James Collins's Blog: The Point Is..., page 5
August 22, 2020
Have You Lost Something?
“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9
I have discovered that one of the main reasons to stay married to is to help each other find stuff. Whenever I lose something, my wife, Amanda, always asks me, “Where did you have it last?”
“Where are my keys?”
“Where did you have them last?”
“Where’s my wallet?”
“Where did you have it last?”
“Where’s my phone?”
“Where did you have it last?”
“Where’s my nose hair trimmers?”
“Where did you have it last?”
A while back, I was cutting up a couple of old dead trees for firewood. I had my chainsaw, bar and chain oil, gas, saw file, and a scrench. What’s a scrench? A scrench is a tool that is a combination of a screwdriver and a wrench. It is used to adjust the tension on your chainsaw blade.
So, I was out cutting firewood. I noticed the chain on the chainsaw needed to be tightened. I looked down and saw the gas, oil, and file. However, I couldn’t find the scrench.
I started to look for the scrench. I looked under the gas can. I got down on my knees and crawled around looking for it in the grass. Then I thought, maybe I left it in the tool shed. I went to the shed and I looked and looked. I tore the shed apart. When I finished looking, it looked like a bomb had gone off in the shed. But I still couldn’t find it. I was getting frustrated.
Earlier, I had gone into the house to get a drink. Did I leave it in the house? I went inside. I looked in the laundry room. I looked in the living room. I looked in the kitchen. I even went in the bedroom and I tore the covers off the bed just in case the scrench was somehow in the covers.
After I looked for about an hour, I remembered my wife’s words, “Where did you have it last?” I thought, “I am pretty sure that I had it out by the old dead tree.” So, I went out to where I had been working earlier. I looked, and I looked, and I looked. I could not find the scrench. I was mad at this point.
Amanda came outside and said, “Are you still looking for that screwdriver thingee?” I said, “Yes, and it’s called a scrench.” She smiled at me and said, “It’s right there sticking out of your back pocket.”
The point is: If you have lost something, the best place to look is the last place you had it. Do you know where I found that scrench? Right where I left it?
Do you know where your joy is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your peace is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your passion is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your fire is for Jesus? Right where you left it?
Jesus is right where you left Him. Come back to Him today.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
I have discovered that one of the main reasons to stay married to is to help each other find stuff. Whenever I lose something, my wife, Amanda, always asks me, “Where did you have it last?”
“Where are my keys?”
“Where did you have them last?”
“Where’s my wallet?”
“Where did you have it last?”
“Where’s my phone?”
“Where did you have it last?”
“Where’s my nose hair trimmers?”
“Where did you have it last?”
A while back, I was cutting up a couple of old dead trees for firewood. I had my chainsaw, bar and chain oil, gas, saw file, and a scrench. What’s a scrench? A scrench is a tool that is a combination of a screwdriver and a wrench. It is used to adjust the tension on your chainsaw blade.
So, I was out cutting firewood. I noticed the chain on the chainsaw needed to be tightened. I looked down and saw the gas, oil, and file. However, I couldn’t find the scrench.
I started to look for the scrench. I looked under the gas can. I got down on my knees and crawled around looking for it in the grass. Then I thought, maybe I left it in the tool shed. I went to the shed and I looked and looked. I tore the shed apart. When I finished looking, it looked like a bomb had gone off in the shed. But I still couldn’t find it. I was getting frustrated.
Earlier, I had gone into the house to get a drink. Did I leave it in the house? I went inside. I looked in the laundry room. I looked in the living room. I looked in the kitchen. I even went in the bedroom and I tore the covers off the bed just in case the scrench was somehow in the covers.
After I looked for about an hour, I remembered my wife’s words, “Where did you have it last?” I thought, “I am pretty sure that I had it out by the old dead tree.” So, I went out to where I had been working earlier. I looked, and I looked, and I looked. I could not find the scrench. I was mad at this point.
Amanda came outside and said, “Are you still looking for that screwdriver thingee?” I said, “Yes, and it’s called a scrench.” She smiled at me and said, “It’s right there sticking out of your back pocket.”
The point is: If you have lost something, the best place to look is the last place you had it. Do you know where I found that scrench? Right where I left it?
Do you know where your joy is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your peace is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your passion is? Right where you left it? Do you know where your fire is for Jesus? Right where you left it?
Jesus is right where you left Him. Come back to Him today.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
August 15, 2020
Mowing Like A Madman
“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
Many years ago, my wife and I owned a home in Oklahoma that sat on ten acres of land. There is a drawback to having that much land. It must be mowed. Over the years, I tore up two or three riding lawnmowers trying to keep the grass and weeds cut back.
One day, I had an idea. I decided to put a belly mower on a tractor. I went to the John Deere Dealership and purchased a tractor. It was a 75-horsepower turbo diesel.
By itself, the tractor was powerful. Then I rigged up a 72-inch lawn mowing system with six cutting blades. It became even more powerful.
When I started the mower, it made a powerful noise. VROOM! All the cats in the neighborhood took off running. It was awesome!
One day, I was out on my souped-up tractor. My wife, Amanda, was out in the yard supervising me. She yelled over the noise of the tractor engine, “Be careful, that contraption has a lot of power.” I screamed back, “I’m a grown man. I know what I’m doing.”
The tractor was incredibly powerful. As I was mowing, it was cutting down everything. Pieces of grass and weeds were flying all over the place. A cloud of clippings, shavings, and dirt rolled out from behind the mower. It was powerful. I accidentally ran over several fruit trees. Branches, leaves, and smoke flew everywhere. It was intense!
We had a little concrete yard gnome. I wasn’t paying attention. I ran over the gnome. Chunks of concrete and dust flew all over the yard.
My wife and I had two different reactions. She said, “Oh no!” I said, “Oh yes! That was the coolest thing that I have ever seen! I can get her another yard gnome, but that was powerful!”
To this day, I still can’t explain all the workings of a John Deere 75-horsepower turbo diesel tractor with a 72-inch belly mower. I just know when I pushed the gas pedal, a wind blew that I can’t describe. I just know it was exciting.
The Spirit of God is powerful and exciting. Anything of eternal value comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You can’t live the Christian life in your own power. You need the power of the Holy Spirit to get the job done.
The point is: Just like that tractor, I can’t describe the Wind of God. I just know when the Wind blows in, it sure is exciting. When the Holy Spirit blows in, God blows sluggish saints off their seats, God blows sleeping souls down the aisle, and God saves the lost. When the Holy Spirit blows in, God blows away self-centeredness, God blows away self-righteousness, God blows in revival.
It is my prayer for the Wind to blow.
Will you join me in praying for the Holy Spirit to blow revival into our world, into our nation, into our state, and into our community? Will you join me in praying for the Holy Spirit to blow revival into our hearts?
Lord, send a great revival, and let it begin in me.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
Many years ago, my wife and I owned a home in Oklahoma that sat on ten acres of land. There is a drawback to having that much land. It must be mowed. Over the years, I tore up two or three riding lawnmowers trying to keep the grass and weeds cut back.
One day, I had an idea. I decided to put a belly mower on a tractor. I went to the John Deere Dealership and purchased a tractor. It was a 75-horsepower turbo diesel.
By itself, the tractor was powerful. Then I rigged up a 72-inch lawn mowing system with six cutting blades. It became even more powerful.
When I started the mower, it made a powerful noise. VROOM! All the cats in the neighborhood took off running. It was awesome!
One day, I was out on my souped-up tractor. My wife, Amanda, was out in the yard supervising me. She yelled over the noise of the tractor engine, “Be careful, that contraption has a lot of power.” I screamed back, “I’m a grown man. I know what I’m doing.”
The tractor was incredibly powerful. As I was mowing, it was cutting down everything. Pieces of grass and weeds were flying all over the place. A cloud of clippings, shavings, and dirt rolled out from behind the mower. It was powerful. I accidentally ran over several fruit trees. Branches, leaves, and smoke flew everywhere. It was intense!
We had a little concrete yard gnome. I wasn’t paying attention. I ran over the gnome. Chunks of concrete and dust flew all over the yard.
My wife and I had two different reactions. She said, “Oh no!” I said, “Oh yes! That was the coolest thing that I have ever seen! I can get her another yard gnome, but that was powerful!”
To this day, I still can’t explain all the workings of a John Deere 75-horsepower turbo diesel tractor with a 72-inch belly mower. I just know when I pushed the gas pedal, a wind blew that I can’t describe. I just know it was exciting.
The Spirit of God is powerful and exciting. Anything of eternal value comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You can’t live the Christian life in your own power. You need the power of the Holy Spirit to get the job done.
The point is: Just like that tractor, I can’t describe the Wind of God. I just know when the Wind blows in, it sure is exciting. When the Holy Spirit blows in, God blows sluggish saints off their seats, God blows sleeping souls down the aisle, and God saves the lost. When the Holy Spirit blows in, God blows away self-centeredness, God blows away self-righteousness, God blows in revival.
It is my prayer for the Wind to blow.
Will you join me in praying for the Holy Spirit to blow revival into our world, into our nation, into our state, and into our community? Will you join me in praying for the Holy Spirit to blow revival into our hearts?
Lord, send a great revival, and let it begin in me.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
August 8, 2020
Skeeters
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11
The mosquitos were terrible at our house last summer. We don’t call them mosquitos. We call them skeeters.
I don’t know why, but skeeters love me. I guess it is because I’m so sweet. Skeeters buzz, swarm, attack, and bite me. Anytime, I go outside it’s like they have a skeeter spotter flying around that says, “Hey guys, the all you can eat preacher buffet is open at the Collins house. Come on!”
When I work out in the yard, my wife, Amanda, likes to come out and supervise me. She supervises my work. She says things like, “You’re mowing the grass wrong.” She says things like, “You need to fertilize.” She says things like, “I know you worked all day putting in the flower bed, but I really don’t like it there. I want you to dig it up and move it over there.” She supervises me.
Last summer, I was working in the yard. Amanda was outside supervising me. Suddenly, “WHAP!” Something hit me across the back of the head. I saw stars.
I turned around and my wife was standing there with an open hand. She had hit me upside the back of my head. She hit me hard too. I thought I might lose consciousness. I thought I had a concussion. I couldn’t believe it.
I caught my breath and said, “What are you doing?”
“There was a skeeter on your head.” she said.
“Did you get it?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
Amanda started yelling, “There he is! There he is!” The skeeter was buzzing around me. As she was screaming, Amanda started slapping me. She was about to beat me to death. I don’t know what was worse, getting stung by the skeeter or getting slapped around.
Despite Amanda’s assault, the skeeter kept on buzzing around me. He kept dive bombing me. Before long, he found some friends and they swarmed me. I had to go inside to escape their onslaught.
That was a silly story, but it is a picture of the demon dive bombers that come at us every day. Like those skeeters, the devil’s demons are dive bombing us. They are trying to tear your marriage and family apart. They are trying to stop you from raising your children with Christian values. They are trying to keep you from serving Jesus. They are trying to destroy your Christian walk. They are trying to keep you from going to church.
Fortunately, God has given us protection from the devil and his demons. We have the full armor of God. The full armor of God is found in Ephesians 6. It is the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, and the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, the Bible. When the demonic forces attack, you should use Scripture to slap back at them.
The point is: You need protection from the devil’s assault. Are you under attack? Are you being dive bombed? Are you in a situation that seems hopeless? God has made a way for you to deal with whatever the devil throws at you. Turn to the Father through Jesus, His Son.
The Lord Jesus Christ can squash your problems like a bug.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
The mosquitos were terrible at our house last summer. We don’t call them mosquitos. We call them skeeters.
I don’t know why, but skeeters love me. I guess it is because I’m so sweet. Skeeters buzz, swarm, attack, and bite me. Anytime, I go outside it’s like they have a skeeter spotter flying around that says, “Hey guys, the all you can eat preacher buffet is open at the Collins house. Come on!”
When I work out in the yard, my wife, Amanda, likes to come out and supervise me. She supervises my work. She says things like, “You’re mowing the grass wrong.” She says things like, “You need to fertilize.” She says things like, “I know you worked all day putting in the flower bed, but I really don’t like it there. I want you to dig it up and move it over there.” She supervises me.
Last summer, I was working in the yard. Amanda was outside supervising me. Suddenly, “WHAP!” Something hit me across the back of the head. I saw stars.
I turned around and my wife was standing there with an open hand. She had hit me upside the back of my head. She hit me hard too. I thought I might lose consciousness. I thought I had a concussion. I couldn’t believe it.
I caught my breath and said, “What are you doing?”
“There was a skeeter on your head.” she said.
“Did you get it?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
Amanda started yelling, “There he is! There he is!” The skeeter was buzzing around me. As she was screaming, Amanda started slapping me. She was about to beat me to death. I don’t know what was worse, getting stung by the skeeter or getting slapped around.
Despite Amanda’s assault, the skeeter kept on buzzing around me. He kept dive bombing me. Before long, he found some friends and they swarmed me. I had to go inside to escape their onslaught.
That was a silly story, but it is a picture of the demon dive bombers that come at us every day. Like those skeeters, the devil’s demons are dive bombing us. They are trying to tear your marriage and family apart. They are trying to stop you from raising your children with Christian values. They are trying to keep you from serving Jesus. They are trying to destroy your Christian walk. They are trying to keep you from going to church.
Fortunately, God has given us protection from the devil and his demons. We have the full armor of God. The full armor of God is found in Ephesians 6. It is the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, and the sword of the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, the Bible. When the demonic forces attack, you should use Scripture to slap back at them.
The point is: You need protection from the devil’s assault. Are you under attack? Are you being dive bombed? Are you in a situation that seems hopeless? God has made a way for you to deal with whatever the devil throws at you. Turn to the Father through Jesus, His Son.
The Lord Jesus Christ can squash your problems like a bug.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
August 1, 2020
A Bad Day at Chick-fil-A
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
People need the Bible now more than ever. The Bible is the ultimate instruction guide for living. It has in it everything that you’ll need to survive because life gets tougher every day.
Have you had a bad day recently? A while back, I had one of those days. It started out that morning when I cut myself when shaving. I did more than nick myself. I cut a chunk out of my face. Blood was dripping down my chin. I stuck a wad of toilet paper on my face. The bleeding stopped. After a bit, I took the tissue off, and I started bleeding again. So, I went out with a big glob of toilet paper on my face.
As I was getting in my truck to go to work, I hit the top of my forehead on the top of the cab. I saw stars. I thought I was going to pass out. When I got to work, someone came up to me and said, “Man! That is a giant knot on your head!”
I thought that my day would get better because I had a meeting in town at the Chick-fil-A. I love Chick-fil-A. When I arrived at the restaurant, I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich with waffle fries.
I like to dip my waffle fries in Ranch Dressing. But I couldn’t open the little dressing packet. I was fiddling with the packet of Ranch Dressing trying to get it open when it burst. Ranch Dressing squirted all over me. I grabbed a bunch of napkins and tried to wipe the Ranch Dressing off my shirt.
I picked up my BBQ chicken sandwich and I bit into it. The chicken slipped out of the bun and slid down my shirt. Now, I was covered in BBQ Sauce and Ranch Dressing.
I hurried into the restroom to try to clean up. I reached up under the soap dispenser and pulled the handle. Soap squirted all over me. Liquid soap hit me in the face. Liquid soap spotted up my glasses. Liquid Soap got all over my shirt.
I cleaned up as best as I could and went back out to finish my meal. When I got back to my table, I discovered that one of the workers at the Chick-fil-A had come by and thrown away my food.
Ever the optimist, I tried to look on the bright side. I thought, “Well at least he didn’t throw out my sweet tea.” I reached down to get my sweet tea and I noticed this big glob of Ranch Dressing that I had missed on my shirt. I took my finger and scooped up the glob and I put it in my mouth. Only it wasn’t Ranch Dressing. It was liquid soap.
Now I’m spitting and sputtering. I had a mouthful of soap. I thought, “I’ll wash it down with some sweet iced tea.” When I picked up that tea to take a drink, I felt something wet in my lap. I looked down. There was a hole in the bottom of my Chick-fil-A cup.
By this time, I was frustrated. I was having a bad day. I went up to the counter to demand a new Sweet Tea. The lady behind the counter looked at me and her eyes got big. I was a sight. There was bloody toilet paper on my chin. I had a giant knot on my forehead. My shirt was stained with BBQ Sauce, Ranch Dressing, and liquid soap. My pants were wet from sweet tea. I looked like I had lost control of my bladder. The lady behind the counter looked at me and said, “Honey, you’ve had a rough day, haven’t you?” Sarcastically, I said, “Yes, I have. Thank you very much.” She smiled and said, “It’s my pleasure.”
The point is: Sometimes we have bad days in life. However, we have a survival guide for living. We have the Bible to be a lamp unto our feet and a light to guide our path. We have the Bible to lead us.
I have been preaching out of the Bible for years. I’ve preached the Bible in places that were dead, and I’ve seen them come alive. I’ve preached the Bible to people that were hurting, and I’ve seen them healed. I’ve preached the Bible to those who were lost, and I’ve seen them saved.
How often do you read God’s Word? If you and I are not in the Bible daily – if it is not hidden in our hearts – then we will be destroyed by this wicked world.
Pick up your Bible. Blow the dust off it. Start reading it.
It will make your bad day better.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
People need the Bible now more than ever. The Bible is the ultimate instruction guide for living. It has in it everything that you’ll need to survive because life gets tougher every day.
Have you had a bad day recently? A while back, I had one of those days. It started out that morning when I cut myself when shaving. I did more than nick myself. I cut a chunk out of my face. Blood was dripping down my chin. I stuck a wad of toilet paper on my face. The bleeding stopped. After a bit, I took the tissue off, and I started bleeding again. So, I went out with a big glob of toilet paper on my face.
As I was getting in my truck to go to work, I hit the top of my forehead on the top of the cab. I saw stars. I thought I was going to pass out. When I got to work, someone came up to me and said, “Man! That is a giant knot on your head!”
I thought that my day would get better because I had a meeting in town at the Chick-fil-A. I love Chick-fil-A. When I arrived at the restaurant, I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich with waffle fries.
I like to dip my waffle fries in Ranch Dressing. But I couldn’t open the little dressing packet. I was fiddling with the packet of Ranch Dressing trying to get it open when it burst. Ranch Dressing squirted all over me. I grabbed a bunch of napkins and tried to wipe the Ranch Dressing off my shirt.
I picked up my BBQ chicken sandwich and I bit into it. The chicken slipped out of the bun and slid down my shirt. Now, I was covered in BBQ Sauce and Ranch Dressing.
I hurried into the restroom to try to clean up. I reached up under the soap dispenser and pulled the handle. Soap squirted all over me. Liquid soap hit me in the face. Liquid soap spotted up my glasses. Liquid Soap got all over my shirt.
I cleaned up as best as I could and went back out to finish my meal. When I got back to my table, I discovered that one of the workers at the Chick-fil-A had come by and thrown away my food.
Ever the optimist, I tried to look on the bright side. I thought, “Well at least he didn’t throw out my sweet tea.” I reached down to get my sweet tea and I noticed this big glob of Ranch Dressing that I had missed on my shirt. I took my finger and scooped up the glob and I put it in my mouth. Only it wasn’t Ranch Dressing. It was liquid soap.
Now I’m spitting and sputtering. I had a mouthful of soap. I thought, “I’ll wash it down with some sweet iced tea.” When I picked up that tea to take a drink, I felt something wet in my lap. I looked down. There was a hole in the bottom of my Chick-fil-A cup.
By this time, I was frustrated. I was having a bad day. I went up to the counter to demand a new Sweet Tea. The lady behind the counter looked at me and her eyes got big. I was a sight. There was bloody toilet paper on my chin. I had a giant knot on my forehead. My shirt was stained with BBQ Sauce, Ranch Dressing, and liquid soap. My pants were wet from sweet tea. I looked like I had lost control of my bladder. The lady behind the counter looked at me and said, “Honey, you’ve had a rough day, haven’t you?” Sarcastically, I said, “Yes, I have. Thank you very much.” She smiled and said, “It’s my pleasure.”
The point is: Sometimes we have bad days in life. However, we have a survival guide for living. We have the Bible to be a lamp unto our feet and a light to guide our path. We have the Bible to lead us.
I have been preaching out of the Bible for years. I’ve preached the Bible in places that were dead, and I’ve seen them come alive. I’ve preached the Bible to people that were hurting, and I’ve seen them healed. I’ve preached the Bible to those who were lost, and I’ve seen them saved.
How often do you read God’s Word? If you and I are not in the Bible daily – if it is not hidden in our hearts – then we will be destroyed by this wicked world.
Pick up your Bible. Blow the dust off it. Start reading it.
It will make your bad day better.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
July 25, 2020
Did You Hear That Voice?
“Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?” Isaiah 42:23
I have been trying to learn to use my cell phone.
However, there are many buttons and apps – I have no idea what most of them do.
The other day, I saw my friend, Ida Ford, talking into her cell phone. But she wasn’t on a call. “What are you doing?” I asked. She said, “I’m using the voice command app. I talk, and the voice command types my text message.”
Ida showed me how the app worked and for the past few days, I have tried to use it. Yet, it doesn’t work right. It doesn’t understand my country, redneck accent.
Someone texted me and told me about a lady from church who was in the hospital. I replied with my voice command, “I hope she gets better. I pray she does.” Only it said, “I pray she dies.” That was not good…
Once I got the voice command activated, I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off. I got frustrated and said, “Baloney!” When I said, “Baloney,” the phone said, “Bologna is a city in Italy. It is also a cooked, smoked sausage.” I screamed, “I didn’t say Bologna. I said, Baloney!”
Later that day, I was at the dentist office with the phone in my pocket. As I was sitting in the waiting room, a voice said, “Say a command.” The lady at the reception desk looked up at me. I heard the voice again, “Say a command.” I realized the voice was coming out of my britches.
“Say a command.”
I took the phone out of my pocket, tried to turn it off, but it kept saying, “Say a command.”
“Say a command.”
“I command you to shut up!” I exclaimed.
I was called back to the exam room. I was sitting in the dental chair while the hygienist was cleaning my teeth. I couldn’t say anything because there was a suction hose, tooth scraper, polisher, waterpik, and seven or eight other dental tools hanging out of my mouth. I couldn’t have said anything if I tried.
Suddenly, I heard a voice say, “Did you say call Brian Poodle?” It said it again. “Did you say call Brian Poodle?”
I know Brian Williams, Brian Foster, and Brian Lane. However, I don’t know Brian Poodle. I know some wiener dogs, and a schnauzer, but I don’t know a poodle.
Frustrated, I finally reached in my pocket and turned off that stinking thing. I was tired of hearing the voice. So, I turned it off.
Often, we do the same thing.
Young people get tired of listening to their parents. So, they turn them off.
In church, people get tired of listening to the preacher. So, they turn him off.
You get tired of listening to the Word of God. So, you turn it off.
The point is: God might just be trying to say a command to you. Will you give an ear to Him? Will you just listen?
Don’t cover your ears and close your heart.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
I have been trying to learn to use my cell phone.
However, there are many buttons and apps – I have no idea what most of them do.
The other day, I saw my friend, Ida Ford, talking into her cell phone. But she wasn’t on a call. “What are you doing?” I asked. She said, “I’m using the voice command app. I talk, and the voice command types my text message.”
Ida showed me how the app worked and for the past few days, I have tried to use it. Yet, it doesn’t work right. It doesn’t understand my country, redneck accent.
Someone texted me and told me about a lady from church who was in the hospital. I replied with my voice command, “I hope she gets better. I pray she does.” Only it said, “I pray she dies.” That was not good…
Once I got the voice command activated, I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off. I got frustrated and said, “Baloney!” When I said, “Baloney,” the phone said, “Bologna is a city in Italy. It is also a cooked, smoked sausage.” I screamed, “I didn’t say Bologna. I said, Baloney!”
Later that day, I was at the dentist office with the phone in my pocket. As I was sitting in the waiting room, a voice said, “Say a command.” The lady at the reception desk looked up at me. I heard the voice again, “Say a command.” I realized the voice was coming out of my britches.
“Say a command.”
I took the phone out of my pocket, tried to turn it off, but it kept saying, “Say a command.”
“Say a command.”
“I command you to shut up!” I exclaimed.
I was called back to the exam room. I was sitting in the dental chair while the hygienist was cleaning my teeth. I couldn’t say anything because there was a suction hose, tooth scraper, polisher, waterpik, and seven or eight other dental tools hanging out of my mouth. I couldn’t have said anything if I tried.
Suddenly, I heard a voice say, “Did you say call Brian Poodle?” It said it again. “Did you say call Brian Poodle?”
I know Brian Williams, Brian Foster, and Brian Lane. However, I don’t know Brian Poodle. I know some wiener dogs, and a schnauzer, but I don’t know a poodle.
Frustrated, I finally reached in my pocket and turned off that stinking thing. I was tired of hearing the voice. So, I turned it off.
Often, we do the same thing.
Young people get tired of listening to their parents. So, they turn them off.
In church, people get tired of listening to the preacher. So, they turn him off.
You get tired of listening to the Word of God. So, you turn it off.
The point is: God might just be trying to say a command to you. Will you give an ear to Him? Will you just listen?
Don’t cover your ears and close your heart.
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, chaplain, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or through the website thepointis.net.
July 18, 2020
Come Hell or High Water
“There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” Proverbs 19:21
Several years ago, a severe rainstorm turned a peaceful town into a flooded disaster area. The local newspaper editor set out in a rowboat to cover the story in detail. As she paddled down a stream that had been one of the town’s residential streets, she noticed a woman sitting on the roof of a house.
The newspaper editor paddled to the edge of the roof, tied up her boat, climbed out, and sat down next to the woman. She thought that a woman sitting alone on her roof would make a great story. So, she took out a pen and paper. Before she could ask the woman a question, she saw a hat floating downstream with the current. When the hat reached the far side of the house, it made a complete u-turn and floated upstream to the other end of the house. Then the hat made another u-turn and floated downstream again until it reached the far side of the house where it turned again and floated upstream to the other end of the house. The hat did this time after time.
The reporter was bewildered. She turned to the woman and asked, “Do you have any idea what that hat is doing out there in front of your house?” She said, “Yes. That hat is on my husband’s head. He said that ‘come hell or high water’ he was going to mow the lawn today.”
The point is: Sometimes we stubbornly cling to our plans instead of letting go and letting God have control. We often ignore things that are important and continue to focus on the trivial. The flood rises to the rooftop, but we go on mowing the lawn.
You probably started 2020 with big plans. You had dreams of a year that had nothing to do with a global pandemic. Then March came and you had to change your plans.
Personally, I am very discouraged as we pass the year’s halfway mark. It seems nothing has gone right. Government bureaucrats, who can’t even fix the streets and sidewalks, have suddenly become health experts. They tell us it is healthy to gather in mass to protest, but it is unhealthy to gather in mass for church. They tell us that it is a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion, but I have no choice but to wear a mask. They let prisoners out of jail for fear of them catching COVID-19, but threaten to put Christians in jail if they sing in church. What is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. Nothing makes sense. It seems as if the world is spinning out of control.
But God is in control. The Bible says that there are many devices (or plans) in a man’s heart, but God’s purposes prevail (Proverbs 19:21). What are God’s purposes in this global havoc? Perhaps God wants us to forget about ourselves and focus on things that truly matter.
How long has it been since you… Took the time to go see someone who lives alone? Wrote an email to someone who crossed your mind? Spent more time in God’s book than on Facebook? Shared your faith? Offered forgiveness? Told someone that you loved them?
I suppose that I could stubbornly continue to be discouraged about the world situation. But instead, I think, I am going to let go and let God. Even in all this madness, I am going to look for ways to serve Him.
Come hell or high water.
James Collins is a pastor, columnist, and author. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
Several years ago, a severe rainstorm turned a peaceful town into a flooded disaster area. The local newspaper editor set out in a rowboat to cover the story in detail. As she paddled down a stream that had been one of the town’s residential streets, she noticed a woman sitting on the roof of a house.
The newspaper editor paddled to the edge of the roof, tied up her boat, climbed out, and sat down next to the woman. She thought that a woman sitting alone on her roof would make a great story. So, she took out a pen and paper. Before she could ask the woman a question, she saw a hat floating downstream with the current. When the hat reached the far side of the house, it made a complete u-turn and floated upstream to the other end of the house. Then the hat made another u-turn and floated downstream again until it reached the far side of the house where it turned again and floated upstream to the other end of the house. The hat did this time after time.
The reporter was bewildered. She turned to the woman and asked, “Do you have any idea what that hat is doing out there in front of your house?” She said, “Yes. That hat is on my husband’s head. He said that ‘come hell or high water’ he was going to mow the lawn today.”
The point is: Sometimes we stubbornly cling to our plans instead of letting go and letting God have control. We often ignore things that are important and continue to focus on the trivial. The flood rises to the rooftop, but we go on mowing the lawn.
You probably started 2020 with big plans. You had dreams of a year that had nothing to do with a global pandemic. Then March came and you had to change your plans.
Personally, I am very discouraged as we pass the year’s halfway mark. It seems nothing has gone right. Government bureaucrats, who can’t even fix the streets and sidewalks, have suddenly become health experts. They tell us it is healthy to gather in mass to protest, but it is unhealthy to gather in mass for church. They tell us that it is a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion, but I have no choice but to wear a mask. They let prisoners out of jail for fear of them catching COVID-19, but threaten to put Christians in jail if they sing in church. What is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. Nothing makes sense. It seems as if the world is spinning out of control.
But God is in control. The Bible says that there are many devices (or plans) in a man’s heart, but God’s purposes prevail (Proverbs 19:21). What are God’s purposes in this global havoc? Perhaps God wants us to forget about ourselves and focus on things that truly matter.
How long has it been since you… Took the time to go see someone who lives alone? Wrote an email to someone who crossed your mind? Spent more time in God’s book than on Facebook? Shared your faith? Offered forgiveness? Told someone that you loved them?
I suppose that I could stubbornly continue to be discouraged about the world situation. But instead, I think, I am going to let go and let God. Even in all this madness, I am going to look for ways to serve Him.
Come hell or high water.
James Collins is a pastor, columnist, and author. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
July 11, 2020
Reasons to Leave Your Church
“And upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18b
“Why didn’t you wear a tie to church today, you pinheaded nitwit?” Lois asked me with a frown on her face. Lois Steam (not her real name) is a woman in our church who complains about everything. Two weeks ago, Lois stomped up to me after church and I could tell she was upset. She continued, “I absolutely hated that song we sang today. What’s with all the handclapping? This is a church, not a disco.” This is a worship service, not a funeral, I thought.
As Lois continued her verbal assault, I never said a word. But I thought things that weren’t very pastor-like. Pray for me.
“Why don’t we go back to singing more from the red hymnals? If Jesus sang from the red hymnal, why can’t we?”
I think you’re wrong. Everybody knows that Jesus sang from the blue hymnal.
“Why didn’t you come check on me after my surgery last week?”
I’m not sure if having an ingrown toenail removed is a surgery worthy of a pastoral visit.
“You need to change your voice. I can’t stand your accent.”
Yes ma’am. I will try to have that done by next Sunday.
“This church isn’t meeting my needs. I might just move my membership.”
Don’t let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.
At some point, you have probably felt like Lois. You feel unhappy at your church and think that you should leave. As a public service, I have put together a list of reasons to leave your church.
1. Your gifts and talents are not celebrated. If you are asked to help in the nursery when you clearly belong on stage, then you need to leave.
2. Your pet issues are not being addressed from the pulpit. If your pastor isn’t constantly addressing an issue that you saw on Facebook and got all worked up over, then you need to leave.
3. You are annoyed with the people. Overly friendly greeters. Young hipsters. Crotchety seniors. Confused Millennials. Noisy children. Lost sinners. People who want…help. Surely God wouldn’t want you to stick it out with people like that. If you have those kinds of people, your church is probably beyond hope. Time to move on. Your next church, I’m sure will be perfect…
Of course, I am speaking with my tongue in my cheek. Church is not about you. It’s all about Jesus and sharing His message and love. A great church is built on these four things.
The Book – the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God.
The Blood – the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Birth – the new birth.
The Blessed Hope – the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The point is: If you are looking for a church, find out what stand they take on the Book, the Blood, the Birth, and the Blessed Hope. Or if they take any stand at all. If they don’t believe in these four foundations, saturate that place with your absence. Then find a church that does.
Remember, it’s not about you. It’s all about Jesus.
He will build His church, with all kinds of people.
People like you.
People like me.
Even people like Lois.
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
“Why didn’t you wear a tie to church today, you pinheaded nitwit?” Lois asked me with a frown on her face. Lois Steam (not her real name) is a woman in our church who complains about everything. Two weeks ago, Lois stomped up to me after church and I could tell she was upset. She continued, “I absolutely hated that song we sang today. What’s with all the handclapping? This is a church, not a disco.” This is a worship service, not a funeral, I thought.
As Lois continued her verbal assault, I never said a word. But I thought things that weren’t very pastor-like. Pray for me.
“Why don’t we go back to singing more from the red hymnals? If Jesus sang from the red hymnal, why can’t we?”
I think you’re wrong. Everybody knows that Jesus sang from the blue hymnal.
“Why didn’t you come check on me after my surgery last week?”
I’m not sure if having an ingrown toenail removed is a surgery worthy of a pastoral visit.
“You need to change your voice. I can’t stand your accent.”
Yes ma’am. I will try to have that done by next Sunday.
“This church isn’t meeting my needs. I might just move my membership.”
Don’t let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.
At some point, you have probably felt like Lois. You feel unhappy at your church and think that you should leave. As a public service, I have put together a list of reasons to leave your church.
1. Your gifts and talents are not celebrated. If you are asked to help in the nursery when you clearly belong on stage, then you need to leave.
2. Your pet issues are not being addressed from the pulpit. If your pastor isn’t constantly addressing an issue that you saw on Facebook and got all worked up over, then you need to leave.
3. You are annoyed with the people. Overly friendly greeters. Young hipsters. Crotchety seniors. Confused Millennials. Noisy children. Lost sinners. People who want…help. Surely God wouldn’t want you to stick it out with people like that. If you have those kinds of people, your church is probably beyond hope. Time to move on. Your next church, I’m sure will be perfect…
Of course, I am speaking with my tongue in my cheek. Church is not about you. It’s all about Jesus and sharing His message and love. A great church is built on these four things.
The Book – the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God.
The Blood – the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Birth – the new birth.
The Blessed Hope – the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The point is: If you are looking for a church, find out what stand they take on the Book, the Blood, the Birth, and the Blessed Hope. Or if they take any stand at all. If they don’t believe in these four foundations, saturate that place with your absence. Then find a church that does.
Remember, it’s not about you. It’s all about Jesus.
He will build His church, with all kinds of people.
People like you.
People like me.
Even people like Lois.
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
July 4, 2020
Masks
“Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” John 12:4-6
When I was a kid, I used to wear a mask. It was a Superman mask. Superman was my favorite hero. When I was seven, I read so many Superman comic books that I really thought I was Superman.
I made a Superman suit. I had a Superman t-shirt, a red bath towel for a cape, and a pair of red Underoos that I wore outside my pants. I completed my costume with a plastic Superman mask from an old Halloween costume. The mask had jet black wavy hair with a j-curl that went down in the middle of the forehead. Without the mask, I was just James. I was a mild-mannered, nerdy little kid. But when I put on my Superman mask, I thought I was the Man of Steel.
One morning, I was sitting in the kitchen eating Fruity Pebbles out of a plastic butter bowl. I was wearing my Superman outfit. I lifted the mask to get a bite of cereal and put it back down to chew. In my mind, Superman was having breakfast.
While I was eating, I was also reading a Superman comic book. I don’t know if it was the comic book, the sugary Fruity Pebbles, or a combination of both, but I got all excited and believed that I was Superman. I took off running through the house. I was faster than a speeding vacuum cleaner. More powerful than the dog. Able to leap coffee tables in a single bound. Look! Up on the kitchen counter. It’s a toaster. It’s a microwave. No. It’s a kid in a mask who thinks he is Superman!
I went running through the house. As I jumped over the table in the living room, I knocked off a lamp. It fell off the table and shattered to pieces.
Momma had told me a hundred times not to run in the house. So, the consequence was a spanking. Momma was about to spank me when I said, “Wait.” I took off my Superman mask, bent over, and said, “Okay, now.” I needed to take off the mask because Superman never got a whipping. You must think like a seven-year-old kid to understand this, but when I put on that mask, I was Superman.
Sadly, many grown intelligent adults do the same thing. They wear a mask. The Bible tells us about a man named Judas. He was one of the disciples of Jesus. But he wore a mask. His mask concealed the truth. His mask hid his true identity.
The point is: It is better to live naked in truth than clothed in fantasy.
What sort of mask of untruth are you wearing?
What are you hiding behind your mask?
James Collins is a pastor and writer. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
When I was a kid, I used to wear a mask. It was a Superman mask. Superman was my favorite hero. When I was seven, I read so many Superman comic books that I really thought I was Superman.
I made a Superman suit. I had a Superman t-shirt, a red bath towel for a cape, and a pair of red Underoos that I wore outside my pants. I completed my costume with a plastic Superman mask from an old Halloween costume. The mask had jet black wavy hair with a j-curl that went down in the middle of the forehead. Without the mask, I was just James. I was a mild-mannered, nerdy little kid. But when I put on my Superman mask, I thought I was the Man of Steel.
One morning, I was sitting in the kitchen eating Fruity Pebbles out of a plastic butter bowl. I was wearing my Superman outfit. I lifted the mask to get a bite of cereal and put it back down to chew. In my mind, Superman was having breakfast.
While I was eating, I was also reading a Superman comic book. I don’t know if it was the comic book, the sugary Fruity Pebbles, or a combination of both, but I got all excited and believed that I was Superman. I took off running through the house. I was faster than a speeding vacuum cleaner. More powerful than the dog. Able to leap coffee tables in a single bound. Look! Up on the kitchen counter. It’s a toaster. It’s a microwave. No. It’s a kid in a mask who thinks he is Superman!
I went running through the house. As I jumped over the table in the living room, I knocked off a lamp. It fell off the table and shattered to pieces.
Momma had told me a hundred times not to run in the house. So, the consequence was a spanking. Momma was about to spank me when I said, “Wait.” I took off my Superman mask, bent over, and said, “Okay, now.” I needed to take off the mask because Superman never got a whipping. You must think like a seven-year-old kid to understand this, but when I put on that mask, I was Superman.
Sadly, many grown intelligent adults do the same thing. They wear a mask. The Bible tells us about a man named Judas. He was one of the disciples of Jesus. But he wore a mask. His mask concealed the truth. His mask hid his true identity.
The point is: It is better to live naked in truth than clothed in fantasy.
What sort of mask of untruth are you wearing?
What are you hiding behind your mask?
James Collins is a pastor and writer. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
June 27, 2020
Happy Father's Week
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
The brilliant philosopher, Rodney Dangerfield, once said, “I get no respect.” As a father, I appreciate that statement. There are times when I get no respect. For example, for Mother’s Day, the kids went all out. Momma got breakfast in bed, a spa treatment, lunch at a fancy restaurant, jewelry, flowers, a magnificent steak dinner, followed by coffee and dessert. For Father’s Day, I got a coupon for a half-price kid’s meal and a pair of socks.
So, my family was shocked when on Monday I announced that it isn’t Father’s “Day,” it’s Father’s “Week.” I said, “All week long we are going to celebrate Dad.” My announcement was met with audible sighs and rolling eyes. One of my precious children said, “Whatever!”
What is Father’s Week? It is a week where I get the TV remote – I choose what shows we watch. For Father’s Week, we are watching John Wayne movies and bad TV preachers. I like John Wayne, well, because he’s John Wayne. I like bad TV preachers because I like to make fun of them. One guy, who claimed to have the power to heal all manner of sickness, was wearing a cheap toupee. If that guy could heal, don’t you think he should be able to heal himself up some hair? But I digress…
Father’s Week means that I get to take undisturbed naps in the middle of the day. I get ice cream and cookies with every meal. I get to sit on the porch and read a book while the family mows the grass. I get unlimited refills on my glass of iced tea. I get the first fruits (that’s biblical) of all junk food that comes into the house. I get waited on hand and foot.
So far, none of my children are on board with Father’s Week. Oddly enough, my wife isn’t either. Maybe I have the wrong idea about my role versus their roles.
Similarly, Christians often get the wrong idea about their role versus God’s role. Sometimes we think God is sitting in heaven, waiting to meet our needs. God is indeed a loving Father who provides for us, but He doesn’t exist to serve us.
The truth is that we exist for God. He created us and has equipped us to serve Him. The Bible says that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand so we would do them. Everything about us was designed by God to equip us for the work He preordained long before our birth.
The point is: God uniquely created you, and He has provided you with everything you need to serve and glorify Him. All you must do is step out in obedience and fully rely on His grace and power.
Are you serving your Heavenly Father like you should? Get busy serving Him.
Oh, and Happy Father’s Week.
I must go now. The kids have stolen the TV remote again…
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, author, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
The brilliant philosopher, Rodney Dangerfield, once said, “I get no respect.” As a father, I appreciate that statement. There are times when I get no respect. For example, for Mother’s Day, the kids went all out. Momma got breakfast in bed, a spa treatment, lunch at a fancy restaurant, jewelry, flowers, a magnificent steak dinner, followed by coffee and dessert. For Father’s Day, I got a coupon for a half-price kid’s meal and a pair of socks.
So, my family was shocked when on Monday I announced that it isn’t Father’s “Day,” it’s Father’s “Week.” I said, “All week long we are going to celebrate Dad.” My announcement was met with audible sighs and rolling eyes. One of my precious children said, “Whatever!”
What is Father’s Week? It is a week where I get the TV remote – I choose what shows we watch. For Father’s Week, we are watching John Wayne movies and bad TV preachers. I like John Wayne, well, because he’s John Wayne. I like bad TV preachers because I like to make fun of them. One guy, who claimed to have the power to heal all manner of sickness, was wearing a cheap toupee. If that guy could heal, don’t you think he should be able to heal himself up some hair? But I digress…
Father’s Week means that I get to take undisturbed naps in the middle of the day. I get ice cream and cookies with every meal. I get to sit on the porch and read a book while the family mows the grass. I get unlimited refills on my glass of iced tea. I get the first fruits (that’s biblical) of all junk food that comes into the house. I get waited on hand and foot.
So far, none of my children are on board with Father’s Week. Oddly enough, my wife isn’t either. Maybe I have the wrong idea about my role versus their roles.
Similarly, Christians often get the wrong idea about their role versus God’s role. Sometimes we think God is sitting in heaven, waiting to meet our needs. God is indeed a loving Father who provides for us, but He doesn’t exist to serve us.
The truth is that we exist for God. He created us and has equipped us to serve Him. The Bible says that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand so we would do them. Everything about us was designed by God to equip us for the work He preordained long before our birth.
The point is: God uniquely created you, and He has provided you with everything you need to serve and glorify Him. All you must do is step out in obedience and fully rely on His grace and power.
Are you serving your Heavenly Father like you should? Get busy serving Him.
Oh, and Happy Father’s Week.
I must go now. The kids have stolen the TV remote again…
James Collins is a pastor, teacher, author, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
June 20, 2020
The Photograph
“A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.”Psalm 68:5
While cleaning up the other day, I discovered a box of photos. Among the photos, I found one of me at seventeen taken at my high school prom. Certainly, I was the definition of “cool,” wearing my gray tuxedo and tennis shoes; sporting a mullet that would have made Billy Ray Cyrus jealous. It is not unusual to find an old photograph, but this one stood out. It was old, faded, and crumpled. I looked on the back where “Love James,” was written. This photo had once belonged to Luke.
My father left the night I was conceived. When I was born, “Unknown” was typed on my birth certificate where my father’s name should have been. My grandfather stepped in and helped to raise me. But after my grandmother died, some government bureaucrat decided that my grandfather was incapable of raising me on his own. So, I went into the foster care system.
Someone once said, “You don’t miss something you never had.” That’s a lie. An unloved child will spend his or her life trying to fill that ache inside with the wrong things. The rise in poverty, crime, dropouts, teen pregnancy, addictions, and suicide can be traced in a large part to fatherless kids. I desperately missed having a father until Luke came into my life.
Luke was one of my high school teachers. Luke and his wife, Joan, had no children of their own. They took me in, and Luke became like a father to me.
I went to college, enlisted in the army, and eventually married and started a family. Because of the busyness of life, I didn’t call or visit Luke very often. When I finally got around to making time for him, he was already dying from cancer. During one of our last visits, I noticed his wallet was open on a table beside his hospital bed. My crumpled photograph was visible above his driver’s license. Luke had carried it for over twenty-five years.
As I looked at the photograph, I felt love for the man, who, without my knowledge, spent years loving me. I imagine him showing the picture to his friends and saying, “This is my son. He’s in the army.” Or “This is my son. He just finished his doctorate.” Or “This is my son. I am so proud of the man that he has become.” Luke loved me even when I was too busy to love him.
Webster’s dictionary states that a “father” is “a man who has begotten a child.” In other words, he is the sperm donor – Mr. “Unknown” on my birth certificate. Webster’s also defines “to father” as “to accept responsibility for.” Thank God, for men like Luke, who accept responsibility for children, and love the fatherless.
The point is: Any man can father a child, but it takes a real man to be a dad. If you had a dad who loved you, take the time to let him know how much you love him. It would mean more than a necktie this Father’s Day.
If you never had a dad, remember that God is a Father to the fatherless. Luke’s crumpled photo reminded me of another Father’s love. A Father, who is always there. A Father, who is watching your life as it unfolds on this planet. A Father, who loves you.
Give your life to Him and celebrate “Father’s Day” every day, forevermore.
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
While cleaning up the other day, I discovered a box of photos. Among the photos, I found one of me at seventeen taken at my high school prom. Certainly, I was the definition of “cool,” wearing my gray tuxedo and tennis shoes; sporting a mullet that would have made Billy Ray Cyrus jealous. It is not unusual to find an old photograph, but this one stood out. It was old, faded, and crumpled. I looked on the back where “Love James,” was written. This photo had once belonged to Luke.
My father left the night I was conceived. When I was born, “Unknown” was typed on my birth certificate where my father’s name should have been. My grandfather stepped in and helped to raise me. But after my grandmother died, some government bureaucrat decided that my grandfather was incapable of raising me on his own. So, I went into the foster care system.
Someone once said, “You don’t miss something you never had.” That’s a lie. An unloved child will spend his or her life trying to fill that ache inside with the wrong things. The rise in poverty, crime, dropouts, teen pregnancy, addictions, and suicide can be traced in a large part to fatherless kids. I desperately missed having a father until Luke came into my life.
Luke was one of my high school teachers. Luke and his wife, Joan, had no children of their own. They took me in, and Luke became like a father to me.
I went to college, enlisted in the army, and eventually married and started a family. Because of the busyness of life, I didn’t call or visit Luke very often. When I finally got around to making time for him, he was already dying from cancer. During one of our last visits, I noticed his wallet was open on a table beside his hospital bed. My crumpled photograph was visible above his driver’s license. Luke had carried it for over twenty-five years.
As I looked at the photograph, I felt love for the man, who, without my knowledge, spent years loving me. I imagine him showing the picture to his friends and saying, “This is my son. He’s in the army.” Or “This is my son. He just finished his doctorate.” Or “This is my son. I am so proud of the man that he has become.” Luke loved me even when I was too busy to love him.
Webster’s dictionary states that a “father” is “a man who has begotten a child.” In other words, he is the sperm donor – Mr. “Unknown” on my birth certificate. Webster’s also defines “to father” as “to accept responsibility for.” Thank God, for men like Luke, who accept responsibility for children, and love the fatherless.
The point is: Any man can father a child, but it takes a real man to be a dad. If you had a dad who loved you, take the time to let him know how much you love him. It would mean more than a necktie this Father’s Day.
If you never had a dad, remember that God is a Father to the fatherless. Luke’s crumpled photo reminded me of another Father’s love. A Father, who is always there. A Father, who is watching your life as it unfolds on this planet. A Father, who loves you.
Give your life to Him and celebrate “Father’s Day” every day, forevermore.
James Collins is a pastor, writer, and columnist. Follow him on Twitter @collins_point, Facebook James Collins “The Point Is,” or at the website thepointis.net.
