VICTORY!

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Ted W Harris

This is absolutely one of my most favorite times of the year. Valentine’s Day? Lenten Season? No, sorry. Last week pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training! Opening Day of baseball season is just around the corner. The thing I love about the start of a new baseball season is that my beloved Kansas City Royals are tied for first place. Every major league team is on the starting line and begins the journey to the World Series. We know that only two teams will make it and only one crowned champion. But for a few weeks I can dream that this is the year for my Royals to do it again. In 2015, with a bunch of young players and older pitchers, they pulled off the unthinkable and won the World Series for just the second time in team history.

I don’t know the statistics but seldom does the preseason pick to win any championship actually win it at seasons end. That’s why they play the games. Victory is not guaranteed. Nobody is just handed the trophy without putting in the hard work and discipline to be the best. For the person who believes in Jesus, victory is guaranteed. When this life is over, whether by our own death or Jesus’ return, those that have placed faith in Jesus will receive a crown.“Do you now know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

What we need to understand is that the strict training that we enter into is not so that we can earn the crown, Jesus already did that work. The training are all of the spiritual disciplines that we undertake to prepare us for the race. Life is the race and life is, at times, a battle. Nothing is handed to us or guaranteed. Jesus showed us that at the beginning of his ministry in Matthew 4.“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit in to the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.” 

Jesus was about to go head to head with Satan himself and what did he do to prepare for this battle – he fasted for 40 days and nights. That is really strict training. The spiritual battle in the wilderness would define his ministry and be the foundation for every other battle with the enemy the next 3+ years. Jesus, we know, had the ultimate victory by raising from the dead and in that victory securing our victory of resurrection as well. But until that day – Jesus shows us how to live – how to fight – how to prepare for the daily battles.

Jesus fasted, just one of the spiritual disciplines, in preparation for the daily battle. He fasted because he understands the battle. And what we can learn from Jesus’ Desert Battle Royale, is:

1. We are in a battle – facing daily temptations from the Devil. It was Peter who said, “Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith…” 1 Peter 5:8

And the enemy is crafty – he doesn’t use the same tactics on all of us. He devises a personal plan of attack for each of us. He will try to maximize the weaknesses of our hearts. The disciplines serve to strengthen our faith – strengthen our hearts.

2. Jesus understands MY battle – v.2, “Then the tempter approached him”  v.5, “then the devil took him”   v.8 “again the Devil took him.”  

Satan attacked his physical weakness – he was hungry. He attacked his spiritual identity – the Son of God. He attacked his future glory – give him the kingdoms of the world now.  I don’t know about you but I at times struggle to rely on God for my physical needs and I wrestle with who I am in Christ and sometimes I want the glory that will come in heaven (the crown), I want it now (the crown that won’t last). The disciplines serve to bring us into alignment with the purposes of God and help us to resist the Devil’s short circuiting of that purpose.

3. This battle is won through Jesus – v.11, “Then the Devil left him…”

For Jesus the victory of the tomb was won at that moment – Satan walked away – Easter was won in the desert. Oh there would be other confrontations for Jesus but this set the tone for all of the others.  AB Simpson, “He fought the battle of the wilderness as the Captain of our salvation and his conflict was the pattern and the pledge of the conflict and victory through which all his followers should pass.” His conflict was the pattern for our own strict training – those spiritual disciplines – those divine rhythms of grace that strengthen our spiritual hearts to fight every day. 

I don’t know what your battle is – from personal experience I am guessing it feels overwhelming at times – too much to bear, no chance of victory, I have already failed too many time.  Know that Jesus understands the battle – has shown us the method of preparation enabling us to fight again – and will walk with us onto the battle field every day. As we go through this lenten season, what training, what discipline, is Jesus inviting you into.


“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

And When I Run…

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Ted W Harris

Maybe you have heard the story, or have watched the movie, or have read the book. Eric Liddell was a missionary to China but before that he was an Olympic sprinter for Scotland. What most people know him for is his refusal to run in the 100 meter heat of the 1924 Olympics because the race was run on a Sunday.  He was favored to win the 100M but chose the 400 meter because it was ran during the week. He won the 400. After the Olympics, he returned to China, the country he was raised in by his missionary parents. In 1943, after sending his wife and children to stay with family in Canada, Liddell was sent to an internment camp. In February of 1945, he would succumb to an undiagnosed brain tumor, aggravated by the harsh conditions and malnourishment he had suffered in the camp.

He is perhaps best known for a quote made famous in the movie Chariots of Fire. We don’t know exactly what he might have said but it was something like this, “I believe that God made me for a purpose – for China. But he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure.”  Whether running or taking the gospel to the provinces of Northern China, Eric Liddell was a servant of God.  

Service, servanthood, is a marked characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and John all quote Jesus saying, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

And what is our service based on, what is the motivation for serving. Service comes out of relationship. For some of us we may need to switch our thinking. Service has more to do with your relationship with Jesus than any skill, ability or gift you may possess. “When I run, I feel his pleasure.”  The rest of that Liddell quote is “To give it (running) up would be to hold Him in contempt. You were right. It is not just fun. To win is to honor him.” 

Paul, who may have been a runner in his day, told the Corinthians, “Whether, then, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 

You see so often we make our life, our coming and going, our daily routine, our job, our family, our schedule all about me and then make my relationship with Jesus an addition to the already busy schedule. And if I can fit in an act of service here and there, bonus points. But understand this – God is not committed to your agenda.  We must align our agenda to his. And that only comes out of relationship with him. A relationship that is built on prayer, that most important part of the relationship.  For it is out of prayer that we discover who God is. And we discover who we are. And we discover that “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

We have mentioned often that the one thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to do was to pray. Why? Because they saw that all of the other things he did; miracles, teaching, healing, casting out demons, came out of or were a result of his prayer life – his abiding connection to the Father.

Out of mighty prayer comes mighty works.  

 “When I serve, I feel his pleasure”

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trouble with the Curve

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Ted W Harris

One more baseball story! Only 15 days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training!
As I have shared before, I grew up on baseball diamonds. And through my teenage years, I enjoyed a lot of success on those diamonds and learned many life lessons. I could field ground balls. Scoop throws in the dirt playing first base. Run down a pop fly in the outfield. Lay down a drag bunt and beat the throw to first. Step on the pitcher’s mound and outsmart hitters.

I love everything about the game. The sight of a well-manicured infield. The smell of a freshly mowed outfield. The feel of the dirt. The sound of metal spikes on concrete. The taste of a hot dog after a win. But one thing I never liked when I played the game was the dreaded curve ball. I couldn’t throw one and I couldn’t hit one. I have always had trouble with the curve. (Which is a great Clint Eastwood movie!)

Albert Pujols who is one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game. He struggles with curve balls too. For every 22 home runs Pujols hits off a fast ball, he hits 1 off a curve. And he hit 703 total in his career. He says that he has disciplined himself to not swing at curve balls and wait for the fastball.

Oh if life were only that easy. If we could just go through life and avoid the curves, the hardships, the disappointments, the grief. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls. What about you? How do you respond when life throws you a curve?

Overlooked for the promotion. Maybe even lost your job. Marriage not turning out the way you envisioned. Illness. Accidents. Crisis. Church Stuff. Circumstances that leave you wondering what is going on? What is going to happen? How are we going to make it?

And life doesn’t let you just sit back and wait for the fastball.

In John 16:16-33, Jesus’ disciples were about to enter one of those seasons of life. Jesus knew he needed to get them prepared because the curve that was coming was that He was leaving. Crucifixion, Buried, Future Unknown. Jesus had to teach them how to hit the curve. Things had been going well. They had been with Jesus for 3+ years. They had witnessed miracles, confrontations with religious leaders and learned a lot from the greatest teacher of all time. Coming into Jerusalem the crowds were unbelievable, singing and dancing as they entered the city.

But now the mood had changed. They celebrated the Passover in a little upper room of a house and things didn’t seem right. The celebration mood had a somber feel to it. Jesus knew these were the last moments he would have alone with the 12 disciples. He was about to remind them of why he came – that a time of mourning was coming – he was preparing them to hit the curve.

I want us to remember what the disciples began to understand in that little upper room of the house. Remember this – Our difficulties are God’s opportunities! God can hit the curve! Three things stand out to me from those verses. Go back and read them.
vs. 20, “You will grieve.”
vs. 20, “But your grief will turn to joy.”
vs. 24, “Ask anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Our difficulties are God’s opportunities!

And Jesus says remember when you asked me to teach you how to pray? From now on prayer is how you hit the curveball. Prayer is how you handle the doubt, the anxiety, the grief. You can’t physically run to me any more when there is trouble. But you can now spiritually run to me anytime.
Nothing frustrates an opposing pitcher like hitting his curveball. Satan hates when we pray!

Prayer can change grief to joy, confusion to clarity. Prayer disarms the enemy.
Prayer can help us see the big picture. Help us put these times of struggle into perspective.
            You need to ask the Father
            You need to believe the Son
I taught you how to pray early on – now you will have to pray – and the Holy Spirit will teach you and lead you in prayer.

Are you having trouble with the curve? Take it to the Father!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Comin’ In Hot!”

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Ted W Harris

I hated to see it! This couldn’t be good! As I backed out of my driveway, a spot appeared from under my truck. Something was leaking and puddling on the concrete. I checked all the fluids and it all seemed okay. I was going to be late picking a friend up at the airport so I pushed on. And there it was. Fifteen minutes into the drive down I-465 and that temperature gauge began to climb. Turn the heat on…full blast and pray.  The temperature began to drop into the normal range. Picked my friend up and delivered him to his car at the church and drove straight to the mechanic. Later that afternoon they took it out and drove it around only to find nothing wrong. Temperature normal. I picked up the truck and decided to test it again myself before heading out on a road trip the next day.  No problem on the interstate and thought I was in the clear. Exited and at the first stop light, temperature climbing. Back to the mechanic.

I am thankful for all of the gauges and warning lights on my vehicles. As much as I don’t want to see one come on, having a little head’s up can keep me from blowing an engine. Assuming I heed the warnings.

Wouldn’t it be great if our bodies came with warning lights. Kind of an early warning system to avoid the heart attack, or high blood pressure or even cancer. A flashing light at the first sign of a cold or flu. Comin’ in Hot!  Or what about our spiritual lives. A warning light when our prayer life is getting a little low.  Or our spiritual disciplines are getting out of rhythm, our timing is off. We are running low on fuel and need to spend some time in the Word. Would we heed the warnings? I drove a rental a few weeks ago that beeped when I put my turn signal on and a car was in my blind spot. What about a warning beep when we are getting a little too close to sin? We all have spiritual blind sights! Or we could have a light for each of the fruit of the Spirit.

In one sense we do have a warning system for our spiritual lives. Will we heed the warnings? Jesus said in John 14 as he was preparing his followers for his death and return to heaven, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you but if I go, I will send him to. you.” He goes on to say that the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will convict us concerning sin and will guide us into all truth. And he does all of this from the inside, indwelling the believer. He is our warning system, if we will heed his warnings. As we grow in the spiritual disciplines, we can learn to distinguish the warnings, the voice or promptings of the Spirit, and keep our lives from breaking down on the side of the road. It is this kind of life that keeps a 1964 Chevy Impala running smoothly alongside that 2023 Chevy Camaro. 

But God has also given us each other to help see the warning signs. Those times when we might be running low or comin’ in hot. Kind of like that mechanic that can see in us things we don’t always see in ourselves. We all have those blind spots to our own spiritual health. And we find it is easy to ignore the warnings. How is your spiritual warning system? Who do you have in your life that can tell when your temperature gauge is starting to climb? Listen to the Holy Spirit on the inside and our friends on the outside.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with your forever
– the Spirit of truth.”
John 14:15

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Reflection!

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Ted W Harris

Our family likes to hike. Our vacations to the mountains have always found us on one or two hikes. In fact, one of the first things we do is map out which hikes we want to go on. We pick the destination, usually a waterfall or what’s left of a mining camp from 100+ years ago. Then we check the route, the duration, the difficulty and pick the morning that we will go.  We have been able to experience some of the most amazing views the Rockies and the Smokies have to offer. (If you get a chance ask Sari about that waterfall in the picture) I will admit that we have also seen some amazing things by just setting off with no real destination in mind. But my point is this – if you want a certain destination, it is going to require some intentionality and planning.

2023 is winding down. In just a couple of days we will be welcoming the start of a new year. This changing of the calendar is a great opportunity to reflect. Was 2023 all that you hoped it would be? Did you take steps forward in your life, relationships, careers or did this last year sneak up on you in unexpected ways and you are more than ready to kick it to the curb and welcome a new year.  If we are honest the calendar has little to nothing to do with how are life is going or where we are compared to where we were a year ago. 
Where we are is the result of choices, either ours or someone else’s and then our response to those choices. None of us have ended up at the end of 2023 by accident – we have made choices along the way. We have chosen paths, some marked and some unmarked.  Maybe we had a destination in mind, maybe we didn’t. But every turn, every decision, every choice has gotten us to where we are.

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”  Zig Ziglar

No matter where you are or how you got there, we all have a new year in front of us. New opportunities, new paths, new choices. Where will you be this time next year?

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Benjamin Franklin

If we want to be moving forward, if we want to be able to look back despite the bumps, the hard climbs, the sometimes scary trails, look back and experience peace and joy, we will have to have a plan. We, submitting to the Holy Spirit, can begin to map out what this next year is going to look like.

I want to offer you a little exercise that might help you along the way. In Luke 2:52, we read a verse that many of us seldom stop to think about. A few years ago I was stopped and made to think about it. Here is what Luke wrote.

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (NIV)

This is really the only information we have about Jesus’ childhood and adolescents. But it maps out four areas where Jesus grew. Year by year. And gives us four areas of growth we should focus on in our own life.
Wisdom – intellectually
Stature – physically
Favor with God – spiritually
Favor with Man – socially

The exercise is to reflect on each of these areas of our own life. Prayerfully take these areas to God and listen to what path he might have for you. Write them down. Take time do this as a family. Help your children set some goals and lean into what God is doing in their life.

Wisdom – is there an area of study, topic that you need to grow in knowledge – maybe scripture, history. Set of goal to learn. Maybe take an online class. Did you know that Dallas Theological Seminary offers free online courses? Sari has taken some of these and loves them. Maybe you students can set a goal to bring up a grade in that one class. Maybe take advantage of the classes your church has to offer.


Stature – where is your physical health? After these last couple of weeks, I don’t need to grow, I need to leave some pounds behind? Maybe you are going to start walking every day, every other day. Maybe join a gym? Find an accountability partner and begin focusing on making healthy decisions, exercising and eating better.


Favor with God – Spiritually how are you doing?  Are you growing? What is the depth of your relationship with God? What direction is it heading?  Could you commit to regularly being in church? You are going to read that Bible, all of it, this year? You are going to start a regular prayer time? You are going to invite friends into a prayer group and pray for each other regularly? You are going to establish times of silence and solitude with God to worship and listen.

Favor with Man – What relationship do you need to focus on this year?  Do you need to be a better Dad? Spouse? Daughter? Employee? Neighbor?  Have you bounced through relationships looking for Mr/Mrs Right not waiting on God?  Who are you learning from and who is learning from you? Maybe you need to join a small group at your church. Maybe this is the year that you gather others around you and do life together?

I don’t know what 2024 has in store for any of us. But I do know that a year from now, I don’t want to look back and wonder “How did I get here?”  Take some time. Get alone with God and begin intentionally living into this new year!

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21  (NIV)

Posted in Church Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Giggles, Fruit and the Source of Joy

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Ted W Harris

I don’t think there is a more joyous sound than the uncontrolled laughter of an infant. Whether it is a game of peek-a-boo, being tickled or the dog is doing something funny.  Baby laughter is the best. This picture is of my middle daughter when she was about 6 years old. I don’t even remember what was going on but the look on her face, that laugh, gets me every time. To me it is the picture of joy.

Joy is one of the words we focus on at Advent Season. And joy is a hard word to define. Most people would put it right alongside the word happy and use them interchangeably. But as we discussed these two words in staff meeting Thursday morning, I believe there is a stark difference. Happy seems to be a surface level emotion. A feeling that is based on externals, circumstances, what we feel when we get what we want or enjoy what is happening. Joy seems to be a much deeper, inner quality. Joy doesn’t depend on situations and circumstance or getting what we want. Joy is an inner quality that finds peace and contentment regardless of what is happening.

Joy is also a rare commodity in today’s world. An article that I was reading this week said, “If America had a national mood, it would be gloom.” It went on to explain that statement by all the negative news in the media. Regardless of the reasons, there seems to be an epidemic of joylessness. CDC reports that suicide rates are the highest ever recorded. So why the doom and gloom.

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”  Luke 2:10 (NIV)

Maybe it is because we are looking for joy or at least happiness in all the wrong places. We are asking things in this life to produce joy when circumstances and situations and even other people were never meant to produce joy. Where does joy come from?  Paul listed joy as one of the Fruit of the Spirit. Fruit that is produced in a person through a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, these things can’t exist. So, if I am in regular relationship, communion, with God, joy seems to be one of the things that will be produced in all circumstances. That inner quality whose response is always one of praise and rejoicing in the Lord!

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”  Philippians 4:4

CS Lewis in Mere Christianity says, “What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’ – could set up on their own as if they had created themselves – be their own masters – invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside of God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history – money, poverty, ambition, wars, prostitutions, classes, empires, slavery – the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

And that is not how God designed things to work. Lewis continues, “God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

Joy only comes from a relationship with God, where God is allowed to work his will his way in our life. If we want to experience joy, repentance and then obedience to God are great first steps. Holiness is the pathway to joy because it is the environment God resides in.

I still see that face (that’s her sharing a moment with her brother) even today in her mid-20’s. Why? Because her life is so good and everything is working out perfectly? No, she could tell you even on the good days that there are things that aren’t perfect. We all battle emotional lows from time to time. People still disappoint and hurt us sometimes.  But she has found the true source of joy in a relationship with her heavenly father. A joy that is not dependent on circumstances and people but on the goodness of a loving God.

Are you finding joy this season? Look no further, He has been here all along!

“The joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Posted in Church Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Imagine There’s no Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Ted W Harris

In 1971 John Lennon composed what would be the number one song of his solo career. The lyrics encourage the listener to imagine a world living in perfect peace. Peace brought about without the barriers of national borders or divisions caused by religion and nationalities, and to consider the possibility that the focus of humanity should be living a life unattached to material possessions. Maybe you know the lyrics.

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in Peace…

Sadly many people today still think that the way to peace is through the philosophy and worldview behind these words.  No heaven, no hell, no religion. Lennon paints a picture that the world would be a better place, a peaceful place if we could just get rid of what he believes divides us. But peace isn’t in the absence of those things. The message of the gospel, the message of Christmas is that we can have peace in the midst of and in spite of those things. It is the brotherhood of man that has created governments, economic greed, hunger. It is man’s sin that brought a lack of peace to this world. Now God is desiring to restore peace. When shepherds were out in the cold winter night watching their flocks, a multitude of angels from heaven broke through the dark sky, lit up the whole area and shared a drastically different message. 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The belief that peace can be achieved if we could rid the world of politics, economics and religion is a false belief. John Lennon truly was a dreamer. Imagining away the very thing that brings peace. Sure the world’s politics and many of the greed driven economic systems and even the world’s religions are many times a source of grief and hardship. But that is just proof that peace, true peace, must come from somewhere beyond man made systems, man made philosophies. True peace resides in the person of Jesus. Jesus came that we might have peace. Peace with God and peace with one another. That the world might experience true peace. Our way to peace is through faith in Jesus. We don’t have to imagine it or dream about it. 
Jesus’ own words on the night he was betrayed, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” John 14:27
Or Paul’s words to the Ephesian believers, “For He himself is out peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..” Ephesians 2:14
Or Paul’s words to the believers in Rome, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Liord Jesus Christ.”

Let’s try it again…
Imagine only Christmas
It’s easy if you try
Jesus coming for us
A baby sent to die
Imagine all the people
Praising God today

Imagine heaven’s Savior
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to fear or hide from
Love and forgiveness too
Imagine all the people
Living a life of peace

This season, let us join the shepherds and spread the word concerning what has been told us about this child. Jesus, the Prince of Peace!

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tiding, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”  Isaiah 52:7

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Smells, Stockings and Boxes Under the Tree

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Ted W Harris

I realized after typing that heading and putting smells and stockings in the same title could misdirect where this article is going but I decided to leave it there anyhow. All three of these things have something in common (at least in my mind). They are all symbols of hope. I regularly walk into the house this time of year to a sweet aroma of whatever Sari is baking that day. Cookies, candies, pumpkin rolls, pies, the list goes on. All of those smells bring hopeful feelings that those delectable treats will find there way past my taste buds. And those stockings…well…

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

And those boxes under that tree in the corner of the living room, each one of them represents the hope that something from my Amazon “Dad’s Christmas Wish List 2023” will appear.  Hope is one of those words that gets used so much, I am fearful we have lost the impact of what it really means.  So often it is used as a synonym for ‘a wish’ or in hoping like there is a 50/50 chance what is hoped for will happen. I hope but am not certain.

When Paul uses the word hope in writing to the churches, he uses some form of the Greek word elpis. And each time the word doesn’t carry with it the idea of wishing or ‘what are the chances’, it carries with it a confidence, an expectation, a trust that the thing hoped for will happen or is true. Like when he writes the Galatians, “For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (Gal 5:5). Or to the Colossian Church,“if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard…” (Col 1:23) This word hope is closely tied to faith. Remember that well known biblical definition of faith given to us by the quill of the writer of Hebrews, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)  That is not an author using wishful language. That is a man standing firmly, confidently in his hope. 

And rightly so because any time Paul uses that word as a verb, pointing to an object of hope, it is always that same object.
Ephesians 1:12, “…to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ.”
Philippians 2:19, “But I hope in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you shortly”
And the Psalmist 38:15, “For I hope in you, O LORD; You will answer, O LORD my God.”

You see hope is only as certain as the object of that hope.  Now, 37 years of marriage have given me a high level of confidence that those smells coming from the kitchen are going to lead to something amazing. And 59 Christmas’ have given me a high level of confidence that whatever appears in those stockings and in those boxes will not disappoint. But let’s be honest, I have smelled smoke in the kitchen and I have needed the receipt on a few of those boxes. But I have never been disappointed when I have trusted, hoped in Jesus.

This first week of Advent centers around this message of Hope. What is the reason for your hope? How certain are you? When we give our life to Jesus and place our trust in him, then we have true hope! Make Jesus the soul reason for the hope you have in this life. Jesus truly is the reason for the hope we have.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!”  Romans 15:13

Posted in Church Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Leftovers!

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ted W Harris

We have officially come to the close of the Harris/Sullivan wedding celebrations. Planning for a year. Wedding on September 22 in Arizona. In October, an Indiana Reception for family and friends that could not make the westward pilgrimage. 40-50 Hoosiers gathered in my brother’s old barn and celebrated. Sari and my daughter Kenzie did a fantastic job of turning that giant chicken coop into an incredible reception venue. Sari, my sister and sister-in-law put together a mouth watering spread of food. BBQ beef and pulled pork, coleslaw, baked beans, veggies and dip, chips and queso, pasta salad, homemade sugar cookies, Nothing Bundt Cakes. It was amazing! And the best part was LEFTOVERS. I think the best part of any meal is the leftovers. Some meals even taste better the next day.  We sent food home with some people but still brought a lot of it home with us and I have been eating it all week long. It is still amazing!

I love leftovers but God seems to have a different view of them.  I say this because of two words used throughout scripture. First Fruits. First fruits refers to the first part of the harvest. It was the first fruit that was commanded to be brought to God. First fruits, not the leftovers. Once you brought the first fruits there was no promise that there would even be leftovers. So giving God the first part required faith that he would supply your needs out of the rest of the harvest. In fact, when God supplied the wandering Israelites with manna they were instructed to only gather enough for one day and eat all of it that day. Don’t have any leftovers. Some didn’t listen and the leftovers were filled with worms and stinketh. (Exodus 16) God doesn’t give us his leftovers and commands that we give him our first fruits. Think about Cain and Abel. When they each brought an offering to God, Cain brought ‘some of the land’s produce’ as he was a farmer. Abel brought ‘the firstborn of his flock’ since he was a shepherd. Cain’s offering displeased God while Abel’s was accepted. ‘Some’ vs. ‘First Fruits’  All throughout the Bible, it is the first fruit, the firstborn, the best, a tithe (10%) off the top that was to be brought to God as an offering.  God doesn’t desire your leftovers.

I am neither a farmer nor a shepherd so first fruits for me would be translated as giving out of my pay check. The fruit of my labor. A tithe would be that 10% off the top. Not just some of my pay check. Not if anything is leftover. This kind of ‘first fruits’ giving is a discipline. It is an act of worship. By regularly giving my tithe and offerings (offerings are anything over and above the tithe), I am actually confessing that everything I have is God’s and I am the steward that has been entrusted to use it wisely as God would use it. (Matthew 25:14-30) 

But being a good steward is not just about paychecks and money. We owe God the first fruits of our time. God has given us 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. 6 days to do all of the work we need to do and the 7th day is a Sabbath to the Lord. I am not going to get into what a Sabbath is but I will say this 4th Commandment tells me that at least some portion of my time is to be the first fruits and stewarded for God. God doesn’t want our leftover time, if we have any.

Does God get my first fruits?
Do I give the first fruits of my labor? What is my discipline of giving – regularly?, cheerfully?, off the top? Some? Leftovers?
Does God get the best time of my day or week or does he get the left overs. If there is time left, I will pray. If there is time left, I will read my Bible. If there is time left, I will attend a church service. And don’t even ask about small groups, discipleship, evangelism, or serving in Eagle Kids (or any other ministry), who has time for all of that. 

In that parable of the talents in Matthew 25, two of the servants were rewarded for the way they stewarded the resources God gave them and the time it took to invest it. The third servant was cast out because he didn’t take the time and buried the resources. God has given each of us time, abilities and financial resources to steward (take care of) for his kingdom. What am I doing with all that God has given me? 

At the end of the day we probably don’t even deserve the scraps off of God’s table and yet he gives us his Son, his first born. And while God deserves our best, many times we only offer him the scraps, the leftover parts of our life. Our bank statements and calendars reflect whether God is getting the first fruits or the leftovers. What if we gave God off the top and trusted him to meet all of our needs? No more Leftovers!

“His Master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s joy.”
Matthew 25:21

Posted in Church Leadership | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Taco Tuesday!

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Ted W Harris

It was a normal Tuesday. Meeting in the morning until roughly noon. Lunch time. Taco Tuesday means the weekly trek to Taco Bell. The usual order: Classic Combo – substitute soft for the hard (IYKYK), Chipotle Ranch Chicken Burrito and a large Baja Blast! Fire Sauce!  Ordered on the app, short drive, pick it up inside and sit down to eat. Delicious! Return to the office and start in on the afternoon to do list. A little before 3 o’clock, I get a notification that they have updated my Taco Bell app as per my request. Problem is I didn’t request an update. A quick check of my app and my phone number was now different. Quick…change password. Delete credit card on file. Check previous orders. Yep..Chalupas in Las Vegas; Locos Tacos in Orlando; and 3 Berry Raspberry Freezes with cinnamon twists in North Carolina – in all 4 orders totalling just under $80 after the door dash charges. All these orders were made within 5 minutes of each other. A fraud alert text soon followed. A quick phone call to MasterCard Customer Service and all erroneous charges declined, deleted from my account and new card in the mail. This had quickly become an abnormal Tuesday!

As I thought about Taco Bell assuming these four orders on the app were all being made by me and that somehow a glitch (can’t image 4 separate individuals all hit me at once) put me in 3 cities at the same time. We had an identity problem. You can’t blame the app. How was it to know who was making those orders. My only identity is in my profile – name, email, phone, birthday. That really doesn’t say much about me. And that got me thinking. My identity. Many struggle today with identity issues. Christians and non-Christians alike. For the Christian our identity, how we are to be known to the world, is a child of God, a follower of Jesus. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, Paul told the Corinthians that we become a new creation and the old things, the old life, has passed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our identity is no longer in the old sin-natured, spiritually-dead self but in the new made-alive-in-Christ life. We are even given the Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity, to live inside us and come alongside us helping us live out this new identity in Christ.  But, let’s be completely honest, we don’t always live according to the new identity. ItSometimes we choose to live abnormally, or subnormally and mirror the old way, the sin way.

Paul encouraged the Galatians with these words, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This is our new identity and with the aide of the Holy Spirit, we can live a normal Christlike life. A life that is identified by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Read those verses, we live by the Spirit.  This is the consecrated life – a striving for the normal Spirit-filled life, not mirroring the old worldly, sin-filled life. And the striving is not a matter of willing ourselves to be better, if that would work we wouldn’t ever have an identity issue. Consecration is a presenting ourselves, our whole selves, to the Holy Spirit and he does the work of sanctification – making us holy.  And this isn’t a one and done thing. It is a daily, moment by moment thing. The work we can do, the things that are our part of the equation, are what we call Spiritual Disciplines. These acts or works simply put us in the environments where the Holy Spirit can do his work. Disciplines like: prayer (private and corporate), study, Bible reading, community with other believers, silence and solitude, service, fasting and others. These are aspects of the normal Christian life. Let us now, set ourselves apart. Allow the Holy Spirit to continue his work of transformation in our lives and stop living a subnormal existence.

God has more for you than what you are currently experiencing. He has plans for you that will impact the world around you by showing the world a different way, a better way, a different Kingdom and different King. Your life is significant! If you have never identified as a follower of Jesus but are tired of this ‘less than’ life. You can become a new creation by asking Jesus to forgive you and come into your life and then be given this new identity to show in your new life. If you want to more about how to become a follower of Christ, click here! And then start your new life with a new identity!

The signs were all there. Chicken Chalupas? Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos? Raspberry Freeze? 13 Mild Sauce packets? Mild?…come on, that is so obviously not me! If you know me, you know those aren’t my orders.  How will people know your identity as a believer, a follower of Christ? What are the tell tale signs? What fruit is being produced? What disciplines would be considered normal in your life?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation”
2 Corinthians 5:17

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment