Happy Happy Happy

A lot has been said in recent months and years about the direction and state of the Southern Baptist Convention. While I do not know of everything that has been going on, I do know enough to become frustrated and annoyed. This being said I have a couple of comments on all of these matters.

First, I believe that all parties involved and true born again believers and as such are a part of family. I love them and God loves. With that I believe that for the most part all parties desire to do and live God's will. The believe they are doing what is best for them, their church and their denomination.

Second, God is bigger than all of this! As Bob the Tomato and Junior Asparagus once said "God is bigger that the Boogie Man and He is watching out for you and me!"

So what does all of this have to do with my post title (Happy Happy Happy). Well, I am happy! Despite the fact that so many negative things are going on around me, God is lifting up my emotions and guard my heart. He is beginning to open doors in my ministry beyond anything I could have imagined. I know the coming year holds its share of trials yet I also know it will hold its share joys and triumphs. I look forward to what God has in store for myself, my family, my church and my friends.

Now that I have told you a little bit about is going on in my world. What about yours? What is God doing in your life?

Fear for the New Year

Happy New Year!

So what are your plans for the coming year? Anything big and special? For me I plan to live my life with more fear than ever before!

No that was not a typo. I really do want to live with more fear than in years past. I know I do not fear God enough. Many people today think that when the Bible says to fear God it simply means to have an awe or reverence for God. This is true but it is not the complete picture of what it means to have a healthy fear of God. To get a better understanding of this concept we must take a look at the story of Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5.

In this story we can happen when you do not follow the will of God. Simply put Ananias and Sapphira were killed because they lied to God and tried to deceive both God and man. Now this does not mean that every time we lie or cheat God will kill us. I think though the response of the people gives us an indication of how we should fear God. The Greek word used in verse 11 actaully means that which strikes terror . The people who heard these stories did not simply have this feeling of awe or reverence for God, they were struck with fear and trembling. Paul speaks to Timothy on this same topic in I Timothy 5:20 where we are called to be fearful of sinning.

So how does one balance this call to fear with the concept of grace. I am not sure I have an answer for this other than to say that the two go hand in hand for the Christian. Grace allows us to not only avoid the pain and suffering of Hell but it also allows to sometimes avoid the pain and suffering of sin in this world. Each person must find out how God desires them to live in this balance of fear and grace. For me that means learning more and more this year about fear.