“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope.” Romans 8:20

“UGHHHHHHHHH!” was my response when asked how I was doing. That went along with other sounds that don’t actually have any official spellings, but sounds everyone can appreciate! And why not? It’s Christmas! Why WOULDN’T the official day we celebrate the birth of the world’s Savior come with anything less than groaning frustration. Just read the real story behind HIS birth.

I know, I know! Christmas is supposed to be Merry and Bright! Bah-Humbug’s are not welcome to the Christmas party, and until Mr Scrooge changes his attitude, his story won’t be any less frustrating. “So learn this now,” I told myself, “you’d better get Merry and Bright together and Ho-Ho-Ho it, even if you have to fake it!” But the pep talk didn’t help. And it’s not because I’m blue!

There’s something “In the Air Tonight,” sang Phil Collins. And it isn’t just me and Scrooge who hear it! The Bible says that “ALL Creation groans.’” And includes God Himself (vs 26)! For some reason that verse, in a weird way, gives me some Peace! Having 2 surgical procedures this month smacked me. But it’s not my body that feels uneasy. Both my soul and spirit are groaning. For a reason!

I’m going to attribute my looking up the meaning behind Collins’ song to the Holy Spirit. I was surprised to discover that even HE didn’t know what the song meant, but wrote about what he felt. I call that a brave admission! Other than having a stuffy nose, I feel fine! Christmas is my favorite time of year and I have “The Spirit” going. But there’s just something haunting hanging in the air!

I was looking for something to read last night when my eyes found the book, “Dark Nights of the Soul.” I’m not really sure why I grabbed it. I had tried to read it before and quit. Something drew me to it, so I started perusing the pages as it described man’s groaning using Psychology. After an hour, I threw it in the trash! Then God led me to discover this verse and, ‘groaning’ is to be expected!

I’m NOT trying to be a downer. In fact, I feel like I received a shiny new toy to play with! And it’s something that will last and never wear out on this Earth! There’s a REASON for my grumpiness, a WHY for my questionable attitude!  And it MAY help me to not be so crotchety! I AM this way because I’m SUPPOSE to be! That’s how God MADE me. SOMETHING is WRONG… and my GROANING proves it!

God’s story through Jesus is tragic! Perfect God volunteered to take on the form of fallen humanity, coming down here behind enemy lines, only to be targeted from birth. His horrific death was predictable… so says God. And so says my body, soul and spirit. That feeling in the air tonight verifies things are NOT what they were meant to be. But God reminds me, CHRIST is coming!  Only THEN will my groaning cease!

How are YOU feeling this Christmas?  Do you have occasions for being grumpy?  Does this verse help YOU to understand that it’s ok to not be ok… because things here are NOT ok… and that, for now, is OK!???

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

“Did you remember this?” were the words Katie asked me as she held up a beautiful painting of Jesus being presented to Simeon in the Temple. Having JUST preached the sermon on that event just yesterday, I had to confess that I had not noticed it before. “Where did you get that?” I asked. Her response was both humbling and revealing. “Off the wall over there. Didn’t you remember?”

Being a ‘guy’ can be a rough experience, since men are COMPLETELY different than women. Which is both a good thing AND intentional. God made me different from my wife for a reason, which is OBVIOUS! That’s why I can’t even fathom the whole transgender phenomenon! Yesterday Katie spent about 2 hours decorating the front door! We’ve owned that ‘unnoticed’ print for 5+ years!

Had I ‘noticed’ the print, I could have taken it to Church and displayed it for the sermon. But hadn’t and didn’t! Katie’s artistic brain is on a whole different level than mine. Give her some crayons or markers and she can draw almost anything I ask and get a “WOW!” But that gift can easily become a burden as she likes to switch stuff around to appeal to her changing whims and tastes. Unlike me.

The story of Jesus in the arms of Simeon sheds light on God’s ultimate plan, which He has had from BEFORE the beginning of time. The term, “a Light to the Gentiles,” was actually a Title given to the promised Messiah from Isaiah 42:6 & 49:6. The word Gentile means ‘without God’ and describes the state of their non-notice of Him. When Jesus came, His objective was to turn that light ON!

When speaking to the Jews in John 8, Jesus said “I am the light of the world.” To many in His day, that description got Him noticed… in a bad way! But God, like my Katie, likes to switch things around! So in Matthew 5 Jesus went on to say “YOU are the Light of the world…” ‘YOU’ being ‘ME!’ A fact that MANY of us ‘Church-guys’ tend to forget or fail to notice, and/or DO! But Jesus never forgets!

I am SOOO glad that Katie doesn’t get tired of me enough to want to replace me. That is what Love does. Since God IS Love, His character is such that He will ALWAYS Love me, even when I fail to notice my own failures, or DO something about them when I do. But shouldn’t MY love for HIM be the same way! When I see that He wants something from me, should I not notice… then move to DO IT!

The ONLY Job of the Church in these years is to “Go into my world and tell the people WITHOUT Jesus… ABOUT Jesus! Do you and I know and love Him enough to notice the lost ones around us, and then share Him with them? That is really the ONLY external ‘print’ He wants others to notice about me.

“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” Proverbs 18:16

“Give this to your wife and do NOT mention me!” It’s a line I used to influence men on the importance of ‘loving their wives as Christ loves the Church’ (Eph. 5:25). Women love candles… and I have a connection. Being a man, I know first hand that men are pigs! Being sensitive and giving are not typical of ‘dudes.’ And part of my job is to teach people to do and become non-typical.

One of my favorite things to do is to wrap up a candle in a used plastic store bag, hand it to a guy and tell him to pass it on to his wife. I’ll say, “there are 2 gifts in the bag. 1 for your wife, and 1 for you. YOUR gift is the appreciation you will get from her when you tell her you came across this and was thinking about her. Just DON’T mention me!” Which often leads to a sad, piggish confession.

“When I give this to her, she’ll KNOW it wasn’t from me!” men will often say. When I ask, “why,” they’ll admit, “cuz I don’t never do nothin’ like dis!” As I said, men are pigs! But to get from the pig sty to the palace, one must do and be different from what pigs do. Teaching men to be bigger and better than they usually are is part of the job. Demonstration is a good God teaching method!

Everything on this Earth, especially at Christmas, is about Christ! And everything about Christ is about God’s Grace and Mercy… NOT getting what we deserve but receiving what we don’t! My connection to The Savior is a long established one. But one in which I have SO much more to learn. Spending time with Him and His Word teaches me all KINDS of things this pig really needs.

The principle of God sending His Son into the world to save it is unfathomable. Jesus Christ was born… to die! He knew in advance what kind of death He would suffer. Not being a pig but a Prince, he wanted all mankind to join Him in the palace. To get that done, God used the idea of a gift to gain interest, and to influence those who would want to join Him.

Spreading light is God’s thing. 1 candle can light another… and so on and so on. It is important for me to remember that I was called to spread His light. To work on NOT being a pig, but to be the gift to teach others about the wondrous, matchless love and light of our beautiful Savior. I can’t think of anything greater or more enjoyable.

Are YOU God’s great gift to your family and those in your world? Or are you an oink?  

“…we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

“I think over here might be a good place to hide it,” I said. Katie said, “Eh.. they’ll find it in less than a second! They always do!” What we were talking about was the moving of the Elf on a Shelf in her classroom at school. We had stopped by in the evening so it would be moved for the morning. I was getting sucked in! As creativity flowed, ‘Truth’ kind of slipped out the window!

The Elf on a Shelf is a product from 2005 that has taken a permanent spot at Christmas. Written as a book, a ‘Scout Elf’ is sent to homes with children to watch behavior. Every Night the elf fly’s back to the North Pole to update Santa’s ‘Naughty or Nice’ list based on it’s findings. Upon return to the home, it takes a different location. Finding the Elf each morning is exciting and fun for children.

Having not been the Elf on the Shelf mover, I’d only HEARD stories as Katie came home and shared fun details about the kids and ‘The Elf.’ The Elf idea reminds kids that their behavior is being monitored during the Christmas Season. Kids are STRONGLY encouraged to BE GOOD so they will get presents! I laugh because Christianity has the same kind of silly tricks to get people to behave!

There are LOTS of articles that claim ‘The Elf’ is nothing more than a form of behavior control and can damage children’s psyche if misused. I can see how the threat of abuse from a controlling, insensitive parent might scar or distort reality for a child. If that is true, then ‘religion’ in the wrong hands can do even MORE damage to someone who doesn’t fully know the Grace of God.

There are lots of ideas out there that act like snitching Elves to God. Lines like, “You’d better repent, confess, and ask God for forgiveness, sin separates you from God, you could lose your salvation,” can easily damage a believer’s faith, as being ‘good or bad,’ becomes the measure of how much God really loves and approves of me. It takes a LOT of effort to overcome conscience.

Satan LOVES to mess with believers. And why not? He already HAS the unbelievers. If he can distort scripture and make a believer feel guilty enough to stop them from sharing the Good News of Christ, in his mind, he can win. So he lays it on thick with guilt and remorse! Then, adding elfish lies, I can make myself FEEL unworthy of ANYTHING good from God. That method WORKS!

Today’s Bible verse is just 1 of MANY that talk about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf. It is clear. Jesus died once… FOR ALL! All people and all sin! PERIOD! But satan doesn’t want us to believe that truth. He wants to keep believers focused on SIN instead of the Savior! The Truth is, I don’t get to heaven by ‘being good,’ I get there by receiving His free Gift of Grace, which makes me HIS!

The Joy of Christmas, understood through to the purpose of Easter, shows me how much God loves and wants me. Faith comes by receiving His free gift of Grace through the Holy Spirit, not my behavior. In God’s opinion, He has no BAD KIDS, even though I will NEVER act perfect on this Earth. I have discovered that playing hide and seek for God’s approval is a waste of time! I’m already in!

Are YOU playing games with God’s grace? Do YOU allow guilt and remorse to drive you further from Christ because you haven’t met some perfect standard? Cheer up lil sheep! God has no reporting elves and doesn’t even keep lists of bad behavior!       Got Jesus?

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” Hebrews 4:14

En route to the airport to pick up a couple of our church snowbirds, their flight got delayed. I had some time on my hands. I was driving Katie’s car and it was in need of a wash. Time, space and opportunity presented itself so I pulled into the first car wash I saw, paid my money and drove onto the track. Pulled into the spinning, foaming, loud, dark waters was cool. Then I wondered WHY?

For some reason my mind took me back to having kids in the car when we went through a car wash just like this. I remembered how excited they were. Yet my same kids, when first introduced to a swimming pool, were scared out of their minds! What was the difference? Having time in the whirring spinning thing, I think I figured it out. I was “WITH” them and they had faith in ME!

The first time my kids went into a swimming pool I was there. BUT… when a child puts their head UNDER the water, they do it ALONE! Since I could not breathe for them, the fear, danger and death became very personal. In the dark car with all the sounds, I was in there too. I guess they just knew that if I put MY faith in the machine and was WITH them, they could trust too! Like Jesus!

Unfortunately, death is one of those subjects that people like to avoid. When sharing the Gospel, I’ll bring up the question of where folks think they will go when they die. Usually, they make some kind of joke about it to avoid the subject, even though death has a 100% success rate. Sadly, until folks are faced with the cold hard reality they already know, they won’t put trust in someone else.

God has designed me with choice by HIS choice. He will not force Himself on me and MAKE me receive His free gift of salvation and eternal life. He has planted enough of Himself in me that I should KNOW to run to Him and trust Him with my life. When He sent Jesus here, Jesus had to CHOOSE to come to suffer and die! And He faced death ALONE! What He does NOW is BETTER!

When death grabbed hold of Jesus in the grave, it messed with the WRONG GUY! Jesus BEAT death to death! NOW He sits beside His Father in Heaven and talks to Him about ME! “See that?” He’ll say, “I died for that one!” As I ride this life I face darkness and fear every day. But I do not need to succumb to them! Because Jesus and I are in the same car going in the same direction!

Through the stormy fears of life, are you clean, riding with and holding on to, The Savior?

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“There’s a flag on the play… this one is coming back!” Katie and I were watching the NFL football game on TV when a successful pass play, which had moved the ball downfield for OUR team, suddenly wasn’t so successful! Someone had committed a foul and the ‘Ref’ threw a flag. Our famous quarterback suddenly had a meltdown!

The TV flashed a quote from the young opposing team’s quarterback, referring to OUR’s, which said, “He’s been an NFL Quarterback for longer than I’ve been alive!” At the break they showed OUR veteran’s reaction to several plays and players as he unhappily yelled and gestured his dissatisfaction. I knew EXACTLY how he felt!

As I pondered on what and why I do the things I do, I felt the same attitude and response ‘OUR’ Quarterback displayed. Watching NFL Football is just an example. Katie and I have watched it for so long, stopping watching it isn’t even discussed. I’m not a big fan and don’t even LIKE the NFL anymore! But there we were! Habit stuck!

The older I get the more trouble I seem to see. Rock solid truth that should be common knowledge, isn’t anymore! As society continues to fumble and fouls become more the norm, the ‘Flags’ are completely ignored. Gesturing in dissatisfaction only makes me appear like the grumpy old grandpa I’ve become in the youthful eyes of those who do not know what I know! Enter Jesus!

To the world, the Bible appears to be an old book written by grumpy old men. What ‘I’ know to be true is that The Word is more progressive than today’s news. The last book wraps up the 65 before it by throwing a Flag on the game of Life! The Book says things WILL get worse… that TROUBLE IS on the way! But Jesus sends in the pass play to ‘Peace.’ To ‘Take Heart’ and keep my eyes on HIM!

Are you keeping your eyes and heart on Jesus, trusting in HIS completed work and not your own? Have you ever considered that as the world gets farther from Jesus, even GOD gets grumpier?  ‘The Ref’ is watching, and according to what I know, there’s a big flag coming! Are YOU ready?

“These (trials) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:7

“Ya wanna buy some gold?” That was the question asked by a man who had some to sell. Having an interest about a year ago, I had asked about owning gold and he had strongly recommended it. Now, needing to raise some money for an emergency, my former interest made an opportunity for both of us. Knowing NOTHING about gold, I contacted a friend of mine who does! And good thing!

The advice of my friend was to get a picture, then to have the gold tested. When the picture came, my friend said, now get it tested. So arrangements were made and the valuable coin was taken to an expert with a tool to verify its authenticity. The ‘tool’ turned out to be a fancy gun shaped object that shot some kind of magic ray at the coin. Within a second, the expert said, “it’s a fake!” 

It became important to me to remember that the OBJECT being tested was the COIN! NOT the man selling it! Having been around the block many times, I have been taken advantage of many times, and sometimes intentionally. The lesson from being burned in the past has been reduced to an age old saying, “trust… but verify!” Relieved, the verse today reminded me ‘my Faith’ is under the gun!

The topic of testing by trial is a can of worms that nobody likes to open. Mostly because there are so many tests and testers to consider. The thing to remember is that God isn’t usually the one DOING the testing. Sadly, too many folks like to blame Him when He has NOTHING to do with it.

The world, the flesh and the devil are the typical culprits from which tests come. But it is important to remember that it is ‘MY FAITH’ that is being tested from all angles. NOT GOD! God is perfect! ANY leaning toward God being otherwise will only result in Faith’s failure of the test! Sadly, the world is falling for sin because it fails to WANT to trust the authenticity of the Creator of Life.

Everyone I know is going through some kind of test right now. It’s getting tough out there. But today’s verse tells me that testing is an INVESTMENT in my future. For when my faith PASSES the test, it will result in something FAR more precious than any earthly riches. Praise, Honor and Glory will be the eternal result. And that is good enough reason to press on and endure any test!

Are YOU passing the Faith Test? Or are you blaming God for something He has nothing to do with? I prefer to keep my eyes on Jesus. Not the fake stuff that glitters! How about YOU?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Last night was our annual Christmas Trivia Night! I had asked a couple ladies if they would mind bringing some snacks for the occasion, and was told by text that ‘Pigs in a Blanket’ would be part of the fare! Immediately I thought, “OH NO! That’s WAY too much to ask of somebody.” When I called, I learned that our experiences of that menu item differed greatly! I was happily confused!

Growing up, Pigs in a blanket was a MAJOR dinner item. It consisted of cooking meat and rice, wrapping tubular balls of that mixture in cabbage leaves, then baking them in the oven. It took a lot of work! When I was told HER version was mini hot dogs wrapped in dough, I still appreciated the effort, but was happy that HER pigs it wouldn’t take all day to blanket! I thought of this verse.

Basically it starts off with the idea that LOTS of people are watching me. Since that is the case, I’d better watch my behavior and STOP doing the sinful things that so EASILY mess up my life and reputation! Reading that part scares me because… THAT part isn’t so easy! Admittedly, I have been trying to do that since I first heard the word “NO!” So far it hasn’t easily worked! So what’s the deal?

OBVIOUSLY, sin is fun! If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have done it so much. Growing up, parents and teachers would say, “you stop that right now young man or you’re going to get in trouble!” I didn’t, and I did! Over and over again! My piggish sinful flesh was actually comfortable being wrapped up and coddled! In time, I realized I WAS in trouble, but had NO way to stop it on my own! Now THIS?

At my age and in my profession, I guess you could say I am a master at recognizing pigs in blankets. Having run to Jesus and been forgiven, it is now a pleasure to point people to the same Savior who ‘set me free from the law of sin and death!’ But once in a while I read a verse that scares me into an uncomfortable, labor intensive, working idea of Faith that DOESN’T work. Un-blanketing ain’t easy!

The First verse by itself leaves me the pig I am! And in the same position as those we ate last night! Wrapped up and headed for the oven! The Christmas JOY of this lesson comes in verse 2. Because while it is IMPOSSIBLE for ME to do the first verse alone, I CAN do the second verse… and that is ‘Keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the AUTHOR and PERFECTER of MY FAITH! Now I’m comfortable.

Are YOU trying to break free from sin and make a good impression on your own? Why not turn your focus on The Savior and stay OUT of the oven!  

“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'” Galatians 3:10

“Ugh!” “UGH!” “AHHHHHHH!” I was trying to get my pool pump cleaned, and the pesky top that unscrews off ALWAYS feels like it’s glued on! So I put more effort into it! I learned from MY dad that effort comes out in noises of frustration… and then defeat! In 35 years, I have done this job HUNDREDS of times. Yet I’ve never learned to just go and get the wrench BEFORE starting! DUH!

Now granted, as the pool filter basket cover has gotten older, it’s gotten harder to unscrew. Time does that to old parts. In men like me, time does the opposite… time makes me weaker! AND apparently dumber too! Because I certainly wasn’t thinking logically. Older, weaker me was trying to man-handle an old part that is practically FUSED together! Hearing demons laughing, I YELLED!!

As it took the whole of 2 minutes to walk to my toolbox in the garage to find and return with ‘The Wrench,’ I sensed The Holy Spirit chuckle as well! Then He spoke in His special way with no sound, “When will you ever learn son? Strength only comes through weakness” So pausing in weakness, I decided to look up the verse. Not because it was the first time. But cuz it SHOULD be the LAST!

This principle SHOULD immediately be acted upon in a Christian over 55 years. But I am living proof that God picks the foolish of the world to confound the wise (2 Corinthians 12)! TADAAAA! The whole ‘law vs faith’ principle is as universal and unchangeable as the laws ordering physics or gravity! AND the law governing my flesh as well. Deep down, I DON’T WANT TO GET IT! Sad!

As strange as it may sound, working to be and do good comes with us right out of the womb! I do bad, then feel bad. So I resolve to do better, then work harder toward that resolution. Which sounds good and pleases parents, teachers and bosses! But to God, it sounds like Idolatry! And THAT is what today’s verse actually means! Working HARDER at being good is a SIN! READ IT!

I am an old guy, which means my mind, will and emotions are even WEAKER than when I was first saved. If I couldn’t BE GOOD on my own THEN, there is NO possible way that trying harder now will get me anywhere close to that goal. What I NEED is a TOOL! That tool is the Cross of Jesus Christ, and all that He IS! That means dying to myself and submitting to HIS ability to work in me.

I”m happy to say that BOTH tools worked. The pool pump is cleaner and therefore more efficient at doing its job. And so am I!

Are YOU trying to be and do righteousness in your own power and strength? Are you frustrated enough to hear God’s snicker, dropping your own ideas of what it means to BE righteous in HIS eyes? Will you die to yourself so you can let Him live in and through you? If so.. Good boy (or girl!)!