Helping People Follow Christ

Three men faced fire with faith. When the King of Babylon insisted they bow down to his image or else be thrown into a superheated furnace, they courageously and respectly refused. Scoffing at their refusal, the king said, what god can save you?

The answer became quite clear when the three men surivied the fire without being singed. And yet they were willing to enter the fire knowing that while God could deliver them, he might not choose to do so in this instance.

How great to have this kind of faith; faith that faces fires with confidence. Faith that does not melt into fear when the fire rages. May God grant us fire-proof faith.

As a teenager in a foreign country, Daniel couragesouly stood against the king’s order by refusing to eat the royal diet thus risking his health and very life. God provided. God blessed him with greater strength and wisdom.

Then Daniel risked trusting that God would give him the king’s dream and interpretation. God did. And Daniel took no credit for it.

I’m praying for the faith and courage of Daniel when humanly there seems no way forward. God opens ways. God blesses faith.

In these difficult times, we need peace and thankfully the Prince of Peace has arrived. He is our refuge and our fortress in the bombardments life throws against us. When tempted to fear, we can rest in the shadow of the Almighty who shelters us from harm. There is no suffering we cannot face with deep peace when He is with us. His peace passes all understanding and guards us when we walk through dark valleys. His Light directs our steps; His presence stills our souls and quiets our minds. He is our peace.

In his second letter Peter gives stern warnings agains greed and immorality coming even from religious people who twist the Scriptures. Knowing that Jesus is coming soon, he warns us to be on guard not to get led astray.

Instead we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The old temptations of money and the flesh are always with us. We must we alert to their pull and turn our hearts instead to Jesus Christ.

True peace and joy are found not in wealth or sexuality, but in Jesus Christ, to know him and serve him –that is real life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As trite and over stated as it well be this day — don’t miss taking time to give thanks. Sometimes in our cynicism, we get sick of hearing the same message and so ignore it. Don’t miss this one. Sometimes in our self-focus, our physical pain or emotional difficulty, we complain more than express gratitude. Don’t miss stopping to count your blessings.

most of all to God himself the giver of all good things

The prophet Ezekiel rebukes the false shepherds (chapter 34) who care for themselves and not the sheep. They feed themselves, but do not feed the sheep.

It is so easy to focus on ourselves, our needs, our hunger and neglect to see the needs of others. This Thanksgiving, let’s focus on how to “feed” others rather than on how we can have the best time personally.

Thank you to every person involved in God’s work. Thank you to those who went to Uganda through McKinney Fellowship! God moved in mighty ways. Thank you to those who helped with the Garage Giveaway! God touched over 3000 lives directly and we gave away over $1,000,000 of stuff to those in need. God is pleased.

Thank you to those who shared in our services this past Sunday. I was overwhelmed and in tears sevearl times to hear the stories of God at work in dozens of lives. So many shared about their Life Group, how it was their family, supported them and encouraged them. So many shared about the student ministry and how they were bring impacted, including young students.

Gratitude is powerful. This week is a great time to focus on giving thanks.

Reading this morning in James 2, I am struck by how faith implies works. If faith does not express itself in works the faith is likely not real. Faith is expressed in care for the poor, the orphan and the widow. We are not to show favoritism to the wealthy or dishonor the poor, but to love our neighbor.

With this view, I am freshly motivated for the city-wide Garage Giveaway this weekend. Personally I plan to be there Friday to help unload and sort and then Saturday to help whereever needed. If you are not yet involved, we could use your help. Click on the link on the McKinney Fellowship home page and get in the game. Let’s show the love of Christ to our City — true religion, real faith.

For those who were not present, over 500 people attended Tana’s Memorial Service at McKinney Fellowship Monday morning. It was an amazing out pouring of worship with many songs of praise. Worship leaders and musicians from many churches participated, as well as her former Pastor, Jim Garlow, from California. God was honored. The Gospel was proclaimed. So many helped with all the details. We have a great church family.

Later that afternoon over 100 gathered for a graveside service out in the country west of Waco where Tana’s family has been buried for generations back to her great, great grandparents. Steve Swadley and my daughter Melanie led the music ending with “Give me Jesus,” which was certainly Tana’s heart cry. And now she is with Jesus face to face.

Death has a way of putting life into perspective. I find myself hugging my wife, Tamara, a little tighter and wanting to be with my children. I find myself wanting to make my life count by speaking truth and showing love. In the twilight of life, we see the edges of eternity. We are made for more than just this world. And so today should live for more than just this place.

Our dear friend Tana Heckel has gone to heaven ahead of us. She was promoted early, no surprise given her life. She was always ahead of herself and most of us. I thank God for Tana. Serving with her was a privilege and a joy. I miss her greatly. Before too long I look forward to the day I see her again when I enter glory.

My grief is overcome by the assurance of death’s defeat. Life overwhelms death in the resurrection of Jesus Chrsit, the Victor. Life eternal comes clear in the face of earthly death. And so in this life we live to serve our Lord and share His message of Life until the day he calls us home to experience the real Life for which he has saved us.

in Tana’s honor, we honor her Lord and ours — the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ before whose throne she is now worshipping.