Finding Time – October 23rd, 2008

This week was a pretty good week!  It happens to be the beginning of the “World Series,” and ever since I was a little boy I have loved watching baseball (specifically the CUBS!).   I never miss an all star game or the world series.  In fact this past July while on vacation to Belize, I made sure I was able to find a TV in a little third world country that would be showing the game and we were able to watch some of the game.  So this is definitely the highlight of my week being able to watch some baseball although I really don’t care who wins. 

On the opposite end of the “happiness scale” work was a real drag this week.  Each week I become increasingly weary of work in general.  I guess that is normal .  I mean who wouldn’t want to NOT WORK!  I had one of my online clients get wrongfully sued by a bunch of ignorant goons.  It really is amazing how ignorant people can be in this world.  Anyway, in that suit, I was named so that obviously brings your stress level up a notch.  I really didn’t worry too much and met with our attorney today and really believes there is no way that this would stand up in court so I felt better.  However, do you continue paying expensive legal fees or pay them off to go away?  It’s not right, but it ends up having to the best business decision.  It just doesn’t seem fair that some one can pursue litigation, make a false claim, serve papers, and walk away with a check which seems likely to happen.  I am just thankful that my company upholds the highest integrity possible and has approached it from angle with an ethical and honest response.  I will update you of the results later. 

The family is doing pretty well.  We were all pretty tired this week.  Angela went for a Lasik consultation and looks like she is scheduling to have Lasik done sometime in December or January.  I think she will love it, so I am excited for her.   Olivia is absolutely adorable and still a daddy’s girl; however, I am having the worst time being able to discipline her.   I mean I am doing it, but she is so DRAMATIC.   You would think that when I scold her that I was beating her.  I tried to get her to eat her food tonight and told her to sit down and thought she was going to choke she was crying so hard.  Anway, that is something we are going to have to work on.  Peyton is Peyton … that guy is the most consistent member of the family.  Nothing really ever gets to him.  He doesn’t worry, never gets angry or mad and just enjoys playing and having fun.  Definitely going to the “full of life” kid!  Nolan’s week started out good, but today was horrible as he went to the dentist and got bad news.  7 Cavaties!  Most of the small but in between his teeth so it wasn’t able to be seen with the eye.   Anyway, he had to get 4 fillings and 2 crowns today.  They gave his some laughing gas which he liked and didn’t cry or flinch the whole time.  They will to 3 more fillings on the other side next week.  Apparently it wasn’t something we should have seen.  He brushes and the previous dentist just 1 month ago said he only had one filling.  Isn’t that what a dentist is supposed to be able to find?  The new dentist did, so they are our new dentist.  I could go on about that, but he is doing great. 

The teens at Calvary in the Senior Class are going to be coming to our house for a fun night on Saturday which should be a lot of fun.  Of all the things I do in life other than spending time with my own family, I love spending time with our teens at Calvary.   Of all the ministries I have been in they are so much more mature than others.  They have a lot of potential and it is awesome to be able to help grow stronger in there faith.   I am sure we will have a blast. 

Well here is to another good week!

What’s in a church?

 

 

Photo by Gary O’Brien of the Charlotte Observer

 

When I first saw this photo it was hard to believe that this was my church!  I was immediately struck with the doctrinal thought that this is not my church, rather the building where our church fellowship assembles and meets regularly.  I then thought of the quote from former news writer J.M. Cash that said Charlotte had “more churches than Edinburgh, Scotland.” (1) Truly the city of Charlotte is known for its vast amount of “church or religious buildings,” but truthfully we have very few “churches.” The term church is formulated from the Greek word “ekklesia” which translated into English means “called out” (ek = out / kaleo = call).  In classical Greek “ekklesia” meant “an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly.” (2)

 

In our own communities all over this globe we have many buildings that we consider churches or religious buildings, but unfortunately the vast majority of those buildings are filled with parishioners and leaders that promote false doctrine, misguided faith, or an unbalanced philosophy of ministry.  It is true that I am a Bible believing Christian; therefore, any religion or ministry that doesn’t promote “salvation by Christ alone,” a relationship with Christ based upon “the principles of God’s Infallible and Inerrant Word,” or believes there is revelation from God outside of that “Word” is apostate and literally an anti-Christ fellowship or assembly.  I have relationships with many people, business or personally, that have very different views on God, religion and church.  I don’t want to this to be an indictment on religions blog or an indictment on other churches in the Charlotte community as there are many assemblies that meet each week in our area that I consider a valuable light of Christ’s Gospel and part of the eternal church of Jesus Christ.  I believe that going to Church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car, but I do however want to praise God for the assembly of people that I gather with each week in what can look like an intimidating castle off of Rea Rd. in South Charlotte. 

 

 

Calvary Church has a rich history that goes back well before I was ever born and in its history has seen its share of diversity of struggles,  changing philosophies, and even getting over the stigma that it’s not a movie set for the “Wizard of Oz.”  I remember the first time I saw Calvary Church when I was in high school in the early 90’s.  They would have a “Living Christmas Tree” performance it seemed every year and literally thousands all over Charlotte would come to see this performance.  I was awestruck at its size, the elevators, the escalators, and the even have their own book store!  It was a magnificent building!  It wasn’t till years later that my wife and I visited Calvary, that we realized what an amazing ministry Calvary was to the South Charlotte community.  I have been members of equally sound doctrinal churches in the greater Charlotte area, so when we moved to South Charlotte away from those other sound churches, I was weary about finding the right fit for our family.  Unfortunately, too many people look for what a church fellowship can do for their family and not what their family can do for a church fellowship and surrounding community, but I did have a list of five demands of the next fellowship I would be involved.

 

• I wanted a ministry that I felt was serving the community and where my family could fit in and also serve.
• I wanted a ministry that was organized and whose church polity was sound.
• I wanted a ministry that I felt was a “spiritually healthy” environment for my children and a place they could grow to be more like Christ.
• I wanted a ministry that not only had sound doctrine as part of their constitution, but also preached that from the pulpit and taught it in classes of all ages. 
• I wanted a ministry that had their core focus on Christ and Christ-likeness and that all events and ministries it scheduled or planned had the dual purpose of evangelism and spiritual growth. 

 

Here is what my family can be thankful for each time we gather with our local fellowship at Calvary Church!

 

• Calvary is an extremely organized ministry.  From the leadership down to the very people serving lunch or teaching classes there might not be a ministry that I have been a part of that is more organized.   There are scores of ministries geared to the spiritual growth of all ages from pre-school, special needs, teens, adults, all the way to seniors.  It is an incredible site to see so many of this local body of believers working toward the equipping of other saints for the work of service and building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13).
• Calvary’s leadership is Godly.  From getting to know many of the leaders at Calvary, I have been able to personally see their unwavering commitment to the work of the ministry, the edifying of the saints, and the building up of the Body of Christ.  Any local body or government for that matter rises and falls on good leadership.  The leadership at Calvary is faithful, transparent, caring and their philosophy of ministry is that of a sound faith.
• Calvary’s ministries and events are dually focused.  Evangelism and Christ-like growth are the preeminent focal points of each and every ministry Calvary designs and facilitates.  From the many children’s programs that emphasize learning about Christ and salvation, to the youth ministry whose current curriculum goes through the entire life of Christ, to the incredible sports programs (CHAMP SPORTS – www.champsportsinfo.com) that allow the entire church fellowship and local community to have a safe environment to involve their children, to the adult life groups at every level that encourage family values and Christ-like living, Calvary church is committed to using ministries to reach those in need.
• Calvary’s doctrine is sound.  It is with great sadness to see many fellowships across America embrace false doctrine and preaching that adds works to what Christ already sufficiently did for all of humanity on the cross.  At Calvary, the preaching and teaching from every leader and teacher emphasizes God’s Word as the sole source for sound doctrine!  I have had many pastors which were my mentors as they all brought something unique to the way I view Christianity, the church, or life in general.  Dr. John Munro’s contribution to my “faith value set” is the firmness in which he strives to shepherd the flock of Calvary to sound teaching.  I dare say that know other ministry I have been involved in so steadfastly adheres to Scriptural principles and God’s Word to make decisions and guide the affairs of the assembly at Calvary. 
• Calvary’s philosophy of ministry and worship is balanced.

 

 

See Below Calvary’s Philosophy of Ministry which can be found directly a their website (http://www.calvarychurch.com/site/18_116_74.cfm)

Calvary Church is an evangelical church committed to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was founded in 1939 upon the belief in and commitment to the preeminence of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and only Savior from sin and spiritual death, and on the belief in the inerrancy of the Bible in its original text. Therefore, the foundation of our beliefs is our position that the Bible is our authority and ultimate source of truth. Additionally, we are guided by the Articles of Faith contained in our church’s constitution.

The Purpose of Calvary Church is to glorify God in the salvation of souls; the edification of Christians through the teaching of God’s Word; the world-wide proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; the promotion of godly worship; the defense of “The Faith Once Delivered;” and cooperation with Christian activity functioning in harmony with God’s Holy Word, the Bible, until He comes.

The Mission of Calvary Church is to develop authentic followers of Jesus Christ through a balanced ministry of worshiping God, preaching and teaching the Word, edifying the saints, caring for the needs of others, and evangelizing the world.

Calvary will continue to emphasize strong biblically-based preaching and teaching that is well grounded in the truths of the Bible and in agreement with the Articles of Faith in each of its corporate worship services, Adult Life Groups, classes, and small group meetings. We believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is the divinely authoritative Word of God. Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the life of Calvary Church and is our only authority. The Bible is both timeless and timely, relevant to the needs of all people at all times, and to the specific problems of contemporary living. We believe, therefore, that the Bible must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preacher’s or teacher’s opinions or the ideas of the age. Similarly in all facets of our ministry (including classes and programs for children, teens, and singles) and for all small groups, the Bible’s eternal truths must be taught and applied. We are committed to preaching “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” to the lost and equipping believers through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word to know the Triune God and to follow Christ in every sphere of life. God’s Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth. (Psalm 19:7–14; John 17:17; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:16; Ephesians 4:11–16; 2 Timothy 2:14–19; 2 Timothy 3:14–4:5; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 4:12)

Calvary is committed to having inspiring worship as we celebrate who God is and what He has done. We do this by expressing our love and devotion to God in spirit and truth through our praise and through the proclamation of the Word of God. We must focus on God in our worship rather than the satisfaction of our own personal needs. Biblical worship is dynamic — not passive. Therefore, meaningful and understandable congregational participation in worship is essential.

Believing that worship is our highest priority, and that Calvary Church is a local expression of the family of God — we strongly encourage people of all ages (children, teens, singles, families, adults, and seniors) and of all backgrounds to worship together as the people of God — so that God-centrality in the life of our church is demonstrated.

Also believing that the people of God should be united, we will seek to have corporate worship with a blend of musical styles and a blend of traditional and contemporary music. We believe that for the Christian, all of life is to be lived as an act of worship to God — and corporate worship should be a great encouragement to a life of worship and holy living. In all cases, the worship and music must glorify God and exalt Jesus Christ, and never be mere entertainment or emotionalism. We are prayerfully committed to striving for authentic biblical worship, so that our corporate worship is not supplanted by the entertainment culture where the emphasis is one of performance and taste, rather than God-centeredness. (Psalm 115:1; Psalm 145-150; Isaiah 6:1-9; John 4:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 1 Corinthians 14:14, 24-25; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:15-17; Hebrews 13:15)

Calvary will seek to build communities of faith within its membership through enabling relational ministry in small group settings for the purposes of Bible study, discipleship, support, encouragement, exhortation, accountability, and fellowship.

Calvary will continue to give its people and financial resources to evangelizing the lost within our community, region, and around the world. We will seek to accomplish this through prayer, training, and intentional development of programs, services, and events. We will also support such work by other Christ-centered churches and ministries throughout the world.

We believe that God desires us to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel of the grace of God. Therefore, we seek to take seriously the great commission to evangelize and disciple the lost world at home as well as overseas. We believe that an important part of evangelism is discipleship of believers, their baptism, their responsible membership in a local body of believers, and their being equipped for worship and service. We will pursue various methods and outreach to the “unchurched,” which will facilitate this biblical commitment to evangelism and discipleship without compromising in any way our commitment to biblical truth and our integrity. We will seek to be and make disciples who not only proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ but also who display Him. It is the Lord who saves and causes growth. Our salvation is of God, has been accomplished by God, and is for God’s glory. We affirm that we must glorify Him always, and so self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment must never be allowed to become alternatives to the Gospel of God’s grace.

What we seek to do in Charlotte and surrounding areas, we also seek to do throughout this continent as well as overseas. Calvary Church is committed to being a church with a “global vision” seeking to identify, send, pray for, help, encourage, train, support, and generally minister to those who are called by God for either short-term or long-term missions. We also seek to educate everyone (including children and teens) at Calvary Church in this vital ministry of missions. (Psalm 127:1; Matthew 28:18–20; John 1:12-13; 3:8; Acts 1:8; 2:47; 1 Corinthians 3:1–2; 3:6-7; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9)

We believe that God desires His people to pray, and that He hears and answers prayer. Therefore, we ought to pray with and for one another, sharing our burdens, sorrows, and joys. Furthermore, we believe that the ministries and activities of Calvary Church will be characterized by our reliance on prayer in their conception, planning, and execution. (Matthew 6:8–15; Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 18:1; John 15:5; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 6:18–20; James 5:13–18)

Adopted by the Session of Calvary Church
April 2006 & December 2006 
 

See Below Calvary’s Philosophy of Worship which can be found directly a their website (http://www.calvarychurch.com/site/20_205_0.cfm)

Calvary is committed to having inspiring worship as we celebrate who God is and what He has done. We do this by expressing our love and devotion to God in spirit and truth through our praise and through the proclamation of the Word of God. We must focus on God in our worship rather than the satisfaction of our own personal needs. Biblical worship is dynamic – not passive. Therefore, meaningful and understandable congregational participation in worship is essential.

Believing that worship is our highest priority, and that Calvary Church is a local expression of the family of God - we strongly encourage people of all ages (children, teens, singles, families, adults, and seniors) and of all backgrounds to worship together as the people of God - so that God-centrality in the life of our church is demonstrated.

Also believing that the people of God should be united, we will seek to have corporate worship with a blend of musical styles and a blend of traditional and contemporary music. We believe that for the Christian, all of life is to be lived as an act of worship to God - and corporate worship should be a great encouragement to a life of worship and holy living. In all cases, the worship and music must glorify God and exalt Jesus Christ, and never be mere entertainment or emotionalism. We are prayerfully committed to striving for authentic biblical worship, so that our corporate worship is not supplanted by the entertainment culture where the emphasis is one of performance and taste, rather than God-centeredness. – adopted April 10, 2006. 

 

It is with great joy that my family and I get to attend and be actively involved with such a great body of believers inside that intimidating castle off of Rea Rd.  That large building that looks so daunting from the outside isn’t really all that daunting at all.  Yes, it is still big inside and I am still not used to taking an elevator (still take the stairs), but I find it comforting that inside that building is small network of believers that love God and His Word and desire to share that with the surround community.  My prayer is that there are more churches with like philosophy, like ministry, like doctrine, and like faith are started all over this globe. 

 

If you are in Charlotte or ever visiting, please let me know as you can always be my guest!

Footnotes

(1) Charlotte has long been known as a city of churches. Charlotte News writer J.M. Cash, author of the seminal 1929 essay “Mind of the South,” said Charlotte had “more churches than Edinburgh (Scotland).” This is a portion of an article posted on Charlotte.com written by Gary O’Brien. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/479/story/260165.html

(2) Liddell and Scott define ekklesia as “an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly.” [R. Scott, and H.G. Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 206.] Thayer’s lexicon says, “an assembly of the people convened at the public place of council for the purpose of deliberating” [J. H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 196]. Trench gives the meaning as “the lawful assembly in a free Greek city of all those possessed of the rights of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs” [R.C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 7th ed., pp. 1-2]. Seyffert’s dictionary states, “The assembly of the people, which in Greek cities had the power of final decision in public affairs” [Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, pp. 202-203].From “fully after the LORD” by Steve Flinchum http://www.bryanstation.com/flinchum-fully.htm

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Where’s The Beef?

Where’s the beef?

 

January 10^th, 1984, the phrase, “Where’s The Beef” became one of the most well known advertising slogans of the 1980’s and did wonders for Wendy’s!  There were three little old women staring a large bun with a tiny piece of meat saying that phrase over and over with the message being that Wendy’s was the antitheses of that company with no beef!  To this day I always think of that phrase when I go to Wendy’s for one of those burgers that truly has the beef. 

 

There a few things that you have learned about me over the past month as I blog.  I like to write, I am very opinionated (not always right), I love my family, I love my faith, I love music, but there is one more important thing to note about me:  I love to eat!  I love almost every kind of food and if given over, I could easily indulge all day long on snacks and meals without ever missing a beat.  I love trying new things, but I do have my favorites.  Very similar to my music nostalgia, I have “meal” or “restaurant” nostalgia.  I remember trips or places I visit based upon where I eat and what I eat.  I am not partial to the type of meal.  I can enjoy fine dining, ethnic foods or greasy spoons all the same.  I love breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My stomach rarely says no and it isn’t partial to the type of food, but rather the quality. 

 

Here is a list of my favorite “Restaurants & Meals” that I have had over the years!  They are in no particular order as I have loved them all for one particular reason or another. 

 

The Big Dog Café – Waxhaw, NC

 

Breakfast is the first meal so I will start out with one of my favorite new breakfast places.  I live in Waxhaw, so I am partial, but it is hard to beat the price, the people, and the quality of food (quantity too).  If you eat here, you better figure on skipping lunch (which I don’t normally do), but this renovated old building turned breakfast nook is our family’s new breakfast hangout.  It welcomes all walks of life and serves the best bacon, eggs, grits, and extra crispy hash browns I have ever eaten.  Definitely atop my greasy spoon dives!

 

 

 

The Burger Bar – Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay)

 

There is no place like this anywhere.   You select from some of the best meats from all around the world and almost anything you want with it as you can create the greatest burger known to man.  I only order one burger every time I go here and it’s called the “Surf & Turf” Burger.  It is a little pricy ($30), but worth the money for this magical display of land and sea atop a warm bun!  You get an 8oz Black Angus Beef patty with a half lobster tail garnished with steamed asparagus.  It is to die for and I have never traveled to Las Vegas without making this one of my stops!

 

 

 

Dukes Malibu Restaurant – Malibu, CA

 

I was introduced this ocean side restaurant by my brother-in-law Jared and sister-in-law Angela a few years ago as I traveled to Los Angeles to visit with them.  There might not be a more beautiful view of any restaurant on my list!  You are right there beside one of the most famous beaches in North America watching the sunset while you dine on some of the freshest seafood possible.   Definitely in my top 3 of seafood places that I have ever eaten and one of the prettiest views of any place I have ever visited.  There is a reason why all the stars by huge homes in Malibu, because it is beautiful. 

 

 

 

Waldhorn German Restaurant – Pineville, NC

 

I love German food!  I love all the meats they offer and prepare up in such different ways than we are used to.  I very rarely add a restaurant so quickly to my favorite list; however, last night was an exception as it was added on my list even before the meal and two bites into the appetizer.  The ambiance was incredible and the staff was amazing.  I also love accordions so the live accordion performances were awesome!  To top all of that off, I had not only best German food I have ever eaten, but I would rate this as one of top restaurants in all of the Charlotte, NC, metro area.  We tried different samplers of all sorts of food and the quality was superior. 

 

 

 

Hyman’s Seafood – Charleston, SC

 

If you ever travel to Charleston, SC, and you ask the locals where you should eat they will never say Hyman’s because they consider it as a tourist trap.  I will agree it is a tourist attraction, because there tables are labeled with some of the most famous people from all over the world (leaders, stars, presidents, etc.) who have eaten there.  I will tell you the locals are just jealous and while the staff uses a marketing ploy to make the lines look longer to keep up the excitement of the place, it doesn’t change the fact that this casual seafood place has AWESOME food!  The two “Hyman” brothers run this downtown Charleston seafood haven and the deli right beside it.  I haven’t been back in a couple of years, but on occasion their mom can often be found serving and speaking with patrons.  The nicest lady ever too!  I eat the same thing when I go every time:  Whole Flounder w/ Chutney Glaze.  The freshest flounder I have ever eaten to this day!

 

 

Frenchy’s – Clearwater, FL

 

Two words describe this beach nook:  Grouper Sandwich!  There is no place that you have ever been that will do it better.  They are renown all over for their grouper sandwiches and with good reason.   A beautiful location right along Clearwater Beach makes the ambiance awesome, but I can’t past the size, quality and taste of those crunchy bites of Grouper all between two pieces of bread.  It’s all that and a bag of chips!

 

 

 

Aureole – Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay)

 

Back to Vegas for another favorite place to dine!  This was the first place I ever ate in Las Vegas.  I was flown out to Las Vegas by Yellowpages.com, whom I served on an advisory board), and they treated us to truly one of the finest dining places you could imagine.  When you first walk in, you are awestruck by the huge skyscraper-like wine rack that holds 9,865 bottles of wine of which you can order one of their large looking specially made “wine palm pilots.”  I know I have spent a lot of my time already on seafood, but this is by far #1 of the places I have eaten seafood.  The halibut literally tastes like it was just caught and prepared by a master chef.  You will not be disappointed with the meal and dressing up is a must, but might have wished you could have saved the average $250 per person meal on some slots!  If you ever go to Las Vegas to catch a play or act, this is the perfect place to have that romantic date beforehand.

 

 

Jerry’s Famous Deli – South Beach, FL

 

South Beach in my mind might be a little over rated.  Not the beach itself as it is amazing and “The Delano” has the largest collection of beautiful men and women staying in one hotel than all the hotels in Las Vegas combined.  With that being said, I really would go back to South Beach to have the Cuban sandwich from Jerry’s.  I love Cuban sandwich’s and I have had a lot of them, but there is none that are made tastier than their creation at Jerry’s.  If I found a flight cheap enough, I really would just go down for the day just to get the sandwich. 

 

 

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse – Cancun, MX

 

If you know me, then you know that my favorite steak and overall meal from any restaurant is prepared by Ruth’s Chris.  Filet cooked Medium Well, Lettuce Wedge w/ Bleu Cheese Crumbles and sides of mushrooms and asparagus.  In fact the mushrooms are so good at Ruth’s Chris that my sister-in-law (Angela Rankin) send pictures of them to each other whenever we dine out at a Ruth’s Chris.  They are that good!  Being in Cancun, MX, is one thing, but it has become our custom as a family or business partners to go there at least once on our vacation there if not twice.  For some reason the steaks are always better in Mexico (I think it’s more the fact that we are on vacation). 

 

 

Winks – Statesville, NC

 

Back to breakfast for my favorite my second favorite breakfast place in the US!  Wink’s is actually known more for their barbeque, but I go there for the omelets.  It is easy to mess up an omelet in my mind and they continually get it right time after time.   I order the Western Omelet and I always ask for the cook that prepares them with whole cherry tomatoes.  I have never seen another place that prepares it that way.  It is a greasy spoon, but I eat there several times of year when I visit clients in that area of North Carolina.  My business partner Mark and I consider this a staple for our regular food intake during the year. 

 

 

Bob Chinn’s – Wheeling, IL

 

Outside of Chicago is one of the greatest and busiest restaurants in America.   It is one of the highest volume restaurants in America for four reasons.  Garlic Rolls, King Crab Legs, Blue Crab Claws and Mai Tai’s!  There is no other restaurant in America that goes through more ice tea, sugar, crab legs, mai tai’s and blue crab claws.  I would easily rate this as one of my favorite restaurants.  The food is that of a five star restaurant and the atmosphere is as laid back as you could imagine.  Come as you are but be prepared to wait as they are never slow.   Check out there overnight delivery!  Great dinner treat! www.bobchinns.com

 

 

Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi – Charlotte, NC

 

I love SUSHI!  The finest sushi and overall restaurant for fun of any I have ever been to is Nikko’s.  The owner aka “The Sushi Lady” makes this elaborately decorated restaurant a must before hitting uptown Charlotte on a nice evening out.  Not only is the sushi excellent quality, the service outstanding, but you can’t leave that place in a bad mood.  It is the perfect atmosphere of good taste and great fun.  Angela just surprised me with a huge 33^rd Birthday Surprise Party there in June and it was one of the best surprises I have ever had.  If you like Sushi, it is all good here!

 

 

Montgomery Inn Ribs – Cincinnati, OH

 

A good food lover can’t leave out ribs in there menu!  Montgomery Inn is a staple in Cincinnati and most likely the best well known restaurant and for good reason.  They have the best RIBS known to man.  I can’t resist getting a full rack of ribs with onion straws on the side with extra sauce to dip.  Another great ambiance as they have a location right along the Ohio River next to downtown Cincinnati.  I have always said that Cincinnati has one of the best skylines and to be right there on a warm summer evening right after eating the greatest ribs possible is one of my favorite memories of meals with my wife’s family.  My best memory was wedding rehearsal when we had it catered in for 120 of our family and friends.  Not my tab!

 

 

Purple Space Monkey – Placencia, Belize

 

I probably like this more for the karaoke that I found myself involved in all night back in the middle of July.  I will remember Belize for several things like being the most beautiful and fun vacation I have ever been on, the beautiful beaches and islands, the nicest people on earth, but what impressed me the most about visiting the country was the quality of food.  I could really put a lot of their restaurants on this list, but I just thought it was an awesome little sandwich place in the middle of a third world country that I couldn’t get anywhere else.  Truthfully, the sandwich wasn’t so mind blowing that I remembered it more than another one, but it was all about the ambiance.  To top it all off Verizon not only told me my cell phone wouldn’t work in Belize, but the whole island had wireless capabilities and The Purple Space Monkey was a equipped with many computers for the locals to use or tourists.  The nicest internet café I have seen. 

 

 

Jack N’ Jill’s – Beverly Hills, CA

 

There might not be anything like eating breakfast in Beverly Hills sitting outside of Jack N’ Jill’s.  This tiny little breakfast and lunch nook is well known for great food.  When I visit I always make sure to sit outside at one of the few outside front tables to get the view of all the unreal cars that ride by or the occasional movie star that walks by the restaurant.  You seriously feel like you are in the middle of a TMZ show! As far as what to eat, I love the ABT Omelet.  Fresh Avocado, Applewod Bacon & Tomatoes with Jack & Cheddar Cheese!  Yeah …. It’s that good!

 

 

Murphy’s Bleachers / Cubbie Bear / Casey Moran’s – Wrigleyville, IL

 

I couldn’t just name one, because they offer two things fairly equally that you can’t find anywhere in the US.  Nestled right beside the greatest ballpark ever made, Wrigley Field and its surroundings are home to the greatest sports fans in the world and also “THE BEST HOT DOGS & BRATS.”  In the summertime there might be nothing more American than watching a baseball game and eating a hot dog or brat and each of these Bar / Grills offer some of the tastiest on earth.  It probably isn’t so much the taste as much as it is being in the center of the baseball heaven doing to things I love the most: Eating and watching the Cubs!

 

 

Honorable Mentions

 

Beaver Creek Chophouse – Beaver Creek, CO (Fine Dining and Great Cuts of Meat)

Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse – Jackson Hole, WY  (The Ultimate Cowboy Steakhouse and the Steaks are enormouse).

Sullivan’s – Charlotte, NC  (I like their seafood, but there Crème Brule is amazing!)

Yolie’s Brazilian Steakhouse – Las Vegas, NV, (Just have to try it!  Unreal)

Victorian Room – Las Vegas, NV,  (5am breakfast right before you go to bed!)

Finding Time – October 16th, 2008

What a great week!  I love being able to write out my innermost thoughts as it helps me work through so many issues or questions.   People have already asked me what my biggest reason for getting into blogging and I have to say that I really expected this to be somewhat like a public diary.  Not necessarily for friends or people that don’t even no me, but even more so for my wife and children.  I love the thought that if something happened to me, that they have in written form my innermost thoughts, my loves, my passions, my beliefs, my struggles, my personality, etc….  In a since, I want them to know everything about me. 

With that being said, the family had a great week.  Church was awesome in both the message and in song.  My favorite hymn of all time is “Be Thou My Vision.”  They had this gentleman who was a professional guitarist who plays as a guest at churches all over and he was at Calvary.  He started to play his first song and I thought to myself, I would love to hear him play that song.  Sure enough about five minutes later.  I felt God was blessing my request!  I was so excited and what did they choose to close the service with at the end as well?  You guessed it!  It was played twice.  God is so good and it made my day!  Sunday afternoon was a lot of fun as Calvary had family day all afternoon on the church grounds.  It was a great time and the kids had a great time with all the fun and games.  Unfortunately, about 15 minutes into the pick-up soccer game i got kicked in the back of my left calf.  I wasn’t kicked hard, but my half popped and felt like a baseball bat had been taken to it.  The pain was unbearable and I came to the realization that I should no longer do anything that involves running, energy or some sort of ball.   I seriously get injured almost everytime I do anything physical; therefore, I quit all activities. 

The family spent Wednesday night with my father and step-mother who were stopping by for the evening.  We cooked out on the grill, played in the yard, sat by the firepit and had a relaxing evening.  It was so much fun spending time with them and they are great conversationalists.  The kids of course loved seeing them and spending the evening with them.  This morning was a treat as Dad and I got to spend time together and we ate breakfast at my new favorite breakfast nook (Big Dog Cafe).   Great conversation and always great food!  I couldn’t have asked for more.  Today, Angela and I took the kids for a short walk and came back to the house at dusk to crank up the firepit for roasting some marshmallows.  It was terribly messy and overall not the best roasting, but the kids new no different and absolutely loved it.  It was fun just hanging out them, because those are the times they will remember and count the most. 

Tomorrow is date night with Angela!  It will probably be low key, but just nice to spend some along time with her.  She is the best and I don’t know what I would do without her. 

Until next time!  Have a great week!

The Morning Drive – October 15th, 2008

On my way to work I was reminded of something we probably already know, but it was for some reason more apparent than other mornings.    Since the new move to Waxhaw, NC, it is much further to drive to work than in times before, but I have committed that drive time to prayer with God.  No emails, no calls, no texting, and no radio!  And if you know me, then you know that takes a lot not to just hold my phone like a two year holds their favorite blanket.  And if you know me then you also know I am no super spiritual person as I have more faults than most, but lately I have desired to be more in tune with God and talking to Him (like any relationship) seems to help.  Yes, that was sarcasm.

In my 45 minute drive to work this morning, I was reminded of the power of the Holy Spirit and how He displays himself to believers.  In that 45 minutes He displayed His role as the One who convicts sin and He made that apparent in several aspects of my life.  My response was one of confession and with that confession it allowed the Holy Spirit to work in several other roles this morning.  I am often a worry wart and I constantly worry about my temporal body or my families temporal bodies.  I often find myself begging God to keep my children and wife safe during their earthly lives.  I think that most of my Christian friends who are fathers / husbands most likely find themselves with similar thoughts.  It is natural not to want trials or tribulations or to have something affect the health of yourself personally or with your family.   I think it is natural to pray for the safety of your family or others you love.

So as I worry and I pray, I am reminded of the Gift that Jesus said he would give the Christians in this world (not just the world) to be our helper after He left this earth.  John 14:16,17 says, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of the truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”  How awesome to think that the Holy Spirit is inside of me and comforts my fears. 1/3 of the Trinity is there in my life to comfort me until Jesus Christ comes back to reclaim His bride.  Knowing that, I feel ashamed that I often treat the Holy Spirit if he were something I could bring out every once in awhile each day as if he were a ball cap that I would sometimes wear nor not.  Yet, the Holy Spirit never left me.  He is always there to give comfort to the believer who is committed to Him and it was no different this morning for me as He was there to calm any fears I had and assure me of His comfort and that He was never going to leave me.   Through any circumstance in life a true believer can always be assured of one thing through any trial or tribulation and that is the Holy Spirit’s presence in our life.  What an awesome thought!

I drove a little further asking God about a few of the circumstances in my life that I now find myself in and I was reminded about the Holy Spirit’s control.  I can’t speak for my male friends, but for me, I have a control problem.  Not with my wife or even my children although I always like to know what’s going on, but just in general, I always want to know beforehand what’s going to happen.  I don’t like flying on a plane because I have no control.  I don’t like to watch scary movies, because I can’t control the girl that knows something is wrong and doesn’t know what to do and we sit there and yell at the screen for her to run.  Don’t act like you haven’t done that!  I don’t like leaving my children at school all day without me being around, because I feel helpless.  It was even hard for me to buy a house with a master bedroom downstairs because I would be further away from the kids.  I serioiusly have an issue I know! 

But as I drove and prayed the Holy Spirit reminded me that I can’t control anything.  I was reminded of my favorite book in the Old Testament … Job.  Talk about a guy with no control.  You know you must be pretty close to God when Satan has a special meeting with God to discuss yourself.  Here was a guy that at the time it was said there was none more righteous, that lost his wife, his children, his house, his land, and all his belongings.  Even his friends were convinced he had some hidden sin, but Job continued to praise God even when to others his life seemed out of control.  My favorite part is where Job questions God (as I think most of us would given the same circumstances).  I choose to refer to it as wrestling with God during his suffering.  I really think Job thought he was going to get an answer from God of sorrow or of “better luck next lfe,” sort of response and it was vastly different and I think it has everything to do with God’s control in our lives.  There may be no other portion of Scripture that outlines the ultimate control of God than Job 38-40.  Job’s life, every life that has ever existed and all the way to my life are all controlled by God.  So what does that tell me about my worries? I can’t control it and only by the grace of God do I make it through each day.  I am thankful that the Holy Spirit is in control of my life today as He guides and directs my movements. 

So that was “The Morning Drive” in to work!  I was able to feel the Holy Spirit’s presence as He convicted me of sin, He comforted my worries and fears, and He assured me of His control in my life.

My prayer is that I would always seek to remain in tune with the Holy Spirit’s convicting, comforting and controlling in my life.

Where are your commitments?

 

Where are your commitments? Are your commitments pointed in the right direction?  

I loved this Sunday morning’s topic concerning the life of John The Baptist and his life that personified commitment and appreciate the way Pastor Jason pointed out a couple of things. 

·     There is a need for “true commitment” among the young people at Calvary and our generation.

·     True Commitment is born of authenticity (authenticity being a true and not fabricated faith).  Not only did John The Baptist’s life personify commitment, but his commitment was pointed in the right direction. 

The subject of commitment is one that I think needs to be addressed in the lives of young people and my generation. 

There is no doubt that in the United States, the level of commitment to Christ has been dropping dramatically in the last century.  Take for example the poll below conducted by Billy Graham School of Missions.

 

A poll conducted by the Billy Graham School of Missions found that the percentage of Americans who say they have accepted Christ as their savior has dropped from 65 percent in the World War II generation to 33 percent in the baby-boom generation to 15 percent in Generation X, and even smaller numbers in the most recent generation of teenagers. This has prompted Bill McCartney, who founded the men’s movement known as Promise Keepers, to plan revivals for teenagers in an effort to change those declines by using language that will challenge boys to “step up to the plate” and “become warriors for Christ.”

(Denver Post, November 1, 2002)

Copyright The Human Quest Jan/Feb 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

 

Knowing that we are losing ground in this world in the realm of “true commitment,” I would like define the different types of commitments we are or will face, and to write concerning a few of the things that I believe are standing in the way of “true commitment” among young people and our generation.   I would also like to follow up with several points as to how we can become more committed and see our commitments that are lasting.

Let’s look at the definition of “commitment” from Webster’s Dictionary as I divide up the realm of commitment into three basic segments:

1.  an act of committing to a charge or trust.

2.  an agreement or pledge to do something in the future. 

3.  something pledged – the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled.

 

This isn’t meant to be exhaustive, but it is my belief that “commitment” can be looked at in three core segments.

 

·     Occupational Commitments

·     Personal Commitments

·     Relational Commitments

 

Occupational Commitments are those that arise out of the job(s) that we have while we are on earth.  God recognizes this type of commitment throughout Scripture and Paul includes the subject of employer / employee based commitments in Colossians 3:10-15 right beside the relational commitments of husband / wife and parent / child.  It is obviously to see that God puts this segment of commitment right up there with our relational commitments and our judgment by God largely depends how we effectively stay committed in our jobs.  Having been an employee of a company and now a business owner, I can say that I see both sides of the relationship much clearer than most.  There used to be a time that I viewed everything as a “have not,” while I viewed those in power as the “have’s.”  Now that I am on the “have’s” side, I am not wondering what it is that I now have.  What I do have is an obligation to treat my employees fairly and pay them an adequate wage for the hours that they work for my company.  I think that the employer also has an obligation to make the workplace conducive to a healthy working environment.  As an employee they should be willing to work there hardest in the capacity that they were hired to make a contribution towards in return for that fair wage. As a Christian’s in the workplace we tend to understand these basic tenets of working hard, not stealing, not lying, etc …  However, I believe our biggest weakness as Christian’s involving occupational commitment is our unbalanced view against our other commitments.   This is obviously more of an issue to Christian males, but nonetheless is a problem, where put our commitments to our job and employer above our relational commitments with our spouse, children, and God.  There is a need to work hard as God demands this out of us in our commitment, but it should never cost us our most important relationships.  The lesson here is to not let your job in life and the demands it brings upon you overshadow your time and commitment to God and your family.  While it is important, the key here is a balanced lifestyle between all commitments.

 

Personal Commitments could easily be broken down into sub-segments, but for this blog we will keep them all grouped together.  Personal commitment examples include the following (again not meant to be exhaustive):

 

·     Education – Our education is extremely important.  From a social perspective it is almost a must to have occupational success.  Just a thought here, but Jesus trained His disciples for over three years before they started their ministry.  From the time of Paul’s conversion until his first missionary journey, he had been going through training for over a decade. 

·     Sports / Activities – Team building or being involved in other activities require commitment.  In American culture, there might be nothing that defines commitment than being involved in a team sport, or activity such as band, drama, art, honor society, etc.   My six year old is already learning commitment in two aspects as he plays 6 year old soccer and also involved with Awana at church.  Both of those will play a huge role in defining what commitment is in his life and it’s no different in those sports or activities that you now find yourself involved in currently.

·     Personal Purity – Unfortunately this is a “lost commitment” in most of society and especially in our schools, but it doesn’t change the fact that God calls us to a higher standard of personal purity (I Thess. 4:3-4).  Where is your standard and commitment level in regards to personal purity? Without personal purity of our mind and body, we lose our authenticity; whereby we try to worship and our inability to be authentic defines us as uncommitted and our worship is in vain.   

·     Exercise and Health – Where do we stand in our efforts to make sure our bodies, which belong to God, are in the best shape and condition possible.  If left up to me, each day I would eat the biggest burger I could have and have fried onion rings on side.  I would wash it down with a cold Mountain Dew.  My desire would be to do this routinely and never working out.  In I Cor. 9:27, Paul is writing as if he were an athlete talking about how that we race for an earthly reward and that he beats his body (disciplines) his body to keep it into subjection.  He literally makes his body his slave and not the other way around and so should we be committed to a health lifestyle as that commitment creates discipline.

These are just a few of the personal commitments that at some point we find us involved currently, will be involved or refuse to be committed.  Very similar to our occupational commitments, our personal commitments are worthwhile endeavors if God is involved in those commitments; however, the struggle here is the same and that is finding the proper balance between all three segments of “commitment.”  Being committed to a sport, a club, an activity, or any other worth while endeavor is great thing if it is born from God, but it can never take precedence or dominance over our relational commitments which are the most important commitments we will make in our lives.

 

Relational commitments are those commitments that arise as we create relationships with others.  There are several relationships that we either are born into or create over time in our lives and inside those relationships we are committed to those people in different fashions. 

• The first relational commitment that we are normally involved is the parental / child relationship or familial relationship.  In the aspect of the familial commitment, I have and continue to experience both sides of this commitment.  I am a child and God puts a premium on the type of commitment and relationship we have with our parents.  One can’t read God’s Word without coming away seeing that children are to obey their parents and make it a lifetime commitment of always choosing to respect and care for our parents.  Commandment #5 states to honor our father and mother.  As a parent I carry the responsibility making sure I am committed to the nurturing and admonishing of my children.  My children must know that my commitment to them is volitional, just as God loves us volitionally.  Other than your commitment to God and your spouse, there is no more important commitment that you will make than that of committing to your children.
• The second relational commitment involves our commitments to our friends.  It has been said that people have many friends, but very few “true friends” in a lifetime.  It is my belief that those true friends that you encounter through life help shape and mold how effectively we live out our lives.   The friends that you choose to be committed to, beginning in high school through your college years, could easily be the single most influential guiding factor in the educational course you take, the job you choose and the spouse you later make a commitment to.  If that is the case, how important is for young people and our generation to surround ourselves with friends that encourage us to make wise and Godly decisions?
• The second relational commitment that most will make or have made is that of the husband / wife relationship or spousal relationship.  The most sacred of commitments we make, other than the commitment to Christ, is that of our commitment to the one we say “to death do us part.”  Truly that is “supposed” to be the end result of our commitment with the one we marry.  With ultimately over 50% of marriages ending up in divorce it becomes especially disconcerting to see just how many commitments aren’t “true commitments.”  It is a sad state to say, but if I divided up the congregation right down the middle in our church and stated to them that percentages tell us that half of you will not honor your commitment to your spouse, what would their reaction be?  What does that tell you about the importance of making sure that you 100% believe in that commitment?  The problem is that no one says on their wedding day, I am pretty sure this is going to end up in divorce.  So what is the problem?  It is the order in which we list our commitments!  God first, spouse second, children third, friends fourth in our relational commitments.  When those get out of order, we lose our balance and our perspective and we get out of line of what’s most important. 
• The third and most important of all commitments is the God / Child relationship or spiritual relationship.  As Christians, our commitment to God manifests the authenticity of our faith.  True Christians and “true commitment” reveals our character, reveals what is most important to us, and reveals what we think of our of God, in whom we have made that ultimate commitment.  Whenever I think of a person who has fallen away from their commitment with God, I am always reminded of a lesser known person recorded in the New Testament.  In the light of God’s Word, Demas isn’t mentioned that often, but only a few verses define the authenticity of his faith and his level of commitment.  Demas is only mentioned in three passages of Scripture (Col 4:14, Philemon 1:24, and II Timothy 4:10), but we see the full circle of his life.  In Colossians he is mentioned as greeting the people of Colosse along with Luke.  In Philemon he is called a fellow laborer with Paul.  However, only a few years later when Paul is writing to his “son in the faith” he warns Timothy that Demas has forsaken him.  He didn’t just forsake Paul, rather all that Paul stood for and worked for in the light of Christ.  He tells Timothy that he loved the present world too much (i.e.  his commitments were placed in the wrong places).

It is possible to have our commitments in the wrong order of priority or to even have them pointed in the wrong direction, but at the end of our life, the authenticity of our faith will be judged upon those commitments.  So what is standing in our way in reference to “true commitment?”  Here are a few of the things that I believe are standing in the way:

 

• Misplaced Faith – Are we truly a believer?  Where is our faith?  Are we converted?
• Misplaced Friends – Do we have the right core of friends that are beckoning us to do right, make wise decisions, and by their walk cause us to be more like Christ?
• Misplaced Priorities – If you listed all your priorities down in order, what would your list look like?  If God isn’t first on your list of “true commitment” then all of other commitments are either in vain or will not last.  

“When God’s forgiveness is coupled to our commitment to God, and both are bound together with the love that lives in us because we belong to Christ, we experience the ideal spiritual relationship. Our commitment will not exploit the forgiveness of God. The forgiveness extended by God’s goodness will never be exhausted. In that is security. It is our faith in and commitment to the God of forgiveness that allows us to be preserved and protected by His power (1 Peter 1:3-5).”  David Chadwell / West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR, / Evening Sermon, 14 February 1999

With all that being said, how can we become more committed God?  Assuming that we are all Christians here, I have to say that there are several things we can do to see our commitment level where it should be in our relationship with God.  Let me preface this by saying that I don’t believe we can become “more committed” as I believe you are either committed or not committed to God.  It’s fairly black and white, but what we can do as believers is to put into practice certain things that will compel us to keep those commitments which are Godly and to rid those commitments that take away from our effectiveness in living for God. 

·         Prioritize existing commitments – Reallocating our time to focus on the commitments that compel us to be more like Christ. 

·         Pray for future commitments – Don’t make a commitment to anything without first seeking God’s opinion on the matter.  Anything that deters or takes away our commitment to Christ isn’t acceptable. 

·         Seek God’s Word as it is the source for principles that God has set forth for decision making and commitment making.  No Godly commitment will ever violate the principles that He has laid forth in His Word. 

·         Seek wise counsel involving present and possible future commitments (i.e. college, dating, job, large purchases, marriage, and ministry involvement). 

·         Surround yourselves with friends and people of like faith and beliefs.  You are more likely to make wise commitments after seeing different view points from other people. 

 

What are you committed to in your life right now? 

Do your commitments exemplify the principles of God’s Word?

In what order are your present commitments and is God at the top of that list?

What can we do as Christians to make sure that we keep existing and future commitments that we make?

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time, year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.

Source unknown

The Bohemian reformer John Hus was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters. He died at the stake for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus’s last words were, “What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood.”

Source unknown

Getting It Together: Can we be “Complete Christians?”

Title:                Getting It Together

Author:             Brian Williams

Scripture:         James 1:1-4

Interrogative:  Are there areas in your Christian walk that you do not have all together?

Proposition:     The complete Christian is the one who has all his parts together and is   

                            making progress in his or her Christian life!

 

Introduction

 

James, the half brother of Jesus Christ, wrote his epistle to the believers scattered all over the known world at that time.  Writing around 55 AD, the Roman empire was still in control and Christians were constantly being persecuted.  One would expect James to spend most of his time dwelling on how to make it through these difficult times of persecution and he does speak of trials that believers would be going through; however, James’ basic concern is to help the believer (YOU) become a “Complete” person.  James method of writing focuses entirely on the inner struggles that all Christian’s have working in them on a daily basis.  The theme of chapter one is set up in verse 4 when he says, “that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Translated: that you (Christian) would be complete and having all parts of your Christian walk together, needing no other parts.

 

When I was younger I had a lot of favorite TV programs that I watched regularly just you like your have your favorites today.  One of those programs was called “The A-Team.”  In this program you had an incredible cast of characters (such as Mr. T, Hannibal, Murdock, Face, etc.) that were running from the law because they were fugitives from US Government for being blamed for a crime that they did not commit.  So while they stayed on the run from the government, they would be hired out by a person or a group of persons to do special tasks.  They always did what was right and usually helped those people whom they met along there way running from the law.  It seemed like every show that would come on that they would get themselves in an incredibly hard situation to get out of and somehow if by a miracle, they would get out of the situation.  They never got caught and always got the job done!  At the end of every program, Hannibal, the leader of the group of vigilantes, would make this statement: “I love it when a plan comes together.” 

 

Similarly, James wrote with the same confidence of God’s Plan and how to get all of our parts to come together for the believer.  For each of us, we have our own vices and struggles that the Christian Life brings us.  Some of you struggle with spending time with God.  Others struggle with pornography, lust, improper actions or words to the opposite sex.  Some of you are trapped by jealousy or envy of what others have. Others have an authority problem and are constantly disobeying higher authorities.   It may even be as simple as not caring or being apathetic.  Whatever your struggle or vice that you have, God says through James that the struggles are normal, but they can be won!!  You can be a complete Christian!  You can have all parts of your life functioning correctly!

 

 

                 Interrogative:     Think for a minute or two and examine your own life at the  

                                              different struggles you might have in your own Christian    

                                              life.  Do you sometime feel like they can’t be won?  Can you

                                              challenge yourself to try God’s challenge to become a

                                              “Complete” Christian?

 

 

I.          Count It!

Jms. 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (trials).”

 

During the Roman rule, they were slaughtering Christian’s each day.  Many Christians were constantly on the run for there lives while they lived out their faith.  This does not even begin to compare to our lives today, because there “trials” were so much greater, but that does not mean God cares any less nor wants any less of our allegiance to Him and His plan.  If any thing the temptations to give our allegiance to something else or someone else is magnified one hundred fold. 

 

Application:        Today, you are constantly being bombarded for your purity of mind and body.  Every television show that comes on seems to flaunt sexual experimentation before marriage, infidelity during marriage, and just making sure you have fun at all costs.  The majority of the internet sites that are on the web today are pornography related.  The ability to get pornography of any imagination is a click away for most people.  The loose standards of today have made women and teenage girls today mere sex objects in today’s society.  Even the music of the day pushes the lascivious and derogatory lifestyle to the limits making it almost a game for most teenagers to be involved.

 

Application:         Your time to spend with God is almost pushed to the backgrounds with all the activities, work,  and meetings, that you are currently involved.  We try to rationalize our lack of time spent with God because we have so many other obligations in our life that we are trying to fulfill.

 

Application:         How can we rejoice through these constant temptations and trials that God has allowed in our lives?  Because of the one constant “We have an opportunity to have victory!” We often look at the negative, which is us failing God’s test.  When in reality, James tells us to count it all joy!  Why? Because we can have victory!

 

Interrogative:      What are those current struggles that you thought about earlier?  What is stopping you from gaining victory over them?  Is it because you expect to fail because that is the expectation you set? 

 

 Transition:         God wants you to have your life functioning correctly and you lacking no parts, but without joyfully entering trials God allows in your life with the attitude of victory, we run the risk of never being complete!  

 

II.        Know It!

James 1:3 “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

 

James, knowing what difficult times it was for the believer during the Roman rule, made it known that these difficult times tried even the greatest Christian’s faith in God.  The phrase, “knowing this” is actually referring to the previous statement and also leads in to the next statement.  He said “knowing” that you are to go into trials with an attitude of joy and victory, but it is also going to try your patience (rather “endurance”).  In order for us to become complete, God allows trials and temptations to enter into our lives.  He does not do this so we can fail though I am sure he knows often we will fail;  however, God allows those same trials and temptations in our lives until we can learn to have joy and to have the endurance to make it through them with a victory.  Some times we confuse the word patience in the King James language to our own definition of patience.  We look at the word as one that is passive and the idea of waiting; however, the word used then was quite the opposite.  It carried an active tone and one of a long race such as a marathon.  It is the one who makes it to the end of the race who has “patience / endurance.” Endurance and the attitude of joy in the midst of trials are the first and second keys of finding the formula to completeness in your Christian walk. 

 

Illustration:          I can remember when I was almost 16 and how many sleepless nights I had waited to get my driver’s license.  I had my whole day planned.  I was going to get to take out the family station wagon later on that afternoon and pick up some friends.  We were going to go the mall and then out to a movie.  I was so excited and the anticipation was all I thought it was going to be.  The day had come and I got into the car to begin my drivers test to get my driver’s license.  After supposedly rolling through a stop sign and not merging fast enough in to the traffic, the lady giving me the test informed me of my failure to pass the exam.  I was crushed.  I felt my life flash before my eyes! This was a major trial.  The embarrassment and the harassment I would soon be a part of seemed unbearable.  This was a trial I did not ask for and it lived up to the embarrassing hype I thought it would.  I did get my license a week later, but for that week I felt like I was in the midst of the worse trial life could offer.  Needless to say, It was not close to what some of the Christian’s in this world go through, but in a small way it was a trial nonetheless.   

 

Application:         No matter how silly or how serious the trial we are presently going through, we need to endure, understanding that this is part of the process of becoming a complete Christian.  How can we know the grace and mercy of God without ever going through trials in our life? 

 

Interrogative:      What are the trials and temptations that you are currently in?  What did you go through this week, whether you passed or failed?  Did you have joy?  Did you even realize that it was a process designed by God to make you a “Complete” Christian”?  Were you able to endure through it or are you currently enduring through your present trial or temptation?  What are you doing to see that you pass the test?

 

Spend Time:        Take a few minutes and discuss ways that we can endure our trials.  What do you think are some ways to increase our endurance and our ability to overcome in personal trials and temptations?

 

                              Examples: 

     

·        Prayer

·        Reading God’s Word

·        Asking for a close friends help and support

·        Seeking Accountability with someone close to you

·        Talking with your parents and asking for there help 

 

III.      Let it!

James 1:4 “But let patience (endurance) have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing.”

 

The third key to the formula to your completeness in your Christian walk is “letting it.” Letting endurance have her perfect work!  To put it in to today’s vernacular, “Don’t take any shortcuts.”  Completeness is not found in our time doing what we want, but rather on God’s time allowing God to do the completing and perfecting!  So many times we want what we can see.  We don’t want to take a year off of sports to spend more time in our relationship with God.   We don’t want to live a life of purity of our minds and bodies because that wouldn’t be as fun for us and besides that (everyone else does it).  We live in a give it to me now society that creates in us the lost art of endurance.  As we see through our small picture of the job we have, or the family and friends we are surrounded by, or by the church we attend, God sees the entire picture.  God desires for every Christian to be complete but until we can enter life’s trials with joy, have endurance, and not take short cuts we will never be complete, but rather always lacking something. 

 

 

Illustration:           I can remember this one trip my wife and I were on a few years ago.  We were driving north to Ohio to visit my wife’s relatives when we came to Knoxville, Tennessee, and there was road construction that looked to be backed up for 30 miles.  I immediately got out my Atlas and exclaimed I know a short cut.  My wife oblivious or neither caring did not care if tried to wait out the traffic or took the shortcut.  Of course she wouldn’t, she is not driving I thought.  She then said you make the decision even if it was against her decision to wait it out.  I then proceeded to take the short cut or what I thought was going to be a short cut.  I took off the main interstate and found some country roads only to my dismay, I found out that either Atlas’s are either no good or either I am no good at reading them.  After a 2 hour shortcut  I found myself back on the interstate.  I was not quite sure how much time I had lost on my shortcut until I realized that after two hours I was only 20 exits down and still in the construction zone.  A lot of good that paid off!  My lack of endurance showed by immaturity as a driver.  It is the same in our own Christian lives when we want to take short cuts with God design and plan for our completeness.

  

Interrogative:      What are you lacking?  Do you always want to be lacking or do you desire to have victory in your life and be the

                                               “complete” Christian God desires you to be? 

 

Conclusion

 

About 9 years ago my wife and I purchased a new bedroom set.  This was one of our first major purchases and it was very nice.  They even came to the house and delivered it and set it up for us.  After about a year that we had the bed we decided to move, so I took the bed apart, took it to the new house, and set it up in our new bedroom.  One night my wife and I were sleeping soundly, then my wife woke up suddenly saying did you hear that? I was still groggy, but I began to listen.  It was a creaking noise and I responded that it must be the rain dripping off the house.  No sooner did I say that, when the bed falls to the ground with a sudden boom.  Scaring me half to death, I then realized that the sides of the bed had given out causing the bed to fall.  The next day I angrily called the place where I bought it from telling them I had defective bed rails and told them I was not happy about the situation I was going through.  Of course the place where I got it, quickly sent out new rails and even sent out a person to install them for us.  After the person arrived, he noticed how “supposedly defective” rails were installed.  He then made the comment that whoever put the rails up, put them up wrong, which caused the problem; however, he assumed it was the store person who had originally delivered the bed that did it.  I did not tell him that we had moved!  To my own embarrassment, I then realized that I had not done the job properly and took shortcuts in setting up the bed to save time and even not using all the original parts to set it up the second time.  It did not affect me at the outset but later, because of on my own impatience and my own desire to save time, it actually cost me much more.  I did not realize that it took all those parts to make it work properly and in the long run it cost me. 

           

It is the same in our Christian walk.  We have our own ways we go about things and often we do not include God in that walk.  We use the parts we see fit that would cause us the least amount of time and stress in the short time, instead of using all the parts to make it work for the long haul.  The trials and temptations that come in our lives offer the opportunity of joy and victory.  Those opportunities can work in our lives to be an enduring faith that is complete and has all of the working parts working together to make us that “Complete Christian” that God knows each of us can be in our walk.

 

Are you taking shortcuts and not using all the parts God had given you?  What are you going to do today to see that this action plan of becoming “Complete” is begun in your life?