Some folks have a rather inflated view of themselves.  There is a story about a young woman who went out for dinner on a first date. The young man had a very high opinion of himself and spent almost an hour talking non-stop about all his outstanding qualities. Finally, after he bragged that he was the product of an outstanding family that could trace its roots to royalty, the young woman had enough. “Wow, that’s impressive!” she exclaimed. “I bet your great-grandfather was King Kong!”

Friends, sometimes the blunt words of another person can deflate an enlarged ego and bring it down to a much better size. The best way to avoid getting too caught up with ourselves and becoming arrogant is to focus on something bigger than we are.

A wealthy and famous actress went to see a psychiatrist.  During the first interview he said, “Now, tell me about yourself.” The woman needed no second invitation and proceeded to describe in detail her many accomplishments. After she had gone on for an hour, the psychiatrist said, “That will do for now. I’ll see you again next week.”  Each session followed the same pattern. After twelve weeks the psychiatrist finally said, “Madam, I believe your chief problem is that you are too focused on yourself. My prescription for you is to hop in the car and drive to the Grand Canyon. When you arrive, take a long, lingering look at something which is a lot bigger than you are.”

Friends, those of us who struggle with pride and arrogance can find it very beneficial to look at something that is a lot bigger than we are. Those of us who are Christians discover there is really no room for pride in our lives when we catch even a glimpse of the glory of God which is revealed to us in Jesus Christ. When John the Baptist, a very successful and popular preacher, met the Lord Jesus, his pride melted.  Speaking of Jesus, John said in John 1:27, “I am not good enough to untie the strings of his sandals.” Saul of Tarsus was a brilliant man with a great deal of confidence in his own wisdom and abilities. He was convinced that those who did not see things his way did not even deserve to live.  Then he met Jesus, became Paul the Apostle and said, in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” Paul understood that all his abilities and successes were because of God’s grace. Thus, they were not reasons to boast or be proud, but rather called for a response of humble gratitude.

A trip to the Grand Canyon or looking at the stars in the night sky can indeed remind us of our “smallness.” Even better, however, is to read the Bible and look at Jesus. If we catch even a glimpse of His glory and majesty, we see someone who is much bigger than we are. This can help us in many ways, especially if we want to be free from the trap of thinking the world revolves around us.

The great Russian writer, Alexander Solzhenitsyn tells of a dark moment in his life when he felt all hope and reason for living were gone.  As a prisoner in a Soviet prison camp, he worked twelve hours a day at hard labor.  He wasn’t getting much to eat, and before too long he had become very ill. In fact, the doctors at camp told him that he would probably die very soon. One afternoon while shoveling sand in the blazing sun, Solzhenitsyn simply stopped working. He’d had enough. As he stopped, he realized that the guards would beat him severely, perhaps even to death. Yet, at that moment, nothing mattered to him anymore. He had no desire to keep living.

Within a few moments, however, Solzhenitsyn saw another prisoner moving quietly toward him. Cautiously, the man took his cane and drew a cross in the sand and then quickly erased it before the guards saw it. “In that brief moment,” says Solzhenitsyn, “all the hope of the gospel poured into my soul.” Looking at those two lines drawn on the ground for merely a few seconds gave him strength and courage to endure that difficult day. The hope found in the cross of Jesus Christ allowed his soul not only to survive but to thrive through the many more hard months of imprisonment that would follow.

Why was such a simple symbol such a great inspiration to this brilliant man? Because, by God’s grace, Alexander Solzhenitsyn had come to understand what the death of Jesus Christ meant for his life. Though almost 2000 years had passed, Solzhenitsyn knew that the cross—Jesus’ suffering and dying in his place—provided a reason to live each day with purpose and hope.

I am afraid that just as streetlights often obscure the brilliance of the stars on a clear night, our comfortable surroundings prevent us from seeing the meaning of the cross as clearly as Solzhenitsyn did that day in the Soviet prison. Most folks realize that Jesus died on a cross outside of Jerusalem on the day we call “Good Friday.” Yet, many do not realize the significance of that cross. We need to remember that because Jesus Christ died on the cross, those who embrace Him as Lord and Savior are given a whole new perspective on life. Because of the cross, guilt is replaced by forgiveness, slavery to sin and selfishness is replaced by a freedom to follow the Lord and love other people, emptiness and despair are replaced by meaning and purpose, and the fear of death is replaced by the hope of eternal life.

Friend, no matter what circumstances you are facing in life, the cross of Jesus Christ enables you to live each day with purpose and hope. As human beings, we often think wealth, career, education, physical health, family or friends will bring us the happiness we are looking for in life. Yet anything else we cling to besides the cross of Jesus will provide only temporary and illusory hope. May the Lord enable each of us to truly turn to Jesus Christ and find true hope in His death and resurrection.

Back in 1995, The Chicago Tribune reported on the 120th celebration of Jeanne Calment of Arles, France. At the time, her verifiable age made her the oldest person in the world. She had also become quite a celebrity in France, with three books written about her life and the French Minister of Health attending her birthday party.

Medical scientists studied her life to try to discover the secret of her longevity. Was it plenty of exercise, a low-fat diet, and good clean living? Well, exercise may have played a role in her extraordinary health. She took vigorous walks each day and rode her bike through the streets of Arles until she was 100 years old. A low-fat diet was not a priority for her, however. For many years, she consumed at least two pounds of chocolate a week, and she always did her cooking with olive oil. Jeanne was also a moderate smoker, consuming an average of two or three packs a week. She finally gave up smoking when she was 117.

At age 110, Jeanne said, “I had to wait 110 years to become famous. I intend to enjoy it as long as possible.” By age 120 she was confined to a wheelchair and had a variety of physical problems. “I see badly,” Jeanne said, “I hear badly, I don’t have much feeling in my legs, but everything is fine.” When someone asked Jeanne what kind of future she expected, she replied, “A very short one.” Indeed, Jeanne Calment did die a couple of years later, at age 122.

Friends, in reality, all of us, as a song says, “are only on this earth for a short while.” Yes, 120 years is much longer than two years, but in the big picture of time they are both rather short periods. The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.4 years, with women living a bit longer than men. There are, of course, folks who live to be over 100, but there are also many individuals who die much younger. Whenever I look at the obituary page in the newspaper, I am reminded that death strikes people at a variety of ages. The bottom line, however, is that one hundred years from now it is very unlikely that anyone reading this column will still be alive. Death is a certainty. Unless the Lord Jesus returns first, none of us will get off this planet alive. As someone said, “Whether you are a king or a street sweeper, we all have to dance with the Grim Reaper.”

I would find the inevitable reality of death to be a very depressing truth if it were not for the fact that the Bible promises that those who are believers in Jesus Christ will conquer death. Because the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, those who trust in Him will one day experience a similar resurrection. That is why Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

Friends, our future on this earth is indeed a rather short one. Are you ready for what comes next? As God enables, make sure you are trusting in Jesus Christ so that you can experience the eternal life He promises.

Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:12-14

As the new year comes in, we often try to make some humorous and often unattainable goals like: 1) Try to drive at or under the speed limit... at least when I'm not hungry, tired, or late. 2) Stop repeating myself again, and again, and again. 3) Stop procrastinating... (I think I just might start next month) 4) Drive myself to the fitness center when I feel like going from now on... because walking there makes me perspire.

All of us have had some failed attempts at certain goals for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we are pretty dedicated for a while and then we fizzle out before half the year is through. Guilt often sets in and then we are driven even further from our goal. We fall back into our pre-goal pattern and sometimes even more so.

I like what Paul says in the verses above regarding goals. First, he knows that the goal is not reached. He has not attained perfection (and neither have we), yet he knows that Christ has laid hold of him. Jesus initiated the relationship and gave him a promise…an eternal, heavenly promise, which includes being united with Him in heaven and made mature and complete.

Second, Paul says that he does strive and reach for the heavenly prize in Christ. Our goal is to mature and be like Jesus. You may ask, “What is the motivating factor to become like Him? Aren’t we going to just fail and it will be like any other goal that we’ve started in life?” One of the things Paul says is that the call Christ gives to us is from Him and it is eternal.

If someone offered you 5 million dollars if you lost 15 pounds in a month, you’d probably lose that amount in short order. If we are that motivated by money, how much more incentive is there for an eternal reward where there is absence of sin, pain, sorrow, and grief. How much more incentive is there when you are surrounded by beauty, reunited with other believers in Christ, and most of all the greatest treasure: being in the presence and glory of Christ Jesus Himself.

The goal we strive for is not done in our own power but in the power of Christ through His Holy Spirit. When we place our faith in Him, He gives to us His promised Holy Spirit. His Spirit works within us to give us strength to live for Him and become more like Him. The most wonderful thing about this goal is that Jesus initiates the relationship and gives us the power to attain the goal. The prize is of infinite value.

May this year be full of growth and maturity in Christ, knowing that we have a high calling. This calling includes our lives pointing to Jesus in such a way that others will be drawn to Him. He is behind us all the way and He is worthy of all of our lives and praise. May God give you the strength as you grow in Him and shine His light this year!

One of the reasons I love C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia is because of passages such as the following, that are full of simple, but profound insight into the truth:

“People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. Peter was shaking like a leaf in the wind. He was remembering what the Beavers had said in answer to their questions about Aslan: ‘Safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.’” (The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe)

Aslan, the great lion who is the true king of Narnia, is the figure who represents Jesus Christ. Lewis once said that he wrote these books so that as readers got to know Aslan the lion in the make-believe world of Narnia, they would come to better know the Lord Jesus, the true King of the real world in which we live. I think it is very important that each of us keep in mind that Jesus Christ is “not safe, but good.”

Some folks today, and many throughout history, have recognized that the Lord is not safe, but have failed to understand that He is good. People like this tend to be afraid of God. They often blame God for catastrophes that occur around them and for tragedies they experience in their own lives. They frequently view the Lord as a judge who is constantly looking for those who are doing something wrong (or just having too much fun) and then delights in punishing them. These people focus on appeasing God when they think it necessary and staying far away from Him when they can.

On the other hand, many folks today, and some throughout history, have recognized that the Lord is good, but have failed to understand that He is not safe. They often define God as simply “love,” claim that it is His job to forgive everyone, and insist that “a loving God would never confine anyone to hell.” Rather than viewing the Lord as a judge, they see Him as a kindly, grandfather-type deity whose primary message is “don’t judge each other, just accept everyone.”

Yet, both these views are a gross distortion of reality. Failing to recognize that the Lord is not safe, but is good, is a mistake that does great harm to one’s soul. The Bible makes it clear that the Lord is good and is someone to whom we should always long to be close. At the same time, it warns us that He is not safe, and indeed we should be afraid to live in rebellion against Him. As Numbers 14:18 says, “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet He will not let the guilty go unpunished.” It is important that we, as Romans 11:22 says, “consider both the goodness and severity of God.”

Friends, it is important that we seek to relate to the Lord as He truly is, not merely as we would like Him to be. The true God is not safe, but is good. He is the one we are called to love, trust, and serve.

In a Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown cracks open his piggy bank and says, “Look, I’ve got $9.11 to spend on Christmas this year.”

Lucy is not at all impressed. With hands on hips she says, “Charlie Brown, you can’t possibly buy something for everyone on your Christmas list with $9.11.”

“Oh yeah?” Charlie Brown retorts, “Well, I’m sure going to try!”

“Then,” Lucy continues, “they are sure going to be cheap presents!”

“No they won’t be Lucy,” Charlie Brown argues, “because nothing is cheap if it costs you all you have.”

Friends, that little story helps us remember a couple of important lessons. First, it reminds us that the value of a gift cannot really be measured in dollars and cents. The thoughts, intentions, and motives of the giver are far more significant than how much money he or she spent on the gift. For example, let’s say that this Christmas you receive a beautiful sweater from your brother-in-law which cost $50. You realize, however, that probably the only reason you are receiving this present is because he picked your name in the family gift exchange. On the other hand, your four year-old daughter gives you a pair of socks that she picked out by herself, paid for with her own money, and wrapped with her own hands. Though she may have paid only three dollars for the socks, you will likely think of it as a far better gift than the sweater. We need to remember that the most valuable gifts under the Christmas tree this year are the ones which are given with the most love.

Secondly, we need to realize that the greatest gift of all, one which is priceless, is God’s gift of salvation through His own Son, Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle Paul says is God’s “indescribable gift.” Though God offers this salvation freely to all who put their trust in Jesus, this is certainly not a “cheap gift.” The price paid was Jesus’ death on the cross. It cost the Lord Jesus everything—His very life—to procure our salvation. Yet out of love, He gladly did that for you and for me. Jesus gave His all—His life—so that all who trust in Him would find life.

A few years ago Cross Pen used this advertisement: “When it comes to giving, it’s the thought that counts. Some thoughts, though, count more than others.” Friends, no thought counts more than the fact that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life.” Salvation through Jesus Christ is the heart of the Christmas story. It is truly a priceless gift. May God help us to gladly receive this gift and to cherish it every day of our lives.

December 25th, 1914: the Great War had only been raging for several months, yet many thought the war was supposed to have been over. What’s more, the weather leading up to Christmas had been especially bad, with late season rains causing water levels in trenches and subsequent cases of trench foot to rise. However, the night before, on Christmas Eve, a small miracle happened. The rain finally stopped, and the trenches were able to drain. For many young soldiers who were experiencing their first Christmas away from home, it was enough to lift their spirits to song. Starting with the Germans singing Silent Night, the soldiers sang carols back and forth throughout the night to one another.

That morning, on Christmas Day, the sun dawned and that silent night continued into day. What happened next has been recorded in countless journals, letters home, and eyewitness accounts. In many places along the front lines, soldiers began to cautiously emerge from the trenches and met one another in no-man’s-land–the barren, unoccupied land between the two dug-in armies. These men exchanged handshakes, stories, gifts, prisoners, and even allowed one another to retrieve wounded comrades and bury the dead. Allegedly, in more than one instance, a soccer game broke out between the two enemies. Unsurprisingly, these men were reluctant to return to combat the next day. In some places, the truce lasted for several days. In others, the men had to be reassigned to different places along the front line in order to face a new, anonymous enemy, with whom they had not become friends that fateful Christmas Day of 1914.

Despite the ugliness of war, I think this story beautifully captures the essence of Christmas. Dead in our sin, humanity was at war with ourselves, with one another, and with God. Yet, one night–however improbably–God was born to a virgin peasant girl in an agricultural village in rural Judea. According to the multitude of the heavenly host who were praising God that night, His birth meant “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Christmas, then, is an unshakeable, historical fact–one that demonstrably produces peace and goodwill among men like it did in 1914. Yet sometimes the holiday season can feel anything but peaceful. Furthermore, some claim there is a war on Christmas. These reports, in my experience, are greatly exaggerated. I have no doubt that corporations will attempt to remove any mention of Christ in order to appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of customers. I also recognize that doing so might seem like a slight to us as Christians. They are erasing the name of our Savior, and the entire purpose of Christmas, after all.

However, I don’t find this a compelling reason to take up arms, especially since Jesus’ coming is meant to bring peace and good will to the earth. It is difficult to propagate peace when we perceive the person on the other end of our cup of coffee is fundamentally out to undermine Christmas. I think they aren’t. More importantly, they can’t. Christ has come. The war is over. No commercial recognition will change that or increase the joy of those who have come to know Him as Lord and Savior.

But what we may risk in being combative (or even just distracted!) this Christmas season is an opportunity for a Christmas Truce of 2025. Imagine the risk those first soldiers took in popping their heads up over the trench over 100 years ago. For some of us, popping in to check on a neighbor might feel similarly threatening. Or calling on a perpetually Scrooge-like loved one. Or offering to help a beleaguered coworker with their holiday preparations. Pursuing peace is risky business, after all. But peace is also the very reason that Christ has come into the world, and invited us to spread to a weary world without hope.

May God’s peace be upon you all this Christmas.

The story is told of two brothers, Bill and Frank, who lived in a small town in Montana. Ever since childhood the two had been notorious bullies. They had constantly taunted, beaten, and taken advantage of those who were weaker than they were. The two also had well-deserved reputations of being hard drinkers, crooked gamblers, and unashamed womanizers. They were easily the two most disliked people in the town.

One day the older brother, Bill, suddenly died. Younger brother Frank went to make arrangements at the local funeral home. He told the funeral director that he would pay $1,000 to any pastor who would conduct the service and tell those gathered that his brother was “a real saint.” The director called every clergyman in the county, but none were willing to conduct the funeral service on those terms. He was preparing to contact Frank and tell him this, when suddenly his phone rang. It was the pastor of the largest church in town. He told the director, “On second thought, I have decided to do that funeral service and take the $1,000.” This news spread quickly through the town. Folks were absolutely shocked that the community’s most respected clergyman was willing to compromise his principles in this way. Yet, when the time for the funeral came, the church was full of people who had come to hear what the pastor would say about the deceased.

The pastor began the funeral service this way: “Friends, as you know the man lying in this casket was a vile scoundrel, who cared nothing for God or his fellow man. I want you to know, however, that compared to his brother, Frank, Bill was a real saint!”

Friends, this story reminds me that it is easy to consider myself a “good person” (or even a saint) when I compare myself to some of the other people around me. If we set the standard low enough, most of us can convince ourselves that we are an OK person. However, the Bible tells us that God has a very different standard. He does not compare us to other people, instead He compares us to Jesus Christ, His perfect Son. Compared to Jesus there is no human being who really measures up. Some fall short because they are guilty of sins like those of Bill and Frank. Drunkenness, dishonesty, and sexual immorality are sins they commit repeatedly. Their actions clearly fail to meet God’s standard. Others, however, fall short because of sins like pride, envy, and selfishness. Though these sins are not as apparent to other people as some, these attitudes are still very sinful. Someone who is “proud” because he doesn’t do the nasty things his neighbor does is a sinner. That is why the Bible tells us “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Yet, in His grace, God provides a way to meet God’s perfect standard. The Bible says that through the life and death of Jesus we can be made righteous. (Romans 5:19) For those of us who truly trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, God regards His righteousness as our own. The Lord graciously declares sinners to be saints. He then helps us overcome our sinful actions and attitudes. Friend, please remember, trusting and following Jesus is the only way to become a real saint.

A story is told of a bus driver and a pastor who were standing in line, waiting to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate, and an angel said, “Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver while on earth. Since I’m in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. Do you see that huge, beautiful mansion over there? It’s yours.”

The clergyman heard all this and began to get rather excited. He thought, “Boy, if a bus driver gets a place like that here in heaven, just think what I will get!” As he approached the gate, the angel said, “Welcome to heaven. I understand you were a pastor while you lived on earth. Do you see that little shack over there?” “Well, yes, I do.” “That,” the angel continued, “will be your home here in heaven.” “What!” the irate clergyman responded, “I was pastor for many years. I preached the gospel every week, I taught people about God’s Word. Why does that bus driver get a big mansion, while I, a servant of the Lord, get only a little shack?”

Sadly, the angel responded, “Well, it seems that when you preached a lot of people slept. When that bus driver drove, a lot of people prayed!”

Friends, I am not a fan of either boring preaching or reckless bus driving. Nor do I think mansions or shacks will likely be the type of rewards Christian believers receive in heaven. There is, however, a very important truth illustrated in this fictional story on which I want to focus: Whether or not we have helped others follow the Lord is a big part of how He evaluates our lives. This is one of our primary responsibilities as a Christian. In His “great commission,” Jesus tells us we are to “go and make disciples,” or in other words, “go and help others trust and follow me.” (Matthew 28:19) In Hebrews 10:24 we learn that it is our job to “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” Helping other people grow in their love for the Lord is a big part of the “fruit” which Jesus desires us to produce.

Now, obviously it is not good to drive others to prayer by terrifying them by our reckless behavior. At the same time, we must remember that telling people “to pray more often” accomplishes nothing if no one is really listening to us. To truly have a positive influence upon others requires that our words and actions both be focused on encouraging others in their relationship with the Lord. This is something which a pastor, a bus driver, a student, an elderly person in a nursing home, or anyone else can do. Inviting a neighbor to church, giving a friend a quality Christian book to read, taking time to pray and read the Bible with someone in our family, are all ways which we can help people grow in their Christian life. I’m not sure what type of reward you will get in heaven if you do these types of things, but I do know the Lord is very pleased when we help others to trust and serve Him.

Jesus prayed to His Father: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” John 17:14-18

We can learn so much about Jesus in the way He prayed. How encouraging it is to know that Jesus prays for His Church—those who have believed in Him. In this same chapter, Jesus says He prays these things so that we might have His joy completed in us. To believe in and love Jesus is to have complete and sustainable joy.

Jesus was clear in His prayer that He does not want to take His disciples out of the world but protect them from the evil one. So we are in the world, we are not of the world, meaning that we don’t follow the pattern of this world or the ways of this world. Jesus prays that even though we may be hated by the world, He still wants us to be in the world. Now in Jesus’ prayer that we would be protected from the evil one, He is referring to Satan. It doesn’t mean that we will be protected in every way by the brokenness of this fallen world. Rather, Jesus’ prayer is that we will be protected from being tempted and sway by the evil one. Jesus desires that we are set apart from the world and are being made more and more like Him.  His truth, the truth of Jesus’ words, what He has spoken about Himself as the true Savior of the World, and the Scriptures themselves are truth. We speak and act as those who are governed by the word of God empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is praying that we, as believers, and as the Church, will be different from the world. When we stand for truth, we are both living and speaking as those who love the world as God loves the world. We love our enemies as Jesus loved His enemies. We bring hope to the hopeless.  We can be encouraged that Jesus prays and intercedes for us that we would be holy in this world and be led by truth. Jesus sends us to the world for this purpose. This gives us boldness to speak the truth in love to those in this world.

We do this in the context of the unity we have in Jesus with all believers. Jesus prays that we, the Church, may be one as He and the Father are one. The world will see Jesus when we are unified in this way. We pray for one another, seek God together, and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to walk in Him and shine His light.

Help us, Lord to daily be set apart by You that You would make us holy. Help us to seek the truth of Your Word and share Your life and truth with others. Help us to spread the Good News of Jesus in this world. Lord, the world may hate us, but please protect us from the evil one and guard us from the temptations that the world brings. May You bring us together to shine Your light and truth through us. Amen.

In July of 1997, Barney, the purple dinosaur, had an accident. During the filming of a Barney and Friends show, a cooling fan inside the sixty-pound dinosaur suit short-circuited and started to smoke. The actor playing Barney quickly got out of the suit but did suffer smoke inhalation. He was taken to the hospital and released a few hours later.

The next day, the story of the accident was carried on news programs across the country. Many children became very upset, and hundreds of parents called television stations to express their concerns. After seeing the news reports, some of the young viewers were afraid that Barney had been seriously burned. Folks at the TV stations were able to quickly assure everyone that Barney was doing just fine and would be on the air the next morning. Many children, however, were most disturbed by the report that a man had “escaped from the Barney suit.” Did this mean Barney was a fake? What did a man in a dinosaur suit have to do with what they saw on television each day? Wasn’t Barney a “real” purple dinosaur? Those questions were much harder for parents and people at the television studios to answer.

Most agree that a “make believe” character like Barney can be a positive influence in the lives of young children, yet there is always a certain amount of tension when a child discovers the truth and recognizes the difference between reality and fantasy.

Some folks say that God is a “make believe” character, much like Barney. They concede that people often benefit from believing in God, but claim the hard truth is that God belongs in the category of fantasy, not reality. According to them, “intellectual maturity” enables people to cast aside the idea of God and live in the “real world.”

It seems, however, that it is foolishness, not maturity, which causes folks to try to confine God to the realm of fantasy. Though it may not be possible to scientifically prove that God exists, there is plenty of evidence that He is indeed “real.” The noted philosopher Alvin Plantiga puts it this way: “We have just as much reason to believe in the existence of God as we do to believe that other human beings (besides ourselves) exist.” The mere fact the universe exists, the fact our planet can support human life, the reality of right and wrong, the consistency and coherence of the Bible, the teaching and miracles of Jesus Christ, His resurrection from the dead, the testimonies of countless believers from a wide variety of cultures, all point to the truth that God is not make believe, but real.

If anyone is guilty of hanging onto a fantasy, it would seem to be those who insist that real purpose, true morals, and actual knowledge are possible even if there is no God. If we are simply the product of a chance process of naturalistic evolution, we are then cosmic accidents who are really nothing more than “dust in the wind.” Concepts such as purpose, morality, and knowledge really are meaningless if God is not real.

Fortunately, however, the God of the Bible does exist. Unlike Barney, He is not fake. He is there in the realm of reality, not fantasy. We can turn to Him, not just because it makes us feel better, but because He is the one who really can help us. He truly is our Sovereign Creator and Redeemer.

J. Wallace Hamilton once told a story about a Russian girl who was brought up as an atheist. She had taken a government examination, and like all students, was worried about some of the answers she had given. One question on the exam that had bothered her was this: "What is the inscription on the Samarian Wall?" She had answered: "Religion is the opiate of the people"—that famous anti-religion declaration of Karl Marx. But the girl wasn't sure of her answer, so she walked seven miles to the Samarian Wall to check it out and sure enough, there it was: "Religion is the opiate of the people." Greatly relieved, she forgot for a moment her upbringing, and said, "Thank God! I had it right."

Friends, when Soviet Communism fell, it was certainly a blow to atheism, but there are still plenty of folks around the world who deny the reality of God. Yet, like that Russian girl they have a very difficult time being consistent in their atheism. A few years ago, I exchanged e-mails with David, an atheist who lives on the west coast. Though he adamantly denied there is any evidence for the existence of God, many of the assumptions David made point to God’s reality. For example, at one point he challenged me with the traditional “problem of evil.” David described a situation where a child died after being beaten by his father for vomiting in the car. He asked, “How can there be a god if things like this happen?” My response was, “David, I will not even attempt to answer that question until you explain why, from an atheistic perspective, what happened to that little boy even matters?”

In previous correspondence, David acknowledged that he does not believe in objective morality, that anything is inherently right or wrong. He claimed that human beings exist on this planet only because of a chance process of evolution. He said he is willing to accept the fact that even people he loves, such as his wife, are really nothing more than a blob of protoplasm that just happened to come together in the right way. And yet, David cares very much what happens to those blobs of protoplasm. Not only does he love his wife, but he grieves over what happened to that little boy who he never met. He cannot, however, explain why he cares. If the atheists are right that there is no God and we are just accidents of nature, then the suffering and death of a human being is really no more tragic than the suffering and death of a mosquito. David can claim he thinks people are nothing more than blobs of protoplasm, but his actions and attitudes reveal that he doesn’t really believe that.

Friends, I told David that I am confident what happened to that little boy is a great tragedy and very evil because I know he was much more than a blob of protoplasm. That boy was a creature made in the image of God, and killing him violated God’s law. I cannot prove empirically that any of us are something other than biological accidents, but intuitively, I am certain we are much more than that. Because I know that meaning, morals, beauty, purpose, good, and evil really do exist, I also know there really is a God. My guess is that deep down inside David, he may suspect the same thing but just does not want to admit it.

A few years ago seven-year-old Tanner Munsey was playing first base in a Little League game in Wellington, Florida. The batter hit a ground ball to Tanner, who fielded it and tried to tag the runner going from first base to second. The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out, but Tanner immediately ran to her side and said, “Ma’am, I didn’t tag the runner.” Umpire Benson then reversed her call and sent the runner to second base. Though some of the fans did not understand Tanner’s decision, his coach gave him the game ball for his honesty.

Two weeks later Laura Benson was again the umpire in a game where Tanner was playing shortstop for his team.  A ground ball was hit to Tanner, he fielded it and attempted to tag the runner who was running from second base to third. Benson thought the runner avoided the tag and called him “safe.” Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position. Benson sensed something was wrong. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked. “Yes, Ma’am” was Tanner’s reply. Benson then called the runner out. The opposing coaches protested until she explained what had happened two weeks earlier. Then they agreed that she had made the right decision. Benson told a reporter, “If a kid is that honest, I’m just going to trust him.”

Tanner Munsey’s honesty may seem rare in these days, but it should not be. That same type of integrity, that same willingness to tell the truth even if it is not to our personal advantage, should characterize all of us who are followers of Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that the Lord expects us to be “truth-tellers.” Exodus 20:16 (one of the Ten Commandments) instructs us “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” According to Proverbs 12:22, “the Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” Jesus tells us, (Matthew 5:37) that our “yes” should always mean “yes,” and our “no” should always mean “no.” The Apostle Paul tells us (Ephesians 4:25) that each of us “must put aside falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor.” Christians are to be people whose word can be trusted.

One reason we often fail to tell the truth is our lack of trust in the Lord. We frequently are tempted to lie to avoid embarrassment or impress other people. Yet, when we realize that what matters is not what other people think of us, but what God thinks, we are empowered to tell the truth.

Friend, do people have confidence in your integrity? Do those who work with you believe what you say because they know you tell the truth? Do teachers at school trust you because they know you are not a liar? Are your friends and family members willing to rely on your word because they are confident you would not attempt to deceive them? Telling “white lies,” exaggerating, and shading the truth are all very easy habits in which to fall.  Though our failure to tell the truth in these situations may not harm anyone directly, it can often diminish our reputation for integrity. I don’t expect an umpire to ever change a call simply because I tell him he has made a mistake. I hope, however, that by God’s grace, my actions, words, and attitudes will give the people around me confidence that I can be trusted.

Baptism is a beautiful and sacred gift that Jesus has given His Church. It is a moment where we publicly declare the inward reality of being united with Christ—dying to sin and being raised to new life in Him. Through baptism, we participate in a holy sacrament that connects us with the body of Christ across generations. It is a celebration of grace, identity, and belonging in the family of God.

At Chisholm Baptist Church, we define baptism as the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This act symbolizes being buried with Christ in His death and raised in His resurrection. It is an outward expression of an inward transformation—a public declaration of faith and obedience to Christ.

Our church’s purpose is to Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples. Baptism aligns closely with this purpose. In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus commands His disciples to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...and teaching them.” Baptism is not optional—it’s a part of the disciple-making process. In Acts 2, after Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, the crowd asked, “What shall we do?” Peter’s response was clear: “Repent and be baptized.”

Sadly, many believers delay baptism. Some are unsure of its importance, while others wrestle with fear or pride. Yet Scripture shows us a different picture—one of eagerness and joy. When Philip shared the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, the man’s response was immediate: “Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

The reality is, baptism does not save us. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). Baptism is not a work that earns salvation, but a symbol of what has already taken place in the believer’s heart. This distinguishes us from traditions that treat baptism as the instrumental cause of salvation. Our heritage as Baptists is rooted in the Protestant Reformation and the belief in Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone as the final authority. We baptize because Jesus commands it, not because we believe it conveys salvation in itself.

Historically, the church has practiced baptism in various ways. Early church documents like the Didache show a preference for immersion in flowing water, demonstrating union with Christ and identification with His death and resurrection. In addition, the Greek word for Baptism is Baptizmo, which means to immerse, plunge, or dip. When we look at the overall history of the use of this word, both in scripture and in early Greek writings, its meaning falls in line with immersion.

Some traditions practice infant baptism, but we believe in believer’s baptism—that one should be baptized after a conscious decision to follow Christ. This aligns with the consistent New Testament pattern: believe, then be baptized.

If you are a follower of Jesus and haven’t yet been baptized, the question is simple: what’s holding you back? Baptism is not about perfection; it’s about obedience, identity, and public witness. It is a step of faith that honors Christ and encourages the church. As we say often, “Take your next step.” If you’ve believed—be baptized!

A pastor used to tell a story of a visit he made to the University of Southern Mississippi. While touring the campus with the university president, he noticed a towering male student, who was six-feet, eight-inches tall, holding hands with a very short female who looked about three-feet tall. He watched curiously as the tall young man tenderly picked up the tiny girl, gave her a kiss, and sent her off to class. The president noticed the pastor’s interest in the unique couple and explained the situation to him. The tall male was the school’s star basketball player. Both of his parents had died when he was young and he had made a vow to look after his younger sister, who had grown to a height of only 39 inches. The young man had received scholarship offers to play basketball for various major universities. However, Southern Mississippi was the only school that offered a scholarship to his sister too.

The pastor went over to the basketball player, introduced himself and said, "Young man, I really appreciate and admire how you are looking out for your sister." The athlete shrugged and replied, "Those of us God makes six-eight have to look out for those He makes three-three."

Friends, this young man understood and was applying a very important biblical principle: we as Christians need to look out for each other. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "Carry each other’s burdens and this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2) As we see folks around us struggling with some aspect of life, we should not simply turn our heads and say, "Well, that is too bad, but it is not my problem." The heavy burdens many people carry through life, are indeed "my problem." God has put each of us on this planet to love and serve one another. When someone is carrying a burden of guilt, fear, addiction, loneliness, or spiritual emptiness, the Lord expects that we encourage each other to live in a way that honors Him.

We have a special responsibility to help those whom the Bible refers to as "the weak." In Acts 20:35 Paul says, "In all things I have shown you that…we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 we read, "encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." That means those of us who are "bigger" in a physical, emotional, financial or spiritual, sense need to look out for those who are "smaller."

Of course, those who are "smaller" need to be willing to take responsibility in their own lives. After telling the Galatian Christians that we are to "carry each other’s burdens," Paul quickly adds, "For each one should carry his own load." (Galatians 6:5) Those who struggle with different problems should not blame others for their situation. It was not her brother’s fault that the female student was only three-foot three. Nor should anyone demand help from others, or expect someone else to do for them what they are capable of doing for themselves. The "law of Christ" which Paul refers to in Galatians 6:2 is simply a willingness to love and help people, even if they are not able to do the same for us. If we as Christians would follow this law, the church (and the world) would be a better place.

On the first day of the fall semester, a professor handed out the syllabus for his English class. He said to the fifty students assembled in the lecture hall, “As you see, you are required to write three papers this semester. The first one is due on September 30, the second on October 30, and the third on November 30. I want to stress that these deadlines are not flexible. I expect the papers to be handed in by those dates and I will not consider any excuses.”

A month later, the deadline for the first assignment came and all but two students submitted their papers. They talked to the professor after the class session and asked if it was possible to be granted an extension. Initially the professor refused, but after listening to their excuses he relented and gave the two students three more days to turn in their papers.

At the end of October, this scenario was repeated. This time five individuals had not completed their papers. These students begged the professor for an extension and again, after initially refusing, he agreed to give them three more days to turn in the assignment.

It was now November 30. The final paper for the English class was due, but ten students had not completed their assignment. At the end of the session, the professor simply said all those who did not hand in a paper before they left the room would receive an “F” on that assignment and that he would not consider any requests for an extension. One of the students raised her hand and exclaimed, “But Professor! That is not fair!” “What is not fair?” he replied. “I have told you many times that November 30 was absolutely the final deadline for this paper. I don’t think it is my fault that you neglected your responsibility.” “But, it’s not fair!” the student persisted, “I turned in my first two papers three days late and you gave me a “B” on the first one and an “A- on the second.”

“You are right,” the professor replied. “That was not fair.” He then took his grade book, found the students name, erased the “B” that had been recorded for the first assignment, and replaced it with an “F.” He then erased the “A-” for the second assignment and wrote in an “F” instead. “There,” the professor said, “now I am being fair. I hope that makes you happy. Now, are there any other students who don’t think it is ‘fair’ that I penalize them for not completing this assignment on time?”

Friends, this story reminds me that you and I would be in big trouble if God was merely “fair” and gave us exactly what we deserved. Because of our sin, because of our pride and selfishness, because of our rebellion against God and refusal to live as He desires, we should be punished. We deserve His wrath. The good news is that God chooses not to simply be “fair,” but rather to grant us mercy and grace. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice and payment for our sins. Because of this, God mercifully chooses to not punish those who embrace Jesus as their Savior and Lord. In His grace, He also extends many benefits of being a child of God to all who place their trust in Jesus Christ. This may not be fair, but it is great news for us.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV)

As followers of Jesus Christ, most of us are familiar with the word discipleship. We’ve read about the original twelve disciples in Scripture, walked alongside them through the Gospels, and studied their faith journeys. We’ve memorized The Great Commission, understanding that Jesus didn’t merely suggest disciple-making—He commanded it. And yet, many of us still find ourselves quietly asking: What does this actually look like in my life?What now?

For many, discipleship can feel overwhelming. It can seem formal, intimidating, and sometimes even unattainable—especially in the midst of our busy, often over-scheduled lives. I’ve certainly felt that way. There have been times when the idea of discipling others stirred up feelings of inadequacy and stress, like I somehow wasn’t equipped or spiritual enough to take on such a role.

Recently, however, my perspective began to shift. I started a study with a group of women from church called Daily Disciple-Making by Amy Gannett. Through that study, the concept of discipleship was broken down into accessible, meaningful pieces.

So what is discipleship? Simply put, it is the journey of learning to love Jesus more and become more like Him (Ephesians 5:1–2). And disciple-making? It’s relational, up-close ministry—the kind that happens in ordinary moments. It’s about building genuine connections, encouraging one another, and pointing each other toward Christ.

When I began to see it that way, the weight I had felt around discipleship began to lift. I was reminded that God is sovereign over my calendar, my relationships, and every detail of my day (Proverbs 16:9). He has equipped me for this calling—not someday in the distant future when my life is more settled or less chaotic, but right now, in the season I’m in.

For me, that season involves a full-time career and professional goals. In this current season, I’ve discovered that disciple-making often shows up in unexpected ways—through hallway conversations, quick coffee breaks, or shared moments during a hectic workday. One such opportunity has been with a coworker who is having some health struggles. During our lunch breaks, we’ve found space to pray for one another, share Scripture, and encourage each other with godly wisdom when life feels overwhelming (Galatians 6:2).

These simple moments have opened doors I didn’t anticipate. I’ve been able to share Bible verses and devotionals with coworkers. I’ve been challenged to rely on His power in me to live out the example of Jesus—His integrity, His work ethic, His compassion, and His forgiveness (Colossians 3:12–14).

This new perspective has also deepened my prayer life. I pray more intentionally for my coworkers, my boss, my patients, and even for those I find difficult to love. I’m learning to be honest about my own struggles and failures, and in that vulnerability, I’ve seen others open up too. These real, raw conversations often lead to deeper connections—and deeper discipleship (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Discipleship doesn’t always look like a formal Bible study group or a scheduled mentorship meeting. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being present, being faithful, and being willing to walk alongside someone else with love and grace.

Friend, God has a divine purpose for you right here, right now—in this exact season of your life. Whether you’re navigating singleness, raising children, caring for aging parents or enjoying retirement, God is at work. He has placed people in your path for a reason.

I’ll leave you with this: How will you use this season of your life to become more like Jesus? How might God be calling you to help someone else do the same?

Let’s be faithful where we are—trusting that the God who calls us to make disciples is the One who empowers us to do it.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” — Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

He was given the title, “Mr. Irrelevant.” It was not a compliment, but it seemed to be an accurate description of the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Afterall, 261 football players had been drafted ahead of him. It was unlikely this man would even make the final roster cut, much less be a major contributor to his team. Yet, that is exactly what Brock Purdy did. The former Iowa State Cyclone quarterback ended up starting the last four games of the 2022 season for the San Francisco 49ers, and they won each of them. Purdy then led the 49ers to playoff victories over Seattle and Dallas. In the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Purdy was injured early in the contest and the Eagles ended up winning the game easily. With good reason, he was nicknamed, “Mr. Relevant” throughout the NFL. Purdy has continued to find success in his football career for the past two seasons as the starting quarterback for San Francisco.

This bit of football trivia contains an important lesson for us: God often uses unlikely heroes to accomplish what seem to be important tasks. One of the best Biblical examples of this is Moses. When he was 40 years old, Moses, a Hebrew, was “the Prince of Egypt.” If God was looking for someone to lead the people of Israel out of Egyptian slavery, Moses would have seemed to be an ideal candidate. He would be a consensus, first-round draft pick. Yet, that was not God’s plan. He had no use for the Prince of Egypt as a deliverer of His people. Instead, the Lord’s plan was for Moses to become a “Mr. Irrelevant,” spending the next forty years as a shepherd in the Midian desert.

That, however, was not the end of the story. When Moses was 80 years old (yes, 8-0!) God revealed to him that the most important chapter of his life was still ahead. Though Moses insisted he wasn’t qualified, the Lord insisted that he be the leader of Israel for the next forty years. God’s plan was not merely that Moses be relevant, but that he be the greatest prophet ever, except for the Messiah, Jesus.

Friend, it is likely the plan the Lord has for your life is very different than His plan for Moses, or even Brock Purdy. It probably does not include great wealth or fame. One thing of which you can be certain, however, is that God’s plan for your life always includes relevance. Your life matters. Your actions, words, and even attitudes are significant. From God’s perspective, there is no “Mr. or Mrs. Irrelevant.”

One way to recognize the relevance of your life is to ponder the “ripple effects” that you may have. A kind word you speak to a grocery store clerk may not seem all that significant, but it provides just the encouragement she needs to not quit her job. Keeping that job gives her enough extra money to help her son pay for his tuition and finish college. That college degree enables the young man to apply for medical school, where he becomes involved in medical research. In that field, he helps develop a cure for cancer. Yes, that sounds far-fetched. But, remember only God knows the “what ifs.” We do not know how the world will be different if you choose to speak kind words to someone, or how it will be different if you choose to speak harsh words. We only know that our words, as well as our actions and attitudes, are all very relevant.

Back in the 1996 Masters golf tournament, Greg Norman had one of the more embarrassing experiences an athlete has ever suffered. After three rounds, he had a virtually insurmountable, six-stroke lead. If he played eighteen more holes of just average golf, he would win the Masters and take possession of the coveted green jacket. The next day, however, the bottom fell out for Greg Norman. On the fourth and final round of the tournament he shot a 6 over par, 78. Nick Faldo shot a 67 that day and ended up winning the tournament by five strokes.

However, Greg Norman’s big time “choke” ended up being one of the most positive events in his life. After the debacle, he says he experienced the most touching few days of his life. People from all over the world contacted him with words of encouragement. The mail ran four times the volume of what Norman received when he won the British Open in 1993.

“It’s changed my total outlook on life and on people,” Norman said of his defeat. “There’s no need to be cynical anymore. My wife said to me, ‘You know, maybe this is better than winning the green jacket. Maybe now you understand the importance of it all.’ I never thought I could reach out and touch people like that. And the extraordinary thing is that I did it by losing.”

Friends, Greg Norman learned an important lesson that the Bible clearly affirms: Our weaknesses can bring joy and beauty into our lives. Because his “failure” was viewed by millions of people on television, there was no way Norman could hide it from others. His experience reminds us that if we are willing to admit our weaknesses and not try to pretend we have no problems, other people are likely to be more sympathetic toward us. Many folks are intimidated by (and perhaps envious of) the individual who always seems to be a “winner.” Yes, sometimes when we allow other people to see our flaws, they will take advantage of that and try to use it for their own benefit. This can make life more difficult for us. Yet, I believe it is more likely that an honest acknowledgment of our weaknesses will open doors that can provide opportunities for us to build and grow better relationships with others.

Admitting our weaknesses also enables us to grow closer to God. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Apostle Paul writes, “The Lord said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Those who believe they are always “winners” and think they are strong enough to succeed in whatever situation they face, seldom have a reason to turn to the Lord for help. Only when we realize that we are weak and in desperate need of God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus, are we able to experience them in our lives. The Bible does not say that God helps those who help themselves. Rather, He helps those who know they are weak, who seek to find their strength and joy in Him, and who truly trust in the Lord Jesus. When we turn to the Lord, those of us who know we are weak, can truly be strong.

“Today I have not gossiped, yelled, been greedy, or selfish. I have not whined, grumbled, used profanity, or eaten any chocolate. I am going to get out of bed now Lord, and I will need A LOT MORE HELP to get me through the rest of the day.” Folks, this little joke contains some very important truth. It is difficult for any of us to avoid sinning when we encounter various temptations each day.

A Roman Catholic friend tells me that when she went to confession as a child, she sometimes had to “make things up,” because she could not identify any sins she had committed. Martin Luther did not have that problem. Each evening, he went through the ten commandments, confessing his violations. He found that he usually broke nine of the commands every day. The only commandment he did not disobey daily was the fourth one, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Luther said he only broke that on Sundays. Now, folks I don’t think Lutherans sin more than Roman Catholics, Baptists or anyone else. Rather, I think Luther had a much better understanding of what sin involves than my friend did.

In Matthew 6, the Lord Jesus tells us that the prohibition against murder (the sixth commandment) does not only apply to taking another life. To hate another person, to be angry at someone (without just cause), to call someone a “fool” or an “idiot” can all constitute murder. Committing adultery (a violation of the seventh commandment) includes other things besides an immoral physical relationship. Jesus says, Matthew 6:28, “Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

The point Jesus is making is that sin is not just about actions, but also about attitudes. In this sense, sin is like an iceberg. Most of our sin is not above the water, but underneath the surface where other people cannot see it. The state of Minnesota does not have laws against greed, selfishness, lust, envy, or pride, but these are still sins, sins that can destroy our souls, sins which deserve God’s judgment, sins for which we desperately need His forgiveness.

Friends, if I were to sit down and make a list of sins of which I am guilty it would be a pretty long one. In fact, I suspect it would be longer than a similar list I might have composed ten years ago. Why? Am I worse person than I was back in 2015? Am I committing more sins than I did before? I don’t think so. In fact, I believe I am sinning less. Yet, my awareness of what sin is and sensitivity to how it exists in my life has grown over the past decade. I don’t sin more, but I recognize my sins more. I have a greater realization of how pride and selfishness pervade my life. And I suspect I am guilty of exhibiting both those sinful attitudes in some way almost every day.

Do I feel bad about all this sin in my life? Certainly! Should I beat myself up for being such a rotten person? No, that would be foolish. Instead, I rejoice in God’s amazing grace that forgives all those sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. I rejoice that as a Christian, it is not my record, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus that is counted as my own. I rejoice that the Lord enables me to resist many temptations each day. And I rejoice that one day, when we are with the Lord, the list of my sins will be blank.

If you’ve ever watched NBC’s Manifest, you’ve likely been captivated by its intriguing plot line: a plane mysteriously disappears for five and a half years, only to reappear as if no time had passed for the passengers. While their loved ones have moved on, the travelers struggle to reconcile what has happened. The show wrestles with the nature of time, destiny, and divine intervention.

A couple of months ago, I read an article (I can’t remember which one it was to reference it) about the idea that the present doesn’t exist. Only the future instantaneously becoming the past. This moment of conversion is separated by the hands of a clock or the count of a stopwatch. When we think of time, we often think, “We never have enough of it.” Yet, what is it? It isn’t something material that we can collect to get more of it. Yet it flows relentlessly, carrying us from one moment to the next.

We experience time differently. We can all recall moments in our lives where the seconds felt like hours: sitting through a monotone lecture in college, being in pain or recovering from injury, or lying in bed unable to sleep. Yet, without the reality of time changing, we have experienced seconds vanishing before our eyes: a day of adventure with your family, a deep phone conversation with a close friend, or looking back over the growth of your children.

For us, time feels linear. We can’t return to the past or teleport into the future; we can only live in the present moment as it turns into history. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Each moment is purposeful, even if it feels fleeting or insignificant.

But have you ever noticed how we live in the tension of what is yet to come and what has already been? We dream about the future, but it slips into the past as soon as it arrives. This rhythm can feel overwhelming, especially when considering that our lives will one day end. James 4:14 puts it bluntly: “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Unlike us, God is not bound by the ticking clock. Psalm 90:4 says, “For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours.” While we rush through life, God simultaneously sees all of history—past, present, and future.

The most extraordinary moment in history is when eternity entered time: when Jesus Christ became flesh. At that moment, the eternal Word became flesh (John 1:14), stepping into our world of seconds and minutes to accomplish His plan of eternal salvation for those who put their faith in Christ. After His 33 years of moments, He encountered death and then a miraculous resurrection. In fact, His life would become a marker for time on our calendars.

I often love to let my mind spin, trying to process some of the ungraspable mysteries of God and His creation, but let’s rest in this truth: time is a gift from the One who stands outside of it. Use each moment wisely, live with hope for the future, trust in God’s eternal perspective, and know that His work on earth was to create a way for us to experience eternal adoption as sons and daughters through the saving grace of Christ.

If you have not yet wrestled with the reality of who Jesus was, don’t let another moment pass. Go to the Book of John in the Bible and read about the one person who ever broke the reality of time.

George Orwell once wrote an essay where he described a picnic lunch where a wasp landed on his plate and began sucking up some strawberry jam. Orwell then took his knife and cut the wasp in half. To his surprise, the insect “paid no attention and merely went on with his meal, while a tiny stream of jam trickled out of his severed esophagus. Only when he tried to fly away did the wasp grasp the dreadful thing that had happened to him.”

Friends, there is indeed a parallel between that wasp and many people in our world today. Because of their rebellion against God, because they choose to reject His grace offered in Jesus Christ, these folks are severed from spiritual life. Their souls are empty, yet most of these people seem totally unaware that anything is wrong. They greedily consume the sweet things in life. They ignore the fact that no matter how much they consume they are never really getting filled. Only when the time comes to fly away, in other words, only when they face the reality of death, do they grasp how dreadful their condition really is.

Over the years, I have talked to many people who focus on maximizing their personal comfort and convenience. Their goal is to simply enjoy life while they can. They value success in a career and accumulating wealth because they believe these are the things which will enable them to find happiness. They attempt to fill their lives with sports, hobbies, fine food and drink, music, entertainment, and sexual pleasure. They have, however, no room or time for God. Though they usually do not profess to be atheists, in practical terms their normal pattern is to simply ignore God.

There are two huge problems with this way of life. First, the happiness which is being sought is never really found. Yes, many of the “sweet things of life” taste good, but they really do not provide the satisfaction for which we as human beings long. There are a lot of cheap thrills, a lot of temporary exhilaration, but no solid joy for those who seek to live life apart from God.

Secondly, as death approaches, it becomes clear that these various paths that people take to find happiness apart from God are really dead ends. When someone receives the news that he or she has a terminal disease and that death is imminent, there is only one question that really matters: What happens next? The harsh reality is that, without God, there is no answer to that question which brings any hope.

The good news, friends, is that God graciously offers hope and joy both in this life and the next to all who put their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Don’t be content to keep sucking up the sweet things in life which will never really fill you. Turn to the Lord Jesus and experience the true life which only He can give.

A very selfish ten-year-old boy wrote a letter to Santa, listing all the toys and gadgets he wanted for Christmas. When she saw the letter, his mom made him sit down next to the family nativity set. She said, “I want you to look at this nativity set and think about what Christmas is really about. Then I want you to write a letter to Jesus.”

The boy sat and thought for awhile and then wrote: “Dear Jesus, if you bring me all the presents I want, I promise to be good for a whole year.” Unsatisfied, he quickly threw it in the garbage can. He stared at the nativity set for a few moments and then gently picked up the figure of Mary. He quickly took it to his bedroom, placed it in a shoe box, and put the box under his bed. He then took a piece of paper and wrote, “Dear Jesus, if you want to see your mother again, bring me all the presents I want.”

Folks, though we may be amused by that boy’s creativity, it is sad to think of someone being so dominated by selfish desires that he misses the entire meaning of Christmas. However, it is not just greedy ten-year-olds who can fall into this trap. This story also reminds us that we can know all about Christmas, the “real Christmas,” and still miss the significance. It is possible to stare at a nativity set, know all the facts about Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, angels, shepherds, and wisemen, and still miss the meaning and significance.

This happens when we view Christmas as merely an historical event. Oh yes, Jesus’ birth really happened about 2024 years ago. If you had lived near the village of Bethlehem at that time, you could have gone and seen the baby Jesus, just as the shepherds and wiseman did. However, knowing what happened is just the beginning. The why-it-happened is even more important. The Apostle John explains the significance this way, “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) This is a description of the incarnation, of God taking on flesh, becoming human in the person of Jesus. I believe Billy Graham was correct when he told President Nixon (after Nixon had declared the 1969 moon landing “the greatest event in history”), “The greatest event in human history was not when man went to the moon, but when God came to earth that first Christmas.” If looking at a manger scene and thinking about its meaning does not inspire awe in your mind and heart, you likely do not understand what actually happened that night.

Perhaps even more important than the fact of the incarnation is the reason behind it. C.S. Lewis said, “The Son of God became man, so men might become the sons of God.” That is the reason Jesus was born. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and then died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin. His resurrection from the dead made it clear that the Father accepted this sacrifice as sufficient payment for our sins. This means eternal salvation is experienced by all those who turn to Jesus Christ and place their trust in Him. Thus, if you write a letter to Jesus while pondering a nativity set, it should probably just say, “thank you.” That is what Christmas is really about.

In the Middle Ages, knowing the Bible had the power to save your life. I’m not even talking about cleanliness or handwashing practices during the plagues. No, the practice I’m referring to is called the benefit of clergy, and it dates back to the Middle Ages and beyond. The benefit of clergy referred to the special judicial privileges afforded to churchmen due to the power and influence of the church. If a person could offer proof that they were clergy, he would be entitled to a trial by an ecclesiastical court—virtually guaranteeing a lesser sentence. This was preferable to a secular court, which typically handed out relatively harsher punishments, including capital punishment. By invoking the benefit of clergy, countless men were able to save their lives throughout this time period, even into the eighteenth century. The key, however, was that they actually had to prove it.

The methods for proof varied throughout the centuries. Early on all that was required was the shaved head or “tonsure” and the required clerical robes. Apparently these robes were difficult enough to acquire that this test would pass muster. Later, by the fourteenth century, the stakes were raised. The key proof became the ability to read Latin. This would have weeded out the majority of the common folk, most of whom would have been illiterate in any language, much less a dead language like Latin.

Over time, this test became simpler still; to prove they were proficient, they were only required to recite one particular verse: “Miserere mei Deus secundum misericordiam tuam iuxta multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitates meas.” Or, in English: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” This is Psalm 51:1, David’s psalm of repentance after being confronted about his sin with Bathsheba. The defendant would “seek the Book,” be given a Bible, and told to read the verse in Latin. Their reading would be checked by an existing member of the clergy who could verify the authenticity of the reading, and, if sufficient, the accused would probably have saved his life.

I hope the irony of criminals escaping punishment by citing Psalm 51:1 does not escape us. In the three-year span of 1612 and 1614, 204 men were sentenced to death in Middlesex for a first offense. Of the 204, nearly half (95, to be precise) were able to successfully plead for the benefit of clergy. Since the “neck verse” (as it was called) never changed, it would have been possible to memorize the Latin words and recite them on command. I cannot imagine that every one of these men were legitimately from the church or even genuinely remorseful for their crimes, and yet their recitation of David’s appeal for mercy saved them.

God’s mercy towards us is greater in every way. For one, the stakes in His court are much higher. For Him there is no test of the outward appearance or of memorization, for He knows our hearts. This is great and terrifying news. It means that all who recognize their need and ask for His mercy in the same way that David did shall have it. But it also means that there are no shortcuts or places to hide. We are truly and fully at the mercy of a God who knows everything about us, including every motive. Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In Christ, the benefit of clergy has been extended to every one of us. No matter what you’ve done, take it to Him, that you might find mercy and grace to help in your time of need.

Psalm 92:1 tells us, “It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord.” Yet, our ability to be truly grateful to God, whether on the fourth Thursday of November, or any other day, depends on how we view various aspects of our lives. There are two perspectives that we should strive to cultivate if we want to consistently express gratitude to God.

First, we need to recognize that the Lord is the source of all that is good in our lives. A Bible verse that has been good for me to ponder is 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” I admit that I read that verse many times and missed the profound truth it communicates. The answer to the first question is that there is nothing good we have that we didn’t receive from the Lord. The salvation we have through Jesus is a gift of grace. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink are all ultimately gifts from Him. Yes, God often uses intermediaries to provide these. Farmers, food companies, and grocery stores have a part in putting food on our tables, but it is the Lord who enables each of them to accomplish what they do. Likewise, all our intelligence, strength, and abilities are gifts from the Lord. Every good thing we have comes from the Lord. Thus, we can either pretend we deserve credit and boast about our abilities and accomplishments, or we can give thanks to the Lord. The latter is clearly the best choice and is a natural response when we recognize that the Lord is the source of all that is good in our lives.

Second, we need to recognize that the Lord uses hard and painful things in our lives to accomplish good things. A Sunday School teacher was asking her junior high class to give one sentence prayers of thanks for something good which had happened during the previous week. Most gave typical responses: “Thanks that we are here together,” “Thanks for a fun hunting trip,” “Thanks that I have a nice house to live in,” and so on. Then one boy said, “Thank you that I was sick on Friday, so I didn’t have to go to school.”

All of us have things happen in our lives that leave us discouraged or disappointed. Yet, in many of these situations, if we think hard enough, we will be able to identify ways our lives have actually been better because things didn’t turn out exactly the way we would have liked. For example, health issues and financial difficulties often have a way of drawing us closer to the Lord and to the people around us. When we must cancel an activity to which we were really looking forward, it provides an opportunity for us to learn a most important lesson: God, not us, knows and determines the future, and thus, He is the one whom we need to trust.

Friends, this Thanksgiving season make sure you remember that the Lord is responsible for all the good blessings you enjoy, including your eternal salvation. Also remember to thank the Lord for hidden blessings, the situations and events you would never have chosen that have made you a more godly person. These will provide plenty of reasons for you to give thanks to the Lord.