Dad:         “Andrew, how many home runs has Chipper Jones hit?”  

Andrew:     “He hit a millions of ‘em.”

Mom:        ”Andrew, how many ants were crawling around the sidewalk?”

Andrew:     “There’s a millions of ‘em.”

You get the picture?  In his little mind, a million was the biggest number that could possibly be conceived of.  And, though a million is a large number, there are certainly many numbers much larger than it.  Andrew thought he was thinking of the largest amount possible, and he was only beginning to think of a large amount.  There were MUCH larger amounts available that he could not even imagine.  

We are oftentimes like that with God.  In John 6 Jesus had been followed by an enormous crowd into the mountains.  He asks Philip in 6:5, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”  Jesus was allowing Philip a test.

Philip surveyed the crowd, and saw the thousands of people sitting out there.  Philip, in his mind, could not conceive of a possibility that would allow for Jesus and his disciples to feed these people.  In fact, Philip, in his wildest imagination, could not think of a plan where feeding all these people fit.

So…in answer to Jesus’ question, Philip conjured up the largest, most preposterous and insanely ridiculous sum he could imagine and said, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”   This was an enormous sum in Philip’s mind.  It was as if Philip said, “Even if we had a millions of ‘em, it is not enough.”  Then Philip sat back satisfied that he had addressed the question with sufficient hyperbole.

After Andrew, in 6:8, suggests they have a few fishes and loaves, Jesus does the insanely unreasonable.  He proceeds to feed all the people to such an extent that many pieces are left over.  In fact, according to the Scriptures Jesus feeds over 5,000 men (which means there were probably more like 8,000-10,000 people) with more food than they could all eat. He feeds them, not with 200 denarii worth of food but maybe with 2,000 or 2,000,000 denarii worth.

When the miracle was done, Jesus had accomplished that which – not only was beyond the imagination of the disciples – it was beyond the very capabilities of their imaginations to see.  Jesus did not do that which was beyond what they disciples thought.  He did that which was beyond what the disciples were capable of thinking.  

Day to day we have, in our minds, what we believe God is capable of.  And, for those who know Christ, we often think of the biggest and greatest things God might do.  However, what we sometimes fail to realize is that, not only do we not imagine the greatest things God can do, but we are incapable of imagining the greatest that God can do.  Our finite minds are incapable of conceiving of all that God is able to accomplish.

So…what is the answer?  Here it is.  Our solution is to trust wholly in God for the unreasonable. Our calling is to rest in Christ for the unattainable.  Our key is to fully trust in Jesus for the unthinkable.  In 2012, let us allow our prayers to be audacious and unreasonable.  And in those times of prayer, do not think that we have fully conceived of all that God can do.  Simply trust in God to do that which we have not even begun to consider…nor can we.  

PRAY PRAYERS THAT TRUST IN WHAT WE CANNOT EVEN CONCEIVE OF GOD DOING.  HE IS FAR BEYOND CAPABLE OF WHAT WE CAN EVEN IMAGINE!

God Bless,

Dr. J

      He established this fire station, and as he figured, fires broke out all around his fire house.  It was a risky adventure, but he and his fireman saved many lives and rescued many people.  All the while, the less flammable part of town continued on in relative safety.  The fire house began to be known for its expertise in rescuing those in the most danger.  And, even though his fire house was in such an undesirable part of town, it gained notoriety and acclaim for its life saving ways.

Two generations of fireman passed and the firehouse in the riskiest part of town continued saving countless lives from burning up and growing in prominence.  Many sent financial, material and social support to the fire house.  The fire house gained in cultural acceptance and became well accepted in the city – even though it was still located in the less desirable and flammable district of town.

The fire house became so well accepted that many, in the less flammable and more desirable part of town, wanted to be a part.  Some of those from the better parts would come for brief stays to help then return quickly home to the less flammable and nicer areas.  An increasing number of these less-flammable residents wanted to be part of the fire house, but they could not bring themselves to actually be daily in the flammable parts of the city.  After all, this firehouse was in a dangerous and less desirable part of town, since it was the flammable district.

The less flammable people began to talk to the firehouse leaders about moving into the safer areas of town where they could gain more and more people.  After three generations of firefighters serving in the middle of the most needy areas, the leaders determined that it was wise to move the firehouse into the non-flammable district.  After all, in that area they could recruit more and more people to serve in the firehouse.

On the appointed day the firehouse moved out of the flammable district and into the non-flammable neighborhood.  Immediately, crowds of people began to attend events the firehouse help.  Firehouse concerts. Firehouse fellowships.  Firehouse activities.  Firehouse gatherings.  These were all events that brought more and more non-flammable residents into the involvement of the firehouse.

There were conferences on fire fighting.  There were discussions about fire fighting.  There were pep rallies about fire fighting, and the attendance at the firehouse grew rapidly.  Things could not have been better…sort of.

Back on the flammable side of town, fires raged that once were easily handled by the firehouse.  In fact, fires began creeping up in the flammable district that once never even existed.  It seems that the new firehouse, being so far away from all the danger, now had a hard time getting mobilized to save those in the most dangerous areas.  In fact, when the firehouse heard about the terrible happenings in the flammable area, many silently thought “We are glad we are in a safer area for our families now.”  And, as generations of firehouse members grew, the original purpose of saving lives became less and less the goal.  As time moved on, the flammable district grew worse…even to the degree of moving into the less flammable district.

The firehouse members discussed the need to move into another area – on the outside of the non-flammable district – because things were changing and becoming more dangerous.  Once again – as in a generation past – the decision was made to move the firehouse.  This time however, some of the firehouse members stayed behind…bound and determined to lock themselves behind fireproof walls and protect themselves from the flammable neighborhood that was moving their way.

The new firehouse in the new area saw more firehouse members added.  The old group saw their numbers dwindle and the firehouse, in what was the less-flammable district (but now growing more dangerous), became less and less helpful.  And…all the while, the flammable district grew and cost more and more lives.  The firehouse that, generations earlier, had begun with such life saving promise, now was too busy to run to the fire and save those in most danger.

“And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Mark 2:17

      God, cause us to be a people who run to the hurting, rush water to the burning, race to the condemned and fight in the most needy places.  GOD HELP US TO BE SAVED FROM THE NEED TO ALWAYS BE SAFE.

“Some want a retreat near a church or chapel bell, but give me a rescue station outside the gates of hell.” – Unknown Author 

One tooth had a small crack in my lower, rear left set of teeth. I knew that, eventually, I would be forced to crown it. The searing pain that swept through my entire head and body everytime something cold, hot or neutral touched that area convinced me that it was time for the crown. And, as if that little jaunt through the world of Novacaine wasn’t enough, I had tooth crack in half on the other side of my mouth just a couple of months later. This 2010 has definitely been the year of the cracked tooth…metaphorical implications to my overall state of mind intended…

The thing I seem to remember most about having those crowns put on my teeth were not the crowns themselves. My strongest memory was the total of 15 Novacaine shots that it took between the two crowns to get my blockheaded jaw and gums numb enough to do the work.

After the procedure was complete, the Novacaine remains for a while. Do you think anyone has ever chewed a hole completely through his or her jaw under the influence of Novacaine? Nothing quite like chewing on your food only to realize that it is actually the soft tissue of your jaw.  AAAHHH!!!…THAT HURTS LIKE CRAZY…after the medicine wears off!!   Not only have you turned the inside of your jaw into hamburger – under the influence of Novacaine – but the jaw is swollen so you bite it eight times a day for the next three days.

Destructive things can happen when the human ability to feel pain is eliminated. Pain is not something we welcome, but it is something God gave us as a gift. Feeling pain helps us to recognize that something is very wrong and cry out for help.  In this context, the bawling and squalling is not so bad.  It can actually be life – or jaw – saving. 

I am convinced by Scripture and experience that this principle of pain can be applied spiritually.  If Christians are numb to spiritual dysfunction around them, they might think it’s time to laugh instead of mourn.  Ecclesiates is clear that there is a proper time to bawl and squall.  Could that time, for Christians and the church in America, be 2011? 

I have a prayer for 2011.  This prayer is that many of God’s people would cease to be numb to spiritual dysfunction and injury in our churches and lives, and would learn to bawl and squall to the only One who can help. 

The prophet Jeremiah was a guy who really knew how to bawl.  It is no accident that his nickname is The Weeping Prophet.  In the last chapter of the book of Jeremiah, he recounts the story of how Judah (the southern kingdom left from Israel) was finally overrun, sacked, exiled and the temple burned down.  He was broken and distraught over the circumstances.  I guess you could say that Jeremiah had no spiritual Novacaine to dull the ache and grief of a people destroyed. 

So then…what did he do?

He did the only thing one can do when intense pain is felt and there is nothing to dull it.  He screamed, cried and wept…to God.  And…finally…He sought God for help.  It was the pain that drove Jeremiah to God.

That bawling and squalling of  Jeremiah is a book called Lamentations.  It is organized as a funeral lament, but the book is capped off by an intense prayer in Lamentations 5.  It is my intense desire to see Christians in Middle Georgia, Georgia, the Southeast and all over America – in fact around the world – find their bawling voices this year and cry out to God for spiritual renewal and revival the same way Jeremiah cried out to God in Lamentations 5.

I challenge any reader of this piece to spend the next week or so reading and meditating on this prayer in Lamentations 5.  Note the form and key elements of it.  Note how open, honest and confessional it is.  Then…notice how it is prayed in a way that acknowledges only God as our help. 

Yeah..yeah..I know.  I haven’t written on this blog in almost a year.  And, when I decide to write a piece for the new year, I write something that is not “Your Best Life Now” rosey posey wealth and success.  Instead, I write something that seems dark and harsh.  It only seems harsh if you fail to see the backside of this call to wail.

It is my sense that one of the greatest needs of God’s people right now is to feel the pain of sin, unrepentance, apostasy and spiritual apathy.  If we would learn some good ole bawling and squalling Jeremiah’s way in 2011, the Father to whom we squall is able to come in and respond.  As He then moves in to forgive, comfort and revive, the church in America could very well have a new energy.  And…who knows…we then might be able to help those who are bawling in the streets but don’t really know where to turn.

God help us NOT to be numb to the spiritual dysfunction and pain in our churches in 2011.  God help us to feel the necessary brokenness that we might seek the necessary healing in 2011.  God help us learn to cry out to you in 2011.

Just exactly how much is a gazillion?  I’m not sure, but I do know that – no matter how big the number is – God is well able to count it and control it.

A dear brother of mine recently sent me an email with the explanation below:

“I ran across this in “Mathematics: Is God Silent” by James Nickel. It just blows me away.

 ”The approximate number of stars in the universe is obtained by the following calculations. There are 10¹¹ (one with 11 zeroes, i.e. 100,000,000,000) stars in every galaxy and 10¹¹ galaxies within the range of the largest telescope. This means that, potentially, there are 10²² (10¹¹X 10¹¹) visible stars. Einstein estimated that the number of stars in total space is 10⁴ times larger than the number of stars within telescope range. Hence, 10⁴ X10²² =10²⁶ . Counting one number every second, it would take three thousand trillion centuries to count to 10²⁶ . But, radio telescopes can “hear” stars that give no visible light. It is estimated, in our galaxy alone, that there are 10¹¹ such stars!

“Psalm 147:4-5   He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.   Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. 

 Our minds cannot comprehend infinity but even the finite that God has revealed to us is staggering!  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  Psalms 145:3

This was the club started by the well known boys of the classic children’s TV series called Little Rascals.  Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat and the rest established this club.

If you liked girls you were postively excluded from the club.  If you did not like girls, then you were absolutely included.  It was an exclusive inclusion for this boys club.

Just like the Little Rascals, there are many things out there that are exclusive to the wrong qualifications, and completely inclusive to those with the proper standing.

In John 14 Jesus made a positively exclusive – inclusive statement.  As He claimed the title of “Way, Truth and Life,” He finished the statement with this observation:  “No one comes to the Father except through me.”  In other words, Jesus said that people who come through Him are absolutely included in a relationship with the Father.  All those who do not God through Christ are absolutely excluded.

This is an absolute statement of inclusion and exclusion that Jesus makes.  It is an absolute exlusion in that NO ONE who does not trust Christ will go to heaven.  It is an absolute inclusion in that EVERYONE who trusts Christ will spend eternity with the Father.  It is an ALL or NOTHING reality. 

As you speak to others about Christ, make no mistake about it, there is no middle ground.  Christ Himself is exclusively inclusive.

The emergent church often claims that it is getting back to the worship of the ancient church.  My answer is “Really…?”  The following article from Shepherd’s Fellowship is reproduced in its entirety.  Take a look at it and see just how much the emergent church is like the ancient church…

I had a raquetball game planned for around lunch, and I thought that exercise might loosen those aching back muscles.  Yes…I know…I know, how dumb is that.  Needless to say, I ended up in a fetal position on the raquetball court with my partner helping me up.  Elissa came to that location and took me straight to the doctor.  I ended up on my back for two days with severe back pain.

Interestingly enough, I’ve never really had back problems before.  Wonder why it would begin to bother me now?  Surely it couldn’t be that I am just a whisker away from one of those birthdays that begins with “4″ ends in “0″…could it…? Maybe…maybe not.

If I had any doubt about the birthday question, it was probably answered yesterday.  Elissa and I had a nice Labor Day lunch out together.  As we left the restaurant, I decided to put a quarter in the gum machine (normally my five year old lets me know that the future of her life depends on whether or now she gets gum from those machines…) and get 72 pieces of that little square gum (maybe not quite that many, but it takes almost that much to even get a good wad of gum in your mouth).  You know…the kind of gum that dentists recommend (…NOT!!).  Normally, that kind of gum crunches when you first chew it.  Gum really ought never crunch.

As I chewed it a few minutes, I realized that something was not right.  As I investigated, I realized that a tooth on my top right gum had cracked off.  A significant portion of my tooth was now in my gum (…TMI..??).  As I write this article, I am waiting on a call from my dentist for an emergency appointment.

How has all of this happened to me.  I am living life, minding my own business…and…BAM!!…I start having these issues that some would suggest relate to the aging process.  That reminds me of Genesis 2:17 as God tells Adam, “but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 

God was laying down the principle of obedience to Adam.  The problem with this tree was not that its expiration date had passed, but that God had simply said NOT to eat of it.  Later, in Genesis 3:6, we read “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” 

One reads this passage and says, wait…these two did not immediately die as God had said.  And, while humans did not immediately did, the reality is that man and woman began the process of dying as sin entered the world.  Sin has caused separation from God, brokenness of relationships, and damage of humanity.  In addition, sin has caused mankind to experience the deterioration of these physical bodies.  That’s right.  In the perfect garden, human bodies were bullet proof and unbreakable.  Sin was the one element that would plunge us into destruction…spiritually and physically. 

So, as my tooth broke and my back ached, the thought entered my mind, “Sin is still destroying lives as it has my physical body.”  And…thank God I will receive a resurrected body one day.  Yet, there are so many around me who are devastated physically and spiritually. Am I as concerned about their spiritual condition as I am my physical? 

Too often our prayer lists are more concerned with the hospital roll than a roll of unredeemed people in need of a Savior.  By God’s grace, I pray that we would be reminded — as our teeth break and our backs ache — that physical ailments are only a small reminder that men and women desperately need a Savior.

As we reached the slim, metal bar down into the window area to try to pull the door handle, my partner in crime (whose shall remain nameless, but whose initials are Mike Winfree) asked this question, “Is this door handle open at the bottom, or is it solid?”  If it was open, then it would be easy to slip a loop around it and pull it in order to open the door and unlock the latch.  As I pondered on that question, I realized that I had no idea whether or not the door handle was open or closed at the bottom. 

Just about everyday of my life I get in and out of those car doors.  I pull those door handles probably 100 times a week.  And, yet, I could not remember exactly how the handle was shaped.  Go figure…?  Something like a door handle is so familiar, and yet there was this element of it I could not identify.

Has that ever happened to you?  You are very familiar with something, and yet you cannot answer a simple question about it.  You are so familiar with a room that you cannot even remember the picture that hangs over near the corner.  You are so familiar with the road home that you never noticed a beautiful group of flowers that grow by right beside it. 

Not only did that familiarity gap happen to me last night with my car, it also happened to me yesterday with God’s Word.  I am teaching through a series called “Wise Guys:  The Power of Proverbs.”  In that series, we covered a major section of Proverbs 1 last night.  And…lo and behold, as I studied that passage, it stood out to me that the plan of salvation is right there in Proverbs 1:20-33.  Yes…that’s right…the Romans Road ain’t the only road in God’s Word to lead someone to Christ.

You see, Proverbs 1:20-33 is all about the call of the lady named wisdom.  And, it seems, that the only way to wisdom is in a relationship with God (Proverbs 1:7).  In addition, repeatedly in Proverbs wisdom is referred to in ways that are synonymous with Jesus Christ (see Proverbs 8:22-31 for starters).  With all this in mind, it is not a long stretch at all to say that knowing Christ is gaining the access to know wisdom.  And, knowing wisdom means that I have come to know Christ.

That brings me to my point:  IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN TAKE PROVERBS 1:20-33 AND LEAD SOMEONE TO CHRIST JUST AS EASILY AS WITH THE ROMANS ROAD).  Let me explain.

Proverbs 1:7:  Knowing Christ is where knowing wisdom really begins.  Without knowing Christ, you cannot know    God.  Without knowing God, you cannot know true, divine wisdom.

Proverbs 1:20-21:  God makes wisdom accessible and available to all who would listen. 

Proverbs 1:22:  Ignoring divine wisdom is ignoring God.  People ignore God because they think they are in a better position without Him.  They think they have more delight in their condition without God.

Proverbs 1:23-27:  Refusing to turn to God is refusing His wisdom.  Refusing His wisdom means that one day your condition will be made known and you will realize the foolishness of ignoring God’s wisdom.

Proverbs 1:28-32:  There will be a day, if you refuse to turn to Christ, that you will have no more opportunity.  In that day it will be too late.

Proverbs 1:33:  If you will turn to Christ – and wisdom – today, you can be assured of eternal security with Him.

I found out recently that BIG RED is the affectionate name my local automotive repair shop owner has for my truck.  I drive a 1995 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with a 350 engine (no I’m not on Al Gore’s mailing list for friends of the environment) and a 5 speed transmission.  It is an extended cab, so there is a small seat in the back.  That truck is 14 years old.  The odometer says 169,000 miles, but I’m not buying it.  It is probably more like 200,000 miles.

In the last couple of years I have put a new engine, new air conditioning, new clutch, new power steering pump, three serpentine belts, new ignition switch, and new exhaust pipe brackets just to name a few.  One might say that is is a testimony to the greatness of the repair people that the truck is still running well.  Or…if you are a Chevrolet guy, then maybe it is a testimony to the manufacturer that I am still driving that truck.  Either way, it is probably not as much a testimony to BIG RED as it is the people who have a hand in keeping BIG RED running.

Recently, I was thinking about how much like BIG RED I am.  It does not take long for me to begin to realize all the shortcomings I have.  I do not always have the best foresight.  I do not always have the greatest sensitivity for my wife.  I do not always have the best insight into the nitty gritty details of an operation.  Too often I forget things that I should remember.  Too many times I do not see typos or flaws that I should notice in my work.  The list could go on, and on, and on, and on…but I think I’d rather stop. 

Here’s the point.  In spite of these shortcomings that rival BIG RED’s, God actually calls me and uses me as a husband, father, and undershepherd of the church for which He died.  CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?  Yeah…don’t tell my church members how many shortcomings I have.  They would probably be alarmed when they realize that, at times, their pastor seems to have more flaws than he does strengths. 

Yet, the fact that God is using me as His undershepherd over his church is not a testimony to me or anyone else.  It is a testimony to HIS greatness.  The more I am confronted with my weakness, the more I fall on my knees and praise God Almighty for His greatness.  The more I see my flaws, then the more I see God’s power.  The more I see my shortcomings, then the more I see God’s infinite wisdom.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — the Godhead Trinity — is at work on, in, and through me.  God spoke to Paul and said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”(2Cor. 12:9a)  In turn, Paul responded, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Cor. 12:9b)

Paul was actually responding to his shortcomings by seeing God’s greatness more.  My shortcomings scream of God’s mercy.  My shortcomings scream of God’s power.  My flaws testify to the very greatness of God.  Just as BIG RED is a rolling advertisement for the automotive repair shop, my life is an advertisement for A VERY GREAT GOD!

Here’s my question:  Every human being has flaws, but have you allowed Christ to take over your life and use your flawed life for His glory?  There is no shortage of human imperfections…including yours.  However, have you given your flawed, imperfect, fallen short life to Christ Jesus where his sacrificial death for you offers you a way to one day experience a glorified and perfect body?

You see, the greatness of my life is directly proportionate to the greatness of God.  Without His greatness I have none.  Without His goodness I have none.  And…without His strength, I am just another incredibly weak and flawed human.  Have you allowed your flawed life to become a testimony to Christ?

“How does your garden grow?

“With silver bells, and cockle shells

“And pretty maids all in a row.”

This ancient nursery rhyme is disputed as to its origins.  Many believe it is a question asked of Queen Mary I of Scotland.  This, according to some, is a nursery rhyme regarding how Mary would help her kingdom to grow in the midst of her often married, childless and dysfunctional reign.

But, what if the rhyme were changed to be questions asked of the church?  What if it were to say…

“Christian, Christian quite converted

“How does the Garden of Christ grow…?”

I know, it may sound a little strange.  But, in 1Corinthians Paul refers to the church as God’s field or garden.  How does the church really grow and flourish?  How does any local church – or the church universal – grow to God’s glory?    How does its growth take place? 

Consider this quote from the great Charles Spurgeon:

“…let me beg you to remember that Jesus Christ is still alive.  Simple as that truth is, you need to be reminded of it.  We very often estimate the power of the church by looking to her ministers, her ordinances, and her members.  However, the power of the church does not lie there; it lies in the Holy Spirit and in an ever living Savior.  Jesus Christ died, that is true, but He lives again, and we may come to Him today just as that anxious father did in the days when our Lord was on earth.  It is said that miracles have ceased.  Natural miracles may have, but spiritual miracles have not.  We do not have the power to work either kind.  Christ has the power to work any kind of miracle, and His is still willing and able to work spiritual miracles in the midst of His church.   I delight to think of my Lord as a living Christ with whom I can speak and discuss every situation that occurs in my ministry, a living Helper to whom I may bring every difficulty that occurs in my own soul and in the souls of others.  Do not think that He is dead and buried!  Do not seek Him among the dead!  Jesus lives and is as able to deal with these cases of distress and sorrow as when He was here below.”

So then…the question:  Christian,Christian how does your church grow?

The answer:  I have no power to make it grow, but the living, resurrected Jesus Christ can – and will - do it through His people.  If we want a church to grow, it will happen by the living power of Christ!