JOY to the World

 Christmas morning. Joy to the world the Lord is come, let earth receive her King! The first thing that crossed my mind this glorious morning was "Joy". This world was blessed over two thousand years ago with the joyous occasion of the birth of Jesus. Immediate joy was received by all that were in attendance as they basked in the light that had just entered this world. A few years ago, I wrote about the acronym for the word JOY, but a small review of what it truly means to offer "Joy" in this world is well worth the effort. 

 

A dear friend of mine, Pastor Rick Bradbury, shared a sermon once on the true meaning of JOY, and it has always resonated well with me. First, I guess we need to define the word itself. Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. That's the Webster take on this little three letter word. The Biblical perspective on the same word, joy, is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives. The world's definition of joy deals with pleasure which is obtained by getting something such as, the man was filled with joy when he saw that his home was spared by the tornado. The experience of joy was precipitated by the fact that he received a gift of sorts when his house was not destroyed by nature's force. Same word, yet through the lens of faith, joy becomes something that we experience not because of what we have been given, but instead about what we have received through God's gift to us. Internal joy is only found when we understand that what happens in us and through us is more rewarding than anything this world can offer or give us. 

 

So how do we receive the true JOY of the gift God gave us through the birth of His Heavenly Son? That's where the acronym comes into our conversation today. "J" is for Jesus first. When we place Jesus first in our lives we no longer have to receive gifts to be content. All we need is found in Christ and all we do centers on how we can better serve "O" Others for Him. When we place our focus on how we can serve others then we are moving our attention away from our own situations and circumstances. As I mentioned above, when our focus is on God and others then we find peace i.e. true joy in the knowledge that what God does in us through whatever goes on in our lives is where we can find contentment and real joy. So, the "Y" is Yourself. In the world we live in today, there is so much emphasis on taking care of yourself first and then give whatever is left over to others. This is counter intuitive to the place where we find true JOY. 

 

What can you do to be more in line with the joy that only comes from above? I remember when it was normal to hear this scripture, "it is better to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), yet over the last several years it feels like everything in our world is more about "get everything you can and forget everyone else". That way of thinking leaves us empty and void of the contentment we seek. The "newest" whatever satisfies us for the moment, but soon thereafter the shine dulls or the new version becomes the last version and we want more. Give of yourself, much like Jesus did in His life on earth. His time here was short in comparison to today's average lifespan, but during his thirty some years, Jesus taught, Jesus healed, Jesus prayed, and then Jesus died for you and me. His life was a living sacrifice of giving and not receiving. Live for Jesus, live like Jesus, and give more of all you have and all you are to others and the true joy of Christmas will live inside you not only today, but throughout your life! 

 

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:11-14

 

 "Joy to the World the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!"

Merry Christmas!

Coach Carter

Out of the Dark and Into the Light

 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

 

This was the most shared Bible app verse of 2022. Reasonable given the state of things around the world today. A global pandemic that lingers in our memory and still poses as an international health crisis. The war between Ukraine and Russia, civil duress in our own nation, and the persistent threat of violence our educators and schools face each day. Not to mention the personal attacks each of us face whether it be a health-related issue, financial matter, or other attack on self or family. Yet, just as Isaiah reassured the nation of Israel in the verse above, we are not dismayed because God is with us throughout whatever comes our way. When we feel like darkness rules our circumstances and situations, we must commit to understanding that the darkness and fear of the unknown, pale in comparison to the light of God that will always prevail. 

 

The literal and figurative darkness of our life's struggles can create a certain level of uncertainty and even fear. When we don't feel like we are in control of our day, the anxiety of the unknown can turn our lives into one filled with doubt and fear. Picture a tunnel through a mountain that provides a passage that would otherwise halt our travel's progress. The tunnel alone creates uncertainty, but take away the lights that man has installed and suddenly we are traveling through a dark and dismal hole. Depending on the length of the tunnel, the only light we can see appears to be distant, small, and insignificant. That is all perception. Regardless of how dark the tunnel is, there exists a light at the end of the tunnel and just as man has installed lights throughout our nation's tunnels, God illuminates our path and journeys alongside us, reassuring us each step along the way. 

 

The last three years have been unlike any the majority of people around the world have ever endured. The darkness you are dealing with, whether it is something that is going on in your day today, or one that has persisted through weeks, months, or even years may create feelings of loneliness and doubt, be assured you are not alone. Fear is not of God (II Timothy 1:7), but we must trust that the light is at the end of our tunnel, and as we are traveling through the darkness we are not alone. As we learn to trust, as we move ourselves closer to God, and as we choose to rely on God for our strength, God's power becomes the strength that we garner to face each day. Regardless of the degree of darkness we are enduring, we find the strength to journey forward, seeking the light that awaits us at the end of our tunnel. 

 

No wonder Isaiah 41:10 was the most shared Bible app verse of the year, I believe this is a verse that will energize us to move forward into the unknown of the new year 2023! It not only instills courage, it sheds light on our life, and displaces the dark. Fear not, you are not alone, God will give you the strength to carry on, and He will help you when you feel like you can't take another step. Faith is the key. Faith that walks, faith that endures, a faith that assures us that regardless of the dark of the night, we trust that the light of the new day awaits. Move faithfully forward, you are not alone!

 

Coach Carter

Mind Your Manners

 As a child, I can almost hear my mom telling us to always "mind your manners", especially when we would be visiting family friends or out in public where we would interact with the public in a variety of ways. Then, as an adult, I shared that same expectation with my own children. I can recall warning our kids, "When we are out to eat, you better mind your manners!" Always say please and thank you, no elbows on the table, keep your mouth closed when you are chewing, and sit up straight were just a few of the etiquette expectations mom ingrained in us as children, which in turn resulted in the given expectations for our own children. It is safe to say that manners are not automatic, our human nature would be to chomp away on those chips or crisp vegetables, and doesn't it really make it easier to eat a hamburger with both elbows serving as a stand to hold our Big Mac in place? If manners aren't taught then pretty much anything goes, so over the years the expectations of what is deemed as acceptable behaviors were formed and now we consider those to be culturally standard ways for us to behave. 

That same principle holds true in the realm of being a follower of Christ. The Apostle Paul shared a standard set of expectations for new Christians in one of his letters to the church in Ephesus. Paul knew that the primary goal was for people to accept Christ as their personal savior, and to follow His commands, but after the initial "newness" of becoming a Christian had worn off, it would be necessary to have expectations for day to day behavior in place. Paul understood that "babes" in Christ are much the same as any other child, they have to be taught what is expected. 

 

In Ephesians 4:20-32 Paul shares the "Manners 101" for anyone that has made the decision to serve Christ through the life they live. I can almost envision my mother laying down the law right before entering a fancy restaurant for a meal with some new friends. First, verses 22-24 tell us to "... put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Don't act like you used to act, when we share that we are a reborn child of God our behaviors should start changing. Put off the old and put on the new self which should favor the life Christ lived. What did the life Jesus live look like you ask? Well verses 25-32 provide the foundation for that lifestyle. Verse 25, tell the truth, don't lie. Verses 26 & 27, warns to not let your anger get the best of you, the devil has a chance to notch out a space in our hearts through our anger. Verse 28 directs us to not steal, but instead we should be working and earning to get what we need. Also, in verse 28, we are directed to give to those in need. Verse 29 tells us to not be busy bodies and spread gossip or information that has no benefit to it to be sharing. Verse 30 says "don't grieve the Holy Spirit", or in manners lingo, if it will make mommy mad don't do it! Finally, verses 31 & 32 put down the guardrails with this final admonishment, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Get rid of the negative and fill yourself with kindness, empathy, and the same level of forgiveness that God has shown you. 

 

I fondly remember being rewarded with a dessert or toy when we properly minded our manners out in public with mom. How much more will our God justly reward us for living out the "Godly Manners" Paul shared? Myself, I pray that when I stand before my Maker I will hear these words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21

 

Keep those elbows off the table and a watchful eye on how we live out the life God has given us to live each day!

Coach Carter 

The Interview

Monday, November 28, 2022, I interviewed for a dream job in Sullivan County, Tennessee. I’ve dedicated my adult life to public education, always with the goal of impacting lives in a positive manner as my primary driving force. When I began this journey back in 1986, I had no idea that one day I would be a candidate for a Director of Schools position. Yet, throughout my journey I have unintentionally been building a resume, a resume stemmed in humbling opportunities and servant leadership. So, there I was sitting in the hot seat fielding a wide array of questions about who I am, what I believe in, and how I would lead through myriad situations and settings. How someone answers questions during an interview most certainly can change the trajectory of a life, or more aptly, the lives of countless others through indirect and or direct contact with that person. For me, this interview has the potential of impacting the lives of students for years to come and in essence the community where they will live and work. So, how important is the interview process? Critically important.

What exactly is the goal of an interview? That question has several tentacles and weighs heavily on the role of the person involved in the interview process. For the Interviewer, the interview serves as an introduction and a chance to get better acquainted with the interviewee. In many cases, an interview may be the first in person encounter with the potential candidate for employment so the person or committee conducting the interview is trying to put a resume, with a face, with some semblance of just who this person is they are interviewing.

For the interviewee, interviews serve as that first impression which you hope endures to the point of being able to present yourself in a more conversational setting. In this interview, I had approximately two hours to introduce myself to the school board committee, attempt to transparently present who I am as a person, and then make a convincingly strong case as to why this school board and the broader community should consider partnering with me as the person to lead their school system. No problem, right? We shall see.

Most individuals who happen upon this week’s Flat Tire Ministries blog will have been thru a number of interviews themselves. If you’ve ever had a job, I’m going to guess that you had to go through some type of interview before being hired. I am even more convinced that we will all go through one last interview when we stand before the judgement throne of our Lord and Savior. The Book of Life will be turned to the page that contains our life’s story and we will be asked what we did on this earth that would predicate our being welcomed into the Kingdom of God to live eternally with those who have gone on before us. How will you answer? What evidence will you cite from your life’s interview? “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?^" And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:21-23. The question here is how will your interview go? Will this be an introduction, or will it be a review of your service and sacrifice to the God who created you and offers each of us life eternal in Heaven?

Paul tells us that we will be known by our faith and the way that we display that faith is through our works (James 2:18-19). Are you building up your resume? Will the work you accomplish here on this earth be worthy of adding to your life’s resume? If not, it isn’t too late to start building that resume and preparing for the interview of your life. Fill your days, filling the lives of others with hope and love of God.

Coach Carter

 

What about that job interview you completed last week you may be asking? Short answer, to be continued. I’ll conclude this week’s post with a scripture from my Tuesday, November 29, 2022 devotion. “A man's heart devises his way: but the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 My prayer is that I follow God’s path and not my own. If I do that then my resume and ultimate interview will be guided by a theme that was set more than 2,000 years ago, “... nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done.” Luke 22:42.