To Doorbust or Not To Doorbust?

Posted on November 29, 2009 by russellmckinney

This past Friday I got closer than I’ve ever gotten to doing some “door busting” on Black Friday. Walmart was advertising a sweet laptop at an unheard of price, and so I made plans to hit in there about 4:00 a.m. and take my place in line. I dreaded it, but since I’d never actually had one of those “door busting” experiences, and since I really wanted that laptop, I thought, “This is the year.”

Since the store was open on Thanksgiving day, Tonya and I made a trial run over there that afternoon. Fortunately for us, the lady who was going to be selling those laptops the next morning was also working that afternoon and took the time to answer some questions for me. The question-and-answer session went something like this:

“What time do I need to be here to get one of those laptops?”  “By 1:30 or 2:00 a.m.”

“Really? That early?”  “Yes, definitely. I wouldn’t advise coming any later.”

“How many of those laptops do you have?”  “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you that. I know, but I can’t tell you.”

“If I do get here at 2:00 a.m. what will I need to do?”  “Go back to the appropriate part of the store and get in line.”

“What then?”  “I will start handing out tickets. Then, when the sale actually begins at 5:00 a.m., I’ll go right down the line and give the person with the ticket a chance to buy a laptop. I’ll go right down the line until all the laptops have been sold.”

“So, if I get in line at 2:00 a.m. and get my ticket, can I spend the next three hours walking around the store?”  “No, the best I can do is give you a five-minute bathroom pass.”

“In other words, I’m going to have to stand in line for a full three hours just to get a chance at buying one of those laptops?”  “Yes, that’s right.”

It was somewhere along about then that my “door busting” turned into bronco busting and I was thrown off the horse. NOTHING that woman said sounded good to me. She finished me off when I asked her how much the computer usually cost. She quoted something along the lines of $389. I say “something along the lines” because she was talking pretty fast at that point. The truth is, I could be wrong about the price she quoted. That’s the figure my brain heard, though. And since the sale price was $299, I did some quick math and came to the conclusion that all that just wasn’t worth it to save $90.

Now, I’ll grant you that three hours in line for $90 breaks down to $30 per hour. That’s good money. But it wasn’t enough to get me to bow down before that altar of American consumerism. So, I slept in Friday morning and enjoyed it. I did get out along about 10:30 a.m. with Tonya, the boys, and my mom. We hit the mall and had a good experience checking a few items off our “to buy” list. We didn’t get any 75% off deals, though.

I came away from my whole Black Friday experience with the following observations:

#1. Since that sales lady at Walmart was so adamant that I should be there no later than 2:00 a.m., I figure that meant they only had about ten of those laptops to sell.

#2. I’ve got enough willpower and sheer stubbornness to have gotten in line at 1:00 a.m., stood there all night, and staked my claim to one of those laptops, but I couldn’t do it and keep my self respect. That would have been me letting Walmart play me, and I just couldn’t give them that satisfaction.

#3. If I was someone else, or if the situation had been something else, maybe God would have given me a peace about doing what was necessary to get that computer. As things were, though, the only peace I found was in forgetting the whole deal and sleeping in late.

You know something? Even when I’m half in the mood to play this world’s silly little games, it’s just not something that I can do with ease or pleasure. God has had me too long. But I’m glad I’m that way because, after all, 1 John 2:15-17 is still in the Bible:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (N.K.J.V.)

Posted in Business, Choices, Contentment, God's Will, Money, Personal, Priorities, Stewardship, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Jesus Was Thankful For

Posted on November 25, 2009 by russellmckinney

The Bible specifically mentions four things for which Jesus was thankful. So, with your permission, I’d like to walk us through the list. Here we go.

#1: In John 6:11, Jesus gives thanks for the food by which He feeds the multitudes. In this passage, that food is five barley loaves and two small fishes, and those multitudes are 5,000 men. In another passage, Matthew 15:36, He gives thanks for the seven loaves of bread and few small fish that feed 4,000 men. Obviously, these stories teach us that we should give thanks for food.

#2: In John 11:41, Jesus gives thanks that God the Father has heard His prayers concerning the death of Lazarus. This shows us that we should give thanks that God the Father, despite all of His majesty, glory, and power, will take the time to hear our prayers. It’s no small thing to get an audience with the Creator of the universe!

#3: In Luke 10:21, Jesus gives thanks that God the Father hides spiritual truths from the earthly wise and prudent and reveals them to “babes.” This teaches us that we should give thanks that God doesn’t have to depend upon the world’s intellectual elite to get His message out or His work done. He is perfectly willing and able to work through common folk. (This same lesson is taught in Matthew 11:25 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.)

#4: In Luke 22:17-19, Jesus gives thanks for the symbolic elements He uses in the Lord’s Supper. The bread symbolizes His body and the cup symbolizes His blood. This teaches us that we should give thanks for Christ’s death. After all, it is because of that death that any of us have the opportunity to believe in Christ as Savior and be granted salvation (forgiveness of all sin, eternal life, entrance into heaven).

Of course, I’m not saying that Jesus never gave thanks for anything outside these four categories. Remember that the Bible in no way gives us a complete record of His earthly life and ministry. But for those of us who believe that all the words of the Bible are divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), we can find great meaning in those facts the Bible actually includes. We have to figure that if they made the cut God had a good reason for putting them in there.

So, this Thanksgiving take the time to be thankful for the same things for which Jesus was thankful. First, be thankful for the food you get to enjoy. Second, be thankful for the fact that God listens to prayers. Third, be thankful that God can work through “everyday people” to accomplish His work. And, fourth, be thankful that Jesus died a substitutionary death on a Roman cross so that anyone who believes in Him as Savior can be granted forgiveness for all of his or her sins and get to spend eternity with Him. Such thankfulness will allow you to have a better appreciation for the goodness of God, and that, in turn, will allow you to have a better Thanksgiving.

Posted in Christ's Death, Crucifixion, Eternity, God's Work, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Salvation, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, The Bible | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living Thanks

Posted on November 24, 2009 by russellmckinney

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17, N.I.V.)

Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise; giving thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4, N.I.V.)

…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20, N.I.V.)

Here’s a good word that appeared in an issue of Pulpit Helps several years ago. The writer is William O. Vickery.

For Americans, there is a tradition of observing Thanksgiving Day each November. It is recognized as a national holiday and happily so. But one wonders if it were not a holiday, would there be any giving of thanks? That is the question that each person must answer for himself, just as each person will determine how he will express his thanks – by saying it, giving it, or living it.

Saying thanks is good; it is mannerly, tactful and serves as a lubricant to overcome friction. Giving thanks is better; it penetrates superficiality and allows for deeply-felt expressions to pass from one person to another. More of the whole person is exercised in giving thanks than in saying it. Living thanks is best. It transcends superficiality and exceeds spontaneity. It abides within the inner man as a continuing resource contributing to the development of character, shaping of lifestyle, and building of personal relationship with God, family, fellow Christians, and friends.

Vickery’s point is that we all need to take the focus off Thanksgiving and put it onto Thanksliving. While there’s nothing wrong with setting aside one day a year and calling it “Thanksgiving,” if we have to have turkey, pumpkin pie, and football games to cause us to pause and give thanks, we’re missing the point the rest of the year. Thankfulness should naturally pour out of us every day, all year, like water naturally pours over Niagara Falls, and everyone can find something for which to be thankful. Truth be told, most of us can find a long, long list of such things. That’s why ingratitude is one of the ugliest characteristics a person can show, and it’s also why being thankful should be a lifestyle we live as opposed to a day we observe.

Posted in Complaining, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Matthew Henry Was Thankful For

Posted on November 24, 2009 by russellmckinney

Matthew Henry was an English preacher in the late 1600s and early 1700s. He is best remembered for the legendary commentary set that bears his name. He died from a stroke while on a preaching tour in June, 1714.

Once, while Henry was traveling by horseback on his preaching circuit, he was held up and robbed. That night he recorded the incident in his journal. He concluded the record with the following prayer:

I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed.

Friend, when you and I reach the place in our spiritual maturity where we think and pray like that, we won’t have any problem finding things for which to be thankful. Matthew Henry obviously had learned the lesson of Ephesians 5:20, and may we learn it as well. That verse says:

giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (N.K.J.V., emphasis mine)

Posted in Adversity, Complaining, Contentment, Disappointment, Personal Holiness, Prayer, Problems, Revenge, Sanctification, Suffering, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Good Thought for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2009 by russellmckinney

Let’s say that a father takes his child to McDonalds for French fries. Once they have their order and are seated at a table, the father tests the child by asking, “Do you love me more than you love these French fries?” The child has to think for a moment but finally answers, “Yes.” Do you know why that was the right answer? It’s because it’s better to love the source of the blessing than the blessing itself.

If that father had much money in his wallet, he could have bought fries for all the people in the restaurant. But the fact that he only bought fries for his child showed that he loved that child and wanted to have an intimate time of fellowship with that child. You see, the real gift to the child was the father, not the fries.

I raised two wonderful boys, and I always enjoyed filling their lives with pleasing things such as food, clothing, comfortable beds, balls, bats, gloves, toys, televisions, and PlayStation systems. However, every time they received a gift from me, they should have appreciated me more than the gift. After all, stuff gets manufactured and purchased every day but there is only one me. Ryan and Royce don’t have another earthly father. That makes me infinitely more important than anything I could ever buy them.

This Thanksgiving spend some time thanking God for His person. Don’t just be thankful for the blessings He has bestowed upon you, blessings such as family, friends, health, peace of mind, home, money, possessions, etc. That’s just the child thanking the father for the French fries. Be sure to thank God even more for simply being who He is.

Think about this: If all you can do is thank God for the blessings He sends your way, what will you do if those blessings somehow get taken away? As you might recall that actually happened to Job. Chapters 1 and 2 of his book describe how he lost his wealth, his children, and his health. In the aftermath of all that, over the events of the rest of the book, Job learned to thank God merely for being who He is.

That’s a lesson many of us still need to learn. I mean, seriously, could we offer any heartfelt thanks if we lost the kind of blessings Job lost? Let’s all ponder that question this Thanksgiving. And as we answer the question, hopefully the thanks we offer to God will be more mature and insightful than any we’ve ever offered.

Posted in Fatherhood, God's Love, God's Provision, Parenting, Praise, Priorities, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, Trials, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faith

Posted on November 21, 2009 by russellmckinney

Flywheel was the first movie done by the Kendrick Brothers, who are associated with Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. It’s not as well known as the brothers’ other movies (Facing The Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, War Room, and Overcomer), but I like it. At the end of Flywheel, the lead character names his new baby girl “Faith.” This comes on the heels of all the lessons about faith that God had been teaching him.

I once heard a preacher say, “The faith walk is on a need-to-know basis,” and my own walk with the Lord has proven the truth of those words. God never gives me the full revelation of what He’s doing in my life. Instead, I only get the guidance and instruction I need to take the next step. And whenever I think I’ve got the path figured out and can run ahead, He throws me a curveball to keep Me looking to Him.

In the New Living Translation, Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen” and “the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” Tell me, are you “hoping” for a particular thing from God? Are you desiring something you “cannot yet see”? If you are, then rest assured that if the thing is God’s will, He will bring it to pass in His timing and way.

In the meantime, though, He wants you to have sincere faith that He is going to get that job done. There really is no substitute for this faith, and you having it will make an incalculable difference in your overall attitude and mindset. You see, faith creates optimism, hope, and joy, but a lack of it creates pessimism, despair, and gloom. So, if you were naming your baby girl today, could you honestly name her “Faith”? If not, what you need to do is have a long talk with God about why you couldn’t name her that. The truth is, whether you like it or not, even the answers you are looking for in regards to your lack of faith can only be found in Him.

Posted in Adversity, Belief, Faith, God's Timing, God's Will, Patience, Perseverance, Personal, Prayer, Reward, Trials, Trusting In God, Waiting | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church Bulletin Humor

Posted on November 20, 2009 by russellmckinney

There’s nothing wrong with using bulletins in your church, but you’d better make sure they are done well. Otherwise, they can make your church look kind of stupid. Today’s post offers a few examples from that category. I got these from an article that Bob Terrell ran in the December 17, 2000, edition of the Asheville Citizen Times. According to him, they were sent to him by Bea Pyle of Ormond Beach, Fla. See if you can spot the problem with each bulletin announcement.

-Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church. Come and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

-Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday in the recreation hall. Come and watch us kill Christ the King.

-Miss Charlene Mason sang “I Will Not Pass This Way Again,” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

-The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”

-Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.

-Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.

-Don’t let worry kill you off. Let the Church help.

-At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What Is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

-Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

-Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

-The Lutheran men’s group will meet at 6 p.m.: steak, mashed potatoes, beans, bread, and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.

-Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.

-Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

-Potluck supper Sunday at 5 p.m. Prayer and medication to follow.

-The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

-This evening at 7 p.m. there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

-Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the BS is done.

-Low Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.

-The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

-The associate minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours.”

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

Slander

Posted on November 19, 2009 by russellmckinney

Ray Donovan was the Secretary of Labor under President Reagan. His time in office was marked by a highly publicized case in which Donovan and six others were tried in New York on charges of larceny and fraud. In the end, Donovan and the six other defendants were acquitted. However, at the conclusion of the trial, Donovan pointed out a lingering problem when he famously asked, “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?”

Proverbs 22:1 says: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…” (N.K.J.V.). In light of this, we should all guard ourselves against committing the sin of slandering another person. And as proof that slander can take place, let me point out that some of the Bible’s greatest characters were slandered. I’m talking about the likes of Joseph (Genesis 39:7-20), David (2 Samuel 10:1-3), Stephen (Acts 6:8-14), Paul (Acts 24:5-6), and, of course, Jesus (Matthew 11:19, Matthew 26:59-68). Even though these men were all innocent of the accusations leveled against them, much damage was done to their reputations.

To be clear, all criticism is not slander. If the criticism is legitimate and valid, that’s another subject altogether. Furthermore, God’s word certainly does allow for not only the proper voicing of appropriate criticism but also the proper prosecution of criminals if a situation merits it. Christians are even scripturally mandated to rebuke sin. But we must tread carefully in the midst of this potential minefield, especially in these days when anybody can use social media to accuse anyone of anything. Ray Donovan was spot on when he noted that there is no way for a person to reclaim his or her unjustly destroyed reputation. As Proverbs 11:9 says: “The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor…” (N.K.J.V.). That’s why we must make sure that our words are marked by both accuracy and discernment. Otherwise, we’ll cross the line into sin ourselves by damaging someone’s reputation who doesn’t deserve it.

Posted in Character, Communication, Criticism, Discernment, Doing Good, God's Work, Holiness, Honesty, Influence, Personal Holiness, The Tongue, Truth | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Your Time Count

Posted on November 18, 2009 by russellmckinney

During the Desert Storm invasion of Kuwait and Iraq, Col. William Post received an urgent fax from headquarters. The fax was a complaint that 400 cases of jelly were not accounted for in the Colonel’s records. Consequently, he sent a private to find the jelly. But the private couldn’t locate it.

After not receiving a reply from the Colonel’s office, headquarters promptly sent a second fax, one that sounded more urgent than the first. It said the end of the month was approaching and that every effort must be made to either find the jelly or account for it. Colonel Post, having already ordered one attempt to find the jelly, chose to ignore the second fax.

As a result, it wasn’t long before a third fax came, and this one had a tone. It demanded that the Colonel immediately respond to the need to find the jelly – or else. At this point, Colonel Post got mad. In reply, He sent back a fax that read: “Look, I can find the jelly or I can kick Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait. Which do you prefer? I can’t do both.”

I ask you, are you wasting too much time on non-essentials? Do you spend a good portion of your days “finding jelly”? If you will do an honest assessment of how you spend your time, you might be surprised to learn how much fluff makes up your day. God, of course, wants us to be good stewards, and that involves stewardship over our time. So, always remember this: Others may be more skilled, talented, or gifted than you, but no one is allotted more time per day than you. Make that time count.

Posted in Choices, Doing Good, Entertainment, God's Will, God's Work, Priorities, Service, Stewardship | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God Is Watching

Posted on November 17, 2009 by russellmckinney

It was lunchtime at a Catholic elementary school, and a large pile of apples was placed on a tray at the head of the long table upon which the food was placed. A note posted on the tray read: “Take only ONE. God is watching.” As the children moved further along the lunch line and got to the other end of the long table, they found a large plate of chocolate chip cookies. There, one mischievous child had written a note that read: “Take all you want. God is watching the apples.”

I hope you know that God can watch the apples and the cookies at the same time. The theological word for Him being everywhere at the same time all the time is omnipresent. This word combines two words omni (all) and present (in a particular place).

But how can God be omnipresent? He can do so because He is not a physical being. He is Spirit (John 4:24) rather than Body. This doesn’t mean He cannot assume bodily form if He chooses to do so. Proof of this can be found in God the Son’s frequent Old Testament appearances as The Angel of the Lord (Genesis 16:7-17; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:1-22; etc.) and in Him being born to the virgin Mary. As for God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, however, they remain eternally Spirit.

Charles Ryrie, in his book Basic Theology, writes the following about God’s omnipresence:

…omnipresence does not mean that God’s being is diffused throughout the universe as if part of Him is here and part of Him there. His whole being is in every place, and the presence of the Lord within every believer serves as a good illustration of this.

Omnipresence does not mean the immediacy of His presence does not vary. It does. His presence on His throne (Rev. 4:2), in Solomon’s temple (2 Chron. 7:2), or in the believer (Gal. 2:20) certainly differs in its immediacy from His presence in the lake of fire (Rev. 14:10). Though in the lake of fire people will be separated from the face-presence of God (2 Thes. 1:9, prosopon), they will never be separated from Him who is omnipresent (Rev. 14:10, enopion).

The Bible’s most extensive passage on the subject of God’s omnipresence is Psalm 139:7-12, where David says to God:

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the days; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. (N.K.J.V.)

Jeremiah 23:23-24 also speaks to the fact of God’s omnipresence. That passage says:

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (N.I.V.)

So, if you will permit me to play off my opening illustration, take all you want of some sin today, but just know that God is watching. He fills heaven and earth and doesn’t miss one thing you do either for good or bad. If you will keep this simple fact in mind as you move through each day, you’ll be surprised at how it helps you live a more godly life.

Posted in Backsliding, Character, Choices, Conscience, Decisions, Disobedience, Doing Good, God's Omnipresence, Man's Freewill, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Rebellion, Sin | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment