I’m lying on my couch today, feeling pretty rough. Of course, it is the week before our Christmas musical at church so this is par for the course.

Anyway…

I have been reading email and chasing down some links and reading some interesting stuff. The Manhattan Declaration has been a hot topic in my email lately. I’m not writing to jump into or add my opinion about signing it or not. but it makes me think…

I have watched some people on TV and others in writings talk about “people of faith”. I’ve seen blogs and responses where people want to be called that instead of Christian. I’m confused by this…

I am personally not interested in the least in being lumped into a group called “people of faith.” I am CHRISTIAN. I follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is my Savior. He is my source of salvation, strength, direction, and life. He is the ONLY way to God.

Many of the people lumped in don’t believe the statement above or that God’s Word is the sole authority and perfect Word of God. The only true faith is that of faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.

Anyone that doesn’t believe Jesus is the only way, isn’t gonna make it into heaven. Jesus himself said, “I am the way the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.” I see all around me, and sometimes even in me, a desire to have a comfortable, non-confrontational form of “godliness”. True Christianity is ALWAYS reaching for those in need of a Savior and ALWAYS standing firm on the Word of God. It will be lovingly confrontational and uncompromising. We should stand firm in love.

I think maybe, sometimes, when it is our pet issue, we stand like we should. Let’s work to honor the importance of our faith, the will of the Father, and the supremacy of our Savior!

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13

Today’s question is simple…do you love Him enough to serve Him and others?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2
I am a pretty serious Bama fan. I try not to miss seeing the game, predicting the next play, guessing the scores, and generally being knowledgable. Roll Tide!

But you know who I respect? Tim Tebow. He’s humble, talented, a strong leader, and most importantly…a Christian. When it comes to his faith, he is unashamed. He speaks of it everytime he gets the opportunity. He writes it on his uniform. He lives it on the mission field. He loves his family. He shoulders the responsibility for failure. He is a great example. But he is not superman.

He can be injured. He can make the wrong calls. He can lose his temper. He can mess up his witness. Fortunately, he doesn’t do those things often or at least not publicly.

When most people his age can’t get past their party years, he is grounded and living in light of his future. There is something huge to be said about being raised to honor God. It sure saves having to explain questionable behavior constantly. He hasn’t been suspended or jailed for stealing or raping or murdering anyone. Having said all of that…

I know many people who had a similar raising but turned out like most of their “lost” friends. The difference is being sold-out to what you believe. It’s honoring God with your life, not just your lips. The verses at the top of the blog are the reference he had on his eye-black tape this past week. If there is anything of incredible value to learn from a great quarteback and leader named Tim Tebow, it would be…Your relationship with Christ is your life. It infiltrates every area. It is not a part of your life’s purpose, it IS your life’s purpose!!

But let me end again by saying…He is not just Tim the quarterback, he is Tim the Christian!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

Yesterday was the first day of our Upward Evaluations for Players. Being a Monday, my two oldest had piano lessons at about the time the evals started. Heather had volunteered to help out at the evals, so I went to piano. When we got back to the church after piano at about 6:50, things were running smoothly along. There were a bunch of volunteers helping out around the gym and it was a great thing to watch.

Sometimes at church we get a little isolated in the areas where we serve. We see what is happening in our circle and don’t realize what all else is going on. Just yesterday, I saw some of our senior adults come and decorate the church for Christmas. It was great to watch them (and help some) work together and have a good time doing it. I went to the school for 1st lunch yesterday and got to encourage some kids, meet some new ones, and hang out a little. Then, as I mentioned earlier, Upward evaluations. It did my heart good to see all of those areas, as “unrelatedly related” as they were, working and things being accomplished for the ministry and the church.

Put a smile on! As down as we can sometimes become about different issues in the church, there are still those hard-working, specific-ministry driven people plugging away! It all works together and needs to be done. See outside your ministry circle today and tell someone thank you for all they do!
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 2 Thessalonians. 1:3