"There is born unto you, this day, a Savior..."

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  I enjoy the overall message of the program.  As you’ll recall, Charlie Brown is depressed at how Christmas has become too commercial.  He wants to feel an inner joy and happiness, but he doesn’t.  Finally, fresh off the disappointment of picking out the worst Christmas tree on the lot, he says, “I guess I just don’t know what Christmas is all about.”  He cries out in desperation, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”  His friend, Linus, steps up.  “Sure, Charlie Brown,” he says.  “I can tell you what Christmas is all about.”  Linus goes on to quote Luke 2:8-14 from memory.

 

Linus’ monologue encourages Charlie Brown.  He realizes that there is more to Christmas than all the commercialism.  Linus is right: there is more to Christmas than all the external stuff that has been attached to it.  If Christmas consists of just purchasing the most presents or having the best Christmas lights on the block, there’s good reason to be depressed like Charlie Brown was.   That kind of Christmas is not enough.  Real Christmas is achieved by focusing on Jesus; who He is, and all He has done for us.  Who is He?  What has He done for us?  The answer is found in Linus’ Scripture reading.  Notice Luke 2:11; it says, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (NKJV; italics mine).

You may be thinking, “Why does the Bible say that Jesus is a Savior?  What does that mean?  What does Jesus save us from?”  Well, I’m so glad you asked.  In Matthew 1 we read the account of how Joseph discovered that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant.  You remember the story.  Joseph intended to merely divorce her quietly, but an angel tells Joseph, “don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (verse 20).  Then the angel makes this statement in verse 21: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (italics added for emphasis).  Jesus came to be the Savior of the world.  He came to save people from their sins.

In John 3, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (verses 16-17).  God knew that the world needed a Savior.  So He became a man, Jesus, God incarnate.  Jesus took the penalty of our sins on Himself when He died on the cross.  He resurrected from death on the third day.  All that remains now is our response to what Jesus did.  We have to choose to put our faith and trust in Christ.  The Biblical word is to believe.  Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”  Have you?

Kevin

A book commendation

The other day I was browsing at a local Christian bookstore.  I came upon a book that I had never seen before, but its title gripped me.  It’s called “Embracing Obscurity.”  The subtitle is “Becoming Nothing in Light of God’s Everything.”  It came out a few months ago.  I haven’t read the whole book yet, but it is fascinating.  The author’s primary assertion seems to be that we as Christians have bought into the false notion that we need to live to make a name for ourselves, to promote ourselves, and to attain notoriety.

The author puts it this way in the introduction: “We’re intoxicated with a desire to be known, recognized, appreciated, and respected.  We crave to be a “somebody” and do notable things, to achieve our dreams and gain the respect of others” (page 1).  You’ll notice that I haven’t given the author’s name of this book yet.  Incredibly, I cannot do so, because this author chose to write the book anonymously!  I want to express kudos to the author’s decision to remain unknown.  It’s a move that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

The message of the book has been a tremendous benefit to me.  I think we all need regular reminders that we must live for the approval of God alone.  Speaking for myself, I’m aware that I may not attain fame, recognition, or accolades in life, but that’s okay.  I really just want to “embrace obscurity.”  I want to fade into the background and quietly do everything I do as unto the Lord.  It’s about His glory and fame, not my own.

Kevin

“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30)   

Big girls (and boys) do cry

I have a confession to make: whenever I watch the ending of Spider-Man 2 (starring Tobey Maguire, Kristen Dunst, and Alfred Molina), I always cry.  I can almost feel Peter’s ache: he yearned to be with Mary Jane, but yet he also believed that he never could be with her because he wanted to protect her from his enemies.  But Mary Jane made it clear that she wanted to take the inevitable risks and be with him and no one else.  Peter and Mary Jane kiss until police sirens blare, MJ encourages Peter by saying, “Go get them, Tiger.”

The last time I watched this movie,  as I was again crying my eyes out during that final scene, God brought a verse of Scripture to my mind that has since become a precious verse to me.  It was Psalm 56:8: “put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in your book?” (NKJV) 

Ever since the Lord brought that verse to my mind, I’ve been cognizant of tears.  Both men and women cry.  We cry tears of joy, tears of sorrow, and we even sometimes cry after laughing a long time.  I came across a sermon from a great website called preaching point.com.  By the way, I want to express a big thank you to preaching point.com for granting me permission to quote from their website.  A preacher named Rick Lance apparently once delivered a sermon on Psalm 56 entitled “Your God and your tears.”  Here’s the link…

http://www.preachingpoint.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=43859&PID=632654

I like what Lance says, “He puts your tears in a bottle.  Now, what does that mean?  It is a quaint way of saying that your God knows your sorrows and struggles.  He knows every tear that you shed.  If your God knows and cares for the birds of the air and all other living creatures, He certainly knows and cares about your situation” (this excerpt is found under point 1: Your God knows and cares about your tears).  

Lance then goes on to state this in another section: “The text also describes your God as Divine Accountant.  He records your tears on a scroll or a ledger.  Like an accountant, He records those tears, not that He needs to be reminded of them but, rather, it is a way of helping you know that your tears are sacred” (also under point number 1).

I love the thought that God considers my tears sacred.  I love thinking about God as a “Divine Accountant” who cares about me so much that He makes note of all the tears that I cry.  What a comforting notion!  I would encourage you all to read more of Rick Lance’s sermon from the included link.

Kevin

Happy Birthday, Bill!

I’ve spoken of Bill Oudemolen many times in this blog, but I don’t think I’ve ever extended a birthday wish to him here before.  Today is his birthday.   In honor of this special day, I composed a top ten list of reasons why I love and appreciate him (#1 being the most significant, but all are important).  There are certainly more things that could be listed, but I thought I’d limit it to ten.

#10: His witty sense of humor. 

#9: His generosity. 

#8: His servant’s heart.  

#7: His protection of the church congregation God has given him.   

I have to break in and comment on this one.  In a sermon, Bill once declared that his name, William, means “great protector.”  He certainly lives out the meaning of his name.  In an effort to protect, he lovingly warns his church congregation of spiritual threats, such as heretical doctrines being presented as truth but not found anywhere in the Word of God.

#6: His authenticity.

#5: His humility.

#4: His good example. 

#3: His faithfulness and devotion to his wife, Jan.

#2: His love for the truth of the Word of God. 

#1: His love for God. 

I’m blessed by God to have Bill as my pastor and my friend.

Kevin

Jesus is the reason for the season

Not too long ago, I had an interesting conversation with my dentist.  The two of us got into a conversation about the impending Christmas holiday.  In the course of our chat, she stated that she wasn’t giving gifts this year, nor was she expecting her family or friends to get her anything.  She didn’t say whether this was for financial reasons or some other reason (and I didn’t think to ask), but I did say to her, “Well, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus anyway.”

This dentist is not alone.  I saw a segment on a TV news program that asserted that 45 percent of Americans are not going to be participating in the usual gift giving festivities this Christmas, primarily because they don’t have the money to do so.

As I said to my dentist, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  It concerns me how we get ourselves so busy fighting the crowds in search of “the perfect gift” that we forget that Christmas is about Jesus, not the purchasing of gifts to be given every December the 25th.

To be clear: there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving gifts away on Christmas.  The Bible says that it’s a good thing to give (Acts 20:35).  I can vouch for the great blessing that comes from giving to others, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.  It’s a wonderful benefit to take your eyes off of yourself and to put them on others.  There’s nothing inherently wrong with choosing to exchange Christmas gifts.  

Having said all this however, it’s important to remember what the late Dr. Adrian Rogers once said.  He said that the greatest gift is not found under a Christmas tree; the greatest gift is Jesus Christ Himself!  Why did Rogers say this?  I think it’s because a lot of us get stuck on the image of Jesus as an infant in a manger.  We forget that Christ actually grew up.  He had a mission that He obediently carried out: to die a substitutionary death on the cross of Calvary for you and for me.

Every human being on the planet has a problem: sin.  1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  Fritz Ridenour in his book “So What’s the Difference?” (this is a book that contrasts various worldviews with Christianity) writes, “When Jesus Christ – God incarnate – died on the cross, He rendered satisfaction to God’s holy standard and paid the penalty for the sin of all mankind.”  All one has to do now is put their faith and trust in Jesus alone to save them.  Galatians 1:16: “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law” (NLT).

Kevin

My list of blessings

Every year it seems that the anticipation about the Christmas holiday begins earlier and earlier.  This year, Christmas deals were being promoted even before Halloween!  Thanksgiving is the next holiday even though it always seems to be ignored.  This is a shame because Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to be reminded afresh of all of the spectacular gifts that God has bestowed upon us.

In light of this, I wanted to take the time to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving as I probably won’t have the time to post anything on the actual holiday itself.  My family has a tradition of presenting a list of the top ten things that we are thankful for.  I wanted to share my list with you today.  Here they are, in no particular order:

               10) My job at Chick-fil-A
               9) The opportunity to be able to go to Colorado Christian University
               8) Foothills Bible Church
               7) My salvation in Jesus Christ
               6) My wonderful family and friends
               5) My miraculous healing as a baby
               4) Christian music
               3) A reliable car (I’ve had some real clunkers in the past)
               2) My loyal cat, Belle (she is always by my side)
               1) My fellowship with God (that is, a sense of feeling close to Him)

I could keep going, but I promised you ten!  The main point of all of this is God’s generosity.  The Bible says in James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (NIV). 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kevin

Good work, Bond!

Congratulations to the James Bond franchise for reaching their 50th year of making Bond movies.  It was in 1962 when Sean Connery debuted as James Bond in the first Bond movie “Dr. No.”  Since then, Bond has continued to endure to this day.

I must confess that I am a James Bond fan.  I enjoy his sophisticated and suave demeanor.  I enjoy his witty, dry sense of humor.  Yes, he has that consistent habit of going to bed with women that he is not married to, but there’s still an undeniable charm to the Bond character. 

It is quite remarkable when you stop and think about a movie franchise that has somehow managed to last fifty years!  So, go ahead and order yourself “a martini shaken not stirred” to celebrate your success, Mr. Bond, because you deserve it.

Kevin

The power of an example

Recently, I wrote an academic paper that asked me to cite an illustration of a leader who is a good example.  I cited my pastor (and friend) Bill Oudemolen.  I wanted to highlight him today.  This is fitting as it October, and thus Minister Appreciation month.

I think it’s important to have periodic reminders of the power of an example.  The Bible says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).  The Bible also exhorts the older, “In everything set them an example by doing what is good” (Titus 2:7).  Young or old, the Bible says, set a good example.  Don’t ever underestimate the power of an example.

Bill’s example influences me to do things God’s way.  This is not just because he proclaims that God’s way is the best way in his sermons.  Don’t misunderstand me: Bill certainly does encourage his church to do things God’s way.  He does so often, with passion, clarity, and insight.  But it’s not just talk.  It’s easy to talk, but it’s something else entirety to back it up.

 

Let me illustrate this.  I think it was the year that the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season when an upcoming opponent was talking a considerable amount of trash about the Patriots.  He was saying that they were going to go down, and Tom Brady was going to eat dirt.  Brady responded with a memorable quote: “Well done is always better than well said.”  You can talk all you want, but can you back up your talk with action?  My pastor certainly does.  He doesn’t have a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality.  He backs up his creeds with congruent deeds. 

You say, “How do you know that?”  Well, God, in His kindness, has given me the privilege of knowing Bill in the context of everyday life, not just in the context of the man that stands behind the pulpit on Sunday mornings.  I have seen that Bill is the same person Monday through Saturday that he is on Sunday.

I also wanted to express my appreciation to Jan Oudemolen, Bill’s wife, for all that she is and all that she does.  The saying is behind every man there is a great woman, and that is certainly the case with Jan.  She is a good example as well.  Pastor Bill and Jan, if you read this, I want you to know that I consider it a great gift to call you both my friends.  Thanks for being good, moral, Christ-like examples.

Kevin

Let your voice be heard

I don’t normally bring up politics in this blog, but with each passing day, Election Day looms closer.  Like any Presidential election, this is a vitally important choice.  Therefore, I just want to encourage everyone to go out and vote this November.

Some of us Americans have taken for granted the incredible privilege we have in the country to vote.  Think about this with me for a moment: isn’t it an amazing thought that we have the privilege – to say nothing of the solemn responsibility – to actually vote in our leaders? You and I have the opportunity to make a difference this November.  We have the chance to let our voices be heard.

I don’t think it’s prudent for me to advise you on which candidate you should vote for.  I do think it’s important not to vote based solely on who is the most charismatic or likeable.  It’s not supposed to be a popularity contest; it’s about who is better equipped to lead us for the next four years.  Think through the pressing issues of our day.  Do your homework on how these two men would address these issues, and place your vote.

Having said all this, I want to remind us all of the fact that God is the one that we are supposed to put our ultimate trust and hope in.  Some of us inadvertently put our hope in a politician to fix every problem and issue.  This shouldn't happen.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t vote; that would contradict everything I’ve said to this point.  It's simply to say that our hope and trust is supposed to be in God, not in any man.  Psalm 42:5 says, “Why are you so downcast, O my soul?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.”  I’ve learned in my own life that if we put our hope in anyone or anything other than God, we will be “downcast” because we were designed to find our hope in God.

Kevin

What a game!

I had to take a few minutes to say a few words about the Broncos-Chargers game on Monday night.  I didn’t get the chance to see all of it, but I saw most of the second half (and I’ve seen the highlights of the parts that I missed).  The Broncos fell behind 24-0 at halftime.  Absolutely nothing went right for Denver in that first half.  Not a thing.  The biggest case in point was how Eric Decker, on his way to an easy touchdown, tripped and fell.  There was no one around Decker, but for some inexplicable reason, he simply lost his footing.  On the next play, Manning was intercepted by Quentin Jammer on an obvious miscommunication with his receiver and Jammer ran it back the other way for a touchdown.

24-0 at halftime with everything going the Chargers way surely the game, for all intents and purposes, was over right?  Typically that would be the case.  But Peyton Manning and the entire Broncos team engineered an incredible comeback.  The final score was 35-24 Broncos.  There were five second half turnovers – six in all – by the Chargers.
   
I’ve seen many comebacks in my life. I’ve been watching football since I was a small boy.  I’ve seen many comebacks by John Elway.  I’ve seen many incredible comebacks by Peyton Manning in his illustrious career (incidentally, Monday night's game is now the largest comeback in his career).  I saw Tim Tebow seemingly will the Broncos from behind to win several times in his time as the Broncos starter.  But the game on Monday had a different feel than any other game I’ve ever seen.  It had a surreal feel to it.  As the Broncos began to climb their way back, you sat there thinking, “Wait a minute!  Is this really happening?”

Historically speaking, it may not have been the largest comeback in NFL history (that honor still goes to the Buffalo Bills that defeated the Houston Oilers 41-38 in 1993 after trailing 35-3 at one point), but still this was a game that many won’t soon forget.  That’s entertainment for you.  That’s the NFL.

Kevin

A new book

Well, I know it’s been a few months since I’ve posted a blog entry (life can certainly keep a person from blogging, you know it?), but here I am posting new material again.

Even though I live in Denver, Colorado and I am happy for any success that the Denver Broncos have, I am also a fan of many other teams in the NFL also.  One of the teams that I have kept an eye on for many years now is the Philadelphia Eagles.  After reading Michael Vick’s brand new autobiographical book “Finally Free” I will be cheering for the Eagles – and more specifically for Vick – even more than I used to. 

I highly recommend Michael Vick’s book; it is a powerful story of redemption and of God’s offer for a second chance.  To be clear: I’m happy that Michael Vick got another stint in the NFL, and that he is a starting quarterback again.  But I’m much more excited that Vick turned his life around after hitting rock bottom, and that he is a Christian today.

Kevin

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

"Anyone can be a hero"

Like so many others in Colorado – and across the nation – I continue to grieve and heal emotionally from the senseless violence and the despicable evil that was carried out on July 20th in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.  I’ve been praying for the families of the victims.  I pray that they feel a supernatural comfort from God.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to see “The Dark Knight Rises” and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Batman said a statement in that movie that was really apropos given the circumstances; he said, “Anyone can be a hero.”  I agree.  I believe that remark with every fiber of my being.  To hear the stories of heroism that occurred in the midst of the carnage and evil confirms Batman’s words.

For instance, did you know that of the twelve who died in that theater on Friday the 20th, four of them were boyfriends who shielded their girlfriends from harm?  Consider, for just one example, Alexander Teves, a 24-year-old who went to the movie with Amanda Lindgren.  When the chaos started, Alexander instinctively leaped on top of Amanda, and told her to stay down.  Alexander didn’t survive.  He died a hero’s death as he sacrificed himself to protect Amanda.  By the way, I’m simply relaying the information from a news article that I’ve included in a link and I encourage you to read it.  Batman is absolutely right: anyone can be a hero.  

http://gma.yahoo.com/women-survived-theater-shooting-grieve-hero-boyfriends-215438672--abc-news-topstories.html

Kevin

My birthday blog

As I think about another year of life, I have this unquenchable desire to brag on God and once again proclaim how amazing He is.  Some of you are already saying, "Come on, Kevin.  This is your day.  Aren't you going to boast in yourself a little bit; at least for today?"  No, definitely not.  It's not about me; it's about God.  If there is anything good and praiseworthy in my life I give God the glory and praise for it all.

In preparation for this blog installment today, I did some Internet research on William Carey, the father of modern missions.  He evidently said this on his deathbed: "speak less of Dr. Carey, speak more of Dr. Carey's Savior."  On my birthday, I echo the same thought for myself.

Kevin

"He must increase, I must decrease" - John the Baptist in John 3:30 (NKJV)

Heroes among us

Today is Memorial Day, 2012.  As you see from my last blog entry, heroism is an important topic to me.  I love seeing Superman, Batman, Spider-Man or Captain America swoop in and save the day.  Incidentally, I don’t think it’s wrong to be inspired by an act of heroism even if it is portrayed by a fictional character.  That said, it’s one thing to see heroism depicted in the movies and on TV, but it’s quite another to contemplate the fact that are real life heroes among us.  That’s why Memorial Day has a special place in my heart. 

It’s amazing for me to contemplate that there are men and women – people that I’ve never met – that died in an effort to protect the freedoms that I, as an American citizen, enjoy.  These folks have my utmost respect and admiration.  It’s humbling to ponder the brave, noble, and courageous men and women who gave their all for their country.  These men and women are real heroes.  

My mind and heart also goes out to the families of those who gave their lives in service of the United States of America.  I don't know this firsthand, but I would imagine that this is probably a bittersweet day for you.  In one sense, you are proud of their service for the country, but at the same time, you also have a gnawing sense of sadness on a daily basis for your departed loved one and that is only intensified as you are reminded anew of the ultimate sacrifice that they made.  I want you to know that I respect and admire the great sacrifices you have made; you are a hero as well.

Kevin

"What better role for anyone to aspire to than hero?"

I finally had the opportunity to watch “The Avengers” the other day.  It was well worth the wait; what a phenomenal movie!  Before I move into the heart of this blog today, let me just state if you haven’t seen this film, go ahead and do so.  “The Avengers” has everything you could want: eye-popping action, moments of absolute hilarity, and you may even shed a tear or two. 

Ever since I watched this flick, I’ve been thinking a lot about the topic of heroism (because this is something that the Avengers display abundantly in the film).  In another movie called “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse” Superman asks this thought-provoking question: “What better role for anyone to aspire to than hero?”

Perhaps you are thinking, “I know about the importance of heroism, but I can’t do anything as grandiose as save someone from a burning building, or stop a thief from robbing a bank, or that kind of thing.”  I’m right there with you, but these examples are not the only way that heroism is displayed.

I love this quote from the late tennis player, Arthur Ashe: “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.  It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”  This is profound, and it is Biblical.  Jesus said that the greatest among us is actually the servant (Matthew 20:26).  Heroism might actually be best displayed by selflessly serving others, and by looking out for the wellbeing of others first instead of looking out for yourself first.

For another example of practical, everyday heroism consider this scene from an episode of the TV show “Boy Meets World.”  The main character, Cory Matthews, is having a discussion with his neighbor/mentor George Feeny on what it means to be a hero.  Feeny puts it succinctly when he states, "A real hero is someone who does the right thing when the right thing isn’t the easy thing to do.”  

For instance, maybe you are a single man who is tempted to go “all the way” with your girlfriend even though you aren’t married.  The right thing to do, Biblically speaking, is to remain sexually pure until marriage, but that is certainly not the easy thing.  The easy thing is to follow the cultural expectation and sleep around.  But remember: “a real hero is someone who does the right thing when the right thing isn’t the easy thing to do.”  The bottom line is this: you and I can be a hero, and we don’t even have to wear a cape or mask!

Kevin

Choosing delayed gratification

We live in an instant gratification world.  When I was growing up, there used to be a “layaway” department where you could ask the store to hold the product for a time.  While there may still be a few trace remnants of this notion in our culture, for the most part people simply put their purchase on a credit card instead of relying on the concept of layaway.  We have immediate communication via e-mail, social media websites, and instant messaging.  If you get hungry at midnight, no need to wait, you can simply go to a restaurant drive-through; they are open until the wee hours of the morning.  We live in an instant gratification world.

Most of you know that I’m a big fan of superheroes.  Even though they are fictional, to see superheroes that model such traits as selflessness, courage, and valor never ceases to inspire me to emulate such traits in my own life.  Because of this, you will be surprised to read that I have not yet seen the movie “The Avengers.”  I certainly plan to do so, but circumstances have not allowed for me to watch it as of yet.  I’m very happy to hear of all the success the movie has had and I am eagerly anticipating the day that I can finally watch it. 

While I’m not necessarily thrilled with the idea of not seeing the movie (it seems like everyone else around me has seen it and has told me how great it is), I also believe that it’s healthy to practice delayed gratification.  It’s like the child who has to wait for his/her Christmas gifts.  The whole gift experience is made more enjoyable because it was coupled with the anticipation and waiting.  Whenever I finally do watch “The Avengers” I think I’ll enjoy it even more because I’ve had to wait all this time to watch it! 

Kevin

In God we trust

I love this quote from Oswald Chambers: “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”  Let those words sink into your heart for a moment. 

As Christians, don’t we all have times when we wonder what in the world God is up to?  We have surrendered control of our lives to Him, and He allows us to go through times that we find very confusing and frightening.  We have said (to quote a song title) “Jesus, take the wheel” and He takes the car of our lives through rugged, bumpy terrain.  We scratch our heads and wonder, “God, what are you doing?”

When we find ourselves in those episodes of life, I can tell you through personal experience that the best course of action is simply to trust God.  You see, this Oswald Chambers quote helped me during a recent painful season of life when new challenges and stresses were piling on me.  Chambers' words inspired me anew to trust in God and His character.

The Bible tells us over and over to trust in God.  For example, in Psalm 37:5 we read, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”  Psalm 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”  Jeremiah 17:7 tells us, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.”  Is this an easy thing to do?  Not necessarily.  Even so, the fact of the matter is God is absolutely reliable, dependable, and trustworthy, no matter what.

Kevin

The spiral notebook

One of my most prized possessions is a spiral notebook.  This is an important item to me because it’s a document that my parents used to record a season of illness I had when I was a baby.  For those of you that don’t know, for six months or so, I had what was labeled as “Infantile Spasms” or an infant that was having multiple seizures.  In the notebook, my parents made comments and observations as to how many seizures I was having, as well as recording all of the steps that they took to try to minimize the seizures.

In this notebook, it is recorded that on April 24th, 1982 I stopped having seizures.  In fact, this year is a special milestone because I haven’t had another seizure for thirty years now!  On that April day all those years ago, I was in the hospital (based on entries in the notebook this was not an uncommon occurrence).  For some reason that is still unexplained, I flat-lined; I’m told that I actually turned a shade of blue.  After flat-lining for over three minutes, God intervened.  The flat-lining stopped and my normal coloring began to return to me.  Life returned to me!  In short, if it weren’t for God’s miraculous intervention that day, I would not be alive today.  I wanted to publicly give all the thanks, praise, and glory to God.

Every subsequent April 24th, I’ve stopped to reflect on life.  This year, I’ve been thinking about what I want my life to be about for the remaining years God gives me.  Christian singer and songwriter Chris Tomlin wrote a statement in his book “The Way I Was Made” that perfectly describes my life’s goal.  He said, “We were created to shine the spotlight on God – to spread the fame of God everywhere we go.”  As far as I'm concerned, you can put that sentiment on my epitaph one day.

Kevin

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” - Ephesians 3:20-21

The importance of Easter

Happy Easter, everyone!  I hope that in the midst of your day today you take some time to reflect on the real reason for this holiday: Jesus Christ is alive!  He literally and bodily resurrected from the dead over 2000 years ago.

It occurred to me that some of you might not understand why we Christians hold the resurrection of Christ up as such a momentous event.  What’s so important about the resurrection?  There are many reasons, but I want to camp out on just one today.  Jesus Himself said that He was going to die, but that He was not going to stay dead.  If you read the gospels you see Jesus, on more than one occasion, informing the disciples of what was eventually going to happen to Him (although they didn’t understand what He was talking about).  Consider Mark 9:31 for example, Jesus says, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”  Verse 32: “But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.”

If Jesus was killed, and He stayed dead, it would have been revealed that Christ was nothing more than a liar.  Why?  Because He said on numerous occasions that He was going to die, but that He was going to be resurrected.  Therefore, if Christ did not literally and bodily resurrect from the dead, Christianity’s founder, Jesus, was essentially nothing more than a charlatan!  No wonder the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14: “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”  But, hallelujah, Jesus did rise from the dead!  It is a matter of historical fact.  Despite Christianity’s opponents, no one has been able to produce conclusive evidence that Christ actually stayed dead.  Christ the Lord is risen; He is risen indeed!

By the way, for those of you who are interested in learning more, I would encourage you to read “More Than a Carpenter” by Josh and Sean McDowell.  It addresses the resurrection of Christ, but also many other important issues as well.

Happy Easter!

Kevin

The amazing importance of rest

Today is the last day of a two-week vacation.  As I contemplate returning to my normal routine tomorrow, a part of me certainly feels sadness to see it end.  At the same time, I feel happy as I look back on a fantastic season of needed rest and relaxation.

We live our lives at such a frenetic pace today.  We always have so many things pulling at us.  That’s why it is so vitally important to take time out and recharge our batteries.  I’m not necessarily referring to vacations per se (speaking for myself, I can’t go away on a vacation as much as I’d like to because of the responsibilities in my life).  But as I thought about this topic, I was reminded afresh that God Himself told us how important it is to take time out of our busy lives to rest.  Of course, I’m referring to the admonition to keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:9-11).

I wonder if you’ve ever thought about the Sabbath as a one-day vacation.  In my opinion, that’s what the Sabbath is supposed to be.  It supposed to be a day set aside for recuperating from a busy week.  How many of us are guilty of not following God’s command to rest on Sunday?  I’m not trying to pile on the guilt; I'm simply trying to remind us all that rest is vital to our human existence.  Without it, we will simply crash and burn from exhaustion.  We need time to rest.

Kevin

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work" - Deuteronomy 5:13 

Sobering words

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

I’ve been thinking about this statement a lot since I first read it a few days ago.  I think what King is saying is this: don’t measure a man when everything in his life is wonderful; measure a man when everything in his life seems to be going against him.  It is in these situations that you see the character of that man.

Kevin
   
“A Christian is like a tea bag – he is not worth much until he’s been through some hot water” - Author unknown

Shine the light

A few days ago at church, a question was posed that has since been ringing in my ears.  It was not from my pastor but rather from a gentleman who was allotted a few minutes in the service because he is involved in our local outreach ministry.  The question was simply: “How are you going to let your light shine today?”

The person didn’t quote this passage, but I’m reminded of Matthew 5.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (verses 14-16).  You may think that this concept is only limited to doing something big like sharing your faith with someone.  While that certainly applies to this idea, there are other examples.  Let me list a few that come to mind.

We can let our light shine by selflessly serving others when we desperately want to be served.  We can shine our light by living a life of integrity and Christ-likeness.  Here’s one that may surprise you: we can shine our light by doing our very best at our jobs.  You say, "You've lost me."  Well, if people know you are a Christian, and you’re always slacking off, this doesn’t represent Christ very well.  We should do our very best on the job.

How about this one?  For those of you gentlemen that are married, you can let your light shine by loving your wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25).  You are to die for your wife if you have to, but the more likely scenario is for you to die to your wants and desires, and instead serve her and meet her needs.

To sum it up, my heart’s desire is to let my light shine. I desire to simply point others to the greatness of God, not to the greatness of Kevin Bauer (because honestly, I am not great).  The way I look at it, a day that I choose not to shine the light – to “put the lamp under a bowl” as Jesus put it – is a squandered day and opportunity.

“How are you going to let your light shine today?”

Kevin

There's no offseason in the NFL

If you are a football fan, you are no doubt aware that four time league MVP Peyton Manning was recently released by the Indianapolis Colts.  Since then, every team in the NFL has dreamed about what it would be like to have the great Manning as their starting quarterback. 

I myself have been watching this Manning saga closely.  As I see it, there are only two teams that are on the list of becoming the next team that Peyton plays for.  #1: The Denver Broncos; #2: The Arizona Cardinals.  Some of you are wondering why I’m not listing the Miami Dolphins.  I could be wrong about this, but I just don’t think he’ll go to Miami because the Dolphins just finished a disappointing 6-10 season.  At this point in his career, I don’t foresee Peyton going to a team that is not a legitimate contender.  The Broncos, of course, went to the second round of the playoffs and lost to the Patriots.  The Cardinals were in the Super Bowl a few years ago under Kurt Warner, but have come upon hard times since Warner’s retirement (they just concluded an 8-8 season).

There was a report that stated that Peyton was leaning towards the Denver Broncos.  Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars have apparently expressed interest in Tim Tebow if the Broncos sign Peyton Manning.  Here’s the link, if you are interested.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/17728016/report-manning-favors-denver-broncos-would-trade-tebow

Only time will tell how this whole episode will play out.  Peyton just finished meeting with the Cardinals; I wouldn’t be surprised if Manning makes a decision soon. 

The reason I am bringing all this up is an important one.  As a Bronco fan, I would certainly be thrilled to have a fantastic quarterback like Manning in Denver.  But as a Tim Tebow fan, I have to wonder what is running through Tebow’s mind as he tries to block out all of the talk of Manning.  I came across this inspirational quote that Tebow made long before this Peyton Manning storyline developed.  “Something I learned early in college [is] not to worry about what I can’t control…But what I can control is my attitude, my effort, my focus every single day and that’s what I’m trying to worry about.”    

http://www.quotesandpoem.com/quotes/showquotes/author/tim-tebow/174478

Tim’s sentiment is something that we all can learn from.  Clearly there are things in each of our lives that we can’t control.  We can’t fret, worry and agonize about these things.  Why not?  Well, for one thing, because it does absolutely no good to do so.  We have to remember and hold on to the fact that God is in control, no matter what.

Kevin

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” - Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

The fragility of life

Many years ago, I heard a public speaker claim that with advances in scientific technology, proper exercise, and so on, he expected to live to be one hundred years old.  That was the exact word he used; he said he “expected” to live to be 100.  I find this man’s declaration problematic because he is not doesn’t taking into account how fragile life is, no matter how technologically advanced we get.

For example, have you considered how incredible it is that we drive to work, school, and local hangout spots, and then subsequently return home safely?  Think about how fast we go in our cars today.  The posted speed limit signs on the interstates where I live ranges from 55-75 miles an hour!  Even side streets can go up to as high as 45-55 miles an hour!  At that speed, one wrong move and your life could end in a second from an oncoming car.  Every day we take our lives into our own hands by choosing to get behind the wheel of an automobile simply because of the convenience of arriving at our destinations quickly.

Or for another example, contemplate how the Bible mentions that we should be grateful just to awaken every day because it was God who sustained us, and kept our hearts beating overnight as we slept (Psalm 3:5).

In a classic episode of the TV show “Frasier” a man died of a heart attack even though there was no indication whatsoever that this was imminently approaching.  Frasier then spent the rest of the episode obsessing as to how this man could have been overtaken by a heart attack.  He discovered that the man ate right, exercised regularly, and didn’t smoke or drink alcohol.  Such is the fragility of life!

Nowhere in the Bible do we read, “Expect to live to be 100 years old.”  To the contrary, the Bible says cherish each day for the gift of God that it really is.  James 4 even says that we shouldn’t go around saying, “Tomorrow we’ll go here and do this,” because we don’t really know what is going to happen tomorrow.  Instead we should say, “If it’s God’s will we’ll go here and do this” (James 4:13-15).

Kevin

What's your oasis?

Oasis; there’s a word we don’t normally use!  One of the definitions from dictionary.com for the word “oasis” is “something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change, from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc.”

We humans legitimately need an oasis or refuge to help soothe our pain, comfort our hurts, and guard us from the chaos that life can bring.  God is teaching me that in the midst of pain, heartache, and uncertainty, He wants me to run to Him.  He wants to be my refuge, my safe haven, my oasis.

Furthermore, it’s easy to run to something else for comfort.  For example, some people run to food.  Food is a gift from God, but it’s not meant to be a refuge.  Some people run to pornography; this is sinful and contrary to God’s will.  Some people run to money and material possessions.  You get the point, none of these things are sufficient; God wants us to run to Him.

Look at it this way: when a small child falls down and hits their head, they are in pain and they need to run to someone so they can cry it out.  Should they run to their toys?  Should they run to the refrigerator?  Of course not, that’s ludicrous.  They should run to their mother or father.  In the midst of pain, there’s nothing like the loving embrace of a parent.  In the same way, nothing else can satisfy, comfort, and protect us like God can.

Kevin

“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” - Psalm 9:9

The wonders of Heaven

Do you remember that classic scene in “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy and Toto first arrive in Oz?  The mighty tornado has lifted them from Kansas to the new world.  You’ll recall that up to this point in the movie everything and everyone has been in black and white, but when Dorothy opens the front door of the house, Oz appears in beautiful color!  There’s glorious music playing, sights Dorothy has never seen, and probably smells that she has never smelled.  She says to her dog, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

This is the scene that I play in my head when I try to imagine Heaven.  Although this is far from the perfect illustration (for one thing, you’ll remember that Dorothy almost immediately wanted to leave Oz) it’s a tiny sliver of what Heaven might be like!  The fact is, Heaven is going to have sights, smells, sounds, and wonders that our human brain simply can’t comprehend while we are still here on Earth. 

I’m not planning on dying anytime soon, that’s up to God.  For the remainder of my time on Earth, I’m passionate about doing and being whatever God desires for me on this Earth.  I want to point others to Him and how great He really is.  To put it simply: my will is to do His will.  But, having said all that, I must confess that I do long for Heaven.

Incidentally, after talking about how glorious Heaven is, I can't conclude without briefly pointing out that there is a misleading fallacy being presented today.  It teaches that everyone will one day get to Heaven.  That’s not what the Bible teaches.  The Bible teaches that Heaven is reserved for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone.  Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).  Acts 4:12 says that there is no other name under Heaven by which man can be saved except for Jesus.

When I was a boy, God used Billy Graham at one of his crusades to help me realize that I was a sinner in need of a Savior.  I chose to go forward at the end; I cried out to God to save me and asked Him to come into my life.  I became a Christian that day, on my way to eventually seeing Jesus face to face in Heaven!   

Kevin

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes: there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" - Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

Real love

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  Some of you might think that you can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day because you are not in a romantic relationship; I beg to differ.  The truth is anyone can celebrate Valentine’s Day.  I say this because Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is all about elevating the virtue of love.

Let me quickly clarify something lest I’m misunderstood.  When I speak of love, I am speaking of a selfless, giving love.  Our culture today has blurred the lines between what real love is and what lust is.  For instance, you watch a TV sitcom today, or a movie or something like that, and you see that a man and woman meet for the very first time, and in the very next scene (or at least very soon in the relationship) they are in bed together having indulged in a carnal sexual experience.  I submit to you that this wasn’t a love scene as many would label it; this was simply what I’m going to call a lust scene.  What’s the difference?  The late preacher, Dr. Adrian Rogers once put it this way: “love wants to give; lust wants to get.”

The Bible says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).  John is saying, “Do you want an example of real love?  Look at what Jesus did on the cross for you and me.”  In other words, just as Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross was out of nothing but pure love for us, we show love by sacrifice, unselfishness, and consideration for others wellbeing.

Therefore, let’s go back to my example of the man and woman that has just met.  The couple desires sex, but real love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).  Real love is willing to wait.  Yes, I’m certainly saying that singles shouldn’t have sex until marriage as God says in His Word (see Hebrews 13:4), but I’m also saying that this applies to a married couple.   At times, your spouse may not desire sex.  For example, it's become a joke, but "not tonight, honey, I have a headache" is actually a legitimate reason for a married couple not to have sex.  Real love says, “I’m going to choose to put your needs ahead of my own.”

Kevin

A noteworthy dream

Recently, I had an unusual dream; one that stuck with me in a way that most normally do not. 

In my dream, I was riding on the subway.  Suddenly, a fellow passenger (who looked remarkably like the Giants coach Tom Coughlin for some strange reason) began asking people one by one why they thought they were going to go to Heaven.  When he got to me, I said, “The fact is, I’m not relying on my own righteousness to enter Heaven; I’m relying on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.”  
Not long ago, I finished reading John Bunyan’s classic book “The Pilgrim’s Progress” for the very first time.  I had read bits and pieces of it before, but never all the way through.  I was enraptured by this book and I found it difficult to put down.  Incidentally, for those of you unfamiliar with the story, Pilgrim’s Progress was written by John Bunyan in the late 1600’s.  It’s an allegory of a man, named Christian, who spends most of the book travelling to the Celestial City, or Heaven.  Along the way, Christian discovers that there are many enticements that seek to distract him from his quest. 

There’s one portion of the book where Christian, along with his friend Hopeful, encounter a man named Ignorance.  Ignorance desires to go the Celestial City, but he wants to get there his own way.  He begins to list his resume: he has lived a good life, he prays, fasts, and gives to others.  Christian and Hopeful try to lovingly explain that this is not the way that one enters the Celestial City.  Eventually Christian proclaims to Ignorance, “True faith takes refuge in Christ’s righteousness.”  Did you catch that statement?  "True faith takes refuge in Christ's righteousness."

Bunyan's point is clear: if admission to Heaven was dependent on our own personal righteousness, we all would be sunk.  Why?  Because the Bible says that our righteous acts are like filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6).  Does this mean that we should disregard trying to be righteous altogether and instead live like the devil?  No, not at all!  There is great value in living a righteous life.  What this verse is telling us is that if we live in such a way that we are trying to somehow earn Heaven by our own effort, merit, and works, God isn’t impressed.  In that scenario, God is saying all He sees is a dirty rag.  Rather we must look to Christ to be saved.

Kevin

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” - 2 Corinthians 5:21

A fascinating survey

Recently, I was intrigued to see a poll presented on the website yahoo.com.  The question was, “who’s the best superhero of all time?”  Respondents were given three choices, Superman, Spider-Man or Batman. 

The results for this poll, when I gave my vote, were as follows: 54% said Superman was the greatest superhero, Batman was next at 33%, and Spider-Man was last at 13%.  It was a tough vote for me as I love all three heroes.  Superman is, of course, the gold standard.  He is the epitome of what it means to be a hero.  I love Superman because there is no moral uncertainty with him.  He does the right thing, no matter what.  As for Spider-Man, my respect for him has deepened over the years.  Here’s a guy that protects the denizens of New York, and his reward is usually to be mistrusted, feared, and shunned (thanks to the local media purporting the erroneous view that he is a public menace).  But he still protects his city, even with little reward.

Having said all this, I have to admit that I voted for Batman as the best superhero.  Batman is the hero that has always been the easiest for me to relate to.  Why?  Because I can never hope to fly, use x-ray vision to see through walls, or obtain the ability to climb up walls, but I can look to Batman as an example of someone who does what he has to do, despite not having any super powers.  He simply has his wits (and his utility belt) to help him out trouble.

Kevin

My thoughts on the Super Bowl

This year’s Super Bowl is a very intriguing matchup.  The New York Giants are playing the New England Patriots.  This is a rematch of Super Bowl 42, a game in which the Giants won 17-14 thanks to a game winning drive by Eli Manning.  Interestingly, the Giants and Patriots also played earlier this year back in November.  The Giants also won that game 24-20 in a contest very similar to Super Bowl 42 (Eli again led the Giants on a game winning touchdown drive). 

Based on all this, conventional wisdom says that the Giants should win.  However, as Tim Tebow said in his Super Bowl prediction, it is hard to bet against Tom Brady.  Brady has only lost one Super Bowl and that was to the Giants, so you can bet both he and his teammates will be ready to avenge their previous losses to the Giants.  The Pats haven’t won a Super Bowl in seven years and they have an undeniable resolve and focus. 

Furthermore, consider how some of the New York Giant players have really been boasting loudly about how they are going to win.  According to an article by sports writer Michael Silver, Antrel Roll said, “we are going to win this thing.”  Chris Canty said, “Get ready for a parade.”  Here’s the article where I got those quotes should you be interested.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AufK7vQHvjKKGTwd_106ItNDubYF?slug=ms-silver_offerings_giants_trash_talk_osi_rolle_020312 

They have every reason to be confident given the reason history, but this brazen talk borders on overconfidence.  Plus it adds fuel the fire to the Patriots to come out and prove them wrong.  Moreover, I’m reminded of the verse in Proverbs that says that pride comes before a fall.

So what is my prediction?  I have to go with conventional wisdom.  The familiar maxim is that defense win championships and the Giants simply have the better defense.  Yes, the Patriots defense has improved since the playoffs began, but I just don’t think they will be able to slow New York down enough to get the win.  In conclusion, it’s going to be a fantastic game!  The Patriots will make plays, but Eli and the Giants will make a few more and they will pull out a narrow victory.  I’m going to say it will be 27-21 Giants.

Kevin