I’m fortunate to pastor one of those churches where you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen in a church service. You don’t know what God is going to do, nor for the fact of the matter – what people are going to do. Some people may be uncomfortable with that format, but I’ve discovered that you can’t put God in a box. God doesn’t always move in predictable methods – nor do people.

In a church service recently a little girl, who sometimes is a little rambunctious, slipped out the door and went down the steps to the mailbox. Down the aisle of the sanctuary she came toward the pulpit – her face beaming – she raised her arm with a fist full of mail and announced, “Preacher, you’ve got mail!”

Charles Schultz, the originator of the “Peanuts” comic strip and special television shows, had a talent of humorously zeroing in on the human personality. Charlie Brown’s friend, Lucy summed up his personality with, “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown.”

It is unfortunate that in our day and age “heroes” are not extolled or admired for their goodness but rather are noted for their “badness”. In the early history of the United States, men and women were looked up to for their goodness. Children were taught to emulate such leaders as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver, Davy Crocket, Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, Jonathan Edwards, and William Booth. Those who helped others were honored – not those who served themselves or expected everyone to serve them – not the greedy, “ganstas”, or the “glamorous”.

I have friends and relatives who work in corrections and law enforcement. They tell me that they must stand in their place of authority. Although they show respect to the inmates and respect the danger of the criminal element, they cannot be “buddies” with them. To do so would put their lives and the lives of those they protect in jeopardy. They must stay in their position or place of authority.

As believers in Christ we have a place of authority. Adam once had dominion over the whole earth. (Genesis 1:26) When Adam sinned, he forfeited or relinquished his position of authority. (Luke 4:6) When Jesus – Immanuel – was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, he was given the legal right to regain what was lost.

Have you ever felt brain dead, burned out, stressed out, or just plain worn out? If not, stop reading, this article is not for you. But if you have experienced any of the aforementioned symptoms – you deserve a break today. A fast food restaurant tells you that “You deserve a break today!” But you need more than a quick and easy break. You need a regular, deep, quality break. You need a time of rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

Many Hispanic countries have wisely incorporated a daily break into their very culture. In hot climates, people take a siesta to rest and rejuvenate during the hottest time of the day.

Many people set goals for the New Year. As believers we should prayerfully set spiritual goals. To have powerful and effective goals one should know the heart and mind of the Lord. Before his ascension back to heaven, Jesus revealed his purpose and power for his followers – the church. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus taught that it is imperative that every believer be a witness. He sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower every believer. Ask yourself this New Year, “Am I a witness? What kind of witness am I?” Let’s consider how we can be a more effective witness.

Do you want to succeed and prosper in whatever you do? Only a fool doesn’t want to succeed in life. The Word of God provides us with the wisdom we need to succeed and be a winner. Jesus said when he was tempted by the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). As you study and apply the inspired Word of God to your life you can be assured of success God’s way. (Joshua 1; II Timothy 2:15, 3:16)

Bart was desperate. He was flunking fourth grade. His reputation, his career, his life would be ruined. When he flunked his book report on Treasure Island because he only knew what was on the cover was the last straw. Bart’s teachers, parents, and school psychiatrist decided that Bart should repeat the fourth grade.

Bart pleaded. “Look at my eyes,” he said, “See the sincerity? See the conviction? See the fear? I swear I’ll so better!”

Bart came up with a plan. He made a deal with Martin the Brain. He’d teach Martin how to be cool if Martin would help his pass his history exam. If he passed, Bart would be allowed to graduate.

Israel was chosen and blessed by God. After coming into the Promised Land they decided they wanted a king like all the other nations had. They weren’t satisfied that God himself was their Sovereign protector and provider. He redeemed them from slavery and dwelt among them. They were actually rejecting God as their Sovereign Lord and Father.

God let them have a king to rule over them. He sent the prophet Samuel to anoint the one that He had chosen. Saul was not from a great or renown family but notice what God said about him, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all of Israel is his equal!” (I Samuel 10:24 NLT)

Her big brown eyes could melt most hearts. Miki, our golden retriever stood looking at her leash and then back toward me. “Let’s go for a walk,” she said. While browsing through a Bible book store, I came across a magnet that had a picture of a golden retriever holding a leash in its mouth. The caption read, “Lead me, Lord.”

Ask yourself, “Who is leading me?” Does the world’s philosophy lead you? Does a person, your fleshly desires, or perhaps the enemy of your soul lead you? The mark of a truly victorious person is found in this sincere prayer – “Lord, lead me!”

They don’t produce television programs like they use to. Much of the early TV programming had moral themes inter-woven in each episode. But now Hollywood and our culture has lost its moral footing. As a child, one of my favorite heroes was the Lone Ranger. After righting wrongs and helping damsels in distress, the Lone Ranger would ride into the sunset on his white horse shouting, “Hi-ho Silver!” The rescued would be left standing and asking one another, “Who was that masked man?”

In a world bombarded with greed, terror, and destruction many are searching for an answer and asking, “Who is Jesus?” The Holy Scriptures reveals that God “masked” himself with humanity when he was born of a virgin named Mary. He was called Immanuel – God come in the flesh. (Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:23; John 1) Jesus came to bring redemption, mercy, grace, truth, and justice.

Who is Jesus to you? To some, Jesus is only a myth, or a mystical mantra to give them peace, or a magic wand to satisfy their wants. To some, Jesus was a good teacher or a prophet. Some refer to Him as “The Man Upstairs.” Sadly, to many, he is only a curse word. But who is Jesus to you?

The essence of Christianity is summed up in one mind-boggling sentence: Jesus Christ is God. (John 10:30) C.S. Lewis put it bluntly: “For Christ to have talked as He talked, lived as He lived, died as He died, He was either God or a raving lunatic.”

It hit me personally almost a decade ago. As I drove into the parking lot, a wooden cutout of an old black crow and a bouquet of black balloons dancing in the wind greeted me. They announced to the world and reminded me, as if I needed reminded, of who was “over the hill”. Many have encountered the same revelation or questioning of themselves that I did that day. Some call it a “mid-life crisis”. We wonder what we really have achieved in life that is significant. Some are disappointed that their goals and expectations were not realized. Others perhaps reached their goals but wonder what’s left in life.

I could not help but notice the family sitting next to me in the restaurant one day. The harried looking mother was trying to corral her rambunctious preschoolers and get them to eat. Suddenly one of the little girls spilled her milk. As the milk ran over the table, spilling onto the floor the mother yelled, in exasperation, “You’re a bad girl! Now sit there until everyone else finishes.”

It was all I could do to restrain myself as I looked at the sobbing littler girl and the angry mother. I wanted so much to tell the mother that her little girl was not a bad girl for spilling her milk. Perhaps she needed reassurance that she was loved and that she should be more careful the next time. Would the little girl grow up thinking that every time she spilled her milk or made a mistake that she was bad, no good, worthless, or unloved?

I didn’t have an alarm clock – I didn’t really need one. Regularly at daybreak the rooster crowed awakening me from slumber. When I was just a little boy my grandmother would send me to the hen house to collect eggs. It was a dangerous assignment. In the chicken yard was a big old rooster who didn’t like me. It would constantly sneak up on me and attack me, jumping up and aiming its deadly spurs at me. One day in the hen house he came after me. I knew that if I could beat him to the door, I could slam it shut and be safe.

One has a lot of time to think and pray when you are sitting in the ER of a hospital. My mom has been sick and I found myself sitting with her in the ER waiting to see a doctor. I noticed a disabled and hearing impaired woman visiting with a doctor. Then out of the blue she asked him, “What’s your nickname?” Before he could answer he was called away and I never did find out the doc’s story. But the woman’s question got me thinking about nicknames.

When I was a boy I thought it was remarkable that many times total strangers knew my name. My parents gave me the nickname Buddy.

Caleb Quaye discovered what’s in a name. David Letterman called Eric Clapton, famed rock musician, as being the greatest guitarist who ever lived. Eric Clapton replied, “I’m not the greatest. Caleb Quaye is the best guitarist in the world.” English rocker Caleb Quaye found that success and fame were unreal and transient. In his book A Voice Louder Than Rock and Roll, Quaye reveals what it was like to produce music and play guitar for great names like Elton John, The Who, the Beatles, and many others. Quaye became a world famous guitarist. But one day he found himself in front of a mirror after a life of drugs, girls, fame, and fortune.

Who would steal the Christ child from a church’s crèche and for what reason? I was perplexed as I looked at our church’s empty manger that memorable Christmas. Recently I was walking by a church near where we live and noticed that their nativity scene was fenced in with chicken wire. No doubt it was there to discourage thieves and pranksters. Things have not really changed over the centuries. In many different ways the enemy of our soul still endeavors to steal or fence-in the Christ of Christmas from society and our souls.

Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth and fourteen-year-old Jennifer called their mothers shortly before 11:30 pm on a June night in Houston. They were coming home from a friend’s house. But as they cut through a wooded area they came upon gang members drinking beer and fighting one another. The gang turned its hostilities towards the girls.

Four days later the bodies of Elizabeth and Jennifer were found – strangled to death with a belt and a shoelace. Six young men were charges with rape and murder. One of the boys had appeared on a local television show the before, hoisting a beer and boasting “Human life means nothing”.

Victories don’t come without a battle. What battles are you fighting this New Year? Perhaps it’s the “battle of the bulge”. You’ve vowed to lose weight and live healthier – but it’s a battle. Some continue to battle life controlling or negative habits or sin in their lives. Many people battle increasing debt or mounting stress at work or at home. If you have battles to fight this New Year I have good news for you. You have an ally. There is one who has never lost a battle and he desires to stand with you if you will look to him. He is the Lord God – the Lord mighty in battle.

It is the most life altering walk of history. Hollywood has its “Walk of the Stars” – the walk of the rich and the famous. The one who walked the road of the “Via Dolorosa” (The Way of Suffering) walked a lonely road. Over 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ walked the gauntlet of reproach, rejection, and suffering, carrying his cross up Golgotha’s hill to be crucified outside the city of Jerusalem.

Because Christ’s Passion was accomplished in a specific geographic and historic place, thousands of pilgrims have journeyed to the Holy Land to follow the steps of the Savior that he walked that day up the “Via Dolorosa”.

The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon showed the world how much some people hate freedom. Some don’t like free trade, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition the government or freedom of religion. They believe an elite group should dictate to the masses how life should be lived.

Someone once said, “War is hell.” Yes, war is spawned and instigated in hell. God’s love is giving mankind freedom to choose evil or good, righteousness or unrighteousness, heaven or hell. God’s love in allowing humankind to choose it’s own course (including partnering with evil unto the most hideous consequences) is neither indifferently passive nor aggressively active when horrible things happen. God has always been and is and always will be redemptive. He provided the way for reconciliation – the Cross of His Son Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the most infamous character in history is Judas Iscariot. It he who betrayed Jesus Christ and sold out for thirty pieces of silver – the price of an injured or slain slave in 33 AD.

It was the prophet Zechariah who prophesied hundreds of years before the time of Christ that this betrayal would take place. “And I said to them, ‘If it is good in your sight, give me my wages, but if not never mind!’ So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.’ So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord” (Zechariah 11:12, 13 NASB).

What do Meriwether and William, Stan and Oliver, Ben and Jerry, John and Charles, Priscilla and Aquila, Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck have in common? They all learned that by partnering together, they could accomplish much more than they ever could by themselves.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us how to pray with world-changing power, and also gave us great truths about God. (Read Matthew 6:5-18). Consider the first words in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father.” Why did Jesus not say, “My Father”? Most Americans have the mindset of me and my. We are more individualistically oriented. Jesus told us to pray “OUR” Father. As we understand and incorporate the power of “our” in prayer, we will experience amazing things. Consider these four power points of “OUR” in prayer.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Sadly, the traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans have forgotten the meaning Memorial Day. At many cemeteries the graves of the fallen are ignored and neglected. May we honor and remember those who gave their life to combat the enemies of the freedoms we so enjoy and value in America.

As I visit some of the Civil War battle sites and read about the staggering numbers of casualties in the various battles waged by those who cherished liberty, I stand astonished by the vast numbers and sacrifices made by so many. Inspired by the poem “In Flanders Field”, Moina Michael wrote:

It was a rainy fall afternoon when we walked through fallen leaves up the hill of the cemetery to stand by the graves of my two teenage brothers and a cousin, the fallen victims of a young drunk driver. Standing in the cold rain with tears coursing down our cheeks, I was asked the question I’ve been asked a multitude of times by broken, hurting people – “How can I ever forgive the individuals who have perpetrated such horrible hurts?” Many are consumed by the resulting rage and pain of wrongs done to them but others choose not to be.