Turkey Tracks

A New Heart

A dear friend of mine, Jack Russell, received a heart transplant at Vanderbilt Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning.  Jack has been suffering with a deteriorating heart for over a decade and all of our hopes and prayers were answered with a long awaited phone call from Nashville. 

Jack is doing as well as a transplant patient should be at this point.  His new heart is beating and the doctors are monitoring all the rythyms and responses that point to long term success.  Thanks to all the physicians that God has given such wisdom, and especially to the Donor and their family.  It is absolutely amazing that one person's death could be celebrated as a life giving gesture of compassion and healing for another.

The prophet Ezekiel (Old Testament) described a time when the nation of Israel would finally be in sync with God's plans and his Spirit.  It reminds me of the work that Jesus has done for us on the cross and the subsequent opportunity to experience life in a new economy of function; not a function of our will or desire, but a function of God's Spirit in us.  Ezek 36:26-27  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

As Jack's body adjusts to his new 42 year old heart, keep adjusting your life to the Spirit's direction over your life.  Do not resist the rythyms of grace that such a transplant of life has afforded you as well.  Keep praying for Jack and all those who are waiting on a phone call today.  Also, remember to register as an organ donor.  God may use your death as a gift of life to someone else. 

Grace

If you asked most Christians, they would very likely believe that they are supposed to keep the 10 commandments.  Or, that God still judges believers based on their ability to maintain their right relationship with Him through keeping the requirements of the law.

This ideaology (which is prevalent among Christians) reveals a lack of understanding what Scripture teaches us about God's plan of redemption.  The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation reveals God's call for people to trust Him, place their faith in Him, and then follow Him through His provision (Christ).  In this calling, God reveals that no one can keep or attain to His standards of holiness.  Therefore, in His great mercy, His heart is inclined to those who recognize the futility of trying to earn His favor or offering their own "law-keeping" as a means of justification.  If you are a Christian, how are you saved?  By keeping the law, or receiving the grace of God in Christ through faith?  (Eph 2:8-9)

Jesus condemned the attitude of the Pharisees of his day for thininkg so arrogantly that they were "law keepers" to the point of self-righteousness.  Believe it or not, there are plenty of modern day "Pharisees" who still take the arrogant position of attempting to earn their salvation or maintaining their salvation through works of self-righteousness.  The Bible says that there is none righteous in their own standing and that all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.  (Romans 3:10; 3:23)  Anytime the Bible speaks of righteousness as a human quality, it is a righteousness that has be impuned (accounted) to them by grace.  (Grace: the love of God to give us what we cannot give ourselves.)

The entire Old and New Testaments proclaim the fulfillment of the law through the person and work of Christ.  (That was God's plan from the beginning.)  Grace is personified in that what we could not attain through the law, Christ fulfilled every requirement of righteousness on our behalf.  Do you want to be judged by the law or grace?  By the law you are guilty and dead, by the grace of Christ's offer of relationship, you are set free from law-keeping, and free to be obedient to your new Master through the power of the Spirit.

We are saved by grace, not by the law.  We are sanctified by grace, not by the law.  We are justified by grace, not by the law.  So why do so many Believers think that we are still under the jurisdiction of the Mosaic Law?  (631 commandments)  Ignorance!  We are tempted to worship Jesus under the banner of a plurality of religious ideas and superstitions instead of knowing what the Word teaches and what the Spirit confirms.  (Read the gospels, read the book of Romans, read Galatians, read it all!)

The 10 commandments (plus all the other commands) are good and holy.  They still stand as a revelation of God's holiness today.  However, God uses His standards to expose the sinful heart of mankind.  And having revealed what sin is, He has revealed His Son as the perfect, sinless, substitute for our "right-standing" before Him.  Jesus has fulfilled the requirements of the law.  Call to Him for your right-standing before God. 

Bottom line?  Trust Jesus as your sole source of salvation.  Jesus plus nothing!  (Not Jesus plus the 10 Commandments or your own ability to live "good enough".)  Do not be deceived into thinking you contribute to your salvation or that you should place confident in the flesh.  Your own righteousness is like filthy rags, you mess it all up!  Jesus Christ is our salvation!  His work of redemption will lead you into obedient behavior!  You will experience the work of the Spirit as you are led to pursue the gift of holiness.  You are dead to sin in Christ and your struggle with sin becomes a signpost to the glory of God at work in your mortal body.  You won't have to worry about "losing" your salvation because, unlike the Pharisees, you admit that you cannot earn it; therefore you cannot lose it.   It's all about God and His glory, not yours!

Gal 2:21  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

 

Gangsta Roofing Company

 
The other night, my nighbors house was damaged from high winds.  Roofers have been working for a couple of days and this morning I woke to the sounds of nail guns fastening shingles in place.

As I walked to my shop, my ears were hijacked with the sounds of audio pornography.  I've heard lots of things in my life but this is the first time I have ever heard rap music of this genre.  Gangsta-hippity-dippity telling me what the gangsta wanted to do and what he was doing and what he was doing looked like. (What?)  I was deeply hurt and my knees went numb.

As the adrenaline hit my bloodstream, I yelled at the top of my lungs, " Hey! Turn that off!  I do not want to hear that kind of stuff in my yard or in my neighborhood!  You can listen to that at home if you want to but I am not going to listen to it here!   The roofer replied, "I'm sorry."  and turned the music off immediately. "I'm sorry...it was just on the radio"  he added.  Then I responded, "I'm sorry too.  You are a better man than that!  I didn't mean to get so mad.   Thanks for turning it off."   

I grew up the son of a bricklayer so I have lived the construction life.  I know how hard it is to make a living from labor and I am very familiar with the construction genre of social realations.  (What?)  I am aware that by entering into the circle of social networking among the trades, I inherently ante up my physical being as collateral for the privilege of expressing my personal opinions.  With that in mind, I have often asked my two sons this question: "What are you willing to get beat up for?"

Why did I say something to that guy?  Was it because I am a preacher and preachers are supposed to act all Pharisaical and tell people when they do stuff wrong?  Was it because I'm slowly turning into a grumpy old man who resists the changing culture like a man spitting into a fire? 

God pounded my heart with his Word yesterday concerning the concept of being dead to sin.  I wrestled with my heart all afternoon and even dreamed last night about what it means to be crucified with Christ.  My conclusion is this:  "There has to be some sort of violence such as we find in the cross when it comes to glorifying God in the struggle against sin."  Not a violence produced by the sinful nature, but a violence resulting from our identification with something as brutal as crucifixion. 

I'm sure that my neighbor's roofer could yell at me for a lot of things going on in my life.  We all need that kind of "wake-up" call from time to time.  I want to encourage you as a follower of Christ to ask God to show you what sin really is and how our co-crucifixion with Christ frees us from sin. 

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin --because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.  Romans 6:6-7

(" Thank you Lord for the guy on the roof.  Bless him as labors today.  Thank you for giving him grace when I yelled at him.")

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve -- designating them apostles -- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 3:13-15

It struck me again this morning that the reason Jesus calls people to "be with him" is so that he can ultimately "send them out".

Jesus wants you to come to him. He wants to be with you. Jesus wants to send your life out into a world that desperately needs to see how the power of God works in a human life.

How are you responding to Jesus' desire to "be with you" and "send you" out?

Turkey Fever

Last Sunday evening, Mark Pledger bagged his first turkey and now sets his eyes on some long-beards we are patterning on the property.  After killing this turkey, we saw and heard several hens and two toms roost in the area we are hunting.  We are headed back to the woods on Saturday morning.  Congratulations to Mark for getting "all tore up" for chasing thunder-chickens!

Strengthen Your Brothers (Luke 22:31-32)

As followers of Christ, we all experience times when our faith is in question or specific times when we act as if we really don't believe what God says.  Surprisingly, "denying Christ" is something that Jesus knew his followers would struggle with in a sin-tainted world.  (Keep in mind that our failures in following Christ do not disqualify our relationship with Christ as illustrated in John 21.)  At times, all believers act as if they may not know Jesus. 

Before his crucifixion, Jesus warned Peter that a time was coming when Peter would flat-out deny his faith.  Jesus warned his disciples that "Satan had asked to sift them as a farmer would sift and separate wheat.-- (my paraphrase)" and that all the disciples must consider the pressures that awaited them.  (Luke 22:31)

Interestingly, although Jesus had given a foreboding prophetic word concerning the disciples lack of faith, in Luke 22:32, Jesus offered these encouraging words.  "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." 

In the same acknowledgement that his disciples would be scattered, Jesus alluded to them being regathered.  In the face of impending failure, Jesus offered great hope and a ministry of encouragement as each of his followers forsakes the sin of denial and "turns back" to the pathway of radical devotion.  That is a mark of a true follower of Christ. 

Be encouraged that you have a specific ministry flowing out of your repentance.  After times of neglecting our walk with Christ, we are tempted to pull away from our personal relationships with other believers.  Jesus' advice when considering our temporary failures,  is to minister to one another and strengthen one another to be faithful.

What can you do today to use your temporary failures as a means to encourage other believers to be strengthened with faith?  Act on it!

Spring Season (for turkey hunters)

 
Mason and I headed to the turkey woods last Saturday.  The Alabama Department of Natural Resources allows youth hunters a head start to the season which officially began on March 15.  We had high expectations as we drove to Ballplay, Alabama.

We heard not a peep during the flydown moments of the morning.  Our decoys looked pretty realistic in the morning mist and the sounds of spring were in full swing with every kind of bird except the one bird we were looking for. 

About 8:30 we walked to a new area hoping to hear a gobbler "sound off".  Our path was blocked due to excessive rains that caused flooding on this piece of property.  I joked, "With our luck we will hear a Tom on the other side and we can't get to him." 

Mason and I, along with our hunting partner Mark, turned to look elsewhere when I stopped after hearing a "gaaarroooble" which neither of them heard.  (I do have super-human hearing.)  Momentarily, I thought I was losing my mind and hearing things when finally we all heard the hair-raising sound of a tom on the search of love.  I called to him several times and each time he answered with great interest.

Knowing it was highly unlikely that he would take flight and cross the water, we reluctantly decided to back off and set up our decoys in a nearby field and see if by some miracle the bird would come looking.  Mason was well hidden as I called and called.  I'll bet the bird gobbled fifteen times before incredibly he took flight and landed on our side of the water.  He sounded like a crashing helicopter and I whispered, "He's coming Mason, get ready."

In a matter of minutes we saw his white head peeping up and looking down at our setup.  I smiled and said to myself, "Mason is going to kill this bird."  The next fifteen minutes were both exciting and frustrating.  He would not come one step beyond 100 yards.  We could see him, he could see the decoys, but something was not right.  He circled, strutting and looking, and moved to our right for about 150 yards.  Before he disappeared, I cut loosed with some more yelps but he continued on his leary way.  He wanted to join the decoys, but instead he stayed safely out of danger. 

In my mind I knew exactly what was happening.  I have three decoys:two hens and a jake.  I have killed many turkeys with this setup but that day I modified my strategy by adding a "Killer B" tom decoy by Primos.  The minute our "would-be" trophy laid eyes on him, he wanted nothing to do with any of us.  That's why he walked all the way around, cautiously evaluating the size of my decoy.  I was sick. 

I encouraged Mason in his patience and made a turkey-hunting note to myself.  "Don't set up a dominate decoy this early in the season."  "Or better yet, throw the thing in the garbage."  We are headed back to try to find this bird again on Saturday. 

"Turkey hunting is more about the hunt than killing turkeys.  Turkey hunting is more about my sons than hunting." 

"Thank you God for the time I spent with Mason on Saturday.  Thank you for letting us enjoy your creation and listening to the sounds of that gobbler.  If I doesn't matter to you, God, give us another opportunity to go again and maybe even kill a tom.  Either way I still love you."  Amen

Rescue

 
On February 22, FoxNews reported that four Americans aboard a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates were gunned down by their captors.  The two couples that were killed were known for sailing the world with bibles aboard their vessel.  It seems so strange to think about modern day pirating and the risks of traveling abroad.  I know the couples aboard the Quest bore the responsibility of sailing in dangerous waters, but it unnerves me to consider the growing boldness of evil.

Growing up under the strong influence of television, I always assumed that Americans held a special position throughout the world.  That position was a result of a healthy fear and respect that other countries gave to the United States and its citizens.  Hostages may be taken, and lives may be in peril, but sooner than later the U.S. rescues its own and enforces protective privileges given to its own.  Soon, either Chuck Norris or John Wayne would crash through the door, shoot the bad guys, and usher the valued hostages to safety.  Any would-be hostage-takers would think twice about messing with Americans again. 

As I watch the events in the Middle East, I can't help but notice America's influence for positive change diminishing.  It appears that we have temporarily lost the weight of our words in expressing the ideals of freedom.  Maybe no one is listening as intently as in years past because of the passive posture that is being held out to our own people and the nations abroad.  I think that liberalism always undermines the strength of any nation.  While liberal ideology may be necessary for healthy political debate, it has proven itself weak and impotent as our leaders test these ideas in the ears of militant and evil empires.

Like it or not, evil must be met with great strength and steadfastness.  Wavering and bowing lend credence to the idea that one may be moved from one's firm position.  Even when it appears that evil has an upper hand, the belief in rescue and justice carries its people through great difficulty.

In the kingdom of Christ, strength and deliverance are a reality.  Rescue is at the very heart of the gospel.  Even though evil may flourish for a time, it is always wriggling under the pressure that Christ has prevailed and will soon manifest the reality of absolute victory.

Consider these verses:

Col 2:9-10; 15 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodlily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority...  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 

Col 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Rom 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Stand Firm

Radical Advice

Several people in our church are reading David Platt's book Radical and discussing the material in their home groups.  I have received mixed reviews from these readers and I am very curious to see if Platt's missional wordview can achieve a working relevance in the lives of everyday followers of Christ. 

I have read the book and found it to be scripturally strong, thought provoking, and a source of motivation to rethink global missions.  Platt characterizes American Christianity as having created a form of following Jesus that is difficult to trace back to the New Testament.  David is calling Christians to abandon the skewed paradigms of American Christianity in exchange for a pursuit of Christ's worldview and ministry.  His book attempts to cause readers to wrestle with Jesus' radical teachings and what it truly means to abandon oneself for the cause of the gospel.

You and I can choose to continue with business as usual in the Christian life and in the church as a whole, enjoying success based on the standards defined by the culture around us. Or we can take an honest look at the Jesus of the Bible and dare to ask what the consequences might be if we really believed him and really obeyed him.

If Jesus is who he said he is, and if his promises are as rewarding as the Bible claims they are, then we may discover that satisfaction in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important, but in radical abandonment to Jesus. -- David Platt

I would like to offer some supportive comments to keep in mind if you choose to use this book as part of your personal study:

#1.    Don't get sidetracked trying to analyze the irony of a mega-church pastor calling for such radical behavior.  He states that he is on a personal journey so I must try and get into the process with him instead of dismissing his argument as mere rhetoric or hypocrisy. 

#2.    Every Christian does not have to go to China.  Many people will celebrate this book as a manual towards "higher" Christian pursuits for those who do "radical" things (1 Cor 13).  Or, younger Christians may feel defeated as they neither have the desire or calling to travel to foreign mission fields.  I would caution modern believers in the same way  Paul cautioned the Corinthians as they sought to exercise spiritual gifts.  Whatever our form of expression missional obedience takes, it must be a work of the Holy Spirit. We are all called to be missionaries, but traveling to China under the lordship of the Spirit is no greater than serving locally under the lordship of the Spirit. (Cor.12:4-6). 

#3.    Start acting missionally in a small group.  You need the support and guidance of other believers.  Give yourselves permission to act on whatever God puts in front of you.  Celebrate together when God asks you to do something "crazy". 

#4.    Don't be too threatened by David Platt.  He is on our side.  He is trying to push you towards good things.       

#5.    If you are a Christian, you have a missional responsibility to extend the gospel all people.  This is best accomplished through the actions of the collective body. (large group or small group functioning as the body of Christ -- the church)  

#6.    God might call you to go to China.  :) 

#7.    God might put the vision for radical change in your life before you can do anything about it. 

The book has the general emphasis of similar works such as: The Cost of Discipleshipby Dietrich Bonhoffer, The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer, and Crazy Love by Francis Chan. 

How's Your Marriage?

 
In February of 2007, we presented a sermon series on marriage that addressed some fundamental issues that every married couple faces.  Since then, this series has become somewhat of an annual occurrence.  Beginning this Sunday, we will once again dive into the mystery of marriage.  I would encourage you to invest in your own marriage and invite other couples to spend four weeks with the HFC family as we strive for a better biblical perspective on living for Christ as husbands and wives.

Week One:  The Priority of Marriage -- When God thought of marriage, He intended that this special commitment between a husband and wife be more important than any other human relationship.

Week Two:  The Roles of Husband and Wife -- God instructs a man and woman to mutually submit to one another in marriage so as to recognize the roles that best promote a healthy "oneness".

Week Three:  The Purity of Marriage -- God gave sex to husbands and wives to be a sacred expression of "oneness" for procreation, union, pleasure, and mystery.  Sex is to be respected by all and the "marriage bed" kept pure.

Week Four:  A Communion of Forgiveness -- Marriage highlights our dependency on Christ to accurately illustrate Jesus' love for the Church.  Since love can be seen as "the art of loving an imperfect person", forgiveness is paramount to the mutual pursuit of being "one" as a couple and "one" in Christ. You will have an opportunity to express your committment to your marriage.   

We have always had a great response from students and singles who also need perspective on what God was thinking when he created marriage.  (I'm saying this in hopes you won't avoid this series simply because you might not be married.)  This series also helps us understand and heal from situations where marriages have ended in divorce. ( I'm saying this in hopes you won't avoid this series simply because you might be divorced.)

Hopefully I will see you on Sunday. 

Eric