I HATE TO ADMIT IT

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

I hate to admit it but there was a time when I thought that people who worshipped with instrumental music were going to hell. How stupid is that? Pretty stupid, I would say.
You may have been faithful in every way possible, cared for the poor, reached out to lost souls—loved God with all your heart, but if you worshipped with instrumental music—Bingo, your goose was cooked.

Thank God he graciously led me to study my way out of that ignorance. And that’s what it is—ignorance. But I am also thankful to God that I am not the only one finding the way out of the maze. Churches of Christ all over the world are beginning to see the light. Are they now using instruments of music in their worship? A few are, but most of them are not. The Richland Hills Church of Christ, in Fort Worth, Texas, one of the largest and most influential churches of Christ recently added an instrumental service to their several a cappella services. A few others have done this but the majority still sings a cappella. Do I want them to change? NO! Absolutely not! What I do want is for them to all stop teaching that it is sinful to worship with instruments and that if you do you are going to be lost. That needs to stop and it needs to stop now!

So today, I am thankful that so many of these dear Christians whom I love with all of my heart are moving closer to the will of God. God wants us to sing and make melody in our hearts with or without instruments.

“HE’LL SHOOT HIS EYE OUT”

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

How many times have I seen it? I have lost track.

Some people think it’s silly and wish it would go away, at least for a year or two. Others love it. I’m one of the ones that loves it. I have it memorized. I don’t even need to watch it—and sometimes don’t. I smile just knowing its being shown.

A Christmas Story is a magical frozen Christmas for Ralphie. He is intent on getting what he wants—a Red Ryder BB gun. His mother keeps giving the warning, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Even Santa says, “You’ll shoot your eye out kid.” There are two brothers in this movie that are as mean as they come. Their last name is Farcus. I enjoy watching the Farcus brothers although I don’t like anything about them. They remind me of kids I have known. One time two adult brothers lived across the street from the church building. They dumped a truck load of trash on the church property. I went over to talk to them about cleaning it up. I asked who they were and they said, “We are the Farcus brothers.” I wrote that down and was half way back to my office before I realized they were “pulling my leg.”

This 1983 movie has become a holiday tradition. It’s a good one!

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

Monday, December 04, 2006

Yep, decorating for Christmas—that’s what’s on my mind today. It’s not just on my mind—that’s what I’m doing. We are late with our decorating this year because of a trip we made to California. And then when we got home from the trip I needed to study for a Bible class lesson and a sermon I was responsible for this past Sunday. I’m a simple minded person and I was afraid that if I got carried away thinking about a sermon I might fool around and fall off the ladder.

Well, it’s Monday and I’m ready to climb that ladder. We have the tree up and the lights are glowing but it’s not decorated yet. Charlotte will do that while I’m outside climbing the ladder. I decorate the front of the house, the garage, the gate at the entry way and around the front door. I always meet this with mixed emotions. It’s kinda fun and it’s not hard but I always complain. I don’t know why. Do you know why I do? I would like to know? Am I just squirrelly this way or do all men complain about this little task? I say, “little task” but Elvis, who lives across the street, wouldn’t say, “little task.” That rascal decorates his house and property until it looks like the “Strip” at Las Vegas. No, it’s not a small task for him. But he must like to do it. He does it every year.

Well, by sunset, the job will be done. The house will be decorated inside and out. We already have quite a few presents under the tree. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. I’m thinking how tremendously blessed we are in every way. Sunday I will be teaching a class on, “Overcoming Emotional Depression.” My heart goes out to those who have lost control of their emotions and are unhappy. I hope I don’t get my mind on this lesson and fall off the ladder.

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT WE WENT "HOME'

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. We are making preparation for and looking forward to Christmas. Today Charlotte and I went “home” to Lincoln Heights Christian Church where I preached for fifteen years. It was a joy to be there. I taught a large Bible class in the fellowship hall. All the adult classes came together to make one big class. We will meet together for the entire month of December and I will teach. I also preached at the morning worship hour.

Being at Lincoln Heights is being with “family.” That church is a great group of Christians who love each other dearly. They are family and they care about each other. It is going to be an absolute joy to be with them for Christmas and this will be our best Christmas ever.

This is a joyous time of the year and I want you to experience the joy that God wants you to know. Open your heart and ask Him to come in and bless you and enable you to come to the end of the year with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

ON CATCHING THE WRONG BUS

Saturday, December 02, 2006

In the morning at Lincoln Heights Christian Church all the adult Bible classes will meet in the fellowship hall for refreshments and then I will teach on the Scripture, “Narrow is the gate and straitened the way that leadeth unto life and few are they that find it.” The truth that the destination we reach depends not on our ideals alone but on the bus we catch is personally critical. For the most part we do desire good things: happy homes, respectable characters, an honorable standing in our friends’ eyes. Are we on the right bus? In this Scripture we confront the serious implications of a law-abiding universe. It’s one thing to desire a great goal; it is another thing to fulfill the conditions of reaching it, and the conditions must be fulfilled. Consider further that we face here not only the profound implication of a law-abiding universe but one of the most searching tests of our own personal sincerity. It is one thing, and comparatively easy too, to desire something ideal and right; it is another thing to be willing to pay the price. We are dealing here with one of the most common causes of brokenhearted regret and penitence. It is easy to catch the wrong bus. We do it when we do not mean to. The gospel is that there is a right way, offered us in Christ. It does cost but it leads to life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

At the morning worship hour I will be preaching on, “The Essential Elements in a Vital Christian Experience.” I am excited to be going to the pulpit again. I will have a Bible in my hand and a message on my heart.

I hope to see you at these worship and study opportunities.

I’M INTERESTED

Friday, December 01, 2006

I’m interested in family traditions centered around Christmas. You know, like when you open presents, or always having the same kind of meal on Christmas Eve, or always eating that meal at the same restaurant or home—these kind of things.

We always open presents on Christmas Eve. Many families insist that presents be opened Christmas morning. We always go to a Candlelight service on Christmas Eve and some families, though very religious, never go. Some families get together days before Christmas and make tamales and then eat them on Christmas Eve. Our family never knows from one Christmas Eve to the next what we will be eating. On Christmas day our family always has turkey. We have turkey for Thanksgiving and then just a few weeks later we have it again for Christmas. We have often thought we might have something else, but we never do. We have often said, “Let’s not put up a tree this year.” But we always do. We decorate outside and inside. We have often said, “Let’s not buy gifts this year or at least, let’s cut back.” We always buy gifts, and we never cut back.

Isn’t this a great time of the year? I love Christmas music—the sacred and the secular. I hope you have the Christmas “spirit.” It’s a great thing to have. While you’re enjoying all of this, don’t forget “the Reason for the season.”