Dana’s Blog

It’s that time when candidates for ordination in the United Methodist Church get to meet their presenters who will take them before the Board of Ordained Ministry in April. It is time for reading tons of theology papers, for listening to sermons, for looking at report and lots of praying for direction.

It’s that time to begin worrying about appointments in the North Georgia Conference. It is time to consider if one’s ministry is complete and it is time to move or to invest in another year at the same church. It is time for looking at the Journal to see what churches might be opening and it is time to listen to the grapevine and see where everyone else thinks you are going. It is time to pray and seek God’s direction in our ministries

It’s that time to move through the most holiest week of the year and follow in the footsteps of Jesus to the cross and to the empty tomb! It is time to reflect on our spiritual life and to seek renewal as we grow in our discipleship. It is time to get the new outfit for Easter to wear it proudly proclaiming new life. It is time to pray that resurrection will happen to us again … right now this Easter

It’s that time to consider another year of our life … wow half a century. It is time to think about “Just for Men” and One A Day Vitamins. It is time for those fun test from the doctor and his assistants. It is time to pray that God isn’t finished with me yet but has more for me.

It’s that time. The one connecting theme I have found with this time is the theme of … it is time to pray. Prayer is one of the most under used avenues of communication with the lover of our soul. Prayer has become trait and flippant for most, (Oh here comes Bob, I told him I would pray for him … “Lord, help Bob please,” Hey Bob been praying for you!)

It is that time to pray to spend time being still and knowing God. It is time to open myself to God and listen instead of talk. It is time to communicate with the One I say I love. It is time…thank goodness there is time!

Grace and peace,

Dana

There is a hidden truth in this story sent to me by Meri Tauzier. Sometimes truth is hidden in many things. It is really cool when it is shared in laughter … especially laoughter at ourselves.

Thank you Meri, and all of you enjoy and find the truth!

Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, ‘THAT’S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.’

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused.

They faxed.

They e-mailed.

They e-mailed with attachments..

They downloaded.

They did spreadsheets!

They wrote reports.

They created labels and cards.

They created charts and graphs.

They did some genealogy reports .

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than blazes.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off…

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed….

Finally, the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

‘It’s gone! It’s all GONE! ‘I lost everything when the power went out!’ Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.
Satan observed this and became irate.
‘Wait!’ he screamed. That’s not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don’t have any?’
God just shrugged and said,

JESUS SAVES

There is a lot of fear going around these days.

There is fear about tomorrow, about grades, about homes, about jobs, about the future and some fear overshadows all those and then some for some people. The nation is in crisis and nobody can seem to find a way to help us out of it. We are running scared in the world … all because of the power of money.

Don’t get me wrong, I like money and I can find so many uses for it; enough uses in fact to run out of it before I know it. Yet how we view money and the power we give money has been the issue for us in this country and the world. We have allowed money to right next to God (sometimes higher than God). I shared in my Sunday sermon that our life is not measured by the amount of our possession. This is not my word but the words of Jesus. That puts a whole new spin on the power of money.

We do not need to stand in fear but instead to stand in faith. We need to let our faith conquer not only our fear but our issues with money and how it has taken control of our lives. Faith finds ways where money says … sorry we are in a recession … sorry we have cut the budget …. sorry you have lost you job but there is not enough money to go around …. sorry we are forclosing on your home – faith say, my life is not measured in the amount of my procession.

In those moments we in faith turn to the faith community to our brothers and sisters and say, please help. We belong to a community of the compassionate and committee. This community of faith cares for each other and the entire world. We are the hands and feet and heart of Jesus.

That being the case we stomp out fear and offer faith, even in the darkest of times Never forget no matter how fearful it seems … God is still God and God still loves you and me and will provide a way.

Keep the faith!

We are doing a lot of preparations as Christmas 2009 approaches. We are decorating the tree, putting up the lights, sending out the Christmas cards or emails and of course shopping for the right present for that special someone. Christmas takes loads of prep work and it seems to get to be more and more each year.

Behold I have Good News of Great Joy! Christmas is not about us. Wow, did you get that? Christmas is not about us, but about Jesus Christ. Christmas is about God giving to planet earth the greatest gift we could possibly receive. Jesus comes to us like one of us and lives among us and for the love of each one of us dies in our place to cover all our sin; past, present and future. All you and I have to do is to accept the gift in our hearts and enjoy the season — the life.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t give presents to each other or we shouldn’t send greetings to people we love … no that is an act similar to God act but in a smaller way. What I am saying is there is prep work to do.

For the coming of Christ into our lives we got to make room. We make room by giving up some stuff that has no place in our lives. We put out the old and the broken and the worn out and all that would keep us away from God and sweep our hearts clean for the filling of Christ child. Yes, Jesus wants to live in our hearts and lives. We can accept the gift but if there no where to put it the gift gets crowded out and forgotten with all the other stuff pushed into our lives. Jesus needs space … all the space and He will then help us arrange what is important for living in our lives. Jesus will take over the next prep job.

Christmas is not about us … radical uh? It is about Jesus for us. I hope when you see me you will say, “are you prepping preacher?” I will pray for you to prep too!

Happy Advent … don’t rush to Christmas just yet; prepare the way!

It is a blessing to have a great many judges in our congregation; men and women who daily have to render a verdict over anothers life, because of their actions or the actions of another. The judges I know are extremely wise and full of grace and love. They take very seriously the task placed upon them by the people of our community. One even described her position as one who cares for those who can’t always care for themselves. I’m proud of these judges and honor them! I’m glad I’m not a judge, I don’t believe I have the strength to render the tough and the gracious verdicts. I’m glad it rest in the hands and hearts of these men and women.

I’m glad ithat in spiritual things I’m not a judge either! Jesus tells us in the Bible that we are not to judge anyone; judgement belongs to God and God alone. Yet, so many times I see my self holding that gavel and bringing down judgement on another. “He looks strange” “She is dressed wrong” “Their children need discipline” “He’s no better than me” and on and on I go.

When I look into the mirror or even the mirror of my soul I know that I have no right to judge any man or woman, any boy or girl. I am surrounded by sin, I play in sin, I breath sin — in fact there are moments I seek sin out. Yes, I sin daily and stand in need of the mercy and grace of the only judge of life. There are many times I simply do the wrong thing or say the wrong word or even give the wrong look, unintentionally but still it is there. I have fallen short of the man I know God wants me to be.

Jesus promises us that if we tell him about our failures and short comings, about our journey into sin He will advocate with the Father God — the judge, and there will be mercy and grace for us. The Judge drops the gavel and says “innocent; go and sin no more”

If God can do that for me I know I “walk”  because of His love. And when I “walk” I can not stand in judgement of my fellow man or woman EVER! Mine is only to encourage and point them to the Judge of mercy and grace. I am so tired of a religious faith that condemns instead of loves, that judges instead of showing the same grace shown.

I want to open my arms wide to those who are burdened and worn and like Jesus I want to say “come and let me show you true mercy and grace … true love … a true judgement.” I have a lot to work on. What about you? Is this a struggle in your life?

The verdict in Christ is always “ innocent”. Let’s leave the judging to those elected and to the One proclaimed by Christ.

When your down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know whereever I am
I’ll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You’ve got a freind.
If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, Spring, summer or fall
All you got to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They’ll hurt you and desert you.
Well they’ll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don’t you let them.
You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don’t you know that,
Winter Spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you’ve got to do is call.
Lord, I’ll be there, yes I will.
You’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.

Boy does this bring back the memories. I remember singing this around the camp fire at Camp Leesburg and in my youth group at Brandon First UMC many years ago. I remember the good feeling it gave me as I looked into the faces of Greg Coker, Scott Stevens, Karen McGovern, Gaye Bua, Denise Williams and so many more. Through the years those faces have changed and it has been Todd Hilton, Greg Meadows, Susan Lee, and others during the college and seminary years. I see many faces now as the circle grows to include the faces of Max, Bill, Scott, Mark, John, Allison, Jamie, Gary, Angela, Malinda, and so many more.

How often I forget these faces in the midst of life and struggle and heartache. I get so busy being the preacher, being the husband and father that I find I can’t see any faces and wondering if I have any friends at all. I think it could be a genetic thing with me but I don’t know.

The good news for me … I always have a friend with me, and His name is Jesus Christ. I know, I know many of you are thinking how corny … just what you would expect from a preacher right? Right. But nevertheless it has been in those darkest moments when I have sheltered myself from all earthly friends that Jesus can’t be kept out. He loves me so much He is always there. The writer of Romans puts it this way, “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus; NOTHING!

I can’t imagine how much gruff Christ takes from me in my failing and my sinful living but still He loves me. There is nothing I can do to stop His love from raining down on me and in me. This God is a pretty awesome God. God’s main concern is my salvation and my completeness in Him. So God will never leave me or forsake me.

When I feel low and throw my pity party, God will not leave me be in my mood. God comes and sits with me till He can bring me up and out.

I wonder have you experienced a God, a Savior like that? He is so ready to meet you in your lowness and brokenness and not to judge you but love you to be the man or woman He knows you can be. You have a friend – - – always in Jesus Christ; oh and in me too!!

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It is that time of the year again. Every fall the church gathers around the topic of stewardship and how to raise the needed funds for the next years mission and ministry budget. Not this year! This year I want us to consider how we can live in faith and in courage with our entire life (finances included) that would bring glory and honor to God.

If we truly believed in what the scriptures say about the love and goodness of God; how would our lives be different? If we had the faith to step out and really do those “impossible things” how much more would our lives be blessed?If we had the faith to say to the passel of troubles in our lives, “God is greater and I’m really going to trust in God.” how little would the troubles be real troubles?

If we had the courage to be different from the rest of the world, to be not our own person but God’s called out and committed person how much stronger would we be? If we had the courage to try something new (well really old) like live in our faith and trust God completely for our every need.

I’m not saying be a “religious lunnytune” where God will do it all for me all I have to do is sit here and study my navel. No to live in faith and courage requires us to use our minds and our hearts together in order to know and see what God knows and sees. It means being active in our lives; but lives that are entrusted to God’s care completely.

How would our lives be different if we lived in faith and courage? I think we would be bolder people. I know we would be a people who would not let the world tell us what to do and how to do it. I believe we would be a people who were truly extravagantly generous in their service to others and in their giving to the high causes of God through the Church.

In Faith and Courage has the potential to change our lives and our church.  Is there enough faith out there? Is there enough courage? I think so … what about you?

We have just finished 3 days of the best revival I have ever been a part of in my many years. We were blessed here at McDonough First to hear Dr. Tommy Willingham deliver the Word of God from his heart during our times of worship and celebration. Tommy held back no punches and he beat no one over the head. His preaching truly inspired and renewed and revived us … well at least me!

In the olden days revivals had a history of being done to get people “saved”; to drag in the sinners and convert them. We United Methodist look at it a bit different today. Sure, if the lost person joins the service and finds the grace of Jesus Christ we celebrate big time. But, for us (ok me) revival is more of a time to take stock of my spiritual life and to renew me that long journey. Revival is to revive my fainting spirit and to refresh my ordinary life. The sad thing is we don’t reach large crowds with this any longer. We were blessed to average 90 folks throughout the 3 evenings. Why didn’t more come like in the old days?

Like a lot of things we offer perhaps revival is not for everyone. We live in a very busy society and very weary one at the end of a long day. There are tons of options to help people in their Christian walk that don’t require nightly worship. There are small groups that meet many needs there are Bible Studies that transforms lives. The list is endless and the church is providing all it can to keep the disciple on top. Revival can be one of many spiritual growth times.

What does all this mean? It means for me that revival was awesome and I grew again but I hope others are growing too in their “revival” groups. Each day should be a day of revival in our lives because the enemy of God is at us all the time and to be renewed, refreshed, revived is what we need 24/7

No revival isn’t over … it is just beginning!