CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?

Our tour group from Texas visited Nazareth this weekend, and I’m always amazed at the changing nature of the city. We visited a remarkable Christian site called “The Nazareth Village” which is a recreated Biblical village that portrays what buildings looked like and how people lived and dressed during the time of Jesus. It was well researched and presented in an interesting and educational way.
In the New Testament, Nazareth is the place of two earth-shattering announcements – one private and one public. First when a young virgin girl named Mary was visited and given an announcement by the angel Gabriel. She heard the announcement that she had been chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah. That was such an important announcement that there is a huge Catholic Church built over Mary’s home called The Church of the Annunciation (the white building in the background of this photo).
The second big announcement was made publicly and it never resulted in a large church being built. It happened in Jesus’ home synagogue of Nazareth, when a 30-year-old homegrown carpenter, and a son of a carpenter, made a sensational announcement to the people who had know them for most of his life. At this time, Nazareth had a population of about 400, so everyone knew Jesus.
He had already been traveling around doing a little teaching and there was even word that He had done a few miracles in Capernaum. His family and friends were anxious to hear gossip about what He had been doing.
Jesus was invited to teach that day. As is the custom to this day, He stood to read a section from the scroll of Isaiah. When the Torah or Prophets were read, the members of the synagogue stood (that’s one reason we stand to read the scriptures at our church). Jesus chose this particular passage from Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then He rolled up the scroll and gave it to the attendant and sat down to teach. (The older I get the more I enjoy sitting on a stool to teach sometimes – hey, it’s the way Jesus taught at His church!) He didn’t beat around the bush with a few jokes or promote an upcoming trip to Jerusalem. Instead He made an announcement – and it was a bombshell: “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING.” Only eight words in English, but those words shook the world. Every good Jew knew that the prophecy in Isaiah 61 was for the MESSIAH only. And hometown boy Jesus simply says, “Today (not next week, or next year) this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Meaning; “Pay attention, I have a very important ANNOUNCEMENT: I AM THE MESSIAH.” (mumble, mumble, mumble among the synagogue crowd).
At first the audience wasn’t too upset because they thought surely Jesus was just trying to get their attention, but the more He talked, the angrier they became. Jesus went on to make the revolutionary, blasphemous claim that the God of Israel also wanted GENTILES in His family. Jesus used two illustrations. One, during the famine when Elijah was God’s man, there were many Jewish widows in need of food, but God sent Elijah to a GENTILE widow – the widow of Zarephath in Sidon (mumble, mumble mumble within the crowd). Then Jesus said that during the ministry of Elisha there were many JEWS suffering from leprosy, but God chose to cleanse only one – Naaman the Syrian.
At this point, the crowd grew furious and rushed upon Jesus, grabbed Him, and they planned to throw Him off a cliff and stone Him on the spot. But it wasn’t the right time, nor the right mode for Jesus to die, so He just walked through the mob and walked away from Nazareth.
Today, Nazareth is a teeming city of almost 100,000 people. It is the largest Israeli Arab city in Israel – yes, there are Israeli Arab citizens (in fact 17% of Israel’s population are Arab). For much of its history since the resettlement, Nazareth has been a stronghold for Christians in Israel (3% of Israel’s population are Arab Christians.). About 20 years ago, Nazareth’s population consisted of 70% Christian and 30% Muslim). Today the ratio is reversed with Nazareth having a population of 66% Muslim and 33% Christian (the 2006 photo shows Muslims in daily prayer in front of the Church of the Annunciation).
It’s worse in Bethlehem – only 20 years ago Bethlehem would have been 90% Christian and 10% Muslim. Today you’d be scraping the bottom of the barrel to find 5% Christians in Bethlehem. Since Bethlehem is within the Palestinian-controlled territory, the persecution and removal of Christians has been deliberate and often brutal. Lands belonging to Christians for generations were “claimed” by the Palestinians.
It’s sad to see how the Muslims are replacing Christians and taking over Nazareth as they did Bethlehem. In answer to the question of this blog: IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING IS GOING TO COME OUT OF NAZARETH IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
But the good news is that something good HAS come out of Nazareth – actually Someone good! Jesus Christ. Once a teacher asked Jesus, “Good teacher ….?” Before Jesus answered his question, He had one of His own. “Why do you call me GOOD? There is none GOOD but God.”
Indeed, Jesus is GOOD because He is God! Pray for the Christians in Nazareth as they deal with the encroaching spread of Islam in their city.

AHH! THE GOOD LIFE IN GALILEE

Through the years of bringing groups to Israel, I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things. For intance, the typical tour group arrives in Tel Aviv and travels up to Galilee first and then swings southward to finish their Holy Land tour in Jersualem.
The first few times I visited here, we followed that route, and I noticed that our tour members became more and more fearful and stressed as we approached Jersusalem. So I have designed my own itinerary that goes against the flow. We start in Jerusalem and end in the Galilee. Israelis call this area “THE Galilee” like Texans call one part of our state “THE Panhandle.” No self-respecting Texan would say, “I’m from Panhandle.” In the same way, the Jews speak of the region surrounding the Sea of Galilee (actually Lake Genneserat) as THE Galilee.
The Sea of Galilee is the lowest fresh water lake in the world, sitting at 600 feet below sea level. It is seven miles wide at its widest point and 14 miles long. Since it is the only fresh water lake in Israel, the Israelis use it as their national swimming pool, and in the summer the shores are packed with Israeli tourists.
Having traveled here for 14 previous trips, I’ve figured out WHY Jesus chose Galilee to be His home and base of ministry – it’s just SO much more peaceful, beautiful, and slow-paced than the rat-race that is Jerusalem. In Jerusalem there are crowded streets, noisy vendors, and rude city-slickers. In Galilee, it’s the country, where life is slower, and people are friendlier and it’s a lot quieter.
When you study the gospel accounts, Jesus really didn’t care to visit Jerusalem often. Imagine this – from an early age you realize that one day when you visit Jersualem you’re going to be arrested, tortured, and put to death. No wonder Jesus only visited Jerusalem when it was required of Jewish males to visit the city for the Jewish Festivals. And when He did visit Jerusalem, there was always a powerful sense of conflict as the Jewish Mafia took every opportunity to question and discredit this rabble-rousing rabbi from the sticks of Galilee.
So when I bring a group to Israel we see the sites, fight the crowds, deal with the traffic...then we escape to Galilee to end our trip. The fields are ripe for harvest in Galilee. The vegetation and plant life is remarkable. Banana trees and citrus groves cover the landscape. It’s like living in the country instead of the big bad city.
I think Jesus had an aversion to the big city life of Jerusalem and preferred the quiet, pastoral setting of Galilee. He probably would have liked John Denver’s song, “Thank God I’m a county boy!”
When our groups visit Galilee, we don’t stay in one of the many fine hotels in Tiberias. Instead, my favorite place to stay is at the Nof Ginosar Kibbutz guest house. This tranquil quiet kibbutz is located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee near where a 2,000 year old fishing boat was found in the mud and was removed and displayed at the kibbutz. We can’t say for certain it was a boat Jesus used, but for sure it was the kind of boat that Jesus would have ridden across the lake. The idea of putting 13 guys in a boat that size gives new meaning to the term “close fellowship.”
Whenever our groups arrive at Nof Ginosar, you can almost hear the audible “ahhhh” as they see the lush vegetation and the Sea of Galilee only 75 yards away. As, I’ve said, I certainly can’t fault Jesus for wanting to live and minister here – it’s some of the most peaceful tranquil settings in the world in the midst of a country that is usually nervously preparing for the next attack.
The sites in Galilee where Jesus fed the 5,000, spoke the Sermon on the Mount and healing and ministered are all easy to find since they happened within a small area surrounding Capernaum.
The nature of a Holy Land Tour group reflects the difference between Jerusalem and Galilee. We rush frantically through the sites, pushed, and crowded by the people in the narrow streets of the old city – probably much like it was in the time of Jesus.
Then we finish our journey in Galilee where there is mostly green hills, open space, and friendly country folks. Jesus knew what He was doing by choosing THE GALILEE. That’s why I love spending the last three days of our trip here. The footprints of Jesus are found wherever we walk!

WHERE IS THE 'PLACE OF THE SKULL'?

This week I’m enjoying the opportunity to escort a group of 50 Texans around Israel for them to experience the sights and sounds of the land where Bible events happened. One of my greatest thrills is watching their expressions as the Bible “comes alive” in the places where His story occurred.
Yesterday we started the day by spending time in the traditional location of the upper room where Jesus and His disciples ate the Last Supper. This was the same location where 120 disciples gathered on Pentecost and the church was born.
Then we moved a few hundred yards away to the church that has been built over the house of Caiphas where Jesus was placed on trial. Tradition says that between the time of the illegal night trial and the sunrise when He was taken to Pilate that Jesus was lowered by ropes into a pit that had once served as a cistern. Outside this church are the remains of the stone steps that led from that part of old Jerusalem to the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives. These steps were certainly the ones that Jesus and His disciples walked, so this is one of the places where you can be sure you’re walking where Jesus walked.
Then we visited the Garden of Gethsemane and once again I knelt at the Rock of Agony where it is believed to be the place where drops of blood fell from the brow of Jesus as He prayed, “Take this cup away, but not my will, but yours be done.” The word “Gethsemane” means “olive press.” It was the place where olives were beaten off the trees by rods and then placed between grinding stones that forced the virgin oil from the olives. How appropriate for Jesus to pray in this place since He was under great pressure and strain as He faced the cross.
Our group spent some time in a private part of the garden among ancient olive trees whose roots certainly go back more than 2,000 years. Every time I’m there I can easily visualize the sight of the string of torches descending from Jerusalem as Judas led the Temple police to arrest Jesus.
We walked along the via dolorosa (the way of suffering) and stood on the very pavement where Pilate spoke with Jesus and turned Him over to the Roman soldiers where He was subjected to their cruel and vulgar treatment.
We finished our day at Golgotha and the Garden Tomb. You may or may not know that there are two purported sites for Calvary. For Centuries the Roman Catholic Church has claimed that the location is where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is built. I’ve visited there several times, but I’m not convinced that is the correct location.
This site was first established by Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who visited Jerusalem in the 4th Century when she was 80 years old. She claimed to have had a dream that directed her this location. The story also claims that while at this site, she discovered the pieces of the cross, which when used to touch a sick person would heal them. She also claimed to have found the nails of the crucifixion. In order to assist her son in his military conquests, Helena placed one nail in Constantine’s helmet and another in the bridle of his horse. If that’s true, that’s an interesting final use of the nails that pierced the hands of Jesus.
In addition, many scholars estimate that the location of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was actually inside the city walls at the time of the crucifixion. The writer of Hebrews informs us that Jesus was crucified, “outside the city.” When you see maps or models of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus, many of them have to manufacture an incredible “jog” in the layout of the walls to make the Church of the Holy Sepulcher appear as if it was outside the city.
I join many evangelical Christians in leaning toward the validity of the site often called “Gordon’s Calvary” or better known as the Garden Tomb. British General Charles Gordon is often associated with the location because in 1885 he was the first public figure to give credence to the location that was excavated in 1842.
If one wonders WHY the site was not excavated until the 19th Century, you must realize that Jerusalem was under Roman and then Muslim control since 70 A.D. except for a few years when the Crusaders had captured the city. But they were much too busy defending the Holy Land to even think about looking for Holy sites.
There are several factors that cause me to lean toward the Garden Tomb location: (1) Just look at the rock face – it looks like a skull. Photographs taken in the mid 1800’s reveal that it looked even MORE like a skull 150 years ago. (2) Nearby an empty tomb of a rich man was discovered. We know he was rich because it is located in a large garden (as the scripture says) because a huge cistern was discovered. Wealthy men in Jesus’ time were often farmers or vitners. Jesus told the story of a wealthy vineyard owner who had the money to travel away and leave his employees in charge. The primary necessity of an ancient vineyard or garden in Jerusalem was a constant and large water source. (3) The site is located outside the ancient city walls at the intersection of three main routes. The Romans executed criminals in public places to gain the maximum impact. (4) Muslims often unintentionally “marked” Christian sites by burying their dead there in order to “desecrate” it from future worship. For instance, there is a large Muslim cemetery located in front of the Eastern Gate of the Temple mount. This was to discourage the thought of the Messiah ever entering there since walking over graves would make a good Jew defiled. (But that won’t make Jesus hesitate for a second when He returns in His glory!). And, you guessed it: there is a Muslim cemetery directly on top of the skull rock face in the Garden Tomb area. (And there is no Muslim cemetery at the Holy Sepulcher – hmmm, the Muslims could have easily converted that church to a cemetery during the centuries in which they had total control of Jerusalem.
You can study the issue for yourself and come to your own conclusions. But the main truth is NOT where it happened, but WHAT happened! “CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS – THE RIGHTEOUS FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS – THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD.”
Whether the Garden Tomb’s Golgotha is the actual location where Jesus died or not, I must confess that everytime I stand there I am in awe. I’m reminded of a story I heard about the late Dr. R.G. Lee when he visited Jerusalem for the first time. When his group arrived at the Garden Tomb, Dr. Lee ran ahead of the group and when they arrived they found him kneeling in prayer as he gazed at the skull-shaped cliff. The tour guide asked him, “Oh, Dr. Lee, have you been here before?” Dr. Lee smiled and said, “Oh, yes. I was here 2,000 years ago. I was on the heart and in the mind of Jesus when He died for sinners.” I have the same experience whenever I look at this hill.

WELCOME HOME TO ISRAEL

On Monday morning, January 21, I departed with 50 travelers to visit Israel, the land where Jesus lived, walked, taught, healed, lived, died, and was resurrected. (And it happens to be the location where He will come again!) After a bus ride to DFW, a 3 hour flight to Newark, and a 10 hour flight to Tel Aviv, we were greeted on Tuesday afternoon by my friend, Reuven Solomon who will be our tour guide for the sixth or seventh time. We arrived at the lovely Renaissance Hotel time in time to check in and eat a delicious buffet – then everyone was ready to do battle with the pesky little foe named “jet lag.” I was in bed by 10pm last night and slept until 5 which is a pretty normal night for me, so we’ll see how I make it today! Jet lag is that insidious fatigue that makes your eyelids heavy when you’ve just traversed several time zones. Some of our travelers often succumb to naps on the bus between sights and become members of the “I slept today where Jesus walked” club!
I think this is my fifteenth trip to Israel, so in a way I always feel as if I’m coming home. I first visited Israel in 1974 when I was a student at Samford University. I was a part of about 12 students and one Archeology Professor who came to study and practice archaeology and see the Biblical sites. Our accomodations were in Christ Church Hospice in the old city of Jerusalem. We stayed for several weeks in cold, bare dorm rooms with bunk beds and meals consisted primarily of a large pot of thin potato soup with all the chunks of homemade bread you could eat. After spending all day sifting through dirt in a 4ft by 4ft square using nothing but a kitchen spoon and a toothbrush, that soup and bread tasted heavenly!!
Actually, we were there while the Yom Kippur War was going on, but, hey, when you’re a college kid, you’re used to a lot noise. Jets streaked over the sky constantly, tanks were in the streets at night, and we could hear distant rumblings that weren’t thunder. In other words, we had a blast!
Since that original trip, I’ve been bringing many groups to visit Israel, and I’m happy to say we utilize somewhat better accommodations (although I still can’t pass up potato soup if it’s on the buffet!). My greatest joy is watching the faces of the friends I bring when they realize for the first time that they really are looking at the same scenes Jesus viewed. The ride across the same Sea of Galilee where Jesus sailed (and walked). They really are walking in places where we know He walked. For the first time, these people who love the Bible are able to form a mental image of events in the Bible. They come away with a visual frame of reference of Biblical events that they could never have by simply reading books or even watching a movie about the Holy Land.
So, we’re off today to visit the Western Wall, the only remaining part of the Temple Mount during the time of Jesus (often called the “Wailing wall). Check out this 24/7 video feed of the Western Wall – http://www.aish.com/wallcam/ if you‘re watching it, we’ll wave.
We’ll walk through the narrow streets of Jerusalem which look much like they did when Jesus carried His cross through there 2,000 years ago. We’ll visit the Rock of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus fell on His face and prayed “not my will but yours be done.” We’ll have our own private worship experience among the Olive Trees in the Garden of Gethesemane where Jesus was arrested. We’ll end our day at the Garden Tomb – and I’ll be able to report to you again – IT’S EMPTY! He is not here, He has risen from the dead!
If you’re reading the blog and have specific questions about the sites, I’ll try to answer some of them if you leave a comment.
Shalom!

IS I-35 MORE HOLY THAN 1-20?

Last Sunday morning, I woke up at my usual 5am time to spend another 90 minutes “praying in” my message for that morning. Around 6:30 I sat down with a cup of coffee, the Tyler Paper, and turned on Headline News.

It must have been a slow news morning because the featured story was about a group of Christians in the Dallas area who believe that Interstate 35 is the “Holy Highway” prophesied in Is 35:8 (Is 35 = I-35, get it?) The HNN report showed a group of Christians standing beside I-35 praying fervently for the people traveling on the highway. To be honest, they came across as a bunch of “crazies” which is probably what the producer of the news piece wanted.

In case you haven’t heard or seen the story, Isaiah 35:8 says, “A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it. But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.” (That’s KJV which is the only one they’re using).

Three years ago self-described prophet and God Channel regular Cindy Jacobs was preaching in a Texas church when she said she made the first public connection between the interstate and Bible verse.

"It's amazing that there's a scripture that talks about the highway of holiness and there's an actual one," said Jacobs, who co-founded Generals International ministry in Red Oak, Texas, which leads the Light the Highway movement.

Cindy has enlisted other pastors and churches along I-35 from Laredo, TX to Duluth, Minn. to join her in her quest to Light the Highway. One of the pastors who has joined her is Austin’s Promiseland Church pastor Charlie Lujan. His quote is interesting. He said, “Everything we do, we want to make sure scripture is backing us up. I-35 being Isaiah 35, it just matched.”

Many of the I-35 Highway of Holiness proponents believe that the collapse of the bridge on I-35W in Minneapolis last year was a warning sign from God that more prayer is needed in our nation.

Not every pastor is convinced this if from God, however. Bob DeWaay, pastor at the Evangelical Twin City Fellowship in St. Louis Park, Minn. scoffs the effort saying, “God isn't going to determine how He works based on the highway system.”

My first reaction was that these are religious nuts, the kind that give all Christians a bad name. But being the optimist that I am, I see some positive things about the “light the highway” movement.

1. It’s good to PRAY anytime and anywhere. Any movement that mobilizes people to pray for our nation and travelers on any highway shouldn’t be discouraged.

2. These people take the Bible seriously – if not correctly – at least seriously.

3. These people believe that God is still active and real in our world and that His Word is to applied to our time – even to something as seemingly mundane as a highway.

However, there are a few sound arguments against what they’re doing.

1. Reputable Biblical scholarship cannot justify using the number of a Bible chapter to correspond with a highway number. I believe that God’s Word is totally without error, but the original text of the Old and New Testaments didn't even have chapter or verse divisions. The present chapter divisions in our Bibles were invented and inserted in 1205 by Stephen Langton, a professor in Paris who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He followed the chapter divisions of the Old Testament used by Jewish rabbis in 1330 for the Hebrew Old Testament.

2. There is always a danger of taking scripture out of context to “match” a personal belief (called "proof texting"). I’ve said many times that “a text without a context becomes a pretext.” This is an extreme example of this.

3. It’s always dangerous to “play God” and try to announce that God was repsonsible for tragic events. Blaming God for the bridge collapse on I-35 falls into the same category as those who agree with Pat Robertson’s statement that the 9/11 attacks were sent by God as punishment for homosexuality and abortions in America.

So is this legitimate? Only God knows. But since I live closer to I-20, I feel left out, actually. The travelers on I-20 need prayers too.

Hey, I may have found an I-20 verse! Is 20:2 says “Go and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so walking barefoot naked and barefoot … for three years.” On second thought … never mind.

This reminds me of when I was a pastor in Alabama. A rabid Alabama Crimson Tide fan drew me aside and took his Bible to PROVE to me that ‘Bama was superior to Auburn. He opened his Bible to Ezekiel 20:29 and read, “What is this high place to which you go? So its name is called Bamah (which he prounonced ‘Bama) to this day.” I laughed when he finished reading it …. Only to look at his face and realize HE WASN’T KIDDING! Oh well.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IS I-35 THE HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE PEOPLE?

LET'S HEAR FROM YOU!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A BABY CAN MAKE!

During this season, we’re reminded of the earth-shattering impact that a Baby born in Bethlehm has had on our world.

In my message on December 23, I’m summarizing the wonderful short story by Francis Bret Harte (1836-1902) entitled “The Luck of Roaring Camp.” Harte is the only American author who truly captured the wild atmosphere of the California gold rush days.

“The Luck of Roaring Camp”is a home-spun story that colorfully illustrates how one little baby can make a tremendous difference in the world.

In my message, my brief summary doesn’t do it justice, so I’ve provided a link to the full story for your reading pleasure. It will take you about 15 minutes to read, but you’ll be rewarded for your diligence in wading through the 19th Century language and phrasing.

ENJOY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!


http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/bookid.810/sec./

MIKE HUCKABEE - LOSING WEIGHT AND GAINING SUPPORT

If you follow this blog you know that I came out in support of Mike Huckabee for President a few months ago. He doesn’t have a perfect record as Governor of Arkansas (which public official does?), but right now, he has my prayers and support over the next 11 months.

According the latest polls, Huckabee has surged ahead of the other Republican candidates in both Iowa and South Carolina. South Carolina holds its Republican Primary on January 19, and according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll taken December 9-12, Huckabee was the choice of 24% of those polled. This compares with 17% for Fred Thompson, and 16% for Rudi Guliani, who is tied with Mitt Romney who also had 16%. Senator John McCain came in fifth with 13%.

Huckabee’s campaign has just hired former Ronald Reagan campaign strategist Ed Rollins as his new national campaign manager. Rollins is best known for managing President Reagan’s sweeping 1984 re-election.

As should be expected by Huckabee’s surge, both Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson have increased their attacks against Huckabee for everything from his immigration plan to his ethics.

One of the most interesting things about Mike Huckabee is the transformation that he brought about in his own life. He woke up one day and realized he was overweight and out of shape. He decided to make some changes. As a result, in 2003 he lost over 110 pounds and has since run several marathons. He wrote a book about his experience entitled, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork. Anyone who has ever tried to get in shape or stay in shape realizes that he must have a great amount of positive will power.

But is America ready for an ordained Southern Baptist minister as President? Frankly, I believe that Huckabee’s former job as a pastor may actually hinder his chances. There are doomsday liberals who are always shouting that the “religious right” is bound and determined to establish a “Theocracy” by electing a “preacher.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The religious right only wishes to bolster America by returning the our nation to the moral and religious foundation upon which our nation was founded. We don’t want a weekly sermon from the President, we want bold, courageous leadership by someone who possesses a dynamic personal faith in God.

I encourage readers of this blog to seriously consider the positions of Mike Huckabee. Don’t support him because he was once a Baptist preacher – support him because he has some workable ideas to fix some of America’s problems.

For instance, he has a revolutionary idea of doing away with the IRS. Click on this link if you want to see more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWUxpS7anpo

What do you think?

WELCOME ABOARD YOUR FLIGHT TO NOWHERE

The title of this blog may sound like a line from Rod Serling as he introduced an episode of The Twilight Zone, but this story is true.

An Indian entrepreneur, Bhadur Chand Gupta, is selling tickets to his fellow countrymen on his “Gupta Airlines" Airbus 300 for $4 a ticket! However, there is a slight catch. The plane never leaves the ground. (Doing so would mean flying in circles because it only has one wing! And besides, the plane doesn’t even have engines.) Nonetheless, Gupta is selling thousands of $4 tickets to willing "passengers."

What gives? Gupta isn't selling airplane flights--he's selling fellow Indians just the chance to experience sitting in a real airliner. Fewer than 1% of Indians will ever travel on an airliner, so Gupta is cashing in on the mere desire of people to experience virtual flight.

Gupta bought the dismantled aircraft from an insurance company in 2003. He reassembled the plane (most of it) in a Delhi neighborhood and soon began offering his “non-flights” on his non-airline.

The plane has no lighting and the lavatories don’t function, but the passengers are seated in actual airline seats inside the fuselage which is cooled by a generator. Airline music is playing from the speakers, and the passengers are given a safety demonstration. They even hear “captain’s announcements” from non-pilot Gupta himself.

Gupta’s wife and other family members serve as a crew of six “flight attendants” who walk up and down the aisles with their drink trollies serving drinks and airline food to the passengers.

(Hold it! To have MEAL SERVICE on a flight isn’t very realistic today!)

During their simulated flight, the passengers hear Captain Gupta make several announcements such as “Prepare for takeoff” and “We will soon be passing through a zone of turbulence, please make sure your seat belts are securely fastened.” And, “We are about to being our descent into Delhi.” But the scenery never changes because the aircraft never moves.

Gupta reports his countrymen are traveling hundreds of miles across India just to have the experience that only 99% of them can only dream about. A $4 chance of sitting in a cramped airline seat for 30 minutes is as close to air travel as they will get--and they're happy to do it. When they leave the plane, they still have never flown, but they relish what it might be like to really fly.

When I first heard about this, I thought that anyone who’d pay money to sit on a grounded airliner couldn’t be very smart. But after thinking about it, I realize that these people are simply doing what millions of tourists do everyday at Disney World – they’re paying to experience what it’s like to have some of their dreams come true.

Of course, I couldn’t help but extract a spiritual analogy from this interesting story. To me, those Indians who pay $4 to experience “virtual flight” are like thousands of Americans who flock to our churches just to experience “virtual spirituality.” They listen to songs as if they are only piped-in, pleasant background music. They watch the ushers move up and down the aisles with offering plates – and they might even drop in a few bucks for the “show.” Then they hear someone deliver a message from the Bible. But they walk out of church exactly like those non-fliers in Delhi--their faith having never left the ground. They “experienced” a form of godliness, but they’ve never experienced the actual power of God. We shouldn’t be too quick to criticize those Indians when our churches are full of virtual worshippers!

It’s a yes or no question – “Have you ever flown?” Sitting in a dismantled aircraft doesn’t qualify.

It’s a yes or no question - “Do you know God?” Sitting in a pew and leaving unmoved and unchanged doesn’t qualify either.

Virtual spirituality may give a clue about what’s possible, but authentic spirituality can only be realized when you EXPERIENCE a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

For those of us who know, love, and serve God, we soar to heights unknown even without the aid of an aircraft! “For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

JESUS ISN'T WORRIED THAT PEOPLE SAY "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"

A CHRISTMAS LETTER FROM JESUS:

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year. Historically, some of your predecessors decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be plenty of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grapevine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. Remember to look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms--no matter how old they are--and remind them that I love them.

5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take his or her own life this season, feeling so alone and hopeless? Since you never know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make all the difference.

6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a 'Merry Christmas', that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

8. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no 'Christmas' tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

9. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

HAVE YOURSELF A POLITICALLY CORRECT WINTER HOLIDAY

And Joseph went up from Galilee to Bethlehem with Mary, his espoused wife, who was great with child. And she brought forth a son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. And the angel of the Lord spoke to the shepherds and said, "I bring you tidings of great joy. Unto you is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:4-11)

"There's a problem with the angel," said a lawyer who happened to be strolling by the stable. As he explained to Joseph, angels are widely regarded as religious symbols, and the stable was on public property where such symbols were not allowed to land or even hover.

"Besides," said another lawyer who was with him, "there are no such things as angels, and telling a child that they're real will only hinder the child's emotional development. And I have to tell you, this whole thing looks very much like a Nativity scene. That's a no-no, too."

Joseph had a bright idea. "What if I put a couple of reindeer over there near the ox and ass?" he said, eager to avoid sectarian strife.

"That would definitely help," said the lawyer, who knew as well as anyone that whenever a "savior" appeared, judges usually liked to be on the safe side and surround it with deer or woodland creatures of some sort. "Just to clinch it, throw in a candy cane and a couple of elves and snowmen, too," he quickly suggested. "No court can resist that."

Mary, who had been listening in, asked, "What does my son's birth have to do with snowmen?"

"Snowpersons!" cried a young woman, changing the subject before it veered dangerously toward religion.

Off to the side of the crowd, a federally-subsidized artist was painting the Nativity scene. Mary pointed out that she and Joseph looked unusually tattered and worn in the picture. "Artistic license," the artist said. "I've got to show the plight of the haggard homeless in a greedy, uncaring society in winter," he quipped. “But we're not haggard or homeless. The inn was just full," said Mary. "Whatever," said the painter.

Two women began to argue fiercely. One said she objected to Jesus' birth "because it privileged motherhood." The other scoffed at virgin births, but said that if they encouraged more attention to diversity in family forms and the rights of single mothers, well, then, she was all for them.

"I'm not a single mother," Mary started to say, but she was cut off by a third woman who insisted that swaddling clothes are a form of child abuse, since they restrict the natural movement of babies.

With the arrival of ten child advocates, all trained to spot infant abuse and manger rash, Mary and Joseph were pushed to the edge of the crowd, where arguments were breaking out over how many reindeer (or what mix of reindeer and seasonal sprites) had to be installed to compensate for the infant's unfortunate religious character.

An older man bustled up, bowling over two merchants who had been busy debating whether an elf is the same as a fairy and whether the elf/fairy should be shaking hands with Jesus in the crib or merely standing to the side, jumping around like a sports mascot.

"I'd hold off on the reindeer," the man said, explaining that the use of asses and oxen as picturesque backdrops for Nativity scenes carries the subliminal message of human dominance. He passed out two leaflets, one denouncing manger births as invasions of animal space, the other arguing that stables are "penned environments" where animals are incarcerated against their will. He had no opinion about elves or candy canes.

Signs declaring "Free the Bethlehem 2" began to appear, referring to the obviously exploited ass and ox. Someone said the halo on Jesus' head was elitist.

Mary was exasperated. "And what about you, old mother?" she said sharply to an elderly woman. "Are you here to attack the shepherds as prison guards for excluded species, or just to say that I should have skipped patriarchal religiosity and joined some dumb new-age goddess religion?"

"None of the above," said the woman, "I just wanted to tell you that the Magi are here." Sure enough, the three wise men rode up.

The crowd gasped, "They're all male! And not very multicultural!" "Balthasar is black," said one of the Magi.

"Yes, but how many of you are gay or disabled?" someone shouted.

A committee was quickly formed to find an alternative group of wise-persons who reflected the cultural, racial, and social diversity of Bethlehem. Just then a calm voice said, "Be of good cheer, Mary, you have done well and your son will change the world."

"At last, a sane person," Mary thought. She turned to see a radiant and confident female face.

The woman spoke again: "There is one thing, though. Religious holidays are important, but can't we learn to celebrate them in ways that unite, not divide? For instance, instead of all this business about 'Gloria in excelsis Deo,' why not just 'Season's Greetings'?"

Mary said, "You mean my son has entered human history to deliver the message, 'Hello, it's winter'?"

"That's harsh, Mary," said the woman. "Remember, your son could make it big in midwinter festivals, if he doesn't push the religion thing too far. Centuries from now, in nations yet unborn, people will give each other pricey gifts and have big office parties on his birthday. That's not chopped liver."

"Let me get back to you," Mary said.

In the meantime the Magi had been asked by others how much their gifts had cost, and when told the price several protested and said the money could have been better spent on the poor and homeless. "Besides," said one, "what can a baby do with gold, frankincense, and myrrh?"

"You don't understand," said one of the Magi, "we brought these gifts to honor and worship this child who has been born King of the Jews." Whereupon the child advocates protested that adults should not pre-determine a child's future. "It should be left up to the child to decide for himself what he wants to be."

One of the shepherds called out from the back of the crowd: "The prophet Micah wrote that out of Bethlehem would come a Ruler to shepherd God's people."

"That's just a myth," countered the head of the Prophet's Seminar who had just arrived with his committee. "We scholars have determined that the prophets actually said very little of what they are credited with saying, and everything they reportedly said about a Messiah was added years later by other writers."

"How did you determine that?" asked Joseph.

The most intelligent member of the Prophet's Seminar was chosen as spokesperson and replied, "We flipped a coin."

After much talking, the various advocates agreed to meet again at a later date in a place more suitable for them and continue their discussions about the child's welfare. Gradually they drifted out of the stable and left the shepherds and the Magi alone with Joseph and Mary and the child.

Mary took Joseph's hand and said, "Husband, tell me again what the angel Gabriel said to you about our son."

Squeezing her hand, Joseph answered, "He said that we should call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

Mary looked down at her son and sighed deeply, and then said to no one in particular, "I wonder if they will let Him?"


(Thanks to Harold Chadwick at Omega Faith Ministries for his article that inspired this blog post. I have taken his original idea and made slight revisions.)

POTENTIAL REGRET: Let it motivate you NOW!

As I’ve been preparing my weekly message, I am focusing on the judgment seat (bema) of Christ. The difficulty of message-preparation is that the truth of the biblical text must flow through me before I can share it with others. As I consider what will happen when I stand before the Lord to receive the rewards (or lack thereof) for what I’ve done (or not done), I am painfully aware of my own shortcomings and failures.

However, at the same time, I realize the bema won't be a time of CONDEMNATION but a time of COMMENDATION; it won't be a time of PUNISHMENT but a time of PRAISE; and it won't be a time of REBUKE but a time of REWARD. I'm not interested in rewards for the sake of rewards; I just long to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Over the past 37 years in ministry, I have tried to serve the Lord with diligence and faithfulness. Why? Not to earn salvation, or to even repay Him for His grace (I cannot be a debtor to grace, because it’s impossible to repay the debt of love I owe). I have simply and solely desired to bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ by faithfully loving Him, seeking His face, and serving Him.

There might be some outsiders who would look at my (God's) "ministry” and declare that I’ve done a lot. However, I am aware that as much as God has blessed and used me, I too have fallen short of the potential and gifts that He has given me. This possibility of experiencing regret at the bema motivates me to be more faithful and to stay faithful to Him who called me.

American Poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) wrote, "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!'" Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), who was a contemporary of Whittier and author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," had this to say: "The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." What are these two like-minded individuals telling us? The saddest words of all are the words of regret, especially if they are uttered at one's deathbed.

Without becoming “preachy” in this blog, I wonder if you and I both need to ask ourselves if there are some things that we don’t want to leave undone? Are there letters to relatives you've left unwritten, telephone calls left undone, family time left unspent, broken relationships left unrepaired, and goals left abandoned? That wouldn't be a problem if we were immortal, for then we could always do those things "someday" in the future. But we're not. We have a limited amount of time available. To avoid experiencing "the saddest words of all," to avoid facing the bema with regret, we need to get out of the habit of leaving things undone.What value is a blossom that doesn't open? What value is our life if we don't fulfill the potential God has given us? If we surrender to Him and allow His power to flow through us , then when opportunity strikes, we will lead fulfilled lives. But those who lead lives of inaction are like stones in a field that exist but have never truly lived.

Are there things you've done or failed to do that you regret? (Of course, what a silly question!) After all, we're human, which is another way of saying we're imperfect. So, there's no need to panic or obsess over our regrets. Instead, we can use regret to our advantage. First, we can use the regrets about our past as a positive force in the future. We can accept them as a wakeup call. Second, we can avoid the potential regrets of the future by letting them spur us on to new behavior by choosing to act, not postpone. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, "Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it come to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh."

When we close the gap between what God created us to be and what we are now, we will have a sense of humble satisfaction – which leads to a healthy, God-inspired self-image. Low self-esteem is due to a huge gap between the two. How can we fail if we always remember we have the choice between becoming better or becoming bitter?

We need to refocus our attention from our failures and regrets to the opportunities that beckon us. As Jerome K. Jerome wrote, "Opportunities flit by while we sit regretting the chances we have lost, and the happiness that comes to us we heed not, because of the happiness that is gone." Sometimes we avoid confronting our regrets because of the pain. But that's a mistake. Use them as a lesson, as a stepping-stone to more faithfulness to God. "At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal," said Barbara Bush. "You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent."

Max Lucado has written: "Go to the effort. Invest the time. Write the letter. Make the apology. Take the trip. Purchase the gift. Do it. The seized opportunity renders joy. The neglected brings regret."

My two daughters are grown now and I’m learning how to be a grandfather, but when I read this poem by Diane Loomans, it resonated in my soul.

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd fingerpaint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less and know to care more.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.

I would be firm less often and affirm much more.

I'd model less about the love of power.

And more about the power of love.

I think that great theologian, Madonna, sang a song once about "The Power of Goodbye." My study of this subject has led me to see "The power of regret." I want to allow the potential of future regret to motivate me to never miss an opportunity to let my light shine that others may see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven. How about you?

FOOTBALL FEVER

I love football. I loved playing it in high school and college, and I enjoy watching it now. Growing up in LA (lower Alabama), there weren’t any professional teams in our state, so college football reigned. Ninety-five percent of the residents of Alabama are interested in Alabama/Auburn football, and about 40% of Alabama residents are CONSUMED by Alabama/Auburn football.

Where I come from, you have to declare by about the third grade whether you’re an Alabama Crimson Tide fan or an Auburn Tiger fan – and you can only change loyalty ONCE in your life without losing everyone’s respect. For most residents, it’s not a choice because unless you want to risk being cut out of your parents' or grandparents' will, you will support the team your family supports.

This rivalry bleeds over into business and politics. Besides Republicans and Democrats, Auburn and Alabama alliances are utilized. There are “Alabama” banks and busineses and “Auburn” banks and businesses.

I grew up during the time of legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who was purported to be only the second man to walk on water. A typical joke ran like this: One cold winter evening, Bear Bryant came home after a high school recruiting trip. He crawled into bed and his wife said, “God, your feet are cold!” Bear replied, “Honey, when we’re alone you can call me Paul.”

It was hard to choose against Coach Bryant, but I decided at an early age to be an Auburn fan. Don’t ask me WHY they are the Auburn TIGERS, but their motto is “WAR EAGLE!” And don’t ask me WHY it’s the Crimson Tide, but their mascot is an Elephant.

The fable I like to tell is that years ago during an Auburn game, a Golden Eagle swooped down over the playing field and the announcer said, “Ladies, and gentlemen, look at that eagle.” And since everyone talks with a noticeable drawl in Alabama they all looked up and said as one voice, “WHAR EAGLE?” But I doubt that story is true.

For years, Alabama regularly trounced Auburn in the annual “Iron Bowl.” It was called that because it was played in Birmingham at Legion Field which is in the shadow of the old US Steel Iron works. It was supposedly a neutral site, but with Tuscaloosa just 45 minutes down I-20, it always seemed like a home game to Alabama. The game has since been moved to alternate between Auburn and Tuscaloosa where they each have stadiums that can seat almost 80,000 fans. An Auburn/Alabama ticket is hard to get. It’s still the most important sporting event in Alabama. A team can lose every game of the season, but if they win the Alabama/Auburn game, the season was a success. Coach Mike Shula was a great coach for Alabama, but he's gone because he just couldn't beat Auburn.

Alabama still holds the edge in the series (38-32-1), but there have been some notable Auburn victories. One of the most memorable came in 1972 when Alabama was leading 16 to 3 late in the fourth quarter. Auburn blocked a punt and ran it into the end zone to make it 16 to 10. Then, with only seconds remaining, Alabama punted again, and Auburn blocked it again and scored for a 17-16 win. For years after that you could see bumper stickers that said: PUNT BAMA PUNT!

But Auburn has beaten Bama the last five meetings and 7 of the last 10 games. One of the nice things about living in Texas for the past 16 years is that I haven’t had to hear about Auburn/Alabama football 365 days a year. They take it so seriously that when I was a pastor in Gardendale, Alabama I had to chide the people to come to church the day after the big game even if their team lost. One Sunday morning I showed up for church on the morning after an Iron Bowl that Alabama had won and there was a 40 ft banner hanging in the baptistry that said, “ROLL TIDE.” And I’m certain there were some men in our church who never sang a word in a hymn until we came to that line from “Jesus saves” that says, “Waft it on the ROLLING TIDE, Jesus saves, Jesus saves!” You could actually hear the volume increase on that line!

I still pull for Auburn, but since my oldest daughter, Jenni, graduated from OU and my younger daughter, Laura Grace, is in graduate school there, I’ve become an Oklahoma Sooner fan. As I watched Adrian Peterson break the NFL rushing record a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but think that he should be playing as a senior at OU this year.

Of course in Tyler, many of us are also pulling for LSU this year. Matt Flynn, the starting QB, is from Tyler and a member of Green Acres. He waited patiently in the shadow of Jamarcus Russell to get his chance to play and now LSU is at the top of the BCS standings.

Because OU went to sleep in their only loss at Colorado, they’re stuck at #4 in the BCS poll. I think Missouri will beat Kansas, and OU will beat either Kansas or Missouri in the Big 12 Championship game. But I’m afraid that won’t be enough since Oregon is currently #2. I’d love to see OU and LSU in the BCS Championship game on January 7, but unless the Ducks sink, it probably won’t happen.

I’m also a Dallas Cowboys fan and Tony Romo and Coach Phillips has the ‘Boys at 8-1 this year. But to be honest, I like college football 100 times better.

How about you? What are you thoughts about the College/Pro game? Who should be #1? Let me hear from you ……
BOOMER SOONER! And WAR EAGLE!