We're Needed More Than Ever!

This morning I'm being a "spiritual designer" in preparing for Sunday's Pandora/Bluffton Youth For Christ volunteer training afternoon. Our theme is "We're Needed More Than Ever!" We live in a culture that never has had so many adults pull away from kids. Kids have always wanted a degree of separation from adults. But never have so many adults been disengaged from kids. Patricia Hersch who studies young people, sees adolescents functioning as a "tribe apart" attempting usually in vain, to raise each other. This separation is caused by many factors including divorce, crazy schedules, and too many choices. So Sunday, we'll gather as adults around each other and the Lord to see what we can do as adults to love kids. We want to show young people that "we'll be there!" If you're an adult reading this blog, what can you do "to be there?" If you're a young person, what adult has been there for you? These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"

Crash at Talladega

Friday night I went to the Shannon Theatre and watched "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." While some of the gags were funny, like when Booby stuck a knife into his leg because he thought he was paralyzed, most of it for me crashed before the final lap. Once again, I thought to many young kids were in the audience listening to just about every foul word there is, a prolonged kiss between two men, and all kinds of sexual innuendos. Although weird, the different views people can have of who Jesus is can be a great discussion starter. Some see Him as "baby Jesus in the manger" while others see Him as " gentle peacemaker." John Calvin said our minds are great "idol factories." That's why it's so important to read the Gospels and see Jesus for who He is. But with that said, Ricky Bobby's car really did burn up on the track. These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"

Stung

Our community was once again reminded that death is respecter of no one. No matter your age, position in life, or economic status. Many felt the sting of death when Leisha Burrus was killed Wednesday evening. Someone so young and vibrant, taken instantly from this life to another. While our pain and grief is great, the comfort is found through Jesus. You see, Leisha followed Jesus and He has already conquered sin and death. Jesus has gone before Leisha. Through His broken and bloody sacrifice, with the physical resurrection 3 days later, Jesus left the path to eternal life before us. So in our grief we can say, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthains 15:55-57) Through our tears we rejoice for the eternal life Leisha always had. May this give some comfort to those who hurt. These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"

Where's My Keys?

Yesterday at 4:30 pm. I drove out to the Suter's Stand by Sterling. I get some peaches, corn, and tomatoes. I run into my house and put the fruit and veggies on the counter. Then I think I put my wallet and keys on time of my desk. After dinner I go to grab my keys, and I don't see them on my desk. My wallet's there, but where's my keys?? I look and look and look and I can't find my keys anywhere. So I borrow Pat's. I get up in the morning and I keep looking to no avail. This starts to remind me of the story Jesus told about the woman who lost one of her ten coins. (Luke 15) Jesus tells the story to remind us how we should love the lost and seek after them. But I like the idea of treasured better than lost. Because what's lost is treasured, the search is passionate. If the woman had only lost a penny, big deal. Who cares about a people. had I lost a key I rarely use, so what? But the coin and the set of keys is treasured. You seek until you find. Wouldn't it be amazing if we who love Jesus cared enough for those who don't, that we would passionately seek them out. We would see people who don't follow Jesus as treasured people God wants us to show His amazing grace to. We wouldn't stop until His Kingdom comes. So don't just consider people who don't know Jesus as lost. Look at them as treasured too! By the way, Pat found my keys about an hour ago in Mary's pursue, hung on the desk chair. Now I wonder how did the keys get in there?
These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"

Moving Day

In the midst of preparation for YFC/Campus Life for a new school year, I see old familiar faces moving away. Chelsey's moving south to Lee University. Adam left for the Windy City and Moody. Kurt runs for Cedarville. Dan will keep the school colors at Miami. Joel leaves soon for the "Forrest." One by one the bags and boxes are packed, along with laptops, and moved to new locales. Even our Mary moves away on Friday the 25th. Mom is counting down the days with a Kleenex in her hand. But move they must. We pray that God will use moving day to form more of who He is into their lives. It not always easy for those left behind in the move. But let it be known, we pray for you, so that spiritually we can be there for you. So move, you must!
These are the days my friend!
Jim "train"

Hot Days Make You Really Thirsty

It certainly has been hot! No matter what the weather, every human being needs water everyday to survive. In certain parts of the world, the lack of good drinking water literally results in hundreds of deaths each day. But the really hot days, you need lots of clean, cool water. It reminds me of the Gospel story told in John 4 about Jesus asking a Samaritan woman for a drink. The conversation eventually turns around to where Jesus offers the woman the water He has. But the water Jesus has isn't the clean, cool water we're used to. The water He gives is Himself. "Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." -John 4:14. The fact is, as we journey through life, we need Jesus. But the really "hot days," the days when life is tough, we need Jesus even more. So no matter what your day has been like, go to the "Spring" that never fails to quench the need. Jesus is clean, cool water to the soul. So lift His glass high and drink deep. These are the days my friend!
Jim "train"

Macho, Macho Man

Remember The Village People. They sang a song like this, "Macho, macho man, I've got to be a macho man." Just what is a "macho man?" I'm currently preparing a talk on what it means to be a godly man. I think the culture's idea of a man is one who's physically tough and prone to violence. (See USA Today August 1st on "Fight Clubs.") http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-31-violent-fight-clubs_x.htm
Add some abuse of alcohol (Mel Gibson you let me down) with both arms around some skinny women and you have a "cultural macho man!" The culture tries to squeeze teen boys and men into this mold and it succeeds! So what is a godly man like? First off, he recognizes the pull of the culture. Proverbs 1 through 7 talks directly about the culture's squeeze play. It's been the BIG 3 for thousands of years. But the godly man is not marked not just by what he doesn't do, but by what he does. God through Jesus Christ, and only through His divine power (this is not just some moralistic try to accomplish in your own power), gives us roles we are to perform. The following is what I think a godly man does...
*Provides-works to support self and family if married.
*Protects-spouse and family physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
*Paces-doesn't allow work to put life out of balance.
*Presence-is the visible representation of the Heavenly Father to family and others.
Well, that's some of my ideas. I think there's a lot of confusion on what a man really is. This is my attempt to bring clarity to what it means to be a man. What's your thots???
These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"