Think About It

Is it enough to do good things? Throughout the centuries there has been this constant battle between what have been called “faith people” and “works people”. (Now, I honestly believe that both groups are closer in thought than we typically admit, but for the sake of argument, let’s set that aside for a moment.) I believe that most of us know that it takes more than just good deeds to be pleasing to God. The Bible is full of thoughts on the subject, but one that is often overlooked is, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” (Proverbs 15:8). Just because we do an overt act of righteousness doesn’t mean that God will be pleased with it. He is looking for the combination of good works and a good spirit. Let’s do what we should to look religious, but let’s not forget that God can see through our motives. Shortly before encouraging people do good with a pure heart, the wise man observed, “The eyes of the Lord are in...

I can’t remember when it all began, but the Thanksgiving holiday has turned into a “season”. We follow the Thursday celebration with Black Friday, Small Town Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. I don’t have a problem with extending the Thanksgiving season, but I do find it interesting that a day of thanksgiving is followed by several days of spending. Since today is Giving Tuesday, I want to encourage you to find a good cause and make a donation. While I hope we are doing this throughout the year, there is something cool about coming together as a nation and focusing on giving to our favorite causes. In a time when it is popular to develop our own wish lists, maybe it would be a good time to develop our own gift lists. Not just providing presents for our friends and family, but to donate to those organizations that do good. Most of us intrinsically know the value of giving, but it is good to be reminded of what we can (and should) do to help others. While Giving Tuesday i...

How much grace do we need? Now, from a human perspective, there might be a logical answer. There are some people who have lived a pretty good life, so an “average” amount of grace should be sufficient to cover our misdeeds. There are others; however, who have made a lot of bad decisions that need to be eradicated, so they will need a heaping helping of grace. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Actually, it doesn’t. You see any amount of sin puts us in an adversarial relationship with God, so we are all sinners and destined for damnation. It just takes one sin to condemn us, so we need all the grace we can get! Grace isn’t metered out by need, it is one size fits all! The other day, I came across Paul’s thought, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” (Ephesians 4:7). At first blush, it might appear that the writer is referencing the allotted amount of grace each one us needs to be right with God, but could it be that the “measure” of Christ’s g...

This is a great weekend for college football. Whether it is the Egg Bowl in Mississippi, the hostilities of the Florida – Florida State game, the Iron Bowl in Alabama, the Apple Cup out in Washington or the one that is simply called “The Game”, this is typically a big week. One of the things that I like about college football is the rivalries. There is a lot of excitement and a lot of enmity during these games. On game day, the fans cheer, boo, boast and blame the other team. Yet, something interesting happens when the final whistle blows. Unlike so many other types of rivalries, the supporters find a way to live in harmony with each other until the next game kicks off. Oh, they dislike the other team, but their disdain usually doesn’t impact the way they interact with opposing fans. We may cheer for different teams for three hours on game day, but come Sunday, we can worship together and Monday we can work together. We can be bitter rivals during the game, but when that is ove...

Happy Thanksgiving! This is my favorite holiday. How can you go wrong with food, family, food, football, food, friends and … did I mention good food? It’s a good day! While Americans have done a good job turning a historic feast into the modern festival, I think we have also done a good job of maintaining the focus of the event. I tease about it being a day of gluttony, but really it is also a day of gratitude. A lot of people will gather today and express their thanks for the blessings they have received. (Even some who may not believe in God take the time to be thankful for what they have received from “somewhere”.) Whether it is in a prayer of thanksgiving before carving the turkey or reciting blessings before diving into the mashed potatoes and gravy; most people will stop and say “thanks”. There are several ways we can choose to express our thanks to God, but as we finish up today, I would like to borrow a thought from King David who challenged us to, “Enter His gates with ...

I was too young to remember what happened sixty years ago today, but on November 22, 1963 the United States lost its president to a sniper’s ambush. While I don’t remember the event, I have spent a lot of time studying the history of the tragedy. While it is impossible to capture the emotions experienced by the death of President Kennedy through historic media, it is evident that the event was a blow to our nation. Yet, as we look back on the day, one thing stands out – America continued. Our nation didn’t collapse because of the death of a leader; in fact, we have advanced and prospered since that tragedy. As I thought about that day in Dallas, I was reminded of another dark day in history – the day a young Jewish rabbi was crucified in Jerusalem. If we followed a traditional script, His movement should have died right there along with Him, but the impossible happened. Not only was He raised from the dead, but His new religion turned the world upside down. Jesus’ death wasn’t...

Sixty years ago today seemed pretty unremarkable. The NFL was preparing for a slate of Sunday games, politicians were on the campaign trail getting ready for the 1964 elections. The space race was heating up. People were making plans for Thanksgiving. November 21, 1963 was just another day in America. November 22, would be a whole ‘nother story. Around noon on Friday; November 22, American history would change and much of the rest of the western world would feel the impact. When the shots rang out in Dallas, it wasn’t just the Kennedy Administration that would be altered, our nation was turned inside out. When I think back on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, I am reminded of how quickly things can change. Not just how brief life can be, but how uncertain our surroundings are. In a moment, the plans we have made can be reduced to dim memories of unfulfilled expectations. When I think about what happened on that day in Dallas, I am reminded of a simple statement ...