Blessed Perseverance

James 1:12 (NIV) Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

We have hosted a Christmas Caroling Party now for four years, doing it again last night. We invite our Small Group to join us in caroling our neighborhood. Prior to the night we inform our neighbors that we will come to their door to sing, invite them to join us in singing, and whether they do or not, invite them to our home for hot chocolate and Christmas goodies following.

We live on one of the few blocks in Moriarty. When we moved here four years ago, we knew right away that God wanted us to reach out to our neighborhood. But it has been tough and unfruitful. Being neighborly is not high on the list of values where we live. Most people move to the East Mountains to get away from people. Generally, people here are not looking for relations, but for isolation. Yet, God has given His people, including us, the responsibility to reach out to others. So we have.

Last night, our perseverance seems to have paid off. There was more warmth from neighbors than ever before, and more open doors to growing relationships. I am so grateful. Not only are we obeying God, we are building life. It is enjoyable to live among friends.

I want to encourage you to persevere. Four years doesn't compare to the waiting periods of Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Jeremiah, or many other Biblical characters. It doesn't compare to the waits of great missionaries like Adoniram Judson or William Carey. Nevertheless, in today's instantaneous world, four years waiting for friends seems like an eternity. But it is worth the wait. Life is better with friends. And, of course, when they become part of God's eternal family through faith in Christ, well that is sheer joy. We pray that is in the near future here in Moriarty.

If you are trying but struggling to build friendships and share Christ, please persevere. Perseverance is part of God's character building in your life. And, it is the only way to reach skeptical neighbors for Christ in today's world. Hang in there! And as you do, remember this: "Love... always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Tale of a Tiger

I grieve over the current woes of Tiger Woods. Serious character issues will ALWAYS unravel the well-scripted life of the most disciplined among us. I have long admired Tiger's tremendous work ethic at the game of golf and his reverence for the game and those great players who have preceeded him. That work ethic coupled with his obvious God-given skills have taken him to the top of his profession. Would we Christians have the same reverence for the One we follow and the same work ethic for the mission to which He commissions us (Matthew 28:19-20).

But not even the most disciplined among us can corral the sin nature that inhabits and corrupts each of us. Tiger is no exception. Look under the finely polished veneer of any human life and you will find the same thing: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." It's certainly true of me. And it's true of Tiger too. We are not brothers on the golf course--he is far above me. But in the course of life, all of us --he, I, and you--are brothers and sisters. We all share the same moral and spiritual genes. We are without hope and without God in the world, if all we have is our own self-discipline. Buddha (whom Tiger supposedly follows) can teach all the meditative and disciplined habits he wants, but such things will always lead us to the same place--spiritual emptiness and moral bankruptcy. I hope Tiger has come to the end of his own very strong, but still futile, rope.

I am saddened that Tiger and Elin his wife have turned first to a renegotiation of their pre-nuptial agreement. That depicts a rather pessimistic view of their future. The upside, however, is that they may be recognizing their inability or even lack of desire to change their personal and marital behavior. If so, that recognition, if coupled with true humility, is the prelude to finding the answer to character change and growth--Jesus Christ.

The Bible makes this promise to those who receive God's Christmas gift of His Son. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (MSG) Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!
That's my suggestion to Tiger, Elin, all of us. Look at Jesus. He alone can do away with the old life that unravels scripted lives and destroys marriages and families. He alone can give us the new life that heals and grows that which we hold most dear. And He even can make Tiger a better golfer than he can possibly be on his own. Yes, look at it--look at the new and better life you can have by uniting your life with Jesus Christ.

Christmas Gifts

I have always enjoyed a loaded Christmas Tree. Our family does not buy a lot for each other throughout the year. We have always been more extravagant at Christmas.

Until recently, I didn't feel guilty about that. It was just fun at our house on Christmas morning. But then along came a fellow Christian who bragged that they always gave more to a Christmas Missions Offering than they spent on Christmas gifts. "Commendable," I thought, "but does this mean that I should?" Just today I read an article about pastors instructing their parishioners to be less materialistic at Christmas. I certainly don't disagree, but does a "loaded tree" make me materialistic? I am sure that many would answer with a resounding "yes." I guess you will have to make up your own mind.

Frankly, the call to be less materialistic is valid here in the United States year round. And I suppose that it is a malady particularly prevalent at Christmas. But I resent the implication that sometimes comes across that if we enjoy Christmas gift-giving and receiving that somehow makes us less spiritual than others. Diane and I share our resources throughout the year. In addition to regular and extravagant giving to the ministry of our church, we support many other worthwhile activities regularly, not just at Christmastime. All that amounts to many times more than we spend on Christmas gifts. At Christmastime, we participate in activities to the disadvantaged and support other organizations that do the same. I will be serving at NoonDay Ministries in Albuquerque on December 16 as a case in point. But we still will have a "loaded Christmas tree" for which we have saved throughout the year. Call me materialistic if you want, but I disagree.

We forget that the first thing for us in Christianity is not giving, but receiving. God gave first. John 3:16 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. We respond to His gift by receiving it (Or Him). You cannot give your way to being a Christian. The first step in Christianity is receiving "God's Gift"--the gift of His Son and life through Him. The truth is, our "loaded tree" is infinitesimal compared to the "loaded tree" that Jesus "decorated" with His blood 2000 years ago. That tree is loaded with life. I pray that if you have not done so already that you open that gift this Christmas with deep and abiding gratitude. Then give gifts and receive gifts this Christmas with equal gratitude for all the things that God gives us to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17).