Debt We Cannot Pay

I have spent probably far too much time in the last week or so listening to debates concerning our national debt. I am not really sure I even know what a trillion is. Both parties seem convinced that their approach is the correct one and neither party seemed happy with the outcome.

This issue made me think about another unpayable debt called sin. This is a debt we all owe according to scripture, for all have sinned and fallen short of God's standard and there are none righteous among humanity, no not one. Yet we too desire to argue the impending danger. "Well I am a good person" some will say. " I am a much better person than..." others will argue. "I just do not understand why we have to talk about sin and hell and blood that was shed have we not progressed beyond that?"

Much like our representatives we would much rather ignore the issue and continue down the same path we are on telling everyone that it will be alright and we can have our cake and eat it too. But sometimes the reality of the truth intersects with life itself and we are forced to face the truth. So here it is! There is a debt called sin you cannot pay and a solution named Jesus that has paid your debt if you will receive His offer, and no there is not any other solution, so the choice is yours. My prayer is that you will receive with thanksgiving the great gift of Christ and live with gratitude in the freedom only He can give!

Aging Parents

I apologize for not posting anything for a few days now. My Dad has been ill. My Dad has always been a very strong man. Even into his seventies I have seen him lift things that I could not budge. But in the last months my Dad has become frail and weak and it has truthfully been difficult to watch. Once again the truth that these bodies will return to the dust from which they were created has been forced to the front of my mind. What was once young and strong becomes old and weak; the one who cared for you becomes the one that depends upon you. I am comforted by these words...

Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will

sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will

sustain you and I will rescue you.

It is comforting to know that our God goes with us even to our last day on this
planet. I am praying for my Dad to recover and have quality days ahead. I must
admit that there is selfishness involved, I do not want to lose him even though I
am confident that God has a place prepared for him. But also I hurt for my
Mom they have been married 63 years and she would be lost without him. But
Dad can claim this verse...

Psalm 71:17 (NIV)

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I

declare your marvelous deeds.

A Balanced View of Immagration

My great granddad came to this country from France at the age of fourteen. The only English word my Papa Conort knew was "eggs," guess you know what he ate a lot of for a while. He was here on a work visa, coal miner he was. He eventually went through citizenship classes and held up his hand and promised allegiance to our flag and to his new nation. A few years after his arrival my granddad was born, then a generation later my Mom and them me. Since that time I have had children and they have had children, but our beginnings were somewhere in France.

My great grandmother was born in Italy. She also came to this country as a teenager with her husband who came on a work visa. Married at thirteen (can you imagine that today?) she eventually also became an American citizen. My grandmother was born then my Mom. Both Papa and Maw never spoke very good English, I know some of you that know me are thinking that explains a lot! Maw spoke fluid Italian, my grandmother could understand it and spoke some, my Mom much less, I can curse in Italian, which can come in handy (just kidding) and my children do not know any Italian words that I know of. The recipes are still with us as real Italian Spaghetti is nothing like Olive Garden, but mostly the heritage has been lost through the generations.

I share my story just to let you know that I like most of you are products of someone who came from somewhere seeking a better life. Both my great grandparents came here legally. They both had to go through what was required for citizenship and they were both proud Americans. Most of the folks that are coming from other nations now seek the same things that my ancestors sought, they desire the opportunity to have a better life. Some are here for purposes not as noble whether that be illegal drug trafficking or to do harm to our nation.

What concerns me is that we seem to either go way one way or the other. Either we "want to send them all back" which if we went back a few generations would get us all. Or we want to allow anyone to come here in any way they may choose without any repercussions if they chose an illegal route to get here.

Sometimes I get amused because my conservative friends think I have gone "liberal" and my liberal friends are sure I am ultra conservative. I like to think I am fair minded. If our immigration laws are such that "good" people who just want the opportunity to work hard and make a life for themselves are having trouble getting through the bureaucracy to make that happen then we need to change the laws to give them the same opportunities my Papa and Maw had. If people choose to ignore the laws of our land then they need to face the same consequences that any of us face when we violate the law. I am for immigration let's just make it legal. That's my opinion I would love to hear yours!

What Does All the Violent Weather Mean?

Pastor does all of these weather deasters mean that the end of the world is near? Does the Bible not predict earthquakes and famines and wars and rumors of wars? What should I do? These are questions that are being asked all across the globe right now. Back in March we discussed these things in this space. But today I want to take a different approach to this subject. If we think Jesus is coming soon should we not be about our Father's business? If we simply believe that at the end of this life here on this planet there awaits an eternity that we will all face should we not be about the task of telling people about the love and grace of God?

I think what bothers me the most during these times of turmoil where people begin to be "concerned" about the end is why are these times different than any other times? Seldom does a week go by that someone we know, who knows someone, who knows...you get the picture...tells us about a tragedy of some nature. Maybe it is a terrible car wreck, or an accident on the water, or a bad doctors report. The point is this, people are leaving this world and facing eternity everyday. As followers of Jesus, those who believe He is the Way the Truth and the Life, should we not be concerned about the end of these people's world?

Stop worrying if the world is coming to an end and start being motivated to tell this world about a God who loved them so much that He gave His only Son to die in their stead! That is a story worth repeating, a witness worth sharing and a proclamation that will change everything!

The End of the World

Well today May 21st 2011 is suppose to be the last day on Earth as we know it, at least that is what someone is predicting. His prediction is suppose to be based upon Biblical calculations. I am not sure how he explains what Jesus said about no one knowing the day or the hour. But my point today is not whether or not he is right but rather how people respond to the fact that one day our Lord will indeed return. Now I personally do not claim to know when that day is, I just know that it will happen. I don't know if the rash of weather related events points to the end or not but I do know there will be an end.

Now if you are in Christ Jesus and you have trusted your soul to Him then it will be a glorious day inded. And the words of the Apostle ring throughout history "comfort one another with these words." If you are without Christ you should indeed be concerned for if you are "left behind" it will not be a place you desire to be. The people that cause me the most reflection are the ones who are storing up supplies for the end. Trust me there is not enough bottled water available. Think about it if you are storing up then you expect to be left and if you are, well supplies won't help. If you don't expect to be left then you don't need supplies, if you are not sure then take care of that now.

This line of logic adds meaning to what Jesus told his disciples about not taking anything with them when they went out to serve Him. If ever the saying you can't take it with you when you go had meaning it is today. So as I said to my Mom when I hung the phone up this morning, if we are still here I will call you tomorrow, if not see you on the other side! But now that I think about it that is always true is it not?

The Prophet and the King

I am patriotic. I admit it. I stand at ballgames when the National Anthem is played with hat in hand and hand over my heart. I get “chills” when that question is asked once more “does that star spangled banner yet wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave?” I cry when solders return home and hug their families; I cry even more when they don’t. I vote in every election considering it a dishonor to those who paid the ultimate price if I should choose not too. I am deeply American. But I am also a minister of the Gospel. And sometimes the truth of scripture comes in conflict with the policies of a nation. Sometimes “Kings” have to be confronted and reminded that there is a power greater than they and that they too are subject to God. From Isaiah to Jeremiah; from Amos to Nathan prophets stand before those in power and speak of the One who has all power. And it is not always popular. It is not always what the majority thinks, feels or even desires to hear. It causes kings like Ahab to call prophets like Elijah “my enemy.” From slavery to everyone’s right to vote despite their gender or wealth the church has led the way.

Now some say that because this is the role of the church that the church should avoid having any service that honors the nation. They certainly have a right to say that for democracy gives them that right. But I believe that supporting our nations heritage and calling its present leaders to biblical accountability do not have to be mutually exclusive. Without freedom I could not write this article. Without the God who granted that freedom it would not matter one-way or the other. In fact in many ways it was the church (people who loved God and sought freedom to express that love) that formed the nation, not a nation that formed the church. It is therefore the church’s role to lift up the biblical standard before each generation. Every person who has the privilege to hold office must be reminded “In God we trust.” Every person must be told once more that we are a “nation under God.” The prophet must not yield to the temptation of rubber- stamping the policies of the king, and the “king” must never yield to the temptation of believing his power to be without question or beyond reproach. In fact, as Christians, there is no better way to love our nation than to call it back to the God that allowed us to become a nation that stands from “sea to shining sea.”

This Memorial Day it is perfectly appropriate to remember those who gave their lives so that you and I could live, work and yes worship the God of our choosing. Democracy has allowed us to send prophets over seas and to be prophetic here at home. Remembering the men and women who gave their lives in no way honors the fallen nature that makes war a reality. It does honor the bravery it takes to risk and yes to even lay down one’s life for something greater than themselves. And prophets must always stand before those who send young men and women into battle to ask the difficult questions that cause one to question their motives for doing so. With great freedom comes great responsibility and with great responsibility all our leaders must be willing to bow down to the One who guides, leads and directs the hearts of those who love Him.

Disasters Bring Us Together

I, like many, have been amazed at the generosity of people that has poured out during these last few days. People both inside and outside the church have given. They have given their money, their time, and their talents. It has been expressed to me on more than one occasions with words similar to these, "I feel guilty for not having any damage when so many are hurting." Perhaps guilt is not the word that best expresses what people are feeling but to say the least we all wonder why not me, or why them, or why now. While those why questions may never be answered this I know, people have been confronted face to face with their mortality. Life truly can end in an instant, all that one knew as normal can be normal no more within a few seconds, and that my friend is scary, as they say, no matter who you are.

That is why the security of a relationship with Christ brings such peace and joy. For no matter what tomorrow may hold we know who holds tomorrow. My wife Luann and I had very little damage to our home, lost part of one tree. In fact all my immediate family were not harmed. My grandparents home had some damage. But as people have spoken to me about their guilt or fear or peace my mind has gone back to the night of July 1, 2008. On that night I had a heart attack. While being transported on a helicopter to the hospital I was amazed at the peace I felt. I can truly say fear was not part of what I felt. Only Christ can bring such peace.

My prayer is that this feeling of goodwill will last well into the future for these damaged homes and hearts will not heal soon. Thank all of you for being givers when so many have seen things that they cherished taken.

The Saturday Before Easter

Can you even imagine what must have been going through the minds of those that followed Jesus on this day long ago? There is no evidence that a single one of them expected the resurrection. Not Peter, not James, not John, they all ran and hid. Not even Mary Magdalene, who loved Him without question and was brave enough to go to the tomb the next morning which is more than you can say for her male counter-parts who were hiding in fear but she did not come to the tomb to celebrate the resurrection, she came to give him a proper funeral. Not even Mary his mother was looking for His appearing…even though she had heard Angels speak her grief had overcome her memories even though she knew He was not born as others had been born.

All of these had seen his glory, witnessed his miracles and heard his words. And yet it was if they said it was a good campaign while it lasted but we just didn’t get him elected Messiah! But before we get too judgmental how about us; do we live in a state of expectancy? Does it surprise you when God acts or would it surprise you if He didn’t? Do you believe this risen Savior can raise up your marriage, deliver your child, protect you from the storms of life, or when life gets tough do you forget that He lives?

It has always amazed me that I have this incredible ability to forget. It seems we live in this cycle of remembering only after the fact that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I pray that you and I will not cringe in fear in a room of our own making but will proclaim with boldness that there is no situation that God cannot handle, no problem beyond His power, and no day that should be lived in fear. Tomorrow we will once again proclaim that the tomb was empty, let's live like it!

There is no Easter without Good Friday

Mark 15:34

Then, at the time Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why would God the Father turn His back on Jesus as He hung on the cross of Calvary? Had He not been obedient even unto death? Paul explains it this way…

Galatians 3:13 (Message)

Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the Cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse.

To save us Jesus had to become us. He became a curse so He could bring the cure. Often we want to rush from Palm Sunday where the crowds are shouting Hosanna, to Easter where people are bowing before Him. This avoids the messiness of crucifixion, the horror of a crown of thorns, and the guilt of our sin. But there is no Easter without Good Friday and to believe sin has no price is to ignore the cross. There is no possibility of repentance without sacrifice, and only the sacrifice of God’s Son was sufficient for the accumulated sins of humanity.

Perhaps Max Lucado says it best in his book “When God Whispers Your Name.”

To see sin apart from grace is despair. To see grace without sin is arrogance. To see them in tandem is conversion.

When our eyes behold the cross we see our sin and our salvation; our worst and God’s best; we see the consequence of sin and the power of grace. We see the curse become the cure and the condemned become the Savior. How can the one sentenced to death be the one who brings life? The problem and the solution are all rolled into one divine event.

Why Pray?

I often get asked this question, why pray? I mean if God knows all that is going to happen, if He even knows what I am going to ask Him before I do, why pray? My wife often responds to some question I pose to her, well you know the answer to that before I answer, as if I should be some type of psychic. But you know most of the time she is correct I do know what she is going to say. We have been together for so long that I know her. I know her sad faces, excited faces and confused ones. I know what she loves, what she fears, what she dreams about, I know her. How do I know her so well? I know her because we spend a lot of time together. You see we are one of those old fashion couples who truly like being with each other.

The same is true with God I get to know Him by spending time with Him. I do this by spending time in His Word and by spending time in prayer. You see I think most of us think that prayer is simply us putting in our wish list or concerns for others in front of the Master. But prayer is God speaking to us. God may know what I am going to ask or request or tell Him about but I am afraid I am not that knowledgeable concerning Him or the future. There are times I really need guidance that goes beyond what I know from His Word. There are times I need to know how to apply that Word to this particular situation.

So don't think prayer is a waste of time, in fact many people's time on this planet is wasted because they don't pray.

He is Risen!

It is difficult to believe that Easter is just a few days away. Our hearts and minds will turn toward Jerusalem. We will remember a Passover meal that turned into a farewell address and a new beginning for all of God’s people. We will remember the Lord washing feet and teaching by being what He taught. We will remember betrayal and denial. We will hear a crowd shout Hosanna one day and crucify him the next. We will endure the brutality of a cross and the humiliation of our Lord. But praises be unto our Lord we will also celebrate the resurrection, claim victory over sin and death, and proclaim Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We will once again proclaim the tomb to be empty and our hearts to be filled with the presence of our Lord.

Getting Old Ain't For Sissies!

Here lately I have been thinking that the amount of time I spend trying to keep the old body going is increasing by the day. Exercise to keep the heart ticking, pill to keep the collestrol low, pill to keep blood from forming clots, beta blocker to block beta I guess...well you get my jest. I look in the mirror sometimes and ask who is that masked man I used to be handsome, well maybe not but I looked better than this! At least I had hair and it had color, I was never tall dark and handsome but I have always been dark due to my Italian roots. It is when the outer man begins to fade that I remember the scripture I memorized in Sunday School that the inner man is being renewed day by day.

Recently I was watching one of those morning news shows when an eleven year old boy who had died and was brought back after more minutes than is suppose to be possible described heaven. He said everyone was young, and healthy and wise and content. There was no disease or sadness, murders or pain. He didn't say so but I would imagine no pills or that matter pill counters to help you remember if you took the pill. I used to think I would like to live to be a hundred or more but now I am grateful that when I have been there ten thousand years bright shinning as the sun, I will have no less days to sing God's praise than when I first began!

Government Cannot Save Us

Well I awoke this morning to the news that our leaders had come to a compromise and the government will not "shut down" after all, though some think they have been shut down for years. So you can go to the National Park in your area today and things will be normal. Our military personnel will get paid and hundreds of other government workers will not have an unplanned vacation. And yes I am glad they reached an agreement. But here is the deal government is not the solution to all of our problems!

One has to wonder whatever happened to each family taking care of their own, Oh I guess the answer to that one is there are not too many families that stay together long enough to know who their own are. And whatever happened to neighbors being there for each other when tragedy struck, Oh I guess one has to know the names of their neighbors for that to be possible. When did we start looking to the government to solve all our problems, to feed all the poor, to take care of all the elderly, when did the church and the family stop being the church and the family?

Well here at ClearBranch we are determined that once again we will be that presence of Christ in our neighborhoods and communities; that we will take care of our own and offer help to whoever desires a hand up. I am glad the government did not shut down but I will be more delighted when we need them less to do what we the people should have been doing all along.

A Tradition Like No Other

Well today is one of my favorite days of the entire year, today is the opening round of the Masters. I just love to hear that music they play as they come on say "A Tradition Like No Other...The Masters!" Just gives a golfer chills! What makes it so special you may ask, well I suppose it is the fact that the greatest golfers of all time have put on those green jackets, Palmer, Snead, Hogan, Nichlas, Woods, and Mickelson have all won it more than once.

Well let me tell you about another tradition like no other, we call it Easter. Every year with great anticipation we head off to church to hear about a risen Savior and an empty tomb. We realize once again that we do not define the resurrection, the resurrection defines us. We are who we are because He lives! So make your plans to be part of a tradition like no other and come out and worship THE MASTER!

Storms

Last night here in Springville, Alabama the winds blew. At times the lights blinked but never stayed out for very long. The satellite dish would go out and have to "reboot" as they say, which was annoying as I tried to watch the worst shooting NCAA Final in history. Yet this morning all was calm and cool. The winds had disappeared or more correctly gone somewhere else to blow.

Those fronts that pass by weather wise remind me of life in general. There are calm and cool days, days that do not produce any earth shaking memorable events. I guess you would call them normal if there really is such a thing. You know you get up read the paper or for you young ones check out the net; you eat a bite, shower, and go to work or school. Then there are days that are memorable. Some of these are remembered because towers got flown into by planes or presidents got shot by assassins or space shuttles blew up as they took off. Others are memorable because your team won the national championship or you got that job you wanted or you got accepted into that school you applied to or that girl you love said yes she will marry you.

For those of us who are Christians the challenge is to live all of these days in faithfulness. For we believe God is God on all of these days. The "good days and bad ones." For you see the wind is always blowing somewhere, this morning it is just blowing east of here and someone Else's lights are blinking. There is always someone who is happy about the yes they received from their girlfriend and the wedding date set for the future. So here is the key, seek first His Kingdom and then regardless of what today may bring your anchor will hold.

Faithful Jesus

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend that you thought you could depend on regardless of circumstance; abandoned by someone that had always been faithful? There is perhaps no greater pain than this, the pain of being forsaken by a friend, betrayed by a companion. Many of us can relate to this scenario. Maybe it was a spouse who betrayed us, or a friend who deceived us. Jesus also knew this pain. One disciple betrayed him and another disciple denied that he even knew him. While he died on a cross they ran for cover; while he forgave their sin they pretended that they had never known his love. And yet when the smoke cleared his love remained. Recently someone told me that there was nothing I could do to make God love me anymore and there was nothing I could do to make God love me any less. His love for me went beyond my ability to always be faithful to Him. This indeed is good news.

If You Stay Close You Can’t Fall Away

John 16:1

I have told you these things so you won’t fall away. (NLT)

Occasionally I will ask Luann if I have told her lately that I love her. She always says tell me again! Luann and I have a commitment to each other. We have a date once a week. We spend a day together once a month and we spend a week together once a year. We are intentional concerning our relationship, the most important relationship on this earth.

I am also intentional concerning my relationship with Jesus. I journal every morning, which helps me focus my prayers; I have always been in an accountability group with other Christian men which helps me stay on track. I study the word with regularity, go to worship without fail and stay in a book written by an author that helps me see the truth of God’s word. I do this not to make God love me but because I know He loves me and I desire to stay close to Him.

Not long ago a friend told me he had “fallen out of love with his wife.” He was disappointed that I could not relate. How can you fall out of love with someone you love? Well the answer is you fall away by being away. You forget because you do not constantly remember. Jesus warns us in this passage, the prophets warned us by telling us to always teach these things to our children, God constantly warned His people by the way He introduced Himself…I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of the house of bondage…never forget…always remember…don’t fall away, lest you become guilty of losing your first love. Maybe we should each ask God…Lord have I told you lately that I love you.

I Want to Know what Love is!

Simply defining what it means to love someone is not easy, if you do not believe that try it! Ask people, "tell me what does it mean to be in love?" Most will struggle. Song writers have wrestled with the concept also, writing songs like, “What does love have to do with it” or “More than a feeling.”  The group “Foreigner” ask the question in their hit song, “I want to know what love is.” That is the problem do we know? Listen to part of the lyrics…

“I gotta take a little time, a little time to think things over, I better read between the lines, in case I need it when I get older…I want to know what love is, I want you to show me…I want to feel what love is…I know you can show me.”

Interestingly enough Mark Jones the lead guitarist for Foreigner wrote this song as he was going through a crisis in his own life. The lyrics lead one to believe that Mark finally decided that only God could answer the question…Speaking about God’s love he writes I’ve got nowhere to hide it looks like love has finally found me.

He with the rest of his generation has been crying out…I want to know what love is. For it is as simple as this if we do not know what it is we cannot give it and probably will not recognize it when someone offers it to us. Not long ago I worked an event called the "Walk to Emmaus." At one point on that weekend a person came to me and said "there really isn't a catch is there?" When I responded with a puzzled look they said they had been waiting all weekend for the catch, for what we wanted, but had finally decided that God's love, His true love was unconditional.

You see the truth is this, you cannot do anything to make God love you any more, nor can you do anything to make Him love you any less. He loved you so much He sent His Son to die for your sins how much more can He love you? And while He may be disappointed at our actions, like us with our children, nothing they do makes our love go away. So if you really want to know what love is look to Jesus, you will not be disappointed!

The Cost of Freedom

We Americans are used to freedom. We will speak in a heartbeat about our “rights.” We cry out against injustice and we applaud those who stand up for the disenfranchised. We are aware of what the Constitution affords us and we expect to be given our day in court. All of these freedoms of course were not here waiting for us when our forefathers sailed the seas in a ship that’s name sounded like it belonged in the garden shop at Lowes. There was that taxation without representation thing that I recall reading about. There was a War of Independence that freed most, a Civil War that freed others and a Civil Rights movement that continued the process and we finally got around to letting women vote, it was indeed a process.

Wars have been fought to preserve freedom, lives have been lost to insure that each generation had the chance to pursue happiness and chase their dreams. The span of time reaches into four centuries. From independence to Vietnam, from WWI to Korea, from WWII to Iraq men and now women have died on battlefields so that people like me might write articles like this. Freedom of the press, freedom to vote, freedom to protest, freedom to worship they all were paid for with blood spilt on mostly foreign shores in far away places.

Two thousand years ago blood was spilt on an old rugged cross for another kind of freedom. Once again tyranny had overcome freedom, sin had conquered liberty and grace had to be victorious over death. Jesus paid our price, fought our battle, won the victory for us. My earliest memories recall singing about all of this. We would stand in that little white church and sing as loud as our southern voices could exclaim…victory in Jesus our Savior forever, He sought us and bought us with His redeeming blood. We would also sing God bless America land that I love, stand beside her and guide her…Some say that one should not mix faith and country, that we stand in danger of not being able to be prophetic, critical, or even clear minded. All I know is this freedom that was given to me by my forefathers enables me to practice the freedom given me by my Savior. One I worship; the other I am grateful for. One is unchanging and steadfast the other sometimes changes for the worse and has to be reminded by the people that the original idea had merit. I don’t worship the flag but I proudly salute it. And my prayer has never changed and my song remains constant…God Bless America the land that I love and God thank you for those who defended its freedom. 

Five Attitudes to Live By

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.