A Heart Condition...

In my last blog I talked about college football. As I began to write this blog that topic (college football) still lingered in my thoughts… also, in that same blog (I really enjoy using the word 'blog') I brought up the topic of worship and that topic (worship) continues to loiter in the realms of my mind as well.
The question I want to pose is this, “How do we display or make known our worship? When it comes to football games it’s fairly easy to see… even the most docile, reserved and unassuming grandmother becomes a raging warrior when the game is on the line. We don’t hold back when we display, to the world around us, the high level of value we’ve placed on that group of players, most of whom we have no personal relationship with at all.
I’ve often heard comments such as “I just don’t worship like that”, “I’m more ‘quiet and reserved’ in my worship” or, “that’s just not my style.” In the context of the worship of God I’ve heard those comments far too regularly along with scores of remarks just like them. Why is it that in the context of college football those same comments are never heard? No one sits quietly as their favorite team intercepts a pass and takes it 85 yards for a touchdown, to win the game in the last seconds, and then, when asked for an explanation for their obviously lethargic reaction, says, “It’s just not my style to jump up and down, scream and rejoice for my team… it’s just not who I am.” You NEVER hear that! You also never see anyone waiting to see how others will react before they allow their own jubilation to come bubbling out. It just comes out naturally. Why? Because it’s what’s in our heart!
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to tell anyone HOW they should or should not worship… Michal, David’s wife (pre-Bathsheba), tried to dictate to David what an acceptable expression of worship was, or in this case ‘was not’, and God answered her by striking her barren (2 Samuel 6 16:23). In response to Michal’s protests David said, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
Why is it that we’re willing to become undignified and risk our own humiliation for the sake of a sports team yet we feel that we can’t express ourselves, in the truest sense, when it comes to the worship of Almighty God?
Again, I’m not suggesting how one should or should not worship. I’m simply saying that, in my opinion, the outward manifestation of our worship, whether it be God or UGA football, is the result of what is genuinely in our heart. I would like to challenge that, often times, our lack of enthusiastic worship is the result of the lack of value we’ve given Christ in our hearts. Maybe that’s where our focus should be, yours and especially mine, on making God the most valued thing in our life. Once we do that I truly believe that we will be unable to remain calm and ‘normal’, just as we are when that last-second, game-winning field goal soars through the uprights. Instead our love for God will come pouring out as we worship and praise Him. Whether it’s singing, clapping, raising our hands, dropping to our knees, falling face down or simply standing in awe, when we place ultimate and highest value on the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings we will see a more accurate manifestation of our own TRUE WORSHIP!

Becoming a 'God-groupie'...

I saw a flyer today promoting several upcoming concerts in the Atlanta area. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a concert. Well, I mean I’ve been to a few Christian concerts but aside from that I haven’t exactly met the qualifications of ‘groupie’ or even ‘occasional-concert-goer’ for that matter. I do remember a few concerts from my high school days… yes, I DO remember that long ago… I remember that the concerts were loud and there were lot’s of people screaming and ‘worshiping’ their favorite musical artist. Why do I bring up the ‘concert thing’? I’ll come back to that shortly.
College football is also getting closer… yes, I know its not even July yet but it is closer than it was in May, right? I love college football; tens of thousands of screaming fans, often painted in interesting colors and usually, many of those fans, wearing the same color of clothing in honor or ‘worship’ of there favorite team. At concerts or football games you can feel the energy of thousands upon thousands of people assembled together to show their respect and adoration to and for their favorite performer or team.
Louie Giglio once gave a definition of worship that has stuck with me since the first time I heard it. He said, “Worship happens when we direct our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection on God.” Of course, that same definition could read like this, “Worship happens when we direct our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection on ________.” Then you could simply fill in the blank…. What is it that you worship? Where is your mind’s attention? Where is your heart’s affection? What is it that you worship?
Getting back my earlier topic of concerts… not long ago I saw a music video on the country music channel. It was Tim McGraw and he was performing at a concert. They repeatedly cut to scenes of screaming, crazed fans. They were crying, trying to climb on stage, holding up signs displaying various affirming messages, reaching out to touch McGraw and, in some cases, throwing items of clothing onto the stage. When I see something like that I can’t help but think, “Now that’s good worship…” Oh, I know what you’re saying… “Worshiping Tim McGraw is NOT good worship.” Keep in mind that I DID NOT say that Tim McGraw was an acceptable ‘object of worship’, simply that the worship itself, the display of adoration, was phenomenal. As I watched that Tim McGraw video I wondered how we could take another human being, one limited and sinful just as we are, and show him so much praise while, at the same time, we have a God, a God who loves us, a God who created everything, a God who wants to have a relationship with us, a God who knows the number of hairs on our head, a God who gave His Son as a sacrifice for us and yet we seldom, if ever praise Him with the zeal, fervor and sincerity that we give our favorite musical artist or our most beloved college football team.
We were created to worship; unfortunately, in the Garden of Eden, our relationship with the one whom we were created to worship was damaged. Nothing changed with our ability to worship. It’s what we were created to do and, trust me, we are amazing at it… the problem that occurred with our worship, on that dark day in the garden, was that our relationship with our intended ‘object of worship’ was forever skewed making the worship of God an intentional task rather than a natural act.
What do I worship? What do I value? I think those are great questions to ask of ourselves… do we worship God in the manner that he deserves or are we wasting that worship on something of the world… something that has not, does not and never will care for us like the God who can and desires to give us eternal life, a God who gave His son FOR US… even while we were still sinners.
Who or what do you worship?

Basketball isn't everything...

This weekend I watched the movie Coach Carter. I enjoyed the movie and it’s message. Sure it had it’s share of the unpleasant language mixed with some very slight sexual innuendo and just a splash of violence but the message was a good one. If you’ve seen the movie then you know what it’s all about and if you have yet to see it (which I strongly suggest) I’ll try to give you the premise, at it’s most basic and elementary level, without giving the movie away.
Ken Carter (Coach Carter) comes to the troubled high school as a former basketball player at the school and a now successful business man. He has more than enough going on in his life without adding the pressures of a high school coaching position. But, after thinking things through he decides to accept the job along with it’s obviously monumental challenges. Coach Carter’s primary objective as basketball coach was, more than simply winning basketball games, to in some way make a difference in the lives of the teenagers he would be responsible for coaching.
In short, at one point in the movie Coach Carter temporarily ended the teams season when the grades of some of the players fell below a certain agreed upon GPA. Not only did he (Coach Carter) lock the gym and cancel practice, he also canceled the scheduled games as the players worked, as a team, to bring their academics back into line. Coach Carter’s comments (in my own paraphrase) to the parents and concerned community who desperately wanted to see the season resume, despite grades, was something like this… “Some things are more important than basketball…” Short, sweet and simple? Yes; but incredibly meaningful if we allow it to permeate every aspect of our lives and, more importantly, our relationship with Christ. Also, throughout the movie, Coach Carter spoke often of choices and the consequences of choices.
After watching this movie and spending a little time reflecting on it’s underlying message, I can’t help but think of the world we live in today. It seems as though there are so many things that take precedent over our relationship with God. We seem to think, or at least indicate through our actions and established priorities, that our relationship with God through Jesus Christ should find it’s home far down on life’s list of important things.
I’ve often heard people say, “Jesus is number one in my life…” Over the past couple of years I’ve considered that comment often… and the more I mull it over the more I’m convinced that it is the wrong attitude. Now hold on a minute, before you seek to bring me up on heresy charges, hear me out. The scripture never tells us to make Jesus number one in our lives… what it says is this, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” (1 Peter 3:15a) We’re not told to make Christ number one… making Him number one would indicate that we had placed Him atop a list, meaning that He could be pushed down that list whenever we felt it appropriate. If we make Jesus number one, what will stop us, at least from time to time, from making Him number two, three or even fifteen? We must, in my opinion, put Christ in a category all alone. We must place Him in a separate category, set Him apart if you will, and it must be a category that offers us no chance to re-prioritize, moving Jesus down a slot or two.
I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking, “Come on Greg, that’s just a play on words…” Well, in that case, I would encourage you to consider it not as a ‘play on words’ but rather as a way to reshape our thinking; a way of thinking that says, “No matter what changes on my list of priorities, no matter what urgent and pressing matters occur, no matter what unexpected situations life throws at me, Jesus will ALWAYS be in a separate category, a category above my life and it’s worldly priorities.” We must come to a place in our lives, as Christians, where we can say, without hesitation, “Jesus is not the number one thing in my life, He IS my life!”
In the movie, the boy’s on Coach Carter's basketball team reaped the rewards of a life of purpose. Coach Carter taught those boys that there we more important things in their lives than basketball and, as a result of their new way of thinking, their lives were forever changed. Isn’t it time that all of us realize that ‘our life’ isn’t the most important thing in ‘our life’. The label of ‘Most Important’, in each of our lives, belongs to Jesus and that label must forever remain on Him.
Kick that around a little and let me know what you think… trust me I need as much help here as anyone else. I think it will make an incredible difference in our lives when we realize, accept and embrace that mindset. Let’s discover, together, how we can take Jesus off ‘Life’s List’ and make Him ‘Our Life’!

Flashlights, Krispy Kreme original glazed and HOPE...

Not long ago my wife and I held a garage sale. You know, a day when you gather the tons and tons of things that have accumulated over the past zillion years and you put it all out in your garage, driveway and front yard. You then post signs at strategic places in and around your neighborhood and, at that point, you prepare for the onslaught of hungry garage sale buyers. Well anyway, we held our garage sale and once the day was over we went out for a nice dinner and then, after dinner, we headed over toward downtown for one of my favorite treats in the entire world… Krispy Kreme doughnuts! Oh come on, you know you like ‘em too! I mean when they’re hot, right off the ‘doughnut birthing line’, it is at that time you realize that there are few pleasures that can surpass the original glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut as it melts in your mouth. Okay, okay… back to my story. We went to purchase and enjoy a box of those glazed heavenly clumps of pure fat and as we sat there, eating the doughnuts (one doughnut for my very sensible wife and six glazed masterpieces for her gluttonous husband….me) and drinking our coffee we begin to watch the package store across the street. Well, not the package store itself; package stores are inanimate objects that don’t really do anything entertaining so we were, more accurately, watching the patrons of the package store as they entered and then, a short time later, exited with their purchase… their ‘hope in a bottle’.
Okay, I know that not everyone that entered that package store, or any package store for that matter, lacks hope and this is not a condemnation of drinking and alcohol; but as my wife and I watched those people going into and then out of that package store that day we couldn’t help but think, “They are going into that store and coming out with their ‘dose of hope’ for the weekend. What is it that keeps people from looking upward, to Jesus, for their hope?
Days later, as I continued to contemplate this question, I was reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 5 when he said, “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” I realized that we find our hope in God through our trails, tribulations and sufferings and during those times, often it is easier to medicate with worldly things than to meditate on God’s Word. Now I know… I should have gone across the street and began sharing the Gospel message with those going into the store and I didn’t. I guess that’ll have to be a topic for a later ‘Blog’ but my point is this; even if I had gotten up, artistically maneuvered my way across the busy Atlanta street, and begin to dialogue with those going into the store, sharing Christ with them and telling them, as best I could of His incredible love for us, what would have made the difference for them? What is it that would have caused them to deny their bottle and embrace a Bible and a relationship with Christ? Sure, if we share the gospel according to the exact plan laid out for us in any of a plethora of evangelism training classes or books, then I should have no problem right? Okay, yes, there was a hint of sarcasm in that last comment. But, I really want to know… how do we make a difference in the lives of those who have already decided that the world and its pleasures are a better choice than God and His promises?
I think we must be relational, building relationships as Jesus did but also, I think we must not only ‘talk-the-talk’ but we MUST ‘walk-the-walk’. When we are TRULY living a life devoted to Christ people can see our hearts! Even during a brief encounter a sincere heart for God shines through like a flood light in an underground cavern.
In the days since this experience I’ve had to ask myself over and over, “Am I REALLY living Christ in all that I do? Can others really see Christ in me?” I’m dealing with those questions still today, as I sit at my computer pounding on these little black keys. May I invite you to join me in considering the same questions? If we, as Christians, are going to make a difference it’s time to turn on our ‘flashlights’ and let them be seen everywhere we go, in everything that we do… we don’t have to turn off our flashlights to conserve the batteries. God’s batteries NEVER expire! And remember this… the darkness can NEVER hide the light (unless we fail to turn the light on) but the light will ALWAYS overcome the darkness!

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

The World Around Us

As I made the decision to begin this ‘blogspot’ I, truly, had no idea just what I would write about. Sure, I would maintain the common thread of Christ; I mean, hey, that’s who I am, but what direction should I go? That question has floated around in my simple mind for a few days now.
As I look around it seems that the distinctions between the Christian and non-Christian are becoming less and less visible everyday. Every time I turn on the TV, pick up a newspaper or listen to the radio I see a world that reflects less our Christian heritage and values and seems to embrace, more readily each day, the temporary pleasures of the world. No, I’m not passing judgment on the non-Christian. This is about our Christian population. I am calling those people, who call themselves Christians, to step up to the plate and act like it. I love the words of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18. Elijah was addressing a large group of Israelites who were struggling with their allegiance to God. In their case a new ‘idol of choice’, Baal, had found its way into their midst and to that group of Israeli people Elijah said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." What a great question!
What is the “Baal” of today? Is it money, fame, popularity, success, sex, drugs, career? I believe it is a combination of all of those things, along with many others, and it all goes back to our love of the world instead of our love and commitment for and to the God who created all that we see and all that we are.
One of my favorite movies is The Matrix (I know, I know, it’s rated R and if I practice what I preach I wouldn’t watch that garbage but I found much metaphorical truth in that movie). In The Matrix, during one particular scene, as Morpheus describes to the hero, Neo, what the Matrix is he says this, “The matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes, to blind you from the truth.” WOW!!! Sound familiar? I believe this world of fast-food, quick money, instant success, quick highs, and no responsibility has been pulled over our eyes to blind us from the truth of God’s Word. How do we reverse course and set the ship right again? How do we glorify God in the midst of a world that is becoming less and less concerned or even aware of Jesus Christ? It’s a question each of us must ask ourselves.
Maybe we should begin in Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus Himself said, “"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Words difficult to digest indeed but words so important if we are to lift Christ up everyday! We must first start, in my opinion, by owning those words and following Christ daily, regardless of the direction the world around us has chosen.