Recently, President Obama was giving a speech at the “White House Forum on Women and the Economy”. During that speech, he said that after his 2 daughters were born, they couldn’t afford the luxury of his wife being a stay at home mom. In what I can only imagine as a desperate attempt to connect with Americans, Barak Hussein Obama thought we were too stupid to actually look at numbers.

Rather than copying them here, I’ll link you to my source. Go and read it for yourself.

Now for the fun. In my less than 6-figure single income, my wife and I are able to live very comfortably. No, we don’t have every thing we want, but we have way more than we need. I know many families with kids who make less on a single income than I do. They live within their means, have what they need, and even some things they don’t need.

Not only is Obama out of touch, he insults our intelligence by hoping we won’t see past his thin veil. He also insults our hard work and living within our means, which he knows nothing about as evidenced by his big government spending policies. It’s hard to respect a president who doesn’t respect the people of his country. It’s time to get him out of office…

Recently something was said, not directly to me, but it felt like it hit a bullseye right between my eyes. It woke me up to the cold, hard fact that I wasn’t doing everything that I could possibly do to serve my Lord.

My problem is that I find ways to excuse myself. “I’ve worked all day and am too worn out to put much effort into study.” Yes, I have to work. I must provide for my wife and home. But the truth of the matter is, when I get off work, no matter how tired I am, I’ll put forth the effort to do what I want to do.

Had I become so selfish and self-centered that I couldn’t give of my time to the Lord? Isn’t that one of the easiest things to do? Just spend some time with Him in prayer and Bible reading? Isn’t that the basics that we teach that are mandatory for Christian life?

I had been reading. I had been praying. But when I became honest with myself it was apparent that I wasn’t doing nearly as much as I should. This is fundamental! Because of my failure and laziness in these areas, I know that other areas of my spiritual life and responsibilities to my home and my church have fallen far short of what they should be.

Romans 12:1 came to mind during all this stuff going on in this head of mine:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The least I can do for a God Who sent His Son to become sin for me and suffer the punishment for it is to live for Him! I know this. I’ve even preached it! I thought I was living it. I’d convinced myself it was enough to spend a few minutes a day reading and praying for my own personal devotion. After all, I was tired from working all day.

By God’s grace, and most importantly, His strength, no more will I succumb to the temptation to be lazy in attending to my own spiritual well-being, and in turn will work harder to fulfill my responsibilities as the spiritual head of my home and the youth director/Sunday School teacher at church. I don’t want to make excuses any more. There are none.

Not so fast… America as a whole has forgotten what the word Thanksgiving itself means. To give thanks. To be grateful. To show gratitude. But this day was set aside for even more than that.

In America, a day of thanksgiving was commonly observed to give thanks to God. Yes, there was a lot of food. There wasn’t always football. Friends and family often gathered together. Their main purpose, however, was to give thanks to God. Yes, to God.

You see, without God, none of us would even be here today. He is the Creator. Without God, I wouldn’t be able to provide for my family. He gave me the abilities and talents that I have to be able to perform my job’s duties. Without God, I wouldn’t have the promise of eternal life. Without God, I wouldn’t have a nice place to live. Without God, I wouldn’t have been raised in a good family. Without Him, I would be nothing. Yes, I am truly blessed, all because God saw fit to bless my life.

Our forefathers knew this. They depended on God. Today, we call on Him either when we need something from Him or when it’s convenient. Personally, I’m reminded more and more that I’m totally dependent on God. Nothing I have, or nothing I can do has anything to do with what I could take care of on my own. God provided and allowed it all.

So today, and always, I want to be thankful to God. I want to show Him my gratitude and, consequently, live a life for Him. It’s the least that I can do in return for all He has done for me.

3: And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

4: Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Ron Hamilton wrote a song based on these verses. It is quickly becoming one of my favorites. For the last few weeks our church has been practicing for the Christmas program, and this song is a part of it. The more I hear the song, it gives me more of an understanding of how great God truly is.

His ways are so much higher than ours. His thoughts are incomprehensible to us.

When we’re overwhelmed by all that’s going on around us, or when the task God has given us seems unachievable, God knows. Not only does He know, but He understands. The great thing is, it doesn’t stop there. He provides strength, mercy and grace for us to keep going.

Another thing that’s great about how God works is that when things seem to be just falling apart for us, He’s still in control of it all, and is working it for our good.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

Just remember, God’s ways are just and true. His works are great and marvelous. When He has His way, He will shine. It’s up to us whether or not we’ll allow Him to shine through us. His ways are so much higher than ours. Will we let Him work through us? Will we let Him work in us?

The kind of conspiracy I’m talking about is the kind we find recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, and 28:11-15. In the first passage, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate and asked him if they could set up soldiers at the sepulchre to prevent the disciples from stealing Jesus’ body and claiming He had risen. They called Jesus a ‘deceiver’, and didn’t want His final, most important claim to appear to be true, so they guarded the sepulchre to keep the disciples away.

What’s astounding to me is that they were so blinded by their disbelief that they didn’t even stop to consider the possibility of His actual resurrection. Of course, there is nothing they could have done to stop it, but they were so concerned about a possible conspiracy about His resurrection that they didn’t even consider it.

We know how the story goes – Jesus rose! There was a great earthquake, and an angel descended from Heaven and moved the stone away from the door of the sepulchre, and sat on it. The guards were scared out of their skin and fainted. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the sepulchre and found the angel there, sitting on the stone. He told them Jesus wasn’t there because He had risen as He had said.

In the second passage I mentioned earlier, Matthew 28:11-15, the guards went to the chief priests and told them what all had happened. Knowing that Jesus’ promise of His resurrection had been fulfilled, they were bribed to tell anyone who asked that the disciples had come and stolen away His body while they slept.

Rather than accept Jesus’ resurrection, and believe on Him as their Savior, they did everything they could to cover up His resurrection. Why? Really, we can only speculate, but I’d imagine it involves pride, power and control, among other things no doubt.

How many people do you know who haven’t received Christ as their Savior? Sure, their pride, their own self-attained power and their supposed control seem to get in the way a lot of times. But how many have possibly never heard a real, clear presentation of the Gospel? We may be surprised to find out how many haven’t heard the good news! How about we share it with someone?

Pearl

Pearl committed NCAA violations, then lied about them. He lied to the NCAA of all people. He called all of the parties involved and asked them to lie as well. After he was caught in it, he apologized in a tearful press conference. Days later, he committed yet another violation. He left UT no choice.

Some say he did nothing that all the other coaches don’t do – he just got caught. What a lame excuse. That is no different than Clinton being caught with Lewinsky and lying about it. I heard many say the same thing: “All the presidents have had mistresses. Clinton just got caught.” So that makes adultery ok? Hardly. Pearl should go. UT needs better morals than that.

To those who stand behind Pearl, I question your ethics. If I cheated on my timesheet at work, then lied about it when I was caught, I’d be fired on the spot. I wouldn’t even have a chance to commit a second violation. No one would stand up for me, as they shouldn’t. Why should a basketball coach be treated any differently? It’s just a game.

Hamilton

Hamilton has shown a lack of oversight in the athletic department. Kiffin committed violations and then skipped town, now Pearl is committing violations. Hamilton doesn’t seem to have a handle on things.

Should he be fired for getting rid of Pearl? Not in the least. Again, Pearl should go. Should he be fired for his lack of control? Maybe. The people that can make that decision are likely taking a look at that very thing.

What I Think…

It’s just a game. There is way too much money spent on a game. There is way too much emphasis placed on a mere game.

I’ll be one of the first to agree that important life principals can be learned from team sports. The problem is, way too many people, especially young people, are getting caught up in the sport itself rather than those lessons. Their lives have begun to revolve around that game. The game takes away from other things that should have a higher priority in a person’s life.

Shun responsibilities at home for a game? Many don’t give it a second thought. Skip church to go to a game? Many see it as a no-brainer on the side of the game.

In the end, the game itself is completely useless and unimportant. Fire Bruce Pearl? Fire Mike Hamilton? Who cares? There are more important things in life than who coaches a basketball team or who heads up a game department.

Come on people..It’s just a game. Get your head straight.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Ever since the attacks on our country on September 11, 2001, I always consider these verses at the turn of the year. One reason was to sort of try to ‘purge’ my mind of it all – I had gotten so tired of hearing about it every single day. Another reason was that I simply wanted to move past it. I wanted to put it behind me and move on. It was an awful thing, but life had to go on.

The New Year always seems like a great time to stop and reflect on the past year, and look ahead to what the next year will bring. That’s another reason I love these verses. I haven’t arrived yet – my life’s purpose isn’t yet fulfilled. The past is done, good or bad I can’t change it. I can focus on the things that are coming, and by God’s grace and with His help I want to glorify Him in it. May God help me to keep my life’s focus on Him, and on His purpose for my life rather than my own wishes and desires.

What is my New Year’s Resolution you might ask? I don’t have a ‘resolution’ per se, but I do have a couple of goals. One is to actually slow down and enjoy life rather than run through it so busy I don’t have time to stop and breathe. I feel like lately my wife and I have kinda had to say ‘hello’ in passing rather than being able to spend some time with each other. That will change. Any time someone asks me how things are going or how I’m doing, I always have the word ‘busy’ as part of my response. That will change. This doesn’t mean I’m going to turn lazy this year. But it does mean that for the sake of spending time in God’s Word studying or just reading, or spending time with family, what can wait until tomorrow will wait.

A goal I had last year that I failed miserably at was posting a daily verse, and occasionally some thoughts on it. I’m rededicating myself to that goal. Somebody out there help keep me accountable – if I miss one, let me hear about it. I need more discipline in this area, and intend to improve on that in a big way.

I hope everyone’s New Year is one that is filled with God’s blessings! Let’s make the most of it for Him!

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

It tells us that whatsoever we do, we should do it as to the Lord. Whatsoever? Everything? Yes!

So, Becky and I are going to pick up a few groceries today, along with a few other things. I detest grocery shopping. It is probably my least favorite thing to do that doesn’t involve some sort of physical pain. But the Bible tells me to do it like I’m doing it for the Lord.

This verse in its context is talking about a servant’s attitude toward his master, or an employee to an employer. But the principle applies to everything we do, whether it’s for our job, for our family, or whether anybody sees us or not. Because our lives are to be lived for the Lord.

If I go grocery shopping, I should do it like I’m doing it for the Lord. I should keep a right attitude and let others around me see that I have a Higher Purpose than just putting food on my table. My life, everywhere I go, should be a reflection of Jesus Christ.

The Bible doesn’t tell us much about what Jesus may have disliked doing (Except when He prayed that the cup might pass from Him). But I guarantee He kept the right attitude in it (“nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”).

Everything we do, should be done as to the Lord. Let’s work hard to live our lives to simply please God!

Without Him, nothing in this life would have any meaning. Eternal life would be only a myth. We would have nothing to live for. Because of His birth, perfect life, death and resurrection, we have the opportunity to have eternal life, if we’ll only accept Him. I pray you have, and I pray you have a truly great Christmas this year!

The Lord’s working was evident throughout. There were times during practices it seemed like there was no way it would be ready in time for last night, but in the end, He brought it all together.

I can’t leave out the recital at the beginning of the program. We had 3 young ladies that played either a piano piece or a guitar piece, and  they all did a great job. I could listen to that kind of music all day long.

After the program, there were many positive comments. One person in particular said it was the best one they’d ever seen!

Most of all, I’m thankful to be a part of a church that has a desire to get the entire Gospel message out to unbelievers. Our annual Christmas Program is just one of the ways we do that. We work hard to make sure the Gospel is presented clearly during this time. One of the big reasons for this is because there are people that will come to a Christmas play at church when they will not come at any other time.

I’m glad people enjoyed the program, and we all had a lot of fun presenting it, but my ultimate desire is that someone who needs the Lord will allow Him to work in their hearts the message they were exposed to. We’re thankful for the Lord’s blessing on it. Seeds were planted. Now we’re praying for the Lord to bring the increase.