He Came to Say, “I Love You.”

He Came to Say, "I Love You."

That's not the picture that everyone has of Jesus. UnChristian (David Kinnaman, Baker Books) reveals that people think the church is hypocritical, antihomosexual, too political, and judgmental, among other things. And many unbelievers develop their impression of Jesus from their impression of us. Many people who are not of us, don't believe that we like them, much less love them. Therefore, they don't understand that Jesus loves them. They think he came to condemn!

Maybe some of us are part of the body not because we believe that we are loved. Maybe we are in the body mostly because we are trying to escape condemnation. It's OK to want to escape condemnation, and Christ is certainly the way. It's not OK, though, to think that you need to be a Christian to escape condemnation because Jesus is so eager to judge and condemn.

If you've wondered about this, you are not alone. John recorded this significant truth, "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:17). And the most famous verse in the Bible, just before this great truth, reveals God's motive for sending Jesus to save, "God so loved the world."

I've gotten to read a couple of things recently that teach this message of God's love. In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller recalls the questions of his friend Penny about the love of Jesus. "Penny began to wonder if Christianity, were it a person, might in fact like her," he wrote. That was significant for Penny because she wasn't at all what she perceived the television preachers/political figures to be. She thought that Jesus was like them, so she thought Jesus probably wouldn't like her. Then, in The Shack, as William Young writes about the dream of his friend Mac, he recorded the words of Papa, "I'm especially fond of you." Do you believe that God is especially fond of you? Do you let the love of Christ shine in you so that others will know that Jesus does, in fact, like them?

Are you a follower because "Christ's love compels you" (2 Corinthians 5:14) or because you are trying to escape his condemnation. He came to say, "I love you." He didn't have to come to condemn. We were already there. He came because of his love to save us.

We can quit debating whether the unbeliever's perception of us is true. If we are the lover, it is our responsibility to show it. If they don't know it, we have to communicate differently. Some may never get it, but we have to keep trying! Jesus has never ever given up!

That's Life at Work!

A Question about Christmas

A friend asked recently about churches of Christ celebrating Christmas. He noted that few celebrated and that some vehemently opposed it. He had mentioned the argument that celebrating Christians created "2 day Christians" but wondered still why it is so rejected by many of us. I've posted my response to him below. What do you think?

I find it difficult to defend the idea of "celebration" because "celebrate" means something different to different people.  Some believe that having a tree and giving gifts is celebration and it's wrong.  Others believe that having a nativity in the foyer and singing "Silent Night" and "Happy Birthday" to Jesus is wrong, but do have a tree and give gifts.  So what does celebrate mean to you?

The tendency that some have to become "2 day Christians" is probably secondary to the "speak where the Bible speaks" argument for most who think it is wrong to "celebrate" Christmas.  It is true that some make a holy day out of Christmas and believe that some sort of piety ought to exist on that day that doesn't have to exist on other days.  Same with Easter, as you mentioned. And Christians have no holy days that we are required to recognize (notwithstanding Sundays).  We don't have Sabbaths, Passover Days, feast days, etc.  Some feel strongly, then, that since Christ (through Paul) removed us from responsibility to Jewish holy days, and gave us no others to keep, then to create some is wrong.  "Be silent where the Bible is silent." So fundamentally, it is wrong to "add to the Bible."  The fact that some who do it develop into "2 day Christians" just piles on the problem. Those who don't celebrate understand "speak where the Bible speaks" to mean that if something isn't authorized, you can't do it."

On the other hand, some take "speak where the Bible speaks" to mean that if scripture doesn't forbid it, you can do it.  Therefore, if someone wants to declare December 25 as the adopted birthday of Jesus and celebrate it with Christmas songs, special services, nativity scenes, singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus, decorating trees, and giving gifts they can.  They can't make it a requirement that everybody do it, but they can do it.

Though in Romans 14, Paul is addressing the Jewish holy days and Gentile involvement, I think his principle still applies.  If some have that as their tradition and want to continue it, don't judge them.  Jesus is their Lord and they do it unto the Lord.  They are not your servants, they are Christ's.  If some reject that tradition and don't want to do it, accept them.   Jesus is their Lord and they do it unto the Lord.  They are not your servants, they are Christ's. I believe those teachings can be applied to Christmas.

Principally, then, you will discover that some churches don't have nativity scenes and special service because, as you note, there are so who vehemently oppose it.  Those who would celebrate acquiesce for the conscious's of  those who can't.  Other times it's because those who can't have the decision making power.

At the May house, we "celebrate" by giving gifts, erecting trees and other decorations (we're green by the way), thanking God for the coming of Christ, and singing Christmas songs – spiritual and otherwise.  At South Yukon, we "celebrate" with Christmas parties, songs (even in the December assemblies), and sermons about the coming of Jesus.  Some churches and individuals, by the way, would be critical of my sermon choices for December.  As you note, this is a great time for reaching out.  "Help people catch the Spirit's fire while God is on their minds," I say.  I personally try to relate to the Christmas season without shoving the "celebration" in the face of those who reject it.

What do you think?  Is there a limit to appropriate "celebration" to you?

Would Jesus Like Me?

"Penny began to wonder if Christianity, were it a person, might in fact like her" (Donald Miller in Blue Like Jazz).

Those words from Miller, as I listened to them on audio CD driving in Yukon the other day, struck me. I'm the kind of person who likes to think that everybody likes me. It's not a "what's not to like" attitude. I know there is plenty about me to not like, I'm just optimistic that everybody is going to overlook my faults and like me anyway. That's what my heart tells me. My brain knows different.

But would Jesus like me if he were here? If we struck up a conversation in line at Starbucks, would he ask me to sit at his table because he wanted to know me better? He liked the woman in Simon's house that nobody else liked. He liked the woman at the well and there were apparently a number of former husbands who didn't like her. He liked Zacchaeus when nobody else did. The answer is "yes!" Jesus would like me, but it's because of who he is rather that what we have in common or how cool I am.

Penny was wondering, though, if Christianity were a person, would it like her. Though it may be difficult to understand, Christianity is a person today – or a group of people. The church is the Body of Christ, and we want to be as much like Jesus as we can possibly be; and that means that we will like you. If we knew where you lived, we would come to your house; but it's more likely that you know where we live. Come for a visit. Maybe we'll go to Starbucks later. That's Life at Work.

The Life of Gratitude

If your life was on video and the video was the after-turkey entertainment on Thanksgiving, would the viewers be encouraged because they saw a real life of gratitude in you? Would viewers know that you are thankful since the Lord has become your salvation (Psalm 118:14)?

We give up some things up to give thanks. We give up sexual immorality, impurity, greed, and talk that bump out words of praise. We also change our direction for the future. We respond to the mercy that we have received by living a new kind of life – a life abstains from evil desires and that will influence others to glorify God (1 Peter 2:11-12). Peter addresses a number of positive changes in the life of one who formerly had not received mercy, but now has. Gratitude for being saved from the consequences of past sins is seen in the determination to fight the evil desires that "war against the soul." A thankful person submits to others so that their needs are met. We can do that since our greatest need has been fulfilled. The life of gratitude also makes every effort to live in harmony with the rest of the church family. Jealousy, selfish ambition, and malice aren't the fruit of our lives because we have all received the mercy of God.

What else shouts out the message of gratitude in your life? Do your words of confidence regarding your relationship with God speak of thanksgiving? Does the praise offered in the assembly flow from your heart and roll off of your tongue? Do you offer thanksgiving in your prayers in gratitude for what you've already received as you make your requests known to God? Do you crave to give the message about what you have received to others, believing that you've never received anything better?

Make your life a video of gratitude to God! Let everyone who sees you know that you're not going to die! God has become your salvation! Let your thanksgiving direct others to the source of your salvation! That's Life at Work!

Giving Thanks by Giving Up

The source of our thanksgiving is our salvation! David's words flow from our hearts, "I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation" (Psalm 118:21). We aren't going to die because of our sins! God has rescued us in Christ!

What have you given up in order to give thanks? Thanksgiving replaces sin in the life of the saved! Paul wrote, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:3-6).

The Christian with gratitude in his heart and praise on his lips isn't going to be fornicating as if sex is the goal of life, or impure as if simply following God isn't good enough, or greedy as if what he has received from God isn't enough to satisfy. The thankful child of God is too busy praising to have the time or the tongue energy to be obscene, or talking without a spiritual filter, or trying to be funny by being dirty.

We've got much better things to do with our eternal life than living in the kind of way that killed us spiritually in the first place. We've got too much reason to thank God than to even divide the words between blessing and cursing. James wrote about the hypocrisy of being double-tongued like that: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water" (James 3:9-12).

Give it up to give thanks! You've come far beyond shame and death! You've come to righteousness and holiness. You've come from deserving death to being given the gift of life! Live like you're glad about that! Talk like your thankful! Give thanks by giving up sin! That's Life at Work!

Life of Gratitude: The Source of Our Thanksgiving

He knew he deserved to be punished more; that was not in question. But the ongoing consequence of his sin was too great of a burden to bear. After all, millions have cried through the centuries, "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:17) I don't know what the Psalmist did this time, but he knew; and he knew that he deserved whatever God dealt out.

God didn't continue the discipline, though. He loved David too much to let him continue in pain – even pain that he deserved. He rescued the sinner. He forgave him. He removed the burden. So, David wrote, "I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:17-21)

We all deserve to be punished more. I wonder sometimes if the low level of our gratitude reflects a lack of appreciation for what we actually deserve to receive because of our sins. Do we really get that "the wages of sin is death"? (Romans 6:23) If God were to send us all to hell, he would be justified; but he would not be satisfied because he doesn't want any of us to perish (2 Peter 3:9).

So he saved us! The plan was enormous: It took thousands of years to complete. The cost was high: The precious blood of his son. He loved us, he loved you, so much that he could bear to see us go on and go out in our sin. No cost was too high.

If you are Christ's, you are not going to die because of your sin! He has disciplined you, no doubt. Every loving father disciplines his children. God has opened for you the gates of righteousness. He has become your salvation instead of your condemnation! And what is our response?

Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you, God!

What does your heart express in response to your salvation? Do your words to God say "Thank you"? Do your words about God to others express gratitude? How can you live today that says, "You have become my salvation; and I will thank you"? That's Life at Work!

Giving Thanks by Giving Up

The source of our thanksgiving is our salvation! David's words flow from our hearts, "I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation" (Psalm 118:21). We aren't going to die because of our sins! God has rescued us in Christ!

What have you given up in order to give thanks? Thanksgiving replaces sin in the life of the saved! Paul wrote, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:3-6).

The Christian with gratitude in his heart and praise on his lips isn't going to be fornicating as if sex is the goal of life, or impure as if simply following God isn't good enough, or greedy as if what he has received from God isn't enough to satisfy. The thankful child of God is too busy praising to have the time or the tongue energy to be obscene, or talking without a spiritual filter, or trying to be funny by being dirty.

We've got much better things to do with our eternal life than living in the kind of way that killed us spiritually in the first place. We've got too much reason to thank God than to even divide the words between blessing and cursing. James wrote about the hypocrisy of being double-tongued like that: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water" (James 3:9-12).

Give it up to give thanks! You've come far beyond shame and death! You've come to righteousness and holiness. You've come from deserving death to being given the gift of life! Live like you're glad about that! Talk like your thankful! Give thanks by giving up sin! That's Life at Work!

Same Life Over and Over Again?

In the $64 Tomato, William Alexander wrote asked this incredibly important question and offers this enormously significant challenge:

"If you were doomed to live the same life over and over again for eternity, would you choose the life that you are living right now? The question is interesting enough, but I've always thought that the point of asking it is really the unspoken, potentially devastating follow-up question. That is, if the answer is no, then why are you living the life you are living now? Stop making excuses and do something about it."

Paul wrote, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Phil 3:8-11).

Eternity and purpose, the themes of these challenges, find their complete meaning in Christ Jesus. Do you want out of the rut? Your future begins with a deeper relationship with God through Christ! That's Life at Work!

Christ’s Body World’s – Facing Challenges Like a Body

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body."

We have all been plunged into the body. There are no fringe members of the body Christ! It makes no sense for you to tell me that I'm not a part of the body because I'm not you. I shouldn't say that I'm not a part of the body because I'm not someone else. God, through the Spirit, has made me who I am, he has arranged us together, and he wants us to respond as the body of Christ! Each one of us has a role, and that role is important to the body as a whole.

Typically, when we approach 1 Corinthians 12, we think about parts of the body who function as prayer leaders, Bible Class teachers, card writers, food preparers, yard mowers, ministry leaders, elders, deacons, preachers, encouragers, writers, singers, administrators, etc. Paul even includes a list, but his list consists of miraculous spiritual gifts. But there are other functions, perhaps more personality driven or abstract that ought to be considered, too.

For instance, God, through the Spirit, has arranged this local body with parts that react to problems or challenges differently. Some charge forward when a challenge arises. Like Peter when the soldiers approached Jesus, they attack the problem with little if any contemplation, and attempt to fix the quandary quickly. Others slowly approach a problem. Like Moses at the burning bush, they are going to cover all the details before they make a move. They are much more contemplative, wanting to consider the options, weigh the benefits of each, and cautiously move toward a solution. These two incredibly different, yet mightily important, functions of parts of the body must be combined for the common good! How can they?

The parts each must fill their own role with the good of the body in mind. They must appreciate the other parts of the body and their functions enough to encourage them to fill their own roles. And they must continuously act in love toward everyone understanding that if a challenge is met quickly or thought out thoroughly , the body has nothing without love.

If we are the body, seeking and saving is our agenda! (Luke 19:10) We've got work to do! If we are the body, nothing should stop us from reaching more, enduring more, serving more, and saving more! That's Life at Work!

Holding on to Confidence

Are there then two standards of service, one high and Christ-like for them (martyrs), and one much lower, made to meet the case of little, lean, and cowardly souls? (William Booth)

Booth's question was rhetorical, yet he didn't hesitate to answer it himself. Of course there aren't two standards of service. We are all called to serve, and we all may encounter difficulty in our ministry to Christ. Furthermore, when the difficulty arrives we are all called to refuse to give up.

One of the keys to perseverance is confidence. To keep moving forward in the face of difficulty, one must have confidence in the value of the choice. I know I'm doing the right thing. I'm confident that the reward in the end will be greater than the difficulty of the journey. Perhaps one of the reasons so many give up their faith when difficulty comes is that their confidence is not firm.

Consider the events in your own life. When have you changed directions on something because you weren't convinced that you were on the right track? When have you stuck with something despite frustration because you knew you were right?

Paul reminded us that we are in a battle, not against flesh and blood, but against evil, spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:10). Struggles, by definition, are difficult. If it's not hard, it's not a struggle! And though it is a battle in with spiritual beings in spiritual realms, there is still emotional, mental, and physical cost. Be confident of this: There is a fight going on here, and there will be times that you feel like the forces against you are too strong. Be confident in the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand, stand firm, and be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

People who die for their Lord are not responding to a different standard of service. They are just more confident that we are. They know that what they are doing is right and they are convinced that the glory to follow is greater than any difficulty here! We must grow in our confidence! That's Life at Work!

Conferences and Vacations

We flew in from Phoenix at midnight last night. One bag decided to run away to San Jose, so by the time we got home, unpacked, and in bed it was 4 a.m. When I lived with Paul and Philip Guant in my Vicksburg, MS days, if I got in after midnight, Paul would comment that I got home early. So, despite the early arrival, I feel good this morning we had a great trip.

We spent all last week at the AMFM Conference in Phoenix. AMFM is an association of people involved in marriage and family ministry. At the conference each year, couples and individuals present workshops that introduce their programs/ideas and demonstrate how they would work in a church. People like us who are building comprehensive marriage ministries in a church get to see how these ministries would fit in our church. This year, Jeremy and Kristi Finefrock from South Yukon, went with us. Another benefit of the conference is getting hear and meet some folks involved in marriage ministry who are incredibly inspiring. John Trent is a regular there. Gary Rosberg from Americas Family Coaches is incredibly uplifting. Norm Wright, marriage ministry and grief care guru, is always there.

We stayed after the conference for a few days. Brad and Brittney travelled with us. We hit the water park at the Arizona Grand Resort where we were staying. Visited with the Mesa Church of Christ on Sunday. On Tuesday we went to the Grand Canyon. Unbelievable! Wednesday, we goofed around, and then caught our 8 p.m. flight home.

Get the True Picture

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father" (John 8:31-38).

By the time Jesus said, "The truth will set you free," he had turned water to wine, healed the boy in Capernaum, healed the thirty-eight-year invalid, multiplied a small amount to feed thousands, and walked on water. The claims he made regarding his identity were believable to many. They were convinced that he was telling the truth.

He told them that if they would live what they believed - hold to his teaching - then they would know the truth and the truth would set them free.

Do you notice the important connection between knowing the truth and living in the truth? The Jews needed an accurate understanding in order to make the righteous decision regarding Jesus' call to freedom. If they believed Satan, the Father of Lies, then what they did would be wrong; because their actions would have been based on falsehoods.

We withhold the truth. We hide information. We use terminological inexactitudes to keep the truth from being known. We lie because we are habitual liars, or because we are protector liars, avoid-trouble liars, or get-ahead liars. And because we don't allow the truth to be known, truth can't be lived; and bondage remains.

Winston Churchill said, "The great thing is to get the true picture, whatever it is." Knowing the true picture is the great thing because then you can do some great thing about it! That's Life at Work!

The Bucket List of Jesus – Confidently Trust God

In a recent Wednesday night class, we wrote down some words that came to mind when we thought about dying. I wrote, "Relief, release, and freedom. I'm not afraid of dying; though I do fear the process."

I do believe that death means something better for me than what I have here. I'm not rushing the inevitable, but I have an expectation of great reward. I confidently say with the apostle, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day" (2 Tim 1:12). I have given up any desire to control my spiritual destiny. I have fully entrusted that to God. What else could I do, after all?

Learning to trust God for what comes after your last breath is a lesson you learn from hearing the words of Jesus on the cross. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit," Jesus declared just before he "breathed his last" (Luke 23:46). He didn't say that simply for himself. He said it so that the generations of faithful for the remaining centuries could know that they can have that same confidence! That's Life at Work!

Bucket List of Jesus: Close to God

"My God, My God! Why have you forsaken me?"

Those are the words of David, according to tradition. They are the beginning of a cry for help (Psalm 22:1). They are also the words of Jesus according to Matthew and Mark (Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34).

David begged for God to come close. "Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help," he cried (Ps 22:11). Though others were gambling for his clothes before he was even dead, David pleaded, "But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me" (Ps 22:19).

There was a crowd at the cross. There were Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, criminals, male and female friends, and a sorrowful mother there. Yet with all the onlookers, Jesus felt alone. He felt forsaken by God, and he longed to be close to God again.

"Be close to God." One more item on the Bucket List of Jesus.

Wednesday night, Rusty Tugman from the Alameda Church of Christ in Norman will help us understand this Bucket List item. I hope you'll be there! That's Life at Work!

Did George Live Near Me?

Comedian George Carlin passed away. I remember a number of years back hearing for the first time Carlin talked about his unbelief. He said, "But I want you to know something, this is sincere, I want you to know, when it comes to believing in God, I really tried. I really, really tried. I tried to believe that there is a God, who created each of us in His own image and likeness, loves us very much, and keeps a close eye on things. really tried to believe that…"

Later in the same routine, he told Bible readers about other literary works they should consider reading. He recommended Humpty Dumpty. He said, "And finally, I've always drawn a great deal of moral comfort from Humpty Dumpty. The part I like the best? 'All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again.' That's because there is no Humpty Dumpty, and there is no God. None. Not one. No God. Never was."

I don't know who influenced Carlin in regard to his understanding of Jesus, the Father who sent Jesus to save, and the church. Carlin, like many others, had a picture of God that is far from the real God. I'm sorry for that.

Carlin commented, "Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more."

Carlin was vocal about his ideas of Jesus. He was not a quiet disbeliever. He spoke about his unbelief and his gift for comedy gave him a large audience. There are many more like him, however, who do not speak about their unbelief to audiences of thousands. Some of them live in the Bible belt. Their homes are between the homes of people who do believe, at least in word. These unbelievers are watching what the believers do, and they are developing their concept of what God is about from what they see and hear in the believers. That's important for us to know. That's Life at Work!

What can you do to enlighten your neighbors about the true nature of God?

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Fathers filled with grace produce children filled with love. That's why Paul told the fathers in Colossae and Ephesus not to embitter or provoke their children. The consequences are too much and the result is a child moving away from God instead of toward him. Children have quite enough influences to take them from God; they sure don't need their father s to inadvertently show them door.

The sense of "do not embitter" and "do not exasperate" (Col. 3:21; Eph. 6:4) is that, especially by demanding more than children deliver and being harsh when they don't measure up, we can discourage them. We can take the spirit out them; and lifeless children don't love. They won't love their own fathers. And it's likely that they won't love God.

When you bring a child up in the training and instruction of the Lord, you equip him and empower him to be like Jesus. A child brought up in the training and instruction of the Lord knows the difference between right and wrong. He knows there are consequences for choosing wrong. She knows there is love and forgiveness that matches the wrong choice. And our children know that just like dad, God loves me and forgives me through the sin and its consequences.

Grace doesn't make sinning OK. Grace doesn't remove all of the consequences of sin. Grace does keep us in relationship, though. Grace enables us to live confidently in the covenant promises. Grace provides warmth when the coldness of disappointment tries to move in. Grace provides joy when the thief called guilt attempts to break in. Grace prompts love in those who have received it. Love for fathers, love for other strugglers, and love for God.

That's Life at Work!

Hope for the Hopeless

What a colossal mistake! "The robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him" (Matthew 27:44). A man who was crucified had difficult time breathing. The core of a person is stretched to the limit on a cross. Yet, these two criminals were using their dying breaths to taunt. Mocking while they are dying; that is so sad!

But taunting while dying is not the biggest mistake! The biggest mistake is that they were wrong about Jesus. They didn't really think he could rescue himself and them, but he could have! Finally, one of them changed his mind. I don't know what caused it, but one of them realized he had been mocking the Messiah!

Imagine his predicament. He's dying and he is has just been mocking the one whom he has now concluded is the king who is about to come into his kingdom! (Luke 23:42) Is this a hopeless situation? Not when Jesus is the King. When Jesus is the king there is hope for the hopeless! "Today you will be with me in paradise," Jesus said.

If there is hope for that thief, then there is hope for us. That's Life at Work!

Stories, Pictures and Videos of the Past Two Weeks

On May 22, Brad and I headed east for South Fulton, TN. My nephew C4 married Casey on Saturday. It was a great occasion. We celebrated with them and their families at a rehersal dinner on Friday night and then on the Saturday that they exchanged their vows.

During our travels and with our family in we were in constant prayer for our friends John and Margaret Dobbs. On the Friday of C4 and Casey's rehersal, John and Margaret buried their son John Robert. It was the day that John Robert was supposed to graduate from Pascagoula High School.

On Satuday after the wedding, Brad and I headed south towards I-40 to make the trip back home. As we approached West Memphis on I-55 we got a call from JeannaLynn. Pauline Hardwick, the mother of our great friend Martha Skelton had passed away in Cleveland, TN. We lived in Cleveland before our move to Yukon. Martha and her husband Dean were our best friends there. Martha's mom was close to our hearts, too. Martha wanted us to come to Cleveland for her funeral.

Brad and I drove back to South Fulton, spent Saturday night and went to the morning assembly at my brother's church. Afterwards, we headed north and east on the Purchase Parkway, drove south on I-24 through God's beautiful Land Between the Lakes, picked up JeannaLynn at the Nashville airport, and then finished out the drive to Cleveland. We comforted and got comfort from our friends at Pauline's funeral on Tuesday, May 27 and then made the trip home, arriving mid-day Wednesday.

On Saturday, JeannaLynn and I drove west out of Yukon to the Berlin Cemetary just west of Sayre, OK. On May 4, 2008 Tim Hartman was flying with a good friend and three other passengers out of Wiley Post airport in Oklahoma City. The small jet flew into some birds over a lake near the runway causing the plane's engines to fail. Tim, our friend and missions deacon, died in the crash of that jet along with the co-pilot, Rick, and the three passengers they were transporting.

Tim's remains were released nearly three months after the crash. We were driving to Berlin Cememtary to bury his remains. Nearly 1000 people came to Tim's memorial service in May. This gathering was a small one - mostly family, and a couple of friends including us.

We talked about how the resurrection of Jesus proves that we don't have to keep looking down once dust has returned to dust. Instead, we look out and we look up. We released some silvery-white balloons. Three of them symbolizing for us the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and one with Tim's name written on it. Audra, Tim's wife released that balloon. We all watched as they ascended into the heavens - together. Matt and Mark, Tim and Audra's sons, are great young men.

Audra received an answer to prayer that Saturday. Along with Tim's remains, there was a box of Tim's belongings. This box contained the items found at the crash site that could be identified as Tim's. Audra had been praying that Tim's wedding ring had been found - and it had! She clutched it tight and we all rejoiced with her.

I'm including here a picture of C4 and Casey experiencing a real Cayman Islands sunset, a picture of Pauline, another of Tim, and a picture that Tim's son Mark made in memory of his dad. I'm also including a couple of videos. One that I got from John Dobb's Blog, "Hope Remains" in which Mercy Me is sing "Homesick." The second video is from a song played at Tim's funeral: "Better Hands Now."

One of the things I love best about life is getting heart to heart with family. One of the things I like most about ministry is getting heart to heart with people like Pauline, Dean and Martha (and their sons and families), Tim and Audra and their family, and John and Margaret and their family; even though that closeness leads us often to common places of pain. One of these days, it will all be about celebrating and those of us who have hurt together will laugh together forever "and we will dwell in the house of the Lord...forever".

John Robert Dobbs

John and Margaret Dobbs have been long-time friends due to a Magnolia Bible College connection. Many of you know of them because John is a blog king among those of us in Churches of Christ. Additionally, John has played a central role in relief efforts in and around Pascagoula since Katrina came ashore.

Their 18 year old son, John Robert Dobbs, was killed Tuesday night/Wednesday morning on Interstate 10. You can read what John wrote and find links to news reports at his blog. John Robert was scheduled to graduate from Pascagoula High School on Friday night.

I get so angry! And grief-filled. It was just three years ago that other good friends of ours lost a 19 year old son in a car accident. It's just not right.

John and Maggie, we love you. Holy kisses from the Oklahoma Mays are for you! When we all get to heaven, what a day....

Glory Days and Fantastic Futures

He had the speedball that no one could hit. She was the prettiest girl that no one would with whom no one would break up. Those were the high school days. Bruce Springsteen calls them "Glory Days" in the song with that title.

Toward the end of the song he sings about the glory days topic:

And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it;
But I probably will.
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
A little of the glory of, well time slips away,
And leaves you with nothing, mister, but
Boring stories of glory days.

Glory days. Well, they'll pass you by;
Glory days. In the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days.

Glory days can become the only days on which we can affectionately reflect if we quit moving into our dreams.

When Jericho fell, the Israelites should have been so pumped up with faith that they moved through the rest of Canaan, claiming the Promised Land that God told them he would deliver into their hands. They eventually got to a point, however, where they were in no hurry whatsoever. There were issues about dividing the land, and still issues about getting the former inhabitants out, but when Joshua approaches them with the problem he simply asks, "How long are you going to slack off?"

It's as though they were making a cross-country trek on route 66, pulled over to roadside park to rest, and stayed there for a couple of years! You can't look back at the progress you've already made and decide that now is the time for you to rest on your laurels for a while. Somehow, when people quit moving they eventually become very satisfied with the rest stop.

If you are graduating from high school this week, you may feel somewhat amazed at how quickly your school years have gone by. If you are like me, you especially feel like your senior year zoomed past – "in the wink of a young girl's eye." All of us hope that your high school experience was fantastic. We hope you will look back on them with thoughts of "glory days."

But none of us, your family in Christ, want you to look toward your future with any thought less than "glory days!" We want you to graduate from high school with your tires rolling, your faith strong, your hope secure, your eyes open, your heart pure, and your dreams big – and getting bigger because you are moving toward them! That's Life at Work!