Eclipsing a Miracle

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Ted W Harris

It happened…again.  That celestial event that had schools closed, airports overcome with travelers, highways resembling parking lots and me suddenly planting flowers in the dark. A total solar eclipse! It was pretty amazing being in the path of totality where at three in the afternoon it was suddenly dark enough for the street lights to come on. It was fun Monday afternoon working outside and glancing sunward every few minutes through our high-tech cardboard glasses to see the progress of the moon overtaking the sun.

It was amazing to read all of the doomsday, apocalyptic articles tagging the eclipse to the end of the world, the second coming of Christ or ?climate change?.  It was a little upsetting. I mean they treated this like it was some rare phenomenon. When in fact it happens every 1-3 years somewhere in the world. That’s more often than I go to the dentist. What has me upset is that in their attempt to make this regular thing point prophetically into the future, they have in fact eclipsed the miracle of the eclipse. (See what I did there?)

The miracle is not that it happened last Monday, April 8, at 3:00 pm. The miracle is that weeks before it happened we knew that at 3:00 pm, Monday, April 8 it was going to happen. And we know when it will happen again, August 12, 2026. And our high tech glasses? They were from August 21, 2017, the last time this happened. The miracle of the eclipse is not pointing into the future but into the past, the waaaayyyy in the past past. Like all the way back to when God set the sun, moon and stars in the heavens and set the whole universe in motion. A motion that somewhere between 6,000 years and 4.5 billion years ago (depending on who you believe) can still be accurately predicted today. The eclipse isn’t random, the sun and moon don’t travel randomly. It wasn’t an accident what happened Monday afternoon.

If you want a celestial miracle:
Joshua 10:12, “On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel…The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” (Allowing Joshua to win the battle)

2 Kings 20:11, “Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the LORD, and the LORD made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.” (the sun reversed it’s course) See Isaiah 38:7-8 as well. 

Matthew 27:45, “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.” (the last 3 hours of Jesus hanging on the cross)

Eclipses, sun standing still, sun moving backwards, darkness at noon all are miracles pointing to the God of Creation who is still active both celestially and terrestrially today.  Let’s not try and make these things something they are not but allow them to do what they are designed to do. Namely point to a creator God who has given order to his universal creation. It is a tough case to claim random chance to what happened on Monday, April 8 and what we know will happen again August 12, 2026.

The Eclipse is just God saying, “Every day is sun up, and sun down like clockwork. But occasionally? “Watch this!”

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to make sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.”  And it was so. God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning – the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-19 (NIV)

(Photo credit to my friend Jeremy Martin)

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So Close!

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Ted W Harris

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my spiritual heroes. For those that may be reading this and not be familiar with Bonhoeffer, he was a German Lutheran pastor, professor and openly opposed Hitler and his Nazi worldview. He saw the national church of his day heading down a road of compromise with secular culture and therefore spent most of his ministry calling the church back to a life of holiness. Much of what he wrote is still timely and influential for the church today; The Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, and many theological papers are just some of his writings. When Sari and I visited Berlin last year, we visited the church where Bonhoeffer was ordained (see picture above). As Hitler rose in power and the national church began to cozy up to his way of thinking, Bonhoeffer began to set up underground seminaries to train pastors for his Confessing Church, established to maintain strict biblical beliefs and practices. One such seminary was Finkenwalde just outside of modern day Szczecin, Poland.  

When the Berlin Project Team from Eagle went to Berlin in February of this year, we took a side trip across the border into Poland stopping at a restaurant for authentic pierogies. The restaurant was in Szczecin. The problem was I never put all of this together until reading a book this week that referred to Finkenwalde and I did some research. While we enjoyed our pierogies, I never realized we were less than 5 miles from the site of Finkenwalde. Today there is still the Garden of Silence and Meditation memorializing Bonhoeffer and the seminary.  How great would it have been to walk those grounds!?

I tell you all of this to say “I missed it!” We were so close and I didn’t have a clue. I was focused on pierogies. And here is the point. Much of the world and many believers, are living their life missing what Jesus is doing around them. Why? We aren’t paying attention, we are more focused on pierogies. Many times even getting cozy with the culture.  Jesus is at his work and we get distracted by the things of this world.


In the bigger scheme of things missing out on a Bonhoeffer landmark for a few delicious pierogies is really no big deal – upsetting – but not a matter of life or death. But missing out on Jesus because we are focused on the things of this world…
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world (or some pierogies), yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”  Jesus in Mark 8:34-38

The way of the disciple of Jesus is oftentimes a way of sacrifice and suffering. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  It was Bonhoeffer in his book The Cost of Discipleship that said “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Die to self but alive to Christ. On April 9, 1945, after two years in prison and without a trial, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged for his opposition to Hitler and his commitment to the Gospel.

As we are coming off of Holy week and Easter is past, I am reminded of all that Christ gave that we who are dead in our sin might be made alive through Christ, let’s stop and count the cost. Who or what am I chasing after? Christ and all that he offers? The World and all that it offers? What in my life says Jesus and what says World? I don’t want to come to the end of this life and realized “I was so close but missed it.” Let’s chase after Jesus together – through prayer, confession, worship, study, service, community…

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” -Jesus, John 17:16

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Where are the Eagles?

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Ted W Harris

It was my favorite spot to put the kayaks in the river. About 5 minutes from our house. Easy access. Right next to the Sewage Filtration Plant. Wait…What? Hey it was the White River in Muncie, IN I am sure it was okay! Why that location? About a quarter of mile downstream, high in the top of a tree was a massive eagle’s nest. And almost always at least one eagle was sitting in it or near it.  That day was no different.  As we approached the nest, I stopped paddling to take in the sight. Similar to the picture above I downloaded off the internet. I was kayaking, gimme a break, I didn’t have a camera!  As I floated past the nest and turned to look down stream, putting my paddle back in the water, out of a tree on the other side of the river dropped the other eagle. Swooping down to the surface of the water and gliding just inches above the river.  Amazing! I have said it before and I will say it again – There is just something majestic about an eagle!

I immediately think of Isaiah’s description of the follower of God, “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  How many of you have ever felt like that eagle. Spiritually you were soaring – not weary – not faint.  How many spiritual eagles do you know? I mean followers of God whose life is awe inspiring – soaring just above the surface of any circumstance. The Church in America is missing some eagles. Where are the eagles?

“Many Christians are careful to observe certain times, places and rituals for worship; but when the service of the church is over, they are but like those that profess no regard for religion. In their manner of life, in the way they spend their time and money, in their cares and worries, fears and pleasures, indulgences and diversions, it is often impossible to distinguish professing Christians from the rankest unbelievers, until they once again unite to sing of their love and devotion to Jesus.” 

That sounds like commentary on many western Christians today. The only problem is that was written by William Law, Church of England, 1761 – 260 years ago.  Where are the Eagles? The church doesn’t seem to have changed much over the years. I ask myself why, when God has given us everything we need to live a life pleasing to him – a life with Jesus that enables us to soar just above the problems, circumstances, trials and tribulations. Why are so many of us not soaring? Perhaps we are missing eagles because we have been preaching and teaching following Jesus and not preaching becoming like Jesus. We have preached knowing him and not imitating him. We have preached believe in him and not be like him. We have taught comfort and not sacrifice. We have preached love Him and not fear Him.

Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Until we begin to live our life with a healthy fear of God, in awe of God, we will never soar like eagles. Many have lived the life of a flightless bird. There is nothing more uninspiring than to see a bird with wings – seemingly made for flight – run across the ground. Believers are made to fly.  But when we remove the fear of God – remove the awe of God – the majesty of God – he becomes ordinary – kind of like you and me. 

We must return to a healthy fear of God? To live in the awe inspiring majesty of the Creator of the Universe. The Almighty Maker of heaven and earth. To worship him in all of the awesomeness that is Jesus!

“Soaring. Life as God intended it enables us to live above the drag of fear, superstition, shame, pessimism, guilt, anxiety, worry, and all the negativity that keeps people from seizing each day as a gift from Him. The abundant life allows a person to start the day by saying, ‘Lord I’m yours. Today is yours. I give you all of my problems as I begin this new day. I know I’ll struggle and grope, and I may even stumble, but I know your with me and you will use every experience of my life to increase my ability to receive more and more strength from you.” Chuck Swindoll

“Are you ready to soar?”

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That’s My Dad!

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Ted W Harris

I had one of those Dads that took an interest in pretty much everything I did. It didn’t really matter what it was. Baseball. Basketball. That one horrible year of football. Wood working. Golf.  My dad may have been my biggest fan. I didn’t realize it at the time but I do now…I was lucky…extremely lucky! I coached little league for years where the dads didn’t show up. My Dad was always there. If he wasn’t coaching the team I was playing on, he was in the stands! By the time I reached high school age there were often many people in the stands. All cheering or shouting instructions…usually helpful and encouraging, usually! I remember distinctly at the age of 13 and the first time ever that Dad wasn’t coaching my baseball team, that of all the voices yelling instructions, including my coaches, it was Dad’s voice that rang out above them all. I began to tune out all of the other voices and hear one lone voice, Dad! His support! His instruction! His voice! That’s my Dad!

Fast forward to the first time I really studied the Gospel of John. Bible College. Rev. Ron Scharfe.  John chapter 10. It is Jesus explaining the Good Shepherd and his sheep. The Shepherd can go in the pen and his sheep will hear and obey his voice.  In those days, there several shepherds shared the same pen but the sheep only responded to their shepherd’s voice. I learned that that is actually true of sheep. They have been trained to distinguish his voice over all of the other voices. And it hit me. I knew exactly what Jesus meant. Suddenly I was back on the pitcher’s mound at 13 years of age and hearing my Dad talking me through how to pitch to the batter. His voice over all of the other voices. That’s my Dad!

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus, John 10:27

How was I able to hear only my Dad’s voice? Years of listening to him. Years of building a relationship – Father/Son – Coach/Player.  I had heard my Dad so many times, on the field, in the backyard, on the car ride to and from the field. So many times that his voice was easily recognizable in the crowd.  It is no different with Jesus. Many say Jesus doesn’t talk to us these days – that you can’t hear his voice. But if you spend time in prayer, time in the Scripture, time taking thoughts captive, time paying attention to that mental nudge of the Spirit, all of this helps us develop the ability to hear his voice. But if I spent little or no time with my Dad, his would have just been one of the many voices rattling around in my head.

Jesus longs to have that kind of a relationship with his sheep. Those that he willingly died for – read all of John 10. It is a wonderful word picture of the love that God has for us. The desire that Jesus has to protect us, lead us, give us a life that is more abundant than we could imagine.  And there is no short cut to learning to hear his voice. It only comes through time spent with the Father. Times where we get away from all of the distraction, all of the noise, all of the good – but not best – things in this life. Get away alone with the Father. That’s my Dad!

Where do you go to listen to God? Where do you go to get rid of the distractions and learn to hear his voice? If you have that place, thank God for it! If you don’t have that place begin asking God for it and get there on a regular basis. Make those times of solitude with God a natural rhythm in your life. Because when the game is on the line, you only want to be hearing one voice! That’s my Dad!

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

*picture not really my Dad, just some random shepherd leading his sheep!

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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

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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”

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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