Remembering the Needy

DateLine (12/20/06 – Green Pond, SC)

Christmas is a time to remember the needy. From bell ringers outside Wal-Mart to increased editorial coverage in the news, we’re reminded of the plight of the disadvantaged. To the credit of our country, the US responds and sets the standard for charitable contributions. According to the archives of the Washington Post, Americans gave ~$248.5 billion in 2004. Churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious entities received the largest share -- more than $88 billion.

For Southern Baptists, the Christmas season has been connected with missions as long as I can remember. For several generations an annual appeal has been made to the benefit of our International Missions work. In September of 1887 a woman with a funny sounding name, Lottie Moon, wrote a letter from her mission post in China suggesting a need for improvement in how Southern Baptist was funding missionaries. In December of that same year, the letter was printed in the Foreign Mission Journal. That single letter is credited with providing the impetus for the creation of a Southern Baptist offering to support international missions, which later became the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® for International Missions.

Unfortunately the Lottie Moon Christmas offering is becoming a generational thing. Many younger persons in the church are not as familiar with the offering or in fact Lottie Moon herself because we have been remiss in recent times of emphasizing this great cause. In the words of Lottie herself from the “letter that started it all,” “we shall continue to go on in our present ‘hand to mouth; system. We shall continue to see mission stations so poorly manned that missionaries break down from overwork, loneliness, and isolation; we shall continue to see promising mission fields unentered and old stations languishing; and we shall continue to see other denominations no richer and no better educated than ours, outstripping us in the race. I wonder how many of us really believe that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’?

Need it be said, why the week before Christmas is chosen? Is not the festive season when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?”

In 2005 we collected almost $140 millions dollars. Our collective goal for 2006 is $150 million. 100 percent of the offering is used in the overseas budget to support missionaries and their ministries. The offering is spent in support of over 5000 missionaries and special projects designed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide. I had a pastor years ago who challenged me to spend more on my gift to Jesus at Christmas than any other single gift to others. I can think of no better way to make that gift than to direct it toward the annual Christmas offering which bears the name of Lottie Moon. The greatest need is the need for Jesus.

For more information see http://www.Imb.org/lottiemoon.

The Angels Rejoiced

DateLine (12/13/06 – Nanuet, NY)

Ah, the Christmas season; countless cantatas, nativity scenes, carols, dramas; which thrust the essential elements of the first Christmas into the consciousness of harried patrons. The Virgin Mary, Joseph, the Christ child, shepherds, the manger, and Wise Men; the icons of the season. Why has this story persisted at the forefront of our culture for a couple thousand years? The inevitable conclusion is that this was a significant event in world history. God, who always had been involved in the events of mankind, inserted himself physically into the human experience via a tiny baby in a way unlike any other. History was altered. Nothing reflects this more than the fact that our present day calendar is hinged around the birth of Jesus (i.e. BC vs. AD). Regardless of one’s religious persuasion the Christmas story is a fascinating historical event. Even now, 2006, a first-run movie is in the headlines; yet another recounting of the story (i.e. The Nativity).

As I contemplated the first Christmas something struck me that I had never before considered. As a matter of fact, I’ve never heard it mentioned although as I now reflect upon it, it may be the most consequential aspects of the Christmas story. I’m not referring to the fact that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. I ‘m not discounting that the birth of Christ was the formal beginning of a solution for the sin problem of mankind.

The fact is God had voluntarily reduced Himself to one of the most dependent and vulnerable states known to humanity; that of a newborn baby. God, who embodies the very creative and sustaining force of the universe, packaged Himself in such a way that He was physically dependent upon an uninitiated teenage mother. While this is an absolutely remarkable event; even this is not what energized my reflections. Think about this; at one time in history, man enjoyed a special relationship with God. In the beginning, God and man had a special relationship. The Bible says that God walked in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day (Gen. 3). That all changed when man disobeyed God.

The aspect of the Christmas story that caused the Angels to Rejoice, the shepherds to race to the manger, and the Wise men to travel from afar was the “touch of a mother.” You see, for the first time in thousands of years, mankind (i.e. Mary) physically embraced God. Mary held God in her hands. Intimacy was restored between man and his Creator. The purity of the moment, the innocence of the moment, and the significance of the moment is symbolized by a newborn being gently caressed by a new mother. Not long afterwards He was gone as abruptly as He entered; crucified on the cross.

This is not the end of the story. While we do enjoy the indwelling Helper (i.e. the Holy Spirit) to sustain the intimacy of the Christ child within us, we have the promise that one day He will return for us. There is no doubt in my mind that each of us will enjoy the same dynamic played out in touch between Mary and the baby Jesus; we will have the awesome privilege to physically embrace God.

Think about it . . . . then raise your hands toward heaven!

Never Give Up

DateLine (12/06/06 – Nanuet, NY)

When I began my college experience at a small liberal arts school there were two classes of Freshman General Chemistry. As I remember it about half of those students were declared Chemistry Majors (~ 20 students). Four years later only four of us walked across the stage at commencement as degreed Chemists. Over 30% of college students leave after the first year and almost 50% never graduate, according to the Department of Education as documented on http://www.youngmoney.com/. This statistic is consistent with my observation. Most of my peers did not flunk out, they dropped out or quit.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States once said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Most long term human endeavors suffer from lack of persistence. Persistence is one of the most undervalued character traits. God saw fit to challenge us via the book of Hebrews to exhibit persistence in 12:1; “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.” It’s clear that a part of the human challenge is to press on even when we’d rather just drop by the wayside.

As a parent one of the some of the most important traits that I can model is persistence. My cue to model these traits is the Father. We don’t think of the Christmas story of one of persistence but it is. From the beginning, God planned a rescue of creation. Through thousands of years He stuck to the plan. About two thousand years ago the pace of the plan quickened; God became a man. The plan is still on track today. Christmas is a reminder of the persistence of God. There are no carols that echo the words; doggedness, perseverance, persistency, tenacity, tenaciousness, and pertinacity but there should be.

This Christmas as you see the lights, hear the carols, and prepare for family gatherings let it remind you of the persistence of the Father.

Ready For Worship

DateLine (11/29/06 – Nanuet, NY)

It was the Saturday night ritual; pull out the shoe shine box, shine the shoes; find the Sunday School quarterly, read the Sunday School lesson, and lay out the Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, offering and Bible ready for the next day. I suppose It was born out of necessity given that their were three children in the family; an attempt to diffuse the chaos that surrounds a normal Sunday morning by virtue of night before preparations. The practice too was formed by the era; a time when one was expected to wear “Sunday best” to church and to do your part so that your Sunday School class grade would be high. 100% didn’t just mean that you showed up; it meant that you were in Sunday School, intended to stay for preaching, brought your Bible, contributed an offering and made an outreach contact sometime during the week. When they said Sunday “School” they meant you got a grade. You did not want to be the one who prevented your class from being 100%. To this day I tend to check my shoes on Saturday night to see what kind of shape they’re in for Sunday. So the ritual consisted of one part appearance, one part spiritual, and one part practical.

What’s to be learned from the old fashioned way of Sunday School preparation? There is merit to the concept of preparing for church services prior to the event; especially worship. I can tell you from experience that when I reverently review the providential care afforded to me by the Father during the week just ending and I think ahead in anticipation of a day of worship on Sunday, the quality of my Sunday experience is enhanced. It is inevitable that reflecting on God’s reach to and provision for us reminds us of the sin that lurks within. When our personal evil is exposed, the only response is to bow our spirits in confession. When we confess we move close to God. When we are close to God our understanding of God’s revelation is magnified and gratefulness oozes from us. There is no doubt in my mind that our time together on Sunday morning is dulled because many of us are in recovery from the night before.

It is not my primary interest to simply encourage you to make better preparations for your Sunday worship. There is a greater need during the Holiday season that is before us. God began to prepare for Christmas from the beginning of time. Prophecy foretold of the Christ child to be Savior. Centuries of anticipation made ripe the reception of the Incarnate for those whose who were watching. The journey of the Wise Men was months in the making; gifts were procured in advance; culminating in worship of the new “King.” Even the humble parents; Mary and Joseph; anticipated the birth of Jesus for months. For me it is very easy to rush, heads down, right to the day of Christmas; pre-occupied with the routines of life. By experience I have found that this sacred season commemorating the birth of the Savior of mankind can be overshadowed by ritual, imposed expectations, commercialism, and my own lack of preparation.

What did my childhood Saturday night ritual teach me that can be applied during the Christmas season; prepare, anticipate, and participate. Time spent with family, exchange of gifts with the familiar and the needy, reflection leading to thankfulness and a recognition of blessedness; these are all preparations for the season of Christmas.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.

Don’t let the self-absorption of “Saturday night” overshadow the celebration of “Christmas morning.”

Asleep Sitting Up

DateLine (11/22/06 – Green Pond, SC)

The Thanksgiving Holiday news is filled with the travails of travelers. Seems as if almost 30 million persons in the US are expected to travel at least 50 miles or greater to visit family this holiday season. Almost 3 million are expected to travel by airplane. This fact alone is the primary reason why I am not traveling this week. This is the week of the “infrequent” traveler.

One of the requirements of traveling as I do is the need to catch a few winks whenever the situation presents. 6:00 AM flights become an opportunity to make up sleep lost during the short night. Delayed, missed or canceled late night flights force one to create “beds” in busy public airports. It’s a survival skill for the road warrior although travel sleep is never as good as sleeping in your bed. As a matter of fact, it’s hardly ever horizontal. I am here to declare that I have perfected the art of sleeping sitting up. I’m not sure if it’s an acquired skill or a result of chronic sleep fatigue; I simply drop my head and in an instant I’m counting sheep. I have slept in many an airplane seat. I have slept during morning flights, mid-day flights, and evening flights. I have spent the night in airport waiting areas with strangers. I can tell you from first-hand experience that spending the night in the Philadelphia airport is a scary event.

Church statisticians tell us that almost 70% of churches in the US are plateaued or declining; this at a time when the enemy is aggressively pursuing his agenda in the culture. Near the end of Jesus’ life, as His humanity was struggling with the prospects of His impending death and alienation from the Father, He invited His two closest friends to hang by His side in the Garden of Gethsemane. At His greatest point of need, the persons that He had personally chosen to spend His most intimate time with on earth wilted; they fell asleep.

The parallels between the scene from Gethsemane and the condition of the contemporary church are striking. Jesus had a simple request for the disciples; pray with me. Likewise the request for today’s church is simple; tell others about me. In a time that requires vigilance from the church; “she” snoozes away much like the disciples during Jesus’ last hours. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:40.

Sleep is necessary and no one or institution is to be begrudged their rest. No doubt the church is as busy as it ever has been. With so many churches in decline the facts would seem to indicate that we have lost our effectiveness. When it comes to the work of the church we should all make sure that we’re not “asleep sitting up!"

Traditions

DateLine (11/15/06 – Nanuet, NY)

The Thanksgiving season will be received with mixed emotions in the Neal household this year; a tradition will die. For as many years as Harriett and I have had children and then grandchildren, the day after Thanksgiving was a given. To an outsider it may seem trivial. In fact, in the overall scheme of things, it is trivial. But to us it was a cherished tradition. The tradition has nothing to do with Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year; it has nothing to do with eating leftover turkey from the previous day’s Thanksgiving celebration.

The day after Thanksgiving for us was a trip to the Spartanburg Christmas parade and a trip to the Beacon drive-in. For almost 30 years, we parked in the same place, stood in the same place, bought the same “pop balls” to throw on the pavement at the feet of anyone who came near, and enjoyed a cherished tradition. We did not set out to establish a tradition years ago when we first decided to take our young children to one of the first regional celebrations of the Christmas season; it just happened. It wasn’t just the parade. For the first 20 years or so it was the chance to rub elbows and shake the hand of a living legend, Strom Thurmond. Every parade day, he and his entourage would make their way to the Beacon for lunch and he’d work the bulging lines with the zest of a rookie politician even as he slipped into his 90s.

Traditions are comfortable. They usually remind us of good times. They are predictable. They are safe. To break a tradition, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, reminds us of the uncertainty of life. The parade organizers in Spartanburg, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to move the day of the parade to a weeknight closer to Christmas. For us it will not be the same. So this season, our family has a dilemma. Our choices are to spend the day in mourning over a lost tradition, ignore the passing altogether, or seize the opportunity to start a new tradition. It is not yet clear to us what it will be; hence the mixed emotion of the season.

Christians have traditions as well; so do churches. There is nothing wrong with traditions per se, but there is a certainty. At some point the tradition will be no longer. For some we will tire of it. For others it will be wrestled from them as it was for us due to actions and decisions of others. For some we shared the tradition with others who no longer wishes to be a part or perhaps has passed on to eternal life. On occasion we will decide that the tradition is no longer desirable, relevant or healthy.

Jesus spent a lot of time during His earthly ministry combating religious tradition; the tradition of the Pharisees and Sadducees. We should take a clue from Him and have a healthy distrust of religious traditions. The problem with religious traditions is that they tend to become our “servants” instead of God’s “vehicles.” We should do everything humanly possible to insure that traditions do not become impediments to the advancement of God’s kingdom. We should be prepared on occasion to sacrifice traditions that are comfortable to us for the overall benefit of the body of Christ and all of humanity. The warning is sounded from the very mouth of Jesus when he stated, “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." Mark 7:13

A tradition lost for whatever reason is an opportunity to begin anew.

Cleaning Out

DateLine (11/8/06 – Simpsonville, SC)
Guest Contributor for Reference Point (Libby Janik)

This week, I began the ever so fun task of CLEANING OUT---closets, kitchen drawers, the pantry, under the bed (eeek!). My entire house had been overtaken by the "junk" and clutter that had accumulated in the two years since I moved in. So I decided to take action. My bedroom closet was unspeakable--- I couldn't even close the door due to the piles of clothes, linens, towels, and lots of other things that covered the floor. I began by following the tradition of those AWESOME clean-up shows on HGTV. I made three piles: things to throw away, things to donate, and things to keep. Two hours later I had thrown away old ratty shoes, torn and tattered jeans, and lots of trash; I had 4 bags of clothes and shoes in good condition to donate; and I had organized the "keepers" into a neat closet where I can actually find what I'm looking for and (wow) even close the door! I even found clothes I had forgotten about.

All this cleaning out really made me think: doesn't my heart sometimes become a cluttered mess? Don't I hold onto so much trash that it's hard for me to keep the door closed? (and by "door" I mean "mouth") Consider as I did that every now and again, or as often as it takes, maybe we need to look at our hearts with an objective eye and begin to clean out and start over.
What should we donate, or give away, to others? Hebrews 13:16 says, "Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." How often do we run across hurting people and keep our encouragement to ourselves when we should be giving it away to others? I know my schedule is sometimes packed (whose isn't?) and giving of my time is certainly something I need to work on. What do you need to donate from your heart? Money, encouragement, time, a hug, a phone call?

What do we need to trash? How many times do we enter God's presence, at church, in our prayers, during communion, with unconfessed sin in our lives? How often do we hold onto bitter words someone said or mean things people did in our past? What are we allowing to enter our hearts via television, radio, gossip, bad language that has embedded itself into our souls? We as Christians are called to be holy as Jesus is holy (1 Peter 1:15). Maybe it's time we threw away our bitterness, our envy, our anger. Maybe it's time we threw away our unconfessed sin, or our ongoing sin, by confessing to God and turning things in a new direction with His help.

And then that leaves us with the things in our hearts we should keep. Maybe (like I did in my closet) we'll find things we didn't even remember we had. Remember those Bible verses we learned in Vacation Bible School so long ago? Now that the trash is gone, we can find those again. What about the characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control---all keepers! What else can we keep at the forefronts of our souls, minds, and hearts when all the clutter is in its place? The Holy Spirit wants to speak to us, and it's a lot easier for us to hear His voice with our hearts if our hearts are free of "clutter".

I know that life is hard, and that life "gets in the way". Satan and his armies are very real and very scary. This world is evil. Let's do our part to combat Satan and be devoted to God by doing a "clean out" of our hearts, our homes, our relationships, and our church. And while you're at it, you might even find time for your closet!

Facing “Goliath” With Confidence

DateLine (11/1/06 – Naas, County Kildare, Ireland)

Consider three situations. Imagine a shepherd boy entrusted with a portion of the family fortune; a herd of sheep. A lonely profession; hours of solitude watching the sheep lazily graze away. The calm occasionally punctured by the predatory lion or bear making its way toward a straying sheep. Either learn to deal with the challenge or succumb to the loss.

The next situation. A seemingly undefeatable challenger stands for forty straight days delivering demeaning taunts to the opposing army. A courageous young lad steps up when even the hardened veteran is not willing to face the foe. The pride and survival of a nation rides on the shoulders of the least likely citizen; who had not even received training as a soldier.

Now finally consider the obstacles that you and I face every day. I don’t know about you but each day I’m presented with something that I feel as if I’m not qualified to do; a public presentation, a stretch for a goal if not met will lay your “soul” bare for examination, you substitute your challenge here.

Now’s let’s tie all three situations together. You may have already considered that the shepherd is David of Bible fame. This same shepherd lad is the improbable hero against the giant Philistine, Goliath. We all know the outcome of that story in 1 Samuel 17. What does that have to do with you and me? We all face our “Goliaths.” Not only is this story ripped from the pages of Jewish history its rich allegory inspires us all to persevere against the obstacles that stands in our way. But I want to focus on a little detail of the story that is almost never emphasized; at least as it should be in my opinion.

The uncommon courage of David is unquestionable. That David’s courage was fueled by prior deliveries from harm’s way during his time as a shepherd is demonstrated by his own words; “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." 1 Sam. 17:37. Summoning the strength to move forward against obstacles requires a supernatural boost.

Here’s where I would like to emphasize an oft ignored part of the story. As David moved toward what many viewed as an insurmountable challenge, what many viewed as a guaranteed defeat, he stooped at the brook that separated himself from his obstacle. As he dipped his arm in the cool refreshing water of the gently flowing brook to retrieve five stones he immediately found comfort. You see, for a brief moment, right in the midst of the struggle I can imagine that he was transported in mind to the cool refreshing stream in the valley where God had delivered him from the lion and the bear which sought to steal his sheep. If God could deliver David from the unmatched battle between man and beast surely God is faithful to deliver him from the hands of his immediate enemy, Goliath.

Here’s something for us all to remember. David did not defeat his Goliath based on learned skills of soldiering. He could not even hold-up the armor and traditional weapons of soldiering. David gained the “skills” required to defeat Goliath in the solitude of fellowship with God during the many hours of shepherding.

The same young man, who defeated the undefeatable, was the same man who later wrote of his relationship with God by taking us back to the shepherd’s “pasture”.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23.

When you look up to find the “unscalable mountain” before you follow David’s example; stop, dip your hand into the cool stream of God’s fellowship, and pick up the “weapons” that you need to defeat your “foe.”

It Ain't Natural

DateLine (10/26/06 – Naas, County Kildare, Ireland)

Back when Lou Holtz was still Football Coach at Carolina it became known that he had a list of 100 things that he wanted to do before he died. He had maintained the list over a period of time and at every opportunity was clicking them off. I wonder how many he has left? I have never formalized a list but I do have some things that I’d like to do before I die. As a matter of fact this week I did one and am still doing it. I’m back in Ireland on business this week. Heretofore I have taken advantage of a car service to cart me back and forth. I’ve never driven in Ireland; that is until this trip. Expecting this to be my last trip to Ireland, I decided to rent a car. The reason this merits clicking off a life goal is they drive on the wrong side of the road. Yes in Ireland you steer from the right hand side of the car and you drive on the left hand side of the road; “It ain’t natural.”

I can tell you that it’s been almost forty years since I have had to concentrate so much on my driving. Every driving instinct has to become a conscious thought. I didn’t realize how much my driving had become instinctual until this week. Some people might comment in my case driving is a case of bad instincts but that’s another story. To begin with you find yourself constantly approaching the car from the passenger side (left hand side.) The seat belt is not over your left shoulder it’s over your right shoulder. The rearview mirror is not to your right; it’s to your left. Cars pass you from your right, not your left. The manual shift is on the left, not your right. And just to throw a little curve at you, the accelerator is on the right and the turn signal is on the left like it is in a “normal” left hand driven car.

When you approach an intersection to turn, the cars don’t come from the direction your instinct tells you they should be. If I don’t keep my hand on the shift knob, I forget where to find the shifter. Yes that means I’ve typically driving with only one hand. I constantly have to look for the road markings and signs. And to make matters worse, those markings are not like US markings. One more twist; the country is full of roundabouts (i.e. traffic circles). You guessed it; traffic flows counterclockwise in a roundabout. OK, it’s not as bad as perhaps I’ve made it sound, but “it ain’t natural.” Don’t worry, I’m surviving. It’s actually kind of fun.

The Christian life is a lot like driving on the wrong side of the road. Our every instinct tells us to cross that center line. That’s because our instincts are born of the natural mind. Our intellect has to constantly remind us to stay left. Our knowledge of the rules of “driving” keeps us safe. We must know the rules and consciously follow them. Any lapse into instinct has the potential to cause us great harm. God directs our way through “roadside markings” and marks the hazards, sometimes going so far as to send a flagman to wave us off from danger. It takes our commitment, our concentration, and our discipline. To add an extra dimension of both danger and isolation, in the Christian life, a lot of people really are driving on the wrong side of the road; not the side that we drive on. It’s chaos.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” I Corinthians 2:12-16

Moral of this story: Trust God, it ain’t natural, but it will save your life.