Can a person choose their gender?  Are there more than two genders? What are your pronouns?  These questions would not have been asked 25 or 30 years ago. Why?  Because they are absurd questions. Absurd: “utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false.” (Dictionary.com)   They’re based on the fact that, today, people have some truly absurd beliefs. And why is that exactly? Why would an otherwise sane person believe that a person who is born a male can simply declare he is no longer a “he” but a “she”? Why would a logical person believe a person can have and use “they/them” as their personal pronouns? It’s absurd.

But the answers to those are easy. Satan.  That is a pretty big umbrella, but that umbrella covers all of the devil’s attributes:  He is cunning, crafty, and deceitful.  He is a liar and the father of all lies. There is no truth in him or anything he says/does. He can, has, and will deceive the most educated and intelligent among humans. 

The Bible has told us for a very long time that this was coming. I, and I believe most Christians, never really stopped and gave serious consideration to what it meant.  When something so demonstrably absurd (in every sense of the definition) can be seen as truth, we can see just how powerful the devil’s craftiness and deceit is.  

But understand this:  If Satan has made these lies to be seen as truth, if he had made this darkness in the soul seem like illumination, what is next?  If these are not the “end times”, I shudder to think of what the world will be like before Christ returns. 

I recently watched a video where a priest/preacher of a church claimed that Jesus is not the only way.  She claimed that John 14:6 (“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”) was misquoted and misunderstood. She claimed that there are other ways to know God…be saved. Joel Osteen said that he believed in Christ as the way to salvation but he couldn’t “judge” other people’s religion by telling them that they had to believe the same way.  Even the current Pope said that all religions lead to God.  What is going on? Those folks are the false teachers Jesus warned us about. What they say is heresy, pure and simple. 

Jesus IS the only way!

Think of it this way:  If there are other ways to know God and be in heaven then Jesus was totally unnecessary. His virgin birth, terrible death on the cross and resurrection was a waste of time and effort.  Listen to Jesus in His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane:  “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Do you understand what He was asking?  He knew what lay ahead. He knew of the people He loved rejecting Him. He knew of the torture and humiliation.  He knew of the suffering He was about to experience.  To paraphrase, He was saying that if…if…there was any other way for a person to have a relationship with God than what was about to happen, let’s do it that way. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could pray a few times a day, or count some beads, or live a mostly good life, or wear sacred clothes, or observe special days, or eat certain foods and earn our way to Heaven? Mark those things on a checklist every day and all is good, right? But…how many ways are there to God besides accepting Christ as your Savior and letting His sacrificial blood cover your sin? None. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Zero. Not one.

And I’m glad about that because I wouldn’t get in any other way.  I’m not good enough.

Not Done Yet: Celebrating 20 Years of MinistryThis coming Sunday, September 13, the church will recognize the fact that Angie and I have served here 20 years. Twenty years is a long time for a pastor to serve a church. And honestly, it’s a long time for me to live anywhere.  My family moved around a bit as I grew up.  In fact, I attended school in six different cities in only 18 years (including attending three different high schools). I guess you could say that moving around is in my blood. At the least it was never a hindrance in my ministry decisions.  

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬So why 20 years here? I certainly never thought I would stay at a church that long. So I’ll give you a short answer as to why I am still here:  God is not through with me here.  When deciding if I want to pursue a calling from another church to leave the church I’m serving, there is the one important question I ask of the Lord.  “Father, are You through with me here?” That’s what I want to know.  That’s the question I must ask. I want to know if I have done all I was sent to do.  Is it God’s timing?

So…I’m here because God isn’t through with me here. Now, please understand that means that there are still things He wants us to do.  It’s not just about me…it is about us; you and me.  We have things to do! God is not through with you and I working together.  That is a truly exciting thought, isn’t it?  It means we will accomplish even more.  The Church on the Bluff has value to this community because we have value to God.  

If I don’t hush I’m going to start preaching!  Thank you, church, for your hard work and I’m looking forward to whatever the Lord has for us to do.

On occasion, when someone asks me how I’m doing, I’ll reply that I’m “average”. Somehow, over the years, average has become a goal. Average is seen as a good thing; acceptable.  But let’s look at the average a little more closely.  If there are five people in a room and their ages are 16, 22, 29, 51 and 60, the “average age” is 35.5 years.  Now, no one in that room has any attributes… physical, medical, or life experiences of a genuine 35-year-old person. So the average age means nothing in reality.

Suppose you are a salesperson with “average” abilities. Potential employers will not be tripping over themselves trying to hire you.  Sure there are salespeople with less ability than you…but there are just as many with higher skills. Honestly, I wonder why people are satisfied with being “average”?  Why not be awesome, fantastic, wonderful, or outstanding?  Especially when it comes to our Christian lifestyle.

Why are we content to have an average knowledge of the Bible? Or an average prayer life?  Why do we settle for being average when it comes to attendance or participation in church activities and programs?  I cringe when I read or hear the words “an average Christian”.

I want to be a “way above average” Christian, and I want us to be a “way above average” church.

Don’t you?

I’ve seen a lot of changes over my lifetime and will undoubtedly see many more.  We are much smarter than we used to be.  Well, most are.  I remember black and white television sets (that weighed a ton), phones hooked to the wall and sharing a “party line” with neighbors. Now I can watch a television program in full color…on my phone (that I always carry with me).

When I think of all the advances in the medical field, engineering, manufacturing, and agriculture, it truly boggles my mind (I mean…driverless automobiles?) . And I ask “what’s next?  What new thing will come along and change the way we do things or allow us to do things faster or better?” There is no telling.

We are indeed smarter than the generations before us and the next generations will be even smarter.  But, and this is important, we are not any wiser.  Not one bit. People ask how the Bible, written thousands of years ago, could possibly be relevant to people as intelligent and knowledgeable as we are.  The answer is this:  The Bible wasn’t written to give us information about medicine, or engineering, or manufacturing. It was written to human beings by the God who created them.  It addresses the carnal nature of mankind.  And that has not and will not change.  The brilliant scientists, hard-working manufacturers, and technological geniuses are, to their core, human beings.  

They still experience greed, lust, selfishness, sexual confusion, hate, and anger.  They still lie, cheat, steal, gossip, and slander.  No matter how brilliant the chemist, computer whiz, rocket scientist, or physician is, he or she is still driven by the things that ultimately bring about pain, heartache, broken homes, and loneliness.  The sins we face today are the exact sins with which our ancestors struggled and the ones that will plague our descendants. Hebrews  13:8 tells us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The reason? Because humankind does not change.  We thus need Him more than ever. Read, study, and learn your Bible:  it is the most relevant book ever written!

‬‬‬‬‬‬I was informed by a lady once that the Sabbath Day is Saturday. Thus, by my choice to call Sunday the Sabbath and doing stuff on Saturday, I was being disobedient…maybe even heretical. We were at a wedding rehearsal and it wasn’t the proper time to argue theology with a stranger, so I just told her that I respected her belief and continued the rehearsal.

Here is what I personally believe about the Sabbath:  I believe it to be an “old covenant” institution for God’s Hebrew nation to both give them a time of rest and to glorify God. While the model was certainly based on the creation story, I think the Hebrews went a little overboard on the observance. But that’s what a carnal mind does with divine commands:  it reduces them to a list of “dos” and “don’ts”. 

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.” (Exodus‬ 20‬:8‬, 10‬ NIV‬‬).  Here is a brief synopsis of what the verse says: Keep the Sabbath holy and do not do any work that day. Now, here is where the human mindset comes in.  How do we do that? The reasoning at the time was (and is now) was that to make the day holy we are to do nothing that brings us pleasure.  For instance, reading (except for scripture), watching television, listening to the radio, and recreation of any kind (plus many other things) are strictly forbidden.  

OK, we have nailed the “keep it holy” part. What about work? We can’t cook on the Sabbath (although reheating food that was cooked before sunset on Friday is permissible…as long as you do not have to build a new fire). We are told we can only walk a certain distance; no traveling in a vehicle is allowed; we can’t lift a burden (I wonder how much something must weigh before it becomes a burden). The list goes on.

While Jesus kept the Sabbath as any Jew would, He emphasized that the Sabbath was also to benefit mankind. Then, His death and resurrection ushered in the new covenant.  The law (including the Sabbath) was not voided; it was enhanced. Don’t murder?  No…don’t even get angry. Don’t commit adultery? Nope. Don’t even lust. I believe that goes for the Sabbath, also.  Keep the Sabbath holy?  How about keeping every day holy?  But what about work?  Do we take every day off?  I wish.  But most everybody takes at least one day off during the week…sometimes more.

Christians have decided to meet and sing songs of praise and worship on Sunday.  The early disciples did so because Jesus (the Lord of the Sabbath) rose from the dead on that day.  We call it the “Lord’s Day” and strive to make the day as special as possible. But, honestly, I’m more tired on Sunday than most other days of the week. 

Make every day a “sabbath” to the Lord.  Dwell on Him.  Read His word. Live out your faith so people see Him in you.  I think God will be pleased. And I’ll see you on the Lord’s Day, and we will study, worship and fellowship.

In 1918, a United States postage stamp was printed with the center image upside down. Only one sheet of 100 stamps was printed. In 2018, a single stamp from that sheet sold for almost $1.6 million! What makes a stamp worth that much money? For one thing, it is very rare. But even that doesn’t really explain why it sold for that amount. The fact of the matter is that “worth is determined by what someone is willing to give. It’s just that simple.

There are a lot of people in this world who feel that they aren’t worth much. Many think that their financial situation, social standing, material possessions, or even their weight or looks mean they lack value. Perhaps you feel that way.  So ask yourself this question: “What is someone willing to give for me?”

Look up at that cross on Calvary. See the Man hanging there? Do you see the blood running down His face, hands, and feet? Can you make out the agony on His face? You probably can’t hear His tortured whispers as He speaks. Hour after hour He suffers; the pain is unimaginable. That is the very Son of God, Creator of the universe. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. That is what you are worth to God. That’s what He is willing to give for you.

No matter who you are, no matter how the world views you, you have immense worth and value to the One who matters. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John‬ 3‬:16‬ NIV‬‬). God has a purpose and a plan for you. You are worth a lot more than some little postage stamp … to the One who matters. ‬‬‬‬‬‬

I had a visitor, David Cost, who works with Life On Wheels.  The same day, I had lunch with Randy Wolf.  Randy is a Gideon (who has visited our church on several occasions).  Randy volunteers at the Sav-A-Life organization just down the road from the church.  These organizations are both dedicated to helping women who are in a crisis situation with pregnancies.  They offer help and advice, especially in discovering alternatives to abortion.  Sav-A-Life is a brick and mortar building on Vestavia, while Life on Wheels has two mobile units that travel to different locations.  I applaud both organizations and those two men who dedicate their time and effort to providing help and information for women.

In case you haven’t noticed, I abhor abortion. I feel for women who find themselves in a situation where they feel an abortion is their only recourse to an unexpected and/or unwanted pregnancy.  For the overwhelming number of women who choose abortion the decision is gut-wrenching and seen as a last resort. God still loves those who had to make the decision,  as do I.  And I truly hope that their repentance comes forth and secures the forgiveness that every sinner needs. The blood of Christ covers all sin…even the taking of an innocent life. And that is what abortion does.

Those calloused hearts that cry out for abortion at any time for any reason use euphemistic language to try to lessen the horror of what they call for.  “It’s women’s healthcare” (what about the baby’s health care?) “My Body, My choice” (they’re not dissecting her body) “it is just a clump of cells” (we are all just a clump of cells). But the fact of the matter is an abortion ends a life.  An innocent life.  It may be harsh to say so, but it is murder.  There is a living human being in the womb, and some kill it.  

Some would say that we who oppose abortion are trying to force our religious beliefs on people. Science, however, says that life begins at conception. And I do know un-religious people who have enough common sense to know that and want to protect the life of the child in the womb.  Know this, though, the absence of that scientific fact would not permit me to disregard what the Bible says about the beginning of life: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 

Who has the authority to say that something God created has no worth or value?  Certainly not you or me.

Psalms‬ 139‬:13‬-16‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A current philosopher wrote that if it took a promise of eternal reward to motivate someone to do good, then that someone was a (expletive) person. To me, that is just another example of someone totally ignorant about Christianity; no concept of what salvation is and what it does. Christianity is more than just a person deciding to do good, so he/she won’t go to hell. Vastly more.

In fact, if that is the only reason you decide to do good things, I’m not too sure you’ve gained that eternal life. Suppose a man offered you $50 to wash his car. You agree and wash it. When you are through, the car is clean, but you haven’t changed a bit. You did it to enrich yourself. Did you do a good thing? I suppose the man whose car you washed would say so. Are you better off after washing it? You are 50 bucks richer. But nothing has changed about you!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Christianity is about change. You are not the same person with the same worldly outlook. You have been made new, and the Holy Spirit dwells within. Whatever good you do is done for God’s glory. You love Him, you worship Him, and you serve Him.  Life is not about you any longer. You are reborn: a new person. That new person has the heart of Christ, the Mind of Christ, and the desires of Christ. Salvation is a life-changing event.

I know the philosopher thinks himself to be knowledgeable about many things. And I’m sure he is. But his statement about Christianity shows him to be woefully ignorant about that subject. Again, just another example of Satan lying to and deceiving someone. As for me …I’d rather be ignorant about the carnal mind and to know the truth in Christ.

Say good things about your Savior and His Church on the Bluff.