All over the country, millions of Americans took place in honoring Dr. King's legacy by taking part in a wide range of service projects- conductiong food drives- painting schools and community centers, recruiting mentors for needy youth, and bringing meals to homebound neighbors to name a few...

It was another great American man, Jackie Robinson, who once said, "Life is not a spectator sport.  If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you are wasting your life."  Mine too Jackie and the last place I want to be is on the bench if the real action is on the field!

And to not make any personal, conscious, practical and specific steps forward to help make Martin Luther King's dream come true is to waste the legacy of what this man was all about.  It would be as absurd as saying, "I like the man- but ignored his message."

It was JFK who said, "We can't really move forward until we take the time to recognize where we have been."  So it might be wise to take some time to review what Dr. Kin's dream truly was.  To quote from his famous speech made on the steps of The Lincoln Memorial- he said:

"I have a dream today...  This is our hope.  This is the faith that I go back to the South with.  With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.  With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.  With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day."

Jesus said- "You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free."  And the truth is that if men and women are going to share the same space on this planet- as a people- as a nation- and as a community- then we are going to have to give up this silly notion and myth that there is one particular people group that is better than another.

The truth is that we have all been made in the image of God and even He is no respector of persons that he would love one race, tribe, color or troup more than another.  What makes the creation act so differently than the Creator?

It is the broken parts of human nature that falsely buys into the lie that to be successful is to be better and to be better means to bully another race, religion or creed.  All this crooked belief system ever leads to is the hatred and unacceptable treatment through the ages of the Indians, the Jews, the Blacks, the Asians, the Hispanic, the Italians, the Polish- and the beating up goes on and on...

IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO CHANGE OUR MINDS- WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW GOD TO COMPLETELY CHANGE OUR HEARTS!  AND HIS KINDNESS LEADS TO OUR REPENTANCE!

If Dr. King's Dream is ever going to really have anything to do with me then we must proactively act upon the following:

1.  WE MUST VIEW EACH OTHER AS GOD DOES!

When people look at each other, they see a white man, a black man, a tall man, a short man, and even a bald man!  When God looks at us- He sees only our hearts.  He doesn't let the package get in the way of examining the contents!  We might not be physically blind- but do we really see?

Do you know what?  I were to place a black man's heart and a white man's heart and a rich man's heart and a poor man's heart on a table in front of you- you would not be able to tell the difference at all- BECAUSE ALL HEARTS LOOK THE SAME!  And when an individual is viewed with dignity and respect- he or she rises up from the shallowness of society's labels to have the opportunity to become what Heaven has always intended them to be!

2.  WE MUST ENCOURAGE OUR CHILDREN TO DREAM DREAMS BIGGER THAN WHAT IS SO THEY CAN LEAD US TO WHAT SHOULD BE!

I liked what Bishop Robinson said yesterday at a breakfast honoring Dr. King.  He said- "YOU CAN KILL THE DREAMER- BUT YOU CAN'T KILL THE DREAM!"

Oh but people try!  I remember when I was in Jr. High having an Art Teacher who gave us an assigment to design our ultimate "Dream House."  I built my home to look just like Shea Stadium complete with an indoor baseball field.  The Art Teacher gave me a "D" because he pronounced it not realistic enough.  Was it me- or did he fail to recognize that his challenge to us was to build a DREAM HOUSE and not one that already existed with bricks and sticks! 

Prejudice is caught more than taught.  What are you throwing around today?  Shame on any of us who get their kicks by stomping on the dreams of our children.  Shame on any of us who poison a dream of tomorrow by filtering it through our bigotry of today!  Even God said that in the last days our young men and women would dream dreams and those dreams are necessary because we still haven't yet got it right by being awake today! 

There is not an individual in this country who is really free until we all enjoy the same freedoms.  Again I quote Jackie Robinson who said, "A life is not important except in the impact that it has on the lives of others."  Dr. King refused to let others' small minds stuff his vision into a status quo box!  He would not just sit back and allow an inequality to go on unchallenged where rulers were not just and the rules were not fair!  And I admire a man who won't stop singing just because one sourpuss doesn't like the music!  Dr. King could have kept his ideas to himself- but only a selfish man could do that.  But a man who knew that his days on earth were numbered- and that his own precious life was a gift to call this world to sing in prefect harmony-Dr. King was more the REAL THING than any soft drink could claim to be!

Thank you Dr. King for trying to reach us by never stop preaching to us what a divine sound we all could make if we could just learn to make music together!  Today is as good as day as any to grab a hymnbook and sing the words of the old Negro Spiritual- "WE SHALL OVERCOME...." because we will not be undermined!  And we can vocalize that sacred truth because we are willing to not just talk equality- but walk it in the way we treat the smallest of God's creatures- with integrity- with honest effort and with a sincere love.  For if we do that- we keep the dream alive and take another constructive step to making the dream come true!

YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER...  TECHNICALLY, IT'S THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR- THE DAY THAT WE EXPERIENCE THE MOST SUNSHINE...  FOR ME, IT COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME...  YESTERDAY MADE ME REALIZE HOW DESPERATE I AM FOR THE LORD'S SONSHINE...  DARKNESS COMES WHEN I SEPARATE MYSELF FROM HIS TRUTH AND BUY THE LIES THAT BOMBARD ME EVERY DAY AND DUPE ME INTO ATTEMPTING TO LIVE VIA MY OWN MEANS...  I CAN'T CREATE LIFE- ALL I CAN DO IS LIVE THE ONE LIFE THAT GOD GAVE ME!  I'VE BEEN GUILTY MORE THAN ONCE OF TRYING TO MANUFACTURE MY OWN LIGHT...  RATHER THAN JUST BEING READY TO HUMBLY RECEIVE WHATEVER THE LORD LONGS TO SEND MY WAY- I PUT CONDITIONS AND TERMS TO WHAT HE MUST SEND AND HOW HE MUST SEND IT AND THE EXACT MOMENT HE MUST SEND IT BY...  EVERY TIME I DO THAT- I SHUT HIS LIGHT OUT AND REPLACE THE BRIGHTNESS THAT I COULD BE INHABITING WITH A MURKY, LOUSY FOG THAT I STUMBLE IN AS I TRY TO NAVIGATE MY WAY THROUGH...  BUT YESTERDAY- THE SON CAME OUT AND THIS TIME I DIDN'T GO LOOKING FOR THE SHADE...  THIS TIME I LET THE FULNESS OF HIS RAYS HIT MY FACE AND WARM MY HEART AND RATHER THAN TRY TO CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE- I JUST RECEIVED THE GIFT OF THE DAY HE GAVE ME...  NOTHING MORE- NOTHING LESS- NOTHING ELSE!

SUMMER HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN MY FAVORITE SEASON- BUT THIS YEAR MAY BE DIFFERENT FOR IF EVER I NEEDED THE LORD TO ARISE AND SHINE AND LET HIS GLORY UNHIBITEDLY GO STREAMING ALL AROUND ME- ALL THROUGH ME- IT'S NOW...  AND SUMMER REMINDS ME THAT ONE DAY:

"NO LONGER WILL YOU NEED THE SUN OR THE MOON TO GIVE YOU LIGHT, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT, AND HE WILL BE YOUR GLORY.  YOUR SUN SHALL NEVER SET; THE MOON SHALL NEVER GO DOWN- FOR THE LORD WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT; YOUR DAYS OF MOURNING WILL END..."  ISAIAH 60:19-20

MY WINTER SEEMED TO LAST 6 LONG MONTHS- BUT HERE COMES THE SON AND I SAY IT'S ALRIGHT!!!  THE SON HAS COME OUT AND I'M BACK-NOT LOOKING TO BE GOD- JUST LEARNING HOW TO BE CONTENT TO SERVE HIM AND BE FULLY LOVED BY HIM AND TO ALLOW HIS LIGHT TO REVEAL ONCE AGAIN THE JOY THAT HE HAS PROMISED FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS...  IT IS A SEASON OF SONSHINE- IT'S SUMMER TIME FOR MY SOUL!!!  IT'S TIME TO LET THE SONSHINE IN!!!  I AM AND I'M NOT LOOKING BACK!

While being willing to offer our lives to Him in total surrender and to be completely available to do His will is almost a sure warrant for watching things go out of our control- isn't being submitted to His control what real Christianity is all about anyway?

This is why I believe God keeps stripping away all my manmade outer layers so that I may finally be "empty handed" in my posture before the Lord.  God will not pour His divine riches into hands that are consumed by earthly possessions.  As the old hymn, "Rock Of Ages" so beautifully communicates:

"Nothing in my hands I bring- simply to Your cross I cling- Naked come to You for dress- Helpless look to You for grace-Foul, I to the Fountain Fly- wash me Savior or I die..."

This is the life that God has called us to and this is the life that I must challenge all of us to expect, embrace and embark upon...

So while sticking to the status quo might be simpler- I understand clearly that to settle for anything less than God's best would be an open door to an apathetic spirit and while I sometimes cringe over what I know will be a guarantee "heart stretching" caused by what God is going to ask us to do next or the roads that He will choose to take us along- i know that there really is no abundant life and satisfaction found in any other place...

ARE YOU READY TO COME ALONG??? 

The first all holiday music channels have made their debut on the XM Satellite Radio today.  The decorations are starting to be unveiled at all our local shopping venues.  It's only November 12th and I have actually already seen the new Tim Allen/Martin Short movie "The Santa Clause 3" twice.  I noticed "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" was on television last night.  And suddenly-everybody's talking about the glad tidings of great joy that Walmart has decided that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas after all as they will replace their politically correct "Happy Holidays" greeting by actually saying the words: "Merry Christmas" to all their customers this year and word has it that Macy's and Kohls are going to follow suit...  And while I think that this is all very nice- I truly believe that it just exposes the reality that we are trying to get a season to accomplish what only a relationship with the Savior can do...  The power of Chistmas is not unveiled in just saying the words-MERRY CHRISTMAS..."  It comes alive when we get to know personally the One who is the WORD and invite the Living Word to rewrite the story of our lives!

I'm not mad at or can I blame society's yearly move in yearning to stretch out the Christmas season.  It's only a matter of time before somebody tries to drum up that "ol Christmas feeling" in August- and I don't think that the thought is that far fetched.  WE NEED WHAT CHRISTMAS BRINGS MORE THAN EVER!  Many of the things that our culture now only does at Christmas was once a more common occurance at other times of the year.  When I was a kid, my family ate supper together every night- not just at the holidays!  Common courtesy was a little more common and neighbors actually got together and were not just known by a quick wave on the way to the mail box.  God made us for community and the mistake we are making is trying to manufacture on our own what it took His miraculous intervention to achieve!

Jesus came from heaven to earth to bring us a taste of a kingdom that we needed to be citizens of but would never be able to discover without a little divine intervention.  The secret of Christmas is that in the midst of a world and religious system that was trying to set up the kingdom of God- the rightful owner of the crown showed up to lead the way and rescue us from being lost in our fruitless activities forever.  To anyone who received Jesus- to them he gave the relationship they deseprately needed and the fulfillment and acceptance that they would never be able to find in any other direction...  And that is why at Christmas- if we are truly going to be used to help people find their way to the authentic party-we best be sure that we ourselves-are actually looking in the right direction- to the right source-in the first and right place... 

So before I wish you Merry Christmas- let me wish you Jesus...  May you be able to practically see in me the difference that making Jesus the king of your life makes...  May I and others be able to practically see in you the difference that declaring your allegiance to Jesus has made and is making in the daily way that you choose to live your life.  Would others really believe by looking at us and the way we do Christmas that Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that any man or woman could ever receive? 

LET'S DO MORE THAN JUST SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS SEASON...  LET'S LIVE OUR LIVES LIKE WE KNOW THE SAVIOR AND DESIRE OTHERS TO KNOW HIM TOO...  BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM- THEY WON'T HAVE TO LOOK ANYMORE TO COSMETIC PROPS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT ONLY THE LIVING CHRIST CAN PULL OFF ANYWAY... 

From the Heart,

Pastor Rudy

Tomorrow night, the Lighthouse Church will be hosting Halloween Hayrides on our land on Rt 9 from 5 until 8 PM...  The whole purpose of the event is of course to get an opportunity to SHINE the light out bright on what many deem the "darkest" night of the year...  Since I have announced the event, many "concerned" but choosing to remain "anonymous" individuals have sent me documents informing me about the real "history" of Halloween and "scolding" me for choosing to have anything to do with the holiday.  I know the history- and I am very aware of the behind the scenes ramifications of Halloween which is all the more reason why I want to be out there looking to make a difference!

If we as believers are challenged to always remind ourselves of "WWJD- WHAT WOULD JESUS DO"-well- if you can convince me from Scripture that on a night when the community actually comes out from their houses and hang out in the neighborhood that our Lord would be hiding in his home with the lights out and his door locked- I would happily do the same!  But something tells me that He would be out and about ministering to the people- using whatever open door He might be given to point people to the TRUE TREAT with no TRICKS in sight!

So tomorrow night- I'm doing what the Bible tells me to do- because if "this is the day that the Lord has made" and the last I checked- Tuesday will be- then I must be glad and rejoice in it- and if I want to invite other people to my party- I can if I want to!  And it is my prayer that somebody's eternal destiny will be altered because they decided to take a hay ride on our land on a day that just happened to be Halloween...

Perfect love casts out fear and I challenge you to fight the fear so that others will hear about the One who is Lord of All!

From my heart!

Pastor Rudy