I CAN STILL RECALL THE SMOG ALERTS of my childhood. It seemed as though there were at least 3-4 days each fall when a smog alert would be issued and thus school activities curtailed. I remember having our football practices cancelled, and our games postponed because the air was that toxic. UGH! I can even remember driving through Los Angeles in the middle of the afternoon with the car headlights on because the smog was hampering visibility. Double UGH! Breath in and your chest hurt. Fortunately, believe it or not, things are better. Not perfect, but better.
I can remember driving up to Big Bear Lake and breathing in that clean, crisp mountain air. I think we actually breathed double time, trying to get as much in us as possible and hoping to maybe clean out all the pollution that had filled the lining of lungs. Driving back down Rim-of-the-World highway was like dropping into a vat of gray soup. We would try to hold in that clean air, but you can only hold your breath for so long, and back in would rush that lethal concoction of particulate matter. UGH, again.
We all breathe, all the time. The alternative is not very good for you. But not only do we breathe in the air around us, but we also breathe the air of our culture. Our culture produces its own smog. I call it Selfish Materialistic Obsessive Greed. And like the smog of Southern California, it cannot be counteracted by a couple hours of “breathing clean.” To clean out the 168 hours of “breathing” we do in a week, it is going to take more than just an hour of clean breathing to undue the damage. It’s going to take the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the reading of God’s Word, prayer, and His empowering in our lives. It’s putting on our spiritual oxygen mask and breathing deep and long. Holding your breath in this world just won’t cut it, you’ve got to breathe the Spirit.
So, take a deep breath and let the cleansing begin.

HEAR THE WORDS “MID-LIFE” and it is usually attached to the word “crisis.” But if we take a close look at the word we see anything but crisis. Rather, it is the combination of two words, “mid” and “life.” “Mid” which tells us that this is neither the beginning nor the end. At mid-life we find ourselves in a place that gains from the wisdom and experience of the past and also looks forward to a future in which that wisdom and experience can be dispensed.
It is also a word that speaks of “life,” but sadly we have given the phrase the specter of death, or at least an increased awareness of its soon arrival. Yet, if we truly find ourselves at mid-life, say 45 years of age, then would it not be correct to say we have 45 more years to go? (Lord willing.) That’s more than enough time to make a positive impact in our world.
This weekend ushers Felton Bible Church into “mid-life.” At this 45th anniversary we will need to ask ourselves whether this will be a time of mid-life crisis or mid-life celebration? Will it be a time of dwelling on the past or planning for the future? Will it be a time of fearful aging or of expectant hope? Will it be a time of bemoaning the passing of our “youth” or will it be a time where we joyously look forward to the generations of believers yet to be born?
Forty-five years ago those followers of Jesus Christ who gave their heart soul, mind and strength to the founding of this fellowship of believers could not have imagined the changes that would take place in their world. Yet, they faithfully moved forward following the leading of the Holy Spirit. They created a place where the unchanging Truth of God could be proclaimed in order to see lives changed in the midst of an ever-changing culture.
May their legacy continue, to the glory of God.

ISRAEL KNEW BOTH exodus and exile. They knew what it was to wander toward the Promised Land, and they knew what it was to be removed from it. The journey to the promise was prolonged because of disobedience to the LORD, and their removal from the land hundreds of years later was also because of an increasing disobedience. Though both have links to disobedience, each was to be experienced differently.
The exodus from Egypt, and it’s subsequent wilderness wanderings, was meant to purify the Children of Israel and to prepare them for the coming occupation of a new homeland. Through the time of the exodus the nation learned to follow and to obey. They learned to rid themselves of the false god’s and false philosophies of Egypt and the peoples they encountered along the journey.
In the exile they learned how to dwell in a foreign land and culture while at the same time learning how to remain faithful to the one true God. In Babylon, God told them to, “Seek the peace of the city where I have sent you into exile…for in its peace you will discover your peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7)
Centuries later Jesus would tell His followers to be salt and light, and in the process to do good so that God would be glorified. (Matthew 5:13-16) He wanted His followers to know that they were not experiencing an exodus leading to a Promised Land, but rather a people of a different kingdom living in exile. (1 Peter 2:9-12) It would be their responsibility to live well in that place of exile. To live well, not just for their benefit, but for the benefit of the people of that land. As I have stated elsewhere, “to be counter-cultural for the common good.” (Andy Crouch).
Welcome to exile.