Chris Howlett

Back to the Preferred Future

Mr. Strickland: I noticed your band is on the roster for the dance auditions after school today. Why even  bother, McFly? You don't have a chance, you're too much like your old man. No McFly ever amounted to anything in the history of Hill Valley!
Marty McFly: Yeah, well, history is gonna change. (from Back to the Future)

 

You have a unique opportunity to rewrite history, future history that is. At the beginning of a new year, it is a traditional exercise to make resolutions. The practice of making resolutions is in decline. Only about 40-45% of Americans set resolutions each year. This might actually be a good thing because out of the ones of us who make resolutions, on 8% achieve them!!

Why do so many of our attempts to change fail? Because there’s nothing backing them. Resolutions are simply goals and goals must grow out of a compelling vision. Without a compelling vision of why I want to reach a particular goal, I will never expend the energy it takes to change in order to meet that goal. Where do we go for a compelling vision of a preferred future? The best place is to go to our Creator. He made us. He loves us. He has a compelling vision for his preferred future for us:

God said through the prophet Jeremiah, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (29:11 NIV11). God has a compelling vision for you and for your future happiness and wholeness.

This is what we are going to be talking about the whole month of January at Christ Church as I share a series of messages titled, Happy New You. God wants us to experience his provision, purpose, and power. He didn’t put us on earth to make us miserable, but to live an abundant, fulfilling, Spirit-led life. You have a unique opportunity to rewrite future history by experiencing real, positive, purposeful God-inspired change. See you in worship Sunday! Bring a friend! Everyone is going to want to know about God’s plans.

Christopher Hitchens on Christianity

“I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.” - Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens died this past week. He was one of the outspoken provocateurs of a group of people that came to be known as the Angry Atheists. Hitchens was a highly skilled writer and talented debater for his various causes, which were many, beyond just his anti-religious views.

The above quote occurred in the context of a discussion about various Christian perspectives, some of which, coming from modernist positions, believed Jesus was special but not supernatural. Hitchens rightly observes that if you don’t believe in the supernatural, you really can’t be a Christian.

This week we celebrate the miracle of the Incarnation. The miraculous birth of God as a human being in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. This is a most spectacular idea, indeed.

Very many people have trouble believing such things. I suppose Christopher Hitchens was at the front of the line. I, myself, would have trouble believing anything as remotely possible as a virgin birth if it were not for another miracle: the Resurrection. The Resurrection makes sense out of everything else, including the Incarnation. The Resurrection had to happen because without it explaining the rise of the early church becomes impossible.

So, this week, as we look to the Babe of Bethlehem, let’s keep our minds on the Risen Lord of the Garden Tomb and thank God for miracles.

Great Camp Video

This was used in worship last week at the United Methodist National Summit of Camp & Retreat Executives at Lake Huron Retreat Center. The intro is a little long, but watch it anyway. This is cool and a real blessing. It was produced at an Episcopal high school summer camp.