2024: Grab Your Parachute!

 

“Maybe sometimes it’s riskier NOT to take a risk. Sometimes all you’re guaranteeing is that things will stay the same.” Danny Wallace

 

In 2024, I want to be like Dorothy Hoffner. Last October 4^th this 104-year-old Chicago woman jumped 13,500 feet from a plane to take a chance of becoming the oldest person to tandem skydive. She ditched her walker to skydive, and it wasn't even her first freefall. She first skydived four years ago on her 100^th birthday, but she wanted a redo because, she said, she didn’t want to be pushed out of the plane…she wanted to lead the jump. On October 4^th, she did just that. Hoffner tumbled out of a plane while 13,500 feet in the air, strapped to an instructor. White hair billowing in the wind, she parachuted down to a grass landing area. “Age is just a number,” Hoffner told a cheering crowd. After cheers and congratulations from friends and family, she was handed back her red walker.  

  Unlike Dorothy Hoffner, too many of us essentially live in a rut. Someone defined a rut “as a grave with both ends kicked out.” Here are some risks that I wish people would consider taking in 2024.  

  Get out of your safe zone and check out if what the Bible says about God and going to heaven is true. I have many friends who’ve decided that they don’t believe there is a God, and that this world is basically a machine. They believe that this life is it…when you die, you die. Many of them are well educated and very intellectual. Most of them are good people who sincerely care about others.

  Maybe they have but if they haven’t, in 2024 I wish that they’d check the evidence out for themselves. What I’m asking isn’t big, it’s just reading the four biographies of Jesus in the New Testament for themselves – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. My concern is that so many have swallowed what they have been taught and never checked it out for themselves. If they did, maybe they’d come to the same conclusion…yet I know of so many that once they actually read the Bible for themselves with an open mind, were overwhelmed with who Jesus is, how much God loves them and that He cares for them and their deepest needs. So, if you’re a skeptic, in 2024, please take a risk – take the time and check out the evidence for yourself.
  Get out of your safe zone and check out whether what you believe about going to heaven is what God says in the Bible. One of the most frightening statements you’ll ever hear is: I think that God is like… And when someone dies, most of their friends and family aren’t honest about where they actually are. Someone could have blown off God all of their lives. Often the only time they mention God’s name is as a swear word but in the end, according to the conventional wisdom no matter how you live, everyone goes to heaven. Listening to these conversations, you’d almost think that they’d give Hitler a pass.
  Yet, since heaven is God’s Home and He created it, shouldn’t He set the standards for who lives in His Home. God is loving but He’s not stupid.
  What Dad would sacrifice his only child for someone else, particularly an enemy. Yet, that’s exactly what God did when He sacrificed His Son, Jesus, on the cross for the sins of the world. Do any of us really believe that we could somehow pay God back for such an unbelievable sacrifice by being good, going to church, being a nice person…at our best we’re all still a big mess. So, if you’re religious but trusting what you think or have been taught, yet never checked out what God actually says in His Word about going to heaven, check out whether you are right.
  The Book of Romans was written by Paul, a very religious guy who believed he was going to heaven because he was so religious. He found out he was dead wrong. Why not check out what Paul wrote and see if you’re right? In 2024, do some biblical fact checking for yourself.
  Get out of your safe zone and take a step forward spiritually. Isn’t it amazing that those of us who know that we’re going to live with Jesus for eternity are often focused on temporal changes rather than spiritual and what are eternally significant changes? Perhaps it’s a sinful habit that you’ve been rationalizing about. Clinging to it is causing you to limp spiritually and withholding God’s best for your life. This is the year to repent and replace it with what God wants you to do.
  Perhaps there are some spiritual habits that you know that you need to make part of your daily life, yet you keep procrastinating. Maybe it’s regularly reading your Bible, instead of just on Sundays when you’re at church. Maybe it’s committing to increase your prayer life or becoming more faithful in your church attendance or even joining a small group Bible study. So, if your spiritual life is like a rocking chair and not really going anywhere because some things need to change, make 2024 your year!
  Get out of your safe zone and make what for you is a leap of faith. One of my heroes in the Bible is Caleb. When everyone else was shaking in their sandals in fear of the giants, Caleb with Joshua was singing a duet of “We can do it! We can do it!” When God finally brought Israel into the Promised Land, Caleb was 85-years-young. Rather than sitting out and saying, “I’m old. It’s someone else’s turn,” Caleb is biting on the bit to take new territory. Even though there were giants there, Caleb said, “I want that mountain.” Caleb was a man of faith who’d have gone after Moby Dick in a rowboat with a bottle of tartar sauce.
  That’s who I want to be. That’s what I long for our church to be. Maybe for you it’s inviting that neighbor or co-worker to church? Maybe it’s sharing the gospel with that one you’ve been praying for that they will come to Jesus…and God is sending you? Maybe it’s giving so it tightens your budget a bit? Maybe it’s serving in a ministry where you’re not a natural or you’re nervous? It’s time for the people of faith to step out in faith. It’s time to dream big because we have a BIG God and go big!
  In 2024, I’m packing my parachute! How about you? Let’s stop playing it safe and take some risks!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

The Gift of Peace

 

“What peace can they have who are not at peace with God?”  

                                                                    Matthew Henry 

Two artists set out to paint a picture that was to represent perfect peace. The first painted a canvas depicting a carefree boy sitting in a boat on a little lake without a ripple to disturb the surface. The other though painted a raging waterfall, winds whipping spray about. Yet on a limb, overhanging the swirling water, a bird had built its nest and sat peacefully brooding over her eggs. Here she was safe from predatory enemies and though surrounded by the roaring falls, she was totally at peace.
  Peace isn’t just the absence of conflict. In fact, peace is best appreciated and understood when conflicts raged all around.
  Alexander Maclaren said, “However profound and real that Divine peace is, it is to be enjoyed in the midst of warfare. God’s peace is not [inertia]. The man that has it has still to wage continual conflict, and day by day to brace himself anew for the fight. The highest energy of action is the result of the deepest calm[ness] of heart. That peace of God…is peace militant.”
  A relationship with God isn’t like some magic wand to be waved over all of your problems. True peace doesn’t come that way. As we make the tough choices to trust Him and hold fast to His grace, His peace surges through us. As hard as life is, militant peace arrives at the instant we exercise faith during the battle. It gives us strength to say, “I can do this. I can make this tough choice for the honor of Christ. I can, I will trust Him!”
  Peace is something that we all desperately need and want. It’s one reason why countless millions are spent annually in search of peace. Every year thousands of people seeking personal or family peace flock to professional counselors. Diplomats fly around the globe pursuing peace between nations. Our courts are jammed with cases arising from a breakdown of peace between individuals or corporations. But all this money and time hasn’t worked. Seemingly, there is less peace than ever before.
  Peace, the kind of peace we need and yearn for, is a gift. It’s a gift that God lovingly gave us when He sent His Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, into our world. 2,000 thousand years ago angels announced God’s peace in His Son to a group of poor shepherds.
  The peace the Lord Jesus gives isn’t just any kind of peace. The Bible tells us that this peace is a type of peace that enables us to experience an inner calm in spite of circumstances that would normally cause us to unravel. It’s like the calm like the eye of a hurricane…perfect stillness and peace while storms rage all around.
  The best picture of the gift of peace that Jesus brings us is seen in Jesus Himself. The way that the Lord Jesus lived His life showed that when it comes to peace Jesus knew what He was talking about. He fully deserves the title: Prince of Peace. For example, the very storm that caused His disciples to panic, made Him drowsy. Remember? The disciples feared that their boat would be their tomb but to Jesus it was a cradle. Another time, when Jesus was teaching a crowd of 5,000 men (not counting women and children) His disciples panicked because it was supper time, and they were worried about how they’d feed the huge crowd. When they informed Jesus, He faced that situation with unworldly calm.  As He began His earthly ministry and told people in the synagogue that He was the Messiah. They responded by trying to throw Him off a cliff, but He calmly walked through their midst. The professional mourners at the home of Jairus laughed in His face when Jesus told them the little girl was only asleep. Then He calmly entered her room and raised her from the dead. Even the raging demoniac in the graveyard at Gadara didn’t scare Him. On the cross while the other two prisoners cursed their executioners, Jesus prayed for them, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
  Isn’t that the kind of peace that we all long for? Wouldn’t you like to be able to face the trials of life like Jesus did? Doesn’t this particular gift of Christmas seem appealing to you? Jesus came to give us peace, yet there is only one way to have this peace.
  You must surrender your life to King Jesus. The Bible teaches that we’re all sinners and at odds with our Holy God. There’s no such thing as a “good” person. Most of us aren’t even nice. So, to experience this gift of Christmas we must first make our peace with God. We must resolve our part of the conflict between God and man that began when sin entered the world. When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s laws, really just one command, they broke their relationship with our loving Creator. Every human being since has done the same thing.
  Instead of living our lives according to the will of our Creator, each of us willfully chooses to live according to our own self-will. Isaiah 53:6 describes this selfish rebellion when it says, “We all…like sheep…have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way.” When sin entered the world, peace left it. Since then, all of us go our own way instead of God’s. We disobey His laws in thought, word, and deed. Yet Jesus came to make peace between God and man a possibility again. In dying for our sins, Jesus carried the guilt of the entire human race in His own body. Jesus became our peace offering.
  A peace offering is a gift or service for the purpose of securing peace or reconciliation. In the Old Testament there are dozens of references to the Jews recognizing this enmity between themselves and God by bringing peace offerings, sacrifices to God in His temple. But Jesus came to be the peace offering to God for all humanity. His sacrificial death on the cross is the source of this gift of peace.
  It’s what Ephesians 2:14 means when it says, “For He [Jesus] Himself is our peace, Who has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, for through Him we have access to the Father.” To have inner peace then, we must personally accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We must claim Him as our peace offering.
  Jesus is the first Christmas gift. He’s God’s gift to YOU! It’s the message of John 3:16. But a gift is worthless unless you personally accept it. You can believe there’s a gift, know all about it, but it doesn’t become yours until you accept it. Jesus came to give us the gift of peace with God. That’s the beginning of true peace. My friend, have you accepted God’s gift?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Christmas: Better Than A Hallmark Christmas Movie

 

“I wanted to send you something AMAZING for Christmas, 

but the mailman told me to get out of the mailbox…”   Unknown

 
Doesn’t that sound like a line from some Hallmark Christmas movie? One of the most popular movie genres this time of year – one that you probably either love or hate – is Hallmark Christmas movies. Initially associated with the Hallmark Channel, the genre now spans multiple networks and streaming services. To say these movies are successful is an understatement, considering some 50 million people have watched at least one Christmas movie on the Hallmark network.
  It’s an all too familiar script: a reluctant young woman travels back to her hometown; sworn enemies fall in love; towns are named after favorite Christmas treats. There will be an initial conflict, but it will be overcome because Christmas is a time of love…even miracles. We see just enough of our own lives reflected in these conflicts—a sick parent, a heartbreak, a jealous ex—that we can see ourselves as the protagonist. But unlike real life, there’s always a happy ending.
  While I have some Christmas movies that I love to watch each year, the Hallmark ones are a bit too cheesy for me. Jane and I tried to watch one recently. At the halfway point I’d had enough. Everything was just a little too perfect. Maybe that’s my problem. I know that no matter what Hollywood or Hallmark churns out, Christmas is not about perfect.
  And even the Hallmark Christmas movies have a vital unanswered question: What happens after the perfect, cheery holidays? We want to believe that they’re fairy tale endings – “they lived happily ever after.” But most of these movies end at Christmas. What about after Christmas? What does life look like when the magic of Christmas is gone? Or what if the magic of Christmas was never there?
  For some this will be the first Christmas with an empty place at the table. Others have gone through a terrible divorce. It’s the first Christmas after the death of a marriage. Some serve our country in the far reaches of the world. Others must work on Christmas. Many go “home” but family relationships are like walking through a minefield. The atmosphere is fraught with tension and unresolved conflict. Hallmark Christmas movies give us a happy ending in a time for some that feels anything but “merry.”
  With the beauty of Christmas, the decorations, gifts, singing and parties and sanitized manger scenes, we easily forget that Christmas happened because this world was a disaster. Christmas happened, because we’re all a hot mess. God the Father in love sent His only Son into our trainwreck to clean it up, to give us hope.
  Jesus was the first Christmas gift, yet it doesn’t end with a smiling infant in a manger. It ends with a Savior on a cross. While you and I were born to live; Jesus was born to die.
  In his book, Every Good Endeavor, Tim Keller explains the three elements of a story. He points out that a story begins when something knocks life out of balance and things are obviously not as they should be. Then it progresses, or the plot “thickens,” as the protagonists in the story struggle to restore the balance of peace while antagonistic forces work to thwart their efforts. Finally, the story ends as the struggle results in either the restoration of balance or the failure to recover it.
  One of the reasons we love the stories that fill our Christmas traditions is that they inevitably end in the restoration of peace and the perpetuation of the Christmas Spirit. They’re so familiar that we don’t need a spoiler alert.
  Remember that when the Grinch stole Christmas, he gave it back. In Christmas Story Ralphie gets the Red Ryder BB Gun. In Christmas Carol that old curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge embraces generosity. Even in Home Alone, Kevin’s family makes it home for Christmas, the bandits are hauled off to jail, and a lonely old man reunites with his family.
  We cherish those Christmas stories because they reflect the hope that’s associated with Christmas. An association we make because of the real Christmas Story, when the protagonist, Jesus Christ, came to light the way to peace and reconciliation with God and us, and us with each other.
  Our story going back to the Garden begins when something knocks life with God out of sync. Sin entered the world and things were no longer as they were supposed to be. You and I, and the whole human race, were originally designed to walk in peace with God. Because of sin, we lost the connection. In biblical terms when sin entered the world, the lights went out and we couldn’t see His way. From that point forward, the world is filled with darkness, and everyone is on a hopeless quest for peace. We either sought to work our way to God through religion, or sought peace in other things—money, drugs, power, prestige, or people. None of it works. It’s why Jesus had to come!
  Christ-followers are reminded every Christmas that Christmas isn’t the ultimate end—it’s the beginning. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the One sent to save us from our sins and the fulfillment of God’s promise. The first promise of a coming Savior is found in the first pages of Genesis in Genesis 3:15. That miracle—a baby born to save us all—is the promise that can get us through the worst days. God created a home for us in Heaven, a home where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more death. It’s a home where we’ll be reunited forever with our brothers and sisters, all who have accepted the One who came to be our Savior.
  Christ-followers get to live this truth each year, celebrating the miracle of new beginnings. For us there really is a happy ending, one that’s out of this world forever! Because of God’s great love and great Christ’s sacrifice, we will live with Him in heaven forever.
  So, what’s home? It can be many things. It can be a mom or dad, or grandparents. Maybe it’s the aroma of Christmas dinner. Our one true Home is because of faith in a loving God and His promises. When we commit our lives to Him, when Christ lives within us, our hearts yearn for “peace on earth” that begins in our hearts. There really is no place like Home and the one our Heavenly Father is preparing for us. And Hallmark ain’t got nothing on that. It will be a happy ending that lasts forever!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Truly Helping the Poor

 

“We don’t have to have deep pockets or be rich to help the needy, the poor and the hungry, we need to have a heart.” Kevin Dcruz 

Did you hear the recent generosity story of New York Knicks’ 7-foot center, Mitchell Robinson? Butch Stockton was Robinson’s high school basketball coach. Butch’s wife, Dawn, recently died at the age of 70 after a battle with metastatic cancer. The Stocktons had been married for 31 years.
  According to the news article this NBA star, Mitchell Robinson, visited Dawn every day when she was in the hospital. Then, after her death he invited his former coach to move in with him. Robinson told him, “Coach, no reason to stay down here in Louisiana. You come to New York with me and enjoy yourself and get your mind back straight because you know how much you loved your wife.” I love stories like that!
  Christmas is the season of giving. The Lord Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Yet who and where do we give? We want to give wisely. There’s a world of difference between helping and enabling.
  Personally, I struggle with what to do when a homeless person asks me for money. A good friend who knows a lot about helping the homeless shared that the best thing to give is a granola bar. If they’re an addict, it’s not easily swapped for drugs. A granola bar is nutritious and easily stored.
  Then, because we have some locals who are virtually homeless and spend lots of time in the elements (most have mental health issues), I keep gift cards for fast food restaurants in my car to give away so that they can go someplace warm and get something to eat. Caring for the poor isn’t easy yet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let me suggest some considerations.
  Begin with who you know, often that’s in the church, and move out from there. The Bible teaches that caring first starts with those suffering in our own families. If you have a relative who is a single parent or someone elderly with limited means or disabled, that’s a place to start. It doesn’t have to be money. For a single parent, babysitting or watching a child so they can shop or get a break can be huge. It might be simple house or car repairs. When you’re financially tight, you let things go. You can’t afford the repairs, but little repairs, if ignored, can turn into big ones.
  One of my greatest joys at Christmas was when Jane learned of a need and then gave money in my name to meet that need instead of buying me a Christmas gift. I’ll be honest, I can be as materialistic as anyone else yet there’s nothing that I really need. Giving always does a lot for my heart!
  Love and giving starts within our local church families. The early church, motivated by their love of Christ and the grace that God had shown them, lived an open-handed lifestyle, sharing with each other (Acts 2:44-45).
  Give to organizations that you know will use your gifts to help the poor, not for overhead.  Locally, I appreciate Love, Inc. and they’re part of our church’s budget. The Salvation Army seeks to directly touch the lives of the impoverished. There are others like reputable inner city rescue missions that are making a difference.
  So, do a little research before you give to a charity organization. The top executives at some charities earn over $1 million a year. Avoid giving to organizations where a major portion of their budget goes to administration or marketing, yet funds trickle down to those with real needs.
  Support government programs that help the disenfranchised. Speaking up for those who often have no one speaking for them can make a big difference. Many government programs have a good intention yet are not fully thought out and ultimately hurt the ones that they’re supposed to help.
  For example, 2024 marks the 60^th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson's launch of the War on Poverty. Since then, the taxpayers have spent $23 trillion on Johnson’s war. Adjusted for inflation, that's some three times the cost of all our wars since the American Revolution.
  Visit an urban area and it’s very apparent, we’re losing the “war.” Poverty is a very complex issue with complicated answers that require wisdom and courage on the part of elected officials. Sadly, most of them seem to be more concerned about being re-elected than doing what is best or right.
  Let me point out a popular cause that illustrates this. Most people have not thought through the long-term implications, particularly for the poor, of the eradication of fossil fuel vehicles. At the 2022 World Economic Forum leaders flew in on over 300 private jets. The carbon dioxide emissions from those flights were equal to 350,000 gasoline-powered cars on the road for the same weeklong period. Elites with jets and limousines shamelessly propose laws for others that have a limited effect on their own lifestyle.
  It’s growing more difficult for someone with limited means to own a home. With electric vehicles costing over $100k, it will soon be impossible for them to own a car, but a car is a source of freedom. The next time you drive past a group waiting for a bus on a cold day imagine living without one. A car gives you the freedom to live or work anywhere. If we care for the poor, we must question and evaluate kneejerk proposals where the long-term impact of those ideas make the lives of the poor more difficult.
  Look for simple, practical ways to make a difference.  Consider the options around you. Perhaps it’s volunteering at an after-school program, a soup kitchen or clothing pantry. Since Covid, many children are struggling with basic reading and math skills. They need assistance to catch up. Most schools have programs where a retiree or someone with some free time can volunteer a minimal amount yet make a big difference. There are more needs around you than you might realize. Ask God to give you eyes to see and a heart with compassion to serve!
  Remember, spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. Poverty is fundamentally a spiritual issue, so we’re wise to work with groups that recognize this truth. Look for organizations committed to proclaiming the gospel, even as they minister to the many needs of the economically challenged. Assisting the poor yet failing to minister to their spiritual needs helps them only for this brief life. We must never forget that Jesus died to save us from sin and provide the only way to heaven for all eternity!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

The Powerful Habit Every Christian Needs

 

“We can’t starve ourselves spiritually and still expect to grow in the likeness of Christ. All the facets of Scripture – all its rich benefits and blessings – are not available to those who fail or refuse to open it and study.” John MacArthur

 
Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, once described his battle with bad habits: “I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, stared at it and said, ‘Who's stronger, you or me?’ The answer was me. I stopped smoking. Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, ‘Who's stronger, you or me?’ Again, the answer was me. I quit drinking. Then I went on a diet. I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, ‘Who's stronger, you or me?’ And a little clam looked up at me and answered, ‘I am.’ I can't beat linguine.”
  Any new routine takes time to develop a habit and to find a rhythm that works for you. Reading and studying the Bible is the same. Like starting an exercise routine, changing your diet, or spending more quality time with your spouse or family, you must plan. Without a plan it’s just a dream. Here are some questions that you’ll need to work through:
  When will I read the Bible? Look at your schedule and determine when a practical time is each day to meet with the Lord. Don’t be surprised if it varies a bit each day, too. Make it a daily appointment. Very few of us would miss it if we had a breakfast appointment with a best friend, so make your time with the Lord Jesus like that…a daily appointment.
  It doesn’t matter if it’s after work, before bed, in the morning, or on a lunch break. What’s vital is that you have a set time. None of this, “Oh I’ll do it in the morning, but if I’m too tired, I’ll do it before bed.” That’s not how you change habits. You can’t create backup a plan. You need to hold yourself to a planned time, and do it every day, over and over again.
  Where will I have my quiet time? Will you sit at your kitchen table or in that big comfy chair that you love to meet with God? Knowing this helps me gather my supplies and have my quiet time materials ready the night before. I have mine on the couch in our living room and have a prayer list and gratitude journal there along with my Bible. Having it in the same place each day cuts down on distractions. I’m not as easily distracted with a new place because having it at the same place has made all familiar.
  How long should I read the Bible and pray? Reading the Bible is like starting an exercise program. You start small and are successful, and then increase from there. So, a half chapter in one of the Gospels is better than attempting to read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting. Like exercise, it’s daily consistency that makes the difference. Exercising for several hours one day a week won’t help you get in shape. If you’re a parent with children at home, you’ll probably want to meet with the Lord before the rest of the family is up and moving around.
  Unless they’re very young, it can be an opportunity to teach your children a life skill they’ll need the rest of their lives – boundaries. Everyone needs privacy and for others to respect it. Ask them not to disturb you when you’re having your time with the Lord. You might encourage them to have their own quiet time while you’re having yours. 10 or 15 minutes is a great start. If you’re not a reader, then listen to God’s Word using a Bible app.
  I need to make a plan. Have you ever woken up, grabbed your Bible, then just flipped to a random book and started reading? A few weeks later you come back and do the same thing again. By now you’ve read the first chapter of about 5 epistles, random stuff from the book of Judges, a few of Jesus’ parables, and been through the 23rd Psalm 18 times.
  The Bible and its books have a story line. During the month of November, I read the Gospel of John at the pace of two chapters a day, so I was able to read John’s Gospel twice. In December I’m reading the book of Isaiah. Because it has 66 chapters, I’ll try to read four chapters each day so I can go through the whole book twice. I chose to read Isaiah because it has so much prophetic material about the coming Messiah and helps prepare my heart for Christmas. That’s my current plan yet I periodically change it up.
  December might be a great month for you to read one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). With the exception of Mark, each one has the account of Christ’s first coming and His Incarnation.
  It doesn’t matter how much. Consistency is the key. The One Year Bible is a great start, yet might be too much for you, so take two or three years to read it through. It’s difficult to develop consistency without a plan. If each time you read your Bible, you must think about what you’re going to read, it’s easier to procrastinate. It also keeps you from seeing the context.
  I must prepare my heart. Before I open my Bible, I ask the Lord to open my eyes and reveal Himself to me through His Word and to guide my study time. I ask Him to give me wisdom as I seek Him. I usually begin by thanking Him for loving me, for giving Jesus for all my sins and always being with me. If there’s sin that the Spirit makes me aware of, I claim the promise of 1 John 1:9 and confess it. Or, if I see a truth that He reveals to me in my reading where I need to grow (and there are lots of them), I pray and ask Him to help me make those truths from His Word part of my life.
  Where do I start? Many who want to start reading the Bible begin with Genesis. A benefit for reading the Bible all the way through is that you get a full picture of the depravity of mankind and how desperate each one of us is for a Savior. Yet, a drawback to reading the Bible from start to finish is that the Old Testament can be intimidating with its long list of genealogies. Many find themselves confused and give it all up before Moses parts the Red Sea in Exodus!
  Beginning in the books of the New Testament are a great way to explore Jesus’ life, His sacrifice, and what His free gift of grace means to all mankind. Maybe start with one of the Gospels: Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John, which outline and describe the life of Jesus. It’s a powerful way to walk in Jesus’ shoes and grasp the full picture of His sacrifice.
  Maybe you’re naturally a nice person…I’m not. Some years ago, Christian author, Patsy Clairmont, wrote a book entitled, Sportin' a 'Tude. Without my time with the Lord Jesus each day, I’m easily “sportin’ a tude.” I need Him every moment to change my heart. For me it begins with a spiritual appointment with my Heavenly Father before I start my day!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

Family Traditions

 

"I make our family traditions a priority.” Martina McBride

One of the highlights of my childhood years was going rabbit hunting at my grandparents’ farm in South Georgia. In his book, Uncle Remus, Atlanta writer, Joel Chandler Harris, writes about rabbits living in briar patches. It’s accurate and why we’d hire someone to bring dogs to chase rabbits out of the briars which were very thick, often growing waste high.
  I’d stand with my grandfather, PaPa, who waited with his shotgun for a rabbit to run across the grassy road. Other hunters were trying to keep up with the dogs. I loved it! It was exciting to be in the woods with my dad, brothers, Mike and Mark, grandfather, and my Uncle Harold, who was an unforgettable character with a sense of humor that was as big as he was.
  We didn’t have a lot of traditions in my family yet the ones we had have stayed with me through the decades, like going to Ormond Beach each summer. We’d play in the ocean in the morning after a breakfast of cold cereal out of mini-cereal boxes, sandwiches for lunch and then so my mom didn’t have to cook, we’d go to a local cafeteria for dinner every night.
  Jane’s family had more traditions. One that I loved, and we still continue was on Christmas morning. Every year no gifts were opened until Dad Quick read the Christmas story from Luke 2. It was wonderful!
  There’s something powerful and positive about family traditions. Jane and I tried to have some when our children were growing up. Yet, to be honest, because of growing up in a family with substance abuse issues, there were many things about family I just didn’t know. For children growing up where there is addiction, staying out of the crosshairs of rage is a priority.
  Jane and I did many of the same things each year, yet they weren’t as purposeful, looking back as I would choose now. Then, when you grow up in a family without a biblical worldview, there is so much you’re working to learn because you never saw it modeled.
  Kent and Barbara Hughes wonderful book, Common Sense Parenting, that’s been reprinted with the title, The Disciplines of a Godly Family, was the first time that I had heard of having purposeful godly family traditions. Unfortunately, we did more by accident than planned, at least on my part.
  Yet, it’s never too late to begin. Some of you may have just returned from a dysfunctional family gathering over Thanksgiving or observed destructive patterns in the families of some of your loved ones. If you’ve grown up in a destructive family tradition, you might feel negative or despondent about it. All of us are a product, to a significant degree, of the way we were brought up. God’s Word teaches that there’s always hope! You can change the past path and set a new course from what you had even with your children when they were growing up. You can do it now or with your grandchildren. It’s never too late to move forward to honor the Lord.
  One of the myths of American culture is that family events must be big and expensive to be significant. Children have no concept of costs. They’re aware of love, joy and a sense of harmony. Every parent has discovered to their chagrin after purchasing a big ticket, must have gift for a child at Christmas, that it’s all too quickly discarded for the next novelty. The things which have lasting significance can’t be purchased. Consistent and simple is more important than a one-time big bang. This is also one of the blessings of a church family. Some of us have learned from our mistakes (yes, that’s my hand up in the back) or grew up in a godly home. So, interact with others, share your past, ask lots of questions, get input. None of us have it all together. We’re all works in progress of His great grace!
  Birthdays and Holidays. As children thrive with daily consistency, patterns and consistency for birthdays and holidays give them a sense of security. Creativity and some imagination go further than spending lots of money. In my opinion a backyard party where children play and interact with other children and adults has more value than the bells, whistles and noise of say a Chuck E. Cheese. A friend once referred to Chuck E. Cheese as a “kid casino.” He may have been on to something.
  A downstairs playroom accomplishes the same thing. And if you’re part of the Grace Church family, our gym and building is available to you. We have so much sports equipment at church and there are countless Nerf guns and other fun items. It’s yours to use!  
  On holidays being with loving grandparents and extended family gives a child roots. There’s something about those family recipes, sitting together at a large family table or sitting with your cousins at the “kids’ table” that gives us precious memories. I’m not a big sports fan, yet there’s something special about gathering with the family to watch the big game or play games or just laughing at the same old stories until you’re crying.
  If your situation isn’t healthy or healthy for your children, limit it. Learn to be a good “leaver.” When I know that at a party or event alcohol will be consumed, I leave before those I care about become intoxicated. I don’t want a friend or family member to be embarrassed or feel they need to apologize for something said or done when they were under the influence.
  Vacations. Visiting with distant parents/grandparents has some benefits yet it limits special times that you can have with your own children. When our children were young because of limited finances, we often would have to stay with relatives for vacation. We had a tradition though that right after Christmas we’d drive to a hotel within about three hours. One year all of us were armed with laser tag gun sets and battled throughout the hotel…and they didn’t kick us out lol.
  There are benefits of returning to the same place if you can periodically. Rather than having to learn about the location, you can focus more on learning about each other. Yet, we also made fantastic memories visiting some great sites in our country like Washington, D.C. or Yellowstone.
  In the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, you’ll find that God gave His people several special days. It helped them to know God better and gave them spiritual memories.
  Traditions are important for a healthy family. As we move into 2024, prayerfully look for some that you can start or determine to continue!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Purity is Creepy???

 

“To see evil and not call it evil is evil.” John Hagee 

Imagine attacking a politician because he/she is too concerned about their own personal morality and more than that, the protection from pornography of their own underage child. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happened recently with the newly elected Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. 

  What’s the “deviant” thing that he’s done that’s brought so much mockery from the national media? Johnson is taking flak for using an accountability software called Covenant Eyes to protect himself and his adolescent son from watching pornography. The program shares what sites you visit with an accountability partner. It red flags when you visit a porn site, using accountability as a means to protect those who subscribe to the service.

  Rolling Stone called his actions “creepy.” The New Republic suggested that Johnson has “unusual porn habits.” Los Angeles Times columnist, Robin Abcarain in criticizing Johnson said, “Porn is not, in and of itself, a problem” and even went so far as to say that “there is a wealth of research disputing the very concept of pornography addiction.”

  Wow! Porn isn’t an addiction??? Even Psychology Today defines an addict as: “A person with an addiction uses a substance, or engages in a behavior, for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeat the activity, despite detrimental consequences. Addiction may involve the use of substances such as alcohol, inhalants, opioids, cocaine, and nicotine, or behaviors such as gambling.” Work with someone with difficulty staying away from porn and they’ll admit it’s an addiction. Talk to a spouse whose mate is addicted and how it impacts their relationship, and they’ll have no problem labeling pornography as an addiction.  

  It’s noteworthy that in the same news cycle ridiculing Johnson, a U.S. judge approved JP Morgan Chase’s $290 million settlement for women who Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused and that the largest U.S. bank turned a blind eye to the late financier’s sex trafficking. Nearly every day there’s a report of someone, often a teacher or minister, being charged with a sex crime. Where do those mocking Johnson think sex crime begins? Trace it back, the abuser first began by viewing pornography, often something in today’s XXX world that’s fairly innocuous.

  Have we so quickly forgotten the MeToo movement? Again, where does sexual abuse begin? I seriously doubt that you’ll discover any sexual abuser who was not first a porn addict.  

  None of us are surprised when those on opposite ends of the political spectrum attack each other. There’s plenty of fodder from which to hurl bombs, but one’s personal morality? It’s as abhorrent as those who took cruel shots at President Obama’s then underage daughters. Ours is truly the day of which Isaiah the prophet wrote: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:28).

  Please understand. I’m not suggesting that anyone who looks at pornography will eventually commit sexual crimes. God’s Word repeatedly teaches that lust is a sin. Jesus said that “anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” He was saying that sins of the eye and mind are as wrong as sexual acts.

  All sin has a high price, but sexual sins have a higher price than many others. Pornography attacks Imago Dei, the dignity of men and women created in the image of God. It warps God’s precious gift of sex which should be shared only within the bounds of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2-3).

  A biblical perspective of human sexuality must recognize that sexual intercourse is exclusively reserved for marriage for the following purposes. First, it establishes the one-flesh union (Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 19:4-6). Second, it provides for sexual intimacy within the marriage bond. The use of the word “know” indicates a profound meaning of sexual intercourse (Genesis. 4:1). Third, sexual intercourse is for the mutual pleasure of husband and wife (Prov. 5:18-19), as well as procreation (Genesis 1:28).

  Pornography is damaging to both singles and marrieds, yet is especially crippling to marriages, as it damages the ability of its users to maintain an ongoing, committed union. If a Christian is single, he/she violates it by engaging in random sexual fantasies with the innumerable others that are viewed in pornography. It’s attempting to enjoy the ecstasy of sexual union without any of its commitments or responsibilities. Since a one-flesh union is both authentic and exclusive, it’s falling far short of the biblical standard and carries a high personal price to one’s own soul and mental health.

  When a married person uses porn, he/she steals from the sexual energy the couple has vowed before God that’s to be reserved for one’s spouse and is instead wasted in selfish, private fantasies. In essence, it’s embezzling from one’s spouse what is rightfully his/hers, and is instead spending it irresponsibly, much as a gambler steals funds from an employer to support an addiction. What properly belongs to one person is thus stolen, making the term “cheating” all the more applicable.

  Sexual perversion is not new. It goes back nearly to the Fall. Some well-meaning Christians believe that we must attack this perversity head-on in a Fallen world. The Bible never teaches that. God did not call Christ-followers to reform a dying world but instead to share the hope of the Cross in regeneration. The best way to make a difference in our morally insane world is to model a biblically healthy sexual ethic, as can be done in a Christ honoring marriage.

  No one dines at a great restaurant because they attack all of the other restaurants for foul food. They dine there because it’s so much better. Marriage needs to be presented not merely as a license for sex but as a living metaphor of Christ’s love for His Church.

  Do you want to be a beacon of hope to a hurting world? Honor the Lord through biblical purity. Honor Him by sacrificially loving your spouse in a way that pleases King Jesus. Let the fulfillment of your own committed marital love be a model of God’s grace!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

PNA

 

“If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”  Augustine  

Although about two-thirds of Americans have a prescription medication, approximately 50% of them don’t take their medications as prescribed. It’s a phenomenon known as “medication non-adherence” (MNA). It’s the cause of a huge amount of unnecessary physical and emotional suffering, financial loss, and premature deaths that cost too many individuals precious time that they could have with their loved ones. 

  When someone tells you that a kidney stone is painful, believe them. After self-diagnosing that my recent extreme back pain was a pulled muscle (Web MD told me to get my will prepared), but after no relief I realized that “Dr. Carson” was painfully wrong. After one trip to Urgent Care and another a day later to the ER, they diagnosed correctly that it was a kidney stone. When I was able to schedule an appointment with my urologist, Dr. Tran, I was feeling a lot better and assumed I’d probably passed the stone. But kidney stones are one of Dr. Tran’s specialties and he informed me that based on the size of the stone and the small amount of time that had passed, it was unlikely that it’d ever pass on its own. Now I had a choice, to trust “Dr. Carson,” who was relying on Google or the expert who’d gone to medical school, had a license to practice medicine and over a decade’s experience. It seemed wiser to trust the expert, so I did.

  A pastor is a “soul doctor.” The Bible teaches that he’s to be a man of God and saturated in God’s Word. God has not called us to share our feelings or opinions but His truth. He’s to love the Lord and those He’s been called to pastor. He’s to want God’s best for those under His care.

  When a pastor shares counsel either in the pulpit or personally with you that’s based on God’s Word, it’s wise to listen. Yet as many ignore their doctor’s advice, many in a church ignore their pastor’s biblical counsel. Here are some of the more common areas.

  Meet your Savior daily for breakfast. Nothing is so life altering, so prepares you for every part of your day than starting the day in God’s Word and in prayer. Yet, you’ll continually meet Christians who long for peace yet won’t take the time to meet regularly with the Prince of Peace.

  When something is important, we make it a priority. One of my mentors used to say, “No Bible, No Breakfast.” It doesn’t need to be a spiritual marathon. It needs to be consistent. And it doesn’t have to be in the morning in case you’re not a morning person. It doesn’t even have to be reading, though there are some benefits of reading with engaging several senses. You can easily listen to a passage of Scripture, if that works for you. There really is no excuse. We have so many tools today. You won’t be a healthy Christ-follower without consistent time with the Lord!

  Gather personally for weekly worship. As our culture increasingly becomes unchurched, there are innumerable options and “obligations” on Sunday morning than ever before. The early church felt the same pressure. A high percentage were slaves, which is why they’d either meet before the workday began or after it. The church that I grew up in was one of the first to have a weekly radio broadcast. It was designed to minister to those who couldn’t attend worship, usually because they were physically unable to come. With the advent of Covid, every church launched a media ministry.

  Watching worship can never replace being personally part of a worship service. It’s the difference between a microwave dinner and a homecooked meal. It’s why Scripture commands us to gather for weekly worship (Hebrews 10:25). It’s amazing that while we’re casual about personally attending worship in America, the persecuted church throughout the world takes great risks to gather for worship. They know that personal involvement is key to spiritual health, even though it’d be safer to watch a media ministry. It's in community that we’re stretched as we interact with those unlike us, economically, personality wise, politically, marital status, age-wise. Most of us tend to group with those like us. It’s not God’s plan. God uses the diversity of a church family to help us grow spiritually.

  Make serving and sharing part of your life. Selfishness comes naturally. Because of sin we all have an “I” problem. Yet, self-oriented individuals are miserable. We are saved to serve (Ephesians 2:10). Why do most people visit a therapist? “To talk about MY problems.” Love, joy and peace don’t come from being self-focused. Serving the Lord is to stretch us! While it’s true we’re to serve our families, remember Jesus washed Judas’ feet. Service often includes those we may not want to serve. Selfishness guarantees carnality but serving is vital for spiritual growth.

  Then, we weren’t saved to hoard the gospel. We were saved to share it. The most miserable Christians and churches are those that have discarded the Great Commission. They become petty and self-focused. Seeing individuals rescued and lives revolutionized is our purpose.

  Praise and gratitude are habitual. Read the pages of Scripture and you can’t help but notice how the Bible is filled with praise and gratitude. It’s God’s will that they fill our hearts. Yet, observe a world without Christ and you can’t help but notice how its brimming with griping, complaining and criticism. Sadly, most wear their unhappiness right on their face.

  As Christ-followers, we’ll never have pain-free, trouble-free lives, but we know the One who is in control. We also know how blessed we are. This life is as close to Hell as a Christ-follower will ever get…and it’s so short in comparison to eternity in heaven! Even our suffering has a purpose. Our heavenly Father is in control of the heat and will let nothing happen that’s not in His plan, even though we may not understand. The worst we experience is being used for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).

  Obviously, there are many more. These are some of the basics. Please make these a part of your life and you’ll be astounded how much they help you. I love our church family and I love you. More than that God loves you and wants the best for you, so please follow His prescription!

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

The Blessing of Pain

 

“Pain isn’t the enemy. The inability or unwillingness to face pain is a far greater danger.”  Samuel Chand 

To be honest, I haven’t been through much physical pain in my life, at least not nearly as much as many friends that I know, even many of you at church. Some of you know that last Sunday after church I had Jane drive me to Urgent Care. For some reason I’d been in excruciating back pain that would come and go during the previous week. On Sunday morning it hit with a vengeance. Praise the Lord! He gave me the strength and grace to preach in both services. I can’t remember being in such pain. On a scale of 1 to 10 I’d put it at a 15. It turns out that I have a kidney stone. 

 There are many kinds of pain: physical, emotional, relational, even spiritual pain. I know that I’ve faced most of them with the loss of my mom and through the years, bouts with depression. Yet, I believe that Sam Chand pegged us right, at least he’s pegged me: In his book, Leadership Pain: God’s Classroom for Growth, he writes: Christians often have more difficulty handling personal pain than unbelievers. They look at the promises of God and conclude that God should fill their lives with joy, love, support and success. That’s reading the Bible selectively. The Scriptures state – clearly and often – that enduring pain is one of the ways, perhaps the main way, God works His grace deeply into our lives.”

  November is the Thanksgiving month. Too often we forget, I know that I do, The Blessing of Pain. As Christ-followers, we have something that those who don’t know Jesus can’t have. Instead of escaping pain, in Christ we can actually embrace pain. Let me suggest why.  Pain helps us grow. Read the pages of Scripture, you will be pressed to find anyone that God didn’t greatly use that He also didn’t greatly wound – from Joseph the Patriarch to the Apostle Paul.

  Some years ago, my dear friend and Jane’s brother in-law, Fred Froman, shared with me that when he’s going through pain he prays, “Lord, help me to learn the lessons that you want me to learn from this.” That’s been my prayer ever since. Over the last few years our family has gone through a valley of relational pain. I’ve found myself continually praying that prayer because I know God is good and I want to trust Him. That’s a prayer that I’m sure the early church frequently prayed as they suffered so much.

  Someone wonderfully wrote: “As Christians we would never learn how to forgive if we did not know the pain of mistreatment. We would never learn how to be kind if we have not experienced unkindness. We never ‘grow’ in treating people fairly if we have not experienced the pain of being treated unfairly. We would never grow in giving if we have not been taken advantage of. We would never grow in prayer if painful circumstances didn’t drive us to our knees. We would never appreciate joy if we didn’t know the pain of sorrow. We would never experience the Lord’s comfort if we didn’t know grief. We learn what is involved in being in a good relationship by having been in a bad one. A tree grows stronger as the winds bend it back and forth, and in like manner we grow stronger to face life as the winds of pain buffet us. In Christ we learn the winds of adversity may bend us, but they will not break us. So, there can be no growth in our lives if we never experience any pain.”

  Pain helps us evaluate what’s truly important in life. When we only experience pleasure and happiness, we easily lose sight of what’s truly important. Too often we place material possessions at the top of the heap of our priorities, yet a knock at the door delivering bad news or a call from the doctor, informing you that you or a family member has cancer stops us in our tracks and motivates us to inventory our priorities. It’s in time of pain that we realize that our most valuable possessions are the relationships we have with others, the love we share with family and friends, and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Pain causes us to realize that laughter, love, a greater awareness of the frailty of life, the coo of a baby, a sunrise and sunset are more valuable than a full bank account.

  It’s through pain that we learn our own frailty and dependence upon the power of God. When pain comes it drives us beyond ourselves. There are some things in life we can’t handle on our own. Pain brings us to the end of ourselves. What do we do during times of pain? Where do we turn?

  Paul points us to our source when we face our own fragility. He prayed in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 three times to the Lord to remove a “thorn in the flesh” that he was experiencing. He records the Lord’s answer and his response to the Lord, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul learned that God’s power was sufficient for his weakness, but he’d have never known that if not for his pain. As Christians, we possess the Holy Spirit who indwells us that enables us to be strong even when the pain of life makes us weak.

  Pain reminds us that this life is temporary, and we have an eternal Home in heaven as our ultimate destination. My earth suit is wearing out, but I have a perfect, glorified, painless one waiting for me.  And I have so many family members and friends waiting for me in Heaven. It will be a reunion beyond words. When we lose someone that we love, pain pierces our hearts. We weep much because we loved much. It reminds us that death is only a heartbeat away for all of us. Our Savior though is “the resurrection and the life.” While pain can temporarily fill our eyes with tears, Jesus promised to one day dry all tears in a Land where there will no longer be any suffering or pain.

  While our first inclination is that all pain is to be avoided, the Bible teaches that’s not the case. Our Lord sees the end result as the most important aspect of what we experience. As Christians, let’s be thankful that even in the midst of our pain we serve a Savior who wept through human eyes and has the power to weave both the good and bad into a masterpiece so that when it’s all said and done, it will amaze us.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.