Hero's and Heritage

In the hectic lifestyles we live today, it is important to hit the pause button from time to time in order to reflect on the bigger picture. It is in the pause mode that we come to appreciate the reality that the impact of others is what has made it possible for us to be who we are. It also helps us reflect on the foundation of what we presently enjoy.

Last year, Glenda and I accepted the invitation to be the Pastors of Windsor Assembly of God. It was a dramatic change for us, having been in Arvada, Colorado for almost 20 years. The challenges have been great, the rewards overwhelming, and the people warm and friendly. We love the church family and the community family. We share conversations and stories where ever we meet people.

One of the extreme highlights has been to meet a modern day hero. Although I knew him by name, I did not know his story. At a point in the history of Windsor Assembly there was a moment when it seemed like the best decision would be to close the doors and send the small remnant of believers to another church. Instead, Pastor James Call volunteered to come out of retirement to pastor the church. Pastor Call was 71 years old at that time. He and his precious wife Eula had a long history of pastoral experience and also had traveled as evangelists all over the country. Instead of taking the easy path of remaining in a comfortable lifestyle, Pastor Call accepted the challenge of bringing Windsor Assembly back from the brink of extinction to vibrant health.

Some of the highlights that were accomplished during his nine year tenure as pastor:

Paid off all bills that were currently owed by the church
Build the size of the congregation so that they filled the Oak street facility to overflowing.
Saved over $250,000 for a future church building.
Began the process of selling the Main Street property in order to purchase the current property on HWY 257 and WCR 72

However, the most important impact that the Calls had was to create a climate of faith, loving the community, hard work and commitment. Sacrifice on their part personally was just the way they looked at the role as pastor. That heritage is a part of the DNA of Windsor Assembly today. Pastor Call is truly a hero. He laid down the mantle as pastor of Windsor Assembly after 9 years. His beloved wife of 66 years passed away two years ago. Today at 89 years of age he continues to love the Windsor community and the church. We are so pleased to declare Sunday, May 18, 2008 as Heritage Sunday at Windsor Assembly. It will be a day of reflection on our heritage and gaining new insight and appreciate for our roots. My hero, Pastor James Call will be sharing a message from his heart about his journey with God. Come and enjoy this special time together bridging the past with the present as we look to the future.

The Underdog Wins Again!

It was not supposed to happen! The New England Patriots were on an amazing streak, 18-0. All of the stats and the hype were heavily on the side of the Patriots. The New York Giants were a lowly wild card entry without a prayer of a chance. Their quarterback, Eli Manning, was streaky at best.

Glenda and I tend to always cheer for the underdog. There is something about a team coming though in the big moment, when the pressure is on, when no one believes they can do it! We had stocked up on snacks and settled in our little trailer on the farm to strain at the little nine-inch TV. We munched and cheered and hung on to the hope that the Giants would pull off the upset. The Patriots’ final touchdown with only 2 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game deflated our hopes. Brady had come through once again.

The moment of the game came when Eli Manning seemed trapped in the backfield; it appeared inevitable that he would go down in a sack and with it all hope. Somehow he escaped wheeling to his left, lofted a pass to David Tyree, who in a superhuman effort, outfights Rodney Harrison to make a 32- yard pass. They are already calling this moment “The Great Escape.” It takes its place with “The Holy Roller,” “The Immaculate Reception” and “The Catch.”

As the final pass of the drive floated into the end zone to be hauled in by Plaxico Burress, joy, excitement, and exhilaration came spontaneous. The underdogs had done it again! WOW! I nearly bumped my head on the low ceiling of the Prowler trailer in expressing my joy. Of course, the little negative voice whispered, “It’s only a game”. SO WHAT! It was a moment of great joy.

It reminded me of the host of stories in the Bible about underdogs, people who were powerless, insignificant, but key characters in moments of great victory. I think of Gideon who defeated the vast armies of the Midianities. He went into battle with an improbable army of only 300 equipped with trumpets and torches hidden in clay pots. As they came to the edge of the camp, they shouted, “For the Lord and Gideon.” There was such confusion that the enemy turned on each other and many were slaughtered. The underdog wins!

We often find ourselves in the role as underdogs in so many of life’s circumstances –
unemployed, underemployed, unsolvable relational problems, financial burdens crushing us, ongoing medical issues, problems with children, depression, or overwhelming anxiety, just to name a few. The good news is that being an underdog does not dictate failure. Underdog + God = success. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." That is the formula. Without God, failure, with God, success.

When you face the impossible, when there are giants in the land, when no one sees you coming through, TRUST God.

Preparing for Winter

A hint of fall is in the air. Leaves are beginning to turn, the mornings are a little nippier, and all the little creatures are storing up for their winter snooze. All of us human types look deep into the closet to make sure the winter clothes are still there. We know here in Colorado that winter can and will come whenever it decides.

I have always been fascinated how some creatures of the animal kingdom prepare for winter. In the fall these animals get ready for winter by eating extra food and storing it as body fat. They use this fat for energy while hibernating. Some also store food like nuts or acorns to eat later in the winter. The animal's body temperature drops, and its heartbeat and breathing slow down. It uses very little energy.

There is not a human equivalent to hibernation except perhaps football season! It does, however, make me think about what we do to prepare for the harsh times of life. Unfortunately, a season of winter in one’s personal life can come when least expected. It may be a crisis at work, a problem with a child, an unresolved issue with a spouse, or an unanticipated temptation. They come sweeping over you like that sudden winter storm, burying you deep in its life-threatening grip. What does one do? How do you prepare? Know that there will be winter seasons of life. Following Christ is no guarantee that everything is going to go smoothly. Don’t be pessimistic but don’t be surprised.

I would like to suggest several “storing up” activities that will help you survive the harshness of winter.

Store up friendships before hard times come. It is amazing how many
people will clamor for support during crisis but spend little or no time with others when things are going well. Build and strengthen relationships NOW!

Store up the word of God. The Bible says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Countless times I have been strengthened during moments of winter by passages of scripture that come to my remembrance.

Store up memories of your past encounters of life where God has brought you through hard times. As I reflect over my walk with Christ, there are multiple stories of God’s faithfulness to me. The psalmist David says it best, “Even when I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil.”

Are you ready?

Beautiful Feet

Feet are not necessarily the most beautiful feature of our human anatomy. Early in my marriage I learned that a sign of my deep and enduring love would be to massage the feet of my beloved wife, Glenda. She was born with problem feet and at an early age developed bunions. We have talked for years and years about the necessity to have surgery to remove them and to straighten the toes. The pain and discomfort finally tipped the balance in favor of surgery,

On Thursday, October 18, we went to the hospital for surgery. Without all the gory details, I will just say that a scalpel, a saw, pins, and needles were involved! We took her home with feet that were wrapped with miles of gauze and tape and funny shoes. The wheelchair and walker were the only modes of transportation. The first eight days were pretty much spent on the bed with her feet elevated.

It is not my nature to be a good nurse so it was a stretching time for us. We had a host of people praying for Glenda and for me. WE MADE IT!! This week we went back for the two-week appointment. The doctor unveiled her masterpiece. It truly was -- no bunions and big toes that are fairly straight. They were truly beautiful feet. Glenda had to endure the excruciating pain of stitches being removed.

There is an interesting scripture that talks about feet. Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’" It is not really about feet but about the message. In the pre-electronic age messages were delivered by runners, sometimes carrying written message and sometimes verbal messages. The message, when positive and upbeat, had the affect of beautifying the messenger. I suppose there could me a corollary of bad message bad feet!

Image what it must have been like for the people to know the runner is coming with news. Is it good, is it bad, how soon we will know. There on the horizon a figure is spotted. People cry out to others that the messenger is on his way. Anticipation, excitement, and even a little fear fill the air. Closer and closer the runner comes until the sound of pounding feet is heard, and you could see the exertion of the runner. Finally, he breaks into the circle of people who cannot wait to hear the news. He musters his strength and speaks with authority and clarity, “Your God reigns.” Cheers and shouts of joy rise from the crowd of eager listeners. It is a good message. The dirty, sweaty, smelly feet of the messenger truly are beautiful feet!

The story makes me muse and reflect on my feet! Are they beautiful? Do they carry a good news message? Will I be welcomed and greeted with the same nervousness and anticipation? After I have delivered the message, will my feet be declared beautiful? I am so privileged to be the bearer of good news! It is news about forgiveness, grace, mercy, healing, and wholeness. It is about that very special God-Man named Jesus. His name means savior.

There have been times in my life, to my own shame, where I thought the message was about hell, judgment, and an angry God. I tried to use the word of God like a weapon to destroy instead of a healing balm. Please forgive me, my friends, when I came with ugly feet. I know now that “all (people) have sinned,” and it is only by grace that we are saved. That is what this world needs to hear.

What about you? Do you have beautiful feet?

Jubilation

We were fortunate to even be there. It is an amazing structure, rising up out of city, soaring high to become part of the beautiful skyline of Denver Colorado. It is an edifice built by beef and beer called Coors field and is the home to the boys of baseball called the Colorado Rockies. These days we call them Kid Rocks because of their young and tender age. The Rockies were the hottest team in baseball as the season came to a unique and exciting ending. The Rockies and the San Diego Padres ended in a tie. A single playoff game would break the tie to see who would take the next step.

My wife, Glenda, was able to get online just moments after the final game and purchased 4 tickets to the game. There we were with 50,000 of our closest friends, cheering on the boys. We were all on our feet during the game to cheer on the pitching staff to get the last out of an inning, or to encourage the boys at the plate as they would swing the lumber at the streaking white speck called a baseball. It was an epic battle that ended up tied in the ninth inning. Then came the 10, the 11, 12 and finally the top of the 13th inning. The Padre’s with one swing of the bat, surged ahead by 2 runs. Although a sense of quietness seeped its way into the stadium, these fans did not lose hope. There had been too many games, especially in this phenomenal run at the end of the season, where they had come through with a miraculous comeback. Could it happen again? YES! We had faith in these boys.

Sure enough, the score was tied by a gargantuous triple by our favorite candidate for MVP, Matt Holliday. No outs score ties, Matt on third base. The noise was deafening as all 50,000 were on their feet to give our praise and affirmation to the boys. Helton came to the plate and was walked so that the pitcher could face a less formidable batter. Josh Carroll, the steady and reliable utility player comes to the plate. A shallow fly ball is hit to centerfield. Nobody in their right mind would dare test the arm of a center fielder on such a shallow fly ball, no player, no coach, not the best of third base coaches. BUT this is the Rockies. The crowd holds their breath for a brief moment as matt tags the base and launches his athletic body from the base. As he streaks toward the home plate, the noise in the ball park rises in intensity. Would he be thrown out at the plate, would he by some great miracle make it home? There is massive cloud of dust as matt, the ball all meet at home plate. There it is, even from the left field stands we could see it. The ball squirts away and he is safe!!! The roar is heard in Kansas! Fireworks explode behind us. Jubilation erupts not just in Coors field but all over the state!

It suddenly occurs to me that what was most amazing is that we would be this excited over a game. Grown men and women acting like little kids and getting carried away with extreme emotion. People doing whatever they could just to make it into the local temple of baseball. Tell me why is it not like that in the local church? Why do we almost beg people to come? Why are we tempted to manipulate people and circumstances to create some sort of artificial excitement so that they will come? What’s up with that?
There was a time when the church was filled with that kind of excitement, that kind of enthusiasms and energy. You could not keep people away. There was an explosion of growth in the church. People were talking, walking, living in such a way that every single day, crowds of people who were not previous fans, joined up to be a part of this most exciting group call the church, the way, the body of Christ.

We read about it in Acts 2:47 where is says “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”. I am convinced that the reason there was such excitement was the fact that people made confession of faith daily. It was a baby church with lots and lots of baby believers. These days we almost call it a miracle when an unbeliever happens to be in church. Perhaps out of a sense of resignation, we have made church all about believers and not those who are yet to come. What about the “the church that is not here yet”. Do you want church to be exciting again? Let’s do all we can to make it about new birth, new believers, people added daily to the church. That is what I want to do? Will you join me?

Remember the Pain

My precious wife and I celebrated this last year our 37th anniversary. We have actually known each other for over 50 years! We celebrate a lot of good memories from all of those years, anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas and thanksgiving holidays, the birth of our grandsons, Jake and Lawson. Glenda often talks about making memories.

There are some things we do not celebrate in our relationship even though they are as real. There was the time that I decided that if we were going to be separated geographically that we should break up. Dumb move on my part. I left home and enrolled at Bethany Bible College in Scotts Valley. The first few months I sent home, on a regular basis, carefully crafted love letters. As my eye began to wander a little, I decided that I would “play the field.”

As soon as we broke up, Glenda took the box of letters, read them one more time then proceeded to burn them in the fireplace saying with great emotions “Lies, lies, lies.” I later came to my senses, and she took me back.

I love America and I am proud to be an American. I have lots of good memories growing up here. I loved the hot summer months in the Sacramento Valley. I love the soaring majesty of the redwood trees. I love the methodically and calming sound of the surf. I love the beauty of Fourteeners that reach toward their maker.

However, there are things that I have encountered as an American that are extremely painful and cause my heart to be burdened to tears. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I was in Hermit Basin in the muddy mountains of Colorado. It was boot camp September 2001. I turned on the TV to hear the morning news and was shocked to have played out the horrible events of 9-11. It was surreal. This could not really be happening to us. This was the land that God loved. How could He let this happen? We gathered together like shell shocked soldiers trying to make some sense of all of this. We did our best to continue our study and preparations without much success.

Every time I remember, I call up the pain from the deep recesses of my memory, tears spontaneously stream down my face. The pain, sorrow, anger and fear remains in spite of the passage of time. Oh I love the stories of people who miraculously were spared. But I am confident of this truth, some very devoted followers of Christ were lost that day when terror struck America. Glenda and I visited ground Zero some three years later. It left us speechless.

It reminds me that each of us will someday exit this world for the next. “It is appointed once to die.” There is no real “Life” insurance to guarantee me another day. This moment is all I have. What will I do with this moment? Who will I influence toward my Savior Jesus Christ? Who will I love today that needs that tangible expression of “God so loved…”? Who will I hug today that needs to be enveloped to the warm and tender arms of Abba Father? Then there is the ultimate question, “Who is following me as I follow Christ.”

When you think of 9-11, be thankful you have today. Use it wisely!

Fire Under Control

As I approached my temporary home on the farm in Windsor there was a dramatic new feature on the property. Towering some 100 feet tall was a drilling rig. It was amazing to see what the company was able to bring in and set up in just two days. Each piece of the rig hauled in by truck and then fit together like a giant erector set. The smell of diesel permeated the air as several large generators pumped out the needed electrical power to drive the giant motors that in turn pushed the drill deeper and deeper into the earth. The goal was to find the black gold that has been hidden for so long deep in the confines of the earth. Someday soon the oil will be pumped from the earth, into a waiting truck, hauled to a refinery, to be turned into gasoline so that we can power our vehicles.

In 1824 - English engineer, Samuel Brown adapted an old Newcomen steam engine to burn gas, and he used it to briefly power a vehicle up Shooter's Hill in London. It was the beginning of a new age. The Internal combustion engine is based on a premise that if an explosion of volatile gasoline could be confined in a strong and controlled environment it could be turned into mechanical energy that could eventually produce movement. It is fire under control.
The opposite of fire under control are the raging fires that are sweeping across Greece bringing devastation to human life, burning down entire villages and threaten the birthplace of the Olympics. The uncontrolled inferno seems to defy all attempts of man to bring it to a halt. Fire under control is our friend and helper, fire out of control is our enemy destroying everything in it’s’ path.

Fire is a great word picture of passion. I immediately think of the Apostle Paul, first know as Saul. When we first meet Paul in the book of Acts he is a passionate man, possessed with an insatiable desire to destroy the followers of the Way. His life was consumed with his personal mission to annihilate the early church to protect his precious faith. He had no doubt that he was doing the right thing and was on God’s side. He was wildfire, out of control destroying the infant church left behind to continue the work of Christ.

Paul had a come to Jesus meeting on the road to Damascus. The net result was not the dissipation of passion but a change of passion and passion under control. His newly found passion to reach gentiles with the Gospel was fire under control. Very few people have had the impact Paul had on the face of Christianity.

As I reflect on my time as a follower of Christ, I have known many good people who have been fire out of control, damaging and destroying the very mission of the church of Jesus Christ. They “feel” like God had called them to do what it is that they do. They judge, condemn, and declare in a loud voice that they have a corner on the truth.

A mom shared with me recently the brokenness of her heart regarding the condition of her children, none of whom serve God or fellowship at a local church due to the overzealous attack of “Christian” relatives. These family members were fire out of control.

The question for me is this. Is my passion for God expressed by overwhelming love for God and His desire to see all come to repentance? Or is it an angry, vengeful, judgmental passion wanting to see the sinner get what he or she deserves? From where I sit, this world still needs to know “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Am I fire under control?