http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859 Hi, I'm Terry, pastor at Calvary Austin. This is where I'll be posting my blogs from time to time. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you. AdvancedMinistry This may surprise you but Jesus was more critical of religious people than He was of known sinners. He once told some uppity religious folk that crooks and hookers were making it into the Kingdom of God ahead of them. Then there was the time Jesus was invited to join a hyper religious group for dinner. It was held at the home of one pious Pharisee named Simon. The noses of these hoity-toity “men of the cloth” were high in the air when a woman of ill repute wandered onto the scene. No doubt you recall the story. Tears flooded from her face like Niagara Falls, and with those precious tears she washed the feet of Jesus. That’s not all she did. She dried our Lord’s feet with her hair then kissed and anointed them with fragrant oil. Now, this gal was more of a locker room legend than a religious person but Jesus was more pleased with her than all the clerics in the house. Listen to what He had to say to these snoots: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much.” You see, this woman understood something that the religious elite would not dare admit about themselves – her sins were many. These pious sin patrolmen had no difficulty judging that poor, weeping harlot. They were even quite shocked that Jesus didn’t judge her saying, He must not be a prophet or else He wouldn’t let this woman near him! Yes, they judged the harlot and they judged Jesus. They judged everyone in the room but themselves. And that is one of the great dangers of religion – it makes you feel a notch above everyone else. You can spot sin on others but fail to see your own – which are many.Once we recognize that our sins are many, we can unload them at the feet of Jesus just as the harlot did. Friend, He will pardon every last one. We will never fully fathom how much we have been forgiven this side of heaven, but once it hits you that you’ve been forgiven a whole lot, you will love Jesus a whole lot. That is where the Lord longs to bring us but, sadly, religion oftentimes gets in the way. Worse yet, it can lead us in the totally opposite direction. At least that is what David learned. After coming clean with his own sin he wrote:“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalms 51:16-17)I may be bursting a bubble or two but, this tells us that religion is worthless if our hearts can’t be broken over sin. The Lord will never despise a contrite heart but He is known to despise our vain attempts at being religious. Wasn’t that the whole point of the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee? Both went into the temple to pray. The publican beat on his chest while the Pharisee patted himself on the back. The publican grieved over his sin while the Pharisee tooted his religious horn. The publican came for mercy while the Pharisee came to receive praise. And we all know which of the two left the temple justified – the one which humbled himself; that lowly publican. The lesson is clear - religion doesn’t score us any points with God. If you really want to impress Him, fall on your face and admit that your sins are many. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=34336 34336 Tue, 15 May 2012 12:18:00 +0000 “And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me” (Exodus 33:21a).   I suspect many believe there truly is a place beside God. Some do wonder, though, how to get there or, perhaps, whether they can get there at all. What about you, are you curious about such a place? Do thoughts like these boggle your mind: Is it a tangible place? A geographical place? Is it Jerusalem or maybe Mecca? How about the Vatican? Perhaps that place is a holy hill somewhere, or an altar or a shrine! Does God provide a map to that place by Him? We should check the back of our Bibles at once… Maybe the fifth missionary journey of Paul will lead us there… Or maybe it’s a heavenly place beyond our reach! If there is such a place, it would also be helpful to know whether it’s occupied or not. Will there be a big sign posted that reads “no vacancy” or “off limits” or “no trespassing” or “take a number?” Do you think there will be a long line to that place, like the one at the mall where runny nose kids wait to sit on Santa’s lap at Christmastime?   It is a peculiar thing to me that God would offer Moses a place by Him. After all, they were already behaving as dear chums and chatting face to face. From my perspective, it hardly seems possible that a person could have gotten any nearer to the Lord. But that’s just how it is, the longer we linger in His presence the nearer to Him we are drawn. No matter how near you are to the Lord, there is always room to move in a little closer, there is always some distance to leave behind. In this divine romance we find ourselves on a never ending quest to eliminate as much space as possible between us and the One whom we seek. That is where the journey begins – in seeking Him. From that point on, God takes it from there. He clears the way. He makes room. He brings us to that sacred place few dare to visit. It is a marvelous vista point where we capture the ultimate view of God’s glory. You won’t see it all there, but it’s more than you’ll ever catch this side of heaven.   There are many places near God. It may be a prayer closet or a back porch. It could be on a private beach or a quiet spot in the woods. Wherever the Lord is sought, there is found a place by Him. For those who do not seek Him, that place remains foreign. It is unexplored territory. The frontier of the complacent remains a spiritual wasteland. The stagnant soul can never know the beauty of that place near God. What about you? Have you found your place by God? If so, I submit there is a place even closer, one even more glorious. And once you’ve discovered that place, there is another closer still. The Christian journey is filled with places by God. Each one prepares us for the next. Each one gets us nearer and nearer to the Lord. For Moses, the Tabernacle of Meeting was a place near God. The divine romance took to greater depths in that humble tent. Yet in the big scheme of things, that place was just a starting point. God drew Him closer still. The same is true for each of us. We will never find that perfect place where we just can’t draw any nearer to God. He’s forever nudging us closer. He is forever carrying us over the next threshold to that sweeter place by Him. The invitation “come” echoes out into the distance. Nearness does not seem to ever silence it. It rings louder upon every approach. The only thing that seems to muffle God’s voice is the whine of our own when we say, “I’m fine where I’m at.” It is the claim of every sluggard who proudly stands upon a distant and slippery slope!    Such is the life of a sojourner, we venture from place to place. The rest God offers will never be found in idleness. Rest is not found in one place but in a series of places. He lifts us higher that we might grow deeper. He takes us further that we might grow closer. There is nothing more detrimental to the Christian faith than stagnancy. It is the leading cause of spiritual lethargy. It is a trap we must avoid. We can only be still long enough to hear God speak. He keeps us on the move. We are continually advancing forward, lest the journey end. There is that kind and gentle voice which whispers into our hearts, “Your time here is finished. Get moving.” We are never pushed, only prompted. Yes, we may so choose to linger in a solitary spot. We might even grow comfortable there. But God’s glory moves on. You will quickly lose sight of it should you dig your heels too deep. Our options must be carefully weighed; we can linger in one place or we can follow God’s trail. Those who seek his glory never retire. We do not settle at any one spot. The journey of the soul never ends. It’s always on the move, seeking, yearning for that next place nearer to God.   Moses experienced a wonderful encounter with God in that sacred tent he pitched outside the camp. Had he lingered too long, though, he would have lost sight of His glory. The Lord had arranged for a view more intimate, more spectacular. Moses eventually had to venture out from that holy tabernacle. Had he not journeyed on, God’s glory would have faded before his eyes. It’s like taking in the Grand Canyon. You can enjoy it from a bird’s eye view out of the window of an airplane. Or you can explore its depths by entering into it. But the plane must land. You must step out and journey into the canyon. Before long, you will be surrounded by all the splendors the Canyon has to offer. Likewise, Moses had to step out from his tent. He was then brought to a place where he was surrounded by glory divine. He was placed in the cleft of a rock. But he didn’t overstay his welcome there, either. The Lord moved him on. And so it goes with each of us.   If there is that longing to be near God, a yearning to see His glory, you must fight idleness as if it were your fiercest foe. No one place remains sacred for too long. God’s presence does not rest on our merry plateaus. Once His glory moves on the adversary quickly moves in, bidding us to stay put. Keep moving, my friend! Move from glory to glory. Follow the voice of the One who leads you on to the next place -- that place by Him. From 'That I May Know You' by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=34017 34017 Thu, 3 May 2012 12:02:00 +0000 I find it comical that the first recorded church dispute arose over food. It was probably no joking matter back then, but now that two millenniums have passed, we can laugh. It’s funny because things haven’t changed much. We may say “grace” at the supper table but we don’t always show it there. Even a potluck can cause riffs in the family of God. There is no denying that we Christians are pretty fussy when it comes to food. Just ask any waitress who works the Sunday shift. As far as the record states, the twelve apostles didn’t raise up assistants until the meals ministry got out of hand. It’s a fascinating story and you can read all about it in the sixth chapter of Acts. It seems that there were widows at the end of the soup line who weren’t getting their fair share. Some thought the apostles were guilty of discrimination because it was usually elderly Greek women that wound up with crumbs. In actuality, poor management was to blame. The twelve apostles simply couldn’t keep up with the thousands of hungry mouths. Their plates were just too full. Maybe that’s a bad choice of words given the accusation against them. To address the first ever conflict of the first ever church, the first ever deacons were recruited, seven in all. While the apostles concentrated on feeding hungry souls, the deacons focused on feeding hungry bellies. That’s why they were called deacons, by the way. Though we have stretched the term to mean something loftier, deacon is nothing but a fancy expression for “waiter.” And that's precisely what their role was in the early church. With the appointment of the seven waiters, the problem seemingly went away. But as Christianity advanced from Jewish to Gentile territory, the madness resurfaced. Once again, food became a major bone of contention. This time, things grew real ugly. It seems the saints in Corinth loved their bellies more than their neighbor. Even when gathering for the Lord’s Supper they showed little consideration for each other. Nor did they give much thought toward Jesus when the sacred bread and cup came around. For this reason, they got their hands slapped - for partaking in an unworthy manner. It didn’t take long before food became a recipe for disaster in the Church of Rome. Members there argued over meat, what was kosher and what wasn’t. Those who favored meat offered to idols weren’t that polite about it. They pigged out in the presence of weaker brothers without a care in the world. Paul told these carnivorous Christians, “If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for.” (Romans 14:15) Ever since Jesus gathered with the twelve for that infamous last supper, food has been as much part of the church as stained glass and steeples. In Acts 2 we read how early converts gladly broke bread from house to house on a daily basis. Even today, the bonds of fellowship revolve around food. But that which brings us together is also known to tear us apart. And when dining turns to whining, it’s time for the deacons to close the kitchen.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=33720 33720 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:05:00 +0000 There’s a part of me that refuses to give up on people, even total screw-ups. Largely because I was once a total screw-up. Many wrote me off when I strayed, but there were those precious few who believed all was not lost. Had it not been for one particular brother, I might still be head deep in waste today. When someone pulls you from the pit, it teaches you something about grace. I’ve learned that messy people don’t respond well to a pointing finger. They need a helping hand. If you rub a fallen brother’s nose in his own muck, he only sinks deeper. At least that’s my experience. I owe no thanks to the sin sniffer. The pit became a convenient escape from him - even it was killing me. I am in debt to the one who rolled up his sleeves and reached out to me. With his help I became a living testimony to the power of grace. I’m not proud of my sinful past, but if I can be grateful for one thing, it has shown me that there is always hope, even for the messiest of people. This needs to be realized in a church community. We must always believe the best about others, even when they fall. Turning up our noses is not the answer. We must never lose hope in another. Never! Does not our faith declare that souls are salvageable? Is not the Bible a message of redemption? Does not the heart of God cry out to the fallen? We all know the answer: yes, yes and yes! Judging those who fall is a most cowardly act. Feelings of superiority fills the mind like a dark cloud, while insecurity thunders the threat of its presence. The real heroes are those who roll up their sleeves and plunge their hands deep into the nappy scum, even if it’s to rescue a single fool from his own folly. Admittedly, this kind of courage does not come without disappointments. There are no guarantees the fallen one will want out of the pit. He may even sink further, smiling like a dope the entire way down. That’s why it’s easier to be a judge than a hero. Judges don’t suffer broken hearts. If a sinner sinks, they might even be happy with the outcome. A hero weeps. For this reason it takes guts to be one.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=33459 33459 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:09:00 +0000 With all this talk about “community” these days, I think we would benefit from what the ancients had to say on the subject. Take Nehemiah for example. Now, there was a man who understood community like no other. He not only wrote the book on it, he lived it. Nehemiah was used to rally a huge community of willing volunteers to rebuild the wall of God’s holy city. We're told that they “set their hands to this good work.” (2:18) It's also stated in Nehemiah’s journal, “the people had a mind to work.” (4:6) Together they labored side by side, overcame the obstacles and they even donated needed materials toward the project. Once their mission was accomplished, they all celebrated the blessings of community and glorified the very God their community was founded upon. You see, there is an expectation that comes with community – people must pull together for a common good. Those who don't aren't truly a part. They merely take up space - living off the benefits of community, while sponging off the grace of those who build it. To best understand the definition of community, all one need do is dissect the term from its compounded form: common-unity. That says it all right there, doesn’t it? There must be a common purpose that unites people together. In a church community, our purpose is to build on the solid foundation of Christ and bear fruit glorifying to the Father. This opens the door for all kinds of opportunity. And if God is in it, the people must set their hands to the good work. They must also have a mind to work. Once the goal is finally achieved, the blessings of community gush out like crazy. There is excitement, celebration and an overwhelming sense of gratification and accomplishment. It is said that no man is an island. I’m not convinced. It seems there are a lot of little islands out there. I’m talking about those who never really integrate with others. I truly feel for them. Because they contribute nothing to the wellbeing of those around them, their lives lack true meaning. God shows us our sense of purpose through community, and community is only achieved through group participation. There must be willing volunteers who are united to accomplish a common good. People need something greater than a paycheck to build their esteem - something motivated from the heart that says they’re worth more than just a dollar amount. Community offers just that, at least church community does. It offers a sense of value that the secular world cannot. The world will only rob us of it. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=33227 33227 Tue, 3 Apr 2012 11:02:00 +0000 Rafael and Tristan were the first of a large wave of youth from Gary Job Corp to join our fellowship in San Marcos. The two sat side-by side in the very front, worshipping their hearts out and soaking in the Word of God. They became real “regulars.” This enthusiastic pair invited many others from Gary Job Corp to church. It wasn’t long before we had a large handful of these forlorn youngsters. Transportation was the biggest challenge. They couldn’t always get a ride. If they could, they’d have to miss breakfast (a huge sacrifice for such deprived souls). So we purchased an eleven passenger Chevy van. Initially, it was either my wife or I who went out to fetch the kids from Job Corp. Then others got involved in our “shuttle” ministry. Typically, it took three trips to get this wild bunch to church. We also had breakfast waiting for them when they arrived. As much as I hate to say, some didn’t share my passion for these kids. It was no secret that Job Corp was a haven for hell raisers. I confess, not all proved to be charm school graduates. More than a few did have checkered pasts. And some were rougher around the edges than others. Put simply, they looked and behaved like street kids generally do. But, frankly, I was glad they were coming to church. I always did have a bleeding heart for disadvantaged youth. I was one myself. I was raised by my mother in the suburbs of Los Angeles. My older brother, Rick, and I were always up to mischief. I suppose we had too much time on our hands and not enough supervision with Mom working as much as she did. My mouth would also get me into trouble. I can’t even count the times I got smacked by someone trying to be my parent. I’d just glare at them as if I were bulletproof, then run home and cry like a big sissy. Rick was much bolder. He’d stand up to anyone. Once, after a leisurely day of shoplifting, Rick almost clobbered a man twice his size. He was eleven or twelve at the time. I suppose I was the one to start the commotion. We were walking alongside the wall of this fellow’s house when his dog barked at us. Well, being the mouthy kid I was, I decided to snap back. Before long, the dog and I were in a full-blown barking match. That’s when his owner came out screaming and cussing. We screamed and cussed right back. Infuriated, this large man hopped the wall, threatening to kick our “backsides.” Well, threatening my brother is like spitting in the wind. It’s gonna come right back at you even harder. Rick ran to the yard across the street, pulled up a ‘For Sale’ sign, then came back swinging like a ninja on steroids. “You want to kick my butt?” he hollered. Either the man lost his courage, or he didn’t want to be seen tangling with some puny kid. Whichever the case, he quickly  jumped back over the wall. Like his dog, his bark was bigger than his bite. Needless to say, there weren’t a lot of grown-up types that took an interest in Rick or me. We were nothing more than undesirable street kids. Because of this, we resented authority figures, a sentiment that was usually returned. Yet, as hard as we were on the outside, our hearts weren’t far from reach. We were crying out to be loved. When our parents divorced and Dad left, it rocked our world. Yes, we acted out in anger. As a result, both teachers and preachers alike wrote us off. Also, neighborhood parents protected their poor impressionable children from our evil influence. It was those precious few adults that reached out to us that made the difference. It haunts me to think of where I might have ended up had there not been some a ray of light piercing through my dark and hardened heart. Naturally, my upbringing causes me to identify with troubled teens. I understand them. And God has clearly shown me that they are worth investing in. I had the privilege of serving in youth ministry for many years and have seen the Lord do miracles in the lives of the young and dejected. They need Jesus to find our purpose in lives. They need older men and women to point them the way. They need to see in us the heart of Jesus who saves the lost, heals the sick and gives sight to the blind.  Ministering to disadvantaged youth is no easy task. Many come with loads of baggage and nasty habits. Their hormones pop like popcorn on a hot griddle. They are prone to make bad choices as a result. Some may never appreciate the investment you make in their lives. They may even turn on you. It’s no different than ministering to prisoners or to the homeless. You’re dealing with folks who are lost or blind or sick. It’s messy. It’s impossible to pour out your heart without it getting ripped out a time or two. I was full aware of the risks when we received the Gary kids into our small fellowship. This wasn’t my first rodeo. There would be headaches and heartbreaks. Some of these kids would lose their way (or never find it). In spite of these realities, my hopes were high. I was excited about the opportunity to reach out to them. Most all of us were. And together we rolled out the red carpet for the youth of Gary Job Corp – even if it meant saving only one out of ninety-nine.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=32969 32969 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:46:00 +0000 Years ago, my family and I served as missionaries in Siegen, Germany. Shortly after arriving, I was invited to participate with Prison Fellowship in a prison outreach several miles (okay, kilometers) from where I resided. When the big day finally arrived, I haply boarded a train to the city where I was to meet up with my contact. I was new to the European rail system and found it to be quite enjoyable. There was a lot of beautiful scenery to take in from my comfortable window seat. The lush, green countryside with sporadic glimpses of vintage German homes and farmhouses could fill a thousand postcards. There were other breathtaking sights that still have me high from the flashbacks. It was at least a solid hour before the conductor came by to check my ticket. I don’t know exactly what was said, he could have been speaking Icelandic for all I know, but his tone was extremely harsh. By the time the train slowed to its next stop, the conductor had me sailing out the door before I could ridicule his silly hat.  I had no clue as to where I was. There was no train station, just a bench in some desolate village where I saw very few signs of civilization. There I waited… and waited… and waited for any mode of transportation headed back to where I came from. I never did make it to the prison. I had the right ticket but was on the wrong train. Nevertheless, it was a comfortable train which offered a spectacular view. Yes, I had a wonderful time from the moment I boarded it. But it was the wrong train, headed the wrong direction. Ultimately, it left me stranded and off-track.  Many today are off-track spiritually. They are sincere people on a sincere mission to pursue God, but they have boarded the wrong train, just as I did. It is hard for them to realize this because the ride they are on seems so enjoyable. From where they sit, everything appears exceptionally beautiful. Though they may have the right ticket, they’re headed the wrong direction – one that may leave them stranded.  What is it that gets us off-track in our pursuit of God? Oftentimes it is false perceptions that are passed down to us by parents, preachers or paperbacks. The ideas we hear sound beautiful and they surely keep us comfortable, but are they truthful? I know they intend to be, but do they get us going in the right direction? Or, do they leave us stranded? Many today trust Christian novels to define God for them, which to me is stranger than fiction itself! I’m not suggesting that the true God doesn’t ever appear in literature. Indeed, I have found Him in such masterpieces as ‘Riven’ by Jerry Jenkins and ‘Gilead’ by Marilynne Robinson. But there are many writers that unwittingly steer the reader off track. It’s important we understand where they are coming from and also the direction in which they are headed - and “New York Times Best Seller” shouldn’t be the validation we look for.  Let’s face it, there are countless books out there making claims about God, and not all are being sold as fiction. Even with non-fiction works, God oftentimes seems out of character. How can we know that what an author claims is really true? We must compare those claims with the claims God makes about Himself in His Word. It really is that simple.  Excerpt from 'My City Was Gone' by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=32206 32206 Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:22:00 +0000 **PRESS RELEASE**  CALVARY AUSTIN: REACHING OUT TO VICTIMS OF ABUSE  On Saturday, May 26, Calvary Austin will host 'Chains Be Broken.' This event will be unlike anything Calvary Austin has ever tackled before. It may even be a first for the greater Austin area! The goal of Chains Be Broken is to bring hope to the hurting, the main emphasis being on victims of abuse. The man behind the mission is Calvary Austin's pastor, Terry Michaels. It was at 'vision night' in early January when Terry first encouraged his congregation to pray this simple prayer: "Enlarge our hearts." Since then, members have focused their attention on the sick, the poor and the heavy burdened.  Along with praying for enlarged hearts, Terry asked each individual to consider how past experiences may have uniquely equipped them to reach a specific person or group. For Terry, it was victims of abuse. As a youth, Terry was molested over the course of two years. The trauma of the experience fueled a life of rage and recklessness. It wasn't until Terry was in his twenties that he was set free from his painful past. Today, Terry wants others to find the same victory he found.  Shortly after sharing his idea for Chains Be Broken, an elderly gentleman approached Terry admitting, "I'm seventy-six years old. I was molested as a child and I still can't get over it." It is precious people with stories like these that Calvary Austin desires to help. "No one should have to carry this kind of pain to the grave," Terry insists. But many do. Most do. Sadly, they allow past hurts to rule their future. The people of Calvary Austin are determined to do something about this.  Author/speaker Victor Marx is also scheduled to share at Chains be Broken. Victor is founder/president of ‘All Things Possible’ a ministry dedicated to reaching incarcerated youth who come from broken or abusive homes. Victor endured a childhood marked with physical and sexual abuse, multiple stepfathers, 14 schools and 17 different houses. Victor’s stepfathers were troubled with serious issues of their own; one was a pimp and drug dealer, and another was convicted for killing a man. With chaos as his constant companion, Victor began doing drugs in the sixth grade to escape his pain.  Joining the Marine Corps gave structure to Victor’s life, but did nothing to heal the wounds of his past. Despite psychiatric treatment, he still was not able to get relief from the debilitating flashbacks or the tormenting nightmares that plagued him.  Through what Victor calls a miracle he has become not just a high-functioning survivor, but a “thriver” in life! His story shows how a person can get true freedom from negative behaviors caused by bad circumstances. Learn more about Victor Marx at www.atpministries.org  Along with Victor Marx, Mercedes Miller will share her story of tragedy to triumph. Mercedes served time in prison and was also a victim of abuse. Today she is a pastor’s wife at Calvary Chapel in Grapevine, Texas.  Chains Be Broken is a free one-night event. All are welcome. Doors open May 26 at 5:30pm. Start time is 6:00pm. Calvary Austin is located at 1601 W. Pecan Street, Pflugerville TX 78660. For more information call: 512-719-4667. www.calvaryaustin.com       http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=31532 31532 Wed, 8 Feb 2012 13:07:00 +0000 Howard was your average guy. He lived in an average home in an average neighborhood. He had an average sized family: one wife, two kids and a dog named Sport. On an average month Howard earned an average income. Some months were better than average, others not. It all depended on how many used cars Howard sold on a monthly average, based of course on the average commission of his average sales. On those rare occasions when Howard sold more than average he would also drink more than average. “I hit the mother lode!” Howard would boast to his belching beer buddies at Buster’s Bar.  Without exception Howard would always sit on the same old wobbly bar stool in the smoke filled tavern. He would drink an average of six and one half beers. He never really knew if it was the seventh beer that made him wobbly or if it was just the stool. So he rarely finished that last drink, even though it was usually a light beer. When the room got too wobbly for Howard he knew it was time to go home to his wife Marge. But poor Howard’s return home was much later than average and Marge would assail him with angry words. But all was forgiven when Marge learned of the mother lode.  Howard believed there is an art to selling used cars. He had the art down to a science or maybe he had the science down to an art. Whichever it was he knew that he had the gift, at least on some rare occasions. Not only was it an art, not only was it a science, car sales was a game, a game that Howard enjoyed because he wrote his own rules. One rule was called ‘con the consumer.’ Another was ‘lock the looker’. It was a game of wit over wallet. “Put ‘em behind the wheel, make ‘em think they gotta’ deal!” is how he explained it to Marge. Howard was especially cunning when elderly ladies visited his lot. They were quite easy to outwit and could not detect your average auto malfunctions.  Howard was unashamed of his deceitful antics. He explained to Marge deception was necessary in order to make a decent living selling used autos. But he never referred to the cars on his lot as ‘used autos’ to his customers, he called them “pre-owned vehicles.” According to Howard, that made them much more marketable.  Things got even more interesting once Howard lured his prey into the sales office. Once the customer was trapped in his lair Howard knew the odds were well in his favor. To the inevitable counter offers, Howard’s response was always the same: “Well, I don’t know if the sales manager will agree to your proposal. That’s about what we paid for it but I‘ll see what he says.” In reality there was no sales manager on this particular lot. Howard would simply disappear into a back room, light up a cigarette and sip some coffee. Then he would return to the office and tell the dupe, “The best we can do is…” and he’d pull some dollar amount out of the air. It was all part of the game.  At work Howard generally wore a bright plaid jacket with shiny white shoes and ties that seldom matched. It was his understanding that this was what your average used car salesman wore. Being the traditional sort Howard would declare with a grin, “I must follow suit.” It was a humorous pun that always gave Marge quite a chuckle.  The average work schedule for Howard was Tuesday through Sunday and he always arrived on the lot at nine o’clock sharp. Every Sunday morning he would stand in the driveway, wearing his plaid jacket and mismatched tie, and watch the cars zoom by. He always kept an eye out for Chet who drove the fancy red convertible sports coupe. Howard didn’t know Chet personally but was very familiar with him because Chet once ran for public office. Howard wished he had a pre-owned vehicle like Chet’s but couldn’t afford such a luxury. He’d really have to hit a big mother lode for that to happen. But that was only a dream.  Unlike Howard, Chet was affluent and respectable. He didn’t earn his wealth through dishonest gain. Chet graduated from university with top honors and climbed the corporate ladder in a dignified fashion. After much success in commercial advertising he became vice president of the corporation. Chet was not only successful in business he had earned a great reputation as a model citizen. He involved himself in community service and earned the title of Head Deacon at The First Community Church, which was just down the road from the car lot. Howard couldn’t remember a Sunday he didn’t see Chet pass by on his way to church. Chet was a very religious man to be sure.  The First Community Church was known for having the finest pipe organ in the state. Its pipes were many and some almost reached to the ceiling above the second story balcony. Everyone was well aware that Chet had donated the funds for its purchase. There was also a nice shiny bronze plaque with Chet’s name on it positioned above the water fountain which he had donated. He had also helped finance the fellowship hall and the youth wing. Chet was very generous with his wealth. Often he was called upon to offer the benediction for Sunday services. On Tuesdays he hosted a men’s prayer breakfast. It was well attended because Chet was well liked and very popular.  One Sunday morning Howard arrived at work with a slamming headache. He attributed it to the beer he had at Busters Bar the night before but he did not offer that bit of information to his boss. Howard was excused for the day so he could nurse his ailing noggin. On the way home Howard noticed Chet’s fancy red sports coupe parked in front of The First Community Church. He saw many other cars parked there as well, some new, some pre owned. Being the curious man he was Howard decided to venture inside. He found a seat in the back pew; it also had a plaque mounted on it with Chet’s name. Howard quickly noticed Chet seated in the very front row.  Minister Mike offered a moving message. He talked about a rich young ruler who came running to Jesus. The young ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This struck a chord with Howard as he had been thinking about that very question a great deal in recent days. Minister Mike talked about the importance of following Christ. He went on to say that the rich young ruler went away very sad because he didn’t want to follow Jesus. This disturbed Howard greatly, he did not want to leave sad.  At the close of the service the church began to empty but Howard remained. Even after the entire congregation had left Howard stayed seated. The words of Minister Mike echoed in his ears and resonated into his heart. He sat there long and quietly as if glued to the pew. The only other person in the building was Chet. He had stayed late to polish the plaque above the water fountain. As he rubbed away at the bronze Chet began to think of all the great things he had done for First Community Church; how he had donated funds for the pipe organ, youth wing and fellowship hall, and how he led a well attended prayer breakfast for the men on Tuesday mornings. Thinking on these things Chet was led to go into the sanctuary and offer a little prayer which went something like this:  “Thank you, Lord, that my life has significance. I praise Thee that I am charitable and that everyone at the First Community Church benefits from my generosity. I give thanks unto thee that the men in this church are praying men as a result of my affective leadership on Tuesday mornings. Lord, you knoweth that thy people worship because of the magnificent organ which I donated. I was happy to do this for You, God. Oh, and P.S. I’m so glad I’m not like that sleazy used car salesman in the plaid jacket that doth stink up thy very pew I donate-eth. Amen.”  Fortunately, Howard did not hear Chet’s prayer. He was too engrossed in his own. Falling to his knees and with tears streaming down his cheeks Howard cried, “Forgive me, Lord, I’m a rotten scoundrel!” Howard left the First Community Church whistling to the tune of Amazing Grace. And he never wore his plaid jacket again.  Based upon the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18:10-14 From the book 'There & Back' by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=31332 31332 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 12:02:00 +0000 If there was one thing Guy knew how to do well it was to schmooze. He was charming, polite and always practiced proper etiquette. His smile was as infectious as love in the springtime and his handshake was firm. He was a man who honored the rules of chivalry. He opened doors for the ladies and offered his seat to the elderly. Though he didn’t smoke himself he always carried a cigarette lighter as a courtesy for those who did. To the unsuspecting he was a dream. Those who to his lure soon found that Guy was a nightmare. Behind the sweet smoke and flattering mirrors lurked an evil predator. Sure he was a gentleman who would offer his seat to a senior. But he was also listening for a jingle in the old man’s pocket as he lowered himself. Certainly, he would hold the door for a lady… all the while checking for a brand label on her backside. That’s how Guy operated. That’s how he paid the rent. He was a con.  Guy was slick and grew increasingly more confident by the day. He had convinced himself that he could talk anyone into or out of anything and I must admit that he was quite successful - most of the time… but not all of the time.  There were those rare occasions when charm would disappoint and finesse would leave Guy out in the cold. Such a time was when he attempted to make an appearance at the Academy Award Ceremony in Tinsel Town.  Oscar Night. It would be the ultimate date with the girl he so desperately longed to impress. Sure she would go with him. After all Guy was an actor, though not the kind she was led to believe. Barbara was flattered by the invitation. She got dolled up in her flashiest evening gown. Guy wore that familiar suit with giant lapels and dowsed himself with the sweetest fragrance Thrifty Drugstore had to offer. Then off the darling couple went. Can’t you just picture the two of them zooming away together in his shiny red convertible MG? So can I. But that’s not how it went down. His car wouldn’t start so… they took mine… without permission, by the way. Now can you picture them? Can you see them rolling up alongside the Limos and Bentleys in my oxidized white 1960 Rambler? Can you see these crazy characters cranking down the window to wave at Jack Nicholson?  I don’t know how far away they had to park. I don’t know how close to the red carpet they came. What I do know is this, Guy and his lovely date weren’t admitted to the Academy Award ceremonies. All the charm in the world could not open doors for these two to join the glitz of Hollywood’s most celebrated event. Finesse could not get them seated among the rich and famous. Sometimes you win and sometimes you schmooze. But on Oscar night, schmoozers are losers. There is only one way to get on the red carpet, your name must be recorded on the guest list. Unfortunately, Guy’s wasn’t. Neither was Barbara’s. That was that.  The Kingdom of God operates in a similar fashion. You can’t schmooze your way in. It won’t matter how polite you come across or how fancy you are dressed. Nor will it matter what you are driving or how close to the red carpet you may be. Unless your name is on the guest list you won’t make it in. These aren’t my rules; they come straight from the Word of God. With regard to that heavenly paradise scripture states, “Nothing unclean, no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb's Book of Life will enter it.” (See Revelation 21:27) The obvious question at this point is: how does one get their name in the Book of Life? *     *     *     *     *  This might come as a shocker but many religious leaders do not have their names written in the Book of Life. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true. And if that weren’t shocking enough, there are oodles of unsavory sorts who somehow get their names inked in on God’s guest list. Doesn’t sound fair, does it? The reality is, if we were able to flip trough it’s many pages we would discover a host of unlikely candidates listed. Honestly, we’re talkin’ real questionable characters here. A rap sheet on just one of these low-lifer’s would be enough to Paper Mache’ the entire planet! One might even be tempted to tip God off on offenses He seemingly overlooked on some of these rascals. (Before you get any ideas, though, you may want to check out your own rap sheet.)  Jesus informed the religious leaders of His day that they weren’t on the guest list but that hookers and swindlers were. (See Matthew 21:31) He didn’t actually use the terms ‘hookers’ or ‘swindlers’ but that’s how we might express it today. Jesus actually referred to these creatures as harlots and tax collectors. In New Testament times you couldn’t stoop much lower than to be a hooker or a tax collector, they were bottom of the barrel. Both were predators, neither had an ounce of dignity. Tax collectors took cash against a person’s will while harlots took it against one’s better judgment. One stole money for pleasure while the other sold pleasure for money. They enriched their livelihoods at the expense of others. One forced while the other flirted but the end result was always the same, somebody got taken. That is why, at least in Jesus’ day, they earned the scorn of all society.  How could it be that God would prefer tramps and thieves over such noble gents as priests, scribes and temple elders? Scarier yet, does He still operate this way today? Who is on the guest list? Is it the good reverend with the white collar? Or, Bambi the streetwalker who won’t even button her collar? Who will it be; the priest who prays at the parish? Or, the bamboozler who preys at the pool hall? Hold on… wait a minute… what was that verse again? “Nothing unclean, no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb's Book of Life will enter it.” Now, let’s make some sense of this. Aren’t harlots unclean? Is not the work of a crook detestable? Yes and yes! One lies in the sack while the other lies through his teeth! We appear to have stumbled upon a gross contradiction here. Jesus unlocks that mystery in the following parable:  “What do you think about this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go to work in the vineyard today.' His son replied, 'I don't want to!' But later he changed his mind and went.  The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, 'I will, sir,' but he didn't go. Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.”  - Matthew 21:28-30  This second son sure was an agreeable young sort, wasn’t he? He definitely could talk the talk. But like my friend Guy, he was nothing but a schmoozer. When it was time for the rubber to meet the road he back peddled all the way. It was the first son that ultimately threw himself in gear by submitting to his father’s will. Yet, it took a change of heart to move him in the right direction.  Two sons. Two pictures. With the first son we see a marvelous picture of repentance which is evidenced by a change of heart. He regrets the poor choice he initially made and goes to the vineyard where he reaps fruits of righteousness. Not so with son number two. He is an example of the unregenerate life. Pleasing the father is low on his list. This fellow is nothing but a yes-man. Though the intention may initially be there, the follow through is not. He’s more interested in doing his own thing and avoids the vineyard without any regret whatsoever. He, too, will reap what he has sown.  Two sons, two kinds of people. Those who do and those who don’t. The repentant and unrepentant. However you slice it there are just two kinds of people. Those who have their names recorded in the Book of Life and those who do not. In the big scheme of things it comes down to this: you schmooze, you lose. No one gets on the guest list by being a yes-man. A yes-man says ‘yes’ on Sunday but his actions dictate otherwise on Monday. He prays like an angel but plays like the devil. He’s got enough religion to make him look alive on the outside but he’s dead on the inside. You’ll find his name on the church roster but not in the Book of Life.  The Kingdom of God is reserved for those who’ve had a true change of heart. With a change of heart the doors of heaven open wide for the harlot, the crook, the adulterer and the drunk. Without a change of heart neither the pastor, preacher nor Sunday school teacher makes it through the pearly gates. That’s just the way it is. There must first be brokenness. There must be repentance, a turning from ‘my will’ to ‘thy will’. Then and only then do our names appear in the Book of Life. You see, it’s a family album. You must become a child of God. We do that by surrendering to the Father and accepting His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Once we do that we are given a new heart and that’s when the heavenly Bicâ goes click. Then our name is written where no eraser can ever remove it. The only thing that gets erased is our sin. *     *     *     *     * Like Oscar night there is a huge award ceremony in heaven. The major difference is that everyone on God’s guest list is a winner and we all receive handsome awards. Another distinction would be that the Academy generally invites an elite group of actors. Chances are you’ve been excluded. I know I have. But God’s invitation goes out to everyday people. Not those who put on a great performance but sincere people who are ready to get real with the Lord. If that’s your desire He’s eager to roll out the red carpet for you.    From the Book 'There & Back' by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=31089 31089 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:01:00 +0000 The poor woman didn’t know what to make of the man. She said to Him, “I perceive that you are a prophet.” She was catching on quickly. She realized that there was something special about her new friend, Jesus. He saw right through her heart. He had revealed her deepest secrets. He even showed her where she was blowing it. But He didn't judge her. Not in the slightest. Instead, He offered her living water. She was quite impressed. “Yeah, He must be a prophet,” she thought. “Then again, He's Jewish. Is He also of the opinion that God doesn't accept worship from Samaria?" She had to ask.  "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” (John 4:20)  Is that what you think, Jesus? Does worship revolve around a place? It's not about who we worship, or how? It's all about where? Have my people been blowing it all these years? Is our mountain not good enough?  It's a question that is still asked today. I once worshipped on the ancient mountain of Rome. There was no singing, just organ music. Women covered their heads. Men wore suits. Surely this is the mountain! Then I attended a Baptist fellowship.  Everyone sang hymns. Gone were the head coverings. Men wore suits. Is it okay to worship on this mountain? Then I visited a nondenominational church. They had a worship band. No one wore suits. Women let their hair down. They shook tambourines! I thought, what kind of mountain is this? As for those who grew up on the mountain of Calvary Chapel, we sometimes wonder about the others. Are they too traditional? Too formal? Too subdued? Too uncool? I think so, so God must think so! Our mountain is the one with the fountain! This is where His Spirit pours out.  Perhaps we can learn from what Jesus told His Samaritan friend.  “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.” (John 4:22)  I look forward to that day, don't you? When all our mountains disappear! When all biases and prejudices disappear. When our ideas of what's trendy disappear. When every tribe, tongue and nation worships together as one, without all the denominational hang-ups.  That day is coming! Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And there will be only one mountain - the mountain of our God! And together we will worship as one. We will worship in spirit and in truth. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=30559 30559 Thu, 5 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000 It states in the proverbs: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18 (KJV). This passage once troubled me because I mistook vision for innovation (which I understood to be a product of imagination). I was further convinced that if I didn't keep coming up with fresh ideas for our church, everything would go down the tubes. Then I read that same proverb in the NKJV: "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint." This more literal rendering of the passage opened my eyes to its actual meaning. It has nothing to do with folks having the life sucked out of them all because no one had any bright ideas. To paraphrase, Proverbs 29:18 tells us that without revelation, people lose their bearings. They go south.  With this in mind, it's important to understand what vision is. It has to do with God's revelation, and little to do with man's innovation. As a matter of a fact, God's Word warns against vision that doesn't come from above: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD.'" Jeremiah 23:16 Notice that vision comes from the mouth of God and not the heart of man. I need to be mindful of this when people present their ideas to me. They may be as sincere as they are imaginative, but I must discern whether or not their idea was born from the mouth of God. We all have a tendency to get excited when the creative juices start to flow. We may even interpret our excitement as confirmation from the Lord. But that's not always the case, is it? Experience has taught me well that God doesn't get behind everything that excites us.  The Church of Ephesus was a very busy church - all hustle and bustle. The church bulletin probably opened up like a road map. The calendar was full and everyone was caught up in a slew of religious activity. But things eventually grew routine. The Ephesians were merely going through the motions. It was the same old hat. I find it interesting that the Lord didn't tell them to come up with some fresh ideas. Instead, He told them to get back to the basics. To quote from the Book of Revelation, Jesus said: "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent." Revelation 2:4-6 There is nothing innovative about that. If a pastor were to stand before his flock and say, "Let's get back to what we did in the beginning." he might be accused of being unoriginal. And he very well might be! But that doesn't matter. Vision as defined in scripture has nothing to do with anyone's originality. It comes from the mouth of God! And it was the mouth of God that instructed the Ephesians to get back to the basics. I do not believe there is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, but I have discovered there is a wealth of vision when we focus on the basics. I have also found that vision dries up when the basics are neglected. Creative juices still flow. Clever ideas still arise. The imagination still runs wild. But all the while we place our hands over the mouth of God and silence Him. You see, vision is about seeing what God is doing, and looking forward to what He wants to do. And unless we focus on the basics, our vision will be tainted. We begin to call our great ideas God's ideas and our understanding of vision becomes progressively more warped. It's that thing Stephen Spielberg has, and what Steve Jobs had. You know, dreams, ingenuity and creativity! All that is wonderful. But it can also get in the way of what God wants to reveal. And remember, without revelation, people lose their bearings. Who cares how creative the path is if it leads people downward? This is why the basics are so foundational. They cause us to focus more on God and others than our ideas. The basics remind us to be constant in prayer, to dig deep in the Word and to make fellowship a priority. The basics tell us to care for, encourage, bless and invest in one another. This is why I call the basics the seedbed of vision. When we commit to these things, we capture the heart of God and catch His love for those around us. His love must take root in our lives if we are to hear Him speak. When He does, we see things as He sees them. We catch His vision. And we look forward to what He will do! http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=30360 30360 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:50:00 +0000 “God is good, a hiding place in tough times.”   (Nahum 1:7a)   The Book of Nahum assures us that God is to be taken seriously and not to be trifled with. It also reminds us of another important aspect of God’s nature – He is good! In fact, there is no other being this can truly be said about. Comparatively speaking, I might say you are a good person, but what am I really implying? I’m merely stating that you are better than most. So long as you don’t abuse your spouse, kick your dog or curse your neighbors like some do, you are pretty good in my book. In reality, we all look pretty good comparatively. But is goodness really that subjective? Is it a personality trait that gets dosed out in varying degrees, where some hit the jackpot and others don’t? Can it be improved with experience, exercise or education? Is it subject to human potential? With respect to God, we would surely have to answer “no” to each of these questions. In His case, at least, goodness is a divine attribute, not a human one. And that is how scripture defines goodness. It is not something man can muster up. Yet we have come to think we can; all one needs do is look within.   Not only have we come to think man is intrinsically good, we have reduced goodness to something quantifiable, best graded on a curve. We simply size one fellow up to the next. There is a problem with this, though. When “others” become the standard, then we must also judge some to be bad. There is no way around it. And once we start making comparisons, we get into all kinds of tricky gray areas. How good does one have to be in order to score well? I can’t always make those calls. Neither can you. We are not qualified because, frankly, neither you nor I are “good” enough. Only God can judge. As for you and me, we are explicitly commanded not to go there.   Just to show you how ludicrous it is to grade goodness on a curve, I will give a little illustration. Suppose you crack open an egg only to discover it is rotten. In fact, it reeks to high heaven. I doubt you would say to yourself, “It’s not as rotten as some eggs. I’ll just go ahead and use it for my French toast.” Of course you wouldn’t say such a thing. The standard is not the other rotten eggs. I would hope you hold a much higher standard than that. And when it comes to goodness, all the eggheads of the world are not the standard. Just because I’m not as rotten as some doesn’t make me good. The Bible only offers one standard for goodness. Jesus put it like this, “there is none good but one, that is, God.” (See Matthew 19:17) You may remember when Jesus spoke those words. He was addressing a rich young ruler who thought he scored high in the “goodness” department. This proud fellow boasted of how he had kept his nose clean ever since he was a small tot. I don’t know about you, but if I were standing next to Jesus while He recited the commandments, I would feel lower than a maggot. And that is how it should be. The law wasn’t given to make us feel good about ourselves. It was given to show us how far short we fall.   By society’s standards, that rich young ruler would be considered a good person any day of the week. He was probably a model citizen, one many looked up to. But next to Jesus he had nothing to boast in. It would be like holding a small appliance light bulb up to the sun. One surely outshines the other. So it is when we compare our goodness to the Lord’s. We are like those puny little bulbs. We don’t reflect a very high standard. We are not adequate for measuring perfection. Only Jesus is.   Having established that God alone is good, let us now consider a couple follow-up questions. The first may seem a little elementary: what is good? As basic as that seems, we might be surprised to learn a thing or two. The next question will take us a little deeper: what evidence do we have of God’s goodness? Before going there, though, it is important we understand the real meaning of “good.”   What is Good?   Dictionary.com offers no less than forty-five answers to the above question. Topping the list we find this string of definitions: morally excellent; virtuous; righteous. This agrees with the biblical idea of good. Despite what our post-modern world tells us, there is a moral component to goodness. The popular thought today is that I get to decide which morals work for me and you decide which work for you. But without absolutes, how does one decide who is morally excellent and who isn’t? You can’t. Therefore, in a post-modern world, goodness doesn’t really mean anything at all. I can call abortion good, or pornography or even adultery. And who are you to tell me different? This is why many today say morality can’t be legislated There are no absolutes, according to these liberal thinkers. Individual preference is the rule of the day. These preferences are based more upon convenience than conviction, and what is true today may not be true tomorrow. However, when Jesus insisted, “there is none good but one, that is, God,” he was obviously dealing with an absolute based upon a standard much higher than man’s personal preferences. Furthermore, Jesus was declaring that God decides what is good, not man.   Now let’s talk about virtue. One might strive for moral excellence, but that does not necessarily make him virtuous. In other words, I might be “good” at keeping all the rules but that doesn’t mean my heart is right. I might not even like the rules but I step up because I am expected to or, perhaps, I fear the consequences if I don’t. Take the Pharisees for example. They were morally excellent people with extremely rigid standards, but their hearts were hard as stone. And I’m sure you remember Jesus telling His disciples, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (**Matthew 5:28) While moral excellence has to do with our better judgment, virtue goes much deeper. It cuts to the heart. The virtuous person makes righteous choices, not because he is told to but because he wants to. And what exactly does that word ‘righteous’ mean? The term used in the original Old Testament manuscripts was ‘yashar’ which is Hebrew for ‘straight.’ Once again we are dealing with a very strict standard. There is crooked and there is straight, you are either one or the other. Another way to look at righteousness is ‘the condition of being right.’ With respect to morality and virtue we ask ourselves: Are my morals right? Is my heart right? The bigger question would be: Am I right with God? The term righteous is used countless times throughout the Bible, usually to describe the nature of God. But what does scripture say about man’s righteousness?   “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (**Romans 3:10)   “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”(**Isaiah 64:6a)    This is bad news. The reason being is that only the righteous can be saved. Where does that leave you and me? Our “good” simply isn’t good enough. Bottom line – we’re doomed! There is a solution, of course, and we will discuss it as we tackle our next question.   What Evidence Do We Have of God’s Goodness?   There are two constant themes in the Bible, one we like while the other we don’t particularly care for, yet both attest to God’s goodness. These two themes are judgment and salvation. We readily recognize salvation as good, but judgment is another matter. That never sounds good, does it? However, when God judges the wicked, like the Ninevites for example, He operates from a disposition of moral excellence, virtue and righteousness. The first six words of John 3:16 also help to explain why the good Lord would judge wickedness: “For God so loved the world.” We certainly see this in the case of Nineveh. God’s people were caught in Nineveh’s evil clutches, so He saved one and judged the other. It was much like when the Jews were delivered from the Nazis. Most would agree that was a “good” thing.   Though judgment is a constant theme throughout the Bible, it is not a well received one. But that is exactly what God saves us from. Because none are righteous, all must be judged. I know that doesn’t sound very pleasant, but that is how it works. However, it is possible to escape judgment. In this way God is a hiding place in tough times. The Ninevites had the opportunity to escape judgment, as did the Egyptians in the Exodus account, but they declined. When it comes right down to it, they chose the judgment of God over the salvation of God. And that is the choice all of us are given today. We decide whether we want salvation or judgment, life or death, heaven or hell. The ball is in our court. The Lord allows us to choose simply because He is good.   Thankfully, we live in a day and age where God is withholding judgment. Oh, it will come alright. You can read all about it in the Book of Revelation. Indeed, God has appointed a time when He will pour His wrath upon all unrighteousness. No one really knows when that day will be. The angels don’t even have it on their calendars. Rest assured, though, a time is coming when evil man will be judged. However, God has made a way for escape. That problem of ours, that bit about none are righteous, He took care of it. It required a huge sacrifice on His part but, because He loved us, He suffered the cost. God sent His only begotten Son to pay for every unrighteous deed ever committed or ever will be committed. And because we have no righteousness of our own, God imputes to us His. All we need to do is believe in Him and who He sent. Yes, it’s that simple. We are saved by grace through faith. Why? Because God is good! Excerpt from "My City Was Gone" by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=30264 30264 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:35:00 +0000 When it comes to the "tithe" there are differing views among believers. Some declare freedom from the tithe, rationalizing that they are no longer under the law. This is true - we are no longer under the law. Thank Jesus for that! While Jesus frees us from the yoke of the law, He calls us to something even higher - love! And lovers are givers!   Abraham wasn't under the law either. He lived long before Moses wrote down the rules. Yet Abraham left a trail of altars on his journeys. When he encountered the priest Melchizedek, he tithed. What do you suppose motivated him, if not the law? We can only assume he wanted to please God.   Let’s go back even further. The first altar we read of in scripture is found in Genesis. It is here where Cain and Abel brought their offerings. No one said they had to; they just did. Abel's offering pleased God, but Cain's did not. Being the religious man he was, Cain merely went through the motions. He didn't offer his best. Abel, on the other hand, gave from the heart. He gave the first fruits. It wasn't the law that compelled him. It was love.   Cain and Abel show us the difference between religion and relationship. When it comes to giving, we either follow the example of Cain, or the example of Abel. We either give out of religious duty, or we bear fruits of relationship. What does your giving say about your relationship with the Lord? We can debate the tithe till Jesus comes back. Those who do, miss the point of giving entirely. As a matter of a fact, let's drop that word "tithe" all together. (Sounds a little legalistic, don't you think?) Let's refer to it as a "love offering." Yes, that sounds much better. When it's put that way, we feel a whole lot better about giving, don’t we?   Though the word "tithe" is never mentioned in the New Testament, the principle of giving is repeated throughout. Furthermore, we are taught how to give. With love being the golden rule, we are to give generously, purposefully and cheerfully. Here's what the Word of God says:   "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:6-8   It’s not about law; it's about mindset. As mentioned earlier, lovers are givers. Not because they have to. They just are. Jesus makes them that way. That's how Christians are to be known - by His love. Love may not be easy to define, but it is easy to measure. It is best measured by sacrifice. Suppose I have money coming out of my ears, millions and millions. What would it say about my love if I went to Dollar General to buy my wife an anniversary gift? I'd be called a cheapskate and rightly so. Now, with regard to God, my love for Him should be even greater.   Jesus said of the harlot who washed his feet with her own tears, "She loves much because she is forgiven much." (See Luke 7:47) If only we realized how much we've been forgiven. One’s offerings just might shed some light on this. It's worth pondering, anyway.   Here's one thing we can bank on: should we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly. It's just a fact. There are no heavenly blessings associated with stinginess. However, if we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully. In other words, God blesses generosity. One reason is because God is generous. It only makes sense that He would want us giving in a way that's best reflective of His nature. It's a wonderful tribute to His influence on us.   Not only should we give generously, we should also give purposefully. As we read in the passage above, "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart." Once again, the idea of ‘love offering’ comes to play. It's from the heart and not something we get through our thick skull, or else. Giving should be viewed as an opportunity and not an obligation. God isn't broke. He doesn't need our money. Yet He gives us opportunity to express our love to Him through financial giving. Therefore, we purpose in our hearts how much and how often. Only you can decide what that is. All I'll say is this: follow Abel's example, not Cain's.   Finally, we are to give cheerfully. God loves a cheerful giver! That's what the Good Book says! I have to confess, I'm not very cheerful when I pay the bills. That's because I pay them out of obligation. Should we view our offerings the same way, as another debt, it doesn't make for a happy soul.  Nor does it make God happy. However, when giving is something we get to do, and not something we got to do, it becomes something we can look forward to. We're blessed because were giving in a way that God loves!   If I may, I'd like to encourage you along these lines. As you give, pray over your offering. Thank God for the opportunity. Pray that He use your offering for His purposes, His Kingdom and His glory. This way, it's not another payment you make with all the others. I also suggest that your offering be made prior to paying the bills. You may not be so cheerful afterward. Give to the Lord first and you will be - if it's truly a love offering.   In summary, as you give unto the Lord let love be your guide. Give generously, purposefully and cheerfully and you will be blessed. Don’t be like Cain. Give of the first fruits if you are Abel : ) "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account." (Philippians 4:17) http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=29872 29872 Wed, 7 Dec 2011 17:58:00 +0000 If you trust the creation account in Genesis as I do, you know that God reserved the sixth day for His grand finale. That’s when He gathered a little dust to make that very first human. Then, from this willing fellow’s rib, God designed the perfect partner for him. Each day leading up to that point, the good Lord was merely setting the stage for the main characters, Adam and Eve as well as their many descendants to follow. Now, should you examine the account closely, you will observe a discussion of sorts prior to the creation of our first father. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26) Notice the use of plurals in that statement: us and our. Just whom was He talking to, His shadow perhaps? Logic tells us this was a dialogue among the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Each agreed that man should resemble his Creator.   The question must be asked - in what way are we like God? Does this mean that if we were to see Him, it would be as looking into a mirror? Does he have facial features like ours, or a body like ours complete with arms, legs and ribs on the side? Could He easily get lost in a crowd because He looks so much like every other person on the street? What does it mean to be created in His likeness? I believe Genesis 1:26 holds the key. The answer is in the ‘us’ and ‘our’. Like God, we also have a triune nature: body, soul and spirit.   As you ponder this, consider what sets each person of the Trinity apart as unique. God manifests Himself in bodily form through the person of Jesus Christ. God also presents Himself through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Finally, there is the very soul (or nature) of God: His attributes, emotions and personality. In this way, we are very much like Him. Each of us is wonderfully and fearfully designed with a physical body, a soul and a spirit. We truly are three-dimensional, aren’t we? Perhaps more than we ever realized!   There is no need to explain the physical aspect of our being. We can observe it with our eyes. The spirit and the soul, however, are another matter. Because each is invisible, they are often misunderstood. I won’t get into all the particulars, but for the purposes of our discussion, I should offer at least a brief explanation. The spirit is the part of us that must be born again. It is our spirit that allows us to see the kingdom of God and enjoy an enriching relationship with our Creator.* The soul, on the other hand, is the essence of who we are as individuals: our emotions, intellect, interests, ambitions, personality traits and so forth. While all these are functions of the mind, they rely heavily on the cooperation of the whole person. The mind, body and spirit must operate in unison, just as the three persons of the Holy Trinity operate in unison. This does not create any challenges for God, but it certainly does for us.   Disharmony among the mind, body and spirit typically results in problems. Each affects the other. When one suffers, all suffer. For example, if I incessantly entertain negative thoughts, it will eventually take a toll on my body. If my spirit is not engaged in the things of God, all will not be well with my soul. If I neglect my body, my mind will revolt and vice-versa. The mind, body and spirit are intricately connected. There most be agreement among the three, for they are one. If harmony is disturbed, all are affected.   The secret to coping and to wellness is to get the mind, body and spirit all in sync. We must also identify what upsets harmony between the three. For example, to undo what has happened to my body, I must ask how it happened. My pain is not the result of an accident or injury. There is nothing wrong with any of my organs. Nor do I have anything bacterial or cancerous. If a doctor were to examine me (many have) he would find nothing out of the ordinary, at least on the surface. So why do I hurt? And how did I get here? For so long, I had no answers. Now I do. Something disrupted the harmony between my mind and body. In an attempt to purge bad memories from my head, I flushed everything downstairs to my pelvic floor. Over the decades, the trauma continued to pile. That’s how I taught myself to deal with bad baggage; I kept a storage room in the basement.   My story is not so unique. There are many physical ailments associated with the mind. Depression is known to wear the body down. Mental stress is a major cause of neck, back and muscle aches, not to mention ulcers. Overworking the mind can cause syndromes such as Epstein Barr, draining the body of every ounce of energy needed simply to rise out of bed. Constant negative thinking weakens the body’s immune system. It works the other way as well. There are also things we can do to the body that will impair the mind. If I tank on carbs and sugar, my brain will sign-off before the day is over. If I don’t hydrate myself regularly, my head will get lost in a funk. Even as the body fights pain, it can be a major drain on one mentally.   When it comes to the mind, body and spirit, you can’t neglect one in order to take care of the other. Attention must be given to all three. There must be a positive flow through the whole person. Our wellness depends on it. There must be inner harmony in order to lead healthy lives. Even our spirits play a huge role in our wellness. When the spirit is satisfied, joy spreads to the soul. If the spirit is neglected, one’s ability to cope with hardship and suffering will be greatly hindered.   In a discussion of this nature, one must be especially careful. It causes the antennae of the pagan patrol to go haywire. No doubt, there is a great deal of eastern thought on ‘wholeness.’ New Agers have a lot to say on the subject, as well. That’s not where I’m coming from or where I’m headed. For the record, I am a Bible believing, born again Christian. This chapter is not an endorsement of any of the mystical mumbo-jumbo that’s out there. My objective is to reinforce what the Bible has taught from the beginning – that man has a tri-fold nature and that care must be given to the whole person if we are to lead healthy and productive lives.   It is my firm conviction that Christians who lived in the ancient world understood this to a higher degree than we do today. Modern society offers a lot of quick fixes or, more accurately, temporary relief that does little to address the overall health of an individual. So long as we can pop a pill to take the pain away, we don’t need to worry about proper diet or exercise or abstaining from harmful vices. As a result, we remain attached to the problem and only pamper its symptoms. Added to this sorry cycle are a host of health experts who praise the power of the pill and do little to promote balanced living. We can’t fault them entirely. The tri-fold nature of man is forbidden territory when it comes to the practice of modern medicine. As a result, we have become a pill popping people - whether pills are needed or not.   What does the Bible say about all this? Depending on the translation you read, you will find expressions like “witchcraft” or “sorcery” in several instances. The term used in the original New Testament is ‘pharmakeia’ from which the word ‘pharmaceutical’ was derived. So, if you’re asking me which remedy is New Age: what I’m proposing or what modern medicine is selling?  Frankly, I’m basing my convictions on the Word of God.   By no means am I suggesting that pharmaceuticals offer no benefit in today’s world; however I will say this: they are not always needed. And they certainly aren’t a substitute for personal healthcare. It is a grave mistake to grow dependant upon pills if the mind, body and spirit are not in agreement or if one or the other suffers neglect. I am proposing that the whole self be cared for. Let’s purge our minds of all things negative and fuel them with positive thoughts and uplifting conversation. Let’s pamper our bodies with nutritious foods, exercise, rest and recreation. Finally, allow the love of God to pour in and out of your spirit. Nurture it with prayer, scripture reading and the fellowship of other like-minded people. I’m thus promoting a balanced lifestyle that’s conducive to wholeness and wellness. Sadly for some, that’s too big of a pill to swallow.   “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23) From: Pain in the Offering by Terry Michaels * John 3:3 http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=29516 29516 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:25:00 +0000 Consider the parable of the prodigal son. In this story told by Jesus, a young man wants to collect early on his inheritance. He is freely given all that was promised him. The prodigal packs up and quickly leaves his father’s presence for a life of debauchery and womanizing. The father does not go with him. Imagine if he did! Dad would have dealt very harshly with this rascal! But that is not what happens. Father allows son to bail with his cut of milk and honey and then waves him off. The foolish lad squanders his bounty on booze and babes, and before long he is mooching for pig-slop. That’s when he finally realizes how blessed he was under his father’s care. In his case, absence does make the heart grow fonder. He runs home to papa where he is received back with open arms. Jesus obviously told this parable to illustrate our heavenly Father’s love for us. Yes, when we are rebellious He lets us go. He does not go with us. The fellowship is severed. Yet He waits for our return with the hopes we will long for His presence once again. When we do come back, He always welcomes us with open arms. Do you see how merciful God is? Even when He withdraws His presence it is for our own good. His intent is to see us restored. And for man to be restored he must first be broken, so God allows him time in the pig sty.   The lesson of the prodigal agrees with what Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. (See 1 Corinthians 5.) In this uncompromising letter, the apostle addresses some hanky-panky between a young man and his step-mother. Because this fellow was unrepentant Paul charged, “…deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5). This wayward lamb was to be denied the privilege of Christian fellowship. While some might say this is a rather harsh position, these same bleeding hearts would have only contributed to this man’s ultimate destruction. The truth of the matter is, Paul’s directive served to shake this immoral brother back to his senses. In his second letter to the Corinthian church Paul writes, “Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him” (2:6-8). In other words, separation had produced its desired results. It was now time to receive back this repentant brother and love him like the dickens. Excerpt from "That I May Know You" Author: Terry Michaels [1] Luke 15:11-24 http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=29146 29146 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:55:00 +0000 A Word on Discipleship   Typically, we think of John the Baptist as fire and brimstone preacher crying in the wilderness. He certainly was that, but do you ever think of this rugged baptizer as a discipler? He was! John spent time with people, teaching them about Jesus. All Christians are called to do the same. We’re not only disciples - we’re called to make disciples!   “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)   The above passage is what we know as The Great Commission. Some today might say it has become the Great Omission. Let’s face it; most of us are somewhat shy in this area. Perhaps we could use some encouragement.   Let’s begin by considering what this Great Commission is all about. What is Jesus asking of us? He didn’t say: “Go out and make converts, then wish them luck!” We don’t “make disciples” that way, or even by leading someone in a sinner’s prayer. Discipleship requires follow up. The objective is simple: Get the individual as near to Jesus as possible. That’s what John the Baptist did:   “John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” (John 1:35-37)   It was as if John had said: “Okay guys, there He is, the One I’ve been telling you about, The Lamb of God. You know what to do now!” Apparently, they did. They said, “Adios, John!” and followed after Jesus.   That’s discipleship! Getting people on right track and helping them to follow after Jesus. We’re not really helping when we make people feel as if they can’t make it without us. We shouldn’t be in the business of clipping wings. Discipling is about giving folks wings to soar!  We’re to raise eagles, not turkeys!   I’m not convinced every Christian needs a life-long accountability partner. Though some might benefit from long-term accountability, it’s not a model found in scripture. The goal should always be to get God’s people more reliant upon the Him. May we learn from John the Baptist who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)   http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=28937 28937 Thu, 3 Nov 2011 11:54:00 +0000 Jesus seemed to use the term “friend” quite freely. When it was reported that Lazarus was in grave condition Jesus informed His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.” When Judas showed up to betray Jesus He asked, “Friend, why are you here?” Jesus called his apostles friends and He was called “friend of sinners,” Though Jesus used the term “friend” quite freely, it was never meant to be taken lightly. Friendship as defined in scripture transcends way beyond the casual. It seems that in Bible times the water of friendship was thicker than the blood of siblings. Solomon stated, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). He went on to say, “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Lest you think the dear king was a jewel shy of a crown, remember it was Jesus who said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).   There are only two Old Testament figures referred to in scripture as friends of God. One is Moses, the other is Abraham. When Jesus was called “friend of sinners,” the idea was that He had befriended some very messy people. No doubt He had! To be known as a “friend of God” suggests something different. With respect to Abraham and Moses, these two sinners had befriended the Lord! James explains in his epistle, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (2:23). I find this absolutely refreshing. All it took for Father Abe to be a friend of God was belief. It wasn’t religious works or living a perfect life. Friendship with God was achieved through pure and simple faith. Abraham believed God’s promises and instantly became His bosom-buddy. One thing about faith, it can’t sit still. It’s as though faith has legs. If we truly trust God, faith will carry us closer to Him. We clearly see this with Abraham. His was a pilgrimage marked by a trail of altars. Then there is Moses. While the rest of the Israelites were steered to a hand-carved calf, faith moved Moses into the presence of God. This took their relationship to a very deep and personal level. God and Moses connected and became close pals.   The Lord has no problems whatsoever with befriending sinners. He’ll hang out with just about anybody. There isn’t some high standard we have to meet. There aren’t any hoops to jump through. A checkered past won’t disqualify anyone. The only criterion is faith. You must trust Him, that’s all. Believe in the Lord. Believe in His promises. Believe He rewards those who diligently seek after Him. And you too will be a friend of God.   http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=28258 28258 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:42:00 +0000 Recently my daughter, Carly, asked if I was upset with God. I told her I wasn’t. She said that she was. She doesn’t think it’s fair that I suffer, especially in light of my service to the Lord. I assured Carly that God is using my pain for good, that he is growing me, building my faith, deepening my prayer life and teaching me to have compassion for others who struggle with similar issues. I truly believe this and it’s important that others know it as well, particularly my children. I desire that God would use my sufferings in their lives and in the lives of all my loved ones. I have come to realize that even pain can become a mighty instrument in the hands of God. So I’ve given Him mine. There are rules when you surrender your pain to God. Below are the shalt nots.   Thou shalt not pout. Thou shalt not grumble. Thou shalt not wear a long face. Thou shalt not dwell in the past. Thou shalt never assume the posture of a victim.   What these rules suggest is that for the Lord to use our pain we must repent of all negative thought, speech and behavior. A positive and upbeat attitude is absolutely essential. We must also maintain a hopeful outlook. Furthermore, God uses pain in unimaginable ways when we praise Him in the midst of it.   Fellow sufferer, we have a unique opportunity before us. Nothing testifies to the reality of God like faith in the pressure-cooker of life. The world does not look in wonder upon those who cruise “easy street.” Nor do they see much evidence of an Almighty presence there. The road marked with suffering is where the footsteps of the Father are best traced. If, by chance, you travel this road, please be mindful of the many “looky loos” watching on. One day these curious rubberneckers may venture from the curbside and join us. They, too, will journey the road marked with suffering. And they will need the same hope that gets us through. They will need to walk with the One we walk with. Allow them to see Him in your life. Show these curious ones that you are trusting God from start to finish. Should you be serious about this endeavor, you’ll need a few more rules under your belt. Below are the thou shalts:   Thou shalt be strong and courageous. Thou shalt persevere. Thou shalt endure hardship. Thou shalt pray without ceasing. Thou shalt be joyful   Don’t ever lose hope, precious one. Never give up on the Lord. He loves you and He will be faithful to strengthen you. He will use you in unimaginable ways to inspire the many looky-loos in your life. Remember, they are constantly watching. Don’t lose them. Lead the way. And never forget the rules!   In closing, I’d like to share a letter Carly wrote not long ago. I trust you will find her words encouraging. I sure did. She has stood in the shadows of the “looky-loos.” When it comes to suffering, she has walked in my shoes as well.   Dear Daddy,   I think about and pray constantly for your physical pain. I try endlessly to come to terms with the fact that you do not deserve it, yet God allows it. I also consider my constant struggle with anxiety, but mostly my obsessive thinking that is, in its own right, quite painful. I mourn for you and the physical and emotional pain you must go through each day, yet I am also able to empathize on a small scale how lonely your inner turmoil might be – because how can you explain something you do not understand yourself? And no one can feel physically the agonizing pain you must feel courageously every day. Your inner struggles are what I cling to – they are my testimony that God is real, God is good, God is faithful. Your strength, faith and endurance are a testament of God’s love, mercy and grace. Not only does your immense pain not debilitate you, but also you thrive! God has not only blessed you in your loyalty, but He has blessed your family, church and the hundreds of broken people you are able to comfort! Because you suffer, you know how to minister to a flock in pain. Thank you for taking such good care of everyone God has ever placed under you, even me. I love you so much and I am always so proud of you.   You are my sunshine,   Carly   *     *     *   “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”  (Philippians 1:9) Excerpt from the book "Pain in the Offering" by Terry Michaels http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=27365 27365 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:51:00 +0000 Of all the sins mentioned in the Bible, God comes down on sham religion the hardest. You may recall the story of the adulteress brought before Jesus by the Pharisees. Though Jesus did not condone her behavior, it was her self-righteous accusers that got their hands slapped. We see this time and again in scripture. In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector a crook leaves the altar justified while the pious Pharisee is exposed as a hypocrite. Of course, Jesus shared this parable to make a point, but he also told this same group of religious wannabes, “The tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Mat. 21:31) If that’s not an eye-opener, check out what God had to say to ancient Israel about their religious routines:   “Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah: "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. "When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.”  (Isaiah 1:10-15)   Quite the hammer, isn't it? While ancient Israel had a whole lot of religion going for them, God wasn’t impressed. Their sacrifices were a slap in the face. They were no longer meaningful.   Perhaps one of the most convicting statements against sham religion is found in Revelation 2, in the letter to the church of Ephesus.   “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.” Revelation 2:2-3   Suppose you received a letter from the Lord and it opened up with the words, “I know your works.” Would you feel good about it? Or would you think, “Uh-oh, I’m busted!” On the surface, it sounds like the Ephesians had it together. They were going through all the correct motions, like an unstoppable, well-oiled machine. But listen to our Lord’s complaint,   “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Revelation 2:4   They may have impressed one another with all their church activity, but they failed to please their God. Why? Their hearts just weren’t into it. The passion was gone. The flame had flickered out. They had abandoned their first love. Take the love out of Christianity and all you are left with is hum-drum religion. Hear what Jesus told these busy bodies:   “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent.” Revelation 2:5   Jesus wanted no part in their meaningless ritual. He warned them that if they didn’t repent – He would pull out.   Sadly, churches can exist without our Lord’s lampstand. What’s even sadder is, those involved scarcely realize it. They are too busy with programs, chasing after new church fads and resurrecting old traditions that have no place in the house of God. Consequently, there is no light. You just won’t find Jesus at the center of anything they do. Our Lord’s lampstand is replaced by smoke and mirrors. These fellowships have an appearance of being alive, they are active, but they are dead.   There is no offering we can bring unto God, no sacrifice He will delight in, if He does not first have our heart. King David learned this the hard way as we see in the following Psalm:   “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:16-17   God wants our heart not religious activity. He desires a personal relationship with His people, not empty tradition. The greatest pursuit of the Christian journey is to know Him more. If this is not the chief desire of our heart, all we are left with is worthless religion. We must ask ourselves the very question God posed to ancient Israel, "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” (Is. 1:10) Do you have a good answer? May we serve Him because we love Him.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=26853 26853 Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:36:00 +0000 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2 Corinthians 12:7)   Most have heard of Paul’s thorn, but what do we really know about it? There are many speculations about what the apostle may have suffered. I tend to believe it was something of a physical nature as it was “in the flesh.” I’m also of the conviction it was a source of nagging pain, as most thorns are. This would also explain why Paul was so desperate to have that poker removed. Perhaps he suffered an injury from a stoning or beating. Who really knows? All we can do is guess. No one can really say with certainty what ailed Paul. For whatever reason, he kept his thorn under a tight lid. He never shared what it was or where he might have hurt. All he offered was why. He states the reason twice: lest I should be exalted above measure.   It appears that the Lord didn’t want others to make too much of the infamous apostle. People do seem to prop up God’s anointed, especially those with popular ministries. Certainly Paul was a celebrated figure in his day. In spite of how all the stuffy religious folk felt, Paul had risen to prominence as leader of the world’s fastest growing movement. Lest he be idolized, the thorn served as a steady reminder that God uses ordinary people. To be sure, Paul’s thorn also prevented his own head from swelling up like that of a rock star. Scripture does attest to his humble nature. The way I see it, we have the thorn to thank for that.   Paul knew better than to blame God for his thorn. He accused Satan of sticking it to him. Paul graciously conceded that the Lord allowed the thorn, and for a good reason. The Lord intended for Paul to stick it right back at Satan. This is why God allows thorns in your life and in mine. He wants us to stick it back to the one who sticks it to us. The way we do that is by allowing God to use those thorns for good. If God doesn’t use them, the devil surely will. Ultimately, the choice is ours. Fortunately, Paul looked to the Lord in his season of suffering. And let us never forget how blessed the church is because he did. That’s the whole point of the thorn.   Thorns become like crosses in a way. Neither one is anything anybody would ever ask for. Because they are associated with pain, we ask for them to be removed. Paul did three times. Jesus prayed a similar prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. As the cross drew closer, He prayed three times, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”* In the same breath He uttered, “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” For God to accomplish His good purpose, there was no getting around the cross. It just wasn’t possible. And though the cross was painful, it produced a world of good for all of us.   Similarly, it was after the third prayer that Paul quickly realized he was stuck with the dreaded thorn. God assured Paul that he was stuck with His abounding grace as well. Seeing firsthand all the good produced as a result of God’s grace, Paul declared, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9b) Though the thorn was painful, God used it powerfully in Paul’s life to accomplish a mighty work.   I’ll admit I’m no Paul, but I do desire that God would use my thorn to accomplish a world of good. Should you find yourself stuck with a thorn, you would benefit from making that your desire as well. Firstly, you must accept that God wants to accomplish a great work in your own life. He is more interested in our character than our comfort. And sometimes He needs to cause some discomfort in order to build our character! For Paul, the issue was pride. God used that rascally thorn to keep him humble. Now, that may not be God’s purpose for your thorn. Perhaps he wants to develop you into a more compassionate person. It could be He wants your prayer life to deepen. Maybe He wants to stretch your faith a little. Or maybe He just wants you to lean on Him more. The possibilities are endless. The important thing is that you remain open and teachable to whatever it is God is trying to show you.   Once you allow God to use that thorn in your own life, He will surely use it in the lives of countless others. But do you see why you must first allow the Lord to do a work in you? Unless that happens, the thorn will only be a source of misery, and it won’t be of any value to anyone else. It is your response to the thorn that determines how it will be used, or who gets to use it – God or Satan. Once you hand that nasty thorn over to the Lord, great things will happen. You begin to marvel at what God is doing in your life. You marvel at how God uses you to touch the hearts of others. That’s when you can glory in your infirmity as Paul did. That right there is a powerful testimony. When pain turns to praise, people listen. It inspires them like nothing else can.   I don’t know how long I will have my thorn. It could be a few months. It could be years. But for however long I’m afflicted with it, I want God to use it. I want God to be glorified by it. Therefore, I’ve dedicated my thorn to Him. I guess were both stuck with it - at least for a while. Excerpt from my latest book "Pain in the Offering" http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=26576 26576 Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:36:00 +0000 I purchased my first car at sixteen, a 58 Chevy Biscayne. It was an ugly beast with two tones of blue, rusted chrome trim and an oxidized white roof. The paint was bleached out like an ancient barnacle and the body had more dings than a school bell. The matching interior seats were worn out and ripped like a Goodwill sofa set. Though my high mileage vehicle showed a lot of wear and tear, for a fourteen year old jalopy it ran like a Timex watch. I had done okay for $125. Nor could I argue with the payment plan, $25 every other week. That’s how often I got paid at Rustler Steakhouse where I bussed tables. It’s funny how life goes when you’re sixteen. You need a car to get to work and you need to work to get a car. It seems all my money went into my Chevy with insurance, gas and maintenance. My car and my job depended on each other so I kept them both.   It wasn’t long after I bought my putter that I received my first traffic violation. This was like a rite of passage for cruising the boulevard. If you didn’t have a ticket to wave out your window you weren’t anything but a road rookie. I became boulevard worthy on December 31, 1972. It was about eight o’clock in the evening; Roxanne and I were on our way to a New Year’s party. I was proceeding to make a lane change on Sherman Way when, all of a sudden, two motorcycle cops decided to pass around my Chevy in pursuit of a speeder. Common sense says that you should never swerve to the left of a vehicle merging in that same direction, even if you have a badge on, but that’s exactly what one of the coppers did. The other had a little more sense and passed me to the right. The poor little officer to my left almost took a nasty spill but fortunately for him he quickly regained control of his ride. Nevertheless he wasn’t too happy even after saving himself from what may have been a fatal wipeout. The angry policeman hastened ahead to catch up with the speeding vehicle but not before yelling to his partner, “Get that #*&^* s_ of a #$^*” It was obvious from his expletives that he was referring to yours truly.   Before I knew it I was being pulled over for obstructing the way of the foolish. I was confused as to why the citing officer would have me take a sobriety test so early into the evening, besides I was en route to a party. It would have made more sense had he caught me on the way home. But he was bent on vengeance and needed a sound reason for pulling me over. So I stood there on one leg, extended both arms, touched the tip of my nose, did the hokey pokey and turned myself around. Following my impeccable performance I was quickly found guilty of sobriety in the first degree. Since there was nothing on the books that would prohibit a person from driving in his right mind I was cited for an unsafe lane change.    I agree that there was an offense committed on that scandalous night, someone had indeed made an unsafe lane change, but it wasn’t the squirt in the 58 Chevy. It was that Ponch-wannabe with the trash mouth, the one who referred to me as a bleepity-bleepity-bleep. I did not appreciate the vulgar commentary which was expressed by this officer of the law and also felt the citation to be unwarranted. When I told my mother about the incident she recommended that I challenge this charge in court and also share with the judge how I had been assaulted with vile remarks. Either that or I’d pay a handsome fine for something I didn’t do. Naturally I decided to have my day in court. However, the citing officer decided not to have a day in court, most likely due to the inevitable embarrassment he would face, so the violation was excused. I was happy the ticket was dismissed but felt robbed of an opportunity to repeat those four-letter words uttered by the foul mouthed cop. *     *     *    *     * It is amazing how slow we are to recognize our own sin but when we see that same sin in others we stand ready to condemn. The officer, who obviously exhibited poor driving skills, wanted to condemn me for mine. And then there was me, the biggest trash-mouth of all. I wanted the cop to pay for the very offense I was so often guilty of. Neither of us showed interest in mercy. We were both pointing fingers and both bent on justice. All the while we each had three extra fingers pointing back at ourselves. The fact is, whatever I thought that officer deserved, I deserved ten times more.   Years ago I attended a pastor’s conference at Calvary Chapel Vista in California. During the lunch break there was a case of road rage in front of the church. One driver shot the other and the victim died right in the church parking lot. I can’t begin to tell you how it changed the mood of our meeting. By God’s sovereign design, Pastor Chuck Smith was scheduled to speak next. He had just left the scene of the crime after ministering to the victim’s family who were also passengers in the car that was shot at. He was obviously shaken over the ordeal but one thing he said about this incident has never left me. He explained how the police arrived to find fault. They came to identify the guilty party and make an arrest. That’s their job. But the paramedics had a different agenda. They weren’t concerned with who was guilty or who was innocent. They were simply there to offer help and bring healing. Then Chuck asked us, “Are you a policeman or a paramedic?” I have come to the conclusion, after years of being on patrol, that I’m not called to be a cop. It’s not my place to find fault. My job is to bring healing. That’s how I roll today. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=26345 26345 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:43:00 +0000 “I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever - Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God!” (Jonah 2:6) Jonah was in one of those places where he could not save himself. He was totally helpless. The poor fellow literally hit rock bottom – as far down as a body can go. Bound in seaweed and confined to the innards of a smelly sea creature, he was trapped in the worse form of solitary confinement imaginable. The gates of the fish’s mouth slammed shut behind Jonah for good. Actually, Jonah was only stuck for a few days, but from his perspective it felt like forever. Eventually, though, he was released. What saved him? How did he survive this horrid experience? Jonah does not offer up any scientific explanations. He did not come out of this ugly mess saying, "I now know human life can be sustained in a fishes gut for at least seventy-two hours. It's just the right size and there's the perfect amount of oxygen if one doesn't move around too much." That is hardly the case. Here is Jonah's explanation for how he survived his ordeal, “Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God!” Jonah gives God all the credit. "I was lost. I was dying. I was helpless,” he asserts. “Then God reached into the pit and saved me!" The same goes for all of us. Our situation was hopeless. We were lost, we were dying and we were helpless. Then God pulled us out of the pit and saved us. We didn't crawl out of the pit through any effort of our own. God reached in and yanked us out. Jonah underscores a constant theme throughout the Bible – God saves, not man. We get ourselves into the mess, He pulls us out. For centuries we have looked to religion as a way out of the pit but this is wrong, deathly wrong! Sadly, religion will be the doom of many. A poet once put it like this: you can go to hell with religion! Call it satire if you wish but there is truth to that statement. Since the beginning of time the good Lord has pleaded with mankind to look to Him for salvation and not rely upon ritual or tradition or law. This is not to say a religious person cannot be saved, he just can’t bank on his religion to save him. It won’t. Religion does not save nor is it a means for securing salvation. The truth is - you can be saved without any religion at all! This may surprise you but Jesus was more critical of religious people than He was of known sinners. He once told some uppity religious folk that crooks and hookers were making it into the Kingdom of God ahead of them. Then there was the time Jesus was invited to join a hyper religious group for dinner. It was held at the home of one pious Pharisee named Simon. The noses of these hoity-toity “men of the cloth” were high in the air when a woman of ill repute wandered onto the scene. No doubt you recall the story. Tears flooded from her face like Niagara Falls, and with those precious tears she washed the feet of Jesus. That’s not all she did. She dried our Lord’s feet with her hair then kissed and anointed them with fragrant oil. Now, this gal was more of a locker room legend than a religious person but Jesus was more pleased with her than all the clerics in the house. Listen to what He had to say to these snoots: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much.” You see, this woman understood something that the religious elite would not dare admit about themselves – her sins were many. These pious sin patrolmen had no difficulty judging that poor, weeping harlot. They were even quite shocked that Jesus didn’t judge her saying, He must not be a prophet or else He wouldn’t let this woman near him! Yes, they judged the harlot and they judged Jesus. They judged everyone in the room but themselves. And that is one of the great dangers of religion – it makes you feel a notch above everyone else. You can spot sin on others but fail to see your own – which are many! Once we recognize that our sins are many, we can unload them at the feet of Jesus just as the harlot did. Friend, He will pardon every last one! We will never fully fathom how much we’ve been forgiven this side of heaven, but once it hits you that you’ve been forgiven a whole lot, you will love Jesus a whole lot. That is where the Lord longs to bring us but, sadly, religion oftentimes gets in the way. Worse yet, it can lead us in the totally opposite direction. At least that is what David learned. After coming clean with his own sin he wrote: “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalms 51:16-17) I may be bursting a bubble or two but, this tells us that religion is worthless if our hearts can’t be broken over sin. The Lord will never despise a contrite heart but He is known to despise our vain attempts at being religious. Wasn’t that the whole point of the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee? Both went into the temple to pray. The publican beat on his chest while the Pharisee patted himself on the back. The publican grieved over his sin while the Pharisee tooted his religious horn. The publican came for mercy while the Pharisee came to receive praise. And we all know which of the two left the temple justified – the one which humbled himself; that lowly publican. The lesson is clear - religion doesn’t score us any points with God. If you really want to impress Him, fall on your face and admit that your sins are many. Only then will He pull you out of the pit. We are deceived if we think we can get out any other way. It is impossible for us to save ourselves and religion doesn’t get anyone any closer to heaven. Like, Jonah, we must recognize we are in a pit. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that it is our own sin that got us there. Finally we must recognize that there is only one way out – God! It is Him who saves, not us. If we could save ourselves through religious works then God would have never sent His only begotten Son to pay for our sins. He would have spared Jesus the humiliation and torture of the cross. It is really this simple - if religion could get us out of the pit then what God did was abominable and Jesus shed His blood for nothing. But that is not the case at all. Jesus accomplished what religion never could. Therefore our boasting is this, “Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God!” “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)   http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=26107 26107 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:07:00 +0000 In our culture we are accustomed to various types of kisses. We may want to keep our distance and blow a kiss. Then there is the friendly peck. This is how I used to kiss my aged grandfather on the cheek. His wrinkly face was smothered with prickly whiskers so the objective was to get in and get out quickly. Then there is the way a man kisses the woman he loves. If he is true, he will kiss no other like this. It is passionate and intimate. It is moist and it lingers. If you were to compare your worship to a kiss, which would it be? Are you one to blow God kisses from a distance? Maybe you prefer a friendly peck -- you like to be quick about it. Or perhaps you are a lingerer; you favor worship that is intimate and passionate. You may be surprised to learn that the word rendered for ‘worship’ in the New Testament comes from the Greek expression for kissing. Interestingly enough, we do find two types of kisses in the Bible. Paul ends several of his epistles by instructing the brethren to ”greet one another with a holy kiss.” The word he uses for ”holy kiss” is philema which refers to a brotherly peck. But this is not how worship is described. This is one of those moist, lingering kisses between two people who are passionate about each other. The New Testament term for worship is proskuneo which means “to kiss towards.”  The Strong’s Greek Dictionary includes this example: like a dog licking his master’s hand. This gives us an idea of how intimate the act of worship should be. True worshipers are passionate. They linger in God’s presence for as long as possible. For the true worshipper this is the highest form of spiritual intimacy one can experience. It goes way beyond emotionalism and transcends tradition. It’s sweet. It’s sincere. The Father is looking for such people to worship Him because they are passionate about seeking Him. They are passionate about His presence.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=25554 25554 Wed, 3 Aug 2011 14:10:00 +0000 "What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made." Galatians 3:19 Law: [Greek, nomos] regulation, principle, standard for the administration of justice.   God’s law is not introduced in scripture until you get to Exodus 20. But you will find a host of sins leading up to the issuing of the law. Cain missed the mark at the altar when he presented his measly offering there. God tried to work with him but he just grew uglier and eventually killed his brother. Cain paid a hefty price for that sin even though there were no official laws on the books. God also judged immorality with a global flood prior to the written law. Sodom was judged before sodomy was outlawed. God executed judgment on a whole host of folks before speaking to Moses from Mount Sinai. Why? For one simple reason: man knew better. Man knew the difference between good and evil way before the Ten Commandments were etched in stone. Law didn’t create sin; it simply drew attention to it.   While God’s laws are helpful in protecting us from one another, they serve a much higher purpose. They measure the distance between man and his Maker. Sin creates distance while law only reads the distance. This is not so God can gauge things, but so we can. Law shows the lawbreaker he is far from where he needs to be. But law cannot correct this distance. It offers only an appraisal. You may want to think of the law as a thermometer. It can show you that you’re sick and maybe even the degree of your sickness, but a thermometer cannot make you well. No doctor will tell you, “Take two thermometers and call me in the morning.” Once we get our reading from the thermometer, we look to the physician to make us well. This is exactly how the law works. We have a Great Physician who desperately wants to heal us. Not only does He desire to heal us, He longs to befriend us. He has gone through great measures to bring us into fellowship with Himself. Yet sin keeps us poles apart! We wouldn’t fully realize this if weren’t for the law. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24910 24910 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:13:00 +0000 Even at age 10 my brother, Rick, was dangerously overconfident in himself. Most thought he was joking when he had 4-year-old Jimmy stand against the garage door so he could shoot an arrow over his head. Jimmy cooperated while the rest of us kids anxiously watched on. No one believed Rick would actually follow through with such a foolish dare. To our surprise, he pulled back on his bow, focused carefully on his target and then let the arrow rip from his puny fingers. Within seconds a small spear stuck out of the garage door only a fraction of an inch above Jimmy’s spinning head. The bewildered boy turned a whiter shade of pale after seeing the close call on his young life. Had my brother missed the mark, even by a fraction, the result could have been fatal.   The word used for sin in the Bible comes from an archery term meaning ”to miss the mark.” If you happen to play darts, your mark is that little red dot in the center of the target. If you have ever missed the bull’s eye, even just once, guess what? You’re guilty of sin! This is why religion cannot save anyone. Even in our feeble attempts to do good we miss the mark. With all the various Christian denominations we have today, it is easy to conclude that no one is truly on target. Man’s aim is not steady enough to reverse the curse of death; we only add sin upon sin if we think so. We have but one hope – the Lord Jesus! Only He can save us from our wretched condition.  http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24799 24799 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 11:42:00 +0000 Use your imagination with me. Suppose you were there when Michelangelo had just completed the Statue of David. Naturally, you’re in complete awe. You can’t believe that someone could create something so perfect. Suddenly, someone else enters the room, a delivery boy. He looks at the statue, then looks at Michelangelo and says, “Pretty good work, sir, but I’d like to finish it for you. David needs some color. Allow me to paint his eyes blue and his hair a nice auburn brown. I’ll give him an attractive tan as well. And David needs some pants, for heaven’s sake! Lucky for you, Mike, I brought my paintbrush!”   Had you or I witnessed such a scene, we would have thought that young lad to be not only insulting, but rather foolish. After all, who is qualified to perfect a one of a kind masterpiece, especially a work of Michelangelo?   The apostle Paul witnessed a similar scene in the churches of Galatia. Many believers thought they could perfect the work that God had begun in them through works of the law. Paul wrote to them asking, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)   The Bible teaches that we are new creations in Christ and that it is all God’s doing. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15) Scripture further assures that we are His masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10) It is foolish to think we could ever improve His work by becoming more religious, or through works of the law. God simply asks us to embrace His work through faith in Jesus Christ. And it is through relationship He continues the work, not religion.    So long as we remain close to Jesus, His Spirit works in us and through us. That’s the key to victorious Christian living: abiding in Him and allowing His Spirit to do all the work. Galatians 5:16 states, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians goes on to say, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (5:18)   We cannot perfect the work that God has Began in us. It’s foolish to even try. The good news is: He who began the work will be faithful to complete it! (Philippians 1:6) Simply trust in Him. And rest in Jesus! His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I hope that takes a load off. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24669 24669 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:08:00 +0000 Austin, Texas is the only city I know of that takes being weird seriously. I am not sure if ‘Keep Austin Weird’ is the city’s official motto but it is a popular one. Apparently, Austinites have embraced their many quirks, so much so they are on a mission to make ‘weird’ fashionable. It would even appear that if you don’t have something weird to contribute to Austin you just don’t belong. Only in this strange city could a cigar smoking, Jewish cowboy named Kinky have a shot at the governor’s seat. Other strange people from Austin have also sought political office, like Leslie, who takes weird to a level perhaps too extreme for your average weirdo.   I had heard about Leslie but never laid eyes on him until recently. He was strolling down Austin’s infamous 6thStreet. I recognized him right off. From the neck up Leslie looks like your typical vagabond. His hair is long, wiry and disheveled. A mass of scraggly whiskers climb wildly out of his leathery face like tentacles. Admittedly, this does not sound terribly peculiar but believe me, it gets even weirder. Leslie has breasts. I don’t know if his endowments are the product of genetics, surgery or clever padding. I do know that he fills out the top of his T-shirt like a calendar girl. Please understand, I am not judging Leslie, I’m merely making a feeble attempt to describe what I saw. It is true, I saw a bearded man with breasts strolling down 6th Street wearing nothing but a T-shirt and thong bikini. My wife is my witness. Oh, how I wish she had not been a witness but she was, and that is the sad truth of the matter. My sources tell me that Leslie took 5% of the vote when he ran for mayor. Only in Austin!   I do not live in Austin. It is not that I am opposed to weird people; I’m just not comfortable with crowds whether they be weird or otherwise. Therefore, I live outside this bustling city, about thirty miles south of weird. I do not deny that I also have some odd quirks but I only contributed to keeping Austin weird for a few brief hours on September 9, 2006. It was the evening when Copeland played at Stubb’s. My daughter, Birdie, is a huge Copeland fan so we drove her and a friend up to catch their show. There was a long line of weird people waiting to get into Stubb’s when we arrived. They came in all shapes, sizes and colors. According to Birdie these young concert crashers are the ‘Emo’ crowd. I was grateful that she educated me in this area. My previous understanding was that Emo was a character on Sesame Street not a movement on 6th Street. I was tickled to discover that Emo and Elmo are not the same thing.   My wife and I did not join our teenage daughter at Stubbs. I regret to say that Birdie didn’t seem too disappointed by this. She has this idea that it would have been too weird even by Austin standards. This is quite perplexing to me; it is acceptable for a man with breasts to strut 6th Street in a thong but parents can’t be seen with their own flesh and blood at a Copeland concert. Though I have been accused of being weird myself it seems I have much to learn on the subject.   To kill time Christy and I ventured off to the luxurious Driscoll Hotel for a bite to eat. It is a very nice hotel with a very nice café. The Driscoll is not what you would typically think of as weird. However, as I have already noted I am no expert on the subject. Personally, I do find it odd that someone would pay three to four hundred dollars a night to stay on 6th Street. This tells me that some weird people have money. Lots of it! Then there are the less privileged weird people just a few short blocks away from the Driscoll. They have no money at all and spend nights on wafer thin cots at the homeless shelter. Weird knows no boundaries.   There were other strange happenings on that bizarre September 9, 2006. Ohio State was playing the Texas Longhorns. It appeared as though the whole city of Austin flooded to 6th Street to support their team. As a sign of loyalty, they were all color coordinated in orange. Now, this I found to be especially weird, that an entire population of people would dress alike and show up in the same neighborhood together. Perhaps you have to be a football fan to understand this kind of odd behavior. Many Texans are but I am not. That may have been a result of being raised by my mother with two older sisters, which would also explain why I find malls more exciting than football stadiums and buying new shoes more thrilling than touchdowns. Perhaps I really do belong in Austin!   We saw many weird people there that night: a wannabe minstrel who thought he could sing, a geriatric wizard balancing peculiar things on his nose and a young street urchin with a ‘fro the size of Texas. We saw drunks and punks and I think a few monks. Weird grew strangely familiar to us. As I thought about this something began to dawn upon me. The weird thing about Austin is the people who call it home. Other than that it’s just a spread of land with ordinary streets and your usual buildings, not much different from any other town. I’ve never known anyone to look at a map of Austin or pictures of Austin and come to the conclusion it’s an odd place. You won’t discover that until you start meeting its people.   This has caused me to ponder my own weirdness. I am a pastor but probably not what you would consider your typical pastor. On occasion I meet with other clergy in my community and I readily recognize that I am quite different. It is my impression that they can spot this as well. Most other pastors in my county have conservative haircuts; I shave my head. They dress in slacks; I wear jeans. They like dressy, button-up shirts, I prefer T-shirts. They were formally schooled in theology I am not. Not because I think it is a bad thing it’s just that I never intended to go into ministry. God called me later in life. Weird, I know. Furthermore, it’s my conviction that if we are doing church right we won’t end up with a house full of people wearing the same colored T-shirts. It seems to me that the more we love like Jesus the more weird our churches will become. If we are truly demonstrating Christ-like compassion our churches will look more like 6th Street than Wall Street. They will be places of refuge where Jewish cowboys, Copeland fans and lonely street minstrels will find acceptance. And dare I say the doors would be open to the Leslie’s of the world too, so long as their pants were left on.   It is true, I am no theologian. I never attended seminary nor have I even taken a single class at a Bible college. But I have studied the gospels. I have examined all four intently and carefully, with the scrutiny of a true Berean. My studies have taught me something about Jesus; He surrounded Himself with weird people. All twelve apostles were complete oddballs. Mary Magdalene was like many of the girls you see on 6th Street. As for Zacchaeus, he was completely out of his tree! It wasn’t just the ordinary folk who were attracted to Jesus, the weird also adored Him. It would seem that all those who followed Jesus had this one thing in common: they longed for acceptance, something most religious leaders were in short supply of. Acceptance was a rare commodity in New Testament times. But Jesus was different. He accepted anyone willing to come to Him. No one was ever turned down because they were too weird.   As for Austin, it doesn’t matter to me whether the city remains weird or not. But speaking as a person with a passion for God this is my heart, ‘Keep Church Weird’. I believe this would also be the heart of Jesus who is Lord of the weird and Lord of all. The day we worry about who enters the church doors is the day we need to shut them for good. From my first book "There & Back" http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24602 24602 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:12:00 +0000 Scripture clearly teaches that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and not by works of the law. In other words, salvation is a gift. Yep, it's a freebie! Some fear that if word gets out on this the church will turn into 'saints gone wild.' This could very well happen - if the saints have no passion for God! But if such be the case, all the good works in the world won't improve their standing with the Lord. Even the most spiritual of works amount to nothing if we have not love. (1 Corinthians 13) The ancient Church of Ephesus serves as a perfect example. (See Revelation 2:1-7) They excelled in religious works. But they were also warned that if they didn't return to their first love, their lamp stand would quickly be removed. This is why we emphasize relationship over religion at Calvary Austin. When you're in love with God, good works are sure to follow. Those works don't saves us. They are the fruit of what happens once we truly are saved. It's the evidence of His Spirit working within us. "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:18) So, if you're thinking about getting wild, get wild for Jesus. Go head over heels for him. And praise Him for His amazing grace! http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24497 24497 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:24:00 +0000 I'm starting something new with the Calvary Austin staff and thought I'd share it with you. We're going to have "praise time" at our weekly staff meetings. That's right! Rather than ask God to do stuff for us, we're simply going to thank Him for what He has already done. You see, He's done a lot. We've come through some challenging times as a church and God has proven Himself faithful on every front. I don't want us to forget that. It's so easy to do. It happened to the Israelites. God bailed them out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness and into a land flowing with milk and honey. They had everything. But they didn't appreciate it. They got comfortable, and that's when things went downhill for them. Our church is fortunate to be in a season where the milk and honey is pouring in. I want us to pause and thank God for that. Obviously, I can't open our staff meeting to everyone. But I do want to invite you to praise God with us. Praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing and what He has promised to do. Should we be faithful in this, we'll be swimming in milk and honey. http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24434 24434 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:12:00 +0000 This Wednesday we start an exciting new series through the Book of Daniel called: Devotion, Danger and Dreams. Daniel is one of my all-time favorite Bible heroes. As our youth pastor, Ole, might say - the guy was a stud! Even in the face of danger Daniel remained fully committed in his devotion to God. There is so much to be learned from his example. Lessons of perseverance, prayer and godly character. Daniel was also given sneak peeks into the future. He saw the rise and fall of every major world kingdom. Even more fascinating, he foretold of the exact day the King of kings would make his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. I hope you join us for this fascinating series of Devotion, Danger and Dreams. Look forward to seeing you there! http://www.calvaryaustin.com/index.cfm?i=7747&mid=25&blogid=6859&comments=24372 24372 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:04:00 +0000