By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

The Capital Grille is what I would consider an upscale restaurant in the heart of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina.  They have these particular words displayed at their front entrance:  “Polite Notice.  Proper Dress Required.  Thank you for not wearing Gym attire, sweat pants, tank tops, hats, clothing with offensive language or images, exposed undergarments.”  They are certainly within their rights to limit patronage to those who comply with these requirements.

After all my years of ministry and those of watching my father’s ministry all my life, I’ve seen many states of dress in connection with church services or other such events.  When I was growing up, I looked forward to sometimes wearing a necktie on Sundays, because that’s what my Dad did.  The older I’ve become and the wider my neck has grown, the less I enjoy neckties.

Depending on the church you attend, you may be part of a congregation in which all the men consistently wear suits and ties, and the ladies are all in modest length dresses.  The children in tow are garbed in very similar clothing.  Or, instead, you may be a part of a church in which suits and ties are only worn for funerals, if that.

Too many times, I fear that people are made to feel inferior based upon the clothing they wear to a worship service.  We don’t always stop to think that the pair of slightly frayed khakis are the only good pants that particular hard working family man owns.  Those sneakers with holes in the bottom may be the only decent thing those kids have to put on their feet.  The sundress with the spaghetti straps just might be the only garment that young mother can manage since anything extra goes to diaper and clothe the little ones.

Restaurants and other such establishments can limit their clientele any way they choose.  I pray we don’t inadvertently (or surely not intentionally) limit our compassion on others based on how they dress to attend church.  They’ve come by the hardest, blessed to even be together, and are there to worship the very same Jesus you also claim to love.

When Jesus said to His disciples, “Let the little children come unto me,” He didn’t direct that the kids be dressed properly first.  Bring them on anyway.  Get them there, if by the hardest.  Respectable yes, but letting the Lord Himself be the judge of all.  Your best is your best.  Let Him meet you where you are this week, thanking the Lord that our worship of Him, and His love for us never depends upon our dress.  All are welcome at His table!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

We took the ten or fifteen mile drive out of town, seeing one ranch after another along the prairie landscape.  Passing the main entrance to the ranch itself, we continue a little farther down the highway and made a turn onto a gravel road.  We followed it for a little while, made another turn, and then took that road even farther into the vast prairie land, down a very steep hill, and made a sharp turn into the driveway beside the beautiful place.  The views of the surrounding prairie lands from outside were amazing.  We could literally see for miles in several directions.  The sky was wide and open, and the wind was blowing powerfully as we stepped onto the side deck, opened the door, and entered the house, welcomed as we did by two kind ladies who greeted us warmly and invited us to “come on in!”

The Lodge, as the family affectionately calls it, is not such as to make you gawk with mouth wide open, but on the inside, the large kitchen, family rooms, and made-to-be-comfortable bedrooms were so very inviting.  This photo gives you a glimpse of a portion of the working kitchen.  Look closely and study it for a moment.  Fans of the Food Network and the Pioneer Woman will probably recognize this as Ree Drummond’s kitchen, the very one where she cooks the delicious meals and films her television shows.  She and her husband Ladd generously allow curious visitors to wander around as long as they like, so we did.  My wife even posed behind the stove, stirring an empty pot of nothing.

We met no one famous that day, but we did enjoy a very nice visit with a couple of very nice hosts who worked to make us feel as though we were long lost family members with the house to ourselves for a while.

The Lord invites us to come into His house.  The ride along the vast landscape may be uneventful, or it may be harsh.  The turns are sometimes easy, sometimes very sharp.  But the day His children step onto the deck and reach for the door handle, we will be welcomed inside with open arms and joyful spirit to make ourselves at home!  We will have free roam of the place, unbelievably fantastic views, and all the time we need.  He paid the price for our sins, and we will be able to enter with our free ticket, somewhat similar to the ones we were given at Ree’s Mercantile store and restaurant in town.  It didn’t cost us a nickel, but we were treated as if we owned the place, as if we belonged.

He has “gone to prepare a place!”  I look forward to the place I will find awaiting my arrival in Heaven.  Do you? 

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Several miles off the main highway in the northeastern portion of the state of Oklahoma is a place preserved and protected for generations to come.  Roaming the vast acreage are buffalo, elk, and other such magnificent creatures.  A beautiful museum and walking trails have been created for us human animals to enjoy as well.  Inside the large museum are many displays and articles.  In one such large display lay these small items.  Here is a well-used Bible and the old pair of glasses that were once used to read the Scriptures inside.

It was our first trip to Oklahoma, and we explored as much as we possibly could, taking in places such as this one, which was suggested by a friendly local.  We were not disappointed.  The prairies are amazing.  The wildlife is beautiful.  The big divide between what I’ve termed the “haves” and the “have-nots” was very evident to me here, as we observed the different people and cultures, including many Native Americans.  We enjoyed delicious foods from varying establishments, and we took the time to worship with other believers.

We encountered extreme windy conditions, those that would easily rival hurricane force winds in our own part of this country.  The very cool nights and the warm days made for wonderful weather conditions.  And never did we encounter a rude person.

As wonderful as all of that was, as amazing as all of it truly is, nothing in the beauty or majesty of it all stood out more or spoke more loudly than this very simple museum display.  It was as if the final owner of these items had taken a break from reading and left them behind for the next study session.

Glasses with which to read.  A Bible that needs to be read.  Oh, how loudly this speaks.  Nothing else in God’s amazing world can compare to the blessings, the training, the Love found inside those pages.  Given that with the spectacles to read it make for a beautiful day indeed.

Wherever the roads of this life lead us in the week ahead, I pray you take the time to do the simplest of things, and yet the most important of things, and lay your eyes upon the Word.  What a profound display we Christians would be to the world’s spectators if only we did just that.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Unless you are familiar with this particular location, you see a picture of parts of my family last fall as we walk toward that little church building.  It might or might not be for a worship service of some kind, or we may simply be heading in for one of those tours of which I’m very fond.

But if you’ve guessed anything similar, you’ve guessed wrong.  Although the building looks like a church, is shaped like a church, and even has the word “Abbey” in its name, the only obvious worship taking place inside its walls is that of man and his desire to quench the cravings of hunger.  This is a restaurant.

The tiny town of Townsend, Tennessee, boasts this quaint establishment which becomes quite popular around lunch time.  The larger portion of the building actually includes an unused stage and several empty wooden church pews.  But it isn’t used as a church.

For the majority of us who attend services inside a church building, we may arrive at our chosen place of worship, walk across a parking lot, and enter a building where we assume we will have our hunger and thirst quenched.  And if the church, its leaders, and its pastor are doing their job, the Lord can and will use them to take care of those needs for us each, albeit in the spiritual sense.

Now, a sit down potluck meal at church provides some wonderful times of fellowship, but the belief in and worship of the Living Water and the Bread of Life will take care of everything you need.  Whether the building looks like a church on the outside or not, it’s the inside that makes the difference.  “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  

We knew that this was a restaurant before we arrived, and we received just exactly what we expected — food for our bodies.  On your ventures to your chosen place of Biblical worship in the coming week, be challenged not so much by the church building itself, but by the lasting difference that can be made inside.  You see, it’s inside that counts.  When Jesus comes to abide with me, he does so inside my heart, not sitting outside on my shoulder.

Come inside.  Attend expectantly.  Have your needs met.  Bow before the One Who is worthy of our worship, and dine.  The meal is fine!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

We spent part of our most recent weekend attending the funeral service of a long-time friend and former coworker.  I wasn’t officiating this one, so I was amongst the others on the church pews as I listened to scriptures, funny stories, and reminders of God’s goodness and grace.  Funerals are tough things to experience, but they give us a specific time to remember.

No doubt, every one of us knows someone or has a family member who is experiencing that terrible thing known as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.  One interesting thing I’ve noticed about most of those dear folks is that they often don’t realize they have a memory problem.  In other words, they don’t remember that they don’t remember.

As I write these words, it has been twenty-five years to the day since my father-in-law suddenly passed away from massive heart attack.  We remember him and his love for his Lord and his family.

This time of year is when numerous young people are graduating from various schools and institutions.  Their parents, especially, look back and remember how very quickly their young folks have grown up!

This particular neon sign you see here was part of a museum display I visited in Grand Rapids, Michigan last fall.  There were various different kinds of materials used in different means and modes of art, each with a challenge to “Remember Me.”

As Christians world-wide participate in what we may call communion, the Lord’s Supper, or a similar name for the same worship experience, we are called upon to remember all that the Lord has done for us.  We are asked to “Do this in remembrance of me.”  I can’t help but think that Jesus Himself looks down at this world gone nuts, wipes the tears of disappointment from His own eyes, and asks, “Do you even remember Me?”

My prayer for each of us in the week ahead is that we take the time – make the time – to remember the love, mercy, and grace of our forgiving Lord and Savior.  Count your many blessings.  Remember!  And, be thankful.

Just a thought.

While we were still yet sinners, Christ died for us. The use of the term love from Romans 5:8 is the Greek word agape, which is only used when describing the selfless, unconditional and sacrificial love of God. This perfectly describes Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection from the dead so that each of us may have the forgiveness of our own sin.

Easter is not just a day of reflection of the resurrection of Jesus, but also a celebration of our freedom from sin. Because of the unconditional love of Jesus, He bore the punishment of sin so that we may live in eternity with Him.

Hallelujah for He is risen!

By Ryan Kelly –

The celebration of Good Friday goes far beyond the lead up to Easter. Rather, it is one of the most important days to each of us as Christians because it is the day where Jesus bore the sin of each of us on the cross.

Imagine having been beaten nearly to death with a cat of nine tail whip, then being nailed to a giant strip of wood at the entrance to Jerusalem along with two other hardened criminals for everyone to mock as they came and went out of the city. That’s bad enough. But Jesus was not you or me; he was literally God who came to earth in the form of a man to live with us and teach us. But ultimately, he came to give his life for ours.

On that cross, he substituted himself for us before the Father, to the point where the Father had to turn his back on the Son because at that moment he bore our sin. To go further, he experienced hell in our place.

I think it’s entirely reasonable to ask why we call this day good because of the torture and death that it represents. But it is good, because Jesus bore this death so that we won’t. With Him, our sin is forgiven and we are washed white. On this day, Jesus paid it all, and all to him we owe.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Lots to do this week.  Work to get done.  Places to go.  People to see.  Meetings to attend.  Lessons to teach.  Repairs to make.  Studying to attempt.  Projects to leave unfinished yet again.  And our list goes on and on, doesn’t it?

Sometimes we can feel absolutely overwhelmed at the thought of it all.  We won’t even make a list of all that needs to be done, because seeing it written down in black and white is too much.  Too many things to do, and I can only mark them off one by one.  It never ends.

We are all given the same amount of time in our day.  We have twenty-four hours to use as time permits.  Either we make the most of those hours, or we waste them.  And most days – most weeks – we simply do the very same things we did last week.  We are busy, but are we productive?  You know, the very definition of the word “insanity,” is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.  If I never try anything new, I will never know what I’ve missed.

Take a look at this skillet meal.  No, it isn’t turnips.  It isn’t rutabagas.  And, no, it isn’t even potatoes.  I ran across something new and thought I’d try it.  These are radishes, fried with bacon until tender, topped with parsley and a little salt.  And they were delicious.

Most folks would have never tried such a thing.  They either don’t like radishes at all, or the sound of frying one doesn’t appeal to them in the least.  Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

As you face another daunting week of endless scheduled activities, most of which we could control or trim down if only we tried, how about introducing something new into the list?  You might not fry a pan full of radishes.  But, for some folks, simply scaling back your too-busy self-imposed schedule would be something new.  Try loving on a neighbor whom you’ve seen as unlovable.  Attend a Bible study class you’ve been shying away from.  Call an old friend you’ve not seen in quite a while, and catch up on life’s adventures.  Read a chapter or two from the Old Testament.

The Lord’s grace is new, fresh every morning.  If He thinks the newness of the day is that important, then perhaps we should attempt a new grace-filled adventure in our week ahead.  He would love to see us experience a newness of life.  When life throws you radishes, fry them!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

If your grandparents were anything like mine, then you will understand when I say that some of my fondest memories of my grandparents revolve around food.  My mother’s mother, in particular, was a wonderful cook.  We have very few of her actual recipes, though, because she cooked with a little of this and a little of that.  She mixed by the feel of the ingredients, measuring with her eyes.  She cooked by the smell and the look of the product.  I finally, after about twenty-five years of trial and error, figured out how to make her biscuits and cornbread, two things that I remember with great fondness.

I asked the butcher at my local grocery store to order some ‘cracklins’ for me.  He was kind enough to start stocking them, and, as often as possible, I now make cracklin bread like what you see here.  That’s one of the last things I remember asking my grandmother to make for me.  Hot out of the oven, heavily buttered.  My mouth waters just thinking about it.

The smells and tastes that come from a loving kitchen environment bring back delicious memories for me.  The foods we continue to make help to keep those long-ago family connections alive.

This past Sunday, part of our church worship service was the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, or communion.  The simple little crackers and grape juice that we use to represent Christ’s body, broken for us, and His blood, given for us, are meant to be taken, as He said to His disciples, “In Remembrance Of Me.”

As we eat and drink those simple elements, we are to be reminded of the greatest love of all, the unmatched sacrifice that Jesus Himself made on our behalf.  And participation in this worshipful act should take us back to that moment when we first realized His great love for us.

As Easter fast approaches, there will be many treats to be eaten along the way.  Most will have no significance whatsoever.  But as you taste the Word this week, as you mix it over in your study and your thoughts, as you smell the aroma of God’s goodness, and as you savor His grace and mercy, may you be ever reminded of the joy of His presence.  Your cup runneth over.  He’s preparing a place for you at His table.  Ah, it just makes my mouth water thinking about it!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

I’ve recently mentioned our travels around portions of the beautiful state of Oklahoma.  Any time we travel, we try to make a point of doing something, seeing something, or perhaps eating something that we’ve not experienced before.  Well, this particular part of our adventure was not at all planned, but it definitely provided us an experience we had never witnessed.

The winds were particularly powerful.  More than one kind soul, while asking us about our travels through their area, warned us to be wary of the fierce winds and the strong possibility of prairie fires.  We already knew the power of the wind, as I had struggled to hold the car in the road at times because of it.  But neither of us had any idea what a prairie fire looked like, that is, until we were stopped by one.

We had ventured several miles out of town for some tourist-type stops, acknowledging the smoke and flames we actually did see quite a ways off of the highway.  But some time later, as we attempted to reverse that same route, we were stopped on the highway along with several other vehicles.  We watched the billowing smoke and the flames of the fires scooting through the dry prairie grasses.  We had first assumed traffic was only being cautious because of the thickness of the smoke.  But, then, we witnessed those flames jumping the highway to the prairie on the opposite side.

It became obvious to us then that this was not some simple little fire we had seen before, but something major with which those folks were unfortunately very familiar.  Using GPS, which was sometimes helpful, we turned around and eventually found another route that took us about an hour out of the way.  We never got back to where we started, but instead were forced into new territory, more beautiful scenery, and another quaint town where we decided to stay for a couple of days, experiencing more fine food and a great church worship service.

Life’s uncertainties come at us quite often.  Maybe we think we’re prepared for the smoke and fire, when indeed the flames and winds are something we’ve never experienced.  Have you ever thought that perhaps those seemingly disturbing and hindering moments are actually merely opportunities to see and witness more goodness of God elsewhere?

As you sit and, yes, complain about, the things that disrupt your week ahead, stop to remember that just perhaps God is creating a different route for your travels – one that will take you to other great places, help you experience other great things, and maybe bring you to a place of worship where you’ve never been before.  Prairie fires are something we hope we never see again, but grateful we are for the experience.

Just a thought.