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Happy To Welcome You To The Hallelujah Chorus

I will exalt you my God, the King, I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and exalt your name forever and ever. Psalm 145:1-2

Sunday, December 25, 2011

"He's Still On Duty"

Every time I log my computer on to the web I am bombarded with all the latest terrorist suicide bombings, child molestations, kidnappings, murders, robberies, and who won/lost the latest political debate in Iowa. But none of this is really "new". Man's inhumanity to his fellow man has been front page news since long before there were any television anchors or newspaper editors. And politicians have been maneuvering for a more favorable public opinion rating since .....well before any of us were ever born.

As a person of faith my heart is guarded by the Holy Spirit. He never fails to point me to a much greater reality than today's "news" and shows me more truth than is ever reported by news anchors and commentators. I do respect their right to publish and comment on all that stuff that isn't really "new" at all, but I have a responsibility to "guard my heart, for out of it are the issues of life" as Solomon said.

People of true faith are saddened like all people who have a tender heart by the inhumanity of so many in the human family. But we see so much more than is "reported" by the news anchors. I appreciate the effort in recent years of the major news organizations to report some of the good things that are happening in our world. But on any given day that is usually one short story set against at least 8-10 others that end with a bloody video report or political sound bite.

Here is that transcendent truth that guards my heart -

"OUR GOD IS IN HEAVEN; HE DOES WHATEVER PLEASES HIM." Psalm 115:3 NIV
"THANK GOD BECAUSE HE'S GOOD; BECAUSE HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS....HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS....HIS LOVE NEVER QUITS." Psalm 118:1-4 MSG
"I KNOW THAT THE LORD IS GREAT, THAT OUR GOD IS GREATER THAN ALL gods. THE LORD DOES WHATEVER PLEASES HIM, IN THE HEAVENS AND ON THE EARTH; IN THE SEAS AND ALL THEIR DEPTHS." Psalm 135:5-6 NIV

There is much sad news in our world every day. God has given his family his own Holy Spirit to live in our hearts so that we can see beyond all the worst that any day can bring forth. One way we combat the efforts of our common enemy to destroy our faith is to get involved in the fight. Sitting in front of the TV every day you may never engage that enemy in your world. It's easy to sink in the quicksand of sadness that Satan creates in our world but there is always a greater truth - OUR FATHER IS STILL ON DUTY EVERY DAY AND HE DOES WHAT PLEASES HIM!

The daily happenings in our world are important to some more than others, but every person of faith cares about those people affected by Satan's hate for the human family. We too should engage that enemy at every opportunity and resist his efforts to use all the sadness to destroy our confidence in our Father. God will always do what please him because he is God regardless of who sits in the White House. For me, THAT is the greater truth that comforts my heart every day. HALLELUJAH!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

"TEBOWING?"

I hope the few faithful folks who regularly read my mental ramblings will extend a little grace if I add my voice to the mounting chorus of those who are talking about the Denver Broncos young phenom quarterback Tim Tebow. After winning two NCAA National Championships and becoming the only college sophomore to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, his name has certainly been high profile for a few years. But nothing like the level of notoriety he has generated since becoming the Denver Broncos starting quarterback and repeatedly winning close games in seemingly impossible situations. Of course he has had a lot of help from some very committed guys on the team but despite his many detractors, he has succeeded in making the right pass at the right time to put the Broncos in the right position.
One of the things I most remember from his college days was how he always displayed a scripture verse on his face during games. I don't recall a lot of press coverage making such a big deal about that but now that he is really in the "big time" and on a much larger stage the negative press has made him a target for their sarcasm and skepticism. I wonder why?
Is there some sort of assumed disconnect between sports and Christianity? Probably. The sports world has always been dominated by the commercial influence of beer promotions, tailgate partying, barroom game watching etc. We can hardly watch any televised sports event without being constantly bombarded by those attempts of advertisers to encourage us to drink their booze and party on. I doubt any major network would even allow any type of commercial during a televised sports event that encouraged us to live a life of faith, devoted to Jesus Christ as Lord.
In his small way, I believe Tim Tebow is doing just that. Even though I don't know him and have never met him, I feel a strong kinship with him because of his unassuming courage to make a strong statement of faith in Jesus Christ on a huge, potentially hostile stage. For many, football and Jesus just don't mix.
I just today read that "tebowing" has now been recognized as an official dictionary word defined as "the act of taking a knee in prayer during an athletic contest". Although Tim Tebow certainly is far from the first high profile athlete to "tebow", he is the first to have the act bear his name and see his example become popular enough to actually give it an official definition,.
Where is all of this going? Well, it is certain that the Denver Broncos are destined to lose more than one of those close games with Tim Tebow as their quarterback but from what I have seen and heard from him Mr Tebow will continue to praise Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and in his quiet way encourage others to follow that path.
Praise God for a young man who is proud to bear the name of Jesus Christ and the parents who taught him to never be ashamed of his faith.

David sang, "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from my all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." Psalm 34:1-5 NIV  HALLELUJAH!