A not-so-political guide to the November election

This election season is turning out to be a doozy, isn't it? I make it a habit to not write or post about politics in a way that is confrontational or leaning towards the endorsement of a particular candidate, and this will be no different. Most people that I know and speak with are frustrated, and with good reason. Not once in my 46 years here on earth have I seen such an electorate so divided yet also so hesitant to cast a vote.

Many of my pastor buddies have turned to social media to express their views and distribute their advice and wisdom to those who would receive it. Honestly, I have more often been disappointed by what I have read than encouraged. It's very apparent that my evangelical friends are taking stances against both presidential candidates, and in doing so they are inviting some pretty ridiculous feedback from their parishioners who feel the need to comment while offering no real direction for them to take. When that happens, things just get down right silly.

A common belief that I see being proposed is that voting for a third-party candidate essentially means casting a vote against a better qualified candidate that actually has a chance to win. While I cannot debate the truth or error in this statement, I do want to point out how one person commented on that belief: "Just because you refuse to eat at McDonald's doesn't mean that Burger King gets your money." Clever, huh? The problem with this analogy is that there are hundreds of fast-food options out there, not just two or three. I may choose to eat at home, but someone is going to get my money, whether it is a grocery store or some other establishment. Besides, who we elect for President of the United States (POTUS) carries a lot more weight than where I choose to eat a greasy burger.

So where do I stand? Who will I vote for? I'm not going to tell you. But I do want to spend the rest of this post pointing you down a path that I hope that you will take however you choose to cast your ballot in November. Regardless of who is the next President of the United States there will be certain areas in your life that will always be true and cannot be taken away.

• If you are concerned about your rights to free speech being taken away, then you can still respect the rights of others in your life to speak freely, even if they disagree with you. 
• If you are worried that the POTUS will disregard even more the life of the unborn, that doesn't stop you from continuing to be an advocate for those who have no voice, does it?
• Think that the next POTUS will take away your guns and your right to protect yourself? Even if that does happen, that alone shouldn't keep you from loving your neighbor and looking out for each other.
• Concerned that the new POTUS will shut all the borders, prohibit immigration, and racism will now officially be institutional and rampant? Pretty sure the court systems won't allow that, but even if they did, isn't it on YOU how you view and treat your fellow man? Will YOU still choose to respect all people regardless of color, gender, and orientation in spite of what laws could possibly be passed?
• Can't believe that someone so immoral could actually hold the highest office in the land? This is nothing new. Don't look to the POTUS as your moral compass or to be a role model for your children. That is your job.

Long story short - the world is not going to end after Tuesday November 8, 2016, no matter who wins this election. Yes, things will change in America but they always do. New policies will be implemented and new policies will get shot down. Some of the changes that will take place in this country will delight some while at the same time infuriate others. That's just how it is.

I want what's best for America and so do you. For me, that means more Jesus, but we all know that on this next ballot the only names that appear will be those of mere mortals like you and me. That being the case, if you are a follower of Jesus then live like one. The government cannot pass legislation that can keep you from loving people, caring for the needy, honoring others, respecting peoples' rights, or standing up for what is just. Go out and vote and then do what you know that you must do to point others in the direction of our great God and His salvation which is only found in Jesus.  

I ain't skeered! Are you?

Have you ever seen a big, strong weight lifter scream like a little girl when he sees a spider? Or how about a seasoned defense attorney freak out over a paper cut to her index finger? Maybe you haven't, but you can certainly picture the scenario in your head and have probably seen something similar.

We live in a world where we all want to be seen as tough and fear is a taboo to be avoided. How many movies do you see where the coward is the hero? Yet in spite of our best efforts, if we were to sit in a support group circle together and allow our defenses to come down, we would all admit to being scared of plenty of things.

• The possibility of our health or the health of our children being compromised
• Losing a job and being unable to support our families
• What the future of our country will look like, which means we either have Trump-phobia, Hillary-phobia, Bernie-phobia, Republican-phobia, Democrat-phobia, etc. ad nauseum.
• Or maybe we are afraid of what we see as international threats, such as ISIS, nuclear capabilities of North Korea, or our perceived leaky borders. 
• The eventual takeover of the world by the Illuminati and the One World Order (c'mon, everybody is scared of a good conspiracy theory now and then!).
• Spiders. Because spiders are ALWAYS scary.

Whatever it is that you fear in this world, you often feel justified in your fears because the media has a unique way of stoking the flames of paranoia and hysteria. A few clicks on the keyboard will open up a cornucopia of websites and facts and figures as to why your fears are legitimate and you had better start stocking up on Spam and freeze dried vegetables right away. The fear is real!

But what if you realized that your fears don't actually help you cope with the looming gloom and doom that you are so certain is coming? What if you realized instead that in spite of being helpless to defend yourself against the coming Armageddon of bad healthcare/skewed politics/imminent poverty/etc., you are perfectly safe right where you are? Would you believe that?

Truth is, bad things are going to happen in this world. We've been working for centuries to fight diseases, boost the economy, defeat fascists, and improve the environment, yet time and again we have still seen people suffer and lives lost. It's at these times we are tempted to climb in our bunkers, put on our tin foil hats, and hope for the best. What we need to realize is that not only is help on the way, but that help is already here.

Whether you see it or not or agree with it or not, God is in control. He is what we call "sovereign." Nothing escapes His sight and He is well aware of the condition of our world right now. After all, He has allowed us to make the decisions that have gotten us into the messes in which we so often find ourselves. And if you believe that and you believe that Jesus came to give you life and the relationship with God that you were ultimately created for, then you probably already know that one day the Lord will return and rescue us from this mess and carry us with Him into a perfect eternity. The best is yet to come!

But for now we must live in hope and endure the hard times. God has not left us here to blow around in the winds of uncertainty, but rather He is with us every step of the way. I love the words that He spoke to Israel a few thousand years ago when they found themselves enveloped in a tempest of uncertainty:

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand... For I, the Lord God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."      (Isaiah 41:10, 13)

Twice they were told to "fear not" because there is truly nothing to fear. Did the "wrong" candidate get elected? Fear not, God is in control. Are you afraid of what the doctor's lab work will show? Fear not, God has you in His right hand. Terrified of the world that your children will have to face in the future? Fear not, God's got this.

If we are going to "fear not" then we have to believe that God is bigger than our fears. There will continue to be many things beyond our control that will cause us to wring our hands and worry about the future, causing our fear meters to spike. Yet we can take comfort in knowing that we serve a God who is greater than all our fears. 

Excuse me while I vomit my thoughts on your computer screen

Sometimes you just gotta write it all down while it's fresh in your head, kind of like a mind vomit that hits the computer keys. Here it is. My apologies to those who involuntarily retch at the mention or thought of vomit.

Passion 2015
I have had the absolute joy of attending the Passion conferences now for several years. What started out as a chaperoned trip of college kids to Atlanta, GA, in 2007 has now turned into a much anticipated yearly event that I hate to miss. Yes, it's geared toward 18-25 year olds, but someone has to take them so why not me, right?

Do you want to know why I believe Passion to be one of the greatest things going out there for this generation? First, it's not really a conference or even a get together - it's a movement. This is why it makes it so hard to describe to people what you experienced once you return home from a Passion event. Nowhere have I seen so many young adults who intentionally gather for the purpose of exalting Jesus as high as they can. Yes, great music comes from Passion conferences and many inspiring speakers are there, but they are merely the catalysts for what God does in the hearts and lives of those in attendance during those few days together.

Another reason I think Passion is so great is because it comes without a gimmick. I do believe there is a theme for each year they hold the event, but it's not pushed on you like some door-to-door salesman trying to sell you a vacuum. The leaders of Passion don't have as their #1 goal some slick slogan or mantra they want you to adopt for your life. Rather, they strive to push you to fulfill the desire for glorifying God that He has already planted in your heart. You leave an event like Passion already knowing what you need to do, but you are now more inspired than ever to get it done. Looks like I'll be booking more tickets for 2016.

Prayer
I'm someone who does not care much for New Year's resolutions. If you adopt them for yourselves then I think that's awesome and you have my full support, but as for me, it's never been an endeavor that has really born much fruit. Instead, I truly hope that when the need for change confronts me face-to-face, then I will make every effort to move in a different direction from that point forward instead of waiting for some set starting point to begin.

And believe me, I have been faced with a least one area in my life that desperately needs to change, and that is in the arena of prayer. Reading the Bible and other books of personal interest is something that I am pretty good at. I simply love to read. Those of you who know me also know that I love to talk and I'm pretty good at that as well. Probably too good. But when it comes to communicating with God through prayer, I typically suck a lemon on that one.

Maybe it's because I'm slightly ADD (seriously, I do believe that I am), but when it comes to prayer my attention span is about as long as Shaquille O'neal's music career. Lack of focus, a million thoughts assailing my brain, and constant self-imposed distractions are my downfall. So I've decided that some necessary changes are in order and the lengths to which I have gone to enhance my prayer life are radical and outlandish. Do you want to know what I am doing to be more diligent in prayer? I am writing my prayer requests down.

All sarcasm aside, I know that this is not some mind-boggling idea. In fact, many of you have probably had prayer journals where you log all of issues for prayer that God has placed on your heart over the years. Well, I am happy to say that I have now joined your ranks. And do you know what? It's amazing! How cool is it that my attention is now focused more on God now that I have more of a plan of what I desire to bring to Him in prayer? And so far it's working smashingly well.

Prayerlessness is not one of those sins that I want to be found guilty of. How can I neglect this precious time with God, His personal invitation to me (and to you) to commune with Him on an intimate level? Perhaps prayer is like one of those foods like oysters that don't appear appealing on the outside but once you taste it you simply can't get enough. Right now I am signing up for the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Patience. Not really my virtue.

As I herded the kids into the car this morning it was all I could do to keep my eyes open so they would not freeze from the bitter cold and brisk wind gusts. For those of you who are up north, keep your comments to yourself about how "This really isn't THAT cold!" Yes it is that cold for a southern boy living on the coast, so leave me alone.

Anyway, just as I was about to put the car in gear I felt a rush of cold air behind me. I turned to see that my five year old daughter decided to push open her door, just because she could. Quickly, I reminded her that we don't open the car doors once we are inside the car unless we had reached our destination and daddy has put the car in park. With that said, I backed out of the driveway and as I headed down the road to an alarm sounded, telling me that a door was not properly shut. Can you guess whose door it was?

With impatience starting to hover all over me, I stopped the car and ordered my five year old to open and shut her door again so that it could latch. With an "Okay, daddy!" she proceeded to take her seat belt off so that she could open the door that just a minute ago she had no problem opening from a seated and belted position. Once again, I found myself barking at her, directing her to buckle herself back in while I got out in the miserable cold to shut the door for her. Now, we were ready to go. Except that we weren't.

It seems that my sweet little five year old decided that her seat belt was optional for the second go round. My son hollered out, "Dad! Her seat belt isn't buckled!" as I was turning out of the neighborhood. Once again I stopped the car but this time it was not to offer assistance. I was running out of patience. So I did what any other responsible and loving parent would do - I gave her a lecture on car safety and responsibility.

She did not handle that very well.

Once the belt was buckled and all safety standards had been met, I finished my task of dropping off the kids at school and set out to take care of my other responsibilities. Except that I could no longer really focus on what those other things were because I was now convicted at my gross display of impatience toward my 5 year old daughter who was pretty excited to show me that she knew how to open and close her car door and fasten and unfasten her seat belt without any assistance. Yeah, I had blown it. Again.

Patience is not really my strong suit, but in saying that I am not using my lack of patience as an excuse. Someone once said that if you lack patience don't ask God for it because He will put you in situations where you will be forced to learn the hard way. Now I am pretty sure that is not found in the Bible, but the premise behind the idea is strong nonetheless. Patience can be hard!

Recently I heard Francis Chan preach from 2 Peter 1:1-9 where he explained that we are actually partakers of God's divine nature (vs.4). That means it is in me to live for Christ because Christ Himself is in me. And because of my standing with God in Christ, I must "make every effort" to live my life in such a way that brings ultimate glory to God (vs.5). Those worlds make every effort have stuck with me. I cannot hope to achieve any righteousness on my own, but knowing that I am indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God, I must make every effort to act and speak and think for the glory of God and for the good of man. This includes the area of patience, of which God possesses an abundant supply.

Honestly, my effort at patience has not been all that hot, but realizing my standing in Christ encourages me that I can improve. God's patience for me is my template. I cannot wait until my daughter comes home from school today so that I can kneel down beside her, look her in the eyes, and tell her that daddy is sorry for being so impatient with her. Patience may not be my virtue, but it is my goal and with Christ in me I can certainly get there.

I'm feeling pretty good about where we're heading - my brief review of Passion 2014

The thumping I felt in my head was not a headache and it was not isolated to my head. My whole body was reverberating from the music that was blaring out of the speakers in this arena filled with over 20,000 young adults who were dancing and singing at the top of their lungs. And I was right in the mix with them.

Atlanta, GA, January 17-18 2014 will be one of those weekends that I will not soon forget. You see, on that weekend in Philips Arena, Passion came to town and changed everything. What is Passion? Passion is a conference for college students and young adults but it is also much more than that. I took my first group of students to a Passion conference in Atlanta in 2007 and this past conference was the third such one that I had the honor to attend.

Let me give you a brief background. Passion started in the 90's with the vision of a man named Louie Giglio who believed that college students could be the initiators of something big for God. What started as a concert in a field has morphed into movement, gaining steam over the years and expanding its reach to influence  students and young adults across the globe. Here is the nuts and bolts from the Passion website: ROOTED IN THE CONFESSION OF ISAIAH 26:8, PASSION EXISTS TO GLORIFY GOD BY UNITING STUDENTS IN WORSHIP, PRAYER AND JUSTICE FOR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN THIS GENERATION.

So when you come to a Passion conference you will find more than just music and great speakers, although there are plenty of those. Instead, you will be surrounded by young adults who are passionate about Jesus and making His name famous. Let me tell you a little bit more about the experience from an old guy's perspective.

First, there are the people, the young adults who assemble by the thousands from all over the country and the world. When you find yourself in a room with this many people who truly want to be there, you are surrounded by an electricity that is infectious. The energy, the love, the overall zeal to worship and glorify God is abundantly evident, and not to just to those in the arena.

A group of us were sitting in our hotel's lobby on Saturday evening, taking a brief Chick Fil A break before starting another session, when a woman in business dress approached me and my wife. She asked if we were part of this group of young people that had invaded all of downtown Atlanta, and we immediately assumed that she worked for the hotel and had a complaint to lobby against someone who looked old enough to be a chaperone. We told her that yes, we were with these students, but that also were staying at the hotel, hoping that if someone was wrong our hotel key cards might earn us a little bit of leniency. Her response was not what we expected.

This woman looked at us and said, "I have a t-shirt idea for your conference the next time you have it. Get a group picture on front of the shirt and have the words 'UP TO ALL GOOD' (as opposed to up to NO good) printed across the top of it!" She went on to say how overwhelmed she was about the overall vibe from these college students. No bathrooms were trashed, litter was put in its place, manners were being used, and love was being shown. When we told her that the reason these students appeared different to her was because of their love for Jesus, she smiled, said, "That is something to thank God for," and turned to walk away.

It is these students who are the focus of Passion. Yes, there are thousands of adult volunteers who arrive early and leave late who make the gathering possible, but it is the participants who drive it all. At the end of the last session on Saturday night, a call was issued for those to stand who were called to go to the nations with the gospel. Not to church work, not to serve in their communities, but to the nations where the gospel is all but absent. Hundreds of these young adults stood to their feet, arms outstretched, committing their lives with their tears so that others might know the love of Jesus. I have seen the future, and the future is now.

Then there is the music. Passion is known for its loud, driving, yet sincere songs of praise, and this weekend was no different. Passion City Church - founded by Louie Giglio and staffed by such artists as Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill, and Christy Nockels - provides the "house band" for the worship. New songs are introduced amidst the singing of familiar ones that we already know how to sing until our voices are hoarse. Then, just when you think you can't sing anymore, Hillsong United takes the stage in the evening and pretty much melts your face off with more intense worship through song. Add to this David Crowder, Matt Redman, and other gifted worship leaders and you feel as if you are gathered amongst a who's who of Christian artists. However, none of this is pretentious for for show. These men and women have come themselves as worshipers to join us in the exultation of King Jesus.

Finally, there are the speakers. Passion packs back-to-back sessions together that would make any afflicted with ADD go bonkers. Normally, I can't focus long past 30 minutes without needing some kind of a breather, yet at Passion I find myself unable to move after hours of listening to inspired words from men and women who are have come to share the heart of God with us. Whether it's Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Christine Caine, or John Piper, every word that is shared is relevant to life and ministry and calling. I have never left more challenged and personally filled.

I could write more but I won't. Let me concluded by saying that I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the kingdom of God because I have seen in whose hands it lies. Go next year and experience it for yourself. I you are content with where you are in your life and if moving forward in with God's desire for you is not a desirous notion, then stay away from Passion! Because if you do go, there is a good chance it will wreck you and you will find yourself rejoicing King Jesus from the rubble.

Where did all the good people go?

I'm a people watcher. When I observe the actions of others and hear their words, I try to discern their true intent, if that's possible. My wife has what is known as a "woman's intuition" but, as a man, I wasn't exactly blessed with that gift. So I observe and take mental notes.

Now before you accuse me of being some creepy guy that stalks people at the local mall, let me explain. When I say that I observe others, I do what most of you do as well. As I live my daily life I encounter people who do and say all sorts of things, sometimes to me but usually directed at others. And it is to these things that I pay attention.

As a father of four kids, I am around kids a lot. I go to the schools in an effort to stay engaged in their educational life and I am around their friends when they are at my home. As a pastor, each week I interact with hundreds of people who cover the spectrum of emotional and mental stability. When I grocery shop, there is a whole other level of consumer mindset that I encounter. Everywhere that I go I encounter people, many of whom I have at least a casual conversation with.

Do you know what I've discovered by just watching? Many people are downright awful to one another. I've had mental images pop up in my head about whipping out my belt and giving a butt-whooping to kids who I have observed being incredibly cruel to a class mate (and yes, I did restrain myself, instead letting the teacher know what I observed). If there is one thing that I hate, it's bullying, and that's probably because I tried to be one myself in middle school (FYI, my career at being cruel was short-lived because I was a lousy bully). When I see and hear students treating each other like discarded waste, I grieve for those affected.

When was the last time you were at a restaurant and saw another patron absolutely lambasting the server when a part of their meal was not right? The last time I checked, the server's job is to serve the food, not prepare it. Yet some of the most venomous language I have ever heard has been in restaurants and retail stores. "Isn't it a great idea to take out all of our anger and hostility on those who aren't even responsible for the product?" said no one ever in their right mind.

So what is my point in highlighting all of this negativity? Am I saying that people in general are awful? Yes, I am. Before you get offended and leave me a hateful comment that will further prove my point, allow me to share some truth with you. Jeremiah 17:9 in the Old Testament of the Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things. Matthew 12:34 goes on to say that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. What this says is that our mouths cannot help but express what is in our hearts. We can fake it and speak sugary words when we need to, but the true self will eventually come out for others to see.

Not trying to be too much of a downer here, but we also have to consider what Romans 3:10 says about us: There is no one righteous, no not even one. Ouch! "But wait!" you say. "What about all the really kind and generous people in this world? Are you saying that they are awful, too?" No, I'm not saying it. God is.

Our culture celebrates human depravity. Don't believe me? Then turn on the TV at night or go to a movie. From the heart flows our true intent. Good deeds might get a quick blurb at the end of a newscast, but the majority of media and entertainment is obsessed with covering the bad.

Here's the deal. We weren't created to be good. We were created to know God. And until your life has been made right with God through Jesus, then you are incomplete. Sure, people who do not know God can do many great and beautiful things - they do and I am glad for it! - but the root issue is not how good we are but rather how great God is.

In writing all of this let me make this clear: I do not hate people. In fact, I really love people. Some of my best friends are those who believe the opposite of what I have typed here. Yet I cannot and do not hide from them the truth found in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is good enough. Because of the sacrifice on the cross that Jesus made, all of our sinfulness and filth can be covered when we place our faith and trust and hope in Him. When our hearts are transformed and renewed by the gospel of Jesus then our lives will truly realize what they were created for.

Jesus, love, and warm fuzzies

Misinformation makes the world go round. Think about it. When a national or international catastrophe happens the first reports we hear from major news agencies are usually hyperbolic in nature. We know this because of the expected caveats we hear in later newscasts: "Contrary to earlier reports, there was only one suspect not three and there were 4 victims not 13..." The story based on misinformation is more tantalizing to the ears and certainly garners more viewers and attention.

This phenomenon doesn't just belong to the media. Books, movies, and television shows thrive on misinformation. The good guy suddenly becomes the bad guy because of a bit of false information that makes others believe he's gone rogue and is out to destroy the country. Sound familiar? It should, because this is the flow of so much of the  crime and suspense entertainment that's out there.

There is also misinformation within faith circles which is probably the most damning of all. If you were alive on September 11, 2001, then you were probably glued to the news as planes shattered buildings and lives in New York City, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. We were told that Muslim extremists committed these heinous acts and before you knew it all Muslims were called into question and labeled with suspicion. Yet there I was, sitting in a mosque in Northern Sudan several years later with an imam apologizing to me on behalf of his Muslim brothers and sisters for what happened on 9-11. As a Christian, I do not share this man's beliefs and I know that those who committed the shameful acts on 9-11 were Muslims, but it was pretty obvious that this man sitting across from me didn't run in the same circles as the Muslim extremists we'd been told so much about. He had no desire to blow me up and he was actually interested in hearing what I had to say about Jesus.

Consider Christianity for a moment. Here's the skinny for those of you who don't know:

• God created all that is with man being the pinnacle of His creation
• Man turned his back on God and chose self (sin) over a satisfying relationship with the Creator of the universe
• God knew man was helpless to save himself so He stepped out of heaven, clothed Himself in human flesh as Jesus, and lived among us preaching truth and revealing a glimpse of God's kingdom
• Jesus was eventually falsely accused by those who hated Him and sentenced to death on a cross - but it was all good because this was God's plan all along. Jesus came to die for our sins, which He didn't commit, so that we could have our relationship with God restored, which we don't deserve.
• Jesus rose from the grave three days after His death, thus conquering death and completing God's plan of redemption for mankind

This is the most beautiful, perfect example of love and grace that could ever be told. It's the foundation of the Christian faith and it's what I've staked my life upon. Almost every Christian that I have ever encountered agrees with this narrative of the faith.

But then things get a little fuzzy when start to dig a little deeper. There is this segment within and without the Christian faith that wants to edit the story so that it has more warm fuzzies to it and less judgment and bad vibes. To them, God is all about love and nothing more. 1 John 4:8 even tells us that, "God is love." Therefore it only make sense that anything that creates static or uneasiness or division must go. God loves everybody just the way that they are - He's okay with you no matter what life choices you make. Thus, the script gets rewritten and the misinformation campaign continues to truck on down the road.

Before we move on let me get one thing straight. We are not on the same level with God and it's rather silly for us to tell others how we think He feels about things. He's God, perfectly holy, worthy off all the praise that a universe full of voices could sing to Him without taking a breath for countless millennia. Those who express offense when behaviors and lifestyles are called into question are usually those who overlook the realities that are pointed out in the Bible, God's word to us. God is love but God is also just and righteous and cannot tolerate our sin. Somehow that last part seems to get edited out more often than not.

We can boil it down to this: We want the grace that Jesus gives but not the rebuke that comes with it. For those that want just the warm fuzzies but none of this talk about sin, I have to ask the question: Why in the world did Jesus die on the cross? The Bible is pretty clear when it comes to our condition. We are sinful people (Romans 3:23) unable to save ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9) and hopeless without the blood of Christ being spilled for our redemption (2 Corinthians 5:21). Indeed the cross is the greatest symbol of love that the world has ever known, but it is also covered in blood that was spilled because of our great and ugly sinfulness.

At the cross Jesus bought our forgiveness but He did not erase the reality of our sin. Love covers us but sin continues to corrupt us. Those who are offended by others who constantly point out what the Bible labels as sin are hiding behind a delusion. Yes, there are those out there who are a bit too gleeful when it comes to denouncing what is sinful (they, too, need to repent of their own sinful pride and obstinacy) but the opposite reaction that refuses to call sin what it is - sin - is just as damaging.

Jesus is all about love, a love so great that it compelled Him to die for sins He never committed so that we would no longer be mastered by them. He didn't die as a nice gesture or because He's a good guy. He died so that we wouldn't have to. He's not okay with it when we trivialize and rationalize sin and those of who are His followers shouldn't be either.

Basking in God's greatness

It is the morning of January 14 and I am sitting in a chair on the beach. Some freakishly awesome weather system has descended upon the North Carolina coast for the past few days, teasing us with spring like weather. Knowing that it will probably turn cool again in the next few days, I had to take advantage of every possible moment I could get outside.

Living on the Atlantic coast is probably not the same as living in other coastal regions in other parts of the world. Right now I am observing mini-waves on what is otherwise known as Lake Atlantic. But while the sea is calm and passive today, I still cannot see where it begins or ends. It is massive in it's expanse and it still sends waves crashing to the shore whenever it pleases. As I sit and contemplate this mighty ocean I am simply blown away at the majesty of God, the Creator of not just the ocean but the universe and all that is in it.

Consider these words from Psalm 95:3-5:

For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. The depths of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks are His. The sea is His; He made it. His hands formed the dry land.

As I watch the waves crash on the beach, I am immediately thankful for the sand that tells the ocean waves where to stop (Job 38:11). I watch fishing boats troll the depths, thankful that God has given us food to eat. And then I think, "Is there anything that is too difficult for God?" No, the waves roar in reply.

Our God is a great God and His creation is a reminder of His power and His sovereignty. There is nothing He cannot do. Worship Him!