Not Just There but VERY There

 Are you going through something right now?  

Maybe it's political stress.  Perhaps a health crisis. Economic stress weighing you down and causing you worry?  Or, what may be even worse, your children are going through something hard that you can't fix.  

What is stealing your sleep?  What is robbing your joy?  What's gobbling up your headspace?  What is it that is threatening you?

Is the earth underneath you shaking?  Do you feel like your life is on the edge of a cliff in a mudslide?  Do you feel like you're in a wave pool or sea and timing every wave wrong so that whenever you need a breath you get dowsed instead?

If your world is all as it should be, then good for you.  You can stop reading or you can save this for a future need, but this post is for those who are in a bind.  This, based on Psalm 46, is for those of us who need help.

Look at Psalm 46 and be encouraged:

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

I love this verse.  I have been reading through the psalms this year and 19 days ago I read this and it has stuck with me and I am glad for this.

Do you need help?  God is your help!

God is our refuge.  He is the tank we can be safe in as we go through the battles of life.  He is the brick house, not a house of straw or sticks.  He is our strength.  When I am weak, He is strong.

And my favorite part: God is a very present help in trouble.

When you are going through the junk of life and need help He isn't just there He is VERY there.  Are you in trouble and need help?  God is not just with you, He is very with you.  He's not just with you; He is there to help.  Help isn't on the way; help is very there!

The ESV is what I quoted above.  The NASB says God is a, "very ready help." The NIV says He is an, "ever present help."  Put these together and this is God: He is very there, very ready and, in fact, He was always there even before you shouted for help.

Why do I harp on God being VERY present?  Too often I pray to God like I talk to an imaginary friend.  I must take this verse to heart and believe it to be true and act accordingly.  God isn't an idea, He is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  He actually, honestly, truthfully and very much is with me and you in our trouble.

So, what do we do in light of this truth?  

"Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling." Psalm 46:2-3

God is our tank in the battle, so we roll forward unafraid. God is our strength, so we don't act as though impotent but we act in light of the omnipotent power source we possess.  God is very much with us in the trouble, so we just ain't afraid.  

When we understand verse 1 we can live verse 2.  This isn't just poetry.  This isn't just a song.  This is really, truly who our God is.  He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Go back to that thing that you said was bothering you, was tormenting you, was threatening you, was snatching your sleep.  It. Is. Real.  But so, and even more so, is your God and Savior.  Meditate on that truth.  

Let's turn now to the end and let it be our benediction and prayer:

"'Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!'
The LORD of host is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress." Psalm 46:10-11

The sons of Korah, the writers of this song, leave us with two reminders and so will I. 

1) The God of angel armies is with us.

2) The God who loves cheating scoundrels like Jacob is our protection.

And the final word of the psalm is Selah.  Selah is a Hebrew musical term that likely means rest or pause.  So, selah.  Know this beautiful truth, meditate on it and then rest in it. Rest.  Lean into this wonderful truth about your very there God and relax today.

Can You Pursue Humility?

 I don't think anyone has an easy time being humble. Certainly some have this virtue and necessary quality come easier, but I would doubt it comes easy to anyone.

That said, I think about my struggle for humility and feel stuck.  

One of the desires in my soul is to be known and to be known for the right things.  My reputation is something I protect and I don't think that it's wrong. Proverbs 22:1a says, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches..."  

Plus, as a radio broadcaster my position is public.  Sometimes the job is called "Radio Personality".  My job is to be heard and known.  I somehow have to humbly think everyone should listen to me and then work to make that happen.

Can you see my plight?  I want humility and at the same time my soul wants to be known as humble.  Is that desire even humble? Can you relate even if your job isn't to hope more people tune in to listen to you today than yesterday?

What a confusing thing.  I guess what I'm trying to wonder is: Can one aspire to humility and, if so, how?

"Humility is so shy.  If you begin talking about it, it leaves." -Tim Keller

Humility is a mysterious thing to pursue.  This is especially true when it feels that humility runs further away when you focus on her.  And if she isn't running she begins to feel less like you and more foreign to all you are.  And can you even know she's been attained if you do indeed catch her?

"... smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove! I'm being humble', and almost immediately pride... pride at his own humility... will appear.  If he awakens to the danger and tries to smother this new form of pride, make him proud of his attempt... and so on, through as many stages as you please." -C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters chapter 14.

The cycle exists in my life.  The moment I see humility in my life she magically is replaced by her ugly and unwanted houseguest of an opposite, Pride.  

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Romans 7:24

Perhaps, pastor Rick Warren was right when he synthesized Lewis' Screwtape Letter on humility into a favorite sentence of mine: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less."  Perhaps, thinking about humility is good but thinking of my humility is wrong.  Maybe the way to pursue humility is to only pursue it in the person of Christ. 

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself taking the form of a servant..." Philippians 2:3-7a

See, this humility is only mine In Christ Jesus.  Looking for it on its own is a chasing after the wind.  And even though I see and know this truth getting and displaying humility is still a struggle.  

Perhaps my strategy of should be less one of chasing humility and more of evicting Pride so her more beautiful opposite, Humility, can shine in that strange, unassuming beauty that is hers and hers alone.

"And He said to them, 'This kind (of demon) cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." Mark 9:29

I in the fourteen years of writing in this blog have tried to end with some sort of a charge toward you, the reader, to do today.  Though I'm betting your desire for humility and struggle for her feels a lot like mine, I won't end with a charge but a request for a favor.  Pray for me to have humility and pray that God will be gentle in helping me evict pride today.

2024's 5 Star Books

 My resolution for 2024 was to read more books.  Outside of the books I read with my kids (Roald Dahl classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Narnia series, Harry Potter series were awesome to read with them), I read 25 non-fiction books and 1 slightly-fiction book.

I don't know what reading resolution I will give myself in 2025 or whether I will repeat this one, but I did really enjoy my 2024 in books.  Some of the books were quick reads, some were slow chewing, some were absolutely wonderful and a couple were hardly worth my time.

I didn't do a book report on each by any means but I did do a rudimentary rating system.  Any book that is a 5 Star is a tome worth recommending.  Below are my 5 Star books and links to find them and my extremely brief note on each.

The Screwtape Letters -Everyone should read this

The Holiness of God - Great read to realign your affections to God's holiness

The Heart of Christ -Tough read, but soaked in lovely truths

The Anxious Generation -A must read for parents and educators

A Praying Life -Makes me want to pray

Leadership is an Art -I wish every boss would read it as it portrays an organization of worth

100 Portraits of Christ -Tremendous devotional book

Gay Girl, Good God -Great memoir of God's goodness

Life Together -A read for all who would gather and all who would lead

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction -It made me love the Psalms of Assent

Every Good Endeavor -Would be a wonderful book for a work discussion

The books above are my 5 Star.  These are the best-of-the-best and my favorites of the year.  If you're interested in the others and are looking for a book recommendation, let me know.  It's been a fun year of reading.  

I wish you a Happy New Year and perhaps a great day of reading today.

Christmas Letter 2024

 Merry Christmas from the Rays!

We hope this letter finds you well and ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.  2024 has been another year of watching our family grow and change.  

Matt is still working at KWAY radio and has now for over 15 years.  He continues to host the morning show and call live sporting events.  This Fall he returned to volunteering in youth ministry at the church after a year away from it.

Christine stays at home with the kids and also works about a night a week at the walk in clinic as a nurse.  She is glad to be able to have the ability to be home with the kids in their early years.  She's also enjoyed being involved in Bible Study Fellowship.  This Fall she experienced a life change as she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.  She's learning how to manage this new reality in her life.

Jamari has lived all of 2024 in Georgia.  He will turn 20 on Christmas Eve!  He says this year has been a great time of mental and spiritual growth.  He also has been working on a book that he hopes to have released soon.

Joshua is 7 and is in 2nd grade.  He's really excelling in reading and enjoys spending lots of time playing with his best friend who lives on our block.  Joshua has become a Harry Potter expert after finishing the series.  He also is very involved in a number of REC sports and activities and loves being a member of his Trail Life troop.

Anna is 5 and is in kindergarten and is our artist.  She's often creating some sort of picture or project.  Anna is so excited to be learning to read and had such pride when she was able to read an entire Dick and Jane book by herself.  She also enjoys doing activities like gymnastics and soccer.

Gideon is 3 and is in preschool.  His grandpa has called him Mr. Wiggles since he was in utero and the nickname is appropriate as he's always up to something.  He's our most strong-willed child but also the most sweet to his little sister.  Gideon loves music and is captivated by everything from music on a phone to The Nutcracker live.

Faith is 16 months.  She is growing like a weed and wants badly to keep up with her older siblings.  She is walking everywhere.  She absolutely loves baby dolls and necklaces.  Faith is picking up some words and it won't be long until she's talking.  No one, outside of Christine, spends much time not talking.

This Christmas we put our hope in and take our joy from Emmanuel: God is with us.  Jesus is with us in our joys, in our growth, in our changes and in our pains.  Knowing that our faithful God is with us gives us strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.  We look back at 2024 and see all the good God has done in and for us and we look forward to 2025 with excited confidence because Jesus is our Emmanuel.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Rays. 

A Tribute to My First Pastor

You won't find a clip of one of his sermons on a YouTube short.  You never heard him on the radio.  You can't purchase a book he's written.  Yet, for about 40 years at four different churches he was a lead pastor, or as they call them in small churches... pastor.

Whether it was in an old country church building, former Lutheran church building, building with a gym attached, community center, school, library or park pavilion he preached a few thousand sermons on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings.

This pastor is the one I learned the Truth of God under.  He is the one who baptized me.  He was the one that I watched deliver the Word, visit the stragglers, pray with the hurting, get blamed for the lows and give credit to others for the highs.  

This pastor is my Dad.

After about 40 years serving as a pastor and more than half of that time as a bi-vocational pastor, he retired.  Dad retired not to find leisure but because he believes it the right time for someone else to lead Faith Christian Fellowship, his home for more than half his professional ministry.  He retired for the benefit of the church.  As he said on Facebook, "I am retiring from being the pastor of a church but I am not retired from living for Jesus!"

I was trying to think of how to best summarize what Dad did best as pastor.  There are better organizers than my dad.  There are better speakers than him.  There are better leaders than my dad.  Not that Dad did those things poorly, but that won't be his legacy, in my mind.  

In my mind, Dr. Jack W. Ray's pastoral legacy is that he loved the church.

If you went to Faith Christian Fellowship, Enon Baptist, 9th Street Baptist or Fairview Baptist you were loved by my dad.  Dad cared deeply about the people of those congregations while he was pastor there and after he left those local churches.  Dad enjoyed the people and cared for the people, even if they left the church unhappily.

He loves church.  I can't recall more than a couple times that we ever missed going to Sunday Service.  If we were on the road for vacation we went to a church in that town.  Dad had to go to church and it wasn't legalism.  He never thought of attending church as work.  Attending church was a privilege and necessity.  His tank needed gas.  He worshipped and fellowshipped with his brothers and sisters-in-Christ with joy and he passed that joy on to me.  And when there was at times disunity in his local church it crushed him.  

You won't find his preaching on TV, you can't purchase his Sunday School materials, you won't listen to his podcasts... but if you were in one of his churches you were deeply loved.  We Americans have many indicators for success that you won't find in the Bible.  Steadfast love and faithfulness are the chief markers of success.  Keeping "a close watch on your life and doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:16) is a much greater emphasis than Sunday attendance or internet reach.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23

The race isn't over and the cross can't be put down yet (Hebrews 12:1; Matthew 16:24) but I hope my dad and the millions of small church pastors around the globe like him know their worth to the kingdom today.  

Election Anxiety and Stress

 Election Day is Tuesday and millions of Americans are stressed and anxious just thinking about it.

The American Psychological Association just release a report call Stress in America 2024.  The findings are extremely interesting and worrying.  The APA reports that 69% of Americans surveyed said the presidential election was a significant source of stress.  This is up from 52% that reported this stressed them in 2016.  The report found that 77% of those surveyed said the future of the nation was a significant source of stress.  And the future of the nation stressed in a bi-partisan fashion: 80% of Republicans, 79% of Democrats and 73% of Independents.

If you've been in the U.S. or watched U.S. politics from afar this won't be surprising.  We're told it's a choice between Communism and Freedom in one religious magazine.  Still more will tell you that democracy is at stake.  Some claim Fascism is likely with the wrong result.  More still say there won't be a country if the other side wins.  For the everyith time in a row I am, and you are, voting in the most important election of our lifetime.  Sources of anxiety real, imagined and exaggerated are working to stress out Americans and drive them to the polls.  This election is important but it's also true, as I have noted in the past, anxious and angry people are more likely to vote.

How can we not be stressed?  

How can we not be anxious as we vote, watch results come in and deal with the outcome?

Don't take this wrongly.  Elections are important and do have consequences both negative and positive.  It is our right and responsibility to vote as best we can.  It is no small deal to have a voice in politics and most of human history would be jealous of what we can sometimes take for granted.  Please don't read this and use it as an excuse to abdicate the responsibility and privilege many died to guarantee you and God ordained that you have on Tuesday.

This all said, how can and must Christians act differently and react different in a constitutional-democratic-republic or any other form of government?

I have talked about this before but the Bible-reading, Bible-believing, God-fearing person can and must act differently from his/her non-believing neighbor.  We must be able to be hopeful in all circumstances and be able to speak about the reason for our unbelievable, inner hope (1 Peter 3:15).  So, how?

I want to encourage you to think on Biblical truths the next few days until they bleed out of you.  It's been asked: What comes out of a lemon when it is squeezed?  What comes out of a Christian when she is squeezed?  Survey says that we are being squeezed in this American Family Feud.  Think on and ponder Biblical truths so the juice revealed is lovely and God-honoring and noticeable to our neighbors.

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

My pastor preached on this verse today. His emphasis was on what the kingdom is but it easily could have been on "Fear not" (Scripture is so wonderful that a verse can contain scores of sermons!).

See, the world conjures up fear in us.  The election cycle and those running the campaigns urge us toward motivated fear.  Meanwhile, Jesus says, "Fear not."  This verse is in the midst of a section about anxiety, mostly economic anxiety.  It is here that Jesus commands us not to fear.  I can hear Him saying the same words to us as we wonder about our little kingdom.

And why should we not be afraid, according to Jesus?  Our Father and His Father is currently and is going to excitedly give us the kingdom.  If He is doing this why would we worry endlessly about clothes, food, money and political power.

"For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.  Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:30-32

These verses help us escape the poverty mindset and can help us escape Chicken Little Politics.  So, think on and ponder this verse.  Memorize it and mull it in your mind.

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, 
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
He removes kings and sets up kings..." Daniel 2:20-21a

One more short passage to memorize and ponder and meditate on this week.  My friend Lynn spoke this verse to our small group and it is so appropriate.  In America we are blessed with the right of election but we must never forget who ultimately holds the power of all election.  Christians cannot and must not fear in the same way as others.  Sure, some rulers are placed for blessing and some for judgement but all are in the hand and control of God Himself.  And as a son or daughter of God we can KNOW that all rulers, both righteous and evil, are elected or disposed for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

People are stressed and anxious about Tuesday and the future that follows Tuesday.  Christians, we must not fear what they fear (Isaiah 8:12).  We must think hard and long on God and His Word.  We must be and act differently because of what and Who we know.

Fight the news of the day fear cycle with timeless truth today.

Dem Bones, Dem Conversations with Kids

 Halloween is days away and my kids are excited.  They love dressing up and, of course, love getting candy.  Joshua is going to be Darth Vader, Anna will be Elsa, Gideon is going as Spiderman and Faith will be a strawberry.

Some shun Halloween and choose not to participate.  I understand where they're coming from.  The holiday is filled with many scary, violent, morbid and even demonic images in some movies, yards and parties.  I understand those that don't feel comfortable joining in on the holiday because they see that stuff as central to the holiday.  Growing up we always went trick-or-treating but then the church usually had a harvest party and definitely not a Halloween party.

For our family we choose to participate in Halloween because cosplaying as a favorite character or occupation is so fun.  It's one of the only times we can go door to door in our community and meet people and put faces with the houses we pass by every day.  And, of course, parents can sneak some (or maybe a lot) of the candy.

Whether or not you trick-or-treat or watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", don't let an opportunity for discussion starters with your kids pass by.  

"Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down..." Deuteronomy 6:4-8

I believe that one of the jobs of a parent is to search for and create moments to obey the command above.  We must look for things in our house and by the way as we go along our day to spark teaching moments.  Halloween, like a million other things, has pointers to Gospel conversations, if we keep our eyes open for them.  I am sure given a brief think you'll come up with some good ones for your children, grandchildren or the kids you speak with at church.

Our kids like to point out skeletons.  Joshua has always thought they were cool.  From the old Silly Symphony Skeleton Dance to skeleton renderings in Nat Geo Kids magazines, he has liked them.

There's a set of massive skeletons in a yard by our house with shining eyes and everything. There's two humans and one big dog and a few smaller ones as well.  My kids love them and love pointing them out.  So, this has become an opportunity.  In fact, the kids almost get annoyed when I bring it up.

I read them Ezekiel 37:1-14 which tells the story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones.  Read it if you don't recall it.  

We talked about how God told him to prophesy over the bones and to say the Word of the LORD.  The bones then came to life and had sinews and flesh and skin on them.  Then the breath of God came into the former pile of bones and they became alive in both body and spirit.  We talked about how this was an illustration from God to Ezekiel about how the Word of God could revive the spiritually dead in Israel.

"What does the Word of God do?" I'll ask.

"Make dead things alive." They reply.

"Can dead things make themselves alive?" I ask.

"No, of course not." They reply.

This isn't rocket science or a seminary course.  This is a simple Gospel truth in a conversation prompted by a pretend skeleton.  The Word of God gives life to dead men.  Dead men can't help themselves, they need someone to rescue them.  This is Gospel 101 while driving or walking by a skeleton.

How deep does this go in them?  Will they look upon their classmates with compassion because dead men can't help themselves?  Will they have a cross-caused humility?  Will they hear the Word of the LORD and respond by drawing in the spiritual breath of new life?  I don't know, but I know the Word of the LORD makes skeletons walking and talking men.

Parents, we can't know that our efforts will achieve what we desperately want, but we are called to be Deuteronomy 6 parents and we can trust that God achieves His ends with His means.

So, don't waste a city full of decorations for this holiday or any.  Find ways to talk about Him in your home and on the street.  Be encouraged and find a Gospel conversation opener today.