Still Naked

Who told you that you were naked? (Genesis 3:11)

Here I go again. I’m sorry, I love words. I love to speak them, spell them and type them; occasionally, I even have to eat them. MMMmmmm.

I watched a hilarious movie last night. The made for television version of Shallow Hal with Jack Black. That guy’s just funny to look at.

Anyway, the jist of the story was: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Apparently, motivational guru Tony Robbins had cast a spell on Hal that made him look past a person’s physical appearance and see only their inward beauty.

Coincidentally, or perhaps Providentially, I had just been reading Donald Miller’s Searching for God Knows What, the chapter called Naked. His point was eerily similar.

Spooky.

So, here comes the New Year. Here come the resolutions to get thin like Paris, rich like Bill and wild like Johnny Eldredge. I guess the hope in all that is to increase one’s self-worth. But, what if there was no reference to our perceived value?

Think about it.

What if there were no celebrities or commercials to give us a point of comparison?

Really, it seems that we spend the majority of our lives comparing and competing with one another, hoping to reach some apex of applause and acceptance.

In the beginning----they just sat around naked. It was no big deal. I mean there’s not even a mention of sunscreen. Just living, breathing, nudity twenty-four-seven without the shame. Seems weird eh?

What if man never sinned?

We’d still be livin’ in the buff.

There’d be no Levi’s, no skater wear, no lingerie, no tightie-whities.

There’d be no labels. Just plain people.

Hey, what if we started this orthodox, legalistic church where we not only wanted to sing hymns all the time, but we wanted to obey the original dress code. Okay, that was gross. Rebuke those thoughts.


The point is this: Jesus Christ came to earth, suffered, died and rose again so that we would once again find our worth in God.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with trying to be a good steward and improve on what God has given us. Motive is the question.

Am I doing this to win the applause of men or the applause of heaven?

You see in God’s eyes we’re still naked. He sees past the fashion and fitness and into the deepest part of our being. He sees our superficial motives and challenges us to give more attention to the inward than the outward. As I read the words of Jesus, I see that God is far more concerned about the kind of people we are rather than what we do.

Yes, God sees our nakedness and some of us can look pretty funky from the inside out. The fig leaves of Weight-Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Liz Claiborne, LB, Mercedes, Rolex and Prada, yada, yada-bling-ding-a-ling offer no hope.

God has x-ray vision.

He challenges us to be clothed not with nylon, polyester, cotton or my personal favorite: Spandex; rather, we are to put on Christ.

Galatians 3:27
for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

If you have immersed your life in Christ then be satisfied in knowing that the competition is over. You’ve won the real applause. Sure, go ahead and be a good steward of your body, your finances, your family, your possessions; but, never let those things define your worth.

Remember, to God....... you’re still naked.

FILLING THE BIG EMPTY

One morning, not so long ago, I awoke with a familiar craving. My sugar was low and I lusted after something carnal to consume. With the little energy I did have, I stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen in search of my prey. Ah! There—on the top shelf—strawberry frosted pop tarts! Yes!!!!

But I hesitated. Can one actually eat these goodies without a hot cup of caffeinated Christian crack?

I quickly twirled away from the cupboard in my stinky dress socks and fixed my eyes on the crack machine; that is to say, coffee maker. Within 30 seconds the drug was brewing; and thank God I have one of those machines where you can pull the pot out before it’s done.

I waited patiently.

Alas!--enough for a cup. I poured the piping hot liquid love into my favorite mug and made for the cupboard. En route, I took a sip, not a big gulp mind you, just one of those suck in with your upper lip until it burns kind of sips. The bitterness stung in a pleasurable way. I knew the pain would quickly be countered by the smooth taste of melty icing from atop my tasty tarts. There’s just something about sugar and coffee that leads me to believe God planned all along that the twain should become one.

Through my crusty morning eyes I fixed my gaze on the colorful container. No deception there. You get what you see: a flat, fruit-filled pastry covered in hardened white icing, dotted with speckles of strawberry goodness. They live side by side, two to a bag, waiting patiently to be chosen for digestion.

I reached for the box.

Should I eat only one? Heavens no, what would happen to her twin? She’d grow stale and crumbly. I couldn’t play party to the waste of such a jewel. I shall eat at least two. That’s 400 well chosen calories in my book.

Still stiff from my slumber, the reach caused a slight twinge in my right trapezoid; but, it was worth the effort. I had made contact.. The aroma of the coffee in my left hand was still wafting up my nose when it happened. Tragedy struck.

Something was wrong---terribly wrong.

The box felt lighter than I expected. I tilted it toward my hungry eyes. I’m not sure exactly what happened next. There was a flash of foil, a fountain of crumbs and then the stark realization that my worst nightmare had come true. The box was empty.

Empty.

Have you ever felt empty?

Have you ever opened up the fridge to find an empty milk carton. What the heck is wrong with people? What’s the deal with empty ice trays? And, who in the flippin’ world would put the cereal box back in the cupboard with nothing but a few pebbles under the plastic bag. Pirates!

We Americans usually find ourselves drained about this time of year. As if someone pulled the plug out of our life-hole and all that’s left is a few pebbles under the bag.

This morning I read a scripture that I knew God wanted me to meditate on. I thought it was just for me. Then as I began to pen....ahem...type this tale, I realized that He wants you to mediate on it as well.

Matthew 5:3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I LOVE the Message version:

Matthew 5:3
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

As I mediated on those words and read on through the chapter in the Message Re-mix, I realized the whole gist of the Beatitudes is that God wants us to draw close to Him so he can refill us. Here, read these verses for yourself:

Matthew 5:3-10
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
[4] "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
[5] "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
[6] "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
[7] "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
[8] "You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
[9] "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
[10] "You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.


I get it! Just as the empty Pop-Tart box made me crave the tasty treats all the more; the empty me is designed to make me crave God! The empty box meant it was time for a refill; the empty me means the same.

So, don’t despise the void. Let your weakness draw you to Him. Consume God. Consume Life. Fill the big empty.

.....and eat more Pop Tarts.

JUST THE NEWS 12/28/05

NEWS

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. We had an awesome time with our families. I scored some new duds, some books and a Starbucks gift basket! Matt got a new skateboard deck. Kendall got a stereo for her room. Brittney got a TV. Sue got lotsa clothes, perfume and me. Can't wait to see you all at Freakfest!

Pastor Ken and Clan are visiting relatives in Michigan. Pray they have a great time of rest and fellowship!

COMING EVENTS

FREAKFEST: 2006
The Ultimate Rock Show

$5 @ the DOOR
Doors open @ 8:00 pm
Shows over @ 12:30 am

Currently, five bands:
Idiot Parade (formerly known as Suprfly TNT)
Hindsight
Zion's Triumph
Katabatc X
Speed Limit 25

REMEMBER: Come dressed as what you think the ULTIMATE ROCK STAR SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

BE TASTEFUL! This is CHURCH!

DRESS FOR MESS if you plan to participate in any games.

NEXT WEDNESDAY, January 4, 2006
GUEST SPEAKER- SARAH BRIGGS

VERGE ONE SUNDAY SCHOOL MEETING- January 8, 2006
All leaders should attend. Jr. High, High & Young Adult classes combined in the Verge Center

VERGE ONE SERVICE: Saturday, January 28, 2006
All ages invited! Brian Thompson will be bringing the SOUND!
Worship will be awesome!

Sam & Laura did not give me permission to publish this Christmas picture but I did it anyway. I talked to Sam today, he was baking cookies for Laura.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO MAKE OUR LIVES SO SPECIAL!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

SOMEBODY'S HERO

SOMEBODY'S HERO

So, I’m sitting here trying to come up with some creamy words for you guys to savor when I realize that I haven’t much time, no much time at all! My family is nigh unto ready for our grand departure to the wild and wonderful world of Lynnhaven Mall. Along with Christmas cheer I’ll be carrying a can of pepper spray, a .38 snub-nose and keen eye for evil doers. You may be thinking, “how paranoid can you get.” It’s really not about fear at all. It’s about obligation.

You see, ten years of walking in my calling as a cop led me to realize that it really is a calling. Obviously, I want to protect my family on trips like this, but it’s more than that. The Lord seems to have wired me with a justice chip that goes crazy when bad guys get away with being bad.

I’m not looking for trouble mind you! But if it finds me I’ll be ready for the dance.

It’s really a strange thing you know.

For instance, several years ago I was walking out of Walmart to get my wallet when I noticed an employee with a walkie-talkie speaking to guy on the far side of those annoying shoplifting sensors. I knew what was happening. But, I thought, “ Praise God, I’m not a cop anymore!” (The biggest fight of my police career was over a pack of steaks)

On the way back into Walmart the “suspect” broke free and darted right past me. I tried to use reason but something went off in my head like a flashpot at a Kiss concert. I tried to control the urge to give chase but then the guy ran into a grocery cart and lost speed. I thought, “What an idiot”, then I was off, no weapon, no badge, no arrest powers, just this blast of justice juice and 190 pounds of pure preachin’ fury.

The Walmart cart guy closed in from one direction and I from the other. Boom! We hammered him!

Man, I love the behind the back, arm bar, double slam asphalt munch.

Next thing you know I’m laying on top of the guy with his arm in what we called a “chicken wing” hold. Now I’m thinking, “What in the heck are you doing Pastor Mark?”

So I prayed for him.

After the crowd had gathered and I had soaked up some glory, the cops came and hauled off the drunken thief. It was then that I realized something:

Most heroes in life don’t create the opportunities that make them heroes; they simply walk in their calling and seize the day if it arrives.

Last night I watched Cinderella Man; a classic case in point based on a true story.

Fighter, James J. Braddock knew he was supposed to fight and he walked in that calling. The Great Depression robbed him of his predicted future as the next Heavy Weight Champion of the World.

Time took it’s toll and left Braddock broke and washed up as a boxer. After fracturing his powerful right hand in a pitiful performance, his license to fight professionally was revoked. Through it all Jimmy Braddock stayed true to his most important priority—that of being a provider to his wife and kids.

Everyday the determined Dad would go to the docks along with a hundred other men and stand at the gates in hopes of being chosen to work. After disguising his broken hand he was able to secure a heavy labor job that helped his family survive.

During this desperate season in American history, many families were torn apart by poverty, suicide and alcoholism. But Braddock held fast to his priorities and in the end that choice paved the way for his eventual success.

During his time on the docks his left had had grown much more powerful. When his old promoter showed up and asked him to enter the ring one last time for a fight against a far younger and larger opponent, Jimmy obliged. The fight was purely a promotion for the new boxer whose originally scheduled opponent was a no-show. Jimmy Braddock saw it as a chance to make enough money to feed his family. The rest is history.

Jimmy Braddock became a great American hero in a time when the common man needed hope. The papers dubbed him the Cinderella Man because he had risen from the pit of despair to the peak of prosperity when the odds were slim. People needed that message.

People still need heroes.

I believe most of us want to be a hero, anybody’s hero. A few of us try to be everybody’s hero. In reality, I don’t think we can manufacture the moments that really make people heroes. What we can do, is be faithful to the callings and obligations that God has given us, and in the midst of that faithfulness we may one day be given the chance to be..... somebody’s hero.


WARNING:
Cinderella Man is rated PG-13 for scenes of boxing violence, language isn’t mentioned on the cover. However, the movie does features a very foul mouthed promoter. I’m sure Ron Howard & Russell Crowe were only trying to be true to the story. Nevertheless, I could have done without the profanity. View at your own risk.

JOY TO THE WORLD

(to the tune of Joy to the World)

Joy to the world, the Redskins win
the Cowboys lose again
the Dallas Cowboys lose
the Dallas Cowboys lose
Hoo-ray for Washington
Hoo-ray for Washington
Hoo-ra-ay, Hoo-ra-ay for Washington



Billy Wayne....I have a word for you...and the Cowgirls:

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

JUST THE NEWS -OOPS!!!

OOPS!

BECKY LITTLE HAS ALSO RETURNED FROM VALLEY FORGE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!! HUG HER WHEN YA SEE HER!

JUST THE NEWS 12/17/05

JUST THE NEWS 12/17/05

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!
Twenty three years and three children....I’m still just as beautiful as the day she married me.







GOOD NEWS:
John Joyce came through operation with flying colors.
Sarah Bundy’s mom is home and doing well after suffering a mini-stroke

THE VERGE WELCOMES
Pastor Jason & Myra Hess and tribe- Jayda, Solomon and Jude.
The Hess’s have relocated to our area after youth pastoring in Mesa, AZ and Madison, NC. Jason will be working for Best Way Construction and working with the Verge Youth as time allows. He is an Assembly of God credential holder.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S SERVICES:
Christmas Eve- 6pm
Christmas Day- 11am – no SS
New Year’s – Freakfest – 8pm-1am
New Year’s Day- 11 am –no SS

WELCOME BACK for the HOLIDAYS:
Christy Henry, Josh Woolley, Sarah Briggs, Theresa Little & Becky Gillott

PRAY FOR:
All those who will be travelling for Christmas:
Jannifer McKee will be flying out to Texas on Sunday, Dec 18th
Daniel Mckee will be joining her on Christmas Day.

Billy Wayne Simmons- he’ll be in mourning after the Redskin/Cowboy game. Either that or he’ll be struggling with pride because the Cowboys got lucky.

Hey Brother Did Ya Hear?

But Daddy these wounds are deep and wide
and I am bleeding from the inside
as everyone laughs along-
from the song Wounded

HEY BROTHER DID YA HEAR????

My main man Billy was just over to the house and we were gossiping about people in the church. Well, we weren’t really slandering anyone, we were just “sharing,” you know, exchanging prayer requests. Turns out these folks we go to church with have some serious issues. Makes me wonder how I ever got tangled up with such an imperfect breed.

My giant Golden Retriever, Ben, was rolling in the grass scratching his back the whole time Billy and I were talking. That has absolutely nothing to do with our conversation. I just needed to give Ben a little press. He’s been acting pretty strange toward Dinky since I made her famous.

So, these Christians, as they call themselves, seem to have a habit of putting on their church face on Sundays, appearing to be joyful and triumphant when all the while it’s more like pitiful and defeated. What would make them do such a thing? It’s like a disguise isn’t it? It’s a falsehood. Let’s be real, it’s sort of a living lie. Okay, you don’t “sort of” lie. You either lie or don’t. It’s either true or false. They're lying.

Perhaps we need to undress.

You know, take off the church outfit. I know we all have good intentions when we say things like, “I’m blessed, how ‘bout you?” when in reality, our finances are failing, our marriage is headed for total meltdown and our car is crapping out. If that’s blessed I’d hate to see cursed!!!

Of course, we’re blessed, but not because everything always go right for us, rather because we have hope in the midst of our storms.

Yet we live the lie, until the bomb goes off. Then everybody finds out.

People are scared.

Scared of other Christians. Scared of gigantic food holes with huge flapping, meaty lips that just can’t seem to SHUT UP about other people. They’re afraid of conversations like the fictional one I had with Billy.

Who’s responsible for creating this culture of fear? The flapping lips or the gulping ears?

Something has to change.

What makes church the last place on the planet where people can be real about their struggles? I have to believe it’s rooted in a lack of love, in other words, direct disobedience to the Son of God:

John 15:12 says,
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

I don’t see Jesus having any conversations with Peter about the shortcomings of John? I can’t find Jesus talking behind the backs of those He chose or belittling their state. He never casually mentions the problems of another during corporate prayer. Conversely, he was more interested in protecting reputations rather than building his own. (Read His prayer in John 17)

You know why? Because love PROTECTS!!!

1 Cor. 13:7 says
It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Maybe this little ditty will help us out:

Today, I took off my clothes at church. I told my friends how I had become weak, so weak that I could not lift my shield of faith. The result: a flaming arrow from the Evil One had pierced my soul. I immediately dropped my sword. The blow left a gaping hole in my breastplate. Righteousness was compromised. The pain and swelling was such that I found it absolutely necessary to loosen my belt and truth became relative. The loss of equilibrium led me to remove my helmet. Surety and salvation were reduced to fear and doubt.

I fell to the ground in a crumpled mass before my comrades.

A warm hand touched my shoulder. Hope turned to anger and humiliation as I lifted my head to see the crowd that had gathered, their armor so shiny and their belts so tight. With tongues almost as sharp as their swords they pierced me again and again for the folly I’d become. They told me why this had happened and demanded repentance. They crushed me with insults and rendered my sentence. They cloaked me with shame and disgrace this day, and oh, did I mention they promised to pray.

There they left me naked and bleeding and wondering why, I’d ever joined this army of lies.

(This is no indictment against our church of course; we all LWC is the greatest church since Antioch).

People Are Weird

People are weird. They build me up. They let me down. They bring me joy. They break my heart. Humans are so unpredictable and mysterious. That’s why I love them.

I have a Chihuahua.

Dinky is very predictable. If I lower my voice and say, “Did you do that?” she cowers her head down to the ground and wags her tail as if to say, “Yes Master, I am so very sorry. Forgive me my Master.” Or, if I’ve been away for a while, as soon as she sees me, she immediately flips onto her back, tail moving at 100 mph she licks my hand over and over as I scratch her belly.

Suzan has never done that for me.

Sue and I have been married for 23 years. We’ve been together for 24 years. We actually had our first date 26 years ago. We’ve known one another for 30 years. All that time and we’re still figuring each other out. Isn’t that the beauty of people? They’re like a video game that never ends. We just go from level to level unlocking mysteries and discovering new adventure.

People are just the coolest.

Admittedly, I really hate some video games. I like Pac Man, Galaga, Centipede, Pong you know, real video games. Simple games like simple people are easy to handle. I don’t like these new fangled games that have ten different buttons. I can’t seem to get past the first level on any of them. My son on the other hand has these thumbs on steroids. He makes me look like I have arthritis. He makes me feel old. Well, older. But you know what? It really isn’t my age that keeps me from excelling at the complex games, it’s my priorities.

I’d rather spend my time doing simple things that I’m comfortable with. Of course, the challenge there is minimal—as is the growth.

So it is with people. In the past I’ve tended to avoid people who challenge me to think a little deeper, people who stretch my thinking, people who point out the things in my life that need to change. The older I get and the more set in my ways I get, the more I seem to resist change and the people who call for it. But I know this isn’t God’s will.

God designed us for community.

Proverbs 27:17 says,
As iron sharpens iron,
so, one man sharpens another.

We need each other, badly.

Check out this observation from Donald Miller’s new book Searching for God:

“...the times in my life when I have been the most happy haven’t been the times when I’ve had the most money or the most freedom or the most anything, but rather when I’ve been in love or in community or right with people.”

He goes on to describe how a good friend explains this phenomena:

“My friend at Bible college believes that the qualities that improve a person’s life are relational, relational to God and to the folks around us.”

This sounds familiar. Jesus said the whole point of the Christian faith is to love God and love people, including you.

We need people in our lives, all kinds, even the annoying ones. We need people that require us to grow in the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 says,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Jerks dare us to exercise self-control. The poor challenge us to exercise kindness. Your little sister requires you to grow in patience. You get the point. We were made for community. God shapes us through people.

So, don’t avoid people. Gather with them regularly. Make new friends often, friends who challenge you to change. Above all, don’t isolate yourself.

Proverbs 18:1
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment.

Don’t get stuck in your ways. Let people in. Take the risk. People are unpredictable and mysterious, that’ why I love them!


(My buddy Sam says it helps to think of people like sit-com characters. Sometimes you just have to step outside the bubble and enjoy people for the characters they are. Honestly, humans are just the most awesome of all entertainments!)

JUST THE NEWS for 12/12/05

Good morning all! Yesterday was a busy one. Here’s a synopsis:

Verge Life Sunday School:
Some great ideas came out when we started brain storming about hospitality. More to come on that from Billy Simmons.

AM Service:
The Couriers were different but cool for this time of year. Gave me flashbacks of when I was a kid. By the way, Stacy and crew did an outstanding job of decorating the sanctuary. I don’t think it’s ever looked better at Christmas. Heck, with the Couriers on stage and that backdrop we could've shot a Christmas Special for CMT.

Verge Life Executive Meeting:
I met with the Verge Life “co-pastors” for dinner and a meeting after church. Great things are happening and even greater are on the horizon. Angela Romero, Sheila Simmons and Sarah Bundy are doing a bang-up job on the Crave Life Cafe’. They’ve worked out a deal with Mark’s Coffee Shop to get espresso, steamed milk and other goodies for Saturday nights. The plan is to buy our own espresso maker soon. We’re also going to be getting an awning to give us that coffee shop look. Here’s some other things we discussed:

Verge Kids is no longer just about “watching the kids” while we do church. My wife has officially taken over the administration (Jannifer McKee did an awesome job of getting that ball rolling). Saturday night Sarah Bundy brought a full fledged service – with a service order, snack, game, lesson, craft and treat. The kids walked away having learned “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” What a cool thing- to be the first person to plant that in the hearts of children. Suzan will be ordering curriculum and developing a master plan approach early next year.

Verge Life DVD- a promo DVD for our Saturday service will soon be completed and duplicated for sharing with folks. Joe Little has done a terrific job (Sam taught him well). We hope to have it completed by the first Saturday in January.

Pastor Jason & Myra Hess will be moving to our area this week. Jason holds credentials with the Assemblies of God. He and Myra have worked as a youth leaders and youth pastors since Suzan and I pastored in Hedgesville, WV. Their purpose for moving to our area is to work along side an awesome church like Lighthouse while preparing for God’s next assignment. Please pray for them during this time of transition.

Verge Sound Booth- Anthony Forrest did a fabulous job building the new sound booth!!! Props have to also go out to Eddie Romero and Joe Little for helping out as well. A new pool table and air hockey table are on the way. We also now have Halo 2 in the gameroom. Andrew Gayfield & Anthony Forrest are making it happen!


Freakfest- get set for a night a ridiculous rockin’ for the rock. We had our first meeting last week. So far, there will be 5 bands performing as well as several soloist. We’ll be hammin’ it up American Idol style.

Small Group Altar Times
Saturday Night we broke out into prayer & discussion groups instead of doing a traditional altar service. Everyone seemed to love that. It created a much more intimate environment and didn’t come off so religious.

PRAY FOR:
John Joyce- he has surgery on Wednesday for his back.
Billy Simmons- he dislocated his shoulder playing football at the church on Saturday. Not a good time of year to lose work. Let's hold'em up.
The Lussiers as they prepare for a next year’s tour.
There’s plenty more I’m sure....go to lighthouseworshipcenter.com


IN CLOSING:
Get ready to WELCOME BACK our college, Master’s Commission and military folks for Christmas. JOSH WOOLLEY was in the house on Sunday morning ( Lookin’ all pimp). And He brought the Curtis Kinser!

I'll be off Monday and Tuesday but Joe Little & Anthony Forrest will be around the church working on Verge 68 propaganda.

Verge Youth will alas complete the Fall Ball games on Wednesday night.

Okay, Suzan has a surprise for me today for our 23 rd anniversary. The actual date is December 17 but hey let’s party now! Love you all. Amen.

(Oh, thanks to Philip Summers for bringing cards and candy canes to everyone Saturday night)

The Church of the Self Righteous

Last night I went to the theater and saw The Chronicles of Narnia. Not only did I go to movies, but I went to see a movie with the word “witch” in the title. This act against the Church of the Self Righteousness is punishable by crucifixion should they discover my crimes.

I’m speaking of the church to which I used to belong and still occasionally affiliate with. The church that doesn’t smoke, chew or hang out with people that do.It’s not just a church that forbids it’s women to wear slacks, make-up or jewelry, much less occupy a pulpit. It’s not just the church that doesn’t believe in going to the beach, the bowling alley or the billiard hall. The Church of the Self Righteous also pickets and petitions everything from Walt Disney to Walmart in hopes of legislating matters of the heart. They make a lot of good points and I often agree with their premise. Their bandwagon is an attractive one. I mean, we’re all looking for something to be passionate about right? So why not be passionate about stomping out wickedness and conquering evil villains like the homosexuals and liberals. Yes, this kind of quest brings definition and purpose to the great battle we are in.

Should the Church of the Self Righteous discover my high treason I’m sure they shall prepare a cross for me along side the hippie, the whore and the homeless; the killer, the queer, and the criminal..... and did I mention the Carpenter.

The Chronicles of NAXERA

The Chronicles of

NAXERA

THE BRUCE, THE MARK and the SUSANS....SUZANS....

Last night at 10:20 pm, the Little crew, the Mason crew, the Tasha and the Bryan Briggoli were in the house at Hampton AMC 24 for the opening night of Narnia. Complete with a $50 bucket of buttered popcorn and $25 soda I sat through the 2:12 minute masterpiece. Miraculously, none of us had to get up during the movie. Ah, but before the movie I had to get up about three times. The third time was a charm 'cuz I stepped on this dudes pimpin' sneaker and I though he might go Murder, Inc. on me but he was cool. Good thing, I was packin' a fully loaded box of Milkduds.

THE MOVIE
Great stuff. I never read the books. I went to a Freewill Baptist School and they weren't about to turn us on to a book with "witch" in the title. What a shame, because this movie has so many scriptural themes. I s'pose a couple thousands pastors will be preaching from this movie tomorrow. I won't spoil it for any of you that haven't seen it or read the books. I will say that you need to see it because the movie makes for a great witnessing springboard.

WONDER
The other thing I will mention is the wonder demonstrated by the professor in the flick. When everyone else was questioning the existence of Narnia, the old man expressed belief. He had hope. Hope that such a place existed beyond the wardrobe. While there are many...and I mean many...lessons to be drawn from the movie, this one stands out to me. Never lose your sense of wonder. I thought it was significant that he was the oldest and most educated human in the movie and instead of being the biggest- know-it-all-skeptic or cynic, he was the optimist. Though he couldn't percieve Narnia with his senses, his heart knew it was there. By the end of the movie it's obvious he became more than just hopeful. He had acted on his hope and became a seeker. That's the way I hope I turn out when I grow up.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

IN CLOSING
2:00 am- time we arrived home from movie
2:30 am- time we went to bed
7:30 am- time Dinky woke me up to go out
7:32 am- time Dinky alerted me to enormous buck in my backyard
7:32:30 am-time I loaded my rifle
7:32:30 am- time buck galloped into sunrise
7:40 am - time I went back to bed
8:00 am- time Philip started nailing shingles on my roof
8:01 am- time I reloaded my rifle and tried to figure out how I could make it look like a hunting accident.

LOVING ME

Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must
Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best,
the best of you?
- Foo Fighters



I tell people all that time that living the Christian life really isn’t that complicated- just love God and love your neighbor. I draw those two simple truths from what’s commonly referred to as the Great Commandment:

Matthew 22:34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. [35] One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: [36] "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
[37] Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Seems pretty simple but we can miss a critical element to this great instruction. Jesus says- “love your neighbor AS YOURSELF.”

Admittedly, one of the hardest things for me to do is love myself. Today’s society, church included, can me feel less than lovely. Maybe I’d feel better about myself if I had- the wealth of Bill Gates, the looks of Brad Pitt, the voice of Tim McGraw and the heart of Mother Theresa...oh, and whatever sneakers Michael Jordan is endorsing.

Seriously, the goal of this world seems to be to make us feel like we’re too ugly, fat, poor, stupid, weird, goofy or unholy to be loved and accepted by anyone, much less ourselves. Thank God for Oprah or we’d all be suicidal!

In another passage a religious guy goes deeper and asks Jesus to explain what He means by “love your neighbor.” Jesus goes on to give us the story we commonly call the Good Samaritan story. You can find that story in Luke chapter 10.

I thought is was interesting to look at how the Samaritan showed his love for this battered man and ask: Do I love myself the way this Samaritan loved his neighbor? As I worked my way through the passage, here’s what I discovered:

1. The Samaritan had compassion on the victim (NIV says “pity”)

Do I have compassion on myself? Do I sometimes pity myself? I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, I find great healing in having a private pity party with the Lord but letting him bind up my broken heart when it’s done. We’ve all got issues!

2. The Samaritan took care of the fella’s wounds.

Do I nurse my own wounds? Or, do I bury them and act as if I’ve always got the victory? It’s essential that I get whatever help I need to keep myself emotionally, spiritually and even physically healed. In the words of Pastor Ken’s sermon last week – “GET REAL!”

3. The Samaritan went the extra mile and spent cold hard cash on the victim.

Yes, this is my favorite part about LOVING ME! In God’s eyes I’m royalty. I’m His chosen vessel. This isn’t pride in a bad sense. This is fact. Of course I have to keep things in balance. The point is, if I was worth Jesus life then I’m worth a new suit of clothes...or maybe a guitar (if it’s in my budget!...budget...schmudget). Just because I was born into Walmart world doesn’t mean I can’t grow into Nordstrom man!

This devo may seem a little backwards for this time of year when we should be others minded. The point is this, if you can’t love yourself then you aren’t really loving others anyway- you’re just putting up a religious front and giving out of duty. It looks good on the outside but that kind of giving is anything but cheerful. Start by loving yourself for who God made you to be:

You are a person of FAVOR
You are a person of POSITIVE INFLUENCE
You are a WORK OF EXCELLENCE
You are the EVIDENCE OF YOUR GOD

NOW ACT LIKE IT!

WISDOM: FUEL FOR LIFE

REGULAR $1.89
MID-GRADE $2.04
PREMIUM $2.15
NITROUS $5.00
WISDOM PRICELESS

Great service last night. Didn’t Sierra just rock the house? Audio Impact introduced a new song- Open Up the Gates (thanks to Christy Henry for giving us the Planet Shakers CD). It was good to see Curtis (hope I spelled that right) from Superfly TNT back last night. Musicians are just the coolest. I hope everyone got a chance to meet Ian, yet another musician. Lots of visitors last night, hope you met someone new!

Here’s the word for the day:

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.


My awesome White Wonder (my Jeep) has a high performance motor in it. The guy who owned it before me was a MOPAR mechanic and he blueprinted the motor out and built it to his specs. It really is a pretty fast vehicle for an SUV. I surprise people all the time. But the catch is, I can only get high performance out of it if I burn Premium gas...or in other words Supreme.

I believe that God built us for high performance. Ephesians 2:10 says:

Ephes. 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

PULLING OUT OF LIGHTHOUSE
When I drive off the lot in front of the church I frequently surprise the guy already moving toward me at 55 mph. As I pull out into the right lane and begin to accelerate, the guy already on 17 will shift to the left lane because he thinks he’ll run into my rear end if he doesn’t it. Then I put the pedal to the metal and surprise him. He never catches up to me before I’m at 55 mph. It’s a surprise because I’m not in a sports car or some sort of import with a fake muffler tip. Or, I’m not in an Escort with a fake muffler tip. I’m in a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

BACK TO THE HIGH PERFORMANCE YOU
Just like my engine was designed to run on SUPREME so is your life. WISDOM is the HIGH OCTANE stuff God makes available to us so we can surprise the world around us.
Luke 2:52 talks about how Jesus surprised the Doctor’s of Theology at the temple. He was so young yet wise.

When I try and run my Jeep on regular or even mid-grade I lose performance. So it is with our lives. When we try to run our lives on anything less than godly wisdom we get mediocre performance. God blueprinted you for HIGH PERFORMANCE. Fill up on His wisdom EVERYDAY and live the WINNING LIFE God has designed you for!


So, my dear friends, listen carefully,
Those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.
Mark a life of discipline and live wisely,
don’t squander your precious life
Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,
awake and ready for me each morning,
alert and responsive as I start my day’s work.
When you find me, you find life, real life,
to say nothing of God’s good pleasure.
But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul,
When you reject me, you’re flirting with death.
Proverbs 8:32-36 (MSG)

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE: Desires that Kill!

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE....
well amost...Williamsburg

DESIRES CAN FOOL US

Yesterday, Joe Little, Anthony Forrest and myself headed out to the College William & Mary to shoot video footage for the soon to be released Verge Life promo DVD.

Being the healthy eaters we are, we (I) decided to have lunch at Wendy’s. Like any good 42 Old with high cholesterol, I order the bonesless, skinless, tasteless, chicken sandwich...and I didn’t even super-size it! (Boy was I tempted)

Anthony on the otherhand, ordered TWO double cheeseburgers and a large fry. While we were eating I thought, “boy this kid can put it away.” After his first burger he said, “Food sucks. It’s a waste of money. You eat it and then you put it in the toilet.” Profound. He added, “Does anybody want this other chesseburger.”

My mom would have said his eyes were too big for his stomach.

Today, I read Proverbs 7 (because it’s December 7th right?) The whole chapter deals with a father telling his son not to follow the desire for an adulterous woman.

I was immediately reminded of the passage in James where he writes:

James 1:14-15
but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James is telling us that DESIRES can fool us. DESIRES can lead us down a path of death and destruction. In the words of Donald Miller from his book Blue Like Jazz:

SOMETIMES THE THINGS WE WANT MOST IN LIFE

ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL KILL US.

(checkout the cartoon at http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/images/DonRabbit.pdf)

DESIRE IN ITSELF CAN BE A GOOD THING

As a matter of fact, without DESIRE nothing would get accomplished. I mean you have to desire food just to stay alive. I have a great DESIRE for oxygen. Life just goes better with air. I DESIRE my wife. You’d better not. People DESIRE to start a business or go to school. Apparently, DESIRE can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on it’s origin.

The Apostle Peter used the term “corrupt desire of the sinful nature” (2 Peter 2:10)

Galatians 5:19-21 describes what Peter meant:

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:...let’s go to the MESSAGE version:

Galatians 5:19-21
It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; [20] trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; [21] the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.


So, when DESIRE seems to originate from the sinful nature-watch out! It’s a trap!!!

The good news is that God promises to give us RIGHT desires:

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

As we spend time with God and his people we are apt to DESIRE the right things. When I began to overcome my fears and insecurities and INVOLVED myself with church life- I began to lose my taste for sinful destructive desires while gaining a bent toward godly DESIRES.

What is a godly DESIRE? Well, ask yourself....

Is the thing I WANT apt to have originated in the SIN NATURE (see above)- then it's apt to lead to some sort of DEATH- death to a relationship, death to purity, death to emotions, career, education, etc.....and of course...death...as in dying.

Or did this DESIRE develop while pursuing God? Then it's apt to bring new life to your relationships, career, dreams, etc., etc., etc..

My advise....ask God before ordering the extra cheeseburger.....whatever that cheeseburger may represent.

Life....Get It. Live It. Give It.
PM

P.S.
Anthony did finally eat the other cheeseburger...for supper!

Battle of the Bands – WINNERS!!!

HINDSIGHT WINS BATTLE OF THE BANDS
With tight hard rock rhythms, excellent guitar skills and growling vocals the youngsters continue to build their fan base and their resume. Bryan, Jessie, James, Schuyler and the Swedish guitar legend Noved Snilloc walked away with $100 and smiles on their faces. Catch Hindsight again New Years’ Eve at Freakfest 06: The Ultimate Rock Show.

2nd Place- Zion’s Triumph
Mark Zang continues to write progressive guitar riffs that are complemented by the backbone of Joe Little on drums and RJ Rohrbach on bass guitar. Look for Zion’s Triumph at Freakfest 06!

3rd Place- Superfly TNT
Serious props have to go out to these guys for improvisation. The band only practiced a couple of times before the Battle of the Bands. Despite being a late entry the guys...and gal...Laura...were able to pull off an awesome tribute to Noah DeVault as well as a fun – almost Spinal Tap-like hard rock tune. Their hilarious stage antics gave me flashbacks of Kiss!

4th Pace-Katabatic X
Who knew Louie Pearce could sing??? If Katabatic X stays in they game there's a great possibility they could become real contenders.


SHRED OFF WINNER!!!
Congratulations to Jason Kram for winning the Shred Off- Guitar Solo Competition!

Special thanks to Bryan Thomson and In2Sound for bringing the thunderous sound system.

Thanks to Paula (Nick Henry), Randy (Anthony Forrest) and Simon (Eddie Romero) for judging.

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS to the almost 200 fans who showed up to make our first Battle of the Bands an awesome experience.

November 25, 2005 7:45am- Bucky bites the dust while chasing a hot young doe in my direction. The doe walked gingerly away. Take a clue fellas!