Does God Change People?
As we enter a new year, it is interesting to note that every New Year is really a repeat of the previous year....as least on a cosmological basis. That is, every year is still 365 days and has four seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall. So in a way, 2020 is an exact repeat of 2019. The reason this is so is because the Lord's plan to change the world for His glory never changes. The only plan the Lord has ever had is to make us like the Lord Jesus Christ, to conform us to His image. The Lord tells us that in Romans 8:28-29 where we hear,And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Each New Year is a reminder that the cycle of the last year repeats as it unfolds the cosmological story of the death (winter) and resurrection (spring) of our Lord. So each New Year is a repeating reminder that the concept of newness is rooted in what our Lord has done for us and how His life is the template of change as we die to our old life and come alive or resurrect to a new life in Christ.
After pastoring for over 35 years, I have come to the realization that few people really understand the heart of God toward this world and its people. That even includes many in the Christian church. So many people think God is mad at them or getting ready to judge them. So many people are waiting for something bad to happen to them. So many people wonder if this thing called "life" is going to end well. So many people think God wants something from them they are never sure they can give. So many people have no assurance they will ever be in heaven. The list is very long. I have seen all these attitudes, feelings and questions among hundreds of people throughout my pastoral calling. People just lack assurance and confidence on the basic issues of knowing and understanding the heart of the Lord toward them. All these issues and concerns could be answered if people really had a deeper understanding of the Christmas message. That is my hope with this edition of the Carlson Report for you, your family and friends. Share this truth with someone you love this Christmas. That would be the best Christmas gift you could give, long after that new outfit or special gift wears out.
Right now, most of us are looking forward to a blessed Christmas holiday with family and friends in a couple of weeks. Christmas is always a season of wonder that allows us to publicly celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. Christmas reminds us that the Lord of Heaven and Earth had an amazing plan to enter this fallen world as a human being, our Emmanuel, to save and redeem us from our sin and give us life eternal. Christmas has historically been a season, whatever our beliefs, to express kindness and love toward all and celebrates a little good will toward our fellow humans. Christmas has been a special season to work a little less, love a little more, sing some Christmas carols, drink some hot cocoa and take some time to celebrate the gift of life the Lord has given us and enjoy it with everyone the Lord sends our way.
As our Thanksgiving Holiday is celebrated this coming Thursday, November 28, we pause for a moment to reflect on the incredible meaning behind every "Thank You" that has ever been said. It turns out that a "Thank You" is one of the great witnesses to the Lord and the Gospel message that could be given. And the interesting thing about saying "Thank You" is that we all say it to someone, whatever we believe. So if you follow the real source and meaning behind every "Thank You" you end up in the loving arms of the Lord. Let's take a brief look at a typical "Thank You" in this week of Thanksgiving and see how it literally opens the door to see the Lord, Heaven and His love for the world.
On this 4th of July weekend, we look back, give thanks and remember that no nation in history has a past more concerned and connected to bringing freedom to people than America. From the beginning of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, our founders saw freedom as a God given right that should be defended,
During the last two nights the American public had the opportunity to watch the Democratic Presidential Debates. The current debates signal the beginning of a long battle to determine who will be the next President. One of the issues in the debates and that is being replayed over and over in our public discourse is the issue of race. There are few conversations today where the charge and accusation of racism is not being made by someone against someone else. For many, the issues surrounding racism have grown weary and divisive, mainly because there seems to be no end in sight or way to resolve the issue in a satisfying way that will allow our divided nation to move forward.
More time and money has been spent by Americans trying to find a beautiful life than just about any other culture in history. At one time the ancient Greeks chased this notion of beauty, but their search would be tepid in comparison to our beauty seeking world. Everywhere you look there seems to be an obsession that is focused on the pursuit of the beautiful. It is virtually a part of everything we see in magazines, advertising, stores, clothing, homes, and movies. Everything we see seems to have been designed with this beautiful image in mind. After all, who is attracted to "ugly" things? So, it seems that our world is being driven by this hidden search for beauty. 
On this Father's Day weekend, it is a good idea to stop and reflect about fatherhood and how that institution has shaped our lives and society for good or bad. For some people Father's Day evokes a warm feeling toward their fathers as someone that was a key person in our lives for the good. For others, Father's Day may be an emotionally charged day full of conflicting and often painful memories. Over the course of my ministry, I have talked with 100's of people about the issues and challenges in their lives. This experience has led me to see that it is almost impossible to have a good start in life without a healthy relationship with your father. The vast majority of broken and hurting people I have talked to over the years often had serious issues with their fathers. Perhaps that explains why the majority of men and women in prison today grew up without a father or had a bad relationship with the one they had.
We stop on this Memorial Day weekend to give thanks for all those who have served our nation to protect our freedoms and the way of life we have here in America. We especially give thanks for those who died for us and ended their journey on a battlefield, often thousands of miles from home, never to enjoy the life that we sometimes take for granted. As is often said, "Freedom is never free." But one of the things that makes Memorial Day memorable is that the Lord gives us the ability to remember. Memory is the one thing that allows us to look back and to gain perspective and value from the past. If we didn't remember, learn from, enjoy or honor the past, life would be meaningless. If we didn't remember those who have gone before us and if cemeteries meant nothing, then our lives would have no purpose. It is only when we remember and honor the past that life becomes eternal and meaningful as it was intended by the Lord. It is only when we remember the past that we truly value our military, our families and those who have gone before us to create the life we have today.
One of the best ways to understand what is spiritually going on today in the professing Church world is to look at what is happening to Christian worship services. It is no understatement to say that modern worship services have changed dramatically. There are many services that tend to increasingly have less and less to do with the Lord and more and more to do with our culture. If you go to some of our modern, trendy worship services today you may be surprised at what is going on in there. It is not uncommon to be offered ear plugs as you enter the worship center because the music is so loud. Over the last year or so I have personally talked with several people that have had this experience. As a result, it appears that ear plug worship is slowly becoming common place in the church world and not just some fringe experience. This is leading some people to feel like they are at a rock concert being entertained, instead of being led into the presence of the Lord. Sadly, the noise in these services can be so loud that you not only need ear plugs, but you can't hear yourself sing or even think at times.
After 35 years of pastoral ministry it has become abundantly clear to me that human nature and the Church world are profoundly confused about the issue of God's grace. It is surprising to see how many people think our behavior, beliefs and good works are going to gain us a place in heaven one day. There seems to be a growing proliferation of these human works based beliefs, sects and cults growing all around us. As a result, the number of people that clearly understand that God's love and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is a wonderful gift of pure grace alone is a small remnant of people today.
Happy Resurrection!!! May this be your BEST Easter/First Fruits ever. It is a glorious thing to know that life is eternal, and that death is forever gone for the redeemed. We never need to fear or worry as we drive by that neighborhood cemetery that our lives will end there. We don't have to be troubled when we see a loved one or friend lying in a casket at a funeral. No, the Lord has a plan and future for His people that are beyond words. Our lives never really begin or have any meaning until we start to understand that glorious truth and hope for our lives.
Happy Palm Sunday to everyone! Palm Sunday has traditionally marked the beginning of what is referred to as "Holy Week," a week that starts on Palm Sunday and culminates on Easter/First Fruits Sunday. This single week is an amazing replay of the creation story in Genesis 1. Our Lord started from a place of rest, before He created the world, and ended up resting after the incredible work of creation was completed. In a similar way, our Lord entered Jerusalem resting on a donkey, a sign that He came to bring peace and rest to our lives and ended by finishing His work on the cross and rising again to confirm these truths. It is just an amazing story of how wonderfully the Lord connects creation and redemption together into one seamless and beautiful narrative of His love.
If someone was to ask you how you know God exists what would you say? There are many things that could be said to answer such a profound and important question like that. However, the greatest way to know the answer to that question is to see God's hand fulfilling His prophetic promises to His people before the world. In other words, when God predicts that something will happen, sometimes thousands of years beforehand, and it finally comes to pass in precise detail before our eyes, we need to take notice. To that end, there are literally 100's of such Divine promises in the Bible that have been and/or are currently being fulfilled before our very eyes. An example of this principle can best be seen in the prophetic prediction and promise made by the Lord Jesus that He would rise again on the 3rd day after His crucifixion. In passages like Matthew 16:21 we hear,
Did you ever have a moment when you wondered if life was worth living? Most of us have probably had such days. They often come after we face great losses, pain, trials or certain problems that make life seem overwhelming at times. Anyone who has lost a loved one or experienced depression and grief surely understands these issues. During such seasons it can even feel like life is too much to handle or face each day. All those feelings and experiences are pretty typical for everyone now and then. It would be nice if life was just "fun" all the time, but these painful realities have a way of reminding us that we live in a fallen world that needs the love of God and His gracious redemption for us in the Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the most amazing things in life is the world's fascination and obsession with love. It really doesn't make much sense if you look at it objectively. People do all kinds of crazy things for love, yet most have no idea what love is all about. Just imagine some of the crazy, romantic things that will be done this Valentine's Day. People will be buying flowers that last but a few days and writing out cards with often saccharine sentiments that might embarrass many. Once again, all of this is done for something no one can really define or easily understand. And yet, when you stop and think about it most of the things done in life are motivated and explained by love. So, what's love all about?
Almost everyone in America now knows the face of the new Congresswoman pictured here as that of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th District). Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has identified herself with socialist parties in this nation, even though she ran as a democratic. There is not a single news cycle today where there isn't some story about her. She is young, attractive, articulate and often well dressed in expensive clothes. In a recent interview she was wearing designer clothes that cost an estimated $3500. Her shoes alone cost $600. She looks like the face of something new, fresh and wonderful. The public can't seem to get enough of her, or at least that is what we are told by the media. More than a few people see her zeal and energy to be part of the needed answers for the challenges we face in America. Some might even think of her as a "savior" that could help America find a new way forward in a day of political conflict, division and gridlock.
One of the hardest parts of life is watching people we know and love die from a terrible disease., Among the top diseases on that list is cancer. About 1 in 6 people will die from cancer, and over 9.6 million people died from it in 2018. Cancer can be a cruel disease. It leaves victims and their families devastated through a series of terrible treatments that range from chemotherapy to radiation and surgery. As a pastor, I have watched many people die from this dreaded disease and done their funerals. I personally know how cancer has destroyed the lives of many wonderful people and their loved ones. Cancer is truly like a wasting plague and has been a terrible scourge to humanity. Just look at the cancer cell pictured in this article and imagine that cell multiplying and destroying your body. Cancer's cost to our world is beyond words.
Most people today have lost the fact that God cries. Somewhere in all our wrong ideas about God, we have lost the idea that our tears and sadness come from being made in God's image according to Genesis 1:26-27. We feel things deeply inside of us because God did first. Our Lord Jesus Christ felt the pain of the cross before the world was created when He knew what would have to be done to redeem the world from its sin. Our Lord came into this fallen world and personally saw and experienced what sin and death had done to everyone. Our Lord cried when He heard the news of Lazarus's death and saw the pain of His dear friends in John 11:33-35,
One of the fascinating things that just happened is the firestorm over the recent Gillette razor commercial that aired nationally, in anticipation of a possible Super Bowl ad. Did you see it or hear about it? The commercial was not just trying to sell Gillette razors to men, but was yet another attempt by our culture to not only define masculinity, but reject a toxic version of it. So it now appears that even a growing number of advertisers are joining the culture wars and trying to define what it is to be a real man or a real woman. And yet, in our increasingly genderless world, it is surprising that anyone has any idea of anything about male and female anymore. How could anyone define toxic masculity when many don't believe male and female even exist ? Today's politically correct ideology has created a scenario in which people are not even sure if they can mention a person's gender, lest someone is offended. This emerging gender identity chaos has simply become overwhelming and is destroying the entire fabric of our society and few are even willing to speak up about it.
One of the greatest insights into the world's future right now is this growing battle about the supposed "danger" of being a nationalist. This issue has found its focus and epicenter in the presidency of Donald Trump, who openly describes himself as a "nationalist" and a person concerned about America's future. Many voices in the media and other areas of the progressive, political world have likened President Trumps labeling of himself as a "nationalist" tantamount to bringing back the dangerous nationalism of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, where German nationalism led to a world war. This deep concern about nationalism, as being hurtful to our world, was also picked up by French President Emmanuel Macron. In a recent address in France, President Macron warned that nationalism was a small minded view of the world and needed to be rejected for a broader view of things that considered everyone's needs from a global perspective.