Hello...anybody out there? I really believe in this thing called "blogging"; I've actually arrived at this point in my life through the promptings of the Spirit, but I honestly don't think anybody is really reading my wandering words. So, why do I actually take the time to write? I'm glad you asked. Here are the "Top 10 Reasons I Blog":

I can clearly see the flow of Jesus’ thought in His teaching on the mountain. After He tells His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:5-13, He transitions into forgiveness. For those who will not forgive how can they pray effectively; sin is a deterrent to God listening to us. The Master Teacher then moves into the territory of fasting-prayer. His focus here is on the mechanics of this type of prayer…it is a private matter, between my God and me. When we fast and pray we are communicating that God is our consuming passion, not our appetite, or anything else. Staying with the theme of our passions, He next teaches us about treasuring. Whatever we treasure reveals our heart. Jesus said,

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(Matthew 6:21 ESV)

I like what R. Kent Hughes wrote about this,

            “If anything in this world is everything to you, it is an earthly treasure.”

I found what Jesus said to be very convicting. This is something I just can’t get out of my mind this week. I am trying to develop some penetratingly honest questions to ask myself about what I treasure. Through these questions I hope to reveal to myself what it is I am really pursuing in life.

I don’t believe it is enough to tell God that He is most important to us and then live like our car, home, retirement, time, savings, family, job, power, image, etc. are truly at the center of our lives. We just don’t have the luxury of time on our hands to play around with the life with which God has gifted us.

When I come to the end of my life I want to face God and hear that I was faithful. I also want to be remembered not for the things I accumulated and left in the garage. I know that God doesn’t really care what I’ve collected in this life; and I believe Barb and the kids won’t care a lick about the clothes in my closet, the awards on my wall, or the junk in my garage…I want their love and respect! I want people to cry because they miss my investment in their lives, not because my shoes don’t fit them or the lawn mower doesn’t even start.

Grace & Peace,

Scott

two ways to live : : the choice we all face

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Yesterday (Wednesday, 4/22/09) I was visiting with one of the most precious men I have ever known...Papa Ferguson. He has seen much in his long life (He will be 102 this year!) and it is fun to get him talking about the jobs he has had at the mills or the railroad. I have talked to nurses at the desk who said they just went into his room to meet somebody that old who still had a strong body and a sharp mind.

Here is the cure for “drooping spirits”:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

            But a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)

Follow my line of thinking to explain this proverb…

Let’s say it’s mid-February and you don’t live in the beautiful state of South Carolina, how about Illinois (By the way, it is pronounced without sounding out the “s” at the end…I can’t tell you why, that’s just the way it is!). So it’s right in the middle of winter with the wind blowing and even sunny days get no warmer than 15º. Also, you don’t see much of the sun during the day. It’s cold, windy, and white. When you walk on the snow it doesn’t “squish” like soft, warm sand on the beach, it “crunches” because it’s hard-packed and beyond penetration. Finally, you come home and you know that you shoveled the driveway last night but now it’s covered again. Welcome to the north in mid-February.

The above story is not fictional, it is real to life and the names have been omitted to protect their sanity. But the above scene does illustrate the point the proverb is driving home. It goes like this…you long for winter to be over, you can imagine a warm, sunny day on the lake or golf course. You just know the bikes will be able to be used again. But, the waiting is killing you. This is the “hope deferred”…something “long drawn out” part.

Another element to this proverb is the “teaser.” It’s sort of like getting a sunny 40º day only to wake up to six more inches of snow the next morning. The result is that our spirits begin to “droop” or “sag.” It is a common occurrence in life that can be remedied by what the proverb teaches us in the second line.

When what we have longed for and expected to come finally arrives it refreshes us and brings joy into our lives. It is at this point that we breathe a sigh of relief. Why? Because there is no more waiting and all of the uncertainty is gone. It brings peace into our daily grind and helps us cope with the next hope that will be deferred.

We can find many illustrations and applications of this proverb to life…babies take about nine months, weddings never come fast enough for the bride and groom, waiting for test results can be agonizing (whether from the doctor or the teacher), and you can add your own application.

What are you waiting for right now? Over what does God have you in a holding pattern? Is it simple or complex? Remember, God is in control and an answer will come…maybe not today, but eventually it will come.

Grace & Peace,

Scott

What we say is powerful, but just as equally powerful is how we say it. Paul, who wrote, “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) also wrote, “let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). This has strong implications for our everyday conversations two of which I want to share with you today.

First, our words must be motivated by love. I take this to mean that whenever we speak, we speak loving truth. We don’t always need to speak (that’s love), but we always need to be honest (that’s truth). When you ladies are trying on new spring outfits and your friend comes out and asks, “Don’t you just love this on me?” Suddenly you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma because honestly it is not a flattering outfit but this is your best friend. What do you do? A key phrase I’ve learned to deal with a situation like this is “keep my mouth shut and run for the hills!” We have to ask ourselves, “What will it really accomplish if I tell this person in this context what I really think?” God does not call us to share everything on our minds, but He does call us to honest love when we do share.

Second, our words should be coated with grace. I have found that my tone often dictates the reaction. When I talk on a subject about which I am very passionate I have noticed that my tone is sometimes misunderstood, and people think I am angry. Sound familiar? Because what is said is very important to God and us, I think it is absolutely necessary not only to watch what we say, but also to watch how we say it. People can’t help but judge conversations so I think it is good for us to coat every conversation with grace.

Hey, everyone, there is enough misunderstanding out in the world today already, let’s not add to it. Our words are powerful and God intends that we use them for His glory and the grace of others. Are you with me in repenting of using words the wrong way and asking God for wisdom in using conversations that honor Him and genuinely help others? I hope so.

We recently (3/30/09 - 4/1/09) took a trip south to visit family in Florida. It was just me and "my girls" (Barb, Court & Abby). We had a wonderful time, but at the same time it saddens me because the era of the entire Linnerud Clan making that trip is over. The guys (Ben & Blake) both being at Clemson University prevents them from enjoying this family time because spring breaks don't coincide. What is pretty cool is that both the guys went to Florida during their spring break and ended up at Mema & Papa's. Of course they didn't go together...its a brother thing you know.

Driving along the interstate at 75 mph, or so, for over 20 hours in 7 days allows my mind to wander. Dangerous activity I know, but the girls have outgrown License Plate Bingo. So, I am left to myself for hours and my mind has a tendency to focus on the surrounding countryside. What I kept noticing on our recent trek to Florida and Charlotte, NC was billboards. Now these are either a source of inspiration or irritation. You’ll have to wait for the inspiration, right now let me share my irritation.

I kept reading “Gospel Billboards.” Some of them are thought provoking, but some of them are just downright lame. For example, I read a billboard that announced, “Repent and Believe!” I would call this Head-On Collision Evangelism, and I just don’t get it. I mean, the average lost person is going to say, “Repent? What does that mean?” And, “Believe in what?” I find that a billboard like this falls short on a couple of accounts.

First, I don’t think God intends for His precious gospel to be a head-on collision. I do believe He intends for us to have meaningful interactions with people and this takes time. Without any interaction with people and without an explanation of who Jesus is, what He did, and what separates us from Him in the first place they won’t understand the gospel.

Second, throwing these messages at people in this way desensitizes them to the real meaning of repentance and belief. It robs believers of the opportunity to sow the gospel and water the seed. This will lead the unbeliever into thinking that if they can talk this way (i.e., “I believe” or “I’ve repented”) then they must be a Christian. But we all know that just talking the talk doesn’t make a person a genuine follower of Jesus Christ.

Now I would much rather see “Gospel Billboards” than billboard advertising sleaze, booze and drugs. However, I just don’t think the average Sally and Joe who are driving like maniacs with kids in the backseat screaming at illegal decibels because they are hungry and their diapers are full are going to look at these billboards and say, “Yeah, that’s what I need to do.”

Grace & Peace,

Scott

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

Heaven is not just a destination, it is a motivation!

Yes, certainly heaven is where I am heading; it’s my true home; it’s where my heart is; it’s a place for which I am already beginning to pack. The destination of my King is my destination as well, so if Jesus is in heaven, then that is where I am headed!

But “…to die is gain” is only one side of what Paul was teaching in this verse. I also want to think about the other side of his teaching, “For me to live is Christ…” Heaven is more than the where of my future, it is the motivation for living today. I live today in light of eternity. What God has in store for me is beyond my imagination, but it is what motivates me to do what I do today.

Let’s be honest, some days just aren’t worth rolling over in bed and putting our feet on the floor. We’ve all faced “mountains” and “giants” that seem insurmountable and undefeatable. They loom over us like a modern-day doomsday. There are times when we look at life and would just as soon run to the mountains and hide. But for genuine Christ-followers this is not an option God holds open for us. He provides the courage and strength and perseverance through the Spirit to get us up and get us going. This is what it means “for me to live is Christ.”

I think we need the perspective of eternity in our souls to keep us motivated each day. We can determine to live today for Christ because we know what He will do for us in the future. Today we live for Christ. This makes all the difference in everything we do; it changes every relationship we have; it makes every encounter eternal; it molds every decision we make.

Living without this motivation makes us worthless for today. Living with this motivation makes everyday an opportunity.

Grace & Peace,

Scott