How’s Your Shine?

I have little musical talent.

I sang in choir in high school. I sang lead in quartet in college.

Neither experience spoke of overwhelming ability except for maybe my tendency to be loud. I have so little musical ability that I can’t even play air guitar.

I do, however, claim to be able to play the radio as good if not better than most!

While music may not be the area of my most giftedness, I do excel in another field that gives me lots of competition. You may not want to acknowledge your own giftedness or the high level to which you offer serious competition, so rest easy. I’ll do it for the both of us:

• Complaining & arguing.
  
• Whining & fussing.
  
• Criticizing & grumbling.
  

If these kinds of behaviors were an Olympic sport, most of us would be considered world class athletes.

We are especially gifted in these aspects when there is no real problem to fuss about.

Can you say trivial matters with me?

And with our constant practice, we simply miss God’s clear command: Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life… (Philippians 2:14-16a NIV)

Did you catch that? Our greatest ability is one we are supposed to squash.

But there is a reason for it. Maybe you caught that as well.

As the Apostle Paul says it, complaining, whining, arguing, fussing, criticizing, and grumbling puts a real tarnish on our shine.

The Newsboys sing:

Shine,
Make ´em wonder what you´ve got
Make ´em wish that they were not
on the outside looking bored

Shine
Let it shine before all men
Let´em see good works, and then
Let ´em glorify the Lord

This little Christian light of mine… is it shinning? Not when it is hiding under a bushel of complaining and whining!

I want to shine!

Les, Jr.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

It seems like years ago—because it was—the English rock band Queen released a song called Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Back then it was just a catchy little ditty with a neat little beat that kept you tapping your toes and singing along.

Over the years, the title has had a bit clearer focus.

Loving my wife and kids is the most natural thing in the world. Borrowing from yet again another set of lyrics, Jackson Brown once sang, “I love you. I mean look at you. What else could I do?”

Where the application for me comes in is slightly selfish, but I bet you’ll have no trouble identifying.

I look in the mirror—and not just the one that hangs over the bathroom sink—the mirror of my heart and life—and what I find isn’t always what I would like to see. Truth is, sometimes and maybe more times than I want to recognize, I am simply unlovable—at least in my eyes.

To be loved anyway, flaws and all, tells me that love really is a crazy little thing!

Once again shamelessly appealing to song lyrics, Michael W. Smith sings,

I have been unfaithful
I have been unworthy
I have been unrighteous
And I have been unmerciful
I have been unreachable
I have been unteachable
I have been unwilling
And I have been undesirable

And sometimes I have been unwise
I’ve been undone by what I’m unsure of
But because of you and all that you went through
I know that I have never been unloved…

The Apostle John says it like this: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

A crazy little thing called love? Thank you, God, for showing us what real love is all about!

Make this practical: somebody you will see today is feeling unlovable, share a little craziness with them!

Les, Jr.

God Is My What?

When I was a little boy, I took my first plane trip. I screamed and cried as my parents carried/ dragged me across the tarmac and up the boarding stairs. Terrified I was and I had not a real clue as to why. If what follows doesn’t date me, I am not sure what would…

As a part of the stewardess’ bargain to calm me down, I was eventually led by the hand to the cockpit (in flight, mind you) where I sat in the pilot’s lap, held the controls, and was given a pair of my very own pilot wings to pin to my shirt. I don’t know how long the whole affair lasted, but it seared a memory that is still vivid today (I can still envision my parents and where they sat and what they looked like all those years ago).

Since that day, I have flown many, many times—big planes, little planes, big helicopters, little helicopters—and never once did I scream again. I guess that means I am a big boy now.

One of my bumper sticker pet peeves is the one that says God is my co-pilot.

Really?

Seems to me whenever I try to be a pilot, I get into trouble.

When I sat in the pilot’s lap as a child, he was flying—I was enjoying the thrill of soaring through the clouds…

DOWNHERE, a contemporary Christian band, has a song called Not About Wings. The chorus says:

Believing is not about seeing,
Faith is not about reaching,
and on this journey I keep learning,
Flying is not about wings.

Flying is not about wings. Not about mine at least. Nor yours either.

No matter how hard we flap and try, the only flying we will truly do is when we allow God to lift us up in his lap and fly with Him.

Flying is not about wings…

Les, Jr.

A Monday Kind of Tired; A Monday Kind of Peace

I don’t normally experience the not-so-mythical Monday.

My Monday’s come once a week like everybody else’s, but they are usually pretty tame.

After a full day of preaching, teaching, and spending time with my precious church family, I am usually worn to a frazzle by Sunday night. Monday’s have typically been a day of refuge—a bit of peace in a busy week.

Monday is my day to begin sermon prep for the following Sunday. And on Monday, I am usually fairly relaxed in my approach.

Are you getting the feeling that Monday isn’t usually a big deal for me? But I know for many it is.

I know for many Monday is a busy day where things are often skewed and hay wired.

I know for many Monday is a day of frazzled nerves and frayed feelings of frustration.

And the truth of the matter is Monday can come almost any day of the week and often does. (Try Wednesday or Thursday for me)

Have you had a Monday? Maybe these selected passages from the NIV translation of the Bible will be of comfort on this Monday or any other day it rears its head…

Psalm 4:8, I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 73:25-26, Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Romans 8:6, The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…

May God give you peace on this Monday and whenever it rolls around!

Les, Jr.


An Update on our son, Cole Ferguson

Many have wondered, questioned, and been concerned about our son, Cole. For those who don’t know the beginnings of his story, Cole is almost twenty years old now. When he was less than a year old, he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. A few months after his first birthday, the doctors changed that diagnosis to Leukodystrophy, a fairly rare and fatal brain disorder. We spent the following year awaiting his gradual but sure decline into a coma-like vegetable state from which he would not recover.

Obviously that did not occur and we went back to the original diagnosis of CP.

Life has rocked on since then with the various ups and downs of life for a handicapped child. He had some surgeries that enabled him to walk on his own. He has participated in Special Olympics—and continues to play Special Needs Soccer. He graduated from his High School Special Ed program…

But things began to change about a year ago. He began losing his ability to walk—he couldn’t keep his balance and begin falling. That’s when we noticed that his eyes were not crossing but pointing outward. We took him to his eye doctor who immediately sent us to an eye surgeon who insisted on an MRI and a neurologist.

Once again like a nightmare that just won’t completely go away, we were looking at Leukodystrophy. Or Multiple Sclerosis. Or who knew. After many trips to eye specialists, spinal taps, and sedated MRI’s we have now been told that Leukodystrophy and Multiple Sclerosis (which have similar sources) are not on the table and most likely never were.

Instead, we are in a brave new world of genetics and mitochondria DNA. While awaiting DNA sequencing from Baylor University, we are preparing ourselves for never knowing the real name of Cole’s condition. For all practical purposes, Cole has a mitochondrial disease although a specific type may never be discovered. In all actuality, every time Leukodystrophy has been brought up, it has probably coincided with a flare up of this condition.

We will be seeing a cardiologist and audiologist to check for other symptoms.

Many thanks to those who have walked this road with us in prayer and support–we love and appreciate you,

Les, Karen & Family

Grace Makes the Ugly Beautiful!

The following sermon was designed intentionally to follow last week’s sermon The First Thud. It was inspired in part by a U2 song written by Bono…

Have you ever had an ugly moment? Everyone has those ungraceful times when we said the wrong thing, acted the wrong way, and generally ended up looking like a stupid, loud braying donkey.

People who are prone to having great thuds or falls from grace can’t help but look ugly from to time.

Have you ever heard beauty is skin deep but ugly is to the bone?

Unfortunately, sometimes ugly behavior is more than just surface behavior and it permeates who we are. You’ve seen it happen as well: the sweet person who becomes mean–the patient person who is no longer—the truthful person who is now consumed by his lies… Any time sin has its way, we are changed and not for the better. The truth is we are all ugly and in need of grace.

The subject of grace is deep, fascinating and imperative for the Christian and it is more than just a NT concept. We often define grace as unmerited favor and favor is as good a word as any. In fact, that’s exactly how God describes his view of Noah. Genesis 6:8…

Flash forward to the NT and look what Luke says in Luke 2:40 & 52…

In both the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New Testament, the words favor and grace are interchangeable—they are the same word!

And if not enough, see what John says about Jesus: John 1:14 & 17…

Yes, grace is everywhere in the Bible. Did you know that Paul closes everyone of his thirteen letters with the request that the grace of Jesus be with us? The fact is we need grace. The ugliness of sin can only be made beautiful through grace. Yet, if it is up to my keeping the law of God perfectly, if it is up to my behavior, if it is up to my merit, then I am doomed to die an ugly man in the eyes of God.

And therein lays a certain tension. God does require me to live and act and behave in a manner consistent with Him…

But try as I might, I will invariably fail. Ugly will bloom. Ugly will prevail.

So I am thankful for and beholden to the mercy and grace of God.

Ephesians 2:1-10…

How ugly is sin? Last week, we talked about the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin:

• Sin ruins our innocence!
  
• Sin ruins our intimacy with God.
  
• Sin destroys our relationships.
  
• Sin ruins our enjoyment of all God’s gifts.
  

Ephesians 2 is a bit more emphatic!

• In sin, we are spiritually dead—separated from the love/mercy of God!
  
• In sin, we are slaves to the power of gratification!
  
• In sin, each of us has chosen to participate in the rebellion against God and the wrath we deserve is so very real!
  

But what did God do? God exercised his mercy and grace. God made us alive even though we were dead (I love the KJV here—quickened us with Christ—Highlander—the Quickening). With our faith and trust in Him, God has saved us by grace. We have been granted favor—to walk with Him by and in His power and not our own! (Remember Adam and Eve walking in the Garden? Grace grants intimacy again with God!)

The Irish band, U2 has a song written by Bono called Grace…

Grace, she takes the blame

She covers the shame

Removes the stain

It could be her name

Grace finds goodness in everything

What once was hurt

What once was friction

What left a mark

No longer stings

Because Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

Jesus is Grace! He takes our blame, covers our shame, and removes our stain. And yes, as our grace, Jesus makes beauty out of ugly things!

And again, the truth of the matter is our lives are full of ugly things. Most of us today are going to think something ugly about someone else before the day is through—if we haven’t already–some of us are doing it right here in the presence of God’s family. Some of us will say or do something ugly before this family day is over.

Yes, we are neck deep in ugly. But God’s grace changes who we are. God’s forgiveness softens our hearts. God’s mercy makes us merciful. Some of you think you are ugly. You don’t like your hair, your teeth, your weight, your height, etc. Sadly, I can’t fix that kind of ugly. But before you get down on yourself, remember this: You were made in the image of God and by grace you can have that image again.

Grace makes the ugly beautiful. By grace, you can walk through a world of ugly and help spread the beauty of God. Aren’t you tired of being ugly? You don’t have to be ugly anymore—you don’t have to have an ugly attitude or have to have ugly behavior.

Les, Jr.

Junk Mail

Junk mail.

I wonder how many trees have been cut down just for junk mail.

It seems like we get 20 pieces of junk mail for every legitimate bill or missive that hits our mailbox. And it has been that way for years. Even the recession/ bad economy of late hasn’t seemed to slow it down one little bit.

• If I wanted your insurance I would call you.
  
• If I was going to sell my house and needed your services, you would be the first to know.
  

What makes it worse is we often get junk mail for people who haven’t lived in this house for ten years or better.

What’s up with that?

There was a time when I could have ranted about junk email, but my current filters keep almost all of it from hitting my inbox.

Remember the pop cliché God don’t make no junk? I believe that to be true. I believe that all of God’s creation has infinite and inherent value.

Sometimes I may struggle to see or find its worth, but that’s my problem.

Unfortunately, some of His creation seems to have an almost infinite ability to turn the good into junk.

And that’s the truth isn’t it?

There is much junk in my life and I can’t blame anybody but myself. Even when junk comes from somebody else or some situation out of my control, it’s my attitude, my reaction that tends to make the junk effect even worse.

Try this on for size… we moan and groan about junk mail all the while our lives are filled to overflowing with junk that seriously impedes and hinders our relationships with each other and our walk with God.

It’s kind of like credit debt and the overuse of credit cards. You end up with big balances and long repayment terms with high interest for stuff you keep for awhile and then it is gone. What that means is you are still paying for junk that has no real value.

Yes, I would like an end to junk mail. But better than that, I would like an end to junk in my life!

May God bless us with better choices!

Les, Jr.