Marshall, If a person works in a job that they have to put on a persona of being “harsh” and uncaring. Does the Lord care that our light isn’t shining through?

What a wonderful question, that I think gets to the very core of what it means to be a believer in this world.  I’ve no idea who wrote this question, but upon reading it I immediately thought of a good friend of mine back in Arkansas who is a Drug Enforcement Agent (DEA).  Next, my mind went to coaches (I’ve just finished Grishem’s new book, Playing for Pizza, where the coach, a very kind man, chews out the players at every single half-time whether they are winning or not to motivate them).  My short answer is yes.

However, I think that we must always struggle with our harshness and what it says about our hearts.  If it is truly a persona that is necessary in some cases I believe that is safe.  On the other hand, if it becomes the person, danger is at hand.  It seems reasonable to me that the power of negativity and harsh tones could infect the heart and any of us, so we must be careful that the persona doesn’t take over the person when it isn’t related to a few specific jobs. 

Finally, I would encourage any of us to strife to be light no matter what jobs we find ourselves in.  I believe that harshness might be necessary or best in the beginning in many situations, but we could in time, once a relationship is created find a place for love.  Ephesians 4:15: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. For a great example of this I recommend any watch Dog Bounty  Hunter on A & E. 

Signed “Simon the Debate Starter”  Well SDS let’s see if I can quickly tell you why I’ve decided the Bible stands alone above all other books that claim to be revelations from God.  The first and most definite answer is all the prophecy recorded in the Bible that has come true.  Take for example Micah 5:2 which was written approximately 730 BC and says that a little place named Bethlehem would become more significant than all of Israel.  We know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem approximately 727 years later and the town has been a chief attraction to believers from that time on.  Or what about Levitisu 26:31-33, written approximately 1450 BC, which says that Jerusalem will be destroyed and all its inhabitants scattered throughout the world.  We know that in 70 AD thousands of Roman soldiers attacked Jerusalem leaving it in comlete destruction and sending its inhabitants to all the known world at that time.  These are just two of the countless examples of how God reveal his words to the prophets and how they came to pass.  If they didn’t come to pass the prophet was killed and his writings were destroyed.

The second issue that I would raise in the discussion of what sets the Bible apart is what I call the proof of practice. We have personal evidence to the truth of God’s Word when we practice it in our lives and see it’s inherent transformation nature.  The proof is in the pudding you might say.  Jeremiah 28:9 says that that prophesies bring peace. When we practice the principles communicated in the Bible and see the fruits that they yield in our lives we demonstrated the inherent truth of God’s Word and what sets it apart from other writings. 

The third, and possibly the most convincing arguement to me, is Jesus’ use of God’s Word.  The God-Man who is the only man to have died and resurrected into eternal life showed that he trusted God’s Word countless times.  He used it to defeat the devil.  He used it to teach on the Mount of Olives.  He quoted from it while dying on the cross.  He said we could trust it, and he trusted it himself.

    This will come as no shock to anyone, but I have a difficult time getting as excited about Christmas until it is upon me.  Like many of you, I see the glitter of Christmas and the price tags all around me; however, those things tend to hinder the Christmas spirit in my heart instead of help it grow.  The radio stations have started their Holiday Music-a-thons, and Claudia is playing every Christmas album we have in the CD changer endlessly.  We’ve decorated our house, hung the tinsel with care, and started piling up the presents…but my nose isn’t glowing red yet. 

    Now before you say, “bah, humbug!” please understand my heart.  I love Christmas! I love the music, I love giving gifts, I love Christmas trees, and I even have a place in my heart for ole’ Saint Nick; however, it takes me a little longer to warm up to it.  So as the day approaches, please be patient with me, and know that I love it all…I’m just a late bloomer.

    I have a hunch, that towards the end of our Christmas Eve Service my nose will start glowing.  I’ll probably be able to drive home with the headlights off…I’ll just stick my head out the window. 

     It is that time of the year when we are reminded and encouraged to be thankful.  We are told to be thankful for our freedom, which we are.  We are encouraged, sometimes with a little guilt, to be thankful for our families, which we are even without the guilt.  Generally, we are told to the thankful for all we have been given, or all we have. Truthfully, the list of things to be thankful for is endless, which is probably why we feel guilty, because it is impossible to be thankful for everything given to us. 

     The author of the amazing book of Hebrews writes, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”  Which leads me this year to be thankful for the things we do not have.  We do not have eternal lives of uncertainty.  We do not have futures without hope.  We do not have consciences constantly harassed by eternal guilt.  We do not have lives plague by the absence of peace.  We do not have any of these things because we do have membership…citizenship…adoption into the kingdom of God.

I’ve said a time or two over the last few months since I started on May 1, “help out the new kid around here.”  Meaning most often that there is some history in the conversation that I’m unaware of.  However, yesterday, someone dear to me said, “You gotta stop saying that, you’ve been here long enough.”  Tis true and I’m happy about it. 

I wanted to write for a moment in the space that was created by our web designer and let everyone know that I love it here.  I love it in Southern California and I love it at Lakeside Christian Church.  A time or two, more so in the recent weeks, LCC folks have been asking me if I’m staying.  I want each of you to know that I moved here because I believed that this is where God wants me.  I also want you to know that I don’t believe God is flippant, so I expect he’ll have me here for quite a while.  Not only did I hear God calling me to LCC, in addition to that I wanted the job.  I am no Jonah here by the sea, doing what God wants but wanting something else.  God has called me to a place that I’m in love with.

Are there challenges, indeed; however, someone once said that there is nothing new under the sun.  So I know that the challenges I’m facing here have been faced before, God was faithful then, and he’s faithful now. 

Finally, these blogs beg responses, so I’m told.  So leave me one.  If you’ve asked me lately, “are you staying?”, please tell me why.  Is it because of the recent history with the previous staff or am I giving off some false vibe?  Be honest, it helps me and God loves it.