Yipee-ki-yea and Merry Christmas ya Filthy Animals

Christmas movies, the real reason of the Season?

Or is it???

By Rev Adam Fox

Christmas is a very busy time of the year. It is shopping galore balanced with working like crazy for said shopping money. With family and festivities and winter weather all bunched up in a few weeks. It is a very magical time of the year, but it is also stressful. Perhaps that is why it is acceptable to have so many delicious foods and drinks. Thank you egg nog.

Outside of food, one way to battle the stresses of December, is with movies. 

There are so very many Christmas movies. It is a very easy movie to do, and every sitcom to movie franchise has done one. Even Star Wars. Some traditional classics like Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Scrooge to name a few. Of course the Muppet Christmas Carol and who can forget classics like Elf or A Christmas Story or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation or even Home Alone. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? (Yes. It forever will be)

Is there a movie or tv show that warms your heart more than any Peppermint Mocha ever will? 
For me? The competition is great, but the best Christmas Movie is National Lampoons. Nothing beats The Griswald's and the craziness that is there family. Toss in a boss who is cheap, a cousin who is very hillbilly, and dream of a pool. And you got a great movie. 

Do you need to see Tim Allen in order to do so?

Movies are wonderful and to me, they can make any day feel better. Even if I have to drive through Chicago snow, to a shopping mall to get a gift. Movies make Christmas better. 

But are they the ultimate of the Christmas season?

No they are not. Movies are great. Music is festive. Trees and decorations and creative light shows are nice. Shopping, well, it is always great. But none of them are the point. The point is Jesus, God the Son stepping down from Heaven to be born of a Virgin girl to forgive sin. 

Snow can be nice - I guess - Music is nice too. Presents are pretty grand. But those things are just the footnote to the real point of the season, and that is Jesus being born. 

I had the opportunity to teach the other day on the Innkeeper. And while I have heard his line of Scripture from Luke 2 many times, a thought occurred. He missed it too. 

The man had a business and was buy during a busy season in Bethlehem due to the census. There were many travelers, and few rooms. He had a business to run and many people to take care of. But when Joseph and his pregnant fiance came to find a place to stay - he turn them away. There was a no vacancy. 
This man missed the point too. The human mother of God, carrying God the Son came to his doorstep and he did not notice. Work will always be demanding. Family and friends will always want to be together. Music and Movies run non-stop all this month. Christmas events and parties are there too. But those should be secondary compared to celebrating the fact that Jesus came to Earth. The Messiah, the one who saves. He chose to come to Earth taking this human form in order to be the perfect sacrifice for my sin. For your sin. For the WORLDS sin. 

Christmas is great and memorable. But we need to remember, we celebrate because Jesus came to Earth to save sin.  Let's not be like the innkeeper, and miss the point. 

Merry Christmas!

Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam

Can I get a Hero

Say it ain't so Joe? Say it ain't so?

Identifying a REAL hero

By Rev Adam Fox

It is not a secret, I love the Chicago White Sox and I tend to idolize certain people. So it is no secret that of all the Sox achievements and great players, one of the best was Joe Jackson. Shoeless Joe was the best player in the league for a decade, and led the Sox to the 1919 World Series, until he was accused, along with 7 other players, for taking a bribe and throwing the series. 

The national heart ache of such a baseball hero doing such a bad thing. The hurt. The outrage. The over-reaction.

It was just one turn in an endless cycle of heroes rising and falling for various reasons. 

We all have heroes from literature, film, television, sports, politics, and so forth. When I was a little fox, I used to love watching Pee Wee's Play House hosted by the wacky Pee Wee Hermon.

 It was everything a kid needed. But one day, my parents sat me and my brother down and explained that we could not watch that show anymore because Pee Wee did something wrong and disgusting. I was crushed. 

Only later, when I was older did I learn what he actually did and was disgusted and appalled, a childhood hero down the toilet. But when I was little, I bounced to the next kid oriented show - Hello Ninja Turtles!

In early October, little by little, one by one did more and more accusations come up against Hollywood big wig Harvey Weinstein. 

(There actually are pictures of him, I just choose not to show that jerks face.)

But scores of women have made claims that Weinstein assaulted them sexually. This ripple of sexual assault has snowballed into more women sharing personal stories of people in power abusing that authority and power into sexual assault.

 This led to the #metoo campaign to give all victims a voice. If this was it, it would be horrible enough, but as the kids say - hold my avocado. 

In the recent weeks there has been leveled accusations against former Presidents, congress and political men, actors and directors, sports stars, comedians, television media... and while I am not here to prove or defend the charges. It is not my place to justify these claims or to verify them. That is what the court system is for. I am not here to make this a political debate either. 
Should we disregard all the claims and accusations because they are against someone we enjoy, or voted for, or root for? Yes and no. We always need to respect and love the other person as we are loved and respected. Even if we think they are wrong. Respect, but hold judgement. Let it work it's way out, the truth always finds a way out eventually. And let God be the final judge, not us. 
However,  I am here to ask the question no one is asking. 

Who should we as believers have as heroes in the first place?

It is easy to be an American Christian  and look at our favorite movies and fall in love with an actor or sports star for what they do on our television. I am guilty of placing other humans and fictionals at hero level. Mitch Trubisky can throw one heck of a spiral, Hero. Peter Parker is selfless and is Spiderman. Hero. Rainn Wilson made Dwight Schrute come alive. Hero.

But reality is not just in 30 minutes a week. There is more than just the glimpses of life we see on our screen. Football players are more than just amazing athletes. Comic fictions are not real. Actors have beliefs and choices that may not match what you expected. 

But are these people who we as Christians - men and women who have chosen to believe and repent and follow the risen Lord - should be following and claiming as our heroes?

NO!

The Hero we need AND the Hero we deserve is obvious! It is the Messiah, JESUS!!!!

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17

Jesus is Hero worthy. He came to save me, to save us. Flawed and broken, and as we are. Look at Philippians 2, Jesus loved you and I so much, in that He stepped down from Heaven, and took the form of a servant, and became obedient in humility - even to death. For me. For you. 

Look to the saints of old, men and women from the Scriptures as inspirations. Hebrews 11 is called the Heroes of Faith chapter. A list of the Heroes of old. More and more examples. Men and Women who chose to follow Christ and believe in the coming Savior. 

Friends. What I am saying is not easy. It means we need to be more careful in who we idolize, in who we think is awesome and why.
Does that mean burn down Hollywood and Washington DC? No. 

What I am saying is we need to be more selective of who we idolize and what about them makes them our heroes. Is it there ability to hit a ball? Look good in a swimsuit? Read from a piece of paper? Make people laugh? Even lead our country? Or is it because they motivate you to be a better person, and sharpen you into a better believer in God?

"Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another."

Friends, there are lot of people that we can believe in. But the thing about us humans, we are all sinful and in selfish and in need of a savior. Placing one of us above ourselves, in the place of God is dangerous and will end up in peril.  Or as the saying goes, the harder you pull on supermans cape, be ready for what you find out. 

My hero is God. And I am thankful for the Godly men and women who sharpen me and grow me and I the same to them. Are they heroes? No. Just other men and women who want to be more like our Lord. 

Happy thanksgiving!

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

Finding the acorn of truth in the forest of the Mouse

Do You Trust Me?

Learning about Trust from Mickey Mouse

By Rev. Adam Fox

It is hard to avoid Mickey Mouse and Disney. They are everywhere! Including possibly buying 21st Century Fox. But Disney is still Disney, and they produce amazing cartoon movies. But this got me tho thinking, what is the best Disney cartoon Princess movie. Ariel? Belle? Lion King? To me, my favorite Disney movie in the Golden age was... Aladdin!

It was in my opinion, the best of the best. It had adventure, love, comedy, magic, everything any boy-teen-adult would need. What kid didn't want to ride a magic carpet, have a friendly monkey and a Genie! (Bless your soul Robin Williams)

Outside of the amazing music, one of the coolest scenes was when Al asks Jasmine to trust him and come with him on his magic carpet ride. "A whole new world..."

That is a loaded question. Do you trust? Do you trust others? What about God, how much do you trust Him? Trust is defined as "firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something."

Trusting is hard for some people. Sure, they trust the chair that they sit in to hold them. But on a larger scale, they have a hard time trusting in sentiment, in God, in their fellow man. I have a friend, but am going to give he/she a fake name ... Batman. 

He - Batman - struggled in this area. I do not know if his history or what made him struggle in this area, but he did. And Batman is no different then the rest of us. Call me jaded, but when an election occurs, I do not trust or believe in the freshly elected candidate that they will accomplish a majority of their promises made. 

Trusting is hard. Trusting in the goodness of man, in people doing the right thing, in our leaders leading as civil servants, trusting in our celebrity heroes, trusting that the work we do actually matters. 

Trusting is hard. And then there is trusting God - which is even harder. 

As believers, we are called to trust the Lord, the triune God who loves us and created us. But it doesn't mean that it is easy. 

But if we are charged to trust the Lord, why is it so difficult? 

My friend Batman has struggled with this. He knows God loves him, and has a perfect plan for him. But never understood why his day is filled with so much disappointment and struggle and fear. How much easier if God would have written that He promised to never put us in a place of danger. But that is not what the Bible says. Instead the Bible tells us to trust the Lord at all times. 

In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56:4

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
    whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
    that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
    for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
    for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

The Scripture is filled with a calling for us as believers to trust the Lord. Trust God completely. 

It does not mean that if we are 100% trusting in God and His will for our lives that we will be completely problem and struggle free. 

WE still live in a fallen sinful world. Satan is going to do everything he can to drown us with fear, to keep us chained and bitter and untrusting towards everything and everyone - especially God. 

Let me remind you of my friend Batman. If you have noticed, I have only used past tense to talk about him. That is because over the last few weeks, Batman has surrender his fear to God and Trust him. Every day I talk with Batsy, and even though Batman is scared and afraid of things. He still trusts that God will provide and will protect Him. Trust is like a new born pet. It is small at first, but grows and matures over time. 

For my friend Batman, He is like that small doge or cat, his trust in the Lord is growing every day. While there is still fear in work, in family, in America, in World Powers, in finances, in so much. God is bigger than our fears. We need to trust the Lord more so. 

Look at what the prophet Jeremiah says, when we trust we are like a tree. Trees grow and enjoy water and sunshine. Trees do not fear the winter or the frost or fire, the tree keeps growing and does not stop producing. 

In-spite of bad circumstances, the tree grows. 

We need to be that tree. Produce fruit, even under the worst of circumstances. 

So where does that leave us? How do we learn to trust? What is the quickest and easiest answer? Bad news my friends, there is not an easy fix. 

Learning to trust someone, or something, and especially God is not a miracle pill. It is possible, but it takes strength and a lot of patience. 

David understood that trusting in God was most important to him. David, the man who had such a difficult life, filled with family drama, fighting, escaping, murder attempts, and so much more said in a psalm

In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56:4

As believers, I and we need to trust God. We cannot let men, rumors, fear of any kind trap us from being the light of God everywhere. It will not be easy. But I am greatly encouraged when David says, "what can man do to me?"

Let us learn from the example of Batman or me. Trusting in the unknown and unseen is difficult and challenging, but it is worth it. To become the men and women of God, or as Jeremiah says a tree that is planted by the river and does not change due to circumstances. 

Until next time my friends

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

You're Welcome Internet!

Pride goes before the Rock Bottom

By Rev Adam Fox

It is no secret, but I spent and still do to some extent, many a day following the WWE. While it is not the same today as it was in the 90s, it is still fun to watch. Yes, I know it is fake - I think of it as a Male Soap Opera. But I still love it. 

The Heels and the Faces. The Jobbers. The insults. Gold, pure gold.

Over the time of the WWE and the other initials like WWF, WCW, OVW, ... there have been many wrestlers I loved. Making a top 5 is tough, but here it goes. 

Eddie Guerrero

Stone Cold Steve Austin

Mick Foley

CM Punk

Owen Hart

Christ Jericho

The Undertaker

Daniel Bryan

There are many great wrestlers. Some who have passed on, Owen and Eddie. But there is one name that is not on my list, but is taking America by storm all over again. The Rock.

Who is The Rock? Let me remind you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBeeca5o4U

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was a wrestler, from a wrestling family. He was the best of the best for a decade. But that was not enough. Hollywood came calling. Movies. TV. Commercials. And maybe even the Presidency.

But looking at the Rock, he always portrayed a brash, arrogant, and over-confident character. It is what made us like him, and despise him. 

But is he the best role model for us as Christians?

A quick word study of Greek words for Pride, Arrogance, and Haughty are used 200 times in the NIV Bible.  200 times. That seems quite a lot, almost like God is trying to warn us about the attitude of pride and our nature to be arrogant people. 

I am guilty of it just as much as anyone. 

Pride is a sin that is like a flowering weed. It is difficult to detect unless you are looking for it, and kept unchecked - it will run wild. 

Pride and arrogance are something that I struggle with. I remember 8 years ago talking with a Pastor about the Youth Ministry that I ran and enjoyed doing. I actually remember telling him that "Without me, there would be no Youth Group". It makes me shudder thinking about how foolish that thought was. 

The Bible is clear about how we should act.

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1-11

Paul is clear in his writing to the church in Philippi, that we need to have the attitude and spirit of humility. The two areas that humility comes to play is our need of a Savior and our attitude toward others. 

Pride is telling ourselves we do not need anyone, even God. And that is not true. Humility is understanding that we are not fine and need help, need a Savior. It is the ultimate act of humility. Accepting the help of Jesus Christ who came to Earth to save us fro the penalty of our sins. Our arrogance is thinking we do not need that help. And that is a dangerous attitude my friends. 
The Sin of Pride is what stops so many from even thinking they need help. From thinking that they are sinners, that there wrong is so terrible and in needing of this person to come in and save them. After all, we do not need help ever! (Sarcastic font)

The other area is how we treat and think about other Believers. The fact is God loves all of us, equally. I know it is hard to wrap our Modern American brain around that fact but it is true. Black, white, Asian, men, women, rich, poor, smart, dumb, saved from a horrid past, saved from a Christian family. All of us. 

Knowing that fact, why do I  or why does anyone think differently? Why do we struggle with the fact that we are a better Christian than all of us?
If we think of ourselves as above others, we are not different than King Saul. Saul was Israel's first King and outside of him being super tall and being head and shoulders over everyone, he was not a great king. 

Saul was clueless as to the weed of pride growing in his heart. He assumed he was better than David, better than Jonathan, better than Samuel, the army, everyone. We can tell that by how he acted and treated others. 
We cannot be like Saul. We cannot be blind to our own pride and assuming our fellow believers are not good as us.
It is pride. It is Arrogance. And it is dangerous. 

Jesus had zero pride in Him, and we need to be thankful for that. Would he have come down from Heaven to save the hot mess that I am if he did? 

While being overtly confident and prideful may make for great TV shows, that is really the only area it should exist. Definitely not in the church or in me. 

I am calling each one of us out. Take some time, study yourself - all of yourself. And let's kill the sin of pride. It will not have a place any longer. 

Take that Pride! Cause that's the Bottom Line!

Cheers and Excelsior!

Pastor Adam

God, Can I spare a spot?

Living in Community on Team Jesus

by Rev Adam Fox

Bench pressing is good for you, and in my opinion - from the Devil. 

Over the Summer, I needed a kick start to my Wedding Diet, so I signed up with a personal trainer at my gym. Mistake. 
My trainer, was a typical Bro. Very strong, many tattoos and hates anything fun to eat.

But I did a month with him. We did all sorts of exercisers to get me in shape and higher metabolism.  Some I liked, others I tolerated, but one I hated, bench pressing. I struggled with my form and keeping the weight even as it goes up and down. It was challenging for me. But I had my trainer there to spot me in case I screwed up.
I remember the week after my trainer time ended, I tried to do the bench press by myself. No spotter. Boy was that a mistake. 
I struggled. I almost got pinned by the bar. Big mistake. 

I should have had help. 
Why do we do that? Why do we let ourselves think we do not need help, we can do things by ourselves? It is not smart. We think alone is the best, and help is for the weak. How silly is that. 

Like the African Proverb says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
So much truth in this statement. Working together is best, and produces better results usually. 
So with all that said, why do we continue to do things Han Style, Solo. 

Are we afraid to let others in, to make ourselves vulnerable? Is being alone and doing things by ourselves that much more difficult. Do we hide behind the term "I'm Fine"?

I have to admit, I am guilty of this at times too.
One night, God brought this point to my heart and convicted me. He reminded me of the Israelite battle against Amalek in Exodus 17

8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

So much of this battle is us in our lives. We are Moses! We try to do things on our own, in our own power, on our own time and fail more often then we care to admit. 
Look at Moses. He promises that he will stand with his staff in his hand all while the battle occurs. 
A challenge already, standing is not difficult just in a long period of time is about as much as he can take. But during the battle, he realizes that every time he lowers is staff, they lose. So obviously, keep that sucker up.
And now Moses is in over his head. 
Thankfully for Moses, Aaron and Hur hold him up and brace him until the battle is over.

Here is what hit me. 
As a Christian, I try to go and do by myself. I naturally do not let people in and keep that at a distance with a broad smile and a high five and nice pleasantry. But I need to let my fellow believers help me and enjoy living in community. 

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

We live in community known as the Church. We need to be willing to pray with other believers, to encourage them, to let them challenge us. That is what we as Christians need to do and do with others. 
Moses needed Aaron and Hur to help him in a challenging spot. And most importantly Moses needed God to sustain him. JUST LIKE WE DO!

For I, the Lord your God,
    hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13
God promises to be with us and hold us when we need him. A promise from God. But most importantly, we need to be with other Christians, as well as growing our relationship with God.

10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:10-12

Friends, This has been hard for me to write. I am talking with you as much as I am yelling at myself. We as Christians need to be willing to make ourselves open and vulnerable to everyone. And let those close trusted allies encourage us and help us. 
Go together, not just solo. 
While this post is a challenge to yourself, but it is also a calling to look at other Christians. Not to settle with the phrase,  "I'm okay" "I'm Fine". 
Sometimes we are Moses, Sometimes we are Aaron. But no matter which role we are, we all need Jesus. And He is the only one who can truly help everyone. 
Even when we bench press.

Cheers and Excelsior! 

Pastor Adam.