The Year of the One

This is the Voice of One.

Good Wednesday!

This is the year A.D. 2011. I’ve heard it called Two Thousand Eleven, I’ve heard it called Twenty-Eleven, I’ve even heard it called Two-Eleven. One of these days I’m sure we’ll figure out what to call it. But whatever moniker we hang on the thing, there are a couple notes worth pointing out that I saw on the internet.

Four notable dates are in 2011, two have already occurred and two are yet to come. It is in this year we find these dates:

01/01/11, 01/11/11, 11/01/11 and 11/11/11. You heard of the DaVinci Code, this is the Year of the Binary Code! (the code computer programs are written in, using all 0’s and 1’s. Someone will have to tell me if it is still used.)

Ok, the theological point to all this? None! I just thought it was cool. Now, figure this one out: take the last two digits of the year you were born, add that number to how old you will be this year, and the result will be 111. For instance, I was born in 1952, I will be 59 this year, so 52+59=111. Another for instance, Carolyn was born in…oh, never mind.

Try it, and let me know if indeed it works!

Closed circuit to Oak Manorites: Wow! The weather forecast has sure gone downhill during the overnight hours! A Winter Storm Warning for Northwest Arkansas is in effect, calling for a sheen of ice on the ground (and the power lines) that will be covered with four to six inches of snow. Now, don’t get me wrong. Normally, I love a good snow but the last time I went trudging around in snow (oh, say, about a week and a half ago) terrible things happened.

Now, I know what you're thinking and the answer is things are cool. The way it’s looking right now, our Wednesday Night doings (Tangible Kingdom, Judy’s class, and Praise Band Rehearsal) should have no problems as all the freezy skid stuff kicks in later Wednesday night. Of course we will be keeping an eye on the weather for Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, our football themed sermon series “The Big Game” continues this next weekend. Two weeks ago we talked about the playbook, last week we looked at preparation and this week we delve into the topic of performance. Oh, I heard the Evangelism Linebacker is in town, so best be ready! And be careful!!

Stay warm and stay safe!

Pastor Keith

Ps: Follow us on Facebook!

Pps: I should explain: The Evangelism Linebacker is a hilarious video that features a linebacker who tackles kids in the youth group who won’t share their faith. It was our sermon video last week, and we all laughed ourselves silly. “He loves you,” the narrator says. “But it could hurt!” Of course this funny video had a serious message: we must be ready at all times to share our faith. This is part of where performance comes in, and we’ll talk about that Sunday. I’ll see you then!

Adventures in the ER on a Snowy Night

Good Monday!

To begin with let me say a big "thank you" for the prayers lifted up on my behalf this evening. It means a lot to me, for sure! I'm home from the Emergency Room now, munching on a few chips and with a hot decaf tea going. I thought I would update you on my misadventures Sunday night.

On any given night we send trucks out from the presses in Lowell to the distribution centers two times. In the first run we send what we call preships, in other words the innards of the newspaper (classifieds, feature sections like the food section, advertising, etc) and in the second run of the night we send out the "mains" which, as the name implies, is the main part of the paper with news, sports and so forth.

Thinking we were a driver short I took the truck which had the preships for the distribution centers in Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista and headed into the snowy night. My first stop was Rogers. I was putting the dock plate in position when my feet slipped out from under me and I landed hard on my right side, with my right arm taking the blow. My shoes had gotten some snow and ice on them.

Remember those old commercials long ago that said, "I've fallen and I can't get up?" Well, I've lived that now. Thanks be to the Lord I had the presence of mind to grab my cellphone as I exited the cab of the truck! I summoned help (I was alone in the center at the time) but still lay there for a little over a half hour, my right arm not moving and I was feeling a bit queasy. After a bit my boss and one of our drivers converged on the center and with both of them assisting I got on my feet. So here I find myself in the ER at Mercy Med Center in Rogers where X rays revealed a hairline fracture of my humerus bone just below the shoulder.

The Doc ordered two days total pampering-er, I mean rest and I'm in this sling brace thingy for six weeks. Yuck!

The kicker? The driver I thought was not coming in? He came in. He was the one who helped my boss get me back on my feet. So later as we're waiting in ER, Chad says, "Boy I wish you would have remembered Dale was coming in."

Quoth I, "YOU wish??"

I'll never live this down.

Both sides of the spectrum of life.

This is the voice of one.

Good Friday! Wow! Is this some wind, or what? You’d think it was spring time out there. The brisk wind is blowing up some snow for us in a couple days, but not to worry nothing is supposed to be arriving until long after we’ve gotten together for our worship time Sunday morning.

It is with sadness that I report to you that the teenager we have been praying for, Kaitlyn, died last night in Little Rock. The leukemia had worsened and this brave young lady lost her battle with the deadly disease. Her family expresses appreciation for the cards and prayers. We rejoice that she had accepted Jesus as her Lord.

On to an amazing story on the other side of the spectrum of life. You may be familiar with the story of 95 year old Nell Porter. She was in her home in Cincinnati, Arkansas a week ago when a tornado ripped through their community, killing three people outright. Nell was transported to the hospital where she died earlier this week, becoming the fourth victim of the New Year’s Eve twister. Here is the amazing part of her story: she died as the result of a tornado, but did you know she was born during a tornado? She was born in Paducah Texas as a tornado was bearing down on them. Nell’s grandfather knelt at the foot of the bed and prayed that the Lord would protect mother and child. And so he did, because every house in the neighborhood was wiped out. Except theirs. There is one more little twist to this story, at least as far as my family is concerned. Nell was the older sister of Carolyn’s mom’s first husband, who died in World War II.

So we see this week examples of folks at both sides of the spectrum of life, who were called upon to meet the Lord. The lesson here? If we’re new to this life or older than dirt or somewhere in the middle, just be ready! Just be ready!

So, are you?

Friday, December 31 2010

This is the Voice of One...

Goodbye 2010!

Good Friday! Well, 2010 certainly came to a violent end here in Northwest Arkansas. It is strange that on the morning of the last day of the year we had tornado warnings all over the place. Three people died in Cincinnati, Arkansas. I saw the reports of one guy who was sucked out of his house by the winds and tossed across the road. I was amused by his quote that he opened his eyes because he wanted to see the end coming. This is not something you see but once, and he didn’t want to miss it. He lived. One guy who died was milking his cows. The others were a couple in their home.

I know what you’re thinking. This is where I go into a rant about the precarious nature of life, how the end comes with no warning and so forth and you know what, the temptation is strong to do just that.

But let me offer this up instead. The year 2010 is different for everyone, for some it would a good year for some it would be a bad year. For all there are good parts and bad parts, I would imagine.

For me, personally, 2010 was a year with not a lot of joy in it. The first half of the year was spent transitioning to a new employer and that wasn’t just a lot of fun. Other than that, 2010 was just kind of a blur. So I think that it is kind of symbolic that 2010 would end with a temper tantrum.

In the end I found four truths that sustains me still.

1. God is faithful. Throughout the years I have found, time and again, that the Lord has taken care of me and mine despite our foibles, despite when we tend to mess things up, despite ourselves. Boy, have I seen that this year!

2. My earthly family is awesome. As I speak with people out in the community and they tell me the woes that befall them in their dealings with their family, the point is made time and again how blessed I am to be a part of a family that is bound together with such bonds of love. Sure, we can get on each others nerves a bit and I forbid discussing politics in the house, especially in front of children, but at the end of the day I marvel at the family that my God has blessed me with.

3. My church family is amazing. I am reminded of one of the ladies in a previous ministry who was fond saying, “I’ve walked many a mile, I’ve many a mile to go.” I think that fits us to a tee. We have come so far. I’m not sure how to explain it, but from the beginning I have seen the Lord work in our congregation and amongst our people step by step as His plan is prepared and laid out one part at a time. Everything that has happened to us (since our arrival, anyway) has happened for a purpose that is preparing us for the work that is ahead. We’ve walked many a mile, we’ve many a mile to go. We have seen some dramatic progression in recent weeks, indeed we may be nearing the time when we start to exit our preparatory phase and launch our action phase.

So for that reason I say bring on 2011! It is my hope and prayer that if the Lord delays his coming and permits me to continue in this life, one year from now we will be looking back on some amazing accomplishments. If it is in the Lord’s plan!

So here is our prayer to the Lord for 2011: “You lead. We follow.”

Indeed, amen.

kjm

The Voice of One

(Isaiah 40:3)

Greetings From The Cloistered Ivory Tower

You know, there are a lot of pastors out there who have been so long in the cloistered ivory tower of religiosity that, despite their best efforts, they lose touch of what it means to be part of life in these United States. They forget the real life struggles and hassles and stress levels of working in the secular work place. In short, they lose touch of the Common Man. They don’t mean to, they don’t even realize it at the time but they lose touch of the realities involved in the business of making a living, of worrying about the bills, of watching your company shrink and wondering at what point will this economic calamity overtake you, and pondering the imponderable, which is if and when this happens, then what?

It was Thoreau who concluded in his essay “Economy,” that men are enslaved by their work, and are, in essence, slaves to the men for whom they work. He writes, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

I think sometimes pastors forget this. They reach a higher plain, they aspire to a more noble mind set, and reach such a higher plateau of Christian nirvana that questions of theology start over riding questions of life. Not that there is anything wrong with pondering questions of theology, you understand. In fact, scripture makes it clear that we are to mature in the faith as we go along. But we pastors need to be more understanding and sympathetic toward our flock, as they navigate the turbulent waters of these scary economic times.

Well, you can rest assured that your pastor has no problem sympathizing with the working folk. It all came crashing home lately, as I watched the company I work for drifting in a direction that I vehemently disagreed with on moral and ethical grounds. Not to mention the fact that I was (and am!) sure that would set us up for litigation. I argued my position firmly. Thankfully things were resolved, not due to my eloquent arguments but because I believe serious prayers were being lifted up. But it was a bad ride, and it put me in a quandry. What should I do?

I could resign and be all noble and everything, but then economic reality set in. If I do that I’d better have something else to go to, unless I like the thought of not eating!! What to do, what to do? And so the lesson is driven home, and I see so very graphically and I understand how so many folks feel they are over a barrel. I understand why folks are exhausted all the time. I feel their stress levels!

Here is the conclusion to the matter. Now more than ever we need our church family. Now more than ever we need to pay close attention to our relationship with the Lord, and to draw ever nearer to our gracious Heavenly Father and to cling tight to the Lord Jesus. Now more than ever we need to earnestly seek the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Yet there is a tremendous temptation to yield to the exhaustions we all feel and when we get home to crack open a cold one and just veg out. Church becomes just one more item on an already overbooked agenda.

I feel your pain! And since I feel your pain I think that puts me in a position of wondering how can I help you reshuffle that overbooked agenda to put the Lord back where He belongs, which is on top? I’m not interested in guilting you into it. I remember hearing from pulpits (and, ok maybe I said this a time or two...) the phrase “If you’re too busy for the Lord’s work, you’re too busy!” Well, that phrase is true. But I happen to realize that chucking stuff off the overbooked agenda is sometimes a lot easier said than done. You have to put food on the table, you have to pay the rent/mortgage, the bills, the car payment, the list goes on and on. And the kids want some attention, and then there’s the spouse deserving of our time.

So again I ask, how can I help you reshuffle that overbooked agenda? How can I help you put the Lord back on top, so that maybe some sanity can return to all our lives? Sad to say, I’m not sure I have those answers yet. But maybe if you will help me, perhaps we can find some of those answers together. And it is together that we shall successfully negotiate the straight and narrow path through this dark world and into the light of lights; into Heaven itself where all will be made right and we shall reach out and touch the face of God.

An End Times Manifesto

Once upon a time a long time ago I was sitting in my office opening the mail, when what do you suppose I should see but a full color brochure advertising some end times prophecy seminar that was coming to the area. I think I still have it buried in the archives somewhere, who knows if I will ever be able to find it again.

Now don't get that look on your face. I'm not here to debate end times theory. That is a discussion for another place and another time. Here is what struck me by this full color brochure advertising that end times seminar. There was this big painting of The Second Coming. Angels in the air blew trumpets, Jesus was there in the clouds, and all that. But dig the rest of the painting. The earth was devastated and was laid low. Fires, earthquakes, war, pestilence, famine and disease had laid waste to the countryside and the town.

Now, here come The Saved. They were ready to meet our Lord in the air. They had come through a terrible trib. Who knows what awful things they had suffered and endured! But I noticed one thing. All the men and boys without exception were dressed in coat and tie. All the women and girls without exception were dressed in June Cleaver dresses. An amazing feat, considering what they had been through!

Oh, c'mon! Do we really think this is what the End of Days will be like? You know, there are so many differing notions about the end times. Who knows who is right and who is wrong? Perhaps I will cling to my standard pan-millennial view: which is, namely, everything will pan out in the end! In the meantime I don't know what to think about it all! Should I be post trib pre mill, pre trib post mill, post trib post mill or, wait a minute, what was that again?

Sheesh! What should we think about all this stuff? Wait. I have an idea. Let's let the Biblical writers direct our thinking on such things! What a concept! I have in mind the advice of the Apostle Peter. I think he had a pretty good grip on these things.

2 Peter 8:10-14 says "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."

In other words, just live the life. We don't have to worry about all this stuff, because God has it very well in hand (thanks for asking) and it is in his awesome control and in his perfect will and we can just let God handle all the end times stuff. We just need to live the life. We just need to seek and save the lost.

Folks just get so hung up on superfluous non-essentials. Hey! Live the life! Seek and save the lost! Edify the saints!

God will handle the rest. And is that cool or what? Of course, it may be easier to talk about scary end times scenarios with each other than to go out and engage in (shudder!) evangelism. Ah, and therein lies the rub! Do ya think?

Pastor Mackster

ps: We in the churches have completely lost the vision of the return of Christ. This is dangerous! How to regain that? Join us for the next episode of the End Times Manifesto.

What will The Righteous do with me?

Once upon a time a long time ago I was working at a College Press Publishing. I was a student at Ozark Christian College at the time, studying for the ministry and one of my fellow workers and I were in conversation about personalities and such, and my co-worker looked at me and said, "They just don't know how to handle you."

To which I replied something to the effect that I had already figured that out.

"They" in this instance referred to The Righteous. Now, don't get that look on your face. I'm not going to bash good Christians. They are good people, doing their best in this evil world and they find themselves in a Christian world that has no tolerance for things that are worldly. I didn't say things that are evil, just things that are worldly.

Once upon a time a longer time ago I was so rotten and so evil that my very nature only sinful. I did abide with John Barleycorn and probably accounted for half the global warming of the planet by clouds and clouds of cigarette smoke bellowed into the atmosphere from my lungs. My language could turn a longshoreman's ears red with shame. You get the picture.

Then came the Holy Spirit who worked a number on me, and before I knew it I turned on my old master...the devil...and returned to my true master, who is the Lord Creator of the Universe. Now, not every one is called to quit their job and go to Bible College, but that's the way it worked for me. I don't want you to think that this is a surprize, but I literally had old acquaintences laugh in my face when I told them I was Bible College bound.

It has been 20 years since I left for Bible College. My problem is that I suppose that I was so scarred from life that I had a difficult time morphing into The Righteous. I still listen to rock n roll music. I still watch James Bond movies. I am a fan of Mel Brooks, and unless it is Life of Brian (which gets me frothing at the mouth) I still like Monty Python. In other words, I have dedicated my life to service to God and to Christ and to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, but you see it's still me.

And both The Righteous and Those Who Suppose Themselves Righteous just don't know what to do with me. Apparently I don't fit the mold or the fold. I don't know what to do about that at this stage of the game. I guess I'll just keep on talking with sinners, there are plenty at work, after all I do speak their language (not cussing, just how they speak and think) and I can only hope that I can plant seeds of righteousness that the Lord will grow to a fruitful harvest in their lives.

And at the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about?