest- the displays of individual Athleticism and Creativity can be incredible, but how much of that can you watch before losing interest? On the other hand there is nothing quite like watching a group of talented guys (or girls) come together in such a way that all are giving themselves to the larger purpose- Sacrificing themselves..........yet finding themselves all at once...

It is a beautiful thing.

Just like athleticism and skills only have real meaning in the context of a team- the Christian Life can only find it's fulfillment in the context of Community. Christianity is a Team Sport. Take a look at the scriptures- God starts out by saying it is not good for man to be alone Ecclesiastes tells us two are better than one-a cord of 3 strands is not easily broken Jesus had His twelve and an even closer group of three. God Himself exists in Community- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Church is a body of believers. Think about it- 1st John tells us God is Love- If that is so then Love by it's nature must exist in the context of relationship- Intimate, honest, authentic relationship. Being made in the image of God means we are made to Play Together. I do not believe we have much hope of really knowing God- Of truly uniting to His Heart- on our own. I am reminded of Jesus great prayer for us in John 17-My prayer is...that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You- may they also be in us. Father God, Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Holy Spirit- Triune God- Three in One, move in me today and ever more to search out, take hold of and cling to Your body- the Church. Bring me into meaningful, intimate and deep relationships that reveal Your Heart and Your ways to me. Move me through those relationships to Love You with a more real and deeper Love- Teach me how to Love through those people you bring into my life. In the precious name of my Saviour, Amen.

Play Smart

I coached a young man at one point in my career that no one could ever possibly criticize for not playing hard. When this kid hit the floor, he was a whirling dervish- arms flailing wildly in every direction- a blur of motion and energy who was totally committed to every play as if it might be his last time ever touching a basketball................ and if it were............ He was determined to go out in a blaze of glory. Unbridled Passion can be a dangerous thing. When Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the message, "The Kingdom of Heaven is near" His warning to them was, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves, therefore be shrewd as snakes, but as innocent as doves" Shrewdness harnesses and directs passion. There is direction behind the energy. Play Hard- Yes!!!!!!!! But Play Smart as well. So what does it mean to live the Christian life shrewdly........... to Play Smart? Jesus told a parable in which He commended another man for the shrewd use of his master's wealth to win friends for himself- Jesus goes on to tell us that we should use worldly wealth in such a way that when it is gone we will be welcomed by many friends into eternal dwellings. Did you get that- The shrewd use of energy, resources, cleverness, power and position in this world is connected to having many friends in Heaven. The Christian Life is meant to be lived with Passion- Shrewd Passion, that makes every move based on an eternal perspective. This will not be the last time I touch the ball. I do not need to go out in a blaze of glory. This life is about much more than this life. Father God be in me to live for You with passion and conviction- always with an eye toward the reality of eternity. Give me wisdom- even shrewdness- as I manage all that You have given me in this world so that there are many friends to welcome me into Your Eternal Dwellings.

PLAY HARD!

The locker room was always a little hyped before a game. It was a time when senses were keen- everyone was a little on edge- We knew we were about to enter conflict- about to be challenged and tested. I so admire athletes- their willingness to risk- to put themselves on the line everytime they step on to the court- their success or failure right there for the world to see. It is such an act of courage to say- this is who I am- this is my best- I hope it will be enough, but even if it is not, I will compete. I wrote it on the board in big letters before every game. PLAY HARD! It is that sense that as a competitor I am completely immersed in playing the game. Every second I am on the court my focus and concentration is on playing the game. It is the state of being totally in the moment and task at hand. In a sense it is a time athletes are more alive- more engaged with life than any other. If you just wanted to watch the game you could come sit by me on the bench. PLAY HARD! It was one of our three keys to vistory- no matter what the final score. A question- What does it mean then to PLAY HARD in this thing called the Christian Life? Is it about following the rules? Is it living up to expectations? Is it accomplished in doing good? No I don't think these are the things Jesus is calling us to. These are all good things, but I don't see myself finding life in these things in the same way the athlete finds so much of his satisfaction in the exultation of competition. No, when I think of PLAY HARD, actually, Jesus' words in John 15 come to mind. "Abide in Me" I love that word," abide"- I get a sense from it of finding myself always in Jesus- of having all my life, thoughts, decisions, actions, desires, plans, hopes, dreams.......... you name it- flowing out of vital relationship with Him. That- I think- is what it means to PLAY HARD in the Christian Life. Father, today move in me to bring my relationship with Jesus to bear on every thought, feeling, word and action that comes out of me. I pray that every relationship I have be grounded in You. Because You are in me Jesus, today I will do my best to be Loving, Encouraging, Hopeful, Faithful and Courageous. Amen.

Finding Life in the strangest ways

Everyone comes to life with hopes and dreams- a burning desire for happiness- for prosperity - maybe even acclaim- the desire to be respected, admired, and remembered. The desire to be taken seriously- to establish myself- to make a name for myself- to feel validated. I have heard that self preservation is the most powerful human instinct. I wonder if this goes beyond physical self preservation and extends to ego preservation and name preservation for eternity? I have felt it so often myself. It has motivated so many of my own efforts- this desire to make my mark- to be well thought of and yes remembered. Matthew 16:24-25 If anyone would come after Me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me; for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. It's all so backwards- so foreign to my instincts. I think I know how to arrange my own happiness- I think I know how to achieve weght and respect in this world. Pursue the things I want- comfort, pleasure, respect- in fact I will demand my due respect- you can't treat me that way- don't you know who I am? Make plans- use my cleverness or position or raw power to get what I want........... It is a Godless way to live- some have called it practical agnosticism. Then along comes Jesus, talking about losing my life for Him. Trust me Charles- You trust Me for your hope of eternal life- why won't you trust Me for your life in this world- why won't you immerse yourself- lose yourself in Me? I have come to bring you Life. I have come to give you a new name-why won't you give up trying to save the old one? It is so strange- this way of Jesus. To find MY life I must give up looking for it. I must surrender my name-my identity. Strange or not, it is His call and He is worthy. Father God, Lord Jesus, Friend Jesus, Precious Holy Spirit- Make Your way clear for me today- Move in me for the courage and Love to lose myself in You- I will do my best minute by minute to be lost in You- to live out of Your presence in me. Amen.

why do i have to be right?

What is it about me that not only has to be right- but goes a step beyond - to the place that you must agree with me? Why do I hold to my position so fervently? Is it because I really want you to get the truth- my truth- or......... Am I afraid I might be somehow diminished or less in control if I don't have it all figured out? Is it because of my own insecurity that I feel threatened by your questions? Sometimes-Yes many times, but............... There is Truth. There are things worth dying for. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord. He was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried. He descended into hell, on the third day He rose from the grave- He ascended into Heaven, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting- Amen Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.......... Love your neighbor as yourself. God is Good. Christ died for me. God's Word is true. God is able. God Loves me. These are bedrocks- Much of the rest is open for debate. It's funny- even (especially) that last statement can lead us into contention. Father, help me in truth and humility, out of Love, to hold to what You want me to hold to and let go of my NEED to be right. Amen

Disruptions and Disturbances

Copperhead! My friend Jim was riding about 10 yards ahead of me on the single track mountain bike trail when I noticed him swerve just a bit to the side to avoid the brilliantly colored coils right in the middle of the trail. I too was able to avoid the snake- passing by quickly to it's right...... but if you know me...... you know I can never resist an opportunity to get a better look at a snake. I grew up close to the river and as a teen would spend countless hours tromping in the woods, fishing and you guessed it....... catching snakes. Anyway, back to story- I immediately pulled my bike over and rushed back to get a better look. What I saw next was nothing short of amazing- What we thought was a snake turned out to actually be 2 snakes in the middle of .....well.....making baby snakes! In fact these 2 were actually quite intent on making baby snakes- so much so that when we scooped one up on the end of a branch to toss it off the trail- the other was so joined to it- that even with one snake's entire body weight dangling, they did not seperate. These snakes refused to be disrupted or disturbed! So here's the question- What is God doing to disrupt or disturb me these days? Is there anyhing I am so connected to- so intent on- that even though it's for my own good- God's disruptions are ignored? (It is not good- for snakes or riders- that snakes would be copulating on well used bike paths) Am I taking heed of His disruptions and disturbances? His disruptions can come in seemingly small ways. One of my students comes by when I am in the middle of lunch. I read something like Matthew 5:44 where Jesus tells me to Love my enemies. Or there may be larger disruptions God allows. Sickness, Job Loss or Problems with my kids. I tell you- I am often so intent on my own way that God must really disturb me - do or allow a drastic disruption- to get my attention- to get me to do the work that leads to wholeness and healing and finding the life He has for me. Many times- no truthfully most times- I would really rather be left alone- even if the next thing that comes down the path might run me over. Father in Heaven- Lord Jesus- Do what You will to disrupt me- move me- into a more committed recovery from my addiction to sin and self and pride. Thank You for disturbances and disruptions. Move in me for the courage to examine, surrender and repent. Amen

Recovery

Addicts talk alot about recovery- Recovering Alcoholics-Recovering Drug Addicts=Recovering Sex Addicts........... Well, I am more and more coming to believe that I am a recovering sin addict. In fact I am wondering if all of us who have been brought from death to life by the work of Jesus are not really just recovering sin addicts. Now wait a minute before you start picking this statement apart to see if it fits your theology- Slow Down- Whoa Horsey- This is not about trying to fit a theology. Please don't get sidetracked by things like A.A.'s talk of a higher power- I resolutely, uneqivocally believe with all my heart there is only 1 True God and that His perfect expression to men is Christ Jesus. All my being is found in Him.In Him I live and move and breathe! Amen! My point is that as a recovering sin addict I must be diligent to participate in my recovery. There is a path to recovery (sanctification) for the addict. Let me be clear once again-I am not talking here about a path to salvation, but a path to living the life I long for. There is a way to get back to what was lost- to recover the life I was made for. Most of the addiction groups talk about a 12 step program. Many of the steps align very well the Christian Faith- Surrender to God- Admitting our need for a Saviour and so on........ I think the difficult part that we may have missed the boat on as Christians is the fearless moral inventory of own hearts and the admission to God and at least one other person our sin- specificly- fearlessly- in the present tense and unrelentingly. Instead of taking active participation in my own recovery as a sin addict I would rather gloss it over and hide it- you know- "I can handle this stuff- I really don't need to go there- It's really all just so ugly, and besides anyone I share any of my struggles with will think I am crazy or worse..... They might not like me any more. It's all so uncomfortable and so hard. Everyone else has it all together. I am the only one with these struggles. Lies, lies, lies, and more lies our enemy the Devil brings up to keep us in hiding- To isolate us from our brothers and sisters who can help us find the freedom Christ won for us. Father God, empower me- move my heart with courage to be intentional about participating in my own recovery- to engage my brothers and sisters in Christ to live everyday authentically as such a community of believers that we are able to experience more and more the life You have for us. Amen

Never Surrender- Never Give Up!?

I hate even the thought of surrender.

"Not My will but Thy will be done" - Jesus As a man full of pride- As a coach- A leader of young men- for so many years I have continually preached the idea of no surrender- Never give up the fight- Never lay down! Stay in the fight! Surrender is totally against my nature. Giving up has no place in my life.

But like so many other good things

The Enemy has twisted this and used it against me.

Surrendering my way to God's way is not the same as giving up.

Instead, surrender is about embracing with all that is in me something new. Surrendering to Christ is joining a new fight. Trusting God is entering a new arena. Surrender does not equal resignation. Maybe it is more about joining the fight in a new way- from a new perspective.

Surrendering my will- my attempts to find life on my own terms- Does not equal failure.

The accuser has brought that against me so many times. Oh Charles you might as well give up- things will never get any better.- You are such a failure.

Surrender to Christ does not steal hope, but redirects hope.

I finish where I started- Not my will but Thy will be done. Jesus' surrender to the Father's Way of the cross- to the Father's will- was a Glorious thing. There was such power in it. His Trusting the Father's Heart for Him- to the point of death- has accomplished Life- The Life we were made for.

Father God, move in me today- take these thoughts from my head and seal them to my heart. From my heart give me courage to surrender my will to Your Will. Empower me to join the fight in this new way. Amen

Who am I?

I am a man I am a husband I am a father I am a teacher I am a coach I am a follower of Jesus I am an achiever I am a failure I am a blogger I am a weakling I am a leader I am a provider I am a man in need of a Saviour On and on and on it goes........but who am I.......... really? Some of these things describe me- Some of these things define me. Some of these things are roles I play- Some are at the core of my being. So again, who am I? In which of these things will I find the life I long for? Psalm 87:6 "And the Lord will write in the register of the peoples: This one was born in Zion. (He is Mine- He is a Child of the King)- My interpretation Psalm 87:7 "And as they make music they will sing, All my fountains are in You Lord" (All my life- all that I long for is in You Lord)- My interpretation

In the end, I think there is only one thing worthy of defining me-

God's Love for me

And what a great love it is that while I was powerless Christ died for me, so that I might say with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ- it is no longer I who live , but Christ who lives in me" Father, Father of mine in Heaven, be powerful in me today to live from my true identity- to find my security in You- to find my worth in You- to find all my fountains in you. Amen