I love Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. My sister even called me Charlie Brown as a kid. Not so much because I loved the show, but because I had a BIG head. So much for sisters (and luckily I grew into it). But as a kid I’d mark down when the Peanuts’ specials were going to be on TV. Probably my most all-time favorite has to be the Christmas special when Charlie Brown is trying to figure out the meaning of Christmas. After all of his frustration his good friend Linus steps on stage and recites Isaiah 9:6, Continue reading →

Renowned poet, Emily Dickinson, once penned:

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”

I believe hope is something that every person wants to have.  Hope for a better day.  Hope for a better job, a better life.  Hope that our children turn out to be good people.  But what is the difference between a Christian definition of hope and the way the world uses it?

The word “hope” in everyday English vocabulary is usually different from the idea of certainty. Typically when people use the word hope they mean, “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I hope it happens.”

Then again, when you read the word “hope” in the Bible (like in 1 Peter 1:13—”set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ”), hope is not wishful thinking. Continue reading →

A college friend of mine who likes to blog a lot, and make my head hurt with the depth of his theological insights, recently compared a scene from A Few Good Men to the doctrine of Sola Sciptura (Scripture alone) on his FB page.  I won’t get into his comparison but I do love that movie.  I love it so much I actually spent the time, back in the day, to memorize Colonel Jessup’s final courtroom rant (played by Jack Nicholson) which starts with the famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!”  I guess I had some time to kill.  But thinking about that movie and God’s Word this week made me really think about Jack’s famous line from the movie and whether or not there’s any truth to it. Can we handle the truth?

I really think Jack hit it on the head.  Part of me feels that some of us really don’t want to know the truth because we believe that indeed we can’t handle it.  We feel better off if we don’t know it that way life can go on as normal (whatever that is) where we “think” we have everything figured out, or at least know how to cope with our dysfunctions.  To find out something isn’t true throws us all out of rhythm.  We don’t like hearing the truth because then we may just have to deal with it and it’s easier if we don’t.  It’s easier, but not always better.  And unfortunately in our American culture we’ll usually take the easy road.

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But facing the truth not only applies to matters of faith but to all areas of life.  Admitting the truth about our addictions, marriage problems, and all kinds of sin is the first step in finding true freedom.  There’s a reason Alcoholics Anonymous has people start by stating their name and that they’re an alcoholic.  There’s freedom in admitting the truth.  Yet how many of us when asked “How are you doing?” will every time say “Fine” when we know everything is not.  Telling someone that everything isn’t alright brings freedom, and it IS okay to do so.  And if things get tough, don’t leave or take a break from the church like most people do.  I don’t understand that and it drives me crazy!  The church is the one place you ought to be able to go for help.   And as a pastor, or just a friend, I want nothing more than to see individuals, couples, and families live in the freedom that the truth of Christ can bring.  This world needs a few good men & women willing to face reality and with Christ’s help YOU can handle the truth.  At our last Sunday service we learned “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).  If you’ve got your head buried in the sand or are avoiding “it”, whatever “it” may be, please take that first step in discovering or admitting the truth.  I guarantee the freedom that comes is well worth it!