Last night at Calvary was a truly Amazing Grace experience! It was refreshing to have experienced the Spirit in a worship service like that. I wish not to give accolades to people, but my desire is to give God the glory and honor His majesty deserves. Too many times “musicals” or “cantatas” or “dramas” showcase the talents of people and elevate our egos to new heights while God is almost completely ignored. Not last night…in fact, my experience at Calvary has always been that God’s is exalted and I have come away refreshed by a fresh breeze of the Spirit blowing upon me. The worship service focused upon the instrument of suffering and salvation—the cross! Let me pull something from that experience for us to focus on during this Passion Week…

Let our minds be riveted on the cruel instrument upon which our great and mighty Savior, Jesus Christ, died—the cross! The cross was an instrument used by the Romans to “shame” and “humiliate” its victim. But, what we often equate with “shame” and “humiliation” God turns around and uses it for “glory” and “exaltation.” Yes, the cross was a place of curse lest we forget what scripture teaches us,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

But we must always remember that it was our curse that Jesus bore on the cross; it was us who deserved to hang on the tree. And, in taking our place on the cross (i.e., becoming a curse for us) He offers forgiveness through repentance. So, the curse becomes a blessing…a blessing for us. It is a place where the burden of our sin falls off when we believe.

When we look at the cross let’s keep in mind also that it is God’s power of salvation that was displayed through the crucifixion. Some would see the cross as weakness, but to God it was the ultimate show of power and strength. Some would see it as foolishness, but to God it was the quintessential display of wisdom.

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Cross-Centered,

Scott

We all get news we like to hear and some news we don’t. Whenever we get good news we just want to share it with everybody. It could be a job promotion, a new baby, a great tax return (What’s that?), a date to the prom, a great report card, or good news from the doctor.

Let me share some good news that came my way last week. You all have been faithfully praying for our Mom because of her epic war with cancer for the sixth time (yes, #6!). Well, on Friday, March 7, 2008 at exactly 2:38 p.m. (cell phone) Mom called and said she had just gotten the reports from the doctors and they told her she no longer had cancer. Yea Baby! Her response was that she didn’t have cancer any more because of all the people who were praying for her. No, the doctors didn’t get the praise...she gave the glory and honor to her heavenly Father! In any book that’s AWESOME!!! Nobody, but nobody can tell us that God isn’t on the throne controlling every microbe in the universe. He has chosen to heal Mom and to me that is “good news.”

It took me awhile but in time I remembered what Solomon wrote,

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country. (Proverbs 25:25)

Now I realize that not all news is good news, sometimes it’s bad. What do we do with bad news? The same with what we do with good news…we share it. Paul is very explicit in his teaching when it comes to any news we have. He writes,

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

The Swedish Proverb that says, “Shared joy is double joy and shared sorrow is half sorrow” captures exactly what Paul was trying to communicate. God never intended for us to go it alone in this world. He knows how tough it is to make it all the way to the end. To keep our “sorrow” bottled up is not good. We must share our pain and sorrow with each other. It helps us through. God created the church to be a community…a family that shares both joy and sorrow.

My hope and prayer for all of you is that your “news” is good news, but if it’s not…still share it. Calvary is a family that wants to hug you and cry with you when your news is bad or good! Got news?!

Love Ya,

David asks a most perplexing question of God in Psalm 13:1,

How long will you hide your face from me?

When I came across this verse it got me to thinking seriously about playing hide-and-seek. Now hide-n-seek was a favorite game of mine growing up. In fact, I remember a time during which I was a youth pastor that I would play “find the pastor.” It was my grown up and respectable way of playing hide-n-seek and call it ministry. Those were fun times with the kids, and every once in a while I receive an email from one of those grown up kids and it brings back all the fun we had. Oops…I think I got off track. Now where was I? Oh yeah…Does God really hide from us? Does He play some sort of game when we need Him? Or, is David asking a question that is a human problem of perception?

I have come to believe it is a human problem of perception. It boils down to a God focus versus self focus issue. You see, when I am focused on me and the circumstances I face I only have eyes for me. I can’t see God working in and through my circumstances. My conclusion? I don’t see God and I assume He is not there for me.

Circumstances are what God uses to mold me and to shape me into the image of His Son. He is not hiding from me when I need Him most. In fact, He is never more near me during those times of distress and heartache.

The end of Psalm 13 helps get my focus in the right place,

I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. (v. 5)

God’s love is constant in my life and the salvation He offers is super abundant. What about you? Have you felt that God is hiding His face from you? Remember that He is always there and His love never fails you!

Grace & Peace,

I have often heard pastors and other people say, “Such-and-such church is a great church!” My mind then begins to ask a lot of questions. I know I would get myself into trouble and possibly lose some friends if I openly asked these questions. So, at the risk of saying “goodbye” to some, here are my questions…

“Why is that church a great church?”

“What are the criteria for a church being great?”

“Does the Bible ever call a church great?”

Here are my observations...Usually when a church is referred to as a great church it is because it is large, or it has a nationally known pastor, or it has a beautiful campus, or it is in a multi-million dollar building program, or it is on the radio, at least, and maybe even on television. These, in part, seem to be the litmus test for labeling a church as “great.”

More observations…What about churches that don’t pass this test? What are we? I can pretty much guarantee that you will never have a nationally known pastor. (Although I did make it on the front cover of the Spartanburg Today) We are not large, nor in a multi-million dollar building program, nor on the radio. (We might make the funnies!) What does this make us and churches like us? Are we the opposite of great? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!!

If we look at the Bible we find that the early church’s focus was not on the things that we focus on today. The church was focused on honoring God by impacting their world with the good news.

Paul commended the church in Rome for their faith, not their size,

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. (Romans 1:8; cf. Colossians 1:3-4)

He commended the church in Ephesus for their faithfulness, not their building,

…To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:1)

He commended the church in Philippi for their partnership, not their budget,

…I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…. (Philippians 1:4-5)

Being big or being known or having a lot of buildings is not the criteria I see in scripture. Being a great church is being faithful to what God has called us to do while on this little ball of dirt we call earth…Honoring God by impacting our world with the gospel! Remember this lesson: Comparison kills contentment! And always remember what an AWESOME church Calvary is!

I Love You,

What’s up with this crazy weather? I will be honest…I love it when the day gets up in the 60’s, the sun is shining and I can see the mountains to the north. But lately it seems that the weather changes to the next extreme the following day. You know, overcast and cold. You know what really lifts my spirits on days like today? I’m glad you’re interested. (And still reading!) I just sit down at the end of the day and watch the 10 o’clock news from Chicago, and when the weather report comes around I am thoroughly back on “cloud #9.” In fact, last night (Monday) they were having heavy snows and it was really cold! Praise the Lord we’re in the good old South!

Now, you may be wondering what all this has to do with anything. I’m glad you’re wondering that. Too often I allow circumstances (i.e., weather, day at the office, car problems, how other people treat me, etc.) to dictate my mood and level of joy. Sound familiar? You too? Good, then we’re on the same page. What I fail to realize is that God’s love for me is constant; it is unchanging; it is unmatchable; it is unsearchable. That realization helps to keep me from being knocked off center. God’s unfailing, eternal love is my compass that points my life “True North.”

Paul wrote, ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 38-39 NIV)

Remember this the next time you are “down” or discouraged. Truly if God is for us who can be against us!

Grace & Peace,

We are going to spend the winter months unfolding God’s vision for our lives and His church. It is absolutely imperative that we not waste time by chasing after our dreams; we must be pursuing God’s dream for us! I believe His vision for us and Calvary can be summed up in a simple way…

Glorify God!

The complex part of this purpose statement comes when attempting to define how we are to honor God with our lives and in His church. The answer is as diverse as we are. How I glorify God in my life, with my family, and through my ministry is unique to me. Long ago (way back in the fall of 1981) God used a verse in His Word to center my life.

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

This verse has sustained me at every turn and decision I have ever made. It is, as some would call it, my life verse. It has helped me when I was discouraged or overwhelmed. When the occasioned called for a long study time late into the night (or early evening) this word from God kept me going. I really every one of us should have a verse like this…a verse that keeps us centered in life…a life verse.

If you don’t have one ask God to speak to you through His Word and lead you to something you can “hang your hat on.”

Honoring God involves discovering His picture or vision of what our lives could and should be. Glorifying God involves discovering what we could and should accomplish. We were created and re-created with His purposes in mind. And until we discover His purpose—and follow through—there will always be a hole in our soul.

I Love You So Much!