Valley of Baca

Psalm 84:5-7

 

5 Happy are the people whose strength is in You,

    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

    6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

    they make it a source of springwater;

    even the autumn rain will cover it with blessings. 

    7 They go from strength to strength;

    each appears before God in Zion.

 

We are on a journey, a pilgrimage if you will. For those of us who are saved and know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, from the moment we were saved up until this very day we are on the road that leads to heaven. Peter says we are mere strangers and pilgrims down here.

For those who do not know Jesus as Savior, are also on a road that will end with a different destiny. The Bible says they are on the broad road that leads to destruction, a place the Bible calls hell.

I realize it is not political correct to be “narrow minded” to believe there is a place called heaven and a place called hell and that the only way to escape hell and go to heaven is to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. But, for me, I would much rather be Biblically Correct than politically correct.

The bottom line, we are travelling on a road in this life and we need to decide now where this road will take us.

For me, I am glad I am on the road that leads to heaven. Now the road has not always been easy. There have been mountains, but there have also been valleys.

I was reminded of the journey this morning as I read Psalm 84 in my devotional time. This Psalm is all about worshiping in the house of the Lord, especially for a pilgrim seeking to make their way to Jerusalem to worship in the actual temple.

The writer makes an interesting statement in the middle of this Psalm that for those on this pilgrimage, we will encounter a valley, not just any valley, but gives us the name of the valley, the Valley of Baca.

Here is where it gets interesting. When you dig a little deeper, you will find that there is not an actual valley by that name in the land of Israel. However, the valley did exist then and it still does today, for every pilgrim. Let me explain.

The name Baca can be translated the valley of tears or valley of weeping. So in other words, there may not be an exact location on a map, but I think we can all agree there was then and there are now and there will always be valleys of weeping and tears until we come to the end of our journey.

Think with me. Like the pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem, we too are on our way to a city, a city whose builder and maker is God. It is the New Jerusalem, heaven, the Bible says is the truly our home. We are just passing through down here. Along this journey, just like those who journeyed years ago in the land of Israel, we will encounter valleys of weeping and tears on our path to our destination.

Places and moments when the way gets hard and the burdens get heavy. A moment of weeping because of sickness, stress and/or overwhelming sorry. It might be a tragedy that happens, a loved one passes, financial problems, family issues or even depression and anxiety. No matter what you want to call this place or this moment, it is a valley of Baca, a valley of weeping.

But I love how the writer goes on to tell us, in the words of the famous radio commentator Paul Harvey, the rest of the story.

The writer reminds us that after going through the valley, we can come out on the other side and find life giving water and refreshment from the Lord sending the spring rain into our empty wells which will allow us to go from strength to strength.

This morning, God used this verse to encourage my heart in a fresh way. Here are a few things that struck me about this Valley and these verses that helped me this morning:

 

(1) I must remember that I am a pilgrim and this world is not my home.

(2) There will be Valleys of Weeping along the way. It is not because God is mad at me or done with me or I have sinned in some way. Although I fail all the time, I must remember that valleys are part of the journey and sometimes those valleys include tears and weeping.

(3) The writer in describing this journey gives us the greatest news – “pass through the valley of Baca”, which means I am not meant to stay in the valley, it too is only for a season and it will pass and I will pass though it. It is not a permanent dwelling. It may feel like at it at the time, but this promise is true, I am passing through it. PTL!

(4) On the other side, God will allow that valley to become a blessing. What I learned and the things I went through were not for nothing. God worked in me as I passed through the valley in such a way that now as I make it to the other side, I am now refreshed and renewed because out of the valley of weeping came a spring of joy and refreshment. Only God can turn my weeping into springs and wells of rejoicing.

(5) He will bring the rain and fill my parched soul. See when you go through the valley of weeping, by the time you have walked through it, you soul can become empty because you have wept out all the reserves you had. The Psalmist says – on the other side, God can bring the spring (refreshing) rain to fill your empty soul. He cleaned out the well in the valley and will now fill it with fresh water!! Praise His name!!

(6) Now others can drink from my spring and my well because of what I went through in the valley. We can now be a blessing to others because of the valley we went through, we can now help others as they go through the valley of weeping. Often, our valley matches their valley and as a result we can say – you will make it out and until you do, here is some fresh water from well that God gave me on my way out!! Again, wow!!

Right now, I am thinking of one of my best friends. He was there with me as I walked through a valley over the last few years. He was such a support and a prayer. Now, he is going through a valley. I feel like I am failing in being there for him, but I am trying. One thing I know. Because of what God has done for me in refreshing me and filling my empty well, I can at least have something to offer Him of the resources of God that God has given me.

(7) God will allow us to go from strength to strength after going through the valley. If we will allow God to work in us as we pass though the valley, we can come out stronger and go forward from strength to strength. God helps us and renews us as we continue the journey!

 

These verses are very personal to me. Over the last few years it has seemed like the valley of Baca was more than just a season. But, in God’s grace He has walked me and my family through this valley and again, by His grace we are being refreshed and renewed by the spring rains from heaven.

One of the songs that goes with this verse is from Tauren Wells – Hills and Valleys. Pray it blesses you as it has me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLE6bjETaTU

And remember, if you feel like you are right in the middle of Valley of Weeping. Hang on child of God, you are just passing through and God is preparing a refreshing rain to fill your dry well on the other side. Pray the Lord encourage your heart as He did mind this morning. Remember, “He is the God of the hills and valleys and we are not alone!”

Pastor Michael

Seven Others

The Bible says in James chapter 4, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” What a vivid picture of how quickly life can appear and then be gone in a moment. Like the steam coming off a pot on the stove, it forms then it disappears.

This verse was brought home to the whole world again this past Sunday. As we came home from lunch after church, Courtney begin to scroll through her Facebook and she said, “you are not going to believe it, Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash.” Of course, hearing this I begin to say to her, “no way, let me fact check before we get to far into this.” And of course, it was true.

So I turned on the news and sure enough, there was the crash scene front and center of our screen. What unfolded was tragic as we found out that not only was Kobe killed but also, His second-oldest daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, was also killed in the crash. She was 13 years old.

Then we learned from the reporters that there were also “7 others” killed as well. Did you catch that, here is how it went that day and every day since then – Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi along with seven others were tragically killed in the helicopter crash. Seven others. I hear it over and over on ESPN and the news, tragic death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi and seven others.

Don’t get me wrong, the world knows Kobe and as a result, he will get the lead when the names are mentioned. He had a large platform as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and even in retirement as speaker, coach, and businessman. The whole world knew Kobe. Even if you didn’t know Kobe, you felt like you knew him. That is how my Wednesday Bible study group we call Biscuits and Bibles felt as we talked about what had happened.

For those group of young men, they had grown up watching Kobe play, seeing him as an idol and someone to look up to as a person and a player. It hit them hard to be honest. They were blown away that he was gone. They were also blown away by how they felt and the way it made them look at their life. They were reminded that life is short just like their parents had been trying to tell them.

All of this is true. His death and that of his daughter was tragic and it even impacted me as I thought more of his role as a girl dad (his words) and the love he had for his girls, seeing as I am a very proud girl dad myself. I thought of his last measure of love was no doubt somehow trying to shelter his daughter and holding her close in their last moments on this earth.

But I cannot get away from the phrase – seven others. The other individuals that also tragically lost their lives in that crash. In many news reports, we have not even heard their names. They are just the seven others. But let’s pause for a moment and remember that they were not just “others” they were people, people with families, people with life to live, people who also made a difference and people who will also be deeply missed by their families.

It got me to thinking about all the others. On that very day of the crash, there were also others who died all over our nation, in big cities and small towns; older folks and babies; people of all colors and all backgrounds. Others. People that will be missed, people who made a difference and people that left their mark.

The seven others, even not known to the world, were most certainly known in “their” world. For instance, in her blog about these individuals, Missy Snapp (Snappshots.com) shares:

Christina Mauser was a 38-year-old assistant coach with a husband, Matt, and 3 children, ages 3, 9, and 11, at home. They knew their mom was leaving. They knew when she’d be coming home. And now they know a completely different set of facts that they can’t untangle or climb out from under. They miss their mom. She wasn’t known by the world. But she was their world.

Sarah and Payton Chester were a mom and daughter duo, with two teen boys and a Mr. Chester that also expected to get some texts about how the tournament went. Maybe some pictures. And an ETA about when they were headed back to Newport Beach.

The pilot, Ara Zobayan, was highly trained. Highly trustworthy. Highly requested by celebrities. But no one is immune to zero visibility. Sometimes the weather takes no prisoners. So little has been said about the pilot, but he had a family, too. A tribe that would trade anything to have him back.

And then there was the Altobelli family. John, Keri, and Alyssa. A community college baseball coach, and his wife, accompanying their 13-year-old daughter to her game with Kobe Bryant’s more famous daughter. When I read about them, I closed my eyes and wished with all my heart for Alyssa to be an only child. Because this was 3 family members going down on the same helicopter.
Alyssa was not an only child.

She had a sister named Lexi, who probably had things to do on a Sunday, and a grown brother working for the Red Sox in Boston. Lexi is in high school. Old enough to stay alone in the house for a time. Old enough to drive herself around. But nowhere near old enough to be an orphan. To lose her sister. To be alone in a house where her family should be. This story made me cry. I’m going to pray for Lexi Altobelli until I forget her name. I hope I never forget her name.

Here they are. The Seven Others. More than just a phrase, actual people. People who impacted their world, just like we all do one way or another.

So, what is the takeaway for me as I think about these lives and the truth of the Bible being lived out before our very eyes.

A couple of things:

• You do not have to have a large platform to make a large impact, just ask all the families of this tragedy. We all can make a difference every day of our life.
• We never know what a day will bring and so we must not just count our days as the writer of Psalms says, we must also make our days count.
• We are not to live in fear, but we are to live in faith, seeking to honor our Lord in every way for every day.
• The gospel I say I believe is not just true but vital. All of those who died in the crash and all the folks that die every day, are living somewhere in eternity right now. The gospel tells me that only through Jesus Christ can I be saved and go to heaven and escape eternity in hell.
• We must make that decisions while we live and cannot wait until our death.
• We can know for sure where will spend eternity and if we don’t know, we need to know before it is too late. As Johnny Hunt has said often, eternity is too long to be wrong.
• We need to not only show the love of Christ to every person but we must share the love of Jesus to every person knowing that this life we live is not all there is and every person we know or meet have an eternal destiny and need to know the hope and love of Jesus.

The bible says, it is better for us to go to the house of mourning instead of the house of feasting, because the living takes it to heart. In other words, we are better off if we go to a funeral than a party, but at a funeral we think about our own life and our own mortality.

That is what has happened to us all this week. Not just because of Kobe and his daughter Gigi, but also because of the seven others.

God help us to live out our days with eternity in mind. God help us to hold our loved ones close, tell them we love them, forgive them or ask for forgiveness and do whatever we need to do today, because we are not promised tomorrow.

Your life may never reach the status and stage of a Kobe, but that is ok. One thing about it, he used his stage for good. All of us have a stage, all of us have a platform. The question is, are you using yours for good or for yourself.

Remember, you don’t have to have a large life to have a blessed life and you don’t have to be known by the world to make a difference in your world.

God help us all to go live our life and be ready for the next one. Even if you just an “other.”

Pastor Michael

Prayer – Calling Your Father

I answer the phone and I hear, “Hey”. Really it was more like – heyyyyy.  Then comes the next question, “so, where are you?” This let me know this was not just a casual good morning dad, how are you this morning? It was my daughter Mikalyn. She continued,  “well, you know we just got my car out of the shop, welllllll(again, just to show some emphasis on how she said it), it won’t crank!”

What followed was a very funny conversation for anybody that might have been listening as I tried to tell her how to use the new device (Halo) we had bought over Christmas that among other things, will jump a car off. After a while I just said, “as soon as I finish my meeting, I will come home and see what we can do.”

After I got home, the adventure continued. It turns out that for the car she drives, you cannot connect to the actual battery like you can other cars and it made it, shall we say, interesting. It took some time and I even had to walk away from the car and grab some lunch. But finally it cranked, and we headed to Walmart.

On the way there as I followed behind Mikalyn and her friend in my car, I was going over the day’s events in my mind and all that we had tried to do to get her car to crank. I will confess that one of the things that I did during the break for lunch was pray. I am a firm believer that we have not because we ask not, and that God cares about the things we care about.

I had asked God to show me something I had missed, help me know what to do and to please help us get the car cranked, knowing I just had got it back from the shop and didn’t want to pay to have it towed somewhere just for a battery. By God’s grace it did crank, and I give God the glory for it.

The more I went over the day and thinking about prayer, it was as if God whispered in my heart, “you know how Mikalyn called her daddy when she was in need, that is exactly what prayer is, you calling your father/daddy when you are in need.” As I have said many times, I did not hear God say this audibly, it was louder than that.

Think with me for a moment. Guess who I called when I could not figure out how her battery worked and to see if I was doing all that I could do? That’s right, I did like Mikalyn, I called my dad. As a matter of fact, I do that a lot. When things go wrong, if I have a question or a need, my dad will often be the first person I call. There is something about calling daddy. Many of you would have to say the same, even if you are older, you just believe daddy can help.

Now I understand it is not this way for some of you reading this. You may not have a great relationship with your dad and for that I am sorry. Truly, family relationships can be hard. I do not make light or seek to rub salt in your wound. To you I would say, it is my prayer for that to change for the better somehow, by God’s grace. But, in the meantime for the sake of trying to understand how prayer can be, I know there is still somebody that you call when you have a need. Whoever that person is, you reach out to them when you are in need of help. That is what we are to do as God’s children.

I know that prayer needs to be so much more than just calling out to God when there is a need. I know that is meant to be a relationship of us talking to Him, sharing our hearts but also taking time to thank Him, love Him and worship Him. He is worthy of our praise. But I also know, He desires to hear from us as our earthly father desires to hear from us.

I admit to you, when it comes to fixing cars, I am the least that Mikalyn could call on. But I can promise you two things. Number one I am so glad she called me, it blesses me, I can’t lie. Number two, I will do everything in my ability to help her and if I can’t do it, I will find some way, somebody or something to help her. It is because she is my daughter and I am her father and I deeply love her.

God tells us the same thing from His word when it comes to Him being our Father in relation to prayer. In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, Jesus speaking to us all from His sermon on the Mount says to us:

“Keep asking, and it will be given to you.  Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Let that sink in for a moment, don’t just speed read through these verses. Jesus is saying, we are not perfect, we still sin, and we fall short as human fathers and human parents. But even though we do, we still do all that is within our power and ability to bless our children. But we are limited. He then makes a bold, life changing statement, if you will believe it – if we will do all we do as parents even though we are limited, how much more will our heavenly Father give us as His children good things if we ask.

In other words, He is perfect, He is all powerful, He is without limits, He is able to do all things, and nothing is impossible with Him. We have a father we can call on who is always there and is able to do more than we can even think or ask.

But that is the key – we must ask. We must call on Him. We must seek His face, we must pray, we must bring our needs, our worries, our cares and all our burdens to Him. And according to Jesus, not just once, but He says – keep knocking, keep asking, and keep seeking.

I know pray can seem complicated and it can be a struggle for us all sometimes. But just as God reminded me – prayer is simply a child calling his/her daddy, please let me remind you the same.

What are walking through right now? What are burdened about? What issues are you walking through? How are you handling it all? Have you asked for help? Your Heavenly Father is not only waiting to hear from you, He is wanting to hear from you. Call (pray) and tell Him all about it!!! Ask for help.

Why not call him right now. Simply lift a prayer to Him who loves you, cares about you and who has promised to hear His child when they call.

For most of us dads, we are only a call away. For God, He is just a prayer away.

He’s waiting…….His line is not busy and it will not go to voicemail. Take time now, give Him a call/prayer. You will be glad you did!

Pastor Michael

Keep It Simple

Life can get complicated quick. Between work, family, serving in our churches and communities and all the activities we find to fill our time, it is so easy to get overwhelmed. Then add trying to not just “make ends meet” but at least wave at each other; upkeep on our homes; cars and lifestyles – it just adds up. I can hear Randy Owen, lead singer of Alabama, in my ear – “we are in a hurry to get things done, we rush and rush until life is no fun.”

Is that true for you? In the pursuit of your piece of the pie and the American dream, are you running from one thing to the other, trying to keep pace with life and all of the demands that you are faced with? Has it cost you the joy doing it all? Are we in a hurry? Has life become so complicated that we rush and rush until life is no fun?

These are some of the things I have been trying to figure out in my own heart and life. I know we must work; we have family responsibilities; we have a desire to serve and we all want to make sure we are all doing what is expected and needed. Nothing wrong with any of these things. The answer in finding joy, peace and calm is not to quit everything and do nothing. That is not life.

But could it be that some of the answer does include ways to simplify, or declutter our lives of those things that actually take away from our lives and seek to make sure those things that add to our life are actually a part of our life. And not just a part but a priority.

It goes beyond just cleaning out clutter from our closets and basements and adding some storage boxes. It really gets down to decluttering our souls and adding time to fill our souls with the words of Jesus after being at His feet.

Jesus in Luke 10:38-42 has this very conversation with a woman by the name of Martha that He cared for greatly, as a matter of fact, He loved spending time with her family and being in her home. Martha got so worked up by having Jesus in her home that she had become distracted, worried and overwhelmed. All the while her sister sat at Jesus feet. She got so upset she told Jesus what to do.

Jesus in a loving way, said to her – “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” Which I believe He meant not only that it didn’t take all that she was doing, that one thing was needed for the meal. But I believe the even greater truth He wanted to press in was that amid it all, we better find time to be at the feet of Jesus.

One thing is needed. One thing is vital. If that one thing is there, the others will take care of themselves. But if that one thing is not there – panic, stress, worry, anger and frustration are soon to follow.

Jesus would tell us, keeping it simple does not just mean to get rid of the things that distract and cause clutter, but it also means adding that things that draw us closer and bring us peace and not cause us to panic.

So, as you face this new year, remember the words of Jesus. Put your name right there where Martha’s was and hear Him say, one thing is needed and do not neglect that good part that will not be taken away from you. And as much as possible, step out of the race and take time to kneel at the feet of Jesus.

 

Pastor Michael

 

 

Don’t Miss Christmas

Its Christmas Eve and I love it!! I am sitting here writing this beside one of the many Christmas trees at our house while I drink coffee from my Mickey Mouse Christmas mug filled with the special Christmas blend coffee from a certain coffee place.

I guess I get my love of Christmas from my parents, both made it special for Mark and me. Then, when Courtney and I got married, she took it to a “whole nother level!”

Here it is now. It is Christmas Eve. One day away from when we celebrate what Christmas is truly all about – the Birth of a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Jesus was born, born to die. Born to take away our sins!! Therefore, the angels were singing on that night, it was good news then and it is good news now!

That is why the shepherds made their way to see what it was all about and came away rejoicing themselves after seeing the Christ child. That is why Wise Men came from the east traveling months if not for a year just to have an opportunity to bow at His feet.

That is why we as followers of Christ seek to desperately keep Christ in Christmas in our hearts, in our homes and how we live our life each day.

But not everybody sees Christmas the same and not everybody rejoices. It was that way on the first Christmas, and it is that way today. For instance, in Matthew 2 there are three responses to Jesus being born. Three very different ways to see Christmas then and even now.

We see the Wise men and all they wanted to do was worship Jesus. We see Herod and all he wanted to do was kill Jesus. Lastly, we see the scribes, they knew the truth but were unmoved and apathetic to the birth of a king.

We see it today the same way.

1) For some, they are just mad at Christmas and mad at Jesus like Herod was. They protest saying Merry Christmas, they fight about nativity and songs about Jesus. For those who do not know Jesus all they know is anger toward the Christ child. And in their anger – they miss the hope, the joy, the overwhelming peace that Jesus brings. They know nothing of the good news that could be theirs if they would only turn to Jesus. But, sadly, today, many will miss Christmas because of anger and unbelief.

2) I think the second group is the saddest. Like the scribes who knew exactly where Jesus would be born and that by all accounts had been born, could care less. They had become apathetic and unmoved by the truth. We live in an area of the country where most folks know enough of the truth to know that Christmas is about Jesus being born. But that truth no longer moves them, stirs them or even crosses their minds today. They have lost their joy, their passion and for many have known the truth but not known the Savior. They will go thru the motions of Christmas all the while, just like the scribes, miss Christmas and all that it means.

3) The last group is where I want to live. The wise men. They had a heart set on worshiping the king. They would not be deterred or sidetracked. They had fixed their eyes on the star knowing it would lead them to the King of Kings. And once they got there, they were so overcome with emotion they fell at His feet, they worshiped Him, and they gave Him gifts worthy of a king. They saw with eyes of faith that this Child was worthy of their praise. They did not miss Christmas at all! Which brought about great joy.

May we be like the Wise Men. Let’s not miss Christmas today. During the traveling, cooking and wrapping and get togethers, take some time today to worship our Savior.

How can we do that? For some it might be going to a Christmas Eve service, doing a birthday party for Jesus with your kids, reading the Christmas story as a family or simply pausing, praying and read the account for yourself. Even as you give gifts and spend time with loved ones, be mindful of the One who made it all possible.

And let us not lose the awe of it all. Let us not lose the fact that Jesus would leave the splendor of Glory to come and be born of a virgin and laid down in a feeding trough. For Jesus He was born in a borrowed cave and when He died, He was laid in a borrowed cave/tomb. He who was rich became poor for us that we might be made rich in Him. Praise His name!

Let’s not be Herod or the scribes, let’s not miss Christmas today. Enjoy this day and Christmas day, because when we take time to see it, we realize the good news the angels sang about is true, we do have a savior. Which brings joy and peace. All because of Jesus.

May the Lord bless you and your family this Christmas.

Pastor Michael

P.S.

Can I just say in a personal note, thank you to all who take time to read my ciphering’s and ramblings? I am humbled and grateful. I pray in some way as I share what God gives to me, it helps point you to the one who is able, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. May He be glorified and magnified in us all.

May the Lord bless you and keep you!!

Journey Around Our Tree (Trees)

It was still early. I had finished doing some reading and I still had extra time. For this Sunday morning we were only have one service for Christmas. So, I decided to take my coffee and just sit and look for a few minutes at the tree in our dining room. It is one of 5 we have in our home, but I love it!

What was meant to be just a casual moment of rest turned into an intentional moment of reflection. As I stared at each of the ornaments, I begin to take a journey in my mind what each ornament meant to me and the time and place they came from. I then took a trip to the other trees and did the same thing. It was only thirty minutes of my time, but it was journey of my entire life.

Here is what I begin to think about – it is a moment to stop, reflect and give God praise for how He has worked in my life. I then took my spot in my recliner and prayed and wept when I thought about how good God had been to this old boy.

You see, I had already been thinking about worship this Christmas. I have been studying about the Wise men and how they came to Bethlehem to adore the young child whom they knew to be the future king of the Jews. Others only through the eyes of the flesh saw a tiny, poor, peasant child. But these men, they saw through the eyes of faith and could see a king worthy of worship!!

They were so overcome with emotion and joy they fell at His feet and worshiped Him. They gave him praise by giving Him gifts to show His glory and majesty of one born to be a king.

With this on my mind, I begin to praise God for how He had blessed me. I remembered Psalm 103, “Bless the Lord, O my soul and do not forget all that God has done for you.”

Well what does this have to do with the ornaments on my tree. Everything!

I was reminded of the People. The people that God has brought into my life and the blessings that each one has been. Mine and Courtney’s first Christmas ornament, Miklayn’s first Christmas ornament and then some that Mikalyn made. It reminded me how blessed I am to have a family like I have. Then I saw the hand-blown glass ornaments that one of my dearest deacons and his wife gave us every year until they both went home to be with Jesus. Family and friends filled my mind with each ornament I saw. I gave God praise for the people.

I was reminded of the Places. I saw ornaments from mission trips, trips with our church family and several from the churches we have pastored. Right in front, there was a church with a date etched on it saying 2004, my first year at Center. Then the trips with my family and vacations we had where great memories were made. I begin to praise God for the places He has allowed me to go, see and minister. I am blessed!

I was reminded of the Provision. There were the ornaments that came into our lives when things were good and some we bought as a reminder of God’s grace when things were tough. There were some ornaments that we bought in years of the valley and some bought when we were on the mountains. I saw things that reminded me of the Christmas when Courtney had her kidney removed 5 days from Christmas and she came home on Christmas Eve. God showed His favor. Each tree had memories of God showing His grace in the good and bad, but always, He was there!!

I know it sounds silly. Maybe I am just a Christmas sap, one Hallmark Movie and Hot Cider over the edge. Could be. But it could also be that all of us need to slow down a little. Don’t just put the decorations up and look past what you have put on the tree. It could be you have gotten so busy that you have lost the awe of how good God has been to you. I get it. I was there.

But for just a few minutes on an early Sunday morning, I stopped and didnt just see, I really begin to sing, from my heart anyway. Today, instead of worrying about what you dont have or do have, what to cook, what to clean – take a moment and see and allow your heart to sing!

On this rainy day on Christmas Eve Eve, why not stop and take a journey around your tree. It just might put a smile on your face and some Christmas joy in your heart!!

Pastor Michael

Countdown to Christmas

 

There it was right in front of me. A gigantic reminder of how quickly the time goes by. It was a large LED Billboard giving a countdown clock of the days, hours and minutes until Christmas. When I saw it yesterday it was proudly proclaiming 5 days and 14 hours and (not sure about the minutes) till Christmas Day. 5 days.

5 days till Christmas. Some look at this and get excited, overwhelmed with joy and anticipation of what these last few days will be filled with. It means fun, parties, presents, family time and culminates under the tree Christmas morning with a cup full of hot coffee and a heart just as full.

5 Days till Christmas. It is also a reminder of the pressure we can all feel this time of the year. Pressure to not only get it all done but it can also feel the stress of not having enough time, resources or strength to get it all done.

5 Days till Christmas. For someone this is a reminder of how hard this time of the year is and the pain that many experience during Christmas. A time that should be filled with joy is anything but.

I am not sure, but it just stuck with me – 5 days. For all of us, this countdown can mean many things and can bring up all kinds of emotions. It is funny I think, the one time of the year that should bring about the greatest joy, the greatest praise and cause us to be amazed at the goodness and grace of a loving God to give us His son.

5 days till Christmas. Just reading this, what emotions does this bring up in you?

 

As we think and cipher on this, I got to thinking beyond my own emotions and feelings and started wondering about that very first Christmas. 5 days out from the birth of our Savior, 5 days until Mary would bring forth her first-born son and lay him in a manger. 5 days until Mary would watch in wonder as shepherds surrounded the barn/stable where she had just given birth to her son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Luke 2 we read about the day Jesus was born. We can also read that it took place in Bethlehem as they were there for the census. We read they had to go the manger, the stable, barn if you will because there was no room for them in the inn. But 5 days out, we really do not know a lot about those days. What were they feeling, what were they facing and were they feeling the pressure of the final countdown to Christmas?

The answer to the last question I must believe is yes! But not like we have come to feel the countdown pressure. For Mary and Joseph, it was not about presents, parties or even the people. It was more about the pressure they had to feeling about the plan of God for their life and what all did God have in store for them in the coming birth of the messiah, the savior of the world.

5 Days till Christmas. What was going through their hearts and minds? Please remember that Mary and Joseph were just teenagers. Remember that just 9 months before their entire life had been planned for them, right down to who they would marry, what occupation he would have and the town they would live in. That all changed when the angel came to Mary. Mary, in responding to the announcement that she had been chosen to give birth to the Messiah, simply said – be it unto me according to your word. WOW!

5 Days till Christmas. Don’t forget Joseph was not there when the angel came to Mary and that right after the angel spoke to Mary she left and went to her cousins’ house for 3 months. And when she came back, she was 3 months pregnant. Don’t dismiss how hard this was for Joseph. Matthew tells us he was ready to set her aside and divorce her. No matter what Mary had told Joseph, it was not as easy to believe that she was pregnant and yet still a virgin.

And before we think ill of ol Joe for even thinking of calling it quits with Mary, how would have responded? But being a man in love with Mary and a man that loved God, he wrestled with it and by God’s grace he received his own visit in a dream. God confirmed his promise revealed Mary was telling the truth. Immediately, he arose and went and took Mary to be his wife.

5 days till Christmas. Now here they are, making their way to Bethlehem. Mary, going through all the things that every expectant mother would be facing 5 days out from given birth. But she was not sitting at home or in a comfy bed as she is experiencing all of it. She is walking or riding on a donkey, making the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

5 Days till Christmas. Not only in body, but what about Mary’s soul and Joseph’s mind? What emotions, feelings and thoughts were running through them both. Not only just making sure the new baby would be taken care of, but with the full knowledge that this would be no ordinary baby. How would they care for the messiah, how would they provide for the king of the Jews and how would they raise the one who would bring hope to the whole world?

In short, 5 days till Christmas, even if we can’t fully know the answers to how they were feeling, we can be certain the pressures, thoughts, stress and even the joys they were experience in their countdown to Christmas is vastly different than what we are feeling.

But this does not discount what we are feeling. God had chosen them for this moment in time and they knew that. Both, even though they may not have fully known what it would mean, had committed themselves to the will and plan God had for them. They were being obedient and trusting God for the outcome and the fulfillment of His promises and His plan.

There is a lesson for us in the here and now as we face our own countdown to Christmas. God has chosen us for this moment. God has brought about the circumstances that we find ourselves in this Christmas. He is working out His plan for us as well. It may not be to give birth to the Savior and be the one who would care for Him as a baby and then as a child. But we are called to carry this savior and His message to all of those who would hear. God give us the same heart the two teenagers making the journey to the very first Christmas.

May we obey God, follow His plan for our life and seek to vessels that would carry the good news of Christmas and what the birth of Jesus is all about. Don’t let the countdown clock still our joy, our passion and our awe that not only would God send His son but that just like Mary and Joseph, He would desire to use us to make much of Jesus this Christmas.

Remember, the same good news that was announced that first Christmas morning is still true today. Listen again the message the shepherds heard that night, “10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

5 Days till Christmas. No matter where you are and what you are feeling as the countdown continues until Christmas morning, take a moment and reflect on that first Christmas morning and the young couple that God used to bring His son into the world. That no matter what they faced, they had given themselves over to God’s plan, God’s provisions and God’s promises. And on that day, they saw the miracle of God as Mary being a virgin, gave birth to the Savior of the World and the angles proclaimed Joy to the World.

5 days till Christmas. Let us not only reflect on Mary and Joseph but I pray God would help us all model their same faith, their same courage and their same purpose in seeking to follow God and His will this Christmas. May we come to know the joy of Christmas and know the blessing of knowing Jesus as not just a baby in a manger but as the Savior in our soul.

The countdown continues, enjoy the journey and expect the unexpecting and no matter what, don’t lose Christ in Christmas.

5 days till Christmas – you can make it and not only survive but thrive!!

 

Pastor Michael

Seeing With Thanksgiving Glasses

 

1 Thessalonians 5

¹⁶ Rejoice  always!

¹⁷ Pray constantly.

¹⁸ Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will  for you in Christ Jesus.

 

Let that sink in for a moment – be thankful in all circumstances. In the good and the bad, in the ups and downs, in the valley as well as the mountain – be thankful. Paul was saying what I need to hear – no matter what, we are called upon by God to choose gratitude, for it is His will in Christ Jesus.

Ann Voskamp puts these verses in great perspective, “To give thanks is an action and rejoice is a verb and these things are not mere puling emotions. While I may not always feel joy, God asks me to give thanks in all things, because He knows that the feeling of joy begins with the action of thanksgiving.”

It is amazing how these are linked. My feeling of joy and the ability to rejoice is so connected to my ability to give thanks in everything. In other words, how I see the world, how I view what happens in my life, will go a long way to how I feel about my life and the joy or lack of joy I experience as I go along in life.

For me, if I am not careful, I can be bent toward being negative. Over the last year I have even found my heart to be more than slightly calloused at times as I result of the things that have come my way. But over the last few weeks, the Lord through His Holy Spirit, through His word and even through His people, He has been working me over on my attitude and how I am viewing life.

I use the word view very intentionally. How I see life, it will determine my attitude and in turn direct my actions and even my motivation. The lens I look through is vital to seeing clearly when it comes to my physical eyes. I must wear corrective lenses like many of you do. My glasses are designed for me based on my prescription that are best suited for my eyes so that when I put them on, the world that would be fuzzy without them now become clear.

If I were to attempt to put yours on, depending on the prescription, if it was close to mine, I might be able to still see ok. But if is way off, I am no better off than if I didn’t wear glasses at all.

However, when I put on the glasses made for me – the world becomes clear again. For Christians and for our spiritual eyes, we enjoy clearer vision when we look at life through the lens of thanksgiving.

Paul says to give thanks, in all things, not for all things. In other words, we do not give thanks for the sickness, death, trouble and pain, but we give thanks in it. We look for the blessings instead of the burdens. It is all a matter of what we fix our eyes on and Paul says we must fix our eyes on Jesus, in Christ Jesus, our source of thanksgiving.

For me, as I look back over this year already, I know there were moments I focused on the bad and often missed the good. God help to fix my eyes on Him, His Son and all He has done for me, even as I walked thru the valleys of life.

Think along these lines: I don’t thank God for the cancer someone may have or when someone loses a loved one or a tragedy happens or when it just seems like life is hard. But I do thank Him for His grace, His mercy, for God’s people who pray for me, for His word that comforts me and for the strength to walk through the journey.

It all depends on what lens I put on. Do I put on the lens of negativity, complaining, and general bad attitude? When I do, it affects everything in my life. A lack of gratitude brings worry, fretting, resentment and even compassion and love for others. I start to focus on fairness instead of faithfulness and being filled with gripes instead of grace.

Anybody want to testify? Anybody? Ok, maybe just me.

But what a difference when I am diligent to see life with a grateful spirit. I begin to not take things for granted but take them with gratitude.

This past Wednesday night as we shared about things, we are grateful for among our folks, one of our ladies shared something that truly blessed me. She said – I thank God for the mold.

Let me give you the back story. This past year our fellowship hall flooded, and, in the clean-up, it was discovered we had mold. Which meant a total redo of our Fellowship Hall. It was a long journey, we were without our Fellowship Hall for months, had to rearrange Sunday school, change how we did Easter and VBS. But as a result, we now have an amazing new Fellowship Hall.

Then, because we were remolding the FH, the church decided to remodel the whole church. Over the last few months, everything has been updated, painted, fixed and we essentially have a brand-new church right now. All because of the mold.

So, when she said that, God quickened my heart and whispered, see, it all depends on how you see things. I have not had the best attitude at times about the flooding and the mold. But wow, what a difference when you use life through the lens of thanksgiving.

How about you? Are you walking through some difficult times, maybe life has tossed you up and down with the hard waves of trials and tribulations and as a result you have found yourself in the backwash of fear, complaining, resentment, anger and even depresses. Can I encourage to take this passage to heart? Begin to focus on the things you can give God praise for.

I am convinced we must be diligent in this. It cannot be just something we leave to chance, I am firmly convinced from my own experience, gratitude must become a discipline just like prayer and bible study. If not, the world, my flesh and the devil will come at me from all angles and I will see God is against me and not for me.

The amazing thing is, Ann Voskamp is right, when I am grateful, it begins to create joy and even removes the heaviness. I saw this happen this past Wednesday night. When we began the service, many were heavy hearted for loved ones, sickness and difficulties that they or people they cared about were walking through. We prayed over them as we always do and believing for God’s touch.

But as we closed the service by giving thanks and folks begin to share, you could literally feel the heaviness leave the room and begin to see joy on the faces of everyone.

Rejoicing comes when we give thanks. And giving of thanks comes when we put on the lens of gratitude and take off the lens of “gratitude” (new word).

So, as you and I approach thanksgiving this weekend and next week and you gather around tables with friends and family and you find yourself in need of some joy. If you have glasses, take them off, say a prayer, put them back on and go forward. It is a simple of way of resetting our attitude and choosing to see life with gratitude, no matter what your relative just said to you.

If you don’t have glasses, well just pretend and act it out, that way, you can be the weird one this thanksgiving.

Either way – may the Lord help me and help us to not take things for granted but take things with gratitude. We do this by putting on our Thanksgiving Glasses everyday, not just during this season!

 

Pastor Michael

Lord, If You Had Been Here

In our little community of White County/Cleveland, Ga, there have been some tragic things that families have had to walk through that has impacted us all. When these moments come, we begin to face questions and doubts. Why did this happen, why did this happen to them and Lord where were you in all of this? Afterall, these are good folks, love the Lord and yet it would appear from the outside looking in, the Lord just left them to themselves and allowed these bad things to happen.

There is a passage that comes to mind as I ponder on this question. In John 11 Jesus gets word that one of his good friends Lazarus was sick to the point of dying. When He gets the news, Jesus tells His disciples that this sickness was not unto death but that it would be an opportunity for him to show His glory. Having said that, you would think that Jesus took off right then for Bethany where Lazarus lived. But he didn’t. He waited four days. For four long days it seemed Jesus had left them to their problem, left them to their sickness and left them to face the possibility of death all alone.

But I must remind myself, His ways are not my ways and He is working out His plan, even if it means me walking through the valley of the shadow of death, He is always there. Still, we ask the same questions that both of Lazarus’s sisters asked when Jesus arrived at their house. Both Martha and Mary said, “Lord, if you had been here, He would not have died, but now, he has been dead for 4 days.” In other words, you were too late Lord, our hope is gone now.

Have you ever had that same thought as these two sisters? You may not have voiced it out loud like they did, but deep within in your heart you may just wonder, even if briefly, where were you Lord when this happened? If you had really been here for us in this time of need, this would not have happened. If you have had these thoughts, it just proves one thing – you are human.

Again, Jesus can handle our doubts, he can handle our questions. The reason He can is because He is God and we are not. His ways are higher than ours, He sees the end from the beginning. And His thoughts are infinite when our thoughts are merely finite. We can only see the moment in front of us, He can see the whole story unfolding.

Jesus had told His disciples that Lazarus sickness was an opportunity to show His glory. He went on to tell both of Lazarus’ sisters that if they would just believe in Him, they would see His glory as well! His glory being His presence, His peace and yes, His power. And they did. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead after having been dead for four days. What a miracle, what a display of His glory!

Ok, sounds good you say, but in my case, we didn’t see that miracle, we didn’t see Him display His Glory! This is where it gets hard and it takes all the grace and faith that God will pour out to us to walk through. Because sometimes we don’t see the immediate healing like Lazarus family did or see His glory displayed in the same way.

However, even if we do not see an immediate healing, I can promise you we experience His glory displayed in every situation even if the answer of the why doesn’t come. We see it in the grace to walk through it, we see it in the peace that He puts in our hearts, we experience it in the strength that we did not know we had and we live it out every day in the presence and comfort of the Holy Spirit that overwhelms our aching heart. We also see it in the hands and feet of the body of Christ that he puts around us as we walk through the difficulty times in life.

Remember, Jesus is thinking and looking eternal. Have you ever thought there were many who died in the three and half years that Jesus ministered but it is recorded that He only brought three back to life. Now, don’t get me wrong, that is amazing and thank God for each miracle. But it means that not everybody that needed healing received it. Physically healing that is.

You see the greatest part of Jesus showing His glory was what He did for Lazarus and his family eternally and what He does for us eternally. This life is not all there is. It does not mean that we do not hurt when life gets hard or that we do not miss those who God calls home and that the pain is any less. Jesus never minimizes our pain, as a matter of fact, read John 11 again and see him crying right along with those who were crying at Lazarus’ grave.

But Jesus always points us to eternal life that is found in salvation – the healing of the soul! What a promise He gave to Martha and Mary and to us today if we will only believe: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.  Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever.  Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

This eternal healing is available to all who will believe in Jesus and be saved. Lazarus knew Jesus as Savior and yes, He experienced resurrection life here on earth on the day he came out of the tomb, but remember, He still eventually died. So, as powerful as His earthly healing was, it was still only temporary. Jesus, through salvation in Him and the hope of eternal life, will bring the ultimate healing no matter what happens here.

Having said all of this, it still is not an easy journey. All I have written still may not help in answering the why do these things happen. Truth is, I know everything happens for God to get the glory, but how all that works out and what all that looks like, I still may never know the full answers. I may not always see His glory here, but I know I am saved, I know Jesus loves me and one day, I will live in a place where there will be no sickness, no death, no tragedies and really no questions.

Well maybe there will be one. It will no longer be, why did this happen to me and or Lord where are you? When we see Jesus, experience the joy of heaven and being reunited with our loves ones that we ask in a grateful way – how did this happen to me, how did I get to be here and be with Jesus. The answer then and really the answer now, Jesus. When we don’t have the answers, we always have Him!

 

Pastor Michael

 

PK – Pastor’s Kid: our daughter, the unsung hero in our family.

(Full disclosure – I had to post this picture, one of Mikalyn’s best day ever)

It happened again this Sunday. I really didn’t plan to do it, but as I was preaching, I did it again. I can’t believe I did it again. One of our members at Center has suggested that every time I do this, I must give my daughter money. If that were true, I would owe my daughter close to $500 right now. That’s right, I used her in my sermon again.

So goes the life of a PK, or preacher/pastor’s kid. It happened to me and I do it to Mikalyn. Honestly, I really shouldn’t. Just like every PK, Mikalyn has enough on her just trying to be who God made her to be and to walk in what God is calling her to do and not living under any fear of what others may think or what she might do again for daddy to use in a sermon.

I really do mean it in a good way, but the more I have thought about life and ministry over the last month or so, there is still so much I need to do to make sure that the only expectation Mikalyn feels is found in the loving arms of her Savior and that is to simply love Him, which I am so grateful she does.

Being a PK is not an easy life. You grow up in a fishbowl and if you live in a community long enough, everybody knows you, even if you don’t know them. And, if you are daughter of a preacher/pastor, it seems to be a little harder thanks to movies and T.V (cue the Footloose music about right now).

Not to mention if your dad is known in the community and happens to be known in the school, there is a good chance many of the boys that might ask your daughter out, shy away because after all, she is your daughter. Just saying, for a friend.

Now, Mikalyn, true to the person she is, has never once said a word about these things or once complained. She really is a blessing to her mother and I and a truly amazing young woman! Thanks in large part to an amazing mama and a wonderful church!

But it does not dismiss the fact that expectations and stereotypes exist. I like what Charlsley Carey says in her article about being a pastor’s daughter, “If the Lifetime Movie Network is good for anything, it’s definitely making preachers’ kids look like insane psychopaths whose favorite hobbies include skipping church, smoking, and murdering innocent people. Either that, or from the show “Preacher’s Daughters,” it makes us look like potheads who love to go from one potential lover to the next. Either way, entertainment media has it totally wrong. Newsflash: preachers’ kids are just as average, and just as boring, as a doctor’s kids, a flight attendant’s kids, a teacher’s kids, or even a construction worker’s kids.

Notice that last part – they are kids just like any other child growing up in their parents’ home. They did not ask for this calling on their life, many of them, were born into it.

In his book, The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity, Barnabas Piper speaks of the stereotypes often associated with pastor’s kids. He explains how they are typically left between a rock and a hard place, between being considered rebels or being overly legalistic which leads to identity issues and scrutiny. People tend to (often unfairly) project these expectations on children of pastors.

Now, being a pastor’s kid myself and seeking to raise a pastor’s kid, I do not want to cast a terrible light on this life. I will admit and I think Mikalyn would say the same, there are disadvantages but there are also advantages. For our family growing up and I know for Mikalyn, her “family” has always been larger than most. She has a whole church family.

By that I mean, there have been those people in our lives that were like grandparents to her and sisters and brothers to her. She has known wonderful relationships. She has been able to experience the joy of seeing people saved and helping those who were less fortunate.

Growing up, this was a two-sided coin. I would not take anything for the friendships I had within our larger church families. But it was always hard when God would call daddy to a new church and we would have to start all over again. But we did, and I made new friends.

By God’s grace and favor, we have been able to be at Center Baptist for over 15 years now so the majority of Mikalyn growing up (she was 4 years old when we came), she has been able to be at one church. I thank God for that. And I thank God for our loving church family that has loved her, encouraged her, ministered to her and been there for her just like her own blood family! Thank you, Center Baptist!

Having said all of this, and knowing that I just by writing this, I will owe Mikalyn more money, I want to take some time during this Pastor Appreciation month to honor her and those that live the life she does as a PK and not forget that as churches honor their pastor and wives, make sure we honor those who live in the same house and walk thru the same journey.

I truly thank God for Mikalyn Wilkes, she has made her mama and I very proud of the young women she is and is becoming. She is truly a gift to her mama and I as God heard our prayers, saw our faith and fulfilled a promise made in a nursery two years before she was born after the Dr’s said it would never happen.

All through this journey Mikalyn has taken this life as a pastor’s kid in stride and with grace. Often when she was in elementary school, going to visit shut ins and going to the hospital with me. They loved her and I loved watching her with them. Those were precious times!

Then as she got older, it would be the times coming home from hospital visits when we would stop by Laurel Park just off 129 and I would “let her drive”. Don’t worry, it was not on the main road! What I loved most were the conversations about life and just hanging out. She never complained and still doesn’t even this summer when she went with me to hospital several times. Of course, now, she does request lunch afterwards at Chicken Salad Chic!

As I sit here and right this, I really cannot believe she is now almost 20 years old and by God’s grace is growing up into an amazing young woman, going to college, working and impressing me and her mama every day. She brings laughter, joy and blessing to our lives. Now, don’t get me wrong, we have our moments. After all, we live in the real world like everyone else.

Angels are not playing harps over our head while they spread pixy dust over our halos. Life gets messy for us, just like everyone. We live in the real world and face real life issues. I have watched Mikalyn cling to her faith and run to God as she has walked through some difficult days. Not because she is a pastor’s child or kid, but because she is a child of Jesus and she has learned to run to him and lean into him. I am so grateful for that.

And by God’s grace, through it all, the good and the bad of living in a pastor’s home, watching me and her  mama go through life and ministry, Mikalyn has not only stayed in church, she is serving and thriving. I give God praise and thank Him for His grace. Mikalyn has a heart for the Lord and a heart for others mixed in with a little bit of southern sass and “if you don’t want to know, don’t ask me” attitude at times, but I would not have it any other way.

I do say a lot about my family when I preach. But, other than Jesus, my family is my life. One day, I may not be the pastor of a church or be able to preach again. Who knows? I pray the Lord allows me to be at Center the rest of my life. I thank God for them. But the truth is, no matter what happens, I will always be Courtney’s husband and Mikalyn’s dad. And that means the world to me.

So, this month, as our church and many within our church have honored me as their pastor and I pray the same is true for all the pastors, I want to honor my family (a previous post about my superhero wife) and say I thank God for them.

Mikalyn Wilkes, I want to honor you as not just a pastor’s kid but as my kid. I know Mikalyn, you are often called, or people say – O, you are Michael’s daughter. But for me, what I am most proud to be called is simply this – I am proud to be called Mikalyn’s dad. Love you Mik Mik, thank you for loving Jesus, loving us and loving others. Thank you for being who you are and for the joy you bring in our life! God is at work in your life and I am grateful to have a front row seat.

Take some time this week and honor your pastor’s family, especially his kids. You will touch your pastor’s heart in way you could never imagine.

And by the way, Mikalyn. The money is in the mail!

Pastor Michael