GOD IS NOT IMPRESSED!!!

Do you ever find yourself trying to impress God? If I get that promotion, buy my dream home or drive the right automobile, surely God will see how important I am! OK, I know material things don’t impress God, but if my congregation reaches 500 or I get to sing at the Ladies Conference; after all those things are “for God,” then everyone will know I have the favor of God on my life. My achievements will be a great platform to share Jesus with unbelievers and my big name will draw many to His love. GOD IS NOT IMPRESSED!!!!

It is fashionable today to proclaim your faith in Christ in whatever situation you have put yourself into. We are convinced that our actions do not matter as long as we invoke the Name of Jesus. A few years ago, in a Bible study situation, Steve remarked that he didn’t understand how beauty pageants could bring glory to God. It offended someone in the group and later that evening, Steve received a call from the pastor. If we are honest, we have to agree that beauty contests are about glorifying the flesh and the creation more than the Creator. The producers have put in a talent segment and an “intellectual” question at the end, but everyone knows that is really about the contestants’ beauty, hence the name. I have a hard time believing that it is pleasing to the nature of God for a contestant to parade her scantily clad body in front of the world as she gives thanks to God. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:17 “But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

We are so impressed when a worship leader, pastor’s kid or church benchwarmer makes it big on American Idol. The music obviously doesn’t move God as He has choirs of angels serenading Him constantly. What does the contestant really expect from their performance? To be recognized, make a lot of money, have millions of adoring fans, be the next American IDOL? What about that little verse in Exodus regarding other gods? God gave you the talent for praise and worship unto Him not to impress Simon Cowell. Also, if you are going to point to the sky after the touchdown or thank your “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” when you win the MVP award, make sure your mouth glorifies Him when you get sacked or strike out on a bad call.

Our achievements mean nothing to God; it is His work that is performed in us that matters. God doesn’t need to stand on our platform to shine, He desires to shine through us, that “men may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.” God is not impressed by our talents and beauty, since He is the Giver and Creator. The Bible tells us that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and paves His streets with gold; do we really think our possessions and riches could impress God? Micah 6:8 gives us a clue as to what might impress God, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” If you really want to impress God, be faithful and submit your will, time, and talents to HIS plan.

WRISTBANDS, RIBBONS AND BUMPER STICKERS

It is official, all of America is aware! Yesterday, millions of women across the United States told their friends, acquaintances, and the world the color of a particular undergarment and in the process, broadcasted the fact that there is a disease called Breast Cancer. Now if you have survived this disease or know of someone that is a cancer survivor, one of the least important pieces of information you need is the color of someone’s bra, but now we all feel we have done our part in the fight.

In 1973, Tony Orlando recorded a song written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown titled, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree.” Then in December 1979, Penelope Laingen, wife of one of the Iran hostages, tied a yellow ribbon around a tree at her Maryland home. The ribbon symbolized that we had not forgotten the American hostages and that we were praying for and working toward their release. We were helpless to participate in rescuing the hostages but we could all tie on a yellow ribbon and feel better. This started the “Awareness Ribbon” craze.

My research turned up an unbelievable number of color and color-combinations of ribbons, all with several meanings and causes attached. Some of the most common are Pink-breast cancer awareness, Yellow-support our troops, Red-the fight against HIV and heart disease awareness, Purple – domestic violence awareness and victims of 9/11, Blue-victims of drunk driving and child abuse, Green-environmental awareness, White-Right to Life, and of course the Rainbow ribbon for gay rights. If you are not into wearing ribbons then slap a bumper sticker on your car, make a statement with a t-shirt or flash a wristband, it won’t accomplish anything for your cause but we will all know how much you care.

As Christians, we have bought into the whole “Symbolism over Substance” philosophy. It’s much easier to wear a WWJD bracelet, an inspirational t-shirt or a cross lapel pin than actually speak to someone about Jesus. Have you ever “honked because you loved Jesus,” only to have that person cuss you out or flash an obscene gesture? “I don’t get involved in any of that symbolism,” you may say, but have you ever told a needy person, “I’ll pray for you” as you walk swiftly past? Another of my favorite feel-good phrases is, “If there is anything I can do, give me a call.” Have you ever received a call? Probably not, but at least you offered.

Here’s a novel idea that just might work if anyone would dare give it a try. Instead of telling the world your bra color, call your local cancer center and volunteer to be a support person. If you know someone suffering through chemo, put some legs on your prayers and clean their house, prepare dinner for their family, hold their head as their puking out their guts, then loving wash their face and help them back to bed. Instead of picketing an abortion clinic, help out a confused young girl by assisting her in keeping or adopting out her baby by providing infant essentials, support or mentoring. I know from experience that the local homeless shelter and soup kitchens are always looking for donations and volunteers. Although flowers may be a lot easier, a person who has just lost a loved one can always use a simple meal, someone to clean up after the visitors or a sympathetic listener.

The Bible tells us that Jesus went about DOING good. It’s laughable to think that His disciples could have evangelized the world by wearing a red, white or purple ribbon. It may be easier, give you a warm, fuzzy feeling because you “care,’ and make your neighbor more aware, but there is still no cure, many children went to bed hungry last night, another baby was eliminated because a mother felt there was no alternative, and your neighbor still doesn’t know that Jesus loves her. The next time someone asks me to wear a ribbon, share the color of my underwear or post something on Facebook to declare my faith, I think I will examine the cause and put a little substance to the symbolism by actually getting involved. On second thought, why wait until someone asks?

2010 RESOLUTIONS

Yes, I stayed up last night to watch the ball drop in Times Square, welcome in the New Year and share the first kiss of 2010 with my sweetheart. This morning I awoke to the real start of the New Year. The time for excuses is over and the future is now! I have suddenly arrived at the wall of everything I should be doing but put off until the New Year. It’s time for action!

The dictionary defines “Resolution” as a resolve or determination. The top 10 resolutions for 2010 are: stop smoking, get fit, lose weight, enjoy life more, quit drinking, get organized, learn something new, get out of debt, spend more time with the family, and help others. Many were also on the list for 2009 and probably all prior years. Number three, six, eight and ten are usually on my list of resolutions. Losing weight is a resolution I tend to make every Sunday night, the last day of every month and after every holiday. True it is usually broken sooner than I plan, but that only brings me back to where I started and the opportunity to start again.

Many people are averse to declaring a New Year’s resolution because they are afraid of failing or from past experience know the difficulty of keeping the resolution for an extended period of time. I prefer to look at resolutions as goals and I have been setting goals every year since I was old enough to understand that January 1 started a new year. A person who refuses to set goals will never accomplish anything. I would rather set a goal and have to start over or change it, than wander aimlessly with no focus.

I can guarantee you that my list will include losing weight, exercising more, becoming more organized and helping others, but my soul yearns for something deeper. This verse in Colossians is my 2010 New Year’s Resolution. Colossians 4: 2-6 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

2010 Resolutions: 1. Pray earnestly, always careful to be thankful. 2. Ask God daily to show me the hearts hungry to hear His word. 3. Seek for wisdom toward unbelievers and those who are wavering in their faith. 4. Be careful to not waste the limited opportunities I have to share truth with people stumbling in darkness. 5. Let the Grace of God overshadow my words that I may not cause an offense.

As I look forward to the year that lies before me, I realize I have 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months or as my nephew Michael pointed out, 525,600 minutes to walk in any direction and to accomplish anything that I choose. The goals I set and my efforts in completing the goals will determine what I have allowed God to accomplish through me and who I have become on December 31, 2010.

A LOOK BACK AT WHAT WAS..........

It is hard to believe that there are just a few more hours left in the first decade of 2000. (My son will argue that this is the last year of the first decade and the next decade begins 1/1/2011, but my mind works better by keeping it on the 00’s) Was December 31, 1999 really 10 years ago? Y2K was the subject on everyone’s mind. The biggest fear was that our “high-tech” nation would suddenly shut down at midnight. All of our computer systems would refuse to recognize 1/1/00 and take us back to January 1, 1900 all because the system programmers had forgotten to program 4 digits for the year. “Intelligence” reports warned us that the electricity, gas and water would suddenly shut off, our money would be electronically locked in the banks and we would experience mega food shortages as our transit system became non-functional. Our basements were stocked with canned goods and a manual can opener, bottled water and extra blankets. We had a stash of ready-cash under our mattress and an extra propane tank for the gas grill. The countdown began, the ball in Times Square dropped, we snuggled in our warm beds and awoke to life as usual on 1/1/00; a new millennium had begun.

Who could have imagined that 21 months later 9/11 would take the place of Y2K in our vocabulary? The events of that sunny September day changed the life of every person living in the United States. We became aware of a dangerous world that for many living in other countries, is just a “way of life.” Flying to Florida for a family vacation became a long, arduous ordeal, young men and women were once again asked to sacrifice their lives for their country and for a time we all joined hands as proud Americans.

For me, 2001 was a defining year in my life. In December, 2000, my career in the job of my dreams began, then ended 6 years later. In May of 2001, Steve and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a week-long vacation at Hilton Head. In July, the Hawks family celebrated Dad’s birthday with a wonderful family reunion in Doniphan, MO. On September 2, we sadly said goodbye to Dad as he went home to be with the Lord. December 29, Phil got married and I finally gained a daughter, Holly. Yes, 2001 was quite a year.

The next few years brought their share of blessing and sadness. We gained another daughter, Jenesa in July 2005 and our family was perfect; 2 boys and 2 girls……then, July, 2004, our first grandchild, Mackenzie was born. We felt that there had never been a grandchild born that was as special as this one until July 2006 when Madison came into our lives. Our joy was tripled in May, 2007 as we greeted Caleb, April, 2009 brought us Nathan and finally in June 2009, Anabel was born. During those same years we said goodbye to Steve’s Mom and my Granny, but even in the sadness, we were assured that it was only a temporary goodbye and one of these days, oh what a reunion there will be.

The last 10 years have been full of joy, sorrow, success, challenge and blessing. As the year 2000 dawned, I was 42 years old and I had dreams and goals for the next 10 years. Some of the dreams have come true, others have changed or are yet to be realized, but through it all God has not changed. I am looking forward to great and powerful things in my life as God continues to open doors and lead the way into the next decade.

MORE THAN “A WORD”, HE IS “THE WORD”

It happens every year after Thanksgiving; a clerk says “Happy Holidays” and offends a customer who wanted to hear “Merry Christmas.” The doorman says, “Merry Christmas” before realizing the patron is celebrating Hanukah or doesn’t celebrate any holiday at all. There have been lawsuits, fired employees, school parties renamed and certain songs banned all because they contained the word, “Christmas.” What is it about a 9 letter word that inspires such strong emotions?

It is never really the word for a word is just an arrangement of letters. No, the emotion is inspired by what THE WORD signifies. The Bible tells us in John 1, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” THE WORD BRINGS HOPE to a world that was without hope. Ephesians 2:12 tells us, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” THE WORD IS LOVE, John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. THE WORD FILLS US WITH JOY, Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Finally, THE WORD GIVES PEACE, Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Yes, there are many catchy religious phrases, slogans, and words flying around during the month of December. We hear that “Jesus is the reason for the season” and “Let’s put Christ back in Christmas.” We declare that “Jesus is the best gift of all” and that “Wisemen still seek Him.” The phrases make wonderful Christmas cards and give us a sense of well-being if we repeat them often enough, but what are we really saying? If we only remember Jesus during the season and put Christ away with the ornaments once the celebration is over; if the “best gift of all” is tossed in the corner with all the other toys and our seeking ends at the manger, the phrases, slogans and carols are just words. This year make the season come alive, after all the wrapping paper has been torn and the gifts are open, thank God for sending salvation to the world. Make Christ more than just the first six letters of Christmas; give him center place in your life. The Bible promises that if we seek Him with our whole heart, we WILL find Him just as the wisemen did more than two thousand years ago. You can allow THE WORD to become flesh in your heart this Christmas.

IT'S THE POWER BEHIND THE STORY!!!

Every year, after Thanksgiving, the controversy begins. Should I say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Is it Christmas Vacation or Winter Break? Can we sing Silent Night or should we stick with Jingle Bells for the School musical program? Should we chance setting up the Nativity Scene in front of the court house, a Christmas tree, Santa and his sleigh, lights? Law suits are filed and millions spent on ads voicing the minority seasonal opinion. The ads this year declared, “No God; No problem!” and “Yes, Virginia, there is no God.” Why is a Christian holiday such a threat to unbelievers? Most Christians are content to mind their own business as the atheist celebrate winter solstice, the Jewish people celebrate Hanukah and other ethnic groups celebrate their traditions, so why do Atheist/Humanist groups feel the need to take away our religious freedom? I am reminded of the story of Irina Ratushinskaya as told by Chuck Colson.

Ten year old Irina Ratushinskaya lived in the Soviet Union city of Odessa. Attendance during atheist instruction time was compulsory, so Irina sat in the classroom watching a rare snowfall. She wanted to be outside enjoying the snow instead of listening to the instructor drone on about the nonexistence of God. The students had been told about a Baptist woman who roasted her child in an oven. Irina knew a Baptist lady who loved and cared for her children. The seventh graders had preformed a play depicting priests as oafs and fools. The Young Pioneers, the teachers, the headmaster, the broadcasters on the radio, the whole country seemed to be against God. It seemed odd that such a furious battle raged against someone they said didn’t exist anyway.

Irina thought, “Can’t they tell they are giving themselves away? Adults tell you there are no gremlins or ghosts. They tell you once or twice, and that is it. But with God, they tell you over and over again. So He must exist—and He must be very powerful for them to fear Him so greatly.” With her childlike logic, she prayed, “Okay, God, if you did not exist, we wouldn’t have to listen to this lecture. So it’s Your fault we’re sitting here missing the snow. If You’re so powerful, make it keep snowing!” It snowed for 3 days, Odessa’s largest snowfall in 60 years. School was canceled and Irina enjoyed the snow. The God her teachers denied had made the snow fall from official Communist airspace.

Irina began to talk to Him secretly at night asking endless questions. Was he kind, all powerful? The Communist state was powerful, but they were not kind. If He was kind but not all-powerful, how could she depend on Him?

At the age of 14, Irina had a pivotal moment in her young life. A classmate threw a chestnut across the room. It crashed into an inkwell, splashing a splatter of ink on the wall. When no one would tell who had caused the mess, each student was interrogated individually. When Irina’s turn came, she began to lie, saying she had been looking in her book bag and hadn’t seen anything. The next student looked the teacher straight in the eye and said, “I’m not going to tell you.” This pierced Irina’s conscience. She thought, “I am becoming what THEY want me to be. I shall never lower myself like that again before anybody. I’ll learn how to behave decently from books, I’ll think a lot, and talk to God more. Then my soul will remain my own. Nobody will be able to manipulate me to suit themselves.” She instinctively knew that she would become a servant to one master or another.

Irina began to explore the great Russian books on her parent’s bookshelves. In them she found a reflection of the God whom she knew was kind and all-powerful. The values of good and evil did not change. Pushkin told her the truth lay in Russian Orthodoxy, Tolstoy’s theories left her confused. She had no way to get a Bible and there was nobody trustworthy to ask about Jesus.
When Irina was 23, a Jewish friend gave her an 18th century volume of the Scriptures printed in Old Church Slavonic. She spent a month and a half learning the ancient alphabet so she could read the Bible. Excitedly, she discovered a God she had already come to know.

At 28 years old, Irina was targeted by the KGB for her writings celebrating Christian faith and human rights. She was arrested and sentenced to 7 years of hard labor and sent to the Soviet Union’s notorious gulag. In prison she refused to rat on fellow prisoners or praise the regime. She continued to serve God and record her writings on tiny bits of paper. Human Rights groups and Christians in the West raised an outcry over her case. In 1986, Irina was released from prison and finally made her way, with her husband to the West and freedom.
Irina’s greatest desire was to have children. Because of the torture and deprivation experienced in the Gulag, doctors said a successful pregnancy would be difficult if not impossible. Friends began to pray as the months went by. Finally, in 1992, Irina delivered twin boys, Sergei and Oleg.

You see the Christmas holiday is not the real problem, it is the power behind the reason we celebrate the season that is the real threat. We celebrate that the great God of Heaven robed himself in flesh and came to earth in the form of a tiny baby. 2000 years ago this tiny baby was such a threat to a king that thousands of babies were given the death sentence. The story continues because this baby was born for a purpose. He would become the perfect sacrifice to redeem fallen man back to God. He not only took our place in death but sent His Spirit to give us power to conquer our hedonistic nature.

So when you hear that another lawsuit against public professions of faith has been filed; if you see another anti-God slogan or witness materialism replacing the Baby in the Manger, take a minute and thank God that you know the truth about a baby that grew up to bear the sins of the whole world on a cross and rose again that His Spirit may live in your heart today.

IF ONLY............

Have you ever indulged in the mind game, “If Only?” Most of us have at one time or another. Usually we’ve experienced a bad situation and a little depression has set in. Don’t be fooled, this game will not help! Your “pity party” will continue until you stop the game or do something that fulfills the fantasy of “If Only.”

It started in the garden! I’m not sure of the year since we are not told how long it took Eve’s dissatisfaction to bring her to the point of standing in front of the forbidden. Sometimes we imagine that Eve was strolling through the garden, happened to pass by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil when Satan began talking to her. Then on a whim, Eve reached out grabbed an apple and took a bite, shared it with her husband and brought sin on the world. I believe it was more of a process. The Bible doesn’t tell us how many times Satan confronted her before she began to entertain the thought, “If Only!”

Satan’s tactics have not changed since Adam and Eve’s exodus from the garden, so I think this might be a more accurate scenario. One beautiful day Eve was enjoying a moment of solitude, which should have been easy since she only had Adam to think of, but it seems a “woman’s work is never done!” She should really gather fresh boughs for their bed, but maybe it would be ok for one night, fortunately, there was no laundry to finish. Soon it would be suppertime and she hadn’t picked out anything for the meal. Would Adam be happy with fruit salad again or should they start with a wonderful vegetable soup? If only she had some new recipes. Satan began to whisper and Eve began to wonder…If Only!!! Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. And the SIN OF DISSATISFACTION came into the world.

What is the “If Only” that Satan has been whispering in your ear? It may be, If only I had…, If only I had not…., If only that was mine… Your “If only” may be a different spouse, another career, the house down the street, your bosses automobile, Bill Gate’s money, a model’s body or another Christian’s gifts. We all have different “If Only’s” we desire. James 1:14 says, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” How do we combat this trick of Satan? Is there a way to avoid reaching for the fruit?

The antidote to the “If Only Syndrome” is a huge dose of “Thankfulness.” When Satan whispers, “If only you had not married him,” think of 10 reasons you are thankful he is your husband. Perhaps you think, “If only I had her money, home, figure, fashion sense or personality.” Make a list of all the things that God has provided in your life; include your healthy body and the fact that God created you with a personality to be used for His purpose. The” Blessing” side of your list will soon overshadow the “If only” column. If only Eve had rebutted Satan with a list of blessings, thanking God for the beautiful home he had provided, delicious fresh food for every meal, a loving, hard working companion and faithful furry friends, always at her side “If Only” must be stopped before it is conceived. If it is allowed to give birth to the “Sin of Dissatisfaction,” “If Only” will destroy you.