Coach Johnny Darden

I’m thankful for my parents–they taught me many wonderful lessons about life and how to live it.

I’m thankful for my grandparents and other relatives who reinforced those lessons.

And I’m thankful for the many others who have helped me along my journey.  One of those people is my high school basketball coach, Johnny Darden.

There was an article about him in yesterday’s Knoxville News Sentinel.  You can see it by clicking here:  http://knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/30/game-not-over/. 

I’m glad he overcame prostate cancer and hope he has many more years to coach and help boys become men.  This world need more people like Coach Darden, not fewer.

I also hope that more people in my generation will step up to the plate and take responsibility for helping others along their journey.  So many people helped us, but it should not end with us.  There is more work to be done, more children to be mentored, more lives to be touched. 

Let’s get to it.

Good to Be Home

We have just returned home from a few days in L.A. (Lower Alabama).  My wife was born and raised in and around Montgomery, Alabama and we traveled down there for the funeral of her cousin, Tom Davis. 

Tom was a man with a generous heart and a good sense of humor.  Unfortunately, I never was able to spend a great deal of time with him, but the time I did spend with him I enjoyed.  Most important, he was ready to meet God. 

I was asked to take a part in preaching the funeral and accepted the invitation.  I always count it an honor and a privilege to play this role and hope that I succeeded in honoring both God and Tom. 

It was not an easy trip, but it was a good trip.  Our kids behaved amazingly (for the most part) and my wife was able to catch up with some family and friends.

On the way home, we received a phone call telling us of bad news.  A couple that have been attending our church for almost a year are in the process of delivering their twin babies stillborn.  Please pray for them as they go through this trying ordeal.

Death is a real part of life.  There is nothing we can do to change it. 

I’m glad that God is real and that He really loves us.

Just Be

Eating

Drinking

Talking

Calling

Texting

Shopping

Listening

Spending

Playing

Driving

Riding

Watching

Listening

Preparing

Sleeping

Thinking

Sneezing

Typing

Sharing

Singing

Reading

Studying

Praying

Coughing

Arguing

Complaining

Encouraging

Helping

Lifting

Pulling

Pushing

Opening

Closing

Cooking

Cleaning

Washing

Drying

Going

Going

Going

Have you ever pondered how much you do during a regular day?  And with all that we do, there are still things left undone.

One of the undone things is just being.  Quietly, unmovingly being.  Taking deep breaths and enjoying being alive. 

Do you think that would help you to de-stress, to see things more clearly, to be more worshipful?

Try it.

Go ahead–really.  Right now.  Come back in a couple of minutes.

Done already?  Are you sure?

How did it feel?

Will you do it again tomorrow?

Your Creator says “Be still and know that I am God.”

It’s time well spent.  Let’s do it more often.

I’m Thankful for Tim Tebow

First–I’m a Tennessee Vol fan.  Have been from birth–will be until death.

Second–this means that I must despise Florida.  If you are from the South you will understand this.  Nothing against them personally, of course. 

Third (and most important)–I love Jesus.  No one is above Him–no one is even close.  He is everything to me.

Finally–I’m thankful for Tim Tebow.  Even though he has terrorized my beloved Vols for three years (and possibly one more) I must say that there is no athlete that I appreciate more. 

In case you haven’t noticed, he loves Jesus.  He speaks the name of Jesus unashamedly.  He spends time in the off-season spreading the love of Christ in this country and several others.  He puts Scripture on the little black tape underneath his eyes. 

Tim Tebow is not perfect, but he loves the One who is.  I’m thankful for that–I’m thankful for him. 

Most of all, I’m thankful that Jesus loves me, Tim, and all of you the same.  He lived for all of us–He died for all of us–He wants to have a relationship with all of us.

How great is that?

Lukewarm Christians

I have heard the term “lukewarm Christian” most of my life.  This describes a person who claims to be a Christian, but does not give himself fully to Jesus.  Jesus is a part of his life, but only a part.  He gives a little of himself to the cause of Christ, but not his full self.  He wants just enough of Jesus to get by without having to really follow the teachings of the Messiah.

Maybe you would consider yourself a “lukewarm Christian.”  If so, be careful.

Because, biblically, there is no such thing.

The basis for the term comes from Revelation chapter 3–take a look.

“14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

For some reason, people have gotten the notion that these are “lukewarm Christians”–that they are saved.  Take a closer look.  Jesus says that because they are lukewarm that He will spue (or vomit) them out of his mouth.

Jesus also says that they do not know that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

Does that sound like someone who is saved to you?

One of the greatest struggles that the church faces is the fact that so many church members are lukewarm/lost and they don’t even know it.

I am not passing judgment on anyone here.  We all have feet of clay and have all failed in various ways.  This is just a reminder that following Jesus is either all or nothing.  We must choose to deny ourselves and follow Christ.

Anything else is not good enough.

I still believe in grace, of course.  But to obtain grace  we are called to give ourselves up completely to Jesus. 

There is really no better life than this.