Phil's Friends

I wanted to do something different with todays post.  I thought that it would be a good idea to highlight an organization that is furthering God’s kingdom. 

Today, a great organization came to talk to our students about their ministry.  The ministry is Phil’s Friends.  They minister to men, women and children who are suffering with cancer.  They provide care packages, cards, letters, phone calls and so much more to those who need encouragement. 

Here’s more information about them:

“Give a moment and you’ll change a life.

Our goal is simple. We strive to provide support and comfort to those who are fighting cancer. One of the main ways we’re able to bring this sense of ease into one’s life is by delivering God’s Word. There is much to be found when searching for ourselves through God.

Phil's Friends also distributes care packages to cancer patients and their families. We hold fund raising events such as the Annual Celebration of Hope Dinner & Golf Outing. We are establishing packing facilities, mobile pack and a widespread volunteer base to help cancer patients and their families across the country.

The purpose of our charity is, “to bring hope”. People are diagnosed with cancer every day.  People with cancer often experience support needs. Many have no place to turn. We all need comfort, peace, and joy. Phil’s Friends is a faith-based charity that seeks to provide “the hope” we all need.”

This is a great organization that helps so many people.  Cancer is something that strikes close to home for many f us.  I know that many of my family members have had cancer and it’s organizations like Phil’s Friends that helped them get through those tough times.

Take a moment to check out their website and see if it’s an organization that you would like to help.  Any help that you can give them can go a long way!

www.philsfriends.org

Ray Of Light?

I love sports.  Always have and always will.  They are a huge part of my life.  I love to play, but I also love to watch professionals.  One thing I’m always intrigued about is how athletes bring their faith into their sport.  Some wear t shirts with biblical sayings underneath their uniform.  Others may pray with other Christian athletes at mid-field after the game.  And others choose a more unconventional route.

A few weeks ago, I was watching the end of the Broncos-Ravens game and caught Ray Lewis’ post game speech.  If you didn’t catch it, here it is:

“No weapon formed shall prosper.  No Weapon…no weapons…no weapon, God is amazin,’ and when you believe in Him…Man believes in the possible, God believes in the impossible.”

This is a loose paraphrase of Isaiah 54:17.  And when I say loose, I mean loose.  When I heard Ray say this, I busted out laughing (no lie).  I couldn’t contain myself.  “No weapon formed shall prosper?”  So, in that instance was the “weapon” Peyton Mannings arm? 

I think that there is a great misinterpretation of how God views us.  Does God care about every person?  Yes.  Does it break His heart when you are sad? Yes.  Do the heavens rejoice alongside you when you are happy?  Sure.  Does God care about who wins or loses a football game?  Doubtful.  Does God love Ray Lewis more than, say, Peyton Manning because the Ravens won the game?  No.  Did the Ravens win because Ray’s faith is stronger than another player on the Broncos?  No.

Most of the media focused on the fact that Ray Lewis wore a shirt that said “Psalm 91” as he took a lap around the field that day, but most of the media dropped the ball on the Isaiah mis-quote.  Psalm 91 is a great Psalm:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.  If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”                                                             

Psalm 91

Athletes and how they express their faith has always been an intriguing topic for me.  It has always been an interesting mix where the Bible is misquoted and “God’s love and power” is invoked and the cause of a victory.  What are your thoughts on the subject of athletes and their faith?  Do you think that athletes quoting scripture (wether correctly or incorrectly) helps or hurts other Christians?

Attitudes

I was at my neighborhood Chipotle yesterday.  I ordered my usual chicken salad, asked for the appropriate additions and then waited patiently for someone to ring me up.  They weren’t that busy, so I didn’t mind waiting for the cashier to finish preparing someone burrito.  As I was standing there, I was taken aback by the customer behind me and his attitude. 

First of all, he never once looked up from his phone.  He never once showed eye contact with the person assisting him in creating his lunch.  Second when the worker asked what he wanted on his burrito, he scoffed at the worker like she should know his “usual” order.  She was clearly new.  (You could tell by the way she carefully rolled the burrito.  The “pros” are pretty quick.)

After his burrito was wrapped, he noticed that no one was at the register.  He mockingly asked, “ So are these free?”  He gave a heavy sigh (so that everyone could hear his frustration) and went back to his phone.  The cashier then came and rang me up.  As she was putting my food in the bag, I was practically pushed out of the way by the man, because he was in such a hurry to be rung up.

As I walked out, I thought, “Wow, what is that guys problem?”  I don’t know the guy personally.  I don’t know his story.  But in the 30 seconds that I watched him, I developed a stigma about him.  I labeled him as a “jerk.”  Maybe he was just having an off day.  Maybe he’s going through a tough time in his life.  I don’t know.  But his attitude gave everyone at Chipotle an impression of who he is.

Too often I have seen Christians have similar attitudes outside of church.  They treat waiters and waitresses with disrespect  at restaurants.  They treat clothing stores like their closets and throw clothes on the floor of the stores.  Whenever I get cut off on the highway, the car, more often than not, has a KLOVE or Ichthys (Jesus Fish) sticker on the rear windshield.

My question to you this week is: What does your attitude say about you?  Does it reflect the attitude of Jesus?  I know it won’t be the last time I go to that Chipotle (it’s dangerously close to the church), but what does my short interaction with the staff say about me?  What does your attitude towards others say about you?  How well do you represent Christ as an ambassador for Him?

Missing Christmas

Like many of you, my month of December was crazy.  We have so many things going on around our church, that it’s tough to keep up, especially when you are under-staffed as we are.  When you throw in all of the children’s pageants and extra services and events, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is actually over. 

There’s something about working in the ministry…I never really get to “enjoy” the holidays.  I spend more nights at work and less time with my family due to added practices.  The free time that I do have is spent thinking about how I’m going to accomplish all of the other goals that have to get done (shopping, decorating, etc.)

The past few days, I have finally been able to relax.  Now, it’s January 9^th.  It seems I missed Christmas.

 I have been listening to Christmas music since September, not because I wanted to, but because I had to find the right songs for our services.  By December 15^th, I couldn’t hear a Christmas song without changing the station.  I had been hearing it for so long.  I was just done.

There has been one year in the last fifteen that I haven’t had some sort of major responsibility at church during the holidays.  It was last year, when I was unemployed.

I remember how relaxed I was.  How I really didn’t know what to do with myself and all the free time that I had.  I was able to go see Christmas decorations and appreciate the music of the season.  I wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, cause I really had no place to be.

This year, it was back to my usual busy season. 

I know that I really need to do a better job of saying “no.”  I know that I need to do a better job of enjoying the season.  I know that I need to do a better job of spending time with my family.

Maybe next year…