Better things to do

This one's gonna be a little short, for one simple reason: I'm really tired. I had a different experience at work this week, actually getting to work two days in one of our stores. It's been a nice change of pace.
I have continued to follow what I started last week, but not at a level as in the week before. I've decided that essentially I must agree to disagree with some people. I will never agree with the President, for example. But I accept that God has placed him in authority over this nation for now, and I must pray for him as the Bible mandates.
I will probably not agree with radical Christian bloggers who say that a pastor is disingenuous without paying attention to what he preaches. I will agree with them on one point: Jesus is the sacrifice presented to God the Father for all the sin of mankind, and only in believing in Him do we gain eternal life and a home in Heaven. Nor will I agree with a mega-pastor just because another one does, if I have an issue with their doctrine. But I know that there is something that we that claim the name of Christ need to point people toward.
It kind of reminds of me of this Gaither song. Sorry about the video quality, it's all I could find:

 

I believe that we are truly going to be surprised when we get to Heaven all the people that are there. So many divisions have divided the church. Some have been major theological discussions based on the serious issues such as interpretation of the scripture. Some have been over the color of the carpet, what version of the Bible to use, hymns, etc. While I do not think we will be asking God "How did that person get here," I think we will still be surprised.

Tonight as I write this, a dear family friend and author of the "Lessons Learned" blog to your left, Courtney, has lost her dad. After spending a lot of his life far from God, he finally came to Christ last year. It provides comfort that a person who knows Christ makes it to his heavenly home. It allows a person that is facing the rest of their life without that person comfort to know of a reunion day.
It is the hope of Heaven, and the reality that one day we will be with God, with Jesus, praising Him for His sacrifice, and reunited with our loved ones that accepted Him as savior for all eternity that really matters. In times like these, it's what we turn to.
It's something that we can all agree on.

I Guess You Could Say I've Changed...

...although I hadn't thought so.
I know where I came from. I am extremely thankful to be brought up in the home I did. I didn't have the advantage of money, or any of the other things that other kids did. I was, however, brought up in a home where love is. I have the advantage of growing up in a Pastor's home. I was part of a family that loved music, and learned it early.
Any setbacks I suffered in my life were my own doing. I was lazy, shy, and incredibly backward. I have often taken the easy way out of situations, and have let anger get the best of me. I have become a little more bold these days, even though I am still a lazy, shy, backward person by nature.
My point? Continue with me. I spent years in band in school. My dream was to be a music teacher. Didn't happen, but that's another blog. I was privileged to serve seven years at my dad's little church as music director. I love the music in the Church Hymnal. Many of you know it as the "Red Hymnal," the "Red-back Hymnal," etc. I also have it in green and blue. I have quite a big hymnal collection. Nothing has changed in all that.
I love the King James Version. I grew up with it. I can understand the language. I believe the Book, the blood, and the Blessed Hope. I believe that all men are born with a sin nature and are condemned to hell. I believe there must be a sacrifice for that sin. I believe that sacrifice was completed once for all for us when Jesus came, lived a sinless life, and became sin for us. He died to atone for all we did or will ever do.
I believe what it says when it says if we confess our sins, He will forgive us.
In that, nothing has changed.
I know that as a father, I have to put my lazy aside. I have to work. I have a wife and two kids that need to eat and wear clothes. I have a car that needs to be paid for and have gas in it. In that, I guess I have changed.
I still love hearing "Victory In Jesus," "At Calvary," "I'll Meet You in the Morning," etc. I also love Elevation Worship, Lincoln Brewster, Chris Tomlin. I would love to hear an amazing guitar riff in a song that praises Jesus more than I would a song sung off-key, but it's okay, because they're making a "joyful noise." In that extent, I guess I've changed.
I don't exclusively use a King James Version Bible anymore. I still love it, but it's not my primary Bible. Part of that is that I realize that Rev. 22: 18-19 are talking about the Revelation, not the entire Bible, because the Bible was not gathered together when Revelation was written. Also, I realize the cyclical nature of such arguments.
Consider: people revolted against songs like "There is a Fountain" when it came out, opting for the older liturgical music. People were burned at the stake for translating the Bible into languages other than Latin. Many of the arguments that were used then are being used now.
I don't walk away from things like that anymore. In that extent, I guess I've changed.
Read a blog of mine from 2009 and come back to this one.
I guess you could say I've changed.
Still, I feel like I could be doing more with my life.
In that extent, I haven't changed at all.

When Bad Churchgoers Happen

Bad churchgoers happen.
So do bowel movements.
Sound a little harsh? Good. I was going for effect.
Take this for example: I recently heard the story of a family that stopped going to a church after a daughter of a church member stole a credit card and made unauthorized charges! The reaction? "Oh- we're sorry."
This family of four that had the card stolen have bounced in and out of church, became connected in this church. The two children of the family were greatly affected by the youth ministry, the youngest one was saved on a youth trip (the older one previously accepting Christ), and both were baptized there. Now they have an emotional scar and a sour taste in their mouth. Why?
Churchgoers.
How many people have been turned off by the actions of others either in the church or those professing the name of Christ? How many baptist churches have started down the street from another baptist church simply because of the offense of one person against the other?  (Call it beating a dead horse, I've always had an issue with this.) How many people who are young in their faith been turned away by simply one action? How many that visit a church searching for God end up turned away forever?
It doesn't have to be this way, but the thing is this causes people to turn away. People that act out of their own nature turn people away from an environment that is supposed to display the love of God.
I've toyed with this thought over the past week or so, and it's made me think. I held a position in a small church for seven years. What if my actions were a stumbling block to others? What if something I said or an action I took caused someone to stay away? I shudder to think I let myself get in the way of what God wanted to do in a person's life because my personal thoughts or actions caused an offense to someone.
Yes, this is an introspective post, and an admonition to those of us that claim the name of Jesus to watch our actions in the light of scripture. We are to present our lives as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (see Romans 12). Living in the light of the Word of God will help us keep from offending others.
But also this is to warn those who are offended: don't use the actions of others as an excuse to keep you out of church or away from Jesus. I think of Jesus' interaction with Peter & John after his resurrection. Peter asks about God's plan for John, and Jesus replies simply: "Don't worry about John. You follow me."
Finally, let me say this. In my life there have been people like Ollie Coffey, Granny Snow Townsend, and Bertha Moretz. There have been pastors that have shown a great light, like my dad, Tim Greene, and more. I am thankful to be learning at a great place right now at Elevation Church, both in person, online, and using their podcasts. What I mean by this is that most churchgoers are true followers of Christ. They have shown how to live the life. They are careful to live by the statutes of the Word of God and know it by heart. They show the genuine love of God to friends and strangers alike.
Bad churchgoers are an exception. They are not the rule. But they do happen. Try not to be one. If you should find one, pray for them. Forgive them. Chances are they need it, and you can help them along the way. They need that, too.

2011 in review: How did I end up here?

I've been taking a few moments to look over the Wide Scope blog entries over the past year, taking the time to reflect and review the past year. What did I find has happened over the past year?
As usual, a lot.
Does this year in review blog have the potential to be as good as last year's year in review? Hardly. I don't have a song prepared off of Youtube. But keep reading- I did learn something.
I learned in January that even if I wanted to blog every week it is nearly impossible to do it. I also got acclimated with my new job after being laid off since April. I ended up with the same number of posts in 2011 as 2010. In February I learned that sacrifice is hard but sometimes necessary, and that if done in obedience God will reward it. March was a lesson in embracing my place, wherever it is, no matter what changes come.
April saw me turn 34 with the usual bit of reflection that I like to do and saw the first reports that apparently the world was going to end in May. Strangely, we are still here. May was admittedly a hard month, as the realization came that changes that would soon have to be made. It was also a month more than any this year I dealt with depression.
That's kind of sad- I think we do need a song break, after all:

June was a blur, and I only blogged a paragraph. July saw us move to the mountains. August saw us settle in to the new routine, my son start Kindergarten, and I started my new position at work.
September saw me revisiting several things; old topics, old sermon topics from church, and my old high school. My blog from that visit, "Can You Go Home Again? I Did," dated October 1, was the most popular post of the year. November saw my son turn 6, my daughter turn 2, and my family was truly thankful.
There was the sickness of my daughter in December, which I am proud to say she is herself again, thank God. I dealt with a toothache for most of the last of the year, which I can say God touched and healed. Some of the pain has returned with the bitter cold wind of this mountain life.
I learned to stand up for the word barbecue. I learned that church signs can be funny, and decided to share that with each of you. I learned there isn't a lot on TV on Wednesday night.
Mostly, I learned that the best is yet to come. 2012 brings still more uncertainty and the feeling that there is something more out there. What that is, and when I discover it, anyone that reads this blog will be the first to know. I promise to keep posting. Stay with me, will you?

Hard Time

Here I sit, Wednesday night as I type this. It is four days before Christmas. I have really been at a loss of things to blog about these days, as work
and the strain of everyday life drag me down and inspiration does not flow as freely as I used to. So I will tell you about life.
This is the sixth day that my little girl has had a fever. She has been to the emergency room two times, had every test possible to determine the cause, and I have even made a special trip back to the hospital to deliver a stool sample. That's right, I have literally hand-delivered poop. My life has gone to crap. I would like to thank my wife from shoveling it from the diaper to the container. At least there wasn't a fan for it to hit. Take a second to come up with your own pun before going to the next paragraph.
The hardest thing I had to do was on Saturday night. We were desperate to get this temperature down. So my mother-in-law and I tag-teamed to take ice-cold washcloths and place them on different parts of her body to try to lower her temperature. To say she did not like this is mildly understating it. For the next eternity (or so it felt) she screamed, cried, and told us "NO! NO THANK YOU! I DON"T!" All this time I held her, trying to assure her it was for her good.
See the instant correlation?
In my own reading of the Bible I have come across the story of Joseph for the second time this year. Think of all he went through: being dumped into a pit by his brothers because of their jealousy (and Joseph's need to tell his dreams to them); Being sold into slavery; being falsely accused of rape and imprisoned; and being forgotten in prison.
On the other end, think of his father Jacob. He was named by God Israel and told he would be a great nation. Yet for years he carried around the grief of a favorite son he thought was lost and dealt with the agony.
In this situation God held both of them in His hand. I am confident that neither were happy about their situation, and that Joseph probably let out a few screams of terror when being thrown in the pit.
But just like the cold compresses had a purpose to lower my daughter's temperature and give her comfort in spite of the temporary discomfort, the struggle of Joseph was to save Jacob and the family that turned on him. Of course, after his imprisonment Joseph goes on to become governor of Egypt and devises the plan to save people from a coming famine and provide for his family in the process. Of course Jacob's pain subsides when he sees his son again and is sustained by him.
No, we don't understand the hard time that we deal with right now. But whenever we go through them I can rest assured that there is a greater purpose that is being intended for us in them.
Think of Mary last of all. It is December, of course. She had to deal with the ridicule and shame of being an unwed mother, the possibility of being shunned by her Joseph, and the impending pain of childbirth. Her Father found favor in her, and had a greater purpose for her pain: the redemption of the world through the coming of His Son.

Those Three Little Words

I have learned over the years, well, several lessons. Among them is to never  ask the question "What else can happen?" when I am in a situation or when I am having a bad day. I know- so many of us have been there or are there right now.
You might be wondering why your job is so difficult these days and feel like you can't do anything right. 
You may be wondering why you've been out of work for so long and wonder how you will pay the bills and if Christmas is a possibility. 
You may be wondering if you're going to have a job tomorrow.
A family member might be facing the fight of their life.
Well, a couple of days ago, God reminded me of three little words. I know when you see that title on the blog, you might be thinking of "I love you." Those are good words, and yes, He does love us. But because of that, He has three other words for us:
HOW MUCH MORE.
True, you may be saying these words yourself. But if you look in the New Testament, eleven different times you will see these words.
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7: 11)
"Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" (Luke 12: 24)
"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried." (Luke 12: 27-29)
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9: 13-14)
(All references ESV)
Those are just some of the examples. God has this word for you. He knows you are struggling, and he understands that you may have questions. But He has tremendous plans for you, and you have not left His care. He is not ignoring you and has not left you. Seek Him in your situation with your whole heart, and you will find Him.
Just wait and see HOW MUCH MORE He has in store for you.

Statements of belief

I would like to start this by first apologizing to the guys of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour: I am not trying to steal your bit. That said, I thought I would take a half-serious yet half-jovial attempt to allow you readers to know a little of who I am. You know, the chance to know what I truly believe.

• I believe the Bible is inerrant, infallible, and that the God of the Bible is the one true God.
• I believe that God sent His son into the world to save the world from sin.
• I believe that often Christians are the greatest obstacle that keeps people from Christ because they often speak in ignorance.
• I believe the PC crowd does not know any of the names of holidays that take place from November 1- December 26.
• I believe that just because you don't call a holiday by its actual name that it is diminished in any way.
• I believe the designated hitter has done very little to strengthen the American League.
• I believe the South was justified in seceding from the Union in 1860 & 1861. However, I believe their position on slavery was based in misinterpretation of scripture and ignorance.
• I believe that improper use of apostrophe's is becoming an epidemic, and grammar teacher's are doing little to curb it.
• I believe that if you cannot drive more than 10 m.p.h. under the speed limit (especially at night) YOU SHOULD NOT BE DRIVING!
• I believe that NASCAR will be watchable again now that someone other than Jimmie Johnson will win the championship.
• I believe that the things that I have agreed with President Obama on can be counted on one hand without using all the fingers. That said, he is our president, and deserves our prayers.
• I believe Southern Gospel Music has been forever marred in quality and style due to a raging infection of Crabbs.
• I believe the MAC has some of the best football in all of college football, partly due to the lack of great defense.
• I believe that, win totals aside, Dean Smith is the best coach ever in college basketball.
• I believe the NBA does not deserve another chance on my part.
• I believe that Psych is the most underrated show on TV, and that the Mentalist is a direct ripoff of it.
• I believe that as much as they try to get soccer to catch on in the US, it won't.
• I believe that if people stopped caring what other people thought about them and just did what they were supposed to, we would have a lot less trouble.
• I believe I do not get enough sleep.
• I believe that no matter what cable news network I watch, I get mad.
• I believe I can't think of any more of these right now.

I have had fun doing a short list of these, and I might do more sometime. Until I go again...