Being a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan in South Texas has its fun moments. Let's just say some of us take our sports affiliation a little too seriously.

Recently, someone told me they had never met an Eagles fan before me. It was like I was extraterrestrial. They asked me what I was doing during the last game. It had been a blowout win for my team. How would someone like me respond? Turns out, like any other fan.

Speaking of choosing the wrong team. When the apostle Paul traveled to Thessalonica, people believed his Jesus message and a church was born. Following Jesus as Lord, though, to the rest of the community, was a treasonous act. So, Thessalonian Christians faced persecution. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to encourage and strengthen their faith through this time. He was happy to hear a good report that they were holding strong (1 Thessalonians 3:6). But he also wanted to challenge them to keep maturing as Christ followers.

Towards the end of the epistle, he includes a reminder. The church was to "admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak" (5:14). Notice the tolerant attitude.

We Christians can forget that we are all on a walk with God. But we're at different points in our walk. Just because you aren't idle, doesn't mean someone else hasn't come to a point where they are. What do they need? Perhaps a loving urge from someone who cares for them. You may be strong, but others may have not learned how strong they can be yet. They don't need belittling. They need encouragement and help.

We have to be willing to see others for who they are. People.

People are different. But people are also a lot a like. We share many experiences, even if we share them differently. Turns out, Christ has put us on the same team, so to speak.

So, criticize less and encourage more those in your church community.

Stay blessed...john

A reading from the prophet Joel is appropriate for today, Thanksgiving Day.

There had been much tragedy surrounding the people of God. As Joel describes it, this was God's judgement against the people. They had turned from the Lord. Their leaders were anything but godly. And God acted against them, apparently, in the form of locusts that destroyed their lands.

God's judgement is sure. But so is God's lovingkindness. The prophet tells the people in Chapter 2 to "be glad and rejoice." Actually, he tells the soil to be glad before he tells the people.

Why be glad? "Because the Lord has done great things!"

The renewed pastures could tell this story of God's power. The abundant rain could as well. These are signs God has not turned away. God's people, now able to "eat in plenty" and "satisfied" are to "praise the name of the Lord."

Stay blessed...john

Roughly six hundred verses pass before it happens. That represented fifteen years.

In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel anointed David as king. That's when David's father brought out each of his sons thinking one of them had to be who Samuel was looking for. They looked the part, but "the Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). So, it surprised Samuel and David's father when the youngest son, David, turned out to be the one.

So much filled the next fifteen years. God's anointing doesn't always come with everyone else's approval. And it certainly doesn't make life easy.

I'm not sure what David ever thought about his anointing. Was he anxious to be king once Samuel left? Were there times when he felt like maybe he misunderstood what Samuel meant? We live in an instant world. If something doesn't happen soon, we assume something's not right. David didn't know our world. But after a few years, did he ever wonder if things weren't going to work out?

The season of Advent is about to begin. It's the beginning of the church calendar. If your church tradition recognizes that season, you'll be hearing about waiting. I suppose that's a good way to start something. With the expectation that you'll have to wait.

While you're waiting, especially if it's been a while, you will have questions like the ones we asked about David. It's wise to ask those questions, by the way. Discernment is a part of wisdom.

But I will encourage you to hold on to what you know God has put in your heart. If it's God's promise, wait on God's timing. It might be years before you see what God had in mind. You might pass through whole seasons of life before the promise comes to fruition. But hold on. God is faithful. Just like God doesn't look at outward appearance like us, God also doesn't look at time like us.

Stay blessed...john

In scripture, the wilderness is a geographical location. But it also speaks to an experience. As a location, the wilderness is a tough place to survive. No, it's not impossible, but you better prepare yourself. As an experience, it represents the hardships and adversities that come with life. At some point, then, we all walk through the wilderness.

According to Psalm 68's title, David was in a wilderness. Scholars debate what that was for David. It could represent some part of his life before he was king. Maybe it's when he fled Jerusalem during his son's rebellion. Or he could've been on the run from King Saul. Whatever his situation, what's most notable is David's focus on God.

To say you believe in God is a worthy affirmation. But if David is in a wilderness, think what he must mean when he says, "my soul thirsts for you." David found his satisfaction in God and decided he would cling to God. All while in the wilderness. It's easy to give thanks when your Thanksgiving plate is full. What if you have nothing? Can we be satisfied with God's lovingkindness if scarcity fills our life?

John Chrysostom, an early church father, noted that the early church recited Psalm 68 every day. The early church knew the wilderness. And they understood, apparently, what David knew. That God's "steadfast love is better than life." That belief didn't make the wilderness any less wild. But still they thirsted after God.

Our modern churches face wildernesses. You do, too. Psalm 68 reminds us of the choice we have to seek God. Not just to believe in God. To pursue God, focusing more on the Lord's "power and glory" than the wilderness. Can we seek God as David and the early church once did? Will we?

Stay blessed...john

It took me a while to understand the difference between going to school and learning. I was an adult before I learned that lesson. As a mere student, I found out what I needed to know to get through. When I was kid, I hated the questions at the bottom of a page. Those were the put-into-practice-what-you've-learned scenarios. All I had learned was how to get by. And, truth be told, I got by with good grades. I could pass a test.

But something changed when I finally wanted to learn. To sound a bit cliché, a new world opened up to me. That applied to school work in college and in life. Even faith and ministry took on new meanings. It's possible to get through school and church, after all.

Daniel 7 introduces one of Daniel's dreams. The prophet not only interprets dreams, he has them. If there were a movie about Daniel, this would be his wake-up-in-a-cold-sweat, terrified scene (Daniel 7:28). I've woken from a dream I've wanted to remember plenty of times. Usually, a soon as the details get a little foggy, I decide it's not worth the effort to try to recount my experience.

Not Daniel.

In the seventh chapter, he twice says something important.

Whoever the attendant was in his dream, Daniel approached him "to ask him the truth concerning all this" (7:16). One detail seemed to bother him much more. There were four beasts and Daniel "desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast" (7:19). Daniel wanted and needed to understand the truth behind what he experienced. And he went after it. 

Forgive me if I ever complain too much about shallow and self-centered sermons. I'm just convinced God's word is more than fortune cookie material. There is great truth behind the stories passed down to us. The truth is there, but how interested are you in pursuing it?

Stay blessed...john

People say all the time, "I needed to hear that."

That normally comes after reading something encouraging. Maybe it was a message about taking it easy on yourself or having patience with your struggles. A good reminder about trusting God in difficult circumstances gets that response, too. I can get that message after sending a daily text about keeping hope.

We do need reminders. That's part of having a human heart. Though I often wonder if our needing to hear these messages so much can mean something else as well. Maybe we need to hear them so much now because we didn't pay attention to them before.

King Josiah needed to hear that. But he didn't only say it. "When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes." His action was an outward sign of repentance. Israel needed to hear it as well. The peoples' disregard for the law had been longstanding. Other kings had led them astray to follow other gods. Josiah's response, then, is striking. It demonstrates something you and I can learn from.

When we listen to what we need to hear from God, there's a consequential response needed. In scripture, to hear is to obey. There's no distinction. If you heard, you follow through. If you aren't obedient, well, you didn't hear.

Notice the prophet Huldah in 2 Kings 22. Even though Israel hadn't been faithful to God, she was still there. When the king heard the word of God, he called for her consultation. Amidst Israel's disobedience, someone was there still willing to speak for God. There's a powerful reminder.

Even when I don't want to or haven't been willing to listen, God is still speaking. I needed to hear that.

Stay blessed...john

I was driving one day and a church's marquee caught my attention. It wasn't a pithy quote or bad pun that interested me. It was an invitation to attend "Our last worship service." The congregation was of a mainline denomination, but not a church I had any connections to. Still, I attended their final service.

After several decades in the community, the church had decided it was best to close its doors. The grief of closing a church was real. But the decision allowed the remaining members to celebrate the ministry God gave them before they found a new local church to join.

There were several former pastors of the church in attendance. As it turned out, I knew a couple of them. So, after the service, I asked what had led the congregation to their decision to close. There were several reasons, but the one that got repeated was "the facilities." The cost of upkeeping the buildings overwhelmed their finances. That's all their money went to. They couldn't focus on ministry because they were, necessarily, too focused on keeping the building from collapsing.

Every sanctuary made by human hands needs repair. Unfortunately, there's only so much money our human hands can provide for that work.

I'm a mixed bag when it comes to church buildings. I'll leave it up to you to make a devotional point of this topic today.

On one hand, I want us to keep our set-apart facilities in top-notch shape. Pick up trash on your way to worship, if it's needed. Clean up after your ministry event. And take your used tissues with you after worship! Take great care, the best care, of what you call the house of God. The condition you leave it in might send a message about the place's importance. Part of King Josiah's reforms was to repair the temple. That sent a clear message about the king's desire to return to God.

On the other hand, if I were starting a new congregation, I'd stay away from having to build new facilities. My understanding of ministry actually takes us away from church facilities. Yes, having a place to gather is important. Having sacred space means something. But so much of our ministry can and should happen outside any of our constructed walls. And I hate when that can't happen because we're too focused on maintaining a building--especially a building we only use once a week. Shaphan the secretary found "the book of the law" buried under the neglect and divorce of faith the temple endured.

That'll preach, I hope.

Stay blessed...john

My congregations have always had some form of liturgy. So, there's usually a written prayer everyone follows at some point. In those prayers, I always try to include two important elements. As Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord to pray and dedicate the Temple, he included them as well. As you pray throughout your day, you, too, can let them guide your praying.

Solomon stood in front of "the whole assembly of Israel." As he spread his hands to heaven, he prayed to God. But notice in today's reading there was no mistaken who this God was and what this God had done. To say "God of Israel" is to recognize the Lord as his God and his people's God. And this God keeps covenant and steadfast love with Israel. God had done it before with David. God promised and God kept true to those promises.

That to say, Solomon directly acknowledged who God was and what God has done. Sure, "Dear Lord" is an appropriate way to open a prayer. But also reflect more on who you're praying to. Consider who you know God to be and what you know God has done. Both in your life and in the world around you. Acknowledge that in your prayers.

Stay blessed...john

"And many mooore!" wasn't so sure this year. There were some intense moments in the hospital after my transplant. How dangerous things were was lost on me at the time. I was just mad they wouldn't let me out of the hospital bed. There were times, though, I could see anxiousness and fear in my wife's eyes.

Eventually, they did let me out and now my family and I are getting closer to our normal lives again. As the world is reopening up to me, so to speak, I've reflected a lot about my birthday. This whole experience with cancer helped make my birthday this week all the more special.

Of course, so did my family, friends and so, so many of you. I haven't read any of the Facebook messages yet. I'll do that over the next couple of days. When I do, please know I'll take time to pray and thank God for each name I read. That's the same thing I've done with all the cards we've received over the last two years. Friends, you are a gift!

I've long treasured the prayer of the psalmist "Teach us to number our days." I was never good at math, but I've learned that part of numbering my days means appreciating the frailty of life. Of course, faith and hope play a major role as well. Those can be frail, too.

Stay blessed...john

When I read today's passage, I thought of the "King of Queens" opening credits. The starring couple stand at an ice cream truck and then turn to leave. Both have an ice cream cone in hand. As they turn, Doug drops his cone to the ground. Instinctively and in sync, they both turn back to get another cone because once the ice cream hit the ground it was useless.

These days, a lot of words fall like that ice cream.

So many people have so much to say. Political commentary fills our airways. Constant speculation about the economy and world events consumes many of us. And then there's the sports and entertainment worlds. People host television and talk shows every day. They so often share what turns out to be misguided or hollow observations. A lot of it is downright silly and absurd, if not meaningless and dishonest.

We're so accustomed to the bombardment of words we don't realize how much goes unchecked. But they keep talking because we keep listening.



The ancient Israelites must have worried about what they were really supposed to listen to. In Deuteronomy, God says, "You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' (18:21). In other words, people will say a whole lot. So, how do we know what comes from God and is worth our attention?

God explains, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken" (8:22). Don't be afraid of that prophet.

That's what makes what 1 Samuel says about Samuel so important. As the young Samuel grew, "the Lord was with him" (3:19). Samuel's words would've been as useless as Doug's dropped ice cream if God wasn't with him. But the young prophet spoke what God instructed and the Lord "let none of his words fall to the ground." I've read that's either an archery image or an allusion to wasted alcohol. 

Either way, it meant that what Samuel spoke came true. The people had become accustomed to hearing the empty words of the priests. So, Samuel's ministry was much needed.

Of course, that reminds us of something about Samuel's place in our faith story. But it also challenges us to pay attention to what we listen to. Why do we settle for and give so much attention to words that merely fall to the ground?

Stay blessed...john

"Focus on the children."

That's something an older colleague ingrained in my mind. It was his advice on how to nurture and grow a congregation. Of course, he was repeating something important within our Wesleyan heritage. John Wesley emphasized the church's need to prioritize ministry with children. If we don't, he said, "the present revival will be res unius aetatis; it will last only the age of a man."

Wesley instructed his Methodist preachers to hold a 5-point plan for this ministry. If a preacher didn't feel called to this ministry, it didn't matter. A preacher might say, "I have no gift for this." Wesley's response was, "Gift or no gift, you are to do it; else you are not called to be a Methodist Preacher."

So, childhood education, spiritual and otherwise, was a high priority for early Methodists. And just so you don't think this is about quaint, cutesy lessons or programs, consider something Wesley wrote in his journal. He wrote, "God begins his work in children. Thus it has been also in Cornwall, Manchester, and Epworth. Thus the flame spreads to those of riper years; till at length they all know him, and praise him from the least unto the greatest."

John Wesley had experienced how focusing on the children spreads revival among us in "riper years."

And that is something we also see in Samuel's story. His mother, Hannah, offered him as a "loan" to God. In 2 Samuel 2, as a boy, he's already "ministering before the Lord." As his story continues, you'll notice he stands at the turning point for the people. Eli, the priest, couldn't keep reigns on the evil of his sons. They would have replaced him when he died, but God called young Samuel instead.

Are we so sure God doesn't still call young souls today to ministry among us?

Teaching and leading our children should be one of the biggest priorities in our churches. If you want revival, focus on the children.

Stay blessed...john

After last night's online Bible study, I went to the living room to watch a movie. The kids had already started the first Christmas movie of the year. But they had to leave. So, I looked for a worthy title. I wasn't ready for "Home Alone." Other than that, I can't tell you why I landed on "The Wizard of Oz."

So, I took in the munchkins, the journey on the yellow brick road and the ruby slippers. And I noticed something about the opening scene. Before she's thrust into Technicolor, Dorothy visits Professor Marvel. When she decides to return home, the weather changes. The professor notices the storm brewing and calls it a "whopper," according to "the vernacular of the peasantry." Back home, Hickory calls it a cyclone. Zeke knows it as a twister.

If it was my story, I'd call it a tornado. Whatever you'd called it, there was no avoiding the havoc it brought to everyone.

And so is life. Trouble comes in all forms. Every one of us faces storms that come with all kinds of names. No matter what we call them, we have a choice on how we'll face them.

The opening line to Hannah's prayer offers a confident assertion. She says, "My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God." Hannah has made the choice to trust in God's power. She then recognizes God's activity on behalf of those otherwise stuck in the whoppers of life: the feeble, the hungry, barren, poor and needy. They all face the storms in their own way. But God guards the feet of his faithful ones.

The strength and courage we have and will need is always with us in God. Think of all the names we know of God. God is Father, the Living God, God Almighty and the Lord Our Shepherd, to offer a few. No matter what you call God, you can trust that our lives are in God's hands.

Stay blessed...john

I've always been proud to be from Galveston. BOIs (Born on the Island) love seeing other BOIs "make it." And there have been plenty of notable people from the Oleander City. From pirates to politicians and celebrities to athletes. I haven't done a search on prominent pastors yet.

According to Jesus, though, we'd be leery of welcoming home a prophet.

While there are parallels to their ministry, a prophet is different than a preacher. We look to prophets to tell us what we need to hear to turn us back to God. We want to hear a prophet's word until we don't want to hear it. And if Luke 4 is any indication, we have a low tolerance for what we want to hear from our hometown prophets.

It's a familiar story to many of us. Jesus attended synagogue in Nazareth where he grew up. He stood to read from the prophet Isaiah and sat down to share his message. At first, the people loved what they heard. God is using one of us, they must've thought. The words from his mouth amazed them, until they angered them. Because that's what a prophet will do. All it takes is one sentence.

What got to Jesus' hometown people that day? The reminder that God doesn't need us like we think God needs us. We are God's beloved. We are God's people. But God is not limited by any sense of entitlement we think that brings. The Lord moves among people we try to avoid. God uses people we'd rather dismiss. Even people we despise. Sometimes, what God does through them is more meaningful than what we've allowed God to do through us.

Someone from little Nazareth had finally made it, but who does he think he is now! Interestingly, the people had a familiarity with Jesus and the text. They knew him and they knew the biblical stories. But they let what they knew blind them from what God was doing.

The lesson for us today? Be careful with your familiarities. Don't let them quell your passion or dull your zeal for God. And listen to your prophets, no matter where they're from.

Stay blessed...john

In my pastoral experience, the more money available, the less people worry about details. When it's short, though, everyone wants to know how everything gets spent. Now, I'm not sure what the budget was, but there was a concern on how to take care of a particular group of people. 

A widow is a widow if we say she's a widow. At least, that's how you can read the passage before us today. We take 1 Timothy to be an older pastor instructing a younger pastor how to lead his congregation. In previous chapters, it was important to rundown the qualities of who could be a bishop, an overseer of the church. Today's passage aims to secure an accurate listing of women who were truly widows. 1 Timothy 5 includes a section outlining who real widows were. 

Whoever wrote the epistle wants to ensure only women with no access to care otherwise get included on the widow list. Even in a previous verse, the writer says, "Honor widows who are really widows" (5:3). 

Apparently, there were many women claiming widow status. At one point, Roman law dictated all women (and men) between twenty and fifty years old marry. If they didn't, they were denied certain rights to inheritances. Were these women looking for the church's help because their government forced them?

The church wanted to "assist those who are real widows." Not filtering who the widows were created a burden for the church. Sounds harsh, doesn't it? Unfortunately, today, our churches face the same kinds of decisions. 

People often look to the church for all kinds of help. Hopefully, we are willing to help. Of course, we also have to determine how far our help will go. And how do we determine who is worthy to receive that help, whatever form of help it is?

These can be tough conversations that need to be rooted in compassion and a desire to care for one another. How well does the church today take care of those who cannot take care of themselves? 

Stay blessed...john

Abraham was 140 years old in Genesis 24 when he set out to find a wife for his son, Isaac. We know this was more than important for Abraham for several reasons.

First, he sent someone else, but not just anyone. Although nameless in Genesis 24, tradition says the servant was Eliezer. We learn his name in Genesis 15 after Abraham first assumes he will be his heir. Whoever it was, though, the servant "had charge of all that he had." He was Abraham's major leaguer.

There's also the specificity of the assignment. The servant was to return to Abraham's home to find someone from his "kindred." It would have been easier to find someone from among the Canaanites where Abraham now resided. Easier isn't always best. And Isaac was not to go there himself. These details call back to God's promises to Abraham. So far, God hadn't backpedaled on the patriarch. Now, Abraham was ready to see more signs of his promised descendants.

Finally, Abraham doesn't merely send his servant on an errand run. He makes him "swear by the Lord" to fulfill this task. You've heard of a pinky swear? Well, an under-the-thigh swear is much more serious. There are plenty of interpretations of what exactly this kind of oath symbolized. Most of them euphemistic.

So, why did Abraham take this so seriously? The text reminds us God "had blessed Abraham in all things." I imagine Abraham wanted to ensure he returned the blessing to God. He did so by offering the best of himself and doing the best for his family. This endeavor wasn't going to be easy or even for sure. But it would be the most appropriate response.

And hasn't God blessed us?

Then learning to offer God the best of ourselves is still our best response. The best of what we plan and what we do. The best of how we worship, how we give and how we serve.

How important is it to you to offer God your best?

Stay blessed...john

It's unclear whether ancient Israelites observed any of the sabbatical year commandments. Resting every seven days is one thing. One thing many of us still struggle to do today. Deuteronomy 15 highlights another kind of rest. A rest Israel was to give each other.

The seventh year remission of debts was a way to ensure no one would accumulate too much land, money and power. Especially at the ongoing expense of others. Every seven years, your debtors forgive your debts. And you forgive the debts you have against others.

What kind of banker was God? Of course, none of my credit card companies have fulfilled that commandment. So, what can we take from this ancient tradition? Especially knowing there's a real chance no one's ever made it happen?

I have an idea for today.

Can we give each other a break? Give some of the contemptuous attitudes a rest? 

As a nation, we've muddled through another (another!) contentious election. That didn't bring out the best in most of us. And that brought us to the start of the holiday season. As holly and jolly as that might sound, it's actually a depressing time for a lot of people. Pain and loss are a real part of the holy days. That's not to mention the busyness of the next couple of months. There are parties to attend and plan, gifts to buy and even volunteer work to do. Oh, there's church, too. Plus, for a lot of us, the end of the year tends to be a busy and stressful time at work.

So, can we give each other a break?

This could be a time to forgive someone for what they've said or done. After all, unforgiveness is a debt that favors no one. Be mindful of what you say to each other. Maybe you don't have to have a demeaning, sarcastic comeback every time. Maybe you could let one stupidly said thing go unheard. Or, even if you need to speak up, do so in a way that honors the image of God within each person.

Give it a rest and see how God might heal us.

Stay blessed...john

When I read Psalm 127, a Sunday morning conversations comes to mind. A member asked me about another church in town. What did I know about what they were doing? The question came because, apparently, the church was growing. I didn't know the specifics of that congregation. But I knew of their denominational heritage. So, I offered my input. To me, their tradition focused on prayer and other spiritual disciplines. There was a high expectation of that kind of participation from everyone.

I don't recall word for word what the member's response was. But it was something along the lines of, "That can't be it."

In other words, emphasizing the holy life was not an impetus to church growth. There had to be some kind of marketing campaign or otherwise secret recipe to success.

I've long believed you can get people to show up to church pretty easily. If showing up is the main goal, spend the right amount of money and fine tune your message. But then what? Well, then you should retune your message to keep the money coming. To keep the people coming, of course. Plenty of churches do that cycle well.

I'm not a fan of that model. In all the retuning, it's easy to lose the simple command of holiness. Not impossible, mind you. Just easy. And in that ease, we start building our own way.

Psalm 127 is a song of ascent. It was, most likely, used as people ascended to God's holy temple to worship. That's pretty close to a Sunday morning talk. So, the psalm can be a reminder to build our worship on what God desires from us and for us. If we build church and ministry our way, we labor in vain. Seeing only what matters to us. But refocusing on God's holiness is a sure way to grow as God wants us to and to see the transformation God desires.

Stay blessed...john

I have a nice drum set at home. It was my dad's set he used when he was younger. He gave it to Brittani some time ago and she used it to play some gigs. We've even used it for worship at our church. But for the last several years, it's sat in my garage.

I see it every day collecting dust. I've moved it around plenty of times to make room for others things we've put there.

But I have it.

Last week, I acted on something I've had in my mind for quite a bit. It's a project that'll take me a while, but not nearly as long as I've been thinking about doing it. I've got the polish rags, cleaner and handheld buffer ready. And I'll order new drum heads soon. I'm going to clean up the set and get it looking new. Who knows, I may even buy a new snare drum or cymbals as a personal reward. Either way, get ready, neighbors, for some noise.

Because what good is having the set if it's just there?

Week in and week out, Christians gather to worship. As part of their worship, congregations hear a word from the Lord. This week it may be about prayer or serving. Some churches need to hear again the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. We all need reminders about gratitude and generosity, sacrifice and humility. All these messages find their way to the hearts of God's people every week. No matter what the message is you'll hear this week, it should be rooted in the love of God.

That's where our word comes from.

But Christians must also understand love is not a thought experiment. It is no whimsical feeling or theory. Love is more than theology. Therefore, God's love must not sit dusty and idle in the minds of those who sit in the pews. As someone once said so well, Love is a verb.

Living our love for God is the best way to thank the Lord for the gift we've received. The gift of faith. The gift of salvation. The gift of love itself. Our Father has gifted us with so much. And so, every day is a new chance to dust off what we've left stagnant. Today is always the day to let the love of God shine through everything you do and everything you are.

Stay blessed...john