Funny Things Happen Outside

There is something calming about the great outdoors. I love being outside, relaxing, interacting with God’s creations in it’s purest and most original form. Dirt, trees, wildlife – for the most part they remain in the state in which they were created. How peaceful it is to be outside, away from the din and bustle of “civilization” and to hear the cicadas, bullfrogs, crickets, and other critters as they sing their own songs of praise.

This particular night was calm and pretty much mundane – a night just like hundreds before it. They were out at night transporting livestock from one location to the next. They had stopped to rest a bit and they were looking up at the beautiful night sky. I would imagine the conversation between the men was typical guy talk, I mean after all they were rugged farmhands. I am sure they loved being outside in the fresh air and the peace and quiet.

All of a sudden their world was turned upside down and their agenda was radically changed. Their calm was disturbed, their quiet was interrupted by commotion, and their peace was turned to stark terror. All of a sudden someone appeared to be floating above them in the sky. It was an angel. Had they had too much to drink? Were the sheep finally getting to them? Had they finally lost their minds? No, no, and probably, no. This was really happening. Now this one angel was joined by a host of angels and they were announcing the birth of the Messiah, the Chosen One of God who would deliver God’s people from oppression and establish again the Kingdom of God.

Can you imagine what that must have felt like? You are sitting there one moment, engaged in the routine, on a quiet evening just like all others, when out of nowhere suddenly you start seeing and hearing angels. And the humor of it all? The angel’s first words . . . “Don’t be afraid.” (Yeah, right!) “For behold, I bring you good news which shall be great joy for all the people. Today in the city of David a Savior is born!”

Don’t be afraid. Let those words sink in. Don’t be afraid. Friends, you and I have absolutely NOTHING to fear, all because of Christmas. Since Jesus came into this world, we can exchange FEAR for HOPE. Think about it . . . what is the thing we fear most? Probably death. But since Jesus came and died for our sins, we need not fear death if we have placed our trust in Him and sworn our allegiance to Him. Paul said, “O death where is your sting, O grave, where is your victory . . . Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And if death is defeated, what is there in LIFE that we need fear?

This Christmas, I challenge you to focus on the HOPE that He brings into the world. I am certainly no angel, as I am sure you will all agree, but I do have some good news. Whatever your fear, whatever your worry, whatever your anxiety, Jesus wants to, can, and will take it on Himself if you will let Him.

Have no fear, Jesus is here! THAT is the message of Christmas.

Reminiscing

I’ve been doing some reminiscing the last few days. You see, this month marks my 20th anniversary as a pastor. I still remember my first church. My senior year in college, I had finally listened to God and answered His call on my life to preach. I loved music, and for the previous 4 years had tried to “compromise” with God and His call by agreeing to enter them ministry on my terms, as a music minister. But God finally broke through and I surrendered to His will. Times have sometimes been tough and I have had moments when I wondered if I should be doing something else, but I cannot imagine being anything but a pastor. I know that I was born to do this. I also know that I am able to do it not because of any skill or ability within me, but only because God, in His grace, continually enables me to do it. My life scripture is Colossians 1:28-29:

We proclaim Him [Christ], warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so
that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving
with His strength that works powerfully in me.

I have learned something from every church I have pastored. Most of the time those lessons did not become obvious until after I had left that particular church and after a season of reflection. I want to share some of those lessons with you, but in the end I want to challenge you to love and support your pastor.

My first church was Garrison Baptist Church in Warner Robins, GA. I pastored there for nine months during my senior year of college. They were willing to take me on for that short amount of time, know that when I graduated from college I would be going off to seminary. The average Sunday morning attendance at Garrison was 8. Yes, 8 people. In fact, the church no longer exists. They managed for several years after I left, even went up a little in numbers, but eventually merged with another church. At Garrison, I learned that people matter. Even though our numbers were few, our worship was important, and God was honored with what we did there. At Garrison, I learned the discipline of planning my preaching. I started a practice there that I have followed throughout the years since – I learned to plan my sermons for three months at a time.

I left Garrison and went off to seminary . . . for one semester. Returning home, I became pastor at Cooperville Baptist Church in March of 1988. It was at Cooperville that I became active in the local Baptist association. I learned the value of cooperating with other ministers and churches to accomplish more together than any of us could alone. I learned the value of people . . . those are some of God’s best people at Cooperville. I also learned how much God can accomplish through a group of people motivated to serve Him – that’s what the people at Cooperville were.

I served there for 2 ½ years before accepting the call to Cadwell Baptist Church in Cadwell, GA in October of 1990. This was my first full-time pastorate where I actually lived on the field. At Cadwell, I learned the value of relationships. I continued to be involved in associational work, and there we had a small but close knit group of pastors who loved, supported, and prayed with each other. I have never experienced this type of fellowship since. Andrea and I both also developed some very close relationships with church members. I still can count a double handful of families from Cadwell with whom I maintain some contact and whom I still consider some of my most cherished friends.

I stayed at Cadwell for 6 years before leaving in August, 1996 to go on campus at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC and finish work on my Masters’ Degree. During my 2 years in NC I didn’t pastor, but concentrated on my school work. Then in August, 1998 I became pastor of Pointe South Community Church in Riverdale GA. At Pointe South, I learned the value of relevance. I had always made great efforts to make sure my preaching contained solid, Biblical teaching, but at Pointe South I learned the necessity to bridge the gap between Biblical knowledge and everyday living. I learned to also teach how Biblical truth applied to everyday life in the 21st century.

I stayed at Pointe South until October, 2004 when I came to my present post at Hoschton, where I am still hopefully learning and growing. I am sure when God calls me from this place and I look back at ministry here, there will also be many good lessons learned. I hope that my little walk down memory lane has not bored you too much, and in conclusion I want to offer three insights into a pastor’s heart . . . three simple things you can do proactively to bless your pastor.

First, remember that your pastor is a person. He is not just an employee or one who provides a service, he is a man who make his living serving God and you, but who nonetheless is as saddled with humanity as you. He has human needs like affirmation, self-fulfillment, and need to feel as though he is accomplishing some purpose. Speak positive things to your pastor OFTEN. Do not worry that he will get the “big-head.” Just trust me on this one, for every compliment the pastor receives, there are at least five complaints – so a “big-head” is no danger. Find ways to proactively affirm him and his family as often as possible. In fact, what I have observed is that your pastor will become WHO you make him.

Second, remember your pastor is a family man. He is a husband and father. Give him space and time to be with his family. Not everyone is on call 24/7 like a pastor. Not every wife has to watch her husband walk out the door to help some other couple strengthen their marriage. Not every child has to watch daddy drive away to go visit someone else, not returning until AFTER bed time. Churches are quick to jettison a pastor who has a less than perfect family, but often too slow to allow a pastor the time and space to prevent such a family meltdown.

Finally, remember your pastor is vulnerable. Both professionally and personally pastors are among the most vulnerable public servants. It seems that we can never “win.” What brings the praises of half the congregation also brings the condemnation of the other half. When you hear others complain about the pastor – nip it in the bud. Just ask that person right there one the spot to please stop it. As pastors, we hear the criticisms. They get back to us. They hurt. They sap our energy and they seriously wound our hearts to the point that sometimes it is hard to go on. I have been the beneficiary of knowing there are people in my church championing my cause and that is a great motivator. I have also been aware of times when criticisms spread like kudzu on southern roadside without anyone to stand up and plead my cause – that is a great discourager.

And finally, a word of advice. If you don’t like your pastor and you wish he would leave, the best thing you can do is pray that your pastor will improve. God will honor it, he will improve and another church will come along and take him off your hands.

LOVE YOUR PASTOR . . . HE LOVES YOU.

How Can I Say Thanks?

Giving thanks is so much more than just an exercise in gratitude; it is also a confession – a confession that we are not who we are and where we are because of ourselves. Thanksgiving is a time to recognize that there are factors outside of ourselves that contribute to the blessings of life. Our humanistic culture tells us that we have everything we need inside of us to be happy, blessed, and successful. The Bible tells me that “within me . . . dwells no good thing.” On my own I am hopeless and helpless. So thanksgiving reminds me that others have played a huge role in making my life what it is. So with that in mind I want to offer Thanksgiving Shout-Outs to some people. I am sure I will leave out some, I can’t mention everyone, but these few are on my heart today and I want to use my space here to say thanks.

Let’s start with the FAITH category. First of all I am thankful that the grace of God that brings salvation appeared to me and that Christ called me to Himself. I am thankful that God saw something in me that He wanted and that He has allowed me to be His child. I am thankful for the many times God pulled a Jeremiah 18 on me. If you don’t know what that one is, read the story of the Potter. There are many times God could have given up on me and cast me aside and He hasn’t. Also, I am thankful for the privilege of teaching God’s Word and leading God’s people. I never take for granted the blessed privilege, yet awesome responsibility and grave trust God has place in me.

Then there is the FAMILY category. I am blessed with a beautiful bride and a darling daughter. Andrea and Rebekah are indeed the sunshine in my life. When I look at Andrea, I wonder what she must have been thinking when she said “I Do.” I wonder if she realized “do” would involve all that it has. But DO she has done, and she has done it with a grace that is truly amazing. Then, Bekah. What can I say? Even as I type this she is marching through my office at home blowing her kazoo . . . at 10:30 at night! Full of energy and I love every ounce of her. She has taught me more about my Heavenly Father than I ever could have learned. Thank you, girls.

Also, I am thankful for parents and a sister who helped make me what I am today. Yeah, blame them if you have any complaints. LOL. But I think they did an amazing job with what they had to work with. Much of what I know spiritually is the result of my dad and mom putting me in positions to learn and grow spiritually. They saw to it that I went to church – and at a solidly Biblical one at that – and that I had a Christian education. And at home they reinforced that training. When I married Andrea, I inherited a whole new set of family. And the Johnsons and Hortons have played a role in blessing me – probably in ways they will never imagine. And all my uncles, aunts, and cousins, you all have been such a comfort. And I still miss my grandmothers so much. Sometimes, painfully so. Thank you, folks.

Two other mentions here in family. While it would seem more appropriate to list them as friends, they are far more than that . . . they are the brothers I never had – Shannon and Heath. Your families have become my extended families and I could not imagine what life would have been without y’all, but I KNOW it would have been less of a blessing. I am almost as much Moxley and Menchew as I am Duggan. When Bekah was born, in those first few weeks when Andrea and I had almost “lost” it, there was Shannon, full of encouragement and advice. He came to the house – in a thunderstorm and spent time with us telling us how he made it through. And of course the Menchews . . . Heath, Nina, Hanin, and Heather are as much a part of our life as living and breathing. We love all of you so much. Thank you.

Then the FRIENDS category. It is said that if a person has one true friend that they are blessed. I have many and I want to “single” out three – if that is grammatically possible: Ricky, Michael, Chris. The Thrashers have been part of my life since college. Other than those listed in family, no one has been willing to stick with me that long. That we get to work so closely together now is truly a blessing to me. The Pettys came into my life at one of the high times and they remain a bright spot. I cannot think of anyone I have prayed with more or shared with more than Michael. He is indeed a brother that knows my heart even more than I know it myself. That we DO NOT get to work closely together saddens me. Maybe one day! And it sure was difficult to watch Stacey Thrasher and Mallory Petty get married. I watched those little girls grow into beautiful ladies and I thank their fathers for letting us share in the experience of their lives. The Gilliams, while relatively new to the Duggan experience (about 10 years now), nonetheless have been a source of strength and joy to us. You guys have been there so many times when we needed you, and we can never repay your friendship. And by the way, don’t let Meredith get married anytime soon, OK? I don’t think I can take another one. I figure she is at least 15 years away, right? Thank you all for allowing us into your homes, your hearts, and your lives. We love you.

Then one other friend who is like a sister to me – Pat Terry. What would I do without you? I mean, really, whose life could I complicate if I didn’t have you? I thank you for so much more than just the job you do, although that to me is indispensable, I thank you for the woman that you are. You put up with so much more than most people realize – so much of which is on account of me – and yet you continue on serving the Lord. You are an inspiration and I love and thank you for it all.

One last category I will call FELLOWSHIP. A recent development in my life is to be part of an online community. This blog as well as three message boards make up a large part of my online experience. I want to say thank you to all who read this blog and comment either on the blog, on the message boards, or by email. It amazes me that anyone is interested in, much less benefited by my random thoughts. But then again, only God can strike a straight blow with a crooked stick. I have made many new friends online, and I enjoy so much the fellowship with all of you. But here are just a few to whom I want to say special thanks.

Deon and Susan Unthank, Chris and Amy – SoGo was my first online home and you still bless me letting me be a part of what you do there. All the folks at SoGo are special to me.

Laura Kennedy – thanks for your friendship and for letting me be a part of the Nuts Board. Hey, and because of you, I am published. WOW! Thanks, girl!

The Browns and all the folks at SGML – thanks for letting me post the Hot Seat updates. And thanks to all the folks on the board there who offer me such rich encouragement.

Missy White – thank you for everything you have done. My little girl has experienced more THIS YEAR than most people get to in a lifetime because of you. But even more than what you do, thanks for who you ARE. You are a treasure

Colie – if my daughter grows up to be like you, I will consider myself a blessed father.

And then last, but CERTAINLY not least my church family. Thank you for putting up with me.

Two words – thank you – seem so insufficient to express to everyone in my life what you mean to me. You are God’s richest blessings in my life I thank Him for you and I thank you for all that you are and do.

Assigned Seats

What a nice wedding reception we attended Saturday for our friend Amy and her new hubby Cyril. We had a blast! Amy and Cyril both belong to an authentic German dancing troupe, and the band provided lively music for the reception, and we were treated to an elegant dinner and of course, the usual delicious wedding reception niblets and desserts.

But the most intriguing thing to me, was the organization for the whole evening. I estimate there were upwards of 250-300 people there and the seating was handled in the most orderly fashion I have ever seen. As we stood in the receiving line, anxious to congratulate the happy couple, we passed a table that had place cards with the names of each of the guests and a number beneath the name. We discovered that the number corresponded to the table where we were to sit. We were fortunate to sit at table 18, with Wendy Middleton, another of our Raleigh friends, and her parents along with one of the bridesmaids and her husband. It was great to meet Wendy’s beautiful mother and charming father, and of course it lead us to wonder . . . where did Wendy come from? Her dad reminded us that since we knew Wendy, we could understand why she was an only child. I have never been a big fan of “assigned seats,” but our assignment for the evening turned out to be a true fellowship blessing.

Of course unofficial assigned seats are the norm in church. Most pastors can usually check attendance while preaching because generally our members sit in the same seats week after week. And woe to the unsuspecting visitor who decides to worship in the very pew already “assigned” to one of the faithful weekly attendees. In one church I pastored, I actually saw it happen. Just before the service started, one of our regulars came in the door, turned to his left to take his rightful place in his usual spot on his familiar pew, when, lo and behold, a visitor had already taken his seat. The gentleman actually did a 180, went back out the door, walked back down the street to his house, and chose to worship with one of the TV preachers that day. I had heard those stories, but never seen it happen.

There is a case in the Bible of assigned seats . . sort of. At least the Scripture provides three categories, into one of which every one of us falls. Consider this passage:

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things
that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but
he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of
the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but
as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were
not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly.
For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are
you not acting like mere men?

Notice with me the three classifications. First, there is what the Bible calls the natural man, or “the one without the Spirit.” This person does not possess the Holy Spirit and therefore does not have the ability to view life through Spiritual eyes. They may be a religious person, good person, church member, a preacher even. But this person has never entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ and therefore they do not have Holy Spirit. They are like an AM/FM radio trying to pick up a satellite service like Sirius or XM. They just are not equipped properly. Even the good that these people do is motivated by their own understanding of things. They are self-made, self-sufficient, and self-motivated.

The second classification mentioned in the passage is the spiritual man. He person DOES possess the Holy Spirit, in fact it would be more appropriate to say the Holy Spirit possess this person. He does not worry about man-centered judgment and discernment, but rather views things from Christ’s perspective. This person lives his life as a slave of Christ, seeking to use every daily opportunity to advance His cause. He is motivated by a desire to please God and bring people to a place where they see and seek Him.

Unfortunately the third classification is where most Christians I know live - the carnal man. The word carnal means “flesh.” The carnal man is a Christian, but one who lives His Christian life in such a way as to fulfill his own desires. He makes decisions based on what he likes or dislikes with no consideration given to a heavenly perspective. This immature existence is manifested by some very selfish behavior - strife, jealousy, envy. There is nothing wrong with being a baby - IF YOU’RE A BABY. But the carnal man is one who should be showing signs of maturity and moving closer to “spiritual man” status, but instead is still focused more on his or her perspectives in life.

So, three seats:

- the natural man, lost without Jesus, not equipped for spiritual living
- the spiritual man, in tune with and obeying what God is saying
- the carnal man, saved, but living a self-centered existence

If you are natural, ask Jesus to come into your life, forgive your sins and take control. He will give you the Holy Spirit and you will develop the ability to hear God speak.

If you are carnal, confess your self-centeredness to Christ, and renew your commitment to His control in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you begin to think with the Mind of Christ.

Burn, Baby! Burn!

I love my fireplace. The ONLY thing I like about cold weather is to build a warm fire and sit in front of it. To me, a fire in a fireplace is relaxing. Oh, and don’t give me any of this fake stuff. “Gas logs?” Yeah… Right… Those things aren’t logs and no way does that gas smell like a good slow burning pecan log or hickory, or even smooth red oak. Can you believe that they actually have a fireplace video now? Oh yes, you can pop it in and enjoy the sights and sounds of a fire right there on your TV screen. PUH-LEEZ!

Convenience – or possibly even laziness – compels us to look for an easier alternative to cutting and chopping wood, and scooping ashes out of the fireplace. A genuine wood burning fire may require a little work, but its smell, sound, and of course warmth cannot be duplicated. Not to mention the fact that if you can get your hands on some wood, a real fire is cheap – free even. Now that speaks VOLUMES to me.

God used a fire the other night to challenge me. I kept working at the fire to get it going and keep it going. You see, one other thing about a real fire, it requires maintenance. As I tended the fire, God began to challenge me about the fire in my life – the fire that burns for Him. Had I let it cool? Was I content to look for “gas log” type substitutes and short cuts? Did I settle for less that the warmth and comfort that only a fire for Him could provide? This verse came to mind:

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” – 2 Timothy 1:6

Honestly, I can think back to times when I burned brighter and hotter for God than I do now. The reasons are varied, but none of them valid. Whatever those reasons, the common denominator was that I did not tend the fire of God in my life, I let it smolder without giving it the necessary attention. It is possible, as a minister, to operate on “auto-pilot,” much like a gas log fireplace. We go through the motions, we learn to say the right things, give the appearance that all is well, when in reality the temperature in the firebox of our heart has dropped dangerously low.

I am thankful that God used that fire in my fireplace at home the other night to challenge me about the fire in my heart. What He showed me, I share with you in hopes that you will not settle for artificial substitutes, but that you, too, will fan into flames the burning embers of the grace of God present in your life. God reminded me, as I considered my work in the fireplace, that a fire needs three things to keep burning.

First, the fire needs to be fed. One log will not burn all night – at least not the logs I have. To keep the fire going, I have to introduce a new log every now and then – “put another log on the fire” so to speak. The same thing is true in my life spiritually. I cannot continue to burn brightly with what God fed me last week. I need to hear from God and His Word every day to keep fresh fuel on my fire. I need to read God’s Word to hear Him address my life – not just study for sermons or lessons, or even for blog material – I need God’s Word to address MY LIFE. And I need to do that regularly.

Also, the fire needs to be fanned. Oxygen is vital to a fire. In fact, every fire is extinguished when it is smothered – or oxygen-deprived. As the flame on a fire place starts to dwindle, I can blow on the red hot embers and once again the flames rise. That happens because my blowing provides much needed oxygen to the fire. In my spiritual life, I need the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to blow in my life. I need to start everyday asking Him to control every thought, word, attitude, and action in my life. I need to ask Him to bear His fruit in my life. I need what only the Holy Spirit can do in my life. I need His filling, His empowerment, His activity or else my fire for God suffocates. The good news is that all the Holy Spirit has to offer is mine, if only I ask Him for it, and then yield my will to His for it to come to pass.

Then finally, the fire needs to be freshened. You freshen a fire by stirring it around a bit, moving the logs, creating some breathing room. My spiritual life also needs to be freshened. I need to put myself in a position to experience new activity of God in my life. I need fresh challenges and experiences if I am to grow. How can I grow if the only things I do are the things I have already done? Where is any growth in that? How can I see God move in miraculous ways in my life if I am not ready to get in the way of a miracle? I need to be stirred. Granted, these freshening experiences are not always pleasant – after all, you freshen a fire with a pointed thing called a poker. Who among us really enjoys being poked and prodded? But you know what? The poker freshens the fire by stirring the fuel closer to the red hot center of the fire. When God uses His poker to stir my life, He usually draws me closer to Him, the blazing center of spiritual vitality and fire.

So . . . what does your fire need? Fuel? Fanning? Freshening?

For this reason, I remind YOU to rekindle the blaze of God in your life. You’ve been “cool” long enough, it’s time to turn up the heat and be a blaze of glory for God.

BURN, BABY! BURN!

The Waiting Game

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

The line was a lot longer than usual tonight. Our usual Sunday-night-after-church-at-Wendy’s outing took much longer than anticipate. And to add insult to injury, the longer than usual wait was caused by a tour bus load of Cleveland Brown fans who had not long since left the Georgia Dome after watch their team become the latest beneficiary of what can only be described as The Atlanta Falcons Charitable Football Follies. Yes, we lost to the lowly Browns. We stink.

Anyway, I hate waiting; I am a very impatient person. But really I have never met anyone who DID enjoy waiting. You know why our doctors call us patients? We sit in a waiting room packed full of sick people for 30 - 45 minutes past our appointment time. Then we are called back to the exam room – thinking that soon we will be seeing the doctor – where we spend another 30-45 minutes waiting . . . this time in isolation; except of course for the occasional visit by the nurse to take our BP, temp, etc. Finally we see the doctor, after we have waited about an hour and a half, and he/she spends all of 15 minutes with us poking, probing, prodding, and peering. Then when we go to the pay window we learn that apparently our doctor makes about $500 an hour since we are charged $125 for a 15 minute visit.

And of course I could go on about waiting in traffic, waiting in line, waiting on the phone (call waiting may be the rudest invention of all time), waiting for late appointments. The list could go on ad nauseum. EVEN GOD KEEPS US WAITING. You know what I am talking about. We pray – as He has instructed us to do – but it seems as though he puts us on hold while He answers other prayers. I almost expect to hear an angel come on the line sometime when I am praying and say, “All of our prayer lines are busy right now, but your prayer is important to us. Please remain on the line and your prayer will be answered in the order it was prayed.”

Of course, when God keeps us waiting, there is a good reason for it. And when the Bible speaks of waiting on God, there is always the context of actively waiting. God’s apparent delays are not due to a high prayer volume in heaven causing Him to work through a backlog of answered prayers. If that were the case, then all we would be left to do is to patiently sit by doing nothing until our answer came.

Sometimes God delays our answers to test our desire. God will use a space of time to see if we want something badly enough to keep asking for it. Jesus told a couple of parables about people who petitioned others continuously until they finally got what they wanted. God loves it when we pray and spend time with Him, and He knows that if He quickly answers our prayer chances are we will not be as faithful to spend time with Him. He allows us to wait while He enjoys the company of our presence. If we really want something badly enough we will not easily be deterred from praying about it. Maybe you are praying about a particular financial need, but the provision has yet to come. It could be that God wants to keep you praying about it as a reminder that HE is your Jehovah Jireh, the One who provides for all your needs. You will be more thankful and appreciative for what He provides when you have to spend time praying for it.

Sometimes God delays our answer in order to prepare us for the answer. I may be asking for the right thing, but I may not be ready for what God wants to do. He may want to take some time to mold my character and get me ready for the good answer that is about to come. For God to give me something good before I was ready to fully experience it would be like giving a real live Hummer® to a little kid. He would love it, but he couldn’t drive it. He couldn’t see over the steering wheel, couldn’t reach the pedals, couldn’t even climb up in the thing for that matter. God’s timing is always perfect. He gives us WHAT we need EXACTLY WHEN we need it. Maybe you are praying about a new relationship, and you haven’t received an answer. It could be that God wants to do a little more work developing you so that you are ready for the relationship when He brings it to pass.

Sometimes God delays our answers to prepare the answer for us. As just mentioned, God’s timing is always perfect. It just may be that the reason He has not answered yet is that He is busy getting our answer ready so it will be just right for us. If you have prayed for that elusive new job but you are yet to get an answer, the reason may be that God is getting everything set up just right for you. He is arranging circumstances at that new job so that it is the perfect fit for you.

Let me assure you of some important truths:

1. God sees, hears, and knows you. Your prayer is not being ignored. God is at work behind the scenes and you can trust that He is accomplishing His purposes.

2. God will answer. The answer may continue to be “wait.” And truthfully the answer could even be “no.” Chances are the answer will eventually be “yes.” But God WILL answer if you keep praying.

3. In the meantime, let God mold and shape your life. Study your bible, pray, meditate on God and learn about Him. This down time may be the best time you have ever had spiritually.

Donkeys, Elephants, and the White Horse

Although this blog will not publish until Thursday, I am writing on Tuesday having just returned from exercising my constitutional right to vote. It is still morning on voting day, so we are several hours away from knowing who are the winners and losers.

America and voting go hand in hand. Ever since here has been a USA there has been voting. At one time, political activism was generally undertaken only by those who stood more to the left of center in the political ideological continuum. Over the last few years – the last 30 really – politics has received quite a bit of attention in the mainstream evangelical Christian community and those to the right of center. Christian evangelicals are more open about their political persuasions, more vocal in their stands for what they believe to be the right, and more involved in the political process. I am a product of the Christian evangelical community, I unapologetically remain among its ranks, and it is to this community I want to express my observations. Some of you will read this and think I have gone “soft.” But I think it is time we gain a little perspective on what really matters. I will make three observations, then offer a challenge.

First, voting is a precious privilege and serious responsibility which should be exercised by EVERY qualified person. A single vote may not seem like much, but as citizens we collectively have a voice in how our civic affairs are administered. Part of being a good Christian is to be a good citizen and supporting the cause of society. We participate in that stewardship when we vote.

Second, it is vitally important to stand for issues as they relate to right and wrong. The Bible teaches is in Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nations, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Part of being the “salt of the earth” that Jesus says we are is to be a preservative by slowing down the decaying effect that sin has on our society.

But it is my third observation that I fear will ruffle some feathers. Once again asserting that it is important to stand for issues and to vote, I must also remind us that regardless for whom we vote and where they fall on the political spectrum – they do just that…they fall. The men and women we elect – no matter how qualified, no matter how morally upright, no matter the promises, no matter the party, no matter the platform – are just that . . . fallen people like you and me. I believe that we put to much trust in our socio-political secular process to change our society. We expect fallen men and women to bring about a moral rebirth.

Again, don’t get me wrong. I believe in civil order, and I believe we need to do our best to put the best people in civic positions. But the best they can do is maintain law, order, and civility. NO ONE WE ELECT TODAY CAN CHANGE ONE HEART FOR ETERNITY. You see, the One that ultimately will bring peace will not be riding a donkey or elephant, but a white horse.

What I believe has happened is that we as believers in Jesus Christ have tried to secularize our spiritual responsibility. We have abdicated our assigned task of taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those around us and we have instead passed it off to politicos in hopes that through legislation and enforcement we can bring about a renewed populace. But remember, Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” The power of God for salvation is not a political party or candidate, it is not an enacted piece of legislation, it is the gospel of Christ implanted, taking root, and bearing fruit in the heart of an individual.

We will not change our society through political action. Our battle is not “flesh and blood” but spiritual. We will change our society when you and I once again take seriously our responsibility to be God’s messenger of grace to those with whom we come in contact. So here is my challenge . . . three Ls.

LIVE. Live like the children of God that we are. Let our lives be an example of a change that Jesus can make. Live in such a way that we are a good advertisement for Jesus. Let people see the difference He has made in our lives. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach always, and if necessary, use words.” We preach Christ by the way we live. The question is do we preach FOR or AGAINST?

LOVE. First love each other. It is WAY PAST TIME for us to quit fighting our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are a family, and it is time for us to quit being so dysfunctional. But also we need to love others . . . unconditionally. People who do not know Jesus need for us to show them practical love, not lip service. Meeting them at the point of their need, we gain their respect and earn the opportunity to show them the love of Jesus. After all, isn’t that what the story of The Good Samaritan all about? You know, Jesus didn’t tell that parable just so we would have a good Bible story to tell our kids. He told it to us, as adults, to show us how to love. We will not change hearts by standing on the street corner with a placard, or to standing on a soap box and haranguing an issue. We can change hearts when we practically show the love of Jesus to people and create in them a thirst to know Him – the only One who can change their heart.

LEAD. Let’s get about the task of inviting people to enter a relationship with God through Christ. Let’s lead them to Jesus. He is ultimately the One who can change their heart. Are we as passionate about persuading people to place their faith in Jesus as we are about persuading them to adopt our political ideology?

Remember, it’s not the donkey rider or elephant rider who wins in the end . . .

it’s the One on the White Horse!

Etch-a-Sketch

Have you ever played with an Etch-a-Sketch®? You know the famous red square toy with the glass drawing window created by the Ohio Art Company. It has been around for years. Beneath the glass drawing window is a stylus mounted to two rails, one horizontal, one vertical. As you turn the knobs it moves the rails and thus moves the stylus. Also beneath the glass is aluminum powder. When you shake the Etch-a-Sketch the aluminum powder coats the backside of the glass. As you move the stylus, it scratches off the powder, giving the appearance of a black line.

Etch-a-Sketch is fun to play with, but it does have its limitations as an art toy. It is monochrome and it only draws vertical or horizontal lines. But the beauty of the toy is the easy erasure. Just shake it up and start all over.

This autumn, I have come to the conclusion that in a sense, Earth is God’s Etch-a-Sketch. Every season, God has the opportunity to paint new pictures with His creation. This Fall the leaves around where I live and where I have traveled have provided the most spectacular display of color I have ever seen. Friday, I went to Lake Seed, a beautiful, small mountain lake in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. As if the ride up there was not spectacular enough, the view from the lake was a worship experience in itself. They do not do the scenery justice, but I have posted some pictures on the Lake Seed Page at the Duggan website. Of course, the day was also enhanced by good company (David Laws) and fresh supper to bring home (four nice trout).

In His creative design, God uses the peculiarities of each season to display His glory. Every few months, God erases the previous picture and paints a new one. And unlike the Ohio Toy Company’s Etch-a-Sketch, God uses vibrant colors and multiples shapes, lines, and shades to produce a brilliant effect. We have a mighty, creative God who likes to re-create His creation on a regular basis. Each time, He outdoes Himself.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. – Romans 1:20

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

You see, God’s re-creating activity is not limited to landscapes and leaves. He is also in the business of transforming lives. The first step occurs when we give our lives to Christ, receive Him as our Savior, and declare that He is Lord. He forgives our sins and sets us on a path of restoration – theologically we call the first step justification and the process, sanctification. Every day, if we let Him, God exercises His re-creative power in our lives and slowly but surely will transform us into the beautiful soul He created us to be.

Granted, that transformation will not be complete until we reach our final home in heaven, but God loves displaying His re-creative power in our lives. He is able to erase every stain made by our sin, our mistakes, our bad choices, and whatever in our past has done to us. He is able chisel away at hardened hearts and buff away at misdirected attitudes. He is able to bring wayward thoughts captive and breakdown the strongholds of bad habits.

I thank God that He is not finished with me yet. I may flinch at the refining tools he uses – conviction of sin, disappointment, trials – but I rejoice that He is ready, willing, and especially able to continue working in me. He hasn’t given up on me. Just like God brings a new vista to the landscape with every season of the calendar, so also He is growing me in the various seasons of my life. I leave you with a verse that is oh so true. Commit it to memory and remind yourself often of its truth:

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. –
Philippians 1:6

Runnin' On Empty

I’ve had a song stuck in my head the last few days. I don’t know why, but I have been walking around singing and humming Jackson Browne’s old tune “Running On Empty.” With the price of gas what it is these days (although it is getting better) I bet more of us are doing that! Men are notorious for it. After all, when the needle hits the E, you still have a half gallon, right? Andrea’s car has an annoying light that comes on when you are down to one gallon . . . or is it a half gallon? I forget.

But spiritually speaking, there is way in which we should all be “Running on Empty.” Consider this Scripture:

Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8 (emphasis added)

Talk about an attitude adjustment. What would happen if we adopted this “Empty Attitude” that Jesus demonstrated? How would we be different? What difference would it make in the lives of people around us?

Jesus emptied Himself of much of His divine privilege when He came to earth. In heaven He sat on a throne, worshipped perpetually by angels. He did not have to worry about time or schedules. He was the center of attention and everything in heaven revolved around Him. Yet, He left all of that and stepped into our world. Look at the description Paul gives us of Jesus’ Empty Attitude:

• - did not use His deity for His own advantage
• - became a slave – He came to serve not to be served, He told His disciples
• - humbled Himself and took up God’s agenda not His own
• - laid down His life sacrificially for us

How can we imitate such an attitude? We can begin by not expecting or insisting on privileged treatment. We should not expect to “have it our way.” We are not here for life to revolve around us. Also, we can make it a point to spend our lives serving others in the name of Christ. We should always look for a way to do a good deed for someone. Additionally, we adopt this Empty Attitude when we humble ourselves and live our lives to fulfill God’s purposes for our days and times, using every opportunity of every day to obey God and draw attention to Him. And finally, remember that we are living sacrifices, and that THIS is actually our worship to God (Romans 12:1) – not the songs we sing, prayers we pray, offerings we put in the plate, and so forth. We worship when we devote our lives to HIS service.

In a word . . . Running On Empty means it’s not about ME. I empty myself of me so that Jesus can live in me and through me. I empty myself of me so that I get out of the way and let Him get credit.

At the risk of being repetitious I will say again . . .

IT’S NOT ABOUT ME, IT’S ABOUT JESUS