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)

The Nativity Story

Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary in "The Nativity Story"




Yesterday I went to see the movie "The Nativity Story." I had heard good reviews, and so I and a few people from my church went to see it. I enjoyed the movie on several levels. The first was that I thought it had excellent acting, music and cinematography. But it was enjoyable on another level as well, and that was to visually see the story of Jesus' birth played out. While it is wonderful to have the Bible to read, being able to see what is going on as well helps to put things in perspective. I was moved by the realization of the difficult times Mary and Joseph lived in. I was reminded of their status in society. I was caught by the difficulty Mary's pregnancy would have caused her in the community, with Joseph, and even with her parents. It was wonderful to see this story unfold in front of me. And even though there was artistic license taken, it was still a profound experience for me.
As my church members and I talked about the movie afterwards, we remarked about several things that stood out to us. First, was that Mary was a teenager who joked around and had crushes on other boys. When she was told that she would marry Joseph, it was a blow to her at first. Second, was how Mary was committed to doing what the Lord asked her, even if others around her doubted. I loved the line to her parents: "I have told you the truth. Now it is up to you whether you believe me or not." Third, the love that developed for Mary to Joseph as they made the journey to Bethlehem. Joseph was a committed husband and father, even in the midst of this adversity of being with a woman whose child was not his. And forth, Mary and Joseph were just regular people. We like to try to immortalize the people of the Bible, but they were just like you and me. They had struggles, and doubts, and fears. But for Mary, it all came down to faith, as she believed what the angel told her in Luke 1:37- "For nothing will be impossible with God." Mary and Joseph were just normal people struggling to survive each day.
So I leave you with this: Where do you need to believe that God will do for you? Now I'm not talking about your selfish desires. I'm talking about where God is leading you in life. What is God calling you to do? Trust that nothing will be impossible with God, and He will bless you and fill you and empower you to carry it out. Tell me what you think. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

HOPE 2

There are many people in this world that have no hope. And the first reason that they have no hope is that they have no one to turn to for help. In this society that encourages individualism and a do-it-yourself attitude, so many people have stopped relying on others. Did you know that sometimes just telling someone about your troubles is helpful? When you keep things to yourself, it can eat at you and frustrate you more. We have been created to be in relationship with others; and that includes sharing our troubles with each other.
A second reason why many people have no hope, is that they have no one who is capable of doing anything about the troubles in their life. I know that there are many times in my life that people come to me and share their struggles. I hear what they have to say, and I struggle with them. But I know that I can’t physically do anything to ease their pain. I cry out to God: “O God, what am I to do for this person? We need to be reminded that we can’t always do it on our own, or we can’t always help each other, but we have a God who can help us in ways we might never understand. There is hope in knowing that we have a God of strength available to us.

A third reason people feel like thay have no hope is they don't have anyone who is there for them. We need to practice the ministry of presence. What is the ministry of presence? It is just being present for someone in a time of need. Maybe you hear that somebody is in the hospital. You can’t make them better. There are probably no words you could say that would make it better. But you choose to go and be with them anyway. You know what? That is the ministry of presence, and is probably the best thing you could do for them.
Hope will come to us when we open up our hearts to God and cry out to God. Hope will come to us when we believe that God is always with us. Hope will come to us when we let God’s face daily shine on us. Hope will come to us when we understand that the discipline of God is there to restore us and bring us back into a right relationship with God. During this season of Advent my prayer is that we would have a strong sense of hope because we have a solid understanding of who God is in our lives, and share this hope with someone else. Tell me what you think. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

A Useful Person

In a Peanuts comic strip, Linus is eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and in the middle of a bite, he says to Lucy: “Hands are fascinating things! I like my hands…I think I have nice hands…my hands seem to have a lot of character…these are hands which may someday accomplish great things…these are hands which may someday do marvelous works! They may build mighty bridges or heal the sick, or hit home-runs, or write soul-stirring novels! THESE ARE HANDS WHICH MAY SOMEDAY CHANGE THE COURSE OF DESTINY!!” Lucy comes over and looks closely at Linus’ hands, and then says: “They’ve got jelly on them.”(The Gospel According to Peanuts, p.36)

In Ecclesiastes 2:11, this verse says- “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was in vain and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
We can easily feel this way, because all too often we are not seeking to fulfill what God created us to do and be, but instead we go off and chase our own selfish dreams. We need to understand that God uses people who seek to do His will. Think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was one who humbly sought God. We are told in Luke 2:19: "Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them."
Mary created a habit of listening to God.
God speaks to people who listen. God uses people who desire to be used. So if you want to be used by God, if you want to do something significant with your life, if you want to be chosen by God then you need to seek to listen to God and follow God's plan. You probably need to stop thinking that you have all the answers. When we seek to do it on our own, it will seem like we are chasing after all the wrong things and that life is in vain. We need to understand that we are trying to satisfy ourselves with things that won't satisfy.
We need to gain a new perspective on life and believe that God can come to us and speak to us and choose us as God did Mary. Tell me what you think (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com).

Laughter

Laughter is important. It is said that if you learn how to laugh regularly and often you will be happier and healthier. Here are some important facts about laughter...

· Thirteen muscles are used for our smiling mechanism, while 50 muscles are required for frowning;

· Laughter lowers the levels of cortisol in the body. Cortisol suppresses the immune system. Lowering this level helps the immune system to work and prevent disease.

· Did you know that you can get the same benefits for your heart and lungs from laughing 100 times a day than you can from rowing for 10 minutes a day?

· Laughing for 15 seconds adds 2 days to your life span.

It is said that children laugh on the average of 150 times a day, while adults laugh only 15 times on average a day. We need to laugh more! We need to make laughter a regular part of our day. I love to use humor in my teaching, my preaching, and before meetings. I love it when people in my congregation send me funnies in my e-mail.
So, what keeps you from laughing?
Is it that you have hardships? God walks with you through your hardships.
Is it pain in your life? Jesus went through the ultimate pain by dying on the cross so that He could free us from our pain.
Is it lack of purpose? God created us with a purpose and has gifted us to live out that purpose.
As you go through this Christmas season, my encouragement to you is to find ways to laugh and people to laugh with. Tells me what you think at pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com.

Materialism

As we approach Christmas, it has started me thinking about the materialistic society we live in. It is amazing how many "things" there are in the world, and how much of it we want. As I look in my kids' rooms, I see so many little trinkets (many of which we didn't even purchase). We adults are the same way. We have so many "toys" and knick knacks.
And then Christmas season comes, and we wonder what we will "buy" for the other people in our lives. And yet, as I think about it, I realize that nobody really needs anything. So we go to the stores to buy gifts, just to buy gifts? The joy comes when I find something that can be beneficial in their lives. Then I feel good about spending the time and money on a gift. But, to just buy something because you're supposed to is just materialistic.
My wife and I usually take an evening to brainstorm together about what might make good gifts. Again, this is to help us seek out gifts that others wouldn't buy for themselves, or that they don't realize they need. When we can find these kinds of gifts, then it is hard for me to wait until Christmas for them to receive the gift.
However, this is another alternative. In times past, we have taken some of the money we were going to use for each other, or for our kids, and donated it to a worthy charity in their name. This has usually been received quite well, because it allows us to give to others who have real needs. We also set aside money to give to the church and to another organization as a "Christamas gift." This too helps to move us past the spirit of materialism.
I would love to see us use this time of Christmas to think about the needs around us. What can we do to give of ourselves in ways that would warm God's heart? How can we turn Christmas into more of a spiritual event, than a gimme, gimme, event? Let me know what you are planning to do and what you think about this. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Hope

It is interesting to see what people think hope is. Here is how some people finished this statement: Hope is......

“Hope is….something within you; like seeing the glass as half full.

“….for the future; for peace and harmony in the world.”

“Hope is beautiful.” “Hope is success.”

“Hope is ….trust; if you don’t hope, you can’t trust anything.”

“Hope is….an answer.” “Hope is ….necessary.”

“Hope is…finding out there is a medical treatment for your disease.”

“Hope is….what makes life worth living.”
We are approaching Christmas and advent. Advent is the season which leads us to Christmas, and starts with the Sunday of HOPE. I believe that God has much which we should be hopeful for, and the pictures above help us to see this hope which comes from God.

PICTURE 1- Sunrise (Hope of a new day); Psalm 118:24- “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”/ Hope is understanding that every day is a new day to make a difference with our lives, and in the lives of others. It doesn’t matter what has happened in the past, today is a NEW DAY!

PICTURE 2- Clock (Hope of a better time); 2 Peter 3:9a- “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness…”/ When we hope on the Lord to intervene in our lives, to answer our prayers, we often expect it to happen quickly. Hope is understanding that God will work His will and way in our lives; and He will do it in His timing!

PICTURE 3- Ocean (Hope is powerful and expansive); Isaiah 40:31- “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength…”/ There are many things in life that can tear us down and make us feel weak. But in the Lord, when we hope on Him, we can know that His power is at work in us, and that “all things are possible to those who trust the Lord.”

But most importantly is picture #4- Baby Jesus.

Baby Jesus (The hope of new life; Jesus’ birth); Jeremiah 33:16- “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.”/
We live in the days when we can truly receive hope, because our hope comes from God Himself. And so as you live in these days, from now until Christmas, I pray that you would not let the world around you overwhelm you with the secularism of Christmas. I pray that you would hope for what Christmas truly brings: joy, love, peace, and God’s presence in your life. Tell me what you think. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

The Holy Alphabet

I would like to share something with you that is called “The Holy Alphabet.” I think it is quite fitting as we approach Thanksgiving and reflect on being thankful.

A – D: (Colossians 1:12)-

Although things are not perfect, Because of trial or pain,

Continue in thanksgiving, Do not begin to blame.

I think we all know that life is not perfect, and will never be. But that doesn’t mean that life isn’t good. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be good. The important thing in life is to learn how to be thankful for the things we do have. All too often we get in the blame mode. But what that really does is sap our joy and bring us down; it keeps us from being able to enjoy what we do have.
As Colossians 1:12 says: “giving thanks to the Father, who

has enabled you to share in the inheritance….”

E – H: (Colossians 1:16-18)-

We continue: Even when the times are hard, Fierce winds are bound to blow;

God is forever able, Hold on to what you know.

It is amazing to me when I talk to people, and hear about their lives. People live

incredibly complicated lives. Fierce winds do blow. Some people have lives that are very troublesome. People are not sure what to do or what to believe or where to turn. That is why it is important to keep things in perspective. As we are told in

Colossians 1:16-18, “For in Christ all things in heaven and on

earth were created….all things have been created through Him

and for Him. He Himself is before all things, and in Him all things

hold together. He is the head of the church…”

We must understand that God, through the Son, created all things. And because of this God is able to watch over us. This is what we know, and if we hold on to this, this gives us foundation to keep us strong in difficult times.

I want you to think for a moment of some difficult times: maybe it was financial, or with your health, or a conflict in the family. The possibilities are endless. But what makes everything better is knowing that the Lord of creation is able to get you through!

I – L: (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)-

The poem continues…Imagine life without His love, Joy would cease to be,

Keep thanking Him for all the things, Love imparts to thee.

Whether you realize it or not, the love of God is what keeps this world going. The love of God keeps God from destroying the world again as He did in the time of the flood. The love of God is what led God to come in human form, in Jesus Christ, so that He might die for our sins and open the door to forgiveness and eternal life. The love of God is what allows God to forgive us time and time again when we sin. The love of God is unconditional, not loving us for who we are or what we do, but loving us because we are God’s children. It is so important to be loved unconditionally!

We need to learn to love like God does. There is tremendous power in love. Be thankful in the ways you are loved by God, and by the people God puts in your life to love you, and seek to find ways to love others unconditionally; not for who they are, or what they can do for you, or by what they look like. But because we all need to be loved!

M – P: (Colossians 1:20)-

Moving to M through P…..Move out of “Camp Complaining,” No weapon that is known, On earth can yield the power, Praise can do alone.”

Why is it so easy to complain? What is it that complaining brings to our lives? I guess it goes back to blaming and passing the buck. It is easier to complain than to take responsibility or to seek to take care of our own problems. Somehow we think that feeling pity for ourselves gives us purpose. But all complaining does it take our focus away from what God can do through us, and takes our focus away from all the good in our lives.

You have heard the saying: “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It is a trite saying, but there is some wisdom to it. Those people who are most successful in life are the ones who don’t let their troubles bring them down; they don’t let their troubles defeat them. They look for ways to overcome their problems.

The truth is, there is power in praise. As we give praise to God for His presence and strength in our lives, we build up our outlook, and we trust God more. We then put ourselves in a place where we can be victorious.

Remember what Colossians 1:20 says- “and through Him God was

pleased to reconcile to Himself all things…”

In Christ, even our troubles can be reconciled, taken care of, removed.

Q – T: (Matthew 6:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:18)-

Q through T says: Quit looking at the future, Redeem the time at hand,

Start every day with worship, To “thank” is a command.

You might have heard the minister who asked one little girl, “Do you pray before meals.” To which the little girl responded: “Oh no, we don’t need to, my mommy is a good cook.”
Too often in life, we forget to say thank you to God, because we tend to go to God when things are bad, not good. But another reason we forget to say thank you, is because we are busy thinking about the future, and forgetting to appreciate the present. God desires for us to not only focus on the present, as we are told in Matthew 6:34- “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” But we are to be thankful for all that today brings…

1 Thessalonians 5:18- “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God.” We are not to presume what our life should be, but be thankful for this day that God gives us, whatever it might bring.

U - Z: (Philippians 3:14)-

And we finish with U through Z….Until we see Him coming, Victorious in the sky, We’ll run he race with gratitude, Xalting God most high. Yes, there’ll be good times and yes some will be bad, but…Zion waits in glory…where none are ever sad!

Even though I just talked about not looking to the future, we do have to remember the hope that the future brings. Scripture is clear to us, that at some point, Jesus Christ will come again. When He comes, He will come on the clouds in the sky, for all to see. His second coming will be for the purpose of moving us into the new era, where the earth will be no more, and those who believe will live eternally in His loving presence. Those who don’t believe, will live eternally apart from Love itself.

Where is the thanksgiving in this? That those of us who believe, should be thankful for our eternal salvation. Those who don’t believe can be thankful that all have the opportunity to believe if they so choose. And we can be thankful that we have opportunities to tell those who don’t believe how they can believe!

So, we are to run the race with gratitude. As the apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:14- “I press on to the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” What is the prize? Eternally living with God in heaven. Having access to the inheritance of my Eternal Father. And knowing that in glory, we will never have to again deal with the pain of this life.
Let us be thankful to God for all things at all times, for God is forever with us, working in and through us. I would love to hear from you. Tell me what you think; tell me of what you are thankful. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Is Prayer Magic?

It is interesting to see people respond to the topic of prayer. For so many they think that it is some kind of magic. I say my prayer and poof, I get what I ask for. Or if it doesn't work just the way they prayed, they figure that they must have said the wrong magic words. But prayer isn't like magic, and prayer isn't like a vending machine where you put in your money and pick out what you want. God does not respond to our every desire just the way we want. And that is a good thing, because often we don't know what is best for us, and if we got what we wanted, it would really cause us trouble.
So if prayer is not magic, then what is prayer and how does it work? First and foremost, prayer is an opportunity for us to communicate with God, and a way for God to come to us (or a better way to say it is "commune" with us). Think for a moment about communicating with your mother or father. Do you walk up to them and speak to them a list of all the things you want them to do for you? I wouldn't think so. To communicate, you share your thoughts and feelings with them; you tell them what is going on in your life; you relay to them the important things you want them to know. It is the same for us and God. We should come to God to share our thoughts, feelings, frustrations, and joy. We should talk to God about what we want God to know. We should speak to God as though He doesn't already know us, for prayer is more for us than it is for God.
And yet, prayer is for God as well, because in this time, we are to allow ourselves to feel God's presence, and let Him guide our thoughts to become His thoughts. In this time of quiet before God, we can actually hear God (and sense God) speak to us. You cannot listen, you cannot hear, if you do not stay quiet.
However, the Bible does tell us to "make our requests known to God." Asking is an aspect of prayer. And yet, we get confused by Bible verses that tells us: "Ask and it shall be given to you..." and "I will do whatever you ask in my name..." These verses make it sound like God will grant our every request. What is up with this? The truth is, that the Bible is a whole book, and fits together as such. To take one verse as the whole truth will get us lost every time. Along with these verses of God giving us what we ask, are the verses that bring further understanding telling us that what we ask for is to give glory to God. So, to ask God for a new Corvette is probably not what God will give to you. It probably is not what will bring Him glory, and what will help you in your life live out the purpose God has for you.
So, when you pray, go to God to build your relationship with God; share yourself with God. Also, let yourself be quiet before God and seek to hear what God might want to say to you. It might simply be: "I love you, my child." And, when you do make your requests known, try to temper them with the understanding that God answers prayer within His timing, and within His will. Tell me what you think. (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com)

Are you discouraged?

For the past few weeks I have been part of the Long Beach Press Telegram "Ask the Clergy" section. Each week we are given a question to respond to (300 words or less). I thought that this week's question would make a good blog.

In wake of the latest scandal with
Ted Haggard, (the Pastor in

Colorado) how would you encourage
those who are discouraged, hurt or

disappointed by his actions, in
the Christian community?

In our society I still believe that ministers are given a sense of reverence and respect. In one sense this is good, because it allows them the opportunity to teach, train, and guide people as followers of Jesus Christ. And yet, the danger can be that people give too much power to their minister, and put them up on a pedestal. Let me talk about the power issue first. When someone is given a great amount of power, the danger lies in the misuse of this power. Power can be misused by taking advantage of another or by seeking to gain wrongly from that power. But the other side is being put on a pedestal. The problem with being put on a pedestal, is that no one deserves this, because no one can live up to it. The apostle Paul, in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 3:4-5, “⁴For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? ⁵What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.” All pastors are merely servants of Jesus. They are not giants, and they are not gods.

Ted Haggard’s scandal has reminded us that we are all sinners, and we are all capable of doing wrong. This scandal is hurtful and discouraging to the Christian community because it causes people to look down upon God when God’s leaders fail. But the encouragement comes when we realize that the job of a leader is to point people to Jesus Christ, and the love and salvation that comes from Jesus. Even when a leader falls, Jesus Christ is still the same, and the One in whom we are to believe. The encouragement is in knowing that the failure of others reminds us of our own struggles, and that Jesus alone is the One who can help us overcome our struggles and make a difference with our lives. The encouragement comes in knowing that the Church is to be built not on the lives of Christian leaders, but on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
So, when we fail, or when we are discouraged by our own actions, or by others, we can know that Jesus Christ is there for us. It is in Jesus that we are to believe, and whose example we are to follow. Christianity is not following a leader, but following a Savior; Jesus Christ. Tell me what you think (pastorchrislogan@yahoo.com).