That Blessed Night

Oh…Blessed night…Oh…Starry night

The night a baby was born

The night life was forever transformed

The night was like no other

For this night a virgin became a mother

A mother to a Son

A mother to the One

The One that was waited for

The One that was prayed for

He came as light in the night

He came to make all things right

A little manger in a little stall

Mary and Joseph made the haul

Taxes brought them there

But His birth paid the fare

A mother and a father celebrated

As shepherds hyperventilated

For this Baby wasn’t just part of the plan

No…this Baby was the plan

“For unto you is born”, words that shook the earth

As the heavens celebrated our Savior’s birth

“Glory to God in the highest” was their song

A thousand angels sang along

Songs of praise for a King

Finally a chance for freedom to ring

Freedom from sin and death

Because Jesus took that first breath

Praise God for that night

Praise God for His foresight

We were hopeless and afraid

Yet God paved the way

So celebrate this season of wonder

And don’t let the world take you asunder

Our focus should not be on “me”

But instead on He

A King born that special night

A Savior that brought us life

A Counselor to the hurting

A Messiah to the undeserving

Oh…Blessed night…oh…Starry night

The night a baby was born

The night life was forever transformed

Overwhelmed by Truth; A Note to Self

God has saved you, He has pulled you out of the darkness, the tomb is empty, sins are forgiven, life is provided, and glory is coming...these truths are overwhelming to me! Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever mediated on these facts; that only God could provide?

God has saved you! Saved us from what? He has saved us from an eternity in hell. He has saved us from ourselves. He has saved us from death. He has saved us from bondage. Please get that. You must not neglect this truth. You cannot, no matter how hard you try, save yourself. You are a sinner in drastic need of a Savior. You are a sinner, which means it is impossible for you to save yourself. Your deeds, your desires, your wants, and your words alone only further point to you need for a Savior. A Savior that man could not produce. A Savior that man could not fathom. A Savior that only God could send. If that doesn't make you shout than nothing will.

He has pulled you out of the darkness. This statement continues to blow my mind. Darkness is scary. The since of despair and fear associated with darkness is sometimes too much to bear. I think folks sometimes argue that being afraid of the dark is a kid's problem not an adult problem. I tend to disagree. You place me in a dark room and there is a good chance that this adult male becomes a wimply kid real quick. Maybe...you need to embrace this truth in your day to day life. Darkness can only be abolished by light. Your sinful dark life is no different. That only changes when the Light, Jesus, enters in. Please know that this Light is not some environmentally friendly bulb that slowly reaches brightness. No...This Light enters and is so bright that folks are blinded, but not where darkness is all they see, no...Blinded so Light is all they see (Acts 9). When Jesus enters in and pulls you out of the darkness Light is all you see and what a wonderful Light it is.

The tomb is empty! Did you hear me?...THE TOMB IS EMPTY!!!! Stop acting like Jesus is trapped in some tomb. Stop living as if your Savior is dead. He is alive. He conquered death. Have you read Isaiah 25? Verse 8 is glorious, "He will swallow up death forever; and the LORD GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken." This is what you have with an empty tomb. You have that as Christians...you have that as followers!!
Sins are forgiven. The truths keep coming. Your sins are forgiven. Your chains are gone. Your freedom is real and clear. This is something not offered by man. Can man forgive? Should man forgive? Sure, but that only happens because He first forgave. Do you realize that, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God"(2 Corinthians 5:21)? God did that for you. He forgave you and brought you freedom. So...as you forgive you bask in the truth that your ultimate forgiveness was provided at the cross where Christ was crucified, where the King of Kings took on your sins. What a humbling truth you have in that!

Life is provided. You do realize that you were dead, right? Before Christ entered in and saved you, you were dead. Dead and on a path to destruction. Dead and on a path to self. Dead on a path to hell. This is your reality apart from Christ. However, with Christ we have a reality of life. Step into that truth today. You are alive. Say it with me, "YOU ARE ALIVE!" This life provided isn't about trinkets and things of this earth. This life is about eternity. Have you ever thought about how long that is? I am reminded of the great movie, Sandlot, as the little boy looks into the camera and says, "Forever, Forever, FFFOOORRREEEVVVEEERRR." Multiply that times infinity and you still are short when it comes to eternity. So...God in his grace and mercy provides us with life and life eternally. An eternity of praising our God and basking in his truths!!

Glory is coming. Once again, Jesus is not dead. Scripture tells you that He is going to come again. Revelation 21:4 points this out clearly, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." That verse brings goosebumps every time. No more tears...Glory is coming. No more death...Glory is coming. No more mourning...Glory is coming. No more crying...Glory is coming. No more pain...Glory is coming. "What a day of rejoicing that will be"!! Please embrace this truth. Paul did. Paul told us that in Philippians 1, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." So Paul understood that he had a mission here on earth. He needed to share Christ while he was here. The Gospel needed to be spread. This, however, was not the end for Paul. He did this knowing that glory was coming. He did this knowing that God was working and that a day was coming. That day was the day described in Revelation 21.

Embrace these truths. These truths must shape your life. Have these truths on your mind when you rise up in the morning and when you lie down at night. When you are struggling...embrace these truths. When you are having a "mountain top" experience...embrace these truths. When things are running right along...embrace these truths. Let them overwhelm your everyday. Why? Because He lives!!

Our THIRD Child

THIRD Child…what do you mean?

You walk in here and it can clearly be seen

You have one car-seat

And nothing in between…

This doesn’t make since but it is true nonetheless

Our second child is gone

Oh…how hard to confess…

How does this happen?

Please sir explain…

This explanation must start with a word

This explanation may sound absurd…

Our child, our baby

Described by one word sounds lazy

But I will do my best

To not sound crazy…

This word is known

This word has grown

This word makes us groan…

With sadness and fear

We tremble

When it is describing our baby

That was as big as a thimble…

This word is not long yet it cuts to the bone

This word can sometimes leave us feeling alone

This word can mean different things

But to a parent who has lost

It usually means pain…

I sometimes struggle to tell it

So please allow me to spell it

M-I-S-C-A-R-R-I-A-G-E

Miscarriage…What does that mean?

Miscarriage…how can that be seen?

Was our baby wrongfully taken?

Was our lives wrongfully shaken?

They say “it wasn’t meant to be”

They say “it wasn’t for us to see”

They say “it wasn’t a baby”

They say “it was simply a fetus…maybe”

This line of thinking does not fly

This line of thinking spits in the face of the One on high…

We look to Scripture and know

We look to Scripture to show…

The glorious plans of the Father

Who knitted our baby together…

In the womb of my wife…the mother…

So I say to them

Our second child was not a mistake

Our second child did not just escape

Our second child was called home

Our second child was never alone

You see

This is not our home

This is not the end

Some may argue that life ended that day for our child

But we argue that their life had just began…

My God…Our God

Was not surprised

My God…Our God was not distant

My God…Our God knew in an instant

That although we would mourn for this child

His plans were superior and His sovereignty not mild…

I realize that some may think us to be prideful

Some may say “those guys think they know it all”

This would be false

This would be your loss

We are not prideful

We are not supreme

We simply look to the One…the King

His ways not our ways

His thoughts not our thoughts

I don’t claim to understand

But I do embrace His plan

Would we have had a boy?

Would we have had a girl?

Would they have grown up to save the world?

These questions are natural but these questions conflict

Because these questions treat God like He is St. Nick…

Our God is not a genie

Our God is not Houdini

Our God put the stars in the sky

Our God made the mountains to reach high…

Our God is not in handcuffs

Simply waiting for a key

Our God is orchestrating

And we should take a knee…

He simply says and it is done

He simply says and He has won

So…are we angry are we sad

Yes… but we are fallen creatures with an amazing dad

There were tears and there was fear

But we held tight to the One who was near

Hurt is a reality and pain is a definite

But the love of the Father is nothing but a constant

He was there then and He is here now…

So people please hear me when I say

Our lives did not end on that day…

My wife is pregnant now

And we can only bow

As we prepare for the birth of our second, no our THIRD child

The Gospel Truth

Jesus stepped down from His thrown

Entering this world with a groan

His mama, a bit hesitant

His earthly dad a bit resistant

But His love was resilient

He grew up physically and mentally

He inspired His disciples intellectually and spiritually

He told them all...

A day would come when He would fall

His falling didn’t mean they would be the ones calling

His falling meant He would be calling

He took what we couldn’t

He took the nails that He shouldn’t

He took the spitting the mocking and the flogging

Why?

For who?

For me?

For Him?

For you?

Yes!

This answer shouldn’t surprise

For He removed the blinders from our hearts…our eyes

We look to the cross and His pain

And we find salvation in that shame

The story doesn’t stop there

You see

3 days later the tomb was bare...

Where did He go?

What were we to know?

The King had rose

He was right under their nose

He stayed for 40 days

He ate, He drank, He prayed...

Our lives were forever transformed

Because the Trinity decided to send Him to be born

He then went to be with the Father...sending a Helper

The Holy Spirit our shelter

He came

He died

He rose

He ascended

He brought life to those that offended...

The One true God is holy

And we should praise Him for His glory

My thanks seems like an understatement

But I must make this proclamation

He loves me

He called me

He saved me

He sustains me

This is the gospel

This is the truth...

In that instance

Our sins were paid for

In that instance

Our sins were died for

Our flesh no longer king

My life no longer supreme

When Christ took that last breath

He brought salvation, peace, and rest...

Now church, this is the truth...

Open up your ears and hear this

Our God authored every last bit of this...

My life, my faith, my eternity secure

Because Christ poured out His blood that was pure

Did you hear that?

Did you see that?

The spotless Lamb hung on a cross

Rises from the grave like a boss

No, like a king

No, like the King

"Praise the One who paid my debt

And raised this life up from the dead"

I was dead

But now alive

My sin, my pride, my fame...all died for

When He came