"I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."  We all know that line.  It's one of the most famous in all of film, and I suppose, you might be a little surprised to see Marlon Brando's picture on this church blog.  I mean, after all, what can we possibly learn about friendship from the Godfather?  Hmm . . . I'm not entirely sure, but if we studied the film, we'd probably learn a number of things about life.  Perhaps we'd learn some things about loyalty and disloyalty.  Perhaps we'd learn about the value of family, etc.  Notwithstanding the above, I mention the Godfather for another reason. 

I mention the Godfather because it was probably the greatest film Francis Ford Coppola ever directed, and here's why I care:  it was risky business.  Coppola didn't even want to direct the film at first because he knew it would probably glorify the Mafia . . . and Coppola had a well . . . well . . . Italian background.  I'll let you think about what kind of risks that meant for him.  Yet here is a famous quote from the famed director, producer and screenwriter:

"An essential element of art is risk. If you don't take risks, how are you going to make something really beautiful that hasn't been seen before? …. I always had a good philosophy of risks. The only risk is to waste your life, so that when you die, you say, 'Oh, I wish I had done this.'"


What do you think?  Are you a risk taker?  Do you believe in making, or at least participating in, beautiful things?  (Yes, I can see the irony here . . . beauty and the Godfather?!!)  

The point today is this:  friendship requires risk taking, and when it comes to Jesus, the greater the risk you take with Him, the deeper will be your friendship.  Think about those early disciples for a moment.  In John's first chapter we read . . . 
John 1,35   The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,  36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold,  the Lamb of God!”  37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.  38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them,  “What are you seeking?” And they said to him,  “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  39 He said to them,“Come and you will see.” 


We don't know much about these disciples (we do know that one was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother) except that they had been with John.  Certainly John was a radical and a person had to be somewhat of a risk taker to be spending time with him.  However, by this time John's ministry was well known.  There was at least a measure of predictability about it in that everyone knew his work was about calling people to repentance and baptizing in the river Jordan.  But how about this "Lamb of God?"  Who was He?   Where was He going?  Both of those are risky questions, and Jesus only tells them, "Come and you will see."  The word "come" is in the imperative.  In other words, if you are going to see . . . if you are going to know Jesus . . . you have to step out.  It's a command.  You have to leave what is familiar and "come," and it's only after you come, that you begin to see what life with Jesus is all about.  

The same is true for any friendship.  To be a friend involves risk.  There are times when you're going to be hurt.  There are times when you're going to have joy.  Yet the question is simple: Is it worth it?  Well . . . I think I can put it this way . . . friendship is an offer we can't refuse. 

Your friend,

Paul

One of the blessings (among many) that my wife gives to me is her love of literature.  I'm not sure exactly where this love came from, but over the years as I have consumed theology (very slowly), she has consumed novels and stories (at an impressively rapid pace).  I'll never forget the early years in our marriage, particularly when she was working toward a Bachelors in Education.  She would come home and tell me about her classes, and inevitably she would speak about some new writer or some new story she had read.   However, there were a couple of books (probably more if I would listen better) that came into her life long before college - a couple of books that appeared to be burned into her soul.  One of them, and I know it has much to do with her father's love for this story, is Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows.  

Have you read it?  It's about a boy (Billy Coleman) and two hounds (Old Dan and Little Ann), but it's really about a boy who is coming of age, and I think . . . I really think . . . it's a story about friendship.  Let me quote something from the seventh chapter:

Although they couldn't talk in my terms, they had a language of their own that was easy to understand.   Sometimes I would see the answer in their eyes, and again it would be in the friendly wagging of their tails.  Other times I could hear the answer in al low whine or feel it in the soft caress of a warm flicking tongue.  In some way, they would always answer.   

My congregation may get a little jaded of my talking about dogs, but consider the way Rawls describes the hounds' communication skills:  Billy says he could see their answer, hear their answer and feel their answer.  Stop and think about those words for a moment - considering we're talking about hounds, those words are remarkable!  Old Dan and Little Ann were far better communicators than many of the people I know.  

Let's face it:  as a general rule, people are poor communicators.  We're afraid to express our thoughts and feelings, so we hide.  We're more focused on the "me" within us than on "you" out there, and so we fail to listen.  If you think about it, the list of reasons we have for poor communication can go on and on.  We're just not very good at it. Yet look at those hounds.  Look at Old Dan and Little Ann.  Unlike us, they had no fear of being accepted, and they loved Billy in unreserved fashion.  

So what's the point? The point is that in Little Ann and Old Dan we see the second lesson about friendship:  friendship requires honest and loving communication. If you want to be a friend, be willing to listen.  If you want to be a friend, be willing to speak the truth.  

The Bible gives us clues about friendship.  I'll bet you're not surprised!  In the first chapter of John we see that Jesus left the Father to "dwell" with us. 

John 1,14   And  the Word  became flesh and  dwelt among us . . .  full of grace and truth.

The Message translation puts it this way: Jesus moved into our neighborhood.  That's because Jesus wants to be our friend.  Do you remember Lesson 1 - friendship starts with wanting to be a friend?  

Yet that's not all.  This One from above also came to this world full of grace and truth.  Stop and think about grace and truth for  moment.   Do you see Lesson 2?  It's in those two beautiful words. Jesus, as our friend, came bringing grace (He has a loving ear - he lovingly communicates), and Jesus, as our friend, came willing to speak the truth (He is honest about you and me).   

That's Lesson 1 and Lesson 2, and they both come from Jesus. 

Your friend,

Paul

Another pound . . . another day . . . and they add up quickly.  We all have them.  We all carry them.  They are the weights upon our shoulders.  Weights of course come in all shapes and sizes.  2lbs. 5lbs. 10lbs.  Those are just beginning weights, and some of us like to boast about large numbers.  "Hey friend, how about placing another 50lb. weight on my bar?" some of us like to say in earshot of people in the gym.  "I like to pump as much as possible and as many times as possible."  

Now that may not be you.  Even if you like to pump heavy weights, you're too humble to draw attention to yourself.  And yet . . . perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . you'd be better off without so much "humility."  Why?  Because if you're a human being, chances are, you're carrying weight - the kind of weight you don't find in the gym.  What do "humble" people do when they carry a load?  Well, they carry it by themselves - of course!  I mean, why would you want to draw people's attention to your own problems?

Enter real faith, real hope, real love.  Faith, hope and love that transform a person into a free person is a way of life that gives up "humility" - and by "humility" I mean false humility.  That's because real humility speaks up.  It is not afraid to draw attention to itself when it needs attention.   Real faith, real hope and real love says, "Hey friend, I need a friend.  Hey friend, I need someone to carry my load."  

Isn't that interesting?  That's exactly what Jesus offers you . . . 

Matthew 11:28
              Come to  me, all who labor and are  heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Does Jesus say anything else?  Well, if you read the passage in Matthew, He says something about yokes and burdens (maybe Jesus knew about gyms),  but maybe . . . just maybe . . . today He is saying something like this specifically to you:   "Get a friend.  Be a friend.  You are not meant to be alone."  Did you know simply getting a friend and being a friend is the first lesson of friendship?  You can't get a friend or be a friend if you don't want one.

So get a friend and be a friend.  For some of you, that's an invitation to life itself.  For others, it's a difficult challenge.  Friends . . . good friends . . . friends who carry weights . . . are difficult to find.  I suppose that's why we need a very healthy church, and I suppose that's why I will be praying for all who read this blog.

Your friend,

Paul 

For all who are interested, we received this information from Chrissy Shelton today:
Project Update #8: We're Funded! We're Funded! Ya ya ya, we're funded!!!!YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE, all together, made this happen!!!!! Glory be to GOD!!!!!!!! His provision is AMAZING! Lord you are so big! I believe, heal my unbelief!

Thank you all who were able to make it out to The Electric Bean last night! What an incredible evening! So blessed by the support and thrilled that you believed right along side me! We raised close to $1000 in support just last night! My hubby and I are in shock! Thank you so much!

Thank you to the J2J team for going the distance with me and making the final push to get the word out! I don't whether to laugh or cry! So excited! Excited beyond belief!!!!!! Thank you especially to my sweet hubby for working all this out with me, for believing with me and stepping out into this big dream with me! The step was scary but "It looks like we ma de it!"

As for extra funds, don't worry, they won't be wasted on bon-bons! We'll definitely put them to good use! I'm thinking about an amp that I can actually carry around without it putting bruises on my legs is in order!

Well again I want to thank you for believing in this project! We are hitting the studio in APRIL!!!!!! Dream come true! Wowzers! I'll keep you posted about an event in April when my producer is here. We'll be putting on another concert. So fun! And then, of course, the CD release party!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!!?????? So excited!

Blessings of joy and peace to all of you today! Chrissy

Athletics.  Fitness.  Sports.  The 2012 London Olympics.  Am I ready?  When you reach my age and you face the day to day challenge of teaching, shepherding, writing and proclaiming - when you drive your kids to school and drive them to sports - when you do your best to have a good marriage and be a good father - when you meet extended family commitments and desire to maintain healthy friendships - it's easy to see your body waste away.  Today I feel like a hound on the beach.  

What do you do when you feel like a hound?  If you're wise, you still attempt to get up and run.  Yet how do we do that very thing - how do we "get up and run" the race toward Jesus when our busyness makes us feel so slothful?  I have some ideas:

1.  Recognize that running the race is living the LIFE.  
To be a Christian is to live in grace (Praise God!), but grace leads us into Christian training - training in God's Word. This takes effort - we have to admit - and there are times when we get exhausted.  Keep running.     2 Timothy 3:16-17    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  17 that the man of God  may be complete, equipped for every good work. 

2.  Remember, many will try to trip you up, and when you trip . . .  GET UP! 

We're in Galatians on Sunday mornings, and this blog comes from Galatians 5:7    You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 

One of the Apostle Paul's favorite images comes from athletics.  We see it in 2 Corinthians 9 and 2 Timothy 4 (check those out!).  In Galatians Paul uses the image briefly, but it is a powerful image nonetheless.  The Galatians had been "running well."  They had been going the right direction and running the right way (living the Christian life by means of faith in Jesus Christ, rather than living under law), but someone had tripped them up.  So let's face it:  we're probably going to trip now and then.  We're not perfect.  We haven't arrived.  That's okay, but we need to GET UP and run the race.

3.  Don't run alone.  

Those hounds in the picture?  They're running together, and when Paul writes to the Galatians, he wants them to run with him as well.  Paul was a great man, but he needs the Galatians to get down the beach.  Simply put, Paul needs the encouragement of his friends.  Come to think about it . . . so do you and so do I. 

So do you have a partner?  Do you have someone who can encourage you in your Christian race?  Please don't run this race alone.

Hmm . . . this is an image I'm probably going to have to return to . . .

Paul

Tonight I've decided to be rather bold and bring someone to our attention.  I don't want to use this blog for promotions.  That's not what this blog is about, but something happened today that told me "go ahead - just let them know." 

The word for today is "righteousness."  Wait! Wait!  Don't turn away yet.  Instead, stop and think about that word for a moment.  Reflect . . . "righteousness."  How does it make you feel?  Does it make you feel uncomfortable?  Does "righteousness" feel strange to you?  Perhaps it's simply a big word - a word you would never use in casual conversation.  I understand.  People look at me in an odd way all the time because I use strange words.  

"Righteousness" is a Biblical word - and Biblical words have been expunged from most of American life.  Our language is more influenced by technology and the internet than by the dusty pages of a series of books (the Bible is a collection of 66 books) written 2000 years ago. Nevertheless, if we are going to grow in our understanding of God, we are going to have to face the fact that there are some words we have to tackle. So get those pads on.  Get on that helmet.  Let's hit "righteousness" head on.  

"Righteousness" - it has three syllables, and we'll start from the end.  "Ness" - what does this suffix mean?  It means to be full of something.  "Illness" - it means to be full of that which makes you ill.  "Greatness" - it means to be full of that which makes you great.  You get the idea.  

How about "ous?" - what does this mean?  It's very similar to "ness," and sometimes it also means to be full of something, but in the case of "righteousness" it simply means to take on that character.  "Take on what character?"  The character of being "right."  So whatever righteousness means, it has something to do with being full of the character of being right.  Yet this has nothing to do with being "correct" - as in getting the right answer.  Rather, it fundamentally has to do with being in a right relationship with God, and this right relationship with God transforms our character.

For those of you who have been listening to my sermons in church, or online through this website, you know that I have been preaching through Paul's letter to the Galatians.   The letter centers on two contrasting ways of living.  One way of living is to pursue righteousness through the Mosaic Law (living by a very long list of "do's" and "don'ts" in the Old Testament).   The other way of living is to pursue righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. It's the latter that is the Christian way, but notice what both have in common:  both pursue righteousness.  It's just that in the Christian way, righteousness is a gift (a gift of grace . . . we might say).     

In chapter 5 of Galatians Paul uses the word "righteousness" for a second time.  The first time is in 2:21 where Paul makes it clear that to rely on grace through faith (rather than the Mosaic Law) is the Christian way:

Galatians 2:21     
       I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. 

Yet for our purposes today I want you to notice an interesting dynamic in Galatians 5:5:

Galatians 5:5
       For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 

Notice the present and future aspect of Galatians 5:5.  "through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait" - this is what is going on right now in our lives.  Those who know Jesus Christ have the Spirit of God within them, and the Spirit of God is working within us (He is active!) to give us Christlike character today.  Righteousness, being in a right relationship with God, changes us.  "Fine.  But what does this change look like?"   It can be described in many ways (love being the most important change), but in Galatians 5:5 Paul tells us that it orients us toward Christian hope.  What is "Christian hope?"  It is none other than the hope of the return of Jesus Christ.  Don't you want to see Him?  He is coming soon!  "So Paul . . . what's the point of this 'oh so long' blog?"  The point is that God is working in us today so that we can be ready for Him tomorrow.  Are you letting Him get you ready?  Are you being filled with the character of being right with God?  He wants to do that in you today.

Paul

By now my dream should make sense to all of us.  I found myself in a classroom - the place of so much of my life's performance - and let's face it, my effort didn't qualify.  It wasn't enough.  I had failed.  As a pastor for fourteen years, I have spent a great deal of my time being in front of people.  I am not in class, but it's very easy for a pastor to feel like he or she must perform.  Yet "performance" is exactly the mentality from which we must get away.  You don't want a "performing" pastor, and God does not receive us because of our efforts.  He receives us because we are His children.  

I originally shared my dream thinking I could talk about perfectionism in the next blog.  "Certainly it won't take more than one or two blogs to talk about this subject" I thought to myself.  Was I ever wrong!  I could write a book here - perhaps a book of stories . . . one after another of people who cannot see their own success.  Then again, that book might be a little depressing.  Want to read it?  I didn't think so.  

Perfectionism is not the only emotional problem people carry. As I've said before,  people in our world carry many other types of emotional wounds.  Either way, the key to healing is "deep Jesus" in our "deep parts." There is no getting around this truth.  The world simply does not have the tools to fix the inner self.  I am not against psychology - Christian counselors and psychologists can (and do)  help a great many of us.  The truth is, I recommend them to people in my church whenever an appropriate cases arise.  However, no counselor can give you what you need the most:  the person of Jesus Christ.  

Jesus is calling.  Did you know that?  Did you know that you were made for Him . . . deep on the inside?  The fact that you are reading this blog (especially number five!) probably means that you knew this already.  

If you are saying at this point, "What do I do?" I certainly have some suggestions:

#1:  Ask Jesus to commune with you in your spirit every day.  The prayer may go something like this:

           "Jesus, I need you - deep inside.  I don't understand the way I'm made, and I don't understand all my hurts, 
          but I know I'm made for you.  Would you come and speak to me?  You speak, and I'll listen."  

          Then be quiet.  Let Jesus speak.  Do you know what He's saying?  He's saying, "I love you.  Rest in me."

#2:  Memorize a few key passages of scripture and take them into your heart (your spirit).  A good passage would be the following:

          Matthew 11:28-30:


          28  Come to  me, all who labor and are  heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and
          learn from me, for I am  gentle and lowly in heart, and  you will find rest for your souls. 30 For  my yoke is 
          easy, and my burden is light.”

         A couple of others are 1 John 3:1-3 and of course, Psalm 23.  Truthfully there are many verses that can bring
         healing, but the key is to take them deep inside yourself.

#3:   Pray the verses you memorize back to Jesus.  For example, your prayer might go something like this:

       "Jesus, I know that your are my shepherd, and as long as your are my shepherd, 
       You will always fill my needs.  Fill my needs today, Lord.  I believe you based on your Word. Lead me to the 
        pastures that will help me grow, and fill my life with gladness."      (Based upon Psalm 23)  

#4:  Obey Him.  There is no healing without obedience, just as your body will never get well if you continue to hurt yourself.  



I feel like my words have been many on this crucial subject.  My heart's desire is for God's people to be well.  

God's blessings upon all,

Paul

Okay . . . I know what you're thinking: "Will he ever get to it?  Will he ever illuminate his personal struggle that he needs to bring to Jesus?"  Well, here it is . . . and remember, none of us enjoy being vulnerable . . . I struggle with perfectionism.  
Now before you dismiss perfectionism as being "no big deal," or before you say "Paul, just get over it!"  it may help you to understand that perfectionism can destroy a person's entire inner life.  Furthermore, it is one type, among others, of emotional wounds that does not heal without continual special care.  The fact is, nearly all of us have emotional wounds, and coming to Jesus Christ, in the beginning, does not heal them.  Of course, when we come to Jesus the healing can begin, but few of us know how to begin a deep devotional life where we can dwell in the balm of His grace.  

Consider this truth for a moment:  Grace heals . . . but where does grace reside?  That's the question.  Do you know how to open up to Jesus deep within your soul?  Do you have a routine of setting yourself in Him - not just intellectually, but within your center . . . your spirit?   Few of us ever do, and so few of us ever get healed.  I'll talk about this healing more in . . . yes, you guessed it . . . My Dream - Part 5, but for now, in order for you to understand me a little better, I want to share a little about perfectionism.

As I said, perfectionism is an emotional wound, and for those of us who have this wound, we bring it into our relationship with Jesus.  (Hmm . . . what wounds did you bring with you when you came to Christ?)  It's a wound that comes from the belief that we have to perform in order to win God's approval.  Normally it is learned at an early age - particularly, from having parents that seem to never approve of you no matter what you do.  Yet my parents always loved me, and gave their approval of me again and again.  So where did this come from in my life?  I have some guesses, but that might be for a later blog.  

As for now, I want to quote from the best resource I've ever seen on the issue of emotional healing.  The book is entitled Healing for Damaged Emotions, and it was written by David Seamands.  Seamands was a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary (the seminary I attended) and was in pastoral ministry for many years. 

So in reference to the person suffering from the wound of perfectionism, Seamands writes, 
  
What happens to this kind of person, when he becomes a Christian?  Part of his mind believes in God's love, accepts Gods' forgiveness, and feels a peace for a while.  Then, all of a sudden everything within him rises up to cry out, "It's a lie!  Dont' believe it! Don't pray!  There's no one up there to hear you.  No one really cares.  There's no one to relieve your anxiety.  How could God possibly love  you and forgive someone like you?  You're too bad!"

What has happened?  The good news of the gospel has not penetrated down into his damaged inner self, which also needs to be evangelized.  His deep inner scars must be touched and healed by the balm of Gilead. 

You may want to respond like this:   Thank you Jesus!  Now I'm beginning to see why I can be a Christian for many years but not be fulfilled in my inner self.  I have the assurance of being with you - I know I'm "saved," but my healing has a long way to go.  I choose today to let you in my deepest part.  Only show me what to do next.  

Prayers to all who read this blog,

Paul

Saving the whole person requires . . . what do you think?  

When I was young, I admit, I was a little different.  Of course like other boys I enjoyed all kinds of activities (sports, games, etc.), but there was a deep part of me that wanted to know the meaning of life.  As an adult I have discovered that most kids are not so reflective - I on the other hand was very reflective, so much so, that my dad constantly reminded me that I was "too serious."   I would think and think and think.  Fortunately, I grew up in a Christian home and most of the time (not all the time - kids will be kids) I listened in church.  That means I got bits and pieces - a lesson from Sunday School here - a lesson from a sermon there.  What did I hear?  I heard the truth . . . most of the time.  Nevertheless, "the truth" I heard (not necessarily the truth that those godly people were attempting to communicate) was primarily a shallow truth.  I do not mean by "shallow truth" that it wasn't intellectually challenging.  For a boy, it was very challenging.  Rather, what I primarily heard was this: the primary purpose of the Christian life is to get to heaven.  

This may be difficult for you to grasp at first, but "getting to heaven," as the primary message and primary purpose of the Christian faith is a confusion of means and ends.  So many of us think that the end we are looking for is a location (heaven), but that kind of thinking misses the point. The end is not a location.  Rather the end is a person - Jesus Christ.  Listen carefully to the Apostle Paul's words:

Colossians 3,1    If then you have been raised with Christ, seek  the things that are above, where Christ is,  seated at the right hand of God.  2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  3 For  you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

In these words the final location seems to be centrally important, but a careful reading of Colossians 3:1-3 reveals something different.  Why is heaven so great?   Why are we to "seek the things that are above?'    Answer:  because Jesus, and our lives - our very selves, is revealed in the place where Jesus lives, and of course, there will be a day when we shall see Him with our very eyes.   

Stop and think about that answer for a minute.  As Jesus is revealed, so our lives are revealed.  This principle is true on earth for all those who are in Jesus Christ.  This principle is true in the here and now.   God’s truth is not meant to be shallow. It is not meant to enter only one level of your life and redeem you skin (obviously an image of the gospel barely sinking into you).  So many of us have only let Jesus heal and redeem the slightest part of us.  We have even prayed, “Lord, I’m hurting.  Lord, I’m crying.  Would you please help me?”  What’s the problem?  We have not learned how to listen in our deepest parts. 

That dream of mine?  It has something to do with my deepest part, but . . .  let’s see . . . you most likely need to get back to work, and someone in my congregation needs some attention.  So . . .  

My Dream – Part 4 will be here tomorrow.  Patience is oh so virtuous. 

Paul