Gratitude

 

“Every time I hear the word grace, I am reminded that I must live a life, every day, which reflects my gratitude to God.”  Charles W. Colson

 

A man once lived in his small house with his wife and six children. The house was loud and crowded. There was no peace to be found. For years, his ever-patient wife heard his complaints, shouldering the burden, until one day she asked him to go speak to the rabbi about the problem.   “Rabbi, we are too many. Our house is too small. There is too much noise. I cannot think. I cannot breathe. What do I do?” The rabbi instructed him to go home and bring his six chickens inside his house. The man went home and did as he was told. Three days later he returned to the rabbi.  “Rabbi, we are now even more. The chickens are pecking away. They poop on our floor. It is louder and messier.” “Go home and also bring your goat into the house,” the rabbi instructed. The man went home and brought the goat into his house. However, after three days he went running back to the rabbi. “The goat is eating at our furniture. He rams into our legs. Things have only gotten worse.” “Go home and bring your cow into the house as well.” The man went home and brought the cow inside the house. Three days later, he went back to his rabbi once again. “Rabbi, the house is filthy and reeks of manure. We can barely move around all the animals. The snorts and moos and sounds of the animals breaking wind keep me awake all night. Rabbi, this is terrible.” “Go home and remove all the animals from your house.” The man went home and did as he was told yet again. Three days later he returned to the rabbi, nearly skipping the entire way, joy radiating from his face. “Rabbi, thank you so very much. We removed the animals. Our house is clean and calm and quiet now. A man can find rest within its walls.”

  Gratitude! It’s amazing how much our perspective affects our gratitude. It’s amazing how many things we take for granted and even complain about. I know that I do. This pandemic has highlighted many things that we took for granted prior to all of this. 

  For example, eating out is nearly one of our “inalienable rights. Even now many restaurants only have a drive-through or pick-up. Yet how often before all of this did we gripe because of the service, food, or cost. We took it all for granted. Places like Starbucks were a go-to place to read or meet a friend. It never crossed our minds that it might cease…even temporarily. 

  A year ago who would have thought that we’d so appreciate toilet paper, cleaning wipes, paper towels, etc. All things that we assumed would always be there, took for granted, and never gave a second thought. 

  Smiles. Do you miss smiles? I do. We took facial expressions for granted prior to the pandemic. Often it’s hard to read true feelings behind a mask. 

  Family gatherings, meeting with friends, worship services…even long chats with neighbors on the front lawn. In 2020 they virtually disappeared.  At best, they happen with a good bit of social distance. 

  How did you respond to all of this? Too often my attitude stunk. I went from disbelief, thinking it’d all be over in a few weeks, to anger and even bitterness. There was even some grieving and depression mixed in there. 

  Often I begin my day by asking the Lord to use me to encourage someone that day. With the social isolation and self-pity that fell by the wayside. 

  It all clicked for me one afternoon. I was in a local store where I’m a regular. The clerk smiled when she recognized me but I was in a foul mood. Something petty going on bothered me and I complained to her. I can still see her face dropping, even behind the mask. She’d been glad to see me. I was normally a friendly face, an encourager…not that day. 

  And I remember getting into my car afterward and the Holy Spirit struck my bitter heart with a thunderbolt. How dare I be so petty, so ungrateful, such a poor representative for the Savior? And I had to confess my sin, my bitterness, my ingratitude, my selfishness, and my poor example. 

  If there is anything that makes a Christian different, it’s gratitude. It’s not that we’re pro-life, go to church or read our Bibles. Gratitude, a thankful heart distinguishes us as children of our Heavenly Father probably more than any other one trait. A grateful non-believer is an anomaly. 

  If anyone should be filled with gratitude and joy, it should be us. We know that we’ve been forgiven an unpayable debt of sin and guilt by our Savior on the cross. We know that we’re loved even though we know how terribly unlovable we are. We know that everything, the absolutely worst hell that this world can dish out is temporary. We know that even when are alone and isolated, we’re never alone. We know that nothing happens to us by accident. We know that we have friends not just for this life but for eternity, brothers and sisters who have also trusted Christ as their Savior. We have confidence that we can share our hearts, even our greatest hurts, worst failures, and deepest struggles with Jesus, our great high priest. We know that whether we’re rich or poor, talented or untalented, beautiful or ugly, live in a mansion or are homeless, drive a sports car or walk everywhere…and a million other details, that we have a Savior who loved us so much that He came to this world to rescue us from ourselves. We have a new Home beyond the stars with streets of gold where there is no sickness, pain, or loss…ever again! 

  What will make the difference in your heart? Gratitude! What will make the difference in your marriage and in your relationship with your children? Gratitude! What will make a difference in your workplace, in your neighborhood, in our church? Gratitude! Gratitude changes everything because it changes us. And as believers, we have so much to be grateful for. Our theme for 2021 is: “Gratitude is the Attitude that Changes the Altitude of our Life.” And it does. 

  But here’s the tragedy. We who have so much to be thankful for are often the worst complainers and grumblers. We too easily forget that every good thing is from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). So, for the next eight weeks, to help us grow in this vital area and to assist us with doing a reset on our hearts, we’re working through a sermon series, Thank-FULL. 

  You don’t want to miss a single one because we all need this! Our Lord wants this for us! Our world desperately needs to see grateful Christ-followers! Will you be one? Will our church be a grateful, joyful church?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

 

Perfectionism

 

“Perfection is an illusion. Yet perfectionists demand it from others while being far from flawless themselves.” Stewart Stafford 

For a myriad of reasons, mail delivery has been slow this year, especially during the Christmas rush. But I’m not aware of anyone losing their job over it. Apparently, we’re a little kinder on this side of the pond. 

  Royal Mail carrier, Robert Lockyer, wasn’t so fortunate. He was fired from his 28 year job after being just one minute late with a special delivery. The postal management accused him of “gross misconduct.” 

  Lockyer was making a special delivery at a bank. Special delivery items are guaranteed to arrive by 1 pm the following day (he’d already made around 1,500 of these in his career). Yet, because he was made to wait in line with other customers, it was 1:01 pm by the time he was able to obtain a signature to confirm the package was delivered. He was at the bank four minutes before the deadline but was a minute late getting the signature. 

  But it’s not just bureaucracy that’s perfectionistic. It’s everywhere, even in the Church. And perfectionists are miserable people. Worse, they’re miserable to live with. As someone observed, “a perfectionist is someone who takes great pains and gives them to others.” One Christian blogger asked followers for examples of perfectionism.  Here are a few of the responses:  

·      Doing all the household chores because that way they will be done right. Then feeling resentful because no one ever offers to help and here she is, doing all the work herself.

·       Reading Every. Single. Greeting card. To make sure they picked the perfect one.

·       Rearranging the dishes in the dishwasher to her standards.

·       Correcting details in your spouse’s stories.

·    Laying out your children’s clothes every day. Making their beds. Cleaning their rooms. Not letting them learn how to do anything for themselves because it won’t be perfect like you do it.

·    People who drive in the fastest lane and go exactly the speed limit, trying to control others’ behavior.

·        Staying up all night to clean for a party because someone might see one speck of dirt, or one thing out of place (as if someone is going to look in every corner of your house).

  Frequently, fear is the driving force for a perfectionist. “I am not okay and I’m going to be exposed as not okay.” But perfectionism and total control are illusions. This a sin-contaminated imperfect world and we’re part of it. 

  Are you a perfectionist? Do you feel like what you accomplish is never quite good enough? Do you often put off handing in papers or projects, waiting to get them just right? Do you feel you must give more than 100% on everything you do or else you will be mediocre or a failure? 

  Please understand perfectionism is not the same as the pursuit of excellence, though sometimes the lines can blur. Pursuing excellence is encouraged by Scripture (1 Cor. 10:31), perfectionism isn’t. When we pursue excellence, we’re determined to do something as well as possible within a given set of talent, resources, and time limits. On the other hand, perfectionism is a form of pride or fear-based compulsion that either fuels an obsession of doing something perfectly or paralyzes us from acting at all. Both often result in the harmful neglect of other necessary or good things. The bottom line is that being perfect is impossible. Worse, it hinders us from accepting grace. 

  Nowhere does the Bible encourage perfectionism. While Scripture promises us perfection, imputed perfection now ( 2 Cor. 5:21), and future perfection in eternity (Rev. 21:3-4), as a free gift of God’s grace, we won’t get close to perfection in any realm of our being on this side of eternity. 

  In fact, the Bible goes to great lengths to expose the imperfect, clay feet of the Bible’s faith heroes. Abraham, the father of the faithful, has his Hagar episode. Moses has his angry disqualifying rock incident. David, the man after God’s own heart, has a Bathsheba adultery and Uriah murder episode. Peter trips over his clay feet throughout the Gospels and beyond. 

  Page after page of God’s Word gives us a warts-and-all view into the very imperfect lives of the earliest Christians. God knows our perfectionistic temptations, and so He fills His Word with stories of His amazing and phenomenally patient grace toward sinners, who continued to imperfectly fight with and stumble in their own sin throughout their lives. He wants us to know that perfection is completely out of our experiential reach. And our gracious Heavenly Father has something far better for us to strive toward than our idealized imaginations of perfection, which only end up enslaving us and cause us to hurt those closest to us. 

  Perfectionism’s subtle, but sinful danger is self-orientation. Since it’s a fueled effort to win approval for the self, its primary focus is de facto on self, not God or others. Perfectionism, even in the battle against sin, is not motivated by love or faith (Rom. 14:23). 

  God wants us to be free from the tyranny of pride and fear. He wants us to live in the freedom of knowing that He has our past, present, and future perfection issues completely covered. They were all paid for at the cross. So, in our ongoing battles with sin, God isn’t looking for perfect, externally performed behavior or perfect, internally performed motivation from us. God is looking for love and faith, knowing full well both will be always be imperfect, no matter how much we grow in them. 

  It’s time to blow up the false image of perfection because in Jesus Christ, you’re free! You’re free to follow the Savior imperfectly. You’re free to fight the fight of faith defectively because that’s the only way you will ever fight for faith in this age. If you're a believer, you’re already as loved and as accepted as you will ever be. Relax and rest in His love. Enjoy Him, enjoy others, and enjoy life! It’s time to focus on living out a childlike, dependent faith through authentic acts of love. It’s time to be free and live in His grace!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

 

Was 2020 a Root Canal?

“Do I learn through dark providences, 

or simply seem relieved when they are over?”  Sinclair Ferguson

 

  A man went to his dentist for a root canal. The dentist made him comfortable and injected a numbing agent around the tooth, then left the room for a few minutes to allow the medication to take effect. But when the dentist returned he found the patient standing next to the tray of instruments. The dentist asked, “What are you doing by my surgical instruments?” Without looking up, continuing to focus on his task, the patient replied, “I’m taking out the ones I don’t like.” 

  So if you had the power, what would you do with 2020? What parts would you take out? Many of us would eradicate it. But does that line up with a biblical worldview? Do we really believe that God is sovereign? Do we believe that God is in control, even of years that from our perspective are as horrible as 2020?

  Nobody likes hard times. I know that I don’t. Yet, I know that as I look back on my life, the times that I have grown the most spiritually, the times when I’ve grown closer to God…haven’t been the easy times. They’ve been when I’ve walked through the fire, through deep waters. You’ll find that nearly every believer who has been walking with the Lord for any length of time will say the same thing. And while I don’t want a repeat of 2020, I don’t want to forget the lessons. I want them to be ingrained in my soul. I want them to help me walk closer to Jesus and trust Him more.

  During this pandemic it’s easy to see bad things happening all around us. However, with a biblical view on our circumstances, it may become clearer that what God could be doing during this time of taking things away is actually giving us something wonderful and eternal - Himself! So, here are some things that I’ve learned (you’ve probably learned them too). 

  The most precious people on the planet are the ones that live closest to me (or used to live with me). Spouses, family, children, parents, relatives, close friends, roommates, etc. are people that we care for the most. During this pandemic, I’ve realized anew how blessed I am to be married to Jane Carson. Her love for the Lord, her faith, and joy has helped encourage my own love for the Lord, faith, and joy. Living with someone and seeing them at their best and worst gives us a sense of care and compassion that can’t be adequately expressed. This pandemic has helped us to not take our spouses and children for granted. The ache of not seeing my son and daughter-in-law has only been increased by not being able to see them. Too often I take those closest to me for granted. Yet, when things get serious, I wanted them all close. I want to make certain that they’re all okay.

  Gathering as a church family is one of the most undervalued and underappreciated events in the whole world. This is the first time in most of our lives (since getting saved) that we’ve not been able to be with our brothers and sisters each week. It’s unnatural. It’s discouraging. It’s debilitating. Prior to this, we failed to value how important it is to be with other believers regularly. It’s a blessing that we have the technology to broadcast our services, yet the digital world doesn’t have skin on it. It doesn’t wrap an arm around another believer as you pray with them. It misses the nuances of a smile or a tearing eye. It misses the vital part of a maturing Christianity, giving as well as receiving. But we didn’t realize how much we were gaining from being with the “family” until we weren’t.

  Being busy gives us a false sense of accomplishment while stillness feels deceptively like idleness. When we’re running to work, school, events, etc., and are constantly on the move, we feel like we’re accomplishing something­ but often without much to show for it. Our overly busy lives have taught us to disdain times where we’re sitting still and in the same place. This season has been a lesson for us that busyness is not the same as accomplishing what has significance. It needs to teach us something that we easily forget – God did not create us to be human “doers,” but human “beings.” Being somewhere and being with someone supersedes doing.

  Petty disagreements and the little things that tend to consume us are even pettier and smaller when compared to eternity. Many of us either abandoned social media, limited it, or unfollowed neg-aholics. Yet, when I think about the things that have caused strife among friends or even in the church, they’re generally very small matters that were blown out of proportion. When you compare them to eternity, most aren’t worth the breath to speak them or the energy spent to post them on social media. Were they worth our time or energy at all? Are they worth our time now? What value are they in this world if they have no bearing on the one to come?

  I’m a lot more selfish than I thought I was and not nearly as patient as I thought that I was. When you can’t go where you want to go or do what you want to do, you find warm emotions rising up that are a bit shocking. Why does not being able to go to a coffee shop or movie or travel freely matter so much to me? Why was I so obsessed when this all started to see how far the numbers went up each day as if watching to keep score in a tragedy? It was easy to forget that those weren’t just numbers, they’re people. So, I want to learn to be more thankful for what I do have. I want to learn to be more aware and compassionate, especially for those experiencing loss firsthand. 

  No one is guaranteed tomorrow, and as much as I try to understand that I still don’t get it. Though I know better, I still live my life like I will always have a future on this earth. I think about next week, next month, and next year like they’re guaranteed dates on my calendar. But the psalmist speaks into my heart by turning focus for the day I have. “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24). While we need to wisely plan, God has only given us today to use. Too often I’ve wasted today assuming I’ll have tomorrow. 

  This life is short and there are many ways to squander it, but only one way to redeem it – Love Jesus with your whole life, and love Him above all else. It really is a straight and narrow path but the road that leads to destruction is broad and too many go down it. Yet, it’s not as difficult to find as it is to maintain. Yet, I’m so easily distracted by the trivial. If I learn nothing else from 2020, I want to learn this and never forget it: “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!” (Phil. 1:21). 

  I don’t want to repeat 2020 but I don’t want to forget it. How about you?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

Are You a Little Tipsy?

“My life is a Bible for some folks to see,  

I wonder just what they are reading in me.”

 

One of the Ad Council’s most effective public service commercials is the “Don’t Almost Give” campaign. One ad shows a man with crutches struggling to go up a flight of steps. The narrator says, “This man almost learned to walk at a rehab center that almost got built by people who almost gave money.” After a pause, the narrator continues, “Almost gave. How good is almost giving? About as good as almost walking.” 

  Another ad shows a homeless man curled up in a ball atop a pile of rags. He’s covered with a ratty bed sheet. The narrator begins, “This is Jack Thomas. Today someone almost bought Jack something to eat. Someone almost brought him to a shelter. Someone almost gave him a warm blanket.” Then after a pause the narrator drives his point home, “And Jack Thomas? Well, he almost made it through the night.”

  We know this yet far too easily forget it. It’s not enough to “almost” love for Jesus. As D.L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.” Knowing without doing is worthless. Yet, before you can do, you must know.

  A term often thrown around in the Church is “Biblical Worldview.” But what does it mean to have a “Biblical Worldview?” A biblical worldview is essential for having a successful Christian life. A biblical worldview is essential if you want your life to count for eternity. A biblical worldview is essential if you want to truly make a difference.

  As we enter 2021, may we all determine to grow in a biblical worldview. A biblical worldview is like a three-legged stool. Each leg is vital.  

  The first leg is knowing. Knowledge is like med school for a doctor. It demands reading and studying. But in American culture we value doing, not knowing. Knowing must always precede doing or you won’t know what the right thing is to do. God gave us a mind and we’re to use it.

  Christians should be the most voracious readers. We must be committed to study (2 Timothy 2:15). God has given us a written revelation. We must faithfully read His Word. Study demands reading books about the Bible and about God. It means digging deeper. It takes time and discipline.

  Can you imagine having an appointment with your doctor, you describe your symptoms, and he says, “I think it might be…but I’m not sure. I’ve never been much of a reader. I just go with what feels right.” How fast would you run out of his office?

  Think of the top five areas of your life, those areas that consume most of your time and focus. God’s Word speaks to each of them. Yet, if you don’t know God’s Word, if you don’t know how to think through the grid of a biblical worldview, then you will stink at all of them because you’re using man’s wisdom. A biblical worldview means that you must read and study.

  The second leg is talking. Just for a moment stop and think about all that you talked about this past week. Was any of it significant? Yet why is that we’re so uncomfortable talking about matters, well, that really matter? That have true significance?

  A healthy conversation that helps us grow must be a dialogue, not a monologue. The emphasis in our culture is wrongly on sharing what we think, yet failing to listen. And too frequently, we only talk with those who agree with us. But to have a biblical worldview we need to have deep conversations. We must have our assumptions challenged. Reading, studying and thinking should precede talking. Talking then helps us to grow and stretch, especially when our assumptions are challenged.

  The third leg is doing. American culture skips ahead to doing and jumps over reading and talking. Doing is essential. Truth needs work clothes. Yet when we get the order wrong, we do the wrong thing because we simply don’t know what we’re doing. Successful Christians know it takes all three: reading, dialogue and then doing.

  Our culture wants to rush the cycles and shoot from the hip. The outcome is that we become frantic doers and not even sure why we’re doing what we’re doing. All three legs are necessary. Knowing without doing is empty and sterile. Many Christians know what’s right and what they should do. They just never get around to doing it.

  Then, talk by itself is cheap. It takes deeds to validate the talk. But deeds by themselves are ambiguous; it takes words to explain their meaning.

  God, throughout history, has been gracious to provide His people with all three—deeds powerful enough to show He’s not just someone who promises. He’s revealed Himself to us in His Word because He wants us to know Him. His words are clear enough to keep us from misunderstanding what His deeds are all about.

  Recently, I heard about a factory worker who longed to see one of his fellow laborers become a believer in Christ. His witness was to befriend this fellow, to treat him kindly, not just to see him as an object but very much as a person. Theirs became the epitome of a relational witness.

  Some time later, the unbeliever became a believer—but it happened through someone else. Coming back to the factory, he spoke of his new faith to the man who’d been a Christian for many years. “That’s wonderful,” said the first fellow. “I’m a believer too.”

  “You are?” the new Christian said, incredulously. “Did you know that I’ve put off becoming a Christian for months just because of you? To me, you were the very embodiment of someone who could be a good person without Christ. I thought maybe I too could become that good without becoming a Christian.” So much for works without words as a witness.

  As we celebrate our Lord’s incarnation, it’s what He’s called us to be as well…we’re to be incarnational. We’re to be Jesus in our world. You can’t be Jesus without knowledge. Study His ministry. It included talking and doing. A biblical worldview has all three. Determine to make 2021 your year to commit to balancing them out in your life. Read, talk and do!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

 

God is not Santa

 

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
And checking it twice;

He’s making a list.

Sometimes, particularly antitheists, will make a comparison between God and Santa. They’ll suggest, that after all, you can’t see either of them. Then, some believe in Santa but most don’t. Both see all – weighing up your good and bad deeds – and reward you based on how good you’ve been. The clincher is that both are essentially myths that bring people a bit of comfort and joy with not much behind them in the way of evidence. But the parallels are really only there for those who wish to force them.

  Drawing a link between God and Santa Claus because you can’t see them is weak. There are lots of things that we can’t see that exist, nonetheless.  For example, consider time, emotions and history. All things we can’t see but all things that every sane person accepts exist. Not being able to see something does not mean it doesn’t exist.

  Nor is existence determined by the number of people that believe. As it happens, if it were determined by the numbers, theism wins. There are more theists in the world than atheists and agnostics combined. The validity of God’s existence isn’t determined by popularity. Even if we insist that “experts” get to decide, truth isn’t determined by some sort of popularity contest. For a long time, the overwhelming majority of people believed stomach ulcers were caused by stress or a terrible lifestyle. Dr. Barry Marshall won a Nobel prize proving that view wrong, insisting that he was repeatedly told – and held by the majority – to be entirely wrong. That is until he infected himself with bacteria causing him to get a stomach ulcer and then curing himself. Truth is not determined by majority rule.

  God is not like Santa Claus. For one, few adults come to believe in Santa. While it’s common for children to believe the Santa myth and then, as they grow older and examine the evidence, it becomes clear Santa is only a fairy tale. Compare this to the multitude of people who grow up to examine the evidence, having never believed in God before, who come to believe in Him as an adult. On top of that, there are the people who are taught about God as children who never shake their belief in Him. You’ll have a tough time finding anyone who holds to the Santa myth later on in life.

 Add to that, we need to compare the behavior of God and Santa Claus. Santa is a distant figure who watches the world and rewards people based on their deeds once-per-year. But the God of the Bible is the One who cares about this world so much that He sent His only Son to enter it. God is not a moralist who rewards you based on how “good” you are. Instead, God is a gracious father who gives us the very opposite of what we deserve. He doesn’t hold out rewards based on whether we please Him with our behavior, He gives us good gifts out of grace because He loves us.

  Most people grow up to stop believing in Santa not out of a lack of evidence for his existence but because of the positive evidence against his existence. Most stop believing in Santa that moment they catch their Mom or Dad laying out all their gifts on Christmas Eve. Even if that clarifying moment never comes, most begin asking questions that defy logic. How can Santa fly around the world in one night and deliver all of his gifts? How does he get down chimneys when he’s so fat? Why has nobody ever seen a flying reindeer? Why are parents okay with a stranger wandering their house at night at Christmas but no other time of year?

  There are good reasons to actively disbelieve the Santa Claus myth. People don’t reject it because of the lack of evidence. They reject it as a result of the overwhelming evidence that he doesn’t exist. Yet, contrast that with those who come to believe in God, particularly God as revealed in His Word and in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. They believe because the evidence is so overwhelming. It’s not evidence that’s simply poured into them as children which they never managed to dismiss. Many come to faith entirely apart from being taught it as children.

  Add to that, there are unanswered questions. Where do morals come from? Is it more likely that the universe has always existed or that it has a cause? Is the fine tuning of the universe better explained by necessity, chance or design? What explanation best accounts for the Jesus’ empty tomb, the postmortem appearances and the birth of Christianity? Many conclude that the evidence points in the direction of the existence of a real God. They conclude that it’s the answer that has the widest explanatory power for all these questions, the least ad hoc of all available explanations.

  Maybe you think that God is a myth and Christianity is a big fairy tale. But are you sure? Aren’t there other “beliefs” that you were very sure of at one time?

  Can I challenge you to give yourself a gift this Christmas? Examine the evidence for yourself. Don’t just believe what you’ve been taught or what others have told you. Check it out for yourself. Read Jesus’ biography for yourself. It’s the original Fab Four – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And maybe pray this simple prayer: God, if You’re real then reveal Yourself to me. Christianity isn’t a blind leap of faith. Countless skeptics, when they were honest and examined the evidence, found themselves overwhelmed by the truth of a loving God who gave His Son as that first Christmas gift for them. I know that’s true because I was one of them.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

A Norman Rockwell Christmas or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?

 

“Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas.”  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

 Many years ago our church did a wonderful Christmas program called “The Peanut Butter Christmas.” This fictional story tells of a family who experienced the worst Christmas nightmare. Somehow they were stranded in a motel room without electricity on Christmas Day. But this terrible Christmas, this nightmare becomes a favorite Christmas memory as the three children learn that the spirit of Christmas lives not in what we get, but in what we give.  
  Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year,” or so the Andy Williams’ song goes. It’s expected to be a time of celebrating with family around a Christmas tree filled with gifts underneath, parties filled with friends and fun, and unique moments of enchantment and joy therein. In the mind’s eye of many, Christmastime is supposed to reflect some Norman Rockwell painting. But what if it doesn’t. What if instead of experiencing that Norman Rockwell version, you end up experiencing some version of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? Would that potentially be a Covid-2020 Christmas? 

  Let me guarantee you on how to ruin Christmas and not just a Covid-2020 Christmas, but this and future Christmases. The guaranteed way for me and you to ruin Christmas are The Three Kings. 

  Most of us are familiar with the Christmas carol, “We Three Kings.” I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve sung that song or heard recording artists add their own rendition to the classic. We refer to the three kings as the “wise men” who traveled to worship baby Jesus and present Him with gifts.

  As we wrap up 2020, I’ve been convicted about which “king(s)” I’m admiring, listening to, taking advice from, and worshiping. This time of year is always a great time for reflection. There have been a number of things to think back on in 2020: COVID-19, riots, disharmony, a tenuous election cycle, facemasks, shutdowns, racial tension, Supreme Court confirmation…the list goes on and on. So, I have to check myself on a regular basis to make sure I’m not following the wrong “three Kings.” Sadly, too often I do. But these kings are not in charge. They’re not the wisest. In fact, they’re very selfish. They generally lead me into trouble and sin, and away from what I know is right. And you have the same three tugging on your heart, trying to lead you down the wrong path.

  Who are these three kings? Me, Myself, and I. Yup, that’s them. Those three “kings” get me in a lot of trouble. I’m constantly battling to resist their rule over my life. Yet, I still fall victim to their temptations. If they’re on the throne of my heart, it’s a guaranteed National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation rather the Norman Rockwell version.

  While you can’t change Christmas past, you can change Christmas present and Christmas future. Starting right now, in your own heart and with your own family, create new memories and Christmas traditions that will redeem this season. You can give yourself and those around you a Christmas gift that no one will want to return. And in the process, your heart will grow to love the Lord and others more. So, as we reminisce in 2020 and plan ahead for 2021, would you join me in making every effort to de-throne these kings? How can we do that?

  Be Intentional. Grab some paper or open a new note on your phone and create an actual plan that you’ll execute. Nail down some dates and times for the things you decide to do. If you need other information first, such as the family calendar, get it as soon as possible. The next days will pass by faster than you think so now is the time to make a solid plan.

  Love the “neighbor” closest to you. Spend time one-on-one with your wife and each child during the holiday season. Maybe you need to start with some relationship repair. It’s been a difficult year. Some of the most important words that you and I will ever utter are; I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.

  Go for a walk with your spouse. Spend individual time with each child, even if it’s just going to a park and sitting in the car together. Pick up some hot chocolate and watch the cold on the outside with a warm relationship inside the car. Don’t make it a marathon. Half an hour may be enough. It’s important to take each child out individually to spend time with you alone.

  If your children are far away, schedule a video call at a time when you know they’ll be free of distractions or deadlines. Ask them questions about their life. A healthy conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. The goal is quality, one-on-one time with each family member.

  Have fun! Don’t allow everyone to drift through your time together playing with their devices or watching football. Set aside scheduled time to do some fun things together. There are tons of things to do safely outdoors together, such as an evening walk or a drive to look at lights. Even though staying home doesn’t feel like something that needs to be reserved on the calendar, it is! Set aside some specific times to play games as a group. Choose a favorite board game or card game. Bake or cook a special Christmas recipe together. If you have younger children, you could act out the nativity story with your family members (pets welcome).

  Give to someone in need. Christmas isn’t about getting, it’s about giving. That’s what God the Father did that first Christmas when He sent His Son, Jesus. This year especially, there is no shortage of people who will benefit from whatever you have to give, whether it’s your time, attention, or money. As a family, maybe be a secret Santa for a family with limited resources. Go carol someone elderly or shut-in, even if it’s just you and your spouse. It truly is the thought that counts. So, get creative. There are so many ways to encourage and give and serve. Find some. Make some memories. Make a difference in your own heart and in the lives of others.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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. 

Tone-Deaf Hollywood

 

“The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that.”  Governor Andrew Cuomo, Press Conference on April 13, 2020 

In another of countless examples of tone-deafness, Hollywood recently awarded New York Governor Andrew Cuomo the International Emmy Award, saying that his 111 daily coronavirus press conferences offered “authentic truth and stability.” In what was a Cuomo love-in for the so-called “Love Gov,” a chorus of celebrities joined in to sing his praises. Stars including Robert De Niro, Billy Joel, Ben Stiller, Rosie Perez, Billy Crystal, and filmmaker Spike Lee recorded video messages extolling the governor for setting “an example to the rest of the world.”

Yet, the fictionalized world of Hollywood is oblivious that words and press conferences are not the same as wise decisions, compassionate actions or have true substance. Words are cheap! Even the Washington Post recently described Cuomo’s arrogance as “a Marie Antoinette level of obliviousness.” Yet, as New York prepared to go back under lockdown that will put thousands out of work, it didn’t slow down out of touch Hollywood from awarding him an Emmy.

Hollywood’s aristocracy conveniently forgot that while the Governor urged his constituents to refrain from gathering for Thanksgiving amid a rise in coronavirus cases, he announced he’d be spending Thanksgiving with his 89-year-old mother. For several days he’d urged New Yorkers to refrain from traveling or gathering with older relatives for Thanksgiving. “Next Thanksgiving, you’ll ask yourself: Did I do everything I could to keep my community safe?” Yet, while asking others to sacrifice, Cuomo hypocritically disregarded his own advice. It wasn’t until he received a big backlash that he changed his plans.

Elites in Hollywood are oblivious to real-life suffering of boarded-up businesses, restricted business hours, or the financial turmoil that’s devastated almost 9 million people in New York City and another 22 million-plus throughout the metro area. It didn’t bother the rich and famous that the Governor was slated to receive a pay raise in January 2021 at the same time that his state faces a massive $63 billion deficit from revenue losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, he said that he won’t take the raise. It would have made him the highest paid governor in the nation. A $63 billion deficit and he’s up for a raise while many of his constituents will end up bankrupt and even homeless.

While Tinseltown gives Cuomo a hero’s adulation, he’s known in his state as a ruthless politician and has been anything but stellar in his leadership on COVID-19. It was Cuomo, who early in the COVID crisis, tried to downplay it and encouraged people to go on with their lives as usual. Then, he hit the panic button and shut down his state and got into a turf war with Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City. Between them, they handed down all kinds of harsh edicts.

Though it was known from the beginning that the elderly and those with compromised were the most vulnerable to the virus, that didn’t stop Cuomo from forcing nursing homes to take in COVID-19 patients. Worldviews matter. Under Cuomo, New York passed one of the most liberal and abhorrent abortion laws in the country. Yet, if one has no moral compass about the beginning of life, why would one have a moral compass about the end of life? His directive ordering nursing homes to accept COVID patients caused the virus to spread like wildfire among the state’s elderly and infirm population. His decision contributed to the state’s COVID-19 mortality rate, which currently ranks as the second-highest in the nation. It’s estimated that his nursing home mandate led to 6,000 nursing home deaths. Would Hollywood have still given him an Emmy if their own aging stars like Robert Redford or Betty White were victims of his heartlessness?

Yet, it was all swept under the rug as Emmy’s president Bruce Paisner introduced Cuomo during the virtual ceremony, claiming that the Governor informed, demanded, and calmed people down. A video montage followed showing the Governor’s daily press conferences. One title card touted the governor’s response, calling it, “One epic turnaround” as Hollywood gushed all over him. Billy Crystal said that Cuomo “gave us hope, clarity, the truth,” adding that the governor was the “epitome of New York tough.” Brooklyn native Rosie Perez said, “You are the man,” adding that the governor “offered your strength, leadership, direction” and “set an example to the rest of the world.” Host Richard Kind added to the praise: “[Cuomo] united New Yorkers, he united the country…He even united the world.” 6,000 nursing home victims and their families would disagree!

Nearly 35,000 have died from Corona under Cuomo’s “leadership.” For a true leader that would result in humility and a broken heart, but not Cuomo. At a recent press conference on the issue of COVID-19, he lost his cool. Speaking of the people in New York who caught the virus, Cuomo blamed them explicitly saying, “If you socially distance and you wore a mask, and you were smart, none of this will be a problem. It’s all self-imposed. If you didn't eat the cheesecake, you wouldn’t have a weight problem.” Instead of rising to the occasion, he demonstrated contempt for the very ones he’s responsible for governing.

We need to pray that God will have mercy on Governor Cuomo. When King Herod deified himself as Cuomo has, God took him out (Acts 18:21-23).

And maybe it’s time to send Hollywood the only message they seem to understand – a reduced bottom line. When theaters re-open, don’t go. Unless it’s an excellent movie, wait for an online version. Read reviews from reputable sources. Too often we give away hard-earned cash for trash.

Then, support Christian actors and filmmakers. Even out of touch elites listen when money talks and says, “Good-bye.” It’s time for Christians to speak in a language even tone-deaf celebrities can hear.

 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? 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.