First Christian Church, Wauchula, FL

  Okay, we’re going to pick up where we left off.  I’ve gone ahead and included day 2 & 3 of the trip in this blog since they are both fairly short.  Enjoy!

Day 2 – Israel Trip – Sunday, March 14

 Well Sunday began with a bagel and some apple juice, and then we headed off to attend church in Clermont, FL at the 5^th fastest growing church in the nation, Real Life Church.  It was really a great service all around.  I was able to take from it a song to introduce to our church, “Hosanna”, by Paul Baloche (giving thanks) and the Pastor was finishing up a series on the 7 churches in Revelation.  It was pretty cool to me that throughout his message he spent a lot of time discussing “locations” in Israel and how it related.  Ironic?  I don’t think so! (giving thanks)

 We followed up church with a seafood lunch at the local Red Lobster, wasted some time at the local Wal-Mart, enjoyed some ice cream then went to see the movie “Avatar” in 3D.  After the movie we chose Chinese for dinner and then it was time to get to bed.  We set a wake up call for 1:30 AM to get to the airport for our 4 AM flight.  What the what?!  

 Still giving thanks!

 Day 3 – Israel Trip – Monday, March 15

 Ring, ring, ring…This is your 1:30 AM wake up call.”  Darin and I both jump up after getting a sum total of 4 hours sleep and meet the guys downstairs at 2:15 AM.  The day starts off with a bang.  We arrive at the airport at 3 AM only to find out that the ticket counter doesn’t even open until 4 AM.  Our flight really didn’t leave until 5:30 AM.  Oh well, at least we were the first in line for a ticket.  (giving thanks)

 On our first flight from Orlando to Atlanta, just after they were finished handing out drinks and snacks the plane hit a huge air pocket and drop what felt like 1000 feet very rapidly.  When that happened the stewardess spilled coffee AND diet coke all over my shirt and shorts.  Oh well, at least the cold drink spilled last erasing the burning sensation I was feeling from the coffee which spilled on me first.  (giving thanks)

 We arrive safely and head directly to our next flight, which was going to Newark.  It thrills me to say I remained completely dry throughout the entire flight.  (giving thanks)  Once in Newark we had to go to the ticket counter to check-in for our flight to Israel.  So, after finally finishing up the game of 20 questions with immigration, having successfully convinced them that I didn’t know anyone in Israel, that no one else had packed my bags for me, that it was not a business trip, that I left the fanny pouch for my rented international cell phone at home because frankly I just don’t look good in a fanny pouch and after having finally agreeing to set Megan, my oldest daughter up in an arranged marriage with the immigration officers son I was approved to go to Israel…oh, except for the fact that I didn’t have an approved ticket to board the plane.  (giving thanks)

 After they finally figured out it was a computer error they issued me a new ticket and I boarded the plane ready for my 10 ½ hour flight into to Tel-Aviv.  (giving thanks)  The flight itself was great until, Benny gave Joe a sleeping pill to help him sleep on the flight, that’s when all the fun began.  While attempting to get some sleep on the flight so I wouldn’t be a zombie once we arrived most of my time was spent helping Joe not fall out of his seat.  The pill made him totally wacky.  When he would stand up attempting to stay awake, while standing in the aisle he would fall over his seat and right on top of me.  He would go and get a soda from the stewardess to help keep him awake and each time he would sit down with it he would fall asleep holding it and spill it right on me.  Out of six drinks he had, I managed to catch 3 and have 3 spilled down my leg.  At one point after eating dinner he fell asleep and dropped his head right into his dinner plate, knocked off his glasses, then stepped on them and broke them.  After a little while this all just became comical and oh how I wish I was smart enough to snap a few photos of Joe with my iPhone for evidence later.  Once he reads this I’m sure he’ll deny everything.  So, on the 10 ½ hour flight I got the sum total of 1 hour of sleep.  (giving thanks)

 However, the good news is this…We arrived in Tel-Aviv at 7:30 AM and it was time to start walking the footsteps of Jesus!!!

 Still giving thanks!

  It took a little longer than expected but as promised I wrote in my journal daily while on the trip to Israel.  So…Today begins day 1 from my journal.  I continue to post one day from the journal over the next few weeks.  I hope you enjoy the reading and aren’t too scared by the look into my mind. (haha)  My journal notes can never replace really being there but, until you can make the trip for yourself, it’s better than nothing.  Happy reading!

Day 1 – Israel Trip – Saturday, March 13

 “In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 This is the first lesson I’ve learned on my trip.  I arrived at Orlando International Airport with so much anticipation, so much excitement ready to sink my feet into the sands of the Mediterranean Sea.  However, God had other plans.  He wanted me to learn to give thanks in ALL things.

 Due to some really strong winds in New York our flight was cancelled and we were unable to get a new flight until Monday at 4 AM.  We booked a hotel over the phone 2 miles away from the airport only to arrive, go into the lobby and find out it was overbooked and they had no rooms available.  We checked at least ½ dozen more hotels to hear the same thing…”no vacancy.”  I was beginning to wonder if I was feeling the same aggravation Mary and Joseph were feeling as they were looking for a place the night Jesus was born.  After learning that they was not one hotel within 30 minutes of the airport that had rooms available we decided to stop the search, grab a bite to eat and relax for a little bit.

 We enjoyed a great steak dinner at Charlie’s Steakhouse and shared some really wonderful conversation.  Following dinner we hit the road and drove, and drove, and drove until finally upon arriving in Haines City we found the glorious “Inn Nova” where we would settle in for the night.  The hotel is exactly one hour away from the airport, but hey, at least we’ve got someplace to sleep.

 So it’s just after 12:30 AM and as we are all filing off of the elevator to settle into our rooms the message I needed to hear, the lesson I needed to learn came from the 67 year old “jolly” retired Pastor in our group of 4, and here is what he said.   “In all things give thanks young men, in all things give thanks.  Let’s get up and go to church in the morning.  Sound good?”

 “Sounds good brother Joe, sounds good!”

Every time I say that, or even just have that thought I am completely overwhelmed with emotions.  As a Christian, you read the stories throughout Gods word, you learn from them and you try and think what it might have been like if you were there.  As a Pastor you try to learn as much about the time period, the locations, the people of Bible times as possible, hoping that you can glean a better understanding of Gods word and pass on as what you’ve learned to those you’ve been called to lead.  Still, I hear people say so often how hard it is to really make the Bible come alive because it was so long ago and so far away.  Well all of that is about to change dramatically for me and I really still just can’t believe it.

In just a couple of days I’ll be walking the very streets that Jesus walked.  I’ll be floating on the same waters where Jesus calmed the sea.  I’ll be dipping my feet in the Mediterranean Sea.  Hopefully I won’t run into anyone that’s just been spit out of a great fish.   I’ll be standing on the mountainside where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.  I’ll be drawing water from the same well that Jesus’ mother Mary was drawing water from when an angel from Heaven shared with her the great news that she was going to be the mother of the Savior of the world.  I’ll have an opportunity to be re-baptized in the Jordan River, the very same river where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.  I’ll be traveling through the ancient city of Jericho, seeing the ruins of the walls that came tumbling down when Joshua and the Israelites marched and blew their trumpets as well as standing in the same fields that Shepherd’s may have been standing in when the announcement of the birth of our Savior happened.  I’ll visit the upper room where Jesus met with His disciples and shared the Last Supper.  I’ll walk the same route Jesus walked as He carried His cross to Golgotha.  I’ll have the unbelievable opportunity to stand on the very site the sins of the world were forgiven; the place where Jesus took my sin and yours and placed it on His shoulders and died for us.  The last stop will be the tomb where I’ll have the chance to take communion with other Christians thanking God for overcoming death, for rolling the stone away and leaving the tomb empty!

Even sitting here writing about what I’m about to experience up close and personal is causing my spirit to stir and my heart to fill with joy.  My mind keeps asking the same question over and over again…”What will it be like?”  I can truly tell you that at this point I have no answer.  I am looking forward to connecting with God in a way like never before.  I am praying for Him to touch my heart in ways that make His word, His life, His sacrifice take on entirely new meanings to me.  I would like to ask you to please pray.  Pray for Julie, Megan and Molly.  Pray that God gives them peace while I’m gone.  Ask God to watch over them and protect them while I’m away.  Pray for safety as I travel, but more than that pray that God will take full advantage of my heart and shape me through this encounter with Him.  I can’t wait to get there, but I’m just as excited to get home and have the answer to my question.  I’ll be sure to let you know just what it was like once I get home.  Thanks for your prayers and we’ll talk soon.

His Humbled Servant,

Tom

Wow!  All I can say is WOW!  God is totally amazing.  In my humble pursuit to begin meeting and befriending those in our homeless community as God has called me to I have learned a few things that I’d like to pass along.

They are real people. 

It’s totally amazing.  So many times we pass right by a homeless person and try to pretend they aren’t really there.  I’ve been guilty of seeing a homeless person and making sure to avoid eye contact at all cost.  I figured if I didn’t see them see me then everything was fine, I wouldn’t have to stop.   This kept them from becoming “real” to me.  Stepping out of my box and actually going up to one man helped me learn this next very interesting point.

They know when we are avoiding them.

While sitting down at a table having breakfast with one homeless man I’ve met it was very interesting to see from his perspective how many people avoided him.  At least 5 times while were eating together people who know me, who speak to me every single time they see me, only managed to make a small gesture my way simply because of who I was sitting with.  I saw the look of his face as he saw each one of these people do their best to avoid having to talk to me because I was sitting there talking to him.  WOW…did that ever open my eyes.  

Funny thing is I saw myself in those people walking by.  I realized that for years I have done the exact same thing.  I realized that I didn’t have any problem greeting the server in the drive through window at McDonald’s with a big “hello”, “have a great day”, or “God bless you” but very seldom, if ever, would I greet someone in our homeless community in that way.  I had to apologize to God that day for not feeling as though the homeless “deserved” my time and attention.

As I sat there that morning, getting to know my new friend I learned the next important fact I want to share with you.

They’ve got a story.

Believe it or not, they’ve got a story.  They are sons, they were husbands, they have children, they grew up in an orphanage, they have siblings, they played soccer and ran track at their high schools, they had jobs.  Every homeless person I’ve meet so far all have a story, and their stories for one reason or another have led them to a life of homelessness. 

It’s just like you and me when you think about it.  We’ve got a story.  The experiences of our past, combined with our families and the choices we’ve made have led us to exactly where we are today.

It’s the same for them.  As I’ve met them and begun to learn their stories my first inclination has been to “fix” them.  I’m a “fixer”; I don’t like things to be left broken.  Maybe some of you are the same way.

So…in an effort to get them “fixed” I’ve tried to reach out and offer solutions.  “I can take to you the attorney you need to meet with to get your disability checks figured out.”  “I can take you to the clinic so you can pick up your meds.”  “I can help find a place for you to stay dry because there’s a really bad rain coming.”

With every offer I’ve made they tend to shrink back into themselves and are not yet ready for me to “fix” them.  At first this began to discourage me and then it hit me…the next thing I want to share with you.

It’s not our job to “fix” them.

They don’t want to be fixed.  They just want a friend.  They’re interested in someone showing up and “knowing” them.   I am confident that when they are ready they will ask for the help they need but, it will be in their time and when they know that I’m not there to “fix” them I am there because I’m their friend.  So…as I am making new friends, I am learning their needs and behind the scenes figuring out ways to help meet their needs so that when they ask for help I’ll be ready.

As my friendships are growing another thing I’m noticing is…

They are watching.

They are watching to see if I’m “for real”.  You know what I mean when I say that.  They want to know what it is I want; what’s in it for me; why am I doing this.  They are looking to see if I truly am going to be a friend or if just like the last guy that showed up, I’ll give them a hot meal and that’s the last time they’re going to see me.  I mean, isn’t that how you’d be?  If someone comes around each holiday and drops off a nice hot meal in your lap and says, “Jesus loves you”, then you don’t see them again ‘til next Christmas, how likely are you going to be to trust them or put much stock in what they say?

I want to be the kind of person they can trust.  Someone who they know they can depend on.  I might not like how they act sometimes or the things they say to my face, but regardless, I’m gonna be there. 

It’s interesting to me that God doesn’t always like the things I do or the things I say but, He is always there.  God doesn’t always like how I act when I’m in front of Him (which by the way is all the time) but He is always there.  Although, I choose to try and handle life on my own sometimes, or I determine that I can handle a certain situation better than God can handle it He is always there for me when I wise up and turn back to Him.  God is someone I can trust at all times.  I believe that we should be that way too.  We should be someone that people can trust at all times. 

When I say I am going to do something I better mean it and I better do it.  My new friends are watching me and I am determined that instead of seeing me they are going to see Jesus. 

Look; in no way do I want to pretend to have all of the answers or to suggest that I have it all together.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  All I’m saying is that God opened my eyes to an area of reality that I needed to step into.  The good news for me is that I did.  I was nervous, uncertain, unqualified and uninterested but I stepped in anyway.  Now all I can say is WOW!  God is totally amazing. 

I want to challenge you to listen to what God is telling you to do.  Listen to where God is leading you.  When you hear Him speaking, listen.  When you see Him opening doors, step into them.  You will not be sorry! 

Make this bold statement with me today…WHERE HE LEADS ME I WILL FOLLOW!!!

Americans spend $80 billion a year on gift cards. Over 8 billion of that goes unused and unredeemed.

There’s a story I want to tell you about Teaching Pastor Lloyd Shadrach from Fellowship Bible Church (FBC) in Nashville, TN.  Lloyd was set to deliver a message on spiritual gifts and in my opinion was very courageous to start his message on gifts the way he did.  At FBC an intro video plays before each sermon to give context to the series or book of the Bible they are studying. The video played as usual, and then nothing happened. No Lloyd. No Lloyd for like a minute.

You may not realize this but for each service we have a set schedule, timed for each and every part of our service.  FBC is the same way.  When you have a set schedule and use every second of the service for everything from music, prayer, and preaching to announcements a minute feels like a long time. But not as long as five minutes which was how long it had been when Lloyd who was sitting on the front row, gets up and walks out.  Not onto the stage but out of the worship center.  A few minutes later he came back in to sit down, like he had casually been to the bathroom or something.  He follows that up by making a cell phone call to arrange dinner with a friend after the service. He chatted with the person next to him about what to do, because he did not want to teach.

After thirteen minutes of listening to him do nothing, he finally stood up and asked the church how this had made them feel. People were eager to say they almost left or they were frustrated or some even confessed to being angry and felt cheated. What ever the spectrum people found themselves on all of them in some way felt unsetteled and incomplete; they felt like they were short-changed. Then Lloyd said this; (now read this carefully because this is very important)…“this is how it feels when someone chooses not to use their gift to benefit others for God’s glory.” His object lesson was brilliant because it taught a very effective lesson in a concentrated amount of time.

When you are not using your spiritual gifts regularly, you leave a huge void. People and the church suffer. Lloyd’s gift to teach, unused, threw everyone at FBC that day into a tailspin and his inaction caused a ripple through the body.
We all have spiritual gifts. All to be used in the measure in which we have. When I don’t use mine, you suffer. When you don’t use yours, I suffer.

So…Be who God made you to be and do what God made you to do…I need you!  We need each other!!!

Take some time today and read 1 Corinthians 12 & 1 Peter 4:10.  You’ll be glad you did.

And the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.             – Exodus 9:12

Moses, as directed by God is asking Pharaoh to let Israel go.  God hardens his heart.  A plague comes.  Repeat these steps…again, and again. 

Have you ever asked yourself the question; “Why would God keep hardening Pharaoh’s heart, why not just get Israel out?”  Because God is setting it all up for the future.  By the time the plagues end, the Egyptians are so happy to be getting rid of Israel that they actually bless them on the way out of town- they give them valuables and don’t protest their leaving.  They are happy that their slave labor is leaving. 

What Israel thought was a set back was actually a set up.

Here’s a bit of good news for you.  God knows what He is doing and He sets things up for the future.  That is good to remember if you continue to get frustrated at the things around you.  It is hard to be patient, but it could be that God is setting things up for your future. 

Your set back could be God’s set up. 

Just a thought!

“Bless the LORD, O my soul,                                                                                       
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you
with loving-kindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth
is renewed like the eagle.”
- Psalm 103: 1-5 (NASB)

Do you ever have days when you don’t feel like worshipping? As someone who has been leading worship for nearly 19 years, I have to admit that sometimes I don’t feel like worshipping.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, it’s just that I don’t feel like it.  Some days I am tired, some days my throat hurts; other days, I am feeling down or distracted by other things. Sometimes life just seems too hard. Though I am ashamed to admit that I have these thoughts and feelings, I realize that they are more common than anyone would like to admit. How do we come before the Lord of lords in all His majesty when our hearts feel so apathetic?

It is in times like these that I look to the Psalms, one of my favorites of God’s gifts to us. The Psalms provide an entire arsenal of prayers and petitions that we can use when we find ourselves in a spiritual drought. Take David for example; certainly his life was no picnic. Between his bouts with sexual sins, murder and even running for his life, there must have been times when he felt reluctant to worship God. But still we see him faithfully proclaiming the greatness of our Lord. David knew that the very quality of his worship was not based on his own will but on the object of his worship – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though our affections for God may change at points, His character is unchanging! We even see David speaking to his own soul, demanding of it, “Bless the Lord!”  He reminds himself even in the harshest of circumstances how good God is, remembering blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon him.

I think God knows that worshipping Him can be a discipline at times. And like any other relationship in our lives, our relationship with the Lord takes work. But on those days that are hardest to praise His name, that’s when I find worship to be the sweetest. Though I may enter feeling tired or disconnected, I find joy and peace in the presence of God and the Holy Spirit sustains that worship, renewing my mind and restoring my heart. All I have to do is show up. God is not only the author of worship, but His radiance inspires us and enables us to bring Him the adoration due His name.

So, next time you are tired and feel as though you have nothing to give to God in worship, know that you are right. There is nothing we can bring before Him that He hasn’t first given to us. And on those hard days, we must confess that we don’t want to worship Him, but we want to “want to” worship Him. Over time, He will help us say like the psalmist said…“I will bless the Lord at all times.” (Ps. 34) 

So, even when you don’t want to worship I encourage you to show up! 

I have to confess.  I’ve known for quite some time that the world we live in is getting worse and worse.  That Morals are more and more becoming a thing of the past.  I felt as though I had gotten to the point where nothing anymore could even shock or surprise me, but boy was I sadly mistaken.

As I was listening to the radio the other morning, trying to catch up on the score to the Rays game I heard one of the saddest advertisements I’ve ever heard.  Here was the opening line…“Life is short, have an affair.”  (Yep, that’s right, that’s what they said.)  I just about spit the orange juice I was drinking all over the front window of my car.  The commercial then began to encourage everyone listening to “join the other like minded individuals who realize that you can’t always get fulfillment from your spouse and that it is okay to cheat.”

I absolutely COULD NOT believe what I was hearing.  As I listened to this ad I asked myself a couple of questions. Why would someone intentionally try to destroy marriages? Why do people glorify something (adultery) that is so clearly offensive to God?

Unfortunately, adultery is nothing new. It might be more talked about and out in the open in today’s society, but adultery has existed for thousands of years. Abraham betrayed his marriage vows with Sarah by sleeping with Hagar. David had an affair with Bathsheba. Adultery is not a new sin. The betrayal still exists, and so do the ramifications.

Exodus 20:14 is clear: “You shall not commit adultery.” This was not a suggestion that was made to us but rather a commandment straight from the mouth of God. 

You see, the truth is that adultery doesn’t solve the problem of unhappiness in your marriage. Adultery doesn’t help you fall back in love with your spouse.  No; what adultery does is destroy marriages, families, hope, love, and trust. But most of all, it destroys a covenant made between man and God. Proverbs 6:32 says, “But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.”

Let me share with you a little bit of reality…HAVING AN AFFAIR IS WRONG, it is a sin and if you are currently caught up in this sin you better wise up now and stop, repent, seek forgiveness from God and go to your spouse honestly and openly as well.  If you’re unhappy at the moment in your marriage and have begun to think about having an affair let me encourage you to think again.  Don’t make the choice to knowingly commit a sin that God has commanded us not too.  Don’t put your entire family at risk simply because you feel unhappy or like the love is gone.

God wants to help you.  God can and He will restore your marriage if you will give Him the chance.  You don’t have to live in an unfulfilling relationship, that choice is yours.  If your marriage isn’t where it needs to be, then it means that there is a disconnect somewhere between your marriage and God.  Start there, not with the affair.  Go to Christian marriage counseling.  Come sit down with Pastor Darin or myself.  Learn the art of conflict resolution and how to compromise in marriage.  Learn how to become unselfish in your marriage.

Let me encourage you to never take advice from worldly people.  Worldly people are not interested in pleasing God, they are not interested in following God’s will, they are only interested in making themselves happy.  I guess that is one thing that saddens me so much about it.  They would find that happiness if they would just look in the right place. 

Bottom Line…

An affair is NOT the answer.  GOD is.

Approached from any angle, our God is glorious, majestic, loving and holy. You can search as long as you like but you will find no gaps in His greatness or goodness. He is steadfast, constant and perfect.

 When we study a person for a while, it doesn’t take us long to find some kind of ‘chink’ in their armor – some kind of inconsistency perhaps. Although we may each have admirable qualities, none of us are as steadfast, faithful or unflawed as we would hope to be.

 God, however, is different.

He tells us He is holy, and it is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He tells us He is love, and everywhere you look you will find His love. He tells us He is faithful, and as we investigate we discover that He is absolutely true to His word. He is the perfect and unfailing King of glory. He is the incomparable God of holiness – set apart to be worshipped and adored. Constantly He shines with splendor. Moment after moment He radiates grace, peace and love. There is no lapse in His character or inconsistency in His nature.

Our God is everything he says He is… for now and all eternity.