Theology from Jimmy Buffett? A Word on Fear.

Well, now I know why my wife is always worried of what I may say or write. This blog post only shows that her concern was warranted. But it dawned upon me today that one line from a Jimmy Buffett song has some merit scripturally. No, it's not the line about high school girls being fickle, although that is true, nor is it the statement about mortal sin being good for the soul, which isn't true. In the song Miss You So Badly he croons, "things were better off than I had feared." Now I am not suggesting that you immerse yourself into Buffett's music or become a parrothead, but I was a big fan in a former day. And just to show the power of music I can still remember almost every word to most of his songs, which is not necessarily a good thing. But I digress.

There is much drama in the organized church; it is a world of politics that has to rival D.C. Pastors are usually intimately involved or at least find themselves right in the middle of the storm. If they aren't in the middle then they can be sure that the collateral damage from the storm's periphery will impact them. During those times when the winds are howling pastors have to be careful to not try to calm the wind themselves. The vortex of the storm can easily suck someone in. The church where I serve is not different than most and has its stormy moments, and I don't want to really discuss the nature of our storms because I don't want to get sucked into the vortex and, as Buffett would say in his famous song Volcano, land in New York City, Mexico, Tennessee, 3 Mile Island, Comanche Sky Park, San Juan airport, San Diego, Buzzard's Bay, Yukon territory, or on the Ayatollah.

What's the point? The point is that we are commanded as God's people by the Lord Jesus "do not worry." The Apostle Paul commands us in Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." In other words, things are better off than we fear because God is in control. Furthermore, we are not even supposed to worry about it all anyway. The next verse offers us great comfort; it states that the "peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If I could only practice taking it all to God first instead of worrying my pretty little head about it I would find peace in Christ! So things are better off than we fear, but we don't live as if they are or as if God is in control.

Now, I know that fear and worry and being anxious are not necessarily synonymous; there is a healthy, reverential fear that should be part of life. I fear coiled up snakes, for instance, because they can cause me harm. We should all fear God in the sense that we reverence Him and recognize His might and authority, but this post isn't about that kind of fear. This post is about the fear of which Jimmy Buffett speaks; it's that "what if" fear. It's the fear of what might happen or what might be; it is the fear of circumstances and the fear of how someone might respond or act or might be thinking. It is really a fear that is best described as "worry" or being "anxious." That type of fear has no place in any Christian's life. Yes, Jimmy, things are better off than I had feared, and I shouldn't have been full of fear anyway. I should have been giving it all over to God in the first place.

Holidays, Spending, and Lean Times

I love Christmas and the holiday season, but there are aspects of this time of year that drive me insane as well. Family traditions are so important and so much fun. I am surprised sometimes to hear my high school and college aged children share with their friends some of the things that we do as a family, little things that I didn't know even crossed their minds. It might be the process of how we get our Christmas tree, the holiday movies we watch, or the way we decorate, but these habits mean a lot to them. As something we share together it must give them a sense of some stability, normalcy, and pride. I could go on and on about our traditions, but I really do appreciate this time of year because of the unity and fellowship it brings to my immediate family.

However, I cannot stand the commercialization of the holiday season. I watch the ads where people are giving away luxury automobiles and expensive jewelry and wonder if anyone actually does that kind of thing. I am sure there are families who splurge like that; it's just than mine isn't one of them. I guess I would enjoy being able to do that kind of thing but would like to think I wouldn't spend like that even if I could. Maybe I am just jealous or covetous of those who have all that disposable income or endless credit. If one more car shows up in a commercial wrapped in a bow I am going to throw something at my nice TV that I can't afford to replace.

While an attitude and mindset like mine can lead one down a path of depression and resentment my hope is that it will actually have the opposite effect. God's Word tells us in James 1 that every good gift comes from God above; my hope is that during times that are tighter we will contemplate and focus upon "every good gift" instead of the commercialized excess we may not enjoy. And if we do have the means to spend lavishly I hope that we will properly view the source of that which we enjoy. There is an interesting verse in the Old Testament that helps us understand the meaning of "every good gift." It is found in Deuteronomy 8:18-19, "but remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. . . If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods. . . you will surely be destroyed." Whatever ability or intelligence that we possess is a gift from God; the ability to earn a living is a gift from God. Actually, every breath is a gift from God. My hope is that I will recognize and praise God for His many gifts instead of getting upset that I will probably never be featured on a jewelry or car commercial. I would encourage all of us in this way; let's focus on the precious gifts like simple family traditions or the ability we have to even punch a clock. But what about holiday spending?

I recently had the privilege of speaking one on one with the directors of three local homeless shelters in the Hampton Roads area where I live. They are on the front lines of helping provide food, shelter and dignity for so many families in this tough economy and are doing a fine job helping so many. The next time you are frustrated because you can't hide that expensive jewelry box in an inconspicuous place for a holiday surprise or wrap a bow around a new car for your lover think about the many gifts you have and determine to help out those who truly are in need. Don't allow yourself to be sucked in by the commercialization of the holiday season.

On the Death of a Saint: the revelation of God and response of man

Wow! It's been a while. I haven't added a blog post in about six months, but in that time I have discovered the joys of Twitter (follow me at pastortommy2). Some folks tweet some crazy stuff that isn't worth reading, but at no more that 140 characters per tweet it will not take too much time out of your day to read some of the good ones. I have found that I am often encouraged by the tweets I read. Check out the tweeters I follow and see for yourself.



Anyway, back to the blog. There are times that I have used social sites such as Facebook and communication outlets such as blogs and twitter to gripe and complain about the challenges and frustrations of serving as a pastor. But there sweet times, times where God reminds me that He is God and in control, times where I have an epiphany of sorts. God is always at work, but it seems that I live as though I am ignorant of that reality as I worry and stress and scheme. The death of a saint last week brought me face to face again with the beauty of God's love and redemption. It allowed me an up close and personal view of the peace and hope that surrounds a believer in Christ upon his death.



Many say that death is part of life, and I guess that is true. After all, surveys show that one out of one of us will die. However, I do not think that death is natural at all. In fact, I believe that death is unnatural. We were not created to die; before sin entered the garden there was no death. God created man to live. He warned Adam that if he ate the forbidden fruit he would surely die. Of course, God was not taken by surprise by sin or death, and man's salvation was not a reactionary plan by God in the face of chaos. But that is not the point here. The point is that man fights death. We do not want to die. We want to live. Death does not come easily or naturally in my opinion. It is not pretty; we try typically try to avoid death and normally do not purposely hasten its arrival.



Now to this past week: As I watched a family deal with the death of a loved one I was reminded again of the power of God over death. I was privileged to spend time with a woman who prayed a day before her death and proclaimed that she was "ready when God wanted to take her." I heard a loving husband state emphatically that they began preparing for the day of physical death many decades before when they repented and turned to Christ. I heard him say after her death that he "wouldn't have missed it for the world," speaking of the privilege of being at her side when she breathed her last breath. How could he say that; what was going through his mind, and why was she ready to go?



I think I can sum up their thoughts and the source of their peace by saying that they believe God. They believe that God loves them and sent His Son to die in their place. They believe that in Christ they have forgiveness and the hope of eternity spent in His presence. They believe that physical death is not the end and that the body will be resurrected and that the heavens and earth will be renewed. They believe that in His resurrection Jesus conquered death and the grave. They believe God...They believe what God has revealed about life, death and salvation in the Holy Scriptures. They believe God; I can't say it enough. How many go through life knowing what God has said and commanded and do not believe him?

The bottom line is that God has revealed himself to man, and this revelation requires a response on our part. He has unveiled his power, might and creativity in creation, yet men choose to ignore that revelation. He then sent His own Son who lived a perfect life and revealed perfectly the character and attributes of God and offered himself as a sacrifice for our sin as the supreme act of love and salvation. Again, the majority hear this and refuse to respond, refuse to accept this gift of salvation. But for those who have embraced this revelation and placed their faith and life in the Son's hands death has no victory; death is the doorway to eternity with God! I was reminded of this in the most beautiful way upon the occasion of a saint's death. Thank you Lord for the reminder....

not enough hours in the day?

I have not posted a blog in two months now. It's not that I don't have anything to say or do not wish to post a blog. I would like to say that I simply don't have enough time. But as I pondered that excuse I realized that we all basically do what we want to do. Now, I am not suggesting that blogging is of utmost importance or needs to be a priority in anyone's life; I simply think that it serves as a case-in-point regarding our view and use of time.

I believe, based upon the Bible, that God transcends time. He is not bound by time like we humans. I also believe that God is the author and creator of time. That being stated, it is God who gives us 24 hours per day. This should and must impact our view of time and its use; to simply use the "there aren't enough hours in the day" excuse simply will not fly. It simply isn't true. We have all the time we need to accomplish all that God would have us accomplish. The problem isn't time or the lack thereof; the problem is our prioritization of the time that God has entrusted to us.

How do we remedy this problem? We have to start by remembering why we exist and what time is all about in an ultimate sense. Do we understand that our very existence, while a gift from God, is about God and given for His purposes. We don't live simply for ourselves. God's desire is that we not only know Him but that we find pleasure in serving Him and spreading His fame throughout the earth. This should be our driving force when we open our eyes in the morning and close them in the evening. After coming to grips with this reality we must determine to be wise stewards of the time we have been given. This means prioritization and tending to the activities that will allow us to know God more fully and serve Him more completely. Again, we do what we want to do!

How many of us carve out time for our favorite TV show- the one we wouldn't dare miss? (24 for me) How many of us would not consider missing our gym-time or golf game, checking our facebook page, or (insert whatever you do here)? Nothing wrong with any of these things. But how many of us put all of this above our time in prayer, the Word of God, or sacrificial service to Him via serving others? C.S. Lewis was correct when he wrote, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

So I quickly conclude as to not take up too much of your time if you happen to be reading this. Never say "there aren't enough hours in the day." There are. Instead, ask yourself what is most important and tend to those things first. If it means missing a TV show don't worry; you can catch the rerun!