Laughter…I love it!
Church never fails me. What a full house on Sunday. The children sang, we gave the kids a special gift (more and more just seem to come to the front!), we had beautiful, special music (Madison you did great) and we sang gorgeous Christmas hymns. The entire morning was just beautiful!
I guess what always makes worship fun is that we are not afraid to laugh. We seemed to do that a lot on Sunday and most every Sunday. How would you like to come to worship and just sit there like a bump on a log with the same expression on your face the entire time? The hour would feel like a day. No Jesus loves our laughter. He loves the fact that we let our hearts open to feel all the emotions that He has put in our spirit.
I am reminded of the psalmist who wrote…
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Psalm 32:11
The psalmist is a man who knows how to live and to worship. He knows what it means to be glad and I bet even during difficult times. He knows what it means to rejoice even when he has cause not too. He knows how to shout. Not the kind of shouting that makes others angry, but the kind that fills everyone’s heart with love and excitement. It is a joyful shout.
This Christmas, no matter what, is a time to get that laughter back in your life. It is time to get that rejoicing and joy active and working again.
You are making a mad dash to the finish line I know. It is going to get strange! But keep smiling. Keep your head up and rejoice. It will be tempting to be negative when people do bad things or make silly mistakes, but instead, shout for joy! It will warm your heart and lift your spirit.
Remember Christ loves you, died for you, redeems you, and makes you new again…so be glad, rejoice and shout for joy…it’s worth it I promise!
See you Christmas Eve!
Rev. Jim
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES: JOIN US! WHAT A NIGHT IT WILL BE!
5:00 pm ~ Family Candlelight Service
This is an exciting worship service, which is extra special for the children. It is interactive and tells the Christmas story in a way the little ones will love and remember! The service will conclude with the lighting of candles and the singing of “Silent Night.”
(Nursery will be available for the littlest ones!)
11:00 pm ~ Candlelight & Communion Service
This is a peaceful, reverent way to welcome Christmas! The sanctuary will be filled as we worship together with beautiful music, a homily and Holy Communion. The service will conclude with the lighting of candles and the singing of “Silent Night.”
Things We Don’t See…December 18th
It was about 8:00 p.m. and I had just picked up fried chicken from Publix and about to pull into the driveway when I get a text saying there are fire trucks at the church. Well the word fire and church don’t go well to together so I raced over. I found them in the back parking lot. I asked, “Is there an emergency?” They replied, “Yes and you better move your car, because it is about to land on your head!” Then I heard it…a Life Flight helicopter was landing right where I was, in the parking lot of the church! It was incredible! Evidently there was a bad wreck on hwy138 and they were using the church parking lot as a staging area to get the patient to the hospital. They couldn’t land anywhere else.
First, I prayed for the person injured. Then I prayed for the firefighters and the paramedics and the person flying the helicopter. Then something dawned on me…I thought to myself this was really unbelievable to witness something like this first hand. When we see or hear emergency vehicles zooming by, we often think what an inconvenience, because I have to stop. We rarely think they are risking their life and limb to save others.
It made me think of what we see and don’t see. Jesus said it like this…
“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:1-4
There are two sides to this coin. Quickly look at both of them with me.
Jesus warns us not do things to be seen. When we do we are doing things for the wrong reasons. In fact, just do them, because God has asked you to do so. When you do this, GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN. However, when we wish to be praised by men, then Jesus says that is exactly what you will get. The world is filled with people who do things to be seen by others. How much humility does it take to do something anonymously so that only your Lord sees? How much spiritual strength will take, knowing you will never get a thank you from anyone, but only the satisfaction that you did it!?
The other side to this is that we need to be giving people a real break. Cut people some slack. We are quick to assume what people are doing. If I hadn’t seen first hand what those firefighters were doing then I might assume they were not doing much. We are good at this, because human nature only looks to what we are good at it. In other words, if I am not doing it then it must not be getting done or being done well. This is just nonsense.
So get out there today. Have one goal and that is only to please your Lord. Don’t let anyone else know. Just do good things. Do them, because God has first loved you. Then take the rest of the world off your plate. Yes the world will turn without your commentary all the time and things will get done. After all we are only in control of our own lives. Let’s make them shine as brightly as we can!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
LET IT SHINE!
I saw the Children’s Christmas Play last night and I must say I was impressed. It was an ingenious script. All the actors were stars (the kind in the sky). They were trying to choose the star that would shine over Bethlehem to point the way to Jesus. In the end they had a talent show. Many stars performed, but the least likely won the job. I thought that was fitting. In fact, the point was that the star might not have had the brightest shine, but the star’s heart had the desire and love that was needed.
Jesus says it this way…
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. What an incredible thing to be called. I wish more people saw themselves like this. I imagine those lighthouses on the shores of the east coast. They are out there in the middle of nowhere, but they serve an incredible purpose. They help ships from crashing into the rocky shore. Imagine if there was no light. Imagine the lives lost and the destruction that would result. The same goes for our light. Instead of hiding our light that lives within our heart, Jesus says to let it out for others to see. When we do we will guide, love, teach, nurture, lead, edify, build up, and help all around us. We will give people the life saving tools that we know will help them live life.
What a beautiful story. One star with a light inside was chosen. Chosen to do something miraculous, like light the way to our Savior. You were chosen too…to do something miraculous…to point the way…to let your light be a beacon.
How brightly will it shine today? Where will you lead others? I always hope it is to Christ by what you say and do.
So let it shine…after-all, that is what you were created to do!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
It is Coming…December 16th
Wait…that isn’t going to work…I mean if all we did was just put things off, because we didn’t have enough time to get them done or enjoy them nothing would be on time. The world just doesn’t work that way. Christmas is the 25th and always has been so get ready. The New Year is coming and resolutions are to be made so get ready. Church is still on Sunday (three services at Stockbridge) so just get ready. You still have bills that need to be paid so get ready.
There are certain things we just can’t put off. Jesus says one of those things is the condition of your heart and who owns it.
Jesus said, “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back … If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ” (Mark 13:33-37)
An important decision we don’t need to put off any longer is whether or not you want Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. That is a decision we all need to make. We must toss that one around. If we decide yes, then we don’t need to wait any longer to tell the story. We don’t need to wait any longer to share it. We don’t need to wait any longer to love. We don’t need to wait any longer to forgive. We simply must walk the walk and talk the talk.
Jesus says don’t wait, be ready, DO IT!
Christmas is coming and we can’t put it off any longer. Jesus is coming too! He is coming again and says be ready. If Christ is your Lord then don’t wait to tell others. If He isn’t then start digging deeper. Don’t put it off. Don’t make any more excuses. Get into a church, show up at a Bible study, and ask questions. You can call me and we can talk all day…I love to talk about Christ, after all it is what saved my life.
We have an incredible life that has been given to us by God. Let’s not wait another moment to live it and the greatest way I know is to let Jesus lead it!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
Back to the Basics…December 15th
Life is like that…the basics. Sometimes we lose sight of what they are. For some of us we never had them in the first place. The world tries to teach us some basics. Here they are:
- Make as much money as you can and buy as much as you can!
- Upgrade or you will never be happy!
- Get the latest and greatest fashion or style or be less of a person!
- Make sure you appear successful!
- Put your needs first after all if you don’t care about you who will?!
- Don’t think for yourself, let the TV do it for you.
- Charge it…you can pay for it later!
These are some pretty simple, worldly basics that you have heard in your own head. We seem to be tempted by them constantly.
Now I want you to get rid of all these…go ahead…toss them…they are useless to you. Let’s learn some new basics that will last you a lifetime and will never betray you.
These come straight from the heart of God.
Paul says these are the basics and they are all interwoven. Your Faith, Your Hope and Your Love. These will never fail you.
YOUR FAITH: This is something that is a must. To have it means to understand that there is something larger and grander working in your life. Faith means we believe in the things unseen. We have a God that wants us to have faith that He loved us so much that He gave His only Son for the forgiveness of our sins. Faith in that simple message saves us. Believing in that redeems us. This kind of faith will help you rise above any storm and overcome any hurdle. But you must nurture it. You must kindle it and stoke it like a fire. You must feed it and continue to hone it. It is a powerful weapon. Worship, church, Bible study, prayer and service all help shape it.
YOUR HOPE: This is different from faith but connected. If we know that faith brings us to a place that things are certain (i.e. we have a God that loves us and forgives us), hope then keeps us looking toward that day when all things will be restored and made perfect. Hope continues to point us to a brighter tomorrow. Hope, spurred by faith, calms our heart knowing that all things are possible. Hope keeps us moving forward not backward. Hope keeps our eyes ahead not behind. Without hope we are stuck. Without it we are frozen.
YOUR LOVE: Love is the result of both faith and hope. Your faith in God reminds you that God asks you to love others. It will make you want to love others. Your hope in a better tomorrow puts the desire to make tomorrow better by loving all you meet. Love, therefore, is the culmination of both and faith and hope and it is the greatest of all! It is your faith in action. It is you making hope a reality in the lives of others. It will melt a cold heart; warm a depressed soul, and sooth an anxious mind.
Now the question is, “Do you have these BASICS?” A life without them is frozen, unmovable, anxious and restless.
SO GET BACK TO THE BASICS TODAY! If you concentrate on them amazing things will happen. Let them fuel everything you do. Let them be the thing that races through your spirit. When you do you will discover something more important than the world, schedules, appointments, deadlines and the rest…instead, you will discover what it means to LIVE!
Love you all!
Rev. Jim
INDISPENSABLE!…December 14th
You see I was indispensable! I was an integral part of the service, although a very small part. Yet, they could not go on without me. I wonder if we view our businesses, churches and families like that.
Often when we work closely with people strife and division happen when people value what they are doing more than another. When we do that we begin to feel that people are dispensable. We tend to just say I have no use for you, because I am more important. Jesus tells us we are allvaluable…an integral part of the Body. Instead of saying, “I have no need of you” we should be honoring and loving all.
I want to tell you this now…YOU ARE INDISPENSABLE TOO! Have you ever had someone say to you, “I have no need of you!” For whatever reason people are going to not like certain things about you. They will try to change you. If it happens to you just pray for them. They desire only to see the rich diversity of God’s creation as just an “eye” or a “foot.” They just want everything to look like them. Whatever you do, keep being the person God created you to be and keep moving forward. You don’t need to be held back by small thinkers.
I thank God we have a diverse church with all kinds of people. We have different ministries and different ways we worship. We have rich and poor, young and old. But the beautiful thing is that we all make up the Body of Christ. We are all indispensable. So today remember how important you are to the Kingdom of God. In that same breath remember how important others are too!
Have a blessed day!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
BE RENEWED…December 11th
Now you cannot control whether or not the sun comes out. You cannot control the rain or the temperature, but what you can control is how you react to it. I find that most of my bad moods are completely within my control. If the weather is bad why does it have to make my mood suffer? If the boss is angry, why does that have to ruin my day? If the kids are not minding, why does that have to affect everything else in my life? You get the point.
So often we allow life to treat us like a pinball. I used to love pinball machines. You have no control over where that thing is going until you get it on a flipper and even then it could end up anywhere. Our moods are much like that. For some of us we can just let life lead us wherever and our moods follow. This can lead us to a life of extreme ups and downs and that is no way to live.
If you want more control over that then listen to what God says about it.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
When we stop focusing on the problem and start focusing all our energy on the renewal of our minds then we don’t conform to the problems of the world. Instead, we strengthen our mind through prayer, God’s Word and worship. When we do this the world’s problems become something we overcome instead of something that overcomes us. Simply, I would rather focus on the One that can help me overcome my problems than the problem itself!
So next time you get in the dumps, don’t focus on the valleys, but concentrate on what God wants you to be. Stop your mind from being tossed around like a pinball and take control. Let your mind focus on the love of God, His strength, mercy and that He has your going in and coming out. Think about God’s will for your life and know that He wants your life to be something good, pleasing and perfect.
God loves you. Remember that always, even when the sun never seems to shine. When you do you will be amazed at how it will lift your spirit and mood.
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
GOD IS WITH US…December 10th
As I write this to you my heart breaks. I was unable to send a devotional yesterday. I was in a Methodist Conference meeting all day. However, this morning I was told that a dear friend of mine, Oliver, had passed away last night. We knew it would not be long. He had struggled for so long. He put up a courageous fight and he faced death with courage and dignity. He never wanted anyone to do for him, because he thought it to be an imposition. He just didn’t want to be a bother. That was just the kind of man he was.
In the midst of all of this I reminded of Jesus’ words on the cross, “This day you will be with me in paradise.” He said this to a man who was being crucified with him. A man who, as he said, deserved what he was getting for his crimes. The man asked Him simply, “Remember me when you get into your Kingdom.” While others mocked Him and spat upon him and dared Him to save Himself, the sinner saw who Jesus really was.
Christmas is a time to see who Jesus really is. He is the One proclaimed by all the prophets. He is the One born into poverty. He is the One who as a boy taught in the temple. He is the One who grew into an adult and was baptized by John. He was tempted in the desert, he healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, preached good news to the poor, helped the lame to walk and the blind to see and raised people from the dead. He showed us who God really is and how much God really loves us and in showing us He spread Himself lovingly and willingly on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Most of all, most of all, Jesus is our EMMANUEL…God is with us!
So today remember that God is with you. Jesus proves it. Jesus made it so and in making it so God wants your life to be an exciting adventure. He wants you to LIVE! Abraham Lincoln said this, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” What kind of life is in your years? What are you doing to make the most of it now?
So Oliver we love you. You left us too soon, but what look at the life you shared. The life in your years was seen and felt by all and will truly last for generations to come. Thank you for loving my family. Thank you for sharing the love of God with your church and the world. This day you are in paradise. We will see you soon!
My friends live your life today! Cherish every moment and most of all live it to the fullest!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
It Just Never Gets Old…December 8th
The play started, and I know you are thinking, “Yeah right, what could a bunch of preschoolers say about Christmas?” Let me tell you this…EVERYTHING! They told the story of Christ right out of the Bible. They memorized the lines, they acted it out, they were singing songs, they were in costumes, they were dancing and getting excited…THEY WERE TELLING THE STORY!
I find it amazing that a four year old and someone who is one hundred and four can tell the story of Christ! The story of Christ has no age limit, cultural barrier, nor does it require a college education. The story of Christ doesn’t ask if you have a FICA score, social security number, or whether you are rich or poor. The story of Christ asks you, simple and plain…will get EXCITED ABOUT THE STORY!? It asks only…will you TELL THE STORY!? It hopes for only one thing from you and that…will you LIVE THE STORY!?
I hope you are excited this year, because it is worth jumping up and down about, shouting from the rooftops, and proclaiming for the world to hear. I hope you want to tell it to all you meet. For goodness sakes I hope you want to live it, because it is life changing!
But if you don’t know it, let me tell you where to look…Luke 2:1-20.
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
A Compliment Goes A Long Way!
I meet a lot of people each week. I hold a lot of hands. Some are happy, some sad and some are just plain ugly and mean. I have always been curious about unhappy people. What makes them that way? Why do people have to be that way? I have a theory (just a theory). It is because they don’t ever have anyone say anything nice to them. There are no compliments, no pat on the back, no nothin! I love getting emails that say thank you. I love getting cards of appreciation. It puts a smile on my face, it warms my heart, it makes me want to do even more for folk.
I want to challenge you to do something different today. Instead of finding the negative in those around you, try to find something nice to say about them.
- It will change someone’s bad day completely around!
- It will warm a heart!
- It will be an example of Christ for the world to see!
- It will change your attitude!
- It will feel great!
So take time today. It is easy to find the ugly in folks. Just look long and hard enough and you will. However, it a joy to find the positive in the lives of everyone. So lift them up. Give them some of that old fashioned sugar. Be a fountain of “Good job!” “Well Done!” and “I appreciate all you do!” Try it out. I think you will find that not only will it brighten the day of the one you are complimenting, but it will put a smile on your heart too!
Oh by the way…GREAT JOB!
Love you all!
Rev. Jim
