My daughter's finger got smashed in a door not too long ago. Assuming it was surely broken mom instantly wanted to take her to the emergency room. Dad tried to calm both daughter and mother, trying to get them both to wait and see how quickly the pain would subside. After a few tears from both Anna Maria was back to playing at full force. After about 30 minutes she was called again for a further examination. We asked her if it still hurt. Not only did it no longer hurt we were not even able to ascertain which finger she had smashed. There was no pain or visible damage what so ever, she didn't even remember if it was on her right or left hand. Let me tell you from experience when a bone is broken it hurts! I broke a finger skiing. Later that day, it hurt; the next morning it hurt; 3 days later when we got back from the ski trip it hurt; a week later when friends finally convinced me to go to the doctor it hurt.

There are times that God needs to break us. Many of us will never understand what He wants for us until He breaks us. And I am sorry to have to tell you this but it is going to hurt. We all understand the work-out analogy "No pain no gain." God does not break us because He wants to hurt us, rather His desire is our growth. If you are going through something right now and it hurts maybe you should stop and try to understand what God wants us to teach you.

Do you have your Christmas list all made out? Have you already added a couple of holiday pounds? Are you children snuggled in bed with visions of sugar plums... well you get the idea. This year has really seemed to just pick up speed for myself and seemingly everyone one I have spoken with over the past couple of weeks. Don't you wish that we could just put on the breaks and bring life,occasionally, to a screeching halt. A chance to stop and figure out what you are forgetting, who you are forgetting, and what you wish you could forget? Let this just be a gentle reminder not to forget whose birthday it is that we are celebrating. Don't forget to put Jesus on your list. How do you put Jesus on your list? The last time I checked there are hundreds of ways. Jesus said, if you give a drink of cold water in my name you give it to me. If you visit the sick you are visiting me. So do you know anyone a bit less fortunate than yourself? Do you know anyone who won't be having much of a Christmas this year, by making someone like this the recipient of a blessing you are giving Jesus exactly what He wants for Christmas this year.

Thanksgiving... already?

It's been a strange year. Thanksgiving seems to have just come out of no where, but here we are 2 days away. The irony is that there hasn't been a year in recent memory that I have had more for which to be thankful. First and foremost God's love and the gift of His Son, some would say that should go without saying, I say that should never go unsaid. I am thankful for family and friends, my wonderful daughter and my beautiful wife.

Those are personal. While looking back over the year we have had at Cornerstone I can say with confidence that we have truly been blessed. In a year when most churches have had to cut programs and ministries because members have lost jobs due to a lagging economy, and not been able to give like they have in the past, our giving has increased. Our baptisms have increased. Our membership has increased. Our attendance has increased. And while all of those things are wonderful, more than all of that I have seen remarkable growth in the love and compassion our members have shown to one another. I told our congregation at the beginning of the year that this was going to be a year when we would be tested to see if we were going to bond together and be there for one another and I thank God that we have been tested and more so, that, in my humble opinion, we have passed the test.

Risky Calls

I love the Indianapolis Colts. What would you expect from a boy born and bred in the Hoosier state? Last night's game with the Patriots will go down in history as one of the greatest regular season games of all time, but not because the Colts won but rather because of the call the Patriot's coach made to go for it on 4th & 2 from his own 28 yard line with a 6 point lead. When you talk about risk you don't get one any bigger than that in football. He rolled the dice and it cost his team the game.

Interestingly enough as the game was starting we were visiting with our friends from Kyrgyzstan. Anara has been a Christian for about 5 years but her husband who just came to the states 3 months ago, as of yet has not placed his faith in Christ. We have been sharing with him for the past 3 months and he seems genuinely interested in Christianity but just isn't quite ready to take the final step. Last night we felt it was time to encourage him to really consider if he believes everything we have been telling him or if it is just interesting history. Our biggest concern is the risk he is taking if he continues to wait. In football if you gamble and make a risky call it can cost you the game, in choosing Christ, taking the risk of waiting can cost you your very soul. Luke 12:20 says; "You fool this very night your life will be demanded of you..." Is it worth the risk?

Is the H1N1 virus more virulent than other flu bugs? I don't know. I know the media is having a hey day with all the sensationalizing of the illness. But when you consider the fact that during any given week during the regular flu season 1000 people die we simply need to remember that any illness can become serous if not taken seriously. Simple steps like thorough hand washing especially after contact with another person will go a long way to helping avoid the spread of this disease. Any illness not taken seriously can lead to sever complications just like when we don't take sin seriously. Sin's attack is subtle, no one walks out and decides, today I am going to commit adultery. It begins with an innocent compliment from or to a coworker. It leads to confiding in that person, and long before any physical act has taken place the sin of emotional adultery has long since been committed. No one wakes up today and says today I am going to commit murder typically it takes a long line of lesser crimes before one builds to the taking of a life. We extinguish small fires because when we don't they burn down homes and country sides. Satan loves to ignite little flames just to see how big of a fire he can get going in your life. Sin is sin and we need to recognize it as being sin. There are not big sins or little sins. In the eyes of God, sin is sin and we must never forget that God does not take sin lightly.
"Be sure your sins will find you out." Numbers 32:23

In Case of Emergency

The mayor of Moscow promises a snow free winter. Maybe you have seen the headlines, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov promised to use the Russian air force to drop chemicals on the moisture laden clouds before they get to Moscow causing them to drop all of their precipitation before reaching the city. Is manipulating the weather manipulating God? I don't think so but do we not, at times, try to manipulate God? “If you save me God I'll be a missionary.” Okay God here’s $5 now bless me. I asked my congregation yesterday, who is God to you? For many of us God and our communication with Him are, "In Case of Emergency" only. He is kept safely behind the glass of self sufficiency. But like the glass you break to get to the fire alarm God sometimes has to shatter your pride, or smash your sense of arrogance in order to remind you that He is God. What a shame it is that we require such reminders. How sad it is that God is our parachute, we’re glad He’s there but we sure hope we never have to pull the rip cord. Ask yourself this, if prayer were like a telephone, would God be on your speed dial because, like your best friend, you call him often, or because He is like 911, the button that is there but you certainly don’t want to need?

Is There Joy in the Journey?

I wonder if there is joy in your journey. We spend too much trying to get somewhere. We have to get to work; we have to get to the store; we have get the kids to school. I am learning that God's will for my life is not a destination, it is an adventure. Did you ever take a walk on the beach? Where were you going? That is the way we should view life, as if each and every moment of each and every day is a precious treasure from God. Those moments getting ready, those moments getting the kids ready, those moments stuck in traffic. If you don't have these moments then you have no life, because that is what life is, a succession of moments. Take them for what they are, treasures to be treasured. And we would do well keep in mind that once the moments have passed they are gone they can never be retrieved, or relived, only remembered.