So Discouraged

Have you ever been so beaten down, so discouraged, so plagued with the sense of failure that you asked God, “couldn’t I just start over from the beginning?”, or maybe you’ve prayed, “If only I had another chance, to begin with a clean slate.”

I remember watching the movie, “Back to the Future” where the star goes back in time and has the opportunity to change the way his life had turned out by making certain people in his past make different choices that give him in turn a better life. Would you do that if you could? Well, don’t get too excited, we can’t do that, but we do have something to rejoice about. No matter how “messed” up your life is, God has provided a way for you to begin again. One of His new mercies towards you today is new breath. If you are breathing today, you have an opportunity for God to make the rest of your days new and therefore change the course of your life.

Your failures do not determine your destiny when you are a child of God. David realized this when he poured out his heart to God after blowing it “big time”. In Psalm 51 we see him admitting to his sin and asking God to have mercy, blot out his transgressions, wash him, cleanse, teach, create a pure heart, renew His Spirit in him, restore joy, sustain him, save him, open his lips to praise, to make him brand new.

Listen to how Eugene Peterson expresses David’s prayer in Psalm 51:7-15 (The Message):

“Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and
I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
Set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close
For blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh
Start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in
Me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my
Sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can
Find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my
Salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.”

Do you want that? Read Psalm 51 this week and ask God to “shape a Genesis week from the chaos of your life!” He will, if only you ask. Remember your true hope is in Him.

Pastor MJ

Communion With God In Eden

One day while walking through the Dallas Arboretum, breathing in the sweet aroma of the thousands of varieties of plants and flowers I began to wonder what it was like in the Garden of Eden. As beautiful as the Botanical Gardens are it is at best tainted with the imperfections of sin. The atmosphere is not pure, the ground is tainted, and the climate as near perfect as it may be still falls short to the Garden planted and tended by God first then by a near perfect man in a perfect environment.

Something else about the Garden captures my thoughts. Just imagine, what would it be like to be on a small (relatively) part of the earth in a perfect environment with everything you need, want or desire and throughout the day you have one on one conversations with God. He actually walks in the garden and talks with you. He doesn’t think only of what you have with Him, but He cares so much about you that he causes you to see your need, and then fulfills that need by creating a mate for you. A mate made by the hands of the same Artist that just created the sun, moon, stars, the earth and the entire universe. What a deal!

Worship was a lifestyle with Adam. It was not something that was put on. It was not something that He had to labor over. It was not something that he switched on and off. It was life for him to walk, talk, and commune, spend time with, listen to, learn from, and be in the presence of the God of the universe. Everything was just right. Just like it was after God created everything – it was very good!

But something happened. That sweet communion between God and Adam was broken because of sin. That broke the heart of God. He had so enjoyed the fellowship with the one part of creation that was made in His own image. However, He was not going to let sin keep Him away from His precious creation.

Where He had every right to forsake Adam, destroy him and start all over again, God instead pursued Adam and took the first step to restore that relationship. That pursuit continues even today. We all have sinned, but God pursues us to restore the original relationship that He desired to have with Adam. For Adam, God sacrificed an animal, shedding its blood, and used the skin to cover his nakedness. For us God sacrificed His Beloved, shedding His blood and used Him to cover our nakedness before His holiness.

Today as you partake of the Lord’s Supper, praise Him for pursuing you and for giving up everything to bring you back to the garden.

Pastor MJ

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

(Eccl 3:1 NIV)

Over the years I have learned much about the changing seasons of life. Nothing in this life seems to stays the same; everything is in constant motion, everything from nature to life’s circumstances exhibit constant transition.

As parents we see this every day. From our children’s first breath, to talking, from diapers to Fruit of the Loom, from walking to running, from pre-school to college, from childhood to friendship it never seems to stop changing. As nature reveals to us, anything that is living grows and goes through transitional changes.

Many people are afraid of change. For some, the only kind of change they like is from a dollar bill. I believe that most people who fear change do so out of the fear of the unknown. There is a sense of security in remaining the same, but on the other hand we may miss out on great adventures and opportunities by shunning change for the familiar.

I had no idea of the constant changes and transitions that I would go through in the just the first 17 years of married life. However, God has blessed me with a help-mate whom I love and trust and know that whatever we face, as long as we are in it together, with the Lord’s help we’ll be okay. No, it doesn’t make the transitions themselves any easier, but it make s the journey through them easier to handle when done together in His strength.

Although everything with and in life goes through changes there is one constant for all eternity. That is our gracious God. "From Age To Age He Is The Same, Yesterday, Today And Forever!" (See Malachi 3:6)

Oh, the comfort we can find in that truth. The same God who parted the Red Sea, raised the dead, created the world and paid the price for our sins on the cross, is the same God that walks with us today saying, "if I did all of that for you, won’t I also walk by your side during every changing season of your life providing comfort, guidance and direction? And if you follow my directions, you won’t go wrong!"

The only fear we should have about change is if we do it without God by our side in the midst of that transition. Other than that, welcome change, it proves that you are alive!
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6a NIV)

Happy New Year, MJ

Strive To Know Him Better

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. Did you get everything you wanted? Did you give everything you could? I hope you were able to spend some significant time with family and friends and a significant amount of time with the One whom we celebrate.

One thing never ceases to amaze me at Christmas time. That is, we get presents on someone else’s birthday. And at most Christmas celebrations, the Guest of honor, the “birthday honoree” is never even mentioned except in the official greeting of “Merry Christmas”.

Did you bring Him a gift this year? Did you take time out to honor Him on His birthday? If not, don’t beat yourself up. The wonderful thing about our Lord is that worshipping Him is not confined to a day, place or season. Here at TBC we celebrate the Christ of Christmas every week.

Here we are at the end of another year. Do you know Him better now than you did last year at this time? As we move forward into another year of many unknown’s let’s make a commitment as a church and as individuals to strive to know Him better and love Him deeper in 2004.
And remember, it won’t happen by itself and it won’t be easy. Day by day, you and I will be faced with distractions that will seek to take our minds off of growing in Christ. Have you ever gone to a celebration and while there you get reacquainted with an old friend? At the end of the night you express how good it was to see each other again and you may exchange emails and cell phone numbers. Reality is that most of the time you are fortunate if you are in contact with that person one time after that re-acquaintance .

May it not be so with you and the Lord. Do you experience a sense of closeness at Christmas and New Year’s that stirs you to make resolutions to spend more time getting to know Him? Take one day at a time and make a choice to make it a habit to “keep in touch” with Jesus, Emmanuel, the source and strength of your days.

There is a song that states, “I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds my tomorrow.” What an awesome truth and hope to grasp as we journey through such uncertain days.

Friend, take my hand and together let’s walk down this road.

With you on the journey,

MJ

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

2 Tim 1:12 NIV

Merry Christmas!

Each week we celebrate our Great God for all that He is and for all He has done and is doing. Today we focus in on celebrating our Master: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Phil. 2:6,7) Praise and glory be to Him!

As you celebrate this Christmas be sure and take some time out just to thank Jesus for being willing and obedient to step into your journey so that you could have a relationship with His Father. Celebrate Him for being the greatest gift ever known to man. Celebrate His Father for being the Giver of such an incredible gift! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15)

The greatest gift and celebration that you could offer Him today, if you have not already, would be to receive the Greatest Gift from the Greatest Giver which is being offered to you today. So, if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, give your life to Him today and experience why the God of the universe moved heaven and earth just so your could celebrate what we call Christmas day. (John 3:16)

If you have received that gift, in an act of gratitude, take some time and share this wonderful gift with someone else. Don’t be politically correct and say, “Happy Holidays!” Shout with confidence and thankfulness, “Merry Christmas!” It’s all about Jesus. We give gifts to model His act of giving of Himself. Take some time in the midst of your gift giving and praise, thank and worship the Giver of all gifts.

Have a blessed celebration and remember to say Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Pastor MJ