You Just Had to Be There

This is one of those stories that will never measure up to being there and seeing it for yourself. We were on a par 5. I was alone with the cart at the top of a hill. I started down the hill in the cart under complete control. As the cart proceeded down this steep hill it quickly gained unsafe speeds. Being the careful driver that I am, I gently began applying the brakes knowing that if I didn't slow down I would have problems making the hair pin turn at the bottom of the hill. As I applied the brakes, the wheels began to lose traction, the cart began to turn sideways and I lost total control of the missile formerly known as a golf cart. The next thing I know, I am on two wheels instead of four about to slam into the edge of the cart path. Hitting the cart path created a catapult action that launched the cart onto its side, sliding further down the cart path with me inside the cart, moving along with the cart so as not to get crushed. It is a scene that is very difficult to describe. It created quite a spectacle. After the other guys discovered that I was not dead and only minimally injured, laughter to tears ensued. That laughter continued with even more tears when it was revealed that driving the cart was more like controlling a high speed orbital floor buffer. Yes. The wheels are pointing in different directions. This is one story that will hang around for years to come at our pastors' retreats. We truly had a wonderful and refreshing time together.

Retreat

These are several of the guys that I get to hang out with at least once a year at our pastors' retreat. This weekend retreat is one of the yearly highlights in each of our lives. We (husbands and wives) gather for a weekend of sharing with, encouraging and challenging each other to be better pastors and pastor's wives. It is an immeasurable value to our lives. All of us have the common connection of having come through Central Baptist Church and Texas A&M. We are all good friends with many common experiences. Central provides this retreat for all senior pastors who have come through its ministry. We are all so thankful to Central and to Chris and Peggy for the blessing they have been and continue to be to our lives and ministries. Central is making an incredible investment in pastors that have come through the church. I am personally blessed beyond explanation. I thank the Lord for this church and for the Osbornes. I thank the Lord for these great friends who are pastoring all over the state. This last weekend was such an encouraging time. What a blessing. Please take a careful look at the picture and see if you can find what is wrong. If someone finds what is wrong (that wasn't at the retreat) I will explain.

True Freedom

This story happened in Philippi. Paul was in jail again with a guy named Silas. They had been beaten with rods. Not fun at all. After this they were thrown in jail. They had not broken the law. They had done nothing wrong. They were just trying to help people find forgiveness of their sins. For all that, they got a good beating and thrown in jail. Do you know what they did? They were singing to the Lord, praising God for their lives. They had great joy. The other prisoners were listening to them and watching them. Suddenly the earth shook and the doors to the prison opened and every one in prison was free, their chains had fallen off. Everyone was free. Do you know what happened? The jailer was going to kill himself when he realized that all the doors were open. He figured that the prisoners had escaped. For that, he would be executed. Paul yells at him and tells him not to kill himself because not a single prisoner had left. Do you think many prisoners would pass up a chance of getting out of prison, given the opportunity? Why didn’t these guys escape? Because these prisoners saw in Paul a freedom that could not be found outside the prison. They saw the freedom that is only found in Jesus and they didn’t want to leave Paul. They wanted true freedom, true life. Only Jesus Christ can offer that. And in Him that is exactly what they got.

Here we are!

We were not in San Francisco, as you have so wisely discerned. We were at Disney in Florida. This was a prop. Created a nice picture. Great job noticing the trees, the lack of people, the tracks for the trolley, cars only in background and prop lighting. The primary problem with deception is that when you are deceived you do not know that you are deceived and the greatest threat of deception is thinking that you cannot be deceived. We are in a spiritual battle and the enemy is scheming to deceive. Deception is his chief weapon. Deception is real and we must be on our guard. Since no one wants to be deceived, here are two suggestions to help with being on guard. The first is humility. In accepting the possibility of deception you have humbled yourself. In submitting yourself to the Lord, being open and willing to be changed, you have humbled yourself. By entrusting yourself to the Lord through obeying the truth you have humbled yourself. Without humility, deception is never broken. Pride is deception, humility before God protects against deception. Second is to abide in the truth of God’s Word (I John 2:24-25). Being on alert against deception primarily means to be on alert in regard to the truth. We are to keep our spiritual senses tuned with the Word of God. When the truth of God’s word is your abode, your dwelling place, you will stand against deception because you are in the truth. Have a great weekend!

Where are we?

Can you tell? Let me know if you can figure it out. Nothing like a little trivia. Things are not always what they appear and things that deceive only deceive because they seem to be something they are really not. The problem with being deceived is that you don't know your are deceived. There are ways to recognize deception. Maybe this little quiz will give you some ideas.

What would have happened?

I wonder if, in Paul's travels and interaction with the church, he ever ran into Stephen's wife? What would that moment have been like? Paul, now a servant of Christ and Stephen's wife, now a widow, her husband mercilessly stoned for following Jesus Christ. Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit whose life was snuffed out by over zealous, misguided and hard-hearted men whose leader was Paul. What would she say? What would Paul say? How would that moment have felt - the air heavy with tension, the uneasy anticipation of the first words spoken, the emotions just under the surface. If Stephen's wife was a follower of Jesus, she would have had words of forgiveness. How do I know? Well, it doesn't matter what we know about her because we know so much about Jesus and what He can do. Knowing Jesus Christ and the way He brings life, joy in sorrow, peace in heartache, hope in hopelessness and redemption in all circumstances, if she knew Jesus, she forgave. No matter how deeply we are wounded by others, if we have been forgiven by Jesus Christ, we can forgive. Because of Jesus Christ, it is our joy, our life and our privilege to forgive all those who hurt us. If you have been hurt, focus on Christ and His forgiveness and then forgive as you have been forgiven. We can forgive because of Jesus Christ - the way, the truth and the life. (Lynlee took this picture and in light of this post it reminded me of unforgiveness - the enemy is seeking to devour like a lion and unforgiveness makes you an easy target).

Being a Boy

Boys will always be boys. I love the memories of playing with my friends growing up - the games, the battles, the adventures. Even more, I love seeing memories created with my kids and their friends. What a joy to watch our kids grow up - our boys becoming men and our daughter becoming a woman. Scary thoughts really but not unrealistic at all. Weston turns thirteen in just 3 1/2 months. Every moment is a moment to be treasured as I increasingly realize the pace of time. And to my mind comes the wisdom of Scripture - "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time..."