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  • Social Media Is Fueled By Fear But There Is A Better Path

    Many historians believe that 1968 was one of the most turbulent years in American history. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated. Race riots and Vietnam war protests created massive unrest. International peace was unsettled as the USSR invaded Czechoslovakia. A bestselling book by entomologist Paul Ehrlich called the Population Bomb predicted that overpopulation would lead to hundreds of millions of people starving and there was nothing we could do about it. 

    In the Christian world a movie called Thief in the Night came out with a frightening story about the rapture and tribulation. I didn’t sleep well for weeks because I did not want to get left behind. My parents thought the end was near.

    I was 15 years old. The news was terrifying. I was a new Christian and I had virtually no discipling for what faith in God meant when confronting fears.

    I didn’t know if I would get a chance to drive, vote, get married, have children, have a career, or see the Cleveland Browns win another NFL championship. By the way, all but one have worked out.

    Fast forward fifty-seven years (and trust me it feels that way) and the cultural climate in our country feels even worse. I have had a few years to see how God works in my life so that is a big difference. But I will be honest, it is still unsettling.

    Psalm 27 addresses a major issue. Where do we find hope in a seemingly hopeless world? How can we address the fears that confront us consistently? 

    In the Psalm David is being pursued and he believes an attack on his life is imminent. He states his hope without ignoring the danger of his current situation. Instead of downplaying his trouble he looks through a different lens. Yep. Things are a dangerous mess. Yep. I could be attacked at any moment. He starts Psalm 27 with the things he needs to remember as he confronts a deadly threat.

    1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
        whom shall I fear?
    The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
        of whom shall I be afraid?

    God is my light in the darkness. God is my salvation and eternal hope. God is my strength when I am weak. Wow. Believing those truths alone will make a difference when fear rises up in my heart. But let’s be honest here. No doubt that intellectual knowledge is encouraging but how can we live out those truths when danger and fear are lurking? Let’s look at an amazing statement from the Psalmist.

    3 Though an army besiege me,
        my heart will not fear;
    though war break out against me,
        even then I will be confident.

    Wait? What? 

    If war breaks out against me even then I will be confident? That is not the circumstance that gives me confidence in my journey. 

    How can he possibly be confident? I found it fascinating that the Hebrew word for confident translates literally to “I will trust”. David’s confidence was not in his own strength. He was trusting God and that gave him the confidence to be unafraid. 

    Again, that is a comforting intellectual concept. God is my light. My salvation. My strength. I trust Him. I still need a plan to implement those truths. How do you trust God when danger is all around you? David’s plan is simple and instructive for us today.

    He wanted to be present with the Lord.

    My natural tendency would likely be to agonize over the circumstances. Instead David chooses, and it is a choice, to make God his priority in uncertain and difficult times.

    My first instinct would be to desperately pray for protection. That God would remove me from this situation. But what did David want first and foremost?

    4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
        this only do I seek:
    that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
        all the days of my life,
    to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
        and to seek him in his temple.

    He wanted, more that anything else, to be in the presence of the Lord. 

    Author Max Lucado wrote, “The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.”

    You do that by seeking God’s presence and peace. God wants His children to commune with Him. He wants us to learn more about who He is. Then we need to bring those things we learn about God’s character into fellowship with Him in honest prayer and reflection. Knowledge alone often falls short. Knowledge combined with intimate fellowship with the Lord is a game changer. 

    Now more than ever that we need to place the truths of Psalm 27 in our hearts. David’s words remind us that even in the difficult times we can persevere because our God has perfect timing and the perfect plan. There is no need to panic and force our plans to fix the problem. We can have confidence that if we turn to God for strength, knowledge, and wisdom, we will know what our part in the solutions is. 

    There is a famous saying that fits this Psalm of David.

    Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.

    When we trust God and seek His presence I believe that can be true. When we feel fear rising up we need to remember God is our light, our salvation, and our strength. The next time fear knocks on the door gather up those truths and have faith answer. It makes a powerful difference.

  • Spiritual Growth Can Be Found in the Roots of Redwoods

    Real growth in relationships, faith, and maturity doesn’t just happen. I have to be intentional about confronting my own heart and shortcomings. Change is hard. Sharing my need to change with others is even harder. 

    Several years ago I took the risk to trust three men with everything about me. We called ourselves the Redwood Brothers based on a unique characteristic of the Coastal California redwood trees. A redwood alone in a forest might look magnificent but the first strong wind could destroy it. The Coastal Redwoods have shallow root systems and cannot survive a storm alone. Their roots extend over one hundred feet from the base but just broadening the root base is not what makes these beautiful trees capable of surviving the worst storms. They stand strong by intertwining their roots with the roots of other redwoods. The winds are now taking on an entire stand of trees and not a single redwood. No matter how majestic those trees might appear God designed them to need other trees to survive the storms. 

    That is exactly how we are designed. That describes the relationship I have forged with the three other men who gather every year to share weaknesses, fears, and frustrations. We are men who desire to follow Christ faithfully and love our wives and families well. Yet we can have shallow root systems, and we need the strength of one another as we go through strong winds and storms together. Sharing our imperfect journeys in a safe space has resulted in remarkable breakthroughs. We have experienced what my friend John Lynch wrote about in The Cure.

    “What if there was a place so safe that the worst of me could be known, and I would discover that I would not be loved less, but more in the telling of it?” 

    Dropping the pretense and engaging in real conversation about the difficulties of this journey with other honest wayfarers is a real way to become more like Jesus. After several yearly gatherings with powerful results we invited our spouses to join us in this vital journey. The impact as couples continues to grow our roots deeper and more connected with fellow believers and with Jesus.

    The need for church community is clear. But it’s even more important to look at what Jesus modeled. Jesus knew hundreds of people. He traveled with dozens. He sent out seventy. He discipled twelve. And He invested deeply in three. Jesus’ inner circle consisted of Peter, James, and John. He confided in these three men on a deeper and more profound level than any of the other disciples. I’ve found the same results in my own life. My greatest growth has taken place since I risked trusting a small group of fellow believers.

    Legendary professor Howard Hendricks of Dallas Theological Seminary described Paul’s friend Barnabas as the type of friend that will help you grow in your faith. He noted that Barnabas was a soul brother who loves you but is not impressed by you. Somebody who’s willing to keep you honest even if it creates a moment of discomfort.

    What a great description of a true friend. Someone who loves you but is not impressed with you. These men love me. They want the best for me. They tell me the truth because I trust them with my story and I have given them permission to speak truth with grace. I keep emphasizing the grace part. That is how God desires our community to look. I can only receive real love from you to the extent that you know the truth about who I really am. We all have blind spots in our hearts. I need a person who loves me enough to gently and gracefully point them out. 

    I hope you will find the courage to carefully trust others with everything that is true about you. We need each other. These scriptural passages are great reminders of the importance of being honest and loving in community.

    “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
    ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬


    “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
    ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

    We need Jesus. And we need a community of brothers and sisters who share our desire to follow Him.

    Portions of this article from my book Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace.

  • Jesus Showed Us Why a Room Full of Bobbleheads Doesn’t Work

    We often wonder how to get along with a group of people who have very different personalities and backgrounds. Should we surround ourselves with people just like us so we can feel safe and unchallenged? Many leaders choose only those who agree with them. My friend Clint Hurdle shared why you must have different voices in the room or every meeting is a narcissistic waste of time. Here is Clint’s comment.

    “I would tell my staff that I could simply surround my desk with bobbleheads and tap their heads if I wanted blind agreement in the room. I would offer my plan and the bobbleheads would nod yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I’ve been that guy nodding while my heart shouted no! I’ve also had colleagues agree with me hoping to gain my favor instead of helping me make the best decision. I can’t be surrounded by bobbleheads. I need people who are going to tell me the truth. This was the consistent mantra in the room when I was the manager.”

    “Tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.”

    Clint is releasing a new book on February 11th entitled Hurdle-isms: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Baseball. I highly recommend you purchase and enjoy the wisdom of my friend as he tells stories of life and faith.

    So what should we do when putting together a leadership team? I think we have a pretty good leadership example in Jesus as He chose his Apostles. I always tended to rush through the list of the names to get to the stories. Last week I dove into the unique group of men Jesus assembled to follow Him.

    These are the twelve he chose:

    Simon (whom he named Peter),
    James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”),
    Andrew,
    Philip,
    Bartholomew,
    Matthew,
    Thomas,
    James (son of Alphaeus),
    Thaddaeus,
    Simon (the zealot),
    Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). (Mark 3, NLT)

    The first observation is that Jesus completely obliterated our tendency to be drawn to people of power, financial status, and educational prominence. If you were launching a crucial three year training program to spread the Word of God would you pick ordinary and unrefined followers to make up your team? That is who Jesus is. His choice was not defined by their status but their hearts and willingness to follow Him. He needed a different and unique skill set from each one in the group. The choice of Judas Iscariot seems so wrong but Jesus knew that the Father’s plan needed to be finished. Let’s look at the other eleven to see the how challenging this room might look without the unifying love of Jesus.

    Peter: Passionate. Impulsive and often unable to keep his mouth shut when he should. Jesus loved His heart and made this often frustrating follower a key element in the building of the church.
    Andrew: An early disciple of John the Baptist who became the first to follow Jesus and willingly introduced his older brother Peter to Jesus.
    James and John: They were sons of Zebedee who were known for their intense passion that sometimes played out as pride and anger. Wonder why Jesus tagged them the Sons of Thunder? This might be a clue.

    He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. (Luke 52-55, NLT)

    Jesus looked past the impulsive mouth of Peter and the ungodly anger of the James and John. He saw their hearts. He loved them. And they got to witness the miracle of the Transfiguration outlined in Luke 9:28-35. By the way, that was another time that Peter popped off awkwardly.

    Phillip: Not much is known about him but he knew that this was the Messiah the prophets had foretold and he shared that with Nathaniel.

    Nathaniel: He dissed the community of Nazareth (John 1:46-51, NLT) yet Jesus recognized his heart as a man of complete integrity.

    Matthew: How about this addition? A man hated by the Jews for abusing his fellow countrymen with unfair taxation and loyalty to the Romans. Again, pretty sure that would not happen if I were assembling a team but Jesus saw his unique potential to spread the message of the Gospel.

    Thomas: When you bring in a person nicknamed “Doubting Thomas” you have obviously not secured a bobblehead. His tough questions and seeking of truth were invaluable to the trust of others.

    James the Less: Probably not the title I would desire but He was chosen by Jesus. We will find out some day exactly the impact this humble servant had.

    Simon the Zealot: A passionate activist is the kind of person that many of us avoid today. Jesus knew if he transferred that passion to the message of redemption and forgiveness he would be an invaluable asset.

    Judas, Son of James: We don’t know much about him except he grew impatient with the Lord sharing His truths (John 14:22) with the Apostles and not more openly with the world. I am sure he figured it out after the Resurrection.

    What a group! Would you think this odd mix of men would be the kind of leadership team that could lead well and make a difference for eternity? My view from afar would be absolutely not. What caused this ragamuffin group to begin the revival that is still changing the world?

    The love of Jesus.

    And the unity they shared when they saw God’s plan for salvation completed with the trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. These common men unified by Jesus proclaimed the Gospel fearlessly.

    Jesus showed us how to love and get along with a challenging group. You need honesty, trust, love, the willingness to listen, and accountability. That is incredibly difficult without a point of unity. Paul told us what that point of unity must be.


    “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”
    ‭‭(1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

    We have that ability to be unified in Christ. Can those of us who differ on some issues focus on that? I wonder what a difference we could make. Those eleven (plus a later addition) made a pretty good difference.

  • How Can We Apply Jesus’ Healing Promises In Our Lives Today?

    I love this story from the Gospel written by Mark.

    “A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed.”

    The suffering man approached Jesus in such an honest way. He begged Him to be healed. I can relate to that. How many times have I begged God for something without trusting His sovereignty in the process? The answer is too many times. I should respond more like this man who understood Jesus was able to heal but He had to be willing. Here is that exchange.

    “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.” (Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭40‬-‭42‬ ‭NLT)‬‬

    Jesus was moved by the sincere and trusting heart of the leper. Jesus responded with deep tenderness. The leper believed Jesus had the power to heal. But he also believed he himself did not have the power to demand that Jesus heal him. He showed faith, revealed his heart, and trusted the results to Jesus.

    When our request is not answered does it mean Jesus isn’t willing? Part of understanding these moments is putting them in context with other Scripture. What is Jesus willing to do in other ways? A few examples…

    • Jesus is always Willing to Forgive our sins
    • Jesus is always Willing to Love us
    • Jesus is always Willing to be our Advocate
    • Jesus is always Willing to be present in us through the power of the Holy Spirit
    • Jesus is always Willing to show us the way to grow in faithfulness and love

    Perhaps the most incredible thing Jesus was willing to do was take our sin upon Himself to the Cross. He was willing to suffer and die for us. That gave us the resurrection and forgiveness of our sins. But Jesus had to make the biggest willingness decision ever.

    “He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭39‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

    Jesus wished there were other options but He was willing to endure the pain of crucifixion for you and for me. His willingness to love us is undeniable. So I am learning to trust God when my prayers are not answered in the way I hoped for. Jesus loves us. God is sovereign. We won’t know why things happen until we are together with Jesus. I heard a preacher say this and I have not forgotten it.

    ”I believe I will spend the first 10,000 years in Heaven saying now I understand why that happened. Oh, I see why that occurred. That makes sense now.”

    I have lost friends way too early in my opinion. But then I see the impact of how they were a light to those around them even in those dark valleys. Their example made an eternal difference as God used their testimony for His glory.

    One of my great spiritual epiphanies came while ­listening to a Garth Brooks song. I know. Garth may not be a go-to theologian but his song called “Unanswered Prayers” resonated with my heart. He sings about things that he fervently begged for God to provide. Now, years later, he can see how much better things are because those prayers were unanswered. I have shared the same experience many times. I would suggest that unanswered is an answer, but I guess that would not make a catchy lyric.

    I remember praying for a particular job that would give me prestige and allow me to climb the ladder in the broadcast world. It looked like the offer was about to come, and then it did not. I was disappointed. Confused. What happened?

    In retrospect, I believe that God moved in that situation and firmly slammed the door shut. I can see now that it was not even close to being a good fit for me. It was a ­high- pressure position where performance was often more important than people. Instead, God put me in a place where my relational gifts could be used to not only direct good sports telecasts but also to invest in the lives of those I work with every day. Today I thank God that He said no to my prayer.

    Jesus is willing. I trust that means things will be redeemed for eternity even when the short term results aren’t what we desire.

  • Wait! Don’t Pack Away Your Joy in the Attic!

    This is the week we finish one of my least favorite tasks of the year. Taking down the Christmas decorations always fills me with melancholy. I love Christmas and the message of hope and joy it brings. That God entered human form and gave us hope in a Savior who understands our struggles.

    We packed up a treasured Nativity creche that has been a part of our family tradition for decades. That miracle in a Bethlehem stable is where I place my joy as I head into a very unstable New Year. I find my joy in the Messiah, the Lord – who was born in the city of David. It is so easy to remember the reason for hope during Christmas. It also easy to forget that when things turn dark. 

    We also packed away a decoration that spells out JOY. Now that we are past this wonderful season it would be easy to pack away joy in the attic and concentrate on cultural concerns. The twenty-four news cycle feeds on negativity. Hearing the message of gloom and doom over and over has its effect on even the most steadfast believers. Social media sites peddle darkness and fear and I choose not to be paralyzed by it. The angel of the Lord told the shepherds not to be afraid. Jesus talked a lot about fear.

    “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. (Matthew 10 – NLT)

    And these words from Jesus could have been in response to the negativity and anxiety we hear about every day.

    “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?…Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”  (Luke 12, NLT)

    So I have made some decisions. I don’t make vows because I know I will fall short at some point. Choosing a direction allows me to stumble off course but then get back on track.

    I want to spend less time watching and reading the news and more time reading and meditating on God’s Word. I want to Bipartisan pray for our leaders in Washington but I am going to trust God to provide my hope. I want to live joyfully in each precious moment that God gives me and not live in paralyzing fear of the future. I agree with C.S. Lewis when he wrote these words. “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.“

    I want to continually unpack the joy that Christ can give me every single day in 2025. You can do that too. May you have a joyful New Year by remembering where your true hope resides.

    Happy New Year!

  • What is Christmas All About? Linus Had The Best Response!

    A familiar song popped up on a Christmas music station from the original soundtrack of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Jazz musician Vince Guaraldi’s score is simple and brilliant. Listening to the vocal version of “Christmas Time Is Here” brought back some wonderful Christmas memories.

    Christmas time is here
    Happiness and cheer
    Fun for all that children call
    Their favorite time of the year

    A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my annual delights. In many ways Christmas has become an economic and not a religious holiday. One of the most powerful reminders of the message of Christmas came from the genius of the late Charles Schultz. One simple and elegant scene captures it all. Charlie Brown has failed miserably in his attempt to find the true meaning of Christmas. But then Linus recites the following passage from the King James version of the Bible.

    “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

    And then Linus turns and says this powerful line to Charlie Brown.

    “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

    Without a doubt this show would be different if produced today. A documentary produced about the making of the show revealed that Charles Schultz received substantial push back even in 1965 from network officials who did not want to have the Christmas story read from the Bible. But Schultz demanded it be included with this simple declaration.

    “If we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?”

    And for nearly sixty years Charles Schultz has had a hand in telling millions of viewers the true meaning of Christmas. The lyrics from “Christmas Time Is Here” continue with this wish.

    Oh, that we could always see
    Such spirit through the year.

    Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Charlie Brown’s heart was changed by the simple story of Christmas. An often overlooked moment in the show is particularly relevant this Christmas. Fans of the show know that Linus is permanently attached to his blanket. His dependence on it for comfort is ridiculed by sister Lucy and others. He never lets his blanket go. But while Linus is reading the Biblical account a remarkable and subtle action occurs. He reads these words from the angel. (About 38 seconds into the video)

    “And the angel said unto them, Fear not”

    At that point Linus simply drops his blanket as a sign that the birth of Jesus overcomes fears and becomes our comfort. Brilliant.

    There is a lot of fear in the world this Christmas season. That is why we need to focus on the message of the angel. 

    “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:10-11, NLT)

    Author Paul David Tripp summarized the miracle of that announcement. 

    “The Advent story is the most beautiful rescue story ever. The Son of God leaves the Father’s side, becomes a man to save us from us.”

    That is my hope this Christmas. The child announced by the angel is why I can approach an uncertain New Year without fear. Because of the miracle of the incarnation I can experience peace and forgiveness. 

    Peace on earth and mercy mild
    God and sinners reconciled

    I pray you will open and embrace the gift of salvation and grace announced by the angels that night. Because that’s what Christmas is all about.

  • A Wartime Miracle Spawned From a Silent Night

    One of my favorite Christmas stories happened during the horrors of war. The Christmas carol “Silent Night” was actually responsible for a wartime Christmas truce.

    The year was 1914 and soldiers were having to spend Christmas Eve night on the World War I battlefields of Belgium. After only four months of fighting, more than a million men had already perished in the bloody conflict. The bodies of dead soldiers were scattered between the trenches. Enemy troops were dug-in so close that they could easily exchange shouts.

    On December 24, 1914, in the middle of a freezing battlefield in France, a miracle happened. The British troops watched in amazement as candle-lit Christmas trees began to appear above the German trenches. The glowing trees soon appeared along the length of the German front.

    Henry Williamson, a young soldier with the London Regiment wrote in his diary: “From the German parapet, a rich baritone voice had begun to sing a song I remembered my German nurse singing to me…. The grave and tender voice rose out of the frozen mist. It was all so strange… like being in another world — to which one had come through a nightmare.”

    Silent Night
    Holy Night
    All is calm
    All is quiet

    “They finished their carol and we thought that we ought to retaliate,” another British soldier wrote, “So we sang “The First Noël” and when we finished, they all began clapping. And they struck up “O Tannebaum” and on it went… until we started up “O Come All Ye Faithful” [and] the Germans immediately joined in …. this was really a most extraordinary thing — two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”

    Christmas truce

    It is recorded that enemy soldiers greeted each other in the no man’s land that was a killing zone the day before. The soldiers wished each other Merry Christmas and agreed not to fire their rifles on Christmas Day. The spontaneous cease-fire eventually embraced much of a 500-mile stretch of the Western Front. According to the reports of soldiers at the scene, thousands of soldiers celebrated the birth of the Prince of Peace among the bodies of their dead.

    Christmas truce

    Other soldiers told of how the “enemies” exchanged badges and buttons from their uniforms. Others shared photos of wives and children and some even exchanged addresses and promised to write after the war ended.

    But the miracle of peace was temporary. Slowly, under threats from their officers, the troops returned to the trenches and the recoils of rifles split the temporary “Silent Night.” Some soldiers admitted aiming so their bullets flew well above the heads of the “enemy.”

    Perhaps those of us who celebrate the birth of the Savior could learn a lesson from this Christmas miracle as we engage those who do not share our beliefs and faith in Jesus. Those on the other side of the cultural trenches are not unlike us. The message delivered in Bethlehem was peace and goodwill toward all men. When we fight the cultural war we need to remember that the whole purpose of Jesus invading our space and time was to love and ultimately die for those on both sides of the battle. During the recent Army/Navy football game I was deeply moved by this observation.

    “This is only game where everyone on the field is willing to die for everyone watching them play”

    Jesus was willing and did die for everyone on both sides of our cultural trenches and ugly personal warfare. Perhaps the biggest miracle of that Silent Night was how the power of a unified focus on Jesus can unite even bitter enemies. My heart aches as I see Christians splitting ranks over things that don’t amount to a hill of beans on an eternal scale. I picture Jesus weeping over the churches of America like He wept over Jerusalem. I picture Him weeping over how Christians in this country divide over non-essentials and fail to communicate the joy and life-changing power of the good news of the gospel. Jesus gave this final command to His followers…

    “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
    John 13:34-35 – NLT

    Pretty straight forward. Nothing in there about personal gain, power, or prestige. The power of what happened on that Silent Night united enemies centuries later on a French battlefield.  My Christmas prayer is that the miracle of God becoming man will unite you and me, His followers, to seek what actually matters. To really make it about Christ and not about us. And do it while we still have the chance.