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Looking for something to give up for Lent? Give up resentment and become more forgiving. Give up hatred and return good for evil. Give up complaining and be more grateful. Give up pessimism and become more hopeful. Give up worry and become more trusting. Give up anger and become more patient. Give up pettiness and become more noble. Give up gloom and become more joyful. Give up doubt and turn to God.  

This is my favorite kind of Mardi Gras: so wet, icy and cold that most people with any sense will stay home.  I guess it’s obvious that I’m not a huge fan of Mardi Gras. I don’t remember our family celebrating much Mardi Gras when I was a kid. When I graduated from High School our family moved to Lafayette. We lived just off of Jefferson Street and across the street from George Rodrigue. You could watch the Mardi Gras parades from our front porch. I did notice that we had a lot more friends on the Mardi Gras weekend than the rest of the year. Some people forget that Mardi Gras is the last day before Lent, which marks the forty days before Easter. I do remember Lent as a child. I remember getting ashes. I remember my sweet grandmother gave up playing cards for lent. She turned into a she devil for forty days. We would never visit her during Lent. It just wasn’t safe. When we would ask about visiting her our parents would just say “It’s Lent” and give us a knowing look. We would be required to give up something for Lent. We would […]

Jesus looked at them at said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 Ragin Cajun athletes were “in the zone” this weekend. The softball team went 5-0 in a tournament. The baseball won 2 out of 3 from Alabama in a packed house. Men and women’s basketball both extended winning streaks. When you are in the zone, it’s like you can’t lose. When you are in the zone and at the plate the baseball looks like a beach ball. When you are in the zone in basketball, everything you throw at the basket goes in. We like to live our lives “in the zone.” Sometimes it’s because we are just awesome. Often it’s because we stick to the comfort zone. We live in a way that allows us to be successful. It may mean we settle for a job that’s not too challenging. We don’t do things we might fail at. We find a place in life in which our natural talents are enough to get us what we need. God isn’t satisfied with us living life in a comfort zone. He wants us at a place where our natural ability isn’t […]

It’s time to go to church. Don’t worry what the weather is. Please don’t skip it because it’s Mardi Gras weekend. I don’t care if it’s the one day you get to rest. Don’t think watching a TV preacher is just as good. Don’t stay home because of that guy who also goes who you “know” is a hypocrite. Don’t stay home because it’s too much of a hassle to get the kids ready. Don’t stay home because you think nobody will notice your absence. Don’t stay home because you’ve had a pretty good week and don’t think you “need” it this week. Don’t stay home because you’re embarrassed by something stupid you did. Don’t stay home because you’ve been thinking about other churches. Go because you need to. Go because you’re needed. Go because your perspective could  be better. Go  because it will encourage someone. Go because if  you don’t, I’ll miss  you.  

The Ragin Cajun baseball team is playing with the Big Boys this week. Wednesday they played Number 1 LSU in Baton Rouge. This weekend Alabama comes to town for three games. Yes, Alabama, home of Nick Saban and national championships and all that. I don’t know how the locals got the Crimson Tide to come to Lafayette, but that it’s Mardi Gras weekend might have something to do with it. Needless to say the Tigue was sold out last night. That’s Star Power. There is a certain amount of Star Power thinking in the church as well. We flock to hear the Billy Grahams and the Dr. David Jeremiahs of the Christian world. If we have a tough question we go to the pastor, usually the Senior Pastor, just a member of staff won’t do. We feel we have to take people to church to hear the gospel. We aren’t good enough to tell them. Jesus didn’t plan a Star Power church. His Great Commission went out to everyone. Each of us can pray for someone and they can be healed. Jesus is the Star, not the ones he works through. By the way, the Cajuns beat LSU on […]

I read an article yesterday that announced that Christians have lost the culture war. This Christian hasn’t lost anything. In fact, I’m feeling mighty fine and pretty victorious.   If I’m completely honest, I know what the author of the article meant. This country is less “Christian” than it used to be. Our country doesn’t seem to be based on Christian values and, in fact, seems to work against them. It isn’t really comfortable to be a Christian in America any more. I still don’t think I’ve lost any war. When America began, our laws were loosely and imperfectly based on what God says is right and wrong as expressed in Scripture. That has changed. Our laws are now loosely and imperfectly based on what our representatives believe is most expedient regardless of right and wrong. I would say our culture is worse for that. Most of us still believe in “thou shall not kill” unless we are mothers and are talking about our unborn children, or we are talking about those convicted of capital crimes, or we are talking about those we view as enemies, or those who threaten our life or property. I would say our culture […]

It must have been very hard for Jesus when He was on the earth. He could see everything. He could see sin in each person. He knew the hurt in every heart he met. We are not in that situation. We don’t see past facades. We are fooled by smiling faces or blank looks. We can’t tell that the pretty girl struggles with thoughts that she’s ugly or too fat. We don’t know that the soccer mom believes her husband is unfaithful and doesn’t know why. We are unaware that the kid on the playground doesn’t see his father every day and is glad for it because the days dad is home are awful. We don’t know that the guy in the fancy car and suit lives in constant fear that his dishonesty will be revealed. We are blind to the pastor’s wife who pours her life into her husband’s ministry but wishes he had just a little time for her. We don’t know that the smiling face that sits next to us in church struggles daily with doubt and disbelief. It’s a good thing we don’t know or see all that Jesus saw. Perhaps, however, we ought to […]

Two of the top ten books on the New York Times bestseller list seek to answer the question: “Is Heaven Real?” None of the books address the question: “How do I get there?” It seems we are pretty good at asking the wrong questions. Asking the right question seems to be particularly important when it comes to eternal life, the things of eternal significance. We ask folks if they would rather spend eternity in heaven or hell. That one seems rather obvious doesn’t it? Even with a question as simple as that, some folks have the wrong answer. We ask if people have “accepted” Jesus. That doesn’t seem to be the right question. Have you “trusted” Jesus? That seems better. What about “following” Jesus? That doesn’t seem a path we are eager to take. Jesus was hated and suffered and died. We like to skim over the gospel parts that have language about taking up crosses. We like to forget that Jesus went into places of danger and need and persecution. Yesterday while reviewing some of my favorite recent reads I came upon this question: Do we believe the reward found in Jesus is worth the risk of following […]