"Follow the Leader" - Why we should follow the lead of governmental officials.

Absolutely nothing prepares you to lead or shepherd a group of people through a pandemic.  The last, great pandemic in the United States was over 100 years ago, and as history reports, the United States while fighting a war, according to the CDC lost approximately 675,000 citizens because of the H1N1 virus.  Even if a pastor had written a book over 100 years ago, giving his best advice for leading a church during a pandemic, I don’t think it would have touched on America’s current polarized political landscape, an unmuzzled social media platform, or the deluge of information available on the internet.  All of these factors shape public opinion, and honestly at times, give me a headache.  For a pastor that is seeking to lead well, these public opinions, which by the way are dwelling in turmoil, are quite overwhelming.  So where have I turned during this epic event?  I have spent many hours in prayer and reflection, but with regard to wisdom, God’s Word has guided my steps.  One passage of scripture that I have leaned on heavily is Romans 13:1:7.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.  This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.  Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

The Apostle Paul teaches in verse 1 that God has fashioned governing bodies for all people groups, and that His sovereign hand has established every authority.  For the purpose of context it is important to know that as Paul wrote this letter that early day Christians were under the authoritative government of Rome lead by a pagan, Nero Claudius Caesar.  According to history Nero burned nearly two thirds of the city of Rome and blamed it on the Christian community, igniting Romes first great persecution of Christians.  It is believed that Paul wrote the book of Romans approximately four years prior to this persecution.  God allowed this heinous ruler to govern His people, and commanded them not to rebel, but to follow the laws of Rome.  It may be hard to comprehend, but according to this scripture even Nero was God’s servant.  Furthermore, God communicates in verse 2 that if you rebel, you are rebelling against Him!  

Why has God established governmental authorities?  

#1. God desires order

Satan is the author of all chaos.  Throughout the Bible God gave His people shepherds to lead and guide them.  A body without leadership dwells in chaos, and that is not from God.

#2.  God desires justice

Justice requires rules and authorities to enforce them.  Verse 4 communicates that the authorities bear the sword for a reason, to punish those who break the rules. 

#3.  God desires public welfare

Taxes are paid to compensate public officials, provide public safety, to build infrastructure, and provide services like sanitation.

God wants what is best for us!  With this scripture in mind, I have chosen to honor our Federal and State governments by applying recommendations made with regard to our church gatherings.  When I met with our deacon body, we reviewed the Opening America Up Again criteria which was created by our Federal government, and the State guidelines given to us on May 4th by Governor Asa Hutchison.  We are blessed to live in a state in which our Governor and the Director of the State Department of Health are professed Christians.  These men even included representatives from the faith community on a state task force that penned the recommendations for reopening church buildings in Arkansas.  You and I may not agree with every rule or recommendation that is handed down to us, but I believe we have a civic and Christian duty to honor the authorities that God calls His servants.  I can’t imagine any Governor or Director of the State Department of Health that hoped for this pandemic to happen.  I believe these leaders are doing their very best to promote public welfare, and it would be wise to honor them by following their lead. 

Birthday Burpees & Community

Why is community so encouraging?  Last week, Emily and I each turned a year older.  While at our morning 5:00 a.m. cross-fit class on her birthday, Emily was challenged to do 43 burpees, one for each year of her age.  Being the supportive husband I am, I positioned myself beside her and labored through 43 burpees.  She was so encouraged by my display of support.  The very next day we noticed that her ankle was swollen from an injury that she had sustained a few weeks back.  A friend instructed Emily to stay home and rest, so the next day, which was my birthday, she was not able to attend class.  I knew that my cross-fit friends were going to challenge me to do 41 burpees, one for each year of my age.  A little sad about Emily’s absence, I was prepared to tell them, “No”.  Sure enough, after the completion of the workout, one of our friends came up to me and said it was time to do my birthday burpees.  I looked at her and said, “Well, I don’t think I am going to do them today.”  She said, “Come on, I will do them with you.  Let’s go.”  Before I could drop down and do my first burpee, four of our friends had surrounded me and were doing burpees with me.  Exhausted from the workout, I lagged behind their pace, and when they finished I still had 11 burpees left.  The lady that challenged me to do my birthday burpees dropped down and completed 11 additional burpees so that I would not finish alone.  If it was not for my work out friends, I would have walked away sad that morning, but because of their support and encouragement, I left the gym crying tears of joy.  I was still sad that Emily wasn’t there to be with me, but what a joy it was to have four men and women surround me and lift me up.  

God created us to be encouraged by community.  A great example is found in Exodus chapter 17.

“Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.  So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”  Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.  So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

What would have happened if Aaron and Hur had not been there to hold up Moses’ arms?  The Israelites would have been defeated!  God placed people in Moses’ life to support and encourage him so that he could accomplish his role as the leader of the Israelites. 

Additionally, the author of the Book of Hebrews wrote, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

This is clearly a message to believers.  God created us for community, and we naturally need the community of a church family to encourage us as we do His work.  My cross-fit friends encouraged me to overcome my sadness and fatigue so that I could complete what seemed like an insurmountable task.  Our brothers and sisters, in the church, are to encourage us as we do God’s work.  The Christian life is not easy.  If you are seeking to see people come to know Jesus, Satan is going to place a mountain of discouragement in your life, and if you are seeking to grow to be more like Jesus, he is going to do everything He can to interrupt that good work as well.  We need fellow believers to encourage us to overcome Satan’s obstacles.  We were created for Christian community.     

Is the internet evil?

Are the internet and social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter, evil?  This past political cycle was the nastiest, sleaziest, ugliest mess I have ever witnessed, and thousands upon thousands of people continue to spew their overbearing opinions through blogs, Facebook posts, and Tweets.  This past week two-time Grammy and Emmy winning comedian, Kathy Griffin participated in a photo shoot in which she held up a decapitated, bloody head that resembled Mr. President Trump.  When I saw the firestorm of Twitter posts related to this un-newsworthy story my stomach physically turned.  Have we lost all respect for mankind?  I cannot imagine how President Trump’s son felt when he first viewed this barbaric photo.  We are most definitely witnessing evil behavior that is being broadcast to the multitudes through these news veins.  But, are social media outlets themselves evil?

What is the definition of social media?  I made this up myself, so I don’t have to reference anyone else.  Social media is a conduit or tool used to instantly communicate information to the vastness of society.  A tool is a lifeless object that cannot take on the attributes of a human being, therefore the answer to my initial answer is no.  So, where is this evil behavior birthed? From the depths of the human heart.  The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”  Jeremiah 17:9.  And Jesus said, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.”  Matthew 15:18.  The heart is wicked, and every wicked thing that comes out of the mouth erupts from the heart, and every evil thing that is tweeted originates from the human heart.  It is a proven fact that most people will communicate through email, texts, and Facebook statements that they would not say to another human being face to face.  It is truly an unhealthy use of freedom of speech, but rightly used, social media outlets can be used to glorify God and advance His Kingdom.  So, before you rant about the evils of this cyber-tech world, first check your own heart.  If parasites were truly eliminated from our hearts, we would not see as many evil posts on the World Wide Web.  I love ya’ll. 

Pastor Artie   

Walking in the Dark

What is faith?  Cruising through the book of Hebrews, I stumbled upon this verse about faith that encapsulates the complete meaning of faith.

“By faith Abraham when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he didn’t know where he was going.”  Hebrews 11:8. 

 

How can you not know where you are going?  I guess Abraham did not have an iPhone with access to Siri!  Siri drives me nuts.  I don’t really need two women in my life that know more than me.

To obtain a better understanding of the situation, read Genesis 12:1-4.

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.”

Two words jump off the page in this text: Go and went.  The Lord said go, and Abraham went.  When Abraham packed up everything and left his home, he didn’t even know exactly where he was going or what he was going to be doing.  Abraham just knew that his new home would be in a foreign land known as Canaan.  God instructed Abraham to pack, and He told him that He would later show him where to go. 

 

Return to Hebrews 11:8.  Abraham obeyed and went, even though He didn’t know where He was going.  When God begins a new work, He doesn’t always give us all the details up front.  Even though we don’t know exactly how the new adventure is going to work out, as believers, we are to trust Him and obediently walk in faith.  When God says go, our first response is to be obedient and leave.  Church family, it is time to Come Together for the Future and populate a Building Team.  We don’t know where the new facilities will be built, or how God is going to provide financially for our needs, but it is time to be obedient and walk in faith.  As we walk, He will faithfully reveal to us all the details.  I love you!

Yes, Lord, Yes!

Church family, I do not deserve to serve at FBC in Chuck Town, and I do not understand why God chose me to be here at this time and be a part of the huge work that He is doing.  This great work I speak of is not the idea or thought of raising up a new building, but is that of raising up a united church body.  In a world that is riddled with individuality, it is truly refreshing to serve in a body that is seeking humility.

I’m still amazed by the clear confirmation that God sent our way through the pastor search committee process.  I was told in an early meeting that I would not receive a unanimous vote of confirmation from the church body.  My response was that we just need to pray about that.  If you look at the photo above, it will remind you that my assignment was confirmed by 111 yes votes to 0 no votes.  God provided a unanimous calling.  I believe the vote was unanimous because this body’s members were willing to kneel in humility and listen to God.  God can and will powerfully move within and through a body that is unanimous.

Is it possible for a church body full of so many different personalities and opinions to move powerfully in one direction?  Read Ephesians 4:4-6.  “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”  The very same Spirit of God dwells in every single one of us.  We are unified through the Spirit of God.  Therefore, if we seek God’s face through congregational prayer, and if we are listening, we should here the same answer.  Each member must humbly submit to the body as a whole, and be willing give to up his or her own desires to hear with one ear.  He is not a God of confusion and will not send conflicting messages to the members of His church.

April 30^th at 5:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center, we will hold a special business meeting in conjunction with our 5^th Sunday pot luck dinner for the purpose of discussing and voting on a recommendation brought forth unanimously by our deacon body.  The deacon body recommends that we authorize the Ministry Recruitment Team to populate a Coming Together for the Future Team to formulate a plan to meet our facility needs.  You will have a chance to cast an audible vote for this movement.  During the month of April, I am asking you to do two things.  First, agree to bathe this recommendation in prayer.  Second, if this is truly God’s will, which I believe it is, be willing to humbly submit to the body as a whole as we seek to be unified.  It is truly time for FBC Charleston to Come Together for the Future.           

Coming Together For The Future

I love the background image in our Coming Together for the Future prayer card.  The highway is the place where our tires meet the payment.  First Baptist Church of Charleston is entering an intersection of sorts that can direct us to the interstate of faith.  However, our bus is currently idling at a stop sign, and we do not know whether to turn left, right, or continue forward.  We need direction or a GPS unit to lead us to our destination.  The theme verse for this road trip is Psalm 127:1.  “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”  Allow me to “Artie this up” for you.  Unless God is in this, we are wasting our time and resources. 

I am confident that our congregation must gaze ahead and determine future facility needs and map out a plan to meet those needs.  If we are not focusing our thoughts towards the future, we are in reality moving backwards.  Focusing on the future is clearly our only option.  The key is to gain an understanding of what God desires for our future.  During this journey of faith, we must allow God to chart our course.  So, how do we make sure God is guiding us?  James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5.  What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?  Knowledge is a human reserve of information where wisdom is an understanding obtained from the mind of God.  Church family, we are blessed with a tremendous reservoir of man’s knowledge, but now more than ever, we need Godly wisdom.  God’s mind is greater than all of our pooled knowledge.  We cannot and will not ever understand all the ways of God.  When we need answers or Godly wisdom, we ask God for an understanding from Him of what we need to do or not do.  Through His Spirit, He unlocks in our minds an understanding of what we need to know. 

A journey of faith requires that we ask God for exactly what He wants; we listen carefully and receive His direction; then we obediently go where He leads us.  My simplified version of this statement is that we must pray, listen, and do. 

This journey of faith has absolutely nothing to do with building a worship center; it is all about His church hearing His voice and walking with Him in faith.  God is giving FBC Charleston a vision to “Come Together” and walk in faith.  Now is the time to seek His face in prayer.      

Cut It Out!

I believe that most folks have a sin or a group of sins that they struggle with.  When I am tired and stressed, my natural bent is to overeat.  I have struggled with keeping excess weight off for almost twenty years.  When I am stressed, if offered a million dollars, alcohol, tobacco, legalized medical marijuana, or Reese’s Cups; I’m going to hammer the Reese’s Cups every single time!  For me, it is almost impossible to resist the chocolatey covered peanut butter cups.  Unfortunately, I turn to food during periods of high stress.  My choosing to over eat is wrong for two reasons.  First, I am out of control.  I have no discipline what-so-ever.  You better not leave out a bag of Nacho-Cheese Doritos.  Second, I am using food to soothe my mental pain instead of relying on God’s provision.

Because overeating is a sinful habit, I feel good for a while, but am later overwhelmed with guilt.  My heart hurts when I realize that my favorite clothes are too tight.  Hung neatly in my closet are a couple of suits that are a size too small.  I would love to wear them, but right now it is not going to happen.  The struggle is real. 

A couple of weeks ago, I once again decided to do something about my eating problem.  I asked Emily to help me measure my eating portions, and we are working out at the local fitness center.  The first few days of the workout, I thought I was going to die, but some friends encouraged me to keep going and by the fifth day, my soreness and stiffness had receded. 

The truth is, Satan knows your bents or weaknesses, and he is waiting to entice you at the perfect time and place.  That is the way he rolls.  In Matthew 5:29 Jesus says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.”  Jesus is teaching that you should take drastic measures to strategically cut sin from your life.  My drastic measure is to wake up at 4:30 in the morning and work through a crossfit routine.  Additionally, I am writing this post so that tons of folks can hold me accountable.  I do not want to turn to a coping mechanism such as food to soothe my heart.  My desire is to rely on God to provide for my every need.  Please pray with me as I seek to honor God with life change, and I would also plead with you to cut sin out of your life.  I love ya’ll.

Santa's Down!

Approximately six years ago, a kind woman in our church family passed down to us an eight-foot tall blow-up yard Santa.  Ever since then, Santa has stood tall in the Hudson yard throughout the Christmas season.  After eating lunch one day, I backed out of my driveway and pulled up to the stop sign on the east side of our home.  As I rolled past the sign, I heard a huge boom.  It totally mimicked the percussion of a 12-gauge scattergun!  The blow startled me in such a way that I stopped the car and looked around to see if I could determine its origin.  When I looked over my left shoulder, I immediately noticed that Santa was going down.  My first thought was “Santa’s down!”  What kind of sicko would shoot my yard Santa? 

As Santa slipped to the ground, I threw the car into reverse and returned to my driveway.  When I got out of my car, I noticed that the electricity was off at my home.  That is when I realized that the transformer had blown down the alley from our storage building.  Santa was not taken down in a blaze of glory, but had just lost power.  I felt like an idiot.  My initial thought was an erroneous assumption.  I got all lathered up for nothing.    

What does the Bible say about jumping to conclusions?  In Proverbs 18:2 Solomon wrote, “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.”  Let me ‘Artie that up’ for you a little bit.  It is foolish to speak your mind without first gaining understanding.  I constantly remind myself that my fleshly heart is proud, so I must humble myself and investigate the facts before I shoot off my expert mouth.  Save your self some frustration and pain and investigate the facts before you plunge into an assumption.                       

Our First Chuck Town Christmas

This year, we, The Hudsons, will celebrate our first Chuck Town Christmas.  The Christmas season is absolutely our favorite time of year, and like Cousin Eddy from Christmas Vacation, as a family, we lick every drip of Christmas eggnog from the moose-head cup.  Consequently, like other Christmas-walnuts, we came up with a super, awesome family tradition.  It is the Hudson’s 25 Days of Christmas.  Starting December 1^st, each day leading up to Christmas, our family participates in a Christmas activity.  Activity is a broad term, so allow me to share with you a few examples.  We always purchase a fresh-cut tree, make popcorn garland, decorate ginger bread houses or bake sugar cookies, place lights on the house, stake down the blow-up Santa, read the Christmas story from the Bible as we assemble the Nativity scene, and of course watch Christmas Vacation and Christmas with the Kranks a billion times!  That’s not 25 days, but you get the general idea.  For fun, the activity is always documented with a photo and shared on Facebook each night.  I’m not sure why, but friends and family seem to enjoy our crazy family. 

The most special night is the Candlelight Christmas Eve service at the church.  Everyone enjoys juggling molten hot wax candles, as they sing Silent Night, but my favorite part is coming together as a church family and remembering the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ through the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.  This special time together reminds me that, “Mercy triumphs over judgement!”  James 2:13. 

Because of the original sin of Adam and the deserved curse of death, every man and woman inherited the sinful nature and death penalty.  But, because of His great mercy, while we were sinners, Christ died for our sins.  God’s great mercy triumphed over His just judgement.  When God entered flesh, through the Christ Child, Emanuel, He ultimately chose mercy over what we deserve, judgement.  I am so thankful that God chose mercy!  As you rush through this Christmas season, allow this grand view of His great mercy to cause you to celebrate.  Mercy triumphs over judgement!  Have I told you that I love you today?  I love you, and I pray that this is your best Christmas season ever.       

Clowning Around in Chuck Town?

If you keep up with the national media at all, you have noticed that clowns are popping up everywhere at random times.  A. J. Willingham, a reporter for CNN, recently wrote, “People have been arrested.  Schools have sent out warning letters.  Social media is crawling with creepy homemade clown videos.  And it came up at the White House media briefing this week.”  Is this frenzy going to meet the borders of our beloved town?  I hope not because creepy clowns weird me out.  I don’t want to offend any hardworking clowns, but you are not going to catch me clowning around in Chuck Town unless God writes the call in stone.  When I was a child I watched the Stephen King movie “IT”, and ever since then, when I see a clown I wet my pants!  Well, that may be a silly-string stretch of the truth, but I had a plethora of weird, scary clown dreams after I watched the movie.  Enough to make me not want to be around clowns. 

Strangely enough, God has called me to clown around before.  Approximately five years ago, I signed up for a mission trip to Leon, Mexico.  During one of our trip-planning meetings, Paul Koonce, our Director of Missions, asked our small group if anyone would consider dressing up like a clown and performing a few basic illusions while sharing a gospel message.  My hands were glued to my side.  First of all, I hated clowns, and secondly, my introverted self was not about to perform illusions before a crowd.  It wasn’t happening, or that is what I thought anyway.  Sometime later, Paul invited me to lunch to talk about the trip.  During our lunch meeting, he asked me to dawn the wig, makeup, and suit with the funny tie.  I was scared to death!  He explained to me that the children would watch the illusions and respond to the gospel message.  It had everything to do with the gospel message and nothing to do with me.  Even though it was the last thing I wanted to try, I told my friend, "Yes".

A little nervous in the airport, I was sure that customs was going to search my suitcase, see my costume, and bury me in a Mexican jail.  It was irrational, but what was rational about me dressing up like a clown in Mexico?  Another fun outtake was, that during the trip, I bit off some really hot peppers, and my team members gave me the name, “Hot-lips the Clown”.  My wife Em enjoyed that the most.  I can’t say that I really loved the total experience, because it was a little awkward, but I did learn how to make puppies and swords out of balloons, and I have been making balloon animals ever since.  But, the greatest takeaway was that some folks got saved.  That was the whole reason we traveled to Mexico, and that is what drives me to serve the Lord.  The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”  Paul was willing to do anything so that people would come to understand the lifesaving Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Are you willing to do anything to see folks saved?  That’s my goal.  So, if God calls me to clown around in Chuck Town, I will dawn the makeup and the wig but only to save some souls!

Chuck-town or Bust

I love Chuck-town.  It is my new hometown.  If you told me ten years ago that I would one day dawn the Vegas-gold and black, I would have said to you, "You're nuts!"  The day before Emily and I married in 1999, we signed a promissory note on a thirty-five acre tract of land adjacent to the property that I was raised on in Seminole County, Oklahoma.  Just a quarter of a mile, as the crow flies, from my parents house, we were going to build our own homestead.  But, in the summer of 2008 my future plans began to shift.  While sponsoring a group of youth at our state's church camp, I realized a very clear call to ministry.  It was so clear that I knew that one day I was going to serve as the lead pastor of a church.  That week, Emily and I came together and we told God that we were on "Go".  We prayed, "God, we will go wherever you lead us, and do whatever you ask us to do."  In the spring of 2010, God made it very clear that we were to uproot our household and move to the big town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma to shepherd Calvary Baptist Church.  It was hard leaving my hometown.  I had lived there for almost thirty-four years, and we absolutely loved the church we were serving in.    Furthermore, it was really hard on my folks, and that made it even harder for me to leave.  But, I had promised God that I would go wherever He said, and I knew that he was leading me to become a Pawhuska Huskie.  So, I left my home, the church family I loved, a great job, and my precious family and moved to the grass prairies of Osage County, a foreign land without trees.

We were thoroughly thrilled to be in the center of God's will, and the church was very receptive of our family, but I was terribly homesick; I missed my old hometown.  Emily and I earnestly prayed that God would melt the people of Pawhuska on our hearts, and boy did He ever.  Over the next six years God taught me how to be a pastor, how to love His people.  Jehovah Jireh provided a very nice home for us to raise our children; a loving church family  who squeezed the skittles out of my children; and a group of beautiful, beautiful people that Emily and I could do life with.  We loved our church family and they loved us, and Pawhuska was our new hometown.  But, in the first few months of our fifth year, God stirred the calling pot again.  In January of 2016, God confirmed in my heart that I was again to leave my state, my people, my family and move to the rolling hills of Charleston, Arkansas.  This move was even harder to understand.  I was Sooner-born and Sooner-bred, and when I died I was supposed to be Sooner-dead.  Arkansas was sure enough a foreign land! But, because God had called us, it was Chuck-town or bust!
   
My testimony reminds me of a man of faith that I can only dare to emulate.  His name was Abram and his calling is recorded in Genesis 12:1.   "The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people, and your father's household and go to the land I will show you."  Additionally, Abram's response to God's call is recorded in verse 4.  "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him."  When you combine these two verses together in their simplest form, you will see that God said to Abram "Leave", and he left.  That is what I call simple obedience.  When God says "Go and do this", your response is to go and do.  That, my friends, is my passion, to follow God wherever He asks me to go and do whatever he asks me to do.  Simple obedience has led me to my new hometown, Chuck-town, and I am thrilled to be a tiger!

Chuck-town Football and a "Commitment to Excellence"

The Boys of Fall are back under the stadium lights in Charleston, and this past week, the Hudsons experienced this football phenomenon.  Honestly, the night lived up to all the hype, and without a doubt, football is clearly king in Chuck-town.  That’s cool with me, because I love football, and when in Rome you do as the Romans do. 

My love for football began in the 7^th grade.  Like my son, I was a giant at a young age, so the quarterback routinely handed me the football, and more times than not, I drug two or three average-sized boys into the end zone.  I was blessed to have the same football coach from 7^th-12^th grades.  I shared with our Charleston team this week that my football coach had a huge impact on my life.  Our coach drilled into our minds a team motto.  As we stretched before practices and games, coach always had us chant in unison the phrase, “Commitment to Excellence.”  How could three words have such a huge impact on my life?  During every game and practice, which encapsulated every drill and snap, we were to give our very best effort.

That motto has become a standard in my life, and I truly believe it is what God expects of every Christian.  In Romans 12:1 Paul wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”  Based upon the fact that God was driven by His love to send His only Son to die on the cross for our sins and realizing that we can do absolutely nothing to deserve this act of love, we are to die to our old way of life and live in a way that is holy and pleasing to Him.  The phrase “spiritual act of worship” means that it is only reasonable for us to respond to His mercy in this way.  So, it is only reasonable for us to live in a way that is holy and pleasing to God, based upon the fact that we received this great act of love which we will never deserve. 

What does it mean for you to stop living for yourself and start living your life in such a way that is holy and pleasing to Him?  Holiness is void of sin, and as we grow up in our salvation, we are to strive to become more like Him each day.  We must strive to do the right things.
 
Additionally, Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord.”  Did you catch that?  We are never to give less than our best!  When I played football, my goal was to exhaust all my strength during the game, leaving it all on the field.  Someday I will breathe my last breath and say farewell to this world.  My goal is to leave it all on the field.  I want to leave you with one question.  Are you doing your very best for the Lord?

Fully Filled

 

Boy howdy, it sure has been hot lately!  I am so thankful that my uncle repaired the air conditioner in my truck.  Two summers ago, the a/c unit in my 1998 GMC Sierra gave up the ghost, and to save money I chose to roll down the windows and tough it out.  The upside was that the breeze blowing through the cab saved on my wife’s salon bill as well.  Every time Emily stepped out of the truck, she had a fresh do! 

Despite my kiddo’s complaints; the sweaty armpits; and the coarse, dry eyes, I decided that I could live without the modern-day convenience of bought air.  Then, while we were planning for the big move to Charleston, my uncle called me and asked if he could use my truck to pull his twenty-four foot boxed-in trailer.  In response, I told him that he might want to drive early in the morning or late in the evening because my air conditioner was on the fritz.  He was ok with that, so we made plans to transport the truck to his house, so that he could connect it to his trailer and have it ready for the upcoming moving day.  When my uncle showed up with the truck and trailer, he motioned me to the driver’s side window.  Then, he rolled down the glass, and frigid air passed before my face.  Uncle Craig had replaced a rotten hose and filled the unit with Freon. 

I don’t claim to know a lot about cars, but I do know that an air conditioner is designed to be full of Freon, and when the system is empty, it doesn’t cool the car at all.  That means, without the presence of Freon, the machine doesn’t work properly.  Human bodies and cars are vastly different, but like an a/c unit, God designed the human body to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Folks without the Holy Spirit don’t function right.

The Apostle Paul wrote about the work of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18.  Paul wrote, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”  This verse is often misinterpreted.  I don’t believe that you can receive more or less of the Spirit of God; however, I do believe that the Spirit can have more or less control of you.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, God’s Holy Spirit is united with our soul forever.  The Greek word translated as “filled” in this text could be better translated as “controlled”.  So let me “Artie this up” for you a little bit.  Paul is teaching that we should not be controlled by anything of this world.  Instead, we should be controlled by the Spirit of God.  Folks, a body that does not have the Holy Spirt is not going to function properly.  To be used for its Creator’s purpose, it must be controlled by the Creator’s Spirit. 

Punked

The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and it is time to celebrate our nation’s freedom with fireworks and homemade ice cream.  Some of my fondest Independence Day memories are from shooting off fireworks at my grandparents’ house.  We were relatively poor growing up, but my parents always found a way to purchase us a small sack of fiery fun.  The anticipation that lead up to the day we purchased fireworks was more energizing than the act of popping them.  I recall one trip to the fireworks stand, well a small horse trailer with hay bales for shelves, where each sibling chose fireworks until every penny was exhausted.  Of course, I picked up a package of black cats that I would unravel and pop one by one and a box of those smelly black snakes that smoked and grew forever. But, the pinnacle piece of the show was going to be a miniature rocket that would shoot up into the sky, burst into flames, and then gently, by way of a parachute, return to the ground. I couldn’t wait until it was time to load up and go to Grandpa Hudson’s place!

When the day arrived, I was loaded with punks.  It was going to take a lot of punks to crack those black cats one by one.  Sadly, in no time at all, I had popped all of my little stuff and it was time for the grand finale.  The rocket lived up to all of its hype.  The explosion was a beautiful sight, and the parachute deployed, properly returning the fuselage safely back to the ground.  As I picked up the spent rocket I realized that my fun was over.  With my head ducked, I returned back to the bed of my father’s green and white 1978 Ford.  As I jumped up on the tailgate, I realized that my youngest sister’s grand finale was still in pristine condition.  She had not shot off her tank.  I had really wanted a tank, but I had to choose between a tank and the rocket, so you know the rest of that story.  I couldn’t stand it.  I wanted to ignite that tank so bad, and I did.  Of course when the turret sounded, my sister whirled around and began screaming at me.  She then ran into the house and tattled on me.  Mom came out and asked me what happened, and with tears, I told her that as I had jumped up on the tailgate that I accidentally backed into the tank with my lit punk.  That of course was a lie.

As a child I was selfish.  My bent for self-gratification led me to take something away from my own sister.  The Bible teaches us that, as children of God, we should be selfless rather than selfish.  In fact, the apostle Paul wrote about this in Philippians 2:3-4. 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

When I ignited my sister’s tank I had only my own interests in mind.  Sadly, there are times when we fuss and bicker within the church body.  Brothers and sisters in Christ get upset with one another over the silliest things.  Would we see more reconciliation within the body if we considered others’ feelings?  I want to ask you to do something.  If you are out of fellowship with someone in the church because of hurt feelings, I would like for you to pray about reconciling with that individual.  God’s love will cover all.  I love ya’ll.          

What is Finished?

Good Friday is a day that we remember the death of Jesus.  On Easter Sunday, we focus on the life that is gained, but on Good Friday we remember the life that was given.  As I read through the gospels this Holy season I was intrigued by three words:  "IT IS FINISHED".  Actually, one word intrigued me:  "IT".  "IT" is just two little letters.  "IT" is also a Stephen King movie that I watched when I was a kid that still causes me wet the bed.  Merriam Webster gives five definitions for the word "IT".  I believe the fifth definition would apply in this case.  A crucial or climactic point example:  <this is it>.  If I consider this definition, then it makes perfect sense that the "IT" in this verse refers to something climatic.  In order to obtain a better understanding and perhaps answer the question, "What was finished?",  read John19:16-37

In verse 16 ,we see that Jesus was handed over to be crucified.  Crucifixion, or execution by hanging from a stake, was considered the most horrible form of death.  In Deuteronomy 21 Moses writes, “²² If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a tree, ²³ you must not leave the body hanging on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” (NIV 84)  Being hung on a tree was a curse.  Jesus was handed over to be executed by the most horrible form of death.  So when Jesus says in verse 30 “It is finished” was He referring to His life?

Life is a fragile thing.  It begins at conception, when God breathes life into an embryo, and concludes when the heart ceases to beat.  We read in the Gospel of Matthew, in chapter 1, where life was given to the Christ child when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary.  The physician Luke wrote, “³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (NIV 84). In the gospels we read that Jesus lived a mere 33 years.  So when Jesus called out in a loud voice and shouted, “It is finished”, was He referring to His physical life?  Perhaps, but let’s further examine the scripture to determine the answer to this question. 

Could Jesus be exclaiming that the personal ridicule and mental anguish was over?  We see in verse 23 of the 19^th chapter of John that the soldiers divided up Jesus’ garments.  I believe this occurred before He was taken down from the cross.  To utterly embarrass the Son of God, He was stripped naked and placed on a cross for the whole Roman world to see.  Read Luke 23:34-39.

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[c] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  ³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”  ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  ³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.  ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (NIV 84)

 We see in this passage of scripture that Jesus was stripped, sneered at, and verbally abused.  They made fun of Him and said, "If you are really the King of the Jews, save yourself."  But when Jesus said, “It is finished” in the Gospel of John He was not referring to his physical death or the end of his public humiliation.  The "It" has a far greater and more climatic meaning.  So what does "IT" refer to?

Could it be the end of the physical pain Jesus had to endure?  In the first verse of John chapter 19 the apostle pens that Jesus was flogged.  A flogging generally consisted of 40 lashes, save one, with a whip of leather straps.  But, a Roman scourging was much more intense.  It was common that the Roman soldiers would add bones and shards of glass to the tips of the leather straps.  These cutting devices would rip into flesh and expose the bare bones of the malefactor.  According to tradition, Jesus endured a Roman scourging.  Before He even was raised on the cross, His flesh was exposed to the elements.  After He was scourged, we see in the 27^th chapter of Matthew starting in verse 27 that the soldiers took Jesus to the Praetorium.  They stripped Him, placed a scarlet robe on Him and gouged a crown of thorns on His head.  If that wasn’t enough, they spit on Him and struck Him over the head again and again.  Then they forced Him to carry His cross to the place called Golgotha.  During that process we see, in the 32nd verse of Matthew 27, that Jesus could not continue so they forced a man named Simon to carry the cross.  I can’t imagine the pain my Savior endured, even before He was nailed to the cross.  It was customary to either nail or use rope to attach the outstretched arms of the malefactor to the cross.  In the case of Jesus, it is clear that His hands were nailed to the cross.  In order that the entire body be secured the criminal was forced to cross his legs at his ankles and another nail or spike was driven through the bones, then embedded deep into the timber of the cross.  Death was not from the bleeding or pain endured from the process.  It is written that some criminals would last for up to 8 days on the cross.  Death occurred when the condemned was not able to hold himself up anymore.  From sheer exhaustion, the body would begin to slump, pressure would be placed on the diaphragm, and the lungs would fill with fluid and blood.  Suffocation was the cause of death in the majority of crucifixions.  So when Jesus shouted the words, "It is finished!", was He referring to the agony and pain of death on the cross?  I don’t think so.

John 19:28-30
²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (NIV 84)

So that Scripture would be fulfilled.  Jesus waited until all prophecy of the Messiah had been full-filled, then He said, “It is finished”.  As stated before "It" highlights a crucial and climatic point.  The coming of the Messiah and the slaughtering of the final sacrificial lamb was the climatic point that is emphasized by it in this sentence.  The final sacrifice was finished and offered for the sins of mankind.  The “IT” is the sacrifice!  I read a small book this week entitled Christ’s Victory and Ours, written by Frederick Grant.  Grant reminds us that we were present the day of the crucifixion.  He quotes the old African American spiritual, "Where you there when they crucified my Lord?"

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Beloved, when Jesus said the words, “It is finished” our sins were blotted out by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb.  Even though our bodies were not present, our sins were abolished.  In that moment, when Jesus spoke His last words, the sacrifice was complete, and our sins were paid for.  When Jesus said, “It is finished”, He was exclaiming that the sacrifice was finished!