Making an Eternal Difference

If you have ever been to Sea World, you would have seen a scene like this, where a dolphin performs and is rewarded with some food. In life, we often perform for the rewards we receive. Maybe the reward is friendship, or a promotion, or a kind word from another. But we often live for rewards.
Rewards can be nice, but the rewards we seek are usually very temporary. What if we could live our lives in a way that would make an eternal difference? If this could be true, then how amazing our lives could be. The truth is, it is true. The apostle Paul wrote in the bible, in 2 Corinthians 4:18, ¹⁸"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
In the Bible, we are told that we can make an eternal difference. But we have to understand that what is eternal is limited. What is it we can do to affect the eternal?
The most important thing that we can do is to tell people about Jesus. The Bible is clear that those who accept Jesus into their lives will have salvation; meaning they will live with God in heaven for eternity. How wonderful would it be to get to heaven and know that there are people there because of you?! We cannot just stand around and let people get lost in this world. Those of us who know about Jesus need to share Jesus with those who don't know Him.
A second way we affect the eternal is to help people live out their purpose. God created each one of us unique and with purpose. Too many people are going through life not being all that they were created to be. By helping people to discover and use the gifts God gave them can help give people the life they were meant to live. This life will be so much more exciting, meaningful, and effective.
A third way we affect the eternal is to love others. Love is the one emotion that will carry on into heaven. 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us, "¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Since God is love (1 John 4:8), love is what heaven will be all about; loving God, God loving us, and us loving each other. When we learn how to love, and teach others to love, we experience a bit of heaven on earth.
Do you really want to settle for temporary rewards, or do you want to shoot for the eternal? Tell me what you think by clicking on the "comments" button below.

A Power Struggle

Have you ever felt like you are fighting a battle that is difficult to win? Have you ever wondered how there might be a power at odds with you?

What does every good story have? It has a villain. It is hard to think of a tale that doesn’t have a villain. The Big Bad Wolf, the Troll under the bridge, Darth Vadar in Star Wars, the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. And in the great story of J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, we come to dread the Dark Lord Sauron.

And just as every story has a villain, so does your story and my story. Though we don’t want to admit it, we don’t like it, it is a reality. There is evil cast around us. With war, famine, betrayal, and murder all around us, we surely know there is an evil force. Where did it come from? What is its motive? How are we to find refuge from it? We ask these questions.

The good news is that we are not alone in this battle. The battle is being fought for us in another realm. As the apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” God has created angels. Angels are powerful. That is why every time an angel shows up in the Bible, they have to say “Fear not…” They strike fear into humans by their presence.

It is interesting to see how naïve so many people are about evil. Most people don’t take it seriously. They don’t live as if there is a villain in their story. They don’t believe that Satan is real. The truth is, life is very confusing if you don’t take into account that there is a villain. As C. S. Lewis says in Mere Christianity,

“One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament

seriousl,y was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe—a

mighty, evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death, disease, and

sin…Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was

good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees…this is

a universe at war.”
Today is Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us that we will see Christ again in heaven. Easter is about Jesus making all things new. No longer is Satan in charge. No longer does sin and death reign over us. Because Christ has died and been risen from the dead, the Evil One is cast down. I lift this blog up to you today to give your life over to the risen Christ, and receive the power and victory that Christ has for you. God bless. Tell me what you think by clicking on the button below and sharing your thoughts.

Uplifting

As a minister, much of
my day is spent
seeking to find ways
to teach, lead, and
help people. The nature
of the job is one of
giving myself away.
Because this is true,
I do know that for me
to do my job well, I
have to stay physically,
mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually healthy.
Consequently, having
people in my life who
give to me, who fill me
up, is vital. 

      
I thank God for my wife
(Tami)and my 2 children
(Tyler and Tiffany).
They bring great
happiness to my life.
They are great
supporters of what
I do, and their love
and encouragement helps
me to stay grounded.
Their faith and strength
increases my faith and
strength. Their desire
to know and love God
pushes me forward as
well.

I believe it is important to have encouraging and positive people around me. These people help to further the mission of the church, and remind me that I don’t walk alone in this journey. My elders are not only called to govern the church, but to pray for me, and the ministry as well. My Deacons are not only called to minister to those in need, but to pray for me, and the ministry as well. I am thankful for my prayer support team that regularly prays for me and brings me spiritual strength. My church overall is a great to support as we walk together to carry out God’s call for our church. And I am equally thankful to those in my life who mentor me and keep me on task and accountable. God has blessed me with many people who love me and support me; who pray for me and care for me; who want to see me succeed. God does not call us to do life alone.
Do you have people in your life who lift you up? Who keep you going when things are hard? Who are they?
Let me know your thoughts by clicking on the "comments" button below. Blessings.

Six Important Words

Old Faithful



If I were to ask you to what are the six most important word you would give a person to remember you by and why, what would you say? As we come to holy week, we remember how Jesus knew that His time was drawing near to when He would be crucified, die, and be resurrected. When He met with the disciples, He knew this would be the last time they would have together. What did Jesus do with them? He shared the Lord's Supper with them, so they would understand what He was going to do was for them. As I think about what I would want people to know about me, I think it would be: “I have faithfully served the Lord.” With these words I believe it explains who I am, what I have done, and why I have done it. As people, our lives are very complex. We have a job, a family, hobbies, and so on. Each part of my life is important in its unique way, but the one thing that connects it all for me is God. God is a part of all that I am.

So, when it comes to my family, “I have faithfully served the Lord.” I do my best to try and be a good and loving husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. If I seek to “faithfully serve the Lord” in regards to my family, then I will try and be there for them when they need me; I will try and balance my time appropriately with each part of my family (giving the most of my time to my wife and children). I will also seek to help them follow, serve, and love the Lord. I will seek to be a good example of what it means to love God with all of my heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and what it means to love my neighbor as myself.

But there is also my church and my ministry. In this I seek to continually “faithfully serve the Lord.” I write about this commitment second, because I believe that my role in my family comes first. If I do not have a healthy family, then I won’t be able to “faithfully serve the Lord” in ministry. I try and faithfully serve the Lord in ministry by teaching the Bible faithfully, sharing how Jesus makes a difference in my life as my Lord and Savior, and by helping others to know that they can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as well.

I hope when I die, and people are remembering me, they remember me as one who could say: "He has faithfully served the Lord." What do you want to be remembered by? Click on the comments button below and share your thoughts. Blessings.

Judgment

In the gospel of Matthew, chapter7, we are told in verses 1-5,
"¹"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." We love to be so quick to judge, and yet we forget that we ourselves are not blameless. God gives us forgiveness, and second chances, and calls us to do this with others.
The other day I came across a poem called "The Dusty Old Shoe." It is fairly long, but a good read: My alarm went off...It was Sunday again. I was sleepy and tired, My one day to sleep in.
But the guilt I would feel So I'd go and I'd pray. I got there and sat In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer As I closed my eyes, I saw the shoe of the man next to me Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side, I thought, "Why must our soles touch?" It bothered me, his shoe touching mine,But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: "Our Father" I thought, "This man with the shoes has no pride. They're dusty, worn, and scratched Even worse, there are holes on the side!"
"Thank You for blessings," the prayer went on. The shoe man said a quiet "Amen." I tried to focus on the prayer,
But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
"Aren't we supposed to look our best When walking through that door? Well, this certainly isn't it," I thought,
Glancing toward the floor.
Then the prayer was ended And the songs of praise began. The shoe man was certainly loud, Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters, His hands were raised high, The Lord could surely hear The shoe man's voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering And what I threw in was steep. I watched as the shoe man reached Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out, What the shoe man put in, Then I heard a soft "clink" As when silver hits tin...
The sermon really bored me To tears, and that's no lie. It was the same for the shoe man, For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service, As is the custom here, We must greet new visitors And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow And wanted to meet shoe man. So after the closing prayer, I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark, And his hair was truly a mess But I thanked him for coming, For being our guest.
He said, "My name's Charlie, I'm glad to meet you, my friend." There were tears in his eyes
But he had a large, wide grin.
"Let me explain," he said Wiping tears from his eyes. "I've been coming here for months, And you're the first to say 'Hi.'"
"I know that my appearance Is not like all the rest, But I really do try To always look my best."
"I always clean and polish my shoes Before my very long walk But by the time I get here, They're dirty and dusty, like chalk."
My heart filled with pain and I swallowed to hide my tears As he continued to apologize For daring to sit so near.
He said, "When I get here, I know I must look a sight. But I thought if I could touch you, Then maybe our souls might unite"
I was silent for a moment, Knowing whatever was said Would pale in comparison. I spoke from my heart, not my head.
"Oh, you've touched me," I said, "And taught me, in part, That the best of any man Is what is found in his heart."
The rest, I thought, This shoe man will never know. Like just how thankful I really am That his dirty old shoe touched my soul...
I pray that today we would seek to love and learn from others instead of judging. Wouldn't our world be such a better place if we did this.
Tell me your thoughts by clicking on the "comments" button below. Blessings

Sacrifice

Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

We are called to sacrifice ourselves for God. But what does that mean? Obviously, it doesn't mean to lay down on a stone table and give our lives for God. But there is a call from God to us to find ways to give of ourselves freely and fully.
Especially here in the United States, most people do not know what it means to sacrifice. We have everything we could want and need; AND USUALLY MORE! Actually, the people who show sacrifice the best are mothers. Most mothers, after they have a child, give up their needs and wants, and focus on the needs of their child. They give up their time, their sleep, their money, and their freedom to care for their child. This is a beautiful picture of sacrifice.
So, how can we turn this picture to us, as God's children? The truth is, we should be more concerned with what we can do for God and the kingdom of God than we can do for ourselves. As the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33- "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." We don't need to worry about our own lives. When we give ourselves to God, God will take care of us. We need to give generously of our time, our money, our energy, and our resources to God's work. Could you imagine what kind of work we could do if people sacrificed in this way?
So why is it so hard to give? The fundamental reason is because of sin and selfishness. We are very selfish people. We are more concerned with what we can gain and what we can possess. Consequently, we struggle to give of ourselves in a way that we could call "sacrifice." So my challenge to you is this; FIND WAYS THAT YOU CAN SACRIFICE FOR GOD. What could you do that would be a sacrifice for you, but would benefit God's kingdom? Are you willing to do it? When will you start?
Click on the "comments" button below to add to this discussion. Blessings

Social Justice

Isaiah 61:1 says- “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” The Lord set apart the church for the specific call to care for those who are oppressed, poor, marginalized, and struggling. The church is to come alongside to help and to be an advocate for those who can’t always help themselves. This is an example we saw in Jesus when He was on the earth. Jesus often taught, or healed, or blessed someone before He preached to them. We as the church, the visible sign of God’s presence, should be seen caring for those to whom Jesus did. When Jesus said “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus was referring to the outcasts and the downtrodden.
I am thankful for how our church seeks to respond to social justice, and yet I know there is always so much more that we could do. Currently we have a small food pantry, we give away free loafs of bread, we served 140 people at our Thanksgiving dinner, and we seek to help people with their special needs when we can and in the ways we can. I am the moderator of the Evangelism committee in our Presbytery, and we are seeking to team up with the Social Justice committee to find ways to combine social justice acts with the message of God’s love. These 2 go hand in hand, and the church is remiss is she fails to do both.
Many Christians are fine with focusing on themselves and not worrying about the social justice issues. But I don't think this is what God desires from us. We need to seek to do our best with the resources we have available to us. What do you think Christians should be doing in this area? Click on the "comments" button below and tell me what you think.

Smoking and Drinking

A few months ago I had the opportunity to be part of a question and answer column for clergy in the Long Beach Press Telegram. One of the questions asked of the clergy was:

Since it has been medically
determined that things like smoking
and excessive drinking is bad for one's
health, what are your views on leaders
in the church who do either and do you
believe this sets a bad example for their followers?

Here is how I answered the question:

The Bible instructs us that the body is a gift to us from God. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we are told: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Above and beyond being a leader in the church, we are all called to care for our body. I do believe it is not a good thing to smoke or drink excessively, because it harms this holy temple God has given us.

Even more, the Bible speaks to those who are leaders to set a greater example. In 1 Timothy 3 it is said that leaders are to not be “drunkards” or to have much “wine.” In Titus 2:7 we are told: “Show yourself in all respects a model of good works…”

When I was a youth pastor, I decided that even though it was legal for me to drink, and seeing that many youth struggle with drinking, it would not be a good example for me to drink. So I decided not to drink alcohol at all. This was my choice for myself, and not one that everyone needs to make. But there is always the temptation to drink too much, and so moderation is important.

In regards to smoking, it is quite addictive, and I know many good people who want to stop, but cannot. This is not good, because it will affect their health negatively. When others see them smoking, it could cause another to stumble by leading them to smoke as well. So I do believe that it is not setting a good, healthy example of how God wants us to live.

And yet, those who struggle in these areas would do well to speak to others about their struggle and how they desire to do well by God with their body. Being a good example would mean for them to learn moderation for themselves, and teach moderation to others. I believe this is important for not just leaders in the church, but for all Christians. Share your thoughts on this by clicking on the "comments" button below.

Friends

Friendship is important. God has created us with the need to be in relationship with others. When we have close friends, we are blessed in so many ways. Close friends can strengthen us, encourage us, challenge us, build us up, give us confidence, help us to feel loved. When we have healthy friendships with others, we will experience strength and blessing in our lives. As Ecclesiastes
4:10-12 says: ¹⁰ If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

¹² Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I want to lead you through an exercise. Write down 5 - 10 names of close friends. Now, if you talk to them at least once a week, circle their name. Now if you think that they would write your name down on their list, underline their name. Now, did you put Jesus on that list? Many times in life, we forget that Jesus considers us a friend. Jesus would put your name and my name down on a list of friends. As we are told in John 15:15, ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
I want to encourage you to think about Jesus not just as Lord and savior, but as your friend. God is daily inviting us to be in friendship. We accept God's invitation when we read the Bible, live out the dreams God gives us, listen to the small voice of God. And with Jesus as our friend, we can overcome the doubt, fear, insecurity, confusion, and frustration that can wreak havoc in our lives.
What do you think about friendship? What do you think about Jesus as your friend? Let me know by clicking on the comment button below. Have a blessed day. Chris

Another Chance

In the Bible, the gospel of Luke, chapter 13, Jesus tells a story of a fig tree which is planted in a vineyard. The owner of the vineyard comes to visit, but there is no fruit on the fig tree. The owner wants to tear the tree down and plant something else that will make good use of the soil (since if a fig tree has produced in 3 years it probably never will). But the caretaker of the vineyard talks the owner into giving him one more year with the tree. The caretaker wants to do 3 things. These 3 things I believe give us an important lesson for our lives as well.

1. Work the soil- The caretaker wants to first work the soil. He believes that
by preparing the soil, the tree will have a better chance. The truth is, without good soil, a tree cannot produce. This is true for you and me. If we don’t have good soil (which Jesus likened to our hearts), then we will not be able to produce. So we must make sure that we are letting God soften our hearts to care for others around us.

2. Fertilize- Second, the caretaker wants to fertilize. Fertilizer helps to put nutrients into the soil that will make the soil more able to nourish plants and trees. For us, fertilizer is the word of God and Christian fellowship. When we are reading the Bible and when we are around other Christians, we will be more likely to live in a way that will bless others around us, and help others understand the need to believe in and follow God.

3. Extra care- Last, the caretaker wanted to give the tree extra care. Sometimes extra attention can help provide the right conditions for growth. Maybe there are insects that are affecting the tree. Or maybe the tree isn't getting enough water. That extra attention can make the difference. This is true in our own lives. It is good to have someone in your life who is making sure that you are doing the things you need to do to grow. It is important to have someone checking up on you, in love, so that you might become all that God created you to be.

This is a parable of second chances. This tree was given another chance. Jesus wants us to know that He gives us another chance. So if we stumble, if we fail, if we stray, if we sin, if we feel like we don't measure up, Jesus is there to pick us up and help us move forward. Are you in this place in any way? Do you need this reminder that you get another chance? Who do you need who might need this message? Pass it on. And if you want to add to what I have said, please click on the "comments" button just below and share your thoughts.

Do we need to go to church?

It is interesting how our society has gotten to the place where they don't think that going to church is that important. I have had many people tell me that they are Christians, but don't feel they need to go to church. They have many reasons. Some just like to stay home and watch a church service on TV. Others think that it is their only day off, and so they want to sleep in and take it easy. Or they think that church is boring, and they don't get anything out of it. Others think that they will be judged at church. Still others want to watch the football game or go to the beach.
There are many problems with this thinking. I want to just mention a couple. One is that God created the church as a place of worship. While we can worship God by ourselves, worship is also designed by God to be a corporate experience. There is something that happens in the presence of other believers that helps to draw us closer to God. When we worship with other believers, the presence and power of God can and should be experienced in profound ways. It is more than just singing songs and hearing words spoken. It is being touched by the Holy Spirit in an environment where God's people are drawn together. There is a mystical experience that happens when God's people join together in giving praise and glory to God. As Psalm 95:1-2 says, "O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." Do you see that the psalmist says "us" and not me. The psalmist uses the plural. This regularly is spoken of in this way in the psalms, because worship is something that God's people are to do together!
The second is that God created church to be a place of fellowship. The church is the body of Christ, and the place where we are to use our gifts. It is completely apart from God's design to use your gifts on yourself. The gifts you have been given have been given for the purpose of being a blessing to the body of Christ; the church. When we use our gifts apart from God and God's work, then we are just bringing glory to ourselves, and not to God. As we are told in 1 Corinthians 12:7, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
As a place of fellowship, the church is to be a family. In any family, there are going to be gatherings that aren't the most exciting. And there are people in the family that we don't always like. But we are still a family. And if a member of the family doesn't come to a family event, then that member is missed.
If you are not a part of a church, or if you are not going to church regularly, then you are keeping others from being blessed by your presence, and you are missing out on the kind of worship and fellowship you created to have.
Tell me what you think at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com.

As I talked about in my last Blog, there is going to be a documentary on the

Discovery channel about some lost tombs, one of which they believe to be Jesus Christ’s, one they believe to be Mary’s, and one they believe to be the son of Jesus and Mary. This show is one of many events where people are trying to bring forth evidence that they hope will show that Jesus is not God in the flesh, and that Jesus was not resurrected.

Many do not believe in the resurrection. They think it is a fictional story. I mean, all people die, and once they are dead, they are dead. Right? So a story about someone dying, and then coming back to life has to be fictional. Doesn’t it?

Illus. You might remember the television show “The Twilight Zone.” Each week

the crisp voice of Rod Serling would come out and set-up the show. And his last words before the show started were always: “As we travel into another dimension known as….The Twilight Zone.” And each week the show would indeed take us into another dimension where things would happen that could never happen in our dimension. The events of the show were bizarre and wild, and led us into facing our fears. But the truth of the show is that it was not real; it didn’t happen.

That is what so many people believe about the resurrection. It wasn’t real; it didn’t happen. Something like that could never happen in our world. Death is final and cannot be changed once it happens. Even scripture affirms this:

Genesis 3:19- “You will have to work hard and to make the soil produce

anything, until you go back to the soil from which you were formed…”

Ecclesiastes 3:1- “There is a right time for everything: A time to be born and a time to die…”

Hebrews 9:27- “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.”

So if scripture itself teaches this, then how could we believe that Jesus could have been raised from the dead?

To believe this would mean that we would have to go into a real twilight zone; a dimension apart from our own. And to do this, we need to follow the thinking, the teaching of Jesus Himself. Jesus Himself would talk often in ways that didn’t fit into the thinking of this dimension. Jesus often made statements that sounded other dimensional.

Let’s look at a few of them: (John 18:36)- Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Jesus tried to tell people that earth was not where He came from and not

where He was going to stay. He had a mission, and after that mission He would return to His place; heaven.

Then in Luke 7:21-23, ²¹At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. ²²So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. ²³Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

Now even though Jesus didn’t raise anyone from the dead in this passage,

He did start to speak about this possibility. Matthew 17:22-23, ²²When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. ²³They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.”

Here Jesus straight out gives the statement that He would be raised from death to life. The disciples were filled with grief because they did not believe it could be possible. Others I’m sure just scoffed at His statement. But Jesus is talking about accessing a power beyond this world; the power of God that can bring people back from death to life.

It is important to understand that Jesus’ death and resurrection make the difference, because when He died, so did our sin. And when He rose, so did our hope. When Jesus rose from the grave, your grave, and my grave, and the grave of everyone who believes was changed. It was no longer a final residence, but temporary housing. When we die, our permanent address will be heaven, and our permanent place will be in God’s glory. Share your thoughts on this (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Lost Tomb of Jesus

As I write today, I want you to know I am not writing in any way as an expert, but as one who is passing on my thoughts and information. A couple of days ago there was an article in the paper about some filmmakers who are doing a documentary on "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." They believe that researchers have uncovered 2 ancient stone boxes that they say may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. If this is true, it would make the New Testament non-valid.
Many scholars have already come forward to deride these claims as unfounded and contradictory. But on March 4, on the Discovery channel, Oscar-winning director James Cameron is producing a show that will talk about this finding. As Cameron says: "There's a definite sense that you have to pinch yourself."
However, the evidence is very sketchy, and not to be believed. If you want a more scholarly take on this, you can go to Ben Witherington's blog (www.benwitherington.blogspot.com). In his blog he shows how these "ossuries," as they are called, are not to be received as Jesus' remains, and that the proof is not there.
Above that, if you were to understand the evidence that shows Jesus being resurrected, and appearing to hundreds of people, and the fact that His remains were not found in the tomb he was buried in, then you would understand that this "lost tomb" idea could in no way be true. The evidence about Jesus' death and resurrection is overwhelming. For more on this thinking a great book is Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ." Also, you can go to Mark Roberts blog and see several blogs about Jesus' death and resurrection (www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/eastermore.htm, www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/jesusdivine.htm).
I am amazed at how people are trying to prove that Jesus was not God in the flesh, and that Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins, and that Jesus was not raised from the dead. In fact, people seem to get excited if they think they come across information that contradicts this teaching (i.e. The DaVinci Code). And yet, the truth remains that Jesus is God in the flesh, He did die on the cross, and He was resurrected, and He did ascend into heaven. Jesus is alive, and is our Savior and Lord. The Bible talks extensively about it, and history supports it.
What do you think? Let me know (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com).

Fairness

The other my family was having some ice cream for dessert after dinner. As we were dishing it up, the call came out from my kids, "Make sure I have the same as him (her)." They both wanted to make sure I gave them equal portions and that I was being "FAIR." Fair is important with kids.
The truth is, however, that fair is important with adults as well. Do you ever look around and feel like life isn't fair? Maybe you don't have as nice of a car as someone else. Maybe you don't have as nice of a house as someone else. Maybe you feel like you have more problems than someone else. And I want to tell you, in many ways life isn't fair.
It doesn't take long to notice that life isn't fair. We don't all get the same things. We don't all get the same oppotunities. We don't all have the nicest things. We don't all have enough money to do what we want. We don't all have perfect lives.
So, if life isn't fair, then what are we to do? Many people like to complain. But complaining usually doesn't make life any more fair. And if fact, after a while, people get tired of hearing us complain. Others try to work harder so that they can have what others have. But that doesn't usually work either, but often times it causes other problems.
What we should do is follow the apostle Paul's advice in Philippians 4:12- "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Paul learned how to be content where he was. Learning how to be content is important in life, because if we are always wanting more, we will never be able to enjoy what God has given us.
Now, in being content, that doesn't mean that we don't try to make our marriage better if it is struggling. Being content doesn't mean that we live in poverty if we can get a job. But it does mean that we stop complaining and stop trying to compare ourselves to others. And on top of this, PRAY. God promises to take care of our NEEDS. When we pray, God will hear us and answer our call.
How do you feel like life is not fair? What do you think we should do about it? Let me know what you think (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

A Good Friend

Last Sunday I went with some of my congregation to see the new movie "Bridge to Terabithia." It was quite an enjoyable movie. The 2 main actors (Jessie-Josh Hutcherson and Leslie-Anna Sophia Robb) do a wonderful job, and the animation is quite fun. I would highly recommend this movie to you to go see.
As I was reflecting on the movie afterward, I was taken by the friendship that the 2 kids developed. Both had difficulty making friends, and seemed to struggle with being outcasts. Because of this they both were picked on by their classmates.
Shortly into the movie Leslie moves in next door to Jesse. They immediately become friends, and begin to adventure around their houses. They discover a rope that is hanging on a tree, and decide to swing on it. On one of the swings Leslie lands on the other side. Jesse doesn't see her at first and so he hustles over to find her. Thus starts the beginning of their real adventures.
But even more than the adventure in the movie is the friendship that they develop. As I said before, neither of them had any friends until they met each other. As they spend more time together, they begin to enjoy the support and fun that they other brings to their life. For the first time in their lives, they have a true friend; someone they can be real with.
This is true of our lives as well. We need at least one true friend. If you have a friend like this, you know what I am talking about. To have someone you can be real with, and who can support and encourage you is invaluable. In fact, it is one of the prime ways that God created us; to be in relationship and fellowship with others. The beauty of the church is that we can worship together.
Another important aspect is that Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, but He is our friend. As we are told in John 15:15- "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." Do you need a friend? Pray to God to bring you that special friend. But also remember that Jesus is there to be your friend.
What do you think about the need for special friends and about Jesus being our friend? Let me know at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com.

Don't Take Life Too Seriously

As a whole, people take life too seriously. Now you might want to disagree, saying that we need to take life seriously. There are deadlines to meet, and responsibilities to take care of. If we didn't take these things seriously, then the world would fall apart. Right? And yet, if we get too serious about life, then we lose the fun that God created us to have.
This morning, as I was getting ready for work, my daughter put on these blow-up clown shoes that she won at a birthday party. It was impossible for her to be serious with these shoes on, and her laughter and fun made me smile and laugh. In fact, as she was playing some music, I had to stop getting ready for a moment and dance with her a little. So what if I was a couple minutes later to work!
There is a cartoon of a young man speaking to his minister; he says,“Being a minister must be really hard. I mean, living for others, leading an exemplary life. That’s a lot of responsibility. The pressures must be tremendous! The people are always watching you, waiting for one false move. I don’t know how you handle it!” The minister smiles and says: “I stay home a lot.”(Amusing Grace, #746)
When we let the pressures and seriousness of life get to us, then we get all stressed out. And when we are all stressed out, life no longer becomes fun. We just go through the motions of work, go through the motions of parenting, go through the motions of daily living. There is no excitement or enjoyment of life when we are stressed. This is not how God designed us to be!
We need to relax more when it comes to living life, and be more like children. One of the wonderful aspects of children is their creativity. When is the last time you were really creative. In Matthew 19:13-15, some people were bringing their children to Jesus. The disciples thought that Jesus' ministry and time were too important to be bothered by children, and so they tried to keep the children away. But Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
How can you be more like a child today? How can you be more playful and creative? How can you have more fun in this life God gave you, and take life less seriously?
Do you agree? Write me and share your thoughts on this subject (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Light in the darkness

A couple of months ago my kids were spending the night at my aunt and uncle's. At the end of the night I turned off the light and started to go upstairs, but something felt different. Was it just that the kids weren't there? Was it that there was less noise because of their absence? At first I couldn't decide what was different, but then it hit me. We normally have 2 night lights in Tiffany's room, one in Tyler's room, and one in their bathroom. But since they weren't home, none of the night lights were on. The difference was that it was very dark. Thankfully I know my house well enough to get around in the dark.
As I thought about this, I thought about this as a truth in our own lives. How often are we walking around in the dark, feeling like something is not right, but not knowing exactly what it is that isn't right? Maybe you are asking yourself questions like: Where am I in this relationship? What is going on with my job? How is my faith with God?
Sometimes we are in a place of darkness, and we need God's light to show us the way. As we are told in Isaiah 42:16, "...I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground..." God can shine light into our darkness and help us to know what is right. God can help lead us past the rough places and onto smooth ground. But we have to seek Him out and let Him lead.
And the truth is, when we start to follow the path God lights before us, it might not feel comfortable. Sometimes when you're on the right road, it might not feel right at first. It doesn't feel right because it is so different from the wrong road we have been traveling. We have to get used to the light God is shining before us.
Where are you right now? Are you walking in the dark, but not realizing it? Are you seeking after God, but haven't found Him yet? Are you questioning the path you are walking? Let God shine His light before you, and let God smooth out your way. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

They Like Jesus, But Not the Church

Last week I went to a Pastor's Conference in San Diego, and I went to an interesting seminar: "They Like Jesus, but not the Church," by Dan Kimball. I don't know why I was surprised by this topic, but I was. Kimball had gone out to colleges and talked to students about Jesus and the Church. In regards to Jesus, the students had positive things to say. People loved how Jesus was loving, and giving, and sacrificial. But when it came to the church, they had a much different attitude. Here are some of their responses:

I believe in Jesus and his teaching are inspirational but the church has corrupted his teachings.

Church confines people minds, keeping them from other forms of spiritual expression.

Church rearranges things that don’t go along with their beliefs.

Closed minded individuals.

The Church tells you what you should believe.

I haven’t met very many true Christians.

It is interesting to me, as a pastor of a church, that so many people have a negative view of the church. It makes me wonder what kinds of experiences they have had. The truth is, that many of these people admitted they have never really been to church. So the perception they are getting of the church is from the media (which usually is negative as they report only that bad things that happen in churches).
But for me (and hopefully you) the bigger question is: What are we to do about this? How can we make church more accessible and attractive to people?

I think the first way is that we have to go out and encounter people where they are, taking the love of Jesus out. We can't expect people to come to the church to see what it is about. Second, we have to act more Christlike. Too many Christians are solemn and judgmental. Why are we not showing the love and sacrifice of Christ more? Third, we need to just be regular people. God did call us to not be like the world, but we can just be ourselves. We don't have to be superChristian. And fourth, when people do come to church, we need to accept them for who they are, and help them to connect with God and God's people.
I would love your ideas on this subject. Do you know people who love Jesus but not the church? Why is this? Please e-mail me your thoughts at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com.

You Are A Masterpiece

Michelangelo's Statue of Mary

Did you know that you are God’s masterpiece? That means that you are made special and unique and wonderful by the creator of the universe. This is quite a concept. And unfortunately, most people don’t believe this. When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, do you say: I am God’s masterpiece? Probably not. But do you even think it? Again, probably not.

The Bible tells us that we were created in the image of God; male and female He created us. The God of the whole universe has made you and me special and unique. He has made us into a masterpiece. After God created humans, He said: “It is good.”

So why don’t we feel like a masterpiece? When we look around, how come we don’t see more masterpieces? It is because of sin. Sin is what causes us to do bad things; hurtful things. And because of this we are kept from being the masterpieces we should be.

Another reason is because we feel like we have to live up to expectations; our own expectations and the expectations of others. And we sometimes even feel like we have to live up to the expectations of God. And because we don’t feel like we measure up, we don’t feel too masterpiece like.

So what are we to do about this? The answer is that we need to let God be the sculptor of our lives. We have to give God the permission to chip away those things that don’t fit into this masterpiece we are created to be. We have to let God chip away at the extra chunks of our being that doesn’t belong.

So what is it in your life that God needs to chip away? Maybe it is pride. Maybe it is lust. Maybe it is anger. Maybe it is unforgiveness. Maybe it is selfishness. The list could be great, but if you let God begin to chip away, then you and others will see this masterpiece that you are.

Let us make a commitment to give ourselves over to God in this way. And sit back and look at how you will take shape. Let me know what you think. Share your thoughts so that I and others can have a fuller concept of this. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Sharing with Others

We all have people in our lives who don't make good decisions. And if you are like me, it hurts you to see them struggling. And as I watch their life, I know that one of the biggest reasons that they are struggling is that they don't have Jesus Christ in their lives. I know that sharing Christ with others is big in our society right now, but I believe that is much of what is wrong with our society; everybody is trying to take Jesus out of life.
In this blog, I want to encourage us to be determined to share out faith with those around us. First and foremost because they need Jesus to be saved. But secondly, because I believe that if people let Jesus be their Lord, they will make better decisions and they will live more joyful lives.
I want to share a formular I came across the other day: Formula: HP + CP + CC = MI. This formula comes from Mark Mittelberg's book "Becoming a Contagious Christian." The formual says this: HP (high potency) + CP (close proximity) + CC (clear communication) = MI (maximum impact). What this is saying is that since we are the person who knows the person we care about (close proximity), then if we can spend a good amount of time with them (high potency) and share our life with them (communitcation), then we can have an impact in their life.
The most profound way to impact someone's life, is to share with them the difference Jesus makes in your life. There is nothing more powerful than seeing someone who is real, and who has struggles, but who is making it through because of Jesus. When we share how knowing Jesus helps us to make better decisions, then maybe it will help others as well.
So what keeps you from sharing your faith with others? Let me know (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com).

Give Yourself to God

In my last blog, "Whom Do You Serve?" (January 30, 2007), I talked about the need to decide each day if you would serve God, or if you would serve your selfish desires. Today I want to talk about how important it is to give ourselves to God. The truth is, God has given Himself totally to us. When God took on flesh in Jesus Christ, He came to live among us so that we might see who He is (John 1:14). When Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins, He gave us the ultimate gift; Himself.
Now we need to ask ourselves the question: Do I want to give myself to God? I don't mean sometimes; I don't mean half-hearted. I mean really give ourselves to God. To do this, we have to make God a priority. Just like it is important to give of my time and energy to my kids and my wife, so I need to make my time, energy, efforts, and possessions God's. How I love others is a way to give myself to God. How I find ways to serve others is a way I give myself to God. Taking time to read the Bible or pray is how I give myself to God. The list could be endless, but each of us has to decide which of these ways (we can and should give ourselves to God) are the way God wants us to give ourselves to Him.
So the challenge is: today, will you make a commitment to give yourself to God? How will you do that? Let me know (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Whom Do You Serve

When you go to a restaurant it is a nice experience because you are waited on by a waitress or a waiter; service is part of the experience. Part of the challenge of life is to figure out who we are going to serve. Many people choose to not follow Jesus Christ because they don't want to have to serve anybody. But the truth is, we serve either God or Satan. Now, most people don't purposely serve Satan. But if you are not serving God, then Satan has control of your life even thought you don't realize it. As we are told in Ephesians 2:2- ^"1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
So the is there for us each day. Who are we going to serve. In the Old Testament, Joshua so the people struggling with this decision, and he sought to make his choice clear in Joshua 24:15; "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." I am thankful that Jesus Christ is my savior and Lord, and that I serve Him. I like Joshua choose each day to serve the Lord. And so I leave you with this question: Who do you serve? Let me know at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com

The Pursuit of Happyness

Last week my wife and I saw the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Overall we enjoyed the movie. It was entertaining, and Will Smith and his son Jaden were wonderful together. I also liked how the character, Chris Gardner was determined to fulfill his dream, and worked hard to achieve it.
However, I do believe there are some flaws in his thinking.
Flaw #1- Chris Gardner struggles because he doesn't have much money to live on. As you watch, you feel sorry for his situation. But it is easy to forget that he was in this condition because of poor choices. He chose to buy and sell a bone scanner, thinking that he would make lots of money. The reality was that it was difficult to sell the scanners, and so he had little money to live on.
Flaw #2- Because of this, he put his child in a difficult place. Ultimately, this lack of vision and money caused his girlfriend (and the mother of his son) to leave. Now he was faced with the challenge of raising his son by himself. This also caused them to become homeless, which put them into some not-so-good living arrangements.
Flaw #3- His goal was all about money. Selling the bone scanners was about making money. Then he saw a man, who was a stock broker, with a fancy car. He decided he wanted to be a stock broker so that he could be rich and have a fancy car. But the truth is, money alone doesn't make you happy. There have been many people in life who are tremendously rich, but weren't happy. In Philippians 4:12, it says- "¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." The secret to being content is to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!!
Flaw #4- The point of our life is to follow the 2 great commands that Jesus gave us in Matthew 22:36-40, ³⁶"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" ³⁷Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." When we love God and love one another, then we will find our way to happiness. Or as Psalm 37:4 says: "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." When our desires are God's desires, then God blesses us abundantly, and we live as we were created to live. In this we find happiness!
If you choose to see the movie, I believe you will enjoy it. But don't get swept away into thinking that whatever goal you have will make you happy. Only God can do that. Let me know what you think. (pastorchrisloga@yahoo.com)

Daily Grind

This morning I woke up and thought about my day; the start of another week. And I was feeling a little sluggish. Has this ever happened to you? You think about your day, and you're not too excited to get started? Maybe your life is repititious. Maybe you don't have much excitement.
Then I started to think about why I felt that way and how I could overcome it. It is not a bad thing to have these feelings, but it is not good to dwell on them. So what can we do about our life when we don't feel overly excited about it? Here are some suggestions:
One thing we can do is what Philippians 4:4 tells us, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice." It has been proven that when we have a positive attitude, it will help us to live more positively as well. The truth is, there is always something in life to rejoice over (the fact that you have a job, or wonderful children, or a place to live). On top of all of this, we can rejoice always, because God is always there for us; God will never leave us nor forsake us. If we waited to rejoice when life was perfect, we would never rejoice. In the rejoicing, we will tend to get more excited about our day and our life.
A second thing is to be thankful. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are told, "Give thanks in all circumstances." Now to some this might seem wrong. How can we give thanks in all circumstances. But we give thanks because we know that God can bring good out of any situation. And so we are thankful for a God who cares; thankful for a God who makes a difference in our lives; thankful that in the midst of life's struggles, there is still good to be found. When we live our lives as thankful people, we will find that life becomes more meaningful and more productive.
A third thing is to give of ourselves. You have probably heard the verse from Acts 20:35, where Jesus says: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." That is true. When we give, we forget our own struggles. When we give, we start making a positive difference with our lives. When we give, we feel good about ourselves and our lives because we find that we have purpose. People who enjoy their lives are people who freely give of themselves. People who are miserable are usually those who are selfish and don't know how to give.
As I reflected on these three things today, I realized that God truly has blessed me in so many ways. I am blessed with a wonderful wife and 2 children. I am blessed with being the pastor of a church that loves each other and is trying to make a difference in our community. I am blessed with good health. And so I sit here writing this blog with a new attitude for the day; one of thanksgiving and joy.
I would love to hear from you to know how you seek to overcome the feelings of being worn out by the daily grind. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

BOUNDARIES

Each of us, whether consciously or unconsciously, have set-up boundaries in our lives. Boundaries in regards to who our friends are, boundaries in regards to who we associate with, boundaries in regards to who we interact with. Now in most cases these boundaries are healthy and good and protect us. But in some cases these boundaries can be bad. Just as the disciples didn't want to help the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28), we at times can limit the involvement and help we give to people who don't fit within our boundaries.

Now these boundaries can look different for different people: for some the boundary is race, for others it might be lifestyle, and still for others it might be economic level. But whatever the boundary, it keeps us from sharing the love of God and sharing our lives with others.

Like our boundaries, we live our lives with expectations. Expectations of how we are to live, and expectations of how others will live. And also like our boundaries, these expectations are often healthy, as they give us reason and direction in our life. But, there are times when our expectations might limit our response to others. For example, say I have the expectation that I need to work to make a living, and others need to work as well. But someone might come to me who needs financial help. If this person is not working, my expectation might keep me from helping them, keep me from meeting their need, because I feel that they are not helping themselves. And yet, God just might want me to go beyond my expectation to meet their needs as Jesus went beyond others expectations and helped the Canaanite woman.

It is not uncommon for a church to lose focus of what it is to be about; for a church to think that it exists for itself and its members, and forget that God calls the church to reach beyond its walls to share the love of Christ.

Example- There's a true story of a church who desired to grow, and so they got a church growth expert to come and visit their church. The first thing this church growth expert did was to walk the committee out to the parking lot and said to them: "Now, imagine that you know nothing about this church and that you have just arrived at this church on a Sunday morning for worship. Now let's go into the church." This little exercise created a different perspective for the committee as they started to think about how there were no signs to guide a newcomer.

This is just one example of how a church becomes a church for insiders, for its members, and not for outsiders, for visitors.

So here are some important questions: Are we trying to understand our community to see how we can reach out? Are we stepping out beyond our boundaries to share the love of Christ with others?

The great Russian poet Yevtushenko writes in his autobiography a powerful moment that he witnessed. It was in 1944, when 20,000 German war prisoners were marched through the streets of Moscow, wearing blood-stained bandages, and hobbling on crutches or leaning on their fellow soldiers. Then, all of a sudden a Russian woman pushes herself through a police line and stuffs a crust of bread into the pocket of an exhausted soldier. This act caused a host of other women to run up to the soldiers and begin to give them bread and other necessities they had in their hands.

This story is a reminder that we have an innate sense of compassion and love to be shared. It should be even more true for the follower of Christ. We are called to break through the boundaries of race and prejudice and indifference to do our Lord's will; free the captives, love the unlovable, help the poor, preach the good news that God loves all and wants all to be saved. Tell me what you think (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com).

I have a dream

Since today is the day we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., I thought it might be good to post his picture and a portion of his "I Have A Dream" speech. As you read these words, take in how wonderful the thoughts are in regards to inclusiveness and unity. It is the thinking that reflects our loving God and the desire I know God has for creation.
I Have A Dream, by Martin Luther King, Jr.
(to read the full speech you can go to: http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html)

I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope.

I know that I have a dream to see our church connect with all in our community; which means we need to be an inter-racial church. I have a dream that old and young, rich and poor, will worship together and work together in ministry. I have a dream that people will come to this church and feel loved and wanted. I have a dream that our church will be a beacon of hope and light for north Long Beach.

What is your dream? Write me and tell me: pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com

What needs to be in a church?

The other day I was looking at our church, decorated with poinsettias, and I was enjoying the ambiance. But it also made me wonder what is needed inside a church to make the experience right. So many old style churches are decorated with banners and stained glass windows, and so much more. But is that really needed for worship? So might answer "yes," others "no."
Then on the other side, you have many churches that meet in a school, or a movie theatre, or even in homes. These churches don't have any special decorations. In fact, most often, they can't use decorations. So what is it about the decorations that help us to worship?
When you walk into a church, how do you know that you are in a place of worship? Is it the furniture, the decorations, or maybe the feel? Are there some things that direct your attention more to God, and some that take it away? Can the decorations be so ornate, that they distract you from the worship at hand?
Let's take a step back for a moment, and change the setting to our home. When we live in a home, we decorate it. Maybe we put pictures on the walls, couches and chairs in the rooms. When we go into a bedroom, we know it is a bedroom because there is a bed in the room. So if we feel the need to decorate our homes, why do we disagree over whether or not the church needs to have decorations?
As I write this, you may not even have realized that you have a preferance one way or the other. So I encourage you to think about this issue. What makes a church a place of worship, and is it wrong at all to worship in a gymnasium or a movie theatre?
To share some of my feelings, I have to say that I can enjoy stained glass windows and banners, but at the same time, I can feel close to God and be able to worship without them. My personal opinion is that being together with other believers is often what helps me the most to worship.
SO, I would love to hear what you think and feel about this topic. Please write me and share your thoughts, and perhaps others will respond to me and you as well. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Setting Goals

As we have entered a new year (2007) it is usually the time that people think about setting and achieving new goals in their life. If you are not one to do this, I would like to encourage you to think about doint this. If you do this, I would like to remind you of some important aspects about setting goals.
First, why should we set goals? Well, when we set a goal, it gives us a direction and a purpose. It is easy in life to get off track with what we should be doing. There are so many demands on our time and our lives, that we can get caught up in doing things that don't really matter or don't further our purpose. Setting goals helps to keep us moving forward with what we were created to be and do. Also, when you set a goal and achieve it, it gives you great satisfaction to know that you are being productive and improving yourself.
Second, when you decide to set goals for your life, there are some important guidelines to follow. Make sure that you don't try and set too many goals. I would recommend not more than three or four goals. If you achieve those goals, then you can always set more. Next, make sure that the goals are what you want to achieve, not just something you think you should be doing. For example, you might set a goal to get in shape. If you don't really want to achieve it, you won't put forth the energy to achieve it, and in the end it will just frustrate you.
After this, you should make sure that the goals you set are specific. If your goal is not specific, you will not be sure if you have achieved it or not, and this can again bring frustration. Instead of saying "I will get in shape," say that you will work towards running 2 miles, three times a week. You probably won't be able to run 2 miles off the bat, but you can work up to it, and you will know when you have achieved it. Try and keep from setting a goal of doing something "every day." The chances are that you will not be able to do something "every" day.
Last, make sure that it is a stretch for you, but not so much that you can't achieve it. For example, if you want to lose weight, you might start in small increments. Tell yourself that you will try and lose 5 pounds in the next month. Then be specific about how you will lose this weight. Maybe you will cut down on the portions of your food, or cut out desserts. Maybe you will do 15 minutes of walking, 3 times a week. If you reach this goal, but you still want to lose more weight, then you can set a new goal for the next month.
All in all, goal setting is important and good. However, don't let the goal rule you. The goal is to help encourage you to better yourself and to be more of who God created you to be. As you set goals for yourself, try and set one or two goals in 4 areas: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Don't forget to tell someone your goals so they can help to keep you accountable and motivated. I'd love to hear what you think and/or what goals you are setting for yourself this year! (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Overcoming A Crisis

In 1970, the spacecraft Apollo 13 was sent on a mission bound for the moon. But this “routine” space trip went very wrong. There was a malfunction caused by an explosion which ruptured oxygen tank no. 2 in the service module. The explosion also ruptured a line in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly. The service module bay no.4 cover was blown off. All oxygen stores were lost within about 3 hours, along with loss of water, electrical power, and use of the propulsion system. Ron Howard made this into a film in 1995 showing the trials and tribulations of the Apollo 13 crew, mission control, and families/ after a near-fatal accident crippled the space vehicle. The astronauts are stranded 205,000 miles from earth, they are in a major crisis. Mission control has to find a way to bring them home. Otherwise there was the possibility that the spacecraft explosion might maroon them in an enormous orbit about the Earth. In the end, Mission control was able to find a way to bring them home safely. It is an amazing story!

In our lives we will face times of crisis. Some crises will be major, others minor. But we need to know how to respond to any kind of crises if we want to learn how to live fully; if we want to learn how to live focused lives for God. It is about being able to process the deeper life pain while seeking to live for the Lord.

So what are some of the types of crises we might face?

1. A threat to life, property or way of life./ When we are threatened or part of our life is threatened, then our response is to fight against it.
2. Conflicts in relationships./ Conflicts in our relationships can be quite painful.
3. A current situation which requires urgent change./ Any kind of change, even if it is for the best, can be difficult to go through. But sometimes the way we are living is not good and must be changed. The sooner the better!
4. Inner turmoil or frustration./ When you are not at peace in life, then you are in turmoil.
5. Past abuses or dysfunctional relationships that have not been dealt with./ It is easy to want to avoid our past pain or abuse, but at some point in life, for us to be healthy for God, we must deal with it.
6. Personal sickness or a sickness in the family./ Health issues are always disruptive to life.
7. Mid-life struggles regarding loss of focus or direction./ We all want to know what life is about, and so when we struggle to understand God’s will or direction for our lives, it can be quite uncomfortable maybe even lonely.

The key to all of these, is to let them move us deeper into God’s heart. It is wrong to try to deal with the crises we face alone. We can see in the Bible that time and time again God uses the crises we face to help to develop us to be the people He wants us to be.
In 2 Corinthians 1 the apostle Paul is despairing for his life. But then he says some amazing, powerful, and important words in verse 9- “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” Paul understood that in the midst of the crisis, God would do a great work.
As we deal with crisis, don't try to understand the lesson or lessons to be learned in the crisis. It is important to focus on and deal with the crisis. But as you seek to deal with the crisis, don’t think that you have to do this on your own power; trust in God. God will walk with you through the crisis, and God will walk you through the crisis. Praise be to God! (tell me what you think: pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Christmas Hope

Sunrise: Hope of
a new day







I was reading last week about how Dr Martin Luther King Jr. conducted civil rights marches throughout the south. He gave inspiring speeches for which he and others were persecuted and arrested during the sit-ins and demonstrations.
An important question is this: "Why did Dr. King keep going? Why was he willing to be arrested and mistreated for his beliefs? What motivated him to tirelessly campaign for civil rights in a time period when things between whites and blacks weren’t very civil?

The answer is that he was a man of hope. He dared to imagine that the world could be different; that the world could be a better place. That is why he said,
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day in the state of Alabama, little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream that one day, all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

It was the hope of a better tomorrow that inspired these words of Dr. King. The same thing is true about Isaiah 2:3-4, “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

Isaiah is saying, "Yes, I know that things aren’t going well. Things might seem hopeless in many ways. Yes it is because of our sin and we live in a war ravaged time. But I believe that someday, things are going to change around here! I have a vision from God! There are better days ahead! Someday, this sinful land is going to become the home of the living God! An oasis of freedom and justice and righteousness. A place where people from all over the world can come to learn the word of God! A place where nations will throw away their weapons of war. And learn the ways of peace.”

As you go through this Christmas season and into the new year, ask yourself this: “How can I have hope in a way that Christ can work through me to have better days ahead?” You can do it. I can do it! Let’s do it together. Tell me what you think. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)