Gary L. Thomas's Blog, page 18

Running in Winter and Surviving a Cold Marriage

Running this morning in twenty-six-degree temperatures, with freshly fallen snow covering the trail, reminded me, “I’m not in Houston anymore.” It’s so easy—so easy—on a cold day, to say, “I can just run tomorrow.” The thought of an immediate hot shower without going out in the cold air or shuffling up the hills to earn it, and then getting to work a little earlier can be a strong, sometimes even self-righteous pull. But tomorrow isn’t likely to be much warmer this time of year. And when you learn to dress for winter runs, they can even be fun. This morning, on my way into Arapaho Park, I saw a coyote cross the trail in front of me. On my way back, we reconnected and ran parallel to each other for several hundred yards until he easily left me behind. I’m glad I didn’t miss that.

Another thing I’ve noticed: if I get out the door for my winter runs, I feel better all day long. If I skip the run, I live with a sense of defeat all day long. Added to that is the fact that skipping one day makes it harder to get out the door the next day, until it’s been a week of “I’ll just run tomorrows.” And then I’m out of shape.

Here’s the principle I’ve learned: A little “taking the hard road” gives a lot of refreshment and even joy.

I’ve experienced what I’m about to say first-hand, but the Bible teaches it: obedience leads to joy. Psalm 119:1-2 says,

“Joyful are people of integrity,
    who follow the instructions of the Lord.

Joyful are those who obey his laws
    and search for him with all their hearts.”

Obedience can feel costly at the point of sacrifice, but down the road it’s almost always an investment that pays us back tenfold.

Continue reading on Substack HERE.

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Think About What You Think About: Where We and the Church Need to Grow

Few things will impact your faith as much as how you feed your mind. Romans 12:2 makes it clear that transformation takes place through the renewing of our minds. In this video, I take a quick journey through two contemporary books that have addressed this in a particularly compelling manner: John Piper’s Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God and John Stott’s Your Mind Matters. As you’ll see, they have a lot in common and both present an earnest charge for the church to do a little better in how we shape our minds. If you keep listening to the end, you’ll hear my invitation to join our Zoom group going through John Owen’s classic work, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers. You’re still welcome to join (we’ll be doing chapter 3 in January) and it’s free for paid subscribers. 

Watch this video on Substack HERE.

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Frankincense

More than we need anything, we need a savior/priest. The Magi’s gift of frankincense has traditionally been used to proclaim that Jesus was born to be the final high priest. If you’re in the mood for an advent-based sermon, this is part two of our three-part series at Cherry Hills: gold (king), frankincense (priest), and myrrh (Jesus was born to die). 

Watch this sermon on Substack HERE.

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Favorite Reads of 2023

In my list of this year’s favorite reads, my fiction choices admittedly betray a Susan Howatch obsession, and my nonfiction choices demonstrate a thirst to understand this world we live in. We’re sharing this post with both paid and unpaid subscribers, and all are welcome to comment, so I’d love to get your feedback: have you read any of these books, and what are some of your favorite reads over the past year?

These books are divided by fiction and non-fiction but aren’t listed in any particular order. I wanted to whittle this list down to ten, but I’m such a fan of reading and so appreciate the hard work that goes into so many books, that I just couldn’t.

I shouldn’t need to say this every year, but here it is anyway: Listing a book as a favorite read is not an endorsement of everything a writer says. The fiction I’m listing wasn’t published by Baker Christian Publishing and has material that may offend some. And while the nonfiction books listed all challenged and enlightened my own thinking, that’s a long way from saying I was convinced by every argument they put forth. But I do think they’re worth your time. 

Continue reading this blog on Substack HERE.

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Jesus’ Shocking Response to a Mass Killing

The fruit of outrage culture is often marked by a rotting sense of personal conviction. The best place, the most economical place, to stop evil is to root it out of our own hearts. Jesus’ shocking response to a heinous mass murder in the first century challenges us to reconsider the selective way we respond to such happenings today.

Jesus is uncomfortably radical for all, but perhaps especially for activists who like to co-opt His agenda. I doubt there’s any political constituency that he couldn’t anger or offend if he spoke the same way today that he spoke in the first century.

Perhaps nowhere is this truer than Jesus’ response to a violent, politically motivated attack in the first century. Luke records a heinous massacre of Jewish worshippers who were offering sacrifices (Luke 13:1-3). In an evil irony, Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of the animals. His soldiers wiped them out for worshipping. They were not protesting or rioting. They were worshipping, right where they were supposed to. And Pilate ordered his minions to massacre them. This would be like a government official ordering soldiers or police officers to shoot up a prayer meeting at a Baptist church today.

What had happened was unfair. It was scandalous. It was an outrage. And it happened near or at the Jews’ most sacred place. Since there was no question that it was an unprovoked and bloodthirsty act, those reporting the news to Jesus were no doubt expecting a “strongly worded letter” that they could take from Jesus to Pilate, the circulation of a petition, or at least Jesus putting a sign of protest on His Instagram account.

Continue reading this blog over on Substack HERE.

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Why It Takes a Church to Preach a Sermon or Write a Book

This has been a wonderful season of collaboration for me, and I’m eager to share my thoughts on it, as it might encourage some of you to ponder how we do life and ministry.

There’s no question that in the last fifty years, and in one sense, throughout all of church history, we have tended to idolize charismatic leaders, speakers, or authors. I’m coming to learn that Paul’s words about the church as a body—how we all have a role to fill—aren’t just true during corporate worship. I believe this metaphor applies to all aspects of ministry and life. We will do better and honor God more when we rely on His church to do His work. What if we began emphasizing collaboration over charisma? Wouldn’t that be a good thing? 

Here are a few brief thoughts on that.

Watch this. video over on Substack HERE.

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Oh Good: Two Words that Can Change Your Life

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. God is so good and kind and generous; I pray this day will merely “prime the pump” to keep us thanking God hourly throughout the year.

Instead of two more written posts this week, we’re offering my sermon last Sunday on giving thanks: “Oh, Good!” Do you realize that the motivation for the first sin was discontentment? Even the Garden of Eden–paradise!–began to feel “insufficient” to Adam and Eve.  I talk about how my life was changed dramatically 35 years ago when I was launched from feeling sorry for myself to living a life of joy–even when nothing in my life circumstances had changed. This was reinforced when Lisa and I visited one of the first public hospitals ever built in Europe, and we discovered the astonishing reason why people faked being sick to sneak in! Taking a journey through the Scriptures, we explore how to travel from ungratefulness to a life of happiness-producing thankfulness, and the power of a two-word phrase to change how we respond to every situation. 

May you all have a blessed holiday!

Watch over on Substack HERE.

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Kindness Amid the Killing

I wish I’d gotten this ready a week earlier, in time for Veteran’s Day. I met a Vietnam veteran at Cherry Hills who was shot down twice flying helicopters in Vietnam, but he told me the reaction he received when he returned stateside—the jeering and the hatred and being treated like a criminal instead of a hero—hurt just as much. War is so inhumane; I truly wish there was never the need for another war. What we put young men through to fight these battles is sickening, which is why I think we can’t just look past Veteran’s Day. These veterans have paid a huge price and deserve the yearly recognition. Many keep paying the cost even after their service is over—the veteran who was shot down in Vietnam leads a support group at our church for those still dealing with PTSD.

This true account is from World War II. I was so moved when I read it that I thought it appropriate for this remembrance day. It’s from War Stories of the Battle of the Bulge, edited by Michael Green and James D. Brown.

Continue reading this blog on Substack HERE.

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Exuberant Living

I was reading 1 Timothy 6 this morning and was struck by one of Paul’s seminal statements, “godliness with contentment is great gain” (v. 6). What a perfect verse to prepare my heart to preach on thanksgiving this weekend (the services will be streamed on CHCC.org at 9 am and 11 am mountain time, if you care to listen in). Instead of pursuing riches, the desire of which “plunges men into ruin and destruction” (v. 9), Paul tells us to “flee from this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (v. 11).

Earnestly pursuing the glorious virtues became the focus of my third book The Glorious Pursuit. To prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving, I thought I’d just run the entire chapter.

Thankfulness

Grace always attendeth him that is truly thankful.

Thomas à Kempis

When pro football hall of famer and former United States Congressman Steve Largent watched his wife give birth to his fourth child, he was elated to see another son come into their family. Then the doctor said, “Uh oh, we’ve got a problem,” and Steve froze. His son was born with the exposed spinal cord condition spina bifida.

As Steve wept, his wife, Terry, comforted him by saying, “God planned Kramer. Having him in our lives will be one of the greatest things that ever happened to us.”

Today, Steve and Terry have found cause to be thankful in the face of a situation that would leave some parents angry and bitter. “For myself and for my wife, we wouldn’t change a thing,” Steve says. “For our son, we wish it would be different, that he didn’t have to live with this. But having a child with a disability has added more to our lives than anything else. It’s given us more compassion and sympathy for other couples facing difficult challenges.”[i]

What is it that helps one person become thankful while another becomes bitter? William Law, the eighteenth-century Anglican, asks an intriguing question: “Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world?” His answer is fascinating:

Continue reading this blog on Substack HERE.

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Do Not Be a People Pleaser

Are you even a little bit of a people pleaser? Most of us are, to varying degrees, and few things will destroy genuine, anointed ministry like the fear of others. We’ve got a special treat for you this week that addresses this spiritual trap. 

Frank Viola’s Hang On, Let Go was one of my favorite books that I read a year or two ago. It’s a phenomenal guide to facing difficulties and challenges. Frank has followed up that book with another winner, the 48 Laws of Spiritual Power. This book isn’t just for people in paid ministry; if you care about serving in God’s work at all, it’s a marvelous devotional. 

This chapter on people pleasing addresses one of my own most common failings. Here’s a sample to whet your appetite. I hope you’ll pick up the entire book. 

Read this blog on Substack HERE.

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