Fabulous Quote!

"In any museum we will find quite ordinary things - clothes, a walking stick, a pen, pieces of furniture - which are only of value because they were possessed and used by some great person.  It is the ownership which gives them worth. It is so with the Christian. The Christian may be a very ordinary person, but he acquires a new value and dignity and greatness because he belongs to God. The greatness of the Christian lies in the fact that he is God's."

                                                                                                                            -- William Barclay

Take a Peek

This morning, as I spent some time reviewing Luke's account of the Resurrection, I noticed a couple of verses that I had not noticed before...
"...but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened." (24:11-12) 

This morning all over the world, millions of people gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, and to hear once again the story of the empty tomb.

As I reflected on these two small verses, I was reminded that the same thing that happened this morning, also hapened that morning 2000 years ago.  Some women told the story of what they had seen and heard, and there was two responses to their story.  Some who heard the story thought it was just an "idle tale" and did not believe.  Peter, however, had a different response.  He believed and went to take a peek.  Oh to have been there on that day to be the one of the first to see the grave clothes, the stone rolled away,  the angels. 

If you have heard the story, how have your responded.  If you haven't, here is a powerful unique musical video version of this story... take a few minutes and enjoy... take a peek...come close, listen to the story...

Now that you seen the story, how will you repond?  Disbelief?  Celebration?  Life change?

A Day of Weeds

I hate weeds. They mar the look of the yard because they grow faster than the grasses I desire. They often bring stickers and burrs. They invite more pollen to incite the onslaught of my allergies. I HATE WEEDS! I think this sentiment is common amongst most people.

I have learned over the years that weeds do not infest only our yards, but also the hearts of those in our churches. Consequently, we are losing ground in the culture that we live in with regards to effectiveness of our witness. Allow me to explain. In Luke 8, Jesus is addressing a crowd of followers. Why were they there? A variety of reasons: some were curious; some needing healing; some wanted a show; some were drawn by the Lord. He turns them and begins a parable: the sower.

If you are familiar with this story, Jesus describes a farmer who is sowing seeds which fall in four different locations. These locations represent the four different heart conditions that are given the Word of God. The first fall on the side of the road and get snatched away by birds. The second, rocky soil, which withers for lack of moisture. Number three is the weeds and thorns. The seed sprouts, but grows up in the midst of weeds that choke it out. Finally, some seed also falls on good soil which grows and yields a crop.

The third soil is the one that jumped out at me today. Jesus explains the parable in verses 9-15, and it was the three things in verse 14 that act as weeds in our hearts that captured me: worries, riches and pleasures of this world. It was what Jesus said these things do the heart of the person (soil) that stood out to me. He says it causes them to "bring no fruit to maturity," The NIV renders it, "they do not mature." That hits the nail on the head of too many in our churches. So many us are just anemic in our faith, and the tendency is that we have gotten ourselves so fixated on what the world has to offer, we become fruitless or immature. Our faith isn't growing, we become self-centered-- some call us "consumers" and we lose heart quickly.

Now, are these things bad in themselves. No, however, when they become the center of our lives, and we allow them to dictate to us how we are to live, those things become godlike and thereby become idolatry. James actually describes this by saying, "whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (4:4)

What is it that drives us. Do we spend most of our time worrying about things that are going to blow away in the wind or can be lsot with the next stock market plunge? Or are we storing up treasures in heaven that are eternal. Today we are living in a day of weeds. I guess it is time to do some gardening!