Glory Days
I had a friend was a big baseball player
back in high school
He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool boy
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside sat down had a few drinks
but all he kept talking about was
Glory days well they’ll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl’s eye
Glory days, glory days
As I think about those lyrics, I can’t help but look forward to the new year, which begins in just two days. It’s almost unbelievable to me that 2015 is just about over. Time passes much too quickly. As I ponder a new year, I wonder how many people aren’t looking ahead but are just stuck in the past, similar to the main character in Springsteen’s song. Perhaps you are one of those people. Perhaps you aren’t excited about the opportunities (and maybe even challenges) that lie ahead. Perhaps you are preoccupied with what should have been, with what could have been, with what used to be. It seems to me that there are far too many people that are stuck in the past instead of looking to the future. If you are one of those people, can I submit something to you? To be stuck in the past is to miss the opportunities of the present. I am not telling you to forget about the past, but I am telling you to avoid living in it. If you don’t find a way to move forward, you’ll never be all that God desires for you to be, and you certainly will never accomplish all that He has for you to do.
I preached a sermon this past week from Esther 4 that included three things not to do in order to avoid the trap of living in the past. Here they are:
- Don’t be daunted. Moving forward means lots of opportunities, and even some challenges. They won’t be easy, but serving the Lord wasn’t meant to be easy. Quite honestly, it is one of the most difficult things you’ll ever do, but the upside is great. There might be days where you walk in the valley but you can have the reassurance that you’re never walking alone. When you are serving the Lord and are in the center of His will there is no need to be scared or daunted at the task before you, because you know you are not “going it alone”. Just like the Lord used regular people like Moses, Gideon, and David, he can use us too to accomplish great things for His Kingdom, but we’ve got to be willing to step out and do the heavy lifting. Let’s be a people of faith and not of fear in this new year.
- Don’t doubt the divine call. There are things that you will be called to do. Callings that will come from the Lord Himself. Don’t doubt those calls. When the Lord call you to something, have the assurance of knowing that He will also bring you through it. Be prepared to answer His call. Now remember that not all promptings or callings are from God. A divine call is a call that can only come from God Himself. So how do you know when He is calling? That brings me to my third sand final “don’t”.
- Don’t deviate from the essentials. You want to make sure that God is really speaking to you and discern what He is actually saying? Then it’s time to get back to basics. Fasting, praying, and reading Scripture all on a consistent, regular basis. Fasting will drive you to your knees quicker than anything I know. Don’t believe me? Go without food and drink for one day. I dare you. Once you’re on your knees praying for His strength and wisdom, you will be amazed at what the Lord does not only in your life, but for others whose behalf you are fasting and praying. Sometimes we crave the “deeper” things of God that we forget the essentials. If we really want to move forward, then it’s time to get re-rooted in the foundations of our faith.
So, that’s it. That’s my grand plan. More of a list of what not to do as opposed to what to do, but important all the same. As we approach a new year, it’s time to move forward into exciting new areas of service that the Lord wants us. It’s time to blaze new trails. Simply put, it’s time to get going. You can’t get going if you don’t let go. Otherwise, you will end up missing the blessings and you will be left with nothing but stories of what could have been. Don’t get caught up in trying to go back to the “glory days”, because we might miss the glory days that are right in front of us.
Let’s get going. I love you.
JP.
p.s. If some of you want to relive the glory days of “The Boss’” hey-day, here you go. You’re welcome.
An Ornament Worth Sharing
Well, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! We are now just eight days away! Christmas is without a doubt my favorite time of year, as I’m sure it is for many of you as well. I love everything about it. The lights. The movies. The traditions with our kids. I can’t wait to read the Christmas story with the family and watch them open their pj’s on Christmas Eve, then sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and open presents on Christmas morning while eating Lacie’s famous sausage and cheese balls. All of these things and so many more just conspire to make a season of enchantment and wonder.
But as I sit and ponder the beauty and majesty of the Christmas season, I am reminded of a sobering fact. For many people, the holiday season is not a time of enchantment and wonder. On the contrary, for many it is a time of great pain and reminder of loss. For a variety of reasons, many folks are just trying to get through it as quick as they can. As strange as it seems, many folks are simply trying to survive the holiday season rather than relish it.
So what should the response of one that loves Christmas be? Should we simply say “poor them”, offer a quick prayer and then get back to our Christmas celebrations? I’ve been pondering this question a lot lately, and because there so many people, including many in my congregation, that deal with great heartache year round but particularly during the Christmas season, I’m reminded of the importance of focusing not only on the true meaning of Christmas but also focusing on the deeper meaning of the Advent season.
For whatever reason, many churches choose not to focus on Advent. That is certainly their prerogative, but I choose to celebrate it as a corporate body because of its powerful themes. Advent simply means “coming”, so we celebrate the coming of Christ for five weeks leading up to Christmas. We started the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and we’ve been focusing on a different theme related to the Christ’s coming each week culminating in our Christmas Eve services. The themes are hope, peace, love, and joy. These themes speak powerfully to all of us about who Christ is and why His coming was and is so important, but they can be particularly powerful to those who are hurting during this season. Christ came so that we might have hope in a dark world, that we might have peace when chaos surrounds us, that we might be washed in His agape (divine, all-encompassing) love when we feel unlovable, and that we might experience the infinite measure of His joy, even when we might not necessarily be happy about our life situations. Wow!
What a message! What a savior! My friends, this should be our response! We need to share the message of advent with those we come in contact with, particularly those who are mired in a sense of hopelessness and despair this season. Let’s share the hope, peace, love, and joy that Christ did bring, is bringing, and will bring to a world that so desperately needs it, whether they realize it or not. Let us look at those around us, whether it’s at church, work, home, or wherever we may be with intentional eyes. May we think with intentional minds, and may we feel with intentional hearts.
Have you ever wondered about what the prettiest ornaments on a Christmas tree typically are? Most of the time, they are the ones that twinkle and shine the brightest. Why? Because those ornaments reflect the light that is shining upon it. What a concept, right? If the light of the world is shining upon us, then are we reflecting that light and shining brightly so that others can see it and experience the power of its glow? Everyone seems to love to exchange ornaments during this time of year. How about we be an ornament of hope, peace, love and joy this season? That, in my humble opinion, would be an ornament worth sharing with others.
Let us not get caught up in just looking at lights that we forget to be the light.
Merry Christmas. I love you.
JP
An Attitude of Gratitude
Can you believe that it’s only one week until Thanksgiving? My, how time flies! I don’t know about you, but I just love this time of year. The sights, the smells, the fellowship with family and friends. I can just about smell the fried turkey and picture my family gathered together around the table. All of it comes together to produce a wonderful season. But as I’ve been thinking about the approaching holidays and all the fun things that go along with it, I’ve been reminded that if I’m not careful, I could quickly lose sight of what is really important. So with that in mind, I just want to remind you about the importance of having an attitude of gratitude, not only this time of year, but all year around.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus-Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)
I love this verse! Paul is writing this letter to the church in Philippi. At the time of this writing, Paul was writing from Rome and was awaiting trial. It is remarkable to me that despite his precarious situation, Paul was thinking of others and not of himself! His mind has gone back to the believers in Philippi, and every recollection brings him great joy. This is particularly noteworthy when you read Acts 16 and discover some of the horrible things that happened to Paul while he was in Philippi. He was illegally arrested and beaten, was placed in stocks, and was humiliated before people. For most people, these memories would produce great sorrow, but not for Paul. Even these painful memories bring him great joy, because it was through this suffering that a prison guard found Christ! You see, Paul fully recognized that it wasn’t about him. It was through his sufferings that a greater purpose was realized and fulfilled. Paul knew full well what it meant to have an attitude of gratitude!
As I ponder upon Paul’s example, my mind and heart are flooded with gratitude and joy for so many people. First of all, the Lord has seen fit to bless me with a wonderful family. Lacie is truly an amazing wife, mother, pastor’s wife, best friend, and partner in ministry. She is also the mother to the three most beautiful, precocious children in the world. M’Lynn , Mallory, and Tripp stretch me in ways I never thought possible and push me every day to be a better Christian, a better father, and a better man. For that, I am eternally grateful. I have been blessed with wonderful parents who raised me in a loving, Christlike home and who taught me what it truly means to be a Christian. It is my privilege to be called their son and to be their pastor. I am also thankful for my baby brother, whom shall always be my best bud, even if we don’t see each other as much as either one of us would like. I am also blessed beyond measure to have the honor of pastoring an incredible church family. They are some of the warmest, most genuine, servant-hearted people I know, and it is a pleasure to serve Christ with them. I have the best friend in the world, and I work with the best staff on the planet. I am blessed beyond what I deserve.
I could go on and on. As I write this, my heart is full. What about you? As we approach yet another Thanksgiving, who in your life are you thankful for? Let me encourage you to tell that person or people that you are thankful for them. Tell them now while you still can. Remember to adopt an attitude of gratitude not just for this season but for all eternity. And from my house to yours, please know that you have my prayers for a most blessed Thanksgiving season!
Happy Thanksgiving,
JP