Many of you may have read or heard about Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous work, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The story is about one man with a war going on in his soul. In the story we meet Dr. Jekyll, a doctor who is well respected and liked in the community, but who is fighting a war being waged in his soul. Dr. Jekyll is much aware of his dark side. Dr. Jekyll concocts a potion that transforms him into the mean and evil Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde is the wicked side of Dr. Jekyll’s sin nature brought to life. Some of you who are younger might not recognize the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I bet you’ve probably seen the movie, The Incredible Hulk, the idea for the movie is a take off on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Archive for September, 2008
There’s A War Going On!
Romans 7:14-25
Sunday, September 28th, 2008
Seizing The Opportunity
Romans 7:7-13
Sunday, September 21st, 2008
The flash of the paparazzi’s camera made sure that the story would race around the world. Entertainment Tonight highlighted the exploits of the famous actress making headlines for all of the wrong reasons. CNN and Fox News called it, “Breaking News!” There wasn’t a check-out line in town that didn’t have her picture splashed across the front of the magazine or tabloid. Winona Ryder had been arrested. Surely she didn’t do it. Why would she do it? She was accused of stealing $5,500 worth of merchandise from the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue store. $5,500? That’s a ton of money to me, but for Winona Ryder $5,500 is like 55 cents. With all of that money why in the world would she even think about stealing?
At first she said she didn’t do it. Her lawyer said she was set-up. In the end, Winona Ryder was found guilty. Six years later, in July of 2007, Winona was on the cover of Vogue Magazine and she was asked about her arrest and conviction. Winona said,
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I didn’t have this tremendous sense of guilt, because I hadn’t hurt anyone. Had I physically harmed someone or caused harm to a human being, I think it would have been an entirely different experience. (Winona Ryder, Vogue Magazine, July 18, 2007)
When Are You Going To Start Living?
Friday, September 19th, 2008
The older I get the more I am convinced that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are alive and those who are living. It seems like more and more people are simply alive. Their hearts are beating and their lungs are continuing to pull in another breath of air, but that is about the only evidence you will find to prove that there is life. They don’t have any goals that drive them throughout the day, they’ve given up on their dreams, and they are simply dragging themselves through the day waiting for the moment they will fall into their easy chair at the end of the day.
I can remember like yesterday being 15 years old and thinking about the future. Today I am 47 years old and I have to admit that when I was 15 years old I never dreamed into my 40’s. I couldn’t imagine people living that long back then. ha! My how time flies! I’m older than I ever dreamed of being and yet, in the middle of my 47th year, I want to live. I don’t mean feel another heartbeat…I mean feel my heart race! I want to feel my heart race with life–all of the wonderful opportunities that God provides for those who really want to live. I want to keep setting goals (even if it means I fall short of some of them). I want to continue to experience things in life that I’ve never experienced before–the exhilarating and the painful. I want to go places I’ve never been before. I want to meet people I’ve never met before. I want to learn things that I’ve never known before. I WANT TO LIVE!
Most people do dream when they are young, but failure, heartache, limitations, and disappointment kill their dreams like a mass murderer. Most people are willing to take risks when they are young, but as we age we tend to get more conservative and cautious. This is why I get so pumped when I hear about older people who are refusing to lay down and wait for the Lord to call them home.
People like Caleb from the Old Testament. Do you remember the story? Caleb went with Joshua and the spies to spy out the Promised Land. Years later, after Moses had died and Joshua was in charge, Caleb went to Joshua and talked to him about a promise Moses had made to him when he was forty years old. Moses had promised Caleb the hill country once they got into the Promised Land, but it was years later, forty-five years later, and the land was inhabited by some bad young dudes that were just waiting to clean someone’s clock.
For forty-five years Caleb had held onto the promise. Now that the Israelites were in the Promised Land it was time for Caleb to live out his dream–to walk in the land that had been promised to him. Caleb went to Joshua and said, “I need to talk to you for a minute.” As I read the 14th chapter of Joshua I can just feel the passion pouring from the page. I can see the fire in the old man’s eyes as Caleb, now 85 years old says,
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11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” (Joshua 14:11-12)
Isn’t that awesome! “Let me at ‘em!” That’s the mindset I want. Not a momentary mindset, but a mindset of passion that marks my every day. How about you? There are still guys like Caleb around, even in our day. I read a story just today about an 80 year old man named Ray Moon.
Ray is a bodybuilder. Now, that’s not too impressive until you learn that Ray is 80 years old and he only started bodybuilding five years ago. When he was 75!! Ray just finished competing in the Victorian Bodybuilding Championships in Melbourne, Australia and he dominated the field. (For those over 60) You go Ray!
Ray has overcome polio, he’s had open-heart surgery, his prostate isn’t right, and yet Ray keeps living life to the full. Ray began bodybuilding five years ago when his business fell apart and he was experiencing financial ruin. Ray said that he started training so that he could “sort out his troubled mind.” Today, Ray is the Australian Bodybuilding Champion!
Somebody reading this is waiting for their situation to get better before they start to live. My friend, what if this is “as good as it gets” as Jack Nicholson said. Don’t wait until your situation gets better. Don’t wait for things to become less hectic or less dramatic. Get up and begin to live! Turn your computer off and do something right now! You won’t regret it!
Ryan’s Posse
Monday, September 15th, 2008Hot Dog! What a weekend! The youth and I had the honor…no the pleasure of serving the local Indian Church in South OKC on Sunday, which just happened to be “Mission Sunday” as well. Afterwards we decided to head up to Laser Quest for some shoot’em up…razzle dazzle…take no prisoners…laser tag! We had a blast and it was completely safe all at the same time. What are the odds? Let’s just say, you don’t want to miss the action when we embark on a new adventure next month.
The Fruit of Freedom
Romans 7:1-6
Sunday, September 14th, 2008
We’ve spent the last few weeks taking a look at Romans 6 and learning about slavery and freedom. We’ve learned that we are by nature slaves of unrighteousness. Paul wrote in Romans 6:17-18.
17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:17-18 NIV)
We didn’t have to go to school to learn how to be unrighteous. We didn’t have to have someone tutor us in the lifestyle of sin. We didn’t have to apply and then go through a time of testing to see if we could live up to the title. No, we were born with a Ph.D. in unrighteousness.
This is not all that we learned from Romans 6. We also learned that through Jesus’ death on the cross, we who accept what He has done on our behalf, are freed from sin’s slavery and we become slaves to righteousness. Being a slave to sin leads to all kinds of heartache and destruction, but being a slave to righteousness, or a slave to God, leads to holiness and eternal life. Paul wrote,
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:22-23 NIV)
Welcome Edna and Family!
Sunday, September 7th, 2008Hi Everyone,
I wanted to ask you to join me in welcoming Edna Pittman and her family to BCC. Edna and her family have visiting BCC for some time, but today Edna and her son, DeMarion, came forward to unite with our church. I hope that you will make time to welcome Edna the next time you see her at church.
In His Steps,
Mike
What Are You Gonna Do About That?
Romans 6
Sunday, September 7th, 2008
Have you stopped to think about what others in our society think about you and me, the followers of Jesus? Would you say that we are viewed in a positive light by outsiders? Do your unbelieving friends see you as a person of faith, character, integrity, compassion, and humility? Or, do they see you and me as unyielding, negative, harsh, judgmental, hypocritical, and narrow-minded? If you broaden the horizon and ask the same questions of the Body of Christ at large in our society how do you think we fair? Are we viewed positively or negatively by unbelievers? In the book, unChristian, the authors, David Kinnamon and Gabe Lyons say,