In a different kind of holiday song, country musician Rodney Crowell sings, “Let’s skip Christmas this year, darling, what do you say? Can’t we just let it slide, like it was any old day? What with the money we save, we can just disappear. Before we both die of cheer, let’s skip Christmas this year. We’ll tell our family and friends, that we still love them a ton, but we’ve just taken ill, and we won’t be much fun. Let’s skip Christmas this year. Can’t we sit this one out? Just pretend we don’t know, what all the fuss is about? I’ve had it up to my ears, let’s skip Christmas this year.”

Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you’ve had more than your fill of the holiday in the past and you feel like taking a pass on all the lights and decorations and sending cards and TV specials and Christmas music and parties and gift giving sounds pretty good- and economical. I read that Christmas spending in 2024 is anticipated to rise by 7% compared to last year, with the average shopper expected to spend about $1,638 on gifts, travel, and entertainment! And despite spending time with family during the holidays typically being an enjoyable thing, even that can also be pretty stressful and tiresome. So maybe stepping back from some of the busy-ness of Christmas wouldn’t be a terrible thing to decide to do- so long as we don’t “skip” remembering what this special time is truly about.

John Grisham- who is much more popular for legal thrillers- wrote a book titled “Skipping Christmas” about a couple named the Kranks who were tired of all the commercialism and stress of Christmas. This novel, which was turned into a movie, contains some pretty good quotes like “Life is too short to stress over the perfect Christmas” and “Simplifying Christmas can bring back the joy and meaning it originally held.” I suspect there is, in fact, some merit in cutting out the excess this season to return to the sheer delight found in the simple, yet profound story of Christmas. But perhaps my favorite line from Grisham’s writing is “Christmas in the hearts of people is about joy, love, and giving… not gifts and decorations.”

At the heart level, this holiday truly “is about joy, love and giving”- all of which are embodied in the very Son of God arriving in this world as a frail, little baby. But so many miss that, like those spoken of in John 1 where Jesus is referred to as “the true Light that gives light to everyone…” But sadly, “although He made the world, the world didn’t recognize Him when He came. Even in His own land and among His own people… they didn’t want him. Only a few would welcome and receive him.” How unfortunate, that so many in our world back then and still today fail to recognize God’s gift to mankind as they “skip Christmas” missing out on the Father’s incredible offer of salvation.

But for those who choose to “welcome and receive Him”, we can be full of joy at what those first believers were able to experience first-hand in that infant Who grew up to fulfill His mission of being our Redeemer. As the apostle John wrote, “…we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.” (I John 4:14) Even if we don’t take part in much of the typical holiday traditions, this Christmas, we must be certain that we don’t “skip” celebrating Jesus!

Merry Christmas, Jim

You’ve probably heard the jokes before. The opposite of “pro” is “con,” so the opposite of progress is… Congress? Why do thieves never target politicians’ homes? Professional courtesy. Why isn’t the government in Washington D.C. displaying a live nativity scene this Christmas? They can’t find three wise men. How are politicians like diapers? They both need to be changed regularly- and for the same reason.

With so much negativity connected with government and our elected officials, we might be tempted to think “I don’t anything to do with something that can be so distasteful and nasty” so they have nothing to do with politics. In fact, a recent poll found that 51 percent of people who self-identify as “people of faith” do not plan to vote in this election. That’s around 105 million people, 41 million being Christians, most saying they regularly attend church. That seems shocking to me. When asked why they weren’t voting, 68 percent say they’re just not interested in politics. Certainly politics isn’t the most important thing in the world, “but we ought to correct the notion that politics isn’t part of the larger arena by which God can orchestrate things for His glory” says Reverend Eugene Cho. He goes on to say, “Politics matter because politics inform policies that impact real human people who are created in the image of God.” I agree. And while I would never say a particular political party is God’s party, I do think as people of faith, a good Christian should ideally be a good citizen involved in the institution of government.

What might that mean specifically? Cho writes that we should be in conversation with the people around us. He says “I understand that it is difficult to engage in politics when everything is so divisive. It can feel like we are being yelled at all the time by supporters of one party or the other… It can be satisfying to scream and shout our convictions at the other side. But the opposite, to listen well – not just share our views well – is something we should learn, too.” So we follow James words that “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” (James 1:19) And believers certainly need to heed Paul’s urging “that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority…” (I Timothy 2:1) While we must pray for ourselves to have wise discernment in our views, Cho points out that prayer “empowers us to support those in authority with a spirit of both truth and love… Ask God to grant our leaders the integrity and wisdom to focus on matters that protect the most vulnerable among us.”

But also, Christians can be “speaking truth to power” meaning we stand up for what’s right and at times, with tact, courageously confront authority calling out injustices and demanding change. And that certainly involves voting. It’s tremendous that we have the right and the privilege to vote in this country, something that first century believers in the Roman Empire couldn’t have imagined. Cho points out that “In the last few election seasons, we have seen political strife. Assassination attempts. A march on Capitol Hill…” But we mustn’t give up. We must vote and pray and work for peace in our nation as we strive to help bring about a revival where people truly want to see “God bless America”.

In His Service, Jim

Scripture Spotlight: I Timothy 2:1,2 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

GONE GIRL- OR GUY
A pastor decided to skip church one Sunday morning and go play golf. He told the elders that he wasn’t feeling well and then he drove to a golf course in another city so nobody would know him. As he teed off on the first hole, a huge gust of wind caught his ball, carried it an extra two-hundred yards and dropped it right in the hole, for a 450-yard hole in one. An angel looked at God and said “What’d you do that for?” God smiled and said “Who’s he going to tell?”

I recognize that sometimes believers- even committed Christians- sometimes have to miss gathering as the Church because of their work or because they are housebound, confined to their home or a nursing facility due to sickness or old age. But other times an absence is more of a choice. Aaron Earls writes how “A Lifeway Research study of U.S. adults who attend a religious service at a Protestant or non-denominational church at least monthly finds several reasons some will miss church at least once a year. Respondents were asked how often they would skip a weekly worship service for six different scenarios.” Most regular churchgoers (77%) say they would miss a weekly worship service at least once a year to avoid traveling in severe weather. 55% say they would miss in order to enjoy an outdoor activity in good weather (like golf!). 54% may miss to get some extra sleep. In addition, the younger a churchgoer is, the more likely they are to stay in bed on Sunday mornings at least occasionally. (Not surprising!) At the other end of the spectrum, those who are 65 and over are the least likely to be absent for any reason.

Exactly 50% would miss in order to meet a friend or group of friends. Most U.S. churchgoers say rain won’t keep them away, but 43% say they may miss church to avoid traveling during rainy weather. Despite major sporting events often happening on Sundays, watching sports is the least likely of the six reasons churchgoers say would cause them to skip church. 42% say they’d miss a worship service at least once a year to watch a sporting event or their favorite team reflecting 46% of men and 39% of women.

Sadly, those who attend Restoration Movement congregations (like the Church of Christ) are among the most likely to miss services for these reasons. I also find it a bit disheartening that Scott McConnell, Executive Director of Lifeway, says “Churchgoers are not on autopilot. Each week they are faced with a choice of whether to attend church, and there is more than one tradeoff when it comes to this decision.” I would hope that coming to church would not be a “choice” any more than one has to make a choice in whether to go to work or not. With a sense of personal obligation and a commitment to obey God’s Word, I think it should just be natural for a dedicated believer to want to be with other Christians to worship, learn and fellowship as often on Sundays as possible. The New Testament tells us we should “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day (of Christ’s return) approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24,25)

I appreciate that one in 10 Protestant churchgoers (11%) say they would never miss for any of these reasons and 22% say they would never skip due to any of the six options other than severe weather. Perhaps these individuals recognize how awesome it is that Jesus said “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20). We may think He’s with us at places like the golf course (especially if we get a hole in one!), but we can be sure He’s with us in a special way when we gather in His name to honor our Savior and Lord!

In His Service, Jim

Scripture Spotlight “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

A ventriloquist is performing with his dummy on his lap. He’s telling a dumb-blonde joke when a young platinum-haired beauty jumps to her feet. “What gives you the right to stereotype blondes that way?” she demands. “What does hair color have to do with my worth as a human being?”

Flustered, the ventriloquist begins to stammer out an apology.

“You keep out of this!” she yells. “I’m talking to that little jerk on your knee!”

With apologies to you blondes out there, I’d propose that this world has a lot of stupid people- and they have all kinds of hair colors! Now when I use the term “stupid” I’m not referring to those who are just ignorant, lacking knowledge about something. I’m referring to those who are slow of mind lacking common sense. It’s what the Bible oftentimes calls being a fool, someone who lacks discretion, wisdom, or good judgment. Numerous times, especially in the book of Proverbs, the fool is contrasted with the wise person, the one with godly insight who we, of course, should strive to be.

The wisdom of Proverbs defines foolishness in many ways including saying that fools “repeat their folly”, “trust in themselves”, “despise wisdom and instruction”, “mock at making amends for sin”, their “lips… bring them strife”, their “mouths… are their undoing”, they “give full vent to their rage” and ultimately they “die for lack of sense”. If we are to learn from their negative examples, I think that means that those who are wise, first of all, learn from their foolish mistakes. In The Message version, Proverbs 14:24 reads “The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day.” I’m sure we’ve all made unwise choices saying or doing things that we wish we could take back. Obviously, we can’t. But we can gain some wisdom and take those lessons from the past to heart to avoid future mistakes.

Secondly, we need to listen to wise advice. Proverbs 12:15 tells us “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” How many times are bad decisions made by those who just can’t fathom that they could possibly be wrong. That’s because a fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others. Whether it’s to confirm our own perspective or to hear a new, insightful opinion, it’s always good to at least listen to what others have to say.

Lastly, the wise are cautious and thoughtful in what they say and do. “Stupid Is as Stupid Does” is a phrase you may have heard, especially after being said by momma in the 1994 movie “Forrest Gump”. Even though Forrest may not appear to be the sharpest tool in the shed, what we actually do is the true indicator of common sense. It all boils down to “you are only as smart as your actions”. Solomon saw how “The stupid ridicule right and wrong, but a moral life is a favored life.” (Proverbs 14:9) To avoid a foolish life, we must take the time to truly think and pray and pursue God’s will before we open our mouths or do anything. Realize the stakes are high as “fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense” (Proverbs 10:21) and to ignore scripture’s advice would just be… well, stupid.

In His Service, Jim

FIGHT FOR AMERICA
Comedian Jim Gaffigan says “I normally don’t have a burger, a brat, and a steak but… it’s 4th of July. And I need the energy if I’m gonna start blowing crap up. It’s what the founding fathers would want.” I’m thinking our founding fathers may have wanted a bit more than that, especially for the future of our unique democratic republic form of government. While not all were committed Christians, many of America’s early leaders believed in the truth of Psalm 33:12 that tells us “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for His inheritance.” But on this 248th birthday of our nation, I know believers often have a very negative, gloom and doom attitude about the present state of our country- and I agree that America seems to have moved far away from the Christian principles that guided us for a long time. But I still hold out hope that there might be a revival of godliness in our nation if believers step up and take the lead.
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett wrote about the cure for America’s ills. He said “I submit that only when we turn to the right things–enduring, noble, spiritual things–will life get better. Most important, we must return religion to its proper place. Religion provides us with moral bearings, and the solution to our chief problem of spiritual impoverishment depends on spiritual renewal. The surrendering of strong beliefs, in our private and public lives, has demoralized society.”
He continues “Today, much of society ridicules and mocks those who are serious about their faith. America’s only respectable form of bigotry is bigotry against religious people. And the only reason for hatred of religion is that it forces us to confront matters many would prefer to ignore.” But then he offers this challenge: “Today we must carry on a new struggle for the country we love. We must push hard against an age that is pushing hard against us. If we have full employment and greater economic growth–if we have cities of gold and alabaster–but our children have not learned how to walk in goodness, justice and mercy, then the American experiment, no matter how gilded, will have failed. Do not surrender. Get mad. Get in the fight.” I agree wholeheartedly. But just what might that mean?
First of all, we need to acknowledge the power of prayer and lift up our nation regularly and fervently along with praying for all of those in positions of political authority. As Paul wrote, “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply…” (I Timothy 2:1,2) And then, as we vote and become aware of the issues in our country, it’s vital that we speak up as we stand for truth. In Colossians 1:23 we read how important it is to “fully believe the Truth, standing in it steadfast and firm, strong in the Lord, convinced of the Good News that Jesus died for you, and never shifting from trusting him to save you.” Biblical morality must be returned to, but even more than that is the hope of our nation based not on who’s in the White House, but Who reigns as Savior and Lord in people’s hearts. President John F. Kennedy famously told his fellow Americans in his 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” What believers need to do for the sake of their country is to truly live out their faith that we might experience revival in our land.
In His Service, Jim

While sports fishing off the Florida coast, a tourist capsized his boat. He could swim, but his fear of alligators kept him clinging to the overturned craft. Spotting an old beachcomber standing on the shore, the tourist shouted, “Are there any gators around here?!”
“Naw,” the man hollered back, “they ain’t been around for years!”
Feeling safe, the tourist started swimming leisurely toward the shore. About halfway there, he asked the guy, “How’d you get rid of the gators?”
“We didn’t do nothin’,” the beachcomber said. “The sharks got ’em.”
That doesn’t sound like a very relaxing vacation! At this time of year, a lot of folks will be heading off somewhere to get away on what we call a “vacation”. The dictionary defines it as “an extended period of leisure and recreation or in travelling, especially one spent away from home.” I think with the way God wired us as human beings, we need those extended times so we can rest both our bodies and minds whether we leave our homes or not. The riddle asks “Why don’t mummies go on summer vacation?” Answer: They’re afraid to relax and unwind! I know for myself when I’m on vacation, rather than constantly being on the go, I especially enjoy time to relax and unwind. The truth is we need to be able to take it easy, especially if we’re leading busy, demanding lives.
Our Maker understood this right from the beginning. After creating this world, He established a weekly Sabbath that we might have a day when we can rest from our labors. That’s vital for our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The Sabbath is a gift God has given mankind for those who may be tempted to constantly burn the candle at both ends. Psalm 127:2 tells us “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for He (the Lord) grants sleep to those he loves.”
But there’s another important aspect to our Sabbath times whether weekly or on vacation. In Hebrews we read “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” (4:9-11) Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote, “’The Sabbath rest that remains for the people of God’ is not only a physical cessation from work… but also a spiritual entering into God’s rest made possible through Christ’s complete redemption. The physical act of resting becomes the vehicle through which one experiences the spiritual rest. We cease from our daily work to allow God to work in us more freely and fully.” When we take the time for leisure and recreation, the Lord is able to re-create us, renewing us with the invigorating sense of God’s refreshing, eternal life which has come through our Savior’s work of salvation. And that helps recharge our batteries strengthening us for when we return to our daily tasks.
In the movie Forrest Gump, he asks, “Mama, what’s vacation mean?” to which she responds, “Vacation is where you go somewhere… and you don’t ever come back.” But for us, when we go away for some kind of relaxing, Sabbath vacation, we do “come back” to our everyday challenges, our service to those around us and our commitment to Christ and His Church. And our time of “vacation” (whatever that may be for you) helps make us more of what our Lord wants us to be.
In His Service, Jim

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13,16)
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
The following is from a “Focus on the Family” article by Glenn Stanton: Regarding the history of Christianity and abortion, the question of the value of life inside the womb was really quite simple and direct. It didn’t revolve around highly technical questions of when life and personhood began. Still, these early teachers of Christian orthodoxy had a very direct and irrefutable rationale.
1. If abortion is needed to bring the death of a child, that child is considered to be living.
2. If living, the child had to have received that gift of life from God – the giver of all life – and God is actively sustaining that new life in His goodness, even in the secret of the womb, as Psalm 139 teaches.
3. Therefore, abortion is to be condemned because it rejects the goodness and sovereignty of God.
Many biblical passages talk about God’s value of life. However, we can also see in the history of Christianity and abortion that Christians have held this belief, inherited from their Jewish roots, since the beginning. They also held it boldly and consistently.
(Today) many Christians believe that the topic of abortion and God’s value of all life, no matter how young or old, is something individual believers can agree to disagree on… This was certainly not the case in the earliest centuries of the Church. There was crystal clarity on the matter, expressed with strong and unwavering conviction. And the only thing that has changed in recent years is politics and rhetoric. These certainly do not determine proper Christian belief, conviction and practice.
Thankfully, the Christian church has grown increasingly responsive to life in the womb and the needs of women dealing with unexpected pregnancies. We can confidently say that today is the golden age of Christians responding to the needs of the unborn and their mothers in need. As Warren Cole Smith, president of Ministry Watch, illuminates so well: “The idea that pro-lifers don’t care for babies after they are born has been a convenient slander hurled against pro-life Christians. To cite just one example, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) once said pro-lifers believe “life begins at conception and ends at birth.”
Smith counters, “The biggest problem with that clever line is that it is simply not true.” He explains that today there are more than 2,500 pro-life pregnancy centers (like our local Pregnancy Help Center) where the staff show up to work every day with one single purpose: to compassionately aid pregnant women in hard places and help them and their child thrive.
Every corner of Jesus’ body throughout the earth must continue the expansion of this true and uncompromising teaching about the evil of abortion and the inestimable value of pre-born life, coupled with compassionate action toward those in need.
In His Service, Jim

This seemed appropriate with this being the month with April Fools’ Day. Con Campbell writes: A man walked into a convenience store in Wollongong, Australia, put a $20 bill on the counter and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer? Fifteen dollars.
We all act foolishly at times—even if, unlike this thief, we’re trying to do the right thing. The key is how we learn from our foolish behavior. Without correction, our poor choices can become habits, which will negatively shape our character. Sometimes it’s hard to admit our foolishness… Perhaps we need to reflect on a particular character flaw, and that’s painful. Or maybe we need to admit that a decision was made hastily and next time we should take more care. Whatever the reason, it never pays to ignore our foolish ways.
A key to overcoming foolishness is found in the wisdom of Solomon. He wrote “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) There’s a lot to be said for being a God-fearing person with a healthy respect for God who, in turn, looks to the “wisdom and instruction” found in the Bible. But there is one way in which it’s good for us to be a bit “foolish”- at least by the world’s standards.
1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” James Banks shares this: The Bible teaches that “the foolishness of God is wiser” than the cleverest human wisdom (I Corinthians 1:25). “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness” of the message of a suffering Savior to rescue “those who believe” (v. 21). God always has ways of surprising us. Instead of the triumphant king the world would expect, the Son of God came as a suffering servant and died a humbling death by crucifixion—before He was raised in unsurpassable glory.
In God’s wisdom, humility is valued over pride and love shows its worth in undeserved mercy and kindness. Through the cross, our unconquerable Messiah became the ultimate victim—in order to “save completely” (Hebrews 7:25) all who place their faith in Him! Praise God for that! It seems that there are some aspects of our faith that may seem like foolishness to some, but that’s ok. There’s a lot to be said for being a “fool for Christ”.
In His Service, Jim

Michael Burch defines a “comeback” as a return to glory or success against overwhelming odds. His list of candidates for the greatest comeback of all time includes Tiger Woods, who had dominated the PGA for years before encountering personal problems and injuries and falling out of the top 1,000 in the world golf rankings making him think he may never play again. But in 2019, despite not having won a Major title in eleven years, he won the Masters.
We could add to that list George Washington, leading the Continental Army that was on the brink of disaster at Valley Forge where around 2,000 men died. Facing a military superpower, he was struggling with a disastrous supply crisis while also trying to retrain and reorganize his men before mounting a successful counterattack at Trenton. There are many great comebacks in history, but without question the greatest comeback was accomplished by the man Burch calls “an obscure Palestinian Jew named Jesus.”
A man took a vacation to Israel with his wife and mother-in-law, who he didn’t get along with very well. During their time in the Holy Land, his mother-in-law unexpectedly passed away. The following day, the husband met with the local undertaker to discuss funeral plans.
“In cases like these, there are a couple of options to choose from,” the undertaker explained. “You can ship the body home for $5,000, or you can bury her in the Holy Land for just $150.” The man took a minute to think about it, and then announced his decision to ship her home.
The undertaker, intrigued by his decision, said, “That’s an interesting choice. Can I ask why would you pay $5,000 to ship your mother-in-law home, when you can easily bury her here for $150?” The man promptly replied, “About 2,000 years ago, a man died and was buried here. Three days later he rose from the dead- and I can’t take that chance!”
Jesus’ comeback was something He had clearly predicted at least three times, like in Matthew 16:21 where we read, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” After His resurrection, on the Day of Pentecost, His apostles boldly preached that Jesus had, in fact, died, “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death…  God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” (Acts 2:24,32) Jesus’ victory over death had impacted them in a profound way. It should be the same for us. Because He conquered the grave, we also can experience great comebacks, certainly at our resurrection, but also here in this life.
One more comeback story: During his lifetime, Abraham Lincoln had two businesses that failed, the love of his life died, he had two nervous breakdowns, he lost one son at age four and another at age eleven and he lost eight elections. But despite so many setbacks, in 1860 at the age of 51 he was elected President of the United States. Lincoln, like Jesus Christ, reminds us that we may be down, but that doesn’t mean we’re out. Your comeback may be just around the corner.
Happy Easter, Jim

Scripture Spotlight “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.” Acts 2:32