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My heart for every person who lives in Cape May County this December is that all would willingly come to the table and experience fully the power of the Christmas Present of Presence. The promise of God as far back as the Book of Isaiah was that the virgin would conceive and bring forth a child and that the Holy and Anointed One’s name would be Immanuel. God wanted to be with us. He wasn’t afraid to show up and allow us to get close to Him.

It’s funny about human leaders. They like to keep the people at a distance for fear that if you get too close, you will recognize all of their faults and the imperfections that can’t be hidden forever. When Jesus came from Heaven to Earth that first Christmas, His whole ministry began in a manure pile. Jesus had nothing to hide and nothing to prove and everyone who ever had contact with Him knew that He was like no other that they had ever encountered. Jesus came and the closer you got to Him, the more you wanted. The more vulnerable you became, the more you felt not rejected, but finally loved like love should be. This is the story of my own testimony. When I opened my heart to Jesus and recognized that I needed His strength; I got to see more of God’s power. When I recognized that I needed His wisdom; I was finally open to God to discover His guidance. When I recognized that I had sinned over and over again and I needed His forgiveness; I finally knew what mercy and grace were all about. On my own, I was all alone and I ran to God to know His love for me. This is why the celebration of Christ has become a daily exercise of mine. It’s not about a day in December as much as it is about finally finding the music that could provide the appropriate soundtrack of my life. This is why that no matter how hard and ugly life gets, I keep on singing. Nothing has stopped me from singing!

Music is always associated with Christmas. Music goes all the way back to the very first Christmas. Something about discovering the real meaning of Christmas makes the heart sing. Every year I pray that God will show me something new about the Christmas Story. Every year, He never lets me down. This past week I learned that when Jesus was born, there was a custom in Israel at that time that when there was a birth and the birth was safe because in that day, as still is the case in much of the middle East today, births were a really dangerous thing, there would be music if the baby was born and the baby and the mom were safe and if the baby was a boy. You knew that a baby boy had come into the community when you’d pass by and hear music resonating from the home.

When Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem for the census, he was going home. Joseph had lots of family in his home town. When the Bible says that there was no room in the inn, we are not talking the Hilton. No room in the inn meant that Joe’s Family had shut him out because he chose to do the despicable and marry Mary when everyone knew that Mary was carrying a baby that didn’t belong to Joseph. Joseph and Mary were bad news and not welcomed. It is quite ironic that by obeying God, this amazing couple literally were shunned by the religious congregation and abandoned by their own flesh and blood. There would be no earthly musicians available to celebrate the birth of Jesus, because righteous people don’t sing songs of celebration for illegitimate children.

But God had made other arrangements and there was miraculous music provided on that first Christmas! When earth shut down, the Heavens opened up and a host of angels so large that nobody could properly count them provided the symphony for the Savior born for all of us. This Concert wasn’t held for the high and mighty, but for the lowly Shepherds who were available to pay attention to the song that would change history forever. The Shepherds were invited to the Birth of Royalty and they showed up and couldn’t be shut up after seeing and hearing a miraculous melody that this planet could never provide.

I hurt for those who have no song to sing this Season. It’s hard to make great music out of nothingness. What good is the Winter Solstice and the promise of longer days if it just means more hours of pain and despair? There are no 24 Hour “Nothing but Dirges” Radio Stations. Why doesn’t atheism or skepticism or agnosticism or humanism or sarcasm result in more great music and more unforgettable songs to sing? If you remove the soul of Christmas, you also will lose your mind. Imagine hearing songs like the following:  “Joy to The World. We’re All going To Die! And There’s no Hope at All!” Can you imagine singing this one to your Kids on Christmas Eve? “Away in a Manger A Baby Lies There… But You’ll be a Corpse Soon, so Why Should I Care? When You Are Quite Dead Dear, You Won’t Make A Peep. So, Shut Up Your Crying, and Let Mommy Sleep.” Lyrics like this are awful. If you long to remove the Light of the World from your Holiday Festivities, all I can say is, “Be careful what you wish for.” There is not enough meaning to just eat, drink and be selfish. In acknowledging the Birth of Jesus, I’m reminded again of the reality that there is this great God, and I get to praise Him, worship Him, know Him and forever be with Him. If there’s not something bigger than you and I, then God help me! God help us!

Here is my challenge! Between now and Christmas, over the next couple of weeks, I want to invite you to commit yourself to practice the presence of Christmas. Christmas literally means the celebration of Christ! It is magnifying Jesus! Rather than looking for the meaning of life under the tree, fix your gaze intently upon the One who died on the tree for you and me. Every time you think about Jesus in December, celebrate the difference that Jesus has made. When you see a nativity scene, when you hear a Christmas carol or see a Christmas tree or Christmas lights or hear the Christmas story, please stop what you are doing and make a conscience decision to concentrate on Jesus with your whole self. People can pretend all they want, but there is no denying that nobody has ever changed the course of history like Jesus. Even better, if you will open up your heart to Him, Jesus will change your story and make it a never-ending adventure. If you practice the presence of Christmas, I guarantee that your whole being will show it!

I grew up loving “bubblegum music.” This was the title given to songs like “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies and “Simon Says,” by the 1910 Fruitgum Company. My favorite band of this infectious genre was “The Partridge Family.” Oh, how badly I wanted to be a member of the Partridges. I got to interview the legendary Shirley Jones on my Radio Show a few years back and I literally asked her if she would adopt me because I thought she was the coolest Mom around. I still own all my Partridge Family Records and play them when I’m feeling a bit blue and just need to smile. Another funny tidbit was when I joined the Philadelphia College of Bible’s Chorale back in the day, my Choir Director gave me this advice about my singing. He said, “A little less David Cassidy would surely help your voice!”

A week ago, I saw one of the saddest documentaries on television that I have ever witnessed and it was about David Cassidy. He passed away just a little while back and his daughter Katie Cassidy shared this horrific truth. She said, “My father’s last words were ‘So much wasted time.” All the records, money, fame, possessions and adoration from devoted fans couldn’t meet the needs of his aching heart. David never received the acceptance that he desired from his Dad, Jack Cassidy. No matter what David did, it was never good enough for his insecure Father. David spent a good chunk of his life attempting to climb an insurmountable mountain. He made so much great music but the song never soothed his soul and he left this world with the one result that nobody wants to have as their final tagline: Regret.

Are you still trying to please a Parent, a Spouse, a Boss, a Coach, a Teacher that will never be satisfied? Are you investing the best of who you are into a bottomless pit of despair? Do you know that if you look up right now, you would see a Heavenly Father who loves you not because of what you do but because of who you are? To Him, you are already His masterpiece. You are fearfully and wonderfully created. Love is not something to be earned, but an unconditional gift to be received with no strings attached. God’s grace is available to whosoever will may come and open up their heart and let it in. What a difference it makes when you are no longer living with your goal being to be accepted and valued. God already loves you more than you could even conceive or imagine. When we operate with our hearts filled, we are then ready to be spilled knowing that God will never allow our wells to run dry!

I think we are all susceptible to become victims of our environments. The world’s mantra is “You Have Got To Look Out For Number One,” with the main subject of life’s sentence being quite self-centered. God says that if we want to capture the secret of life, it is not so much in the getting as it is in the giving. God so loved that He gave us Himself. He never thought that as a wasted move. The only mistake would be not participating in the party that the Lord has invited us to be a part of. Pride is deadly and poisonous. It keeps us lost in the fog when if we would only humble ourselves and ask for help, we could be alive and well out in the open.

Will this be another Holiday Season of so much wasted time? David Cassidy’s words have been a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love and to not waste those precious moments when I can put my creativity into practice. We are not always a victim of our circumstances. We can intentionally make decisions to do what we can to change the state that we claim to be stuck in. What if we let God lead and stopped letting the crowd dictate our decisions?

Last Saturday Night, Mike, Jeff and I were on the B Train coming back from Yankee Stadium heading into Manhattan so we could catch the Path Train back to Hoboken where I parked my car. We had gone to see some College Football as Notre Dame beat up on Syracuse in route to what turned out to be an undefeated regular season. It really was a great day but there were a couple of situations where the same old ugly anxiety tried to rear its ugly head and steal my joy.

There we were, packed in like sardines on the B Train and we weren’t moving. It was hot, stuffy, crowded and things got no better when the Conductor came on with the news that, “We are experiencing signal issues and other problems and will be stuck here indefinitely. Thank you for your patience.” I muttered under my breath, “As if I had a choice.” It was taking forever. All of a sudden, I had a migraine coming on and it felt like the walls were closing in. I wanted to scream. I closed my eyes and prayed and asked God what to do. The defeated me would have stayed put and given in to the circumstances. The me that refused to surrender to “wasting time” made a decision. I asked Mike and Jeff if they were willing to go for a walk. Sure, it would be traveling 40 plus blocks but they both quickly agreed.

Just coming up out of the pit and getting out above the ground into the fresh air invigorated me. We were in the Big Apple! People paid big bucks to walk the route we were about to embark upon. We strolled past Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle. I actually started singing Barry Manilow’s song, “New York City Rhythm” at the top of my lungs. It’s New York, no one cares!

We continued on passing the Ed Sullivan Theater, the Brill Building, right down Broadway and Times Square! I even bought hot chestnuts from a vendor! I love hot chestnuts! We made a memory out of what the enemy meant to be a mess. I came home not silenced by stress, but lifted up via life lived and laughter shared. And it was inspired by the line, “All the wasted time.” Not this time! Not today!

Living at its fullest takes an effort for you and I to get up and change the channel! Get your eyes off the “Me Station” and tune into the “He Station!” Get your perspective on things above! The Conductor of the B Train may be sharing bad news but the Conductor of the Gospel Express is calling you to come out from underneath the ground and get out into God’s fresh air! Look at who you’re with! Look at what’s around you! Instead of being consumed by who doesn’t love you and what doesn’t happen and where you aren’t; concentrate on the truth that God does love you and you have a purpose and that assignment can be experienced wherever you are planted! Look at the One who wants to make sure that all your wasted days and wasted nights are no more!

Put down the smart phone! It might be the most intelligent move you make this week. Let’s return to the times when if you wanted to communicate with one another, you didn’t use your thumbs to text, but your tongue to talk! Here is my challenge as we embark upon Thanksgiving 2018! Make as much eye contact as you possibly can. Be intentional about every conversation you engage in to look to learn something new about that one you say means so much. Don’t leave the table prematurely. The Football Game will always be there, season after season. Unfortunately, that Mom, Dad, Pop-Pop, Nana, Son or Daughter may not be and will you wait too late before you realize how precious each moment with one another truly is?

Put the smart phones down. Over the river and through the woods to Black Friday Sales we go? In this day and age, what item do we need that badly that we can’t wait another twenty-four hours to purchase? If you need to get out and about, why not grab that somebody special and take a long walk together. Reminisce about the reasons you love each other. Remember the memories that helped make you who you are today. Reflect upon the many blessings that will cause you to be grateful rather than incite you to be hateful. Put on that new vinyl and dance to those oldies but goodies. Do your children know your favorite things? There is not an app for that! You are going to have to communicate if you ever hope to relate.

Put the smart phones down. The greatest treasure that we have to give is our time so that we may offer our undivided attention. As I often wonder every weekend when I officiate the Services at The Lighthouse Church, everyone is in such a hurry but is where we are going worth the priority we give it? Whenever I go to minister overseas, church is the place to be. People coming together to worship, to connect, to be there for one another is the main objective every week. I often believe that American Christians go to church on the road to their real destination. According to the Scriptures, is there anything more important than loving God and loving one another? We may agree with that principle with a shake of the head but with the results of our behavior, our walk doesn’t validate our talk. What if you made it a goal to have at least three significant conversations every time you walked through the doors of your place of Worship? How many members of your Congregation would you say that you know very well? How many of them would you consider Family? The Bible says that we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ. What do you say?

Put the smart phones down. Drive the car with your undivided attention. Sing along with the Radio. Ask your Kids what they are learning in School. We complain that the Teens don’t say very much but dare I say that we Adults are not making a very concentrated effort! When is the last time you actually skipped the Drive-Thru so that you could sit together and share a burger, soda and some great conversation? How many things do we try to do on the run? Did Jesus multi-task? The only reason that our Lord was able to do the Miracle of Feeding the 5000 is because that many people showed up and stuck around long enough to stay for dinner! I believe that God needs to instruct us to follow the instructions that He gave to Moses when He said, “Take off your sandals Moses! This is Holy Ground.” I might add, “Take off your shoes and stay awhile.”

Put the smart phones down. What if you gathered all the gadgets before you sat down to eat this Thursday. What if we risked being called a few choice names to set the stage for some Holiday Magic to take place? So, they roll their eyes. So, they hem and haw and sigh and snort. When I was a Youth Pastor, one of my favorite activities that I would do this time of the year was what we called “Destination Unknown.” The Teens would show up and I’d put them all on the Church Bus and then I proceeded to put them in Teams of Four that included three Young People and an Adult. We then drove them around our Town and dropped them off at the homes of our Senior Saints. I told them that we would come and get them in an hour and a half, but during that time, they had to find out all they could about the people who were hosting them. Do you know that this became one of the most popular events of the year? Do you know that many beautiful mentoring relationships were birthed because we just set the pieces in place for connections to blossom and bloom? There are Dating Web Sites; what if we pushed the envelope a bit and nudged people to look at each other and see if they can discover some golden nuggets of lifechanging truth? Could we be on the verge of a Thanksgiving Miracle?

Put down the smart phone. Go visit your neighbors. I know for many, it might be the very first time! Share some baked goodies. Do them a good deed. At the very least, smile! You know that I’m not a big Fan of the times we live in. I know that God has a plan and a purpose for all of us and there is a reason that we are here for such a time as this, but for all this technology, I think the Human Race has taken two steps forward and twenty steps backwards. We may be smarter but we act so dumb. Everybody reaches for their phones to document these days and times with pictures and video but while we are consumed with getting that done, I’m afraid we miss the moments that matter! I don’t have any videos of the 1960’s but I have them in my heart. And it is on Thanksgiving Day that I cherish the past while I hope for the future but take hold of the present.

I’m am not going to use my Smart Phone this Thanksgiving Day. Will you do the same? Please share your experiences with me. Hey here is a novel idea. Write me a Note and tell me how it went. I have a feeling we will see what we might have missed if we were too busy looking at our hands that we forfeited what could only be viewed by the heart! Have a Blessed Thanksgiving! You can write me Pastor Rudy at The Lighthouse Church, 1248 Route 9 South, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210… I promise I will write you back!

What have been some of the toughest realities of your life that you have had to deal with? How has God given you what you needed to battle through? In my own dozen year war dealing with issues that have included but not limited to anxiety, depression and OCD; I can honestly tell you that the Lord hasn’t fixed it like I hoped He would. I thought healing would come faster and restoration be finished by now. It has also forced me to face the following questions, “Why is our real enemy not the brokenness we deal with but the pride that causes us to hide who we really are? How honest are you with God in your prayers? How authentic have you been willing to be with yourself and are you ready to risk vulnerability with the family and friends that you surround you?”

I think that for too long my goal has been to return to the Rudy I was before all the craziness began. I have been expecting the Lord to take me back to how I used to be so I can pick up where I left off. Herein lies my biggest obstacle. Why would God allow all the up and down experiences of the last 12 years if they were not going to play a significant role in who the Lord is making me become? Rather than label these as the lost period of my journey, what if God saw them more as the launch into the redeemed Rudy?

How can we be thankful in all situations even when we are not thankful for all situations? I can answer that dilemma by sharing that as low as we may go, God goes even deeper with us than that. Just because it appears that the Lord is silent, doesn’t mean He is absent. I may have done my share of complaining but Jesus is still my constant companion. Life can be unbelievably difficult but the Lord is unconditionally present. I notice Him more when I need Him most! In my subtraction, God is my necessary addition. Would I have been so dependent upon Heaven’s grace if earth’s agenda had been more user friendly? I don’t think so!

Paul challenged us to forget what has already happened behind us so we can be pressing on to the adventure still on our horizon! God forgives and forgets our sin. Why are we stubbornly hanging onto what the Lord has boldly declared for us to let go? I don’t want to go backwards. I can’t redo what has been recorded in the books. I can apply the lessons learned as my bridges were burned because my future is not in my past anyway. Where is God taking the more mature me? My body may bear the battle scars but God has promised that freedom will still get a chance to ring. The best is still yet to come and the last I checked, it is not a rerun of what was but exciting previews of what is still yet to be. The house in my heart may have been well lived in but the value of the property has definitely increased in value. The taxes may have been demanding but the dawn of a new day is here. Jesus paid it all and all to Him I owe. Sin has left a crimson stain but God has taken the burnt-out soil and made it fertile and holy ground. There is nothing like growing bouquets of roses in the desert! There is nothing like a delicious dessert of ice cream to soothe a hard and difficult day.

Where are you today on the highway of holiness? What are you really hoping for? Are you longing for the good old days? Are you dreaming about the possibilities of tomorrow? I can’t hide the battle fatigue anymore. I can’t pretend that I can start living again when all the clouds decide to disappear. God has taught me how to dance in the rain and march in my own parade in spite of the pain. The enemy can throw some booby traps in the runway but this plane is going to land in Paradise. Let’s stop putting off until tomorrow what must happen today. Thanks for the memories Lord, but I am never going back again. Instead of championing what we once were; it is time to celebrate the people we are becoming. God is making something beautiful and He is doing it in you and me!

I am a lover of “Love Songs.” As a hopeless romantic, I have always favored those big ballads that celebrate the highs and lows of relationships. Barry Manilow is one of my all time favorite performers because music and passion are always in fashion when he records another hit single. I cherish tunes with lots of key changes and that big high note finish!

How about you? What are some of your all time favorite love songs? If you have somebody sitting near you as you read this, turn to that neighbor and share one of yours with them. I’d say, “sing it to them,” but that could cause problems! One of my favorite odes to romance is a song written by the Gershwin’s entitled, “Our Love Is Here To Say.” Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Wayne Newton, Harry Connick, Michael Bublé and many other Crooners took a crack at it but in my opinion, the best version is the one by Nat King Cole. One of the greatest voices that God ever gave a human being comes out of the mouth of Nat King Cole. When he sings, “In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they’re only made of clay but our love is here to stay.”

Over the years, I have written and sung many love songs to my wife Terri and my Lord Jesus. To express my appreciation and devotion comes pretty easily for me. My fault is not having enough to say but maybe saying a bit too much. A song with 27 verses may get a bit monotonous! I’ll tell you one composition you wouldn’t find in my notebook. I have never constructed a tune that told of my unfailing appreciation for all my trials and tribulations. As a matter of fact, I have put together my own psalms begging God to take away all my hard times and keeping my path free from detours. Pain and its scheming companions like affliction, suffering, hardship and adversity are often seen as the invading enemies of life. Whenever I spy one of those coming at me, I tend to turn and run.

Truth be told, in our comfort-at-all-costs culture, when our comfort zones get the squeeze, we get angry. Yet according to the Bible, pain is a necessary part of life. And although we may not like it, we can learn to grow through it by learning its lessons. There’s a holy tension involved in trying to accept the pain that God allows while at the same time fighting to overcome it. I fluctuate between my desire to worship God and yet still whine to Him. One moment I want to hug Him and a second later, slug Him. It is of great importance that we learn to see pain from God’s perspective.

The Bible reveals that suffering is both inevitable and essential. Contrary to the TV Preachers who wear their Rolexes and drive their Rolls Royce to their gold studded studio pulpits, the “health and wealth gospel” that falsely proclaim that if Christians just have enough faith, they won’t suffer, Jesus said that in this world we would have our fill of trials and tribulations. You can be holy and harried. You can pray and still be pummeled. You can read your Bible and still be bullied by the things of this culture. I’m not saying that we have to pretend to cherish our persecution but let’s not forget that God informed us that He would use these difficulties to deliver us to look more like the Lord we claim to follow.

In Christianity, the word “comfort” means more than just soothing someone’s sorrow. It means “strengthening” what has already been made solid once but now is being rebolstered and refurbished so it can handle even more pressure. Christians don’t bring Jesus to the mix but they actually reveal the truth that He is already there. When we shine our light, we expose to what those living in darkness just can’t see. Though the enemy receives exhilaration by putting the squeeze on our earthly comfort, God’s spiritual truths will always open the door to an inexplicable strength, peace, and joy. When we understand that every single Believer is going to battle sin and take on temptation, and experience both good and bad times, maybe we can learn that our songs aren’t always going to have lyrics that are happy and peppy and bursting with love. If you have been married for any length of time, you know that life has got to get deeper than just the romantic ballads. Life also includes songs for the battle and melodies of forgiveness, and music for mourning and a larger catalogue than just positive pop. Jesus taught us how to sing the songs of loneliness and for the joy set before us, endure the crosses that we are destined to carry.

Real faith lasts. It might get rocked and roll. It might get shaken, rattled and dashed. The enemy will throw everything at Believers including the kitchen sink. The pure power is not that I sing, “I Believe,” but even through it all, “I Still Believe.” Because Jesus Christ Himself has invaded my heart and soul, I have decided to follow Him and not turn back. Jesus has given us His word and we have His life on it that even though in time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they’re only made of clay but, God’s love is here to stay! I still believe.

Many people believe in a God that they don’t trust. They offer an intellectual nod to the truth that there is a God but they refuse to surrender their hearts and souls to His Lordship and leadership. On the other hand, you can’t trust in a God you don’t believe in. What makes us think that perfect faith occurs with one quick prayer? Why do we buy into the lie that we humans can get to a place in our spiritual walk where we never doubt or struggle or ask any more questions? You will only get so far if your sphere of spirituality is limited to academia alone. If you don’t get out and begin to walk with Jesus, you will have no positive memories to build your Christianity upon. I hate computer passwords. We are challenged to make our passwords so difficult that others can’t steal our identity. The only problem is that I make my passwords so obscure, I can’t even remember them. So, what do I end up doing? I have to create a new password every time I enter. There are a few sights that are an exception to the rule. There are a few pages I visit so often that I couldn’t forget the password if I tried. The more you connect with God, the deeper He enters into your memory bank. If you visit the Lord sporadically, chances are very good that you have to keep on starting from scratch. But if being with Jesus becomes a habitual connection, you can be sure you won’t forget how to enter into the resources that are available to those who walk by faith.

My childhood address was 89 Summit Ave in Cedar Knolls NJ. The telephone number was 201-539-8706. My Kindergarten Teacher’s name was Mrs. Osborne. I can vividly remember all the details of Terri and my first date. It occurred on April 24, 1981 and we ate at Pizza Hut. I can’t tell you what Terri made for Dinner last night. It was at 9:07 on September 24, 1969 that the Mets first clinched the pennant. Gary Gentry induced Joe Torre of the St. Louis Cardinals to hit into a double play. What time did I get up this morning? I have no clue. I know all the words to every Barry Manilow song. I still need the projector to know the words of the songs we presently sing at church. We remember what matters most to us.

I marvel at how amazing the human mind is, especially in its ability to record and store data in the form of memory. There are essentially two things that distinguish between what cements itself in our long-term memory and what goes in one door of the brain only to quickly slip outside the other. The first is the significance that we attach to the thing we’re remembering. The second is how frequently we think about it and how often we recall that memory or how frequently it springs to mind on its own. I share my little stroll down memory lane because one of the best aids to climbing out of the valley of despair is to remember what God has done! But you can’t draw from a memory bank that you have made no deposits in. Are you giving God legitimate room to work within your life? It’s nice to read what God did for Israel and the early Christians and the Saints of old, but what has He done in and through you? You can’t expect God to do it again if you never gave Him the chance to do it in the first place!

When I start to fight my spiritual amnesia, one of my go to Books of the Bible was written by the Old Testament Prophet named Habakkuk. When he began to wrestle with all that was happening in his present, he dove into the annals of all the Lord had done for him and his people in the past. Rather than being so shortsighted that he could got duped by misreading the circumstances being reported to him on the daily news, he got out the God movies and highlighted all the God moves and began to beg the Father of Heaven to, “Do It Again!” It’s almost as if Habakkuk were saying, “Hey, guys, remember when God delivered us from the bondage of Egypt and He opened up the Red Sea and He led us through the wilderness and He made the walls fall in Jericho? Can you imagine how different our world would be if what God did then, He also does now? It’s that experience we have with our children and grandchildren when we do something that brings joy or hope or security to them. As a matter of fact, it is music to this Father and Grandfather’s ears when he hears, “Do it again, Daddy! Do it again Pop-Pop!” When was the last time you looked up to Heaven and begged the God who loves you beyond words to, “Do it again?”

Habakkuk understood the importance of this kind of remembering. He is honest about his feelings of what is going on around him. He doesn’t agree with God or have a clue what the Lord is doing and why He is choosing to do it the way He does. But Habakkuk has been through enough that He is willing to live by faith even when the facts give him a very uneasy feeling. And the Prophet prays a prayer that every Believer should still be praying 2600 years later. In Habakkuk 3:2, he prays, “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. “God, I remember what you did. You took my breath away and shut my mouth with Your amazing display of Your Deity. God, I remember what you can do. Now please renew those deeds in our day.”

When I’m in the valley and when I’m in the pits, You are the same God yesterday, today and forever. When the dog bites, when the bee stings and when I’m feeling sad, I simply need to remember God’s greatest hits and then I don’t feel so bad, alone, scared, anxious, depressed and hopeless. What God did before; God will do again and this time it will be even better than yesteryear. I just have to recall all that God has done in my life for me, through me, even in spite of me. I must return, renew, replay and restore to everything that has to do with who I know God is. When I can’t see him in my present situation, I remember what he’s done in the past and expect Him to show up again tomorrow. Don’t say you don’t remember. Make “Jesus Memories”— the only way to remember!

You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. I hardly believe it and I lived it. It was supposed to be my triumphant return to traveling. It was lined up to be a weekend to remember. I will remember it alright, but not for the reasons that I had imagined. What should have been an exciting tale of adventure ended up a real horror story.  

It is the second time this year that Hallmark provided me with an opportunity of a lifetime. It is the second time this year that I completely struck out. I have had the privilege to interview many Hallmark Stars on my daily “Rudy On The Radio” Show. In July, Hallmark put me in their lineup but I never even got up to bat. I was invited as a member of the media to come to Hollywood to represent the Hallmark Movie and Mystery Channel Classic Series, “Signed Sealed Delivered.” I should have met its Postables Stars Kristin Booth and Crystal Lowe. I could have hung out with Series Creator and Writer Martha Williamson. Martha’s other claim to fame was a Series entitled “Touch By An Angel.” I had a pass with my name on it at the Universal Studio Front Gate. I ended up staying home because I was the only Pastor left standing at The Lighthouse Church that week. Jeff was on a Missions Trip. Charlie was out all Summer because of foot surgery. Adam had just handed in his resignation with plans to move to Arizona. I felt an obligation to not abandon my post as Senior Pastor and so Tinseltown came and went.

This past weekend I was invited to again represent the media at the Hallmark Channel’s “When Calls The Heart” Family Reunion being held in Hope Valley itself, better known on the map as Vancouver, British Colombia. “When Calls The Heart” is a series reminiscent of “Little House On The Prairie.” As a matter of fact, its Executive Producer is Michael Landon, Jr. so the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Its stars include Lori Loughlin of “Full House” fame, Jack Wagner of “General Hospital lore, and Philadelphia’s own Erin Krakow. This time I was determined to make it. In spite of my battles with anxiety and navigating through daily OCD issues, I was packed and ready to go last Wednesday. This time I was determined to leave the paralyzed past behind me. Let’s just say that instead of coming up roses, the lemons were in full supply.

As my Wife Terri drove me to the Philadelphia Airport, it felt like my stomach was hosting a three-ring circus. My courageous confidence had sprung a leak and I did not want to leave the van when Terri pulled up curbside to American Airlines. She literally threw me out of the vehicle. It got no better when I went in. As we all know, nothing is included in the price of an airline ticket and I soon was told that my luggage was overweight and I threw out several of my shirts and pants right at the ticket counter. Still I pressed on. I was no sooner on the plane when I knew something was terribly wrong. The rumblings on my insides spelled immediate trouble and although the Flight Attendant ordered me to stay in my seat, I bolted by her to the airplane lavatory where I tossed my cookies and every other ingredient that swimming inside my churning seas. I exited with the knowledge that everyone else on the plane knew what was happening in there. Still I planted myself back in my seat and 5 and a half hours later, we landed in Los Angeles. I forgot to mention that I was sitting next to a woman wearing headphones who moaned and groaned and cursed her way through the entire journey. I thought it couldn’t get any worse. It did!

My connecting flight included an hour and a half wait on the runway while someone who illegally got on the plane using a phony passport was properly dealt with. The Pilot informed us that once the case was settled, we would have to refuel because we had used most of it just sitting there. It was after Midnight when we landed in Vancouver, British Columbia but at least I made it and hoped that after a good night’s sleep, things would look better in the morning.

The Rental Car place did not have the vehicle that I had asked for. They said that I was being upgraded at a slight increase of cost and I would love the Volvo waiting for me. I didn’t even know how to start the thing and had to return to the Budget Counter just to ask them how to get it going. I used my GPS on my smartphone to find my way to the Hotel that I had to make a last-minute reservation at. The reason I did so was because there was a mix up at the Hilton that I should have been arriving to. When I pulled into the other place of Lodging, it couldn’t have been a seedier setting even if I could have imagined a worst-case scenario. Don’t worry, I didn’t stay there as the place was locked up tight. The only people awake were those in the all-night Liquor Store which stood adjacent to the property. I called my wife and asked Terri to help me as I continued to drive through most of Vancouver looking for a place to stay. I think Mary and Joseph had a better shot as everywhere I checked, I heard those immortal words, “No Room!”

It was after 4AM when Terri finally booked me something online and it was after 5AM when I finally got into bed but sleep was out of my reach. If only I could have slept all day, it might have been different but checkout time was 11AM and I had a lunch date with the Cooper Gals of the UP Network’s Show “Date My Dad!” Zenia Marshall, Lilah Fitzgerald and Audrey Smallman and their Mom’s were to meet me at Noon. I was singing the oldies as I got into my Volvo to make my way to Vancouver Metrotown. Suddenly, my internet on my phone refused to work and so I tried to pioneer it but I am directionally challenged when I do know where I am going. This is where it hit me that I should not have been travelling alone because I was so preoccupied with everything that I drove right through a red light and saw two cars coming right at me and I actually closed my eyes anticipating the crash. It never came and when I somehow found myself still alive on the other side of that intersection, I decided right then and there to turn around and head home!

Taking whatever flight I could in order to get back to Philly, I ended up in the middle seat and felt hemmed in like a lion in a cage. Needless to say, my anxiety had been doused with an entire can of lighter fluid. I went from Cape May County to Philly to LA to Vancouver, BC to LA to Philly to Cape May in less than 48 hours. No sleep. No contacts. No victory. Lots of embarrassment, frustration and a familiar sense of defeat. It was not how Hallmark would have scripted it. It was not the way I wanted it to go. I wanted to come home the conquering hero. I ended up just being thankful I got home.

I tried, I really did. I wanted to have tons of exciting stories to tell about meeting the beloved Hallmark Stars I get to interview quite regularly on LIFT FM. I wanted to be able to say that the anxiety and OCD were laid waste in the dust. All I can say is that I’m home and I will wait on the Lord as He continues to reveal His purpose and plan for me. There will be critics who call me a failure or look at me with a sense of sorrow but all I know is I’m still here and I won’t give up or give in until God determines that I’m done! I also won’t judge anyone who lives as a fighter against the daily dark demons that want to disqualify us from drinking in the true delights of life. Look up and look out Family, for those who walk by faith, the best is still yet to come no matter what the last 48 hours of horror hold! I may be beyond exhausted, but I’m not done or dead yet!

If we are going to love others like Jesus loves us, we had better be ready for some opposition. We need to eagerly and constantly grow in our intimacy with God. Our union with Him takes us in the right direction because we are in the holy connection with the One who loves us so. At the same time, we need to become educated in the fact that we all have an enemy and the goal of the darkness is to keep us from walking in the light of the Lord in any way possible. When we behave as if we are clueless and act irresponsibly, we walk right into the trap and become prime candidates to become nothing more than victims of the devil’s schemes.   

This is why it is essential that any servant of the Lord must consider that if he or she is serious about becoming a strong, active and learning follower of the Lord, they must not be lulled into sleep by thinking it will be smooth sailing. Hell longs to rock the boat of Heaven. That evil, slimy, old lying serpent named Satan, that fallen angel formerly known as Lucifer, will do anything he can to block Believers from reaching their goal.

We’ve been studying 1 Thessalonians on the weekends here at The Lighthouse Church. In my most recent message, we came to a passage in Chapter 2 where we discovered how Paul was separated from his beloved Thessalonians even though he yearned to be with them. His heart was with them. His parental instincts wanted to take care of them. The Pastor in him wanted to make sure that they were growing and thriving in their faith. He had been ripped apart from his precious people. More than once he tried to return to finish what he started. Still, Paul had no success in seeing that dream realized. What was holding him back? The Bible tells us that Satan blocked his way. That is a specialty of the accuser. We should never be naïve about that. 

Paul tells us in another letter of his, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Paul was very discerning. Why? Because we learn in the Book of Acts that there were other instances when it was the Holy Spirit who was opening and closing doors. We learn in Acts Chapter 16, verses 6 and 7 the apostle Paul was moving on his missionary enterprise when he was stopped by the Holy Spirit.  Acts 16:6 informs us that Paul and his associates passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word in Asia. When they had come to Mysia, they were trying to go to Bithynia and the Spirit of Jesus didn’t permit them. This wasn’t the enemy shutting the door, here he is being stopped by the Holy Spirit.   

In Thessalonians, it was Satan setting up obstacles. In Acts it was the Lord opening and shutting doors. I believe that every person who calls themselves a Christian must learn the difference between circumstances when it is God shutting a door and times when the devil just blocks the way. In our relationship with the Savior, we need to know the difference. Since both are possible, how can we get to the point where we are able to determine who is who and what is what?

When God shuts a door, it is usually to open up a new path for us to travel upon. God never calls His Children to nothing. If it is the Lord saying, “No” to us, we need to then prayerfully uncover what He is saying, “Yes” to. When the enemy gets in the way, it is to lure us into quitting or stopping or rolling over and giving up. God calls us to His will. Satan throws obstacles in the way of God’s will. So if you are pursuing Holiness, and something gets in the way, ask “God, if you are shutting this door, what new marching orders do you have for me?” If you receive the answer that you need to keep doing what you are doing, then you may conclude that it isn’t the Lord shutting you down; but it is the enemy trying to steal, kill and destroy what God is doing in you and through you!

The enemy can’t stop what God has ordained to do in the long run. But there is something that he can do.  He wants to hinder the progress. The word Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 2 to describe the demonic activity was “block.” In the original Greek translation, it is better translated “hinder” or “thwart.” It is a very interesting word. It’s a military word. It means to dig a trench or to break up a road. If your army is sitting here and the enemy comes along, one of the ways that you would defeat the enemy is by making sure he can’t get access to you. What you would do is send your soldiers out to dig a massive trench. They can’t cross the trench without recalculating their strategy. Block means to go out and break up the road. Block means to rip that baby to shreds.  

Ancient roads would be made of stone. Tearing it up hindered speed. Paul says, I want to come, but Satan’s breaking up the road. Satan’s dug a bunch of trenches, I can’t get there… yet! You see the enemy can slow you down but he can’t make you stop. Hell’s hope is that you will quit. You will take his obstacles as indestructible and that would be a huge mistake. Yes, the enemy slowed Paul down but he didn’t stop God’s will. In Acts 20, we see Paul does get back to Thessalonica. The devil meant to get Paul to turn in his resignation but all he could do was slow him down and force the warrior Apostle to have to trust God to navigate the way to seeing God’s will be done.

God’s will is to bring people to Jesus and to use us to bring Jesus to the people. God’s will is for all of us to grow up in our faith by being in the process of always making progress in our relationship with God. God’s will is equipping us to become an important part of fulfilling the purpose. He never called any of us to be spectators or have the gift of sitting on the bench. If obstacles start appearing because you are fervently going after doing God’s will, when the door shuts and there is no definitive direction to accomplish the above in another way, you can bet that you are being sucker punch by the prince of darkness. 

The servant of God must understand who God is and what God wants and he or she must understand the tactics of the enemy. We’ve got to recognize the distinct difference between God shifting gears and plain old ugly satanic opposition. Remember this, though Satan is opposing us, he is controlled by the overruling providence and sovereignty of God. He can only do what he can do within the limits that God allows. God allowed him to deal with Paul. Why? In Paul’s weakness he was made strong.  What is life making you? How has the enemy tried to break up your road?

You may be facing obstacles today. Every child of God will! But God is always at work and if you turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, the things of this earth will grow strangely dim and the light of His glory gets you back on your feet! And what the enemy thought would stop you will actually make you strong enough to not accept defeat. He tried to take Jesus out with Judas but it only got Jesus to the Cross where the Author of Life would finally disarm death for all of us, once and for all!

Don’t let your story be preempted by the obstacles! You are a child of God and you will finish what he started. Get up and be reminded that you are not done in any way shape or form!

I was shut in this past weekend because I literally felt in my body like a truck not only ran me over, but it backed up again to finish the job. I had pain where I never thought pain existed. As a Pastor, I too live for the weekends but not in the same way that most of our culture anticipates Friday through Sunday. I want it to come so I can do what I believe God created me to do and that is share His word as effectively as possible to as many as possible. I long to give away every ounce my heart and soul has to offer to bless the Lighthouse Church Family that I have learned to love so much. It is never a good thing when this Preacher can’t preach. It is like I am stuck with all this pent-up energy that is not released and I almost feel the pressure building like I am going to explode. This is why writing my weekly contribution is so very cathartic for me. Today it serves as the next best thing to speaking it with my lips, I am instead writing it with my pen but it still holds as much passion as I can possibly pack within a few sentences.

I like listening to several Preachers to keep me sharp and at my best. The ones I tune in to regularly include Tony Evans, Tim Keller, John Ortberg, John Piper and Steven Furtick. A Shepherd can’t properly nurture others if he doesn’t allow his soul to be nourished on a regular basis. This past Sunday it was the always entertaining and refreshingly truthful Steven Furtick I tuned into. His message was entitled, “Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety.” His text was Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 3 and verses 1-3 which read: “Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. ² Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. ³ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reasons for such confidence.” The one statement that just connected with my heart was when Steven Furtick said, “We are raising a Generation that doesn’t have to train for their trophies and display too much false confidence that is based upon no competence!” Wow! Those words set my brain racing to my heart to process properly this loaded sentence.

We all want to be confident but it matters greatly what foundation you build your resume upon. Cockiness is misguided confidence that has no substance to back up its claims. Bullying is nothing more than ignorance masked in intimidation. And just because an individual comes across as strong and mighty doesn’t mean that it is nothing more than a façade that hides raging insecurity. The Apostle Paul tells us plainly that it is not how much confidence we have but in what source we choose to put it that counts the most. He gave testimony that he placed, “zero confidence in his own flesh.” It is not our works that make us who we are but God’s work within us that should define us the most. When we start making lists about our own accomplishments rather than looking to the Lord and what He has done within us, we will always come up short. Trying to shine bright on our efforts alone spring from self-driven motives and produce short term results. Leaning heavily upon God’s presence within us transforms us into humbly selfless yet fiercely devoted Disciples!  

Over the years, I have come to realize that the wisest people are not those who claim to know it all but they that are willing to ask many questions. I say that one of the biggest knocks on the Church today is that they talk a good game but, on the field, showcase too much sloppy play. We aren’t willing to learn and grow in our position as we adjust the load on the road. We pretend and, in the end, we come up empty because we haven’t trained well to show ourselves competent. Belief is confirmed by behavior. We can talk all we want, but what happens when we are put on the proverbial spot?

If we don’t teach kids how to properly play baseball but we assure them of a trophy no matter what, we have cheapened the integrity of the game. Christians want to act like we are already living in Heaven, but that is not the case. Faith is necessary to run the race here on Earth and if you don’t invest in a proper pair of running shoes coached by a Leader who knows the course inside and out, all you do is run aimlessly and needlessly. Yet when it is Banquet Time, you still want accolades when you persevered not at all. Steven Furtick said it like this, “When your circumstance is not reflecting your confession, your phony faith collapses beneath the weight of your unmet expectations. Jesus went through Hell to get us to Heaven. What makes us think that our map won’t show us some of the same scenery that our Blessed Lord survived and paved our way through?

Consistency in walking with Jesus leads to the confidence that comes with real life experience that leads to a godly character being forged within us as we go. Confidence is not our birthright without living within the daily fight. The day of celebration will come when the season is over but life is more like a locker room than a ballroom. Jesus is our Savior and our Sustainer. Jesus is our Coach and our Course. Jesus is our Perfecter and our Power. If we are to have any kind of confidence at all, it should be in the One who won the victory on Calvary. If we are to boast and brag, let our cheers be lifting peoples’ eyes beyond ourselves and onto Jesus. Our confidence lasts only in Christ alone and if you are attempting to share the spotlight, then it is time to get out of the photo so that the picture is loud and clear.

I know I suffer from “separation anxiety.” I do not handle the departure of loved ones very well. Maybe because the two human beings that I know truly loved me inside and out were taken from me just when I still needed them most. My “Nana” was my hero and hiding place. The only time I would ever stay overnight at another’s house when I was growing up was when I was with my amazing Grandmother. She was a little Italian lady and stood all of 4 foot 11! I was as tall as she was when I was only five. The woman loved well and wide and deep. She was the epitome of putting others before herself. Her face would beam when I walked in the room. I returned the favor. I loved her as much as a child could. But on July 2, 1965 Francis Tedesco graduated to Glory. And with her went a precious piece of my young heart. Little did I know, it would be the first of many heartaches to come.

My Daddy was my best friend. His name was Rudy also. He was the real deal. I grew up his right-hand man. I was his helper and his constant companion. I always felt safe and secure in his presence. I would call him many times and he would wax eloquently about some subject that had nothing to do with what I was talking about and yet I always felt better after I had been with him. My Father not only taught me how to live but also how to die. In early 2000, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. I totally changed my plans so that I could be down in Florida with him as much as possible. It ending up totaling over seven weeks altogether during the year, but I wouldn’t trade a second of it. There was no regret as I was privileged to be holding his hand as the Lord Jesus took his other hand. My heart was shredded on that night of September 13, 2000. I knew that in Heaven he would no longer be in pain but I hated to see him go. I miss him still and with not a hint of exaggeration, I still dream about him every night even after 18 years.

This past weekend, I had to say, “See you later,” to the man who has been my closest and most valuable partner in ministry for the last ten years. Adam Nudo and his lovely wife Lori are on a pilgrimage to Arizona to reside with their three adult Daughters and their families that include two grandchildren. I was scolded for not being happier for them as they embark upon this new adventure, but I am not wired in the way that hides my feelings very well. I am known for wearing my heart on my sleeve. And as I sat in the final Lighthouse Church Service with Adam leading our worship, my insides ached. I didn’t want him to go but I knew I was not going to stand in God’s way for them. I miss them already. Nobody will ever be able to replace him. People can’t be replaced. Positions might be refilled but relationships are pure gold. The Lone Ranger and Tonto and Laurel and Hardy and Batman and Robin and Snoopy and Charlie and Rudy and Adam will always be another dynamic duo that had some incredible experiences together.

This week also brings a change of address for Tom and Barbara Crouthamel. There is not enough room in this article to tell you how much better we all are because of these two being present in our lives, our church and our community. God used this couple to give The Lighthouse Church leadership direction, wisdom and a godly witness. Tom and Barb are surrogate Parents to me. I actually went to Philadelphia College of Bible with their oldest Daughter Barbie and isn’t just like the Lord to reunite us all in this little neck of Cape May County? Barbie married Tom Savage another PCB Friend of mine and my Daughter Leah would go on to marry their Son Jeff and now we really are family! But now the Crouthamels are packing up to go on the road to be with their Families. Again, while I understand the reasons it must happen, my soul is letting them go while I am kicking and screaming to hold on. I am the kind of person that may just chain myself to their bumper. I will not be the same without them in the same zip code! I won’t pretend to be cheerful when I am truly more tearful. So why do I have such an issue with saying, “Goodbye?” Why do so many people make the mistake of playing it so safe that they keep their hearts locked in protective cases rather than allow them to get fully involved? Why do we attempt to love from a distance when we were created to function face to face? Is it because we fear being cut to the core? Is it because we are worried over it coming to an end that we may never allow a true beginning?

Do you know that separation is not in our DNA? Separation came with sin. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey the Lord, they caused a schism in the family that would never be wholly repaired this side of Heaven. This is why we struggle so much with death and departure. It is foreign territory to our spirit. Could this be why one of the most precious promises that God ever made us was, “I will never leave you nor forsake you?” Humans can’t keep that bond. We die. We move. We leave. We quit. Jesus conquered sin and death to give us the hope that in the life to come, there will be no more division. My inner being cries for that to be true now. I yearn for a world where we don’t ever have to say, “So Long” again. I believe that desire comes from the Creator Himself. Maybe we shouldn’t be so shocked when we still battle the blues years after another slice of our heart was cut away so quickly and so unwelcomingly. Maybe not all emotional tissues heal themselves. Maybe the scars are a staunch reminder that God didn’t make us robots after all!

The good news is that there is a solution via a Savior and with Him comes the promise of eternal reunion. The better news is that this gift of salvation is available to whosoever would come and humbly receive it by grace through faith. I’m going to a place where there will be no more dying and no more exit strategies. Until I get there, I have learned that the pain is a divine reminder that I am not home yet. Maybe you feel that way too and it might be more normal than you ever realized!