Simply Amazing

You MUST see this movie!

I just returned from 2 1/2 days in Baton Rouge at the Healing Place Church attending a leadership conference for a small group of pastors. I got in after midnight this morning and we had a Habitat for Humanity work day scheduled so our day was pretty full. At the end of the day we decided to go see the movie "Amazing Grace" and I'm so glad we did!

The movie is the story of William Wilberforce's tireless efforts to end slavery in the British Empire, entertwined with the writing of the much loved song, "Amazing Grace," written by former slave ship captain John Newton. William Wilberforce has long been a hero of mine and, in fact, I preached a sermon about him back on April 19, 2002. (Unfortunately it's not available on our website as we didn't start recording on computer until July 21, 2002.) Nevertheless, his story had a strong influence on me and he has always been a personal hero.

Wilberforce impacted me in two areas. One was his desire to be used by God in the public arena, in shaping public policy and opinion. He had considered entering the ministry and visited with the 60-year old John Newton to discuss this option. Newton urged him not to cut himself off from public life, to use his gifts to serve the common good. Newton wrote him a letter in which he said, "It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation." This has been one of my motivations to become involved in the public discourse and even to enter politics in an attempt to serve both the body of Christ and the community.

Another area in which Wilberforce impacted me was the cause of abolition. He saw it for the evil it was. Even though he was born into a wealthy family and much of the wealth of those days depended on or came directly from cheap slave labor, he saw it as an evil on society. He wrote in his diary, "God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Morals." It took him 20 years of untiring work but on February 24, 1807 the British Parliament voted 283-16 to abolish slave trade. Even then he had to continue to fight to outlaw slavery itself, which didn't happen until July 26, 1833, just 3 days before his death.

It is both his perseverance and his passion to fight for the cause of justice that inspire me. His passon is what gave him his perseverance. Because he had a true cause, a true calling from God, he was able to persevere. When John Wesley was 87 years old he wrote Wilberforce and said, "Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of man and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you..." God had indeed raised up Wilberforce for this very thing and as a result he was able to rely on that fountain of strenth to pull him through the discouraging days of failure. He truly had a marathon mentality.

I've asked the Lord to let me be a blessing to both His church and our community. I thank Him for the opportunity to serve the community through the City Council. And I am most honored by the incredible privilege of pastoring such a wonderful local church. Now, may I have both passion and perseverance in doing the Lord's work in every arena of influence. And may I always remember that it's only done by God's "Amazing Grace!"

I LOVE serving Jesus with you!
Nathan

P.S. GO SEE THE MOVIE!!!

Introducing a new blog

I know, I know, it's been awhile since my last post. I'm supposed to update this regularly so people will keep coming back and reading. But I'm so busy living life that I don't have time to update my blog! Good problem to have, no?

The thing that prompted me to write today's entry is that I wanted to introduce you to a new blog written by my father. It's called "Pastor Buddy's Blog" and it's hosted at our church's website. Dad was recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and is beginning to walk through the journey of dealing with this disease and the treatment. I convinced him that it would be a good thing if he were to keep a blog about his experience, to sort of let people "look over his shoulder" and "peek into his heart" as he walks through the journey of healing. I feel like it will help our church as well as potentially help others in the future who may stumble across it.

The good news is that NHL is treatable, although the treatment is difficult (4-6 months of chemo). The 5 year survival rate is over 60%. Dad's being treated at the Cabrini Cancer Center by Dr. Halewani who is very upbeat about his prognosis. (Of course, Dr. Halewani doesn't have to go through chemo ... he just prescribes it!)

Dad has a great attitude about NHL and this journey he's embarking upon. His greatest desire is that God get glory out of this somehow. He knows God could heal him instantly. He also knows God could use medical science to bring healing. Beyond that, he knows that whether he lives or whether he dies, he is the Lord's so he wants the Lord to be honored through this journey.

I hope you'll check out "Pastor Buddy's Blog". I think you'll be blessed. While you're there remember to register or subscribe so you can be automatically notified whenever he puts a new post there.

That's all for now. Blessings!
Nathan

God the Artist

The other night I stepped outside the doors of the church and this picture is what I saw. As people often say there's no way the picture from my cell phone can do justice to the incredible spectrum of colors that was displayed across the sky. All I could do is stand there and marvel at the handiwork of God.

As I looked at this majestic display of the setting sun and the palette of colors used across the western sky I was reminded of the verse from Psalm 104 where it describes God:

You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
Ps 104:1b-2 NASB

God indeed is an artist. But His most beautiful work of all is not the setting sun, nor the intricacy of a butterfly's wing. It's not the architecture of a spider web glistening in the morning dew, nor the aerodynamics of a hummingbird. No, the most wonderful work of our artist God is YOU!

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
Psa 8:3-5 NASB

You are God's masterpiece! You have been crowned with glory and majesty! YOU are made in HIS image, to be like Him, to be with Him! God's fingerprints are all over you since He is the artist and you are the canvess. Or, as Jeremiah describes us, we are the clay in the Potter's hand. Indeed His fingerprints are on our lives. Can you see them? Do you notice the impressions He's left? If you'll look closely enough you'll see not a series of unexplainable coincidences but the distinct imprint of God's fingerprint. Because you are indeed His finest work!

Blessings,
Nathan

What will you look like in 20 years?

Christian Challenge produced a drama entitled "The Father's Heart" that attempts to show the emotions of the Father in heaven while Jesus' life is played out on earth, both the joys of the birth and miraculous forgiving ministry as well as the sorrow and horror of the cross. I directed the drama the first two times we presented it (at Christian Challenge and at 1st Assembly) but the 3rd time we were to present it the gentleman who plays the Father was not able to be with us. So, as his understudy, I took on the role.

The brother who played the Father originally has a beautiful head of white hair and a distinguished beard. I have red hair and goatee. Since I only had a week from the time I was to play the part until the actual presentation, I didn't have time to grow out my beard. (I tried ... just not enough man enough, I guess! [G]) So we looked for alternatives and settled on a white hair paint from a local beauty supply store.

The night of the drama arrived and I dressed in one of the small Sunday School rooms behind the platform area at Sharp Baptist Church. There was no mirror there so I was not able to see the effect the hair coloring had after a member of our drama team sprayed my hair.

The drama went off well and afterwards we received many compliments as well as quite a few comments about my hair. I finally got to see what I looked like and had my daughter snap the picture above with my cell phone camera. The most frequent comment I got was something like, "So this is what you'll look like in 20 years." That was usually followed by someone else commenting, "Nathan's got three teen-aged daughters ... that's what he'll look like in FIVE years!"

I took all the good-natured ribbing in stride. But it got me thinking. What will I look like in 20 years, 30 years, 40 years? Obviously that picture doesn't capture it becuase it's just grey/white hair. What about the wrinkles, the crows feet, the sun spots?

The more important question than what will I look like in 20 years is what will my spirit look like in 20 years? Am I continuing to nurture my spirit with the rich food of God's table? Will I be stronger, more mature, more patient, more caring, more compassionate? Or will I be harder, tougher, more cynical?

I recently met a man who is the director of planning for Lafayette Consolidated Government. He gave me two cards, one for his contact information and one for "Lafayette in 100 Years", a long-range plan and vision for what the leaders want Lafayette to be like 100 years from now. That kind of planning is taking place in communities across our nation because people realize that growth without planning is a recipe for disaster.

The truth is we have a lot to say about what we'll look like spiritually in 20 years. The choices we make today affect us then. And the truth is, unless the Lord comes back or we go to Him soon, 20 years will come and go in a snap. Who will we be? If I make no plans and just go with the flow, there's no telling what I'll look like spiritually in 20 years. But if I continue to do what's right, seek God's face, order my steps according to His word, then I will not have to be ashamed of what I look like. Just as Paul writes in 2 Tim 2:15

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."

So what will you look like in 20 years? What do you want to look like? You get to choose.

Blessings,
Nathan

Crawfish taste better when you catch them yourself!

Here's a photo of a recent outing ... that's my brother André and his son Justin emptying a crawfish trap at a friend's crawfish pond a couple of weeks ago. (Thanks Brian!) We all gathered for an afternoon of crawfishing and regular fishing. After working the traps we went over to the stocked pond to let the kids catch some bream, bass and catfish while we boiled the 80 or so pounds of crawfish we had "harvested". They were succulent!!! I don't know if it was us gathering them or what but they tasted even more delicious than usual.

I've recently taken up golf again, at the urging of a couple of dear friends. I've made an outing to LSUA's course as well as to the driving range and we're going again tomorrow so I guess I'm a hacker again. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time with my friends ... and the exercise hasn't hurt. (Hasn't helped yet either! )

Today we were talking about the different phases we go through. A little while back it was paintball ... what a blast! Now I'm into motorcycles and golf. It's interesting how people get involved in hobbies and throw themselves into them wholeheartedly. And then try to convert others to their hobby. (Thanks, but no thanks on going back to the gym! ) Some people eat, breathe and live deer hunting. For others it's quilting, or fishing, or knitting, or genealogy, or _________ (fill in the blank). None of the hobbies are bad, as long as we don't become obsessed with them.

My question to myself (and you too, if you're reading this) is, do I invite others to know Jesus with the same passion that I invite them to go motorcycling, golfing, paintballing, crawfishing, etc? These things are great but they have only a temporary reward. But what about the truly eternal reward of knowing Jesus? All the other things provide a temporary high that we enjoy sharing with others. Maybe we need to share that eternal high as well. At least invite them to the party! ;)

Blessings,
Nathan

"He cares for you"

I shared on Monday how I received great encouragement from 1 Peter 4 during a time of struggle over an issue in my life. Here's another verse really jumps out to me:

casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
(1 Pet 5:7 NASB)

How can we roll our worries over to someone else and walk away? The only way I can see that this is possible is if we are convinced of the last part of that verse ... "because He cares for you." If you're not convinced of that, then you'll never be able to trust God with any issues in your life.

Does God really care? Does God care for me? These are the great questions of life. So many have the view of "hey Mr. God way up there in heaven" and have no perception that He desires to be intricately involved in the daily affairs of our lives. But I'm convinced God does indeed get involved in the little things of our lives. Consider these verses:

For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11 NASB)

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
(Is 40:11 NIV)

I love the picture of Jesus as a shepherd carrying a lamb "close to His heart". (Example 1, Example 2) That is a pictorial definition of caring, in my opinion. The knowledge of God's care is what gives us the confidence to let go of the things that we're anxious about. He genuinely, and gently, cares for us. That's good news.

Blessings,
Nathan

Encouragement in Suffering

This morning I was in need of encouragement. Last night I didn't sleep well. I tossed and turned, thinking about something coming up that was troubling me. (It doesn't matter what it was, we've all had nights like that.) I woke up thinking about it and continued to be troubled. I couldn't wait to get to my devotional time. I knew if I could just spend a few moments in prayer and Scripture that I would be comforted. Just before opening my Bible I breathed a prayer that God would give me a verse of encouragement. In reading through my Bible the next chapter I was to read was 1 Peter 4. I opened to that passage and read:

"Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,"

Needless to say, I didn't feel very encouraged!!! I read the verse again to make sure it said what I thought it said. Yep, sure enough it told me that since Christ suffered in the flesh I might as well get ready for it. At least that's what it seemed to be saying. I pondered those words and although they weren't the powerful, victorious words I expected to read, they did encourage me, especially when I read the next verse (as I had only read half of a sentence):

"so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

As I read those verses together, here's how it basically came out to me:

Suffering is good when you recognize it's only for a season and when it helps you straighten out your priorities.

That's what these verses spoke to me this morning. Suffering in the flesh can really help clarify things, help refocus your priorities. What you once thought important ("lusts/desires of men") fades in the light of what's truly important ("will of God"). In times of crisis or suffering, people tend to take stock and find out what's essential, what's crucial, what gives meaning and purpose.

And all of this is so that we will live "the rest of the time in the flesh" for the will of God rather than for our own desires. Left to my own devices I will become self-centered. *I* will become the most important thing in my life. So God allows some suffering to help us get our eyes on what's really important.

It's interesting to me that Peter is the one who wrote this. Peter, who once rebuked Jesus to His face for suggesting that the Messiah had to suffer. And now Peter teaches that suffering for Christ advances the progress of sanctification in the life of the believer. (Please note, this is suffering for doing good, not suffering for doing evil! See vss 3-4, 12-16.)

So, is there encouragement in suffering? Yes. It has a purpose. And when you recognize God is in control and He has a purpose (i.e., "causes all things to work together for good...") then even the suffering can be a blessing from Him, something to give thanks for.

When I first read these verses I thought, "Thanks a lot, God. I needed encouragement and You tell me 'suffering's a good thing'." But after meditating on these words I actually ended my devotion feeling VERY encouraged. God is in control. It's all in His hands. And it has a purpose. I can live with that.

Blessings,
Nathan