“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:3 NIV).

We’re having a great time this week at the Saddleback Worship Conference! I’m really proud of Stephen and our WCC worship band for having been selected to play this year at one of the venues. I wish we could have brought the whole band, but Stephen and Robin will do their best later today to represent.

It’s good to network with other worship leaders and learn from one another. Musicians are often notorious for their egos, but the worship leaders and artists that we’ve encountered here have been so authentic and humble. Yesterday, Stephen (along with several other song writers) submitted one of his songs from the “Lost” CD to a “Songwriters Critique Panel.” On the panel were Tony Guerrero, Meredith Andrews, Steve Fee, Brenton Brown, and a guy from Song Discovery.

Earlier that day when we heard about the panel, I asked Stephen if he wanted to submit a song.

“Sure.” He said. “But I didn’t know I’d need my CDs today and I left them at the hotel.”

“How long do we have before the panel?” I asked.

“A couple of hours.” He said.

“I’ll be back.” I shouted back over my shoulder as I headed to the rental car.

It was an hour round trip to the hotel, but we didn’t come to Saddleback to just hang out. We came here to learn and grow.

As it turned out, the panel didn’t get to Stephen’s song, but he was willing. The panel wasn’t easy-going either. They really gave a quality critique. And with Brenton Brown’s cockney accent, they even had a Simon on the panel.

Since they didn’t get to hear Stephen’s song, we passed out CDs to most of the panel and to representatives from Song Discovery, Worship Leader Magazine, and Integrity Music. We invited them to Stephen’s acoustic set on Thursday afternoon. Maybe some of them will come.

But what was really fun was just standing and talking with Steve Fee and Meredith Andrews (she’s from Wilson, you know). They were very encouraging to Stephen.

Well, I’d better sign off. I’m just the pastor/dad this week… here supporting my worship pastor/son.

We’re here together, learning some new songs.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21 NIV).

We’re in our third week of the “One Prayer” series. I’m really enjoying this time to hear pastors from other churches and join with them in “sharing, serving, and giving” in Jesus’ name.

I was a little concerned about projecting video preaching on Sunday mornings, but the feedback has been outstanding. I’m so thankful to all of our tech people and our visual arts team for the hard work every Sunday that makes this series possible. I’m also thankful to Craig Groeschel for leading us to join together with what has grown to be over 2,000 churches worldwide!

May God answer His Son’s prayer in our generation… that we may be one, so that the world may believe.

“…you do not have many fathers…” (1 Corinthians 4:15 NIV).

My father was an identical twin.

My grandparents named them Claude and Clyde. My grandmother said they were always close. They used to sleep in the crib with their arms around each other. As though they weren’t already carbon copies in appearance, my grandmother used to dress them alike too.

The twins often used this to their advantage. Like the time they fooled a girl friend. Or the time one brother fouled out of a basketball game and switched shirts with his twin in order to stay in the game because he had the “hot hand” that night.

My father, Claude Combs, passed away in November of 1966 at age 39. Yesterday, June 16, 2009, his twin brother, Clyde Combs, joined him at age 83.

For my father time has not passed. Heaven has no clocks. For his twin, 44 years have gone by. But yesterday, time became meaningless for both, as they were twins once again.

When I was a little boy, I used to confuse my Uncle Clyde for my Dad. I’d climb up into his lap and rest my head against his chest. Of course, he’d just go along. Patting me on the head.

Then, my Dad would walk up and say, “Who’s got you, son?”

I’d do a double take, looking from my father’s face to my uncle’s. They’d both laugh as Uncle Clyde would hand me to my Dad, usually while poking me in the ribs and making me giggle.

After my father died, that question, “Who’s got you, son?” held more meaning. Ultimately, I found my answer in our Heavenly Father. I learned to climb into His lap for comfort and encouragement. I have found that praying, “Our Father..” meets my every need.

Today, I pray that my Uncle Clyde’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will be comforted by Our Father.

I also pray that two twin boys named Claude and Clyde are reunited once again.

“How happy are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor… How rich your life! Your wife will be like a fruitful vine, flourishing within your home. And look at all those children!  There they sit around your table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees. That is the Lord’s reward for those who fear him. May the Lord continually bless you … May you live to enjoy your grandchildren…” (Psalm 128:1-6 NLT).

Robin and I celebrated our 30-year anniversary last week. I surprised her with a trip to Niagra Falls (Sorry guys. I know this raises the bar for all of you.).

The whole time we were there I couldn’t get over how much God has blessed us. Our marriage, our children, our grandchildren, our church family, and the opportunity to get away and enjoy one another and God’s creation… I was overwhelmed.

While reading the One Year Bible entry earlier this week, I discovered a psalmist who must have have felt the same. He describes better than I can what experiencing God’s blessings over the past 30 years have been like.

Thank you God for “continually” blessing us!

“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NIV).

“Move that bus!” Shouts Ty Pennington, host of ABC’s show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Ty shouts this now famous phrase inviting the crowd to join in each week, as they reveal the new home they have built for a needy family. If you’ve watched this show, it’s hard not to get a tear in your eye. They really do amazing things to give folks their dream home.

But it takes more than a house to make a home. As the Scripture says, “Unless the Lord builds the house the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

The apostle Paul told the Thessalonian believers that they were his glory and joy. Why? Because he had labored among them like a parent, caring for them like a mother and leading them like a father. He was filled with joy because they had believed the Word he shared with them. He was overjoyed because they were his spiritual children, his godly legacy.

I’ve lived long enough now to understand how Paul felt. I’m starting to catch a glimpse at the home God is building… in my family and in our church. We have worked and struggled together, sometimes worrying how things would turn out. But our children are growing up. They are having children of their own. And as I listen to them I hear them sharing God’s Word with the next generation, just as we shared it with them.

I’m really starting to focus on passing on a godly legacy. All of my children and their spouses have placed their trust in Christ and are living lives as Christ-followers. Now, I’m a new grandfather and I’m starting to aim at my children’s children.

Would you join me in this? Let’s pass on a godly legacy. So, that someday when God says, “Move that bus!” We’ll stand as a family to cheer and worship Him for the home He has built for us.

“Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am… I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:8, 35 NIV).

As we’ve been going through this message series on the family, I’ve been reminded that many of our church family are single people. I’ve also been reminded that all of us begin life as singles and most of us will experience seasons of singleness again. Whether from death or divorce, singleness will find most of us again.

The church’s emphasis on families, couples, and children often leave singles feeling left out. It may make them feel as if there is something wrong or inadequate with them.

But the Bible says that singleness is a gift (1 Cor. 7:7). Singleness is an opportunity for undistracted, “undivided devotion” to God. Rather than viewing singleness as a curse, we can receive it as a gift. And offer that gift back to God.

The Bible basically says this:

Are you single? Good. Stay that way, but live like you’re married to God with all of your devotion focused on pleasing Him.

Are you married? Good. Stay that way, but live like you’re not. At least in the sense that you’re not married to this world. Not married to pleasing your spouse or yourself above God. Live with singular devotion to God.

This coming Sunday I’ll be preaching a message for singles. They’re part of the family too. We can make room for singleness in our lives. It can be a gift when we recognize the Giver.

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. …Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.” (Proverbs 4:10-13 KJV).

“When can I take a shower?” I asked the nurse while looking at the surgical dressing on my stomach.

“Whenever you want.” She said.

“What about this? Don’t I have to keep this dry until the stitches come out?” I questioned while pointing at my belly.

“Stitches?” She questioned. “You don’t have any stitches. We super-glued you.”

“Hmmm…” I mumbled. “This nurse sure is a kidder…” I thought to myself as my mind surrendered to the pain meds.

As it turns out, the nurse wasn’t kidding. They used some sort of dermabond to close me up after doing a laproscopic surgery to remove my gall bladder. It’s supposed to improve one’s recovery rate (I’ll let you know).

With a quick recovery in mind, I plan to preach this Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day and we’re in a great series on the family and I love to preach, so…

… I hope the super glue holds fast.

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12 KJV).

I know I’m going to lose “man points” for this, but I watched ABC’s “The View” this morning. Now, before you judge me too harshly, hear me out. I had little choice, it was the only thing on the TV in the hospital waiting room.

While waiting over 30 minutes to get some lab work done,  I scanned the room desperately looking for a magazine or something to read. Nothing (unless you count Ladies Home Journal, and various other women’s mags). So, out of sheer boredom, I watched “The View.”

The setup for the show is a familiar one on TV these days. Introduce a current event or topic and let four or five people shout their opinions at each other until one of them yells loudest or tells the funniest joke. At which point the audience applauds.

The topic I heard was “Should married couples have secret bank accounts or separate bank accounts?”

Comic Joy Behar responded with her snappy delivery, “Well, if I want to splurge on an expensive lamp, I don’t want to have to ask my husband’s permission!” (Audience loudly applauds).

“My husband and I share one account. We discuss what we want to buy. It helps us…” Elisabeth Hasselbeck attempted to say before being drowned out by comments from the other three women.

To end this segment, Whoopi Goldberg summarized with an authorative tone, “Well, I think they should have three accounts. One for her, one for him, and one together.” (Audience applauds).

Having never watched this show (for this long) before, I think I understand it. Whoopi and Joy are the sharp witted, comics who get the laughs. Elisabeth is the token, sweet faced blond, who innocently offers old-fashioned opinions, and Barbara is the journalist keeping them on topic.

As entertainment, I guess I can see why some would enjoy it. But as thoughtful help for one’s marriage, family, finances, or life it’s worse than useless. It’s dreadfully inadequate.

Whether it’s talking heads on a so-called news show or shouting voices on the latest reality show, a multiplicity of opinions doesn’t reveal true wisdom. It really just tends to broadcast more foolishness. (To which the audience applauds).

The only “view” that I want to heed is God’s. His voice is quiet and wise. He has a lot to say about everything that concerns our lives. I’m not interested in following the loud voices of this culture. I don’t want what they have, so why should I listen to what they know?

I was glad when the nurse finally called my name and freed me from the waiting room.

As I left, I thought, “I want God’s “view.” I want His blueprint. So, I will listen to His still, small voice.” (Any applause?).

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Proverbs 24:3-4 NIV).

After a long day at Wake Medical in Raleigh our long awaited grandson has arrived! His name is Nathaniel Dillon Combs and he was born on Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Nathaniel was born to our son Jonathan and his wife Nicole. This is our first grandchild. I must say that this is quite a new experience. We have known the wonder of childbirth as parents, but standing by and watching as your children have children… is awe inspiring and overwhelming.

God is so good! I’m glad that we have built our house on His firm foundation. Now, we pray that our children and our children’s children know the joy and blessing of building life on His Word and His grace.

By the way, I think this new Combs boy looks really intelligent. I held him only a few minutes after he was born and he was already looking around the room and checking things out. Don’t tell anyone, but I think he takes after me.