We’ve all been there.  You drive up to a fast-food restaurant, place your order, pay your bill and drive off with your delicious bag of artery-closing goodness, only to discover down the road that the Coke you ordered is Diet, the cheeseburger you ordered is chicken, they forgot your fries and gave you 15 packets of BBQ sauce instead of the two packets of ketchup you asked for.  No big deal, right?

Tell that to the fine folks I read about recently whose life came to a crashing halt simply because their incorrect quick dinner failed to meet their expectations.  There was the Grand Rapids woman who realized her sandwich had no bacon.  Can you imagine the horror?  She received an apology and was promised that her next order would be free.  When she returned at 3 AM for her complimentary treat, she discovered that it was also prepared incorrectly.  So, instead of ordering again and running the risk of another wrong order, common sense and intelligence told her to pull out a gun, shoot through her own closed car window and the drive-thru window so that those working would understand her culinary plight.

Then there was the couple who found their McDonald’s was missing, not one, but two orders of hash browns.  Oh, the humanity!  The woman decided to begin their joint taking-care-of-business effort by throwing the meals back at the cashier while her loving partner dialed 911.  He would later go on the record as saying, “If not for the 911 call operator holding me back, I probably would have went berserk.”  Let’s be honest…we all love hash browns.

How about the man who pulled a 12-gauge shotgun on the window cashier at Taco Bell because he had no hot sauce with his order?  Or the woman who called police because Subway used marinara instead of pizza sauce on her sandwich?  Or the woman who called 911, not once, not twice, but three times to report that her local McDonald’s was out of chicken nuggets?  This error-filled industry we call fast-food is quickly diminishing the emotional well-being and mental state of the general public in this land of the free and the home of the brave.  There should be a support group for us.

Or…maybe it’s time to realize that, contrary to our own beliefs, the universe doesn’t actually revolve around us.  Unfortunately, our society has become an enigma in which many people are caught up in their own preferences.  So much of our culture has been trained to believe that it’s just not right for them not to get their way.  Now, before we proceed, let me be clear.  When you choose a restaurant establishment, you should be able to trust that the one taking your order is listening intently and making every effort to place your order in a correct and timely manner.  Restaurants that don’t value excellence and efficiency won’t last very long.  But I believe that there’s something way more important than successful fast-food policies that should be noted.  It’s our daily attitude toward life itself and those individuals that we come in contact with.

The simple truth is that life doesn’t always go the way we plan.  People don’t cooperate.  Plans don’t come together.  Schedules get thrown off.  The unexpected becomes reality and many times it’s at record speed.  And…prepare yourself…your fast-food order will not always be right.  But the good news is you and you alone are responsible for your reactions to the ups and downs of life.  Life is what it is.  It’s been the same since the dawn of time and will be the same until the end.  And, while life is completely unpredictable and sadly out of our control, how we respond to it and to others should at least improve over time.

The Word of God is clear about spiritual maturity.  The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”  Spiritual maturity is not encouraged.  It is not recommended.  It is commanded.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we are required to grow in our faith, our knowledge of God and His Word and, yes, we are required to grow in our attitude.

It’s been said that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.  And it’s true.  How many people have we damaged our testimony with because we lived our lives as reactors instead of representatives of the kingdom of God?  Simply put, the Bible doesn’t tell us to walk in the light of Scripture, desire the fruit of the Spirit and avoid the works of the flesh if it’s convenient.  It tells us to make these efforts our focus.  Never forget this: how you treat people matters.

Things won’t always go your way in life, your marriage, your home, your workplace, your church or anywhere else.  Instead of reacting in anger and bitterness and unforgiveness and malice, instead of gathering a gossip posse, instead of rallying those who agree with us in order to make us feel better about those who don’t, the better choice would be to choose to live in peace and let God handle any injustice you believe you have suffered.  The world will be a better place and you might just possibly avoid that early stroke or heart attack.  Just calm down.  It doesn’t always have to be the way you imagined it to be in your mind. Learn to let go.  The world doesn’t have to operate according to your plan in order to keep spinning.  Trust God and let Him handle anything that stresses you…hash browns and all.  And the next time that you’re not in position to have it your way, don’t live locos.  Live mas by letting go.  Soon, you won’t be stressing life.  You’ll be lovin’ it.

I didn’t think we’d wind up here again.  Yet, here we are.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve known since the Sugar Bowl champion was crowned, it was going to be difficult to knock off Alabama.  I, like many others, were not so shocked that we lost but how.  No one can deny the superiority with which the Crimson Tide play nor the genius decisions made by their Head Coach, Nick Saban.  While I hoped and believed for a win, I knew that a loss was entirely possible…just not this way…not again.

On Saturday, December 1, 2012, I sat in my living room and witnessed one of the most gut-wrenching college football games of my entire life.  Georgia and Alabama fought from beginning to end for the privilege of claiming the Southeastern Conference title and a berth in the BCS National Championship against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.  Early in the 4th quarter, five lead changes were already in the books.  Now, with just 3 minutes and 15 seconds on the game clock, Alabama’s AJ McCarron delivered a 45-yard pass completion to Amari Cooper which, when coupled with the extra point, gave the Tide a 32-28 lead.

After a couple of stalled drives by each team, Georgia began their final push for victory on their own 15-yard line with just 1:08 left in the contest.  Thanks to Aaron Murray, Arthur Lynch, Todd Gurley, Tavarres King and Chris Conley, Dawg fans witnessed a tremendous drive against one of the nation’s top defenses and Georgia was in position to surpass the Crimson Tide on the board and advance to the National Championship.

With the ball resting on the Alabama 8-yard line and a fresh set of downs, instead of spiking the football, Bulldog Nation watched in horror as a 3-yard pass was completed from Murray to Conley at the 5-yard line.  The problem was we were out of timeouts and couldn’t stop the clock.  The seconds ticked away and any hope of playing for a National Championship were gone.  We were 5 yards and 5 seconds away…5 seconds.  In case you’re wondering, one of the reasons that so many Dawg fans have struggled to deal with the events of this past Monday, is the painful memories of what took place in, you guessed it, Atlanta a little more than 5 years ago.

I won’t take the time to rehash what transpired in Mercedes-Benz Stadium Monday night.  Those wounds are still to fresh to discuss.  But I am intrigued by the sportsmanship or lack thereof shown by each side of the field.  I won’t say that the horrible calls or missed calls by the officials cost us the game.  That’s simply not true.  We had more than our share of opportunities to overcome that ridiculous display of officiating and failed to do so.  But, let’s be honest, the nonsensical attempt by the crew to call a fair game certainly held our dogs by the tail and positioned us to play both Alabama and the Big 10.  It’s important to note here that it is difficult to defeat a team as talented as the Tide and the officials all in one night.

As the hours slipped away, there were multiple displays of unsportsmanlike conduct that were either not seen or ignored (I’ll let you decide).  You can’t slap at an opposing players helmet and call it school spirit.  You can’t shove the helmet of your opponents’ QB and call it getting caught up in the moment.  Shouting expletives and trying to rip away from those holding you back so that you can teach your coach a lesson on the sidelines in front of a national audience is not passion for the game.

Call me crazy but I’d prefer to carry myself with professionalism, respect and courtesy.  After all, the Bible says in Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”  I’d like to commend Georgia linebacker Walter Grant and quarterback Jake Fromm on their character and behavior on Monday.  After being slapped across the facemask, Walter turned and walked away.  After having his head shoved toward the turf, Jake simply stood up and got back to work, with no response.  Neither foul was called.  Alabama was never penalized.  Receiving the benefit of a flag certainly would have contributed to our cause but, more importantly, the character and resolve of these young men to keep their cool, was broadcasted into the living rooms of Americans all across the country.  For that, every Georgia fan should be proud.

There are so many young men on this Georgia team who have displayed commitment, character, excellence and determination throughout this 2017 season.  Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are two great examples.  While those mentioned in this post are far from perfect, they’ve made a difference during their careers as Georgia Bulldogs.  They’ve made their families proud.  They’ve made the university proud.  They should make every member of Bulldog Nation proud.  And it should inspire us as believers and challenge us to remember that, while life won’t always be fair, we are only responsible for ourselves.  While we cannot be perfect, we must strive every day to live our lives with integrity and excellence.  We’ll be hit with cheap shots and it will seem at times that those who oppose us will fare much better than we do.

But remember, when people hurt you, keep your head up.  When you’re talked about, love those around you all the more.  When it seems as if your enemy is winning even though they’re playing the game wrong, keep chopping wood and keep the main thing the main thing.  After all, trophies aren’t the only thing that determine a winner.

There’s no doubt that Georgia’s favorite flower, at least this week, is the rose.  Now that the Georgia Bulldogs have proven they can win the Big 12 style shootout, they’ll face a familiar foe in Alabama when they meet on Monday to decide who is the premier football team in the country in college football’s National Championship.  But, while every Dawg fan’s heart is bursting with joy, pride and expectation, there are a few observations concerning the events that took place at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Pasadena on Monday evening.

Almost immediately, Georgia fans were irritated by the antics of a young man named Baker Mayfield.  From arrogantly barking that the Oklahoma Sooners were not underdogs (which was clearly incorrect since all the experts agreed that Georgia was the favored victor) to bulldozing his way into the warmup space of Georgia receivers prior to the game, Mayfield ensured that the number of Georgia fans that would hold a positive opinion of him would be drastically reduced by the time the game was decided and the lights were out.

During the course of the game, he could be seen celebrating with reckless abandon and was even caught on national television using his finger in a slicing motion across his throat and mouthing, “It’s over.”  Interesting, given that, when this occurred, there was nearly two minutes left in the first quarter of play and his team’s lead was only seven points…seven.

Now, let’s be clear.  I have nothing personal against Baker Mayfield.  I’ve never met this young man and have no idea what his standards of relational interaction may be.  And, to be perfectly balanced, he did make his way to Georgia’s Jake Fromm at the conclusion of the game and congratulated him on the victory.  I’ll give him credit for that.  However, the impression left on many and I must admit myself as well is poor and that could have been avoided.

I’ve learned through the years that we learn just as much about what we shouldn’t do as what we should simply by observing the speech and actions of those around us.  There are people throughout my life that I try to emulate.  There are also individuals who have served me well by painting a perfect picture of what shouldn’t be done or said.

One of the most well-known verses in all of Scripture is found in 1 Peter 5:6.  The Bible says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:”  We would all do well, myself included, to heed this counsel on a daily basis.    Saint Augustine said, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”  Unfortunately, humility seems to be a lost virtue in our modern-day society.

We’re learning how to live in a world where everyone thinks they’re right, truth is relative and all are experts on every subject.  Our culture has been saturated with arrogant, boastful claims of superiority and the pride that resides in men’s hearts is at an all-time high.  But while humility may have been lost in this modern-day, it is still commanded by the Word of God and we’re warned about the effects of refusing to let the Spirit of God bring about this quality in our lives.

The Book of Proverbs is clear when it tells us that pride is dangerous and destructive.  Solomon said, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (16:18).”  This principle of God’s Word has not changed and must be heeded if we expect the blessings and favor of God to rest on our lives.

As I mentioned earlier, people we interact with teach us every day.  They teach us what to say and when to speak.  They teach us when to act and when to be still.  They show us the right things to do.  They also display for us foolish actions that are to be avoided.  My prayer is that God would create a godly humility in my life.  I don’t want to be responsible for cultivating a negative opinion of my life simply because I thought I knew it all or were too good to listen and learn from someone else.

This is a problem that is slowly causing our way of life to crumble.  Pride-filled bullies wreak havoc everywhere they go.  It happens in families.  It happens in workplaces.  It happens in schools.  And, unfortunately, it happens in churches.  Most problems in marriages occur because one or both marriage partners refuse to listen to the needs and concerns of their spouse.  Millions of Americans hate the jobs they’re required to work daily because of pride-stricken individuals who seem to be determined to make everyone else around them miserable.  Problems in schools are many times automatically the fault of the teacher or the board or the system when, in actuality, our schools would be a lot more successful if parents would fill their roles sufficiently at home.  There are more churches closing annually now than ever before in American history.  Many times, it’s because bullies refuse to heed the Word of God and selfishly demand their own way with no regard for the health of the church.

When you bully your way through life, you may get your way here and there.  But you also paint a picture of your life for others to see.  Before we give someone a piece of our minds, we should take a moment to consider what part of our testimony we’ll lose as a result.  Before we post that passive-aggressive rant on social media, maybe we should consider that, while our words will be heard by our enemies, they’ll also be heard by everyone else and either push our testimony to be stronger or begin to break down the foundation of the faith we profess.  As believers, I believe that God cares about how we act, what we say, the actions we take and the way we treat people.  After all, the way you treat people matters.

I’ve listened to many commentators since the Rose Bowl on Monday and many have noted that Baker Mayfield is a bully.  When things were going well, he was the life of the party and brazenly antagonized his opponent.  When things didn’t look so well, he retreated and pouted.  Baker Mayfield is not the first bully and won’t be the last.  But he serves us well when we consider what we shouldn’t do, what we shouldn’t say and maybe how we shouldn’t try to display our character.

When I think of young men like Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Jake Fromm and others, I’m reminded of how college football is still blessed with young men who were raised right.  They understood during the Rose Bowl and the entire college football season that the 2017 campaign was bigger than themselves.  They understood that there is no “I” in team.  They understood the immeasurable qualities of humility and professionalism.  As Christians, we ought to see life through the same lens, which is not rose-colored by the way.  The mission we’ve been given by Christ is bigger than ourselves and has nothing to do with our personal preferences.

Serve God, work hard, stay humble, treat others with respect, don’t gloat when you get your way, don’t pout when you don’t.  Those are good principles to live by.  It keeps us from being bullies.  It keeps us from hurting others.  It keeps us from destroying our own testimonies.  The Bible says that a tree is known by its fruit.  That truth has never been more true than now.  It’s important for us to remember that, when you heed the Word of God, resist pride and choose humility, you’ll always come up smelling like a rose.  When you choose to be selfish, prideful and arrogant, you wind up on the wrong side of victory.  Don’t believe me…just ask Baker Mayfield.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

1 Samuel 15:23 (NKJV)

One of the most entertaining experiences of my life has been watching the various reactions from people across the nation as we prepare for another presidential inauguration today.  This experience has also been one of the most disturbing.  For several weeks, our television screens and mobile devices have been inundated with images and stories of protests, marches, walkouts and flat out temper tantrums.  How sad that we’ve broadcast our immaturity for all the world to see.

I think one of the most intriguing aspects of this melodrama is how those who preach tolerance display their ferocious intolerance for anyone who disagrees with them.  As they arrived for an event in Washington on Thursday evening, supporters of President-Elect Donald Trump were greeted by America’s advocates for tolerance as they screamed profanities and threatened physical harm and even death.  Among the hundreds of protesters, some sprayed Mace while others chose to throw bottles, injuring several.  One Trump supporter was hit in the back of the head with a flag pole, causing him to black out, simply because he wore a hat that displayed Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”.

Some have gone on record as saying that Stalin would be a better President than Donald Trump.  That’s a very interesting thought, especially when you consider that many historians believe that nearly 3 million people were executed under his regime.  Many protesters have carried picket signs displaying the message, “Not My President”.  Many Hollywood celebrities have boycotted inauguration activities.  Countless recording artists have refused to perform in Washington as a part of the celebration.  There was talk of overturning the electoral college before their votes were cast.  Many have threatened to leave the country (as if we cared).  What have we become?

I’m convinced that, while there are many issues that need to be resolved in our nation, rebellion and stubbornness are at the core.  In 1 Samuel 15:23, the Lord likens rebellion and stubbornness to witchcraft, iniquity and idolatry.  Over the last decade or so, we’ve seen our society dismantle and form again into a nation that subscribes to a belief system that rewards all and refuses to be held accountable.  Why is there so much anger?  Why is there so much hatred?  Why are people so hell-bent to win their arguments and prove their points?  It’s because we’ve become a people filled with pride and many refuse to submit themselves to the direction we receive in the Word of God.

The people who are making the most noise regarding an election that ended in the early part of November would do well to take an inventory of their lives and realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them.  While most level-headed Americans understand this, unfortunately, some do not.  There are some who believe that the last eight years under President Obama was a true indication of the future of our nation.  They believed it would always be as it was during his administration.  They believed they had essentially “won” America for their side.  When the results of our last election came in, they realized that there are still people in this country that do not agree with them on every issue and that is something they can’t handle.

We are now reaping the fruit of our choice to give every participant a trophy because we couldn’t stand the thought of crushing our baby’s hopes and dreams.  We couldn’t bear the thought of our precious little angels being disappointed in any way.  We just couldn’t stand for our children to not get their way and it’s had an effect.  It’s interesting to me that we tend to magnify the minor inconveniences in the lives of our children and act as if they’ll just die if they don’t get what they want.  We use words like devastated, heartbroken, all to pieces and torn apart to describe those instances in which our offspring doesn’t get their way.  This is exactly why those who are throwing inappropriate and grotesque parties near the home of our Vice-President Elect Mike Pence are acting the way that they’re acting.

And it’s not just in the realm of politics.  If a child is not doing well in school, more parents than you realize choose to blame the teacher, or the pace of the class, or the vendetta of the educator to make life miserable (another exaggerated term) for our children, or the curriculum, or the administration.  They never take a moment to consider that it might be that their child doesn’t put forth an ounce of energy to get their work done and do it with excellence.  While you may not think it’s possible, it’s entirely appropriate to take a moment and ask, “Is my baby lazy?”

A simple traffic stop turns ugly and quickly because some in America believe that it’s their constitutional right to disrespect law enforcement.  Instead of simply complying with an officer and doing what he or she may ask, they develop an arrogance, believing that their rights enable them to push the envelope as they prove that they don’t have to do anything someone tells them to do.  Gone are the days that we respect our law enforcement officers and military because of the position that they hold and the work that they do.  While you may not think it’s possible, it’s entirely appropriate to take a moment and ask, “Is the officer asking me to do anything unreasonable?”

For this same reason, people bounce from church to church because they can’t find a minister of the gospel that they can control.  They want to dictate what a minister of the Word preaches, what he believes and how he shepherds the church.  When they find that they can’t control him or her, they begin to rebel and move on to try and conquer someone else.  They’re called church bosses and they operate in the spirit of Jezebel.  While you may not think it’s possible, it’s entirely appropriate to take a moment and ask, “Am I confused as to how the church works?”

The fact is that we live in the greatest country on the face of the earth.  One of the things that makes our nation so great is that we have a diverse culture.  There are many belief systems.  There are many opinions and everyone is entitled to theirs.  Unfortunately, losses are also a part of our culture.  Attending Field Day as a kindergartner, we learned that one side will win the tug of war and one side will lose.  Middle School participants realize that one will win the spelling bee and all others will fall short.  High School teaches us that one team will be victorious on Friday night and one will not.  You may not ace the job interview and the company might possibly pick someone else.  You will find out that, sometimes, the teacher was right and your baby needs to get their act together.  You’ll discover that, for the most part, law enforcement is on the right track and you’d do well to respect them and simply do what they ask.  You’ll also find that, unless God called you to pastor the church, He doesn’t need you to tell the pastor He did call how to do his job.

Regardless of how right you think you are, the Word of God is still the standard for living and the blueprint for success.  Over and over again, the Bible speaks of humility, long-suffering, understanding, forgiveness, patience and peace.  When you don’t win the championship or the election or get your way in any realm of life, the best thing you can do is exercise maturity and move on, realizing that you can’t win ’em all.  Instead of showing out, maybe we should start growing up and understand that things won’t always be like we want them to be but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong.  It just means we didn’t win.

Before anyone thinks this is a Pro-Trump post, let me say that I did not vote for Donald Trump.  Nor did I vote for Hillary Clinton.  But I did vote.  As a matter of fact, I voted and lost in the last three presidential elections.  But I organized no protest and, even though I strongly disagree with many of President Obama’s policies and beliefs, those who attend our church will testify that I continually shared the significance of praying for our President.  Because I am an American and whoever holds the office of President is my President.  I pray for President Obama and his family.  I pray that the Lord will bless them in every possible way.  I pray for His continued protection over their lives and wish them all the best.  But we now have a new President and I will pray for him and his family as well because this is what we do.  The term “peaceful transfer of power” is not just an oral arrangement of words.  It is based upon how great our nation truly is.  I don’t agree with everything that Donald Trump has said and done (obviously, since I didn’t vote for him).  But I firmly believe that we should “Stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.”

If everyone must win all the time, then let’s gather the Seattle Seahawks, the Houston Texans, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Kansas City Chiefs and tell them that, while they lost, they’re really winners.  Let’s inform them that the games between the Falcons and Packers and the Patriots and Steelers have been cancelled.  There will be no Super Bowl this year.  Furthermore, let’s just cancel the upcoming baseball season.  There’s really no point to play if there’s not a goal to be reached and a winner to be determined.

Otherwise, let’s stop with the temper tantrums.  So, you didn’t get your way.  You’ll live.  So, not everyone sees things the way you do.  That doesn’t make you right and them wrong.  It’s time to grow up.  It’s time to stop hiding behind social media and using technology to destroy each other.  It’s time to rebel against rebellion and start exercising some accountability and respect those who are over us whether it’s the President, the school teacher, the police officer or the preacher.  Doing anything else only proves that we’re still the kid who snatches his ball and goes home because he doesn’t like the way game is going.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21 KJV

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s here once again.  As I began to ponder the end of the fall season and the beginning of another round of winter months, my heart quickly overflowed with joy and excitement regarding this Christmas season.  I honestly cannot think of one individual that I know that does not enjoy the warmth and significance of Christmas.  It truly is a special time of year…especially for parents.  This is my tenth Christmas as a parent and I’m convinced it’s gets better every year.

There aren’t many things in this world that can compare to the joy that fills the heart of a mom or dad as they experience this magical time of year with their children.  Christmas has always been a season with kids in mind.  We string beautiful lights from one end of our homes to the other, assemble trees filled with ornaments made by tiny hands, bake cookies for that special guest who only comes once a year and prepare to see the faces of our children light up as they take in the wonder of Christmas morning.

Though we do our best to teach them the proper Christmas perspective, no one can deny that one of the most exciting elements in a child’s life is what they’ll find when they wake up on December 25th.    This undoubtedly explains the difficulty every child faces as they struggle endlessly to drift off to sleep the night before.

There are many things that we don’t have to teach our children.  There’s no need to teach them to cry.  Many exit the womb doing just that.  The need to teach them how to be hungry simply doesn’t exist.  We don’t fret as we try to understand the best method to use as we teach our children to misbehave.  That also comes naturally.  We also don’t have to teach our children how to be excited about those packages under the tree or how to open them.  These things just come naturally.

I wonder at what point this instinctive nature begins to wane.  It seems that, as we get older, our attitudes toward gifts changes.  Somewhere along the way we get “too old” to be excited about gifts.  We start making educated decisions about Christmas presents and we tell ourselves that the adult thing to do is use the Christmas gift angle to provide ourselves with practical needs instead of allowing ourselves to be excited about what might await us Christmas morning.  There’s nothing wrong with being practical as long as we don’t become stagnant.

In Matthew 1:21, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him that Mary would have a son and his name would be called Jesus.  He further explained that the mission of his child was to save his people from their sins.  This truth validates Jesus Christ himself as the greatest Christmas gift ever given.

Unfortunately, many have chosen to either reject the gift altogether or pride themselves on their decision to not get caught up in the excitement of the gift.  The most common thread running through every Christmas gift that’s ever been given is the fact that the gift must be received.  All the effort parents put forth to make Christmas special for their children would be futile and worthless without the children’s willingness to accept and appropriate the gift that’s given.

One of the most interesting parts of the verse to me is the fact that Jesus’ purpose was to save “his” people from their sins.  But what does that mean?  It’s actually pretty simple.  He can only save those who are willing to be known as His and live like it.  He can’t save anyone who refuses to honor him through obedience and faithfulness.  There is an absolute distinction between those that are his and those that are not.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stunted in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalm 1:1-2

There are many who believe that this gift given by God can be used, abused, set aside and twisted to fit their own ideology.  But this gift, as others, comes with a specific set of instructions and principles that must be subscribed to.  Now, make no mistake about it, the love of God is free, unconditional and comes with no strings attached.  The blessings of God, however, are not so.  Holiness is still God’s standard for living.  His Word is still the blueprint for success.  His Spirit is still our guide as we make our way through this journey called life.

The Bible says that the man who lives under the light of God’s counsel is blessed, not every man that lives.  Jesus’ mission was to save “his” people from their sins, not all people everywhere.  We are still required to come, confess our sins and make him the Lord of our lives if we expect salvation.  Any other doctrine reinforces universalism which believes that, in the end, all men will be saved.

On that first Christmas night, Jesus Christ was born into the flesh and became the greatest Christmas gift ever wrapped…in swaddling clothes.  The question is why do we persistently choose to leave him wrapped and tucked away in a manger?  It seems that many people are content trying to make it on their own while neglecting the benefit and blessings that this gift provides.  Still, others use this gift without allowing the truth this gift provides to permeate their hearts and minds and create real change in their lives.

It’s time to make the most of this precious gift that God has given.  It’s time to stop twisting the truth and trying to force him into our belief system.  It’s time to return to the joy and expectancy that we had as children at Christmas.  This gift can only be enjoyed when he is received and given the authority from our hearts to change our lives his way.  The choice is yours.

Donald J. Trump is the President Elect of the United States of America.  That is the news of this day, Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

Some are elated and some are astounded but it’s safe to say all are wondering what lies ahead.  There are many questions still unanswered.  What does the new government of the greatest nation on the face of the earth look like?  Will the most animated personality of our President Elect continue to transform into humility, grace and respect as it has over the last few months?  What’s it like to have a President that has never served in any government or military capacity?  Can the nation put one of the most mind-blowing elections behind it and move forward together as one?

While important questions could be listed endlessly, what transcends the weight of those inquiries is the fact that this election season has now come to an end.  The rallies are over.  The campaign work is done.  The ballots have been cast and and it’s time to move on.

Many in this country are excited and elated today as they ponder the fact that they won.  Others are hopeless and devastated because they’re trying to figure out what just happened.  But, more important than our division, is our common ground.  As Americans, we must remember what has made this country great over the last 240 years.  We have chosen to build this nation on the principles of freedom, liberty, faith in God, conviction and the pursuit of a better life for all.

I must admit that I’ve had my reservations about President Elect Donald Trump.  But today is a new day and I believe that, once our new President has been elected, every American has the responsibility to commit themselves to faithfully honor and respect, not only the man, but the office that he fills.  Regardless of party affiliation, now is the time for all Americans to remember what makes us who we are.  We are better than hatred.  We are better than revenge.  We are better than allowing ourselves to reach a depth of intolerance where friendships are destroyed and families are ravaged by political beliefs.

Many have detested the Presidency of Barack Obama.  As a Christian pastor who values religious liberty and the principles built upon by our founding fathers, there are many things that I have disagreed with our President on.  Nevertheless, I’ve consistently believed since 2008 that every American held the God-given responsibility to pray for the sitting President and the leader of the free world and ask God to grant him or her wisdom and knowledge as they bear the weight of the most daunting position on the planet.  Many believed that President Obama would be the death of the republic and destroy the fabric of American life.  Yet, eight years later, here we are.  Things could be definitely be better but they could most certainly be worse.

Now is no different.  While I’ve disagreed with comments and attitudes that Donald Trump has expressed, he is now MY President and, if you love this country and the freedoms we enjoy, he is now YOUR President.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.”  That is a powerful basis for commitment and dedication to others.  That is my commitment to our President ELect.

There is absolutely no way that we will all agree with President Trump on everything.  There are countless numbers of press conferences, major decisions, foreign relations moves and policy changes in our future.  However, as Americans, it is our duty to honor and respect our leader.

Our nation is divided.  Our economy is flailing.  Our debt is astronomical.  Our system is flawed.  But, through prayer and proper order, order that our nation has used to establish progress and efficiency for over two centuries, I believe that there are better days ahead.  We are not servants to the President.  The President is a servant of the people.  Still, it is our responsibility to make our voices heard and stand for righteousness as God leads us by His Spirit.  We must believe that, as we pray, God will grant wisdom and knowledge to our President and give Him sound understanding as it relates to his responsibilities as leader of the free world.

Congratulations, President Trump!  We stand with you and we are praying for you!

Through faith in God, fulfilling our duty to respect and honor the President and making a conscious decision to respect and honor our fellow man, better days will come.  It’s time to heal.  It’s time to love and support our fellow Americans, even in disagreement.  It’s time to set aside party affiliation and embrace the freedom and liberty that we’re founded on.  It’s time to put our faith in God, not in politicians.  Hillary is not the answer.  President Elect Donald Trump is not the answer.  Jesus is still the answer.  When we wrap our minds around that fact, we’ll make America great again.

Ants are one of God’s most interesting creatures.  Due to the nuisance of their presence in unwanted areas and the pain that comes when they bite to hold on and then insert their venom as they sting, ants are not the most popular of God’s creatures.  Still, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t know or has at least heard of the “working” ant.  Ant communities are headed by a queen or queens whose function in life is to lay thousands of eggs to ensure the survival of the colony.  Workers (the ants typically seen by humans) are wingless females that never reproduce but instead, forage for food, care for the queen’s offspring, work on the nest, protect the community, and perform many other duties.  Even Solomon understood the hardworking virtue of the ant and the fact that they didn’t have to be begged to get to work.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard!  Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain,
overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

Proverbs 6:6-8

Even in Solomon’s day, he understood that the instinct of this industrious insect shamed lazy humanity.  Unfortunately, our society has become increasingly passive.  We suffer from a fatal lack of initiative.  We concede far too often to the habit of procrastination and, as a result, have become oblivious to the consequences.  Our lives are filled with indifference as we frantically try to figure out how to do just enough to get by.  Laziness has become an epidemic in the kingdom and among Christians.

I remember very well the work habits of my parents and grandparents.  They may not have been the smartest individuals in the world, making millions for their knowledge of medicine or the space program.  They may not have been the most famous celebrities on the planet, raking in cash for the latest hit song or silver screen fascination.  They may not have been the slick politician, hopping onto private jets and soaring off to the next campaign stop.  But they were hard workers and that makes all the difference in the world.

For as long as I can remember, my dad has worked hard in the field of radio management and entertainment, even selling insurance for a short time.  My mom worked as a seamstress at Toombs County Manufacturing and Cedar Crossing Manufacturing.  My maternal grandfather worked at King Shrimp Company in Brunswick, drove a school bus and served the Wal-Mart corporation in the garden center for many years.  My grandmother raised nine kids, worked alongside her husband at King Shrimp and worked as a seamstress at Rosebud Manufacturing in Montgomery County.

There’s something very special about the generations leaving us.  They understood the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you’ve risen up early in the morning, given it your best shot and put in a good day’s work for an honest day’s wage.  What’s interesting to me is that those generations didn’t fill their conversations with excuses as to why they couldn’t get things done.  They served God, worked hard, found time for their families and showed up to serve in the local church.  Today, we’re lucky if we can find someone to help lock the doors and take out the trash.

Instead of working hard in school, students find it much easier to blame the teacher for not teaching it on “their level of understanding.”  Please don’t be offended.  I’m well aware that people learn in different ways and at different paces.  But it’s hard for me to believe that the teacher is the problem when you spend the entire class goofing off, talking with your friends and looking at the clock a million times to see how long class has left.  Instead of volunteering your initiative to help the local church grow and run smoothly, it’s much easier to blame the pastor.  After all, a win reflects our teamwork while a loss reflects the need for a pastoral change.  Instead of learning the importance of honoring your father and mother, it’s much easier to blame your parents and accuse them of being monsters.  When I was a kid, we didn’t have gripe sessions that screamed about how our parents didn’t understand us.  Your options were simple: honor and obey your parents or be punished by a good old South Georgia spanking or lose the things you love through restriction.

In a world where so many inventions have been provided to save us time, it seems that we have no time anymore…unless it’s something we prefer.  The time that you give to your personal relationship with Jesus is important.  The time that you give your family is important.  The time that you give your local church is important.  Unfortunately, too many are using the cares of this life as excuses when it comes to these three important facets of life.

Ants are to be admired for their work ethic.  They’re also to be avoided because of their annoying propensity to bite and sting.  It’s pretty clear that the kingdom of God and our society is filled with ants.  Some work endlessly while some are…well…annoying.

This past Tuesday was just like every other Tuesday.  Our day was filled with normal, mundane errands and to-do’s.  Highest on the priority list was being on time for Conner’s latest eye appointment.  It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly two years since he shared with us that his left eye doesn’t work as hard as his right.  The prognosis was disheartening but the progress has been steady except for that last appointment, a few months ago, when we were told that we had lost some ground previously gained.  Patching is not the strong suit of a go-getter like Conner.

So, on Monday evening as he drifted off to sleep, I simply laid my hand over his left eye and began to pray, knowing that God has never let us down.  After the discouragement of regression, we needed a good report.  Now, sitting in the waiting area, I offered one last prayer before his exam.  The nurse opens the door, calls his name and we make our way to the back when he looks at me and says, “Daddy, I want a good report.”  To which I respond, “Come on, buddy.  The Lord will take care of it.”  In my own fleshly mind, I feel his desperation.  There’s no doubt in my mind that the Lord can do it.  I just want Him to do it now.

It didn’t take long before we realized that the Lord had delivered once more.  Not only did he surprise himself, but he shocked his parents, the nurse and his physician.  Making his way into the room, he said, “Mr. Conner, we are reading very well.  What’s your secret?”  Conner, in a moment of God-ordained inspiration and a little sarcasm, says, “My secret is I did what you told me to do.”

Isn’t that interesting?  To think that good things would come from doing what we’re told to do.  There are so many individuals in our society today who pride themselves on having discovered that prayer, Bible reading, attending church faithfully, supporting the kingdom of God through tithes and offerings, and faith really doesn’t work.  They do their best through social media and casual conversation to convince all around that there’s nothing to those old-fashioned, outdated principles.  After all, they’ve “tried” those principles and found that they lack sufficient power for true life change.

Maybe that’s not you.  Maybe you don’t make it your mission to prove the Lamb of God to be a liar.  Maybe it’s not your goal to present the Father as a fake.  Maybe it’s not your passion to make Jesus the punchline of a joke.  But I wonder how you might contribute a certain amount of validity to these deceptions through a lack of commitment to the basic principles of the Christian faith.  Simply put, it may not be your mission to disprove the Bible, but do you not join the effort when you choose to follow your own way of living instead?

We don’t like to see ourselves as enemies of God.  But when we choose not to pray we testify of the unimportance of talking with the Father.  When we choose not to attend church we diminish the significance of God’s people.  When we choose not to spend quality time in the Word of God we boast of our ability to run our own lives.  When we choose not to share the Gospel of Christ we reduce it to a mere idea, rather than the plan of God to save the world.

Over the years, I’ve heard many speak of how they gave their “all” to prayer, Bible reading, faith, giving, fasting and other spiritual disciplines only to find that they lack the power to bring true change.  In layman’s terms, they don’t work.  But I wonder if the problem is not so much with the principles but how we work them.  For example, prayer won’t work if prayers are only prayed when you have nothing else to do (which is never the case) or when you’re in a moment of emergency.  Bible reading doesn’t work when you only read Scripture because it’s plastered on a 50-foot billboard just off the interstate.  Faith won’t work when you double-mindedly speak doubt out of the same mouth.  Giving won’t work when you tithe to Wal-Mart, Mickey Mouse, Bass Pro and JC Penney.

I wonder if the reason these principles fail so often in our lives is because we don’t know how to work them.  Jesus gave us a very simple plan.  While the Gospel is not hard to understand, it is very difficult to implement.  Following Jesus is going to cost you something.  Our flesh doesn’t like it, much like Conner’s stronger right eye doesn’t like the blurring drops that we put in for the purpose of forcing his left eye to work harder.  The interesting thing is that God is not asking us to work harder.  He’s just trying to let us in on His secret: “Just do what He told you to do.”

One of the best family movies we’ve seen is the 2014 release of Big Hero 6 from Disney Animation Studios. The film tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a 14 year old robotics genius, who spends his free time competing in robot fights. After being exposed to behind the scenes production at his older brother’s university-run robotics center, Hiro is introduced to a healthcare robot named Baymax. For the remainder of the film, Hiro, Baymax and various others focus their energies on setting wrong things right and taking down those in high positions who use their power and ability to advance evil and destruction. Unfortunately, toward the end of the film, Baymax chooses to save Hiro and the subject of their rescue mission at the expense of his own life. In the final moments, Hiro discovers the original chip that created Baymax, which contains his entire personality and rebuilds him. One of the sweetest memories I have as a parent is holding my 6-year-old son on our way out of the movie theatre as he wept so hard that his body shook because he could not get over the fact that Baymax had died. After making sure that he understood the recreation process brought him back, it was clear that Conner was fixated on the fact that the original was gone. We encouraged him as best we could and I think he has recovered. It’s now one of his favorite movies…and mine as well.

Psalm 127:3 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.” Not that it matters but I couldn’t agree more! I have been a parent for almost ten years now and I can honestly say that becoming a mom or dad changes your life in more ways than anyone could ever imagine or calculate. I’ll never forget the moment that Christy and I discovered that our first child, Cayden, was on the way. Excitement doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface and she has certainly lived up to every expectation. Cayden is, without a doubt, the sweetest child in the world. Her heart is tender toward the Lord, her parents, her family and all those that she knows. I didn’t say she was perfect. No one is. But Christy and I can’t seem to figure out a way that we could make her better. She is who she is and God made her just that way. She has impacted the life of her parents in ways that she will never comprehend. We are better people today because of Cayden. And then there’s Conner. What do you say about Conner? Conner is a comedian. He loves life and he has certainly brought his share of excitement to all three of our lives. People will never know how many times life has come to a standstill because we could not stop laughing at something he said or did. He’s a dancer. He loves attention. He is probably one of the most joy-filled kids I have ever seen. Still, while he’s not perfect, we wouldn’t change a thing.

Just yesterday, my wife and I had the privilege of experiencing the beginning of a new life as we welcomed a new niece into the world. Interestingly enough, the new addition to our family was born in the same hospital as our little girl…same wing…same waiting room…same hallway. To say that we were flooded with memories of our beginning as parents is an understatement. It was almost surreal to experience the same event in the same building…only this time we were in a supporting role as Aunt and Uncle. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost ten years.

Any parent worth their salt will tell you that serving as a Mom or Dad is absolutely a learning experience. When we become parents we don’t know anything, let alone everything. We learn as we go. We listen to God. We listen to our parents. We give it our best shot. Somehow things work out. We make mistakes. We try harder. We love. We nourish. We support. Still, we find ourselves feeling down about our shortcomings but hopeful about the future. Thankfully, God has promised that, as we look to Him, He will grant us wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that we can mature and become the parents that He has destined us to be. We should be so thankful for His power and instruction in our lives.

As I held my niece for the first time yesterday, what struck me more than anything is that I don’t remember my own two children being that small. Our memories have a way of fading through time. It’s hard to remember the hands that now manage an iPad being small enough to fit inside the circular portion of my own palm. It’s difficult to recall the mouths that now talk so fluently once being so unable to form words and build whole sentences. It’s strange to see the person so unable to feed themselves now make their way to the pantry for an afternoon snack. Time really does fly.

One of the things my wife and I have been guilty of since becoming parents is maintaining a desire to hold on to each phase and stage of the lives of our children. Babies are so precious and we long to keep them in that state. But the natural order of things always takes over and, all of a sudden, they’re two years old. At that point, we’re convinced that 2 is the perfect age for cuteness (terrible two’s aside). Before long, they’re 4 and 5 and, once again, we’ve somehow persuaded ourselves to bank on the fact that this age is the “perfect age.” Still, time marches on and we realize that it’s leaving us behind if we refuse to keep in step with it’s rhythm. We walk them through Pre-K, Kindergarten, immunization shots, snack time and sickness. Suddenly, we look around and wonder how their tiny hands have doubled in size. The once helpless infant now understands how to access Pandora radio and dance the night away. I am convinced that there is no greater joy on this planet for my children than sitting down for an episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos. They know how to access that show from our DVR all by themselves as well. It is certainly true that our children are in no position to make a living and provide a home for our family. But they’re more self-sufficient than I thought they’d be at this age and I’m sure that most parents would agree. It’s amazing how much they understand about life.

Please don’t mistake this article for perfect harmony between parent and child in our home. We experience the same difficulties and obstacles that every family unit deals with. There are attitudes, back-talking, refusal to listen, sub-par grades at school, and behavior problems. But, all in all, they’re our babies and, while we’ll continue to help them in any way that we can and teach them right from wrong, at the end of the day they are still our “heritage” and our “fruit.” The old saying certainly is true: no matter how old they are and no matter what they do, they will always be our babies. As parents, we understand the proper balance between extreme frustration when our kids are completely disrespectful and disobedient and that moment that our hearts melt when their little arms wrap around our necks and they say, “Daddy/Mama, I love you.”

My kids aren’t perfect but I can honestly say that I love who they have become. I see so much of my beautiful wife in my daughter. Cayden is one of the most considerate, loving, tender-hearted persons that I’ve ever known. Every day of my life, I see my Mom in my son. Conner becomes the life of the party wherever he goes. I love them more than words could ever adequately express. But yesterday was a reminder that time stops for no one. The sun rises and sets once again. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, months into years and years into memories. They’re growing older and fast. We’re finding that, with each new phase, there are new challenges but there are also new joys. If Cayden were still 6 months old, I wouldn’t be able to carry on a conversation with her about her passion for music. She shared with me this past week that she has been writing some Christian songs. If Conner were still an infant, he would be unable to provide eerily accurate impersonations of our family members. His love for movies and comedy keeps us laughing.

Cayden is old enough now to help prepare dinner and complete projects around the house. Conner is now able to help with yard work and various tasks that he loves. With each new age and phase, there are new opportunities and joys. They’re becoming their own little people and we’re loving every minute of it. As days go by, we learn to appreciate new facets of parenting and, while we’re not likely to have a third child, we remember what it was like when they first came into our lives. Undoubtedly, I speak for my wife when I say that these two precious people have changed us forever. They’ve impacted us more than we could ever imagine but they’re growing up and becoming their own persons. They’re developing interests and focusing on what excites them and appeals to them. As a parent, seeing these changes take place, it’s hard to see them become more independent and mature as the years go by. But it’s an unmistakable part of life. They’re not who they used to be but they’re different in good ways. Each phase has its own benefits.

We’re well aware that they won’t remain children forever. We know the plan. They’ll continue to grow and become so independent that they’ll seek to begin their own pursuits and passions. They’ll select a path and begin their own careers, marriages, families and lives. But for now, they’re still our babies and we’re determined to enjoy them while they’re young, at home and still calling us Mama and Daddy. If only we had Hiro’s chip to reboot them and relive every second from the moment we met our two little heroes.